scholarly journals Biochemical Characterization of Traditional Varieties of Apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) of the Campania Region, Southern Italy

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Florinda Fratianni ◽  
Antonio d’Acierno ◽  
Donatella Albanese ◽  
Marisa Di Matteo ◽  
Raffaele Coppola ◽  
...  

Campania is the most important region of Italy in the apricot cultivation, present mostly in the Vesuvio area. At least to the best of our knowledge, no studies are reporting the biochemical characterization of the considerable number of traditional apricot varieties present on this territory, including the qualitative and quantitative profile of the polyphenols present. Our work evaluated the content of β-carotene, total phenolics, phenolic profiles, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity of 23 traditional varieties of apricots of the Campania region. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted that, in the two main groups, the antioxidant activity was strongly affected by the content of ascorbic acid (−0.89), or slightly affected by the content of total polyphenols (−0.67), respect to the content of ascorbic acid (−0.55), never by β-carotene. Chlorogenic acid (up to 55.07 μg g−1) and catechin (up to 96.15 μg g−1) resulted the most abundant polyphenols recognized through the chromatographic analysis. PCA, extended to the polyphenol profile, confirmed the distribution of the varieties in two large groups, evidencing once again the hierarchical distance of four varieties (“Panzona”, “Paolona” “Baracca” and “Boccucia Eboli”) compared to the others.

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florinda Fratianni ◽  
Antonio d’Acierno ◽  
Autilia Cozzolino ◽  
Patrizia Spigno ◽  
Riccardo Riccardi ◽  
...  

Bioactive compounds of different Campania native sweet pepper varieties were evaluated. Polyphenols ranged between 1.37 mmol g−1 and 3.42 mmol g−1, β-carotene was abundant in the red variety “Cazzone” (7.05 μg g−1). Yellow and red varieties showed a content of ascorbic acid not inferior to 0.82 mg g−1, while in some green varieties the presence of ascorbic acid was almost inconsistent. Interrelationships between the parameters analyzed and the varieties showed that ascorbic acid could represent the factor mostly influencing the antioxidant activity. Polyphenol profile was different among the varieties, with a general prevalence of acidic phenols in yellow varieties and of flavonoids in red varieties. Principal Component Analysis, applied to ascorbic acid, total polyphenols and β-carotene, revealed that two of the green varieties (“Friariello napoletano” and “Friariello Sigaretta”) were well clustered and that the yellow variety “Corno di capra” showed similarity with the green varieties, in particular with “Friariello Nocerese”. This was confirmed by the interrelationships applied to polyphenol composition, which let us to light on a clustering of several red and yellow varieties, and that mainly the yellow ”Corno di capra” was closer to the green varieties of “Friariello”.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurten Ozsoy ◽  
Eda Candoken ◽  
Nuriye Akev

In order to demonstrate whether the known biological effects ofAloe vera(L.) Burm. fil. could correlate with the antioxidant activity of the plant, the antioxidant activity of the aqueous leaf extract was investigated. The present study demonstrated that the aqueous extract fromA. veraleaves contained naturally occuring antioxidant components, including total phenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, β-carotene and α-tocopherol. The extract exhibited inhibitory capacity against Fe3+/ascorbic acid induced phosphatidylcholine liposome oxidation, scavenged stable DPPH•, ABTS•+and superoxide anion radicals, and acted as reductant. In contrast, the leaf inner gel did not show any antioxidant activity. It was concluded that the known beneficial effects ofAloe veracould be attributed to its antioxidant activity and could be related to the presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant vitamins.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 498
Author(s):  
Gianluca De De Rinaldis ◽  
Antonella Leone ◽  
Stefania De De Domenico ◽  
Mar Bosch-Belmar ◽  
Rasa Slizyte ◽  
...  

