Identification and Antioxidant Activity of the Extracts of Eugenia uniflora Leaves. Characterization of the Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Aqueous Extract on Diabetes Expression in an Experimental Model of Spontaneous Type 1 Diabetes (NOD Mice)
Nayara Simon Gonzalez Schumacher,
Talita Cristina Colomeu,
Daniella de Figueiredo,
Virginia de Campos Carvalho,
Cinthia Baú Betim Cazarin,
Marcelo Alexandre Prado,
Laura Maria Molina Meletti,
Ricardo de Lima Zollner
Affiliations
Nayara Simon Gonzalez Schumacher
Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Vital Brazil, 300, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Talita Cristina Colomeu
Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Vital Brazil, 300, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Daniella de Figueiredo
Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Vital Brazil, 300, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Virginia de Campos Carvalho
Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Vital Brazil, 300, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Cinthia Baú Betim Cazarin
Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (FEA-Unicamp), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 80, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-862 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Marcelo Alexandre Prado
Department of Food and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (FEA-Unicamp), Rua Monteiro Lobato, 80, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-862 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Laura Maria Molina Meletti
Agronomic Institute of Campinas, Theodureto de Almeida Camargo, 1500, Vila Nova, 13012-970 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Ricardo de Lima Zollner
Laboratory of Translational Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Rua Vital Brazil, 300, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, 13083-888 Campinas-SP, Brazil
Medical and folklore reports suggest that Eugenia uniflora (E. uniflora) is a functional food that contains numerous compounds in its composition, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-diabetic effects. In the present study, we investigated the best solvents (water, ethanol and methanol/acetone) for extracting bioactive compounds of E. uniflora leaves, assessing total phenols and the antioxidant activity of the extracts by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), 2,2′-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assays, identifying hydrolysable tannins and three phenolic compounds (ellagic acid, gallic acid and rutin) present in the leaves. In addition, we evaluated the incidence of diabetes, degree of insulitis, serum insulin, hepatic glutathione and tolerance test glucose in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Our results suggest that the aqueous extract presents antioxidant activity and high total phenols, which were used as a type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM-1) treatment in NOD mice. We verified that the chronic consumption of aqueous extract reduces the inflammatory infiltrate index in pancreatic islets, maintaining serum insulin levels and hepatic glutathione, and reducing serum lipid peroxidation as well as the risk for diabetes.
