RESUMO

The aim of the present study was to assess the impacts of roasting and the type of extraction solvent (ethanol or water) on the hypolipidemic act ivity of xoconostle fruit peel extracts in a tyloxapol - induced model of hyperlipidemia. Water and ethanol extracts from raw and roasted Opuntia joconostle peels were obtained to quantify the phytochemicals contained within and assess their hypolipidemic ac tivity in rats (n=5) against tyloxapol - induced dyslipidemia (400 mg/kg). The raw ethanol and water extracts, as well as the roasted water extract (200 mg/kg), showed hypolipidemic activity in the tyloxapol - treated group ( p <0.05). In contrast, the roasted s ample extracted with ethanol did not show this effect. The concentrations of phenolic compounds (39.80 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (16.42 ± 0.14 mg QE/g) were higher in the ethanolic extracts than in the aqueous extracts. Conversely, the concentration of beta lains (115.51 ± 1.66 mg/100 g) was higher in the water extracts than in the ethanol extracts. It was concluded that the roasting process modified the concentration of some phytochemicals and their antioxidant capacity in vitro , producing a hypolipidemic ef fect in tyloxapol - induced hyperlipidemic rats

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el impacto del tostado y del tipo de disolvente de e xtracción (etanol o agua) sobre la actividad hipolipidémica de los extractos de cáscara de frutos de xoconostle en un modelo de hiperlipidemia inducido por el tyloxapol. Se obtuvieron extractos acuosos y etanólicos de cáscara cruda y asada de Opuntia jocon ostle para cuantificar los fitoquímicos que contienen y evaluar su actividad hipolipidémica en ratas (n=5) contra la dislipidemia inducida por el tyloxapol (400 mg/kg). Los extractos acuosos y etanólicos crudos, así como el extracto acuoso tostado (200 mg/ kg), mostraron actividad hipolipidémica en el grupo tratado con tiloxapol ( p <0,05). En cambio, la muestra asada y extraída con etanol no mostró este efecto. Las concentraciones de compuestos fenólicos (39,80 mg GAE/g) y flavonoides (16,42 ± 0,14 mg QE/g) f ueron mayores en los extractos etanólicos que en los acuosos. Por el contrario, la concentración de betalaínas (115,51 ± 1,66 mg/100 g) fue mayor en los extractos acuosos que en los etanólicos. Se concluyó que el proceso de asado modificó la concentración de algunos fitoquímicos y su capacidad antioxidante in vitro , produciendo un efecto hipolipidémico en ratas hiperlipidémicas inducidas por el tyloxapol.

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RESUMO

Infections caused by micro-organisms of the genus Candida are becoming a growing health problem worldwide. These fungi are opportunistic commensals that can produce infections-clinically known as candidiasis-in immunocompromised individuals. The indiscriminate use of different anti-fungal treatments has triggered the resistance of Candida species to currently used therapies. In this sense, propolis has been shown to have potent antimicrobial properties and thus can be used as an approach for the inhibition of Candida species. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the anti-Candida effects of a propolis extract obtained from the north of Mexico on clinical isolates of Candida species. Candida species were specifically identified from oral lesions, and both the qualitative and quantitative anti-Candida effects of the Mexican propolis were evaluated, as well as its inhibitory effect on C. albicans isolate's germ tube growth and chemical composition. Three Candida species were identified, and our results indicated that the inhibition halos of the propolis ranged from 7.6 to 21.43 mm, while that of the MFC and FC50 ranged from 0.312 to 1.25 and 0.014 to 0.244 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the propolis was found to inhibit germ tube formation (IC50 ranging from 0.030 to 1.291 mg/mL). Chemical composition analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids, including pinocembrin, baicalein, pinobanksin chalcone, rhamnetin, and biochanin A, in the Mexican propolis extract. In summary, our work shows that Mexican propolis presents significant anti-Candida effects related to its chemical composition, and also inhibits germ tube growth. Other Candida species virulence factors should be investigated in future research in order to determine the mechanisms associated with antifungal effects against them.

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Extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (commonly called Rosselle or "Jamaica flower" in Mexico) have been shown to have antibiotic and antivirulence properties in several bacteria. Here, an organic extract of H. sabdariffa L. is shown to inhibit motility in Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium. The compound responsible for this effect was purified and found to be the hibiscus acid. When tested, this compound also inhibited motility and reduced the secretion of both flagellin and type III secretion effectors. Purified hibiscus acid was not toxic in tissue-cultured eukaryotic cells, and it was able to reduce the invasion of Salmonella Typhimurium in epithelial cells. Initial steps to understand its mode of action showed it might affect membrane proton balance.

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Plant cuticles have attracted attention because they can be used to produce hydrophobic films as models for novel biopolymers. Usually, cuticles are obtained from agroresidual waste. To find new renewable natural sources to design green and commercially available bioplastics, fruits of S. aculeatissimum and S. myriacanthum were analyzed. These fruits are not used for human or animal consumption, mainly because the fruit is composed of seeds. Fruit peels were object of enzymatic and chemical methods to get thick cutins in good yields (approximately 77% from dry weight), and they were studied by solid-state resonance techniques (CPMAS 13C NMR), attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and direct injection electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DIESI-MS) analytical methods. The main component of S. aculeatissimum cutin is 10,16-dihydroxypalmitic acid (10,16-DHPA, 69.84%), while S. myriacanthum cutin besides of 10,16-DHPA (44.02%); another two C18 monomers: 9,10,18-trihydroxy-octadecanoic acid (24.03%) and 18-hydroxy-9S,10R-epoxy-octadecanoic acid (9.36%) are present. The hydrolyzed cutins were used to produce films demonstrating that both cutins could be a potential raw material for different biopolymers.