ANTIBACTERIAL AND TOXIC ACTIVITY STUDY OF KUISHIP (Jacaranda copaia)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the antibacterial activity of gram positive and gram negative pathogens and evaluate their toxicity with respect to Artemia salina in Kuiship (Jacaranda copaia (Aubl.) D. Don) leaf extracts. First, three Uhi Shñu (wise man) were interviewed to determine their previous medicinal uses. Plant tissue was gathered from the Capirona Community and ethereal, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts were obtained from the J. copaia leaves. Then a phytochemical, antimicrobial screening process was undertaken, determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of native bacteria that presented positive or sensitive antibacterial activity when faced with extracts in agar diffusion tests. Finally, an in vitro bioassay with Artemia salina was performed to determine the toxicity of the J. copaia extracts. The presence of the following secondary metabolites was identified: oils and fats, triterpenes-steroids, catechins, saponins, reducing sugars, alkaloids, quinones, bitter tannins and constituents. During the antibacterial assays, the sensitive bacterial strains were: S. aureus versus the ethereal extract, and E. coli versus the J. copaia aqueous extract. The MIC was determined for these two native bacteria. The bioassay for A. salina revealed that the J. copaia ethereal and ethanolic extracts presented moderate toxicity with a concentration of 1000 ppm.