In vitro assessment of the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of clarified açai (Euterpe oleracea MART) extract in a gastric cancer cell line (AGP01 cells).

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea MART) is a fruit of great importance for the Amazon region in nutritional, cultural and socioeconomic terms. In recent years, açaí has been the subject of several studies due to its beneficial properties for health, including effects against tumor cells. Therefore, the present work aimed to evaluate in vitro the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the clarified extract of açaí juice in a human metastatic gastric cancer cell line (AGP01 cells). For comparison purposes, a non-transformed cell line of African green monkey renal epithelial cells (VERO cells) was used. The viability assay by resazurin reduction, the comet assay, the determination of cell death by differential fluorescent dyes and the wound healing migration assay were performed. A reduction in viability was observed only in the AGP01 line within 72 h. There was no genotoxic damage or cell death (through apoptosis or necrosis) in any of the cell lines. However, açaí extract induced motility reduction in both cell lines. The reduction in cell viability and the induction of the anti-migratory effect in the AGP01 cell line opens perspectives for exploring the potential of açaí as an adjuvant in the treatment of gastric cancer.

A polyphenol-rich açaí seed extract protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice through the TLR-4/MyD88/PI3K/mTOR/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway.

Açaí seed extract (ASE) is obtained from Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) plant (Amazon region) has high nutritional and functional value. ASE is rich in polyphenolic compounds, mainly proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins can modulate the immune system and oxidative stress by inhibiting the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. A great deal of evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of intestinal mucositis, and these events can lead to intestinal dysmotility. We hypothesized that ASE acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound in intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) through modulation of the TLR-4/MyD88/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase α/mechanistic target of rapamycin/NF-κBp65 pathway. The animals were divided into linear 5-FU (450 mg/kg) and 5-FU + ASE (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg) groups. The weight loss of the animals was evaluated daily. Samples from duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were obtained for histopathological, biochemical, and functional analyses. ASE reduced weight loss, inflammatory parameters (interleukin-1ß; tumor necrosis factor-α; myeloperoxidase activity) and the gene expression of mediators involved in the TLR-2/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. ASE prevented histopathological changes with beneficial effects on gastrointestinal transit delay, gastric emptying, and intestinal absorption/permeability. In conclusion, ASE protects the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier by inhibiting the TLR/MyD88/PI3K/mechanistic target of rapamycin/NF-κBp65 pathway.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) green synthesis of silver nanoparticles: antimicrobial efficacy and ecotoxicological assessment.

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is usually based on expensive methods that use or generate chemicals that can negatively impact the environment. Our study presents a simple one-step synthesis process for obtaining AgNP using an aqueous extract of Amazonian fruit açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) as the reducing and stabilizing agents. The bio-synthesized AgNP (bio-AgNP) were comprehensively characterized by diverse techniques, and as a result, 20-nm spherical particles (transmission electron microscopy) were obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) confirmed the presence of crystalline AgNP, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) suggested that polyphenolic compounds of açaí were present on the surface. The bio-AgNP showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. In Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to 10 µg/L bio-AgNP for 96 h, there were no significant effects on growth, reproduction, or reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration; however, there was an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzymatic activity. In contrast, when worms were exposed to chemically synthesized AgNP (PVP-AgNP), an increase in ROS, SOD, and GST activity and a reduction in oxidative stress resistance were observed. In conclusion, our study not only showcased the potential of açaí in the simple and rapid production of AgNP but also highlighted the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of the synthesized nanoparticles using our protocol. Moreover, our findings revealed that these AgNPs exhibited reduced toxicity to C. elegans at environmentally realistic concentrations compared with PVP-AgNP.

A new edible coating of fish gelatin incorporated into açaí oil to increase the post-harvest shelf life of tomatoes.

