FUNCTIONAL POTENTIAL AND NUTRACEUTIC OF COFFEE LEAVES (Coffea ssp.) GRAFTED DURING AN ANNUAL CYCLE

Abstract

Phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, caffeine, sugars,  vitamins, minerals and volatile substances are major compounds  of coffee (Coffea ssp.). They perform distinctive biological  functions and are classified as nutraceuticals and insecticides. In at least one phenological stage, coffee leaves are more likely to be used for commercial purposes. The objective of this study was to analyze leaf area, content of chlorophyll a, b and  total, caffeine, chlorogenic acid (5-CQA), sugars and macro and micronutrients in arabica coffee leaves (Coffea arabica) var. Caturra rojo grafted on robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) var. Romex during an annual cycle. The quantification of chlorogenic acids, caffeine and reducing sugars was analyzed by chromatography (HPLC). Nutrients were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and we performed one-way factorial designed ANDEVA and Tukey means comparison test. Sampling of 10 trees was done completely at random, and the samples in chromatographic analyses were run in triplicate. The largest values occurred as follows: leaf area in the blooming and fruiting stage; chlorophyll a, b and total during the vegetative stage; caffeine in the blooming stage; 5-CQA was obtained during the vegetative stage, in which we observed the highest concentrations of glucose and fructose. The concentration of macronutrients, except Mg, was higher during the fruiting stage, while Fe and Zn were higher during blooming and Mn and B in fruiting. Macro and micronutrients accumulated during the fruiting stage. Coffee leaves may be both functional and nutraceutical during the vegetative and fruiting stages.