Increasing frequency of native jellyfish proliferations and massive appearance of non-indigenous jellyfish species recently concur to impact Mediterranean coastal ecosystems and human activities at sea. Nonetheless, jellyfish biomass may represent an exploitable novel resource to coastal communities, with reference to its potential use in the pharmaceutical, nutritional, and nutraceutical Blue Growth sectors. The zooxanthellate jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda, Forsskål, 1775 (Cnidaria, Rhizostomeae) entered the Levant Sea through the Suez Canal and spread towards the Western Mediterranean to reach Malta, Tunisia, and recently also the Italian coasts. Here we report on the biochemical characterization and antioxidant activity of C. andromeda specimens with a discussion on their relative biological activities. The biochemical characterization of the aqueous (PBS) and hydroalcoholic (80% ethanol) soluble components of C. andromeda were performed for whole jellyfish, as well as separately for umbrella and oral arms. The insoluble components were hydrolyzed by sequential enzymatic digestion with pepsin and collagenase. The composition and antioxidant activity of the insoluble and enzymatically digestible fractions were not affected by the pre-extraction types, resulting into collagen- and non-collagen-derived peptides with antioxidant activity. Both soluble compounds and hydrolyzed fractions were characterized for the content of proteins, phenolic compounds, and lipids. The presence of compounds coming from the endosymbiont zooxanthellae was also detected. The notable yield and the considerable antioxidant activity detected make this species worthy of further study for its potential biotechnological sustainable exploitation.


Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 607
Author(s):  
Susanna Buratti ◽  
Carola Cappa ◽  
Simona Benedetti ◽  
Gabriella Giovanelli

This study investigates the effects of three cooking methods (boiling, steaming and microwaving) on the nutritional and physical properties of cauliflowers, carrots and sweet potatoes; e-senses were applied to interpret the sensory characteristics according to physico-chemical aspects. The nutritional quality was evaluated by determining the concentrations of key components and the antioxidant activity; e-sense data, combined with texture parameters, were processed by a principal component analysis. The cooking method and time significantly influenced the quality of the three products. Boiling, which detrimentally affected ascorbic acid, total phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity, enhanced carotene accessibility. Steaming produced losses in ascorbic acid, increasing total phenolics and carotenoids. Microwaving resulted in minor changes in ascorbic acid concentrations, preserved carotenoids and increased total phenolics. The nutritional quality was better preserved or enhanced using shorter cooking times. The elaboration of the data collected by the e-senses showed a clear evolution according to the cooking method and time. The results helped to determine the cooking method that best preserves the nutritional properties of the vegetables, highlighting the applicability of rapid instrumental methods to interpret the evolution of sensory characteristics.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1200701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafaela Ferreira Oliveira ◽  
Celso Amorim Camara ◽  
Maria de Fátima Agra ◽  
Tania Maria Sarmento Silva

Investigation of the green fruits of Clusia paralicola (Clusiaceae) led to the isolation and characterization of two 3,8″-biflavonoids, 2R, 3S, 2″R, 3″R-GB1-7″- O-β-glucoside (1) and 2R, 3S, 2″R, 3,8″-binaringenin-7″-O-β-glucoside (2), together with four known compounds: β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, β-amyrin, and epicatechin. The structures were established from the IR, LC-ESI-MS and NMR spectral data, including 2D-NMR experiments. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by CD spectra. The total extract and the biflavonoids demonstrated significant antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene/linoleic acid tests.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camila Argenta Fante ◽  
Heloísa Helena de Siqueira Elias ◽  
Paôla de Castro Henrique ◽  
Ana Carolina Vilas Boas ◽  
Luiz Carlos de Oliveira Lima

Nowadays, the number of studies about fruit conservation as well as the benefits of consumption of foods rich in antioxidant compounds was increased. This study aimed to quantify antioxidant compounds and their activity and to evaluate the physical and chemical changes during the post-harvest storage of Eva's apple cultivars that were subjected to gamma irradiation at doses of 0; 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 kGy. The antioxidant activity was measured by the 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the β-carotene/linolenic acid methods. Levels of total phenolics, ascorbic acid, color, and soluble solids were evaluated. The results showed that, regardless of the irradiation dose, there was an increase in % SRL during post-harvest storage of Eva's apples. Low irradiation doses were able to preserve the phenolic compounds, maintain the ascorbic acid levels and avoid an increase in the soluble solids content.


