Avaliação do efeito do guaraná (Paullinia cupana) nas disfunções oculares associadas à idade: um estudo translacional

Abstract

The human aging is associated to risk of chronical degenerative diseases. Among these morbidities that occur in elderly subjects is visual diseases, mainly age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which leads to irreversible visual loss. Currently, AMD did not have effective-treatment. AMD, as well as other chronic morbidities are associated with changes in cellular metabolism, with emphasis on oxidative stress. Evidence have suggested that diet would play a relevant role in the control of oxidative stress. Therefore, studies on the impact of vegetables, especially fruits, on visual health are relevant. Previous investigations carried out in riverine elderly people from Maués, Amazonas suggested that the usual consumption of some fruits, especially guaraná (Paullinia cupana) would be associated with a lower prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. However, no previous study investigated the impact of guarana on vision. The present study conducted two complementary protocols. In the first one, was investigated the in vivo association between self-reported perception of visual quality and the habitual intake (> 3 days/week) of guarana powder in riverine elderly subjects. The second one was an in vitro study that evaluated effects protective effects of guarana (Paullinia cupana) on the cell line of the pigmentary epithelium Retina (RPE) exposed to Paraquat. EPR cells, commercial line ARPE-19 (ATCC ATCC® CRL-2302 ™), were exposed to guarana for 48h is to Paraquat for another 6h, and also to Paraquat 6h plus guarana 48h. Results: 630 elderly were included in the study, being 291 (46,2%) mens and 339 (53,8 %) women with a mean age of 72,3. Approximately half of the elderly self reported having a poor vision 320 (50.8%), 234 (37.1%) self reported having regular vision, and only 76 (12.1%) self reported having a good vision. Individuals who reported good vision had a higher frequency of habitual consumption of guarana (Paullinia cupana) (> 3 times / week). From the in vitro results it was possible to observe that the treatment with guarana was able to reverse the cytotoxicity caused by Paraquat, which increases the levels of the superoxide anion, triggering oxidative stress. This protective action led to a decreasing of some events as apoptosis and necrosis resulting in differential modulation of gene expression and protein levels of caspases 1, 3 and 8. The whole of results suggest that guarana would have a beneficial effect on the visual health of the elderly. Thus, this work provides new perspectives on potential guaraná use in protecting eye diseases due to its cytoprotective effects.