Optimización del método de extracción de β-carbolinas a partir de banisteriopsis caapi (ayahuasca) y caracterización del extracto para su posterior aplicación en modelos celulares con fines terapéuticos

Abstract

Banisteriopsis caapi, plant traditionally used for the preparation of “Ayahuasca” drink, has β- carbolines in its vegetative structures, alkaloids with interesting biological properties: antimicrobial, antifungal, antiparasitic, anticancer. The objective was searching for a method of extraction of β-carbolines from Banisteriopsis caapi that guarantees maximum performance and purity in the extract and that is reproducible at laboratory level. To achieve this, different extraction techniques were evaluated: maceration, decoction, Soxhlet, solvent variation and the use of different parts of the plant. The best method for future extractions includes: fine granulometry, maceration in methanol as a solid-liquid extraction method and chloroform as a liquid-liquid extraction solvent. Once the extract was obtained, its purity and concentration, suitable for the treatments to be tested, were analyzed. The chemical composition of the extract was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively based on reference standards of the most important alkaloids among the B.- carbolines of B. caapi. To verify the presence of the expected alkaloids, the extract was analyzed by spectroscopy and high efficiency liquid chromatography in reverse phase (HPLC). The extract of B. caapi, presented an adequate purity and a high concentration of the β- carbolines of interest for this project. Subsequently, a first evaluation of its biological effects in axenic cultures of bacteria was performed to check its antibacterial activity, by antibiograms, as a result we found that the extract has biological activity against bacteria.