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Global interest in sugarcane has increased significantly in recent years because of its economic impact on sustainable energy production. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate changes in the concentrations of total sugars, amino acids, free proline, and total proteins by colorimetric analyses and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to perform a metabolic profiling of a water-soluble fraction of symplastic sap in response to the constitutive expression of a mutant Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) gene from Vigna aconitifolia. However, there was not a significant increase in the free proline content in the sap of transgenic plants compared to the non-transformed control plants. The most noticeable difference between the two genotypes was an almost two-fold increase in the accumulation of sucrose in the stem internodes of P5CS transgenic sugarcane plants. The results presented in this work showed that transgenic sugarcane plants with increased levels of free proline accumulates high soluble sugar content and, therefore, may represent a novel genotype for improving sugarcane cultivars.

The antiviral potential of natural polysaccharide compounds has been demonstrated, especially against enveloped viruses and members of the Herpesviridae family. Two polysaccharide fractions obtained from Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) leaves, that were active against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were studied to investigate their mode of action. Both polysaccharides - SFW (crude faction) and SSFK (homogeneous alkaline fraction) - exerted antiviral effects on the initial stages of HSV-1 infection by inhibiting viral adsorption and penetration. When added after virus internalization, both fractions decreased plaque size. The effect of the fractions was confirmed by investigating viral glycoprotein expression. Based on the mode of action of the polysaccharides demonstrated in the present work and on their selectivity index, the polysaccharides obtained from S. rebaudiana could be an alternative treatment of infections caused by HSV-1.

The Conyza sp. is an annual or short-lived perennial weed of the Asteraceae family. Fructans are linear fructose polymers used in the food industry as a prebiotic nutrient, fat, and sugar substitute and in the pharmaceutical industry as a drug delivery system. The objective of this study was to chemically characterize preliminarily fructans from Conyza sp. roots: fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin-type and evaluated the prebiotic potential activity of these molecules in vitro. Chemical analyses (1H NMR, 13C NMR, GC-MS, FT-IR, and off-line ESI-HRMS) confirmed the presence of the fructans molecules in the aqueous crude extracts of Conyza sp. roots. The study of the prebiotic effect of Conyza sp. fructans in vitro showed an ability to stimulated lactobacilli strains with growth slightly similar (Conyza FOS) and smaller (Conyza inulin) than the commercial prebiotic inulin available (Orafti® GR). These data suggest that Conyza sp. a weed that causes problems agronomic can be used as a promising source to obtain fructans, compounds with potential in the food and technological industries.

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is widely studied because of its foliar steviol glycosides. Fructan-type polysaccharides were recently isolated from its roots. Fructans are reserve carbohydrates that have important positive health effects and technological applications in the food industry. The objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize fructo-oligosaccharides (FOSs) from S. rebaudiana roots and in vitro adventitious root cultures and evaluate the potential prebiotic effect of these molecules. The in vitro adventitious root cultures were obtained using a roller bottle system. Chemical analyses (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance, and off-line electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry) revealed similar chemical properties of FOSs that were obtained from the different sources. The potential prebiotic effects of FOSs that were isolated from S. rebaudiana roots enhanced the growth of both bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, with strains specificity in their fermentation ability.

Inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are fructans a reserve polysaccharides that have a great economic interest in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Cichorium endivia, also known as “escarole”, belongs to the family Asteraceae and normally is used as a salad, forage crops and raw material for the production of fructose. The objective of this work was to extract, characterize chemically, and evaluate the prebiotic activity in vitro from C. endivia roots FOS. By colorimetric assays, we to determined its chemical composition with 85.4% of total sugars containing 72.2% of fructose. HSQC-Q NMR was used to determine the monosaccharide composition. The NMR and off-line ESI-MS analysis showed that C. endivia FOS has a degree of polymerization equal to 6 and 7, respectively. In vitro prebiotic test showed that the same was fermented by all probiotic bacteria evaluated and the results showed that C. endivia FOS is a promising source of prebiotic fructans.

The antiviral potential of natural polysaccharide compounds has been demonstrated, especially against enveloped viruses and members of the

The polysaccharide inulin has great importance in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The degree of polymerization (DP) of inulin influences important properties, such as, solubility, thermal stability, sweetness power and prebiotic activity. Molecules with a high degree of polymerization are obtained through physical techniques for enrichment of the inulin chains because they are not commonly obtained from plants extract. Gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis showed that inulin from Stevia rebaudiana roots has a degree of polymerization (DP n 28) higher than the value of DP n 12–15 for inulins from other plant species. Furthermore, the methodology of freeze/thaw to enrich the chains allowed us to increase the DP, similarly to other methodologies used for the enrichment of inulin chains. The prebiotic assays confirm that inulin from S. rebaudiana has a high DP. The combined use of these molecules with low degree of polymerization fructans seems to be advantageous to prolong the prebiotic effect in the colon. Our results suggest that S. rebaudiana roots are a promising source of high degree polymerization inulins.

