Caracterização físico química, quantificação do 6-Gingerol e determinação da atividade antioxidante e anti-inflamatória do gengibre (Zingiber officinale)

Abstract

Obesity is considered a condition that increases the risk of morbidity for other chronic diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, coronary disease and is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and significant oxidative stress. It is estimated that 52.3% of the Brazilian population is overweight, and 17.8% of the population is obese. The prevention and control of CNCDs and also the promotion of health depend on strategies of changes in habits and behaviors, such as diet modifications and the fight against sedentarism. Foods of plant origin are rich in nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E and phenolic compounds that have biological health-promoting properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypocholesterolemic activity, as well as a protective effect against chronic noncommunicable diseases. Among these, stands ginger, a rhizome widely used as ingredients for breads, cakes, beverages and teas. This food has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiemetic, anti-nausea, antimutagenic, antiulcer, hypoglycemic and antibacterial activities, which makes its consumption increased greatly in recent years. Thus, the production of the same has increased and despite the practice of growing organically, most producers use pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, many of which are harmful to health, and may compromise the final action of the food. In view of this reality, this work aims to determine the centesimal composition of the rhizome of ginger from organic and conventional cultivation and to evaluate the potential as a functional food, determining its antioxidant and anti - inflammatory capacity. In order to evaluate the difference in cultivation, ginger rhizomes were obtained from conventional and organic cultivars (2 conventional culture samples and 2 organic culture samples). In both forms of cultivation the chemical characterization was performed, evaluating the centesimal composition, total lipids, total proteins, ashes, dietary fiber and carbohydrate), antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds and 6-gingerol content by UPLC. In order to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of ginger, an experimental study was conducted in which the properties of ginger were evaluated in the treatment of obesity in Balb-c mice. Obesity was induced by a diet rich in simple carbohydrates during the first eight weeks of the experiment. From the 9th to the 12th week of the study, animals receiving a high carbohydrate (HC) diet were relocated to three new groups that fed HC diet with different dosages of ginger extract (200, 600 and 1800 mg per Kg body weight). The results were superior in relation to the levels of insoluble dietary fiber and total proteins, as well as 6-gingerol for organic ginger samples. The animals fed HC diet presented higher adiposity, hypertrophied adipocytes and metabolic and inflammatory alterations. On the other hand, supplementation of ginger extract resulted in a lower adipocyte area, a higher concentration of adiponectin, a lower concentration of resistin and a reduction in triglycerides in the liver. In the animals fed with ginger extract, a reduction in the content of TNF-alpha and leucocytes was observed and adhered in adipose tissue. Thus, there was a significant improvement in local inflammation in adipose tissue and a favorable picture of insulin action after treatment with ginger.