No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Influence of dietary spices – Black pepper, red pepper and ginger on the uptake of β-carotene by rat intestines
Abstract
In view of the wide-spread deficiency of vitamin A in populations dependent on plant foods, it is desirable to improve bioavailability of β-carotene. Specific dietary spices may alter the ultrastructure and permeability characteristics of intestines. Few common spices were studied here for their possible influence on intestinal absorption of β-carotene by examining its uptake by the intestines from rats fed black pepper, red pepper, ginger, piperine and capsaicin. Higher in vitro absorption of β-carotene in the intestines was evidenced in all spice-fed animals. Dietary piperine and ginger increased the uptake of β-carotene by 147% and 98%, respectively. While increase in absorption was 59% and 27% in black pepper and red pepper fed animals, respectively, dietary capsaicin increased the same by 50%. Thus, significantly enhanced intestinal uptake of β-carotene as a result of consumption of pungent spices was evidenced, which could form a food based strategy to possibly reduce vitamin A deficiency.
... Dietary piperine (0.02 %) was examined for its influence on bile secretion, digestive enzymes of pancreas, and absorption of dietary fat in rats fed high fat (30 %) for 8 weeks [34]. Piperine enhanced the activity of pancreatic lipase and Rats (a) Black pepper increased gastric acid secretion in anesthetized rats [39] (b) Piperine increased gastric acid secretion [40] (c) Piperine had protective action against stress-induced gastric ulcer [41] (d) Dietary piperine showed protective effect on gastric and intestinal mucosa with respect to activities of antioxidant enzymes and gastric mucin content [42] (e) Dietary piperine alleviated the diminished activities of antioxidant enzymes in gastric and intestinal mucosa during ethanol-induced oxidative stress [42] Mice (a) Piperine had protective action against stress-induced gastric ulcer [41] Antidiarrheal property Mice (a) Piperine inhibited diarrhea produced by castor oil, arachidonic acid, etc. [36] (b) Piperine reduced castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation [43] Influence on absorptive function Rats (a) Piperine stimulated g-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and enhanced uptake of amino acids in isolated epithelial cells of rat jejunum [44] (b) Piperine modulated membrane dynamics and permeation characteristics, increasing absorptive surface and induction of synthesis of proteins associated with cytoskeletal function [45] (c) Dietary piperine induced alteration in BBM fluidity and permeability property, associated with increased microvilli length, resulting in higher absorptive surface of the small intestine [46] (d) Duodenum, jejunum, and ileum portions of small intestines isolated from rats pre-fed piperine showed higher uptake of iron, zinc, and calcium [47] (e) Higher in vitro absorption of b-carotene in the intestines was evidenced in piperine-fed animals [48] (f) Dietary piperine improved intestinal absorption of orally administered b-carotene [49] caused higher secretion of biliary bile acids in high-fat-fed rats which was associated with enhanced fat absorption. Stimulation of lipid mobilization from adipose tissue was suggested by the decrease in perirenal adipose tissue weight by dietary piperine. ...
... Everted segments of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum portions of small intestines isolated from rats pre-fed this spice for 8 weeks and examined for the uptake of iron, zinc, and calcium from incubations containing digesta of finger millet showed higher absorption of these minerals. Dietary black pepper and piperine have also been studied for their possible influence on absorption of b-carotene by examining its uptake by the intestinal segments from rats pre-fed these spices [48]. Higher in vitro absorption of b-carotene in the intestines was evidenced in piperinefed animals which was 47 % higher than control, while dietary black pepper produced 59 % increase. ...
... Dietary red pepper and capsaicin which alter the ultrastructure and permeability characteristics of intestines are also reported to favorably enhance the intestinal uptake of b-carotene in vitro [48]. In an animal study conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary spice compounds on the absorption of orally administered b-carotene and its conversion to vitamin A, hepatic b-carotene was significantly increased in capsaicin-fed rats suggesting improved absorption of b-carotene [49]. ...
The distinct biting quality of black pepper (Piper nigrum) widely used in human dietary is attributed to the alkaloid piperine. Black pepper is also used as a food preservative and as a vital component in traditional medicines in India and China. Several physiological effects of black pepper and its bioactive alkaloid piperine have been reported in recent decades. By stimulating the digestive enzymes of pancreas, piperine enhances the digestive capacity. Piperine has been documented to enhance the bioavailability of a number of therapeutic drugs as well as phytochemicals by its inhibitory influence on drug transformation reactions in liver and intestine. It strongly inhibits hepatic and intestinal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and glucuronyl transferase. Piperine’s bioavailability enhancing property is also partly attributed to increased absorption as a result of its effect on the ultrastructure of intestinal brush border. Piperine has been evidenced to have antidiarrheal property and an effect on intestinal motility and on the ultrastructure of intestinal microvilli improving absorbability of micronutrients. Piperine has been demonstrated in in vitro studies to protect against oxidative damage by inhibiting or quenching reactive oxygen species. Piperine treatment also lowers lipid peroxidation in vivo and beneficially influences antioxidant status in situations of oxidative stress. Piperine has been found to possess antimutagenic and antitumor influences.
... In our study, we observed that the acidulants lime juice and antioxidant spices minimized the loss of β-carotene during heat processing, in addition to improving its bioaccessibility from the vegetables (Veda et al., 2008). Our observation that the effect of the antioxidant spices on the bioaccessibility of β-carotene was more prominent in heattreated vegetables was attributed to the role of these spices in preventing the oxidative destruction of β-carotene, thereby minimizing its loss in addition to enhancing the Higher ex vivo uptake of β-carotene from the intestines of rats fed black pepper (Piper nigrum), red pepper (Capsicum annuum), ginger (Zinziber officinale), piperine and capsaicin was evidenced (Veda and Srinivasan, 2009). Piperine had the highest stimulating effect on the uptake of β-carotene, the increase being to an extent of 147%, while the parent spice black pepper increased the same by 59%. ...
... The spice ginger increased the uptake of β-carotene by 59%. (Veda and Srinivasan, 2009). Thus, significantly enhanced intestinal uptake of β-carotene as a result of consumption of pungent spices was evidenced. ...
... , cooking β-carotene-rich vegetables in the presence of acidulants such as lime juice or amchur, and antioxidant spices turmeric and onion is a feasible food-based strategy to maximize the bioaccessibility of this provitamin.Dietary spices as enhancers of micronutrient bioavailabilitySpices are extensively used in Indian culinary, as well as in other tropical countries to enhance the taste and flavor of foods. Certain spices are known to alter the intestinal ultrastructure and permeability characteristics; piperine, the active principle of black pepper is known to increase bioavailability of drugs and other phytochemicals, as a result of an alteration in membrane lipid dynamics and change in the conformation of enzymes in the intestine(Veda and Srinivasan, 2009). The lipophilic spice compoundscapsaicin (red pepper), and gingerol and gingerone (phytochemicals of ginger) are similar to piperine with respect to the structural homology. ...
