Amazonian fruits are a source of bioactive compounds, among which phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenes stand out. These compounds play a crucial role in restoring oxidative balance, consequently reducing the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the content of these metabolites and their biological properties may vary significantly depending on the geographical location and the environmental conditions where plants grow. This research assessed the content of metabolites, free radical scavenging capacity, and hemolytic and antiproliferative effects of the hydro-methanolic extracts of the Amazonian fruits Theobroma grandiflorum and Mauritia flexuosa. The results revealed that the extracts derived from the seeds of Theobroma grandiflorum sourced from the Balcanes experimental farm and the pulp of Mauritia flexuosa harvested in Florencia exhibited higher contents compared to other analyzed sites: Total phenolic content (TPC) (619.41 ± 12.05 and 285.75 ± 10.06 mg GAE/100 g FW), Total flavonoid content (TFC) (569.09 ± 4.51 and 223.21 ± 3.92 mg CAT/100 g FW), and Total carotenoid content (TCC) (25.12 ± 0.16 and 48.00 ± 0.28 mg eq β-carotene/100 g FW), respectively. Also, these samples demonstrated superior scavenging capacities for the ABTS and DPPH radicals, while the peel of Mauritia flexuosa exhibited the highest scavenging capacity for the oxygen radical (526.23 ± 2.08 µmol Trolox.g⁻¹). The hemolytic effect shows dose-dependent responses with IC50 values of 27.73 μg/mL for the Balcanes seeds and 1.27 μg/mL for the Florencia pulp. Furthermore, it was observed that treatment with the fruit-derived extracts effectively reduced the number of viable human colorectal cancer cells, using SW480 ATCC cell line, demonstrating a non-dose-dependent behavior compared to the control cells.

Cocoa bean quality depends mainly on genetic material, edaphoclimatic factors and post-harvest processes such as fermentation. The impact of the fermentation process on the chemical and functional composition of different cocoa clones grown in southern Colombia was analyzed. A factorial design with repeated measures over time was used to analyze the effect of clone and fermentation time on chemical characteristics (bromatology, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity). The bromatological characteristics showed significant differences between clones and fermentation time. Clones EET-8 and CCN-51 showed higher contents of acidity (0.51%), fat (63.61%), protein (12.85%) and carbohydrates (1.63 mg g⁻¹). Moisture, acidity and sucrose increased their values between day 4 and day 6 of fermentation (p < 0.05). Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity had significant differences between clones, where clones CCN-51 and ICS-95 had high contents of phenols (64.56 mg g⁻¹), flavonoids (3.30 mg g⁻¹) and DPPH reducing capacity (325.55 µmol g⁻¹). In this sense, we consider the FSV-41 clone as the major grain quality index based on the results of chemical composition at the bromatological level, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds.

Arazá is a fruit native to the Amazonian region with characteristic properties such as aroma, texture, color, and marked acidity. Additionally, the fruit is rich in bioactive compounds in its three fractions (seed, pulp, and peel), such as ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds (and their derivatives), and carotenoids, which have been extensively investigated in the literature for their beneficial properties for human health. However, it is a little-known fruit, and the role it can play in health-promoting activities related to the treatment and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) when incorporated into the diet is also unknown. Therefore, it is necessary to know the profile of bioactive compounds and the biological properties Arazá possesses, which is the aim of this review.

Mauritia flexuosa, commonly known as “canangucha,” holds significant nutritional and economic value in the Amazon region. While its pulp is widely utilized in local food products, the seed or kernel is largely underutilized. This study investigated the proximal and phytochemical composition of M. flexuosa, alongside its biological properties, specifically focusing on the hypoglycemic activity of an ethanolic extract from M. flexuosa seeds (MFSs). Proximal analysis revealed that MFSs are a notable source of crude fiber (28.4%) and a moderate source of protein (9.1%). Phytochemical screening indicated a high total polyphenol content (123.4 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 mg dry weight) and substantial antiradical capacity against the ABTS radical (IC₅₀ = 171.86 µg/mL). Notably, MFS ethanolic extracts exhibited significant in vitro antihyperglycemic activity via inhibiting α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, demonstrating comparable inhibition to acarbose at higher concentrations. This hypoglycemic effect was further corroborated in an in vivo rat model with induced diabetes, where the administration of 100 mg/kg of MFS ethanolic extract significantly reduced blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic control group (p < 0.05). A moderate antihypertensive effect was observed at a concentration of 150 mg/kg, correlating with ACE inhibition. High-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-HRMS) analysis of the seed extract identified phenolic compounds including ellagic, p-coumaric, and chlorogenic acids, as well as flavonoids such as quercetin, myricetin, and epicatechin. This study provides the first evidence of the hypoglycemic activity of MFSs, offering valuable insights into their phytochemistry and potential therapeutic applications.

Arazá is an Amazonian fruit rich in carotenoids such as lutein, which has several biological properties. This paper evaluates the storage stability of lutein in microencapsulated arazá pulp by spray drying with maltodextrin as wall material. The physicochemical properties of the pulp and microencapsulation, encapsulation efficiency, percentage yield, thermal stability (DTG and TGA), morphology, particle size, storage stability and lutein degradation kinetic were evaluated. The results were low Aw (0.33), good yield (64.22%), spherical and smooth particles, the lutein degradation kinetic with a degradation constant of 1.49 × 10-4 days-1, which is thirty-five times lower than that obtained for the freeze-dried arazá pulp used as control. In conclusion, it was possible to obtain stable microencapsulates, being a promising alternative for the preservation of this perishable fruit.