Prosopis nigra Mesocarp Fine Flour, A Source of Phytochemicals with Potential Effect on Enzymes Linked to Metabolic Syndrome, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammatory Process.

This work is part of the search in native food matrices from arid regions of Argentina of interest to improve human health. Prosopis species are ethnic food resources in South America capable of growing in arid and semi-arid environments. This work was focused to determine the nutritional and phytochemical composition of Prosopis nigra fine flour and to evaluate its biological properties. Flour showed a high level of sucrose (30.35 g/100 g flour), fiber (6.34 g/100 g flour), polyphenols (0.45 g GAE/100 g flour), and minerals (potassium, calcium, and magnesium). Apigenin C glycosides and phenylpropanoid acids were identified in free and bound phenolic enriched extracts, respectively. Polyphenols (especially free polyphenols) were able to inhibit enzymes associated with the metabolic syndrome, including α-amylase (IC50 30.1 µg GAE/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 22.5 µg GAE/mL), while bound phenolics may control lipase activity (IC50 33.5 µg GAE/mL) and exhibit antioxidant activity by different action mechanisms (SC50 between 16 and 93 µg GAE/mL). Both extracts were more effective to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 than phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase, proinflammatory enzymes. Polyphenolic extracts did not show any mutagenic effect. Our studies add value to this non-conventional flour as a promising food resource that could be used as a functional food or functional ingredient in formulations to reduce the risk of the development of obesity. These studies revalue our native resources by promoting their conservation, their use and their propagation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Pods of P. nigra are traditional food resources in South America. The non-conventional flour obtained from them is a food that inhibits enzymes linked to carbohydrates metabolism and lipids metabolism, show antioxidant activity and anti-inflamatory activity, principally on COX-2. This natural product is a promising resource that could be used as a functional food or as functional ingredient in food formulations for reduce the risk of the development of obesity. Our studies are relevant to stimulate a sustainable management of this specie and for its development as potential new crops.

Antioxidant activity of the aqueous and methanolic extracts of coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.).

BACKGROUND: Coffee is important source of natural antioxidants in the diet, such as phenolic compounds, alkaloids, mainly caffeine, diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol) and Maillard reaction products formed during roasting. METHODS: In aqueous and methanolic extracts of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) roasted using traditional techniques from Brazil (B), Colombia (C), Ethiopia (E), Kenya (K) and coffee roasted using an industrial technique from Brazil (T), the phenolic and caffeine content as well as antioxidant properties were determined. RESULTS: Comparing the results from water and methanolic extracts it should be noted that the highest amount of phenolics was determined for a methanolic extract of coffee roasted using the industrial technique (650.96 mg GAE/g DW) and a water extract of Kenya coffee (461.63 mg GAE/g DW). Caffeine content was on average two times higher in all methanolic extracts than in water extracts. The radical scavenging activity of aqueous extracts was found to be higher than methanolic extracts. The highest antioxidant scavenging activity was determined for C (EC50 = 1.16 mg DW/ml) and E (EC50 = 1.3 mg DW/ml) water extracts. Compared to water extracts methanolic extracts showed significantly higher reducing power, ability to chelate Fe2+, inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and inhibition of lipoxygenase. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the methanolic extracts obtained from different types of coffee exhibit potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The highest antioxidant activity was shown by traditionally roasted coffees from Colombia and Ethiopia.

Anti-inflammatory activity of copao (Eulychnia acida Phil., Cactaceae) fruits.

Copao (Eulychnia acida Phil., Cactaceae) is an endemic species occurring in northern Chile. The edible fruits of this plant are valued for its acidic and refreshing taste. Phenolic-enriched extracts from copao fruit pulp and epicarp, collected in the Elqui and Limari river valleys, were assessed by its in vitro ability to inhibit the pro-inflammatory enzymes lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2). At 100 µg/mL, pulp extracts showed better effect towards LOX than epicarp extract, while COX-2 inhibition was observed for both epicarp and pulp samples. In general, the extracts were inactive towards COX-1. A positive correlation was observed between the anti-inflammatory activity and the main phenolic compounds found in this fruit. Copao fruits from the Limari valley, a main place of collection and commercialization, showed major activity, adding evidence on the possible health-beneficial effects of this native Chilean fruit.