Extracts from berries of Portuguese Vitis vinifera L. varieties Vinhão and Loureiro exhibit powerful antioxidant, antihaemolytic, and cytotoxic activities

Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) are widely consumed fruits known for their diverse bioactive compounds. Vinhão and Loureiro are the major red and white grape varieties, respectively, of the largest Portuguese wine region: Vinho Verde. Large amounts of residues are produced in wine making that potentially are rich in bioactive compounds, so this study aimed at valorizing the residues from these grape varieties for further applications. The grape extracts were obtained from the seeds and from the pulp and skin together for characterization. The phenolic composition differed across these parts, with the seeds being particularly rich in polyphenols and flavonoids. Both varieties exhibited high antioxidant activity; seed extracts stood out, showing the strongest radical scavenging ability (IC50 = 0.22 +/- 0.08 for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 0.004 +/- 0.001 mg mL-1 for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays). The Loureiro seed extract showed higher antihaemolytic properties (IC50 = 4.81 +/- 0.22 mu g mL-1) by protecting erythrocyte membranes from oxidative damage. The seed extracts displayed cytotoxic potential on tested tumor cells, particularly with the Loureiro variety. Overall, the results suggest that both varieties have high antioxidant properties, with the seed extracts showing the most promising bioactivities. Although further characterization is required in terms of bioactivity in in vivo experimental models, these findings contribute to the potential utilization of grape extracts and their waste products, providing new applications for Portuguese grape varieties in various applications, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals.

Palavras-chave

Bioactivities Antioxidant activity Seed extracts Vinhão grape variety Loureiro grape variety

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10198/36526

Citação

Nipo, Maria; Simões, Luara; Noronha, Henrique; Barros, Lillian; Finimundy, Tiane C.; Pereira, Carla; Calhelha, Ricardo; Parpot, Pier; Ševčovičová, Andrea; Oliveira, Rui (2025) Extracts from berries of Portuguese Vitis vinifera L. varieties Vinhão and Loureiro exhibit powerful antioxidant, antihaemolytic, and cytotoxic activities. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. ISSN 2193-4126. 20:1, p. 426–441