Bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential fruit of Ximenia americana L.

The caatinga ecoregion in northeast Brazil presents a wide variety in plant species. However, the potential of these species as a source of energy, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and bioactive properties beneficial to health is still unknown. Among these species we can find the wild plum (Ximenia americana). Due to its various phytotherapeutic properties and absence of studies on the chemical composition of the fruit this article aimed to evaluate the bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential of the X. americana in different stages of maturation. The fruits of X. americana showed considerable amounts of bioactive compounds, as well as antioxidant activity and antioxidant enzymes. The fruits at green maturity stage showed higher content of yellow flavonoids (22.07 mg/100g), anthocyanins (1.92 mg/100 g), polyphenols (3051.62 mg/100 g), starch (4.22%), antioxidant activity (489.40 g fruit/g DPPH and 198.77 µmol Trolox/g) and activity of antioxidant enzymes; the antioxidant activity allocated to the fruit was shown to be related to the contents of extractable polyphenols, yellow flavonoids, total anthocyanins and antioxidant enzymes.

Antioxidant capacity of extracts and isolated compounds from Stryphnodendron obovatum Benth / Capacidade antioxidante de extratos e compostos isolados de Stryphnodendron obovatum Benth

The extract from stem bark of Stryphnodendron obovatum Benth. was chromatographed on a Sephadex® LH-20 column, and yielded nine compounds: gallic acid (GA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB), gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EPG), 4'-O-methylgallocatechin (MGC), epigallocatechin-(4β→8)-epigallocatechin (EPEP), epigallocatechin-(4β→8)-gallocatechin (EPGC), robinetinidol-(4α→8)-gallocatechin (ROGC) and robinetinidol-(4β→8)-epigallocatechin (ROEP). Evaluation of the antioxidant capacity in vitro by the methods of DPPH free radical (IC50; μg/mL) and reduction of the phosphomolybdenum complex (RAC) gave the following results, respectively: crude extract 4.52 and 0.8242; ethyl-acetate fraction 4.04 and 0.9537; aqueous fraction 5.58 and 0.9275. The crude extract and ethyl-acetate fraction were shown to possess an antioxidant capacity comparable to that of vitamin C (4.93 and 1.0). The values obtained by the DPPH free-radical method for the isolated compounds were IC50 (μM): GA=8.89; PHB=10.12; GC=16.46; EPG=13.20; MGC=21.00; EPEP=6.89; EPGC=4.91; ROGC=7.78 and ROEP=6.20. Vitamin C and trolox showed 30.11 and 30.10, respectively. Dimers showed greater activity in scavenging free radicals, possibly related to the number of hydroxyls. However, compounds without a hydroxyl at position 5 of the A-ring (5-deoxy-proanthocyanidins) did not change the antioxidant activity of the DPPH free radical, as evaluated here for the first time. Among the monomers, there appeared to be a direct relationship in scavenging of free radicals because of the stereochemistry of the compounds. The presence of a methyl radical on the B-ring significantly reduced the scavenging of free radicals of gallocatechin. All compounds showed greater scavenging of radicals than vitamin C and trolox, and these two compounds showed no significant difference from each other.

