Suco de xique-xique (pilosocereus gounellei): caracterização nutricional, bioativa e atividade anti-inflamatória intestinal

• Ano de defesa: 2019
• Autor(a) principal: Carvalho, Paloma Oliveira Antonino Assis de
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso embargado
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal da Paraíba; Brasil; Nutrição; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Nutrição; UFPB
• Palavras-chave em Português: Cactácea; Colite; Funcionalidade; Plantas alimentícias não convencionais; Marcadores inflamatórios; Cactus; Colitis; Functionality; Unconventional food plants; Inflammatory markers; CNPQ::CIENCIAS DA SAUDE::NUTRICAO
• Link de acesso: https://repositorio.ufpb.br/jspui/handle/123456789/19297

Xique-xique (Pilosocereus gounellei) belongs to the family Cactaceae, being found in the Caatinga. Considered an unconventional food plant, xique-xique has been used for food purposes, and in folk medicine to treat inflammations. In vivo studies have shown that xiquexique extracts have anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective, antinociceptive, antipyretic effects. However, until now, no study has been found on evaluating the possible anti-inflammatory effect of xique-xique in a model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Alternative and complementary medicines to this inflammation based on plants and natural products rich in bioactive compound have aroused interest. The objective of this thesis was to elaborate a xique-xique juice and characterize it as its nutritional and bioactive properties and, evaluate its potential preventive anti-inflammatory effect in animal model of acetic acid-induced colitis. The present work provided the deposit of a patent of invention, under the title: Processo para elaboração de suco de xique-xique (BR 10 2018 073226 9). The xique-xique juice presented high moisture and ash contents, besides total fibers, mainly soluble. As for the minerals, higher levels of potassium, magnesium and manganese were observed, as well as relevant calcium content. Nineteen phenolic compounds were detected in xique-xique juice, and regarding the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, gallic acid presented higher bioaccessibility, followed by procyanidin B1, epigallocatechin gallate, caffeic acid, catechin, procyanidin B2 and syringic acid. The xique-xique juice had a higher antioxidant potential against the ORAC, compared to the FRAP. For the in vivo experiment, Wistar rats were divided into 6 experimental groups, in which the ability of xique-xique juice to prevent intestinal inflammation in the acetic acid-induced colitis model was evaluated, comparing with a standard drug, sulfasalazine, used in the treatment of IBD. The xique-xique juice at the 5 mL/kg dose reduced the macroscopic damage score, as well as improved MPO activity and proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. It also reduced oxidative stress observed by reducing MDA and preventing glutathione depletion. In addition, it regulated the expression of markers involved in epithelial integrity MUC-2 and ZO-1. Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluations revealed, respectively, tissue cytoarchitecture preservation and reduced expression of IL-17, iNOS and NF-κB, together with increased expression of SOCs-1, MUC-2 and ZO-1. According to these observations, xique-xique juice could represent an alternative source for the consumption of fibers, minerals and bioactive compounds, as well as have shown anti-inflammatory effect at the dose of 5 mL/kg in colitis model. The protective effect could be caused by flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the xique-xique juice, but also by the presence of fiber, particularly soluble, acting possibly as a prebiotic or a synergistic effect between them. Therefore, xique-xique juice presents itself as a potential functional food and a possible alternative for IBD. However, more studies are needed, before suggesting its use for this purpose.