Pedra-ume caá fruit: An Amazon cherry rich in phenolic compounds with antiglycant and antioxidant properties

Species of Eugenia have been used as an antidiabetic natural source. Chemical, antioxidant and antiglycant screening of extracts from pedra-ume caá (Eugenia punicifolia) fruits were performed. ¹H NMR assisted by non-supervised chemometric methods were employed for the evaluation of the chemical profiles which were distinguished according to the color of fruit maturation stages, as well as for pulp and seed fruit. Furthermore, ¹H NMR fingerprint analysis of the crude extract allowed the identification of quercitrin and myricitrin, beside other nine compounds. The extracts of the yellow (YP) and green (GP) pulps presented higher antiglycant and antioxidant activities. Fresh juice from E. punicifolia was encapsulated in microcapsules produced with dextrose equivalent (DE) of 10, 20 or 30 as wall materials for the maintainment of their antioxidant and antiglycant properties. The more efficient retention of the bioactive compounds was found using the DE30. The Encapsulation Efficiency (EE) and the Retention Efficiency (RE) of this system was found around 89.7% and 97.6%, respectively. In addition, NMR spectra revealed the presence of flavonoids O-glycosylated (quercitrin and myricitrin) which might be related to the antiglycant and antioxidant activities. The YP presented larger content of quercitrin (117.6 ± 0.4 mg per each 100 g of fresh fruit). Therefore, pedra-ume caá should be employed as an alternative nutraceutical source, as well as intherapeutic pourposes.