Potential Hypoglycemic and Antilipidemic Activity of Polyphenols from Passiflora ligularis (Granadilla).

The consumption of fruits or by-products from plants of the Passifloraceae family has been associated with multiple health and nutritional benefits, due to their phenolic compound content. Likewise, the effects of polyphenols from Camellia sinensis (green tea) have been explored and are considered a reference for different biological actions of these bioactive substances. This study compared the hypoglycemic and antilipemic activity of polyphenol-rich extracts of Passiflora ligularis Juss (passion fruit) and Camellia sinensis (green tea) given to a group of Wistar rats induced to be overweight. The individuals were subjected to three doses of supplementation of both sources of polyphenols in the drinking water. An additional group without polyphenol supplementation served as a control group. Water consumption, weight gain, glycemia, cholesterol, serum triglycerides and percentage of fecal ethereal extracts were analyzed. Although Passiflora ligularis Juss had five times less polyphenol content than Camellia sinensis, rats fed doses of 2.5 and 3.0 g/L Passiflora ligularis Juss showed reduced glycemia by 16%, suggesting an antiglycemic activity similar to that of Camellia sinensis. On the other hand, higher doses of polyphenols from Passiflora ligularis Juss and Camellia sinensis significantly reduced triglyceride levels (p = 0.05) by more than 17% compared to the unsupplemented control group. The polyphenol-rich extracts produced effective inhibitory activity of lipemic metabolites with a reduction in the percentage of fecal lipids (p < 0.05), with no side effects on liver tissue. The 3.0 g/L dose produced the best result on signs of metabolic syndrome associated with excess weight. Polyphenols extracted from fresh Colombian passion fruit showed the potential to decrease metabolic syndrome risk factors in a murine model.

Cytotoxicity and antiproliferative activity of ethanol and ethyl acetate fractions from polymeric nanoparticles of green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-132.

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) has benefits. Its main potential content is epigallocatechin gallate, which has many bioactivity and pharmacological properties. However, herbal medicines have limitations on low solubility and stability. A nanoparticle delivery system is a perfect form of active ingredient development, because it can mediate the increase in solubility, dissolution rate, and strength of a targeted delivery system. This study aimed to make and test the formulation of the ethanol and ethyl acetate fraction from green tea leaves in the form of a nanoparticle delivery system using chitosan biopolymer as the primary carrier polymer combined with sodium tripolyphosphate as a crosslinker and then carried out the tests on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. The results showed that the particle size value was 199.7 nm, the zeta potential was-56.7 mV, and the polydispersity index was 0.337. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry test results showed that the C. sinensis fraction was perfectly dispersed molecularly in the nanoparticle system. The results of the cytotoxic test on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line obtained IC50 values for both fractions, namely 10.70 µg/mL (nano ethanol fraction) and 12.72 µg/mL (nano ethyl acetate fraction). This result showed a significant increase in anticancer activity in both fractions compared to those not formulated (P < 0.05). These results also show that the C. sinensis tea fraction formulated in a nanoparticle delivery system has a great potential as a new therapeutic agent for breast cancer.

La actividad antibacteriana de Camellia sinensis comparada con propóleo frente al Streptococcus mutans / Antibacterial activity of Camellia sinensis versus propolis against Streptococcus mutans

RESUMEN Introducción: El té verde (Camellia sinensis) y el propóleo presentan flavonoides, que inhiben el crecimiento, metabolismo y la coagregación del Streptococcus mutans, principal agente causal de la caries dental. Objetivo: Evaluar la actividad antibacteriana in vitro del extracto etanólico del té verde (Camellia sinensis) al 10 por ciento y 20 por ciento comparado con extracto etanólico de propóleo al 10 por ciento y 20 por ciento, frente al crecimiento de cepas de Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175). Métodos: Estudio experimental in vitro, longitudinal, prospectivo y comparativo. El universo estuvo constituido por 90 discos de difusión y la muestra por 15 discos embebidos en té verde (Camellia sinensis) o propóleo a diferentes concentraciones, clorhexidina acuosa al 0,12 por ciento y agua destilada. El tamaño de muestra se calculó por fórmula de comparación de medias, después de realizar un estudio piloto. Se colocaron los discos de difusión embebidos en las sustancias sobre agar Mueller Hinton, sembrado con Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175), haciendo medición del ancho de los halos inhibitorios a las 24 y 48 h. Se aplicaron pruebas de comparación no paramétricas de Kruskal Wallis y la prueba rangos de Wilcoxon. Resultados: El máximo ancho de halo inhibitorio logrado por clorhexidina acuosa al 0,12 por ciento, extracto etanólico de té verde (Camellia sinensis) al 20 por ciento y extracto etanólico de propóleo al 20 por ciento fue a las 24 h con valores de 10,64 mm ± 0,924 mm, 6,82 mm ± 0,982 mm y 8,36 mm ± 1,286 mm, respectivamente. El extracto etanólico de té verde (Camellia sinensis) al 20 por ciento, presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas respecto al extracto etanólico de propóleo al 20 por ciento, tanto a las 24 h (p= 0,013), como a las 48 h (p= 0,011). Conclusiones: Frente al crecimiento de cepas de Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175), el extracto etanólico de propóleo al 20 por ciento presenta mayor actividad antibacteriana respecto al extracto etanólico de té verde (Camellia sinensis) al 10 por ciento y 20 por ciento, actividad que disminuye con el paso del tiempo(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Green tea (Camellia sinensis) and propolis contain flavonoids which inhibit the growth, metabolism and co-aggregation of Streptococcus mutans, the main causative agent of dental caries. Objective: Evaluate the antibacterial activity in vitro of 10 percent and 20 percent green tea (Camellia sinensis) ethanolic extract versus 10 percent and 20 percent propolis ethanolic extract against the growth of Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) strains. Methods: An in vitro experimental prospective longitudinal comparative study was conducted. The study universe was 90 diffusion disks and the sample was 15 disks soaked up in green tea (Camellia sinensis) or propolis at various concentrations, 0.12 percent aqueous chlorhexidine and distilled water. Sample size was estimated by the comparison of means formula after conducting a pilot study. The diffusion disks soaked up in the substances were placed on Mueller Hinton agar planted with Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) and the width of the inhibition haloes was measured at 24 h and 48 h. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis comparison tests and the Wilcoxon rank test were performed. Results: The maximum width of the inhibition halo achieved by 0.12 percent aqueous chlorhexidine, 20 percent green tea (Camellia sinensis) ethanolic extract, and 20 percent propolis ethanolic extract at 24 h was 10.64 mm ± 0.924 mm, 6.82 mm ± 0.982 mm and 8.36 mm ± 1.286 mm, respectively. The 20 percent green tea (Camellia sinensis) ethanolic extract showed statistically significant differences with respect to the 20 percent propolis ethanolic extract, both at 24 h (p= 0.013) and at 48 h (p= 0.011). Conclusions: The 20 percent propolis ethanolic extract displays greater antibacterial activity against the growth of Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 25175) strains than the 10 percent and 20 percent green tea (Camellia sinensis) ethanolic extract. This activity decreases with the passing of time(AU)