QUANTIFICATION OF NITRITE IN THE PRESENCE OF ANTHOCYAMNS USING GRIESS AND GC/MS ASSAYS

Protective Role of Ternatin Anthocyanins and Quercetin Glycosides from Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea Leguminosae) Blue Flower Petals against Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Inflammation in Macrophage Cells

Twelve phenolic metabolites (nine ternatin anthocyanins and three glycosylated quercetins) were identified from the blue flowers of Clitoria ternatea by high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection and electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS(n)). Three anthocyanins not reported in this species before show fragmentation pattern of the ternatin class. Extracts were fractionated in fractions containing flavonols (F3) and ternatin anthocyanins (F4). In general, C. ternatea polyphenols showed anti-inflammatory properties in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells with distinct molecular targets. Flavonols (F3) showed strong inhibition of COX-2 activity and partial ROS suppression. On the other hand, the ternatin anthocyanins (F4) inhibited nuclear NF-κB translocation, iNOS protein expression, and NO production through a non-ROS suppression mechanism. Accordingly, quercetin glycosides and ternatin anthocyanins from the blue flower petals of C. ternatea may be useful in developing drugs or nutraceuticals for protection against chronic inflammatory diseases by suppressing the excessive production of pro-inflammatory mediators from macrophage cells.

Potential anti-inflammatory, anti-adhesive, anti/estrogenic, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities of anthocyanins and their gut metabolites

Epidemiological studies have indicated a positive association between the intake of foods rich in anthocyanins and the protection against cardiovascular diseases. Some authors have shown that anthocyanins are degraded by the gut microflora giving rise to the formation of other breakdown metabolites, which could also contribute to anthocyanin health effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of anthocyanins and their breakdown metabolites, protocatechuic, syringic, gallic, and vanillic acids, on different parameters involved in atherosclerosis, including inflammation, cell adhesion, chemotaxis, endothelial function, estrogenic/anti-estrogenic activity, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. From the assayed metabolites, only protocatechuic acid exhibited a slight inhibitory effect on NO production and TNF-α secretion in LPS-INF-γ-induced macrophages. Gallic acid caused a decrease in the secretion of MCP-1, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in endothelial cells. All anthocyanins showed an ACE-inhibitory activity. Delphinidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside, and gallic acid showed affinity for ERβ and pelargonidin and peonidin-3-glucosides for ERα. The current data suggest that anthocyanins and their breakdown metabolites may partly provide a protective effect against atherosclerosis that is multi-causal and involves different biochemical pathways. However, the concentrations of anthocyanins and their metabolites, as used in the present cell culture and in vitro assays mediating anti-inflammatory, anti-adhesive, anti-estrogenic, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities, were often manifold higher than those physiologically achievable.