Deficiencies of iron, zinc, iodine and vitamin A are widespread in the developing countries, poor bioavailability of these micronutrients from plant-based foods being the major reason for their wide prevalence. Diets predominantly vegetarian are composed of components that enhance as well as inhibit mineral bioavailability, the latter being predominant. However, prudent cooking practices and use of ideal combinations of food components can significantly improve micronutrient bioavailability. Household processing such as heat treatment, sprouting, fermentation and malting have been evidenced to enhance the bioavailability of iron and β-carotene from plant foods. Food acidulants amchur and lime are also shown to enhance the bioavailability of not only iron and zinc, but also of β-carotene. Recently indentified newer enhancers of micronutrient bioaccessibility include sulphur compound-rich Allium spices - onion and garlic, which also possess antioxidant properties, β-carotene-rich vegetables - carrot and amaranth, and pungent spices - pepper (both red and black) as well as ginger. Information on the beneficial effect of these dietary compounds on micronutrient bioaccessibility is novel. These food components evidenced to improve the bioavailability of micronutrients are common ingredients of Indian culinary, and probably of other tropical countries. Fruits such as mango and papaya, when consumed in combination with milk, provide significantly higher amounts of bioavailable β-carotene. Awareness of the beneficial influence of these common dietary ingredients on the bioavailability of micronutrients would help in devising dietary strategies to improve the bioavailability of these vital nutrients.
... It would be most relevant to understand whether these compounds also enhance the bioavailability of b-carotene by facilitating its intestinal absorption. Higher uptake of b-carotene ex vivo by the intestinal segments was evidenced in animals fed black pepper/piperine, ginger and red pepper/ capsaicin, with dietary piperine increasing the uptake of b-carotene by as much as 2·5-fold (8) . Thus, there is an indication that the three pungent spices tested in the present study might alter the permeation characteristics presumably by increasing the absorptive surface and thereby enhance the intestinal absorption of b-carotene. ...
... The present animal study suggests that the intestinal absorption of b-carotene is higher in animals fed the spice compounds piperine, capsaicin and ginger, as indicated by the concentration of b-carotene in serum, liver and intestinal tissue following the oral intake of b-carotene. On the other hand, these dietary spices had no similar beneficial influence on the bioconversion of absorbed b-carotene to vitamin A, as indicated by the tissue concentrations of retinol as well as the activities of hepatic and intestinal enzymes involved in the cleavage of b-carotene and further reduction during its bioconversion to vitamin A. We have recently reported that in vitro absorption of b-carotene by the intestines isolated from rats fed black pepper, red pepper, ginger, piperine and capsaicin are higher compared with control (8) . It was inferred that these pungent spices alter permeation characteristics presumably by increasing the absorptive surface and thereby enhance the intestinal absorption of b-carotene. ...
... It was inferred that these pungent spices alter permeation characteristics presumably by increasing the absorptive surface and thereby enhance the intestinal absorption of b-carotene. The present in vivo animal study that evidenced a significantly increased absorption of orally administered b-carotene in the spice-fed groups is consistent with the previous ex vivo intestinal uptake study (8) . The present animal study has not only reiterated the bioavailability-enhancing effect of piperine with respect to the micronutrient b-carotene, but has also documented that two other pungent spices, capsaicin, the pungent constituent of red pepper (Capsicum annuum), and ginger (Zingiber officinale), have the potential of significantly enhancing the intestinal absorption of the micronutrient b-carotene. ...
Animal studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary spice compounds, piperine, capsaicin and ginger, on the absorption of orally administered β-carotene and its conversion to vitamin A. In rats maintained on these spice-containing diets for 8 weeks, concentrations of β-carotene and retinol were determined in the serum, liver and intestine 4 h after a single oral administration of β-carotene. β-Carotene concentration was significantly increased in the serum, liver and intestine of piperine- and ginger-fed rats, suggesting improved absorption of β-carotene. However, retinol concentration was not significantly changed in these animals, suggesting that the bioconversion of β-carotene to vitamin A was not similarly influenced. Between the two enzymes involved in the bioconversion of β-carotene to vitamin A, the activity of intestinal and hepatic β-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase was either unaffected or lowered by these spice treatments. The activity of intestinal and hepatic retinal reductase was unaffected by the dietary spices. Activities of these two enzymes involved in the bioconversion of β-carotene to retinal were inhibited by the test spices in vitro, thus corroborating with the in vivo observation. Although the bioconversion of β-carotene was not promoted, increased absorption and tissue levels of β-carotene by the dietary spices may contribute to a higher antioxidant protection.
... [316] CODEN (USA): JDDTAO beneficial for maintenance of health. 57 Also, the serum concentration, absorption, bioavailability of another important anticancer phyto compound curcumin have been found to be influenced by piperine. 58 Piper nigrum promotes the gastrointestinal absorption and liver metabolism of vasicine and sparteine causing an increase in their bioaviailibility. ...
... 100 It has already been established previously that piperine can boost absorption of selenium, vitamin B, beta-carotene and curcumin in the body. 57,72 Piperine also has been reported to promote sweating (diaphoretic) and urination process (diuretic). This astonishing condiment supports the healthiness of the digestive tract and helps to obtain the most assistance from food matters. ...
Since ages, spices have been a crucial portion of human diets and trade. The bioactive principles in attendance are of noteworthy merit due to their advantageous probable against an array of disorders. Black pepper, amid piperine as its foremost element, holds affluent phytochemistry and also incorporates a number other important compounds like alkaloids, volatile oils and oleoresins. Piper nigrum is an imperative welfare spice owed to its anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial, antioxidant apparent and gastro-defensive workings. Piperine also show evidence of speckled pharmacological characteristics like antidepressant, anti-inflammative, immunomodulatory, anticonvulsant, antihypertensive, antitumor, anti-tussive, pain reducing, antidiarrheal, antispasmodic, and cholesterol worsening . Piperine augments bioavailability of quite a few drugs and nutrients by restraining a variety of metabolising enzymes. This review is aimed to provide restructured information in recent progression of pharmacognosy, chemistry and pharmacological behavior of this miraculous King of Spices. Keywords: Black Pepper, Piperine, Antioxidant, Bioavailability, King of Spices
... The flasks were aerated with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide mixture and incubated at 37 • C in a shaking water bath (Julabo, Siskin Instruments Co., Bangalore, India) for exactly 30 min (110 strokes/min). At the end of incubation, the sacs were removed, the fluid adhering to the mucosal surface was washed into the medium; the mucosal medium, serosal fluid and the intestinal tissue were collected separately [12]. The intestinal sacs were dried at 65 • C in an oven to a constant weight. ...
... Few common spices have been studied earlier for their possible influence on intestinal absorption of -carotene, wherein its ex vivo absorption by the intestinal segments isolated from rats fed black pepper, red pepper, ginger, piperine and capsaicin was examined [12]. Higher uptake of -carotene in the intestines was evidenced in all these spice-fed animals. ...
In view of the wide-spread deficiency of iron and zinc in populations dependent on plant foods, it is desirable to improve the bioavailability of the same. Specific dietary spices may alter the ultrastructure and permeability characteristics of intestines. Groups of Wistar rats were fed piperine, capsaicin and ginger containing diets for 8 weeks in order to examine their possible influence on intestinal absorption of iron, zinc and calcium. Everted segments of duodenum, jejunum and ileum portions of small intestines isolated from these rats were examined for ex vivo uptake of iron, zinc and calcium from incubations containing digesta of finger millet. Higher uptake of iron, zinc and calcium by the intestinal segments from spice-fed animals was observed. The increase in the mineral uptake was the highest for calcium with >100% in some cases. The positive influence of dietary capsaicin was more pronounced on zinc uptake as compared to that of iron. Uptake of the glutamic acid standard was 87% and 62% higher in the case of jejunal segments of rats fed piperine and ginger. The higher intestinal uptake of iron and zinc as a result of consumption of pungent spices could encourage a strategy to reduce deficiency of these trace elements prevalent in population dependent on plant based foods.
