Produção e caracterização de biofilmes de Aloe vera in natura

Abstract

This is an experimental study, whose objective was to evaluate the obtainment of an Aloe vera biofilm in natura from the aloe vera leaf gel and its physicochemical and antimicrobial characterization. For this, aloe leaves were collected from a domestic plantation in the city of Natal-RN and cut into different thicknesses. The leaves were dehydrated for 48 hours at room temperature and stored in a glass desiccator for the characterizations. Physicochemical characterizations included Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (FTIR, XRD and SEM, respectively), in addition to antimicrobial testing. The results of the experimental tests suggest that the biofilm of Aloe vera in natura, cultivated in Natal-RN, has physicochemical characteristics similar to the literature. Its structure remained continuous, with no signs of rupture. The antimicrobial test was satisfactory, as it was resistant to S. aureus (gram positive) and E. coli (gram negative) bacteria. However, further studies to improve the dehydration kinetics and to identify and isolate the antimicrobial compounds present in the Aloe vera gel must be carried out.