103,269 research outputs found
I legumi: fonte preziosa di nutrienti e di composti bioattivi
No full textI legumi rappresentano una fonte importante di nutrienti quali proteine, carboidrati, oltre a fibra alimentare e sali minerali. Hanno inoltre un basso contenuto in grassi, di tipo prevalentemente insaturo e contengono numerose molecole bioattive come polifenoli e soiasaponine con azione ipocolesterolemizzante. Nei nostri laboratori sono state sviluppate metodiche analitiche per determinare il profilo in acidi grassi di diverse varietà di legumi (lenticchie, fagioli, ceci, piselli, etc) mediante GC-FID, oltre al quantitativo di soiasaponine I e βg tramite HPLC-MS. Di recente è stata messa a punto una nuova metodica di estrazione ed analisi di 16 polifenoli mediante HPLC-MS/MS. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato in primis quello di quantificare queste importanti molecole bioattive in diversi legumi per promuovere un loro più ampio consumo. Inoltre sono stati preparati degli estratti di lenticchie ricchi di soiasaponine ed è stata testata l'azione ipocolesterolemica in uno modello animale, valutando quantitativamente il contenuto degli acidi biliari espulsi con le feci, per investigarne l’eventuale meccanismo d’azione. Tale studio è attualmente oggetto di un’applicazione brevettuale. I risultati ottenuti mostrano che gli acidi grassi principali nei legumi sono di tipo insaturo. Nei fagioli abbiamo un tenore di PUFA che si aggira sul 65%, nelle lenticchie 55% circa. In queste ultime, particolarmente interessante è il rapporto n-6/n-3 che è di 4:1, valore ottimale secondo le tabelle dei LARN (Livelli di Assunzione Raccomandata di Nutrienti per la popolazione italiana). Il contenuto di polifenoli è molto alto nei fagioli (media nei vari campioni analizzati di 117 mg/kg) e lenticchie (99.2 mg/kg), e comunque sono solitamente presenti ad alte concentrazioni in quelli di colore scuro. Per quanto riguarda lo studio sotto brevetto, possiamo dire che al termine del trattamento con estratto di lenticchie, i livelli ematici di colesterolo dei ratti trattati sono stati significativamente inferiori (17%) rispetto ai controlli (p<0.05). Inoltre nei ratti ipercolesterolemici trattati con l'estratto vi è un significativo aumento dell’espulsione di acidi biliari rispetto ai ratti ipercolesterolemici trattati con il veicolo (acqua). Il meccanismo d’azione ipocolesterolemizzante consisterebbe quindi in un’ aumentata escrezione di acidi biliari, per mancato riassorbimento nel circolo entero-epatico; di conseguenza il colesterolo endogeno viene impiegato per la nuova sintesi degli acidi biliari. In conclusione, i legumi sono una fonte di importanti nutrienti e di molecole bioattive ad effetto nutraceutico.
Bibliografia per approfondimento:
- Caprioli G, Giusti F, Ballini R, Sagratini G, Donat PV, Vittori S, Fiorini D. Lipid Nutritional Value of Legumes: Evaluation of Different Extraction Methods and Determination of Fatty Acid Composition. Food Chemistry. 2016; 199, 965-971.
- Giusti F, Caprioli G, Ricciutelli M, Vittori S, Sagratini G. Determination of fourteen polyphenols in pulses by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and correlation study with antioxidant activity and colour. Food Chemistry. 2017, 221, 689–697.
Take home messages:
- I legumi sono una fonte importante di nutrienti e di sostanze bioattive.
- L’estratto di lenticchie ricco in soiasaponine riduce il colesterolo nei ratti del 17% attraverso un meccanismo che prevede un’ aumentata escrezione di acidi biliari a livello fecale.
- Il contenuto di polifenoli è molto alto nei fagioli e nelle lenticchi
Bioactive compounds in lentils and nutraceutical effects
No full textLentils are an endemic crop of central Italy in particular of Umbro-Marchean Apennines and some of these are recognized by the European Union with the acronym PGI, Protected Geographical Indication. Among pulses, lentils have high nutritional value and they are an important sources of bioactive compounds: besides nutrients such as PUFA (regulation of cognitive function, cardiovascular diseases prevention) there are important nutraceutical compounds such as soyasaponins (hypocholesterolemic, antiepatotoxic and anticarcinogenic activity) and isoflavones (osteoporosis prevention, ameloriation postmenopausal symptoms, tumor initiation prevention). In our labs, several methods to determine the above compounds have been validated and applied to lentils and other legumes using HPLC-MS, UHPLC-MS/MS, GC-FID systems. Furthermore, some in vivo and in vitro biological studies have been performed, such as anti-hypercholesterolemic effect on a rat model with diet induced hypercholesterolemia. Additionally, toxic effect of soyasaponins and lentil extracts have been studied in vitro on caco-2 cells.
