RESUMO
Momordica charantia is a species cultivated throughout the world and widely used in folk medicine, and its medicinal benefits are well documented, especially its pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial activities. Analytical methods have been used to aid in the characterization of compounds derived from plant drug extracts and their products. This paper developed a methodological model to evaluate the integrity of the vegetable drug M. charantia in different particle sizes, using different analytical methods. M. charantia was collected in the semiarid region of Paraíba, Brazil. The herbal medicine raw material derived from the leaves and fruits in different particle sizes was analyzed using thermoanalytical techniques as thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (PYR-GC/MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), in addition to the determination of antimicrobial activity. The different particle surface area among the samples was differentiated by the techniques. DTA and TG were used for assessing thermal and kinetic parameters and PYR-GC/MS was used for degradation products chromatographic identification through the pyrograms. The infusions obtained from the fruit and leaves of Momordica charantia presented antimicrobial activity.
RESUMO
Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica quanto à presença de fungos filamentosos em ervas do tipo Peumus boldus Molina (Boldo), Pimpinella anisum L. (erva-doce) e Matricaria chamomilla L. (Camomila) comercializadas na cidade de Campina Grande (Paraíba). Nove amostras de cada planta foram analisadas, totalizando 27 amostras, obtidas aleatoriamente nas feiras livres e barracas informais da cidade. Cada 10 g de amostra foram suspensas em 90 mL de solução salina 0,89% estéril, obtendo-se o concentrado, a partir do qual foram realizadas diluições sucessivas. A seguir, uma alíquota de 0,1mL de cada diluição foi semeada em placas de Petri contendo Ágar Sabouraud Dextrose, as quais foram incubadas à temperatura ambiente por cinco a dez dias. Após este período foram contadas as colônias fúngicas presentes e realizados seus respectivos microcultivos para identificação através de microscópio óptico. Foram encontrados fungos toxigênicos como Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. e Fusarium sp., estando o primeiro presente em todas as amostras avaliadas. Também foram identificados os fungos Exophiala sp. E Fonsecaea sp., que possuem importância clínica, podendo causar micose. A forma como estas plantas são armazenadas para comercialização e a falta de fiscalização torna questionável a qualidade das plantas comercializadas para obtenção de chás, o que pode comprometer a saúde do consumidor ao utilizar esses produtos na forma de Chá.
The aim of this study was to assess the microbiological quality, with regard to the presence of filamentous fungi, of the tea herbs Peumus boldus Molina (boldo leaf), Pimpinella anisum L. (anise) and Matricaria chamomilla L. (wild chamomile) marketed in the city of Campina Grande (Paraiba State, Brazil). Nine samples of each plant, totaling 27 samples, were randomly collected in street markets and informal stalls in the city. In the laboratory, 10 g of each sample was ground and suspended in 90 mL of 0.89% sterile saline solution, affording the concentrate from which serial dilutions were obtained. Aliquots of 0.1 mL of each dilution were spread on plates of Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, which were then incubated at room temperature for five to ten days. After this period, the fungal colonies were counted, their morphology was analyzed and subcultures were made on slides for identification by optical microscope. Toxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp. and Fusarium sp. were found, the first being present in all plant samples. The fungi Exophiala sp. and Fonsecaea sp., which are clinically significant as they can cause mycoses, were also identified. The method of storing these plants before sale and the lack of inspection raise questions about the quality of the marketed herbs, suggesting that the health of the consumer who uses these products to make tea could be harmed.