... Similarly, red pepper increased β-carotene absorption by 27%, while a red pepper extract, capsaicin, increased its absorption by 50%. Dietary ginger also increased β-carotene absorption by 59% [117]. Adding spices to fruit and vegetable dishes appears to increase their health benefits, and may also be useful in the development of oral chemotherapeutics. ...
Food plants have been recognized for their medicinal properties for millennia, a concept supported by epidemiological studies indicating long-term health benefits for people consuming greater amounts of fruits and vegetables. As our technology and instrumentation advance, researchers have the ability to identify promising phytochemicals, and examine their potential benefits, or detriments, to human health. While results from trials investigating single chemical supplementation have sometimes produced negative health results, studies investigating the synergistic action of phytochemicals—either within our diet or as an adjuvant to radiation or chemotherapy—appear promising. Utilizing phytochemicals as synergistic agents may lower the chemotherapeutic doses needed to incur physiological results, while also using chemicals with fewer toxic effects. This review investigates a variety of plant-produced chemicals humans typically ingest, their impacts on overall health patterns, molecular mechanisms associated with their health impacts, and the potential of their synergistic use for therapeutic purposes.
... Ginger-fed animals were shown to have more efficient intestinal absorption of iron, zinc, calcium, and beta-carotene. The beneficial effect of ginger on mucosal glycoproteins has also been described, and ginger has been shown to confer protective effects on the gastrointestinal tract [60,61]. ...
The biological activities of four aromatic plants, namely frankincense, myrrh, ginger, and turmeric, were reviewed in the current study. The volatile fraction (essential oil) as well as the nonvolatile fraction of these four plants showed different promising biological activities that are displayed in detail. These activities can include protection from and/or alleviation of some ailment, which is supported with different proposed mechanisms of action. This review aimed to finally help researchers to get a handle on the importance of considering these selected aromatic plants, which have not been thoroughly reviewed before, as a potential adjuvant to classical synthetic drugs to enhance their efficiency. Moreover, the results elicited in this review encourage the consumption of these medicinal plants as an integrated part of the diet to boost the body's overall health based on scientific evidence.
... Likewise, they also reported that dietary spices alters ultrastructure and permeability characteristics of intestines in-turn enhanced carotenoids absorption in rats fed with dietary spices such as black pepper, red pepper, ginger, piperine, and capsaicin. Whereas, they found that the bioconversion of β-carotene to vitamin A, the activity of intestinal and hepatic β-carotene cleavage enzymes remain unaffected in spice treatments (Veda & Srinivasan, 2009. ...
Carotenoids are natural pigments, and recognized as vital micronutrients associated with human health. Epidemiological studies have been shown that consumption of carotenoid-rich diet is allied with reduction of vitamin A deficiency (VAD), cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, and age-related degenerative diseases. Due to lipophilic nature, and interfere with a dietary and physical factors, the absorption of carotenoids at gastrointestinal level is very low. In general, bioaccessibility and bioefficacy of carotenoid are known to be influenced by various dietary (fat, fiber, interaction between carotenoids and other phytomolecules/micronutrients, dosages, location in the plant tissue) and physiological factors (genetic, gut health microflora, pH). Also, carotenoids speciation, food processing methods are thought to be affects in bioaccessibility of carotenoids. The chemistry of these factors and their influence at various stages of absorption and metabolism of carotenoids is discussed. Further, this chapter highlights dietary approaches, and their merits and demerits in targeting enhancing bioaccessibility and bioefficacy of carotenoids are critically addressed to explore the nutrition-related health benefits.
... Ginger has been explored for a possible influence on the intestinal absorption of iron, zinc, calcium and beta-carotene by examining their uptake by the intestines from rats pre-fed this spice. Higher in vitro absorption of iron, zinc, calcium and b-carotene in the intestines was evidenced in ginger fed animals [16,17]. The pungent spice ginger alters permeation characteristics presumably increasing absorptive surface and thereby enhances intestinal absorption of micronutrients. ...
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizomes are commonly used in foods and beverages for their characteristic pungency and piquant flavor. Ginger is widely employed in Chinese, Ayurvedic, Unani medicines and home remedies since antiquity for many ailments including pain, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders. The bioactive constituents of ginger have been identified. Many of the beneficial pharmacological effects of its ingredients have been experimentally verified in recent years. The mechanistic aspects of the health effects have also been investigated in many studies. This article briefly reviews the most salient investigations which have validated the potential of ginger with respect to the digestive stimulant, protection to the gastrointestinal tract, lipid lowering, anti-obesity, cardioprotective, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cancer preventive properties. Ginger compounds are potent antioxidants, and consequently, ginger extracts exert promising anti-inflammatory and cancer preventive effects. The most significant among all the nutraceutical attributes of ginger are its positive influence on gastrointestinal tract including digestive stimulant action, anti-inflammatory influence, and anticancer effect. While ginger is generally considered to be safe, it also deserves to be recommended as a functional ingredient in our daily food. The present treatise reviews all the experimentally validated health benefits of this spice, to make a claim on its nutraceutical application.
... 6-Shogaol and 6-gingerol derived from ginger showed significant inhibition against downregulation of adiponectin expression mediated by TNFα in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Isa et al. 2008), while the addition of 1.5 % w/w of lemon balm and marjoram herbs was found to increase antioxidant capacity of a portion of salad by 150 % and 200 %, respectively (Ninfali et al. 2007) (Table 4). Veda and Srinivasan (2009) have reported that species such as black pepper, capsaicin, red pepper, and ginger enhance the uptake of β-carotene in the intestines. Piperine and ginger increased the uptake of β-carotene by 147 % and 98 %, respectively. ...
The rising awareness of consumers toward the health benefits of foods and their nutritional benefits for potential disease prevention and health enhancement is the driving force of the global functional food and nutraceutical market. Functional foods are the medicinal foods that provide health benefits beyond energy and essential nutrients. Many studies, including several European Commission (EC) funded projects, have led to the understanding of the potential mechanisms of biologically active components in food, which could improve health and probably reduce the risk of disease while enhancing our overall well-being. Functional foods and nutraceutical products are helping to improve health, reducing the healthcare costs, and supporting the economic development in rural areas. Growing demand for functional foods is also helping the producers to diversify their agriculture and marine-based crops and promoting research and innovation. There is growing demand for functional foods, especially in developed economies due to increasing awareness toward health benefits of functional foods and an increase in disposable income. The USA is the world's largest market for functional foods and is expected to witness 21 % growth in the coming years owing to the growing demand for functional foods and expected to reach the value of USD 8.62 billion by 2015. This growth is mainly driven by the continuously growing demand for energy drinks and fortified dairy products. Meanwhile, country-specific regulations and health claim substantiation are some of the challenges the functional food and nutraceutical market continues to face. This chapter gives an overview of the functional food and nutraceutical market, motivations, challenges, and future perspectives of the market.
