Background:
The Rotonda’s Red Eggplant belongs to the family of Solanum aethiopicum
and it is cultivated in a specific area of Potenza (Basilicata, South of Italy) including villages of Rotonda,
Viggianello, Castelluccio Superiore and Castelluccio Inferiore. The Red Eggplant cultivated in
this area has gained the PDO, “Protected Designation of Origin”.
Objective:
The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of PDO Rotonda’s Red Eggplant extract
as a possible nutraceutical supplement. The antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic
properties were in vitro evaluated.
Methods:
The antioxidant activity was investigated by evaluating the scavenging properties against
2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)
(ABTS) radicals and by performing the Ammonium Molybdate and Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The hypoglycemic
and antihypertensive activity was studied by evaluating the α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase
and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme, respectively, inhibiting activity. In order to evaluate the hypolipidemic
activity, the pancreatic lipase inhibiting property was determined and Oil Red O staining
assay was performed. Finally, to evaluate the possible use of this extract as a minerals supplement,
Selenium, Potassium and Chrome bioaccessibility was studied.
Results:
The obtained results underline the good antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antihypertensive and
hypolipidemic in vitro properties of the PDO Rotonda’s Red Eggplant extract. Moreover, the obtained
data show a higher minerals bioaccessibility and this higher value could be ascribable to the
natural phytocomplex of PDO Rotonda’s Red Eggplant, which increases the minerals bioaccessibility
if compare it with a control sample.
Conclusion:
The obtained results show that PDO Rotonda’s Red Eggplant extract, might be used as
a possible nutraceutical supplement, along with traditional therapies, both for its biological properties
and for its minerals bioaccessibility value.
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