Caracterização farmacológica de extratos de Averrhoa carambola: efeitos sobre enzimas

Abstract

Hemostasis is a complex physiological defense mechanism of the body that aims to maintain the balance of the blood circulatory system. In the search for natural compounds that act on hemostatic processes, several plant species have been shown to contain bioactive compounds that aid in disease prevention. Thus, leaves and fruits of Averrhoa carambola, Oxalidaceae, have been widely used in popular form for prevention and treatment of various diseases. Phospholipases and proteases are enzymes present in snake venoms. These enzymes are homologous to human enzymes and can be used to test the action of natural inhibitors. In this way, phospholipase, hemolytic, caseinolytic, thrombolytic, coagulant and fibrinogenolytic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A. carambola were performed. The tests were all evaluated in vitro, the samples containing extracts and venoms were incubated for 30 minutes at 37°C. The extracts, in different proportions, inhibited the phospholipase activity induced by venoms of B. moojeni and B. alternatus by 25 to 55% in 20 to 100% the hemolysis induced by venoms of B. atrox, B. moojeni and Crotalus durissus terrificus and in 10 to 33% the proteolytic activity on the substrate casein. The proteolysis of the fibrinogen substrate, induced by B. moojeni venom, was also inhibited. The thrombolytic activity induced by B. atrox venom was potentiated by the extracts, with values higher than 100% of activity observed. As observed for the B. moojeni venom in most of the evaluated proportions, although the Lachesis muta venom has been inhibited 20 to 50% in the different proportions of the evaluated extracts. The extracts were also capable of altering the coagulation time induced by C.d.t., L. muta and B. atrox venoms, prolonging or reducing coagulation time under the different conditions evaluated. The results confirm the potential of A. carambola for pharmacological purposes, and its constituents can act as inhibitor or enzymatic potentiator and interfere in processes related to hemostatic balance, such as coagulation, thrombus dissolution and fibrinogenolysis, although future studies are necessary to enable human consumption with efficacy and safety.