Cashew-apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) and yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) functional beverage improve the diabetic state in rats

Anacardium occidentale leaves extract and riboceine mitigate hyperglycemia through anti-oxidative effects and modulation of some selected genes associated with diabetes

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the leading causes of death globally and complications of DM have become a major health concern. Anacardium occidentale is a plant widely recognized for its hypoglycemic properties and traditionally used in developing nations as remedy for DM treatment. Riboceine is a supplement that enhances production of glutathione and known for its vital role in supporting cellular function. This study was designed to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of riboceine and ethanolic extract of A. occidentale leaves in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Method

Twenty-nine adult male Wistar rats were induced with DM intraperitoneally using a single dose of STZ (70 mg/kg). The STZ-induced rats were divided into groups and administered the same dose (100 mg/kg) of A. occidentale leaves extract and riboceine via gastric gavage at the dose (100 mg/kg) for seventeen days while metformin (40 mg/kg) was used as positive control. Fasting blood glucose and weight of the model rats were examined periodically. Activities of total protein, creatinine, urea, antioxidants (SOD, GSH and GPX), and level of serum insulin were determined. Expression of diabetes related genes including pancreas (Insulin, pdx-1, P16NK4A, and Mki-67), Liver (FAS, ACC, and GFAT) and KIM-1 genes were also determined.

Results

Data showed that treatment of STZ-induced diabetic rats with A. occidentale and riboceine at the same dose significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorated hyperglycemic effects by improving hepatic and renal functions and antioxidants, preventing hepatic fat accumulation by downregulation of ACC, FAS and GFAT expression, improving β-cell functions through up-regulation of pancreatic insulin, P16NK4A, Mki-67 and pdx-1 expression. Induction of diabetes upregulated mRNA expression of KIM-1, which was ameliorated after treatment of the rats with A. occidentale and riboceine.

Conclusion

The results obtained in this study demonstrate significant antidiabetic properties of ethanolic extract of A. occidentale and riboceine.

From food waste to functional component: Cashew apple pomace

Globally, large numbers of people suffer from undernourishment and food insecurity, while a third of food produced is lost or wasted. The widely cultivated cashew nut produces large quantities of waste in early processing. It grows on an edible peduncle called the cashew apple which contains many essential nutrients. An estimated 36.9 million tons of cashew apples are produced annually, but only small amounts are used to make juice. The remainder is considered production waste. This review presents the potential of cashew apple pomace as a food ingredient and examines the effects of incorporation on chemical composition, physical properties and sensory evaluation. Inclusion in optimized amounts into food products is a strategy proven to produce palatable results with high acceptability. Transforming this manufacturing by-product into a functional food component will have economic benefits, improve resource-utilization, promote sustainability and potentially increase the nutritional value of foods.

Ameliorating effects of metabolic syndrome with the consumption of rich-bioactive compounds fruits from Brazilian Cerrado: a narrative review

Evidence suggests that bioactive compounds present in fruits and vegetables, including carotenoids, polyphenols, and phytosterols, may have beneficial effects against the development of obesity and other diseases. The fruits of the Brazilian Cerrado are rich in biologically active compounds but are underexplored by the population being used only locally dietary consumption. The objective of this review is to direct attention to the bioactive compounds already elucidated for the fruits of "Cerrado" cashew (Anacadium othanianum Rizz.), baru almond (Dipteryx alata Vogel), cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica DC.), "Cerrado" pear (Eugenia klotzschiana Berg), mangaba (Hancornia speciosa), and pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb), demonstrating possible metabolic effects of the consumption of these fruits on the metabolic syndrome and its risk factors. Studies have shown that Cerrado native fruits have a high content of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, which also demonstrate high antioxidant capacity and may be related to the protective effect in metabolic syndrome-related diseases by act as inhibitors in various processes in lipid metabolism and glucose transport. Although more scientific evidence is still needed, the consumption of native fruits from the Cerrado seems to be a promising strategy which -along with other strategies such as nutritional therapy- can ameliorate the effects of the metabolic syndrome.

