Bioactivity of extracts from passion fruit by-products and their efficiency in preventing neurodegenerative diseases

• Grant number: 19/10655-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Julian Martínez
• Grantee: Luana Cristina dos Santos
• Supervisor: Maria Elena Ibanez Ezequiel
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/11245-5 - Fractionation of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) by-products extracts by reducing pressure using supercritical CO2, BP.DR

Abstract

Bioactive compounds in plant and vegetable extracts may promote great health benefits, and many studies have been currently focusing on their bioactivity and potential to become a natural medication. At present, treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis disease and other dementia disorders) are mostly to alleviate the symptoms. Therefore, studies have been motivated to attain the prevention of these diseases, as they have a negative impact on society. Natural bioactive compounds as phytosterols, carotenoids and others are still few explored concerning their application in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this project is to aggregate value to a passion fruit by-product using its extracts (obtained by supercritical fractionation methods) to test their bioactivity, relating them with some neuroprotective effects. This work will be performed in three main steps: I) Chemical composition of the extracts (extracts and fractionated extracts) and selection of the enriched extracts in the target bioactive compounds; II) In vitro assays to evaluate the best responses in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and enzyme activity (AChE and BuChE) to determine the extract that best inhibits the enzymes that catalyze the acetylcholine neurotrasmissors breakdown, and III) Blood-brain barrier analysis (BBB crossing) in the extracts rich in terpenoids to finally classify the extracts with best neuroprotective effects. The project will be developed in the Laboratory of Foodomics at the Research Institute of Food Science (CIAL) in Madrid, Spain, coordinated by Professor Elena Ibáñez.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS, LUANA CRISTINA; MENDIOLA, JOSE ANTONIO; SANCHEZ-CAMARGO, ANDREA DEL PILAR; ALVAREZ-RIVERA, GERARDO; VIGANO, JULIANE; CIFUENTES, ALEJANDRO; IBANEZ, ELENA; MARTINEZ, JULIAN. Selective Extraction of Piceatannol from Passiflora edulis by-Products: Application of HSPs Strategy and Inhibition of Neurodegenerative Enzymes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 22, n. 12, JUN 2021. (17/23670-2, 17/11245-5, 19/10655-0)

DOS SANTOS, LUANA CRISTINA; ALVAREZ-RIVERA, GERARDO; DAVID SANCHEZ-MARTINEZ, JOSE; FLORES JOHNER, JULIO CESAR; BARRALES, FRANCISCO MANUEL; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA LOPES; CIFUENTES, ALEJANDRO; IBANEZ, ELENA; MARTINEZ, JULIAN. Comparison of different extraction methods of Brazilian ``pacova{''} (Renealmia petasites Gagnep.) oilseeds for the determination of lipid and terpene composition, antioxidant capacity, and inhibitory effect on neurodegenerative enzymes. FOOD CHEMISTRY-X, v. 12, DEC 30 2021. (17/23670-2, 17/11245-5, 19/10655-0)