Caracterização fisico-química e avaliação da atividade imunomoduladora da tintura de Cocos nucifera L. e dinamizações homeopáticas.

Abstract

Cocos nucifera L., known as coconut, is an important fruit tree, well distributed around the world, especially in tropical countries, where it has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine as an antiblennorrhagic, febrifuge, for bronchitis and gingivitis. In Brazil it is used as an immunomodulator for colds and flu. Recent studies indicate that bark fiber extracts have several biological activities, including antinoceptive, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of C. nucifera Mother Tincture (TM) and homeopathic derivatives, in addition to its activity as an immunomodulator and antioxidant. TM and its homeopathic derivatives were produced according to methods described in the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, 3rd (2011). The colorimetric analysis performed on the TM showed that its color is reddish brown and derivatives D1 and C1 are light yellow, the others are transparent. TM has a pH of 5.5, being acidic due to its rich constitution in phenolics. The relative density found for TM was 0.9185 g/mL and the dry residue content of the plant extract is 1.95%. In the quantification of total tannins by spectrophotometry in phosphomolybdotungstic reagent, TM showed a content of 2.28%. Ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV) analysis of TM and C1 and D1 homeopathic derivatives of C. nucifera showed absorption lmax of approximately 210 and 300 nm, this absorption being characteristic of the presence of phenolics. The analysis by infrared spectroscopy (IR) of the TM confirmed the constitution rich in phenolics, but it was not efficient for the analysis of the C1-C3 trituration derivatives. The chemical composition of C. nucifera TM was evaluated by CCD, HPLC-DAD and UPLC-DADESI-QTOF-MS/MS, making it possible to identify phenolic substances: hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin/epicatechin, 3 isomers of caffeoylshikimic acid, 2 derivatives of caffeoylshikimic acid and the flavonoids xanthorhamnin and cyanidin-O-hexoside/myricetin-Opentoside. TM demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity, 91.90 ± 15.60 µg/ml, in a DPPH model. The homeopathic derivatives also showed antioxidant activity, even at ultra-diluted potencies, C5 and D4 did not show statistically significant differences from C30 and D30, dilutions of 1060 and 1015, respectively. Thus, the pharmacotechnical process of production of derivatives maintains the activity found, but it is non-linear, with fluctuating results. TM and homeopathic derivatives did not demonstrate cytotoxicity in macrophages and show an immunomodulating activity against TNF-a and interleukins 6 and 10 (IL-6 and IL-10). The results obtained provide scientific support for the use of TM of C. nucifera and derivatives and provide perspectives for further studies, aiming at its use as an immunomodulator.