Bioavailability, tissue distribution and antioxidant activity of hydrolyzed and non hydrolyzed hydroethanolic extract of Ilex paraguariensis

Author(s)

Diogo Pineda Rivelli

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2010-12-17

Examining board members

Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros; Elfriede Marianne Bacchi; Deborah Helena Markowicz Bastos; Fábio Ferreira Perazzo; Adriana Farah de Miranda Pereira

• Advisor: Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros

Abstract

Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) is a plant broadly used in Latin America as an aqueous infusion. Among its biological properties is the antioxidant activity, which suggests a important role in prevention and treatment of oxidative stress associated diseases, such as atheroclerosis, photocarcinogenesis and photoaging among other. However some of the compounds responsible for that activity are, in crude plant extract, under esterified form, which could make absorption more difficult. An approach to increase the bioavailability of antioxidants from plant extracts is to submit the extract to hydrolysis in order to release the active compounds. The goal of this work was comparatively evaluate the hydroethanolic extract of Ilex paraguariensis before and after enzimatic hydrolysis concerning phytochemical composition, in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activity, bioavailability and tissue distribution of antioxidant compounds in rats. The extract was obtained by percolation with ethanol:water (50% v/v) and the hydrolysis performed by enzymatic reaction. The phytochemical characterization was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry and the antioxidant activity by DPPH and ORAC methods. Hydrolyzed and non hydrolyzed extracts were given orally (by gavage) to male Wistar rats in single and multiple dose (30 days) regimen. Blood, skin, liver and brain were removed, and the concentration of antioxidant compounds and antioxidant activity by ORAC method were evaluated. The crude hydroethanolic extract showed antioxidant activity and phenolic content, but these values were not significantly changed by hydrolysis. However the hydrolysis increased the absorption of the compounds and the plasma antioxidant activity. (AU)