Exploring the α-amylase-inhibitory properties of tannin-rich extracts of Cytinus hypocistis on starch digestion.

Cytinus hypocistis(L.) L. is an edible parasitic plant that grows within the roots of its host. In addition to its use as famine food in the past, it is also tradidionally used for treating several illnesses such as intestinal problems, inflammations, tumors, and bleeding. This species is rich in hydrolysable tannins, compounds often associated with inhibiting starch digestion. Therefore, the present work investigated how effectively C. hypocistis tannin-rich extracts inhibited enzymes involved in starch digestion and if such effect also occurs in vivo. The latter premise was approached using the starch tolerance test in mice. Two optimized hydroethanolic extracts were used, a heat-assisted and an ultrasound-assisted extract, with known hydrolysable tannin content. Both extracts demonstrated potent inhibition of α-amylase. Inhibitions were of the mixed type with inhibitor constants in the 15 µg/mL range. The inhibition of the intestinal α-glucosidase was at least ten times less effective. The inhibition of the α-amylase was negatively affected by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and bovine serum albumin. In vivo, both extracts inhibited starch digestion at doses between 100 and 400 mg/mL in healthy mice. The highest doses of the ultrasound and heat extracts diminished the peak glucose levels in the starch tolerance test by 46 and 59.3%, respectively. In streptozotocin diabetic mice, this inhibition occurred only at the dose of 400 mg/mL. Under this condition, diminution of the peak glucose concentration in the starch tolerance test was equal to 36.7% and 48.8% for the ultrasound and heat extracts, respectively. Maltose digestion was not inhibited by the C. hypocistis extracts. Qualitatively and quantitatively, thus, the actions of both extracts were similar. The results allow adding a new biological property to C. hypocistis, namely, the ability to decrease the hyper-glycemic excursion after a starch-rich meal, propitiating at the same time a diminished caloric intake.

A Critical Appraisal of the Most Recent Investigations on the Hepatoprotective Action of Brazilian Plants.

Conventional treatments for liver diseases are often burdened by side effects caused by chemicals. For minimizing this problem, the search for medicines based on natural products has increased. The objective of this review was to collect data on the potential hepatoprotective activity of plants of the Brazilian native flora. Special attention was given to the modes of extraction, activity indicators, and identification of the active compounds. The databases were Science direct, Pubmed, and Google Academic. Inclusion criteria were: (a) plants native to Brazil; (b) studies carried out during the last 15 years; (c) high-quality research. A fair number of communications met these criteria. Various parts of plants can be used, e.g., fruit peels, seeds, stem barks, and leaves. An outstanding characteristic of the active extracts is that they were mostly obtained from plant parts with low commercial potential, i.e., by-products or bio-residues. The hepatoprotective activities are exerted by constituents such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamin C, phytosterols, and fructose poly- and oligosaccharides. Several Brazilian plants present excellent perspectives for the obtainment of hepatoprotective formulations. Very important is the economical perspective for the rural producers which may eventually increase their revenue by selling increasingly valued raw materials which otherwise would be wasted.

Yerba mate aqueous extract improves the oxidative and inflammatory states of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Healthy and adjuvant-induced arthritic rats were treated for 23 days with daily doses of 400 and 800 mg kg-1Ilex paraguariensis extract. This treatment (a) diminished the ROS levels in the liver and brain, (b) decreased oxidative protein and lipid damage in liver and brain, (c) increased the plasma antioxidant capacity, (d) increased the GSH levels and the GSH/GSSH ratio in both the liver and the brain, (e) almost restored the enzymatic activities linked to the metabolism of GSH-GSSG, and (f) reversed the modified activities of xanthine oxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. The anti-inflammatory actions (firstly) and the antioxidant actions (in the second place) of the yerba mate constituents (e.g., chlorogenic acid derivatives) are the causes of these beneficial effects. Daily ingestion of traditional yerba mate beverages may be effective in attenuating the symptoms of inflammatory diseases, especially in older adults.

