UHPLC-MS Phenolic Fingerprinting, Aorta Endothelium Relaxation Effect, Antioxidant, and Enzyme Inhibition Activities of Azara dentata Ruiz & Pav Berries

Abstract

Azara dentata Ruiz & Pav. is a small Chilean native plant from Patagonia, a producer of small white reddish berries. For the first time, the proximal analysis of the fruits, phenolic fingerprinting, the antioxidant activity, and the enzymatic inhibition and relaxation effects in rat aorta induced by the ethanolic extract of these fruits were investigated. The proximal composition and the mineral (Ca: 2434 ± 40 mg/kg; Mg: 702 ± 13 mg/kg; Fe: 117.1 ± 1.6 mg/kg; Zn: 16.1 ± 0.4 mg/kg) and heavy metal (As: 121 ± 11 µg/kg; Cd: 152 ± 5 µg/kg; Hg: 7.7 ± 1.3 µg/kg; Pb 294 ± 4 µg/kg) contents were analyzed. Anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and coumarins were identified using UHPLC-PDA-QTOF-MS. The ethanolic extracts showed a total phenolic content of 23.50 ± 0.93 mg GAE/g extract. In addition, the antioxidant activity was assessed using both DPPH and TEAC (28.64 ± 1.87 and 34.72 ± 2.33 mg Trolox/g of dry fruit, respectively), FRAP (25.32 ± 0.23 mg Trolox equivalent/g dry fruit), and ORAC (64.95 ± 1.23 mg Trolox equivalents/g dry fruit). The inhibition of enzymatic activities (acetylcholinesterase IC50: 2.87 + 0.23 µg extract/mL, butyrylcholinesterase IC50: 6.73 + 0.07 µg extract/mL, amylase IC50: 5.6 ± 0.0 µg extract/mL, lipase IC50: 30.8 ± 0.0 µg extract/mL, and tyrosinase IC50: 9.25 ± 0.15 µg extract/mL) was also assessed. The extract showed 50–60% relaxation in rat aorta (intact), mediated thorough the release of endothelial nitric oxide. Our results suggest that A. dentata is a good source of compounds with the capacity to inhibit important enzymes, can be hypotensive, and can thus have good potentiality as supplements in the amelioration of neurodegenerative diseases and could also have potential to be used to develop new functional foods. The study highlights the benefits of these neglected small fruits and could boost their consumption.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Secondary Metabolites Using Ethyl Lactate Green Solvent from Ambrosia arborescens: LC/ESI-MS/MS and Antioxidant Activity

“…These results are in agreement with the ORAC assay (Table 2). Our results are in agreement with those from antioxidant plants, but lower in relation to fruits [15,16]. As you can see in Table 2, the TPC of NCM (ethyl lactate/MAE) is almost twice as low as the TPC of CM (MeOH/maceration), while the TFC of NCM is 2.5 times lower than that of CM.…”

Chemical Fingerprinting, Aorta Endothelium Relaxation Effect, and Enzymatic Inhibition of Canelo (Drimys winteri J. R. Forst. & G. Forst, (D.C) A. Gray, Family Winteraceae) Fruits

“…It is mandatory to check the full content of metals in foods. The results of a proximal composition showed that canelo fruits are rich in carbohydrates (58%) and have a high protein content (13%), and the mineral content showed that the fruits are rich in magnesium (77 mg/kg) and potassium (530 mg/kg) but lower in sodium, which make this spice very good for the elderly and better than other fruits such as kiwis or local azaras [ 7 ]. Black pepper showed 2636.97 mg/kg Ca, 10,006.04 mg/kg K, and 1486.94 mg/kg mg; however, it also showed 1892.12 mg/kg Na [ 31 ], while the famous spice Capsicum annuum showed 1160.04 mg/kg Ca, 1253.65 mg/kg mg, and 16,143.58 mg/kg Na [ 31 ].…”

“…Previously, our group reported the inhibition of AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase for several endemic and native species from Chile. For example, endemic A. dentata’s berry ethanolic extract showed an IC 50 of 2.87 ± 0.23 µg/mL, 6.73 ± 0.07 µg/mL, and 9.25 ± 0.15 µg/mL against AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase, respectively [ 7 ], while the n-hexane extract of the endemic G. pinifolium plant showed an IC 50 of 4.58 ± 0.04 µg/mL, 23.44 ± 0.03 µg/mL, and 9.25 ± 0.15 µg/mL against AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase, respectively. G. pinifolium ethyl acetate extract showed AChE (IC 50 6.43 ± 0.03 µg/mL), BChE (IC 50 33.25 ± 0.02 µg/mL), and tyrosinase (IC 50 12.32 ± 0.21 µg/mL) [ 39 ].…”

“…Recently, the berries of Azara dentata Ruiz and Pav. [ 7 ] were found to have good inhibitory potential against AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase, while some bioactive compounds such as coumarins, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, were detected in it by high-resolution UHPLC-MS. The fruits of D. winteri are commonly used to produce canelo pepper, which has a slight itch, is a very aromatic spice, and is rarely consumed by humans.…”

“…Recently, the berries of Azara dentata Ruiz and Pav. [7] were found to have good inhibitory potential against AChE, BChE, and tyrosinase, while some bioactive compounds such as coumarins, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and Our group has previously reported on extracts and some pure compounds from various endemic species in Chile that have potent enzymatic inhibitory effects or other bioactivities linked to ameliorating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and neurodegenerative diseases and hypertension. An example is the Chilean Greigia sphacelata (Ruiz and Pav.)…”