Evaluation of gastroprotective activity of Passiflora alata

1H NMR-based metabolic profile and chemometric analysis for the discrimination of Passiflora species genotypic variations

The species of the genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae family) have been used as food, cosmetic and traditional herbal. As a result, the Passiflora species are widely cultivated and has an economic, medicinal and ornamental importance. The popular designation as "passion fruit" and chemical profile of several Passiflora species remains unknown. The lack of chemical information contributes to the erroneous classification and adulteration. In recent years, special attention has been paid to the bioactivity and phytochemical profiles of several Passiflora species extracts. In this research, ¹H NMR-based metabolic profiling coupled with chemometric tools was used to characterize and distinguish extracts obtained from different wild Passiflora species (P. alata, P. cincinnata, and P. setacea) and genetic varieties (P. alata var. BRS Pérola do Cerrado, P. cincinnata var. BRS Sertão Forte, and P. setacea var. BRS Pérola do Cerrado). Fourteen metabolites were identified by 1D and 2D NMR experiments, highlighting the presence of fatty acids, carbohydrates, saponins, alkaloids, and mainly C-glycosidic flavones. Principal components analysis (PCA) allowed discrimination of Passiflora extracts, which the quadranguloside, oleanolic acid-3-sophoroside, α-glucose, β-glucose, and vitexin-2-O"-rhamnoside were relevant in the differentiation of P. alata and P. alata var. BRS Pérola do Cerrado, while the flavones isovitexin and isovitexin-2-O"-xyloside were dominant in the grouping of P. setacea and P. setacea var. BRS Pérola do Cerrado, and finally P. cincinnata and P. cincinnata var. BRS Sertão Forte grouped by the influence of the fatty acids, sucrose, flavones (isoorientin and vitexin-2-O"-xyloside), and trigonelline. The varieties of P. setacea, and P. cincinnata are chemically equivalent to the original Passiflora species. However, the PCA analysis showed that the genetic variety of P. alata occupied a different position in the scores plot provoked mainly by the presence of oleanolic acid-3-sophoroside. The ¹H NMR metabolic profile can be efficient for quality control evaluation, and can contribute to the investigation of new alternatives for official Passiflora herbal medicines.

A review on the gastrointestinal protective effects of tropical fruit polyphenols

Tropical fruits are popular because of their unique, delicious flavors and good nutritional value. Polyphenols are considered to be the main bioactive ingredients in tropical fruits, and these exert a series of beneficial effects on the human gastrointestinal tract that can enhance intestinal health and prevent intestinal diseases. Moreover, they are distinct from the polyphenols in fruits grown in other geographical zones. Thus, the comprehensive effects of polyphenols in tropical fruits on gut health warrant in-depth review. This article reviews, first, the biological characteristics of several representative tropical fruits, including mango, avocado, noni, cashew apple, passion fruit and lychee; second, the types and content of the main polyphenols in these tropical fruits; third, the effects of each of these fruit polyphenols on gastrointestinal health; and, fourth, the protective mechanism of polyphenols. Polyphenols and their metabolites play a crucial role in the regulation of the gut microbiota, increasing intestinal barrier function, reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors and regulating immune function. Thus, review highlights the value of tropical fruits, highlighting their significance for future research on their applications as functional foods that are oriented to gastrointestinal protection.

Brazilian passion fruit as a new healthy food: from its composition to health properties and mechanisms of action

The Brazilian biodiversity is one of the largest in the world, with about 41 000 species cataloged within two global biodiversity hotspots: Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, the Brazilian savannah. Passiflora, known also as passion flowers, is a genus of which 96% of its species are distributed in the Americas, mainly Brazil and Colombia. Passion fruit extracts have a commercial value on a global scale through the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, self-care, and food and beverage industries. Passiflora are widely studied due to their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antidepressant and vascular and neuronal protective effects, probably owing to their content of polyphenols. Passiflora setacea DC is a species of wild passion fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado, rich in flavonoid C-glycosides, homoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin and orientin. Intake of these plant food bioactives has been associated with protection against chronic non-communicable diseases (CNDCs), including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we aimed to discuss the varieties of Passiflora, their content in plant food bioactives and their potential molecular mechanisms of action in preventing or reversing CNDCs.