Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Stamens from Four Cylindropuntia Species: Influence of the Extraction Solvent
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54167/tch.v19i2.1802Keywords:
cacti, plant pigments, natural antioxidants, flavonoids and phenols, discriminant analysisAbstract
Currently, information on the chemical composition of species within the Cylindropuntia genus is limited. Expanding knowledge about these species is essential for identifying interspecies differences and determining their antioxidant potential and chemical composition. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of stamens from four Cylindropuntia species using three aqueous solvents for extraction and spectrophotometric quantification of pigments, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, reducing sugars, and antioxidant activity. Among the solvents tested, methanol was the most efficient for extracting chlorophylls (b, c, d, and total), carotenoids, betacyanins, betaxanthins, and betalains, compared to acetone and ethanol. C. spinosior exhibited the highest concentrations of xanthophylls (29.37 mg·g—¹), betacyanins (0.190 mg·g—¹), betaxanthins (0.080 mg·g—¹), and betalains (0.27 mg·g—¹), while C. imbricata stood out for its high content of chlorophyll a (49.51 mg·g—¹), chlorophyll d (15.24 mg·g—¹), total chlorophyll (89.10 mg·g—¹), phenolic compounds (10.97 mg GAE·g—¹), and potent antioxidant activity measured by FRAP (22.56 mmol TE·g—¹). On the other hand, C. kleiniae exhibited the highest concentration of carotenoids (12.14 mg·g—¹), reducing sugars (136.89 mg EG·g—¹), and a higher antioxidant activity measured by DPPH (23.84 mmol TE·g—¹). In contrast, C. arbuscula showed the lowest levels across most analyzed compounds. The stamens of C. spinosior and C. imbricata emerge as promising sources of bioactive compounds, underscoring their relevance for future research in phytochemistry, pharmacology, and nutrition.
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