Drupe (Stonefruit) such as nectarines, peaches, and plums contain elements bioactive against obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and high cholesterol levels. That's the findings of U.S. researchers at Texas A & M University. The results of the study, which was presented at the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia in August, showed that the compound drupe (stonefruit) can be a weapon against metabolic syndrome, thereby reducing the chances of heart disease and diabetes.
Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallos, the lead researcher, said: Our study suggests that the stone fruit -peaches, plums and nectarines- have potentially bioactive compounds that can fight metabolic syndrome. Our work shows that the phenolic compounds present in fruits have anti-obesity properties, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic in different cell lines and can also reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL) is associated with cardiovascular disease.
For information, drupe (stone fruit) in botany is the fruit that has skin and flesh surrounding a seed or kernel. These fruits have a definitive characteristics such as hard seed and undergo lignification (hollow), which is derived from the ovary wall flower. Besides nectarines, peaches and plums, some other flowering plants in the fruit is coffee, mango, olive, palm, coconut, palm, almonds, apricots and cherries.
For their study, the scientists isolate a particular chemical compound of nectarines, peaches and plums. Cell culture results showed that the four major groups of phytochemical-anthocyanins, chlorogenic acid, quercetin and catechin-acts directly on fat cells and macrophage cells in blood vessel walls. Substances that plants change gene activity and protein production of cells and thus have anti-inflammatory properties.
The extent to which the influence of eating peaches and other stone fruit of the metabolic syndrome in real life, is still unclear. In the next step, the researchers will investigate what molecular mechanism behind the positive effects were found. They also plan to confirm these findings in experiments on rats.
In the U.S., statistics show that about 30 percent of the population is overweight or obese and the trend continues to rise alarmingly. In recent years, obesity has become a major concern due to its associated health problems, diseases known as metabolic syndrome. Lifestyle, genetic predisposition and diet plays a big role in a person's predisposition to obesity.
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