In addition to their own antioxidants, human cells feed on external antioxidants, such as the phenolic compounds of fruits and vegetables, which work together to keep oxidative stress in check. Sechium edule, an edible species of chayote, has phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity and antineoplastic activity. A Sechium hybrid shows one thousand times greater antineoplastic activity than edible species, but its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and the content of phenolic compounds are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of the extract of fruits of the Sechium hybrid in vitro and in vivo. Phytochemical analysis using HPLC showed that the extract of the Sechium hybrid has at least 16 phenolic compounds; galangin, naringenin, phloretin and chlorogenic acid are the most abundant. In an in vitro assay, this extract inhibited 2,2-diphenyl-L-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity and protected the dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) phospholipid model cell membrane from oxidation mediated by hypochlorous acid (HClO). In vivo, it was identified that the most abundant metabolites in the extract enter the bloodstream of the treated mice. On the other hand, the extract reduces the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interferon gamma (IFNγ), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) but increases interleukin-10 (IL-10) and glutathione peroxidase levels. Our findings indicate that intake of the fruits of the Sechium hybrid leads to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model. Therefore, these results support the possibility of exploring the clinical effect of this hybrid in humans.
Keywords: IL-10; TNFα; chayote; glutathione peroxidase; phenolic compounds.