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Date of Seminar                                                      Your Name

Department of Food Science                              Thesis Advisor’s Name

Final Ph.D. Seminar Thesis Advisor’s Department

Antioxidant and Arachidonic Acid Modulation Properties of

the Exocarp (Skin) of Almond (Prunus Amygdalus)

Nutraceuticals are naturally occurring, bioactive chemical compounds that have health promoting, disease preventing or medicinal properties.  Nutraceuticals can be classified into two categories: nutrient Nutraceuticals and non-nutrient Nutarceuticals.  Epidemiological studies have shown that certain components of fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts may prevent or reduce the risk of some chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.   The benefits of these food-derived Nutraceuticals are their low toxicity, low cost and availability. Therefore, preventing human diseases with food sources is of great interest.

Among the food-derived Nutraceuticals, nuts have been reported to reduce the risk of various human diseases including coronary heart disease.  Almond is the most popular tree nut in the USA with 70 % of the world’s supply.  It has been reported that an almond-based diet lowers LDL cholesterol while preserving HDL cholesterol.  Recent animal experiments also reveal that almond consumption may reduce colon cancer risk.

Arachidonic acid metabolism is believed to play an important role in various human diseases such as inflammation and cancer.  Phospholipase A₂, Lypoxygenase, and Cyclooxygenase enzymes metabolize Arachidonic acid in membrane phospholipids to Eicosanoids, which are markers of inflammation.  In fact, the enzymes participating in Arachidonic acid metabolism as well as Eicosanoids have been found at elevated levels in various human cancer cells.

Selected References

1. Guhr, G. and Lachance, P.A. 1997. Role of phytochmicals in chronic disease prevention. In: P.A. Lachance, editor, Nutraceuticals: Designer foods III Garlic, soy and licorice. Trumbull, Connecticut: Food & Nutrition Press, pp311-364.

2. Sabate, J. 1999. Nut consumption, vegetarian diets, ischemic heart disease risk, and all-cause mortality: evidence form epidemiologic studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 70(suppl):500s-3s.

3. Stephenson, D.T., Lemere, C.A., Selkoe, D.J., and Clemens, J.A. 1996. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) immunoreactivity is elevated in Alzheimer’s disease brain. Neurobiol. Dis. 3: 51-63.

4. Spiller, G.A. et al. 1998. Nuts and plasma lipids: An almond-based diet lowers LDL-C while preserving HDL-C. J Am. Coll. Nutr. 17(3):285-290.