Integrated Laboratory of Plant Biology (LIBV), Institute of Biosciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro - UNIRIO, Av. Pasteur, 458 Urca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenicity, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Food Chem. 2024 Oct 30;456:139948. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139948. Epub 2024 Jun 1.
The natural vanilla market, which generates millions annually, is predominantly dependent on Vanilla planifolia, a species characterized by low genetic variability and susceptibility to pathogens. There is an increasing demand for natural vanilla, prized for its complex, authentic, and superior quality compared to artificial counterparts. Therefore, there is a necessity for innovative production alternatives to ensure a consistent and stable supply of vanilla flavors. In this context, vanilla crop wild relatives (WRs) emerge as promising natural sources of the spice. However, these novel species must undergo toxicity assessments to evaluate potential risks and ensure safety for consumption. This study aimed to assess the non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic properties of ethanolic extracts from V. bahiana, V. chamissonis, V. cribbiana, and V. planifolia through integrated metabolomic profiling, in vitro toxicity assays, and in silico analyses. The integrated approach of metabolomics, in vitro assays, and in silico analyses has highlighted the need for further safety assessments of Vanilla cribbiana ethanolic extract. While the extracts of V. bahiana, V. chamissonis, and V. planifolia generally demonstrated non-mutagenic properties in the Ames assay, V. cribbiana exhibited mutagenicity at high concentrations (5000 μg/plate) in the TA98 strain without metabolic activation. This finding, coupled with the dose-dependent cytotoxicity observed in WST-1 (Water Soluble Tetrazolium) assays, a colorimetric method that assesses the viability of cells exposed to a test substance, underscores the importance of concentration in the safety evaluation of these extracts. Kaempferol and pyrogallol, identified with higher intensity in V. cribbiana, are potential candidates for in vitro mutagenicity. Although the results are not conclusive, they suggest the safety of these extracts at low concentrations. This study emphasizes the value of an integrated approach in providing a nuanced understanding of the safety profiles of natural products, advocating for cautious use and further research into V. cribbiana mutagenicity.
天然香草市场每年创造数百万美元的收入，主要依赖于香草兰，这是一种遗传变异性低且易受病原体感染的物种。由于天然香草具有复杂、纯正和优越的品质，与人工香草相比更受欢迎，因此对天然香草的需求不断增加。因此，有必要寻找创新的生产替代品，以确保香草风味的稳定供应。在这种背景下，香草作物野生近缘种（WRs）成为香料的有前途的天然来源。然而，这些新型物种必须进行毒性评估，以评估潜在风险并确保食用安全。本研究旨在通过综合代谢组学分析、体外毒性测定和计算机分析，评估来自 V. bahiana、V. chamissonis、V. cribbiana 和 V. planifolia 的乙醇提取物的非致突变性和非致癌性特性。代谢组学、体外测定和计算机分析的综合方法突出了需要进一步评估香草 cribbiana 乙醇提取物的安全性。虽然 V. bahiana、V. chamissonis 和 V. planifolia 的提取物在 Ames 试验中通常表现出非致突变性，但 V. cribbiana 在没有代谢激活的情况下，在 TA98 菌株中以高浓度（5000μg/平板）表现出致突变性。这一发现，加上在 WST-1（水溶性四唑盐）测定中观察到的剂量依赖性细胞毒性，这是一种评估暴露于测试物质的细胞活力的比色法，突出了在这些提取物的安全性评估中浓度的重要性。在 V. cribbiana 中鉴定出的更高强度的山奈酚和焦性没食子酚是体外致突变性的潜在候选物。尽管结果不是结论性的，但它们表明在低浓度下这些提取物是安全的。本研究强调了综合方法在提供对天然产物安全性概况的细致理解方面的价值，并提倡谨慎使用和进一步研究 V. cribbiana 的致突变性。
