Effect of Ultrasound on In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) Residues cv. Tupy.

Agro-industries residues of fruit are a source of antioxidant compounds with a possible health impact. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total phenolic content (TPC), total monomeric anthocyanins (TMA), individual phenolic compounds (IPC), antioxidant capacity and in vitro intestinal bioaccessibility from blackberry residues (BR), and ultrasonicated blackberry residues (US-BR). The results showed that BR had higher TPC (4,016.43 mg GAE/100 g DM), TMA (364.53 mg Cy-3-Gl/100 g) antioxidant capacity by ABTS (5,422.38 mg AAE/100 g DM) and FRAP (12511.44 µmol Fe(II)/100 g DM) than US-BR. TPC and TMA obtained by US-BR were more bioaccessible (70 and 51%, respectively) compared to BR (37 and 34%, respectively). The use of ultrasound can aid the extraction of total phenolic compounds and improve their bioaccessibility. After acid hydrolysis, a high amount of individual phenolic compounds (IPC) in US-BR (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, apigenin, luteolin and kaempferol) was obtained compared with BR. Before in vitro digestion, total individual compounds (TIC) content was lower in the BR (29.49 mg/100 g DM) than US-BR (92.36 mg/100 g DM) and there was 5 and < 1%, respectively. Therefore, the food industry would use residues of blackberry fruits as a source of antioxidant compounds with possible health benefits.

Ethanolic Extract of Salvia hispanica L. Regulates Blood Pressure by Modulating the Expression of Genes Involved in BP-Regulatory Pathways.

Hypertension (HT) is considered to be a potential risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and has been directly related to pathologies such as obesity and dyslipidemias. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) blocked the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone cascade diminishing the production of angiotensin II and the level of bradykinin, produced by the kallikrein-kinin system. Although ACEIs are effective therapeutics in regulating HT, they present several side-effects that can be due to their mechanism of action (as hypotension, cough, dizziness, light-headedness or hyperkalemia) to specific drug molecular structure (skin rash, neutropenia and tasting disorders) or due to associated pathologies in the patients (it has been considered a possible nephrotoxic effect when ACEIs are administered in combination with angiotensin receptor blockers, in patients that present comorbidities as diabetes, acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease). Therefore, it is necessary the searching for new products with ACEI activity that do not produce side effects. Interestingly, species of the plant genus Salvia have been found to possess hypotensive effects. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of the ethanolic extract of Salvia hispanica L. seeds (EESH) on the expression of genes involved in pathways regulating HT. Administration of EESH to hypertensive rats inhibited the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity along with a decrease in Ace and elevation of Agtr1a and Nos3 gene expression, as compared to that in healthy rats. Moreover, these results were similar to those observed with captopril, an antihypertensive drug used as a control. No significant change in the expression of Bdkrb2 gene was observed in the different groups of rats. To conclude, our results demonstrate that EESH regulates blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive rats through transcriptionally regulating the expression of genes that participate in different pathways involving ACE.

Protección antioxidante de zarzamora para disminuir daño muscular en atletas de elite / Proteção antioxidante da amora-preta para reduzir danos musculares em atletas de elite / Blackberry antioxidant protection to prevent muscle damage in elite athletes

La actividad física de alta intensidad o competencia puede generar daño muscular pudiendo afectar el rendimiento de los atletas. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar si los antioxidantes presentes en la zarzamora favorecen el proceso de recuperación sobre el daño muscular en atletas a través de la cuantificación de creatincinasa (CK) y urea tras una semana de competencia. Se evaluó la CK y urea en plasma del grupo experimental (GE) y un grupo placebo (GP), en las siguientes etapas: (basal) previo a la ingesta del jugo, (pre) al inicio de la competencia, (final) al final de la competencia, (24h), (48h) y (72h) finalizado el último partido. En relación a la CK, se observaron diferencias significativas en el GE en las etapas de pre y la final con respecto a la basal (p < 0.05), en la toma final con respecto a la pre (p < 0.05) y en la toma 48h y 72h con relación a la final (p < 0.05). En el GP únicamente se encontraron diferencias significativas (p < 0.05) entre las tomas 48h y 72h con relación a la final. En la concentración de urea se presentó diferencia en las tomas final, 24h y 48 h con relación a la pre (p < 0.05), en el GP no hubo diferencias significativas en ninguna de las tomas. Estos resultados sugieren que el consumo de zarzamora contribuye a la recuperación del daño muscular (AU)

High intensity physical activity can provoke muscle damage and consequently affect athletes’ performance. The aim of this study was to determine if antioxidants contained in blackberry can stimulate athletes’ processes of recovery from muscle damage, using Creatine Kinase (CK) quantification and urea values after a week of competition as indicators. Participants were divided into an experimental (EG) and a placebo group (CG). In both groups, CK and urea in plasma were measured before, during and after competition. Significant differences were observed in EG at pre and post phases, compared to the basal (p < 0.05). Further, significant differences were found in the pre-post analysis of EG (p < 0.05), as well as after 48h and 72h compared with post-test (p < 0.05). Significant differences were also found for CG (p < 0.05) at 48h and 72h compared to post-test. As regard to urea concentration, differences were shown at post-test, after 24h, and after 48h compared to pre-test (p < 0.05). CG showed no significant differences at any stage of the research. These results suggest that consumption of blackberries may contribute to muscle damage recovery (AU)

A atividade física de alta intensidade ou a competição pode levar a lesão muscular e pode afetar o desempenho dos atletas. O objectivo deste estudo foi determinar se antioxidantes presentes na amora-preta favorecem o processo de recuperação de danos musculares em atletas através da quantificação da creatina quinase (CK) e ureia após uma semana de competição. CK e ureia foi avaliada no plasma do grupo experimental (GE) e um grupo de placebo (GP), nos seguintes passos: (linha de base) antes da ingestão de sumo, (pré) no início da competição (final) para final da competição, (24h), (48h) e (72h) no término o último jogo. No que diz respeito a CK, tiveram diferenças significativas no GE no pré e último em relação ao basal (p< .05), na ingestão final sobre a pré (p < .05) e na ingestão 48h e 72h em relação à final (p < .05). No GP unicamente foram encontradas diferenças significativas (p < .05) entre as ingestões 48h e 72h em relação à final. Na concentração de ureia apareceu uma diferença nas ingestões finais, 24h e 48 h em relação ao pré (p < .05) no GP não houve diferenças significativas em nenhumas das ingestões. Estes resultados sugerem que o consumo de amorapreta contribui para a recuperação de lesões musculares (AU)