Minor components in oils obtained from Amazonian palm fruits

Amazonian palm tree fruits: From nutritional value to diversity of new food products

The rapid growth of the world population has increased the demand for new food sources, constituting a major challenge concerning the maximum use of existing food resources. The fruits of Amazonian palm trees have excellent nutritional composition and bioactive compounds. This review highlights four fruits of Amazonian palm trees that are still little explored by the food industry: açai (Euterpe oleracea), pupunha (Bactris gasipaes), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa), and tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum). This paper aims to inspire new ideas for researching and developing products for the food industry. It also explores the impacts of Amazonian palm fruits on health, highlighting their role in disease prevention through their nutritional effects.

Bacaba, Pracaxi and Uxi Oils for Therapeutic Purposes: A Scoping Review

Fruits such as bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart), pracaxi (Pentaclethra macroloba Kuntze) and uxi (Endopleura uchi (Huber) Cuatrec), from the Amazon rainforest, are potentially interesting for studies of natural products. The current article aims at mapping and characterizing studies on the bacaba, pracaxi and uxi species. This review reports the main bioactive compounds identified in these species and discusses their therapeutic potential. Searches were performed in MEDLINE (Via Pubmed) and Web of Science. Thirty-one studies that described or evaluated the development of formulations aimed at the therapeutic use of the species were included. The findings suggest that species have the potential for the development of pharmaceutical formulations due to their therapeutic properties. However, further studies are required to assess safety and efficacy of these products. Therefore, it is suggested that new research studies propose strategies so that technological development is based on awareness and preservation of the biome.

Understanding the Technical-Scientific Gaps of Underutilized Tropical Species: The Case of Bactris gasipaes Kunth

The extraction and commercialization of palm hearts is the most profitable activity involving the peach palm (Bactris gasipaes), while consumption of its fruits is limited to Amazonian communities. The excessive attention paid to the implementation of germplasm banks contributed to the lack of development of high-performance varieties, limiting the production and consumption of peach palm fruits and by-products. In addition, with the fragmentation of the Amazonian rainforest, wild populations are in danger of extinction. The species domestication, initiated by Native Amazonians, generated a large variety of peach palm populations, as evidenced by the diversity in fruit sizes and quality. Some advances in agronomic traits also took place. However, more research needs to be conducted to understand the implications of climatic changes on plant physiological performance. Indeed, the key point is that the exploitation of the full potential of B. gasipaes has not been completely exploited. Therefore, understanding the state-of-the-art research on the peach palm with a focus on its underutilized resources is essential for expanding plantations and, consequently, promoting the market expansion of the peach palm as a fruit crop.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Native Brazilian Fruits of the Arecaceae Family and Its Potential Applications for Health Promotion

The fruits from the Arecaceae family, although being rich in bioactive compounds with potential benefits to health, have been underexplored. Studies on their composition, bioactive compounds, and effects of their consumption on health are also scarce. This review presents the composition of macro- and micronutrients, and bioactive compounds of fruits of the Arecaceae family such as bacaba, patawa, juçara, açaí, buriti, buritirana, and butiá. The potential use and reported effects of its consumption on health are also presented. The knowledge of these underutilized fruits is important to encourage production, commercialization, processing, and consumption. It can also stimulate their full use and improve the economy and social condition of the population where these fruits are found. Furthermore, it may help in future research on the composition, health effects, and new product development. Arecaceae fruits presented in this review are currently used as raw materials for producing beverages, candies, jams, popsicles, ice creams, energy drinks, and edible oils. The reported studies show that they are rich in phenolic compounds, carotenoids, anthocyanins, tocopherols, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids. Moreover, the consumption of these compounds has been associated with anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antiobesity, and cardioprotective effects. These fruits have potential to be used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Despite their potential, some of them, such as buritirana and butiá, have been little explored and limited research has been conducted on their composition, biological effects, and applications. Therefore, more detailed investigations on the composition and mechanism of action based on in vitro and/or in vivo studies are needed for fruits from the Arecaceae family.

Emerging Lipids from Arecaceae Palm Fruits in Brazil

Arecaceae palm tree fruits (APTFs) with pulp or kernel rich in oil are widely distributed in six Brazilian biomes. APTFs represent a great potential for the sustainable exploitation of products with high added value, but few literature studies have reported their properties and industrial applications. The lack of information leads to underutilization, low consumption, commercialization, and processing of these fruit species. This review presents and discusses the occurrence of 13 APTFs and the composition, physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, and potential applications of their 25 oils and fats. The reported studies showed that the species present different lipid profiles. Multivariate analysis based on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicated a correlation between the composition of pulp and kernel oils. Myristic, caprylic, capric, and lauric acids are the main saturated fatty acids, while oleic acid is the main unsaturated. Carotenoids and phenolic compounds are the main bioactive compounds in APTFs, contributing to their high oxidative stability. The APTFs oils have a potential for use as foods and ingredients in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries. However, more studies are still necessary to better understand and exploit these species.