Results showed that soyasaponins I and βg are present in lentils in concentrations ranging from 541 to 1457 mg kg−1. The isoflavone content in lentils ranged from 0.41 to 58.61 μg kg-1. Unsaturated fatty acids are predominant in lentils with respect to saturated fatty acids. Soyasaponin I and lentil extracts no cytotoxic effect produced in Caco-2 cells at the tested concentrations. Lentils are an important source of bioactive compounds and lentils extracts may have a nutraceutical effect.
References
1Vila-Donat, P.; Caprioli, G.; Conti, P.; Maggi, F.; Ricciutelli, M.; Torregiani E.; Vittori, S.; Sagratini, G., Food Anal. Meth., 2013, DOI 10.1007/s12161-013-9708-3. 2Vila-Donat, P., Caprioli, G., Maggi, F., Ricciutelli, M., Torregiani, E., Vittori, S., Sagratini, G., Food Chem., submitted. 3Folch, J., Lees, M., Sloane Stanley, G. H. (1956). J. Biol. Chem., 1956, 226, 497-509
Quantification of “cholesterol lowering” soyasaponins in legumes and assessment of their bioaccessibility
No full textLegumes, particularly lentils, are a primary dietary source of food saponins, which are bioactive compounds that have been demonstrated to possess multiple health-promoting properties, such as reduction of cholesterol levels, anticarcinogenic and antihepatotoxic properties, and antireplicative effects against HIV.1 There is evidence that dietary saponins (including soyasaponins) can lower plasma cholesterol values; this occurs directly by inhibiting absorption of cholesterol from the small intestine or, indirectly, by inhibiting the reabsorption of bile acids. Reduced entry of cholesterol or bile acids into the enterohepatic circulation results in the stimulation of cholesterol synthesis mainly by the liver.2 Legumes mainly contain soyasaponin I (soyasaponin βb) and soyasaponin βg (also called soyasaponin VI), both belonging to the B group soyasaponins. The aim of this work was the quantification of SS I and SS βg in raw and cooked legumes of different provenience and variety (60 samples) by a SPE-HPLC-MS method developed in our lab.3 Results of this study showed that the 60 raw legume samples analyzed had a content of soyasaponin I that ranged from 636 to 907 mg kg-1, while that of soyasaponin βg ranged from 647 to 1807 mg kg-1. Soybean contains the highest level of soyasaponins, and also pea and chickpea could be considered a great source of “cholesterol lowering” soyasaponins. Additionally, it is important to understand absorption and metabolic process of soyasaponins in the body. Hence, six legume samples were chosen for cooking studies for the investigation of the amount of soyasaponins that persists after cooking. Changes in the soyasaponins content were investigated for the first time in chickpea, lentil, bean, pea and chuckling after the seeds were soaked and cooked in distilled water. Cooking did not modify the total soyasaponins content; soyasaponin βg was partially degraded during cooking to soyasaponin I. Moreover, a small amount of soyasaponins leached into the cooking solution, and the percentage was related to the analyzed legume. Moreover, a study on the bioaccessibility of SS I and βg contained in lentils was assessed by using an in vitro digestion model, to understand the amount that can reach the duodenum and colon and that can explicate the cholesterol lowering activity. To our knowledge, no studies have been reported so far in the literature concerning the bioaccessibility of soyasaponins in food. Recently, in our laboratory a new, selective, and fast analytical procedure for the quantification of soyasaponins I and βg in lentils using HPLC-MS/MS triple quadrupole has been developed. With this method, the purification step (SPE) has been eliminated and, through the use of a triple quadrupole as mass analyzer, the specificity and sensitivity have been enhanced, compared to previous HPLC-MS published methods. This method will be very useful for future studies on soyasaponins in legumes.
References
1. J. Hu, S. O. Lee, S. Hendrich, P. A. Murphy, J. Agric. Food Chem., 50, 2587−2594 (2002).
2. R. G. Ruiz, K. R. Price, A. E. Arthur, M. E. Rose, M. J. C. Rhodes, R. G. Fenwick, J. Agric. Food Chem., 44, 1526–1530, (1996).
3. G. Sagratini, Y. Zuo, G. Caprioli, G. Cristalli, D. Giardinà, F. Maggi, L. Molin, M. Ricciutelli, P. Traldi, S. Vittori, J. Agric. Food Chem., 57, 11226−11233, (2009)
Ideabrill packaging capability in the preservation of raw and cooked ham. a comparative study
No full textABSTRACT: IDEABRILL PACKAGING CAPABILITY IN PRESERVATION ON RAW AND COOKED HAM. A COMPARATIVE STUDY.
