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Improved Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Potential in Mice Consuming Sour Cherry Juice (Prunus Cerasus cv. Maraska)

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition volume 64, pages 231–237 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The present investigation tested the in vivo antioxidant efficacy (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase; Gpx), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and anti-inflammatory properties (cyclooxygenase-2; COX-2) of sour cherry juices obtained from an autochthonous cultivar (Prunus cerasus cv. Maraska) that is grown in coastal parts of Croatia. Antioxidant potential was tested in mouse tissue (blood, liver, and brain), LPO (liver, brain) and anti-inflammatory properties in glycogen elicited macrophages. Additionally, the concentration of cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside and total anthocyanins present in Prunus cerasus cv. Maraska cherry juice was determined. Mice were randomly divided into a control group (fed with commercial food pellets) and 2 experimental groups (fed with commercial food pellets with 10% or 50% of cherry juice added). Among the anthocyanins, the cyanidin-3-glucoside was present in the highest concentration. These results show antioxidant action of cherry juice through increased SOD (liver, blood) and Gpx (liver) activity and decreased LPO concentration. The study highlights cherry juice as a potent COX-2 inhibitor and antioxidant in the liver and blood of mice, but not in the brain. Thus, according to our study, Prunus cerasus cv. Maraska cherry juice might potentially be used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory product with beneficial health-promoting properties.

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Abbreviations

AOE:

Antioxidant enzymes

CAT:

Catalase

Gpx:

Glutathione peroxidase

LPO:

Lipid peroxidation

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBARS:

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances

COX:

Cyclooxygenase enzymes

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Nataša Maršić and Mary Sopta for her helpful comments and Vesna Matešić and Iva Pešun Međimorec for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia

    Ana Šarić, Sandra Sobočanec, Tihomir Balog, Borka Kušić, Višnja Šverko, Željka Mačak Šafranko & Tatjana Marotti

  2. Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Pierottijeva 6, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia

    Verica Dragović-Uzelac & Branka Levaj

  3. Maraska d.d., Biogradska 64, Zadar, 23 000, Croatia

    Zrinka Čosić

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  1. Ana Šarić
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  2. Sandra Sobočanec
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  9. Željka Mačak Šafranko
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Correspondence to Tihomir Balog.

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Šarić, A., Sobočanec, S., Balog, T. et al. Improved Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Potential in Mice Consuming Sour Cherry Juice (Prunus Cerasus cv. Maraska). Plant Foods Hum Nutr 64, 231–237 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-009-0135-y

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