Chemical and biological profile of Psidium bahianum landrum & funch (Myrtaceae)

Plant species of the genus Psidium L. (family Myrtaceae) metabolize a wide range of secondary metabolites. These are reflected in the variety of biological activities expressed by extracts and isolated components from these plants, which have aroused the interest of several researchers. The chemical and pharmacological potential of Psidium bahianum Landrumn & Funch, a species endemic to eastern Bahia State, Brazil, has, until now, not been reported. This work investigates the chemical composition and antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of extracts obtained from P. bahianum in solvents of different polarities by antimicrobial inhibition, free radical capture, Arthemia salina Leach viability, and hemolytic activity essays, respectively. Phytochemical assays revealed the presence of alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, saponins, anthraquinones, phenols and flavonoids. The extracts showed antimicrobial activity for the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach and Micrococcus luteus Schroeter and for the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa Schroeter and Salmonella choleraesuis Smith, in addition to antifungal activity against Candida albicans Robin Berkhout. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts also showed high free radical reducing capacities the DPPH (≥ 80%). The samples did not demonstrate toxic potential by means of hemolytic assay, but the leaf extracts in ethyl acetate and ethanol, which presented moderate toxicity for A. salina with CL 50 values of 489.80 and 323.60 µg mL −1 , respectively. These findings show for the first time the chemical and biological profiles of P. bahianum extracts, contributing to the safety of their traditional use, as well as, in the long term, to the preparation of herbal medicines.