α-Amylase inhibition, cytotoxicity and influence of the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds in the peel and seed of Theobroma grandiflorum.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the bioaccessibility, cytotoxicity, antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of peel and seeds of cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum). Thus, the extracts of cupuassu were evaluated for inhibition of α-amylase, cytotoxicity, and bioaccessibility after gastrointestinal digestion and probiotic fermentation (Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus jhonsoni, Lactobacillus rhamus and Bifidobacterium longum). Digestion increased concentrations of phenolics, showing bioaccessibility of up to 274.13% (total phenolics) and 1105.15% (ORAC). ß-carotene, quinic, tartaric, malic, citric, epicatechin, ethyl gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, gallic acid, pyrocatechol, vanillin, ramnetine were the main compounds while the epicatechin, ethyl gallate, gallic acid and pyrocatechol were the major effective phenolic compounds. The extracts did not show toxic effects and the cupuassu seeds showed 97% inhibition of α-amylase and 47.91% bioaccessibility of pyrocatechol. This study suggests that cupuassu extracts are sources of natural antioxidants with promising antidiabetic potential, and probiotics are able to increase phenolic compounds, responsible for health benefits.

Evaluation of bioactive compounds, phytochemicals profile and antioxidant potential of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of some traditional fruit tree leaves used in Brazilian folk medicine.

The aim of this study was to analyze eight selected species of leaves, used in the traditional medicine of the Northeast region of Brazil obtained from several fruit trees (grageru, soursop, jambolanum, passion fruit, insulin, nogueira, pedra ume kaá and stévia), regarding their polyphenols contents and antioxidant activity. Condensed and hydrolysable tannins, phenolics and flavonoids contents were determined and the antioxidant activities measured by ABTS, FRAP and ORAC assays. Organic acids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD system. Phenolic compounds of aqueous and ethanolic extracts were determined by UHPLC-DAD-MS. The results revealed high contents of total phenolics (13.34 ± 0.19 - 127.65 ± 0.21 mg.g-1 of GAE:QE (2:1) of sample) and flavonoids (12.30 ± 0.42 - 71.79 ± 0.00 mg.g-1 QE of sample). The ABTS results exhibited extraordinary activity in the extracts (74.48 ± 6.23 - 1487.33 ± 2.67 µmol Trolox.g-1 of sample). Acids quinic, tartaric, citric, gallic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, ferulic and vanillic along with naringenin, rutin, vanillin, catechin, epicatechin, kaempferol were the most important compounds. Thus, these leaves extracts may be considered as sources of phenolics compounds having a high potential as natural antioxidants. In addition, the polyphenols present in these leaves have many beneficial effects and can also be used in medicinal and nutraceuticals products with enhanced bioactivities.

Enzymatic and ultrasonic-assisted pretreatment in the extraction of bioactive compounds from Monguba (Pachira aquatic Aubl) leaf, bark and seed.

The present study aims to characterize leaf, bark and seed of monguba in terms of their physicochemical and bioactive composition, and to determine total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total flavonoids (TF), well as their antioxidant activities (AA), of three organic solvent extracts with and without enzyme pretreatment by ultrasonic assisted extraction. Physicochemical composition was measured by pH, total titratable acidity, total soluble solids, moisture, ashes, lipids, crude protein, raw fiber, total carbohydrates, and water activity as well as, phytochemical composition analysis constituted of sugars, condensed (CT) and hydrolysable tannins (HT), carotenoids, total anthocyanins (TA), and organic acids contents. TPC and TF contents, and UHPLC/PDA/QDa flavonoids and phenolic acids quantification were performed for the solvent extracts. Antioxidant activity was determined by radical scavenging capacity assays (ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC), and reducing power assay (FRAP). Results showed that the leaf stood out with higher concentrations of ash, HT, TA and carotenoids; the bark with higher concentrations of raw fiber, total carbohydrates and organic acids (tartaric, quinic and 3.4-dihydroxybenzoic acids); in contrast, the seeds showed high concentrations of lipids, crude protein, sugars (fructose and sucrose), CT, and high values in all AA. The solvents significantly influenced the extraction of TPC and TF, highlighting ethanol. In general, the enzymatic treatments empowered the phenolic extraction and AA. The monguba seed extracts showed higher concentrations of hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic acid, mainly), and flavanols (catechin and epicatechin), whereas the leaf extracts, flavanones (narigenin), flavonols (rutin, mainly) and flavones (acacetin). The bark extracts stood out for the presence of vanillin. The monguba seed extract can be used in functional foods production.

Qualidade funcional da infusão do chá verde comercial / Functional quality of commercial green tea

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de duas marcas comerciais de chá verde em sachê, e verificar o efeito do tempo de infusão, em intervalos de tempos que incluem o recomendado pelo fabricante, sobre a disponibilidade dos compostos funcionais. MÉTODOS: Por análises em cromatografia líquida ultrarrápida com detector de arranjos de díodo,foram identificadas e quantificadas a cafeína, a catequina, a epigalocatequina, a rutina e a epicatequina. RESULTADOS: A epigalotocatequina e a catequina foram encontradas em maior concentração no tempo seis minutos de infusão em água (100°C) em ambas as marcas, sendo a rutina apenas encontrada na infusão por seis minutos e em apenas uma das marcas avaliadas. A extraçãocom metanol (99,8%) aumentou significativamente o rendimento de todos os compostos avaliados. Foi observado que atividade antioxidante equivalente ao trolox do chá aumentou diretamente com o aumento do tempo de infusão, no entanto, para os extratos obtidos em metanol, a atividade antioxidante foi menor que todos os outros tratamentos, havendo diferença significativa (p<0,05). CONCLUSÃO: As análises químicas de umidade, cinzas e cinzas insolúveis em ácido clorídrico revelaram que as duas marcas avaliadas estão em conformidade com a legislação para esses parâmetros, bem como com relação à presença de sujidades e materiais estranhos, revelados na microscopia.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of two commercial brands of green tea in sachets, verifying how different infusion times, including that recommended by the manufacturer, affect functional component levels. METHODS: High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection was used for identifying and quantifying caffeine, catechin, epigallocatechin, rutin and epicatechin. RESULTS: Epigallocatechin and catechin levels of both brands were higher with an infusion time of 6 minutes in boiling water (100°C). Rutin was only found in one of the brands after an infusion of six minutes. Methanol (99.8%) extraction significantly increased the yield of all study compounds. The Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity of the tea increased with infusion time. However, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity of the methanol extractions was significantly smaller than that of all of the other treatments (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Chemical analysis of moisture, ash, ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid, and microscopic analysis of dirt and other physical contaminants showed that both brands conform to the legislation with respect to these parameters.