CO2 treatment improves the hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant properties of fenugreek seeds

Wael N Hozzein; Ahmed M Saleh; Talaat H Habeeb; Mohammed A M Wadaan; Hamada AbdElgawad

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125661

CO₂ treatment improves the hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant properties of fenugreek seeds

Food Chem. 2020 Mar 5:308:125661. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125661. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Authors

Wael N Hozzein¹, Ahmed M Saleh², Talaat H Habeeb³, Mohammed A M Wadaan⁴, Hamada AbdElgawad⁵

Affiliations

¹ Bioproducts Research Chair, Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt. Electronic address: whozzein@ksu.edu.sa.
² Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt; Biology Department, Faculty of Science at Yanbu, Taibah University, King Khalid Rd., Al Amoedi, 46423 Yanbu El-Bahr, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: asaleh@sci.cu.edu.eg.
³ Biology Department, Faculty of Science at Yanbu, Taibah University, King Khalid Rd., Al Amoedi, 46423 Yanbu El-Bahr, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Bioproducts Research Chair, Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt; Laboratory for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020, Antwerp 2020, Belgium.

PMID: 31669948
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125661

Abstract

A high level of serum cholesterol is a major cause of atherosclerosis. Fenugreek is a well-known hypocholesterolaemic agent with amazing phytochemical composition. Due to its impact on plant metabolism, CO₂ enrichment was tested as a strategy to support functional values in fenugreek seeds. Phytochemical composition and biological activities of three fenugreek cultivars (G2, G6 and G30) grown under ambient (aCO₂, 400 μmol mol^-1) and elevated CO₂ (eCO₂, 620 μmol mol^-1) were assessed. Applying eCO₂ improved physical parameters of fenugreek seeds, and enhanced their biological activities. A significant increase in hypocholesterolaemic potential, as indicated by inhibition of cholesterol micellar solubility and pancreatic lipase activity, was recorded. In addition, antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation and antibacterial activities were improved. These enhanced biological activities were accompanied by improved seed chemical composition at the primary and secondary metabolic levels. Therefore, eCO₂ treatment represents an efficient strategy to increase the hypocholesterolaemic, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of fenugreek seeds.

Keywords: Bioactive metabolites; CO(2); Cholesterol micellar solubility; Fenugreek; Hypocholesterolaemic potential; Pancreatic lipase activity.

MeSH terms

Animals
Antioxidants / pharmacology*
Carbon Dioxide / pharmacology*
Cholesterol / metabolism*
Lipid Peroxidation
Pancreas / enzymology
Plant Extracts / chemistry
Plant Extracts / metabolism*
Seeds / chemistry
Seeds / metabolism
Trigonella / chemistry
Trigonella / drug effects
Trigonella / metabolism*

Substances

Antioxidants
Plant Extracts
Carbon Dioxide
fenugreek seed meal
Cholesterol