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Antioxidant properties of Mediterranean food plant extracts: geographical differences

100%

Schaffer S., Schmitt-Schillig S., Muller W. E., Eckert G. P.

Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. Supplement

2005

tom 56

nr 1

115-124

Locally grown, wild food plants seasonally contribute a considerable portion of the daily diet in certain Mediterranean areas and it has been suggested that the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet on human health partly originate from the antioxidant effect of flavonoid-rich food plants. The nutrient content of most wild plants is higher than that of cultivated ones and may vary depending on the prevailing environmental conditions. Accordingly, three local Mediterranean plant foods (i.e. Cichorium intybus, Sonchus oleraceus, Papaver rhoeas) were collected in Greece (Crete), southern Italy, and southern Spain in order to assess possible differences in their in vitro antioxidant potential. The biological assays revealed diverse intra-plant specific antioxidant effects for the tested extracts ranging from no activity to almost complete protection. Furthermore, substantial differences in the polyphenol content were found for the nutritionally used part of the same plant originating from different locations. However, no clear correlations between the polyphenol content and the extracts' antioxidant activities were found. Taken together, the data suggest that certain local Mediterranean plant foods possess promising antioxidant activity and that the observed biological effects are possibly influenced by the geographically-dependent environmental conditions prevailing during plant growth.

Flavonoids and the aging brain

88%

Schmitt-Schillig S., Schaffer S., Weber C. C., Eckert G. P., Muller W. E.

Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. Supplement

2005

tom 56

nr 1

23-36

Like in all other organs, the functional capacity of the human brain deteriorates over time. Pathological events such as oxidative stress, due to the elevated release of free radicals and reactive oxygen or nitrogen species, the subsequently enhanced oxidative modification of lipids, protein, and nucleic acids, and the modulation of apoptotic signaling pathways contribute to loss of brain function. The identification of neuroprotective food components is one strategy to facilitate healthy brain aging. Flavonoids were shown to activate key enzymes in mitochondrial respiration and to protect neuronal cells by acting as antioxidants, thus breaking the vicious cycle of oxidative stress and tissue damage. Furthermore, recent data indicate a favorable effect of flavonoids on neuro-inflammatory events. Whereas most of these effects have been shown in vitro, limited data in vivo are available, suggesting a rather low penetration of flavonoids into the brain. Nevertheless, several reports support the concept that flavonoid intake inhibits certain biochemical processes of brain aging, and might thus prevent to some extent the decline of cognitive functions with aging as well as the development or the course of neurodegenerative diseases. However, more data are needed to assess the true impact of flavonoids on brain aging.

Ograniczanie wyników

2 Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. Supplement

2 Eckert G. P.

2 Muller W. E.

2 Schaffer S.

2 Schmitt-Schillig S.

1 Weber C. C.

2 2005

Wyniki wyszukiwania

Antioxidant properties of Mediterranean food plant extracts: geographical differences

Flavonoids and the aging brain