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Objective: To investigate the acute effects of ingesting a beverage containing guarana ( Paullinia cupana ) seed powder on performance during field tests related to physical capacities that are determinants of soccer performance, such as lower limb power, sprint, agility, and the capacity to carry out intermittent exercise., Methods: The study was conducted using a randomized, crossover, and counterbalanced design, with a beverage containing guarana or placebo administered in a double-blind manner. Twenty-seven under-17 soccer players of a professional soccer club performed a battery of tests 60 min after the ingestion of guarana (3 g of the fruit seed powder) or placebo. Trials were performed with a 7-day washout period. The battery of tests included a countermovement jump test, sprints of 10 and 20 m, an Illinois agility test, and a Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIR1)., Results: Guarana ingestion did not improve countermovement jump, sprints, or agility ( p  > 0.05). However, guarana ingestion increased the distance covered in the YYIR1, compared with placebo ingestion ( p  = 0.01)., Conclusion: Acute ingestion of guarana improves the capacity to perform intermittent exercise in soccer players but seems to be ineffective to improve lower limb power, sprint, and agility.

This study characterized a nanosupplement based on coenzyme Q10 containing guarana (Paullinia cupana) and Brazil nuts oil (Bertholetia excelsa) (G-Nut). Determined cytotoxic and oxi-immunomodulatory effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and its effect on mortality of red Californian earthworms (Eisenia fetida) and on the immune efficiency of its coelomocytes immune by in vitro exposure to yeast dead microorganism. The cytotoxic and immunomodulatory effects of G-Nut and the GN-Free extract (0.25-3 mg/mL) were determined in PBMC cultures. Apoptotic, oxidative, and inflammatory markers were determined using biochemical, immunological, and molecular protocols. The effects of G-Nut and GN-Free extracts on mortality and immune efficiency were investigated in earthworms. G-Nut and GN-Free did not induce cytotoxic events in PBMCs, triggering the decrease in apoptotic (caspases 3 and 8) gene expression, lipid and protein oxidation levels, or pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. G-Nut and GN-Free did not trigger earthworm mortality and improved coelomocyte immune efficiency by increasing Eisenia neutrophil extracellular DNA traps and brown body formation when exposed to dead yeasts. The G-Nut nanoformulation is safe and can be used as a new form of food supplement by oral or transdermal delivery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential due to their abilities of differentiation, immunomodulation, and migration to injured tissues, potentiating such effects when cells are activated. Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a tropical plant species found in South America that is known for its antioxidant, stimulant, and cicatricial effects. The guarana extract is composed of many substances and caffeine is the main component. The objective was to evaluate the effects of guarana and caffeine on MSCs. After the initial characterization, MSCs were treated with Paullinia cupana (10, 100, and 1000 μg/mL) or caffeine (0.4, 4, and 40 μg/mL) for 24 h. MSCs treatment with 1000 μg/mL guarana increased cell polarity, viability, cell migration to chemoattractant, antioxidant potential, and liberation of extracellular vesicles (EVs), while it reduced the levels of autophagy. MSCs treated with 100 and 1000 μg/mL guarana or 40 μg/mL caffeine showed a decrease of cell proliferation. No treatment affected the cellular area and cell cycle of MSCs. The study shows in vitro evidence that guarana could be a promising alternative for activating MSCs to promote better cellular products for future clinical therapies.

Bisphenol A (BPA) may adversely affect human health by inducing oxidative stress and irreversible damage to cells. Bioactive compounds found in some functional foods, individually or in combination, can attenuate the negative effects of BPA exposure; an example is the multi-supplement containing guarana (Gua), selenium (Se), and L-carnitine (LC) -GSC- which has already demonstrated antioxidant, genoprotective, and immunomodulatory activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of GSC and its constituents on oxidative and genotoxic alterations triggered by BPA exposure in the retinal epithelial cell line. The cells exposed to BPA (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 3, and 10 µM) to determine the lowest concentration required to induce cyto-genotoxicity. ARPE-19 cells were then concomitantly exposed to the selected BPA concentration, GSC, and its components (Gua, 1.07 mg/mL; Se, 0.178 µg/mL; and LC, 1.43 mg/mL). Flow cytometry, biochemical assays, qRT-PCR, genotoxicity, apoptosis, and cellular proliferation. Based on our results, 10 µM of BPA could induce cyto-genotoxic and oxidative alterations. BPA did not alter the Bcl-2/BAX expression ratio but induced Casp3 and Casp8 overexpression, suggesting that apoptosis was induced mainly via the extrinsic pathway. GSC partially reversed the alterations triggered by BPA in ARPE-19 cells. However, Se had unexpected negative effects on ARPE-19 cells. The multi-supplement GSC may attenuate changes in oxidative and genotoxic markers related to exposure of ARPE-19 cells to BPA. our results revealed that the antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and genoprotective properties of GSC were not universally shared by its individual, once Se did not exhibit any positive impact.

