Abstract

Erythroxylum suberosum A. St. Hill. has been used as anti-rheumatism, anesthetic and for indigestion in Brazilian folk medicine. The crude extracts from leaves were obtained by maceration or infusion. The extracts showed no toxicity to brine shrimp lethality assay. The total phenolics and flavonoids contents were more significant in aqueous and ethanol extracts than its fractions (dichloromethane and hydro-methanol). The antioxidant potential of the crude aqueous extract was, approximately, 4.5 times higher than BHT, while the ethanol extract was 5.9 times. On the other hand, a hydro-methanol fraction from crude ethanol extract was 7.6 times more potent than BHT. Also, it was described the isolation and structural identification of isoquercitrin, rutin, quercetin and isomers catechin and epicatechin, from leaves of E. suberosum.

Key words: Erythroxylum, phenolic compounds, Cerrado