... Phytochemical studies on black pepper have determined the presence of various minerals, vitamins (β-carotenes, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin), polysaccharides (arabinose, rhamnose, galacturic acid), sterols (β-sitosterol, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes), fatty acids (linoleic acid), volatile oils (camphenes, pinenes), alkaloids (piperine, piperidine, piperolein, capsaicin, 2-dihydrocaspaicin), resins (chavicin), organic acids (hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid), amides (pipnoohine, pipyahyine, guineensine, pipericide) and various phenolic compounds (benzamides, gallic acid, kaempferol, coumarins, quercetin) (Duke, 1992;Siddiqui et al., 2004;. Piperine, the active principle of black pepper, has been found to possess anti-inflammatory (Mujumdar, Dhuley, Deshmukh, Raman, & Naik, 1990), anti-convulsant (D'Hooge et al., 1996), hypoglycaemic (Panda & Kar, 2003), immunomodulatory (Sunila & Kuttan, 2004), anti-depressant (Lee et al., 2005), vasomodulatory (Taqvi, Shah, & Gilani, 2008), bioavailability-enhancing (Veda & Srinivasan, 2009), antispasmodic (Mehmood & Gilani, 2010), anti-hyperlipidaemic (Chen, Ma, Liang, Peng, & Zuo, 2011), insecticidal (Park, 2012), anti-tumour (Do et al., 2013), cardioprotective (Dutta et al., 2014) and anti-oxidant (Embuscado, 2015) properties. More recently, novel compounds isolated from black peppercorns have been found to possess larvicidal activity against Aides egypti, the principle vector of dengue virus (Santiago, Alvero, & Villaseñor, 2015). ...
... Phytochemical studies on black pepper have determined the presence of various minerals, vitamins (β-carotenes, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin), polysaccharides (arabinose, rhamnose, galacturic acid), sterols (β-sitosterol, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes), fatty acids (linoleic acid), volatile oils (camphenes, pinenes), alkaloids (piperine, piperidine, piperolein, capsaicin, 2-dihydrocaspaicin), resins (chavicin), organic acids (hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid), amides (pipnoohine, pipyahyine, guineensine, pipericide) and various phenolic compounds (benzamides, gallic acid, kaempferol, coumarins, quercetin) (Duke, 1992;Siddiqui et al., 2004;. Piperine, the active principle of black pepper, has been found to possess anti-inflammatory (Mujumdar, Dhuley, Deshmukh, Raman, & Naik, 1990), anti-convulsant (D'Hooge et al., 1996), hypoglycaemic (Panda & Kar, 2003), immunomodulatory (Sunila & Kuttan, 2004), anti-depressant (Lee et al., 2005), vasomodulatory (Taqvi, Shah, & Gilani, 2008), bioavailability-enhancing (Veda & Srinivasan, 2009), antispasmodic (Mehmood & Gilani, 2010), anti-hyperlipidaemic (Chen, Ma, Liang, Peng, & Zuo, 2011), insecticidal (Park, 2012), anti-tumour (Do et al., 2013), cardioprotective (Dutta et al., 2014) and anti-oxidant (Embuscado, 2015) properties. More recently, novel compounds isolated from black peppercorns have been found to possess larvicidal activity against Aides egypti, the principle vector of dengue virus (Santiago, Alvero, & Villaseñor, 2015). ...
Piper nigrum, commonly known as black pepper, has medicinal importance in the indigenous systems of treatment for its use in asthma and bronchiosis. It was investigated on the smooth muscles of rabbit tracheal strips in isolated tissue bath assembly for the assessment of isometric contractions. In tracheal preparations, Pn.Cr caused relaxation of both carbachol (CCh) and K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions at 0.3-3 mg/mL like papaverine and unlike verapamil, which was relatively more potent against K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions. Pn.Cr dose-dependently (0.03 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL) shifted the isoprenaline-inhibitory dose-response curves (DRCs) to the left, similar to papaverine. Bio-guided fractionation revealed that the petroleum ether fraction (Pn.Pet) of Piper nigrum was 10 times more potent than its parent extract, while, aqueous fraction (Pn.Aq) was just following the crude extract in its inhibitory effects on both spasmogens (CCh and K+). Pn.Pet dose-dependently (0.01 mg/mL, 0.03 mg/mL) shifted the isoprenaline-inhibitory DRCs to the left like papaverine at doses lower than of the crude extract. These results suggest that the bronchodilatory effects of black pepper are putatively mediated through Ca++ channel blockade and phosphodiesterase (PDE)-inhibitor like activity, which may justify its use in respiratory disorders.
... Phytochemical studies on black pepper have determined the presence of various minerals, vitamins (β-carotenes, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin), polysaccharides (arabinose, rhamnose, galacturic acid), sterols (β-sitosterol, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes), fatty acids (linoleic acid), volatile oils (camphenes, pinenes), alkaloids (piperine, piperidine, piperolein, capsaicin, 2-dihydrocaspaicin), resins (chavicin), organic acids (hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid), amides (pipnoohine, pipyahyine, guineensine, pipericide) and various phenolic compounds (benzamides, gallic acid, kaempferol, coumarins, quercetin) (Duke, 1992;Siddiqui et al., 2004;. Piperine, the active principle of black pepper, has been found to possess anti-inflammatory (Mujumdar, Dhuley, Deshmukh, Raman, & Naik, 1990), anti-convulsant (D'Hooge et al., 1996), hypoglycaemic (Panda & Kar, 2003), immunomodulatory (Sunila & Kuttan, 2004), anti-depressant (Lee et al., 2005), vasomodulatory (Taqvi, Shah, & Gilani, 2008), bioavailability-enhancing (Veda & Srinivasan, 2009), antispasmodic (Mehmood & Gilani, 2010), anti-hyperlipidaemic (Chen, Ma, Liang, Peng, & Zuo, 2011), insecticidal (Park, 2012), anti-tumour (Do et al., 2013), cardioprotective (Dutta et al., 2014) and anti-oxidant (Embuscado, 2015) properties. More recently, novel compounds isolated from black peppercorns have been found to possess larvicidal activity against Aides egypti, the principle vector of dengue virus (Santiago, Alvero, & Villaseñor, 2015). ...
Crude extract of “Black pepper” or Piper nigrum (Pn.Cr) along with fractions was studied in the in-vivo and ex-vivo assay to rationalize its medicinal use in diarrhea and constipation. On the basis of its in-vivo laxative and anti-diarrheal findings, when tested in-vitro, Pn.Cr caused the relaxation of spontaneous and K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions of rabbit jejunum at 0.3-3 mg/mL, similar to verapamil. Pn.Cr shifted the Ca2+ dose-response curves (DRCs) to the right, similar to that caused by verapamil, suggesting Ca2+-channel blockade (CCB) like activity. The relaxant effect of Pn.Cr was significantly (p<0.001) shifted towards right in the presence of naloxone (1 µM). However, in the presence of atropine, the spasmolytic effect of Pn.Cr was potentiated. In rat and guinea-pig ileum, Pn.Cr and aqueous fraction (Pn.Aq) exhibited (1-10 mg/mL) atropine-sensitive spasmogenic effects, but no such effects were found in rabbit ileum. In rat fundus, Pn.Cr and its chloroform fraction (Pn.CHCl3) showed atropine-sensitive contractions at 0.1-0.3 mg/mL and 1-3 mg/mL respectively, while, Pn.Aq was devoid of any effect. Naloxone sensitive constituents were concentrated in Pn.CHCl3 and ethyl-acetate fraction (Pn.EtAc) was enriched with CCB like components. Moreover, petroleum fraction (Pn.Pet) exhibited a spasmolytic effect, different in pattern from the parent extract, which needs further investigation. These data advocate the multiple pathway-mediated spasmolytic and muscarininc receptors-gated spasmogenic and prokinetic effects of Piper nigrum, which may rationalize its medicinal use in gut dysmotility and making it the part and parcel of cooked food recipes.
... Phenols and flavonoids act as potent antioxidants (Pietta, 2000). Also, it has been shown that ginger enhances intestinal absorption of β-carotene by increasing the absorptive surface (Veda and Srinivasan, 2009), subsequently increasing serum β-carotene concentration. β-carotene is known to have antioxidant activity (Paiva and Russell, 1999). ...
