Proceedings of International Congress on Bioactive Compounds and International Workshop on Bioactive Compounds
Proceedings of 2nd International Congress on Bioactive Compounds

Tropaeolum majus L. is a plant belonging to the family of Tropaeolaceae.
Popularly known as Capuchinha, it is distributed in practically all Brazilian states.
With a spicy flavor, its leaves and flowers can be consumed in the preparation of
salads, when fresh, cooked or sautéed. In addition, nasturtium has also been
associated with several beneficial health effects, due to the presence of several
phenolic compounds. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the chemical
profile of Capuchinha leaves and flowers, using ambient ionization mass
spectrometry. The samples were acquired from the Bank of Non-Conventional
Vegetables of the Empresa Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG),
in Prudente Morais, Minas Gerais, Brazil. After collection, the samples were
sanitized and dried in an oven at 35°C for 48 hours. To evaluate the chemical
profile, the samples were first subjected to methanolic extraction. Then, the
extracts were analyzed by mass spectrometer with paper spray ionization
negative ionization mode (-3.5 kV). Two microliters of extract and 40 µL of
methanol were transferred to chromatographic paper cut in the shape of an
equilateral triangle and positioned in front of the mass spectrometer inlet and the
voltage source was connected for data acquisition. The identification of the
compounds was made by comparing the mass-charge ratios (m/z) and fragments
described in the literature with the instrumental data obtained. In the attempt to
identify it was possible to detect 6 probable compounds in the flower and 5 in the
leaf, belonging to the class of phenolic acids and flavonoids. The compounds
coumaroylquinic acid (m/z 337), caffeoylquinic acid (m/z 353), kaempferol
derivative (m/z 553) and quercetin derivative (m/z 553) were present in both
samples (flowers and leaves). On the other hand, kaempferol-3-O-glycoside (m/z
447) and kaempferol dihexoside (m/z 609) were found only in the flower sample,
while quercetin 3-O-glycoside (m/z 463) was identified only in the leaf sample. It
is observed that despite the similarities, the chemical profile of nasturtium differs
according to the part of interest (flower or leaf). These results indicate the
presence of compounds associated with antioxidant activity, which are related to
several beneficial health effects. Paper spray mass spectrometry proved to be an
efficient, safe and fast technique to characterize the chemical profile of the
samples. Furthermore, complementary studies that can quantify these
compounds, as well as evaluate their bioaccessibility are necessary, since the
possible efficacy of these compounds is associated with their availability.