Antileishmanial and antioxidant potential of fractions and isolated compounds from Nectandra cuspidata

The effects on the viability of promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and citotoxicity in J774.A1 macrophages of ethanolic extract, fractions and isolated compounds that were obtained from the leaves of Nectandra cuspidata were determined. The total phenolics content (TP) and antioxidant activity were assessed using different assays. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) had the best antiproliferative activity (amastigote IC₅₀: 4.42 ± 0.60 μg/mL, promastigote IC₅₀: 33.33 ± 0.78) and presented no cytotoxicity at the highest concentration tested (1000 μg/mL). The EAF also had the greatest antioxidant capacity, which was comparable to butylated hydroxytoluene and quercetin (DPPH IC₅₀ 6.54 ± 0.10 μg/mL, ABTS 4.75 ± 0.11 mmol ET/g; FRAP 2.37 ± 0.03 mmol ET/g; ORAC = 33.52 ± 1.99 mmol ET/g; TP 387.11 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g). Vitexin, epicatechin and isovitexin isolated from EAF contribute to both activities.