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BIBTEX RIS

Caryocar coriaceum fruits as a potential alternative to combat fungal and bacterial infections: In vitro evaluation of methanolic extracts

2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 181; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106203

1096-1208

José Weverton Almeida‐Bezerra, Rafael Pereira da Cruz, Raimundo Luíz Silva Pereira, Viviane Bezerra da Silva, Daniele de Oliveira Bezerra de Sousa, João Xavier da Silva Neto, Larissa Alves Lopes, Nadine Monteiro Salgueiro Araújo, Rafael Guimarães Gomes Silva, Daniel Luna Lucetti, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Maria Flaviana Bezerra Morais‐Braga, Antônio Fernando Morais de Oliveira,

Piperaceae Chemical and Biological Studies

Caryocar coriaceum, commonly known as 'pequi', is a medicinal species used traditionally for the herbal treatment of infectious and parasitic diseases in the Brazilian Northeast region. In this study, we investigated whether the fruits of C. coriaceum have bioactive chemical constituents against etiological agents of infectious diseases. The methanolic extract of the internal mesocarp of the fruits of C. coriaceum (MECC) was chemically analyzed and evaluated for its antimicrobial and drug-enhancing activity against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus), and Candida spp. strains. The extract had flavones, flavonols, xanthones, catechins, and flavanones as major classes. A total of 11.26 mg GAE/g of phenolics, and 5.98 mg QE/g of flavonoids were found. No intrinsic antibacterial activity was observed; however, the extract was able to intensify the action of gentamicin and erythromycin against multi-resistant strains. The anti-Candida effect observed in this study was mainly due to the formation of reactive oxygen species. The extract was capable of causing damage to the plasmatic membrane of Candida tropicalis through pores formation. Our findings partially support the ethnopharmacological uses of the fruit pulp of C. coriaceum against infectious and parasitic diseases.