BOLETIN LATINOAMERICANO Y DEL CARIBE DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES Y AROMÁTICAS © / ISSN 0717 7917 / www.blacpma.ms-editions.cl Articulo Original / Original Article 536 Phytochemical composition, antifungal activity, in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels leaves extract [Composición fitoquímica, actividad antifúngica, toxicidad in vitro e in vivo del extracto de hojas de Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels] Ernani Canuto Figueirêdo Júnior 1 , Yuri Wanderley Cavalcanti 2 , Andressa Brito Lira 3 , Hilzeth de Luna Freire Pessôa 3 , Wilton Silva Lopes 4 , Diego Romário da Silva 5 , Irlan Almeida Freires 5 , Pedro Luiz Rosalen 5 , Edja Maria Melo de Brito Costa 1 & Jozinete Vieira Pereira 1 1 Graduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil 2 Department of Clinics and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil 3 Graduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil 4 Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Technology, State University of Paraíba, Campina Grande, Brazil 5 Department of Physiological Sciences (Pharmacology, Anesthesiology and Therapeutics), Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil Abstract: This study determined phytochemical composition, antifungal activity and toxicity in vitro and in vivo of Syzygium cumini leaves extract (Sc). Thus, was characterized by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and submitted to determination of Minimum Inhibitory (MIC) and Fungicidal concentrations (MFC) on reference and clinical strains of Candida spp. and by growth kinetics assays. Toxicity was verified using in vitro assays of hemolysis, osmotic fragility, oxidant and antioxidant activity in human erythrocytes and by in vivo acute systemic toxicity in Galleria mellonella larvae. Fourteen different compounds were identified in Sc, which showed antifungal activity (MIC between 31.25-125 μg/mL) with fungistatic effect on Candida. At antifungal concentrations, it demonstrated low cytotoxicity, antioxidant activity and neglible in vivo toxicity. Thus, Sc demonstrated a promising antifungal potential, with low toxicity, indicating that this extract can be a safe and effective alternative antifungal agent. Keywords: Dentistry; Plants extracts; Syzygium cumini; Antifungal agents; Toxicity tests. Resumen: Este estudio determinó la composición fitoquímica, la actividad antifúngica y la toxicidad in vitro e in vivo del extracto de hojas de Syzygium cumini (Sc). Así, se caracterizó mediante cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas y se sometió a determinación de Concentraciones Mínimas Inhibitorias (CMI) y Fungicidas (MFC) sobre cepas de referencia y clínicas de Candida spp. y mediante ensayos de cinética de crecimiento. La toxicidad se verificó mediante ensayos in vitro de hemólisis, fragilidad osmótica, actividad oxidante y antioxidante en eritrocitos humanos y por toxicidad sistémica aguda in vivo en larvas de Galleria mellonella. Se identificaron catorce compuestos diferentes en Sc, que mostraron actividad antifúngica (CMI entre 31.25-125 μg/mL) con efecto fungistático sobre Candida. En concentraciones antifúngicas, demostró baja citotoxicidad, actividad antioxidante y toxicidad in vivo insignificante. Por lo tanto, Sc demostró un potencial antifúngico prometedor, con baja toxicidad, lo que indica que este extracto puede ser un agente antifúngico alternativo seguro y eficaz. Palabras clave: Odontología; Extractos de plantas; Syzygium cumini; Agentes antifúngicos; Ensayos de toxicidad. Reviewed by: Carla Fernandez Universidade Paranaense Brazil Alberto González Universidad de Santiago de Chile Chile Correspondence: Ernani Canuto FIGUEIRÊDO JÚNIOR ernanicfjunior@outlook.com Section Biological activity Received: 8 July 2020 Accepted: 20 October 2020 Accepted corrected: 7 November 2020 Published: 30 September 2021 Citation: Figueirêdo Junior EC, Cavalcanti YW, Lira AB, Pessôa HLF, Lopes WS, da Silva DR, Freires IA, Rosalen PL, Costa EMMB, Pereira JV. Phytochemical composition, antifungal activity, in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels leaves extract Bol Latinoam Caribe Plant Med Aromat 20 (5): 536 - 557 (2021). https://doi.org/10.37360/blacpma.21.20.5.40