IN VIVO ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND IN VITRO ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE RED (PSIDIUM CATTLEYANUM) AND YELLOW (P. CATTLEYANUM VAR. LUCIDUM  HORT.) ARAÇÁ FRUITS

RAMIREZ MARIA ROSANA; HENRIQUES AT; ZUANAZZI SJA

Concordia Entre Rios

Congreso; International conference on Food Inovation; 2014

UNER

Diverse chemical entities from fruits have been shown to reduce the oxidative stress-associated inflammatory diseases, and there may be synergistic or additive effects due to the unique chemical compound contained in these foods. Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleyanum Sabine) is a native fruit of Brazil (Myrtaceae), and is used traditionally for the management, and treatment of an array of human disorders. In this study, P. cattleyanum fruits from nine different genotypes (currently grown in Brazil) were investigated for their in vitro antichemotactic activity, their antioxidant activity and their total polyphenolic content. The in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of P. cattleyanum juice was investigated in rats by the carrageenan-induced paw edema method using indomethacin (5 mg/kg, p.o.) as a reference compound. Total polyhenolic content was estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and the results were expressed as percent inhibition of radical formation after 30 min of reaction time. The chemotaxis assay was performed using a 48-well chamber, as described by Boyden (1962). The antiedematogenic effects of P. cattleyanum juice were evaluated according to the method of Winter et al. (1962). For this, Wistar rats were divided into a control group that drank water and six groups which drank water supplemented with P. cattleyanum extract (administered orally for 21 day). After that, rats were anesthetized and injected subplantarly into the right hind paw with 0.1 mL of carrageenan suspension in isotonic saline. The left hind paw was injected with 0.1 mL of saline and used as a control. Paw volume was measured prior to and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after carrageenan administration using a mercury plethysmograph. The difference between the readings at time 0 h and different time interval was taken as the thickness of edema, and were expressed as percent inhibition. P. cattleyanum cultivars showed similar antichemotactic and antioxidant activities and different total polyphenolic contents. Oral administration of juice suppressed the edematous response after carrageenan injection (1000-250 mg Kg-1). The observed effects were quite similar to that exhibited by the group treated with indomethacin (62 and 57% respectively). In conclusion, the findings show that this exotic fruit may be a good source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.