Structure, antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activities of longan pericarp proanthocyanidins

Longan pericarp proanthocyanidins (LPPs) were extracted and examined by structural and bioactive analyses. By 1H and 13C NMR spectra, LPPs were identified for the first time containing dominant catechin/epicatechin units with a mean degree of polymerisation of 3.3. Consistent with this result, electron spray ionisation (ESI) mass spectra revealed that the predominant LPPs were poly(epi)catechin with abundant A-type and B-type linkages. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra of LPPs showed dominant [M + Na]+ peaks that corresponded to procyanidin trimers-octamers. The presence of galloyl group in monomeric units of LPPs was confirmed by FT-IR, NMR, ESI and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). Moreover, LPPs had a strong antioxidant activity of 1.23 × 104 µmol TE/g as measured by oxygen radical scavenging capacity (ORAC), and α-amylase inhibitory activity with IC50 for uncompetitive α-amylase inhibition of 0.075 mg/mL. These results indicate LPPs are promising antioxidant which could be applied as potential functional food components.