The effect of pomegranate seed powder addition on radical scavenging activity determined by TLC–DPPH test and selected properties of gluten-free pasta

The Therapeutic Alliance between Pomegranate and Health Emphasizing on Anticancer Properties

Pomegranate is a fruit bearing-plant that is well known for its medicinal properties. Pomegranate is a good source of phenolic acids, tannins, and flavonoids. Pomegranate juice and by-products have attracted the scientific interest due to their potential health benefits. Currently, the medical community has showed great interest in exploiting pomegranate potential as a protective agent against several human diseases including cancer. This is demonstrated by the fact that there are more than 800 reports in the literature reporting pomegranate's anticancer properties. This review is an update on the research outcomes of pomegranate's potential against different types of human diseases, emphasizing on cancer. In addition, perspectives of potential applications of pomegranate, as a natural additive aiming to improve the quality of animal products, are discussed.

Quantitative Analysis of Rutin by HPTLC and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Phenolic-Rich Extracts from Verbesina sphaerocephala

Verbesina sphaerocephala A. Gray, like other wild plants of the genus Verbesina, has been used in herbal medicine. There is information for other species of the genus related to their phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and isolation of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial activity. However, there are no reports for V. sphaerocephala, although it has an important presence in the state of Michoacán, México. In this study, the phenolic composition, quantification of rutin, and in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activities of methanolic extracts from V. sphaerocephala leaves and flowers were determined. The results showed that all the investigated extracts have high phenolic and flavonoid contents. The flavonoid rutin was identified in all the extracts from V. sphaerocephala by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). The V. sphaerocephala extracts showed scavenging activity against DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ radicals (IC₅₀ and 5.83 ± 0.50 and 0.93 ± 0.01 mg/mL, respectively) as well as relevant antioxidant capacity (51.05 ± 0.36 mg of ascorbic acid/g of dry tissue). The experimental results show that V. sphaerocephala extracts possessed a strong antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. This research indicates that V. sphaerocephala could be considered as a potential source of natural compounds from the point of ethnopharmacological usage.

Optimization of Xanthan and Locust Bean Gum in a Gluten-Free Infant Biscuit Based on Rice-Chickpea Flour Using Response Surface Methodology

Incorporation of xanthan gum and locust bean gum in rice flour supplemented by chickpea flour was used to obtain a good quality of nutritionally enriched biscuit for celiac children. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the levels of xanthan and locust bean gum added to the composite gluten-free flour. Analysis was based on the rheological (hardness and viscoelastic) characteristics of the dough and specific volume, water activity, and hardness of the biscuit. The results revealed that the regression and variance analysis coefficients related to the rheological and physical properties of dough and biscuit under the influence of independent variables were sufficient for an adequate and well-fitted response surface model. Linear terms of variables significantly affect most of the dough and biscuit parameters, where the xanthan gum effect was found to be more pronounced than locust bean gum. Interaction terms showed a significant positive effect on the specific volume of the biscuits and a negative effect on the water activity. However, the interactive effect of gums did not significantly affect the rheological parameters of the dough. Optimized conditions were developed to maximize the specific volume of biscuit and minimize water activity and biscuit hardness, while keeping hardness and viscoelastic properties of the dough in range. Predicted responses were found satisfactory for both rheological and physical characteristics of dough and biscuit.

Efficacy of Pomegranate Seed Powder on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION

Pomegranate is known as a functional food which has multiple health-promoting activities. It has been assessed for patients with metabolic syndrome. Specifically, an antidiabetic activity of its juice and plausible mechanisms for its action have been shown in multitudinous studies. The aim of this study was assessing the effects of complementary treatment with pomegranate seed powder (PSP) oral supplementation on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

Sixty patients were treated for 8 weeks by 5 g PSP or placebo, twice daily. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) were recorded as the outcome measures at the beginning and after the intervention. The findings were analyzed using the independent t test and Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

After 8 weeks, the mean differences of FBG, HbA1c, cholesterol, and TG were significantly decreased in the PSP group when compared with the placebo group (p value <0.05). In addition, post-intervention values of FBG and HbA1c were significantly lower in patients treated with PSP compared to the placebo group (p values = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). However, the latter comparison regarding cholesterol and TG showed no significant differences (p values = 0.51 and 0.26, respectively).

CONCLUSION

It seems that complementary treatment with PSP may have beneficial effects on FBG and HbA1c of patients with T2DM. However, its effect on TG and cholesterol was equivocal.

Opuntia Fruits as Food Enriching Ingredient, the First Step towards New Functional Food Products

Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill.) is a rich source of vitamins C, B1, B2, A, and E, minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus, as well as bioactive substances, i.e., carotenoids, betalains, and phenolic compounds. Of these, the phenolic acids, betalains, and flavonoids are notable in that they are largely responsible for the health-promoting properties of this plant. The purpose of the presented research was to first determine the antioxidant properties and the content of polyphenolic compounds (including individual phenolic acids) in prickly pear fruit, then to produce an innovative gluten-free pasta from rice-field bean flour enriched with various amounts of pear prickly fruit. The content of free phenolic acids, the sum of polyphenols and antioxidant properties of pasta were subsequently determined in the supplemented pasta. Chromatographic analysis (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) showed a wide variety of phenolic acids. In the fruit sample, 14 acids were detected, whereas in the pasta sample without additives, 9. The dominant acid was isoferulic. The total content of free phenolic acids and the sum of polyphenols increased with increasing content of the functional additive. Moreover, the content of individual acids generally increased as the Opuntia fruit was added. The antioxidant activity was also positively correlated with the addition of fruit, with the content of free phenolic acids and the sum of polyphenols. Our research has shown that our innovative pasta with the addition of prickly fruit can become a source of the free phenolic acids indispensable for human health.

Food Applications and Potential Health Benefits of Pomegranate and its Derivatives

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an ancient fruit that is particularly cultivated in west Asia, though it is also cultivated in the Mediterranean region and other parts of the world. Since ancient years, its consumption has been associated with numerous health benefits. In recent years, several in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed its beneficial physiological activities, especially its antioxidative, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, human-based studies have shown promising results and have indicated pomegranate potential as a protective agent of several diseases. Following that trend and the food industry's demand for antioxidants and antimicrobials from natural sources, the application of pomegranate and its extracts (mainly as antioxidants and antimicrobials), has been studied extensively in different types of food products with satisfactory results. This review aims to present all the recent studies and trends in the applications of pomegranate in the food industry and how these trends have affected product's physicochemical characteristics and shelf-life. In addition, recent in vitro and in vivo studies are presented in order to reveal pomegranate's potential in the treatment of several diseases.