DIVERSITY AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF MEDICINAL PLANTS OCCURRING IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS OF ITUIUTABA, MINAS GERAIS

Abstract

Plant biodiversity is an important source of species with medicinal potential, especially in urban environments where wild plants may represent biological resources that remain largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to survey the diversity of wild medicinal plants in urban areas of the Tupã neighborhood, in the municipality of Ituiutaba, Minas Gerais, as well as to evaluate their phytochemical potential by determining total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Collections were made in backyards, sidewalks, and vacant lots, with botanical identification of the species and recording of the medicinal uses described in the literature. Phytochemical analyses were conducted using the Folin-Ciocalteu method for quantifying phenolic compounds and the DPPH radical assay for evaluating antioxidant activity. Ten medicinal species were recorded, distributed across nine botanical families, with a particular focus on Euphorbiaceae. Among the evaluated species, Psidium guajava L. presented the highest levels of phenolic compounds and the highest antioxidant activity, followed by Phyllanthus niruri L. and Dioscorea bulbifera L. The results demonstrate that urban environments can harbor plant species of medicinal interest, contributing to knowledge of local biodiversity.