ABSTRACT
Background: Characterization of food lipids has triggered the development of applications for the food and health industries. Thus, the lipid profiles of an increasing number of fruits and their seeds have been characterized and numerous bioactive components have been isolated. The bitter gourd seed oil has aroused great interest because it contains relevant amounts of conjugated fatty acid α-eleostearic acid (C18:3 9c11t13t), a positional and geometric isomer of α-linolenic acid. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and quality parameters of the seed oil of bitter gourd grown in Brazil. Methods: Bitter gourd was purchased from CEAGESP (Brazilian company of fresh food storages and warehouses). Seeds were lyophilized, and their oil was extracted using the Soxhlet and Folch extraction methods. The profiles of fatty acids and phytosterols were analyzed by gas chromatography, and the acidity and peroxide values were evaluated by methods of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS). Results: The Soxhlet extraction (40 % w / w ) resulted in a higher yield of bitter gourd seed oil than the Folch extraction (16 % w / w). For both methods, α-eleostearic acid (56 and 58 %) was the major lipid in bitter gourd seed oil, followed by stearic acid (C18:0; 32 and 27 %). The oil displayed high content of phytosterols (886 mg/100 g), mainly ß-sitosterol, and low acidity and peroxide values. Conclusions: Bitter gourd seed oil from Brazil is an oil of good quality and its high contents of α-eleostearic acid and phytosterols with potential health-beneficial properties make it an attractive plant byproduct.
Subject(s)
Momordica charantia/chemistry , Phytosterols/therapeutic use , Plant Preparations/therapeutic use , Dietary Fats, UnsaturatedABSTRACT
A clorofilina cúprica de sódio (CuChl) é um corante semissintético derivado da clorofila. Quimicamente é constituído de diversas clorinas, em especial a clorina cúprica e4 (CuCe4), a clorina cúprica e6 (CuCe6), e possíveis clorinas e porfirinas não cúpricas em proporções variáveis. Além do seu uso como corante alimentar, são atribuídas atividades biológicas à CuChl, tais como, antimutagênica, anticarcinogênica e antioxidante. Em decorrência destes potenciais efeitos benéficos, sua comercialização sob a forma de suplementos é crescente. Todavia, curiosamente, informações sobre a absorção e biodisponibilidade da CuChl são escassas. Além disso, até o momento nenhum estudo avaliou o impacto da composição da CuChl em sua bioatividade e eficácia. Assim, o presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar e caracterizar quimicamente duas amostras de CuChl (Sigma® e Chr. Hansen®) e o padrão de CuCe6 (Frontier Scientific®). Para tanto, empregou-se técnicas cromatográficas e espectrofotométricas, determinou-se a lipofilicidade em modelos miméticos de membrana, cinética de degradação e avaliou-se a interação CuCe6/BSA. A análise elementar da CuChl resultou em teores de cobre total inferiores aos recomendados pela United States Pharmacopeia (U.S.P.). Os elementos (CHN) e a razão Cu/N não foram coerentes com os valores teóricos da molécula de CuChl. Apenas uma amostra de CuChl apresentou razão Soret/Q dentro dos valores preconizados pela U.S.P. A titulação base-ácido da CuCe6 revelou dois valores de pkas (10,62 e 6,41) que foram similares para as amostras de CuChl. A determinação de log P da CuCe6 mostrou que a hidrofobicidade é máxima em pH 3 (log P = 1,49±0,09) e sua hidrofilicidade ocorre em pHs > 7. Esse comportamento foi confirmado nos ensaios de incorporação em lipossomas em função do pH. A degradação térmica da CuChl (25 a 95 °C) avaliada por HPLC foi drástica a partir de 75 °C. A energia necessária para que ocorra a degradação da CuChl e CuCe6 é Ea = 16,1 e 9,3kcal/mol, respectivamente. A meia-vida a 35 °C é de 6 horas para a CuChl e 2 horas e meia para a CuCe6. A separação mais eficiente dos componentes da CuChl por HPLC foi conseguida utilizando coluna C30 e a identificação dos principais constituintes CuCe6, CuCe4 e a clorina cúprica p6 (CuCp6), ocorreu por HPLC/MSMS. No estudo da ligação entre CuCe6 e proteína BSA foram obtidos os valores de KD = 0,38 ± 0,07 µM, KA = 3,3 ± 0,28 x 106 M-1 e número de sítios de ligação ~1 (N = 0,75 ± 0,09), indicativo de alta afinidade entre a clorina e a proteína. Assim, o comportamento químico dos principais componentes da CuChl e sua interação com os componentes do soro tornaram inviáveis a identificação e quantificação destas moléculas em ensaios in vivo. Os resultados aqui apresentados servem de subsídio para o desenvolvimento de outras pesquisas que visem o estudo específico da associação e dissociação da CuChl em material biológico
Sodium copper chlorophyllin (CuChl) is a semisynthetic derivative of chlorophyll dye. It is composed chemically by several chlorins, especially copper chlorin e4 (CuCe4), copper chlorin e6 (CuCe6), and possible others no copper porphyrins and chlorins in different proportions. In addition to its use as a food coloring, CuChl may have interesting biological effects as antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic and antioxidant. Because of these potential benefits, its use as a dietary supplement is increasing. However, information on the absorption and bioavailability of CuChl is scarce. Furthermore, no studies have evaluated the impact of CuChl composition in its bioactivity and efficacy. Thus, the present study aimed to identify and chemically characterize two samples of CuChl (Sigma® and Hansen®) and the standard of CuCe6 (Frontier Scientific®). Chromatographic and spectrometric techniques as well as mimetics models membrane were used. The CuCe6/BSA interaction was also evaluated. The elemental analysis of CuChl showed that the total copper content of it was smaller that the one recommended by United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The elements (CHN) and the ratio Cu / N were not consistent with the theoretical values of the molecule CuChl. Only one CuChl sample showed Soret / Q ratio within the range recommended by USP. The acid-base titration of CuCe6 revealed two pKas values (10.62 and 6.41), which were similar for CuChl samples. The log P determination of CuCe6 showed that its hydrophobicity is maximal at pH 3 (log P = 1.49 ± 0.09) and its hydrophilicity occurs at pH> 7. These results were confirmed using the incorporation into liposomes assay in function of pH. Using HPLC, it was observed that thermal degradation of CuChl (25 to 95 °C) hardly occurred from 75 °C. The energy necessary for CuChl and CuCe6 degradation is Ea = 16.1 and 9.3 kcal/mol, respectively. The half-life at 35°C for CuChl and CuCe6 is 6 hours and 2 ½ hours, respectively. A more efficient separation of the CuChl components by HPLC was achieved using a C30 column while its major constituents CuCe6, CuCe4 and copper chlorin p6 (CuCp6) were identified by HPLC / MS-MS. In binding analysis of CuCe6 and BSA, it was observed KD = 0.38 ± 0.07 mM, KA = 3.3 ± 0.28 x 106 M-1, and number of binding sites ~ 1 (N = 0.75 ± .09), indicating high affinity between BSA and chlorine. Thus, due to the chemical characteristics of the main components of CuChl and their interaction with serum components the identification and quantification of these molecules in vivo is unviable. Future studies should investigate the association and dissociation of CuChl in biological samples