Antioxidant Potential of Seven Myrtaceous Fruits
Date
2005
Contributor
Advisor
Department
Instructor
Depositor
Speaker
Researcher
Consultant
Interviewer
Narrator
Transcriber
Annotator
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Volume
Number/Issue
Starting Page
Ending Page
Alternative Title
Abstract
Many fruits of the Myrtaceae have a rich history of use both as edibles and as traditional medicines in divergent ethnobotanical practices throughout the tropical and subtropical world. From South America to Southeast Asia, these fruits have been used for a wide variety of ailments, including cough, diabetes, dysentery, inflammation and ringworm. These same fruits are also used to make many food products. Based on information regarding ethnomedical use, known phytochemistry, fruit color, popularity as edibles and availability, the fruits of several edible species from the subtribe Eugeniinae have been selected for phytochemical analysis in an attempt to discover new antioxidants. The fruits of six species in this group have shown a strong antioxidant activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhy-drazyl chemical assay. The UV absorbance spectrum of the most active compound in Eugenia uniflora L. indicates that it is a flavonoid. Polyphenolic compounds like flavonoids have an enormous range of biological activity and are known to inhibit oxidative damage in vivo better than the classical vitamin antioxidants. In plants, they protect against lipid peroxidation and UV damage that can affect tropical fruits growing under severe conditions including high heat and intense sunlight.
Description
Keywords
ethnobotany, antioxidants, Myrtaceae, fruit (food), medicinal plants, phytochemicals, Eugenia uniflora, Eugenia aggregata, Eugenia foetida, Eugenia stipitata, Myrciaria cauliflora, Syzygium jambos, Syzygium samarangense, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, chemotaxonomy, folk taxonomy, indigenous knowledge
Citation
Reynertson KA, Basile MJ, Kennelly EJ. 2005. Antioxidant potential of seven Myrtaceous fruits. Ethnobotany Research & Applications 3:25-36.
Extent
Format
Geographic Location
Time Period
Related To
Related To (URI)
Table of Contents
Rights
Rights Holder
Local Contexts
Email libraryada-l@lists.hawaii.edu if you need this content in ADA-compliant format.