First evaluation of the antimutagenic effect of mangaba fruit in vivo and its phenolic profile identification

Antioxidant, antimutagenic, and hypoglycemic properties of flours by different parts of marolo (Annona crassiflora Mart.) seeds: Film and almond

The biological effects of marolo (Annona crassiflora Mart.) seed byproducts, a native fruit of Brazilian Cerrado, have not been extensively studied. We evaluated the chemopreventive potential of marolo seed almond flour (MSAF) and marolo seed film flour (MSFF) and correlated the results obtained with the antioxidant capacity presented by the seed. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were determined by spectrophotometric analysis and phenolics profile composition by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC). In addition, the in vitro antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+) expressed in trolox equivalent (TE) of MSFF (165 and 325 µmol TE/g) and MSAF (7.21 and 4.34 µmol TE/g), respectively. MSFF displayed of antioxidant activity values by DPPH (165.98 µmol TE/g) and ABTS•+ (323.13 µmol TE/g) and TPC, expressed in gallic acid equivalent (GAE), of 54.28 mg GAE/g with predominance of myricetin (368.17 µg/g), and TFC, expressed in catechin equivalent (CE), of 50.86 mg CE/g, representing ∼ 93 % of the TPC. MSAF presented TPC of 1.52 mg GAE/g, with TFC of 0.76 mg CE/g (∼50 % of TPC), with predominance of quercetin (29.08 µg/g). The chemopreventive activity against DNA damage induced by doxorubicin (DXR) [20 mg/kg body weight (bw)]) was evaluated in Swiss mice peripheral blood by micronucleus test. Toxicological parameters, such as food and water consumption and animal weight, as well as blood glucose levels, were monitored during 14 days of treatment. The results showed that MSFF and MSAF presented no significant cytotoxic and mutagenic effects. The MSFF at doses of 3.5, and 7.0 mg/day showed a chemopreventive effect, while in the doses of 14.0 and 28.0 mg/day, no effect was observed. On the other hand, in the MSAF, a chemopreventive effect was observed only in the dose of 28 mg/day. The interference of one or more of the bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity presents in the MSFF may explain the best protective effect against DNA damage. Therefore, both marolo seed flours (MSFF and MSAF) can be considered potential food ingredients products that could be applied in food or pharmaceutical preparations with antioxidant and chemopreventive properties.

Underexploited Brazilian Cerrado fruits as sources of phenolic compounds for diseases management: A review

The Brazilian Cerrado is home to a large number of native and endemic species of enormous potential, among which we can highlight the cagaita, gabiroba, jatobá-do-cerrado, lobeira, and mangaba. In this review, we report the nutritional and phenolic composition, as well as bioactivities of these five Brazilian Cerrado fruits. The compiled data indicated that these fruits have high nutritional, functional, and economic potential and contribute to the daily intake of macro- and micronutrients, energy, and phenolic compounds by inhabitants of the Cerrado region. Phenolic-rich extracts obtained from these fruits have shown several bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidyslipidemic, antidiabetic, analgesic, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, gastrointestinal protective, and antimicrobial properties. Therefore, these fruits can be explored by the food industry as a raw material to develop food products of high value-added, such as functional foods, and can also be employed as plant sources to obtain bioactive compounds for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical purposes.

Biotechnological potential of Hancornia speciosa whole tree: A narrative review from composition to health applicability

Mangabeira (Hancornia speciosa) is a Brazilian tree and a socioeconomic key due to the commercialization of its food products and tree parts to treat health conditions empirically. This review gathers the main chemical, and microbiological characteristics of the mangabeira tree parts (leaves, fruits, tree bark, latex, and seeds), emphasizing its applicability in food science and focusing on its bioapplicability in health conditions. Leaves, fruits, and tree bark can be used to develop functional foods, and phytochemical products; the tree latex have great potential in the bioengineering material field; and the seeds in sustainable energy production. Leaves and fruits were the main samples bioapplied in health conditions in vitro (oxidative stress and chemopreventive effect) and in vivo (gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic effect), whereas tree bark and latex also exhibited health effects and seeds showed low cytotoxicity. All parts of the mangabeira tree can be explored by extractivist families and industries from a sustainable point of view.

