Chemical study and antilithiatic activity of Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam. (brasilete)

Renal lithiasis is a pathology with high incidence and prevalence around the world. Its treatment is based on minimal invasive surgery. For this reason, the scientific community has focused its efforts on the search for new drugs for the treatment of renal lithiasis. Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam. is a medicinal plant used by the Cuban population for the treatment of renal stones. There is only little scientific information about this plant species. Macro- and micro-morphological characteristics of the stem of this plant were identified and the physicochemical parameters of the drug were determined through the analysis of its quality parameters. In addition, the chemical characteristics were established by chromatographic and ultraviolet profiles and the total content of phenols and flavonoids was quantified. All these results were shown for the first time for this species. An hydroalcoholic extract was prepared from the stem, followed by liquid / liquid partition and further chromatographic separations, resulting in the isolation and structure elucidation of six homoisoflavonoids, which were identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry (MS) as: 3-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl)chromane-4,7-diol (metasappanin) (1), 10- methyl-protosappanin B (2), (iso)-10-methyl-protosappanin B (3), brazilin (4), protosappanin B (5) and (iso)-protosappanin B (6). In addition, seventy-four compounds were identified by Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectometry (GC/MS), mainly fatty acids, sesquiterpenoids and phytosterols. These compounds were reported for first time for this species, while compound 1 was reported for first time as a natural product. The diuretic and antilithiathic activity of the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts was demonstrated in animal models and their traditional use was corroborated. The antilithiathic activity of the extracts was reported for the first time for the genus Caesalpinia.

Publication year:2020

Keywords:Doctoral thesis

Accessibility:Open