Analytical Tools Used to Distinguish Chemical Profiles of Plants Widely Consumed as Infusions and Dietary Supplements: Artichoke, Milk Thistle, and Borututu

作者：Pereira Carla; Barros Lillian; Ferreira Isabel C F R^*

来源：Food Analytical Methods, 2014, 7(8): 1604-1611.

DOI：10.1007/s12161-014-9795-9

• Chromatography
• Medicinal plants
• Nutritional value
• Hydrophilic compounds
• Lipophilic compounds

Artichoke, borututu, and milk thistle are three medicinal plants widely consumed as infusions or included in dietary supplements (e.g., pills and syrups). Despite the high consumption of these plants, studies on their nutritional value and primary metabolites are scarce, with their composition in secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds being only reported. Therefore, their nutritional value was assessed, and analytical tools (liquid and gas chromatography coupled to different detectors) were used to distinguish their chemical profiles according to their hydrophilic (sugars and organic acids) and lipophilic (fatty acids and tocopherols) components. Chromatographic techniques are important analytical tools used in the identification and quantification of several molecules, also being a standard requirement to distinguish different profiles. Borututu gave the highest energetic value with the highest content of carbohydrates and fat, sucrose and total sugars, shikimic and citric acids, and alpha-, beta-, delta-, and total tocopherols. Artichoke had the highest ash and protein contents, oxalic acid, SFA (mainly palmitic acid), and gamma-tocopherol, and also the best n-6/n-3 ratio. Milk thistle showed the highest levels of fructose and glucose, quinic acid and total organic acids, and PUFA, mainly linoleic acid, and the best PUFA/SFA ratio. The hydrophilic compounds identified in the studied plants, mostly sugars, are responsible for the energy contribution of their widely consumed infusions. Otherwise, the bioactivity of lipophilic compounds, namely, unsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols, is lost in those preparations but can be recovered in dietary supplements based on the plants. As far as we know, this is the first report on the detailed composition of the three plants regarding their nutritional features.

• 出版日期2014-9