Pistacia lentiscus L. fruits showed promising antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activity using both in-vitro and in-vivo test systems

Pistacia lentiscus L. is one of the most popular medicinal plants attributed to its beneficial properties on human health. However, few toxicogenetic studies have been carried out. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the potential genotoxic/antigenotoxic and mutagenic/antimutagenic properties of oil, ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts of P. lentiscus L. fruits using in vitro the Ames and Umu assays, as well as in vivo micronucleus (MN) test. Extracts did not exert any significant mutagenic/genotoxic effects but provided protection against standard mutagenic and genotoxic agents including 2 nitrofluorene (2-NF) at 2.5 and 5 µg/ml; sodium azide at 5 and 10 µg/ml; 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) at 25 and 50 μg/ml; cyclophosphamide (CP) at 50 and 100 μg/ml; 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) at 0.05 µg/ml and 2-amino-anthracene (AA) at 0.2 µg/ml. Further, cytotoxicity and selectivity were examined on human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2), and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines as well as a human normal-like fibroblast cell line (TelCOFS02MA) using MTT assay. Among all extracts, PF1 (ethanolic) showed the most significant selectivity index (SI) (HepG2:11.98; MCF7:4.83), which led to further investigations using an animal model. Oral administration of PF1 (125-1000 mg/kg b.w.) significantly decreased the number of micronucleated cells in CP -initiated (50 mg/kg b.w.) mice, while the number of micronucleated reticulocytes (MNRET), micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) or mitotic index (MI) were not markedly affected. Further, PF1 significantly enhanced catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the livers and kidneys of these animals. The obtained results indicated the beneficial properties of P. lentiscus L. fruits for use in therapy against harmful effects of genotoxic and mutagenic agents. However, while promising it should be noted that the obtained results are preliminary and need to be confirmed prior to therapeutic use.

The bioactive constituents and antioxidant activities of ten selected Brazilian Cerrado fruits

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This is the first study of the bioactive compounds of Rollinia mucosa, Alibertia verrucosa, and Buchenavia tomentosa.

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Brazilian native fruits are essential food sources for local people and possibly viable raw materials for new products.

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Brazilian Fruits from Cerrado contain bioactive compounds with high antioxidant potential in vitro, comparable to other well-known fruits.

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Mirindiba (Buchenavia tomentosa) contains above-average levels of tocopherol, carotenoids, vitamin C and total phenolic.

This study measured the total levels of phenolic, anthocyanin, carotenoid, and tocopherol compounds, and vitamin C in ten fruits from the Brazilian Cerrado: araçá-boi, bacaba, bacupari, biribá, cajuí, curriola, marmelada-espinho, mirindiba, murici, and puçá-preto. Five extracts were prepared from each fruit using solvents with different polarities. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and inhibition of β-carotene bleaching were determined for each extract. Scott-Knott test and principal component analysis showed that the analyzed fruits were rich sources of different classes of bioactive compounds, with levels comparable to those in commonly consumed fruits such as guavas, and various berries and citrus fruits. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study of the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of biribá, cajuí, marmelada-espinho, and mirindiba. Moreover, mirindiba was found to be a rich source of vitamin C and phenolics, with an average level of carotenoids and tocopherols.

Pharmaceutical, food potential, and molecular data of Hancornia speciosa Gomes: a systematic review

Hancornia speciosa Gomes is a fruit and medicinal tree species native to South America, which in Brazil is considered of potential economic value and priority for research and development. We present a map of the state-of-art, including articles, patents, and molecular data of the species to identify perspectives for future research. The annual scientific production, intellectual, social, and conceptual structure were evaluated, along with the number of patent deposits, components of the plant used, countries of deposit, international classification and assignees, and the accessibility of available molecular data. Brazil has the most significant publications (306) between 1992 and 2020. Technological products (29) have been developed from different tissues of the plant. Most of the articles and patents were developed by researchers from public universities from different regions of Brazil. The molecular data are sequences of nucleotides (164) and proteins (236) of the chloroplast genome and are described to identify the species as DNA barcodes and proteins involved in photosynthesis. The compilation and report of scientific, technological, and molecular information in the present review allowed the identification of new perspectives of research to be developed based on the gaps in knowledge regarding the species and perspectives for the definition of future research.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10722-021-01319-w.

The impact of carbon source on cell growth and the production of bioactive compounds in cell suspensions of Hancornia speciosa Gomes

