Cactus pear pulp as a source of bioactive compounds

Silva, M.A.; Albuquerque, T.G.; Pereira, P.; Ramalho, R.; Costa, H.S.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/5337

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Introduction: Cactus pear, also known as prickly pear or nopal cactus, is a specie from Cactaceae family, widely cultivated in semi-arid regions around the World. Cactus pear fruit has gained increasing importance due to its various applications ranging from nutrition to the pharmaceutical industry. In Portugal, in the last years, there was an increase in the cultivation of this plant, due to the growing interest of Portuguese producers. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity, the total phenolic compounds content and the total flavonoids content of the cactus pear pulp. Materials and Methods: In 2017, several samples of cactus pear were collected in Alentejo region (Portugal). Antioxidant activity of cactus pear was determined using two different methods (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) and ferric reduction power (FRAP)). Moreover, total phenolic and total flavonoids contents were also assessed by spectrophotometric methodologies. The total phenolic compounds results were expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), while the total flavonoid content was expressed as epicatechin equivalents (ECE). Results: The total phenolics content for the analysed cactus pear pulp was 19.8 ± 0.78 mg GAE/g, while the total flavonoid content was 1.70 ± 0.08 mg ECE/g. Regarding the antioxidant activity evaluation, the results obtained for the two analytical methods were 17.1 ± 0.71 mg/mL (EC50) and 46.6 ± 1.99 mg Trolox equivalents/g for DPPH• and FRAP assays, respectively. Conclusions: Based on the results obtained for the analysed cactus pear pulp, it is possible to conclude that it is a good source of bioactive compounds and can contribute to the intake of natural antioxidants. It is a fruit with nutritional interest and its use in human diet can bring benefits to the health of consumers.