Bioactive compounds and functional potential of pequi (<em>Caryocar</em> spp.), a native Brazilian fruit: a review

Abstract

SUMMARY:Pequi is an indigenous word that means "thorny covering" and is used to describe fruits from the Caryocar spp. These fruits are widely consumed as food and used in traditional medicine by Brazilians in the savannah (Cerrado biome) and the Amazon region. The fruit is rich in lipids, mainly oleic acid, and other bioactive substances including carotenoids, phenolics, and tocopherols. The oil extracted from the pulp or "almond" (seed) has a high local socioeconomic impact and is associated with nutritional and therapeutic benefits. A wide array of health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial effects, improved cardiac function, as well as an increased lymphocyte-dependent immunity have been attributed to the pequi fruit, especially its pulp. This review provides a comprehensive overview on the edible parts of pequi fruits (pulp and almond), more specifically the oil produced from these parts, as a source of functional compounds with biological activity. Moreover, it considers the differences among the three more commercially-important species from the genus Caryocar. KEYWORDS: Bioactive compounds; Caryocaraceae; Fruit; Health benefits; Oleic acid RESUMEN:Compuestos bioactivos y funcionalidad potencial del pequi (Caryocar spp.), fruta nativa brasileña. Revisión. Pequi es una palabra indígena que significa "piel espinosa" y es utilizada para describir los frutos de Caryocar spp. Estos frutos son ampliamente consumidos como alimentos y son utilizados en la medicina popular por los brasileños ubicados en el Savannah (bioma Cerrado) y en la región amazónica. La fruta es rica en grasas, ácido oleico y otros bioactivos, incluyendo carotenoides, fenoles y tocoferoles. El aceite procedente de la pulpa o de la almendra (semilla) tiene un importante impacto socioeconómico local y está asociado con beneficios nutricionales y terapéuticos. Una amplia gama de beneficios para la salud tales como antioxidante, antiinflamatorio, antitumoral, antimicrobiano, mejora de la función cardíaca, así como el aumento de la inmunidad linfocitaria han sido atribuidas a la fruta, especialmente a su pulpa. Esta revisión proporciona una descripción exhaustiva sobre las partes comestibles de la fruta del pequi (pulpa y almendra), más específicamente del aceite producido a partir de estas partes, como una fuente de compuestos funcionales con actividad biológica. Además se consideran las diferencias encontradas entre las tres especies comerciales más importantes del género Caryocar.

Brazilian Amazon Plants: An Overview of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity

“…occurs with values comparable to those of papaya and guava, which are considered fruits rich in carotenoids. The carotenoids found in the pulp were β-carotene, lycopene, ζ-carotene, cryptoflavin, β-cryptoxanthin, anteraxanthin, zeaxanthin, mutatoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, and neoxanthin [13]. However, as stated earlier, the amount present in each species varies due to several factors.…”

“…This genus is easily found in Central and South America. According to some authors, the fruit may be called by different names according to the region in which it is found, such as the following: the fruits of C. brasiliense that are more commonly found in the Midwest of Brazil and Minas Gerais are called pequi; C. coriaceum fruits common in the Northeast of Brazil are called piqui; and C. villosum fruits from the Amazon region are called piquiá [13].…”

“…Caryocar spp. are a drupaceous fruit, globose, and green in color, with one to four segments [13]. The ripe fruit of pequi is a shell composed of a thin brownishgreen exocarp and an outer mesocarp composed of a white, inedible mass.…”

“…The ripe fruit of pequi is a shell composed of a thin brownishgreen exocarp and an outer mesocarp composed of a white, inedible mass. Within the fruit is a nucleus that has an inner mesocarp or inner flesh, the generally edible fruit component, light yellow in color, abundant, oil-rich flesh, and an almond within the spinous endocarp [12,13].…”

“…The fruit of pequi is rich in several important components, such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), bioactive compounds, fibers, minerals [13], and carotenoids [12]. The amount of each may vary according to the species analyzed, the environmental conditions in which it is inserted, the part of the fruit, as well as the type of analysis that was used [13].…”