RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: In the present study a metabolomics-based approach was used to discriminate among different hazelnut cultivars and to trace their geographical origins. Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS) was used to profile phenolic and sterolic compounds. RESULTS: Compounds were identified against an in-house database using accurate monoisotopic mass and isotopic patterns. The screening approach was designed to discern 15 hazelnut cultivars and to discriminate among the geographical origins of six cultivars from the four main growing regions (Chile, Georgia, Italy, and Turkey). This approach allowed more than 1000 polyphenols and sterols to be annotated. The metabolomics data were elaborated with both unsupervised (hierarchical clustering) and supervised (orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis, OPLS-DA) statistics. These multivariate statistical tools allowed hazelnut samples to be discriminated, considering both 'cultivar type' and 'geographical origin'. Flavonoids (anthocyanins, flavanols and flavonols - VIP scores 1.34-1.49), phenolic acids (mainly hydroxycinnamics - VIP scores 1.35-1.55) together with cholesterol, ergosterol, and stigmasterol derivatives (VIP scores 1.34-1.49) were the best markers to discriminate samples according to geographical origin. CONCLUSIONS: This work illustrates the potential of untargeted profiling of phenolics and sterols based on UHPLC-ESI/QTOF mass spectrometry to discriminate hazelnut and support authenticity and origin. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Asunto(s)

Corylus/química , Nueces/química , Extractos Vegetales/química , Chile , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión , Corylus/clasificación , Corylus/metabolismo , Análisis Discriminante , Georgia (República) , Italia , Espectrometría de Masas , Metabolómica , Análisis Multivariante , Nueces/clasificación , Nueces/metabolismo , Fenoles/química , Fenoles/metabolismo , Extractos Vegetales/metabolismo , Esteroles/química , Esteroles/metabolismo , Turquía

RESUMEN

The Brazil nut is an excellent source of selenium (Se), an essential micronutrient for human health. In this study, we hypothesized that Brazil nut intake modulates circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in obese women and aimed to evaluate the effects of this nut intake on circulating miRNAs in women with obesity or metabolic syndrome (MetS). A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 54 subjects recruited from the Clinical Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: a Brazil nut group (BN group, n = 29) and a control group (CO group, n = 25); both were monitored for 2 months. BN group members were instructed to consume 1 Brazil nut (approximately 1261 µg/Se) per day; CO group members were instructed not to consume any. Biochemical parameters related to Se status and 25 circulating miRNAs in plasma were evaluated in all patients both at baseline and after 2 months. Expression levels of 2 miRNAs (miR-454-3p and miR-584-5p) were significantly increased after Brazil nut intake. To investigate the effect of MetS on circulating miRNAs at baseline, we performed comparisons between women with MetS (n = 23) and women without MetS (others, n = 31). Circulating miR-375 levels were significantly lower (P = .012) in women with MetS. In conclusion, our findings suggested that a daily intake of 1 Brazil nut increased circulating miR-454-3p and miR-584-5p expression levels in obese women, and our network analysis indicated a link between Se intake, vitamin D metabolism, and calcium homeostasis.

Asunto(s)

Bertholletia/metabolismo , Dieta/métodos , MicroARNs/sangre , Nueces/metabolismo , Obesidad/sangre , Adulto , Biomarcadores/sangre , Brasil , Femenino , Humanos , Obesidad/metabolismo