Author(s):  
Udedi Stanley Chidi ◽  
Ani Onuabuchi Nnenna ◽  
Asogwa Kingsley Kelechi ◽  
Maduji Fitzcharles Chijindu ◽  
Okafor Clinton Nebolisa

This study investigated the in-vitro antioxidant activity of ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea and its effect on antioxidant status of alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. The in-vitro antioxidant activity was assayed by determining the total phenol, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, β-carotene and lycopene contents and by using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing antioxidant power and inhibition of lipid peroxidation antioxidant systems. Oxidative stress was produced in rats by single intraperitoneal injection of 150 mg/kg alloxan and serum concentration of malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were determined. Five experimental groups of rats (n=6) were used for the study. Two groups of diabetic rats received oral daily doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg Justicia carnea leaf extract respectively while gilbenclamide (5 mg/ml); a standard diabetic drug was also given to a specific group for 14 days. From the result, the leaf extract contained a higher concentration of flavonoids followed byphenols, ascorbic acid, lycopene and β-carotene. The extract displayed more potent reducing power ability with EC50 of 40 µg/ml compared to BHA (EC50 of 400µg/ml). The percentage DPPH radical scavenging activity of the extract was also higher with EC50 of 200µg/ml and increased with increase in concentration while BHA had EC50of 320µg/ml. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation also increased with increase in concentration with EC50 of 58µg/ml and comparable with BHA (EC50=60µg/ml). The effect of the plant extract on antioxidant enzyme activities was concentration-dependent. Administration of 100mg/kg of the plant extract resulted in a significant decrease (p<0.05) in serum MDA concentration, while 200 mg/kg of the extract caused a significant (p˂0.05) increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities with a non-significant increase (p>0.05) in the serum level of MDA when compared with the diabetic untreated group. These findings suggest that ethanol leaf extract of Justicia carnea have antioxidant properties and could handle diabetes-induced oxidative stress.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florinda Fratianni ◽  
Autilia Cozzolino ◽  
Antonio d’Acierno ◽  
Filomena Nazzaro ◽  
Riccardo Riccardi ◽  
...  

Our study aimed to analyze some qualitative aspects of five landraces of the tomato “Piennolo,” typical of the Vesuvian area, Italy, and determine the in vitro antioxidant activity. All samples showed a high °Brix value and acidity, as well as a discrete amount of reducing sugars, indicating their good quality as fresh products. They showed a high content of lycopene (up to 218 μg g−1 of fresh product) and ascorbic acid (up to 238 μg g−1 of fresh product). The content of total polyphenols was never less than 278 μg g−1 of fresh product. Hyperoside, chlorogenic and gallic acids were the most abundant polyphenols. The interrelationships between the parameters analyzed and the different landraces showed that total polyphenols could have mostly affected (ρ = 0.76) the antioxidant activity more than lycopene (ρ = −0.96). The interrelationships between the most abundant polyphenols and antioxidant activity showed that hyperoside, although the most abundant, negatively affected (ρ = −0.93) the antioxidant activity. Due to the high content of lycopene, ascorbic acid, and hyperoside, the five landraces of the tomato “Piennolo” could be considered promising in terms of their potential healthy characteristics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 388-402
Author(s):  
Muhammad Azeem ◽  
Tai-Hua Mu ◽  
Miao Zhang

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure (100, 200, and 400 MPa) and soaking solution (citric acid, calcium chloride, ascorbic acid, and distilled water) on proximate composition, polyphenols, anthocyanins, β-carotene, and antioxidant activity of white, orange, and purple fleshed sweet potato flour were investigated. Total polyphenol content was increased in sweet potato flour of Jishu 98 (white) at 200 MPa with ascorbic acid and Pushu 32 (orange) at 0.1 MPa with ascorbic acid treatment (0.51 and 0.83 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight, respectively), but was decreased in Xuzishu No. 3 (purple) in both high hydrostatic pressure and soaking solution treatments. Total anthocyanin content was declined in all treated sweet potato flour. Nevertheless, high hydrostatic pressure with citric acid, calcium chloride, and distilled water significantly increased the β-carotene content in Pushu 32. Correlation analysis between total polyphenol content, total anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity suggested that polyphenols are the most pivotal antioxidant in sweet potato flour. High hydrostatic pressure and soaking solution treated sweet potato flour could be potentially utilized in food with acceptable nutritional values.


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