Antioxidant activity of anthocyanins from quixabeira (Sideroxylon obtusifolium) fruits

ABSTRACT The fruits of Sideroxylon obtusifolium T.D. Penn. are small berries which have dark purple skin color at maturity due the anthocyanins presence. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins from mature fruits which were obtained at a semi-arid region of Paraiba/BR. In addition, the total anthocyanins content was measured by the pH differential method. The anthocyanins were purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using C18 Sep-Pak cartridges and submitted to antioxidant activity determined by scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH·). The butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was the positive control and the results were expressed as DPPH· scavenging activity (%). Anthocyanins content were higher in the husks (236.15 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside 100g-1 fw) than in the pulp (30.49 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside 100g-1 fw). The results showed that the potential free radical scavenging grew with the increase of concentration used and the reaction time. The ability of the anthocyanins in scavenging the free radical was statistically greater than the BHT one. The anthocyanins which were present in this fruit may supply substantial dietary source of antioxidant that may promote health and produce disease prevention effects or that could be applied in food industry as a good source of natural pigment

Produção hidropônica de morangueiro em sistema de colunas verticais, sob cultivo protegido Hydroponic strawberry production in vertical columns system under protected cultivation

O cultivo do morangueiro fora do solo possibilita a eliminação do uso de produtos para desinfecção, reduzindo o consumo de frutos contaminados e a agressão ao meio ambiente, além de proporcionar melhor aproveitamento da área e maior facilidade de manejo da cultura. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar, em ambiente protegido e colunas verticais, dois sistemas de irrigação: gotejamento por estacas (externo) e autocompensante (interno); dois tipos de substratos: Horta 2 e Tabaco 1; com e sem drenagem. A cultivar utilizada foi a Oso Grande. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados, com os tratamentos dispostos em parcela subsubdividida, com três repetições. Com base nos rendimentos obtidos nos terços superior, médio e inferior das colunas, o sistema de irrigação mais indicado é o gotejamento por estacas (externo), com drenagem na extremidade inferior da coluna. Os substratos não diferem quanto à produção, mas Horta 2 incrementa o teor de antocianina nos frutos.<br>Since strawberry cultivation in soil less system does not needs disinfection products, it decreases fruits and environmental contamination. Besides it provides a better utilization of the area and makes easy the management of the culture. The objective of this work was to evaluate two irrigation systems: dripping for props (outside) and self compensate (inside); and two types of substrates: Horta 2 and Tabaco 1; with or without draining, on the cultivar Oso Grande of strawberry. The experiment was carried out under protected cultivation and in vertical columns conditions. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with three replications, and the treatments were arranged in a split-plot. The strawberry yield found in the upper, medium, and lower positions of the columns indicates that the dripping for props (outside) is the most efficient irrigation system, since drainage is used in the lower extremity of the column. Although there were no differences substrates, Horta 2 increased the anthocyanins content of the fruits