Deborah Helena Markowicz Bastos

Phenolic Antioxidants Identified by ESI-MS from Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) and Green Tea (Camelia sinensis) Extracts

Aqueous extracts of green yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) are good sources of phenolic antioxidants, as already described in the literature. The subject of this study were organic extracts from yerba maté, both green and roasted, and from green tea. Their phenolic profiles were characterized by direct infusion electrospray insertion mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and their free radical scavenging activity was determined by the DPPH assay. Organic extracts containing phenolic antioxidants might be used as natural antioxidants by the food industry, replacing the synthetic phenolic additives used nowadays. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts from green yerba maté, roasted yerba maté and green tea showed excellent DPPH scavenging activity (>89%). The ether extracts from green and roasted yerba maté displayed a weak scavenging activity, different from the behavior observed for the green tea ether extract. The main phenolic compounds identified in green yerba maté water and ethanolic extracts were: caffeic acid, quinic acid, caffeoyl glucose, caffeoylquinic acid, feruloylquinic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acid and rutin. After the roasting process two new compounds were formed: caffeoylshikimic acid and dicaffeoylshikimic acid. The ethanolic extracts from yerba maté, both roasted and green, with lower content of phenolic compounds (3.80 and 2.83 mg/mL) presented high antioxidant activity and even at very low phenolic concentrations, ether extract from GT (0.07 mg/mL) inhibited DPPH over 90%.

Caffeic and chlorogenic acids in Ilex paraguariensis extracts are the main inhibitors of AGE generation by methylglyoxal in model proteins

The present study concentrates on the evaluation of the anti-glycation effect of some bioactive substances present in yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis): 5-caffeoylquinic acid, caffeic acid and a sapogenin (oleanolic acid). Bovine serum albumin and histones were incubated in the presence of methylglyoxal with or without the addition of 5-caffeoylquinic acid, caffeic acid and oleanolic acid. After the incubation period, advanced glycation end product (AGE) fluorescence spectra were performed and protein structural changes were evaluated by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid are the main substances responsible for the anti-glycation effect of maté tea.

Antiobesity effects of yerba maté extract (Ilex paraguariensis) in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Because the potential of yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) has been suggested in the management of obesity, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of yerba maté extract on weight loss, obesity‐related biochemical parameters, and the regulation of adipose tissue gene expression in high‐fat diet–induced obesity in mice. Thirty animals were randomly assigned to three groups. The mice were introduced to standard or high‐fat diets. After 12 weeks on a high‐fat diet, mice were randomly assigned according to the treatment (water or yerba maté extract 1.0 g/kg). After treatment intervention, plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and glucose were evaluated. Adipose tissue was examined to determine the mRNA levels of several genes such as tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), leptin, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), C‐C motif chemokine ligand‐2 (CCL2), CCL receptor‐2 (CCR2), angiotensinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1), adiponectin, resistin, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ2 (PPAR‐γ2), uncoupling protein‐1 (UCP1), and PPAR‐γ coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α). The F4/80 levels were determined by immunoblotting. We found that obese mice treated with yerba maté exhibited marked attenuation of weight gain, adiposity, a decrease in epididymal fat‐pad weight, and restoration of the serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and glucose. The gene and protein expression levels were directly regulated by the high‐fat diet. After treatment with yerba maté extract, we observed a recovery of the expression levels. In conclusion, our data show that yerba maté extract has potent antiobesity activity in vivo. Additionally, we observed that the treatment had a modulatory effect on the expression of several genes related to obesity.

Protective effects of mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) on H2O2-induced DNA damage and DNA repair in mice

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is rich in several bioactive compounds that can act as free radical scavengers. Since oxidative DNA damage is involved in various pathological states such as cancer, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of mate tea as well as the ability to influence DNA repair in male Swiss mice. Forty animals were randomly assigned to four groups. The animals received three different doses of mate tea aqueous extract, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg, for 60 days. After intervention, the liver, kidney and bladder cells were isolated and the DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2) was investigated by the comet assay. The DNA repair process was also investigated for its potential to protect the cells from damage by the same methodology. The data presented here show that mate tea is not genotoxic in liver, kidney and bladder cells. The regular ingestion of mate tea increased the resistance of DNA to H(2)O(2)-induced DNA strand breaks and improved the DNA repair after H(2)O(2) challenge in liver cells, irrespective of the dose ingested. These results suggest that mate tea could protect against DNA damage and enhance the DNA repair activity. Protection may be afforded by the antioxidant activity of the mate teas bioactive compounds.

