Phytochemical characterization and antioxidant properties of baby-leaf watercress produced under organic production system

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and the antioxidant properties of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br., Brassicaceae) produced under organic production system. Fresh baby-leaf watercress samples were collected from local organic farms. High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) were used to assess the phytochemical composition, and spectrophotometric methods were used to assess the antioxidant capacity. Two major classes of healthier secondary plant metabolites were identified: phenolics and glucosinolates. The major phenolics determined were chlorogenic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, dicaffeoyltartaric acid, and isorhamnetin. The glucosinolates were composed exclusively of gluconasturtiin, the precursor of the anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial compound 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate. The extracts of organic young baby-leaf watercress presented high antioxidant capacity and this property was highly related with caffeic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin, and glucosnastrutiin. The results achieved showed that baby-leaf watercress can provide high contents of antioxidant compounds at levels even superior to similar adult plant material.Keywords: watercress; baby-leaf samples; organic production; bioactive compounds; phenolic acids; flavonoids; quercetin-3-O-rutinoside; antioxidant activity El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la composición fitoquímica y propiedades antioxidantes de berros (Nasturtium officinale R. Br., Brassicaceae) producidos bajo el sistema de producción ecológico. Muestras frescas de hojas tiernas de berros se recolectaron en granjas ecológicas locales. HPLC-DAD y HPLC-MS fueron utilizados para evaluar la composición fitoquímica y métodos espectrofotométricos se utilizaron para evaluar la capacidad antioxidante. Se identificaron dos clases principales de metabolitos secundarios saludables de las plantas, compuestos fenólicos y glucosinolatos. Los principales compuestos fenólicos determinadas fueron: ácido clorogénico, quercetina-3-O-rutinósido, ácido dicafeoil tartárico y isoramnetina. Los glucosinolatos fueron compuestas exclusivamente por gluconasturtina, el precursor del compuesto anti-cancerígenos y antimicrobiana isotiocianato de 2-feniletilo. Los extractos de brotes jóvenes de berros ecológicos presentaron una alta capacidad antioxidante y esta propiedad fue muy relacionadas con el ácido cafeico, la quercetina-3-Orutinósido, isorhamnetina y glucosnastrutiina. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que los brotes de berro puede proporcionar un alto contenido de compuestos antioxidantes a niveles aún superiores del material similar de la planta adulta. Palabras

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