Açaí oil (Euterpe oleracea) is a new active ingredient, originating from the Amazon Forest, which offers numerous benefits as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. Here, we report how açaí oil can be used as an active ingredient in gelatin coatings to increase the shelf life of tomatoes. The optimized viscosity and gel strength conditions were 5.40 % gelatin, 17.25 % açaí oil and 18 % plasticizer. FTIR, XRD and zeta potential analysis reveals that repulsive forces dominate the interactions between açaí oil and gelatin. The optimized coating (GAO) reduced mass loss by 8 % and achieved greater firmness (25 N), proving its effectiveness in maintaining tomato quality during storage. For the first time, it was found that the addition of açaí oil to fish gelatin improves the percentage of acidity and firmness of the tomato, delaying ripening, making it a promising alternative as packaging for climacteric fruits.

Spatial distribution of acute cases of Chagas disease reported from 2010 to 2020 in the State of Amazonas / Distribuição espacial dos casos agudos de doença de Chagas notificados de 2010 a 2020 no Estado da Amazônia / Distribución espacial de los casos agudos de enfermedad de Chagas notificados de 2010 a 2020 en el Estado Amazónico

This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of acute cases of Chagas disease notified in the State of Amazonas between the period from 2010 to 2020. Data were obtained from the portal of the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação- SINAN, considering the number of cases per municipality of notification. 140 cases of Acute Chagas Disease were notified, distributed in 23 of the 62 municipalities of the State of Amazonas, 82 (59%) were male individuals, with a greater predominance in the age group of 20-39 years old, having 45 (32.1%) cases. As for the race/color variable, the highest number was among brown people with 101 (72.1%) notifications. The oral route prevailed as the main form of disease transmission with 93 (66.4%) records. Infection by the oral route of T. cruzi is the most important route of transmission of CD in the State of Amazonas, the occurrence of transmission is associated in most cases with the consumption of foods such as açaí juice and has been reported frequently over the years between municipalities.

este estudo se propôs a investigar a epidemiologia dos casos agudos de Doença de Chagas notificados no Estado do Amazonas no período de 2010 a 2020. Os dados foram obtidos no portal do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação - SINAN, considerando o número de casos por município de notificação. Foram notificados 140 casos de Doença de Chagas Aguda, distribuídos em 23 dos 62 municípios do Estado do Amazonas, 82 (59%) eram indivíduos do sexo masculino, com maior predominância na faixa etária de 20-39 anos de idade com 45 (32,1%) casos. Quanto a variável raça/cor, a maior registro foi entre pardos com 101(72,1%) notificações. A via oral, prevaleceu como a principal forma de transmissão da patologia com 93 (66,4%) registros. A infecção pela via oral do T. cruzi, é a mais importante via de transmissão de DC no Estado do Amazonas, a ocorrência da transmissão está associada na maioria das vezes ao consumo de alimentos como o suco de açaí, e tem sido reportada com frequência ao longo dos anos entre os municípios.

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la epidemiología de los casos agudos de la enfermedad de Chagas notificados en el Estado de Amazonas en el período de 2010 a 2020. Los datos fueron obtenidos del portal del Sistema de Información de Enfermedades de Notificación - SINAN, considerando el número de casos por municipio de notificación. Se notificaron 140 casos de Enfermedad de Chagas Aguda, distribuidos en 23 de los 62 municipios del Estado de Amazonas, 82 (59%) fueron individuos del sexo masculino, con mayor predominio en el grupo etario de 20 a 39 años con 45 (32,1%) casos. En cuanto a la variable raza/color, el mayor número fue entre los morenos con 101 (72,1%) notificaciones. La vía oral predominó como principal vía de transmisión de la enfermedad con 93 (66,4%) registros. La infección por vía oral de T. cruzi es la vía de transmisión más importante de la EC en el Estado de Amazonas, la ocurrencia de la transmisión está mayoritariamente asociada al consumo de alimentos como el jugo de açaí, y ha sido reportada con frecuencia a lo largo de los años entre municipios.

