A Miniaturized Analytical Method Based on the μ-QuEChERS Method for the Determination of Capsaicinoids, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant, and Antifungal Activities of Red Pepper Extracts (Capsicum spp.)
摘要
The current study focuses on the screening and quantification of capsaicinoids, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, alongside the evaluation of cytotoxicity, antioxidant and antifungal activities, in eighteen varieties of red pepper (Capsicum spp.). For this, a miniaturized analytical approach, based on μ-QuEChERS method combined to HPLC–DAD, was developed for the first time. The developed method was validated and met all analytical performance criteria. The amounts of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin found for all pungent red pepper varieties evaluated ranged from 110 to 5213 mg kg−1 and 51 to 2433 mg kg−1, respectively, with the highest abundance as “Brazilian Moruga” variety. Despite cytotoxicity response, the red pepper extracts revealed antioxidant and antifungal potential against some Candida species, which increases as higher the amounts of capsaicinoids. Overall, this study will contribute for the expansion of future applications for red pepper extracts as well as provide a powerful analytical tool, the μ-QuEChERS method, for capsaicinoids analysis.