Guarana (GUA), a Brazilian seed extract, contains caffeine and other bioactive compounds that may have psychoactive effects. To assess the acute effects of GUA compared to a low dose of caffeine (CAF) on cognitive and mood parameters, twenty participants completed a double-blind, crossover experiment where they ingested capsules containing the following: (1) 100 mg CAF, (2) 500 mg GUA containing 130 mg caffeine, or (3) placebo (PLA). Cognitive tests (Simon and 2N-Back Task) were performed at the baseline (pre-ingestion) and 60 min after ingestion. The response time for the cognitive tests and heart rate variability were unaffected ( p > 0.05) by treatment, although 2N-Back was overall faster ( p = 0.001) across time. The accuracy in the 2N-Back Task showed a significant interaction effect ( p = 0.029) due to higher post-ingestion versus pre-ingestion levels ( p = 0.033), but only with the PLA. The supplements also had no effect on cognitive measures following physical fatigue ( n = 11). There was an interaction effect on perceived mental energy, where the pre-ingestion of GUA had lower mental pep ratings compared to post-ingestion ( p = 0.006) and post-exercise ( p = 0.018) levels. Neither the acute ingestion of GUA nor low dose of CAF influenced cognitive performance or provided consistent benefit on mood or mental workload through vagal modulation. Additional investigations are beneficial to determining the lowest effective dose for CAF or GUA to influence mood and/or cognitive performance.

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a highly perishable fruit whose characteristics make it susceptible to developing microorganisms. Plant extracts have been studied as an alternative to pesticides to control spoilage microorganisms, responding to the expectation of the population seeking a healthier way of life. The fungus Botrytis cinerea is a facultative pathogen of vegetables, which can affect all stages of the development of several fruits, such as the strawberry, where it causes gray rot. Trichilia catigua (catuaba), Paullinia cupana (guarana), Stryphnodendron barbatiman (barbatimão), and Caesalpinia peltophoroides (sibipiruna) are planted in the Brazilian flora and have demonstrated pharmacological properties in their extracts. This work aimed to treat strawberries with a biodegradable film containing extracts of these species to evaluate strawberry conservation. There were notable distinctions in mass loss between the extract-treated and control samples. The pH, total acidity (TA), and soluble solids parameters exhibited consistently significant means across both sets of samples. Luminosity increased over the course of days in the color parameters, with the exception of strawberries coated with guarana. The red color showed greater intensity, except for those coated with barbatimão extract. Considering the results, it is possible to conclude that the coatings used can become an alternative to enhance the conservation of strawberries.

The extraction of valuable compounds from dried fruits and vegetables by microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) requires previous hydration of the plant material. In this work, ultrasound was used to speed up the hydration of guarana powder before MHG extraction and increase caffeine recovery. The humidification step was speeded up with ultrasound taking only 15 min over 60 min without ultrasound. Water and 50% (v/v) ethanol were evaluated as green solvents for humidification, with a higher concentration of caffeine obtained for the hydroalcoholic solution. Ultrasound pretreatment allowed guarana extracts from MHG with two times more caffeine for both solvents evaluated. Therefore, ultrasound can be used in the hydration step before MHG extraction to reduce time and increase caffeine recovery from guarana powder.

The growing interest in health and well-being has spurred the evolution of functional foods, which provide enhanced health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Guaraná seeds ( Paullinia cupana ) have been widely studied and used as a functional food due to their richness in caffeine, phenolic compounds, amino acids, and other nutrients. This has established guaraná as a significant food supplement, with Brazil being the largest producer of the world. This study aims to propose a set of analytical methods to chemically evaluate fifty-six different guaraná clones, from the Guaraná Germplasm Active Bank, to accommodate the diverse requirements of the food industry. Metabolomic approaches were employed, in which a non-target metabolomic analysis via UPLC-QTOF-MS E led to the annotation of nineteen specialized metabolites. Furthermore, targeted metabolomics was also used, leading to the identification and quantification of metabolites by NMR. The extensive data generated were subjected to multivariate analysis, elucidating the similarities and differences between the evaluated guaraná seeds, particularly concerning the varying concentration levels of the metabolites. The metabolomics approach based on the combination of UPLC-QTOF-MS E , NMR and chemometric tools provided sensitivity, precision and accuracy to establish the chemical profiles of guaraná seeds. In conclusion, evaluating and determining the metabolic specificities of different guarana clones allow for their application in the development of products with different levels of specific metabolites, such as caffeine. This caters to various purposes within the food industry. Moreover, the recognized pharmacological properties of the annotated specialized metabolites affirm the use of guarana clones as an excellent nutritional source.