Abstract 1. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of ginger (Zingiber officinale) feed supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, carcass characteristics and blood parameters in broiler chicks under conditions of heat stress (32 ± 2ºC for 8 h per d). 2. A total of 336 d-old male broiler chicks (Cobb-500) were randomly assigned to one of 6 dietary groups representing: basal diet with no supplement as control, basal diet containing 100 mg/kg vitamin E as positive control, basal diets containing either 7.5 or 15 g/kg of ginger root powder, and diets containing 75 or 150 mg/kg of ginger essential oil. 3. The results indicated that at 22 d of age, the group receiving 7.5 g/kg of ginger root powder experienced significantly increased body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) compared to the control group. There were no significant difference among the diet groups regarding BW, BWG, feed intake (FI) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) at 42 and 49 d of age. 4. The inclusion of powder and essential oil of ginger in broiler diets did not affect carcass characteristics and blood parameters of the chickens. However, in the group receiving 150 mg/kg ginger essential oil, total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) activity in liver increased compared to the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in liver also decreased in the groups receiving ginger powder and essential oil compared to that in the control group. There were no significant difference between experimental groups regarding glutathione peroxidise (Gpx), TSOD and catalase (CAT) enzymes in red blood cells. All dietary groups increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and decreased MDA concentration in serum compared to the control group. 5. The results of this study suggest that ginger powder and essential oils may be a suitable replacement for synthetic antioxidants in broiler diets. Results also suggest that ginger powder might be better than extracted essential oil for improving antioxidant status in broilers.
Based on the usefulness and importance among the spices, black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is commonly referred to as “The King of Spices”. It is valued for its flavor, aroma, nutritional, and medicinal uses. The value of pepper is owed to its pungency and flavor, which is attributed to the presence of a naturally occurring alkaloid known as piperine. The amount of piperine varies in plants belonging to the Piperaceae family; it constitutes 2% to 7.4% of both black pepper and white pepper. It has been confirmed from the scientific studies that piperine has many bioactive effects, such as antimicrobial action, as well as many physiological effects that can contribute to general human health, including immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antitumor, and many other activities. Clinical studies demonstrated remarkable antioxidant, antitumor, and drug availability-enhancing characteristics of this compound, together with immunomodulatory potential. All these properties showed the therapeutic potentials of piperine and the need to incorporate this compound into general health-enhancing medical formulations, as well as into those that would be used as adjunctive therapy in order to enhance the bioavailability of various therapeutic drugs. The present chapter accounts for an overview of the therapeutic properties of piperine, the bioactive constituent of pepper. It also focuses on methods used to extract piperine from pepper along with recent approaches for the enhancement of the bioavailability of piperine.
Background
The health effects of dietary phytochemicals (eg., carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids) and their interactions with each other or nutrients (eg., carbohydrate, proteins, lipids, micronutrients) have widely been used in drug therapy studies. Most research contributions on the interactions among phytochemicals are based on their direct interactions in cells or the digestive tract without considering the influence of cell membranes. Due to the amphiphilic properties and unique structure, cell membranes could interact with phytochemicals which have different polarity characteristics (hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties). An updated summary on this area is of urgent to fill the knowledge gap in the exploitation of the interactions among dietary phytochemicals and nutrients based on cell membrane processing benefits of functional foods formulation.
Scope and approach
This review primarily described the absorption process of several daily consumed phytochemicals and their effects on the cell membrane structure. The effects of phytochemicals on the transporters/receptors in cell membranes are also explained. Besides, the role of cell membranes on the interaction between phytochemicals and other nutrients are described. Finally, the future research and outlook on functional foods aspect were prospected.
Key findings and conclusions
In general, this study demonstrated that phytochemicals could affect the cell membrane structure and expression of transporters/receptors, thus regulating the absorption of phytochemicals and leading to different interactions (synergistic, antagonistic, additive effect) in the food matrix.
The Chemistry inside Spices & Herbs: Research and Development brings comprehensive information about the chemistry of spices and herbs with a focus on recent research in this field. The book is an extensive 2-part collection of 20 chapters contributed by experts in phytochemistry with the aim to give the reader deep knowledge about phytochemical constituents in herbal plants and their benefits. The contents include reviews on the biochemistry and biotechnology of spices and herbs, herbal medicines, biologically active compounds and their role in therapeutics among other topics. Chapters which highlight natural drugs and their role in different diseases and special plants of clinical significance are also included.
Part II continues from the previous part with chapters on the treatment of skin diseases and oral problems. This part focuses on clinically important herbs such as turmeric, fenugreek, ashwagandha (Indian winter cherry), basil, Terminalia chebula (black myrobalan). In terms of phytochemicals, this part presents chapters that cover resveratrol, piperine and circumin.
Audience: This book is an ideal resource for scholars (in life sciences, phytomedicine and natural product chemistry) and general readers who want to understand the importance of herbs, spices and traditional medicine in pharmaceutical and clinical research.
This study demonstrated the combination of black pepper and vegetable oil-based emulsion synergistically enhanced carotenoid bioavailability of raw vegetables in humans. In a randomized crossover design, healthy young adults consumed (1) vegetable salad (control), (2) salad with canola oil emulsion (COE), (3) salad with black pepper (BP), and (4) salad with canola oil emulsion and black pepper (COE + BP). COE + BP led to a higher AUC0-10h of total plasma carotenoids (p < 0.0005) than the control (6.1-fold), BP (3.0-fold), and COE (2.1-fold). COE + BP increased AUC0-10h of plasma lutein, α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene by 4.8, 9.7, 7.6, and 5.5-fold than control, respectively (p < 0.0001). COE + BP produced a significant synergy in increasing both Cmax and AUC0-10h of total carotenoids, α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene. Moreover, COE + BP produced a stronger enhancement on AUC0-10h of total carotenoids, α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene in females than in males.
Spices have broadly been used as food flavoring and folk medicine since ancient times. Numerous phytochemicals have been identified in spices, namely thymol (ajowan and thyme), anethole (aniseed), piperine (black pepper), capsaicin (capsicum), cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon), eugenol (clove), linalool (coriander), sabinene (curry leaf), limonene (dill seed), estragole (fennel seed), allicin (garlic), gingerol (ginger), safranal (saffron), and curcumin (turmeric), among others. The antioxidants in spices are very effective and also render anti-mutagenic, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Apart from their antioxidant efficacy, spices, particularly their essential oils possess strong antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and microbial toxins synthesis. In this contribution, a summary of the most relevant and recent findings on phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of spices has been compiled and discussed. The content of phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, steroids, and terpenoids in different spices are summarized. In addition, the beneficial effects of spices in food preservation and in health promotion and disease risk reduction are briefly described.
Spices have broadly been used as food flavoring and folk medicine since ancient times. Numerous phytochemicals have been identified in spices, namely thymol (ajowan and thyme), anethole (aniseed), piperine (black pepper), capsaicin (capsicum), cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon), eugenol (clove), linalool (coriander), sabinene (curry leaf),
limonene (dill seed), estragole (fennel seed), allicin (garlic), gingerol (ginger), safranal (saffron), and curcumin (turmeric), among others. The antioxidants in spices are very effective and also render anti-mutagenic, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Apart from their antioxidant efficacy, spices, particularly their essential oils possess strong antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and microbial toxins synthesis. In this contribution, a summary of the most relevant and recent findings on phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of spices has been compiled and discussed. The content of phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, steroids, and terpenoids in different spices are summarized. In addition, the beneficial effects
of spices in food preservation and in health promotion and disease risk reduction are briefly described.