A Review of Potential Use of Amazonian Oils in the Synthesis of Organogels for Cosmetic Application

New strategies for the delivery of bioactives in the deeper layers of the skin have been studied in recent years, using mainly natural ingredients. Among the strategies are organogels as a promising tool to load bioactives with different physicochemical characteristics, using vegetable oils. Studies have shown satisfactory skin permeation, good physicochemical stability mainly due to its three-dimensional structure, and controlled release using vegetable oils and low-molecular-weight organogelators. Within the universe of natural ingredients, vegetable oils, especially those from the Amazon, have a series of benefits and characteristics that make them unique compared to conventional oils. Several studies have shown that the use of Amazonian oils brings a series of benefits to the skin, among which are an emollient, moisturizing, and nourishing effect. This work shows a compilation of the main Amazonian oils and their nutraceutical and physicochemical characteristics together with the minority polar components, related to health benefits, and their possible effects on the synthesis of organogels for cosmetic purposes.

Oil From Three Aguaje Morphotypes (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) Extracted by Supercritical Fluid With CO2: Chemical Composition and Chromatic Properties

The chemical composition and CIELAB color parameters of oil from three aguaje morphotypes (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.) extracted by supercritical carbon dioxide was investigated. By chromatography (HPLC and GC), spectrometry (UV/vis), and digital image colorimetry (digital camera), carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, fatty acids, total polyphenols, and CIELAB color space were analyzed. These findings showed that the oil obtained from morphotype 3 was superior in several analytes (carotenoids, polyphenols, oleic acid, β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol), while morphotype 2 and morphotype 1 showed very close profiles. The most similar chemical components in the oils of the three morphotypes were stigmasterol (16.00 to 17.81%), β-sitosterol (66.39 to 68.94%), palmitic acid (15.56 to 20.69%), and oleic acid (73.29 to 79.54%). The chromatic parameters (L*, a*, b*, and Cab*) were quite different except for the hue angle (hab) (66.55 to 69.71 U), which showed some similarity. Aguaje oil is an interesting resource that stands out for its high content of carotenoids. All three morphotypes may be suitable for potential commercial applications.

Brazilian tucumã-do-Amazonas (Astrocaryum aculeatum) and tucumã-do-Pará (Astrocaryum vulgare) fruits: bioactive composition, health benefits, and technological potential

Latin America has a wide range of native plants spread through its territory. The palms of the Astrocaryum genus are examples of crops occurring in Central and South America, including the large plant life in Brazil. Although not very well known, the Astrocaryum spp. possess edible and non-edible fractions with potential technological and medicinal uses, as evidenced by recent research. Two native Brazilian fruits, tucumã-do-Amazonas (Astrocaryum aculeatum) and tucumã-do-Pará (Astrocaryum vulgare), typically found in the north and northeast of the country, respectively, stand out for their high antioxidant capacity and rich content in bioactive compounds, mainly carotenoids and phenolic compounds. Accordingly, experimental studies indicate their potential to prevent and treat inflammatory and oxidative stress-related conditions, including cancer. The tucumã plants have also been suggested as tools in the industry, for example for biofuel production, activated carbon technology, and as alternative packaging. Considering the importance of bringing light to underestimated yet culturally relevant native crops with potential benefits for small and large communities, this review aims to present and discuss the characteristics, bioactive composition, health effects, and technological potential of tucumã-do-Amazonas and tucumã-do-Pará fruits.

Tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum) extract: phytochemical characterization, acute and subacute oral toxicity studies in Wistar rats

Natural products are often used by the population to treat and/or prevent several disorders. Tucumã is an Amazonian fruit widely consumed by local population and no in vivo toxicity studies regarding its safety are available in the literature to date. Therefore, the phytochemical characterization, acute and repeated dose 28-day oral toxicities of crude extract of tucumã's pulp (CETP) in Wistar rats were evaluated. For the CETP preparation, tucumã pulp was crushed and placed into sealed amber glass jars containing absolute ethanol solution for extraction. CETP phytochemical analyses evidenced the presence of carotenoids, flavonoids, unsaturated and satured fatty acids, and triterpenes. In the acute toxicity, female rats from the test group were treated with CETP at single dose of 2000 mg/kg. For the repeated dose toxicity, CETP was administered to male and female rats at doses of 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg, for 28 days. Body weight was recorded during the experiment and blood, liver and kidney were collected for further analysis. No mortality or toxicity signs were observed during the studies. CETP was classified as safe (category 5, OECD guide), in acute toxicity. In repeated dose study was observed alterations in some biochemical parameters, as well as in oxidative damage and enzymatic activity. Histopathological findings showed renal damage in male rats at higher dose. The data obtained suggest that CETP did not induced toxicity after exposure to a single or repeated doses in female rats. However, in males may be considered safe when given repeatedly in low doses.

