Prehispanic Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals in the Treatment of Dyslipidemia Associated to Cardiovascular Disease: a Mini-Review.

Dyslipidemia is an important modifi able risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, which are responsible for a large number of mortality and disability cases around the globe. Different strategies have been used within the treatment of dyslipidemia, including lifestyle modifi cations, pharmacologic therapy, as well as functional foods and nutraceuticals. Functional foods have been used worldwide since ancient times, particularly, the prehispanic civilizations utilized several as medicinal foods. In the current pandemic of dyslipidemia as well as the nutritional transition, particularly in Latin America, the use of native functional foods represents an attractive target for the treatment and/ or prevention of these conditions. In this mini-review, evidence regarding different functional foods such as cacao, amaranth, chia, nopal, spirulina, as well as their nutraceutical compounds, including fl avonoids, omega-3 PUFAs, fi ber, prebiotics, lovastatin, c-phycocyanin, among others, and their mechanism of action are presented and discussed. Although such foods certainly are considered as attractive potential agents to target dyslipidemia thus decrease the associated cardiometabolic risk, we conclude that for most of the presented functional foods there is currently not enough evidence to support its recommendation and every-day use.

Pre-Hispanic Foods Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus), Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) and Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.) as New Alternative Ingredients for Developing Functional Cookies.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotusostreatus), nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) are pre-Hispanic foods widely consumed in Mexico. However, there are no standard products developed with these ingredientsas functional cookies. This study evaluated the impact of partial replacement (50%) of whole-wheat flour (WWF) with three formulations of P. ostreatus, nopal and amaranth flours (POF, NF and AF, respectively) on the nutritional/antioxidant properties of fortified cookies. The proportion of the flours' ingredients (WWF:AF:NF:POF) were 100% WWF (traditional cookies), 50:35:10:5 (F1), 50:30:15:5 (F2) and 50:40:5:5 (F3). Proximal composition, phenolic/flavonoid contents, and ABTS•+ scavenging activity were determined in flours and cookies.POF, NF and AF possess a high nutritional value comprising polyphenols/flavonoids and a significant antioxidant potential. Total protein, ash and flavonoids were higher in fortified cookies than in controls. Cookies prepared with F2-the highest nopal level-contained 5.29% of dietary fiber and five times higher polyphenol content than control cookies. The ABTS•+ scavenging ability was similar in the three enriched cookies (87.73-89.58%), but higher than that in traditional cookies (75.60%). The applicability of POF/NF/AF for replacing up to 50% of WWF in the production of functional cookies was demonstrated without compromising products' acceptability.This research promotes renewable local bioresouces for a sustainable agri-food chain, especially edible mushrooms.

Aleatory Trypanosoma cruzi Vertical Transmission in Chiapas, Mexico: A Case Report.

Congenital Chagas disease is considered a form of dispersion of Trypanosoma cruzi related to human migration from endemic, often rural to previously non-endemic urban areas. This fact increases the Chagas disease establishment risk inside of family members by vertical transmission pathway. Congenital Chagas disease cases in newborns could not identified by the health professional even in endemic regions. Here we present the first family cluster of Chagas disease cases from Chiapas: one of the most important endemic areas in South of Mexico, where vertical T. cruzi transmission incidence rate is ranged between 2% to 22% revealing an important public health problem. Two cases inside a family from Chiapas, México with positive antibodies against T. cruzi detected by ELISA are presented; one of them got the infection through vertical pathway. We think that congenital Chagas disease should not be ignored in a newborn born from an asymptomatic Chagas disease mother, who may transmit the parasite infection randomly.

Anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous extracts of spent Pleurotus ostreatus substrates in mouse ears treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate.

AIMS: To evaluate the application of spent Pleurotus ostreatus substrates, enriched or not with medicinal herbs, as a source of anti-inflammatory compounds. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: P. ostreatus was cultivated on five different substrates: Barley straw (BS) and BS combined 80:20 with medicinal herbs (Chenopodium ambrosioides L. [BS/CA], Rosmarinus officinalis L. [BS/RO], Litsea glaucescens Kunth [BS/LG], and Tagetes lucida Cav. [BS/TL]). The anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extracts of spent mushroom substrates (SMSs) (4 mg/ear) was studied using an acute inflammation model in the mouse ear induced with 2.5 µg/ear 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol13-acetate (TPA). RESULTS: Groups treated with BS/CA, BS/RO, and BS/LG aqueous extracts exhibited the best anti-inflammatory activity (94.0% ± 5.5%, 92.9% ± 0.6%, and 90.4% ± 5.0% inhibition of auricular edema [IAO], respectively), and these effects were significantly different (P < 0.05) from that of the positive control indomethacin (0.5 mg/ear). BS/TL and BS were also able to reduce TPA-induced inflammation but to a lesser extent (70.0% ± 6.7% and 43.5% ± 6.6% IAO, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Spent P. ostreatus substrate of BS possesses a slight anti-inflammatory effect. The addition of CA L. to mushroom substrate showed a slightly synergistic effect while RO L. had an additive effect. In addition, LG Kunth and TL Cav. enhanced the anti-inflammatory effect of SMS. However, to determine whether there is a synergistic or additive effect, it is necessary to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of each medicinal herb.