Food is necessary for all human beings for survival. It consists of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It provides energy, satiety and building blocks needed for synthesis and maintaining structural integrity of biological membranes. Eventhough earlier there was awareness on the importance of bioactive compounds such as vitamins present in foods for preventing deficiencies, only in recent times an increased attention is being given to phytonutrients for their numerous health benefits. These bioactive compounds are also termed as phytoceuticals, and nutraceuticals. Hippocrates (460 -377 BC) the father of medicine recommended “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”. This concept reflected on the importance of dietary components for preventive and therapeutic effects on diseases. Epidemiological and laboratory studies have given ample evidences for the role of phytonutrients in healthy ageing and longevity.
Good nutrition helps to ensure a healthy and proper functioning of the body. In addition, recent research suggests that many of the phytochemicals found in plant foods may be helpful in reducing risk factors associated with life style diseases. Epidemiological studies on the relationship between dietary habits and disease risk have shown that food has a direct impact on health. It is generally accepted that plant derived foods with fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains, legumes, spices exert beneficial effects on human health and slowing down of age-related diseases. Some of the benefits derived from phytonutrients are summarized in Table 1. The structures of bioactive molecules identified from different plant sources responsible for health benefits are shown in Fig 1. As the longetivity of human population is increasing, the chronic age-related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and several types of cancer are also increasing. There is a need to increase in the intake of plant derived food in order to improve our health status and to delay the development of diseases. In this phytonutrients as nutraceuticals has an important role to play. In general, following the dietary guideline to “Eat a Variety of Foods”- particularly plant-derived foods will have a positive impact on health.
Capsaicin, the pungent alkaloid of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) has been extensively studied for its biological effects which are of pharmacological relevance. These include: cardio protective influence, anti-lithogenic effect, anti-inflammatory and analgesia, thermogenic influence, and beneficial effects on gastrointestinal system. Therefore, capsaicinoids may have the potential clinical value for pain relief, cancer prevention and weight loss. It has been shown that capsaicinoids are potential agonists of capsaicin receptor (TRPV1). They could exert the effects not only through the receptor-dependent pathway but also through the receptor-independent one. The involvement of neuropeptide Substance P, serotonin, and somatostatin in the pharmacological actions of capsaicin has been extensively investigated. Topical application of capsaicin is proved to alleviate pain in arthritis, post-operative neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, psoriasis, etc. Toxicological studies on capsaicin administered by different routes are documented. Capsaicin inhibits acid secretion, stimulates alkali and mucus secretion and particularly gastric mucosal blood flow which helps in prevention and healing of gastric ulcers. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of capsaicin are established in a number of studies. Chemopreventive potential of capsaicin is evidenced in cell line studies. The health beneficial hypocholesterolemic influence of capsaicin besides being cardio protective has other implications, viz., prevention of cholesterol gallstones and protection of the structural integrity of erythrocytes under conditions of hypercholesterolemia. Beneficial influences of capsaicin on gastrointestinal system include digestive stimulant action and modulation of intestinal ultra structure so as to enhance permeability to micronutrients.
The study was designed to evaluate the antihyperglycemic effects of β-caryophyllene (BCP), a natural sesquiterpene from spices on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg b.w.) in adult male Wistar rats. Diabetic rats exhibited an increase in glucose and HbA1c with a significant fall in insulin and hemoglobin levels. Aberrations in carbohydrate metabolic enzymes were noticed in liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of diabetic rats. A fall in liver and skeletal muscle glycogen with alterations in glycogen synthase and phosphorylase activities was also observed. Oral administration of BCP in dose dependent manner and glibenclamide (600 μg/kg b.w.), a standard oral hypoglycemic drug to diabetic rats for 45 days significantly decreased glucose with increased plasma insulin levels and ameliorated the altered activities of carbohydrate metabolic enzymes to near normal. The insulinotropic effect of BCP was supported by immunohistochemical studies. BCP at a dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. exerted significant antidiabetic effects than other two doses (100 and 400 mg/kg b.w.). We conclude that administration of BCP has beneficial effects in glucose homeostasis in diabetic rats.
Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a very widely used spice, known for its pungent constituent piperine. However, in addition to its culinary uses, pepper has important medicinal and preservative properties, and, more recently, piperine has been shown to have fundamental effects on p-glycoprotein and many enzyme systems, leading to biotransformative effects including chemoprevention, detoxification, and enhancement of the absorption and bioavailability of herbal and conventional drugs. Based on modern cell, animal, and human studies, piperine has been found to have immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant, anti-asthmatic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and anti-amoebic properties. In this review, the chemical constituents, biological activities, effects of processing, and future potential of black pepper and piperine have been discussed thoroughly. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
By making the food attractive and palatable through flavour, aroma and colour, spices can reduce the need to use other less healthy ingredients such as salt, fat or sugar. Many health beneficial attributes of these common food adjuncts have been experimentally evidenced in the past few decades. These include: Digestive stimulant action, anti-atherogenic and cardio-protective potential, Antilithogenic property, Protective effect on erythrocyte integrity, Antidiabetic influence, Anti-inflammatory property, and cancer preventive potential. The antioxidant and hypolipidemic properties of spices have far-reaching nutraceutical value. The antioxidant properties of bioactive compounds present in spices are of particular interest in view of the impact of suppression of oxidative stress in the development of degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, inflammatory disease and cancer. Spices thus deserve to be considered as the natural and necessary component of our daily nutrition, beyond their role in imparting taste and flavour to our food. It is presumed that the additive and synergistic effects of the complex mixture of phytochemicals present in vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices are largely responsible for the health effects offered by Indian and Mediterranean diets which are generally associated with lower incidence rates of some of the chronic diseases of ageing including cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer. The liberal consumption of spices is proved to be safe to derive their beneficial effects. Since each of the spices possesses more than one health beneficial property and that there is also a possibility of synergy among them in their action when consumed in combination, a spiced diet is likely to make life not only more `spicy' but more healthy also.
Black pepper (Piper nigrum), an Indian native spice, has been widely used in human diet for several thousands of years. It is valued for its characteristic sharp and stinging qualities attributed to the alkaloid piperine. While it is used primarily as a food adjunct, black pepper is also used as a food preservative and as an essential component in traditional medicines in India and China. Since the discovery of black pepper's active ingredient, piperine, the use of black pepper has caught the interest of modern medical researchers. Many physiological effects of black pepper, its extracts or its bioactive compound, piperine, have been reported in recent decades. By stimulating the digestive enzymes of the pancreas, piperine enhances digestive capacity and significantly reduces gastrointestinal food transit time. Piperine has been documented to enhance the bioavailability of a number of therapeutic drugs as well as phytochemicals through its inhibitory influence on enzymatic drug biotransforming reactions in liver and intestine. It strongly inhibits hepatic and intestinal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and glucuronyl transferase. Most of the clinical studies on piperine have focused on its effect on drug metabolism. Piperine's bioavailability enhancing property is also partly attributed to increased absorption as a result of its effect on the ultrastructure of the intestinal brush border. Piperine has been demonstrated in in vitro studies to protect against oxidative damage by inhibiting or quenching reactive oxygen species. Black pepper or piperine treatment has also been evidenced to lower lipid peroxidation in vivo and beneficially influence antioxidant status in a number of experimental situations of oxidative stress. Piperine has also been found to possess anti-mutagenic and anti-tumor influences. Clinical studies are limited, but several have reported the beneficial therapeutic effects of black pepper in the treatment of smoking cessation and dysphagia. © 2009 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.
