Resumen de Phytochemical and bioactive compounds analysis of the lyophilized pulp, peel, and seeds of Salacia crassifolia fruit with potential as a functional food

Lucineia Cavalheiro Schneider, Katyúscya Veloso Leão, Luciana Lucas Machado, Andréia Rocha Dias Guimarães, Joana Elisa Willrich, Bruno Eduardo da Silva, Eduardo Miranda Ethur, Elisete Maria de Freitas, Lucélia Hoehne

• Salacia crassifolia, commonly known as “bacupari do Cerrado”, is a fruit highly valued by the local population. However, limited information is available in the literature regarding its constituents and/or functional properties. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical profile, the antioxidative activity using DPPH and ABTS assays, and quantify the and the phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and vitamin C in the freeze-dried pulp, peel, and seeds of bacupari fruits. The phytochemical profile revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds. The total phenolic content, determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, ranged from 2095 to 1371 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of dry mass. The antioxidant analysis showed EC50 values ranging from 3.88±0.03 to 0.45±0.12. The total flavonoid content varied from 9.56 to 9.91 mg of quercetin equivalent. Vitamin C content in the lyophilized pulp was found to be 48.55 mg/100 g, while the carotenoid content was 25.72 mg/100 g. These results demonstrate that the species is rich in bioactive compounds, highlighting its significant potential for both food and pharmacological applications.