Cactaceae plants as sources of active bioavailable phytochemicals.

Arid-land plants from the Cactaceae family are endemic to the Americas and cultivated worldwide. Cactaceous plants and their fruits contain phenolic compounds, betalains, vitamins, carotenoids, minerals, and soluble fiber. Edible cactaceous matrices can be considered functional foods since their consumption may confer health benefits. These plants could be a source of novel bioactive compounds relevant to the area of phytomedicine. However, consumption of high concentrations of active molecules is not necessarily correlated to beneficial physiological effects because phytochemicals must be released from the food matrices under physiological conditions, resist digestion-associated chemical transformations, and remain in their active state in systemic circulation until the target tissues are reached. Notably, although digestion may either increase or decrease the bioactive phytochemicals' activity and stability, non-absorbed compounds may also be relevant for human health. Additionally, food matrices' type and composition and their technological processing operations may influence the compounds' release, stability, and accessibility. Thus, this review provides insights on the feasibility of using Cactaceae plants as sources of functional compounds. It is focused on compounds' bioactivity, bioaccessibility, and overall bioavailability after their metabolic transformation. Also, it addresses the influence of food processing on bioactive compounds. Many Cactaceae species are unexplored, and our understanding of how they confer health benefits is limited. To better understand the physiological relevance, nutraceutical potential, and therapeutic feasibility of cactaceous bioactive phytochemicals, future research should focus on the metabolic stability and safety of these compounds, as well as their assimilation mechanisms (absorption, distribution, and metabolic fate).

Therapeutic effect of treatment with metformin and/or 4-hydroxychalcone in male Wistar rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the world. Despite the impact of this pathology in the population, nowadays there is no specific treatment for this disease, focusing its treatment on risks factors. However, it is imperative the existence of a specific treatment, due to this, the aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of treatment with metformin, 4-hydroxychalcone or co-treatment on male Wistar rats with NAFLD. Wistar rats were divided into two groups with free access to either tap water or 50% sucrose (NAFLD) during 25 weeks. After 20 weeks of induction each were divided into four groups that received daily p.o. administration of: i) saline solution (1 ml); ii) metformin (200 mg/kg/day); iii) 4-hydroxychalcone (80 mg/kg/day) and i.v.) co-treatment (metformin plus 4-hydroxychalcone at the doses mentioned above), for 5 weeks. In healthy rats: metformin and co-treatment modified food and total caloric intake and induced diarrhea; but none of the treatments changed the other parameters evaluated. Meanwhile in rats with NAFLD: i) metformin inhibited hepatic total cholesterol and TGF-ß, increased diarrhea frequency, and slightly decreased liver steatosis, and fibrosis; ii) 4-hydroxychalcone decreased IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-ß, increased IL-10, and markedly decreased liver steatosis and fibrosis; and iii) co-treatment markedly decreased food intake, total caloric intake, and body weight, increased diarrhea; increased IL-10, showing and intermediate effect on decrease TNF-α, TGF-ß, liver steatosis and fibrosis. Our results showed that 4-hydroxychalcone treatment was the most effective among the treatments tested against NAFLD.

Price and Availability of Sugar-Free, Sugar-Reduced and Low Glycemic Index Cereal Products in Northwestern México.

Sugar-free (SF), sugar-reduced (SR), or low-glycemic-index (low GI) cereal products could be helpful for the dietary treatment of disorders related to glucose homeostasis. However, access and economic aspects are barriers that could hamper their consumption. Thus, the availability and price of such cereal products were evaluated in Northwestern México. The products were categorized in 10 groups. The data were collected in five cities by store visitation (from November 2015 to April 2016). The availability in specialized stores and supermarkets was expressed as availability rates based on the total number of products. The price of the SF, SR, and low GI products were compared with their conventional counterparts. Availability rates were higher in supermarkets than in specialized stores by product numbers (14.29% versus 3.76%, respectively; p < 0.001) and by product categories (53.57% versus 26.92%, respectively; p < 0.001). Five categories of products labeled as SF, SR, and low GI (oats, cookies and crackers, flours, snacks, and tostadas/totopos) had higher prices than their conventional counterparts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, in Northwestern Mexico, the availability of SF, SR, and low GI cereal-based foods is relatively low, and these foods are more expensive than their conventional counterparts.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Gluten Sensitivity and Adherence to a Gluten-Free Diet in Argentinian Adult Population.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that the prevalence of wheat/gluten sensitivity and adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) are high in Latin population despite a poor diagnosis of celiac disease. However, these prevalence rates still remain unknown in most Latin American countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Santa Fe, Argentina. RESULTS: The estimated self-reported prevalence rates were (95% Confidence Interval [CI]): self-reported gluten sensitivity (SR-GS) 7.61% (6.2-9.2), SR-GS currently following a GFD 1.82% (1.2-2.7), celiac disease 0.58% (0.3-1.2), wheat allergy 0.33% (0.12-0.84), self-reported non-celiac gluten sensitivity (SR-NCGS) 6.28% (5.1-7.8), SR-NCGS currently following a GFD 0.91% (0.5-1.6), and adherence to a GFD 6.37% (5.1-7.9). SR-GS was more common in women (6.0%; p < 0.001) and associated with irritable bowel syndrome (p < 0.001). Among the GFD followers, 71.4% were doing it for reasons other than health-related benefits and 50.6% without medical/dietitian advice. In the non-SR-GS group, the main motivations for following a GFD were weight control and the perception that a GFD is healthier. CONCLUSION: In Argentina, gluten sensitivity is commonly reported and it seems that physicians/gastroenterologists are aware of celiac disease diagnosis. Trustable information about the benefits and potential consequences of following a GFD should be given to the general population.

Self-Reported Prevalence of Symptomatic Adverse Reactions to Gluten and Adherence to Gluten-Free Diet in an Adult Mexican Population.

The prevalence of symptomatic adverse reactions to gluten and adherence to gluten-free diet in Latin American countries is unknown. These measurements are strongly linked to gluten-related disorders. This work aimed to estimate the prevalence of adverse reactions to oral gluten and the adherence to gluten-free diet in the adult Mexican population. To reach this aim, a self-administered questionnaire was designed and tested for clarity/comprehension and reproducibility. Then, a self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Mexican population. The estimated prevalence rates were (95% CI): 11.9% (9.9-13.5) and 7.8 (6.4-9.4) for adverse and recurrent adverse reactions to gluten respectively; adherence to gluten-free diet 3.7% (2.7-4.8), wheat allergy 0.72% (0.38-1.37); celiac disease 0.08% (0.01-0.45), and NCGS 0.97% (0.55-1.68). Estimated pooled prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosis of gluten-related disorders was 0.88% (0.49-1.5), and 93.3% respondents reported adherence to gluten-free diet without a physician-diagnosis of gluten-related disorders. Symptom comparisons between those who reported recurrent adverse reactions to gluten and other foods showed statistically significant differences for bloating, constipation, and tiredness (p < 0.05). Gluten-related disorders may be underdiagnosed in the Mexican population and most people adhering to a gluten-free diet are doing it without proper diagnostic work-up of these disorders, and probably without medical/dietician advice.