Microencapsulation of Theobroma cacao L polyphenols: A high-value approach with in vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi, immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities.

Chagas disease (CHD) is the highest economic burden parasitosis worldwide and the most important cardiac infection, without therapeutic alternatives to halt or reverse its progression. In CHD-experimental models, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds have demonstrated therapeutic potential in cardiac dysfunction. Theobroma cacao polyphenols are potent natural antioxidants with cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory action, which are susceptible to degradation, requiring technological approaches to guarantee their protection, stability, and controlled release. Here, 21 cocoa polyphenol-rich microencapsulates were produced by spray-drying and freeze-drying techniques using two wall materials (maltodextrin and gum arabic). Chemical (total and individual phenolic content and antioxidant activity), structural (morphology), and biological parameters (cytotoxicity, trypanocidal, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities) were assessed to determine the most efficient microencapsulation conditions on Trypanosoma cruzi-infected myocardioblast and macrophage cells. Significant antiproliferative properties against infected cells (superior to benznidazole) were found in two microencapsulates which also exhibited cardioprotective properties against oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death.

Antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content and methylxantine ratio in four materials of Theobroma cacao L. from Tolima, Colombia.

The International Cocoa Organization recognized Colombian cocoa as "fine aroma," but in recent years, clone CCN 51 has grown in popularity, widely due to its high yield. The Tolima department is the fourth producer of cacao in Colombia, but there is a lack of knowledge of the chemical properties of regional cocoa genotypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content and the methylxanthines ratio of four regional genotypes (UTLP02, UTVE01, UTGC01 and UTLM02) of Theobroma cacao L. from Tolima, Colombia. The universal clone of CCN51 was used as control. The highest values for the qualitative descriptors were obtained by the variants UTVE01 and CCN51 with FRAP and TPC ranging from 44.51 ± 0.90 to 106.77 ± 5.21 mg GAE/g and 27.13 ± 0.14 to 52.12 ± 4.71 mmol TE/g respectively. The genotypes with the highest values for FRAP and TPC were UTGC01 and CCN51. According to the methylxanthine ratio, UTVE01 was classified as Criollo, while UTLM02, UTGC01 and UTLP02, CCN51 are Trinitario and Forastero, respectively. Although CCN51 is considered a remarkable material in terms of productivity, the genotypes evaluated present good yields and interesting values of TPC and antioxidant activity, making them promising trees in local breeding programs.