Comparison of Proximate Composition, Phytochemical Contents, Antioxidant Capacity and Polyphenols in Brosimum Alicastrum Leaf, Fruit and Seed

Abstract

Ramon nut (B. alicastrum) is known to contain bioactive compounds and has been used for medicinal and food purposes for millennia. In the present study the objectives were to quantify and compare the proximal composition, phytochemical contents, in vitro antioxidant capacity and individual phenolic compounds in B. alicastrum leaf, fruit peel, seed and seed coat. Patterns were recognized using canonical discriminant analysis. After freeze-drying, proximate analyses were done. Phenolic compounds in the leaf, fruit peel, seed and seed coat of B. alicastrum were identified by HPLC-UV. Leaf had the highest ash, lipid and protein contents, seed coat had high crude fiber content and seeds high carbohydrates content. The highest (33.13 %) and lowest (4.77 %) yields of extraction (compounds) were obtained from the fruit peels and seed coat, respectively. Phytochemical screening revealed abundant terpenes and tannins in leaf tissue, and abundant sterols in seed coat. Total phenolic content (TPC) was highest (P≤0.05) in seeds (19.74 mg gallic acid equivalent GAE/g) and total flavonoids content (TFC) was highest (P≤0.05) in leaves (16.62 mg quercetin equivalent QE/g). The highest DPPH antioxidant capacity was identified in seed coat and the highest reducing power (RP) in leaf and fruit peel. The HPLC analysis identified caffeic acid as the most abundant phenolic compound in leaves, gallic acid as the most abundant in seeds, chlorogenic acid in seed coat and 3-hydroxytyrosol in fruit peel. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effectively differentiated the samples by tissue. Proximal chemical composition and bioactive compounds contents differed between B. alicastrum tissues, but they all contain bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential, highlighting their potential applications in food and non-food systems. Key words: antioxidants; phytochemicals; plant-extracts; Ramón.