Abstract
Integrated surveys of metabolic profiles and antioxidant capacity from Chenopodium quinoa have been limited and have particularly focused on an examination of seeds and leaves. According to this, the main aim of the present study was to address an evaluation of the antioxidant activity of crude ethanolic extracts from different plant parts (leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and seeds) harvested at different times during growth and processed by two distinct drying methods: Air-drying and freeze-drying. In order to characterize the resulting extracts, the total content of phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) was then measured through the Folin–Ciocalteu method, while antioxidant capacity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) free radical scavenging and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods. Parallel to this evaluation, extracts were profiled by LC-DAD-ESI-MS. Data analysis was supported by statistics. Most of the extracts obtained from freeze-dried samples showed higher TPC values ranging from 6.02 to 43.47 milligram of gallic acid equivalents per gram of plant material and a TFC between 1.30 and 12.26 milligram of quercetin equivalents per gram of plant material. After statistical analysis, a low correlation between TPC and TFC values was observed regarding antioxidant capacity from DPPH and FRAP measurements of both drying methods. A multivariate analysis showed that antioxidant components and antioxidant capacity in C. quinoa changed during growth and between plant parts and drying methods. These changes need to be taken into consideration when comparing the production/accumulation of beneficial bioactive compounds in this pseudocereal.
Highlights
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is characterized by the presence of a wide group of phenolic-related phytochemical compounds with antioxidant capacity [1,2], so this can be considered as a functional food due to its beneficial effect on the health and wellness of the consumer, beyond its nutritional contribution [3,4,5,6]
The antioxidant function of phenol-containing compounds is due to the presence of a hydroxyl group linked to an aromatic ring, which can provide a defensive barrier against oxidative stress through its inhibitory capacity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [7,8,9,10,11]
Thehigher observed freefor radical scavenging antioxidant activity could not be(FRAP)
Summary
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is characterized by the presence of a wide group of phenolic-related phytochemical compounds with antioxidant capacity [1,2], so this can be considered as a functional food due to its beneficial effect on the health and wellness of the consumer, beyond its nutritional contribution [3,4,5,6]. The antioxidant function of phenol-containing compounds is due to the presence of a hydroxyl group linked to an aromatic ring, which can provide a defensive barrier against oxidative stress through its inhibitory capacity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [7,8,9,10,11]. The excessive production of ROS or partially reduced compounds, provided with a high chemical reactivity in the cellular structures, can deplete antioxidant defenses, causing several damage that affects biomolecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids [13]. The radicals can originate from external factors, such as the frequent consumption of high-fat-containing and processed foods, excessive alcohol intake, and exposure to diverse chemical agents such as pigments, tobacco smoke, pesticide, and fertilizers, as well as to physical agents such as ionizing radiation employed in radiotherapy, X-rays, UV light, and elevated temperatures [9,20]
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