Síntesis, caracterización y efecto antiinflamatorio de un compósito de nanopartículas de cobre, quitosano y extractos de manzanilla (Matricaria chamomilla) o Carne Humana (Jungia rugosa)

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to verify the efficiency of copper nanoparticles as enhancers of the anti- inflammatory effect, with the purpose of being used in commonly used medications, ointments,

and creams to combat inflammation. To achieve this, chitosan obtained from shrimp exoskeleton was used, employing a chemical method consisting of demineralization, deproteinization, and deacetylation stages. Chitosan was characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and capillary viscometry, determining it to be of low molecular weight and with a degree of deacetylation greater than 70%. Copper nanoparticles were obtained using the sol-gel method, starting from two precursors: copper chloride and copper (II) nitrate hemi(pentahydrate), better nanoparticles were obtained from copper chloride, with an average size of 6 nm, characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). For the extracts, two medicinal plants, Matricaria chamomilla and Jungia rugosa, traditionally used to treat inflammations, were used, and the extraction was carried out using the Soxhlet method. Finally, to analyze the anti-inflammatory power, the protein denaturation test was performed using egg albumin. The test was first carried out with the extracts at different concentrations and then with the chitosan composite, nanoparticles, and extracts. The absorbance values obtained allowed calculating the anti-inflammatory percentage of the extracts and composites, corroborating that the composite has a greater anti-inflammatory power than the medicinal plants alone.