FT-Raman spectroscopic studies of guarana and some extracts

The Raman spectrum of guarana, an important product of the Amazonian rain forest, has been investigated; the therapeutic properties of guarana and it's extracts have been realised for some time and have been attributed to guaranine, which could be a complex of caffeine and tannins or to a new xanthine natural product. The purpose of this study is two-fold: firstly, to provide molecular structural information about guarana seeds and their extracts and, secondly, to test the viability of using the technique as a method of verification of genuine guarana extracts from synthetic composites. Raman spectroscopy shows that the composition of the guarana is very similar for the whole seed and for the outer and inner portions of the dissected seed, which are closely similar also to the ground commercial powders produced in the Amazon for the distributors. The results indicate that Fourier-transform Raman spectroscopy could be used for the monitoring of quality control of guarana products in the phytopharmaceutical industry.