Majoritary triterpenic compounds in some angiosperms of the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state

Five species of angiosperms collected in the Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul was evaluated due to their pharmacological properties. The objective of this study was to extract and characterize the triterpenic content of angiosperm species. The extracts were obtained by ultrasonic extraction using chloroform as solvent. Identification and quantification were performed using high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV).  The presence of arjunic acid, maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, erythrodiol, uvaol, lupeol, β-amirin, α-amirin, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol was observed. All species presented β-sitosterol. Polygala pulchella presented the greatest diversity of triterpenic compounds, while Ruellia angustiflora and Moquiniastrum mollissimum the least. Paspalum rawitscheri and Hesperozygis ringens presented the same constituents, differing from each other only quantitatively. Therefore, an overview of the triterpene constitution in species of the central region of the state of  RS is presented, along with a review on the pharmacological properties of the investigated compounds. The results obtained in this work are relevant since they stablish an overview of the chemical constitution of the extracts whose biology is still little known. The pharmacological potential of the species can be attributed the identified triterpenic constituents thus supporting the use for medicinal purposes.