Composition and Biological activity of extracts from Ulomoides dermestoides (Tenebrionidae) processed under different conditions in Cumana, Sucre State.

Abstract

Ulomoides dermestoides (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (Fairm) known as chinese bettles, are used as a medicine in no-conventional therapies. The metabolites of U. dermestoides were extracted from two groups; live individuals (UD1 hexane, acetone and isopropanol) and individuals previously cooled at 4C for 72h (UD2 hexane, dichloromethane, acetone and methanol). The composition of these extracts was determined by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The preliminary chemical analysis has shown no presence of saponins in the extracts. In the hexanoic extracts were observed sterols and triterpenes. Alkaloids were confirmed in extracts of UD2 prepared with dichloromethane, acetone and methanol. On the other hand, polyphenols were observed in the UD1 isopropanol and UD2 acetone extracts. Flavonoids were present in UD1 isopropanol extract and hexanoic UD2 extracts. In all UD2 extracts were observed coumarins and in the UD2 acetone extract were detected cyanogenic glycosides. The hexanoic extracts were inactive in the bioassays with Artemia salina; and none of them show antifungal activity. However, UD1 isopropanol extract has shown bacteriostatic effect against Klebsiella neumoneae. The UD2 extracts have a wide antibacterial action. They demonstrated activity against K. neumoneae and Staphylococcus aureus. Dodecane is the main compound in UD1 hexane extract while in UD2 hexane extract were 1-pentadecene, 1-cloroheptacosane, octacosane and cholestan-3-ol the main copounds. The principal constituents of the other extracts were 9.17 (Z)-octadecadienal (UD1 and UD2 in acetone), heptadecane and cholestan-5-en-3-ol (UD2 in dichloromethane). The FT-IR analysis of the extracts confirmed the functional groups of the identified compounds, which can explain the observed biological activity.