Bioavailability of catechins from guaraná (Paullinia cupana) and its effect on antioxidant enzymes and other oxidative stress markers in healthy human subjects.

We assessed the effects of guaraná (Paullinia cupana) consumption on plasma catechins, erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and biomarkers of oxidative stress (ex vivo LDL oxidation, plasma total antioxidant status and ORAC, and lymphocyte single cell gel electrophoresis) in healthy overweight subjects. Twelve participants completed a 15-day run-in period followed by a 15-day intervention with a daily intake of 3 g guaraná seed powder containing 90 mg (+)-catechin and 60 mg (-)-epicatechin. Blood samples were taken on the first and last day of the intervention period, fasting and 1 h post-dose. The administration of guaraná increased plasma ORAC, while reducing ex vivo LDL oxidation (only in the first study day) and hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in lymphocytes, at 1 h post-dose. Plasma catechin (0.38 ± 0.12 and 0.44 ± 0.18 nmol mL(-1)), epicatechin (0.59 ± 0.18 and 0.64 ± 0.25 nmol mL(-1)) and their methylated metabolites were observed at 1 h post-dose but were almost negligible after overnight fasting. The activities of catalase (in both study days) and glutathione peroxidase (in the last intervention day) increased at 1 h post-dose. Furthermore, the activity of both enzymes remained higher than the basal levels in overnight-fasting individuals on the last intervention day, suggesting a prolonged effect of guaraná that continues even after plasma catechin clearance. In conclusion, guaraná catechins are bioavailable and contribute to reduce the oxidative stress of clinically healthy individuals, by direct antioxidant action of the absorbed phytochemicals and up-regulation of antioxidant/detoxifying enzymes.

The in vitro and in vivo effects of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) extract on adipogenesis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of yerba mate extract and its principal bioactive compounds on adipogenesis. The anti-adipogenic effects of yerba mate, chlorogenic acid, quercetin and rutin were evaluated in 3T3-L1 cells using a PCR array. The results obtained in vitro were validated in vivo in a high-fat diet-induced model of obesity. The in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that yerba mate extract down-regulated the expression of genes that regulate adipogenesis, such as Creb-1and C/EBPα, and the extract up-regulated the expression of genes related to the inhibition of adipogenesis, including Dlk1, Gata2, Gata3, Klf2, Lrp5, Pparγ2, Sfrp1, Tcf7l2, Wnt10b, and Wnt3a. In summary, it was demonstrated that yerba mate and its bioactive compounds regulate the expression of genes related to in vitro adipogenesis. Furthermore, yerba mate might regulate adipogenesis through the Wnt pathway.

Modulatory effects of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) on the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of yerba maté (YM) extract on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT signaling pathway in vivo. The mice were introduced to either standard- or high-fat diet (HFD). After 8 weeks on an HFD, mice were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions, water or yerba maté extract at 1.0 g/kg. After treatment, glucose blood level and hepatic insulin response were evaluated. Liver tissue was examined to determine the mRNA levels using the PI3K-AKT PCR array. The nuclear translocation of forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) was determined by an electrophoretic mobility-shift assay. Our data demonstrated that yerba maté extract significantly decreased the final body weight, glucose blood levels, and insulin resistance of mice. Molecular analysis demonstrated that an HFD downregulated Akt2, Irs1, Irs2, Pi3kca, Pi3kcg, and Pdk1; after yerba maté treatment, the levels of those genes returned to baseline. In addition, an HFD upregulated Pepck and G6pc and increased FOXO1 nuclear translocation. The intervention downregulated these genes by decreasing FOXO1 nuclear translocation. The results obtained demonstrate for the first time the specific action of yerba maté on the PI3K-AKT pathway, which contributed to the observed improvement in hepatic insulin signaling.

Consumption of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) decreases the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in mouse liver.

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is rich in polyphenolic compounds, which are thought to contribute to the health benefits of tea. Mate tea was administered orally to mice at a dose of 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg for 60 d, and changes both in serum lipid concentration and fatty acid composition of liver and kidney were examined. The effects of mate tea on serum and tissue lipid peroxidation were assessed by the evaluation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). In tea-consuming mice, both MUFA (18:1n-9) and PUFA (18:2n-6 and 20:4n-6) were increased (P<0.05) in the liver lipid (approximately 90 and 60%, respectively), whereas only MUFA (approximately 20%) were increased in the kidney lipid. The most altered PUFA class was n-6 PUFA, which increased by approximately 60-75 % (P<0.05). This difference in the fatty acid profile in the liver is reflected in the increased PUFA:SFA ratio. Consistent with these results, mice fed with mate tea had much lower TBARS in the liver. No differences (P>0.05) were found in the levels of serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and TAG under the conditions of the present study. These results suggest that treatment with mate tea was able to protect unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation and may have selective protective effects within the body, especially on the liver.

