Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of 31 Amazonian Vegetable Species of Tamshiyacu Loreto-Peru

The aim of this study was evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the extracts of the leaves of 31 vegetable species collected at the vicinity of the town of Tamshiyacu, in the department of Loreto, Peru. The percentage of inhibition of free radicals of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was calculated. From the concentration of the best species with high activity, which were three, it was realized the analysis of total concentration of phenolic compounds and alkaloids was analyzed by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. Besides the metanolics extracts were submitted to fractionation in chromatographic column and the fractions with similar molecules, grouped by thin layer chromatography. The final fractions were analyzed by a Gas Chromatograph coupled to mass spectrometry (CG-MS), to identify the molecules present in them and causing this activity. According to the results, the species that showed the best activity at concentrations lower than 5.0 mg/ml were Virola sebifera, Caryocar glabrum and Tapirira guianensis. The concentration of total phenolic compounds was 18580.9, 15180.7 and 11568.7 mg/100g for V. sebifra, C. glabrum and T. guiannensis, and total alkaloids were 36.6, 0.0 and 74.0 mg/100g for these same species. The main secondary metabolites are 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and normolatedol and caryophyllene, in V. sebifera, diisooctyl dicarboxylate.1,2-benzene and 3, 5-bis (1,1-dimetyl etill-phenol in C. glabrum and diisoctylphthalate, α-panasinseno, and vitamin E in T. guianensis.