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Biochemistry & Analytical Biochemistry Bioactive Compounds in Peanuts and Banana
Abstract
Bioactive compounds like carotenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids and phenolic acids have been identified in number of fruits and vegetables. But due to their less bioavailability owing to insolubility, their application in food industry is still unsuccessful. In this review, bioactive compounds present in bananas and peanuts and their potential health benefits are discussed. Peanuts possess many important compounds like resveratrol, phenolic acids, flavonoids and phytosterols which inhibit the absorption of cholesterol from diet. Moreover, it is also good source of Co-enzyme Q10 and contains all the 20 amino acids with highest content of arginine. Banana also contains various essential bioactive compounds such as phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines and phytosterols. Most of the compounds have been reported as potent antioxidants and are compelling in securing the body against different oxidative stress related conditions
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Natural bioactives are generally referred to the compounds exclusive of essential nutrients that have specific biological activity to human. From several decades ago to now, cancer continues to be the leading lethal cause worldwide. Studies have shown that natural phytochemicals derived from certain plants have the capability to prevent carcinogenesis. In this special issue, we collected numerous studies which provide novel evidence to support the opinion. For instance, epigallocatechin gallate inhibits migration of human uveal melanoma cells; marine sponge Hyrtios sp. extract induces apoptosis in human colorectal carcinoma RKO cells with different p53 status; Andrographolide induces apoptosis of C6 glioma cells via the ERK-p53-caspase 7-PARP pathway; and osthole induces human colon cancer cell death and inhibits migratory activity.
We also collected some review articles in this special issue. A paper evaluated the cancer therapeutic potential of cardiac glycosides. A paper proposed vitamin A as the potent anticancer agent on targeting cellular retinol binding proteins. Three other papers addressed the anticancer molecular mechanisms of betulin, Goniothalamin, and Zerumbone. In summary, it is therefore believed that the appropriate application of natural bioactives should be a supplementary and safe way that enhances the efficacy of cancer therapy.
Yih-Shou Hsieh
Shun-Fa Yang
Gautam Sethi
Dan-Ning Hu
Free radicals and oxidants play a dual role as both toxic and beneficial compounds, since they can be either harmful or helpful to the body. They are produced either from normal cell metabolisms in situ or from external sources (pollution, cigarette smoke, radiation, medication). When an overload of free radicals cannot gradually be destroyed, their accumulation in the body generates a phenomenon called oxidative stress. This process plays a major part in the development of chronic and degenerative illness such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, aging, cataract, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The human body has several mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress by producing antioxidants, which are either naturally produced in situ, or externally supplied through foods and/or supplements. This mini-review deals with the taxonomy, the mechanisms of formation and catabolism of the free radicals, it examines their beneficial and deleterious effects on cellular activities, it highlights the potential role of the antioxidants in preventing and repairing damages caused by oxidative stress, and it discusses the antioxidant supplementation in health maintenance.
Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants and are generally involved in defense against ultraviolet radiation or aggression by pathogens. In the last decade, there has been much interest in the potential health benefits of dietary plant polyphenols as antioxidant. Epidemiological studies and associated meta-analyses strongly suggest that long term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols offer protection against development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we present knowledge about the biological effects of plant polyphenols in the context of relevance to human health.
Phytosterol and stanol (or phytosterols) consumption reduces intestinal cholesterol absorption, leading to decreased blood LDL-cholesterol levels and lowered cardiovascular disease risk. However, other biological roles for plant sterols and stanols have also been proposed. The objective of this review is to critically examine results from recent research regarding the potential effects and mechanisms of action of phytosterols on forms of cancer. Considerable emerging evidence supports the inhibitory actions of phytosterols on lung, stomach, as well as ovarian and breast cancer. Phytosterols seem to act through multiple mechanisms of action, including inhibition of carcinogen production, cancer-cell growth, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, and through the promotion of apoptosis of cancerous cells. Phytosterol consumption may also increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and thereby reduce oxidative stress. In addition to altering cell-membrane structure and function, phytosterols probably promote apoptosis by lowering blood cholesterol levels. Moreover, consumption of phytosterols by healthy humans at the recommended level of 2 g per day does not cause any major health risks. In summary, mounting evidence supports a role for phytosterols in protecting against cancer development. Hence, phytosterols could be incorporated in diet not only to lower the cardiovascular disease risk, but also to potentially prevent cancer development.
