Chás comerciais/alimentos nutracêuticos: prospecção de moduladores enzimáticos

Abstract

Considered the second most ingested drink in the world, tea promotes a range of benefits to human health, these are generally associated with the antioxidant activity of different phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids and phenolic acids. In Brazil, the most consumed infusions include chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), anise (Pimpinella anisum), yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), and green/black (Camellia sinensis) teas, these being the infusions evaluated in the present study. Proteases and phospholipases A2 were used as a study tool to evaluate the inhibitory action of teas in tests of phospholipase activity, hemolysis, thrombolysis, fibrinogenolysis, proteolysis on casein and coagulation of citrated plasma. In addition, the anti-inflammatory potential of teas was evaluated in a hemolysis test in liquid medium at 54oC. The activity of PLA2s was reduced by more than 25% in the treatments with black tea and mate tea. The most significant inhibitions in protease activity were observed after incubation with black tea (40.74%), green tea (31.48%) and yerba mate (25.93%). Infusions of black and green tea reduced the hemolysis assessed in semi-solid and environment liquid. Plasma incubators with green tea, black tea and lemon balm, and subsequent addition of venom (1:10 ratio; tea: PBS, v:v), prolonged the coagulation time of the citrated plasma by approximately twice, when compared to the positive control. The countless proofs of the benefits of teas to human health, both from ancient popular use and from scientific research, highlight the relevance of promoting the expansion of the possibilities of use, considering the development of new formulations and/or products, as well as the recommendation of consumption of these infusions for prevention and as an adjunct to conventional treatments for diseases, especially inflammatory ones.