Morphological, chemical characterization and anti-inflammatory activity of <em>Tropaeolum tuberosum</em> (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze (Tropaeolaceae) pink variety
Keywords:
Tropaeolum tuberosum, pink variety, morphology, gas chromatography – mass spectrometry, anti-inflammatory activityAbstract
Introduction: Tropaeolum tuberosum (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze. (Tropaeolaceae) has different varieties of tubers (types: black, yellow and pink), very used in Ecuador with nutritional aims and traditionally used due to their medicinal properties. However, there are few scientific studies on the pink variety.
Objective: Assess the morphological characteristics of the tubers, the chemical composition of the non-polar extracts and the anti-inflammatory activity of T. tuberosum pink variety.
Methods: There were assessed the macromorphological and micromorphological characteristics of T. tuberosum pink variety’s tubers. From the vegetal material, there were made extractions by maceration with hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol at 30%. The extracts in hexane and ethyl acetate were analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (CG-EM). It was assessed the anti-inflammatory activity of the hydroalcoholic extract through the model of plantar edema induced by carrageenan in rats to the dose of 500mg/kg, using indometacin as positive control.
Results: Some differences were perceived in the macromorphological characteristics and micromorphological similarities in respect to other varieties of T. tuberosum. In the extract in hexane predominated the fatty acids (linoleic acid, mainly), while in the extract of ethyl acetate prevailed the hydrocarbons. Other compounds detected in both extracts were phytosterols and triterpenoids. The hydroalcoholic extract showed an anti-inflammatory activity comparable with the one of the indometacin in the fifth hour of the study, with a percentage of inhibition of the edema over the 50%.
Conclusions: The morphological characteristics of T. tuberosum pink variety are an efficient tool for its correct botanical identification. The bioactive compounds found in the tubers can be considered as responsible of the confirmed anti-inflammatory activity.