Epithelial and other cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa rely on both luminal and bloodstream sources for their nutrition. The term functional food is used to describe nutrients that have an effect on physiologic processes that is separate from their established nutritional function, and some of these nutrients are proposed to promote gastrointestinal mucosal integrity. We review the recent in vitro, animal, and clinical experiments that evaluated the role of several types of gastrointestinal functional foods, including the amino acids glutamine and arginine, the essential micronutrients vitamin A and zinc, and 2 classes of food additives, prebiotics and probiotics. Many of the data from preclinical studies support a strong role for enteral nutrients in gastrointestinal health; in comparison, the data from human studies are limited. In some cases, impressive data from in vitro and animal studies have not been replicated in human trials. Other clinical trials have shown positive health benefits, but some of those studies were plagued by flaws in study design or analysis. The methods available to detect important changes in human gastrointestinal function and structure are still limited, but with the development of more sensitive measures of gastrointestinal function, the effects of specific nutrients may be more easily detected. This may facilitate the development of phase 3 clinical trials designed to more rigorously evaluate the effects of a particular nutrient by focusing on valid and reliable outcome measures. Regulatory changes in the way in which health claims can be made for dietary supplements should also be encouraged.
Low-fat vegetable foods contain phytosterols, but it is not known whether they are in biologically active forms or whether their concentrations are high enough to reduce cholesterol absorption and favorably affect lipid metabolism.
The objective was to establish whether the selective removal of phytosterols from wheat germ would increase the cholesterol absorption measured from test meals composed of wheat germ muffins.
Wheat germ, which has a high content of phytosterols relative to total fat, was chosen as a low-fat test food. Cholesterol absorption was measured 3 times in 10 subjects. Each test meal was a muffin containing 30 mg heptadeuterated cholesterol tracer and, in random order, 80 g original wheat germ containing 328 mg phytosterols, wheat germ from which phytosterols had been selectively extracted, or extracted wheat germ reconstituted with purified phytosterols. Changes in cholesterol absorption were monitored by the measurement of tracer enrichment of plasma cholesterol 4 and 5 d after each meal with the use of negative ion mass spectrometry.
Tracer enrichment of plasma cholesterol was 42.8% higher after consumption of phytosterol-free wheat germ than after that of the original wheat germ (0.415 +/- 0.035 compared with 0.291 +/- 0.024 micro mol tracer/mmol cholesterol; P < 0.01). Tracer enrichment of plasma cholesterol was not significantly different between the wheat germ with extracted-and-reconstituted phytosterol (0.305 +/- 0.022 micro mol tracer/mmol cholesterol) and the original wheat germ.
The efficiency of cholesterol absorption from test meals was substantially lower after consumption of original wheat germ than after consumption of phytosterol-free wheat germ, which suggests that endogenous phytosterols in wheat germ and possibly in other low-fat vegetable foods may have important effects on cholesterol absorption and metabolism that are independent of major nutrients.
Supplements containing ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, or beta-carotene do not protect against oxidative stress-related diseases in most randomized intervention trials. We suggest that other redox-active phytochemicals may be more effective and that a combination of different redox-active compounds (ie, antioxidants or reductants) may be needed for proper protection against oxidative damage.
We aimed to generate a ranked food table with values for total content of redox-active compounds to test this alternative antioxidant hypothesis.
An assay that measures the total concentration of redox-active compounds above a certain cutoff reduction potential was used to analyze 1113 food samples obtained from the US Department of Agriculture National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program.
Large variations in the content of antioxidants were observed in different foods and food categories. The food groups spices and herbs, nuts and seeds, berries, and fruit and vegetables all contained foods with very high antioxidant contents. Most food categories also contained products almost devoid of antioxidants. Of the 50 food products highest in antioxidant concentrations, 13 were spices, 8 were in the fruit and vegetables category, 5 were berries, 5 were chocolate-based, 5 were breakfast cereals, and 4 were nuts or seeds. On the basis of typical serving sizes, blackberries, walnuts, strawberries, artichokes, cranberries, brewed coffee, raspberries, pecans, blueberries, ground cloves, grape juice, and unsweetened baking chocolate were at the top of the ranked list.
This ranked antioxidant food table provides a useful tool for investigations into the possible health benefit of dietary antioxidants.
Background:
A great deal of effort has been made to reduce the use of shortening due to a high level of saturated fats as well as the presence of trans fats. Grape seed oil high in unsaturated fats was structured with candelilla wax to form solid-like oleogels that were utilized as a shortening replacer in aerated baked goods, specifically muffins.
