The Influence of Anthocyanidin Profile on Antileishmanial Activity of Arrabidaea chica Morphotypes

Abstract

<i>Arrabidaea chica</i> Verlot (crajiru) is a plant used in folk medicine as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and to treat fungal and viral diseases such as measles chickenpox and herpes. <i>Arrabidaea chica</i> has several morphotypes recognized but little is known about its chemical variability. In the present study the anthocyanidin profile of <i>A. chica</i> morphotypes collected in two seasons (summer and winter) have been examined and their activity against <i>Leishmania</i> infection compared. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD-UV) and by tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI-MS/MS) were used for anthocyanidin separation and identification. Antileishmanial activity was measured against promastigote forms of <i>Leishmania amazonensis</i>. Multivariate analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson's correlation were performed to classify morphotypes accordingly to their anthocyanidin profile. The presence of 6,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxy-5-methoxyflavylium (3'-hydroxy-carajurone) (1), carajurone (2), 6,7,3'-trihydroxy-5,4'-dimethoxy-flavylium (3'-hydroxy-carajurin) (3) and carajurin (4), and three unidentified anthocyanidins were detected. Two different groups were recognized: group I containing 3'-hydroxy-carajurone; and group II with high content of carajurin. Among anthocyanidins identified in the extracts, only carajurin showed significant statistical correlation (<i>p</i> = 0.030) with activity against <i>L. amazonensis</i>. Carajurin could thus be considered as a pharmacological marker for the antileishmanial potential of the species.