In vitro antioxidant and antihypertensive compounds from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia McVaugh, Myrtaceae) seed coat: A multivariate structure-activity study

Abstract

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) pulp, seeds, and skin are widely known because of their nutritional properties. However, the seed coat has never been studied as a source of bioactive compounds. Herein, we characterized the phenolic composition, the antioxidant activity, and inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) of three different extracts (water, propanone, and ethanol) from this residue and assessed the structure-activity using bivariate and multivariate statistical approaches. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography while the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), inhibition of lipid peroxidation using egg yolk and Wistar rat brain, scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) radical, Folin-Ciocalteu reducing capacity (FCRC), and the inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) by the extracts were also analyzed. t-Resveratrol was found in camu-camu seed coat for the first time. The aqueous extract had the highest total phenolic content, FRAP, DPPH•, FCRC, and inhibition of lipid oxidation using both chemical and biological assays, while the propanone extract showed the opposite behavior but it presented higher in vitro antihypertensive activity. The ethanolic extract exhibited intermediate values for the responses. The association between chemical composition and the functional properties of the camu-camu seed coat extracts were revealed using correlation analysis and principal component analysis.