Coffee phytochemical compounds with potential antioxidant and antifungal properties for cosmeceutical application

Abstract

Factory Robusta, Factory Arabica undergrades and NFCT3 abandoned Robusta coffee genotype were examined for biochemical components including phytochemicals, antioxidant activities and anti-fungal properties. The results were used to formulate a coffee cream which was tested for anti-fungal activity. Bioactive compounds were extracted by cold maceration method and the quantitative analysis of phytochemicals was done using UV Vis spectrophotometry and High performance Liquid Chromatography. The antioxidant activity was determined using the 2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) methods whereas the antifungal activity of coffee green bean extracts and the cream were determined using Agar well diffusion method. Quantitative analysis revealed presence of different phytochemicals in varying quantities and these included; Polyphenols, flavonoids, caffeine and chlorogenic acids. Factory Robusta coffee undergrades had a significantly (P≤0.05) higher concentration of all phytochemicals except for flavonoids where NFCT3 had the highest flavonoid content (1.073 %w/w) followed by factory Arabica coffee (0.75 %w/w) and factory Robusta had the lowest content (0.57%w/w). Genotype NFCT3 had the highest antioxidant activity (63.33%) followed by Factory Robusta undergrades (62.44%) while Factory Arabica undergrades had the lowest antioxidant activity (61.67%) when DPPH assay was used. When FRAP assay was used, Factory Robusta undergrades had the highest Ferric Reducing Antioxidant power (0.55nm) followed by NFCT3 genotype (0.53nm) with factory Arabica having the lowest (0.51nm). Amongst the sampled coffee extracts, only Genotype NFCT3 exhibited antifungal activity. Non targeted analysis of coffee extracts using GC MS tandem showed presence of different compounds and eight of these were only present in NFCT 3 which are responsible for its antifungal activities. A cream with NFCT3 extracts was formulated and the findings showed that it inhibited growth of Aspergillus niger strain. In conclusion, results showed presence of various phytochemicals and great antioxidant and antifungal properties exhibited by NFCT3 and gives a scientific basis for their incorporation in cosmeceutical industry.