Outstanding adsorption capacity of iron oxide synthesized with extract of açaí berry residue: kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic study for dye removal.

Contamination of water by toxic dyes is a serious environmental problem. Adsorbents prepared by an environmentally safe route have stood out for application in pollutant removal. Herein, iron oxide-based nanomaterial composed of Fe(III)-OOH and Fe(II/III) bound to proanthocyanidins, with particles in the order of 20 nm, was prepared by green synthesis assisted by extract of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) berry seeds from an agro-industrial residue. The nanomaterial was applied in the adsorption of cationic dyes. Screening tests were carried out for methylene blue (MB), resulting in an outstanding maximum adsorption capacity of 531.8 mg g-1 at 343 K, pH 10, 180 min. The kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model and the isotherm of Fritz-Schülnder provided the best fit. Thermodynamic data show an endothermic process with entropy increase, typical of chemisorption. The proposed mechanism is based on the multilayer formation over a heterogeneous adsorbent surface, with chemical and electrostatic interactions of MB with the iron oxide nanoparticles and with the proanthocyanidins. The high adsorption efficiency was attributed to the network formed by the polymeric proanthocyanidins that entangled and protected the iron oxide nanoparticles, which allowed the reuse of the nanomaterial for seven cycles without loss of adsorption efficiency.

Euterpe oleracea extract (açaí) exhibits cardioprotective effects after chemotherapy treatment in a breast cancer model.

BACKGROUND: Açaí, a Brazilian native fruit, has already been demonstrated to play a role in the progress of breast cancer and cardiotoxicity promoted by chemotherapy agents. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the combined use of açaí and the FAC-D chemotherapy protocol in a breast cancer model in vivo. METHODS: Mammary carcinogenesis was induced in thirty female Wistar rats by subcutaneous injection of 25 mg/kg 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) in the mammary gland. After sixty days, the rats were randomized into two groups: treated with 200 mg/kg of either açaí extract or vehicle, via gastric tube for 45 consecutive days. The FAC-D protocol was initiated after 90 days of induction by intraperitoneal injection for 3 cycles with a 7-day break each. After treatment, blood was collected for haematological and biochemical analyses, and tumours were collected for macroscopic and histological analyses. In the same way, heart, liver, and kidney samples were also collected for macroscopic and histological analyses. RESULTS: Breast cancer was found as a cystic mass with a fibrotic pattern in the mammary gland. The histological analysis showed an invasive carcinoma area in both groups; however, in the saline group, there was a higher presence of inflammatory clusters. No difference was observed regarding body weight, glycaemia, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and urea in either group. However, açaí treatment decreased creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB (CKMB), troponin I and C-reactive protein levels and increased the number of neutrophils and monocytes. Heart histopathology showed normal myocardium in the açaí treatment, while the saline group presented higher toxicity effects with loss of architecture of cardiac tissue. Furthermore, the açaí treatment presented greater collagen distribution, increased hydroxyproline concentration and lower H2AX immunostaining in the heart samples. CONCLUSION: Açaí decreased the number of inflammatory cells in the tumor environment and exhibited protection against chemotherapy drug cardiotoxicity with an increased immune response in animals. Thus, açaí can be considered a promising low-cost therapeutic treatment that can be used in association with chemotherapy agents to avoid heart damage.

What We Know about Euterpe Genus and Neuroprotection: A Scoping Review.

The Euterpe genus (mainly Euterpe oleracea Martius, Euterpe precatoria Martius, and Euterpe edulis Martius) has recently gained commercial and scientific notoriety due to the high nutritional value of its fruits, which are rich in polyphenols (phenolic acids and anthocyanins) and have potent antioxidant activity. These characteristics have contributed to the increased number of neuropharmacological evaluations of the three species over the last 10 years, especially açaí of the species Euterpe oleracea Martius. The fruits of the three species exert neuroprotective effects through the modulation of inflammatory and oxidative pathways and other mechanisms, including the inhibition of the mTOR pathway and protection of the blood-brain barrier, all of them intimately involved in several neuropathologies. Thus, a better understanding of the neuropharmacological properties of these three species may open new paths for the development of therapeutic tools aimed at preventing and treating a variety of neurological conditions.

