A Standardized Extract Prepared from Red Orange and Lemon Wastes Blocks High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperglycemia and Hyperlipidemia in Mice

Abstract

Citrus fruits are a rich source of high-value bioactive compounds and their consumption has been associated with beneficial effects on human health. Red (blood) oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) are particularly rich in anthocyanins (95% of which are represented by cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-6″-malonyl-glucoside), flavanones (hesperidin, narirutin, and didymin), and hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic acid, coumaric acid, sinapic, and ferulic acid). Lemon fruit (Citrus limon) is also rich in flavanones (eriocitrin, hesperidin, and diosmin) and other polyphenols. All of these compounds are believed to play a very important role as dietary antioxidants due to their ability to scavenge free radicals. A standardized powder extract, red orange and lemon extract (RLE), was obtained by properly mixing anthocyanins and other polyphenols recovered from red orange processing waste with eriocitrin and other flavanones recovered from lemon peel by a patented extraction process. RLE was used for in vivo assays aimed at testing a potential beneficial effect on glucose and lipid metabolism. In vivo experiments performed on male CD1 mice fed with a high-fat diet showed that an 8-week treatment with RLE was able to induce a significant reduction in glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides levels in the blood, with positive effects on regulation of hyperglycemia and lipid metabolism, thus suggesting a potential use of this new phytoextract for nutraceutical purposes.

Citrus Extract as a Perspective for the Control of Dyslipidemia: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis From Animal Models to Human Studies

“…Consequently, Citrus -based products reduced the body weight, lipid accumulation, and atherosclerosis risk by the modulation of proteins and genes involved in the lipid metabolism. Recently, a study with a standardized extract containing Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck associated with Citrus limon ( Chiechio et al, 2021 ) also demonstrated an effect in controlling the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as glycemia, possibly due to its composition rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids, reinstating the high potential of Citrus species in lipid control.…”

Phytochemicals Derived from Agricultural Residues and Their Valuable Properties and Applications

“…Among flavanones, citrus peel is rich in eriocitrin, hesperidin, diosmin, neohesperidin, didymin, and naringin. Chiechio et al [ 264 ] used red orange and lemon extract rich in flavanones for in vivo assays on male CD1 mice fed with a high-fat diet. The results showed that an 8-week treatment with the extract was able to induce a significant reduction in glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the blood, with positive effects on the regulation of hyperglycemia and lipid metabolism.…”

Dietary anthocyanin is associated with a lower prevalence of hyperuricemia independently of metabolic syndrome among females: Results from NHANES 2007–2010 and 2017–2018

“…Flavonoid is polyphenolic phytochemical mainly found in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and teas. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, 11 flavonoid has been shown to be beneficial in metabolic diseases such as diabetes, 12 hypertension, 13 hyperlipidemia, 14 and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). 15 Flavonoid has been proven to reduce uric acid by inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity and regulating uric acid transporter protein expression in experimental studies, [16][17][18][19] while the evidence of clinical research is still lacking and the results were inconsistent.…”