Impact of Drying Process on the Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Raw and Boiled Leaves and Inflorescences of Chenopodium berlandieri ssp. berlandieri.

C. berlandieri ssp. berlandieri (C. berlandieri) is one of the most common members of the group of plants known as quelites, which are dark leafy greens widely consumed in Mexico. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two drying procedures (oven drying and freeze-drying/lyophilization) on the polyphenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and proximal chemical analysis of C. berlandieri leaves and inflorescences (raw or boiled). The results indicated that the raw freeze-dried samples had higher amounts (p < 0.05) of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity, mainly in the inflorescence. The oven-dried samples showed an increased concentration of polyphenols after boiling, while the lyophilized samples showed a slightly decreased concentration. The drying process was observed to have little impact on the proximal chemical composition. Quantification by UPLC-DAD-ESI-QToF/MS identified up to 23 individual phenolic compounds, with freeze-dried samples showing higher amounts of individual compounds compared with oven-dried. Procyanidin B2 was found exclusively in the inflorescences. The inflorescences have a higher content of phenolic compounds and greater antioxidant capacity than the leaves. Regardless of the drying process, the leaves and inflorescences of C. berlandieri contain an interesting variety of phenolic compounds that may have beneficial effects on health.

Comparison of Phenolic Compounds and Evaluation of Antioxidant Properties of Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass (Asteraceae) from Different Geographical Areas of Queretaro (Mexico).

Porophyllum ruderale (P. ruderale) is a well-known Mexican plant from the group of "Quelites", widely consumed plant species used for several food and medicinal purposes. As the production is very heterogeneous and the diverse agroclimatic conditions significantly impact the plant's phytochemical composition, this research aimed to compare the phenolic compound composition and the antioxidant capacity of the P. ruderale plant from three different collection sites (Queretaro, Landa de Matamoros, and Arroyo Seco) in the State of Queretaro (Mexico). Plants collected from Queretaro displayed the lowest total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and condensed tannins, reflected in a lower antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, ABTS), compared to the other collection places. Flavones (epicatechin and epigallocatechin gallate) were the most abundant (36.1-195.2 µg equivalents/g) phenolics quantified by HPLC-DAD, while 31 compounds were identified by UHPLC-DAD-QToF/MS-ESI. Most compounds were linked to biological mechanisms related to the antioxidant properties of the leaves. A PCA analysis clustered Landa de Matamoros and Arroyo Seco into two groups based on flavones, hydroxybenzoic acids, the antioxidant capacity (ABTS and DPPH), and total phenolic compounds, the main contributors to its variation. The results indicated contrasting differences in the polyphenolic composition of collected P. ruderale in Queretaro, suggesting the need to standardize and select plants with favorable agroclimatic conditions to obtain desirable polyphenolic compositions while displaying potential health benefits.

Comparison of Phytochemical Composition and Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of an Extract from Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) I. I. Johnst and Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass. and Biological Cytotoxic and Antiproliferative Activity In Vitro.

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (CA) and Porophyllum ruderale (PR) are representative edible plants that are a traditional food source in Mexico. This research aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition and untargeted metabolomics analysis of CA and PR and evaluate their antiproliferative effect in vitro. The phytochemical composition (UPLC-DAD-QToF/MS-ESI) identified up to 38 polyphenols and selected organic acids that were clustered by the untargeted metabolomics in functional activities linked to indolizidines, pyridines, and organic acids. Compared with PR, CA displayed a higher reduction in the metabolic activity of human SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cells (LC50: 10.65 mg/mL), and both extracts increased the total apoptotic cells and arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase. PR increased mRNA Apc gene expression, whereas both extracts reduced mRNA Kras expression. Rutin/epigallocatechin gallate displayed the highest affinity to APC and K-RAS proteins in silico. Further research is needed to experiment on other cell lines. Results suggested that CA and PR are polyphenol-rich plant sources exhibiting antiproliferative effects in vitro.

Effect of Foliar Application of Hydrogen Peroxide Macroconcentrations on Growth Parameters, Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in the Leaves and Seeds of Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.

Amaranth has many interesting features, both nutritional and otherwise, that make it attractive as a food crop. Plants grown in greenhouses have higher yields but lower nutritional value compared to those grown in open fields. This prompted an interest in studying viable elicitors for the production of amaranth. Small hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations for foliar spraying from 0 to 18 mM have been used in greenhouse amaranth cultivation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of H2O2 megadoses on growth parameters, total phenolic compounds, condensed tannins, anthocyanins, and the antioxidant capacity of leaves and seeds of amaranth grown in a greenhouse setting. The seed of the Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. species was used. The concentrations of H2O2 analyzed were 0, 125, 250 and 400 mM, with 11 applications throughout the growing cycle. The variable data were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by a Tukey's post hoc test (95% CI, p < 0.05). The results on chlorophyll, growth parameters and proximal chemical analysis showed no statistical difference between the control group versus the treatment groups. A greater number of favorable changes in the different variables studied were observed with the 125 mM H2O2 treatment, including the increase in antioxidant capacity measured by FRAP. The seed showed a considerable increase in TFC with all treatments and responded better to the 250 mM H2O2 treatment in the case of DPPH (an increase of 30%) and TPC (an increase of 44%). A 28% increase in anthocyanin content was observed with the treatment of 400 mM H2O2. The use of H2O2 may be an appropriate strategy to enhance the production of antioxidant compounds in amaranth without affecting growth or its basic proximal chemical composition. More studies are required in this regard.