Results:
Muffin batters with greater amounts of oleogels exhibited lower viscosity, greater shear-thinning behavior, and less elastic nature. The shortening replacement with oleogels significantly increased the specific gravity of the batters, consequently affecting the muffin volume after baking. X-ray tomography demonstrated that lower fragmentation index (that is, a more connected solid structure) was observed in the oleogel-incorporated muffins that were correlated to more enclosed and isolated air cells. The stress relaxation test showed that the shortening replacement with oleogels produced the muffins with firmer and springier texture. Based on the fatty acid compositions, the ratios of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were significantly reduced from 2.81 to 0.41.
Conclusion:
Use of the oleogels as a shortening replacer at a ratio of 1:3 by weight was effective in producing muffins with comparable quality attributes to the control with shortening.
Banana is a very popular fruit in the world market and is consumed as staple food in many countries. It is grown worldwide and constitutes the fifth most important agricultural food crop in terms of world trade. It has been classified into the dessert or sweet bananas and the cooking bananas or plantains. It is either eaten raw or processed, and also as a functional ingredient in various food products. Banana contains several bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, carotenoids, biogenic amines and phytosterols, which are highly desirable in the diet as they exert many positive effects on human health and well-being. Many of these compounds have antioxidant activities and are effective in protecting the body against various oxidative stresses. In the past, bananas were effectively used in the treatment of various diseases, including reducing the risk of many chronic degenerative disorders. In the present review, historical background, cultivar classification, beneficial phytochemicals, antioxidant activity and health benefits of bananas are discussed.
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major component of catechin in green tea, has known effects on cancer, diabetes and obesity. We recently reported that the expression levels of various genes and proteins involved in adipogenesis decreases following EGCG treatment. We also assessed apoptosis in EGCG-exposed cells. Here, we explore the variability in free-radical production in bovine bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) treated with EGCG. Upon adipogenic differentiation, BMSCs were exposed to various EGCG concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 5, or 10 μM) for 2, 4, or 6 days. We found that EGCG reduced cell viability and arrested the cell cycle at the gap 2/mitosis phase and that EGCG potentially enhanced the production of free radicals, including reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Immunostaining revealed that the expression of genes encoding CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha and stearoyl-CoA desaturase were diminished by EGCG treatment. These findings suggest that EGCG alters free-radical production activity during adipogenic differentiation in BMSCs.
This study was undertaken to prepare antioxidant-rich gluten-free eggless muffins from rice flour blended with varying amounts of jambolan fruit pulp (JFP) and xanthan gum (XG). The batters were evaluated for fundamental rheology, while muffins were analysed for physicochemical (colour, volume, water activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content), texture and sensory properties. The incorporation of JFP and XG increased batter viscoelasticity (increased G′ and G″ while decreased tan δ). JFP incorporation increased greenness (lower a* value), cohesiveness, resilience, water activity (aw), total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, DPPH and ABTS inhibition of the muffins. Further, XG improved muffin quality characteristics (appearance, specific volume and resilience). Sensory analyses revealed that JFP incorporation improved the consumer acceptability of the muffins.
Banana is a fruit with nutritional properties, both also with acclaimed therapeutic uses, cultivated widely throughout the tropics as source of food and income for people. Banana peel is known by its local and traditional use to promote wound healing mainly from burns and to help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses, as depression.
This review critically assessed the phytochemical properties and biological activities of Musa spp fruit pulp and peel.
A survey on the literature on banana (Musa spp, Musaceae) covering its botanical classification and nomenclature, as well as the local and traditional use of its pulp and peel was performed. Besides, the current state of art on banana fruit pulp and peel as interesting complex matrices sources of high-value compounds from secondary metabolism was also approached.
Dessert bananas and plantains are systematic classified into four sections, Eumusa, Rhodochlamys, Australimusa, and Callimusa, according to the number of chromosomes. The fruits differ only in their ploidy arrangement and a single scientific name can be given to all the edible bananas, i.e., Musa spp. The chemical composition of banana's peel and pulp comprise mostly carotenoids, phenolic compounds, and biogenic amines. The biological potential of those biomasses is directly related to their chemical composition, particularly as pro-vitamin A supplementation, as potential antioxidants attributed to their phenolic constituents, as well as in the treatment of Parkinson's disease considering their contents in l-dopa and dopamine.