O extrato das cascas de Stryphnodendron obovatum submetido à cromatografia em coluna, Sephadex® LH-20, forneceu nove substâncias: ácido gálico (GA), ácido p-hidróxibenzóico (PHB), galocatequina (GC), epigalocatequina (EPG), 4'-O-metilgalocatequina (MGC), epigalocatequina-(4β→8)-epigalocatequina (EPEP), epigalocatequina-(4β→8)-galocatequina (EPGC), robinetinidol-(4α→8)-galocatequina (ROGC) e robinetinidol-(4β→8)-epigalocatequina (ROEP). A capacidade antioxidante in vitro pelos métodos do radical livre DPPH (IC50; μg/mL) e do complexo fosfomolibdênio (CAR) apresentou os seguintes resultados, respectivamente: extrato bruto 4,52 e 0,8242; fração acetato de etila 4,04 e 0,9537 e fração aquosa 5,58 e 0,9275 demonstrando possuírem capacidade antioxidante quando comparados com vitamina C 4,93 e 1,0. Os valores obtidos pelo método do radical livre DPPH com as substâncias isoladas foram: IC50 (μM): GA=8,89; PHB=10,12; GC=16,46; EPG=13,20; MGC=21,00; EPEP=6,89; EPGC=4,91; ROGC=7,78 e ROEP=6,20. Vitamina C e trolox mostraram valores de 30,11 e 30,10, respectivamente. Os dímeros mostraram maior atividade no sequestro de radicais livres, possivelmente relacionada com o número de hidroxilas. No entanto, substâncias com ausência de hidroxila na posição 5 do anel A (5-desoxi-proantocianidinas) não alteraram o poder antioxidante frente ao radical livre DPPH, tendo sido avaliadas aqui pela primeira vez. Entre os monômeros, parece haver uma relação direta com a estereoquímica. A presença de um radical metila no anel B reduziu significativamente a atividade da galocatequina. Todas as substâncias isoladas mostraram maior atividade do que a vitamina C e trolox, e estes não mostraram diferença significativa entre si.

Capacidade antioxidante de frutas / Antioxidant capacity of the fruits

Extratos aquoso e acetônico de 15 frutas foram submetidos a ensaios para investigar a habilidade de seqüestrar o radical estável 1,1-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) e a capacidade de inibir a oxidação em sistema modelo β-caroteno/ácido linoléico. Todas as frutas exibiram propriedade antioxidante, entretanto a ação foi diferenciada entre elas. O extrato aquoso da acerola, caju, mamão "Formosa", mamão Havaí, laranja pêra e goiaba foram os mais eficazes (superior a 70 por cento), enquanto que o do abacaxi, laranja cravo, manga rosa, melão espanhol, melão japonês, melão orange flesh e pinha apresentaram ação moderada (60-70 por cento) e o da manga espada e melancia exibiram a mais fraca capacidade de seqüestrar o radical DPPH. Os extratos acetônico da acerola, caju, pinha e goiaba exibiram uma forte capacidade de seqüestrar o radical DPPH (superior a 70 por cento). Em sistema modelo β-caroteno/ácido linoléico, o extrato aquoso da pinha e o acetônico da goiaba exibiram moderada capacidade antioxidante (60-70 por cento) enquanto que a acerola (extrato aquoso) e o mamão formosa (extrato acetônico) os menores percentuais. Frente à capacidade antioxidante exibida, as frutas podem ser apontadas como fontes de antioxidantes naturais, destacando-se a acerola, caju, mamão Formosa, mamão Havaí, goiaba, laranja pêra, e a pinha por terem apresentado uma potente capacidade antioxidante.

Aqueous and acetone extracts from 15 fruits have been screened for antioxidant activity using DPPH method and ß-carotene/linoleic acid model. All fruits studied showed antioxidant activity, but in different extent. Acerola, cashew-apple, papaya "formosa", papaya "solo", orange and guava showed the higher antioxidant activity (>70 percent) in DPPH method, followed by pineapple, bergamont, mango "rosa", melon "reticulares", melon "inodorus", melon "orange flesh" and sugar-apple aqueous extract (moderate, 60-70 percent) and mango "espada" and watermelon aqueous extract, the lowest activity. Acerola, cashew-apple, sugar-apple and guava acetone extracts exhibited higher scavenging activity toward DPPH radicals (>70 percent).β-carotene/linoleic acid model index of sugar-apple aqueous extract and guava acetone extract demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity (60-70 percent), meanwhile acerola aqueous extract and papaya "formosa" acetone extract the lower. According to antioxidant activity, fruits can be indicated as natural antioxidants sources, pointing out acerola, cashew-apple, papaya "solo", papaya "formosa", guava, orange and sugar-apple as the highest in antioxidant capacity.