Search Results (5)

Cocoa pod husk (CPH), the principal by-product of cocoa processing, represents an abundant and underutilized source of bioactive phenolics with potential applications in the food and nutraceutical sectors. This study optimized the extraction of catechin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and clovamide from CPH (CCN-51 variety) using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and evaluated the influence of drying temperature on their retention. A Box–Behnken design within a response surface methodology framework was employed to evaluate the effects of ethanol concentration (0–100%), extraction temperature (50–150 °C), and extraction time (15–60 min) on compound recovery. The phenolic profile was characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection and electrospray ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry. Optimal MAE conditions of 51% ethanol, 104 °C, and 38 min yielded maximum concentrations of clovamide, procyanidin B2, and epicatechin of 3440, 908, and 445 mg/kg dry matter of cocoa pod husk, respectively. Drying studies demonstrated that moderate hot-air temperatures (40–50 °C) preserved the highest phenolic levels. These results underscore the importance of optimizing both extraction and drying conditions to enhance the recovery of phenolic compounds from cocoa processing residues, supporting their potential valorization as antioxidant-rich functional ingredients. Full article

The extraction of bioactive compounds from food by-products is one of the most important research areas for the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food industries. This research aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE) and Microwave-Assisted Extraction (MAE), either alone or in combination, of phenolic compounds from cocoa bean shells (CBSs). These extraction techniques were compared with conventional methods, such as under simple magnetic stirring and the Soxhlet apparatus. After the preliminary characterization of the gross composition of CBSs, the total polyphenol content and radical scavenging of extracts obtained from both raw and defatted cocoa bean shells were investigated. Quantification of the main polyphenolic compounds was then performed by RP-HPLC-DAD, identifying flavonoids and phenolic acids, as well as clovamide. The application of MAE and UAE resulted in a similar or superior extraction of polyphenols when compared with traditional methods; the concentration of individual polyphenols was variously influenced by the extraction methods employed. Combining MAE and UAE at 90 °C yielded the highest antiradical activity of the extract. Spectrophotometric analysis confirmed the presence of high-molecular-weight melanoidins, which were present in higher concentrations in the extracts obtained using MAE and UAE, especially starting from raw material. In conclusion, these results emphasize the efficiency of MAE and UAE techniques in obtaining polyphenol-rich extracts from CBS and confirm this cocoa by-product as a valuable biomass for the recovery of antioxidant compounds, with a view to possible industrial scale-up. Full article

Clovamide (N-caffeoyl-L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, N-caffeoyldopamine, N-caffeoyl-L-DOPA) is a derivative of caffeic acid, belonging to phenolamides (hydroxycinnamic acid amides). Despite a growing interest in the biological activity of natural polyphenolic substances, studies on the properties of clovamide and related compounds, their significance as bioactive components of the diet, as well as their effects on human health are a relatively new research trend. On the other hand, in vitro and in vivo evidence indicates the considerable potential of these substances in the context of maintaining human health or using them as pharmacophores. The name “clovamide” directly derives from red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), being the first identified source of this compound. In the human diet, clovamides are mainly present in chocolate and other cocoa-containing products. Furthermore, their occurrence in some medicinal plants has also been confirmed. The literature reports deal with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antiplatelet/antithrombotic and anticancer properties of clovamide-type compounds. This narrative review summarizes the available data on the biological activity of clovamides and their potential health-supporting properties, including prospects for the use of these compounds for therapeutic purposes. Full article

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease (M^pro) is an internally encoded enzyme that hydrolyzes the translated polyproteins at designated sites. The protease directly mediates viral replication processes; hence, a promising target for drug design. Plant-based natural products, especially polyphenols and phenolic compounds, provide the scaffold for many effective antiviral medications, and have recently been shown to be able to inhibit M^pro of SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, polyphenolic compounds found in cacao and chocolate products have been shown by recent experimental studies to have strong inhibitory effects against M^pro activities. This work aims to uncover the inhibition processes of M^pro by a natural phenolic compound found in cacao and chocolate products, clovamide. Clovamide (caffeoyl-DOPA) is a naturally occurring caffeoyl conjugate that is found in the phenolic fraction of Theobroma Cacao L. and a potent radical-scavenging antioxidant as suggested by previous studies of our group. Here, we propose inhibitory mechanisms by which clovamide may act as a M^pro inhibitor as it becomes oxidized by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, or becomes oxidized as a result of enzymatic browning. We use molecular docking, annealing-based molecular dynamics, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to study the interactions between clovamide with its derivatives and M^pro catalytic and allosteric sites. Our molecular modelling studies provide mechanistic insights of clovamide inhibition of M^pro, and indicate that clovamide may be a promising candidate as a drug lead molecule for COVID-19 treatments. Full article

Vernonia fastigiata is a multi-purpose nutraceutical plant with interesting biological properties. However, very little is known about its phytochemical composition and, thus the need for its phytochemical characterization. In the current study, an environmentally friendly method, pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE), was used to extract metabolites from the leaves of V. fastigiata at various temperatures (50 °C, 100 °C, 150 °C and 200 °C). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-qTOF-MS) analysis in combination with chemometric methods, particularly principal component analysis (PCA) and liquid/gas chromatography mass spectrometry (XCMS) cloud plots, were used to descriptively visualize the data and identify significant metabolites extracted at various temperatures. A total of 25 different metabolites, including hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, clovamide, deoxy-clovamide and flavonoids, were noted for the first time in this plant. Overall, an increase in extraction temperature resulted in an increase in metabolite extraction during PHWE. This study is the first scientific report on the phytochemical composition of V. fastigiata, providing insight into the components of the chemo-diversity of this important plant. Full article