Identification and Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the FTO Gene with Indicators of Overweight and Obesity in a Young Mexican Population.

(1) Background: obesity is a global public health problem; various factors have been associated with this disease, and genetic factors play a very important role. Previous studies in multiple populations have associated a gene with fat mass and obesity (FTO). Thus, the present work aims to identify and determine associations between genetic variants of FTO with indicators of overweight and obesity in the Mexican population. (2) Methods: a total of 638 subjects were evaluated to compile data on body mass index (BMI), the percentage of body fat (%BF), the waist circumference (WC), the serum levels of triglycerides (TG), and food consumption. A total of 175 genetic variants in the FTO gene were sampled by a microarray in the evaluated population, followed by association statistical analyses and comparisons of means. (3) Results: a total of 34 genetic variants were associated with any of the 6 indicators of overweight and obesity, but only 15 showed mean differences using the recessive model after the Bonferroni correction. The present study shows a wide evaluation of FTO genetic variants associated with a classic indicator of overweight and obesity, which highlights the importance of genetic analyses in the study of obesity.

Effect of Induced Mechanical Leaf Damage on the Yield and Content of Bioactive Molecules in Leaves and Seeds of Tepary Beans (Phaseolus acutifolius).

Growing interest has recently been shown in Tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius) because they contain lectins and protease inhibitors that have been shown to have a specific cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells. Bean lectins offer protection against biotic and abiotic stress factors, so it is possible that mechanical foliar damage may increase lectin production. This study evaluates the effect of mechanical stress (foliar damage) on lectin and protease inhibitor content in Tepary beans. Seed yield was also analyzed, and phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and TEAC) were determined in the leaves. An experimental design with random blocks of three treatments (T1: control group, T2: 50% mechanical foliar damage and T3: 80% mechanical foliar damage) was carried out. Mechanical foliar damage increased the amount of lectin binding units (LBUs) fivefold (from 1280 to 6542 LBUs in T3) but did not affect units of enzymatic activity (UEA) against trypsin (from 60.8 to 51 UEA in T3). Results show that controlled mechanical foliar damage could be used to induce overexpression of lectins in the seeds of Tepary beans. Mechanical foliar damage reduced seed production (-14.6%: from 1890 g to 1615 g in T3) and did not significantly increase phenolic compound levels in leaves.

Design and Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire to Evaluate the Consumption of Trans Fatty Acids in the Adult Population (FFQ-TFA).

Instruments for estimating the intake of food components can be useful in the prevention and/or treatment of diseases related to improper diet. There is, at present, no scientifically validated instrument for estimating consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) in the Mexican population. The objective of this study was to design and validate such an instrument: a questionnaire that can be used to estimate consumption of TFA from food products. The questionnaire was applied to 162 students from the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ). There were two phases to the study: (1) design of a food frequency questionnaire to assess consumption of trans fatty acids (FFQ-TFA) and an eating practices questionnaire (EPQ-TFA); (2) validation of the instrument. Content validity was measured by expert review and by Aiken's V method, obtaining an overall score of 0.895. As final tests for the FFQ-TFA analysis, criterion validity was measured using Spearman's correlation (r = 0.717, p < 0.01) and a linear regression (B = 0.668), considering the results of the 24-h dietary recall (24 HR); and reproducibility or temporal stability was measured using Pearson's correlation (r = 0.406, p < 0.01). Subsequently, a Pearson correlation was applied between TFA consumption estimated by the FFQ-TFA-2 and the global score from the EPQ-TFA-2 (r = 0.351, p < 0.01). A Pearson correlation was applied between the EPQ-TFA-1 and the EPQ-TFA-2 (r = 0.575, p < 0.01). TFA consumption per day was 2.49 ± 1.32 g in the participating population, which was 1.04 ± 0.51% of their total kcal consumption.

Content of industrially produced trans fatty acids in breast milk: An observational study.

