Evaluation of antiulcer activity on experimental model of Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verlot microencapsulated with cashew

Polyphenols attract great interest in pharmaceutical industries, due to the health benefits attributed to them. However, the effectiveness of polyphenols depends on preserving the stability, bioactivity and bioavailability of the active ingredients. A. chica crude extract is an important source of bioactive polyphenols, namely 3 deoxianthocyanidines[1]. Nevertheless the free crude extract has shown to be easily affected by environmental conditions caused by light, temperature and oxygen. To overcome these deficiencies encapsulation technologies of polyphenols by spray drying was considered. Therefore to achieve our needs the crude A.chica extract was produced at 25 °C with mechanical stirring in the absence of light using cashew gum (CG) as wall material. This study reports data of chemical and biological evaluation of microparticules of A.chica (MAC). The CG was extracted from Anacardium occidental[2] its chemical structure is similar to Arabic gum[3]. A 20% extract was solubilized in water mixed with 80% CG producing an emulsion with 30% solid. The extract was processed in Spray Drier at 160 °C, N2 flow. The physical data of microparticules showed in Table 1[4]. The ulcers were evaluated by ethanol induced ulcerative lesions in Wistar rats previously treated with MAC. The saline group and CG does not protect the stomach having 94% ulcerative index lesion ulcerative (ILU). The MAC were tested on three levels 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg and showed cytoprotection 56%, 56% and 65% respectively. Free A. chica extract 500 mg/kg showed 85% of protection concluding that the microencapsulation maintained the antiulcer activity, compared with saline. This study helped to promote the stability and bioactivity of A.chica crude extract..

Tab. 1: Physical data of microcapsules produced with Cashew gum wall material.

Sample	pH	humidity (%)	Water Activity	Carajurin (% w/w)
Microcapsules	5,80 ± 0,01	8,39 ± 0,16	0,308 ± 0,003	1,62 ± 0,06

Financial support: FAPESP, CNPq, AFPU

Keywords: Arrabidaea chica, cashew gum, microparticules, cytoprotection.

References:

[1] Zorn, B. et al. Phytochemistry, 2001, 56: 831 – 835.

[2] Rodrigues, R. A. F; Grosso C. R. F. J. Microencapsul. 2008, 25: 13 – 20 8.

[3] Paula H.C.B.et al. Carbohydr. Polym. 2002, 48: 313 – 318.

[4] Devia, B. et al. Phytochemi Anal. 2002, 13: 114 – 120.