Banana's pulp and peel can be used as natural sources of antioxidants and pro-vitamin A due to their contents in carotenoids, phenolics, and amine compounds, for instance. For the development of a phytomedicine or even an allopathic medicine, e.g., banana fruit pulp and peel could be of interest as raw materials riches in beneficial bioactive compounds.
Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
The following sterols and triterpenes have been identified in banana peel: β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, cycloeucalenol, cycloartenol, and 24-methylene cycloartanol. 24-Methylene cycloartanol palmitate and an unidentified triterpene ketone were the major constituents. The ester represented approximately 30 per cent of the total extractable lipid.
The structure of a new sterol isolated fromMusa sapientum has been shown by chemical and spectroscopic methods to be (24S)-14α,24-dimethyl-9α,19-cyclo-5α-cholest-25-en-3β-ol. In addition, several known (24S)-24-methyl-Δ25-sterols, their 24-methylene isomers and other sterols (4,4-dimethyl-, 4α-methyl- and 4-demethyl-sterols) together with 3-oxo-4α-methylsteroids
were isolated from the plant and identified. The biogenetic implication of these sterols and 3-oxosteroids is discussed.
Banana (Musa X paradisiaca) bracts, abundant edible residues of banana production, were investigated as a potential source of natural colorant. Anthocyanins were extracted with acidified methanol, purified using C-18 resin, and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, physicochemical reactions, HPLC, and electrospray mass spectrometry. Monomeric anthocyanin content was 32.3 mg/100 g bracts on a cyanidin-3-rutinoside basis. Color characteristics (Hunter CIE L*hc) of a solution (absorbance of 0.3, 520 nm, pH 3.5), were L*=86.8, h=44.2 and c=12.7. Cyanidin-3-rutinoside represented ∼80% of the total pigment. Other anthocyanins were 3-rutinoside derivatives of delphinidin, pelargonidin, peonidin and malvidin. One acylated anthocyanin (∼2% of the pigment) was found but not identified. Acid hydrolysis of anthocyanins revealed the concomitant presence of six more common anthocyanidins (delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, peonidin and malvidin) suggesting that, besides being a good pigment source, it could also be a useful tool for anthocyanin identification.
The lipophilic extractives of the unripe peel of ten banana cultivars belonging to the Musa acuminata and
Musa balbisiana species (namely ‘Giant Cavendish’, ‘Chinese Cavendish’, ‘Grand Nain’, ‘Gruesa’, ‘Williams’,
‘Ricasa’, ‘Eilon’, ‘Zelig’, ‘Dwarf Red’ and ‘Silver’) were studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.
The extractives content were in the range of 2–3% with substantially higher values for ‘Silver’ and ‘Dwarf
Red’ (5.7 and 10.7% respectively). Sterols and fatty acids were the major families of compounds identified,
with respectively 55.1–87.5% and 10.6–43.2% of total of lipophilic components. Cycloeucalenone was
the main component identified in ‘Williams’ and ‘Dwarf Red’, with abundances ranging from 806 to
9453 mg Kg−1 of dry unripe peels, respectively. The identification of high contents of valuable compounds,
can open new strategies for the valorization of the studied banana residues and particularly of those from
‘Dwarf Red’ followed by ‘Silver’ and ‘Ricasa’, as potential sources of high-value phytochemicals.
Carotenoids form one of the most important classes of plant pigments and play a crucial role in defining the quality parameters of fruit and vegetables. Their role in the plant is to act as accessory pigments for light harvesting and in the prevention of photo-oxidative damage, as well as acting as attractants for pollinators. Their function as antioxidants in the plant shows interesting parallels with their potential role as antioxidants in foods and humans. Carotenoids are products of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. The enzymes leading to carotenoid biosynthesis have all been characterised, and more recently the genes encoding these enzymes have been cloned from bacteria, fungi and plants. New information on enzyme activities and the factors leading to the regulation of the pathway is reviewed. Vitamin A deficiency is a widespread problem in the developing world, causing blindness, particularly in the young. This has driven research into finding ways of introducing provitamin A carotenoids into staple crops, and this has recently been achieved in rice and canola through genetic manipulation. The fact that carotenoids show protective activity in vitro and in vivo against a variety of degenerative disease end points has also give impetus to studying whether increasing intakes of the commonly consumed carotenoids would have public health benefits in the developed world. Human intervention studies have been undertaken using supplements of β-carotene rather than utilising foods with enhanced carotenoid levels, but no potential benefit has been shown. Indeed, there is evidence of an increased health risk from the consumption of β-carotene supplements. These observations suggest that the threshold between the beneficial and adverse effects of some carotenoids is low and provides a strong stimulus to further understanding the functional effects of specific carotenoids. Specific needs for future research are identified in the review.© 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
The chemical composition of the dichloromethane extracts of different morphological parts of banana plant “Dwarf Cavendish”, cultivated in Madeira Island (Portugal), were studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The five different morphological fractions in study have a similar qualitative chemical composition. Fatty acids and sterols are the major families present in the lipophilic extract of “Dwarf Cavendish”, representing ca. 33–66% and 12–43%, respectively, of the total amount of lipophilic components. Among all the identified compounds, campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol and fatty acids, such as palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic, 22-hydroxydocosanoic, 24-hydroxytetracosanoic and 26-hydroxyhexacosanoic acids, were the major components found in all morphological zones. Other families of compounds, such as aromatic compounds, fatty alcohols and alkanes were also identified. The high increase of some components after alkaline hydrolysis, particularly, ferulic and fatty acids, indicates the presence of a considerable fraction of such components in esterified structures.