A previous optimization of supercritical extraction from guarana seeds was performed applying orthogonal array design (OA9(34)). The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of these extracts, as well as metabolomic profiling and correlations from the compounds by statistical analysis were determined. Extracts 1 (40% ethanol; 20 min; 40 °C and 100 bar), 2 (40% methanol; 60 min; 40 °C and 200 bar), and 8 (40% methanol; 40 min; 60 °C and 100 bar) had the highest combined values of antioxidant capacity for the DPPH, FRAP, ABTS and xanthine oxidase system methods, and were identified by chemometric analysis. Similar chemical profiles of the extracts were obtained by LC-DAD-MS, and were identified: methyl-xanthine, (epi)catechin and dimers and trimers of type A and B proanthocyanidins. The heat map analysis showed positive correlation between antioxidant methods DPPH, FRAP and ABTS and with flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins. Extract 3 was active against Gram-negative and -positive bacteria and Candida tropicalis .

Guarana [Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke] is a species of great economic and social important in Brazil, as it is the only commercial guarana producer in the world. The vegetative propagation method indicated for the culture is stem cuttings, which aims at productivity, tolerance, and uniformity of clonal cultivars, because reproduction by seeds has slow germination and high genetic variability, which in traditional varieties is an undesirable factor. Genetic factors can interfere with the rooting capacity of the crop. Studies seek alternatives that can improve this condition and enhance the production system. Use of growth regulators, microorganisms that promote plant growth, variation of substrates and fertilization, have been strategies used. Preliminary tests on the rate of stem rooting and seed germination with the use of exogenous phytohormone did not demonstrate in relation to the non-application of these inducers. The use of rhizobacteria, which presents itself as a promising activity in many cultures, has not yet been demonstrated in the culture of guarana. On the other hand, the influence of different substrates on rooting has already shown consistent results as a function of rooting rate. Fertilizing the mother plants as recommended by the production system for the crop has proven to be an efficient procedure. There are still few studies aimed at improving the spread of guarana, demonstrating that new protocols need to be explored, or that the protocols already used are reviewed from another perspective.

Guarana ( Paullinia cupana Kunth var. sorbilis ) is a typically Amazonian plant of high economic value due to the compounds found in its seed. For guarana to reach the maximum productive potential, management practices such as weed control are necessary. The use of herbicides is a viable alternative, however, its drift may lead to adverse effects on the primary and secondary plant metabolisms and cause losses in crop production. This study evaluated the differential drift effects of glyphosate doses on the physiology of guarana plants and the production of compounds of economic interest in their seeds. Glyphosate doses (57.6, 115.2, 230.4, 460.8 g ae ha -1 ) were applied to adult guarana plants after the flowering period. The photosynthetic functions and metabolism effects were evaluated. Herbicide treatments led to oxidative stress due to increased lipid peroxidation and increased carbohydrate and amino acid in their leaflets. Despite this, glyphosate showed no effect on fruit production or the content of secondary metabolites of commercial interest in seeds.

Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a widely consumed nutraceutical with various health benefits supported by scientific evidence. However, its indirect health impacts through the gut microbiota have not been studied. Caenorhabditis elegans is a useful model to study both the direct and indirect effects of nutraceuticals, as the intimate association of the worm with the metabolites produced by Escherichia coli is a prototypic simplified model of our gut microbiota. We prepared an ethanoic extract of guarana seeds and assessed its antioxidant capacity in vitro, with a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and in vivo, utilizing C. elegans. Additionally, we studied the impact of this extract on C. elegans lifespan, utilizing both viable and non-viable E. coli, and assessed the impact of guarana on E. coli folate production. The extract showed high antioxidant capacity, and it extended worm lifespan. However, the antioxidant and life-extending effects did not correlate in terms of the extract concentration. The extract-induced life extension was also less significant when utilizing dead E. coli, which may indicate that the effects of guarana on the worms work partly through modifications on E. coli metabolism. Following this observation, guarana was found to decrease E. coli folate production, revealing one possible route for its beneficial effects.