Antioxidant and Hypolipidemic Activity of Açai Fruit Makes It a Valuable Functional Food.

Anna Virginia Adriana Pirozzi,Virginia Tirino,Paola Imbimbo,Renata Piccoli,Rosario Finamore,Antonella D’Agostino,Chiara Schiraldi,Daria Maria Monti

doi:10.3390/antiox10010040

Anna Virginia Adriana Pirozzi, Virginia Tirino + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox10010040

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Abstract

Several plant extracts are acquiring increasing value because of their antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic properties. Among them, great interest has been recently paid to açai fruit as a functional food. The aim of this study was to test the ability of açai extract in reducing oxidative stress and modulating lipid metabolism in vitro using different cell models and different types of stress. In fact, lipid peroxidation as evaluated in a HepG2 model was reduced five-fold when using 0.25 µg/mL of extract, and it was further reduced (20-fold) with the concentration increase up to 2.5 µg/mL. With the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)in vitro model, all concentrations tested showed at least a two-fold reduced fat deposit. In addition, primary adipocytes challenged with TNF-α under hypoxic conditions to mimic the persistent subcutaneous fat, treated with açai extract showed an approximately 40% reduction of fat deposit. Overall, our results show that açai is able to counteract oxidative states in all the cell models analysed and to prevent the accumulation of lipid droplets. No toxic effects and high stability overtime were highlighted at the concentrations tested. Therefore, açai can be considered a suitable support in the prevention of different alterations of lipid and oxidative metabolism responsible for fat deposition and metabolic pathological conditions.

Highlights

We recently reported the antioxidant activity of the açai extract on immortalized fibroblasts (BALB/c 3T3) and found that the protective activity was due to two anthocyanins, cyanidin and malvidin derivatives [3,5,6]
As two pathological fat accumulation processes, i.e., steatosis and chronic abdominal fat deposition, are involved in the development of obesity, inducing oxidative impairment and inflammation state, we investigated the effects of açai extract in not alcoholic hepatic steatosis (NAFLD) and persistent subcutaneous fat accumulation in vitro
The elution of açai extract obtained as described in the Methods section showed a profile similar to the one reported by Petruk et al [3]

Summary

Introduction

The fruit of açai tree (Euterpe oleracea Martius) is a Brazilian berry found in the Amazon flood plain and usually consumed in South America [1]. In recent years, this exotic fruit, traditionally used as a medicinal plant and as a staple food, has gained international attention as a functional food due to its nutritional benefits and therapeutic promises [2]. Açai contains high amount of α-tocopherol, dietary fibres, lipids, polyphenols (including anthocyanins), and mineral ions [2,3]. Most of the beneficial effects of açai are attributed to secondary metabolites, such as anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins

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