Pigments and vitamins from plants as functional ingredients: Current trends and perspectives.

The food manufacturing industry has increasingly focused in the development of wholesome and safer products, including certified labeled "super foods," "healthy foods" and "functional foods," which are currently under great demand worldwide. Plant pigments and vitamins are amidst the most common additives incorporated to foodstuff, not only for improving their nutritional status but also for coloration, preservation, and even therapeutic purposes. The recovery of pigments from agro industrial wastes using green emerging approaches is a current trend and clearly the best alternative to ensure their sustainable obtainment and make these ingredients more popular, although still full of challenging aspects. Stability and bioavailability limitations of these active molecules in food matrices have been increasingly studied, and a number of methods have been proposed to minimize these issues, among which the incorporation of a co-pigment, exclusion of O2 during processing and storage, and above all, microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation techniques. The most recent advances and challenges in the application of natural pigments and vitamins in functional foods, considering only reports of the last 5 years, were the focus of this chapter.

Enzymatic degradation and detoxification of azo dye Congo red by a new laccase from Oudemansiella canarii.

A single laccase with molecular weight of 41 kDa was produced by the white-rot fungus Oudemansiella canarii cultured on solid state fermentation using a mixture of sugarcane bagasse-wheat bran as substrate. The enzyme (5 U) was able to decolourize 80% of 50 mg/L Congo red within 24 h at 30 °C and pH 5.5. The relationship between the decolorization rate and dye concentration obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with KM and Vmax values of 46.180 ±â€¯6.245 µM and 1.840 ±â€¯0.101 µmol/min, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectrometry allowed to conclude that the laccase acts not only on the dye chromophore group, but also that it cleaves different covalent bonds, causing an effective fragmentation of the molecule. The action of the laccase caused a significant reduction in toxicity, as indicated by the Microtox test. In conclusion, O. canarii laccase could be useful in future biological strategies aiming at degrading azo dyes.

Evaluation of the Brazilian population's intake of antioxidant nutrients and their relation with the nutritional status. / Avaliação da ingestão de nutrientes antioxidantes pela população brasileira e sua relação com o estado nutricional.

INTRODUCTION:: The study of dietary antioxidants has gained prominence owing to the elucidation of the deleterious effects of oxidative stress to the human body. Objective: To evaluate the Brazilian population's intake of antioxidant nutrients and their association with the nutritional status. METHODS:: A cross-sectional study was carried out including secondary data on food consumption of 33,459 individuals from both sexes, aged 10 years or older, from all Brazilian regions based on microdata of the "2008-2009 Household Budget Survey, Brazilian Dairy Survey." The content of vitamins E, A, and C; zinc; manganese; copper; and selenium from 188 food items, divided into 12 groups, according to the habitual consumption form was analyzed. The means of antioxidant nutrient intake according to the nutritional status were compared using Bonferroni's t-test. RESULTS:: Higher percentages of insufficient intake of vitamins than antioxidant minerals were seen. A significant difference in the intake of vitamin E as to the nutritional status was noticed, wherein the intake in overweight individuals was lower than in those with proper weight. Participants with low weight presented lower intake of almost all antioxidant minerals, except for copper, in which the intake of participants with low weight was equal to those with normal weight. CONCLUSION:: High percentages of insufficient intake of antioxidant nutrients were observed in the studied population, especially vitamins. It was also found that the intake of antioxidant nutrients varied based on nutritional status, gender, and life stage.

