Screening Cromatográfico de Acanthaceae Medicinais: Justicia pectoralis Jacq. e J. gendarussa Burm.

Methanolic leaf infusion of J. pectoralis and J. gendarussa was comparatively investigated for the presence of substances that could account for their popular uses as analgesics or anti-inflammatories. The infusions are distinguished by the presence of coumarins (1,2-benzopirone and umbelliferone), O-glycosides (quercetin and kaempferol) and stigmasterol in J. pectoralis, flavonoids C- glycosides, simiarenol and α-amyrina were identified only in J. gendarussa. The data suggest that the phytotheraputic properties attributed popularly those species may be induced by different active components, possibly coumarins and flavonoids C-glycosides due to their respective predominance in the foliar infusions of J. pectoralis and J. gendarussa.