Gluten-Free Pasta: Replacing Wheat with Chickpea

Chickpeas were already implemented as an ingredient in the making of gluten-free pasta; however, structural agents such as hydrocolloids and different flours were used in order to achieve satisfactory characteristics. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop pasta dough utilizing only chickpeas as a flour source and to analyze its chemical, technological, and sensory characteristics. The development of gluten-free chickpea pasta used chickpeas (65.7%), egg whites (34.3%) and the control wheat pasta contained wheat flour (61.9%) and whole eggs (39.1%) for comparison. The chickpea pasta presented 37.3% less fat, 53.8% more protein, and 166.5% more dietary fiber. Chickpea pasta also presented good acceptance for every criterion, including texture and taste. In this manner, this study suggests that chickpeas can be used as a satisfactory substitute for wheat, without the use of any structure agents, increasing the amount of healthy options for individuals with gluten-related disorders.     

鹰嘴豆中3种异黄酮及其乙氧基化衍生物体外协同降糖活性研究＊

目的：通过对鹰嘴豆中3种异黄酮类化合物染料木素、鹰嘴豆芽素A、刺芒柄花素进行乙氧基化结构修饰,研究其降糖活性及协同降糖活性。方法：对上述3种异黄酮类化合物进行乙氧基化结构修饰,并研究该3种异黄酮类化合物及其衍生物降糖活性,并对化合物进行组合给药,研究其之间存在的协同降糖活性,选择胰岛素抵抗HepG2细胞作为降糖活性筛选模型。结果：获得4个乙氧基化产物,3个母体异黄酮衍生物中染料木素的降糖活性优于鹰嘴豆芽素A和刺芒柄花素,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）,3个母体异黄酮衍生物最大给药剂量与阳性药盐酸二甲双胍相比,效果不如盐酸二甲双胍,差异均具有统计学意义（P<0.05或P<0.01）。衍生物中化合物a和d之间差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）,化合物b和c降糖效果均不如化合物a和d,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）,其中化合物d较修饰前降糖活性有明显提高（P<0.05）。组合5的降糖活性与盐酸二甲双胍相当,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：本研究发现,通过化合物组合,化合物之间可以起到协同作用,发挥更好的降糖效果,为开发具有自主知识产权的降糖药物提供一定的基础。     

鹰嘴豆化学成分及药理作用研究进展

通过对国内外近年来关于鹰嘴豆化学成分及药理作用的相关文献进行归纳和总结,对鹰嘴豆的化学成分及药理作用进行了综述,为今后进行鹰嘴豆化学成分的研究及活性成分的发现提供基础。通过文献研究发现,鹰嘴豆含有多种营养素及人体必需物质如葡聚糖、蔗糖和鹰嘴豆糖以及阿糖配葡聚糖,胆碱磷脂,各类维生素、氨基酸以及泛酸和植酸,并含有各类微量元素如磷、钙、铁、锌等,以及人体不能自行合成的不饱和脂肪酸。其目前研究较多的具有活性的成分主要为三萜皂苷类成分及异黄酮等,其中目前已经获得的三萜皂苷类主要有大豆精醇A,β-香树脂醇,β-谷甾醇,大豆皂苷Bb以及胡萝卜苷等,异黄酮类化合物主要有鹰嘴豆芽素A、芒柄花素、染料木素、毛蕊异黄酮、芒柄花苷、红车轴草苷、印度黄檀苷。这些三萜皂苷及异黄酮组分具有调节血糖、降低血脂等诸多药理作用。另外,鹰嘴豆及其主要活性成分还具有降胆固醇、抑制CaCo-2细胞、改善学习记忆能力、抑制肿瘤细胞的生长等作用。鹰嘴豆在不同的生长阶段其含有的各类物质也在不断的发生着变化,对于不同的疾病也起到不同的治疗效果,随着鹰嘴豆研究的不断深入,将会发现其中更多的化学成分,并且其中活性成分也将逐渐的被筛选出来,将大大扩展鹰嘴豆的应用范围。     

鹰嘴豆异黄酮的药理作用研究进展

鹰嘴豆富含异黄酮类化合物,具有多种生物活性,近年来鹰嘴豆异黄酮已成研究热点。该文介绍鹰嘴豆异黄酮在降血糖、降血脂、抗肿瘤、抗氧化、保护心血管功能等药理学方面的研究进展及其在保健功能方面的发展前景。     

Bacillus species enhance growth parameters of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in chromium stressed soils

Pollution of the agricultural land by the toxic chromium is a global threat that has accelerated dramatically since the beginning of industrial revolution. Toxic chromium affects both the microbial diversity as well as reduces the growth of the plants. Understanding the effect of the chromium reducing and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on chickpea crop will be useful. Chromium reducing and plant growth promoting Bacillus species PSB10 significantly improved growth, nodulation, chlorophyll, leghaemoglobin, seed yield and grain protein of chickpea crop grown in the presence of different concentrations of chromium compared to the plants grown in the absence of bio-inoculant. The strain also reduced the uptake of chromium in roots, shoots and grains of chickpea crop compared to plants grown in the absence of bio-inoculant. This study thus suggested that the Bacillus species PSB10 due to its intrinsic abilities of growth promotion and attenuation of the toxic effects of chromium could be exploited for remediation of chromium from chromium contaminated sites.     