Avaliação da ingestão de nutrientes antioxidantes pela população brasileira e sua relação com o estado nutricional / Evaluation of the Brazilian population's intake of antioxidant nutrients and their relation with the nutritional status

RESUMO: Introdução: O estudo dos antioxidantes dietéticos tem ganhado destaque em função da elucidação dos efeitos deletérios do estresse oxidativo ao organismo. Objetivo: Avaliar a ingestão de nutrientes antioxidantes pela população brasileira e sua relação com o estado nutricional. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo transversal com coleta de dados secundários do consumo alimentar de 33.459 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, de 10 ou mais anos, de todas as regiões do Brasil, a partir dos microdados da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares (2008 - 2009), Inquérito Nacional de Alimentação. Foram analisados os teores das vitaminas E, A e C, zinco, manganês, cobre e selênio de 188 itens alimentares, divididos em 12 grupos, conforme a forma habitual de consumo. As médias de ingestão dos nutrientes antioxidantes de acordo com o estado nutricional foram comparadas por meio do teste t de Bonferroni. Resultados: Foram observados maiores percentuais de ingestão insuficiente para as vitaminas do que para os minerais antioxidantes. Notou-se diferença significativa na ingestão da vitamina E em relação ao estado nutricional, sendo que a ingestão por indivíduos com excesso de peso foi inferior em relação aos com peso adequado. Verificou-se que os indivíduos com baixo peso apresentaram menor ingestão de quase todos os minerais antioxidantes, exceto o cobre, em que a ingestão por indivíduos com baixo peso foi igual à ingestão por aqueles com peso adequado. Conclusão: Elevados percentuais de ingestão insuficiente de nutrientes antioxidantes foram observados na população estudada, especialmente para as vitaminas. Além disso, a ingestão de nutrientes antioxidantes variou conforme o estado nutricional, o sexo e o estágio de vida.

ABSTRACT: Introduction: The study of dietary antioxidants has gained prominence owing to the elucidation of the deleterious effects of oxidative stress to the human body. Objective: To evaluate the Brazilian population’s intake of antioxidant nutrients and their association with the nutritional status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including secondary data on food consumption of 33,459 individuals from both sexes, aged 10 years or older, from all Brazilian regions based on microdata of the “2008-2009 Household Budget Survey, Brazilian Dairy Survey.” The content of vitamins E, A, and C; zinc; manganese; copper; and selenium from 188 food items, divided into 12 groups, according to the habitual consumption form was analyzed. The means of antioxidant nutrient intake according to the nutritional status were compared using Bonferroni’s t-test. Results: Higher percentages of insufficient intake of vitamins than antioxidant minerals were seen. A significant difference in the intake of vitamin E as to the nutritional status was noticed, wherein the intake in overweight individuals was lower than in those with proper weight. Participants with low weight presented lower intake of almost all antioxidant minerals, except for copper, in which the intake of participants with low weight was equal to those with normal weight. Conclusion: High percentages of insufficient intake of antioxidant nutrients were observed in the studied population, especially vitamins. It was also found that the intake of antioxidant nutrients varied based on nutritional status, gender, and life stage.

Agaricus blazei Bioactive Compounds and their Effects on Human Health: Benefits and Controversies.

BACKGROUND: The mushroom Agaricus blazei has evoked considerable scientific and practical interest in several fields, especially those linked to its medicinal properties. This review aims to summarize and evaluate the past decade findings related to nutritional and therapeutic uses of A. blazei, with especial emphasis on the most recent discoveries regarding its chemical composition and clinical investigations. METHODS: The specialized literature was searched for basic and clinical studies. The main isolated and identified compounds or fractions are described and confronted with their corresponding bioactivities. RESULTS: Basic research of high quality using ex vivo and in vivo conditions are quite abundant in the specialized literature, but ony 17 clinical studies and two case reports were found. A great number of active molecules have been identified, and they can be divided into three categories, (1) hydrophilic small molecules (e.g., phenolics), (2) lipophilic or partially lipophilic small molecules (e.g., agarol) (3) and macromolecules (e.g., ß-glucans). At least the following bioactivities can be considered as being supported by experimental evidence: antioxidant activity (in aging or disease), immunomodulation and cell signaling, anti-inflammatory activity, antiparasitic actions, antimicrobial activity, anticancer effects and tumor growth inhibiting effects, antimutagenic activity, hepatoprotection against chemical or viral infection and antidiabetic activity. CONCLUSION: The amount and quality of the evidence that has been accumulating during the last decade strongly speaks in favor of the health benefits of the ingestion of A.blazei or derived products. However, there are many uncertainties and limitations when attempts are made to extrapolate or to demonstrate their biological effects in the human organism in health or disease. Clearly, more clinical trials, using reliable statistical methods and standardized preparations are needed to establish the efficacy of A. blazei as a therapeutic agent.

