Bioactive properties of Brachyotum naudinii Triana (Melastomataceae) leaves revealed by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS profiling and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial assays

Aronés Jara M.R.; Godoy Bautista K.; Tôrres de Aquino F.J.; Scalón Cunha L.C.; Machado Martins M.; Cárdenas Landeo E.; Cusinga Solano E.; Paniagua Segovia J.C.; Conislla Cáceres E.E.; Calla Choque J.S.; Rashid A.; Aurora Prado M.S. · Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.pharma.2026.06.003

Resumen

Background Brachyotum naudinii Triana ( Melastomataceae ), a species widely distributed in the high Andean rocky outcrops of Ayacucho (Peru), has shown promising preliminary antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; however, its phytochemical composition and quantitative bioactivity remain poorly characterized. Objective This study aimed to outline the complete profile of B . naudinii leaves phenolic constituents using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) coupled to HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and to evaluate their in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Methods Phenolic compounds were characterized using ASE-HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS. Different extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol) were evaluated for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays), and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Results Twenty-four compounds were identified, predominantly ellagitannins, phenolic acids, and flavonol glycosides, confirming a polyphenol-rich profile. Among the tested extracts, the methanolic extract exhibited the highest total phenolic (496.3 ± 2.75 mg GAE/g extract) and flavonoid (101.0 ± 0.67 mg RUE/g extract) contents. Strong antioxidant activity was observed across all assays, with EC50 values of 41.0 ± 0.16 μg/mL (DPPH), 123.5 ± 0.21 μg/mL (ABTS), and 41.3 ± 0.56 μg/mL (FRAP), significantly lower than those of the reference antioxidant Trolox 100 μg/mL ( P < 0.05). Antibacterial assays revealed inhibition zones ranging from 19.2 to 23.8 mm, with Gram-positive bacteria being more susceptible than Gram-negative strains. Minimum inhibitory concentration values ranged from 6.28 mg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus spizizenii to 50.10 mg/mL for Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium . Conclusion The observed bioactivities may be associated with the high polyphenolic content of the methanolic extract, although the contribution of individual compounds and potential synergistic effects were not experimentally evaluated. Overall, this study provides the first detailed chemical and functional characterization of B . naudinii leaves and supports their potential as a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial relevance for nutraceutical and pharmacological applications.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga