Phenol-rich Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava) extracts protect human red blood cells from mercury-induced cellular toxicity
Date
2019
Authors
Tortora, Fabiana
Notariale, Rosaria
Maresca, Viviana
Good, Katrina V
Sorbo, Sergio
Basile, Adriana
Piscopo, Marina
Manna, Caterina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Antioxidants
Abstract
Plant polyphenols, with broadly known antioxidant properties, represent very effective
agents against environmental oxidative stressors, including mercury. This heavy metal irreversibly
binds thiol groups, sequestering endogenous antioxidants, such as glutathione. Increased incidence of
food-derived mercury is cause for concern, given the many severe downstream effects, ranging from
kidney to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the possible beneficial properties of Feijoa sellowiana
against mercury toxicity were tested using intact human red blood cells (RBC) incubated in the
presence of HgCl2. Here, we show that phenol-rich (10–200 μg/mL) extracts from the Feijoa sellowiana
fruit potently protect against mercury-induced toxicity and oxidative stress. Peel and pulp extracts are
both able to counteract the oxidative stress and thiol decrease induced in RBC by mercury treatment.
Nonetheless, the peel extract had a greater protective effect compared to the pulp, although to a
different extent for the different markers analyzed, which is at least partially due to the greater
proportion and diversity of polyphenols in the peel. Furthermore, Fejioa sellowiana extracts also
prevent mercury-induced morphological changes, which are known to enhance the pro-coagulant
activity of these cells. These novel findings provide biochemical bases for the pharmacological use of
Fejioa sellowiana-based functional foods in preventing and combating mercury-related illnesses.
Description
Keywords
feijoa extracts, mercury, red blood cells, oxidative stress, glutathione, thiol groups, functional food
Citation
Tortora, F., Notariale, R., Maresca, V., Good, K. V., Sorbo, S., Basile, A., . . . Manna, C. (2019). “Phenol-rich Feijoa sellowiana (pineapple guava) extracts protect human red blood cells from mercury-induced cellular toxicity.” Antioxidants, 8(7), 220. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8070220