Determinación de la actividad biológica de los compuestos bioactivos del extracto etanólico de Hierba Luisa (Cymbopogon citratus)

Abstract

Cymbopogon citratus, commonly known as Lemongrass, is a herbaceous plant of the Poaceae family native to tropical and subtropical regions. Widely valued in traditional medicine, multiple therapeutic properties are attributed to it, including antispasmodic, antimicrobial, antitussive, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and sedative effects. Although the scientific evidence that supports these benefits is still limited and it is unknown if they would have the same composition in Ecuadorian territory. Furthermore, Lemongrass is not considered a substitute for conventional medical treatments, more research is required to confirm its medicinal properties. In this study, the biological activity of the bioactive compounds from the ethanolic extract of Lemongrass was evaluated. The ethanolic extract of C. citratus was extracted using the Soxhlet method. Subsequently, a stock solution was prepared by dissolving 1 g of extract in 100 mL of distilled water, obtaining dilutions of 1:10, 1:100 and 1:1000 used in all tests. Total phenolic properties were measured with the Folin-Ciocalteu method, reaching 76.24 mg GAE per g of extract at the highest concentration. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the DPPH and ABTS methods, obtaining the maximum values of 459.81 and 690.35 mgTE per g of extract, respectively. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory capacity, two methods were used: egg albumin denaturation and bovine serum albumin denaturation. Both confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract, with the egg albumin method being superior in sensitivity and reproducibility. This study highlights medicinal properties of C. citratus, reaffirming its potential in pharmacological applications.