Spices are esoteric food adjuncts that have been used as flavoring and coloring agents, and as preservatives for thousands of years. Spices have also been recognized to possess medicinal properties and their use in traditional systems of medicine has been on record for a long time. With the advancement in the technology of spices and on knowledge of the chemistry and pharmacology of their active principles, their health benefit effects were investigated more thoroughly in recent decades. Many health benefit attributes of these common food adjuncts have been recognized in the past few decades by pioneering experimental research involving both animal studies and human trials. These studies documented digestive stimulant action, hypolipidemic effect, antidiabetic influence, antilithogenic property, antioxidant potential, anti-inflammatory property, antimutagenic, and anticarcinogenic potential of spices. Among these, the hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant properties of a few specific spices have far-reaching nutraceutical value. These beneficial physiological effects also have the potential of possible therapeutic application in a variety of disease conditions. This review presents an overview of experimental evidence for the nutraceutical potential of spices.
Considerable amounts of β-carotene were lost during the two domestic methods of cooking commonly used, namely, pressure cooking and open pan boiling, the loss ranging from 27 to 71% during pressure cooking and 16–67% during boiling for the four vegetables examined in this study. Pressure cooking of green leafy vegetables resulted in a greater retention of this provitamin. In the presence of red gram dhal, which is a common ingredient in the diet, there was an underestimation of β-carotene due to poor extractability. Inclusion of acidulants—tamarind and citric acid-along with these vegetables brought about some changes in the level of retention of β-carotene. The antioxidant spice turmeric generally improved the retention of β-carotene in all four vegetables studied. Onion also had a similar effect. The combinations of acidulants and antioxidant spices also improved the retention of β-carotene during cooking. This effect seemed to be additive in the case of processing of amaranth by boiling.
The ability of the ferret (Mustela putorius furo) to absorb dietary beta-carotene was studied to determine its appropriateness as a laboratory animal model for studies on beta-carotene metabolism. At baseline, the mean serum beta-carotene level in ferrets was 0.6 micrograms/dl and no beta-carotene was present in liver or adipose tissue. After the ferrets were fed 4 or 20 mg of beta-carotene/kg body wt daily for 2 wk, serum levels were 15.3 and 41.5 micrograms/dl, liver values were 0.9 and 4.1 micrograms/g and adipose tissue values were 0.1 and 0.2 microgram/g of beta-carotene, respectively. Thus, like humans, ferrets are able to absorb dietary beta-carotene intact. Further, these animals can store quantifiable amounts of dietary beta-carotene in their liver and, to a lesser extent, in adipose tissue. In contrast, serum beta-carotene levels in rats fed the two levels of beta-carotene were very low (0.5 to 0.6 microgram/dl) and no beta-carotene was found in liver or adipose tissue. Thus, the ferret is a more appropriate animal model for studying the intestinal absorption of beta-carotene and its storage and metabolism in body tissues.
Piperine (1-Piperoyl piperidine) is a major alkaloid of Piper nigrum Linn. and Piper longum Linn. It is shown to possess bioavailability-enhancing activity with various structurally and therapeutically diverse drugs. The mechanism of enhancing the bioavailability, is, however, not understood. We hypothesize that piperine's bioavailability-enhancing property may be attributed to increased absorption, which may be due to alteration in membrane lipid dynamics and change in the conformation of enzymes in the intestine. Results of membrane fluidity studies using an apolar fluorescent probe, pyrene (which measures the fluid properties of hydrocarbon core), showed an increase in intestinal brush border membrane (BBM) fluidity. Piperine also stimulated Leucine amino peptidase and Glycyl-glycine dipeptidase activity, due to the alteration in enzyme kinetics. This suggests that piperine could modulate the membrane dynamics due to its apolar nature by interacting with surrounding lipids and hydrophobic portions in the protein vicinity, which may decrease the tendency of membrane lipids to act as stearic constrains to enzyme proteins and thus modify enzyme conformation. Ultra structural studies with piperine showed an increase in microvilli length with a prominent increase in free ribosomes and ribosomes on the endoplasmic reticulum in enterocytes, suggesting that synthesis or turnover of cytoskeletal components or membrane proteins may be involved in the observed effect. In conclusion, it is suggested that piperine may be inducing alterations in membrane dynamics and permeation characteristics, along with induction in the synthesis of proteins associated with cytoskeletal function, resulting in an increase in the small intestine absorptive surface, thus assisting efficient permeation through the epithelial barrier.
The in vitro method in use for the determination of beta-carotene bioaccessibility involves simulated gastrointestinal digestion followed by ultracentrifugation to separate the micellar fraction containing bioaccessible beta-carotene and its quantitation. In this study, the suitability of two alternatives viz., membrane filtration and equilibrium dialysis were examined to separate the micellar fraction. Values of beta-carotene bioaccessibility obtained with the membrane filtration method were similar to those obtained by the ultracentrifugation method. Equilibrium dialysis was found not suitable for this purpose. Among the vegetables analyzed, fenugreek leaves had the highest content of beta-carotene (9.15 mg/100 g), followed by amaranth (8.17 mg/100 g), carrot (8.14 mg/100 g) and pumpkin (1.90 mg/100 g). Percent bioaccessibility of beta-carotene ranged from 6.7 in fenugreek leaves to 20.3 in carrot. Heat treatment of these vegetables by pressure cooking and stir-frying had a beneficial influence on the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from these vegetables. The increase in the percent bioaccessibility of beta-carotene as a result of pressure-cooking was 100, 48 and 19% for fenugreek leaves, amaranth and carrot, respectively. Stir-frying in presence of a small quantity of oil led to an enormous increase in the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from these vegetables, the increase being 263% (fenugreek leaves), 192% (amaranth leaves), 63% (carrot) and 53% (pumpkin).
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is one of the most widely used among spices. It is valued for its distinct biting quality attributed to the alkaloid, piperine. Black pepper is used not only in human dietaries but also for a variety of other purposes such as medicinal, as a preservative, and in perfumery. Many physiological effects of black pepper, its extracts, or its major active principle, piperine, have been reported in recent decades. Dietary piperine, by favorably stimulating the digestive enzymes of pancreas, enhances the digestive capacity and significantly reduces the gastrointestinal food transit time. Piperine has been demonstrated in in vitro studies to protect against oxidative damage by inhibiting or quenching free radicals and reactive oxygen species. Black pepper or piperine treatment has also been evidenced to lower lipid peroxidation in vivo and beneficially influence cellular thiol status, antioxidant molecules and antioxidant enzymes in a number of experimental situations of oxidative stress. The most far-reaching attribute of piperine has been its inhibitory influence on enzymatic drug biotransforming reactions in the liver. It strongly inhibits hepatic and intestinal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase. Piperine has been documented to enhance the bioavailability of a number of therapeutic drugs as well as phytochemicals by this very property. Piperine's bioavailability enhancing property is also partly attributed to increased absorption as a result of its effect on the ultrastructure of intestinal brush border. Although initially there were a few controversial reports regarding its safety as a food additive, such evidence has been questionable, and later studies have established the safety of black pepper or its active principle, piperine, in several animal studies. Piperine, while it is non-genotoxic, has in fact been found to possess anti-mutagenic and anti-tumor influences.
