Catechin cacao bean

Gotti, R., Furlanetto, S., Pinzauti, S., and Cavrini, V. (2006). Analysis of catechins in Theobroma cacao beans by cyclodextrin-modifled micellar electrokinetic chromatography.. Chromatogr. A 1112, 345-352. 

Procyanidins. Catechin (Fluka) and epicatechin (ex. cacao beans) were recrystallized and dried before use. The oligomers epicatechin-(4/ — 8)-epicatechin and [epicatechin-(4/ — 8)]3-epicatechin were obtained from the ethyl acetate sol-... 

The flavan-3-ols (-l-)-catechin and (—)-epicatechin are among these important dietary constituents owing to their potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [38]. These compounds usually occur together in plants. Nowadays, separation of catechins most often is achieved with such methods as HPLC or CE. For example, a micellar electrokinetic chromatography method was developed for the separation of (-l-)-catechin and (—)-epicatechin in Theobroma cacao beans. The method also proved suitable for the enantioseparation of ( )-catechin [39]. 

The cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, is the source of chocolate which is well known and highly prized in international commerce. The cacao pods contain beans which are fermented and pressed to provide a brown liquid which is the raw material for chocolate. The press cake is ground and sold as cocoa and it also provides a brown colorant. The pods, beans, shells, husks and stems have also been suggested as colorants. They contain a very complex mixture of acyl acids, leucoanthocyanins, flavonoid polymers, tannins, and catechin-type polymers.33... 

Catechin and the proanthocyanidin prodelphinidin B3 are, respectively, the major monomeric and dimeric flavan-3-ols found in barley and malt where prodelphinidin B3 is the main contributor for the radical scavenging activity [Dvorakova et al., 2007], Proanthocyanidins have also been detected in nuts. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) and pecans (Carya illinoensis) are particularly rich in proanthocyanidins containing ca. 5 g kg, whereas almonds (Prunus dulcis) and pistachios (Pistachio vera) contain 1.8-2.4 mg kg 1, walnuts (Juglans spp.) ca. 0.67 g kg, roasted peanuts (Arachis hypgaea) 0.16 g kg, and cashews (Anarcardium occidentale) 0.09 g kg 1 [Crozier et al., 2006c]. Dark chocolate derived from the roasted seeds of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is also a rich source of procyanidins [Gu et al., 2004], Monomeric flavan-3-ols and the proanthocyanidin B2, B5 dimers, and Q trimer are found in fresh cocoa beans (Fig. 1.13). Flavan-3-ols have also been detected in mint... 

Traditionally, there are two main types of cacao, Forastero ( foreign ) in which the beans are purple in section, and CrioUo ( native ) in which they are cream-colored. The purple pigment of the former was shown by Robinson (c/. Knapp, 1937) to be a cyanidin-3-glycoside. The latter were shown by Knapp and Hearne (1939) to contain a leuco-anthocyanin and Forastero beans were found by Hallas (1949) to contain a leuco-anthocyanin in addition to anthocyanin. Both types contain Z-ept catechin (Freudenberg et al., 1932). 

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