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Neuroprotective effects of digested polyphenols from wild blackberry species

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Abstract

Purpose

Blackberry ingestion has been demonstrated to attenuate brain degenerative processes with the benefits ascribed to the (poly)phenolic components. The aim of this work was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of two wild blackberry species in a neurodegeneration cell model and compare them with a commercial variety.

Methods

This work encompasses chemical characterization before and after an in vitro digestion and the assessment of neuroprotection by digested metabolites. Some studies targeting redox/cell death systems were also performed to assess possible neuroprotective molecular mechanisms.

Results

The three blackberry extracts presented some quantitative differences in polyphenol composition that could be responsible for the different responses in the neurodegeneration cell model. Commercial blackberry extracts were ineffective but both wild blackberries, Rubus brigantinus and Rubus vagabundus, presented neuroprotective effects. It was verified that a diminishment of intracellular ROS levels, modulation of glutathione levels and activation of caspases occurred during treatment. The last effect suggests a preconditioning effect since caspase activation was not accompanied by diminution in cell death and loss of functionality.

Conclusions

This is the first time that metabolites obtained from an in vitro digested food matrix, and tested at levels approaching the concentrations found in human plasma, have been described as inducing an adaptative response.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through grant PEst-OE/EQB/LA0004/2011 and also by financial support of CS (SRFH/BPD/26562/2006) and LT (SFRH/BD/37382/2007) and by Action Cost 863 (by the financial support of LT short-term scientific mission). DS and GM were supported by Scottish Government Research and Science Division and ClimaFruit (Interreg IVb-North Sea Region Programme). Moreover, this work was also supported by EUBerry FP7-KBBE-2010-265942). We would like to acknowledge Pedro Oliveira for providing commercial blackberry fruits from Herdade Experimental da Fataca. We also would like thank to Carlos Aguiar from CIMO, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança for helping us to identify and collect the wild species, to Cristina Silva Pereira for providing access to HPLC and M. Cristina Leitão for the HPLC technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal

    Lucélia Tavares, Inês Figueira, Helena L. A. Vieira, Paula M. Alves, Ricardo B. Ferreira & Cláudia N. Santos

  2. Environmental and Biochemical Science Group, Enhancing Crop Productivity and Utilisation Theme, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK

    Gordon J. McDougall & Derek Stewart

  3. Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901, Oeiras, Portugal

    Helena L. A. Vieira, Paula M. Alves & Cláudia N. Santos

  4. CEDOC@IGC, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, UNL, 1169-056, Lisbon, Portugal

    Helena L. A. Vieira

  5. School of Life Sciences, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK

    Derek Stewart

  6. Departamento de Botânica e Engenharia Biológica, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal

    Ricardo B. Ferreira

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  1. Lucélia Tavares
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  2. Inês Figueira
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  4. Helena L. A. Vieira
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  5. Derek Stewart
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  6. Paula M. Alves
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  7. Ricardo B. Ferreira
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  8. Cláudia N. Santos
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Correspondence to Cláudia N. Santos.

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Tavares, L., Figueira, I., McDougall, G.J. et al. Neuroprotective effects of digested polyphenols from wild blackberry species. Eur J Nutr 52, 225–236 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0307-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0307-7

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