Most therapeutics available today are highly toxic, very expensive and exhibit minimum efficacy. The issue of toxicity is even more critical for prevention than for therapy because the former involves normal subjects. Thus, therapeutics that are safe and affordable are needed for both prevention and therapy. Spices of Southeast Asian origin, once employed for taste, appearance and preservation of food, now appear to have therapeutic value for humans. What the active principles in these spices are and how they mediate their effect against various diseases are beginning to emerge from extensive research carried out within the last half-century. The current monograph is an attempt to address the active constituents, their molecular targets and the therapeutic uses of these spices. © 2009 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effects of thermal processing on the vitamin A value of carrots were studied. A loss of soluble solids of up to 35% of the total solids was observed. The major carotenoid fraction was found to contain nine pigments, with α- and β-carotenes accounting for about 83%. The cis isomers of α- and β-carotenes increased with a consequent decrease in the all-trans isomers for the canned carrots. This resulted in a 15% decrease in the total effective carotenes, which translates to a similar decrease in vitamin A value.
Four common food acidulants--amchur, lime, tamarind, and kokum--and two antioxidant spices--turmeric and onion--were examined for their influence on the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from two fleshy and two leafy vegetables. Amchur and lime generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from these test vegetables in many instances. Such an improved bioaccessibility was evident in both raw and heat-processed vegetables. The effect of lime juice was generally more pronounced than that of amchur. Turmeric significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from all of the vegetables tested, especially when heat-processed. Onion enhanced the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from pressure-cooked carrot and amaranth leaf and from open-pan-boiled pumpkin and fenugreek leaf. Lime juice and the antioxidant spices turmeric and onion minimized the loss of beta-carotene during heat processing of the vegetables. In the case of antioxidant spices, improved bioaccessibility of beta-carotene from heat-processed vegetables is attributable to their role in minimizing the loss of this provitamin. Lime juice, which enhanced the bioaccessibility of this provitamin from both raw and heat-processed vegetables, probably exerted this effect by some other mechanism in addition to minimizing the loss of beta-carotene. Thus, the presence of food acidulants (lime juice/amchur) and antioxidant spices (turmeric/onion) proved to be advantageous in the context of deriving maximum beta-carotene from the vegetable sources.
The effect of piperine (1-[5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-oxo-2,4-pentadienyl]piperidin e), (from Piper nigrum) on the absorptive function of the intestine was studied. In vitro experiments showed that piperine (25-100 microM) significantly stimulated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT, EC 2.3.2.2.) activity, enhanced the uptake of radiolabelled L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine, and increased lipid peroxidation in freshly isolated epithelial cells of rat jejunum. The kinetic behaviour of gamma-GT towards substrate and acceptor altered in the presence of piperine. In the presence of benzyl alcohol, an enhanced gamma-GT activity due to piperine was maintained. These results suggested that piperine may interact with the lipid environment to produce effects which lead to increased permeability of the intestinal cells.
In view of the criticisms of the compositions of the salt mixtures commonly used in rat diets, growth studies were carried out with a mineral mixture based on the requirements listed by the National Research Council (NRC). Addition of sulfate to this mixture improved growth and the protein efficiency ratio. All mineral requirements estimated by the NRC were adequate for maximal growth of male weanling rats. A close correlation was noted between estimated mineral requirements and amounts present in fat-free tissues of adult rats.
Experiments were conducted to evaluate the scientific basis of the use of the trikatu group of acrids (long pepper, black pepper and ginger) in the large number of prescriptions in Ayurveda. [3H] vasicine and [3H] sparteine were taken as test drugs. Piper longum (long pepper) increased the blood levels of vasicine by nearly 233%. Under the influence of piperine, the active principle of Piper species, sparteine blood levels increased more than 100%. The results suggest that these acrids have the capacity to increase the bioavailability of certain drugs. It appears that the trikatu group of drugs increase bioavailability either by promoting rapid absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, or by protecting the drug from being metabolised/oxidised in its first passage through the liver after being absorbed, or by a combination of these two mechanisms.
Although vegetables and fruits are readily available and consumed in most areas of Tanzania, vitamin A deficiency is still prevalent. The objective of the present study was to measure the in vitro accessibility (available for absorption) of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene in vegetable relishes prepared with or without oil. Derived results were used to calculate the contribution of vegetable relish to recommended daily intake of retinol. Five sundried green leafy vegetables from Tanzania were cooked without oil, with sunflower oil or with red palm oil. The total amount and in vitro accessibility of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene from a portion (100 g) of vegetable relish was determined. The in vitro method used simulated the digestion process in the gastrointestinal tract. Carotenoids released after digestion were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. The total amount of beta-carotene varied between 1211 and 3659 microg/100 g among the five vegetable sources studied. From green leaves cooked without oil, 8-29% of the beta-carotene content became accessible after in vitro digestion and 39-94% from leaves cooked with sunflower oil or red palm oil. Adding red palm oil instead of sunflower oil resulted in about twice as much accessible beta-carotene, due to the high accessibility of its beta-carotene content. The red palm oil contributed also a considerable amount of alpha-carotene. The results showed that by eating vegetable relishes with added oil daily, it should be possible to provide the recommended intake level of vitamin A.
A comparative evaluation of the absorbability of three structurally similar and physiologically active spice principles in an in vitro system consisting of everted rat intestinal sacs was made. When everted sacs of rat intestines were incubated with 50-1000 microg of curcumin in 10 ml incubation medium, absorption of the spice principle was maximum at 100 microg concentration. The amount of absorbed curcumin present in the serosal fluid was negligible. This and the comparatively lower recovery of the original compound suggested that curcumin to some extent undergoes a modification during absorption. For similar concentrations of added piperine, about 44-63% of piperine disappeared from the mucosal side. Absorption of piperine which was maximum at 800 microg per 10 ml was about 63%. The absolute amounts of piperine absorbed in this in vitro system exceeded the amounts of curcumin. The absorbed piperine could be traced in both the serosal fluid and in the intestinal tissue, indicating that piperine did not undergo any metabolic change during the process of absorption. 7-12% of the absorbed piperine was found in the serosal fluid. When everted sacs of rat intestines were incubated with 10-500 microg of capsaicin, a maximum of 82-88% absorption could be seen in the lower concentrations, and the amount of absorbed capsaicin did not proportionately increase at higher concentrations. A relatively higher percentage of the absorbed capsaicin could be seen in the serosal fluid as compared to curcumin or piperine. When these spice active principles were associated with mixed micelles, their in vitro intestinal absorption was relatively higher. Curcumin absorption in everted intestinal sac increased from 48.7% to 56.1% when the same was present in micelles. In the case of capsaicin and piperine, increase in absorption was 27.8-44.4% and 43.4-57.4%, respectively, when they were present in micelles as compared to its native form.
Statistical methods Role of spices beyond food flavouring: Nutraceuticals with multiple health effects
- G W Snedecor
- W G Cochran
Snedecor, G. W., & Cochran, W. G. (1976). Statistical methods (6th ed.). Ames, USA: Iowa State Univ. Press, p. 298. Srinivasan, K. (2005). Role of spices beyond food flavouring: Nutraceuticals with multiple health effects. Food Reviews International, 21, 167–188.
In vitro accessibility of carotenes from green leafy vegetables cooked with sunflower oil or red palm oil
- E Hedren
- G Mulkozi
- U Svanberg
Hedren, E., Mulkozi, G., & Svanberg, U. (2002). In vitro accessibility
of carotenes from green leafy vegetables cooked with
sunflower oil or red palm oil. International Journal of Food Science
and Nutrition, 53, 445-453.
Studies Rebut Concept that body stores vitamin A making substance
World Health Organization (1998). Studies Rebut Concept that
body stores vitamin A making substance (pp. 1-2). Geneva:
WHO Report.