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Antigenotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Acerola Fruit (Malpighia glabra L.) at Two Stages of Ripeness

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Abstract

Genotoxic and antigenotoxic effects of acerola fruit at two stages of ripeness were investigated using mice blood cells. The results show that no ripeness stage of acerola extracts presented any genotoxic potential to damage DNA (Comet assay) or cytotoxicity (MTT assay). When antigenotoxic activity was analyzed, unripe fruit presented higher DNA protection than ripe fruit (red color) extract. The antioxidant capacity of substances also showed that unripe samples inhibit the free radical DPPH more significantly than the ripe ones. The results about determination of compounds made using HPLC showed that unripe acerola presents higher levels of vitamin C as compared to ripe acerola. Thus, vitamin C and the complex mixture of nutrients of Malpighia glabra L., and especially its ripeness stages, influenced the interaction of the fruit extract with the DNA. Acerola is usually consumed when ripe (red fruit), although it is the green fruit (unripe) that has higher potential as beneficial to DNA, protecting it against oxidative stress.

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Abbreviations

AEAC:

Ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity

AOA:

Antioxidant activity

DF:

Damage frequency

DI:

Damage index

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

DOX:

Doxorubicin

DPPH:

2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

HCl:

Hydrochloric acid

HCT-8:

Tumor line of human colon

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

H3PO4 :

Phosphoric acid

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

NaOH:

Sodium hydroxide

MDAMDB-435:

Tumor line of human breast

MeOH:

Methanol

MTT:

3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazole)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide salt

PBS:

Phosphate buffered saline

RDA:

Recommended Dietary Allowance

SF-295:

Tumor line of human nervous system

Tris:

Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

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Acknowledgements

The authors also thank Nutrilite Farm (Ceará, Brazil) for help and assistance. This work was supported by grants from the Brazilian Agencies Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) and Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Genética Toxicológica—Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Toxicologia Aplicada, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, 92425–900, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Roberta da Silva Nunes, Vivian Francília Silva Kahl, Merielen da Silva Sarmento & Juliana da Silva

  2. Centro Universitário Luterano de Ji-Paraná, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, 76.907–438, Ji-Paraná, RO, Brazil

    Roberta da Silva Nunes

  3. Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul, UERGS, 90.010–191, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Marc François Richter

  4. Laboratório de Oncologia Experimental, Universidade Federal do Ceará, UFC, 60341–970, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Letícia Veras Costa-Lotufo & Felipe Augusto Rocha Rodrigues

  5. Department of Neurochemistry, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Juan Andres Abin-Carriquiry & Marcela María Martinez

  6. Laboratório de Farmacognosia e Fitoquímica, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, 92425–900, Canoas, RS, Brazil

    Scharline Ferronatto & Alexandre de Barros Falcão Ferraz

Authors
  1. Roberta da Silva Nunes
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  2. Vivian Francília Silva Kahl
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  3. Merielen da Silva Sarmento
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  5. Letícia Veras Costa-Lotufo
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  9. Scharline Ferronatto
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  10. Alexandre de Barros Falcão Ferraz
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  11. Juliana da Silva
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juliana da Silva.

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da Silva Nunes, R., Kahl, V.F.S., da Silva Sarmento, M. et al. Antigenotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity of Acerola Fruit (Malpighia glabra L.) at Two Stages of Ripeness. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 66, 129–135 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-011-0223-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-011-0223-7

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