Maqui [Aristotelia Chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz]-The Amazing Chilean Tree: a Review
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236935127 Maqui [Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz]-the Amazing Chilean Tree: A Review Article in Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology · August 2011 CITATIONS READS 11 1,837 4 authors, including: E. Misle Estrella Garrido Universidad Católica delMaule 33 PUBLICATIONS 162 CITATIONS 17 PUBLICATIONS 128 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by E. Misle on 01 June 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology B 1 (2011) 473-482 Earlier title: Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, ISSN 1939-1250 Maqui [Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz]-the Amazing Chilean Tree: A Review E. Misle, E. Garrido, H. Contardo and W. González Department of Agrarian Sciences and Forestry, Catholic University of Maule, Los Niches km 6. 3341695, Curicó, Chile Received: December 7, 2010 / Published: August 20, 2011. Abstract: A. chilensis (Elaeocarpaceae) is commonly known as maqui, a species widely distributed in Chile. The plant participates in the structure of the Chilean temperate rainforest, currently being found mainly as fragmented forest. Maqui has been listed as the plant with the highest content of phenols when compared with other berries. Multiplication by both, seeds and vegetative has been obtained, opening the possibility to cultivate the plant. Leaves of maqui have been traditionally used in the native herbal medicine to treat diverse ailments. Studies indicate the presence of indolic alkaloids, flavonoids, cyaniding glucosides, delfidine, malvidine, petunidine, cumarines and triterpenes. Recent studies support therapeutic properties of maqui leaves, concluding that extracts obtained with polar solvents showed stabilizing capacity of free radicals and antioxidant capacity of plasma in humans. Other works show that fruits could be useful as antioxidant and cardioprotective source. The high contents of anthocyanins and polyglycosylated derivatives make berries of maqui an interesting plant for food and pharmaceutical uses. A. chilensis polyphenols molecular mechanism of action and toxicity can be attributed to functional perturbation of cell membrane lipid bilayers. This review summarizes the research up to date, from propagation methods to chemical properties, indicating weak and lacking aspects. Key words: Polyphenols, antioxidant activity, nutraceuticals, phytochemicals, berries. 1. Introduction Such compounds are highly valued by the industry because they constitute the raw material for The use of plants as a source of antioxidants has manufacturing dietary supplements, food additives, grown steadily in recent years, because herbal drugs, cosmetics, foods, teas, dyes, fragrances epidemiological studies have suggested positive and flavorings [2]. At the global level, they are used to correlations between the consumption of food rich in prevent diseases and also for a healthy diet; currently, phenols and prevention of diseases. These effects are an increasing trend of people who want to gain quality attributed to antioxidant compounds like flavonoids of life. In addition, even anti-cariogenic effects of and phenylpropanoids produced by plants [1]. polyphenols have been investigated in common In Chile, medicinal and aromatic plants for beverages as cocoa, coffee and tea [4]. As a result an commercial production are currently at an early stage explosive increase has been generated in the industry of of development, facing problems directly related to natural nutrition, with retails around U.S. $ 65 billion low availability of appropriate technology for the worldwide in 1999, 60% of which are supplements and production process as a cultivated species, as well as medicines, while 25% and 15% are natural foods and harvesting in wild areas and industrial processing [2]. personal care products, respectively [2]. The country has many native species with potential For many years, medicinal plants have been used in use as medicinal and aromatics, containing chemical a traditional way in Chile and on the basis of personal principles such as tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids [3]. experience, limited to a small group of people in rural, Corresponding author: E. Misle, M.Sc., research fields: suburban and urban areas. In general, medicinal plants crops ecophysiology and modelling. E-mail: [email protected]. 