Análise da composição nutricional e de compostos bioativos do chá do jucá (Libidibia ferrea) e seus efeitos na colite distal inflamatória não infecciosa induzida em ratos

Abstract

Brazil has an abundance of plants in which Jucá or “Pau ferro” stands out and can be used in folk medicine due to its antidiarrheal, healing and analgesic properties. Colitis is an inflammatory disease that causes malabsorption of nutrients and nutritional deficiencies. Phytotherapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases is evidenced in the literature in order to reduce inflammation and bring fewer side effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of pod tea with Jucá seeds crushed together for curative treatment in rats with acute colitis. Jucá nutrients and antioxidants were determined. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n=10/group): control (healthy animals), control colitis (induced colitis), control drug (receiving sulfasalazine (300 mg kg-1/day, by oral gavage for 7 days) and the jucá group (they received a dose of the fruit of 285mg/Kg/day of jucá in the form of tea, via gavage, for 7 days). The tea was prepared by infusion. The disease activity index, macroscopic damage score of the large intestine, histopathological analysis of the large intestine, biochemical tests and antioxidation measurement were determined. Jucá was ripe with dry matter content (88.57±0.69 g/100 g), protein (7.31±0.21 mg/100 g), iron (11.87±2.14 mg/100 g), zinc (2.03±0.07 mg/100 g) high. In tea, phenolic compounds (12.22±1.04 mg GAE/g-1), flavonoids (4.63±0.76 mg Catechin/g-1) and antioxidants (48.29±5.5 µM Trolox g-1). The group that received jucá tea reduced water and feed consumption (p<0.0001), had a higher rate of disease activity on day 1 (p<0.0001) and on day 7 (p=0.004). All animals with colitis presented hyperemia (p=0.001) and organ adhesion (p<0.0001). The albumin/globulin ratio was lower in the animals that consumed the tea (p<0.001) and the ALT (p=0.04) and liver weight (p=0.001) were high in the animals with sulfasalazine. Jucá has a high content of protein and minerals. There was a higher concentration of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidants in the methanolic extract, however, it is through the consumption of tea from the parts of the plant that the population uses Jucá. The inflammatory reaction caused by colitis was acute. There was an increase in intestinal hyperemia, neutrophilic infiltrate, adherence and metaplasia in animals with colitis. The albumin/globulin ratio indicated a worsening in the outcome of colitis in rats with Jucá and the use of sulfasalazine generated liver toxicity.