Avaliação fitoquímica e microbiológica da espécia Artemisia annua L. submetida a tratamentos de armazenamento e condições de ambiente

• Autor(a) principal: Cervezan, Thalita Cristina Marques [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Broetto, Fernando [UNESP], Figueira, Glyn Mara, Rabonato, Aline Cristina, Souza, Ilza Maria de Oliveira
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.17224/EnergAgric.2013v28n4p270-276; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/137259
• topic: Active principle; Artemisinin; Medicinal plants; Princípio ativo; Artemisinina; Plantas medicinais

The species Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) is native to China and has artemisinin as its main active component, substance that is considered a potent antimalarial drug. With the increased interest in natural active principles, studies related to post-harvest and storage of vegetable material become important for better conservation of its phytotherapic properties. Therefore, the present study had as objectivedefine the best storage conditions to preserve and keep the quality of phytotherapic drugs. Leaves of A. annua dried were stored for six months in polyethylene bags wrapped in Kraft paper and packed in four treatments: at ambient condition, refrigerated at 4 ± 2 oC, using normal packing, and using vacuum packing. Samples were taken for microbiological, moisture content, and level of artemisinin analyses before the experiment begun and at 30, 90, 120 and 180 days. The results of microbiological tests showed no significant contamination, as well as the moisture content of the stored (biological) material, which remain between 5% and 10%, keeping within acceptable parameters. The ambient without vacuum treatment (SVA) was the treatment that better maintained the sample stability during 180 days, however, the refrigerated without vacuum (SVR) showed greater efficiency to conserve the content of artemisinin.