Verification of the presence of gallic acid and evaluation of the antioxidant and antitumoral potential of different fractions of Calendula officinalis extract Murillo Alessandro do Nascimento, Luciana Lopes Guimarães, Daniel Siquieroli Vilas Boas

Abstract

Cancer has become a major public health problem, even in developed countries, with the disease representing around 12% of all causes of death in the world and responsible for more than six million deaths per year. Among the various etiologies proposed for the emergence of cancer cells in individuals, the relationship with oxidative stress processes stands out. Calendula (Calendula officinalis L./Asteraceae) is an edible medicinal plant, widely used as a seasoning, tea and therapeutic agent, known for its biosynthesis of polyphenols such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which have pharmacological activities against various types of neoplasms. The present study aimed to extract and identify metabolites present in Calendula officinalis extract, more specifically gallic acid, followed by a bibliographic survey about the properties of this compound, with an emphasis on antioxidant and antitumor properties. The crude extract was obtained by turbolization, using 90% ethanol as solvent. Preliminary tests were carried out using ferric chloride and the Shinoda reaction, which indicated the presence of flavonoid compounds. We carried out the analyzes using the Thin Layer Chromatography method, whose plates were subsequently analyzed using a methodology adapted in the TLC 120 software, followed by statistical analysis. After analysis, we found the presence of gallic acid only in the EHSP fraction (semi-purified extract) visualized under 254nm UV light. Regarding the antioxidant potential test, we obtained positive results for different fractions of the extract, using the free radical DPPH. With the results obtained, the calendula plant extract is highly likely to be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of malignant neoplasms.