Enhancement of the antioxidant activity of orange and lime juices by flavonoid enzymatic de-glycosylation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Pure flavonoid glycosides and those present in orange (Citrus sinensis) and lime (Citrus latifolia) juices were structurally modified by enzymatic de-glycosylation to obtain functional derivatives with higher antioxidant activity. The enzymatic reactions were carried out using commercial rhamnosidases (hesperidinase and naringinase) and beta-D-glucosidase. An experimental design and statistical tools for the data analysis were employed for each enzyme to evaluate the independent variables (pH and temperature) that significantly affected the enzyme activity (dependent variable), and the antioxidant activity was evaluated before and after bioconversion using DPPH center dot and FRAP assays. Aliquots of controls and enzyme-treated samples were taken at different times and analyzed by UPLC-MS. The antioxidant activity of both treated juices was higher than that of the untreated juices, confirming that the bioconversion reaction conditions used were efficient and produced an increment in the antioxidant activity. After the 4 h-hesperidinase reaction 60% of the hesperidin was converted into hesperetin in the orange juice. The antioxidant capacities of the glycosylated standards were also increased by the enzyme treatment. The results presented herein are a step forward in the use of alpha-L-rhamnosidases to produce functional beverages by way of de-glycosylation reactions of their flavonoid glycosides. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.521308314Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Green Tea Extract Supplementation Induces the Lipolytic Pathway, Attenuates Obesity, and Reduces Low-Grade Inflammation in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of green tea Camellia sinensis extract on proinflammatory molecules and lipolytic protein levels in adipose tissue of diet-induced obese mice. Animals were randomized into four groups: CW (chow diet and water); CG (chow diet and water + green tea extract); HW (high-fat diet and water); HG (high-fat diet and water + green tea extract). The mice were fed ad libitum with chow or high-fat diet and concomitantly supplemented (oral gavage) with 400 mg/kg bodyweight/day of green tea extract (CG and HG, resp.). The treatments were performed for eight weeks. UPLC showed that in 10 mg/mL green tea extract, there were 15 mu g/mg epigallocatechin, 95 mu g/mg epigallocatechin gallate, 20.8 mu g/mg epicatechin gallate, and 4.9 mu g/mg gallocatechin gallate. Green tea administered concomitantly with a high-fat diet increased HSL, ABHD5, and perilipin in mesenteric adipose tissue, and this was associated with reduced body weight and adipose tissue gain. Further, we observed that green tea supplementation reduced inflammatory cytokine TNF alpha levels, as well as TLR4, MYD88, and TRAF6 proinflammatory signalling. Our results show that green tea increases the lipolytic pathway and reduces adipose tissue, and this may explain the attenuation of low-grade inflammation in obese mice

Concentrações de retinol e de beta-caroteno séricos e perfil nutricional de crianças em Teresina, Piauí, Brasil Serum concentrations of retinol and beta-carotene, and nutritional status of children in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as concentrações séricas de retinol e beta-caroteno de pré-escolares em Teresina, Piauí, com caracterização do perfil antropométrico e do consumo alimentar. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal envolvendo 135 crianças em creche municipal, com avaliação do estado nutricional pelos métodos: bioquímico (concentração sérica de retinol e beta-caroteno), antropométrico (índices de peso para estatura - P/E e estatura para idade - E/I) e dietético (freqüência de consumo alimentar). RESULTADOS: Observou-se prevalência de deficiência de vitamina A (DVA) de 8,9% (IC95%: 4,7 - 15,0%) e existência de associação entre suplementação anterior e concentrações de retinol, com maior proporção de crianças com níveis normais de retinol entre as suplementadas (p = 0,025). As concentrações de retinol e de beta-caroteno mostraram-se correlacionadas, porém com força leve a moderada (p < 0,021). Os percentuais de crianças com baixo P/E e de baixa E/I foram de 1,9% (IC95%: 0,2 - 6,8%) e 9,7% (IC95%: 4,8 - 17,1%), respectivamente. Na avaliação dietética verificou-se baixo consumo de alimentos ricos em vitamina A. CONCLUSÕES: A elevada prevalência de DVA nas crianças, combinada com a alta percentagem de crianças com valores aceitáveis de retinol, os baixos valores medianos de beta-caroteno, a alta percentagem de déficit estatural e a inadequação do consumo de alimentos ricos em vitamina A, indicam a necessidade de se aprimorar as estratégias de educação em saúde e nutrição da população, incentivando o consumo de alimentos fontes de vitamina A, como medidas auto-sustentáveis importantes no combate ao problema. Além disso, deve ser considerado o incentivo à fortificação dos alimentos e ao fortalecimento de Programas de suplementação.<br>OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum concentrations of retinol and beta-carotene of children in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, and to evaluate their anthropometric profile and consumption of food sources of vitamin A. