A review on health benefits of kombucha nutritional compounds and metabolites

Kombucha is a beverage made by fermenting sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts. Kombucha consumption has been associated with some health effects such as: the reduction of cholesterol levels and blood pressure, reduction of cancer propagation, the improvement of liver, the immune system, and gastrointestinal functions. The beneficial effects of kombucha are attributed to the presence of bioactive compounds that act synergistically. Bacteria contained in kombucha beverage belongs to the genus Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and the yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces along with glucuronic acid, contribute to health protection. This review focuses on recent findings regarding beneficial effects of kombucha and discusses its chemical compounds, as well as the metabolites resulted by the fermentation process. Besides, some contraindications of kombucha consumption are also reviewed

Component Analysis and Free Radicals Scavenging Activity of Cicer arietinum L. Husk Pectin

A pectin (CAP) was extracted from the husk of Cicer arietinum L.. Monosaccharide analysis of CAP revealed the dominance of galacturonic acid and smaller amounts of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, glucose, xylose and mannose. Viscosimetric analysis showed that the intrinsic viscosity ([η]) and the molecular weight (MW) of CAP were 296 mL/g and 105 kDa, respectively. The degree of esterification (DE = 10%) was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. CAP exhibited a dose-dependent free radical scavenging activity, as shown by its DPPH radical inhibition. At 1.0 mg/mL CAP exhibited a scavenging rate of 29% on DPPH radicals. The evaluation of antioxidant activity suggested that CAP had good potential for DPPH radical scavenging activity and should be explored as a novel potential antioxidant