Polyphenols, antioxidants, and antimutagenic effects of Copaifera langsdorffii fruit

• Copaiba fruit showed high polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacity.
• Copaiba fruit pulp is a source of gallic acid.
• Acid hydrolysis improved quantification of catechin and epicatechin in copaiba fruit.
• 100 mg copaiba fruit pulp kg−1 showed antimutagenic activity.

Copaifera langsdorffii (copaiba) is a Brazilian exotic fruit, poorly studied regarding its bioactive composition. The aim of this study was to determine bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antimutagenic activities of copaiba pulp. The samples were extracted with different solvents in order to analyze polyphenol compounds (Folin Ciocalteau and HPLC–DAD), total flavonoids (reaction with AlCl3) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, ORAC, DPPH). The copaiba fruit showed high polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. Phenolic compounds, such as gallic acid, epicatechin gallate, catechin, epicatechin and isoquercitrin, were identified in the copaiba pulp. Despite the antioxidant capacity, the highest dose of copaiba showed no antimutagenic effects in the in vivo study. The dose which showed antimutagenic activity was 100 mg kg−1.