Thesis
Assessing the Andean crops Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubillis L.) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) for their bioactive compounds and their potential health benefits
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100795
Abstract
The Andean region is one of the most important centers of crop origin in the world and contains a high diversity of domesticated crops such as sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubillis L.) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.); these crops are very well known for their putative health benefits and medicinal properties. Nowadays, these crops are attracting the interest of a wider audience around the world, thus, it is very important to study their bioactive components to validate its healthy properties. The protective effects against inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk of the bioactive components present in the raw and roasted seeds of sacha inchi oil (SIO) were tested using in-vitro assays in human vein endothelial cells. Raw and roasted SIO down-regulated nuclear factor kappa [Beta] (NF-[Kappa][Beta]) mRNA and up-regulated the anti-inflammatory transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-[gamma]) demonstrating that SIO has potential to decrease cardiovascular disease risk factors. To identify quinoa varieties with the highest content of bioactive compounds and, and to test the stability of bioactive compound after the cooking process, ten quinoa varieties were profiled for their content of non-digestible bioactive compounds before and after cooking. The results were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare differences between varieties and a principal component analysis (PCA) to investigate the content variability of each specific bioactive compound. The bioactive compounds in different quinoa varieties varied over a wide range and showed varying stability during the cooking process. Because of these strong variations, different varieties showed high values of various bioactive compounds, making the selection of an overall best variety subjective to the compound of greatest interest. To study the possible anti-inflammatory effect of quinoa in the intestine, an animal model (mice obese diabetic db/db) was used. The results showed that the quinoa diet improves permeability in the ileum by up-regulating the gene expression of tight junction proteins and by down-regulating the gene expression of inflammatory markers in the proximal colon and colon mucosal cells. These changes in gene expression may be explained by quinoa's prebiotic effect that modifies gut microbiota. Overall, the study shows that quinoa non-digestible bioactive compounds have protective health benefits in the intestine in diabetic obese mice.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Assessing the Andean crops Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubillis L.) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) for their bioactive compounds and their potential health benefits
- Creators
- Rocio Jackelyn Carrion Rabanal
- Contributors
- Giuliana Noratto (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Food Science, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525183101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis