Andréa Pittelli Boiago Gollücke

The anti-inflammatory potential of phenolic compounds in grape juice concentrate (G8000™) on 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid-induced colitis.

Chronic inflammatory bowel disease is characterised by an up-regulation of the synthesis and release of a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators leading to excessive tissue injury. Flavonoids are able to inhibit enzymes and/or due to their antioxidant properties regulate the immune response. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the mechanisms of action of phenolic compounds present in grape juice on 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. A total of forty-one male Wistar rats were randomised into seven groups: negative control group; TNBS non-treated induced colitis; 2% grape juice control group; 1% grape juice 24 h after TNBS colitis induction; 1% grape juice on day 7 after colitis induction; 2% grape juice 24 h after colitis induction; 2% grape juice on day 7 after colitis induction. The 1% grape juice-treated induced colitis group showed marked clinical improvement when compared with the TNBS-induced colitis group. Rats that received 1% grape juice, on day 7 after colitis induction, presented reduced intensity of macroscopic and histological scores. Statistically significant differences (P,0·05) of TNF-a and inducible NO synthase mRNA expression were detected in the groups treated with grape juice at the 1% dose after inducing experimental colitis when compared with the TNBS group. Grape juice reduced the noxious effects induced by colitis caused by TNBS, especially at the 1% dose.

Use of grape polyphenols against carcinogenesis: putative molecular mechanisms of action using in vitro and in vivo test systems.

Polyphenols are present in foods and beverages and are related to sensorial qualities such as color, bitterness, and astringency, which are relevant in wine, tea, grape juice, and other products. These compounds occur naturally in forms varying from simple phenolic acids to complex polymerized tannins. Thus, it is reasonable to expect that grape-derived products elaborated in the presence of skins and seeds, such as wine and grape juice, are natural sources of flavonoids in the diet. Carcinogenesis is a multistep process that is characterized by genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic changes. With increasing knowledge of these mechanisms, and the conclusion that most cases of cancer are preventable, efforts have focused on identifying the agents with potential anticancer properties. The use of grape polyphenols against the carcinogenesis process seems to be a suitable alternative for either prevention and/or therapeutic purposes. The aim of this article is to show the molecular data generated from the use of grape polyphenols against carcinogenesis using in vivo and in vitro test systems.

Survey on ochratoxin A in Brazilian green coffee destined for exports

A presenca de ocratoxina A (OTA) em cafe, detectada nos ultimos anos, tem levado alguns paises a estabelecer limites regulatorios. Embora o cafe nao seja uma fonte importante de OTA no consumo humano, a Uniao Europeia podera estabelecer limites, causando impacto economico em paises produtores desses graos. O presente estudo analisou OTA utilizando CLAE em 37 amostras de cafe verde brasileiro destinado exclusivamente a exportacao e verificou a possivel relacao entre graos defeituosos e concentracao de OTA. Os resultados mostraram que a concentracao de OTA esteve entre < 0,16ng/g (limite de deteccao) e 6,24ng/g (media 3,2ng/g). Das cinco amostras avaliadas quanto a relacao defeitos X OTA, o nivel da toxina esteve entre 0,22 e 0,80ng/g (media 0,46ng/g) entre graos sadios e 0,42 e 17,46ng/g (media 4,52ng/g) entre graos defeituosos. Diferencas morfologicas entre graos sadios e defeituosos observados em Microscopia Otica nao demonstraram susceptibilidade a invasao fungica entre os defeituosos. Entre os 15 graos observados em Microscopia Eletronica de Varredura (MEV), apenas um (preto) revelou presenca de fungos e esporos. Os resultados desta investigacao apontam que o cafe verde brasileiro destinado a exportacao encontra-se dentro dos limites para OTA ja estabelecidos.

Polyphenols: A Nutraceutical Approach Against Diseases

Polyphenols are abundant in red grapes and in their derived products, amongst other natural food sources. These compounds are associated with the prevention of diseases caused by oxidative stress. The present review discusses the action of grape polyphenols against diseases and the new polyphenol-rich products developed to be used as nutraceuticals. Grape polyphenols demonstrated effects such as maintenance of endothelial function, increase in antioxidant capacity and protection against LDL oxidation. Recent patents regarding polyphenols show a tendency to use a right-on-target approach and the new patented products are aiming at preventing and treating specific diseases.

Polyphenols as a chemopreventive agent in oral carcinogenesis: putative mechanisms of action using in-vitro and in-vivo test systems.

Polyphenols are present in foods and beverages, being related to sensorial qualities such as color, bitterness, and astringency, which are relevant in products such as wine, tea, and grape juice. These compounds occur naturally in forms varying from simple phenolic acids to complex polymerized tannins. Oral cancer is the most common head and neck cancer, and it often has a poor prognosis owing to local tumor invasion and frequent lymph node metastasis. Nowadays, chemoprevention is considered as a promising approach for controlling cancer as a result of specific natural products or synthetic agents able to suppress, reverse, or even prevent premalignancy before transformation into invasive cancer. The use of polyphenols as a chemopreventive agent is a suitable tool for modulation of the oral carcinogenesis process. The aim of this article is to present data generated from the use of polyphenols as a chemopreventive agent in oral carcinogenesis using in-vivo and in-vitro test systems. These results have shown that polyphenols are able to exert some chemopreventive action as a result of inducing cellular death, apoptosis, inhibition of tumor growth, and antioxidative properties. Therefore, this area warrants further investigation as a new approach that would apply not only to polyphenols but also to other phytochemicals used as promising therapeutic agents against oral human diseases, especially cancer.

Use of grape polyphenols for promoting human health: a review of patents.

We presently discuss the use of grape polyphenols for promoting human health and disclose recent patents on the subject. The biological effects of grape polyphenols in human and experimental models demonstrate antioxidant properties closely associated with the maintenance of endothelial function, increase in antioxidant capacity, protection against LDL oxidation and neuroprotective effects. Recent patents regarding grape polyphenols show a tendency to return to natural products with a minimum use of severe extraction processes and organic solvents. Moreover, the recent patents regarding human health show more pharmaceutical use of grape juice and other polyphenol-rich products. The application of such products in clinical trials as a substitute or co-adjuvant with drugs may be useful in future research.

Grape skin extract mitigates tissue degeneration, genotoxicity, and oxidative status in multiple organs of rats exposed to cadmium.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether grape skin extract can mitigate the noxious activities induced by cadmium exposure in multiple organs of rats. For this purpose, histopathological analysis for the liver, genotoxicity, and oxidative status in the blood and liver were investigated in this setting. A total of 20 Wistar rats weighing 250u2009g, on average, and 8 weeks of age were distributed into four groups (n=5) as follows: control group (nontreated group); cadmium group (Cd); and grape skin extract groups (Cd+GS) at 175 or 350u2009mg/l. Histopathological analysis in liver showed that animals treated with grape skin extract showed improved tissue degeneration induced by cadmium intoxication. Genetic damage was reduced in blood and hepatocytes as indicated by comet and micronucleus assays in animals treated with grape skin extract. Copper–zinc superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c gene expression increased in groups treated with grape skin extract in liver cells. Grape skin extract also reduced the 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine levels in liver cells compared with the cadmium group. Taken together, our results indicate that grape skin extract can mitigate tissue degeneration, genotoxicity, and oxidative stress induced by cadmium exposure in multiple organs of Wistar rats.