Chromatographic analysis of organic acids in artichoke, milk thistle and borututu using UFLC-PDA
Artigo de Conferência
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resumo
Cynara scolymus L. (artichoke), Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (milk thistle) and
Cochlospermum angolensis Welw. (borututu) are three plants widely used for
medicinal purposes due to their richness in bioactive compounds that provide
antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. Among these compounds are
organic acids, that are involved in various fundamental pathways, as
intermediate or end products, in plant metabolism and catabolism !21• Some of
them, like malic, citric and oxalic acids, seems to be related to processes
operating in the rhizosphere, including nutrient acquisition, metal
detoxification, alleviation of anaerobic stress in roots, mineral weathering and
microbial attraction[31• In this study, ultra fast liquid chromatography and
photodiode array detection (UFLC-PDA) was used to analyse organic acids in the
mentioned plants. The species presented oxalic, quinic, malic, shikinic, citric and
fumaric acids with the exception of quinic and shikinic acids for artichoke and
borututu, respectively. The higher values of total organic acids (53 mg/g dw)
and quinic acid (27 mg/g dw) were found in milk thistle; artichoke showed the
highest content of oxalic and malic acids, being the most abudant oxalic acid (20
mg/g dw); and borututu revealed higher contents of shikinic, citric and fumaric
acids when compared whit the other plants but its main acid was oxalic (7 mg/g
dw). Thus, in addition to their capacity to prevent oxidative stress and liver
diseases, these plants could also be included in food formulations as acidulants,
given the presence of citric and malic acids in the plants composition.
FCT for financial support to CIMO (strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011) and L.
Barros contract ("Compromisso para a Ciencia 2008").
