Phytochemical profile of genotypes of Euterpe edulis Martius - Juçara palm fruits

Method development and validation for analysis of microencapsulated cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside in dairy samples containing juçara palm fruit by high-performance liquid chromatography

Euterpe edulis is a plant native of Brazil and popularly known as juçara. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of juçara crude extracts (JCEs) and to evaluate dairy products containing free and microencapsulated extracts. The validated analytical method for JCE was performed using cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside (C3R - isolated and identified as major component from JCE) as a reference: linearity was obtained using ten concentrations between 25 and 250 μg mL-1 (R2  = 0.994); limits of detection and quantification were 19.04 μg mL-1 and 57.7 μg mL-1 respectively; accuracy (relative standard deviation) was <5%; recovery was 104.85 μg mL-1 ; and the method is robust. Physicochemical analyses of the dairy products were evaluated using colour, pH, and concentration of anthocyanins using HPLC calculated as C3R over 21 days of storage. The pH remained stable until the end of the test. The colour and the concentration of anthocyanins remained stable for 9 days. C3R was isolated, the HPLC method was developed and validated, and the colour stability was not altered until 9 days. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Kinetic Profile of Urine Metabolites after Acute Intake of a Phenolic Compounds-Rich Juice of Juçara (Euterpe edulis Mart.) and Antioxidant Capacity in Serum and Erythrocytes: A Human Study

The juçara palm tree produces a small spherical and black-purple fruit similar to açaí. It is rich in phenolic compounds, especially anthocyanins. A clinical trial evaluated the absorption and excretion of the main bioactive compounds in urine and the antioxidant capacity in serum and erythrocytes of 10 healthy subjects after juçara juice intake. Blood samples were collected before (0.0 h) and 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h after a single dose (400 mL) of juçara juice, while urine was collected at baseline and 0-3 and 3-6 h after juice intake. Seven phenolic acids and conjugated phenolic acids were identified in urine deriving from the degradation of anthocyanins: protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, vanillic acid glucuronide, hippuric acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and ferulic acid derivative. In addition, kaempferol glucuronide was also found in urine as a metabolite of the parent compound in juçara juice. Juçara juice caused a decrease in the total oxidant status of serum after 0.5 h in comparison to baseline values (p < 0.05) and increased the phenolic acid metabolites excretion. This study shows the relationship between the production of metabolites of juçara juice and the total antioxidant status in human serum, indicating evidence of its antioxidant capacity.

Comparison of Four Oil Extraction Methods for Sinami Fruit (Oenocarpus mapora H. Karst): Evaluating Quality, Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Activity

The sinami palm (Oenocarpus mapora H. Karst) is a plant from the South American Amazonia that has great potential for industrial applications in the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. In this manuscript, the physicochemical properties, total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of sinami oil that was obtained using four extraction systems, namely expeller press extraction (EPE), cold press extraction (CPE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), were studied and compared. The oxidative stability (OSI) was statistically non-significant in EPE and SFE. The chromatic properties (CIELab) were influenced by the extraction methods and SFE presented high values of L* and a lower content of plant pigments. Ultrasound-assisted extraction showed a higher content of polyphenols and higher antioxidant activity. Different analyses for the evaluation of the physicochemical properties, the content of total polyphenols and antioxidant activity were used to classify sinami oil according to chemometrics using principal component analysis (PCA). For example, the sinami oil that was obtained using each extraction method was in a different part of the plot. In summary, sinami oil is an excellent resource for plant pigments. Additionally, the information that was obtained on the quality parameters in this study provided a good foundation for further studies on the characterization of major and minor compounds.

