Bioactive Compounds of Banana as Health Promoters

Bananas (Musa spp) are sources of income and food for people who have been cultivating them all over the world. Banana is assumed to be a fruit with nutraceutical properties, mainly the pulp which is worldwide consumed. In the traditional medicine of some countries the treatment of burn wounds and the prevention of depression, for example, have been reported by compounds from banana peel. Banana peel is an under-explored waste from the food industry and could be considered a source of bioactive compounds with potential application in health care, for instance. This chapter provides updated information about Musa spp fruit and peel as chemically complex matrices sources of high-value secondary metabolites with claimed health promoters properties. Bananas are source of antioxidant compounds such as phenolic acids, biogenic amines (i.e., L-dopa and dopamine), and pro-vitamin A carotenoids, which are important for the treatment of wounds, Parkinson’s disease, and as dietary supplement, respectively. Therefore, the pulp and peel of banana fruits are biomasses riches in human health promoters compounds with biotechnological importance.

Keywords: Amine compounds, Bioactive compounds, Carotenoids, Flavonoids, Musa spp, Parkinson’s disease, Phenolic compounds, Pro-vitamin A, Wound healing.