Antioxidant capacity of Brazilian fruit extract against reactive species of oxygen and nitrogen

• Grant number: 15/19221-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• Start date: March 16, 2016
• End date: March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Helena Teixeira Godoy
• Grantee: Helena Teixeira Godoy
• Visiting researcher: Alessandra Braga Ribeiro
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Brazil
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Antioxidant capacity in vitro assay consists in a widely employed measuring methodology for preliminar evaluation of the biological activity of food matrix. In the last years, it has been developed scientifical assays to assess antioxidant activity of several fruits and vegetables extracts against reactive species naturally produced by human metabolism, such as superoxide, hypochlorous acid, peroxide, nitro peroxide. These methodologies are able to provide more reliable data about real phytochemical capacity to deactivate free radical present in human body, allowing a better interpretation of their bioactivity. However, currently, in Brazil, none of these assays have been accordingly implanted. In view of that, studies about the antioxidant potential of brazilian native fruits through such methodologies are still scarce, exemple given, açaí, camu-camu, atemoia, jabuticaba, ora-pro-nobis and tamarindo. Therefore, we are seeking for training our students to perform antioxidant assays, since we belive that, given the enourmous brazilian species variaty, it would sinificantly contribute to the knowledge of the bioactivity of these native species, to the discover of new species presenting health benefit and to their market valorization. Thus, the aim of this study is the evaluation of native friuts extracts deactivation capacity against nitrogen and oxygen reacive species. (AU)