POTENTIAL ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUNDS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF <em>PROSOPIS</em> <em>JULIFLORA</em>

Abstract

Sirmah P, Mburu F, Iaych K, Dumarçay S & Gérardin P. 2011. Potential antioxidant compounds
from different parts of Prosopis juliflora. Research was carried out to explore antioxidant properties of
Prosopis juliflora extractives and their additional utilisation value. Results showed that P. juliflora contained
important amounts of flavanols, constituting of 4’-O-methyl-gallocatechin, (+)-catechins and (-)-mesquitol.
Their amounts are different and highly dependent on the wood sample location in the tree. Reasons for these
differences are not yet fully understood and need further investigation. Heartwood contained (-)-mesquitol as
the main secondary metabolite responsible for the strong antioxidant properties of crude extracts obtained
with solvents of different polarities. (-)-Mesquitol was also the main component of gums exuding from the
stem. Crude bark extractives showed lower antioxidant properties which were attributed to the presence of
4’-O-methyl-gallocatechin. The lower antioxidant activity may be attributed to the presence of some inactive
components in bark extractives which reduced overall activity of the extract. Extractives of P. juliflora could
therefore be of interest as source of natural antioxidants for applications in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical
industries.