Plants (May 2022)

Characterisation of the Phenolic Profile of <i>Acacia retinodes</i> and <i>Acacia mearnsii</i> Flowers’ Extracts

  • Soraia I. Pedro,
  • Tiago Rosado,
  • Celina Barroca,
  • Duarte Neiva,
  • Vanesa Alonso-Herranz,
  • Ana Gradillas,
  • Antonia García,
  • Jorge Gominho,
  • Eugenia Gallardo,
  • Ofélia Anjos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11111442
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 11
p. 1442

Abstract

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Acacia spp. is an invasive species that is widespread throughout the Portuguese territory. Thus, it is pertinent to better understand this species in order to find different applications that will value its use. To evaluate the phenolic profile in Acacia flowers, ethanolic extracts obtained through an energized guided dispersive extraction were analysed, focusing on two species, Acacia retinodes and Acacia mearnsii, at two flowering stages. The phytochemical profile of each extract was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector. The FTIR-ATR technique was used to distinguish the different samples’ compositions. The results showed the presence of high concentrations of phenolic compounds (>300 mg GAE/g extract), among which are flavonoids (>136 mg QE/g extract), for all combinations of species/flowering stages. The phytochemical profile showed a complex composition with 21 compounds identified and quantified (the predominant ones being epicatechin, rutin, vanillin, and catechol). Both species and flowering stages presented significant variations regarding the presence and quantity of phenols and flavonoids, so much so that a principal component analysis performed with FTIR-ATR spectra data of the extracts was able to discriminate between species and flowering stages.

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