Chemical composition, bioactive compounds extraction, and observed biological activities from jussara (Euterpe edulis): The exotic and endangered Brazilian superfruit

In this article, we reviewed studies on the fruits of the jussara palm (Euterpe edulis Martius), an endangered Brazilian Atlantic Forest palm tree, also coined as "Superfruit." We summarized the chemical components of the pulp and observed biological activities in murine and humans, as well as the best practices involving the extraction of its target compounds, bioavailability, and stability of extracts. Jussara has shown a rich phenolic profile that justifies its antioxidant properties, in addition to a considerable lipidic and energetic value. As the main feature, the fruit possesses large amounts of anthocyanins that can be commercially explored as a food additive or cosmetic colorants. Recent studies emphasized jussara's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective capabilities via reshaping of the gut microbiota. Further knowledge is needed to establish bioavailability and optimal serving size, as many of its antioxidant compounds go under chemical bioconversion in the intestinal tract. While extraction of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and oils have interesting results, more studies are required in order to reduce the use of conventional organic solvents and improve their stability and shelf life when added to food products, an area in which nanotechnology seems promising.

Plastid genome evolution in Amazonian açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and Atlantic forest açaí palm (Euterpe edulis Mart.)

The plastomes of E. edulis and E. oleracea revealed several molecular markers useful for genetic studies in natural populations and indicate specific evolutionary features determined by vicariant speciation. Arecaceae is a large and diverse family occurring in tropical and subtropical ecosystems worldwide. E. oleracea is a hyperdominant species of the Amazon forest, while E. edulis is a keystone species of the Atlantic forest. It has reported that E. edulis arose from vicariant speciation after the emergence of the belt barrier of dry environment (Cerrado and Caatinga biomes) between Amazon and Atlantic forests, isolating the E. edulis in the Atlantic forest. We sequenced the complete plastomes of E. edulis and E. oleracea and compared them concerning plastome structure, SSRs, tandem repeats, SNPs, indels, hotspots of nucleotide polymorphism, codon Ka/Ks ratios and RNA editing sites aiming to investigate evolutionary traits possibly affected by distinct environments. Our analyses revealed 303 SNPs, 91 indels, and 82 polymorphic SSRs among both species. Curiously, the narrow correlation among localization of repetitive sequences and indels strongly suggests that replication slippage is involved in plastid DNA mutations in Euterpe. Moreover, most non-synonymous substitutions represent amino acid variants in E. edulis that evolved specifically or in a convergent manner across the palm phylogeny. Amino acid variants observed in several plastid proteins in E. edulis were also identified as positive signatures across palm phylogeny. The higher incidence of specific amino acid changes in plastid genes of E. edulis in comparison with E. oleracea probably configures adaptive genetic variations determined by vicariant speciation. Our data indicate that the environment generates a selective pressure on the plastome making it more adapted to specific conditions.

Comparative metabolites profiling of Caryota mitis & Caryota urens via UPLC/MS and isolation of two novel in silico chemopreventive flavonoids

Caryota mitis and Caryota urens (F. Arecaceae) are well reported in Ayurvedic medicine and involved in several edible food products. Herein, the first comparative profiling of their leaf and fruit metabolites of both species via HR-UPLC/PDA/ESI-MS and multivariate data analyses is presented. A total of 142 metabolites were detected with seven reported for the first time in F. Arecaceae and a novel O-caffeoylshikimic acid conjugate. Screening of plants' leaf crude extracts via in vitro DCPIP kinetic assay revealed the induction of phase II cytoprotective enzyme NQO1 by 4.5- to 5-fold versus control, suggestive of potential chemopreventive activity. Two novel sulfated flavonols that is quercetin-3-O-sulfate-4'-O-rhamnosyl (1→6)-β-d-glucoside (F1) and kaempferol-3-O-sulfate-4'-O-rhamnosyl(1→6)-β-d-glucoside (F3) in addition to another five known flavonoids were isolated from C. mitis ethanol extract and identified via MS and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Among isolated compounds, F1 and F3 exhibited the highest docking score as KEAP-1 inhibitors and Nrf2 activators posing them as potential chemopreventive drug leads. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The study extends the usages of this edible less explored Caryota species to a potential cancer chemopreventive action. Guided by the extensive chemical information presented herein, additional uses could be suggested for these plants with 142 identified metabolites including androst-en-diol that has aphrodisiac and muscle building effects. The presented multivariate data analyses could aid phytochemists in plants classification and mapping (chemotaxonomy) since several metabolites are reported herein for the first time either in family or genus.