Breast milk may contain industrially produced trans fatty acids (TFAs), which can affect the content of essential fatty acids (EFAs). This could have significant implications for the child's development. The fatty acids present in breast milk can be modified by adjusting the mother's diet. The objective of this study was to determine the content of industrially produced TFAs present in colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk produced by mothers between 18 and 45 years of age in the state of Querétaro, Mexico, based on a longitudinal observational study. The TFA content in the breast milk of 33 lactating women was analyzed using gas chromatography. The mothers' consumption of TFAs was also estimated by analyzing a log prepared through 24-hr dietary recall (24HR) obtained in each period. The TFA content in the mothers' diet was similar across the colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk phases: 1.64 ± 1.25 g, 1.39 ± 1.01, and 1.66 ± 1.13 g, respectively. The total TFA content was 1.529% ± 1.648% for colostrum; 0.748% ± 1.033% for transitional milk and 0.945% ± 1.368% for mature milk. Elaidic acid was the TFA in the highest concentration in all three types of milk. No correlation was found between the content of industrially produced TFAs in breast milk and the anthropometric measurements of the mother or between the estimated consumption of TFAs and the content of TFAs in breast milk. Elaidic acid and total content of TFAs were negatively correlated (p < .05) with the content of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (0.394 ± 0.247) (R = -0.382) in colostrum. The concentration of TFAs was found to correlate with the composition of EFAs in milk.

Relationship between Emotional Eating, Consumption of Hyperpalatable Energy-Dense Foods, and Indicators of Nutritional Status: A Systematic Review.

People's health is closely linked to their diet. Diet can be defined as the set of foods that are consumed in a day, and it is susceptible to being altered by various factors, such as physiological, environmental, psychological, and social. These, in turn, can be affected by an inadequate diet and/or a dysregulation of emotions. Emotions are an immediate response by the organism informing it of the degree of favorability of a certain stimulus or situation. Moods are similar to emotions but more intense and prolonged. Some studies indicate that the consumption of hyperpalatable energy-dense foods may be related to emotional eating. Emotional eating is characterized by the excessive consumption of hyperpalatable energy-dense foods, rich in sugars and fats, in response to negative emotions. But several reports also indicate that emotional eating may be associated with the presence of positive emotions, so further analysis of the available information is necessary. Consuming higher amounts of hyperpalatable energy-dense foods can lead to the accumulation of energy in the body that results in an increase in body weight, as well as other associated diseases. Obesity is the world's leading diet-related health problem. The objective of this work was to carry out a systematic review of the available literature using the Cochrane methodology, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, to evaluate the relationship between emotional eating, the consumption of hyperpalatable energy-dense foods, and indicators of nutritional status. An exhaustive search in different databases yielded 9431 scientific articles, 45 of which met the inclusion criteria. This review underscores the fact that knowing and understanding the reasons why people consume hyperpalatable energy-dense foods and the possible connection with their emotional eating can provide key data for improving and personalizing patients' nutritional treatment. This in turn can encourage compliance with treatment plans to improve people's health and quality of life using an interdisciplinary approach.

Evaluation of the effect of a school garden as an educational didactic tool in vegetable and fruit consumption in teenagers.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Increasing the consumption of vegetables and fruits in Mexico remains a challenge. Promoting sustainable food production systems through schools may be an effective way to educate young people about food and nutrition issues. A study of nutritional education in adolescents, based on the school garden, is necessary in order to evaluate its effects on the consumption of fruits and vegetables among middle- and upper-income segments of the population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention, accompanied by a school garden as an educational teaching tool, to improve vegetable and fruit consumption by Mexican teenagers attending a private middle/high school. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Teenagers between 12 and 18 years of age (n = 126) attending a private middle/high school in Queretaro, Mexico participated in a 3-arm, controlled, comparative impact study using a vegetable and fruit consumption frequency questionnaire, food consumption diaries, a psychosocial factor assessment questionnaire of vegetable and fruit consumption, and structured interviews. The participants were randomized into 3 experimental groups: 1) food education + school garden (FE + SG), 2) FE only, and 3) control group (CG). RESULTS: The FE + SG and FE groups significantly increased the frequency and daily intake of vegetables and fruits compared to the CG. The FE + SG group showed greater understanding of, reflection upon, and analysis of the information they received about vegetable and fruit consumption, as well as a greater willingness to include these in their daily diet. CONCLUSIONS: FE accompanied by a SG as a teaching tool is more effective at promoting vegetable and fruit consumption than either education alone or control in teenagers in middle-upper income segments of the population.

Phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb) Benth: a review.

Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb) Benth (P. dulce), known as "guamúchil", is a tree native to the American continent. Various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine, primarily for treating gastrointestinal disorders. The phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of this plant are largely responsible for the beneficial health effects attributed to it. A number of authors have studied the antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds of the aril, seed, leaf and root of P. dulce using various methodologies, which can differ considerably in variables such as environmental factors, type of drying, temperature, the way the sample is stored, and the use of different solvents in the various extraction methods. Even methods of quantification by HPLC vary tremendously. This paper summarizes the existing research carried out to date on determining the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of P. dulce.

