Semillas de altramuces bajan la concentración de lípidos plasmáticos y normaliza los parámetros antioxidantes en ratas

This study was designed to test bitter and sweet lupin seeds for lipid-lowering and for their antioxidative activities in hypercholesterolemic rats. The levels of plasma lipid, malondialdehyde (MDA) and whole blood reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as the activities of transaminases (ALT and AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in plasma, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in erythrocytes and plasma glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) were examined. A hypercholesterolemia-induced diet manifested in the elevation of total lipids (TL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), LDL-C and MDA levels, ALT, AST, LDH activities and the depletion of GSH and enzymic antioxidants. The supplementation of a hypercholesterolemia-induced diet with bitter and sweet lupin seeds significantly lowered the plasma levels of TL, TC, TG and LDL-C. ALT, AST and LDH activities slightly decreased in treated groups compared with the hypercholesterolemic group (HC). Furthermore, the content of GSH significantly increased while MDA significantly decreased in treated groups compared with the HC group. In addition, the bitter lupin seed group improved enzymic antioxidants compared with the HC group. In general, the results indicated that the bitter lupin seed supplements are better than those containing sweet lupin seeds. These results suggested that the hypocholesterolemic effect of bitter and sweet lupin seed supplements might be due to their abilities to lower the plasma cholesterol level as well as to slow down the lipid peroxidation process and to enhance the antioxidant enzyme activity.Este estudio fue diseñado para evaluar semillas de altramuces dulces y amargas como agentes que bajan los lípidos y estudiar su efecto en la actividad antioxidante en ratas hipercolesterolémicas. El nivel de lípidos en plasma, malondialdehido (MDA) y glutatión reducido (GSH), así como la actividad transaminasa (ALT y AST), lactato deshidrogenasa (LHD) en plama, superóxido dismutasa (SOD) y glutatión peroxidasa (GPx) en eritrocitos, glutatión reductasa (GR) en plasma, glutatión-S- trnasferasa (GST) y catalasa (CAT) fueron examinadas. La dieta inductora de hipercolesterolemia se manisfesto mediante la elevación de los lípidos totales (TL), del colesterol total (TC), de los triglicéridos, de la LDL-C y de los niveles de MDA, de las actividades ALT, AST, LDH y del descenso de GSH y enzimas antioxidantes. La suplementación de dietas inductoras de hipercolesterolemia con semillas de altramuces dulces y amargas bajo significativamente los niveles en plasma de TL, TC, TG y LDL-C. Las actividades ALT, AST y LDH decrecieron ligeramente en grupos tratados comparados con el grupo hipercolesterolémico (HC). Por otra parte, el contenido de GSH aumento significativamente mientras que el MDA decreció significativamente en los grupos tratados comparados con el grupo HC. Además, las semillas de altramuces amargas mejoraron las enzimas antioxidantes comparadas con el grupo HC. En general, los resultados indican que, el suplemento con semillas amargas es mejor que con semillas de altramuces dulces. Estos resultados sugieren que el efecto hipercolesterolémico del suplemento con semillas de altramuces dulces y amargas podrían ser debiadas a su capacidad para bajar los nivleles en plasma de colesterol, así como una ralentización del proceso de peroxidación lipídica y un aumento de la actividad enzimática antioxidante

Perspectives of the Apiaceae Hepatoprotective Effects - A Review

The liver has the crucial role in the regulation of various physiological processes and in the excretion of endogenous waste metabolites and xenobiotics. Liver structure impairment can be caused by various factors including microorganisms, autoimmune diseases, chemicals, alcohol and drugs. The plant kingdom is full of liver protective chemicals such as phenols, coumarins, lignans, essential oils, monoterpenes, carotenoids, glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, lipids, alkaloids and xanthenes. Apiaceae plants are usually used as a vegetable or as a spice, but their other functional properties are also very important. This review highlights the significance of caraway, dill, cumin, aniseed, fennel, coriander, celery, lovage, angelica, parsley and carrot, which are popular vegetables and spices, but possess hepatoprotective potential. These plants can be used for medicinal applications to patients who suffer from liver damage

Detection of mycobiota, aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic genes, and cytotoxic ability in spices

Spices are portions of plants because their properties are used as colorants, preservatives, or medicine. The employments of spices have been known since long time, and the interest in the capability of spices is astounding because of the chemical compounds contained in spices. The molds grow on a variety of different crops and foodstuffs including spices often under warm and humid conditions. The mycobiota of five spice species were surveyed. Forty‐six fungal species were obtained. Aspergillus flavus and A. niger were the prevalent species recorded. The aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxins (OTs) were detected in some samples and isolates. Cumin had the highest concentration of AFs 8.2 ppb, while ginger had a considerable occurrence of OTs 6.7 ppb. A. flavus obtained from ginger recorded the maximum concentration of AFs 7.5 ppb, and A. niger from turmeric was the highest producer for OTs 3.6 ppb. omt‐A and Aopks genes were detected in all tested A. flavus isolates and two out of four A. niger isolates. One of the important properties of spices is cancer etiology and prevention. Ginger and sage were the highest cytotoxic against four human tumor cell lines