Teor de proteína, compostos bioativos e capacidade antioxidante em plantas de Corchorus olitorius L., cultivadas em Nova Erechim-Santa Catarina

Abstract

The species popularly known as "Lalo (Corchorus olitorius L.) is a tropical leafy vegetable considered an unconventional food plant (PANC) and is present in the Amazon, where, due to local climatic conditions, it has shown good adaptation to the region. It is used in several countries not only for food purposes but also for its therapeutic effects. However, to date, there are no studies on the cultivation of this species in Santa Catarina or on the characteristics of the plants under the edaphoclimatic conditions of this state. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the protein content, detect phenolic compounds, and assess the antioxidant capacity present in plants of this species grown under the edaphoclimatic conditions of Nova Erechim-Santa Catarina. In this study, samples of whole Lalo plants were analyzed, harvested 180 days after sowing, and cultivated in Nova Erechim. Protein content, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity were analyzed, and compounds were identified using the HPLC method. The results indicate that samples of C. olitorius in the final stage of their growth cycle exhibited protein levels similar to those of bean varieties cultivated in the region, along with the presence of phytochemical components and antioxidant potential. The phytochemical components of C. olitorius samples, including polyphenols, ranged from 7.70 to 20.89 mg GAE/g, with antioxidant activity ranging between 13.23 and 62.82 μmol TE/g of plant samples. The individual compounds detected in the Lalo plant samples were quercetin, epigallocatechin, p-coumaric acid, and syringic acid, with variation among the test conditions used. The compounds myricetin, kaempferol, caffeic acid, pyrocatechol, flavone, gallic acid, and rosmarinic acid were not detected in the samples in any of the six tests conducted