Fuente: Molecules - Revista científica (MDPI) Molecules, Vol. 31, Pages 184: Potential Nutraceutical Properties of Vicia faba L: LC-ESI-HR-MS/MS-Based Profiling of Ancient Faba Bean Varieties and Their Biological Activity
Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules31010184
Authors:
Francesca Fantasma
Gilda D’Urso
Alessandra Capuano
Ester Colarusso
Michela Aliberti
Francesca Grassi
Maria Chiara Brunese
Gabriella Saviano
Vincenzo De Felice
Gianluigi Lauro
Alfonso Reginelli
Maria Giovanna Chini
Agostino Casapullo
Giuseppe Bifulco
Maria Iorizzi

Vicia faba L. is a widely cultivated legume known to contain numerous specialised metabolites. In this study, the seed coats and cotyledons of two ancient V. faba L. varieties, historically consumed in southern Italy and distinguished by black and purple seed coats, were extracted using 80% methanol and 80% ethanol. Extracts were analysed for total polyphenol, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents, and antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The purple seed coats exhibited the highest levels of phenolics and antioxidant capacity, exceeding those of black seed coats. Next, liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-HR-MS) was used to characterise the bioactive metabolites in both seed coats and cotyledons. The purple variety showed a higher phytochemical content, with a greater level of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins in methanolic extract. Furthermore, the purple seed coat exhibited in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), a key enzyme in the arachidonic acid cascade, with an IC50 of 31.51 ± 1.16 µg/µL. Elemental analysis was performed for both varieties to assess their nutritional value. Specifically, the purple seed coats were found to represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds and micronutrients, highlighting their potential applications in nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food supplement sectors.