Efeitos biológicos do consumo de chá-mate (ilex paraguariensis) frente à obesidade em camundongos / Effects biologic from the expenditure as of tea mate (Ilex paraguariensis) forefront at the fat well into camundongos

RESUMO Introdução: Atualmente a obesidade tem atingido proporções epidêmicas, evidências científicas mostram uma forte associação entre a obesidade e o maior risco para o desenvolvimento de diversas doenças tais como: doenças cardíacas, diabetes tipo II (mellitus), hipertensão e resistência à insulina. Bebidas à base de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis) têm importantes atividades biológicas, principalmente pelo alto teor de compostos polifenólicos existentes, que são reconhecidos por sua atividade antioxidante. Além dos compostos polifenólicos como flavonóides (quercetina e rutina) e ácidos fenólicos (ácido clorogênico e ácido cefeico), a erva-mate também é rica em cafeína e saponinas. Estudos recentes, com modelos animais e humanos demonstram inúmeros benefícios após o consumo de erva-mate, dentre estes, destaca-se sua atividade antioxidante, proteção ao DNA contra o dano induzido, atividade quimioprotetora celular, efeito na redução do LDL-colesterol, efeitos na motilidade intestinal, efeito vasodilatador, inibição da glicação e efeito termogênico. Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos anti-obesidade do consumo de chá-mate em camundongos submetidos a uma dieta hiperlipídica. Métodos: Foram utilizados camundongos Swiss (n=62), eutróficos, machos, divididos aleatoriamente em diferentes grupos de acordo com a dieta utilizada (padrão ou hiperlipídica) e a intervenção escolhida (água ou chá-mate), por dezesseis semanas. Após a intervenção, as análises bioquímicas foram determinadas empregando-se o sistema Cobas-Mira e o quadro glicêmico foi determinado utilizando-se um glicosímetro seguido do ITT (teste de tolerância à insulina), a ação quimioprotetora ao DNA foi realizado pelo ensaio cometa; a expressão gênica das enzimas antioxidantes foi avaliada por PCR em tempo real. Para a significância dos dados foi utilizado análise de variância (ANOVA), seguido por Bonferronis post hoc teste para comparações múltiplas. Resultados: A intervenção com chá-mate nos camundongos submetidos à dieta hiperlipídica foi capaz de melhorar os seguintes parâmetros avaliados: peso corpóreo, glicemia, resposta à insulina, colesterol, triacilglicerol e LDL-colesterol. O nível de danos ao DNA foi significativamente reduzido nos camundongos obesos tratados com chá-mate em todas as doses avaliadas, porém o consumo de chá-mate não modificou a expressão das enzimas antioxidantes avaliadas (SOD, GPx e Cat) independentemente da dose utilizada. Conclusão: O presente estudo demonstra que o consumo do chá-mate pode influenciar de maneira positiva alguns biomarcadores relacionados com a obesidade induzida por dieta hiperlipídica em camundongos.

Introduction: Obesity has reached epidemic proportions, and there is a lot of evidence supporting the association of obesity with health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and insulin resistance. Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) beverages have been reported to present biological activities attributed, mainly, to the it high polyphenol content, long known as antioxidants. In addition to the polyphenols such as flavonoids (quercetin and rutin) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic and caffeic acids), yerba maté is also rich in caffeine and saponins. Recently published evidences with animals and humans, has shown some beneficial effects related to the consumption of yerba maté, which include antioxidant activity, protecting effect on DNA against induced damage, chemopreventive activities, choleretic and intestinal effects, vasodilatation effects, inhibition of glycation and atherosclerosis and thermogenic effects. Objective: We evaluated the anti-obesity effects of yerba maté in a high-fat diet in mice. Methods: Sixty-two Swiss mice, were randomly assigned in different groups according to the diet and the intervention (mate-tea or water), for sixteen weeks. After intervention, the biochemical analysis was performed with Cobas-Mira system, the insulin test tolerance was determined by means of KITT, antioxidant activity were tested using Comet Assay and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated by PCR real time . Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA followed by unpaired Bonferroni. Results: Mate-tea intervention decreased in obese animals the following biochemical parameters: weight, glucose blood level, response to insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol. The DNA damage levels were significantly lower in obese animals treated with mate tea in all doses, but mate tea didnt affect the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx e Cat). Conclusion: In conclusion, this study reports that mate-tea may beneficial influence some biochemical markers related to high-fat diet induced obesity in mice.

Effects of a one-week treatment with acid gastric inhibitors on Helicobacter pylori-infected mice.

OBJECTIVE: Antiacid drugs, including omeprazole and ranitidine, were prescribed to Helicobacter pylori-infected subjects in combination with antibiotics during eradication treatment. Several reports suggest that these drugs have additional pharmacological properties, such as antineutrophil, antiapoptotic and antioxidant characteristics. The aim of this work was to study the effects of acid suppressive medication treatment in the H. pylori infection experimental model, focusing on possible additional pharmacological properties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The ability of gastric acid suppression was assessed in pylorus-ligated animals. Gastric H. pylori colonization levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) acitivity, macroscopic damage, Bax and Bcl-2 expression and DNA damage levels were assessed in C57BL/6-infected mice after treatment for one week with omeprazole (100 mg kg(-1)) or ranitidine (100 mg kg(-1)). RESULTS: Omeprazole treatment increased bacteria colonization and MPO activity in mice stomachs. Both antiacid drugs efficiently improved macroscopic damage, although only omeprazole restored the expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein in gastric mucosa of infected animals. CONCLUSIONS: Some additional omeprazole-related properties, such as antineutrophil properties, were not observed in H. pylori-infected mice after one week of treatment, suggesting that this property is restricted to in vitro approaches. However, the antiapoptotic activity of omeprazole could be attributed to an ability to modify the protein expression of Bcl-2, decreased by H. pylori infection.

Effects of multivitamin supplementation on DNA damage in lymphocytes from elderly volunteers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a mixture of vitamins and minerals on oxidative DNA damage and the resistance of DNA to H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks in lymphocytes from 80 elderly volunteers ex vivo by means of Comet assay. The intervention with vitamin complex decreased significantly the levels of DNA damage. Our results demonstrate that the vitamin complex was able to decrease H(2)O(2)-induced DNA breakage. Our data suggest that the consumption of some vitamins may reduce the effects of oxidative DNA damage and may be useful for attaining healthy aging.