RESUMEN

In this work, we evaluated the ovicidal activity and the deleterious effects of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) nut shell oil and its fractions on the development of Musca domestica and Chrysomya megacephala, important vectors of several diseases. The insecticidal effects of this plant were also measured on the first and second instar larvae of Anticarsia gemmatalis and Spodoptera frugiperda, soy and maize pests, respectively. The fly eggs and the crop pest insect larvae were exposed to the cashew (Anacardium occidentale) nut shell liquid (CNSL) and its fractions: technical CNSL, anacardic acid, cardanol and cardol. The results show that the cardol fraction, for both species of flies, presented the lowest lethal concentration with LC50 of 80.4 mg/L for M. domestica and 90.2 mg/L for C. megacephala. For the mortality of the larvae of A. gemmatalis and S. frugiperda, the most effective fraction was anacardic acid with LC50 of 295.1 mg/L and 318.4 mg/L, respectively. In all species, the mortality rate of the commercial compounds (cypermethrin 600 mg/L and temephos 2 mg/L) was higher than that of the evaluated compounds. Despite this, the results obtained suggest their potential in field trials, once the fractions of A. occidentale presented high mortality at low lethal concentrations in laboratory conditions, with the possibility of integrated use in the control of disease vectors and agricultural pests, employing ecofriendly compounds.

Asunto(s)

Anacardium/química , Insecticidas/química , Aceites de Plantas/química , Ácidos Anacárdicos/química , Ácidos Anacárdicos/aislamiento & purificación , Ácidos Anacárdicos/toxicidad , Anacardium/metabolismo , Animales , Dípteros/efectos de los fármacos , Dípteros/crecimiento & desarrollo , Moscas Domésticas/efectos de los fármacos , Insecticidas/aislamiento & purificación , Insecticidas/toxicidad , Larva/efectos de los fármacos , Dosificación Letal Mediana , Nueces/química , Nueces/metabolismo , Óvulo/efectos de los fármacos , Fenoles/química , Fenoles/aislamiento & purificación , Fenoles/toxicidad , Aceites de Plantas/metabolismo , Spodoptera/efectos de los fármacos , Spodoptera/crecimiento & desarrollo

RESUMEN

Alongside the Brazil nut's role as an excellent source of vitamins, oil, fatty acids, lipids and nutrients, it is also recognized as a rich source of selenium. The pathway along which selenium and sulfur are metabolized in plants is theorized to be the same as that used for tellurium. Total tellurium content and its bioaccessibility are then evaluated by ICP-MS. Interferences and sample preparation are evaluated for the accurate determination of tellurium, and the accuracy determined through analysis of the certified reference material 1643e. A concentration of 4.02 ±â€¯0.391 ng g-1 is obtained as an average concentration through external and internal calibrations. Through this reliable result, tellurium bioaccessibility in Brazil nuts is obtained via an in vitro validated unified bioaccessibility method. Values of 32% and 30% of total tellurium are available in the gastric and gastrointestinal fractions, respectively.

Asunto(s)

Nueces/química , Nueces/metabolismo , Telurio/análisis , Telurio/metabolismo , Brasil , Espectrometría de Masas

RESUMEN

Selenoproteins play important roles in antioxidant mechanisms, and are thus hypothesised to have some involvement in the pathology of certain types of dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are both thought to involve impaired biological activity of certain selenoproteins. Previously, supplementation with a selenium-rich Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) has shown potential in reducing cognitive decline in MCI patients, and could prove to be a safe and effective nutritional approach early in the disease process to slow decline. Here, we have conducted a pilot study that examined the effects of a range of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding the selenoproteins glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) and selenoprotein P (SEPP) in response to selenium supplementation via dietary Brazil nuts, including selenium status, oxidative stress parameters and GPX1 and SEPP gene expression. Our data suggest that GPX1 Pro198Leu rs1050450 genotypes may differentially affect the selenium status and GPx activity. Moreover, rs7579 and rs3877899 SNPs in SEPP gene, as well as GPX1 rs1050450 genotypes can influence the expression of GPX1 and SEPP mRNA in response to Brazil nuts intake. This small study gives cause for larger investigations into the role of these SNPs in both the selenium status and response to selenium dietary intake, especially in chronic degenerative conditions like MCI and AD.