The study of sugar from floral nectary is important for identification if a rise or decrease in quantity or nectar quality. The plant may secret a little bit of nectar, but with high sugar concentration, or unlike, secret more quantities, but with low sugar concentration. These differences in nectar may vary depend on pollinator visitation. However, the frequency of honeybees that visit flowers may contribute for rising nectar production like change the sugar proportion.

Steviarebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni pertence a familia Asteraceae e e mundialmenteconhecida pela producao de edulcorantes a partir de suas folhas. A inulina e umfrutano de reserva, importante devido as suas caracteristicas nutricionais,funcionais e aplicacoes tecnologicas na industria de alimentos, farmaceutica ecosmetica. O objetivo do presente estudo e isolar, quantificar e caracterizaros frutanos nas raizes de Stevia rebaudiana. A partir dos dados experimentais,observou-se um rendimento de extracao de 29,31%, que e superior ao observado apartir das principais fontes comercialmente disponiveis (15-20%). A partir dasanalises espectrofotometricas, enzimaticas e RMN de 1H e 13C, pode-seobservar que as moleculas de inulina obtidas a partir das raizes de S.rebaudiana possuem um alto Grau de Polimerizacao (GP) (~ 30). A partir dos dadosobtido, pode-se afirmar que a Stevia rebaudiana e uma promissora fonte deobtencao comercial de inulina com elevado grau de polimerizacao.

O cacto “Mandacaru”, Cereus peruvianus Mill. (Cactaceae), possui muitas aplicacoes com fins economicos e industriais por produzirem alcaloides, esteres de cera com potencial de aplicacao como barreira impermeavel e uma goma viscosa com diversas aplicacoes industriais, tais como: adjuvante na floculacao de impurezas da agua e em formulacoes cosmeticas, tratamento de efluentes, producao de polieletrolitos e clarificacao de extratos. A cultura de calos e de celulas em suspensao de Cereus peruvianus representa uma fonte alternativa para a sintese em escala industrial de produtos originalmente produzidos pelas plantas, tais como: alcaloides, polissacarideos e acidos graxos insaturados, com aplicacoes nas industrias de alimentos, farmaceutica, de tintas, detergentes e de plastico. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo extrair e determinar o perfil quimico de polissacarideos a partir da cultura de calos do Cereus peruvianus. Atraves das analises espectrofotometricas e por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) foi possivel caracterizar preliminarmente carboidratos pecticos, sugerindo a presenca de pectinas.

O Cereus peruvianus Mill. (Cactaceae) e uma especie de cacto popularmente conhecida no Brasil como “Mandacaru”. Possui acao anticolesterolemia e atividade antineoplasica devido a presenca de acidos graxos poli-insaturados (PUFAs). A analise do perfil lipidico deste cacto e estimulado devido ao grande interesse industrial, economico e clinico deste vegetal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o perfil lipidico do C. peruvianus por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) e por ressonância magnetica nuclear de hidrogenio (RMN de 1 H) e de carbono treze (RMN de 13 C). Atraves da CCD verificou-se que as fracoes extraidas do cacto apresentam perfil lipidico distinto, esta diferenca dos acidos graxos permite a escolha da fracao com maior quantidade de PUFAs para os testes futuros. A analise dos espectros de RMN de 1 H e 13 C demonstrou a presenca de regioes tipicas de acidos graxos insaturados no extrato bruto analisado.

A Pfaffia sp (Amaranthaceae), conhecida como ginseng brasileiro e comercializada como substituta do ginseng asiatico, o Panax ginsen g . O Brasil e considerado o maior centro produtor de Pfaffia na America. No entanto, enquanto o Panax ginseng e provavelmente a mais popular e bem conhecida planta medicinal documentada ate hoje, os estudos com Pffafia sp sao ainda bastante escassos principalmente em relacao aos polissacarideos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o perfil quimico e de homogeneidade dos polissacarideos extraidos dessas raizes. Atraves das analises espectrofotometricas e por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) foi possivel identificar carboidratos do tipo frutano o que sugere a presenca de fruto-oligossacarideos. A amostra se apresentou homogenea indicando a presenca de moleculas de tamanhos aproximados, possivelmente um unico tipo de polissacarideo.