Anxiolytic and Antioxidant Effect of Phytoecdysteroids and Polyphenols from Chenopodium quinoa on an In Vivo Restraint Stress Model

Abstract

The variety of stressful conditions in daily human activity requires nutritional support with safe, specialized food products containing functional food ingredients (FFIs) enriched with biologically active plant substances with proven adaptogenic properties. In this in vivo study, by evaluating a set of physiological parameters and biochemical markers, we investigated the effectiveness of the developed FFIs from Chenopodium quinoa grains in stress conditions induced by daily episodes of immobilization for 36 days. The results of the evaluation of the anxiety-like functions, locomotor, and search activity of rats in the “open field” and “elevated plus maze” tests demonstrated the ability of FFIs to reduce stressful behavior induced by immobilization. The improvement in the long-term memory of animals treated with FFIs was noted in the passive avoidance test. Together with the hypolipidemic effect and compensation of transaminase levels, FFIs normalized the excretion of catecholamines in the urine and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde to values of the control group. According to the results of the assessment of FFI acute oral toxicity, the LD50 value exceeded 5000 mg/kg of body weight, which categorizes the FFIs under hazard class 5—substances with low hazard. The conducted experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of nutritional support with FFIs on the selected stress model. The positive safety profile of FFIs makes them reasonable to study on other stress models and to conduct clinical testing as part of specialized food products in various categories of people exposed to chronic stress.

Ecdysterone and Turkesterone—Compounds with Prominent Potential in Sport and Healthy Nutrition

“…Supplementation with quinoa and chia seed extracts may regulate metabolic indicators and showed hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities in rats [212]. Quinoa extracts showed anti-obesity, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, immunoregulatory, and collagenase-modulating effects in in vivo experiments with rats [208][209][210][211][212][213][214]. No serious adverse effects were reported within the experiments, which correlated with the safety profile of quinoa extracts and their safe nutrition in sports.…”

“…al. revealed that quinoa effectively normalized oxidative stress markers and improved cognitive function [209]. Meneguetti et al reported that hydrolyzed quinoa decreased body weight, blood triacyl-glycerol level, and fat deposition [200].…”

Nutritional and Functional New Perspectives and Potential Health Benefits of Quinoa and Chia Seeds

“…Phenolic compounds are considered secondary plant metabolites that contain hydroxyl groups attached to at least one aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Although many phenolic compounds exist in a plant, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, phenols, quinines, coumarins, lignans, phenylpropanoids, and xanthones [62], but flavonol glycosides mainly consist of quercetin and kaempferol, most abundantly present in quinoa. Polyphenol content in quinoa seeds varies between 0.46 and 1.84 mg/g of dry weight.…”

“…These are used to provide defense action in plants from insects. Also, these have other biological properties such as wound healing, antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and anti-depressive activities [62]. There are 13 phytoecdysteroids in quinoa seeds, of which 20-hydroxyecdysone (20HE) is abundantly present (around 62% to 90%).…”