Food packaging contributes to the preservation and shelf-life of food. In literature, several studies demonstrate that active packaging, enriched of bioactive compounds like the essential oil of Rosmarinus Officinalis [1], and modified atmosphere packaging, can positively affect the preservation of food. The study of new types of packaging is continuously increasing, especially in terms of environmental impact and food preservation. In this study, three types of packaging provided by Esseoquattro company were tested, in order to assess their capability in the preservation of food. Ideabrill® packaging, a three layers pack of polyethylene high density layer, metallic layer and cellulose with long fiber layer, combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza was compared to paper coupled with wings alone and combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza. The study was conducted on raw and cooked ham preserved in the packaging described above through the quantification of biogenic amines (BAs) at day 0, 3, 5 and 7. BAs can be considered markers to evaluate the freshness and the quality of food. In particular, a higher concentration of BAs is related to a higher deterioration degree of food. BAs were extracted, derivatized with dansyl chloride, purified with a SPE C-18 and then analyzed with an HPLC-DAD method. This study, in combination with microbiological study, shows that Ideabrill® packaging combined with Ideabrill® sacchetto salvafreschezza displayed the best conservation capability for raw and cooked ham when compared with others. Moreover, from an eco-friendly point of view, Ideabrill® packaging layers can be easily separated in order to encourage recycling.
[1] Sirocchi, V., Caprioli, G., Cecchini, C., Coman, M. M., Cresci, A., Maggi, F., ... & Sagratini, G. (2013). Biogenic amines as freshness index of meat wrapped in a new active packaging system formulated with essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 64(8), 921-928
Comparison of different serviceability assessment measures for different events held in the G. Meazza Stadium in Milano
No full textStadia structures, like the G. Meazza in Milano, nowadays host many events that they were not originally designed for. Apart from the traditional football matches many live rock concerts and other public happenings are hosted. In this paper a comparison is made in order to classify the different kind of events in terms of vibration serviceability assessment measurements. The reached vibration levels must be evaluated against the serviceability levels given in existing guidance in order to prevent dangerous situations, such as panic or other uncontrollable phenomena in the crowd. Standards exist to evaluate vibration levels, among them the most widely used are ISO2631-1, ISO2631-2 and BS6841, which differ in the frequency weighting used and in the quantities used to identify the vibration, even though the starting point is the same measured acceleration time histories. More than a comparison of the two standards, already discussed in other papers, this paper investigates the level reached during different events and the influence of all choices left free to the technician performing measurements. Standards are applied to a set of vibration measurements taken on different events on different parts of the G. Meazza stadium. Results are then compared to the reference values suggested in the standards and to the limits found in literature. The effect of the dynamic response of the different sub-structures of the stadium on the reached vibration levels is analyzed and a set of results are given in order to asses the validity of limits given both in the standards and in literature. © 2009 Society for Experimental Mechanics Inc
Lentils: a healthy food and a tool for a novel nutraceutical approach.
No full textLENTILS: A HEALTHY FOOD AND A TOOL FOR A NOVEL NUTRACEUTICAL APPROACH
Giovanni Caprioli1, Sauro Vittori1, Gianni Sagratini1
1School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via St. Agostino 1, 62032, Camerino, Italy
[email protected]
Pulses, which are a major constituent of the Mediterranean diet, are an important source of macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber [1]. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, highlighting the importance of these foods not only for their nutritional and healthy aspects, but also for their environmental sustainability. Among legumes, lentils are of particular interest both for their nutritional and functional properties. Lentils are low in fat (approximately 1%) and consequently have a low energy value. Among fatty acids, the predominants are polyunsaturated one (PUFA, 54-58%) like linoleic and linolenic acid [2]. They are also a good source of soyasaponins, bioactive compounds that have demonstrated to possess many health properties, in particular lowering of cholesterol level [3]. This might occur directly by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol or indirectly by inhibiting the reabsorption of bile acids, in such a way that cholesterol is used for the synthesis of new bile acids. Thus, considering the healthy properties of lentils, we decided to develop a food supplement that has been patented. The first part of this research focused on an in vivo study on rats for the evaluation of the cholesterol lowering effect of this soysaponins-rich lentil extract. The animals were subject to high cholesterol diet and then treated with lentil extract. After treatment, blood cholesterol levels of treated rats were significantly lower (16.8%) compared with control (p<0.05). Then, we decided to investigate the mechanism of action by monitoring bile acids levels in rat faeces by using UHPLC-MS/MS triple quadrupole. In rats fed with lentil extract, levels of bile acids increased significantly (about 1000 mg/kg of total bile acids) compared to the control group (p˂0.01). In conclusion, this new food supplement is able to reduce cholesterol through a mechanism that provides an increased excretion of bile acid and consequent new synthesis of the same from the endogenous cholesterol. Lentil extract can represent the base formulation of a new nutraceutical food supplement.
