An Integrative Review on the Main Flavonoids Found in Some Species of the Myrtaceae Family: Phytochemical Characterization, Health Benefits and Development of Products

Abstract

This integrative review aims to identify the main flavonoids present in some species of the Myrtaceae family. Studies published between 2016 and 2022 were selected, specifically those which were fully available and written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and which were related to the fruits araçá (Psidium cattleianum), cambuí (Myrciaria floribunda), gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa), jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora), and jambolan (Syzygium cumini). Scientific studies were gathered and selected in Google Scholar, Scielo, and Science Direct indexed databases, out of which 14 were about araçá, 7 concerned cambuí, 4 were about gabiroba, 29 were related to jabuticaba, and 33 concerned jambolan, when we observed the pre-established inclusion criteria. Results showed that the anthocyanins, such as cyanidin, petunidin, malvidin, and delphinidin, were the mostly identified class of flavonoids in plants of the Myrtaceae family, mainly relating to the purple/reddish color of the evaluated fruits. Other compounds, such as catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, and rutin were also identified in different constituent fractions, such as leaves, peel, pulp, seeds, and in developed products, such as jams, desserts, wines, teas, and other beverages. It is also worth noting the positive health effects verified in these studies, such as anti-inflammatory qualities for jambolan, antidiabetic qualities for gabiroba, antioxidant qualities for araçá, and cardioprotective actions for jabuticaba, which are related to the presence of these phytochemicals. Therefore, it is possible to point out that flavonoids are important compounds in the chemical constitution of the studied plants of the Myrtaceae family, with promising potential in the development of new products by the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries due to their bioactive properties.

Valorization of Bioactive Compounds from Two Underutilized Wild Fruits by Microencapsulation in Order to Formulate Value-Added Food Products

“…The results obtained from the present work are in agreement with the data from others studies which show that local plants could improve the regulation of the molecular mechanisms involved in diabetes control due to their bioactive compounds [ 14 , 21 ]. Polyphenols and flavonoids are especially evident in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihypertension, and antidiabetic processes in the human body [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. These findings support the results of our recent survey, which showed that the local population in Mali uses the fruits of these two species for the traditional treatment of hypertension [ 5 ].…”

“…These data are in line with those of Azarpazhooh et al [ 32 ] who registered significantly higher contents of anthocyanins (from 59.7 to 73.1 mg GA/kg) by increasing the percentage of maltodextrin from 5 to 15%. The literature showed the involvement of a number of bioactive compounds, especially flavonoids and polyphenols, in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging from plant extracts and food [ 24 , 32 ]. Moreover, the highest antioxidant effect was obtained from ABTS radical scavenging for Z. mauritiana with 86.81 ± 1.47 µM TE/g and from DPPH radical scavenging for B. aegyptiaca with 17.87 ± 1.77 µM TE/g.…”