Determination of Bioactive Compounds in Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana fruit’s arils

Abstract

Brazil is considered the country that has the greatest biodiversity on the planet, with many endemic plant species. The phytochemical study, through the separation and characterization of the substances present in plants, can contribute to increase the economy and the survival of plant species such as Clusia fluminensis Planch. & Triana. This plant, commonly known as abaneiro and mangue-de-praia, belongs to the Clusiaceae family, it is native and endemic from Brazil, found mainly in Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro States. The objective of this study was to characterize, by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), the bioactive compounds presents in the arils of the Clusia fluminensis fruit. For this study, the fruits were collected in Barra da Tijuca and Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhoods, in the city of Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. The chromatographic analyzes were performed using the extracts of arils with seeds of the fruit. It was identified some phenolic compounds as protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxycinnamic (p-coumaric) acid, flavonoid rhamnetina (7-methoxyquercetin) and some carotenoids as lutein, zeaxanthin and β-cryptoxanthin. A low content of vitamin C in the fruit aryls was quantified (3.77 mg.100 g-1). The high concentration of zeaxanthin (823 μg.g-1) in the arils was highlighted, once it is a carotenoid that plays an important role in the macula, with content 206 times higher than the one found in corn in natura. Few scientific papers published are related to these fruits. Therefore, the results support a better understanding of the chemical composition of this species, describing the occurrence of bioactive compounds in Clusia fluminensis fruit’s arils.