Chestnut and lemon balm based ingredients as natural preserving agents of the nutritional profile in matured “Serra da Estrela” cheese

Chestnut flowers, lemon balm plants and their decoctions were incorporated into "Serra da Estrela" cheese, to assess their potential to preserve its nutritional properties and provide new foodstuffs. The analyses were carried out after the normal ripening period of 1month and after 6months of storage. The most abundant nutrients were proteins and fats. The most abundant minerals were Ca and Na, while C16:0 and C18:1 were the main fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were the most abundant, followed by the monounsaturated. Moisture seemed to be lower in the samples with the plants incorporated. The dried plants, when incorporated, seemed to be more efficient as preservers then the decoctions, although these better preserved the proteins. These plants can be regarded as promising natural preservers in foodstuffs cheese, given the preservation of key parameters and the slight impact on the nutritional value.The authors are grateful to Queijos Casa Matias, Lda and Mais Ervas, Lda. For providing the cheese and M. officinalis samples, respectively. The authors also acknowledge PRODER project No. 46577-PlantLact, the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support to the CIMO research centre (Pest-OE/AGR/UI0690/2014) and ALIMNOVA research group (UCM-951505/2012), J.C.M. Barreira acknowledges the FCT for his post-doctoral grant (BPD/72802/2010)

The inhibitory action of purple tea on in vivo starch digestion compared to other Camellia sinensis teas

In order to contribute to improve knowledge about the actions of Camellia sinensis extracts on starch digestion, several varieties were compared. The latter were green, oolong, white, black, and purple teas. The results are hoped to contribute to our understanding of the mode of action and potency of the various tea preparations as possible adjuvants in the control of post-prandial glycemia. The extracts were prepared in way similar to their form of consumption. All extracts decreased starch digestion, but the purple tea extract was the strongest inhibitor, their inhibitory tendency started at the dose of 50 mg/kg and was already maximal with 250 mg/kg. Maltose tolerance was not significantly affected by the extracts. Glucose tolerance was not affected by purple tea, but black tea clearly diminished it; green tea presented the same tendency. Purple tea was also the strongest inhibitor of pancreatic α-amylase, followed by black tea. The green tea, oolong tea, and white tea extracts tended to stimulate the pancreatic α-amylase at low concentrations, a phenomenon that could be counterbalancing its inhibitory effect on starch digestion. Based on chemical analyses and molecular docking simulations it was concluded that for both purple and black tea extracts the most abundant active component, epigallocatechin gallate, seems also to be the main responsible for the inhibition of the pancreatic α-amylase and starch digestion. In the case of purple tea, the inhibitory activity is likely to be complemented by its content in deoxyhexosidehexoside- containing polyphenolics, especially the kaempferol and myricetin derivatives. Polysaccharides are also contributing to some extent. Cyanidins, the compounds giving to purple tea its characteristic color, seem not to be the main responsible for its effects on starch digestion. It can be concluded that in terms of postprandial anti-hyperglycemic action purple tea presents the best perspectives among all the tea varieties tested in the present study.This work was financially supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-304090/ 2016-6), Coordenação do Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES) and Fundação Araucária (53/2019). The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros and M.I. Dias contracts. This work was also funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Mobilizador ValorNatural®: Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479 and GreenHealth: Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Potential anti-diabetic properties of Merlot grape pomace extract: an in vitro, in silico and in vivo study of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition

A practical approach to control glycemia in diabetes is to use plant natural products that delay hydrolysis of complex sugars and promote the diminution of the release of glucosyl units into the blood plasma. Polyphenolics have been described as being effective in inhibiting amylases and α-glucosidases. Grape pomace is an important sub product of the wine industry, still rich in many compounds such as polyphenolics. In this context, the purpose of this study was to search for possible effects of a grape pomace extract on salivary and pancreatic α-amylases and α-glucosidase, as well as on intestinal glucose absorption. The Merlot grape pomace extract (MGPE) was prepared using a hydroalcoholic mixture (40% ethanol + 60% water). In vitro inhibition was quantified using potato starch (for amylases) and maltose (for α-glucosidase) as substrates. In vivo inhibition was evaluated by running starch and maltose tolerance tests in rats with or without administration of MGPE. Ranking of the extract compounds for its affinity to the α-amylases was accomplished by computer simulations using three different programs. Both α-amylases, pancreatic and salivary, were inhibited by the MGPE. No inhibition on α-glucosidase, however, was detected. The IC50 values were 90 ± 10 μg/mL and 143 ± 15 μg/mL for salivary and pancreatic amylases, respectively. Kinetically this inhibition showed a complex pattern, with multiple binding of the extract constituents to the enzymes. Furthermore, the in silico docking simulations indicated that several phenolic substances, e.g., peonidin-3-O-acetylglucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide and isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, besides catechin, were the most likely polyphenols responsible for the α-amylase inhibition caused by MGPE. The hyperglycemic burst, an usual phenomenon that follows starch administration, was substantially inhibited by the MGPE. Our results suggest that the MGPE can be adequate for maintaining normal blood levels after food ingestion.The authors wish to thank to the Fundação Araucária (Brazil), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brazil), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Brazil), Cesumar Institute of Science Technology and Innovation (ICETI, Brazil), and FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal for their financial help.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of a Myrciaria jaboticaba peel extract on starch and triglyceride absorption and the role of cyanidin-3- O -glucoside