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 135 children from 36 to 83 months of age who attended a public child day care center. Nutritional status was evaluated by: biochemical (serum concentrations of retinol and beta-carotene), anthropometric (weight for height - W/H and height for age - H/A indexes), and dietary (frequency of consumption of food sources of vitamin A) methods. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was 8.9% (95%CI: 4.7-15.0%). An association between previous supplementation with vitamin A and serum concentrations of retinol was observed, with a higher proportion of children with normal concentrations of retinol among those supplemented (p=0.025). There was a weak to moderate statistically significant correlation between the concentrations of retinol and beta-carotene, (p<0.021). The prevalence of low W/H and low H/A was respectively 1.9% (95%CI: 0.2-6.8%) and 9.7% (95%CI: 4.8-17.1%). The dietary evaluation showed low consumption of foods rich in vitamin A. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of VAD combined to the prevalence of children with acceptable concentrations of retinol, low median concentrations of beta-carotene, low H/A, and inadequate ingestion of foods rich in vitamin A, reinforce the need to improve health and nutrition education in this population. Based on these results, we recommend the ingestion of foods rich in vitamin A, as an important policy to deal with this nutritional problem. Efforts are also necessary to maintain food fortification and supplementation Programs

Hipovitaminose A em escolares da zona rural de Minas Gerais Vitamin A deficiency in school children of the rural area in Minas Gerais, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Com o presente estudo, procurou-se identificar a prevalência da hipovitaminose A em escolares da zona rural do município de Novo Cruzeiro, MG, bem como possíveis fatores predisponentes para sua ocorrência. MÉTODOS: A amostra foi constituída de 241 crianças, de seis a catorze anos de idade, de quatro escolas rurais. Os níveis séricos de retinol foram interpretados pelos critérios do Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense. A importância epidemiológica da hipovitaminose A foi avaliada segundo os critérios da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Foram adotados como fatores predisponentes da hipovitaminose A, as parasitoses intestinais, a desnutrição energético-protéica, o consumo inadequado de fontes de vitamina A e a renda familiar per capita. Por se tratar de um estudo transversal, com variáveis dicotômicas, empregou-se o teste qui-quadrado na análise estatística. RESULTADOS: Identificou-se a hipovitaminose A em 29,0% dos indivíduos estudados; 23,2% deles apresentaram desnutrição pregressa (stunting), 8,7% eram desnutridos segundo o índice de massa corporal; em 63,1% dos casos identificou-se inadequação no consumo de fontes alimentares de vitamina A e 78,8% dos escolares eram portadores de algum tipo de parasita intestinal. A maioria das famílias dos escolares (87,1%) tinha renda mensal per capita de até um quarto do salário mínimo; as demais famílias apresentavam-se, 10,4%, na faixa de renda per capita entre um quarto de salário e meio salário mínimo inclusive; 2,1%, na faixa entre meio salário e um salário mínimo inclusive; e apenas 0,4% das famílias, na faixa de renda maior que um salário mínimo. CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que a hipovitaminose A é um problema de saúde pública entre os escolares. Não se observou associação estatisticamente significante entre hipovitaminose A e os fatores predisponentes estudados.<br>OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to verify the occurrence of vitamin A deficiency in school children of the rural area of Novo Cruzeiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil, as well as to identify the possible predisposing factors for such occurrence. METHODS: The sample comprised 241 school children, ranging from 6 to 14 years of age, from four rural schools of the region. The serum levels of retinol were interpreted by the criteria of the Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition National Defense. The epidemiological significance of the vitamin A deficiency was evaluated according to the World Health Organization criteria. As predisposing factors for vitamin A deficiency, the following conditions were considered: intestinal parasitism, protein-energy malnutrition, inadequate ingestion of vitamin A food sources, and per capita family income. Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Vitamin A deficiency was identified in 29.0% of the subjects, 23.2% of the children presented stunting, and 8.7% were malnourished, according to the body mass index. In 63.1% of the subjects, inadequate ingestion of retinol sources was verified, while 78.8% of the subjects presented some type of intestinal parasite. Most school-children families (87.1%) had per capita monthly incomes bellow ¼ of the minimum wage; the rest of the families were situated respectively in the ranges: (10.4%)>¼ to <½ minimum wage; (2.1%) >½ to < 1 minimum wage; and ( 0.4 %) >1 minimum wage. CONCLUSION: Vitamin A deficiency among school children was found to be a public health problem in the studied area. Nonetheless, no significant statistic association between vitamin A deficiency and the factors selected as predisposing ones was observed