Peanut skin was removed by direct peeling, blanching, and roasting. Total phenolics (TPs), total antioxidant activity (TAA) and free radical scavenging capacity of peanut skin extracts were determined. The composition of ethanolic extracts of peanut skin obtained from each processing method was determined by LC-MS and HPLC. Peanut skin processing methods significantly affected total extractable phenolics and their composition. Roasting had limited effects on concentration of TPs while blanching caused 89% loss of TPs. TPs in directly peeled, roasted, and blanched peanut skins were 130, 124, and 14.4 mg/g dry skin, respectively. Catechins, A-type and B-type procyanidin dimers, trimers and tetramers in chemically purified peanut skin extracts were identified by LC-MS. Total catechins, procyanidin dimers, trimers and tetramers in directly peeled peanut skin were 16.1, 111.3, 221.3 and 296.1 mg/100 g, respectively, versus 8.8, 143.5, 157.5 and 203.9 mg/100 g, respectively, in roasted dry skin. TAAs and free radical scavenging capacities of peanut skin extracts were all higher than those of Trolox and Vitamin C at equivalent concentration. Peanut skin, a by-product of the peanut processing industry, was found to contain potent antioxidants and could provide an inexpensive source of antioxidants for use as functional ingredients in foods or dietary supplements.
Numerous polyphenolics have been identified in peanuts, but information relating to their storage stability and contributions to total antioxidant capacity are lacking. This study investigated contributors to the antioxidant capacity of six peanut cultivars by means of fractionation from reversed phase C18 cartridges. Five water-soluble peanut isolates were prepared and subsequently stored at 35 °C and evaluated for individual and total polyphenolics, antioxidant capacity, total reducing equivalents, and total amino acids after 0, 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The relative contribution of each isolate to total antioxidant capacity for each cultivar was additive, with the C18 non-retained fraction containing 100% of the p-coumaric acid and 82% of the total amino acids. During storage relatively small changes were observed for antioxidant activity and total reducing equivalents among cultivars and isolates, indicating the lack of oxidative or condensation reactions among the isolated constituents. Results demonstrated the overall stability and diversity of antioxidant polyphenolics found in peanuts, information that advances the marketability of the crop.
Resveratrol, a natural product, is known to affect a broad range of intracellular mediators. In the present study, we clarified the antioxidant activity of resveratrol by employing various in vitro antioxidant assays such as DPPH•, ABTS•+, DMPD•+, O2•− and H2O2 scavenging activities, total antioxidant activity, reducing abilities, and Fe2+ chelating activities. Resveratrol inhibited 89.1% of the lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion at 30 µg/mL concentration. On the other hand, BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol, and trolox exhibited inhibitions of 83.3, 82.1, 68.1, and 81.3% against peroxidation of linoleic acid emulsion at the same concentration, respectively. In addition, resveratrol had effective DPPH•, ABTS•+, DMPD•+, O2•− and H2O2 scavenging activities, reducing power, and Fe2+ chelating activities. The present study found that resveratrol had effective in vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging activity. It can be used in pharmacological and food industry due to its antioxidant properties.
Arachis hypogaea , known as the peanut, is native to South America. Peanut contains several active components including flavonoids, phenolic acids, phytosterols, alkaloids, and stilbenes. Some therapeutic effects have been reported for peanut seed extracts, such as antioxidative, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. This paper aims to give an overview of the chemical composition, focusing on secondary metabolites, and of the biological activity of A. hypogaea, to stimulate new studies about species of the Arachis genus.