"Bunch of acai berries sign": a new radiological sign in patients with CNS involvement in Chagas disease.

Chagas disease is an infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasite endemic in Latin America. Acute involvement of the CNS by Chagas has been considered rare, but presumed reactivation of chronic disease in immunosuppressed patients has been the subject of recent reports. Our objective is to describe the clinical and imaging characteristics of four patients with Chagas disease and CNS involvement, and the patients had to have available MRI and a diagnosis confirmed by biopsy. The imaging findings were similar, highlighting the presence of focal cerebral lesions with hypointensity on T2-WI, and these lesions assume a "bunch of acai berries appearance", a fruit involved in the transmission of T. cruzi. The post Gd T1-WI shows punctate enhancement. Knowledge of this pattern may be crucial to recognize this disease in immunocompromised patients from endemic areas.

Effects of Juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius) on Health: An Overview of Clinical and Experimental Studies and Call for Action.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Juçara is a fruit of ecological and nutritional importance. Its fruits represent an option for the sustainable use of the plant due to its vulnerability to extinction. Thus, the aim of this review was to analyze clinical and experimental studies and highlight the literature gaps regarding the effects of supplementation with Juçara on health. METHODS: For this scoping review, we consulted the Medline (PubMed), Science Direct, and Scopus databases in March, April, and May 2022. Experimental studies and clinical trials published in the last ten years (2012-2022) were analyzed. Data were synthesized and reported. RESULTS: A total of 27 studies were included, 18 of which were experimental studies. Of these, 33% evaluated inflammatory markers associated with fat accumulation. Most of these studies (83%) used pulp in lyophilized form, and the others (17%) involved juçara extract mixed in water. In addition, 78% of the studies showed positive results with respect to the lipid profile, reduction of oncological lesions, inflammation, microbiota modulation, and improvement in obesity and glycemia-related metabolic complications. Nine clinical trials with results similar to those of experimental trials were found. The majority (56%) were chronic (four to six weeks into the intervention), and 44% were acute. Three offered juçara supplementation in the form of juice, four used freeze-dried pulp, two used fresh pulp, and one used a 9% dilution. The dose was fixed at 5 g, but the dilution ranged from 200 to 450 mL. These trials assessed mainly healthy, physically active, and obese individual adults (19-56 years old), and cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as improvement in the lipid profile and prebiotic potential, were observed. CONCLUSION: Juçara supplementation showed promising results with respect to its effect on health. However, further studies are needed to clarify these possible effects on health and their mechanisms of action.

Effects of the juçara fruit (Euterpe edulis Martius) pulp and lyophilized extract on NRF2, KEAP1, SOD1, and GPX2 expression in human colorectal cancer cell lines.

We investigated the effects of the juçara fruit (Euterpe edulis Martius) pulp and lyophilized extract on the expression of cytoprotective genes nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (NRF2), kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), superoxide dismutase (SOD1), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX2) in human colorectal cancer cell lines (HT-29 and Caco-2). Cells were cultured for 24 h in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium containing juçara fruit pulp (5, 10, or 50 mg/mL) or lyophilized extract (0.05, 0.1, or 0.5 mg/mL), and gene expression was quantified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. All studied genes showed significant variation in gene expression among different concentrations of pulp or lyophilized extract. Overall, the expression of the selected genes decreased in both cell lines following exposure to the pulp or lyophilized extract in a dose-dependent manner for most of the concentrations studied. In summary, our study showed that the compounds in juçara fruit inhibited the expression of cytoprotective genes associated with the antioxidant response and that, although not cytotoxic at the concentrations studied, they could potentially block the activation of the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) in Health and Disease: A Critical Review.

The açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), a species belonging to the Arecaceae family, has been cultivated for thousands of years in tropical Central and South America as a multipurpose dietary plant. The recent introduction of açaí fruit and its nutritional and healing qualities to regions outside its origin has rapidly expanded global demand for açaí berry. The health-promoting and disease-preventing properties of this plant are attributed to numerous bioactive phenolic compounds present in the leaf, pulp, fruit, skin, and seeds. The purpose of this review is to present an up-to-date, comprehensive, and critical evaluation of the health benefits of açaí and its phytochemicals with a special focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that açaí possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and exerts cardioprotective, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, renoprotective, antilipidemic, antidiabetic, and antineoplastic activities. Moreover, clinical trials have suggested that açaí can protect against metabolic stress induced by oxidation, inflammation, vascular abnormalities, and physical exertion. Due to its medicinal properties and the absence of undesirable effects, açaí shows a promising future in health promotion and disease prevention, in addition to a vast economic potential in the food and cosmetic industries.

Açai Berry Administration Promotes Wound Healing through Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway.

Recently, wound healing has received increased attention from both a scientific and clinical point of view. It is characterized by an organized series of processes: angiogenesis, cell migration and proliferation, extracellular matrix production, and remodeling. Many of these processes are controlled by the Wnt pathway, which activates them. The aim of the study was to evaluate the molecular mechanism of açai berry administration in a mouse model of wound healing. CD1 male mice were used in this research. Two full-thickness excisional wounds (5 mm) were performed with a sterile biopsy punch on the dorsum to create two circular, full-thickness skin wounds on either side of the median line on the dorsum. Açai berry was administered by oral administration (500 mg/kg dissolved in saline) for 6 days after induction of the wound. Our study demonstrated that açai berry can modulate the Wnt pathway, reducing the expression of Wnt3a, the cysteine-rich domain of frizzled (FZ)8, and the accumulation of cytosolic and nuclear ß-catenin. Moreover, açai berry reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-18, which are target genes strictly downstream of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. It also showed important anti-inflammatory activities by reducing the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, Wnt can modulate the activity of growth factors, such as TGF-ß, and VEGF, which are the basis of the wound-healing process. In conclusion, we can confirm that açai berry can modulate the activity of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, as it is involved in the inflammatory process and in the activity of the growth factor implicated in wound healing.

Development of alcohol vinegars macerated with ACAI (Euterpe precatoria Mart.) berries and their quality evaluations with emphasis on color, antioxidant capacity, and volatiles profile.

In this work, the Amazonian native acai fruit, a superfruit recognized worldwide, was used through a simple operation of maceration in alcohol vinegar to transform it into an attractive and functional product containing the acai natural colorant and its bioactive compounds. The variables studied were the proportion of alcohol vinegar to acai (8:2 and 1:1) and maceration period (7, 14, and 21 days). The final vinegar was subjected to the determination of color parameters, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ABTS), total phenolics content (TPC), volatile compounds extracted by stir bar sorptive extraction and identified by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The alcohol vinegars macerated with acai presented the color according to the content of acai added and maceration period employed, whereas antioxidant capacity and TPC were comparable to vinegars elaborated from fruits and red wine. Sixty volatiles compounds classified into five chemical groups were identified. The principal volatile compounds which contributed to the aroma in the products were 3-methyl-1-butanol, phenylethyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, o-cymene, p-cymenene, isoamyl acetate, and ethyl acetate. The most attractive product regarding the parameters studied was obtained from the use of the proportion of 1:1 of alcohol vinegar:acai and maceration period of 14 days. This product retained the most similar color to acai in natura, the highest values for antioxidant capacity measured by ABTS and TPC while being rich in volatile compounds due to the contributions mainly of alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and terpenes. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This work demonstrates the feasibility to produce an alcohol vinegar with an attractive color and functional properties by the addition of acai resulting in to a wide spectrum of chemical compounds of acai through a very simple operation of maceration during 14 days of a proportion of 1:1 of alcohol vinegar:acai.

