title: Influence of taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Shott) growth conditions on the phenolic composition and biological properties.
abstract: Colocasia esculenta (L.) Shott, commonly known as taro, is an essential food for millions of people. The leaves are consumed in sauces, purees, stews, and soups, being also used in wound healing treatment. Nowadays, the consumers' demand for bioactive compounds from the diet led to the development of new agricultural strategies for the production of health-promoting constituents in vegetables. In this work, two strategies (variety choice and irrigation conditions) were considered in the cultivation of C. esculenta. The effect on the phenolic composition of the leaves was evaluated. Furthermore, a correlation between the biological activity of the different varieties and their chemical composition was established. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the phenolic composition were observed between varieties; furthermore, the irrigation conditions also influenced the composition. C. esculenta varieties were able to scavenge several oxidant species and to inhibit hyaluronidase, but data suggest that metabolites other than phenolics are involved. The results show that cultivation strategies can effectively modulate the accumulation of these types of bioactive compounds. Furthermore C. esculenta wound healing potential can be attributed, at least in part, to the protection of the wound site against oxidative/nitrosative damage and prevention of hyaluronic acid degradation.
authors.affiliation: REQUIMTE/Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, n° 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Artur M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Ana Margarida
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valentão
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferreres
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil-Izquierdo
authors.forename: João B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Delfim
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Paula B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Andrade
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D031060:Colocasia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols
keywords: Colocasia esculenta (L.) Shott; Enzymatic inhibition; Oxidative/nitrosative stress; Phenolic compounds; Wound repair