TITLE:
The Phytochemical Profile and Photoprotective Potential of Bark and Leaves of Erythrina velutina Willd.—A Medicinal Species from the Caatinga Region of Brazil
AUTHORS:
Bruno de Almeida Andrade, Allan Jonathan Chernichiarro Corrêa, Ana Klarissa Soares Gomes, Patrícia Maria da Silva Neri Cruz, Aline Michaele de Saint-George Albuquerque Cheron, Valerium Thijan Nobre de Almeidae Castro, Décio Henrique Araújo Salvadôr de Mello, Cláudia Sampaio de Andrade Lima, Ricardo Yara, Elba Lúcia Cavalcanti de Amorim
KEYWORDS:
Phytochemical, Caatinga, Phytochemistry, Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.11 No.12,
December
26,
2023
ABSTRACT: The use of medicinal plants as therapeutic and economic resources has been on the rise in recent years. In Brazil, however, increasing doubt is being cast on the quality of these products, owing to the prevalence of adulteration and fraud. Solar radiation can cause serious damage to human skin, as a result, mostly, of ultraviolet light, which is a cause of skin cancer. Photoprotective substances are capable of absorbing, reflecting, or refracting ultraviolet radiation and thus protecting skin from exposure to sunlight. The present study aimed to characterize samples and examine the phytochemical profile and photoprotective potential of bark and leaves of Erythrina velutina Willd. The samples underwent five extraction methods using 80% ethanol. The phenolic content was measured using spectrophotometry. Antioxidant activity was examined using the DPPH and the photoprotective properties of the plant extracts were assessed using the method developed by Mansur. There was a quantitative difference in some groups of metabolites, with higher levels of tannin in the bark and of flavonoids in the leaves. The latter showed greater DPPH free radical scavenging capacity than the bark, although higher levels of SPF were obtained from the bark, with no statistically significant differences between methods. The results indicate that Erythrina velutina Willd. has potential as a photoprotector.