Planta Med 2014; 80 - PE2
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1382566

Protective effects of Brazilian native fruits against reactive oxygen species

J Infante 1, A Massarioli 1, PL Rosalen 2, S Alencar 1
  • 11Department of Agri-Food industry, Food and Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 2Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the protective effects of seeds and pulps against reactive oxygen species (ROS) of four Brazilian native fruits (Eugenia leitonii, Eugenia brasiliensis, Eugenia involucrata and Eugenia myrcianthes). Seed and pulp activities for E. leitonii; E. brasiliensis; E. involucrata; E. myrcianthes were: 18.05, 109.89; 136.03, 42.63; 154.18, 58,35; 214.00, 135.56µg.mL-1 (acid hypochlorous scavenging); 0.26, 2.68; 0.59, 2.15; 1.11, nd; 6.28, 4.02 mg.mL-1 (superoxide anion radical scavenging) and 514.75, 102.82; 211.84, 477.45; 168.66, 321.74; 96.24, 127.62µmol Trolox.g-1 (ORAC), respectively. By ORAC assay the native frutis were similar or better than fruits such as mango, grape, apple, cherry and strawberry. E. leitonii seeds showed the best results against all reactive oxygen species evaluated. These results demonstrated that native fruits have important antioxidant activity for human health, since many diseases are associated with ROS.