title: Functional and hypoglycemic properties of nopal cladodes (O. ficus-indica) at different maturity stages using in vitro and in vivo tests.
abstract: Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes are recommended for their therapeutic properties; their maturity stage may affect their biological properties. Cladodes of three maturity stages, from the same crop and location, were dehydrated and evaluated for some of their physicochemical and nutritional characteristics and antidiabetic properties. The flours of small and medium cladodes (SCF and MCF, respectively) had higher contents of dietary fiber, water absorption, swelling, and viscosity compared to those of the large cladode flour (LCF). Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, treated with MCF and SCF (doses of 50 mg/kg body weight), showed reduction of postprandial blood glucose on 46.0 and 23.6%, respectively (p < 0.05), in relation to the control; and LCF had no significant effect. In vitro, glucose diffusion tests showed similar ranking by the two former samples, whereas the latter was close to the control. Cladode maturity stages showed different fiber content and produced suspensions with differences in viscosity, which may affect in vitro and in vivo glucose responses.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Programa Regional del Noroeste para el Doctorado en Biotecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa , Blvd. de las Américas S/N, Culiacán, Sinaloa 80010, Mexico.
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nuñez-López
authors.forename: Octavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Paredes-López
authors.forename: Rosalía
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reynoso-Camacho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts