Chemical characterization, fatty acid profile and antioxidant activity of

To our knowledge, this study is the first to report on the nutritional characterization, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Amazonian G. macarenensis fruit. The fatty acid profile was determined using a high performance liquid chromatography analysis. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were determined using Folin Ciocalteu’s method and by radical scavenging activity, respectively. Moreover, a cluster analysis was carried out in order to classify the G. macarenensis fruit oil according to its fatty acid profile. Seven Fisher linear discriminant functions were obtained from the discriminant analysis. These models allow one to classify new fruits on the basis of their fatty acid profile. A high value for total lipids was obtained (53.57%). Its main components were palmitic and oleic acid. The TPC value (156.49 ± 2.62 mg GAE/Kg of oil) obtained from the G. macarenensis fruit pulp oil is higher than what was reported for some olive oil and Brazilian mango oil varieties.

Chemical characterization and antioxidant activity of Amazonian (Ecuador) Caryodendron orinocense Karst. and Bactris gasipaes Kunth seed oils

Nowadays, data concerning the composition of Caryodendron orinocense Karst. (Euphorbiaceae) and Bactris gasipaes Kunth (Arecaceae) seed oils are lacking. In light of this fact, in this paper fatty acids and unsaponifiable fraction composition have been determined using GC-MS, HPLC-DAD (Diode Array Detector), NMR approaches and possible future applications have been preliminary investigated through estimation of antioxidant activity, performed with DPPH test. For C. orinocense linoleic acid (85.59%) was the main component, lauric (33.29%) and myristic (27.76%) acids were instead the most abundant in B. gasipaes. C. orinocense unsaponifiable fraction (8.06%) evidenced a remarkable content of β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, squalene and vitamin E (816 ppm). B. gasipaes revealed instead β-sitosterol and squalene as main constituents of unsaponifiable matter (3.01%). Antioxidant capacity evidenced the best performance of C. orinocense seed oil. These preliminary results could be interesting to suggest the improvement of the population's incomes from Amazonian basin. In particular the knowledge of chemical composition of C. orinocense and B. gasipaes oils could be helpful to divulge and valorize these autochthones plants.