References
[1] M. J. Messina. Legumes and soybeans: overview of their nutritional profiles and health effects. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997, 70, 439-450.
[2] G. Caprioli, F. Giusti, R. Ballini, G. Sagratini, P.V. Donat, S. Vittori, D. Fiorini. Lipid Nutritional Value of Legumes: Evaluation of Different Extraction Methods and Determination of Fatty Acid Composition. Food Chemistry, 2016, 199, 965-971.
[3] G. Sagratini, G. Caprioli, F. Maggi, G. Font, D. Giardinà, J. Mañes, G. Meca, M. Ricciutelli, V. Sirocchi, E. Torregiani, S. Vittori. Determination of Soyasaponins I and βg in Raw and Cooked Legumes by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) Coupled to Liquid Chromatography (LC)−Mass Spectrometry (MS) and Assessment of Their Bioaccessibility by an in Vitro Digestion Model. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2013, 61, 1702-1709
Drug evaluation: TA-2711E in the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis
No full textTanabe AAI LLC, a joint venture between Tanabe Seiyaku Co Ltd and aaiPharma Inc, is developing TA-2711E, an enema formulation of Tanabe's mucosal protectant ecabet, for the potential treatment of ulcerative colitis. By July 2004, phase III trials for ulcerative colitis had been initiated in Japan and phase II studies were ongoing in Europe and the US; this remained the case in May 2006
Asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to enones mediated by rhodium/phosphoramidite complex
No full textAsymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to enones mediated by rhodium/phosphoramidite complex
Patrizia Scafato, Francesca Caprioli, Carlo Rosini
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, via N. Sauro, 85; Potenza. [email protected]
The asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed conjugate addition of aryl boronic acids nowadays is the method of choice for the stereoselective introduction of an aryl group in the β position of activated olefins.1
The catalytic efficiency of phosphoramidite L* has been tested on such a reaction with different enones, providing high yields and enantioselectivities (up to 96% e.e.) dependent on the nature of the carbonyl compound. Furthermore, preliminary investigations on the asymmetric addition of phenylboronic acid to chromones, substrates never utilized for this reaction, are reported. The results obtained indicate that also this reaction can occur with high enantioselectivity. Moreover, this synthetic approach could represent a new convenient access to chiral flavanones,2 an important class of natural and synthetic products which possess an impressive and varied array of biological and pharmacological properties.
1. (a) Fagnou, K.; Lautens, M. Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 169-196; (b) Hayashi, T.; Yamasaki, K. Chem. Rev. 2003, 103, 2829-2844; (c) Christoffers, J.; Koripelly, G.; Rosiak, A.; Rössle, M. Synthesis 2007, 1279-1300. 2. Moorty, N. S. H. N.; Singh, R. J.; Sing, H. P.; Gupta, S. D. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 2006, 54, 1384-1390
Effect of the ultrasound-assisted extraction parameters on the determination of ergosterol and vitamin D2 in Agaricus bisporus, A. bisporus Portobello, and Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms
No full textErgosterol is an important secondary metabolite precursor of vitamin D2 in mushrooms and is responsible for
various health-promoting effects. The increasing interest in searching and analyzing foods rich in provitamin and
vitamin D requires the optimization of a fast and effective extraction method. The comprehensive optimization of
the parameters influencing ultrasound-assisted extraction (U.A.E) was performed to determine the best U.A.E
conditions for ergosterol and vitamin D in mushrooms. The highest extraction yields were obtained with ethanol
as solvent, 20 mg/mL as the solid-solvent ratio (SSR), at a frequency of 40 kHz, and a power of 240 W, for 30 min
at 40 ◦C. For conjugated ergosterol, U.A.E in basic conditions (pH 11 using an ethanolic solution of KOH) at
60 ◦C for 30 min was ideal. Moreover, saponification after U.A.E did not provide any improvement on the
extraction yield. The developed U.A.E. methods were applied on three mushroom species obtaining high levels of
total ergosterol for Agaricus bisporus (6.8 ± 0.1 mg/g dw), A. bisporus Portobello (7.3 ± 0.2 mg/g dw), and
Pleurotus ostreatus (4.9 ± 0.1 mg/g dw). Moreover, good levels of vitamin D2 (13.9–19.2 mg/100 g dw) in
mushrooms were obtained after ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation
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