Photodynamic therapy with acai (Euterpe oleracea) and blue light in oral cells: A spectroscopic and cytotoxicity analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with blue light-emitting diode (LED) 460 nm at 25, 50 and 100 J/cm2 using three concentrations of acai extracts (100, 40, and 10 mg/ml), in the proliferation and viability of head and neck tumor lines (SCC9). METHODS: Three groups of cells were analyzed for 3 days in an in vitro assay with MTT (3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5, -diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and crystal violet: cells in the absence of acai extract and PDT (control group); cells in the presence of acai extract and no light; and cells in the presence of acai extract and LED blue light (PDT groups). RESULTS: When using acai as a PS combined with blue LED (460 nm, 0.7466 cm2 , 1000 mW/cm2 ) and irradiation at 25, 50, and 100 J/cm2 , after 72 h, cell viability (p < 0.0001 vs. control, p = 0.0027 vs. 100 mg/ml açai group, p = 0.0039 vs. 40 mg/ml açai group, p = 0.0135 vs. 10 mg/ml açai group; One-Way ANOVA/Tukey) and proliferation (p < 0.05, One-Way ANOVA/Tukey) decreased. CONCLUSION: The acai in question is a potential photosensitizer (PS), with blue light absorbance and efficacy against head and neck tumor lines (SCC9).

Proteomic changes associated with the development of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds.

Açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) seeds are a rich source of mannans, which can be used to generate bioethanol or be converted to high-value D-mannose, in addition to being a source of polyphenols with beneficial health properties. Here, we present a quantitative proteome dataset of açaí seeds at four stages of development (S1, S2, S3, and S4 stages), in which 2465 high confidence proteins were identified and 524 of them show statistically different abundance profiles during development. Several enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of nucleotide-sugars were quantified, especially those dedicated to the formation of GDP-mannose, which showed an increase in abundance between stages S1 and S3. Our data suggest that linear mannans found abundantly in endosperm cell walls are initially deposited as galactomannans, and during development lose the galactosyl groups. Two isoforms of alpha-galactosidase enzymes showed significantly increased abundances in the S3 and S4 stages. Additionally, we quantified the enzymes participating in the central pathway of flavonoid biosynthesis responsible for the formation of catechin and epicatechin, which are subunits of procyanidins, the main class of polyphenols in the açaí seeds. These proteins showed the same pattern of deposition, in which higher abundances were seen in the S1 and S2 stages.

Neuroprotective potential of the Amazonian fruits Euterpe oleracea Mart. and Paullinia cupana Kunth

Abstract Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and guarana (Paullinia cupana Kunth) are native species from the Amazon Forest that in folk medicine are used to treat several diseases due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This review brings together findings from different studies on the potential neuroprotective effects of acai and guarana, highlighting the importance of the conservation and sustainable exploitation of the Amazon Forest. A bibliographic survey in the PubMed database retrieved indexed articles written in English that focused on the effects of acai and guarana in in vitro and in vivo models of neurodegenerative diseases. In general, treatment with either acai or guarana decreased neuroinflammation, increased antioxidant responses, ameliorated depression, and protected cells from neurotoxicity mediated by aggregated proteins. The results from these studies suggest that flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids found in both acai and guarana have therapeutic potential not only for neurodegenerative diseases, but also for depressive disorders. In addition, acai and guarana show beneficial effects in slowing down the physiological aging process. However, toxicity and efficacy studies are still needed to guide the formulation of herbal medicines from acai and guarana.

Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Properties in Extracts of Developing Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Seeds.

