0000000000154596
AUTHOR
Natividad Sebastià
Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Tigernuts and Their Beverages Commercialized in Spain
A method based on matrix solid phase dispersion extraction was applied to determine aflatoxins B(1), B(2), G(1), and G(2) from tigernuts and tigernut beverages. Recoveries of each aflatoxin from tigernut (spiked at 10 microg/kg level) and from tigernut beverages (spiked at 10 microg/L level) ranged from 72.3 to 82.1% and from 74.0 to 86.3%, respectively. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.21 to 1.49 microg/kg (for tigernuts) and from 0.13 to 0.57 microg/L (for tigernut beverages) studied using liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The proposed extraction method followed by liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection determination was applied to 37 and 25 samples of tig…
In vitro cytogenetic and genotoxic effects of curcumin on human peripheral blood lymphocytes
International audience; Curcumin has shown a wide range of properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. Many of these effects, mainly the anti-carcinogenic effect, could be linked to its anti-oxidant effects. Nevertheless, some studies suggest that this natural compound possesses both pro- and anti-oxidative effects and that curcumin could be a genotoxic agent for some cell lines. We evaluated the genetic damage induced by curcumin to human lymphocytes exposed to increasing concentrations (0-50 μg/ml) of curcumin. Biomarkers such as chromosome aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) were analyzed. In addition to the cytogenetic analysis, the effect of…
Presence of Fusarium emerging mycotoxins in tiger-nuts commercialized in Spain
Abstract Tiger-nuts are tubers from the plant Cyperus esculentus which are commercialized in some regions of West and Central Africa, USA and Spain. These tubers have a high microbial charge such as bacteria, moulds and yeasts which could remain until the finished product. In this study we examined 47 samples of tiger-nut tubers purchased from Spanish supermarkets for contamination with the emerging Fusarium mycotoxins: Enniatins ENs (EN A, EN A1, EN B and EN B1), beauvericin (BEA) and fusaproliferin (FUS). The extraction of the samples was carried out with methanol using an Ultraturrax homogenizer. Mycotoxins were analyzed with a liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to a diode array detector…
Antibacterial effects of enniatins J1 and J3 on pathogenic and lactic acid bacteria
Abstract Enniatins (ENs) are N -methylated cyclohexadepsipeptides, secondary metabolites produced by various species of the genus Fusarium . They are known to act as antifungal, antiyeast and antibacterial and to possess antiinsecticidal and phytotoxic properties. In this study we evaluated for the first time the antibiotic effect of pure fractions of EN J 1 and J 3 on several pathogenic strains and lactic acid bacteria. The ENs J 1 and J 3 were purified from the fermentation extract of Fusarium solani growth on solid medium of wheat kamut, using the technique of the low pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) followed by a semipreparative liquid chromatography (LC). The purity and the struct…
Redox Status, Dose and Antioxidant Intake in Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood redox status, dose and antioxidant dietary intake of different hospital staff groups exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation (LDIR) (Interventional Radiology and Cardiology, Radiation Oncology, and Nuclear Medicine) and non-exposed. Personal dose equivalent (from last year and cumulative), plasma antioxidant markers (total antioxidant capacity, extracellular superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio), oxidative stress markers (nitrites and nitrates, and lipid peroxidation) and dietary intake (antioxidant capacity using ORAC values) were collected and analyzed from 28 non-exposed healt…
Frequency of dicentrics and contamination levels in Ukrainian children and adolescents from areas near Chernobyl 20 years after the nuclear plant accident.
