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  • Assessment of the biological properties of Eugenia uniflora related with prevention of cardiovascular diseases
    Publication . Gonçalves, Jéssica Mariana Abreu; Câmara, José de Sousa
    Plant-based foods constitute a significant source of phytochemical compounds that can help to prevent the occurrence of several diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which currently constitute the leading cause of death worldwide. This work aimed the analysis of two different varieties (orange and purple) of Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) fruits (pitanga) and Eugenia uniflora L. leaves, to evaluate their biological properties namely those related with the prevention of CVDs, including the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive activities. The antioxidant activity was assessed using spectrophotometric techniques applied to two different in vitro assays, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method, and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation scavenging activity. The antioxidant activity was correlated with total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and total anthocyanin content (TAC). The antihypertensive activity was carried out based on the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) assay while the anti-inflammatory capacity was evaluated using the protein denaturation inhibition assay. The study revealed that both varieties of Eugenia uniflora L., demonstrated comparable values across the measured parameters, with the purple variety generally displaying slightly higher values, except for DPPH and ABTS assays. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Among the tested samples, Eugenia uniflora L. leaves consistently showed the lowest values in all assays. Free polyphenols were identified using the µ-QuEChERS extraction technique combined with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detection system (UHPLC-PDA). Notably, UHPLC-PDA analysis allowed the identification of gallic acid, syringaldehyde, resveratrol, quercetin, cinnamic acid, and kaempferol, in the target samples. Gallic acid was found as the most dominant polyphenol across all samples, with the orange pitanga variety presenting the highest concentration (13.1 ± 0.5 mg/100 g DW). This exploratory study showed that Eugenia uniflora L. fruits and leaves extracts hold potential to be used namely as natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive agents, with different applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, for instance. These findings underscore the value of Eugenia uniflora L. extracts as a robust source of bioactive compounds highlighting their potential role in promoting human health, particularly in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
    2024-11-15Master thesis Embargoed access Show more