Estudo comparativo da excreção de flavonoides entre indivíduos eutróficos e obesos, após a ingestão de sucos de laranja, cv. Pera e cv. Moro / Comparative study of excretion of flavonoids among eutrophic and obese individuals, after ingestion of orange juice, cv. Pera and cv Moro

As laranjas e seus derivados, principalmente os sucos, possuem compostos bioativos, tais como os flavonoides, entre eles as flavanonas hesperidina e narirutina, que podem estar relacionados à promoção e benefícios à saúde. A absorção e metabolização de flavonoides podem ser afetadas por diversos fatores como a microbiota e fatores antropométricos, o que pode afetar a sua bioatividade. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o metabolismo e excreção dos flavonoides entre indivíduos eutróficos e obesos após a ingestão de sucos de laranja pasteurizado obtidos das cvs. Pera e Moro. Em um estudo cross-over randomizado 20 voluntárias eutróficas e 10 voluntárias obesas, com idade entre 19 e 40 anos, consumiram em dose única 600 mL de cada suco, que contém as flavanonas narirutina e hesperidina, além das antocianinas no suco Moro. Os metabólitos de flavanonas e de antocianinas foram identificados e quantificados em urina coletada em diferentes períodos de tempo durante 24 horas. Não foi observada diferença significativa na permeabilidade intestinal entre os grupos. Foram detectados e identificados 8 metabólitos de fase II da hesperitina e naringenina, principalmente mono e diglicuronidados e sulfatos, além de três ácidos fenólicos catabólitos de flavanonas formados pela microbiota intestinal, entre elas o ácido hipúrico, ácido protocatecuico e ácido 3-(3-hidroxifenil)-3-hidroxipropiônico. Os ácidos fenólicos foram os metabólitos majoritários recuperados na urina, principalmente o ácido hipúrico. Ainda, os metabólitos de fase II apresentaram maior excreção entre o período de 4-8h e 8-12h (13 a 27% do total de metabólitos excretados). Não foi observada diferença significante (p<0,05) no total de metabólitos de naringenina e hesperitina excretados na urina durante o período de 24 h entre os dois grupos e para os sucos de laranja, nem para o total de metabólitos, provavelmente devido à grande variabilidade interindividual na excreção. Assim, não foi observada diferença entre a metabolização de flavanonas de laranja entre os eutróficos e obesos e nenhuma correlação com os parâmetros antropométricos avaliados

Oranges and orange juices contain bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, mainly the flavanones hesperidin and narirutin, which may be related to the promotion and health benefits. The absorption and metabolization of flavonoids can be affected by several factors such as the gut microbiota and anthropometric parameters, which may affect its bioactivity. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the metabolism and excretion of flavonoids among eutrophic and obese people after ingestion of two pasteurized orange juice obtained from cvs. Pera and Moro. In a randomized cross-over study 20 eutrophic volunteers and 10 obese volunteers, aged 19-40 years, consumed a single dose of 600 mL of each juice. The metabolites of flavanones and anthocyanins were identified and quantified in urine collected at different time points for 24 hours. No significant difference in intestinal permeability was observed between groups. Eight Phase II metabolites of hesperitin and naringenin, mainly mono and diglycerides and sulfates, and three phenolic catabolites of flavanones formed by the gut microbiota were detected and identified, among them hippuric acid, protocatecuic acid and 3- (3-hydroxyphenyl) ) -3-hydroxypropionic acid. Phenolic acids were the major metabolites recovered in urine, mainly hippuric acid. Furthermore, phase II metabolites had greater excretion between the period of 4-8h and 8-12h (13-27% of total metabolites excreted). No significant difference (p <0.05) was observed in the total of naringenin and hesperitin metabolites excreted in the urine during the 24 h period between the two groups, probably due to interindividual variability in excretion. Thus, no difference was observed on metabolism of flavanones between the eutrophic and obese and no correlation was observed with the anthropometric parameters evaluated

Isolation and Purification of Potent Growth Inhibitors from Piper methysticum Root.

Piper methysticum (kava) root is known to possess promising weed suppressing activity. The present study was conducted to search for potent plant growth inhibitors from the root of this medicinal pepper plant. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract exhibited the strongest reduction on growth of Raphanus sativus (radish) (IC50 shoot and root growth = 172.00 and 51.31 µg/mL respectively) among solvent extracts. From this active extract, nine potent growth inhibitors involved in the inhibitory activities of P. methysticum root were isolated, purified and characterized by column chromatography (CC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The six fractions purified by CC included two flavanones: 5-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavanone (C1) and 5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-6,8-dimethylflavanone (matteucinol, C2) and six kavalactones: 5,6-dehydro-kavain (C3), a mixture of kavain and yagonin (C4), yagonin (C5) and dihydro-5,6-dehydrokavain, 7,8-dihydrokavain, dihydromethysticin and methysticin (C6). The amounts of 5-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavanone, matteucinol, 5,6-dehydrokavain and yangonin were 0.76, 2.50, 2.75 and 2.09 mg/g dry weight (DW), respectively. The two flavanones C1 and C2 exhibited the strongest inhibition on shoot elongation (IC50 = 120.22 and 248.03 µg/mL, respectively), whilst the two kavalactone mixtures C4 and C6 showed the highest suppression on root growth of R. sativus (IC50 = 7.70 and 15.67 µg/mL, respectively). This study was the first to report the purification and inhibitory activities of the two flavanones 5-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavanone and matteucinol in P. methysticum root. The isolated constituents from P. methysticum root including the flavanones C1 and C2 and the mixtures C4 and C6 may possess distinct modes of action on plant growth. Findings of this study highlighted that the combinations of hexane-ethyl acetate by 9:1 and 8:2 ratios successfully purified flavanones and kavalactones in P. methysticum root.

Crataegusins A and B, New Flavanocoumarins from the Dried Fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida var. major (Rosaceae).

Crataegusins A (1) and B (2), new flavanocoumarins, were isolated from the crude drug Crataegus Frictus, i.e., the dried fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida var. major..Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. They were unique in terms of carrying a 3-(or 4-)substituted coumarin substructure while a flavanocoumarin generally does not carry any substituents in the 2-pyron ring. They showed a significant DPPH reducing activity compared with epicatechin Their production would be biosynthetically regulated considering the results of an LC-MS analysis of the dried and fresh fruits, fruit skin, hypanthia, and leaves. Their structures led the authors to consider a hypothetical general biosynthetic pathway of the flavanocoumarins, to which a flavan-3-ol is converted through a Michael addition and successive oxidative decarboxylation or dehydration pathway.