Theobroma cacao and Theobroma grandiflorum: Botany, Composition and Pharmacological Activities of Pods and Seeds

Abstract

Cocoa and cupuassu are evergreen Amazonian trees belonging to the genus Theobroma, with morphologically distinct fruits, including pods and beans. These beans are generally used for agri-food and cosmetics and have high fat and carbohydrates contents. The beans also contain interesting bioactive compounds, among which are polyphenols and methylxanthines thought to be responsible for various health benefits such as protective abilities against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders and other metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Although these pods represent 50-80% of the whole fruit and provide a rich source of proteins, they are regularly eliminated during the cocoa and cupuassu transformation process. The purpose of this work is to provide an overview of recent research on cocoa and cupuassu pods and beans, with emphasis on their chemical composition, bioavailability, and pharmacological properties. According to the literature, pods and beans from cocoa and cupuassu are promising ecological and healthy resources.

Keywords: beans; bioactive compound; cocoa; cupuassu; nutrition; pharmacology; pods.

Figure 1

Approximative locations of T. cacao (Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario) and T. grandiflorum (Cupuassu). Data from [1,9,20,21,22,23,24].

Figure 2

Representation of cocoa (adapted with permission of P. Lachenaud, Biotope Editions, 2022, [38]) and cupuassu pod shapes. Data from [2,38,39,40].

Figure 3

Polyphenols identified in pods and beans of cocoa and cupuassu, with examples of their chemical structures (in blue). Data from [9,50,52,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76].

Figure 4

Methylxanthines structures.