Comparative phytochemical analysis of Coffea benghalensis Roxb Ex Schult, Coffea arabica L. and Coffea liberica Hiern

ABSTRACT

Objective:To make phytochemical studies of the leaf, pericarp and seed of Coffea benghalensis (C. Benghalensis) compared with those of the widely known Coffea arabica and Coffea liberica.Methods:The sample extracts were prepared by Soxhlet-extraction. Polyphenol content was analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS, the identification was carried out based on the retention time, UV and mass spectra of standards and literature data of the detected compounds.Results:Phenolic acids like caffeoylquinic acids, dicaffeoylquinic acids, feruloylquinic acids and coumaroylquinic acid, as well as mangiferin were detected as main constituents in all extracts. Procyanidin trimers were present exclusively in the leaves. In C. benghalensis, main constituents were 5-caffeoylquinic acid and 4-caffeoylquinic acid. Flavan-3-ols were described in all immature and mature pericarp and leaf extracts. Even though 4-feruloylquinic acid was described in both immature and mature seed, dicaffeoylquinic acids were identified only in the mature seed extracts. Mangiferin was present in the leaf, mature pericarp and seed.Conclusions:These analyses provide new chemotaxonomical data for the selected coffees, especially for C. benghalensis. Due to its high polyphenol content, our results indicate its significance of providing new data as a possible source for industry.