Caracterização de compostos fenólicos na fibra de caju usando ressonância magnética nuclear (Anacardium occidentale L).

Abstract

The pseudo-fruit of the cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) represents great economic relevance as well as high nutritive value. The cashew nut is rich in lipids while a variety of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants can be found in the cashew apple. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites present in all plants and a number of studies showed their anti-inflammatory effect and activity against malaria, Parkinson’s disease and different types of cancer. In this study two distinct methods of cashew apple fiber extraction were adopted. First, methanol extraction was carried out taking a single fiber sample to ultrasonic bath three times and the second set of extracts were obtained by solvent partitioning using the distilled water from the cashew apple decoction. The extracts were compared by their mass yields after each extraction process and analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance, where gallic and anacardic acids were identified on the samples. The anacardic acid on the methanol extract of cashew apple fiber could be quantified by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and from its concentration on the sample it was calculated the concentration of 4,16 mg/g of anacardic acid in the starting cashew apple dried fiber.