16 Chlorophylls as Food Additives
405
Likewise, pheophorbide is a potent antitumour component because of its high
antioxidant mechanism. Pheophorbide a, present in Capsosiphon fulvenscens, has
been shown high activity on reactive species of intracellular oxygen, inhibiting and
preventing endothelial inflammation (Pangestuti and Kim 2011; Hong et al. 2016).
Al so, chlorophyllins, especially Na-Cu-chlorophyllins, are proven safe and their
soluble derivatives can be applied in the wound healing process (Guskin 1940; Cady
1948; Horwitz 1951; Larato 1970; Solymosi et al. 2016). Are indicated as ideal
for photodynamic therapy, photosensitization, aids in the selective destruction of
tumour cells, which is obtained by activating the light phototoxicity performed by
these agents, which transfer the excitation energy to produce reactive oxygen species
and free radicals (Rapozzi et al. 2009; You et al. 2011).
Compounds such as Pheophorbide a, pheophorbide b, pheophytin a and b, chlorophyllin f , have been shown to decrease lipid peroxidation and decrease tumour cells
inducing apoptosis by reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Li et al. 2007; Rapozzi et al.
2009; Du et al. 2014). Other functions of chlorophyll and its derivatives are related to
the control of viral infections (Jenkins et al. 2016; Srivatsan et al. 2015; Wohellebe
et al. 2011).
The chlorophyll derivatives were also tested as antimicrobials, where chlorophyllins supplemented with probiotics were ingested by dogs, where a reduction of
coliforms and clostridium was evaluated, and suggesting chlorophyll additives in
the canine feed to prevent bacterial infections without reducing the beneficial ones
on lactic acid bacteria. These results demonstrated that chlorophyll and its derivatives are potentially beneficial in the application as supplementation and additive for
functional foods (Strompfová et al. 2015).
Although the studies showed above exhibition the broad applicability of chlorophylls and their derivatives for medical and pharmaceutical purposes, the potential of
these pigments with significant biological activities, including antioxidant activity,
antimutagenic activity, and enzyme modulation, further stimulates the exploration of
these compounds for food applications (Kephart 1955; Ferruzi and Blakeslee 2007).
Thus, interest in pursuing absorption results based on the notion that chlorophyll
derivatives may be bioavailable is of paramount importance. These efforts serve to
better understand the mechanism by which chlorophyll and derivatives act in the
food diet, thus exploiting the real effects by absorbing foods supplemented with
these biocompounds (Ferruzi and Blakeslee 2007).
Egner et al. (2000), concluded in a study with humans that Na-Cu-chlorophylls
compounds are in fact absorbable and actually bioavailable in the body, but selectively. Chen and Roca (2018), found that edible algal chlorophylls a and c are better
micellized than chlorophyll b, that is, they are more resistant to in vitro digestion of
the food matrix. Also concluded that pheoforbide c is the most absorbable chlorophyll
derivative by Caco-2 cells, which are typical research tools for nutrient absorption
and demonstrate the accumulation of the compound studied by human intestinal cells
and its basolateral flow by differentiated cells grown in inserts (Ferruzzi et al. 2002).
In this regard, it is assumed that chlorophylls have a high potential to be exploited
as a food additive, same as today a large part of their market in food is related to
405
Likewise, pheophorbide is a potent antitumour component because of its high
antioxidant mechanism. Pheophorbide a, present in Capsosiphon fulvenscens, has
been shown high activity on reactive species of intracellular oxygen, inhibiting and
preventing endothelial inflammation (Pangestuti and Kim 2011; Hong et al. 2016).
Al so, chlorophyllins, especially Na-Cu-chlorophyllins, are proven safe and their
soluble derivatives can be applied in the wound healing process (Guskin 1940; Cady
1948; Horwitz 1951; Larato 1970; Solymosi et al. 2016). Are indicated as ideal
for photodynamic therapy, photosensitization, aids in the selective destruction of
tumour cells, which is obtained by activating the light phototoxicity performed by
these agents, which transfer the excitation energy to produce reactive oxygen species
and free radicals (Rapozzi et al. 2009; You et al. 2011).
Compounds such as Pheophorbide a, pheophorbide b, pheophytin a and b, chlorophyllin f , have been shown to decrease lipid peroxidation and decrease tumour cells
inducing apoptosis by reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Li et al. 2007; Rapozzi et al.
2009; Du et al. 2014). Other functions of chlorophyll and its derivatives are related to
the control of viral infections (Jenkins et al. 2016; Srivatsan et al. 2015; Wohellebe
et al. 2011).
The chlorophyll derivatives were also tested as antimicrobials, where chlorophyllins supplemented with probiotics were ingested by dogs, where a reduction of
coliforms and clostridium was evaluated, and suggesting chlorophyll additives in
the canine feed to prevent bacterial infections without reducing the beneficial ones
on lactic acid bacteria. These results demonstrated that chlorophyll and its derivatives are potentially beneficial in the application as supplementation and additive for
functional foods (Strompfová et al. 2015).
Although the studies showed above exhibition the broad applicability of chlorophylls and their derivatives for medical and pharmaceutical purposes, the potential of
these pigments with significant biological activities, including antioxidant activity,
antimutagenic activity, and enzyme modulation, further stimulates the exploration of
these compounds for food applications (Kephart 1955; Ferruzi and Blakeslee 2007).
Thus, interest in pursuing absorption results based on the notion that chlorophyll
derivatives may be bioavailable is of paramount importance. These efforts serve to
better understand the mechanism by which chlorophyll and derivatives act in the
food diet, thus exploiting the real effects by absorbing foods supplemented with
these biocompounds (Ferruzi and Blakeslee 2007).
Egner et al. (2000), concluded in a study with humans that Na-Cu-chlorophylls
compounds are in fact absorbable and actually bioavailable in the body, but selectively. Chen and Roca (2018), found that edible algal chlorophylls a and c are better
micellized than chlorophyll b, that is, they are more resistant to in vitro digestion of
the food matrix. Also concluded that pheoforbide c is the most absorbable chlorophyll
derivative by Caco-2 cells, which are typical research tools for nutrient absorption
and demonstrate the accumulation of the compound studied by human intestinal cells
and its basolateral flow by differentiated cells grown in inserts (Ferruzzi et al. 2002).
In this regard, it is assumed that chlorophylls have a high potential to be exploited
as a food additive, same as today a large part of their market in food is related to