Fribrinolytic activity and gas production by Pleurotus ostreatus-IE8 and Fomes fomentarius - EUM1 in bagasse cane / Actividad fibrolítica y producción de gas por Pleurotus ostreatus-IE8 y Fomes fomentarius-EUM1 en bagazo de caña

Objective. To characterize the fibrolytic enzymatic activity of Pleurotus ostreatus-IE8 and Fomes fomentarius-EUM1 in sugarcane bagasse (BCA); to evaluation of the kinetics of in vitro production of BCA treated by solid fermentation (FS), crude enzyme extract (ECE) of P. ostreatus-IE8 and Fibrozyme®. Materials and methods. In fungi measured radial growth rate ( Vcr ) and biomass production in two culture media (with or without nitrogen source); activity of xylanases, cellulases and FS on BCA at 0, 7 and 15 d. The chemical analysis and kinetic analysis of in vitro gas production in 4 treatments (ECE adding enzymes obtained from the direct addition FS or FS ), witness (Fibrozyme®) and a control without addition and analyzed by a was completely randomized design. Results. Xylanases (7 d ) showed 6.32 and 5.50 UI g-1 initial substrate dry weight (SSi) for fungi P. ostreatus-IE8 and F. fomentarius-EUM1 , respectively ; P. ostreatus-IE8 scored higher activity of laccases (10.65 g-1 UI SSi) and F. fomentarius-EUM1 (1.90 UI g-1 SSi) cellulases. The ECE of P. ostreatus-IE8 and commercial enzyme did not differences (p>0.05). In the chemical composition or the gas production kinetics. The 4 treatments evaluated decreased values of the variables measured in the kinetics of gas production compared to the control (p≤0.05). Conclusions. The ECE of P. ostreatus-IE8 was similar to commercial enzyme degradation in vitro, so it is feasible to use pre-digest high fiber products.

Objetivos. Caracterizar la actividad enzimática fibrolítica de Pleurotus ostreatus-IE8 y Fomes fomentarius-EUM1 en bagazo de caña de azúcar (BCA) y evaluar la cinética de producción de gas in vitro del BCA por fermentación sólida (FS) o con extractos crudos enzimáticos (ECE) de P. ostreatus-IE8 o Fibrozyme®. Materiales y métodos. En los hongos de estudio se evaluó la velocidad de crecimiento radial (Vcr) y producción de biomasa en dos medios de cultivo (con o sin fuente de nitrógeno); actividad de xilanasas, celulasas y lacasas de la FS sobre BCA a 0, 7 y 15 d. El análisis químico y cinética de producción de gas in vitro en 4 tratamientos (proceso de FS o adición de enzimas obtenidas de ECE de la FS), un testigo (Fibrozyme®) y un control sin adición de enzimas, todo ello se analizó en un diseño completamente al azar. Resultados. Las xilanasas (7 d) mostraron 6.32 y 5.50 UI g-1 sustrato seco inicial (SSi) en P. ostreatus-IE8 y F. fomentarius-EUM1, respectivamente. P. ostreatus-IE8 mostró mayor actividad lacasa (10.65 UI g-1 SSi) y F. fomentarius-EUM1 (1.90 UI g-1 SSi) de celulasas. El ECE de P. ostreatus-IE8 y Fibrozyme® no presentaron diferencias (p>0.05) en la composición química ni en la cinética de producción de gas. Los 4 tratamientos evaluados disminuyeron los valores de las variables medidas en la cinética de producción de gas in vitro respecto al testigo (p≤0.05). Conclusiones. El ECE de P. ostreatus-IE8 fue similar a Fibrozyme® en la degradación in vitro, indicando su viabilidad y uso para pre-digerir subproductos altos en fibra.