Phenolic Compounds in Mesoamerican Fruits-Characterization, Health Potential and Processing with Innovative Technologies

Diets rich in phenolic compounds have been associated to reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome and its derived disorders. Fruits are healthy components of the human diet because of their vitamin, mineral, fiber and phenolic profile. However, they have a short shelf-life which is limited by microbiological growth and enzymatic activity. Innovative preservation methods such as high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, microwave, cold plasma and ultraviolet light have become popular for the processing of fruits because they can preserve nutritional quality. In this review, the phenolic profile and health potential of 38 Mesoamerican fruits were assessed. Phenolic compounds were classified based on their contribution to the diet as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannin, lignins and stilbenoids. Due to this composition, fruits showed a wide range of bioactivities which included anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity activities, among others. Phenolic content in fruits submitted to innovative food processing technologies depended on parameters such as enzymatic activity, antioxidant capacity, microstructure integrity and cell viability. Innovative technologies could increase phenolic content while assuring microbiological safety by (i) promoting the release of bound phenolic compounds during processing and (ii) inducing the synthesis of phenolic compounds by activation of phenylpropanoid pathway during storage.

Otimização do tratamento ácido do yacon para inativação das polifenoloxidases com manutenção de suas propriedades funcionais

Resumo O yacon é uma raiz tuberosa que se destaca por sua elevada concentração de oligossacarídeos prebióticos, principalmente os fruto-oligossacarídeos (FOS), e também pela presença de compostos fenólicos específicos, como o ácido clorogênico. Contudo, a presença destes compostos fenólicos torna o yacon susceptível a reações de escurecimento enzimático, devido à ação, principalmente, das polifenoloxidases (PPO). A ação destas enzimas pode diminuir o valor nutritivo do produto, além de afetar a sua aparência e o seu sabor, tornando-o inaceitável para o consumo. Neste sentido, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar o pH de estabilidade e o pH ótimo de atividade das PPO do yacon, visando estabelecer condições que resultem em uma menor atividade desta enzima, com o uso de um tratamento ácido mais brando, uma vez que os FOS são susceptíveis à hidrólise ácida. Em posse destes resultados, realizou-se um delineamento estatístico do tipo Delineamento Central Composto Rotacional (DCCR), para avaliar o efeito de diferentes concentrações de ácido cítrico (AC) e diferentes tempos de imersão no tratamento das raízes de yacon, visando à inativação da PPO. Observou-se que o AC foi eficaz para inativação parcial da enzima PPO, sendo estatisticamente significativa (p < 0,10) apenas a concentração de AC (termo linear e quadrático). A porcentagem de variação explicada (R2) pelo modelo foi de 85,6%. O tratamento selecionado pelo planejamento experimental (2,4% de ácido cítrico por 540 segundos) ocasionou uma perda de 15% nos teores de FOS. Entretanto, o produto final apresentou 6,84 g FOS/100 g, muito acima do mínimo exigido pela legislação pertinente (2,5 g FOS/porção de produto) para alimentos com alegação de propriedade funcional, tornando assim viável o processo tecnológico proposto no presente trabalho.

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.) as a Novel Source of Health Promoting Compounds: Antioxidant Activity, Phytochemicals and Sugar Content in Flesh, Peel, and Whole Tubers of Seven Cultivars

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality characteristics of seven yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. and Endl.) cultivars (Cajamarca, Cusco, Early White, Late Red, Morado, New Zealand and Quinault) cultivated in the southwest of Germany. The following phyto/chemical traits were investigated in different yacon tuber parts (flesh, peel, and whole tubers): total dry matter, sugar content (fructose, glucose, and sucrose content), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,20-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The results indicated a significant interaction between cultivar and tuber part on all of the examined traits (p < 0.0001). Of flesh and whole tuber, cv. Late Red, cv. Morado, and cv. Cajamarca had the highest TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and FRAP. They also had relatively higher total sugar content. Cv. New Zealand had the lowest amount of sugars, TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and FRAP, but the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity content in its flesh and whole tuber. Moreover, the results indicated that the peel of yacon tubers contained considerably high amounts of phytochemicals while possessing low sugar contents. Overall, this study provides a broad insight into the phyto/chemical content of yacon tubers from different cultivars, which can be used for further breeding programs, and the selection of proper cultivars for specific food product development.

