The Protein-Rich Fraction from Spirulina platensis Exerts Neuroprotection in Hemiparkinsonian Rats by Decreasing Brain Inflammatory-Related Enzymes and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expressions.

Spirulina platensis is a cyanobacterium with high protein content and presenting neuroprotective effects. Now, we studied a protein-enriched fraction (SPF), on behavior, neurochemical and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays in hemiparkinsonian rats, distributed into the groups: SO (sham-operated), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), and 6-OHDA (treated with SPF, 5 and 10 mg/kg, p.o., 15 days). Afterward, animals were subjected to behavioral tests and euthanized, and brain areas used for neurochemical and IHC assays. SPF partly reversed the changes in the apomorphine-induced rotations, open field and forced swim tests, and also the decrease in striatal dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid contents seen in hemiparkinsonian rats. Furthermore, SPF reduced brain oxidative stress and increased striatal expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter and significantly reduced hippocampal inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 and glial fibrillary acidic protein expressions. The data suggest that the protein fraction from S. platensis, through its brain anti-inflammatory and antioxidative actions, exerts neuroprotective effects that could benefit patients affected by neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson's disease.

Pyrodextrinization of yam (Dioscorea sp.) starch isolated from tubers grown in Brazil and physicochemical characterization of yellow pyrodextrins.

This study optimizes the pyrodextrinization of yam (Dioscorea sp.) starch isolated from tubers grown in Brazil to produce a yellow pyrodextrin with the lowest enzymatically available starch (AS) content and color difference (ΔE) index. At 140 °C (fixed heating temperature), the effects of acid concentration (0.65 - 2.99 g of HCl/kg of starch) and incubation time (53 - 307 min) on the response variables were evaluated using a response surface methodology. Some physicochemical characteristics were also determined on pyrodextrins. Both factors negatively affected the AS content, although positively influenced the ΔE (P < 0.05). The yellow pyrodextrin produced with 1.82 g/kg and heating for 307 min, presented physicochemical properties similar to the commercial pyrodextrins from potato starch, with 46.6 % of AS, 24.5 of ΔE, high solubility and very low viscosity. The pyrodextrinization caused a decrease of 30 - 54 % in AS content (P < 0.05), making these yam pyrodextrins a promising material for water-soluble and very low viscous dietary fiber.