A new class of deep eutectic solvents (DES) was used in the extraction of levodopa (L-dopa) present in Mucuna cinerea, which has been termed “green” or “designer” solvents, with notable productive and economic/environmental benefits. The seeds of Mucuna cinerea were prepared and submitted to extraction with heating and agitation in a solvent mixture of DES with citric acid, urea, or glycerol. The extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which confirmed the efficiency of DES in extracting L-dopa. These extractions were carried out to determine the L-dopa extracts in DES with regard to the induction of cellular response activity, demonstrating the synergy between L-dopa and DES. The DES-glycerol extract exhibited a higher proliferative activity than commercial L-dopa after 24 h of treatment. The human glandular kallikrein-1 gene (hGK3) demonstrated higher expression in the treatment with the DES-urea, while the G protein-coupled receptor kinase-6 gene (GRK6) showed higher expression for all extracts compared to commercial L-dopa, with a higher value obtained for DES glycerol, followed by DES urea extract. The DES extraction method is therefore promising and unprecedented, confirming its possible use in the replacement of expensive solvents, supporting the use of ecologically viable DES in the extractions of other plant species.

Abstract: This study investigated the ability of formulation containing Zingiber officinale (ginger) to reverse health changes promoted by unhealthy diet in Wistar rats. Five compounds from the gingerol family and three from the shogaol family were identified in the chromatographic analyzes of the extract. The animals were fed a combination of unhealthy foods, the cafeteria diet, which promoted increases in body weight, hepatocyte nucleus area, total hepatocyte area and liver fat accumulation, as well as reduced hepatic glutathione S-transferase concentration, compared to the control group, which received commercial chow. The treatment with ginger improved all these results, highlighting the reduction of 10% of body weight and 66% of the total area of lipid droplets deposited, compared to the group that received the cafeteria diet. Ginger treatments also attenuated lipid peroxidation, with a mean reduction of 41% in malondialdehyde levels and a mean increase of 222% in glutathione S-transferase activity in the liver. The cafeteria diet and ginger extract did not promote significant changes in glycemic and lipid profile, liver weight and liver enzymes compared to the control group. We suggest that ginger can have beneficial effects on health complications associated with unhealthy diet, such as excessive adiposity, oxidative stress and hepatic injury.