| abstract |
The invention concerns novel antioxidants derived from Anacadiaceae species, more particularly from marula, Sclerocarya birrea. Said antioxidants are obtained by maceration and/or extraction of roots and/or bark and/or leaves and/or fruits (pericarp), and/or parts of fruits (epicarp, mesocarp, endocarp), and/or seeds and/or cakes and/or testa and/or any other part of one or more Anacadiaceae species, more particularly of marula, Sclerocarya birrea, using one (or more) hydrophilic, lipophilic or amphiphilic, polar and/or apolar solvents, alone or mixed and/or of one (or more) physical treatment(s). It is quite unexpected to observe that the resulting extracts have remarkable oxidative stability and exhibit excellent anti-free-radical properties. The invention also concerns extraction methods unexpectedly promoting the saturation rate in antioxidant active principles and significantly reducing the contact time required to obtain said rate. The novel antioxidants can be used alone or mixed with other existing antioxidants, known to a person skilled in the art. |