Biological properties of the Joannesia princeps Vellozo seeds

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological properties of the methanol extract, obtained by Soxhlet, followed by liquid/liquid partition with organic solvents (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and residual fractions) of the Joannesia princeps seeds. Laxative activity was tested through the intestinal motility model in mice. The agar diffusion method using Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29737, Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Escherichia coli ATCC 11229, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 13111 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 90271 and the Brine Shrimp Lethality bioassay were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity and the toxicity, respectively. The methanol extract, the fractions and the powder seeds increased the intestinal motility significantly. The methanol extract and residual fraction inhibited all reference strains tested, while the hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and butanol fractions inhibited only S. aureus ATCC 29737. The hexane and dichloromethane fractions were active against Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 13111 and Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175. The methanol extract and hexane, dichloromethane and butanol fractions produced LC50 56.28, 16.72, 14.82 and 67.29 mg/mL, respectively. The results showed that J. princeps seeds present laxative and bacterial activities, being toxic to A. salina.