An integrative review of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria): Traditional uses, phytochemical composition, market trends, and emerging applications.

The increasing trade and popularity of açaí prompt this review. Therefore, it is imperative to provide an overview of the fruit's characteristics and the available data on its marketing, research, and products derived from its pulp and seeds to comprehend the current state of the açaí industry. Concerning food applications, it was observed that there is still room for developing processes that effectively preserve the bioactive compounds of the fruit while also being economically feasible, which presents an opportunity for future research. A notable research trend has been focused on utilizing the fruit's seeds, a byproduct of açaí processing, which is still considered a significant technological challenge. Furthermore, the studies compiled in this review attest to the industry's considerable progress and ongoing efforts to demonstrate the various properties of açaí, driving the sector's exponential growth in Brazil and worldwide.

Consumption of mate Ilex paraguariensis: a folk beverage with antioxidant power against myocardial ischemic injury

The effects of the aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis (Ip)and the flavonoid quercetin were tested during the induction of in vivomyocardial ischemia/ reperfusion in Rattus norvegicus. The antioxidant power of the extract and quercetin were chemically determined. The experimental groups were: control, ischemia/reperfusion induction, Iporal treatment, Iporal treatment and ischemia /reperfusion, quercetin oral treatment, and quercetin oral treatment and ischemia/reperfusion. Rats were anesthetized with sodium thiopental and xylazine via intraperitoneal injection and subsequently underwent 15 minutes of ischemia followed by 15 minutes of reperfusion. Ischemia was promoted by tying the left anterior descending coronary artery. Areas of risk and infarction were stained by intravenous Evans blue and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant capacity against peroxylradicals, and lipid peroxidation of the myocardium were quantified. A significant reduction in areas of risk and infarction was detected in the ischemic myocardium treated with Ipand quercetin; ROS generation and lipid peroxidation were significantly reduced, and the antioxidant capacity was elevated. Oral administration of Ippromoted antioxidant benefits in the myocardium during ischemia and reperfusion, which reduced infarction. We suggest that Mate (a hot drink made from steeped dried leaves of Ip) consumption is a potential cardioprotective habit of indigenous people from southern South American countries, which must be better understood scientifically and ethnographically.

Antioxidant and antidepressant-like activities of semi-synthetic α-phenylseleno citronellal.

In this study, the antioxidant and antidepressant-like activities of the semi-synthetic compound α-phenylseleno citronellal (PhSeCIT) and the natural terpenoid R-citronellal (CIT) were evaluated. The biological potential of PhSeCIT and CIT was evaluated by antioxidant in vitro assays, such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS), ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and linoleic acid oxidation. The compounds were also assessed by ex vivo tests to determine the acute toxicity, levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-Ala-D) and Na(+)/K(+) ATPase activities. The antidepressant-like activity of compounds in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) was also investigated. The results demonstrated that the addition of an organoselenium group to (R)-citronellal increased its antioxidant properties, since PhSeCIT showed better activity than CIT. The treatment of mice with both compounds did not cause death of any animals. The levels of TBARS were significantly reduced by PhSeCIT in liver and cortex of animals, whereas CIT did not alter these parameters. In the TST and FST, PhSeCIT showed promising antidepressant-like activity, while CIT was not active in this test. Taken together, these data demonstrate the role of selenium in the antioxidant and antidepressant-like activities of (R)-citronellal.

Antioxidant properties of (R)-Se-aryl thiazolidine-4-carboselenoate.

The antioxidant potential of organoselenium compounds has been extensively investigated because oxidative stress is a hallmark of a variety of human diseases. In this study, we report the influence of substituent groups on the antioxidant activity of (R)-Se-aryl thiazolidine-4-carboselenoate (Se-PTC) in several in vitro assays. The amino group in the thiazolidine ring affects the antioxidant activity of the compound. Our data revealed that Se-PTC a had higher radical scavenging efficiency in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS(+)) assays compared to other compounds. In the ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, Se-PTC a exhibited ferric-reducing ability at concentrations as low as 5µM. However, this effect was diminished when the amino group was protected with carbamate (Se-PTC d). In the nitric oxide scavenging assay, Se-PTC c presented better NO-scavenging than Se-PTC b. However, Se-PTC a and d did not prevent NO formation at any of the tested concentrations. Se-PTC c decreased the sodium nitroprussate-induced lipid peroxidation in the cortex and hippocampus of mice. In summary, we demonstrate that Se-PTC is a promising antioxidant compound and that the compound's activity is influenced by the amino group and by the characteristics of the arylselenium substituents. Thus, these compounds may be used as synthetic antioxidants that provide protection against oxidative diseases.

Involvement of serotoninergic and adrenergic systems on the antidepressant-like effect of E. uniflora L. leaves essential oil and further analysis of its antioxidant activity.

In this work we evaluated antidepressant-like effect of E. uniflora leaves EO employing the tail suspension test. The involvement of serotonergic and adrenergic systems was appraised. EO was administered by oral route (p.o.) in mice and the doses of 10 and 50mg/kg exhibited antidepressant-like action in the TST. The effect of EO (10mg/kg) was prevented by the pretreatment of mice with ketanserin (5mg/kg, intraperitoneal), prazosin (0.1mg/kg, i.p.) and yohimbine (0.1mg/kg, i.p.). In addition, further analysis of the in vitro antioxidant effect of the EO was made against lipid oxidation. The results revealed that EO has a potent antioxidant activity and therapeutic potential for the development of phytomedicines with antidepressant and antioxidant properties.

Essential oil of the leaves of Eugenia uniflora L.: antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

Essential oil (EO) of the leaves of Eugenia uniflora L. (Brazilian cherry tree) was evaluated for its antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal properties. The acute toxicity of the EO administered by oral route was also evaluated in mice. The EO exhibited antioxidant activity in the DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays and reduced lipid peroxidation in the kidney of mice. The EO also showed antimicrobial activity against two important pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, and against two fungi of the Candida species, C. lipolytica and C. guilliermondii. Acute administration of the EO by the oral route did not cause lethality or toxicological effects in mice. These findings suggest that the EO of the leaves of E. uniflora may have the potential for use in the pharmaceutical industry.