Characterization of bioactive compounds of plant sources from Argentina for the design of innovative antioxidant products.

JARA, L.L.; YONNY, M. E.; NAZARENO, M. A.; GUPTA, C.; PRAKASH, D.

Noida

Conferencia; 3rd Amity Conference of Food Scientists and Technologists AMIFOST 2019. National Conference on Functional Foods, Research Innovations & Challenges; 2019

Amity University

Several plant species are widely used in Argentina to prepare as infusions to take advantage of their medicinal and nutritional properties. Ilex paraguariensis (YM), Peumus boldus (B), Achyrocline satureioides (MC) and Chamaemelum nobile or chamomile (CH) are among the most consumed in Argentina. Their stimulant, hepatoprotective and antioxidant characteristics are ascribed to certain bioactive substances, mainly, phenolic compounds (CP). Main objective was to characterize the extracts of these species to assess their suitability as active ingredients to prepare functional foods. Extracts were prepared using a previously optimized microwave-assisted methodology. The analyses of their chemical composition and activity were performed by chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods. Total content of phenolic compounds (TPC) was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method and total flavonoid contents (TFC) by aluminum chloride method. Antiradical activity (ARA) was evaluated by DPPH? and ABTS?+ radical bleaching methods. Major phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD. TPC results expressed in mg GAE/g were 39.05±3.87; 54.07±4.77; 16.05±4.63 and 14.94±1.68; while, the TFC (mg QE/g): 9.76±1.60; 10.30±3.02; 4.36±0.95 and 7.69±0.98, for YM, B, MC and CH, respectively. The most active radical scavenger was B with 994.89±72.05 mg TROLOX eq/g. HPLC analysis demonstrated the presence of chlorogenic and ferulic acids in YM, MC and CH; caffeic acid in YM and CH; rutin in YM, B and CH and gallic acid in YM. Thus, the chemical characterization of the analyzed plant species offered a more complete profile of their antioxidant properties providing scientific knowledge necessary for the development of nutraceutical products and functional foods.