Association of plant growth-promoting Serratia spp. with the root nodules of chickpea

Serratia species-affiliated DNA sequences have recently been discovered in the root nodules of two chickpea cultivars; however, little is known about their potential influence on chickpea plant growth. All Serratia-affiliated sequences (1136) could be grouped into two clusters at 98% DNA similarity. The major cluster, represented by 96% of sequences, was closely associated with Serratia marcescens sequences from GenBank. In the current study, we isolated two Serratia strains, 5D and RTL100, from root nodules of a field-grown Desi cultivar from Faisalabad and Thal areas, respectively. In vitro, strain 5D showed significantly higher phosphate (P) solubilization and lactic acid production than RTL100, whereas a comparable concentration of phytohormone was produced by both isolates. The application of Serratia strain 5D as an inoculum resulted in 25.55% and 30.85% increases in the grain yield of crops grown on fertile soil in irrigated areas and nutrient-deficient soil in rainfed areas, respectively, compared to the non-inoculated control. Results of plant inoculations indicated that Serratia sp. 5D and RTL100 can serve as effective microbial inoculants, particularly in nutrient-deficient soils in rainfed areas, where chickpea is the only major crop grown during the entire year.     

Nutrient Content Of Tribal Foods From India: Flemingia Vestita And Perilla Frutescens

Many varieties of leaves, seeds, nuts, and roots are eaten by people who practiseagriculture, particularly subsistence within access to jungles or forests. Such foodsassume significant roles in providing additional nutrients since the diets of peoplein the tropics are usually high in carbohydrates and marginal in protein contentas well as in fruits and vegetables. One such food is a mixture of Perilla frutescens seeds and Flemingia vestita tubers. This mixture is eaten by theKhasi and Garo tribal populations of Meghalaya, a state in northeast of India.Flemingia vestita tubers and Perilla frutescens seeds were subjected to proximate and amino acid analyses. The data obtained suggested that Perilla frutescens seeds enrich Flemingia vestita tuber meal and the mixture of thetwo provide significant, additional nutrients to the diets of the Khasis and the Garos.     

Molecular diversity of Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus in Sudan: High rates of intra-species recombination – a driving force in the emergence of new strains

In Sudan Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus (CpCDV, genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae) is an important pathogen of pulses that are grown both for local consumption, and for export. Although a few studies have characterised CpCDV genomes from countries in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent, little is known about CpCDV diversity in any of the major chickpea production areas in these regions. Here we analyse the diversity of 146 CpCDV isolates characterised from pulses collected across the chickpea growing regions of Sudan. Although we find that seven of the twelve known CpCDV strains are present within the country, strain CpCDV-H alone accounted for ∼73% of the infections analysed. Additionally we identified four new strains (CpCDV-M, -N, -O and -P) and show that recombination has played a significant role in the diversification of CpCDV, at least in this region. Accounting for observed recombination events, we use the large amounts of data generated here to compare patterns of natural selection within protein coding regions of CpCDV and other dicot-infecting mastrevirus species.     

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) proteins induce allergic responses in nasobronchial allergic patients and BALB/c mice

Allergy to chickpea or Garbanzo bean (Cicer arietinum) has been reported in the Indian population. Little information is found regarding allergenic events involved in the chickpea allergy; therefore, chickpea allergenicity assessment was undertaken. In vivo and ex vivo studies were carried out using BALB/c mice. Chickpea skin prick test positive patients have been used to extend this study in humans. Identification of allergens was carried out by simulated gastric fluids assay for pepsin resistant polypeptides and validated by IgE western blotting using chickpea sensitive humans and sensitized mice sera. Our data have shown the occurrence of a systemic anaphylactic reaction resulting in reduced body temperature after challenge along with significantly increased levels of IgE, IgG1, MMCP-1, CCL-2 as well as histamine. Further, increased Th1/Th2 (mixed) cytokine response was observed in spleen cell culture supernatants. Jejunum, lungs and spleen showed prominent histopathological changes specific for allergic inflammation. Immunoblotting with pooled sera of either sensitized mice or human sera recognized seven similar IgE binding polypeptides that may be responsible for chickpea induced hypersensitivity reactions. This study has addressed the allergenic manifestations associated with chickpea consumption and identifies the proteins responsible for allergenicity which may prove useful in diagnosis and management of allergenicity of legumes especially chickpea.