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Revista Cubana de Plantas Medicinales
versión On-line ISSN 1028-4796
Resumen
ESPITIA-BAENA, Jorge Eliecer et al. Chemistry and biology of ethanol extract from the epicarp of Crescentia cujete L. (totumo). Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2011, vol.16, n.4, pp. 337-346. ISSN 1028-4796.
Introduction: Crescentia cujete L. (Bignonaceae) tree known in Colombia as totumo, is a characteristic species of tropical climates. Its most distinctive feature is the fruit, which is a spherical pumpkin with hard and woody peel, and a gelatinous pulp having a lot of seeds. Objective: to conduct the chemical and biological ethanol extract of Crescentia cujete L. epicarp. Methods: vegetal material was harvested and the total ethanol extract was obtained. Then, preliminary phytochemical screening, direct physical and chemical tests on vegetal material, the quantification of heavy metals and finally the biological study against Aedes aegypti L. (Culicidae) larvae in stages III and IV, Artemia salina Leach. (Artemiidae) larvae and apical cells of Allium cepa L. (Amaryllidaceae) roots. Results: the presence of three groups of secondary metabolites, that is, flavonoids, steroids and triterpenes were identified. Likewise, the water and ash content on dry basis was quantified as well as the levels of concentration of some heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, mercury and lead were estimated. The biological study revealed that the extract did not show acute toxicity either in any of the tested biological systems or at the concentrations and the time of experimentation. Conclusions: the information obtained in this research is an important resource for the scientific community and provides elements associated to the chemical nature and the biological behavior of the totumo ´s epicarp not contained in previous reports.
Palabras clave : Crescentia cujete; totumo; Aedes aegypti; Artemia salina; Allium cepa.