Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and anti-hyperglycemic activity of chickpea protein hydrolysates evaluated in BALB-c mice

Chickpea (ICC3761) protein hydrolysates have shown high in vitro antioxidant activity (AoxA) and antidiabetic potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo activities (i.e., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and anti-hyperglycemic) of chickpea albumin hydrolysates (CAH) obtained with alcalase and pepsin-pancreatin (fractions ≤ 10 kDa). The CAH were analyzed for degree of hydrolysis (DH), electrophoretic and chromatographic profiles, and in vitro AoxA (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazolin)-6-sulfonic acid [ABTS], 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycrilhydrazyl [DPPH]). They were also evaluated for AoxA, anti-inflammatory and hypo- and anti-hyperglycemic activities in BALB-c mice. The DH was 20% for the alcalase CAH and 50% for the pepsin-pancreatin CAH, while the AoxA by ABTS (1 mg/mL) was 64.8% and 64.9% and by DPPH (5 mg/mL) was 48.0% and 31.1%. In the in vivo AoxA assay, mice of non-damaged control and those treated with both CAH showed similar alkaline phosphatase values, control and pepsin-pancreatin treated groups had similar malondialdehyde levels, while treated and non-damaged control groups had higher glutathione levels than the damaged control. Liver histopathology revealed that the pepsin-pancreatin CAH mitigated most of the pathological changes associated with the induced oxidative damage. Both CAH (2 mg/ear) reduced croton oil-induced ear edema in mice. The α-glucosidase inhibition of CAH (100 mg/mL) was 31.1% (alcalase) and 52.4% (pepsin-pancreatin). Mice treated with alcalase CAH (100 mg/mL) and glibenclamide exhibited similar hypoglycemic activities, whereas only those treated with the pepsin-pancreatin CAH (200 mg/kg body weight) showed anti-hyperglycemic activity. The results indicate that CAH can be used as a source of bioactive peptides with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and anti-hyperglycemic activities.

Effect of the Combination Hot Water - Calcium Chloride on the In Vitro Growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and the Postharvest Quality of Infected Papaya

Anthracnose of papaya fruit caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the most economically important postharvest diseases. Hot water immersion (HW) and calcium chloride (Ca) treatments have been used to control papaya postharvest diseases; however, the effect of the combination HW-Ca on the pathogen growth and the development of the disease in infected papaya fruit has been scarcely studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the HW-Ca treatment on the in vitro growth of C. gloesporioides conidia and the quality of infected papaya. In vitro, the HW-Ca treated conidia showed reduced mycelial growth and germination. In vivo, the HW-Ca treatment of infected papaya delayed for 5 days the onset of the anthracnose symptoms and improved the papaya postharvest quality. The combined treatment HW-Ca was better than any of the individual treatments to inhibit the in vitro development of C. gloeosporioides and to reduce the negative effects of papaya anthracnose.

Chemical composition and biological activities of Helicteres vegae and Heliopsis sinaloensis

CONTEXT

Helicteres vegae Cristóbal (Sterculiaceae) (Hv) and Heliopsis sinaloensis B.L. Turner (Asteraceae) (Hs) are endangered and poorly studied plant species; related plants have been used against chronic-degenerative and infectious diseases. Therefore, Hv and Hs could be sources of bioactive compounds against these illnesses.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the chemical composition and biological activities (antioxidant, antimutagenic and antimicrobial) of Hv and Hs leaves (L) and stems (S).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Methanol extracts (ME) of each plant/tissue were evaluated for their phytochemicals; phenolics (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS); antioxidant activity (AA) (0.125-4 mg/mL) (DPPH, ABTS, ORAC and β-carotene discoloration); antimutagenicity (0.5 and 1 mg/plate) (Ames assay, tester strain Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium YG1024, 1-nitropyrene as mutagen); activity against human pathogens (1 mg/mL); and toxicity (0.01-2 mg/mL) (Artemia salina assay).

RESULTS

All ME showed flavonoids and triterpenes/steroids. The ME-SHv had the highest content of total phenolics (TP) (2245.82 ± 21.45 mg GAE/100 g d.w.) and condensed tannins (603.71 ± 1.115 mg CE/100 g d.w.). The compounds identified were flavonoids (kaempferol 7-O-coumaroylhexoside, and two kaempferol 7-O-rhamnosylhexosides) and phenolics [rosmarinic acid, and 3'-O-(8″-Z-caffeoyl) rosmarinic acid]. The ME-LHs showed the highest content of flavonoids (357.88 mg RE/g d.w.) and phenolic acids (238.58 mg CAE/g d.w.) by HPLC. The ME-SHv showed the highest AA. All ME were strong antimutagens (63.3-85.7%). Only the Hs extracts were toxic (ME-LHs, LC₅₀ = 94.9 ± 1.7 μg/mL; ME-SHs, LC₅₀ = 89.03 ± 4.42 μg/mL).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Both Hv and Hs are potential sources of preventive and therapeutic agents against chronic-degenerative diseases.