The Amazon region comprises a plethora of fruit-bearing species of which a large number are still agriculturally unimportant. Because fruit consumption has been attributed to an enhanced physical well-being, interest in the knowledge of the chemical composition of underexplored exotic fruits has increased during recent years. This paper provides a comprehensive identification of the polyphenolic constituents of four underutilized fruits from the Amazon region by HPLC/DAD-ESI-MS(n). Araçá ( Psidium guineense ), jambolão ( Syzygium cumini ), muruci ( Byrsonima crassifolia ), and cutite ( Pouteria macrophylla ) turned out to be primarily good sources of hydrolyzable tannins and/or flavonols. Additionally, different flavanonols and proanthocyanidins were identified in some fruits. The antioxidant capacity was determined by using the total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC) assay. Cutite showed the highest antioxidant capacity followed by jambolão, araçá, and muruci.

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Cranberry procyanidins have been associated with an effect against urinary tract infections (UTI) for decades, and European health claims are requested. This study compares the procyanidin profiles and concentrations of American cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.), European cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccus L.), and lingonberry ( Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) analyzed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatoraphy coupled to a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer with electrospray interface (UHPLC-MS(2)). Concentrations of A-type trimers, procyanidin A2, catechin, epicatechin, and B-type dimers and trimers have been evaluated and compared for the first time in the three berries. The data clearly show remarkable differences in the procyanidin profiles and concentrations, especially the lack of A-type trimers in V. oxycoccus; thus, the effectiveness against UTI may vary among the Vaccinium species. These differences can be used to prove authenticity.

Cranberries exert a dose-dependent inhibition of the adherence of E. coli fimbriae to uroepithelial cells. This was demonstrated in vitro but also ex vivo in vitro with urine from cranberry consumers. The active principle has not been identified in detail but type-A proanthocyanidins (PAC) play an important role in the mechanism of action. Since the three species, American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), European cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus) and/or lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), have different patterns of type-A PACs, results from one species cannot be transferred to the others. It seems likely that most of the studies with monopreparations from V. macrocarpon were underdosed. Whereas photometric PAC quantification may overestimate the true content on co-active compounds, reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatograpy may underestimate them. Recent studies with PAC doses in the upper range (DMAC method) or declared type-A PAC content in the daily dose reveal a dose-dependent trend of clinical effectiveness, however, with a possible ceiling effect. In order to clarify this, future three-arm studies should investigate Vaccinium preparations with higher type-A PAC doses than previously used. We analysed two popular European vitis-idaea products, a mother juice and a proprietary extract. Both preparations may be appropriate to confirm the Vaccinium urinary tract infection-preventive effect beyond doubt.

The potential of fruits occurring in the Amazon with regard to their antioxidant capacity is being addressed increasingly during the last years. In this paper, the antioxidant capacity of fruits from Pouteria macrophylla (cutite) and the compounds which are responsible for that functional property were studied. Diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and total oxidant scavenging capacity (TOSC) assays were used for the evaluation of antioxidant capacity of fruit aqueous extracts. TOSC assay showed inhibitory eVects against peroxyl (TOSC 50% = 560 mg/L) and peroxynitrite (TOSC 50% = 830 mg/L), two important reactive oxygen species, while DPPH showed that cutite (EC 50 = 300 § 3.9 g/g DPPH) has signiWcant antioxidant capacity, greater than many other known Amazon fruits. It was also seen that the cutite fruits are a good alimentary source of polyphenols (867 § 8 mg GAE/100 g), analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS n and HPLC-DAD, gallic acid (4.72 mg/g fresh fruit pulp) and digalloyl glucose were found as the main phenolic compounds in the cutite fruits. TOSC assays with HPLC fractions of fruit aqueous extracts show that both compounds are predominantly responsible for the antioxidant capacity observed in the cutite.