Evaluation of nutritional and chemical composition of yacon syrup using 1H NMR and UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MSE

A complete characterization of yacon syrup was performed by analytical techniques, including NMR and UPLC-QTOF-MS^E. The effect of the different stages of yacon syrup production on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) contents were also evaluated. As a result, in addition to higher levels of FOS and CGA, some mineral elements, such as K, Ca and P, and essential amino acids, such as tryptophan, valine, and threonine, were determined in yacon syrup. Twenty-five compounds were putatively identified, and the main compounds were phenolics derived from quinic and trans-cinnamic acids. Considering the different stages of yacon syrup production, the results indicate that the contents of FOS and CGA were maintained in the pulping, enzymatic maceration and microfiltration, leading to a concentration of these components in the last stage of processing (vacuum concentration). These results will be used to fortify this innovative and promising product in the area of functional foods.

Processamento e estabilidade de uma bebida de caju e yacon durante o armazenamento sob refrigeração

Resumo O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a estabilidade de uma bebida de caju e yacon durante o armazenamento sob refrigeração. A bebida, composta por polpa de caju e extrato de yacon (proporção 1:1, v/v), foi pasteurizada a 85 °C por 90 segundos e armazenada sob refrigeração (5 °C). No tempo inicial e a cada 45 dias do período de estocagem, foram determinados os teores de compostos bioativos (ácido ascórbico - AA e polifenóis extraíveis totais - PET), a atividade antioxidante total (AAT), os sólidos solúveis totais (SST), a acidez titulável (AT), o pH e a cor (L*, a* e b*). Após 225 dias de estocagem, a bebida apresentou diminuição expressiva da sua AAT, medida pelo método FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power), de aproximadamente 22%, assim como houve queda nas concentrações de AA e PET, em torno de 20 e 16%, respectivamente. A bebida atendeu ao padrão estabelecido pela legislação brasileira para coliformes a 45 °C e Salmonella sp. (ausência/25 mL); porém, em 135 dias de armazenamento, a bebida apresentou contagem de bolores e leveduras superior a 104 UFC/mL. Neste sentido, embora a bebida tenha apresentado níveis consideráveis de compostos bioativos e AAT durante os 225 dias de armazenamento refrigerado (5 °C), recomenda-se que o produto seja armazenado por até 90 dias sob refrigeração (5 °C), período em que a bebida manteve seus componentes bioativos e boa qualidade microbiológica e sensorial.

Yacon syrup: Food applications and impact on satiety in healthy volunteers

Syrup obtained from yacon roots could be well positioned as a nutritional product due to its high fructooligosaccharides (FOS) content. Considering this, we examined the potential food applications of yacon syrup, using the focal group methodology, and its sensorial acceptability when incorporated in yogurt. The beneficial effects of the consumption of yacon syrup were studied over a 2-week period in a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment (namely Test A) and other consistent of only one day of yacon syrup consumption (namely Test B) were also evaluated. The doses of yacon syrup for both experiments were 8.74g of FOS/day. Energy intake, hunger, satiety, fullness and prospective food consumption were assessed with analogue scales at the end of each test. The results indicate that the yogurt was the food most suggested by the focus group, and the average of the scores given to the attributes when the yacon syrup was incorporated into a yogurt were: 7.78 for appearance; 7.72 for aroma; 7.02 for flavor and 6.96 for overall acceptability, corresponding to "like very much" and "like moderately". Furthermore, the results indicate that yacon syrup has a positive effect on appetite and its effect was dependent on gender and period of intervention, being statistically significant (P<0.05) in women, after 2-week period. These findings suggested that increasing FOS intake could help to increase satiety, and consequently, be helpful in the management of type 2-diabetes or control of the current high prevalence of overweight or obesity.