Evaluation of the Polyphenol Composition and Antioxidant Activity of African Variety of Dacryodes edulis (G.Don) H.J Lam Fruit

• Published in: Journal of medicinal food Vol. 12; no. 6; pp. 1321 - 1325
• Main Authors: Atawodi, S.E, Atawodi, J.C, Idakwo, P, Pfundstein, B, Haubner, B, Wurtele, G, Spiegelhalder, B, Bartsch, H, Owen, R.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2009
• Subjects: 2-deoxygyanosine; Africa, Central; antioxidant activity; Antioxidants - chemistry; bioassays; Burseraceae; Burseraceae - chemistry; catechol; chemical constituents of plants; chemoprevention; Dacryodes edulis; dose response; ellagic acid; enzyme activity; Flavonoids - chemistry; free radical scavengers; Free Radical Scavengers - chemistry; Fruit - chemistry; fruits (plant anatomy); gallic acid; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; methylgallate; oxidative stress; Phenols - chemistry; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Polyphenols; quantitative analysis; quercetin; quercetin rhamnoside; reactive oxygen species; xanthine oxidase; Western Africa; Nigeria; Central Africa; Africa, Central
• ISSN: 1096-620X; 1557-7600
• DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2008.0215

Polyphenols are abundant micronutrients in our diet that have been credited with chemoprevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. In this study, we investigated the whole ripened fruit of Dacryodes edulis (G.Don) H.J Lam, a multipurpose tree growing in West and Central Africa and other countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea, for polyphenol content as well as its antioxidant/radical scavenging capacity. Analysis of the methanol extract of the fruit by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to an ultraviolet dual-array detector and mass-selective detector revealed the presence of catechol (9.27 mg/kg), gallate (10.40 mg/kg), methylgallate (0.88 mg/kg), ellagic acid (3.10 mg/kg), quercetin (0.21 mg/kg), and quercetin rhamnoside (0.76 mg/kg). The extract showed very high antioxidant potential (50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)] = 14 microL), but a rather weak radical scavenging activity (IC(50) = 357 microL), when tested in vitro with the xanthine oxidase and 2-deoxyguanosine assay model systems, respectively. These results suggest that consumption of D. edulis could contribute to prevention of diseases that are related to oxidative stress.