Laelia furfuracea Lindl.: an Endemic Mexican Orchid with Anticoagulant Activity

Laelia furfuracea is an endemic orchid from Mexico, with antioxidant activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydroethanolic extract and fractions obtained from the orchid leaves on the clotting times of patients with venous thromboembolic disease (VTD) and to identify their tentative compounds. The anticoagulant activity was evaluated by determining prothrombin (PT), thrombin (TT) and, activated partial thromboplastin (APTT) times. Identification of the compounds was carried out using a chromatographic technique with an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatographic analyzer coupled with electrospray ionization with quadrupole time of flight-mass-mass spectrometry. The extract prolonged the clotting times depending on the concentration-response (5-60 mg / mL); 25 mg/mL prolonged the PT (33.2 +/- 2.3 s) and TT (33.1 +/- 0.3 s); and APTT (61.8 +/- 3.4 s) at a concentration of 15 mg/mL. The main groups tentatively identified were xanthine, carboxylic acid, amino acid, and phenolic compounds. These compounds or the synergy between them prolong clotting times. Laelia furfuracea is an orchid with research potential in the search for new anticoagulant agents.