Phytochemical Composition, Anti-inflammatory, and Antiproliferative Activity of Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour from five wheat cultivars was evaluated for phenolic, carotenoid, and tocopherol compositions as well as anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities against HT-29 cells. The total ferulic acid content ranged from 452 to 731 mu g/g among the five cultivars and was primarily present in the insoluble-bound form. Lutein was the only carotenoid detected and ranged from 1.5 to 4.0 mu g/g, and alpha-tocopherol levels ranged from 12 to 61 mu g/g. Extracts of four cultivars demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity, measured as inhibition of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) mRNA expression; however, none of the extracts inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression, a second indicator of anti-inflammatory activity. Proliferation of HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells was inhibited by extracts from all cultivars at the dose of 100 mg botanical equivalent/mL. The cultivar WestBred 936 had the greatest antiproliferative activity at lower concentrations (20 and 50 mg botanical equivalent/mL), had the greatest anti-inflammatory effect against IL-1 beta, and also had the highest levels of ferulic acid and alpha-tocopherol. This research shows that whole wheat flours of these five cultivars varied significantly in their contents of phenolics, carotenoids, and alpha-tocopherol as well as in their anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative potentials, suggesting the possibility that wheat varieties can be selected based on potential health benefits.