Investigação do potencial antitumoral de sementes e brotos de chia (Salvia hispanica L.) sobre células de câncer de mama

Abstract

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a herbaceous plant whose health benefits are mainly attributed to its nutritional properties, as it is composed of a considerable amount of proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly omega 3), fibers, minerals and different bioactive compounds with antioxidant action, such as phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are substances that have recognized antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor capacity, and their activity and bioaccessibility can be altered when passing through the stages of the digestion process. In addition, their antioxidant capacity can also be enhanced through methods such as germination. The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity, the content of phenolic compounds and the antitumor activity of chia seeds and sprouts, before and after the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion process. The samples of chia seeds and sprouts were subjected to the simulated digestion process according to the INFOGEST 2.0 protocol. The phenolic compound content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau method, the antioxidant activity was determined using the FRAP, ABTS and DPPH methods, and the cell viability was determined using the Alamar Blue® method. The results demonstrated a higher phenolic compound content and antioxidant activity of chia sprouts compared to seeds before digestion, confirming the important role of germination in this process. It was observed that after simulated digestion, the total phenolic contents of chia seed and sprout extracts increased during the intestinal phase by approximately 2.6 and 14 times, respectively, compared to extracts before digestion. Regarding antioxidant activity, there was a reduction after the intestinal phase of over 50% in all methods analyzed for chia seeds, with the exception of the ABTS method, while the sprout showed an increase in antioxidant activity in all methods analyzed. The cell viability of the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 tumor lines was reduced only when exposed to digested chia sprouts, by 38% and 10%, respectively. Thus, chia sprouts appear to be beneficial options for health, mainly due to the associated phenolic and antioxidant content.