We investigated changes in the phenolic profile and antioxidant properties in the extracts of developing seeds of açaí (Euterpe oleracea). Four developmental stages were evaluated, with earlier stages displaying higher antioxidant activity and polyphenols content, while mass spectrometry analysis identified procyanidins (PCs) as the major components of the extracts in all stages. B-type PCs varied from dimers to decamers, with A-type linkages in a smaller number. Extracted PCs decreased in average length from 20.5 to 10.1 along seed development. PC composition indicated that (-)-epicatechin corresponded to over 95% of extension units in all stages, while (+)-catechin presence as the starter unit increased from 42 to 78.8% during seed development. This variation was correlated to the abundance of key enzymes for PC biosynthesis during seed development. This study is the first to report PC content and composition variations during açaí seed development, which can contribute to studies on the plant's physiology and biotechnological applications.

Diversity and genetic structure of natural populations of the palm tree Euterpe precatoria (Arecaceae) / Diversidad y estructura genética de poblaciones naturales de la palmera Euterpe precatoria (Arecaceae)

Abstract Introduction: The natural ecosystems of northern Mato Grosso, Brazil, are in process of fragmentation, mainly due to population growth and the expansion of agriculture. This endangers the palm Euterpe precatoria (locally known as açaí), used for construction, palm hearts, juices and ice cream. Objective: To evaluate the local diversity and genetic structure in native populations of E. precatoria. Methods: We collected leaves from 106 fruiting palms from five populations in Mato Grosso State, for analysis of microsatellite markers with Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: The five SSR loci revealed a total of 30 alleles, ranging from 5 (EE23 and EE43) to 7 (EE2 and EE15), with an average of 6 alleles per locus. The mean PIC was 0.74 and confirmed low heterozygosity and inbreeding. The UPGMA dendrogram produced two groups and molecular variance revealed greater genetic differentiation within populations. The high levels of homozygous microsatellite loci indicate low genetic diversity. Conclusions: These populations have low gene diversity, high average number of alleles per locus, and rare and exclusive alleles. We recommend the establishment of permanent conservation units with corridors among them.

Resumen Introducción: Los ecosistemas naturales del norte de Mato Grosso, Brasil, están en proceso de fragmentación, principalmente debido al crecimiento de la población y la expansión de la agricultura. Esto pone en peligro la palma Euterpe precatoria (localmente conocida como açaí), utilizada para la construcción, extracción de palmito, preparación de jugos y helados. Objetivo: Evaluar la diversidad local y estructura genética en poblaciones nativas de E. precatoria. Métodos: Recolectamos hojas de 106 palmas fructíferas de cinco poblaciones en el estado de Mato Grosso, para análisis de marcadores microsatélites con el método de Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR). Resultados: Los cinco loci SSR revelaron un total de 30 alelos, que van desde 5 (EE23 y EE43) hasta 7 (EE2 y EE15), con un promedio de 6 alelos por locus. El PIC medio fue de 0.74 y confirmó baja heterocigosidad y endogamia en las poblaciones. El dendrograma UPGMA produjo dos grupos y la varianza molecular reveló una mayor diferenciación genética dentro de las poblaciones. Los loci de microsatélites presentaron un alto nivel de homocigotos lo que indica una baja diversidad genética. Conclusiones: Estas poblaciones tienen baja diversidad genética, alto promedio de alelos por locus y alelos raros y únicos. Recomendamos el establecimiento de unidades de conservación permanentes con corredores entre ellas.

Ultrastructural changes induced by açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart) in MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart) is an Amazon plant with many biological properties. Previous report of this group evidenced autophagy induction after treatment with açaí seed extract in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines by acridine orange assay. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ultrastructural changes induced by açaí seed extract in MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. First, MCF- 7 breast cancer cell line viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Acridine orange assay showed increase in the acidic compartments, suggesting autophagolysosome formation. These cells were treated with 25 µg/ml for 24 h and evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (MET). This analysis showed that açaí seed extract induced autophagy, confirmed by autophagolysosome formation. Furthermore, açaí seed extract increased the number of mitochondria, suggesting the enrollment of reactive oxygen species in autophagy.