Avaliação preliminar das operações de extração de Calycophyllum multiflorum e secagem para obtenção do extrato seco para produção de fitoterápicos

Abstract

The growing global concern about antimicrobial resistance promotes research into new active compounds used to overcome the adaptability of multi-resistant bacteria, with nature being a source of diverse alternatives with adjuvant properties for the development of new herbal medicines. A previous study by the PRONABIO - INQUI- UFMS research group revealed that Calycophyllum multiflorum leaf extract showed synergism in combination with the antibiotics ampicillin and ciprofloxacin against resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, S. pseudointermedius, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Therefore, the objective of this work was to carry out a bibliographical review of the main unit extraction and drying operations used in the industrial process of obtaining the dry extract for the production of a new herbal medicine or antibiotic adjuvant agent. In this sense, the most used and viable techniques in the production of dry extracts of natural products were evaluated and a proposal for the flow of the complete production process was presented. The extraction technique evaluated was percolation, as it is the main method used for thermosensitive substances, is low cost, easy to implement and capable of extracting large quantities of product. Furthermore, Percolation extraction has ethanol as the main organic solvent used, as it is easily recovered in later stages and can extract polar and non-polar molecules, generating lower costs. For drying, the spray drying operation was evaluated, defined as the main technique as it is used for temperature-sensitive products, guarantees stability of the dry extract and is a quick operation. For drying by spray drying, the use of a drying adjuvant was analyzed, highlighting colloidal silicon dioxide, which favors the concentration of solids and increases drying efficiency. Furthermore, a pre-drying operation was examined to increase the solids content for better process performance, thus highlighting the falling film evaporator, which allows the evaporation of heat-sensitive products. Based on the literature review, this work can be used as a basis for more advanced studies on the development of new herbal medicines.