Carotenoids from mamey (Pouteria sapota) and carrot (Daucus carota) increase the oxidative stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Carotenoids are natural pigments and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables such as carrot, tomato, orange, mango, yellow corn, pumpkin, and mamey. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of mamey (Pouteria sapota) carotenoids and compared them to carrot (Daucus carota) carotenoids. The carotenoids were extracted from mamey and carrot, and their antioxidant capacity were determined via in vitro (ABTS method) and in vivo assays (resistance against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans). The carotenoid contents in mamey and carrot were 4.42 ± 0.12 and 5.47 ± 0.04 mg β-carotene/100 g, respectively. Despite the differences between the carotenoid contents in both products (p < 0.05), the in vitro antioxidant capacity results showed no significant differences between the extracts (p > 0.05). The mamey and carrot carotenoid extracts decreased the oxidative damage in C. elegans by 20-30% and 30-40%, respectively. Both extracts increased the resistance and enhanced the survival of the nematodes, and showed better effects than pure β-carotene, probably owing to the complex mixture in the carotenoid extracts. These results suggest that mamey is a good alternative source of carotenoids and that it protects against oxidative stress in C. elegans. The protective effect of mamey carotenoids was similar to the effect of carrot carotenoids.

Keywords: Caenorhabditis elegans; Carotenoids; Daucus carota; Oxidative stress; Pouteria sapota.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Oxidative stress resistance of Trolox-treated nematodes. The results are expressed as the percentage of half-life time of nematodes treated with Trolox (225 μg/mL) when they were exposed to oxidative stress (400 μM juglone) compared to the control (0 μg/mL). a) First generation (F1); b) Second generation (F2); c) Third generation (F3). The data shown correspond to means ± standard deviations from three independent measurements. Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between treated and untreated nematodes in each generation.

Fig. 2

Oxidative stress resistance of nematodes treated with β-carotene. The results are expressed as the percentage of half-life time of nematodes treated with β-carotene (20, 30, and 40 μg/mL) when they were exposed to oxidative stress (400 μM juglone) compared to the control (0 μg/mL). a) First generation (F1); b) Second generation (F2); c) Third generation (F3). The data shown correspond to means ± standard deviations from three independent measurements. Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments in each generation.

Fig. 3

Oxidative stress resistance of nematodes treated with the mamey pulp carotenoid extract (MPCE). The results are expressed as the percentage of half-life time of nematodes treated with the MPCE (20, 30, and 40 μg/mL) when they were exposed to oxidative stress (400 μM juglone) compared to the control (0 μg/mL). a) First generation (F1); b) Second generation (F2); c) Third generation (F3). The data shown correspond to means ± standard deviations from three independent measurements. Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments in each generation.

Fig. 4

Oxidative stress resistance of nematodes treated with the mamey skin carotenoid extract (MSCE). The results are expressed as the percentage of half-life time of nematodes treated with the MSCE (20, 30, and 40 μg/mL) when they were exposed to oxidative stress (400 μM juglone) compared to the control (0 μg/mL). a) First generation (F1); b) Second generation (F2); c) Third generation (F3). The data shown correspond to means ± standard deviations from three independent measurements. Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments in each generation.

Fig. 5

Oxidative stress resistance of nematodes treated with the carrot carotenoid extract (CCE). The results are expressed as the percentage of half-life time of nematodes treated with the CCE (20, 30, and 40 μg/mL) when they were exposed to oxidative stress (400 μM juglone) compared to the control (0 μg/mL). a) First generation (F1); b) Second generation (F2); c) Third generation (F3). The data shown correspond to means ± standard deviations from three independent measurements. Different letters indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments in each generation.