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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266209
Title: Flavonoids from acai (euterpe oleracea mart.) Pulp and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

Author
item KANG, JIE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item XIE, CHENGHUI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item LI, ZHIMIN - Shanghai Sipi Pharmaceutical Co Ltd
item NAGARAJAN, SHANMUGAM - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item SCHAUSS, ALEXANDER - Aibmr Life Sciences (AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR BIOSOCIAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH)
item WU, TONG - Shanghai Sipi Pharmaceutical Co Ltd
item WU, XIANLI - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Journal of Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2011
Publication Date: 4/5/2011
Citation: Kang, J., Xie, C., Li, Z., Nagarajan, S., Schauss, A.G., Wu, T., Wu, X. 2011. Flavonoids from acai (euterpe oleracea mart.) Pulp and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Journal of Food Chemistry. 128(1):152-157.

Interpretive Summary: Flavonoids are considered as major bioactive compounds and strong antioxidanta in the fruits and vegetables. In this study, five flavonoids were isolated from acai pulp. The structures of these compounds were determined by physical and chemical analyses. To our knowledge, four of them were identified from acai pulp for the first time. Antioxidant activities of these compounds were evaluated by oxygen radial absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. The ORAC values varied distinctly determined by their chemical structures. Anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds were screened by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-'B) secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter assay, which is designed to measure NF-'B activation. An uncommon flavonoid named velutin was found be the most effective compound.

Technical Abstract: Five flavonoids, (2S,3S)-dihyrokaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucoside (1) and its isomer (2R,3R)-dihydrokaempferol 3-O-'-D-glucoside (2) , isovitexin (3), velutin (4) and 5,4'-dihydroxy-7,3',5'-trimethoxyflavone (5), were isolated from acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based upon spectroscopic and chemical analyses. To our knowledge, compounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 were identified from acai pulp for the first time. In vitro antioxidant activities of these compounds were evaluated by oxygen radial absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. The ORAC values varied distinctly (4458.0 – 22404.5 micro-mol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g) from 5,4'-dihydroxy-7,3',5'-trimethoxyflavone (5) to isovitexin (3) determined by the numbers/positions of hydroxyl groups, substitute groups, as well as stereo configuration. Anti-inflammatory effects of these compounds were screened by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-'B) secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter assay, which is designed to measure NF-'B activation. Velutin (4) was found to dose-dependently inhibit SEAP secretion in RAW-blue cells induced by LPS with an IC50 value of 2.0 micro M. Velutin (4) also inhibited SEAP secretion induced by oxidized LDL, implicating potential athero-protective effects.