International audience; Purpose To survey the possible presence of chromosomal damage and internal contamination in a group of Ukrainian children and adolescents, 20 years after the Chernobyl accident at the Nuclear Power Plant. Materials and methods Cytogenetical procedures were performed according to dicentric assay in 55 Ukrainian children and adolescents (29 boys and 26 girls), living near Chernobyl. In addition, a whole body detector and urinalysis were used to detect internal contamination. Results 36 dicentrics were found in a total of 53,477 metaphases scored in these children, which reflected a frequency of dicentrics below the background level. On the other hand, internal contamin…
Curcumin and trans-resveratrol exert cell cycle-dependent radioprotective or radiosensitizing effects as elucidated by the PCC and G2-assay
Curcumin and trans-resveratrol are well-known antioxidant polyphenols with radiomodulatory properties, radioprotecting non-cancerous cells while radiosensitizing tumor cells. This dual action may be the result of their radical scavenging properties and their effects on cell-cycle checkpoints that are activated in response to radiation-induced chromosomal damage. It could be also caused by their effect on regulatory pathways with impact on detoxification enzymes, the up-regulation of endogenous protective systems, and cell-cycle-dependent processes of DNA damage. This work aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the dual action of these polyphenols and investigates under which conditions…
Radioprotective activity and cytogenetic effect of resveratrol in human lymphocytes: An in vitro evaluation
Trans-resveratrol is a natural occurring polyphenol, obtained from grapes and other berries. This compound has shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant or anti-carcinogenic properties. Our aim was to evaluate the radioprotective efficacy, in vitro, of trans-resveratrol against radiation-induced chromosomal damage and to study the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of this polyphenol in cell cultures without irradiation. The study was carried out by the pre-treatment of human lymphocytes at concentrations from 0 to 219μM of trans-resveratrol. The results showed that all concentrations tested reduced radiation-induced chromosomal damage compared with cells with any treatment. Maximum …
Analysis of the Possible Persistent Genotoxic Damage in Workers Linked to the Ardystil Syndrome
[EN] Background: A combination of several factors including a change in the paint application system; a lack of proper hygiene; and inadequate safety measures caused a severe health impact in the workers of some textile painting factories. This outbreak, mainly characterized by respiratory disorders, caused the death of six people and it has been classified as Ardystil syndrome. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two workers involved in the outbreak and 48 healthy subjects not known to have exposed to the potentially mutagenic agents participated in the study. The program evaluated possible genotoxic damage through the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) cytogenetic biomarker assay. We determined the…
Sister chromatid exchange, (SCE), High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) and SCE distribution patterns in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Spanish adult smokers compared to non-smokers
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, smoking tobacco is a major cause of cancer in humans. It causes about half of all male cancer deaths and an ever increasing number of cancer deaths in females. The aim of this study was to establish whether cigarette smoking increases sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes in two Spanish population groups; light and heavy smokers. The mean number of High-Frequency Cells (HFCs) was determined and, the SCE distribution pattern among the chromosomes was analysed represented by a ratio described below. A local sample of 101 adult smokers (n = 48) and non-smokers (n = 53), aged from 18 to 49 years, was studi…
One-year monitoring of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in tiger-nuts and their beverages.
A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) method was developed for the routine analysis of aflatoxins (AFB(1), AFB(2), AFG(1) and AFG(2)) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in tiger nuts and tiger-nut beverage (horchata). A matrix solid phase dispersion was adapted to eliminate lipidic interferences. The solid support was C(18), while the elution solvent was acetonitrile. Mean recoveries obtained at two fortification levels were 72-83% and 71-81% for horchata and tiger nut respectively with relative standard deviations (RSDs) <13% and 15% respectively. The LC-MS-MS method allowed quantification and identification at low levels in two matri…
A preliminary study of presence of resveratrol in skins and pulps of European and Japanese plum cultivars
BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a polyphenol with health properties being mainly present in the skins of several foods. However, any study has been carried out to analyze the presence of this stilbene in the plum fruit from the genus Prunus in European and Japanese cultivars. RESULTS: The analysis of resveratrol from the skin in different cultivars of plums from Spanish markets with liquid chromatography coupled to ultraviolet (LC-UV) detector with subsequent confirmation by LC-MS/MS has been demonstrated that contents of this compound in plums ranged from 0.1 to 6.2 µg/g. CONCLUSIONS: Values of resveratrol in European plum cultivars is higher than in Japanese cultivars. Copyright © 2012 Society…
Assessment in vitro of radioprotective efficacy of curcumin and resveratrol
Abstract Many natural substances have been studied in recent past to be used as radioprotectors to mitigate ionizing radiation-induced damage in mammalian systems due to its effectiveness given both pre- and post-irradiation and for long time with out drug-related toxicity. Curcumin and trans -resveratrol are both natural occurring polyphenols, obtained from the root of Curcuma longa and from grapes and other berries, respectively. These compounds have shown antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant and anti-carcinogenic properties. Our aim was to evaluate the radioprotective efficacy, in vitro , of curcumin and trans -resveratrol separately against radiation-induced chromosomal aberr…
Assessment of microbial quality of commercial and home-made tiger-nut beverages
Aims: We aimed to assess the microbiological quality of Spanish commercial tiger-nut beverages as well as home-made samples collected from supermarkets, street vendors, juice bars and ice-cream parlours located in Valencia. Methods and Results: Microbiological analysis of 44 tiger-nut beverages samples were carried out according to International Standard Organization (ISO) norms and published works which included the total viable count, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, yeasts, moulds, Yersinia enterocolitca, Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. The obtained results indicated that all the commercial sample…