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.

Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols, from Mauritia flexuosa (Aguaje), Based on Controlled Dehydration.

Plant polyphenols offer several benefits for the prevention of diverse illnesses. Fruit's edible and inedible parts (pulp, seeds, peels, stems, flowers) are important sources of polyphenols. Different industrial processes for fruit treatment and commercialization affect the total polyphenol content (TPC), and probably the biological activity. The purpose of the present work was to determine the TPC and antioxidant activity (by DPPH) of polyphenols extracted from the pulp and seeds of Mauritia flexuosa (aguaje), in fresh and dehydrated forms, in order to determine the possible connection with the quantity of polyphenols and their specific antioxidant activity. The highest phenolic content for M. flexuosa seeds in fresh form (non-dehydrated) was 270.75 mg GAE/100 g with a 96-h extraction. With respect to the dehydrated samples, the best yield was quantified in the 96-h dehydrated seed sample. For all pulp and seeds, dehydrated for 24, 48, and 96 h, TPC showed a slightly decreasing pattern. The DPPH results were the highest in the 96-h dehydrated samples and the differences among all dehydrated pulp and seed samples were minimal. More studies testing the presence of other antioxidant components could help in understanding the detailed antioxidant activity, and related more to the specific action, rather than only total polyphenol content.

Flavonoid/Polyphenol Ratio in Mauritia flexuosa and Theobroma grandiflorum as an Indicator of Effective Antioxidant Action.

Studies on polyphenols and flavonoids in natural products reveal benefits in the prevention of multiple diseases. Proper extraction, treatment of extracts, and quantification of polyphenols and flavonoids demand attention from the scientific community in order to report more specific biological action. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (measured at three different times) of ethanol, methanol and acetone extracts of Mauritia flexuosa (aguaje) and Theobroma grandiflorum (copoazú) fresh pulp, from the Colombian Amazon region, were evaluated with the purpose of focusing in the polyphenol/flavonoid proportion and its effective antioxidant activity. This objective could help to explain specific flavonoid biological action based on higher flavonoid proportion rather than higher total polyphenol content. Differences in extracting solvents resulted in statistically significant different yields; the highest TPC was observed with acetone 70% in Mauritia flexuosa and ethanol 80% for T. grandiflorum. The best flavonoid/polyphenol ratio in M. flexuosa was about 1:2.4 and 1:12.8 in T. grandiflorum and the antioxidant efficacy was proportionally higher for flavonoids extracted from T. grandiflorum. HPLC analysis revealed 54 µg/g of the flavonoid kaempferol in M. Flexuosa and 29 µg/g in T. grandiflorum. Further studies evaluating this proportionality, in seeds or peel of fruits, as well as, other specific biological activities, could help to understand the detailed flavonoid action without focusing on the high total polyphenol content.

Polyphenols from Passiflora ligularis Regulate Inflammatory Markers and Weight Gain.

Weight-related disorders affect more than half of the adult population worldwide; they are also concomitant with a state of chronic low-grade inflammation manifesting in abnormal cytokine production. The present study evaluated the effect of polyphenol and flavonoid extract from Passiflora ligularis (granadilla) on low-grade inflammation and body weight in overweight Wistar rats. To induce weight-gain, rats were fed a chow diet with 30% sucrose water and supplemented with 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 g/L polyphenol extracts (n = 16). The design was a 3 +1 factorial model performed for 42 days (granadilla polyphenols, 3 levels of supplementation, and 1 control group). In addition to total polyphenol and total flavonoid content, the major identified and quantified polyphenol, via UHPLC, was ferulic acid. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated in serum. A decline in the concentration of TNF-α and in weight-gain was found in P. ligularis (granadilla) groups treated with the 2.5 g/L dose. Consumption of polyphenol extracts from granadilla inhibits interleukin-activity as an indicator of inflammation and aids in body-weight control, considering similar food intake, in overweight Wistar rats.

Polyphenol Extracts from Three Colombian Passifloras (Passion Fruits) Prevent Inflammation-Induced Barrier Dysfunction of Caco-2 Cells.

