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. 2013:2013:345415.
doi: 10.1155/2013/345415. Epub 2013 Jun 13.

Characterization of bioactive compounds in Tunisian bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) peel and juice and determination of their antioxidant activities

Iness Jabri Karoui  1 , Brahim Marzouk
Affiliations

Characterization of bioactive compounds in Tunisian bitter orange (Citrus aurantium L.) peel and juice and determination of their antioxidant activities

Iness Jabri Karoui et al. Biomed Res Int. 2013.

Abstract

Citrus aurantium peel and juice aroma compounds were investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whereas phenolic compounds analysis was performed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Limonene was the major volatile compound of bitter orange peel (90.25%) and juice (91.61%). HPLC analysis of bitter orange peel and juice methanolic extracts indicated that phenolic acids constitute their main phenolic class representing 73.80% and 71.25%, respectively, followed by flavonoids (23.02% and 23.13%, resp.). p-Coumaric and ferulic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds representing 24.68% and 23.79%, respectively, in the peel, while the juice contained 18.02% and 19.04%, respectively. The antioxidant activities of bitter orange peel and juice methanolic extracts have been evaluated using four in vitro assays, and the results were compared with the standard antioxidants (BHT, BHA, and ascorbic acid). Our findings demonstrated that Citrus aurantium peel and juice possess antioxidant activities which were less effective than those of antioxidant standards. Both extracts may be suggested as a new potential source of natural antioxidant.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
RP-HPLC chromatographic profiles of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and phenolic monoterpenes standards and Citrus aurantium peel and juice extracts monitored at 280 nm. *The peak numbers correspond to the following: 1. caffeic acid; 2. gallic acid; 3. p-hydroxybenzoic acid; 4. chlorogenic acid; 5. syringic acid; 6. vanillic acid; 7. p-coumaric acid; 8. ferulic acid; 9. trans-2-hydroxycinnamic acid; 10. rosmarinic acid; 11. o-coumaric acid; 12. cinnamic acid; 13. trans-cinnamic acid; 14. epicatechin gallate; 15. catechin; 16. rutin; 17. naringin; 18. quercetrin; 19. luteolin; 20. quercetin; 21. apigenin; 22. amentoflavone; 23. flavone; 24. tyrosol; 25. thymol; S1. resorcinol.
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