Bioactive compounds and health benefits of some palm species traditionally used in Africa and the Americas - A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

According to previous ethno-medicinal reviews, Cocos nucifera, Elaeis guineensis and Phoenix dactylifera are among the main palms which are often used on the American and African continents to treat infections, infestations and disorders in the digestive, respiratory, genito-urinary, dermal, endocrine, cardiovascular, muscular-skeletal, mental and neural systems, as well as neoplasms, dental issues and metabolic and nutritional disorders. In addition, one or more species of the wild genera Acrocomia, Areca, Astrocaryum, Attalea, Bactris, Borassus, Calamus, Chamaedorea, Chamaerops, Euterpe, Hyphaene, Mauritia, Oenocarpus and Syagrus have a high number of records of these ethno-medicinal uses. The most used parts of the palm tree are the fruits, followed by roots, seeds, leaves and flower sap.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review discusses the phytochemical composition and the pharmacological properties of these important ethno-medicinal palms, aiming to provide a contribution to future research prospects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Significant information was compiled from an electronic search in widely used international scientific databases (Google Scholar, Science Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, Wiley on line Library, Scielo, ACS Publications), and additional information was obtained from dissertations, theses, books and other relevant websites.

RESULTS

Palms, in general, are rich in oils, terpenoids and phenolic compounds. Fruits of many species are notable for their high content of healthy oils and fat-soluble bioactive compounds, mainly terpenoids, such as pigment carotenoids (and provitamin A), phytosterols, triterpene pentacyclics and tocols (and vitamin E), while other species stood out for their phenolic compounds derived from benzoic and cinnamic acids, along with flavan-3-ol, flavone, flavonol, and stilbene compounds or anthocyanin pigments. In addition to fruits, other parts of the plant such as seeds, leaves, palm heart, flowers and roots are also sources of many bioactive compounds. These compounds are linked to the ethno-medicinal use of many palms that improve human health against infections, infestations and disorders of human systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Palms have provided bioactive samples that validate their effectiveness in traditional medicine. However, the intensive study of all palm species related to ethno-medicinal use is needed, along with selection of the most appropriate palm accessions, ripe stage of the fruit and /or part of the plant. Furthermore, the complete profiles of all phytochemicals, their effects on animal models and human subjects, and toxicological and clinical trials are suggested, which, added to the incorporation of improved technological processes, should represent a significant advance for the implementation of new opportunities with wide benefits for human health.

Quality characteristics and thermal behavior of buriti (

This work reports a complete characterization of buriti oil. Physicochemical properties were determined according to AOCS methodologies and thermophysical properties were measured using a controlled stress rheometer and a digital electronic density meter. β-carotene and tocopherol contents were obtained using HPLC systems. Fatty acids and acylglycerol classes were determined using GC and HPSEC systems, respectively, while triacylglycerol composition was estimated using the software PrOleos. Thermal behavior (crystallization and melting) was analyzed using a DSC. The results attested high levels of total carotenoids with β-carotene as the major one; total tocopherols contained α- and β-tocopherols which accounted for 91% of the total; and monounsaturated fatty acids were mainly represented by oleic acid. The results showed close agreement between density and viscosity of buriti and olive oils. The crystallization and melting peaks occurred at -43.06 °C and -2.73 °C, respectively. These properties enable Buriti oil to be recommended as an excellent alternative for enriching foods with bioactive compounds.

Amazonian Native Palm Fruits as Sources of Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds

The Amazon region has many sources of fruits, especially native ones not yet explored, but which have some potential for use, as is the case with certain palms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the content of bioactive compounds and total antioxidant capacities of fruits from native palms from the Brazilian Amazon. The fruits of five palm species (bacaba, buriti, inajá, pupunha, and tucumã) were evaluated for levels of ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, yellow flavonoids, total carotenoids, and total extractable polyphenols, as well as the total antioxidant capacities. The fruits had high contents of extractable total polyphenols, especially bacaba and tucumã (941.56 and 158.98 mg of galic acid·100g⁻¹), total carotenoids in the case of tucumã and buriti (7.24 and 4.67 mg·100g⁻¹), and anthocyanins in bacaba (80.76 mg·100g⁻¹). As for the antioxidant capacity, bacaba had the highest total antioxidant activity by the Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity (ORAC) (194.67 µM·Trolox·g⁻¹), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (47.46 g·pulp·g⁻¹ DPPH), and β-carotene/linoleic acid (92.17% Oxidation Inhibition (O.I) methods. Bacaba phenolic profile revealed the presence of cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside and other flavonoids. The palm fruits studied can be considered good sources of bioactive compounds, some containing higher amounts than that of commonly consumed fruits. Total extractable polyphenols and anthocyanins were directly correlated to antioxidant activity in these fruits.