Functional Foods and Nutraceutical Research Unit, Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
Chemical Sciences Department (Biochemistry Option), Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Nigeria.
J Food Biochem. 2022 Nov;46(11):e14255. doi: 10.1111/jfbc.14255. Epub 2022 May 29.
This study was designed to investigate the efficacies of almond and date fruits on redox imbalance and enzymes relevant to the pathogenesis of erectile dysfunction. The total polyphenol contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power, and vitamin C content were determined spectrophotometrically. Phenolic and amino acid compositions were quantified using HPLC; meanwhile, the antioxidant activities were determined using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and metal chelation. Also, the effect of almond and date extract on advanced glycated end-products (AGEs) formation, arginase, and phosphodiesterase-5 activities was evaluated in vitro. Thereafter, the influence of almond and date supplemented diets on copulatory behaviors in normal rats was assessed, followed by arginase and phosphodiesterase-5 activities determination in vivo. The results revealed that date and almond extracts exerted antioxidant properties, prevented AGEs formation in vitro, and inhibited arginase and phosphodiesterase-5 activities in vitro and in vivo. Besides, almond and date supplemented diets significantly enhance sexual behaviors in normal rats when compared with the control. Among the active compounds identified were gallic acid, ellagic acid, quercetin, and rutin. All the 20 basic amino acids were identified. Given the aforementioned, date and almond could represent a reliable source of functional foods highly rich in compounds with antioxidant activity, and arginase and PDE-5 inhibitory properties. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Fruits are essential part of the human diet that furnish the body with important nutrients. Despite the crucial roles of fruits in human diets, some fruits like almond and date are underutilized among Nigerians. However, we characterized the important compounds present in these fruits and how their presence contributes to the biological activities of the fruits. Finally, we relate the chemical composition and the observed biological activities to the overall health and wellness of the consumers.
这项研究旨在探究杏仁和枣果对氧化还原失衡及与勃起功能障碍发病机制相关酶的疗效。采用分光光度法测定总多酚含量、铁还原抗氧化能力和维生素 C 含量。采用高效液相色谱法（HPLC）定量测定酚类和氨基酸组成；同时，采用 DPPH、ABTS、FRAP 和金属螯合测定抗氧化活性。此外，还评估了杏仁和枣提取物对体外晚期糖基化终产物（AGEs）形成、精氨酸酶和磷酸二酯酶-5 活性的影响。随后，评估了杏仁和枣补充饮食对正常大鼠交配行为的影响，并在体内测定了精氨酸酶和磷酸二酯酶-5 活性。结果表明，枣和杏仁提取物具有抗氧化特性，可防止体外 AGEs 的形成，并可抑制体外和体内的精氨酸酶和磷酸二酯酶-5 活性。此外，与对照组相比，杏仁和枣补充饮食可显著增强正常大鼠的性行为。鉴定出的活性化合物包括没食子酸、鞣花酸、槲皮素和芦丁。鉴定出 20 种基本氨基酸。综上所述，枣和杏仁可以作为功能性食品的可靠来源，这些食品富含具有抗氧化活性、精氨酸酶和 PDE-5 抑制特性的化合物。
实际应用：水果是人类饮食的重要组成部分，为人体提供重要的营养物质。尽管水果在人类饮食中起着至关重要的作用，但有些水果，如杏仁和枣，在尼日利亚人当中的利用率较低。然而，我们对这些水果中存在的重要化合物及其对水果生物活性的贡献进行了描述。最后，我们将化学成分和观察到的生物活性与消费者的整体健康和健康联系起来。
