The seed of the Amazonian fruit Couepia bracteosa exhibits higher scavenging capacity against ROS and RNS than its shell and pulp extracts

Abstract

Among the large number of scientifically unstudied fruits from the Amazonia biome, Couepia bracteosa acts as an interesting source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids, which may be used for protecting human health against oxidative damage. For the first time, the phenolic compounds and carotenoids in extracts obtained from the pulp, shell and seeds of C. bracteosa fruits are reported, as well as their in vitro scavenging capacities against some reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). The shell extract presented the highest phenolic compound and carotenoid contents (5540 and 328 μg per g extract, dry basis, respectively), followed by the pulp and seed extracts. The major phenolic compound was acacetin sulphate (one methoxy and two OH groups) (62%) in the shells; however, only seeds presented apigenin sulphate (three OH groups), in which it was the major compound (44%). The high content of apigenin sulphate may explain why the seed extract had the highest scavenging efficiency against all tested ROS/RNS among the studied extracts. Regarding carotenoids, all-trans-neochrome (17%) and all-trans-β-carotene (16%) were the major carotenoids in the pulp extracts, while all-trans-lutein (44%) was the most prevalent in the shell extracts and all-trans-α-carotene (32%) and all-trans-β-carotene (29%) were the major ones in the seed extracts.

Amazonian Eryngium foetidum leaves exhibited very high contents of bioactive compounds and high singlet oxygen quenching capacity

“…The m/z 585 showed fragments at m/z 567, 549 and 531, corresponding to consecutive losses of one, two and three hydroxyl groups, respectively, at m/z resulting from the loss of toluene and one water molecule. These fragmentation patterns were also reported in Couepia bracteosa fruit [2,3] and in Dovyalis and tamarillo fruits. [17] Peaks 4 and 5 were tentatively identified as all-trans-lutein and all-trans-zeaxanthin, respectively.…”

“…[14] The carotenoids were identified according to the following combined information: elution order and retention time at C 30 column, co-elution with authentic standards, UV-visible [λ max , spectral thin structure (%III/II) and cis peak intensity (%AB/AII)] and MS spectra, in comparison to the analyzed standards and data available in the literature. [2,3,[14][15][16][17][18] The identification of cis isomers of carotenoids was carried out based on the observed decrease in %III/II values and increase in %A B /A II values (≈ 7-11% = 9-cis, ≈ 45% = 13-cis and ≈ 56% = 15-cis carotenoid). [17] The carotenoids were quantified using β-carotene as the external standard at concentrations varying from 3.12 to 100 μg/mL [R 2 = 0.99, limit of detection (LOD) = 0.97 μg/mL and limit of quantification (LOQ) = 2.96 μg/mL and lutein [R 2 = 0.98, LOD = 0.20 μg/mL and LOQ = 0.62 μg/mL].…”

“…Most of the natural vegetal resources found in Amazonia are exceptionally rich in bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties. [1][2][3] Given this scenario, E. foetidum, a green leafy native of the Amazon region and Central America, is known as "chicory" in the Amazonian States of Brazil, has been included among the main non-conventional cultivated vegetables [4] and it has attracting the attention of researchers for its versatility as both phytotherapeutic plant and spice herb in Amazonian dishes. [5,6] The chemical evaluation of E. foetidum leaves indicated a high concentration of phenolic compounds (total tannins and total flavonoids, as determined by spectrophotometry), presence of saponins, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, various triterpenoids, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.…”

Industrial potential of Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba) in powder: antioxidant activity, spectroscopic and morphological behavior

“…In contrast, higher values of total carotenoids were found in other species of Amazonian fruits typically considered high content sources of carotenoids, such as tucumã (8390 μg 100 g -1 ), pupunha (3180 μg 100 g -1 ) (Noronha Matos et al, 2019), pajurá (13000 μg 100 g -1 ) and buriti (14200 μg 100 g -1 ) (Berto et al, 2015). Britton and Khachik (2009) classify the carotenoid content of foods as: low (0-100 µg 100 g -1 ), moderate (100-500 µg 100 g -1 ), high (500-2000 µg 100 g -1 ) and very high (≥2000 µg 100 g -1 ).…”

Unhealthy smokers: scopes for prophylactic intervention and clinical treatment

“…Antioxidants such as vitamins (vitamin C and E) [ 63 , 64 ], β carotene [ 65 , 66 ], coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), melatonin, glutathione, lipoic acid, resveratrol [ 67 ] have shown to scavenge exogenous ROS in various experimental settings (cells and exposure conditions), implicating decrease in oxidative stress which is prodromal to risk and progression of several chronic diseases caused independently or due to CS. Besides acting as direct scavengers of ROS, both vitamin C and E have also been reported to reduce lipid peroxidation [ 68 , 69 ], lymphocyte production, cytokine release, cellular adhesion molecule expression in monocytes [ 64 , 70 ] and histamine release [ 71 ] due to CS exposure thereby acting as an anti-inflammatory agent.…”