Chronic intestinal inflammation is associated with pathophysiology of obesity and inflammatory bowel diseases. Gastrointestinal inflammation increases barrier dysfunction exacerbating the immune response and perpetuating chronic inflammation. Anti-inflammatory flavonoids may prevent this intestinal barrier dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the polyphenol composition of Colombian Passiflora edulis var. Flavicarpa (Maracuyá), Passiflora edulis var. Sims (Gulupa), and Passiflora ligularis var. Juss (Granadilla) (passion fruits) and to evaluate their ability to inhibit disruption of intestinal barrier dysfunction of Caco-2 (colorectal adenocarcinoma) cells by an inflammatory cocktail (IC). Polyphenols (flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids, flavonols), xanthenes, and a terpene were identified in passion fruits. Cyanidin 3-rutinoside, (+)-catechin and ferulic acid were the most abundant phenolics in P. edulis var. Flavicarpa, P. edulis var. Sims, and P. ligularis var. Juss, respectively. Fruit extracts prevented loss of transepithelial electrical resistance in Caco-2 cells treated with the IC. Among the extracts, P. ligularis var. Juss was most effective at maintaining Caco-2 transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) with ~73% relative to the IC-treated cells with about 43% of initial TEER values. This fruit had cyanidin-3-rutinoside, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and ferulic acid in its phenolic profile. Results of this work support the hypothesis that consumption of passion fruit extracts could benefit intestinal health.

Monitoreo de la infección respiratoria aguda en Manizales, mediante sistemas de información geográfica / ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) screening model in Manizales, based on Geographic Information Systems

La infección respiratoria aguda (IRA) da cuenta anualmente, de al menos 3,5 millones de personas en el mundo, de las cuales la mayoría son niños entre 0 y 5 años. Este flagelo afecta comunidades de países en vías de desarrollo, como también, a los industrializados. Son muchos los factores ambientales que aportan al desarrollo de esta enfermedad y otras que también aquejan el sistema respiratorio en general. Por consiguiente, se necesita de toda herramienta vigente y eficiente para mitigar la situación. Los sistemas de información geográfica (SIG), como herramientas de recolección, estratificación, ubicación y análisis de datos, ofrecen una alternativa para mejorar en la promoción y prevención de las IRA; se citan aquí ejemplos que relacionan los SIG con estudios aplicados al campo de la salud pública y su posible aplicación en procesos investigativos para la ciudad de Manizales. Entre los beneficios esperadosen este tipo de acciones de mitigación y prevención, se incluye la sectorización de la ciudad de acuerdo a los diferentes niveles de contaminantes atmosféricos detectados por los SIG, el número potencial de personas que se pueden ver afectadas y las características físicas y sociales de las mismas...

Infección Respiratoria Aguda en relación con la contaminación atmosférica y otros factores ambientales / Acute Respiratory Infection in relation to air pollution and other environmental factors

Las infecciones respiratorias agudas (IRA) son la causa de gran cantidad de muertes a nivel mundial y con más incidencia en países en vías de desarrollo donde el nivel de necesidades básicas insatisfechas es alto. De este grupo afectado los niños en edades de 0 a 5 años son los que más vulnerabilidad presentan. El número de muertes en el mundo por IRA es de 3,5 millones cada año; en los Estados Unidos se presentan, en promedio anual, 30.000 casos en niños menores de 4 años. Colombia no es la excepción en relación a muertes por IRA, Solsalud Caldas ESE reporta este tipo de enfermedades como una de las tres principales causas de consulta médica, según estadísticas del año 2006. Las afecciones a la salud humana causadas por IRA tienen mucha relación con factores ambientales como la contaminación atmosférica. Estudios que se den en cooperación entre las áreas de la salud y del medio ambiente son indispensables para identificar el estado del aire que respiramos en relación con las IRA en la población del municipio de Manizales. Como factor necesario para atacar el problema y brindar alternativas y soluciones, es vital la integración de estos campos en pro de mejorar, con apoyo administrativo y desde la academia, las necesidades básicas ambientales, apoyados en campañas y proyectos educativos en salud y medio ambiente.

La actividad enzimática de las peroxidasas es imitada por compuestos oxidados derivados del hemo / The enzymatic activity of peroxidasas is imitated by oxidized compounds derivatives of hemo

Las funciones catalíticas del preoxidase, tales como su participación en procesos redox, mímico por el complejo del hierro (III) de deuteroporphyring IX, deuteroferriheme (el dfh) oxidado con los compuestos como el hipoclorito o peroxoacids. Los productos de las reacciones y de los “estados intermedios” del dfh y del compuesto dispensador de aceite del oxígeno pueden ser identificado vía estudios spectrophotometric. El proceso entero implica la producción de dos “los estados intermedios; ” los compuestos que están tan presentes que las formas intermedias en la reacción pueden, no sólo participar en el proceso redox, pero regenerar la parte del dfh usado para arriba. El complejo oxidado del dfh cataliza el demethylation y el dealkylation de diversas anilinas substituidas. La identificación de la cañería y los subproductos de estas reacciones también se presentan en este estudio...