The purpose of this study was to perform a parallel and comparative investigation of the effects of a Myrciaria jaboticaba (common name jabuticaba) peel extract and of its constituent cyanidin-3-O-glucoside on the overall process of starch and triglyceride intestinal absorption. The peel extract inhibited both the porcine pancreactic α-amylase and the pancreatic lipase but was 13.6 times more potent on the latter (IC50 values of 1963 and 143.9 μg mL-1, respectively). Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside did not contribute significantly to these inhibitions. The jabuticaba peel extract inhibited starch absorption in mice at doses that were compatible with its inhibitory action on the α-amylase. No inhibition of starch absorption was found with cyanidin-3-O-glucoside doses compatible with its content in the extract. The extract also inhibited triglyceride absorption, but at doses that were considerably smaller than those predicted by its strength in inhibiting the pancreatic lipase (ID50 = 3.65 mg kg-1). In this case, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was also strongly inhibitory, with 72% inhibition at the dose of 2 mg kg-1. When oleate + glycerol were given to mice, both the peel extract and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside strongly inhibited the appearance of triglycerides in the plasma. The main mechanism seems, thus, not to be the lipase inhibition but rather the inhibition of one or more steps (e.g., transport) in the events that lead to the transformation of free fatty acids in the intestinal tract into triglycerides. Due to the low active doses, the jabuticaba peel extract presents many favourable perspectives as an inhibitor of fat absorption and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside seems to play a decisive role. This journal is.This work was financially supported by grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-304090/2016-6) and Coordenação do Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES). The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros contract. This work was also funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479: ValorNatural®.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Glutamine dipeptide supplementation improves clinical responses in patients with diabetic foot syndrome

The effect of glutamine dipeptide (GDP) supplementation in patients with diabetic foot syndrome was evaluated. A total of 22 patients took part in the study. GDP was supplied in 10 g sachets, and was dissolved in water immediately before use, with ingestion once a day, after lunch or after dinner (20 g/day) over a period of 30 days. Quantification of foot insensitive areas, oxidative stress, blood cytokines, and biochemical, hematological and toxicological parameters was performed before and after GDP supplementation. We observed an increase in blood levels of interferon-α (P=0.023), interferon-γ (P=0.038), interleukin-4 (P=0.003), interleukin-6 (P=0.0025), interleukin-7 (P=0.028), interleukin-12 p40 (P=0.017), interleukin-13 (P=0.001), leukocytes (P=0.037), eosinophils (P=0.049), and typical lymphocytes (

Hepatoprotective Effects of Mushrooms

The particular characteristics of growth and development of mushrooms in nature result in the accumulation of a variety of secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds, terpenes and steroids and essential cell wall components such as polysaccharides, b-glucans and proteins, several of them with biological activities. The present article outlines and discusses the available information about the protective effects of mushroom extracts against liver damage induced by exogenous compounds. Among mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidum is indubitably the most widely studied species. In this review, however, emphasis was given to studies using other mushrooms, especially those presenting efforts of attributing hepatoprotective activities to specific chemical components usually present in the mushroom extracts

Inhibition of Gluconeogenesis by Boldine in the Perfused Liver: Therapeutical Implication for Glycemic Control

The alkaloid boldine occurs in the Chilean boldo tree (Peumus boldus). It acts as a free radical scavenger and controls glycemia in diabetic rats. Various mechanisms have been proposed for this effect, including inhibited glucose absorption, stimulated insulin secretion, and increased expression of genes involved in glycemic control. Direct effects on glucose synthesis and degradation were not yet measured. To fill this gap, the present study is aimed at ensuring several metabolic pathways linked to glucose metabolism (e.g., gluconeogenesis) in the isolated perfused rat liver. In order to address mechanistic issues, energy transduction in isolated mitochondria and activities of gluconeogenic key enzymes in tissue preparations were also measured. Boldine diminished mitochondrial ROS generation, with no effect on energy transduction in isolated mitochondria. It inhibited, however, at least three enzymes of the gluconeogenic pathway, namely, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, fructose-bisphosphatase-1, and glucose 6-phosphatase, starting at concentrations below 50 μM. Consistently, in the perfused liver, boldine decreased lactate-, alanine-, and fructose-driven gluconeogenesis with IC50 values of 71.9, 85.2, and 83.6 μM, respectively. Conversely, the compound also increased glycolysis from glycogen-derived glucosyl units. The hepatic ATP content was not affected by boldine. It is proposed that the direct inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenesis by boldine, combined with the increase of glycolysis, could be an important event behind the diminished hyperglycemia observed in boldine-treated diabetic rats

Legislative Documents

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