Nuevas fuentes de antioxidantes naturales: caracterización de compuestos bioactivos en cinco frutos nativos de Chile.

Abstract

Berries from central and southern Chile were analyzed in order to find promising sources of polyphenols with clear activity on human health. Five native fruits like arrayan, white strawberry, murtilla and calafate, and a traditional berry (grape called “tintorera”) were studied. Antioxidant properties were determined in vitro according to the total polyphenol assay of Folin Ciocalteu, anthocyanins by differential pH, antioxidant capacity by measuring the capacity of reduction of the free radical 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydracil (DPPH) and iron reducing capacity (FRAP) and chemical profile by HPLC-DAD. Calafate showed the highest value (1066.4 ± 24.9 mg gallic acid / 100g sample) for total polyphenols and anthocyanins (1031.9 ± 48.1 mg of cyanidin-3-glucoside / 100g of sample) followed by blue grape. Calafate displayed excellent reducing power (11279.2 ± 2027.4 umol Trolox / 100g FRAP assay and 5235.0 ± 445.9, umol / 100g in DPPH), followed by grape. The chemical profile ofanthocyanins showed delphinidin, cyanidin, malvidin, petunidin, peonidin and pelargonidin in the five berries. Around 30 flavonols derived from quercetin, yricetin and sorhamnetin were identified as well as ellagitannins present in white trawberry, very interesting compounds for further studies. These results contribute to highlight the potential use of these berries as functional foods.