Belonging to the Brazilian flora, the species Hancornia speciosa (Gomes), known as mangabeira, has bioactive compounds of interest, such as flavonoids, xanthones, and proanthocyanidins. The objective of this study was to determine how the supplementation of sugars in culture medium affects the osmotic potential of the medium, as well as its influence on cell growth and on the concentration of phenolic compounds. For this purpose, after 90 days of subculture, 20 mL aliquots of the cultures were added to flasks containing 20 mL of medium with different sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, mannitol, and sorbitol) under a 16-h photoperiod with a spectral range between 400 and 700 nm of photosynthetically active radiation (45-55 μmol m-2 s-1) in a shaker at 110 rpm. After 30 days, the pH, electrical conductivity, osmotic potential, biomass accumulation, and concentrations of phenolic compounds were evaluated. Regardless of their concentration in the medium, the sugars sorbitol and mannitol provided more unfavorable conditions for water absorption at the cellular level, reducing the water potential of the medium. Sucrose favored greater water absorption and biomass accumulation. Among the various sugar concentrations, 3% (30 g/L) sucrose or glucose improved the accumulation of fresh and dry cell weight and the production of polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, rosmarinic acid, hesperidin, rutin, and quercetin. In addition, they resulted in a higher osmotic potential of the medium and larger cells than other carbon sources. Despite the differences in cell size, no culture conditions compromised cell survival.

Chemical characterization and antioxidant potential of native fruits of the Cerrado of northern Minas Gerais

Abstract This study aimed to chemically characterize the pulps of the tropical fruits araticum (Annona crassiflora), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa), coquinho azedo (Butia capitata), cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica), and cajá (Spondias mombin), with a focus on antioxidant potential and microminerals. Calcium levels in the Araticum pulp are 9.35 mg/100 g and the iron content was 4.78 mg/100 g. In cagaita pulp, the calcium content was 15.35 mg/100 g and magnesium content was 66.00 mg/100 g. The iron content present in coquinho pulp was 11.47 mg/100 g and in cagaita it was 11.53 mg/100 g. The extracts with the highest contents of total phenolic compounds were araticum (433.80 mg GAE/g) and coquinho (173.5 mg GAE/g). Araticum pulp had the highest antioxidant potential because it had the lowest EC50 (0.04 mg/mL). The results presented here demonstrate the great potential of the fruits of the Cerrado in terms of rich mineral nutrients and bioactive compounds.

The Effects of Supplementing Hancornia speciosa (Mangaba) on Bowel Motility and Inflammatory Profile of Wistar Rats

The prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders, such as constipation, has been increasing. Genetic factors and lifestyle are some of the etiologies of this issue, affecting the health of the population. Natural products have properties that contribute to health maintenance and health promotion, including reduction of the inflammatory process. Hancornia speciosa, popularly known as mangaba, is an abundant and native fruit in the Brazilian Cerrado, commercialized for culinary purposes and used because of its pharmacological properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the supplementation of different concentrations of mangaba pulp can improve intestinal motility and bowel health in Wistar rats. Forty male rats were divided into five groups. The experiment lasted 14 days and the groups were tested with water, industrialized laxative jelly made from tamarind as medication, or mangaba at 5, 10, and 15 mL/kg of body weight. Food intake, weight gain, ion balance, intestinal motility, and histopathological analysis of the small intestine, large intestine, and liver were evaluated. Supplementation of mangaba pulp at its highest concentration (15 mL/kg body weight) caused a 15% increase in the distance traveled by the charcoal meal, and a decrease in serum magnesium levels and white cells in both the small and large intestines. The results suggest that mangaba pulp presents laxative, anti-inflammatory properties and that its consumption is beneficial and should be encouraged.

Protective effect of aqueous extract, fractions and phenolic compounds of Hancornia speciosa fruits on the inflammatory damage in the lungs of mice induced by Tityus serrulatus envenomation

Scorpion envenomation has been considered a public health issue around the world. Tityus serrulatus represents a specie of major medical importance in Brazil due to mortality rates of approximately 1% among children and elderly populations. The aim of this work was to evaluate the in vivo anti-inflammatory potential of aqueous extract from Hancornia speciosa fruits, its fractions and its phenolic compounds against T. serrulatus envenomation. After receiving the T. serrulatus venom (TsV, 0.8 mg/kg) intraperitoneally, the animals were treated intravenously with the aqueous extract (20, 30 and 40 mg/kg), the arachnid antivenom (50 μL/animal), the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions (20 mg/kg) as well as rutin and chlorogenic acid (2, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg). The treatment with the aqueous extract, fractions and phenolic compounds decreased the migration of leukocytes to the peritoneal cavity and reduced the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12. Moreover, the pulmonary histopathologic analysis showed a reduction in both interstitial and alveolar edema, as well as in the leukocytes infiltration and vascular ectasia in the mice's lungs, which evidences a protective effect attributed to H. speciosa. This is the first study that demonstrates the inhibitory potential of the aqueous extract from H. speciosa fruits against inflammation induced by TsV. These findings suggest that the bioactive compounds from the aqueous extract, especially chlorogenic acid and rutin, are responsible for the reported anti-inflammatory activity of H. speciosa.

