Abstract
Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis is a vine species native to Brazil that is considered an unconventional food plant and a medicinal species whose phenolic compounds exert antioxidant activity. Since the production of metabolites is determined by environmental factors and leaf maturity, it is important to track these changes in order to determine the best time to harvest. This study aimed to verify whether leaf phenology and seasonality cause variations in the amount of phenolic compounds and in the antioxidant activity of this species. The leaves were collected in different seasons between September 2018 and April 2019, and separated according to maturity: young, mature, and senescent. Daily atmospheric temperature and rainfall data were used to characterize the collection period. The total phenolic content (TPC), determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method, was significantly higher in the young leaves collected in winter, a season of lower temperatures. These leaves showed 54.4 mg of gallic acid equivalents per 100 g of dry matter (mg GAE 100 g-1DM). Other results averaged 25.6 mg GAE 100 g-1DM. The highest antioxidant activity, assessed via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, regardless of leaf phenology, was observed in leaves harvested in autumn (73.7%) and winter (71.1%), seasons with lower rainfall. Leaves harvested in summer and spring had lower antioxidant action rates (54.3 e 37.5%, respectively). There was no significant correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Thus, the phenolic composition of A. cordifolia, and consequently its activity on free radicals, varies seasonally in response to temperature and rainfall, and may or may not interact with the age of the leaves.
Highlights
Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis (Basellaceae) is a non-endemic vine native to Brazil that grows in the phytogeographic domains of the Cerrado, the Atlantic Forest, and the Pampas, and is popularly known as “bertalha, trepadeira-mimosa, bertalha-coração, and folha-gorda” (Souza and Lorenzi, 2019)
The results of total phenolic content (TPC) showed that seasonality influences the production of these compounds in young, mature, and senescent leaves of A. cordifolia
The highest level of phenolic compounds was found in the young leaves collected during winter (54.4 ± 7.36 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) 100 g-1 dry matter (DM)) (Figure 2)
Summary
Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis (Basellaceae) is a non-endemic vine native to Brazil that grows in the phytogeographic domains of the Cerrado, the Atlantic Forest, and the Pampas, and is popularly known as “bertalha, trepadeira-mimosa, bertalha-coração, and folha-gorda” (Souza and Lorenzi, 2019) This species has a wide tropical distribution, and can be found throughout India, America, Australia, China, Malaysia, Pacific Islands, and South Africa. The tubers can be eaten either cooked or fried (Kinupp and Lorenzi, 2014), and the leaves have high nutritional value for bread-making, serving as an excellent source of proteins and fibers (Martinevski et al, 2013) This species has been used as a medicinal plant throughout the world, mainly to treat inflammatory skin diseases, wounds, fungi, and other types of infections. The probable presence of p-coumaric acid, lupeol, and β-sitosterol was researched (Alba et al, 2020)
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