Betalains content and antioxidant activity in bracts of bougainvilleaglabra choisy

Abstract:

Introduction: Betalains are water-soluble pigments that give bright colors to bracts of Bougainvillea genus´ plants. Their main chemical structure is the betalamic acid, which in its condensation process with an amine or amino acid produces betaxanthins, and condensed with cycle-dihydroxyphenylalanine it produces betacyanins. Objective: To determine the content of betalains and evaluate the antioxidant activity in different floral bracts of Bougainvilleaglabra Choisy. Methods: Various colors Bracts of Bougainvilleaglabra Choisy were collected, dried during 48 hours at a temperature of 40 °C, and pulverized. Then by spectrophotometric readings of aqueous extracts, at 538 nm and 472 nm, the betacyanins and betaxanthins were respectively quantified. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by uptake of free radical DPPH•, and estimated by the IC50. Results: Orange and yellow colors´ bracts had the highest and lowest betalains content respectively (16.57 mg g-1 and 2.71 mg g-1,). The high value of betalains in the first gives it a good antioxidant activity, with an IC50 of 67.4 ± 2.3 mg mL-1. Conclusions: The content of betalains and antioxidant activity significantly varied (p=0.02) among bracts of B. glabra. Also antioxidant capacity significantly depended on betalains concentrations (p <0.05) equivalent to betaxanthins.

Año de publicación:

2017

Keywords:

• DPPH•
• Antioxidant activity
• Bougainvillea
• betalains
• Bracts

Fuente:

scopus