Absence of genotoxic effects of the chalcone (E)-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-methylphenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one) and its potential chemoprevention against DNA damage using in vitro and in vivo assays

The chalcone (E)-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-methylphenyl)-prop-2-en-1-one), or 2HMC, displays antileishmanial, antimalarial, and antioxidant activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic, and protective effects of 2HMC using the Ames mutagenicity test, the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test, and the comet assay in mice. In the assessment using the Ames test, 2HMC did not increase the number of His⁺ revertants in Salmonella typhimurium strains, demonstrating lack of mutagenicity. 2HMC showed no significant increase in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte frequency (MNPCE) in the micronucleus test, or in DNA strand breaks using the comet assay, evidencing absence of genotoxicity. Regarding cytotoxicity, 2HMC exhibited moderate cytotoxicity in mouse bone marrow cells by micronucleus test. 2HMC showed antimutagenic action in co-administration with the positive controls, sodium azide (SA) and 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), in the Ames test. Co-administered and mainly pre-administered with cyclophosphamide (CPA), 2HMC caused a decrease in the frequency of MNPCE using the micronucleus test and in DNA strand breaks using the comet assay. Thus, 2HMC exhibited antimutagenic and antigenotoxic effects, displaying a DNA-protective effect against CPA, SA, and 4NQO carcinogens. In conclusion, 2HMC presented antimutagenic, antigenotoxic and moderate cytotoxic effects; therefore it is a promising molecule for cancer prevention.

Identification of Phenolic Compounds from Hancornia speciosa (Apocynaceae) Leaves by UHPLC Orbitrap-HRMS

Apocynaceae is a botanical family distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In Brazil, they comprise about 90 genera and 850 species, inhabiting various types of vegetation. Within this large botanical family, the genus Hancornia is considered monotypic, with its only species Hancornia speciosa Gomes. Antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and antiviral activities are described for this species. Despite having been the target of some studies, knowledge of its chemical composition is still limited. In this study, the phenolics of H. speciosa leaves were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). As a result, 14 compounds were identified viz. protocatechuic acid, catechin, and quercetin, and another 14 were putatively identified viz. B- and C-type procyanidins, while just one compound remained unknown. From the identified compounds, 17 are reported for the first time viz. coumaroylquinic acid isomers and eriodyctiol. The results show that Hancornia speciosa can serve as source of valuable phenolics.

Brazilian savannah fruits: Characteristics, properties, and potential applications

The Brazilian savannah is the second largest biome of the country, and it displays great biodiversity. The fruits of the native trees have peculiar characteristics and are recognized for their nutritional and therapeutic aspects. However, little is known about their technological and biotechnological potential applications. The existing information concerning these aspects has never been compiled so far. It is known that many of these fruits contain many bioactive compounds of industrial interest, such as carotenoids and phenolic constituents. Another aspect of the fruit is the high fatty acid content of some species. Pequi, bocaiuva, jatoba, baru, amburama, and buriti, for instance, are among those fruits described as being rich in fatty acids, mostly unsaturated ones. Here, we reviewed 18 species from the Brazilian savannah identified to be of interest because of high potencial for sustained medium- and short-term explorations, under the technological and biotechnological aspects, seeking the development of new products from these scarcely studied raw materials.

Anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extract and bioactive compounds identified from the fruits of Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae)

Background

Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae), popularly known as “mangabeira,” has been used in folk medicine to treat inflammatory disorders, hypertension, dermatitis, diabetes, liver diseases and gastric disorders. Although the ethnobotany indicates that its fruits can be used for the treatment of ulcers and inflammatory disorders, only few studies have been conducted to prove such biological activities. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous extract of the fruits of H. speciosa Gomes as well as its bioactive compounds using in vivo experimental models.

Methods

The bioactive compounds were identified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). The anti-inflammatory properties were investigated through in vivo tests, which comprised xylene-induced ear edema, carrageenan-induced peritonitis and zymosan-induced air pouch. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α were determined using ELISA.

Results

Rutin and chlorogenic acid were identified in the extract as the main secondary metabolites. In addition, the extract as well as rutin and chlorogenic acid significantly inhibited the xilol-induced ear edema and also reduced the cell migration in both carrageenan-induced peritonitis and zymosan-induced air pouch models. Reduced levels of cytokines were also observed.

Conclusion

This is the first study that demonstrated the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract of H. speciosa fruits against different inflammatory agents in animal models, suggesting that its bioactive molecules, especially rutin and chlorogenic acid are, at least in part, responsible for such activity. These findings support the widespread use of Hancornia speciosa in popular medicine and demonstrate that its aqueous extract has therapeutical potential for the development of herbal drugs with anti-inflammatory properties.