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    STUDIA GEOLOGIA - Issue no. 1 / 2007  
         
  Article:   FRUCTANS: STABLE ISOTOPE BIOMARKERS OF AGAVES.

Authors:  MERCEDES G. LÓPEZ, TODD DAWSON. 		 
       
         
  Abstract:  Stable isotopes are new tools that enable the understanding of biochemical, physiological and metabolic processes. Agaves have been use for centuries to elaborate Mexican alcoholic beverages. Stable isotope values have been used to establish the authenticity of some of these beverages (Aguilar-Cisneros et al., 2002; Bauer- Christoph et al., 2003). However, in the last decade, we have learned that fructans are a group of carbohydrates that present wide health - promoting benefits as prebiotics, lipid metabolism regulators, cryo- and osteoporosis protection agents, to mention some. Agaves are CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) plants that accumulate fructans as a reserve of carbohydrates. Therefore, carbon and oxygen stable isotopes from Agave fructans might be used as biomarkers, to help establishing some of their roles in health - related aspects. The purpose of this work was to establish the potential of Agave fructans (agavins) as biomarkers based on their stable isotope characteristics. Fructans from Agave species collected from different geo-climatic conditions were extracted and purified using the method of Lopez et al. (2003).  
         
     
         
         
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