474 Maqui [Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz]-the Amazing Chilean Tree: A Review are being consolidated as a non-traditional export are known as macales [9]. The maqui is also known as product of Chile. The country has found interesting maquei or queldrón; the word maqui comes from the opportunities for certain species, based on specific Mapudungun language whose meaning refers to the demands, while exports have been initially based on black berry of this species. The term queldron or recollection in wild areas [2]. As commercial quëlon is a word from the same origin and refers to requirements for high volumes and concentration of the arborescent plant that produces the berries [10]. active principles have been increased, trade conditions The maqui is under the eye of new research trends have been created in Chile to generate a transition because sometimes it has been listed as the plant with towards the cultivation of native plants, incorporating the highest content of antioxidants when compared more technology. However, many species have shown with other berries [11, 12]. At the same time, several favorable growth responses and production of active web sites are offering the so called “superberry with compounds when grown in artificial environment, but the highest known antioxidant value”. From this, some others decrease their production [5]. This trend follows the interest in studying this species. There is began in the last decade, investing in research and little information about A. chilensis concerning development, led by private companies and public appropriate technology for the use of its fruits or institutions. At the same time, there is a small but leaves. The aim of the present review was to summarize the research up to date, from propagation steady demand in the local market for good quality methods to chemical properties, indicating weak and products, associated to the pharmaceutical and lacking aspects. Some not scientific sources are cited cosmetics industry and homeopathic laboratories, for in order to take account for the overall perspective in making tea sachets and for applications in Chilean medicinal plants; as can be observed, private complementary medicine; after which traditional and public attention is being paid to this noble species. pharmaceuticals laboratories have incorporated new lines of natural products in recent years [6]. 2. Overview of the Plant However, the overexploitation of medicinal plants 2.1 Botanical Characteristics is a serious threat because there are no further legal and enforcement mechanisms in the country to Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz is an evergreen regulate the collection of wild material, which shrub (perennial), with reddish young stems, 3 to 4 m eventually could lead to cases of extinction of a high; opposite leaves, broad, 3 to 4 cm long, genetic heritage and biodiversity [7, 8]. Given the ovate-lanceolate, with serrated edges. Stipules present. vulnerable situation of native species considered Flowers are 3 to 5 mm length, arranged in short medicinal when collected irrationally, Aristotelia panicles, 5 sepals, 5 free petals, stamens 10 to 18 and chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz could be under a fragile 2 to 3 styles. Flowering, from September to December situation with the commercial boom that may be (Southern hemisphere), the fruit is a spherical almost coming. black berry, which ripens in summer [13]. A. chilensis is commonly known as maqui, species A. chilensis belongs to the family Elaeocarpaceae found in Chile from Region of Coquimbo to the [14] which consists of ten genera and about 400 Region of Los Lagos, up to 2,500 m of altitude; it is species distributed in tropical and temperate regions of also found in the Archipelago of Juan Fernández and the world [15]. Maqui is described as a slender tree, in Argentina. This tree prefers areas with a soil rich in up to 15 cm in diameter, which reaches a height of 4 organic matter and, being a pioneer species in highly to 5 m [14]. Zevallos and Matthei [16] found disturbed places, often form pure communities which individuals higher up to 10 meters. Hoffmann et al. Maqui [Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz]-the Amazing Chilean Tree: A Review 475 [17] indicated that it is a small evergreen tree, about 4 female flowers have a thick ovary surrounded by to 5 meters in height, while Donoso and Ramirez [18] numerous staminodes or sterile stamens and the male observed that the maqui is a partially deciduous tree inflorescence has a rudimentary style surrounded by that can reach up to 6 meters in height. 10-15 fertile stamens, with hairy and long anthers [25]. Its trunk is divided into thin, flexible branches, with 2.2 Geographical Distribution a reddish stem and glabrous in the early stages and its leaves are evergreen from 3 to 8 cm long, light green, In Chile, A. chilensis is distributed between brilliant, numerous, simple, pendulous, oval-shaped latitudes 31 and 42, i.e. between the province of and with a long red petiole [9, 19]. Donoso and Limarí (IV Region) and Aysén (XI Region), both in Ramirez [18] added