Variação da composição química de óleo essencial das folhas de Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi em diferentes estados brasileiros

Abstract

Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi, Anacardiaceae, popularly known as pink pepper, is a native species of South America, and in Brazil mainly between Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul, in Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. In traditional medicine its bark and/or leaves are used as a decoction and/or infusion in the treatment of uterine inflammation. Leaves and fruits are rich in essential oil, with a predominance of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The species has been used in the recovery of degraded areas due to its easy adaptation. As it is a species that easily adapts to different locations, several factors can interfere with the chemical variation of secondary metabolites. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of S. terebinthifolia (EOST) collected in the following Brazilian states: Bahia, Espírito Santo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo and subsequently evaluate its anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity. The extraction of essential oil from the leaves was performed by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. The anti-inflammatory activity was performed by the carrageenan (Cg)-induced paw edema model in mice, followed by the antinociceptive evaluation by the method of mechanical hyperalgesia and cold sensitivity. Essential oils had a predominance of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, with α-pinene and limonene being the predominant constituents in all regions. Paw edema in a single dose of EOST from the six states (30 mg/kg) significantly inhibited edema formation compared to the control group, also reduced the sensitivity induced by mechanical stimulation and there was a hypersensitive response to cold, in the interval between 3 h and 4 h after induction with Cg compared to the control group. This study indicates that EOST samples collected in six Brazilian states differed in their chemical composition, but it is characterized by the predominance of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, however the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects did not differ, which correlated with the synergistic effect of their components.