Avaliação do teor total e bioacessível de flavonoides em feijão Andu (Cajanus cajan L.), produzidos no extremo sul da Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

The Andu bean (Cajanus cajan) (Cc) plays an important role in the diet of low-income populations and underdeveloped countries, which are deficient in nutrients such as protein and B vitamins. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of Cc in treating diseases such as sickle cell anemia, using components isolated from the legume to combat free radicals, demonstrating potential for cancer treatment. Some of the components of interest in Andu are flavonoids, which are currently the focus of researchers due to their hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and/or antihypertensive potential. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to quantify the total flavonoid content and verify their bioaccessibility by determining how bioavailable these compounds become when consuming the beans or leaf flour. The total flavonoid content was determined by molecular absorption spectrophotometry in the visible region of the spectromagnetic spectrum, in terms of quercetin. To determine the bioaccessible flavonoid content, the INFOGEST standardized method for simulating in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was applied. Total flavonoid content was obtained in the grains, ranging from 71 to 264 µg g 1, and in the leaves, from 7.75 to 14.63 mg g-1. The bioaccessible content of one of the grain samples was 66.88 µg g-1, with a bioaccessible fraction of 49.18%, and in the leaves, 3.13 mg g-1 of total bioaccessible flavonoid content and 30.22% of the bioaccessible fraction. The results allowed us to evaluate the use of Andu leaves and grains as a supplement for these compounds, which are important for people with cardiometabolic diseases.