The chemical composition of the lipophilic extracts of unripe pulp and peel of banana fruit 'Dwarf Cavendish' was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fatty acids, sterols, and steryl esters are the major families of lipophilic components present in banana tissues, followed by diacylglycerols, steryl glucosides, long chain fatty alcohols, and aromatic compounds. Fatty acids are more abundant in the banana pulp (29-90% of the total amount of lipophilic extract), with linoleic, linolenic, and oleic acids as the major compounds of this family. In banana peel, sterols represent about 49-71% of the lipophilic extract with two triterpenic ketones (31-norcyclolaudenone and cycloeucalenone) as the major components. The detection of high amounts of steryl esters (469-24405 mg/kg) and diacylglycerols (119-878 mg/kg), mainly present in the banana peel extract, explains the increase in the abundance of fatty acids and sterols after alkaline hydrolysis. Several steryl glucosides were also found in significative amounts (273-888 mg/kg), particularly in banana pulp (888 mg/kg). The high content of sterols (and their derivatives) in the 'Dwarf Cavendish' fruit can open new strategies for the valorization of the banana residues as a potential source of high-value phytochemicals with nutraceutical and functional food additive applications.
Peanut is one of the most widely used legumes due to its nutrition and taste. The fact that is has been recognized recently as a functional food, its evaluation for its role in a heart-healthy diet has received tremendous attention. Functional compounds have been isolated, identified, quantified, and even enhanced to maximize the amount for adequate health benefits. The peanut industry's byproducts such as peanut hulls and shells, skins, and even leaves and roots have also been identified as possible sources of bioactive compounds. New uses for these underutilized renewable sources can create new market opportunities and increase the value of agricultural residues.
The discovery that mammalian cells generate nitric oxide, a gas previously considered to be merely an atmospheric pollutant, is providing important information about many biologic processes. Nitric oxide is synthesized from the amino acid L-arginine by a family of enzymes, the nitric oxide synthases, through a hitherto unrecognized metabolic route -- namely, the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway1–8. The synthesis of nitric oxide by vascular endothelium is responsible for the vasodilator tone that is essential for the regulation of blood pressure. In the central nervous system nitric oxide is a neurotransmitter that underpins several functions, including the formation of memory. . . .
Work from our laboratory, as well as others, suggests a protective role of phytosterols (PS), especially beta-sitosterol, from colon, prostate, and breast cancer. Asians and vegetarians consume higher amounts of PS than Western societies. The latter societies have a higher incidence of these cancers than Asians and vegetarians. The aim of this study was to evaluate peanuts and its products as sources of PS in the American diet. Roasted peanuts contain 61-114 mg PS/100 g depending on the peanut variety, 78-83% of which is in the form of beta-sitosterol. Unrefined peanut oil contains 207 mg PS/100 g, which is similar to that of the US Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database. This value is higher than that of unrefined olive oil. Refining these oils results in reduction in PS concentration in the oil. This loss is greater in the case of olive oil than peanut oil. Further refining, such as deodorization, results in significant loss in PS, but hydrogenation after refining has a minimal effect on PS loss. Peanut butter, which represents 50% of the peanuts consumed in the United States, contains 144-157 mg PS/100 g. Peanut flour, which results from partial removal of oil from peanuts, contains 55-60 mg PS/100 g. The data suggest that peanuts and its products, such as peanut oil, peanut butter, and peanut flour, are good sources of PS.
Based on extensive epidemiological observation, fruits and vegetables that are a rich source of carotenoids are thought to provide health benefits by decreasing the risk of various diseases, particularly certain cancers and eye diseases. The carotenoids that have been most studied in this regard are beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. In part, the beneficial effects of carotenoids are thought to be due to their role as antioxidants. beta-Carotene may have added benefits due its ability to be converted to vitamin A. Additionally, lutein and zeaxanthin may be protective in eye disease because they absorb damaging blue light that enters the eye. Food sources of these compounds include a variety of fruits and vegetables, although the primary sources of lycopene are tomato and tomato products. Additionally, egg yolk is a highly bioavailable source of lutein and zeaxanthin. These carotenoids are available in supplement form. However, intervention trials with large doses of beta-carotene found an adverse effect on the incidence of lung cancer in smokers and workers exposed to asbestos. Until the efficacy and safety of taking supplements containing these nutrients can be determined, current dietary recommendations of diets high in fruits and vegetables are advised.
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