Plantas medicinais da Grande Dourados-MS: investigação do potencial antimicrobiano e aplicações terapêuticas

Abstract

The use of plant-derived products to promote health is an ancient practice present in various cultures worldwide. Ethnobotanical knowledge, combined with scientific advancements, serves as an important tool for the discovery of new biomolecules of pharmacological interest, as many of these plants produce secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of medicinal plants against microorganisms associated with microbial infections and, from this, develop a database containing the obtained information. A bibliographic survey was conducted on plants traditionally used in Dourados-MS and surrounding areas, leading to the selection of nine species: Alternanthera brasiliana (terramicina), Baccharis crispa (carqueja), Croton urucurana (sangria d’água), Mikania glomerata (guaco), Monteverdia ilicifolia (espinheira-santa), Polygonum hydropiperoides (erva-de-bicho), Salvia officinalis (sálvia), Sambucus australis (sabugueiro), and Vernonanthura brasiliana (assa-peixe). Aqueous and ethanolic extracts were prepared from the collected plant materials and tested against eight microorganisms using the broth microdilution technique to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and, subsequently, the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) or Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC). Five extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against at least one of the tested microorganisms. The leaf extract of P. hydropiperoides showed the highest antibacterial potential, demonstrating bactericidal activity against S. aureus at a concentration of 500 µg/mL. Conversely, the bark extract of C. urucurana showed bacteriostatic activity at 500 µg/mL and bactericidal activity starting at 1000 µg/mL against S. aureus. Additionally, the extracts of M. glomerata and V. brasiliana demonstrated bacteriostatic activity against S. aureus at a concentration of 500 µg/mL and E. coli at 1000 µg/mL. Lastly, M. ilicifolia exhibited only bacteriostatic activity at 1000 µg/mL against S. aureus and E. coli. None of the nine evaluated extracts showed antifungal activity at the tested concentrations. Thus, it was possible to determine the antimicrobial potential of different species used in traditional contexts, supporting information that could contribute to the development of a database on the biological potential of medicinal plants.