Quantificação de compostos bioativos e avaliação da diversidade molecular em espécies de Anacardium humile e Anacardium occidentale

Abstract

Cashew has gained prominence for its potential in preventing chronic degenerative diseases and premature aging, due to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and vitamins present in its fruits. Although Anacardium occidentale is the most cultivated and studied species, other native species, such as Anacardium humile (cajuzinho-do-cerrado), remain poorly explored. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate bioactive compounds and explore the comparative chemical profile between the two species.A total of 42 samples of A. humile and 30 of A. occidentale from different regions of the State of Goiás and the Federal District were analyzed. Antioxidant assays were performed using the ABTS and DPPH methods. Two LC-MS/MS analytical methods were developed and validated for the quantification of 12 bioactive compounds. In addition, a non-targeted metabolomic approach was conducted in positive ionization mode, with preliminary annotation performed through the GNPS platform. The data were subjected to univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (HCA, PCA, k-means, and PLS-DA) statistical analyses to assess chemical differences between species.ABTS and DPPH assays revealed high antioxidant activity in both species, with no significant differences between them. The LC-MS/MS method showed appropriate linearity with high correlation (r = 0.9942–0.9993), good precision (RSD < 12.84%), and accuracy (87.70–110.78%). Caffeic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, gallic acid, catechin, cyanidin, isoquercitrin, epicatechin, and ascorbic acid were quantified, while chlorogenic acid and kaempferol were not detected. Ascorbic acid was the most abundant compound in both species, with higher concentrations in A. occidentale. The univariate analysis indicated significant differences in five metabolites: catechin and rutin were more abundant in A. humile, while quercetin, isoquercitrin, and ascorbic acid predominated in A. occidentale. The metabolomic analysis revealed different chemical classes, and the multivariate analyses showed clear discrimination between the species. Discriminant ions with high separation power were identified. These findings reinforce the potential of metabolomic approaches combined with targeted quantification to broaden the understanding of the chemical diversity of the Anacardium genus and support future investigations into its nutritional and functional benefits.