Effects of Maté Tea (Ilex paraguariensis) Ingestion on mRNA Expression of Antioxidant Enzymes, Lipid Peroxidation, and Total Antioxidant Status in Healthy Young Women

The antioxidant activity of mate tea, the roasted product derived from yerba mate (Ilex paraguarienis), was observed in vitro and in animal models, but studies in humans are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mate tea supplementation on plasma susceptibility to oxidation and on antioxidant enzyme gene expression in healthy nonsmoking women, after acute or prolonged ingestion. We evaluated plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), the kinetics of diene conjugate generation, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) contents in plasma, as well as mRNA levels of antioxidant gluthatione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). After the supplementation period with mate tea, lipid peroxidation was acutely lowered, an effect that was maintained after prolonged administration. Total antioxidant status and the level of antioxidant enzyme gene expression were also demonstrated after prolonged consumption. These results suggest that regular consumption of mate tea may increase antioxidant defense of the body by multiple mechanisms.

Maté tea inhibits in vitro pancreatic lipase activity and has hypolipidemic effect on high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

The inhibitory effects of maté tea (MT), a beverage produced with leaves from Ilex paraguariensis, in vitro lipase activity and on obesity in obese mice models were examined. For the in vitro experiment, porcine and human pancreatic lipase (PL) activities were determined by measuring the rate of release of oleic acid from hydrolysis of olive oil emulsified with taurocholate, phospholipids, gum arabic, or polyvinyl alcohol. For the in vivo experiments, animals were fed with a standard diet (SD, n = 10) or high‐fat diet (HFD, n = 30) for 16 weeks. After the first 8 weeks on the HFD, the animals were treated with 1 and 2 g/kg of body weight of MT. The time course of the body weight and obesity‐related biochemical parameters were evaluated. The results showed that MT inhibited both porcine and human PL (half‐maximal inhibitory concentration = 1.5 mg MT/ml) and induced a strong inhibition of the porcine lipase activity in the hydrolysis of substrate emulsified with taurocholate + phosphatidylcholine (PC) (83 ± 3.8%) or PC alone (62 ± 4.3%). MT suppressed the increases in body weight (P < 0.05) and decreased the serum triglycerides and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol concentrations at both doses (from 190.3 ± 5.7 to 135.0 ± 8.9 mg/dl, from 189.1 ± 7.3 to 129.3 ± 17.6 mg/dl; P < 0.05, respectively) after they had been increased by the HFD. The liver lipid content was also decreased by the diet containing MT (from 132.6 ± 3.9 to 95.6 ± 6.1 mg/g of tissue; P < 0.05). These results suggest that MT could be a potentially therapeutic alternative in the treatment of obesity caused by a HFD.

Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Role in Health and Disease

Over the past 2 decades there has been increasing evidence supporting an important contribution from food-derived advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to the body pool of AGEs and therefore increased oxidative stress and inflammation, processes that play a major role in the causation of chronic diseases. A 3-d symposium (1st Latin American Symposium of AGEs) to discuss this subject took place in Guanajuato, Mexico, on 1-3 October 2014 with the participation of researchers from several countries. This review is a summary of the different presentations and subjects discussed, and it is divided into 4 sections. The first section deals with current general knowledge about AGEs. The second section dwells on mechanisms of action of AGEs, with special emphasis on the receptor for advanced glycation end products and the potential role of AGEs in neurodegenerative diseases. The third section discusses different approaches to decrease the AGE burden. The last section discusses current methodologic problems with measurement of AGEs in different samples. The subject under discussion is complex and extensive and cannot be completely covered in a short review. Therefore, some areas of interest have been left out because of space. However, we hope this review illustrates currently known facts about dietary AGEs as well as pointing out areas that require further research.

Bioactive compounds content of chimarrão infusions related to the moisture of yerba maté (Ilex Paraguariensis) leaves

A erva mate (Ilex paraguariensis) e a materia prima para tres tipos de bebidas largamente consumidas na America do Sul. Substâncias bioativas presentes neste produto como a cafeina e os acidos clorogenicos tem recebido especial atencao da comunidade cientifica. O objetivo deste trabalho e avaliar o efeito do processamento da erva mate no teor de umidade das folhas e a eficiencia da extracao aquosa de algumas substâncias bioativas. Amostras de erva mate coletadas no Parana, Brasil foram objeto deste estudo. Cafeina, acidos fenolicos (acido cafeico e acido 5-cafeoilquinico) e flavonoides (quercitina, miricetina e caempferol) foram analisados por HPLC equipado com detector de arranjo de diodos. Os teores de acido 5-cafeoilquinico e cafeina do extrato aquoso variam em funcao da etapa do processamento (p 0,9). O acido cafeico foi determinado em 45% das infusoes obtidas das folhas secas e quercitina, miricetina e caempferol nao foram detectados nesses extratos.

Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extract decreases intestinal SGLT1 gene expression but does not affect other biochemical parameters in alloxan-diabetic Wistar rats.

Yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) is rich in polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acids. Evidence suggests that dietary polyphenols could play a role in glucose absorption and metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic properties of yerba maté extract in alloxan-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Animals (n = 41) were divided in four groups: nondiabetic control (NDC, n = 10), nondiabetic yerba maté (NDY, n = 10), diabetic control (DC, n = 11), and diabetic yerba maté (DY, n = 10). The intervention consisted in the administration of yerba maté extract in a 1 g extract/kg body weight dose for 28 days; controls received saline solution only. There were no significant differences in serum glucose, insulin, and hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity between the groups that ingested yerba maté extract (NDY and DY) and the controls (NDC and DC). However, the intestinal SGLT1 gene expression was significantly lower in animals that received yerba maté both in upper (p = 0.007) and middle (p < 0.001) small intestine. These results indicate that bioactive compounds present in yerba maté might be capable of interfering in glucose absorption, by decreasing SGLT1 expression.

Fidedignidade de rótulos de alimentos comercializados no município de São Paulo, SP

OBJECTIVE To assess reliability of information about nutritional facts stated on labels of foods marketed. METHODS A total of 153 industrialized foods, usually consumed by children and adolescents and marketed in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between 2001 and 2005, were analyzed. Nutrient contents stated on labels were compared to the results obtained from official (physical-chemical) analytical methods, considering the 20% variability tolerated by the current legislation to approve or reject samples. Means, standard deviations, 95% confidence intervals for the nutrients analyzed, and the distribution of percentage frequency of samples rejected were calculated. RESULTS All salty products analyzed showed non-compliance of dietary fiber, sodium and saturated fat content. Sweet products showed variation between zero and 36% of rejection due to their dietary fiber content. More than half (52%) of cookies were rejected due to their saturated fat content. Nutrients associated with obesity and its health problems were those showing the highest proportions of non-compliance. Lack of reliability of label information in the samples analyzed violates the regulations of the Resolution of the Collegiate Board of Directors RDC 360/03 and the rights guaranteed by the Nutritional and Food Safety Law and Consumer Protection Code. CONCLUSIONS High indices of non-compliance of nutritional data were found on labels of foods aimed at children and adolescents, indicating the urgent need for surveillance practices and other nutritional labeling measures.OBJETIVO: Evaluar la fidedignidad de las informaciones sobre datos nutricionales declarados en rotulos de alimentos comercializados. METODOS: Se evaluaron 153 alimentos industrializados habitualmente consumidos por ninos y adolescentes, comercializados en el municipio de Sao Paulo (Sureste de Brasil) entre los anos de 2001 y 2005. Los tenores de nutrientes informados por los rotulos fueron confrontados con los resultados obtenidos por metodos analiticos (fisico-quimicos) oficiales, considerando la variabilidad de 20% tolerada por la legislacion vigente, para aprobar o condenar las muestras. Se calcularon promedios, desvios estandar e intervalos con 95% de confianza para los nutrientes analizados, asi como la distribucion de la frecuencia porcentual de muestras condenadas. RESULTADOS: Todos los productos salados analizados presentaron inconformidades relativas al contenido de fibra alimentar, sodio o de grasas saturadas. Los productos dulces presentaron variacion de cero a 36% de condenacion relativa al tenor de la fibra alimentar. Mas de la mitad (52%) de los biscochos rellenos fueron condenados con relacion a la cantidad de grasas saturadas. Los nutrientes implicados con la obesidad y sus complicaciones para la salud fueron aquellos que presentaron mayores proporciones de inconformidad. La falta de fidedignidad de las informaciones de rotulos en las muestras analizadas viola las disposiciones de la Resolucion de la Directoria Colegiada Anvisa 360/03 y los derechos garantizados por la ley de Seguridad Alimentar y Nutricional y por el Codigo de Defensa del Consumidor. CONCLUSIONES: Se encontraron altos indices de no conformidad de los datos nutricionales en los rotulos de alimentos destinados al publico adolescente e infantil, indicando la urgencia de acciones de fiscalizacion y de otras medidas de rotulacion nutricional.