Effect on nutritional markers of a model of aberrant crypt foci induced by azoxymethane and sodium dextran sulfate in Sprague Dawley rats.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are colon preneoplastic lesions that can be used as a tool to study preventive processes for colorectal cancer (CRC). This model consists of initiation induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and promoted by sodium dextran sulfate (DSS), simulating human colonic carcinogenesis in a rat model. There is no direct information on the effects of this process on nutritional markers. Objective: to determine the effect on nutritional markers after the induction of ACF by AOM/DSS in a rat model. Methods: ACF were induced in 24 four-week-old Sprague Dawley male rats by administration of 2 AOM injections (10 mg/kg) and 7 days of 2% DSS in their drinking water. Body weight gain, food and fluid intake, weight of sacrificial organs, nutritional biochemical profiles, liver and kidney toxicity were evaluated. Cell counts in blood were also performed and histological sections evaluated in specific organs. The model was confirmed with identification and counts of ACF. Half of the rats were sacrificed at the sub-chronic stage and the rest at the chronic stage. Results: at the sub-chronic stage, changes in the liver and colon weight, and in the lymphocyte count were observed. For both stages, histopathological damage was observed in liver, kidney and colon, along with alterations in serum glucose levels. Conclusions: the model for proposed ACF can be used at the sub-chronic stage without the need for observation at the chronic stage. More research is needed to determine the mechanism of the observed effects.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: los focos de criptas aberrantes (ACF) son lesiones preneoplásicas en colon que pueden ser utilizados como herramienta para estudiar procesos preventivos para el cáncer colorectal (CCR). Este modelo consiste en la iniciación inducida por azoximetano (AOM) y promovida por dextrano sulfato sódico (DSS) simulando una carcinogénesis colónica humana en un modelo de rata. No existe información directa de los efectos sobre marcadores nutricios para este proceso. Objetivo: determinar el efecto sobre marcadores nutricios tras la inducción de ACF por AOM/DSS en un modelo de rata. Métodos: se utilizaron veinticuatro ratas machos Sprague Dawley de 4 semanas para la inducción de ACF por administración de 2 inyecciones de AOM (10 mg/kg) y 7 días de DSS al 2% en el agua para beber. Se evaluó la ganancia de peso corporal, el consumo de alimento y de líquidos, el peso de órganos al sacrificio, perfiles bioquímicos nutricios, de toxicidad hepática y renal. Asimismo, se realizaron conteos celulares en sangre y se evaluaron cortes histológicos en órganos específicos. El modelo se confirmó con la identificación y conteos de ACF. Se sacrificó la mitad de las ratas en etapa subcrónica y las demás en etapa crónica. Resultados: en la etapa subcrónica se observaron cambios entre grupos en el peso del hígado y colon, y en el conteo de linfocitos. En ambas etapas se observaron daños histopatológicos en hígado, riñón y colon, así como alteraciones en los niveles de glucosa sérica. Conclusiones: el modelo para ACF propuesto puede ser utilizado en etapa subcrónica sin necesidad de llevarlo a tiempo crónico. Es necesaria más investigación para determinar el mecanismo de los efectos observados.

Preventive Effect of an Infusion of the Aqueous Extract of Chaya Leaves (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) in an Aberrant Crypt Foci Rat Model Induced by Azoxymethane and Dextran Sulfate Sodium.

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) is the precursor lesion of colorectal carcinogenesis (CRC), one of the most common malignancies in the world. Many studies have reported that people with higher phytochemical intake are at a reduced risk of developing ACF. One example of the botanical potential of preventive plant products is Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (CA), commonly known as Chaya. This study evaluated the phenolic profile of CA and the effects of the daily consumption of CA leaf infusion on the formation of ACF, histopathological lesions, and molecular biomarkers after azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced premalignant colon lesions in rats treated with for 16 and 32 weeks. The phenolic composition of the CA infusion was identified by reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (RP-HPCC-DAD). After sacrifice, a 4 cm segment was collected from the distal part of the colon and stained with methylene blue to look for ACF. Furthermore, 4 µm of colon, liver, and kidney was collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological analysis, along with 7 µm of colon for immunohistochemistry analysis. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified in the infusions, and ACF formation was reduced by 29.5% at the subchronic and by 64.6% at chronic stages. Lesions on kidney, liver, and colon tissue were also reduced. Our data suggest that CA treatment has preventive effects against AOM-/DSS-induced premalignant colon lesions in colon rats at the promotion level, inhibiting the cell proliferation of early neoplastic lesions and colonic inflammation through the decrease of ß-catenin by 41.8% at the subchronic stage and 29% at the chronic stage, along with a 46.2% reduction of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) at long term, despite a high expression of NF-κB (30.3% at the subchronic stage and 22.8% at the chronic stage).