Caracterização biométrica e germinação de mabolo (Diospyros blancoi Willd)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Produção Vegetal) - FCAV

Phenolic compounds, carotenoids, tocopherols and fatty acids present in oils extracted from palm fruits

This review aimed to discuss the main bioactive compounds present in oils extracted from palm trees, indicating possible applications for the same. The bioactive compounds approached were: phenolic compounds, carotenoids, tocopherols, mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is growing the search for food, especially from plant origin, characterized by the presence of such substances due to their benefi ts. Many studies show palm species as important sources of bioactive compounds and essential fatty acids. Therefore it is important to study the fruit characterization and composition of the oil from palm species of different regions that are still poorly investigated, seeking the possibility of its application in industry or the development of functional foods.

Preferential consumption of larger fruits of Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) by Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) in the Brazilian tropical dry forest

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Nutrient accumulation curves in fruits and nutrient export by seeds and hulls harvesting of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Classification of intact açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and jucara (Euterpe edulis Mart) fruits based on dry matter content by means of near infrared spectroscopy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

In vivo assessment of genotoxic, antigenotoxic and anticarcinogenic activities of Solanum lycocarpum fruits glycoalkaloidic extract

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Neolignans from fruits of Virola elongata

Fruits of Virola elongata contain, besides the furofuranoid lignans eudesmin, epieudesmin and fargesin, the aryl-benzyl-methyl tetrahydrofuran neolignans magnostellins A and C. The absolute configuration of the magnostellins was detennined.

Diet overlap and foraging activity between feral pigs and native peccaries in the pantanal

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Optimization of extraction conditions and antioxidant activity of Solanum lycocarpum fruits

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. The capacity of natural antioxidant from phytochemical has increase attention from researchers and public. However, the extraction process is affecting the activity and the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. The Solanum lycocarpum is a plant of the Brazilian “cerrado”, popularly used as a hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic and control of metabolic diseases. Its effects are attributed to the presence of several glycoalkaloids (solamargine, solasonina) and solasodine. Therefore, the purpose of this communication was, investigate the optimization of extraction condition and evaluation of antioxidant activity from fruits of Solanum lycocarpum. The extracts were obtained using different solvent systems, i.e., water, 50% ethanol, ethanol absolute and ethyl ether (1:10 and 1:20) and different extraction processes: maceration with constant agitation at room temperature, maceration with constant agitation and heating at 30°C and ultrasound. The extracts were characterized by the amount of material extracted (1, 6 and 24 h) and the action of antioxidant activity by DPPH method. The results showed that the polar solvent (50% ethanol) and extractive process maceration with agitation to ambient temperature showed higher contents of extractable of fruits of S. lycocarpum (3.4 g %) and also showed higher antioxidant activity (88.57±2.41% de inhibition). This action whether the presence of glycoalkaloids (solamargine, solasonine and solasodine) in fruits S. lycocarpum which are polar compounds and may explain this increased antioxidant action of this extract.

Polyphenols in fruits and vegetables and its effect on human health

Polyphenols represent a group of chemical substances common in plants, structurally characterized by the presence of one or more phenol units. Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants in human diets and the largest and best studied class of polyphenols is flavonoids, which include several thousand compounds. Numerous studies confirm that they exert a protective action on human health and are key components of a healthy and balanced diet. Epidemiological studies correlate flavonoid intake with a reduced incidence of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the etiology of these degenerative conditions has suggested that phytochemicals showing antioxidant activity may contribute to the prevention of these pathologies. The present review deals with phenolic compounds in plants and reports on recent studies. Moreover, the present work includes information on the relationships between the consumption of these compounds, via feeding, and risk of disease occurrence, i.e. the effect on human health. Results obtained on herbs, essential oils, from plants grown in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, were also reported.