Asunto(s)

Bertholletia/metabolismo , Disfunción Cognitiva/genética , Disfunción Cognitiva/metabolismo , Glutatión Peroxidasa/genética , Nueces/metabolismo , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Selenio/metabolismo , Anciano , Bertholletia/química , Brasil , Femenino , Genotipo , Glutatión Peroxidasa/metabolismo , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Nueces/química , Proyectos Piloto , Selenoproteína P/genética , Selenoproteína P/metabolismo , Glutatión Peroxidasa GPX1

RESUMEN

Humans can use hand tools smoothly and effectively in varying circumstances; in other words, skillfully. A few other species of primates crack encased foods using hammer tools and anvils. Are they skilled? Positioning the food on the anvil so that it does not fall off when struck is a component of skilled cracking. We discovered that bearded capuchin monkeys deliberately place palm nuts in a relatively stable position on the anvil before striking them. In the first experiment, we marked the meridians of palm nuts where they stopped when rolled on a flat surface ("Stop meridian"). We videotaped monkeys as they cracked these nuts on an anvil. In playback we coded the position of the Stop meridian prior to each strike. Monkeys typically knocked the nuts on the anvil a few times before releasing them in a pit. They positioned the nuts so that the Stop meridian was within 30 degrees of vertical with respect to gravity more often than expected, and the nuts rarely moved after the monkeys released them. In the second experiment, 14 blindfolded people (7 men) asked to position marked nuts on an anvil as if to crack them reliably placed them with the Stop meridian in the same position as the monkeys did. In the third experiment, two people judged that palm nuts are most bilaterally symmetric along a meridian on, or close to, the Stop meridian. Thus the monkeys reliably placed the more symmetrical side of the nuts against the side of the pit, and the nuts reliably remained stationary when released. Monkeys apparently used information gained from knocking the nut to achieve this position. Thus, monkeys place the nuts skillfully, strategically managing the fit between the variable nuts and pits in the anvil, and skilled placement depends upon information generated by manual action.

Asunto(s)

Animales Salvajes/fisiología , Cebus/fisiología , Nueces/metabolismo , Adolescente , Adulto , Animales , Brasil , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven

RESUMEN

Anacardic acid, cardanol and cardol, the main constituents of natural cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), were obtained by solvent extraction and assayed for antioxidant, larvicidal and antiacetylcholinesterase activity. Their relative percent composition was obtained by HPLC analysis. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH and ABTS(+) tests, which showed cardanol as the most active, followed by cardol and anacardic acid. The three CNSL components demonstrated good larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti (LC(50)=12.40 for anacardic acid, 10.22 for cardol and 14.45 for cardanol) and exhibited inhibition zones for acetylcholinesterase enzymes in the TLC test similar to carbachol, which was used as standard. Based on the results, these multipotent compounds represent promising agents in the control of Ae. aegypti, the main dengue vector in Brazil.

Asunto(s)

Anacardium/química , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Larva/efectos de los fármacos , Nueces/química , Acetilcolinesterasa/análisis , Acetilcolinesterasa/metabolismo , Aedes/efectos de los fármacos , Aedes/crecimiento & desarrollo , Ácidos Anacárdicos/farmacología , Anacardium/metabolismo , Animales , Brasil , Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Presión , Dengue/prevención & control , Virus del Dengue , Vectores de Enfermedades , Concentración 50 Inhibidora , Larva/crecimiento & desarrollo , Control de Mosquitos/métodos , Nueces/metabolismo , Fenoles/farmacología , Resorcinoles/farmacología

RESUMEN

Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) mature embryos were transformed using biolistic methods with a plasmid containing 2S albumin and beta-glucuronidase structural sequences, both under the control of the 35S CaMV promoter. We have shown that chimaeric tissues could be obtained and that both structural sequences were expressed to similar levels.

Asunto(s)

Fabaceae/genética , Nueces/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Plantas Medicinales , Albuminas 2S de Plantas , Antígenos de Plantas , Western Blotting , Clonación Molecular , Electroforesis en Gel de Poliacrilamida , Nueces/metabolismo , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusión/genética , Proteínas Recombinantes de Fusión/metabolismo