Analysis of a whole diet in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant capacity: effects of a simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

This work compares the phenolic contents and the total antioxidant capacity of the 36 most popular Brazilian foods submitted to aqueous extraction or in vitro digestion. The purpose was to evaluate the extent by which digestion differs from the simple aqueous extraction procedures of several food matrices. After in vitro digestion, cereals, legumes, vegetables, tuberous vegetables, chocolates and fruits showed higher phenolic contents and higher antioxidant activities than those obtained by aqueous extraction. Contrarily, the digestion caused a reduction in the phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of beverages (red wine, coffee and yerba mate). Our results suggest that the phenolics of food groups with solid and complex matrix are protected against enzymatic action and alteration in pH during the digestion, what does not occur in liquid food matrices such as the beverages. This fact would overestimate the antioxidant activities of beverages submitted solely to aqueous extraction.

Estimate of consumption of phenolic compounds by Brazilian population / Estimativa do consumo de compostos fenólicos pela população brasileira

OBJECTIVE: Estimate the intake of phenolic compounds by the Brazilian population. METHODS: To estimate the average per capita food consumption, micro data from the National Dietary Survey and from the Household Budget Survey from 2008 to 2009 was analyzed. The phenolic content in food was estimated from the base of Phenol-Explorer. It was chosen according to compatibility and variety of food items and usual method of preparation. RESULTS: The Brazilian population consumed, on average, 460.15 mg/day of total phenolic compounds, derived mainly from beverages (48.9%), especially coffee and legumes (19.5%). Since this analysis of classes of phenolics it was possible to observe an intake of 314 mg/day of phenolic acids, 138.92 mg/day of flavonoids and 7.16 mg/ day of other kinds of phenolics. Regarding the variables studied this present study shows that those men who live in the countryside and in the northeastern region of the country had a higher consumption of phenolic compounds. Besides, consumption was higher by adults and the elderly, the medium income classes, the population with incomplete and complete primary education and those with adequate nutrition and also overweight status. CONCLUSION: The intake of phenolic compounds can be considered low, especially where consumption of fruit and vegetables is insufficient. We can conclude that coffee and black beans were the best contributors to phenolic intake. .

OBJETIVO: Estimar o consumo de compostos fenólicos pela população brasileira. MÉTODOS: Para estimativa do consumo alimentar médio per capita foram analisados os microdados do Inquérito Nacional de Alimentação, da Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares 2008-2009. O teor de fenólicos dos alimentos foi estimado a partir da base de dados Phenol-Explorer, considerando a espécie e variedade do alimento e o modo de preparo habitual de consumo. RESULTADOS: A população brasileira consumiu em média 460,15 mg/dia de compostos fenólicos totais, provenientes principalmente das bebidas (48,9%), com destaque para o café, e leguminosas (19,5%). A análise do consumo por classes de fenólicos possibilitou observar uma ingestão de 314 mg/dia de ácidos fenólicos, 138,92 mg/dia de flavonoides e 7,16 mg/dia de outros fenólicos. Com relação às variáveis estudadas, os homens e os indivíduos residentes na zona rural e na região nordeste do país apresentaram maior consumo de compostos fenólicos. Além disso, destacaram-se também os adultos e idosos, as classes de rendimento medianas, a população com ensino fundamental completo ou incompleto e os indivíduos eutróficos e com excesso de peso. CONCLUSÃO: A ingestão de fenólicos totais pode ser considerada baixa, especialmente em razão do consumo insuficiente de frutas e hortaliças. Ressalta-se que o café e o feijão preto foram os principais alimentos contribuintes para o consumo de fenólicos da população brasileira. .