Chemical Characterization, Phenolic Compounds Quantification, and Assessment of Antioxidant and Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Activities of Byrsonima sericea DC fruits

Abstract

Byrsonima sericea is a species native to Brazil that is widely used in traditional medicine. The seed ethanol extract (SEE) had the highest content of total phenols (179.35 mg GAE g^-1 extract) and flavonoids (10.42 mg QE g^-1 extract) and was the most active in relation to antioxidant activity (DPPH: IC₅₀ =4.25 μg mL^-1 and ABTS: IC₅₀ =4.82 μg mL^-1 ). The peel/pulp ethanol extract (PEE) had the best anticholinesterase activity (IC₅₀ =6.02 μg mL^-1 ). Chromatographic investigation identified gallic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin and amentoflavone in SEE, and gallic acid, isoquercitrin, quercetin and rutin in PEE. Six fatty acid methyl esters and seven triterpenes were identified, highlighting oleic acid in the seed hexane extract (61.85 %) and in the peel/pulp hexane extract (52.61 %), and betulin in the peel/pulp hexane extract (5.25 %). The substances and biological activities identified in B. sericea characterize this fruit as a functional food for future studies.

Keywords: Anticholinesterase activity; Antioxidant activity; Byrsonima sericea; Chemical Characterization; Phenolic Compounds.