Antrocaryon amazonicum: An unexploited Amazonian fruit with high potential of scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species

Antrocaryon amazonicum fruits are unexploited sources of bioactive compounds found in the Amazonia region of Brazil. In this study, for the first time, the carotenoid and phenolic compound profiles of the pulp and peel of A. amazonicum fruits, from two varieties at two harvest periods, were determined by LC-MS. Additionally, the potential of the peel and pulp extracts to scavenge physiologically relevant reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) was assessed. The major carotenoids in both parts of the fruits were lutein, accounting for approximate to 42% of the identified carotenoids in the peel and approximate to 25% in the pulp, whereas catechin and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives were the major phenolics in both parts. The peel extract, which presented the highest bioactive compound contents, was more efficient to scavenge ROS than the pulp. The peel extract showed high scavenging efficiency (IC50) for singlet oxygen (O-1(2); 16 mu g/ml), hypochlorous acid (HOCl; 20 mu g/ml), peroxynitrite (ONOO-; 38 mu g/ml), and superoxide radical (O-2(center dot-); 47 mu g/ml), whereas the pulp extract exhibited high efficiency for ONOO- (13 mu g/ml), followed by HOCl (30 mu g/ml), O-1(2) (76 mu g/ml), and less efficient for O-2(center dot-) (44 mu g/ml). Therefore, A. amazonicum fruits can be seen as an expressive source of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant potential to be further investigated to inhibit or delay oxidative processes both in food and physiological systems triggered by ROS and RNS. Practical Application Bioactive compound extracts of Antrocaryon amazonicum fruits have high potential to be exploited for inhibiting or delaying oxidative processes and increase food stability.

Automated summary

Antrocaryon amazonicum fruits are unexploited sources of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant potential, especially in the peel extract. The peel extract showed greater efficiency in scavenging ROS, while the pulp extract exhibited higher efficiency in scavenging ONOO-.