Composição química e efeitos de frutos do Cerrado sobre o estresse oxidativo, longevidade e doença de Alzheimer em Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

The Cerrado biome is composed of a vast biodiversity, presenting several endemic plant species. The conservation of its flora is essential so that it can be studied, bioprospecting active molecules and investigating its biological effects, in which the antioxidant activity has received great prominence. In recent years, it has been described that oxidizing agents are among the major responsible for aging, and by the triggering and/or aggravation of numerous diseases, such as cancer, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. In view of the above, the present study aims to identify chemical constituents, antioxidant activity, longevity effects and Alzheimer's disease symptoms of three species of Cerrado fruits, such as Annona crassiflora, Dipteryx alata and Psidium guineense. For this, the chemical compounds were identified through quantitative colorimetric reactions, among them the phenolic compounds, flavonoids, β-carotene, lycopene, chlorophyll a and b and ascorbic acid. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the fruits was evaluated by the DPPH and ABTS free radical capture methods. In vivo studies the wild type (N2) and a transgenic strain (CL2006) of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were used. Initially it was evaluated that the fruit pulps presented no toxicity, nor interfered in the reproductive capacity of the animals. When submitted to thermal stress, the A.crassiflora pulp promoted nematode protection in the second hour of evaluation. The three fruit pulps were able to reduce the oxidative damages generated by juglone, but only A. crassiflora pulp was effective in all evaluated periods. D. alata pulp promoted increased life expectancy of animals and A. crassiflora provided delayed induced paralysis in transgenic animals. Together, the fruits presented significant concentrations of bioactive compounds and obtained a promising performance in the investigation of antioxidant activity, evidencing their potential use for an improvement in quality and increase of life expectancy and even as nutraceuticals acting on the symptoms of some diseases.