Anti-Inflammatory Properties of a Colored Avocado Seed Extract.
Ethno-pharmacological studies of the Aztec and Maya cultures have reported the use of decoctions of avocado seeds for the treatment of mycotic and parasitic infections, diabetes, inflammation, and gastrointestinal irregularity. Our previous review highlights multiple potential applications of avocado seeds including anti-inflammatory effects.
Avocado seeds are rich in polyphenols and contain a large number of different classes of phytochemicals. The seed has higher polyphenol content and greater antioxidant activity than the
pulp. Wang et al (2010) have reported the presence of catechin, epicatechin, and A- and B-type procyanidin (PAC) dimers – hexamers in the seed. The seeds have also been reported to contain
phytosterols, triterpenes, fatty acids, furanoic acids, and abscisic acid. Among the compounds identified in CASE are perseitol, abscisic acid, epicatechin/catechin, PAC B2 and salidroside.
Melgar et al. (2018) identified many polyphenolics from the hydroethanolic extract of seed, including isorhamnetin-glucuronide, catechin, epicatechin, trans-3-O-Caffeoylquinic acid, B-type PAC dimer and trimer, cis 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and cis-3-p-coumarouylquinic acid. These authors compared the polyphenolic content of seeds and peels and found the peels to have 3-fold higher polyphenolic content but only around twice the antioxidant activity. The extracts also displayed bactericidal and fungicidal characteristics.
We have previously reported that the avocado seed when crushed, a stable orange color develops and we have investigated the potential use of colored avocado seed extract as a food additive. The principal colored compound in CASE has been identified as a novel glycosylated benzotropolone-containing polyphenol.
Adv Food Technol Nutr Sci Open J. 2019; 5(1): 8-12. doi: 10.17140/AFTNSOJ-5-151