Distribution of Betalain Pigments in Red Blood Cells after Consumption of Cactus Pear Fruits and Increased Resistance of the Cells to ex Vivo Induced Oxidative Hemolysis in Humans

Abstract

Betalain pigments are bioavailable phytochemicals recently acknowledged as natural radical scavengers. This work, which extends previous research on the postabsorbitive fate of dietary betalains, investigated the distribution of betanin and indicaxanthin in red blood cells (RBCs) isolated from healthy volunteers (n = 8), before and during the 1-8 h interval after a cactus pear fruit meal, and the potential antioxidative activity of the pigments in these cells. A peak concentration of indicaxanthin (1.03 +/- 0.2 microM) was observed in RBCs isolated at 3 h after fruit feeding, whereas the concentration at 5 h was about half, and even smaller amounts were measured at 8 h. Indicaxanthin was not detected at 1 h. Betanin (30.0 +/- 5.2 nM) was found only in RBCs isolated at 3 h from fruit feeding. In comparison with homologous RBCs before fruit ingestion, a significant delay (P < 0.05) of the onset of an ex vivo cumene hydroperoxide (cumOOH)-induced hemolysis was evident in the RBCs isolated at 3 h (33.0 +/- 4.5 min) and at 5 h (16.0 +/- 2.0 min). Neither vitamins C and E nor GSH was modified in the RBCs at any time point. Blood collected from the same volunteers after a 12-h fasting was incubated with the purified betalains in the range of 5-25 microM, to enrich the erythrocytes with either betanin or indicaxanthin, and then the cells were exposed to cumOOH. When compared to the relevant nonenriched cells, the betalain-enriched erythrocytes exhibited an enhanced resistance to the cumOOH-induced hemolysis, which was positively correlated (r (2) = 0.99) to the amount of the incorporated compound. On a micromolar basis, betanin and indicaxanthin showed a comparable effectiveness. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that human RBCs incorporate dietary betalains and support the concept that these phytochemicals may offer antioxidative protection to the cells.

Kinetics of the lipoperoxyl radical-scavenging activity of indicaxanthin in solution and unilamellar liposomes

“…In methanol solution of peroxidizing methyl linoleate, the observed stoichiometry suggests reaction with a second lipoperoxyl radical. As shown by a number of studies, indicaxanthin exhibits an amphyphilic character being capable of binding to LDL [16], as well as partitioning between plasma and red blood cells [17,18]. The amphyphilic nature of the molecule has appeared further evident in the present study.…”

“…Indicaxanthin is a bioavailable phytochemical in humans [39], and accumulates in red blood cells [17] and LDLs [39]. The data presented suggest that it might effectively participate in the antioxidative protection of lipid moieties in vivo, and support the possible significance of this compound for human health.…”

“…Indicaxanthin, a phytochemical of the betalain class, has recently been investigated as a radical scavenger, in either aqueous solutions or in lipid systems [12,[16][17][18]. This paper expands knowledge on the antioxidant capacities of this compound, evaluating the kinetic parameters for the reaction with lipoperoxyl radicals generated in solution, and assessing the antioxidant activity of the molecule in an aqueous liposomal system.…”

“…Indicaxanthin, the yellow pigment characterizing the edible fruit of the cactus Opuntia ficus indica, is the adduct of betalamic acid with proline ( Figure 1). The redox potential and radical scavenging activity of this compound have recently been measured [12], and a number of data have been published on the antioxidant and protective effects of indicaxanthin in various biological environments from low density lipoproteins (LDL) [16], to either healthy [17] or pathological [18] red blood cells, as well as cell cultures [19]. These findings led us to study the interaction between indicaxanthin and lipoperoxyl radicals produced under controlled conditions in either methyl linoleate (LAME) solution, or in liposomal bilayers of soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC), in order to provide chemical parameters characterizing the antioxidant properties of this compound.…”

Effect of storage time on physicochemical and textural properties of sausages covered with oxidized banana starch film with and without betalains

“…Even after 10 days of storage, the starch films still have roughly that amount of betalain and can benefit humans if the film is eaten with the sausage. One advantage betalains have over other antioxidants is that they can be absorbed by the body (Butera et al, 2002;Tesoriere, Butera, Allegra, Fazzari, & Livrea, 2005), despite some loss that may occur during the digestive process. Potential betalain absorption varies from 40% to 78% (Tesoriere, Fazzari, Angileri, Gentile, & Livrea, 2008), but once absorbed, the betalains play a protective role in the human body (Lee, Hyun, Li, & Moon, 2001;Sreekanth et al, 2007;Zou et al, 2005).…”