This study investigated the association between flavonoid profiles of different cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata) varieties with anti-inflammatory properties as a possible benefit against inflammatory bowel disease. Cowpea, a drought tolerant annual herbaceous legume that originated in Africa, is known to possess high levels of polyphenolics, which have demonstrated anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and antioxidant properties. Black, red, white, brown and light brown cowpeas were investigated for phenolic content and composition using UV-Visible Spectroscopy and HPLC; antioxidant activation mechanism (AOX) by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Anti-inflammatory activity was measured via NF-κB activation in Raw 264.7 macrophages challenged with a lipo-polysaccharide. Phenols, tannins and AOX activity were generally similar within phenotypes; however among light brown varieties, 09FCV-CC-27M, had among the highest phenols, tannins and AOX, whereas IAR-48 had among the lowest. White cowpea (EARLY ACRE) variety showed the least amount of total phenol content (78.2 mg GAE/g) and condensed tannin content (4.1 mg CE/g); whereas the red varieties (IT82D-889, IT97K-1042-3) contained the highest amounts of tannins (242 and 132 mg CE/g), and phenols (431 and 454 mg GAE/g) respectively. Antioxidant activity correlated with phenol content data. Anthocyanins were only found in the black cowpea. The red varieties had the highest levels of flavonols, which were mostly quercetin derivatives; the white and light brown (IAR-48) varieties had quercetin-3-O-diglucoside as the dominantcompound. The light brown variety (09FCV-CC-27M) had the highest amount of flavan-3-ols while in the white variety no flavan-3-ols were detected. Unexpectedly, the cowpea extracts with lower phenolic and tannins content, the white and light brown (IAR-48) varieties, showed significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory properties in the LPS induced macrophages, inhibiting the activation of NF-κB at different concentrations (0.33, 1.67 and 3.33 μg extract/mL). Conversely, extracts with higher phenolic and tannin content did not induce anti-inflammatory response at similar concentrations, suggesting that tannins or other phenolics interfered with anti-inflammatory response at these concentrations. These results suggest that cowpea composition is an important determinant of anti-inflammatory response in inflammatory bowel disease.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2001-12-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:20:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 queiroz_ces_dr_arafo.pdf: 331073 bytes, checksum: 5b0cc47532d72c27e47c5ac40cc15e8e (MD5) / O autor avaliou a capacidade do hidróxido de cálcio em neutralizar o LPS de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, através de duas metodologias, a liberação de óxido nítrico e Fator de Necrose Tumoral Alfa (TNF-a) em cultura de macrófagos peritoneais de camundondos. O autor concluiu que o LPS bacteriano é um potente estimulador da produção de NO e TNF-a e que o tratamento deste LPS com hidróxido de cálcio causa sua inativação. / It was evaluated the calcium hydroxide in neutalysing Pseudomonas aeruginosa's LPS. Two methodologies were used; NO and TNF-a liberation in macrophage's rat culture. It was concluded that Ca(OH)2 inhibitted TNF-a and NO liberation.

Resumo: O autor avaliou a capacidade do hidróxido de cálcio em neutralizar o LPS de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, através de duas metodologias, a liberação de óxido nítrico e Fator de Necrose Tumoral Alfa (TNF-a) em cultura de macrófagos peritoneais de camundondos. O autor concluiu que o LPS bacteriano é um potente estimulador da produção de NO e TNF-a e que o tratamento deste LPS com hidróxido de cálcio causa sua inativação. / Abstract: It was evaluated the calcium hydroxide in neutalysing "Pseudomonas aeruginosa"'s LPS. Two methodologies were used; NO and TNF-a liberation in macrophage's rat culture. It was concluded that Ca(OH)2 inhibitted TNF-a and NO liberation. / Orientador: Renato de Toledo Leonardo / Coorientador: Iracilda Zeponi Carlos / Banca: Fábio Luiz Camargo Villela Berbert / Banca: Caio César Randi Ferraz / Banca: Odilon Mattos Rasquin / Doutor

Background & Aims: Oxidative stress and apoptosis are proposed mechanisms of cellular injury in studies of xenobiotic hepatotoxicity. The aim of this work is to find early signal markers of drug-induced injury of the liver by focusing on select antioxidant/oxidant and apoptotic genes. As well, to address the relationship between conventional liver dysfunction markers and the measured mRNA and protein expressions in the D-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide and tert-butylhydroperoxide hepatotoxicity models. Furthermore, potential hepatoprotective capabilities of antioxidant polyphenols quercetin and curcumin were evaluated in relation to its modulation of the oxidative stress and apoptotic parameters in the given xenobiotic hepatotoxicity models. Methods: Biochemical markers testing the hepatic function included aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and bilirubin. Measurements of TBARS and conjugated dienes were used to assess lipoperoxidation. Plasma levels of catalase and reduced glutathione were used as indicators of the oxidative status of the cell. Real time PCR was used to analyse the mRNA expressions of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS-2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD-1), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx-1), caspase 3 (Casp3), BH3 interacting domain death agonist (Bid) and Bcl-2...