Cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) extract from a by-product of juice processing: assessment of its toxicity, antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities

Toxicological effects of aqueous extract of Genipa americana L. leaves on adult zebrafish (Danio rerio): Chemical profile, histopathological effects and lack of genotoxicity

Genipa americana is a native plant of Brazil with potential applications in folk medicine. Whereas most of the phytochemical and pharmacological studies on this plant have focused on its fruits, the crude extracts of its leaves contain chemical metabolites that may have toxicity to organisms, which have yet to be investigated. This study aimed to determine the main groups of secondary metabolites in the aqueous extract of the leaves of G. americana by phytochemistry and qualitative HPLC, and to evaluate the possible toxicological effects and histopathological changes caused by this extract in zebrafish (Danio rerio) adults, through micronucleus test, nuclear abnormalities and histopathological analyses of gills and liver. While three metabolites of high intensity (phenolic compounds, flavonoids and triterpenes) were found in the phytochemical evaluation, the HPLC showed results compatible with flavonoids and iridoids, all belonging to common classes for this species and the Rubiaceae family. The acute toxicity test did not induce mortality or genotoxicity in zebrafish, but after exposure for 96 h, it was possible to observe injuries to the fish gill tissue, such as lamellar fusion, vasodilation and telangiectasia; in the liver, necrosis was visualized at 40 mg/L, and at higher concentrations (80 and 100 mg/L) induced sinusoidal widening was identified. In conclusion, the results demonstrated the toxic potential of this plant for aquatic species.

Natural Antimicrobials: A Reservoir to Contrast Listeria monocytogenes

Natural environments possess a reservoir of compounds exerting antimicrobial activity that are forms of defence for some organisms against others. Recently, they have become more and more attractive in the food sector due to the increasing demand for natural compounds that have the capacity to protect food from pathogenic microorganisms. Among foodborne pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate food during production, distribution, or storage, and its presence is especially detected in fresh, raw food and ready-to-eat products. The interest in this microorganism is related to listeriosis, a severe disease with a high mortality rate that can occur after its ingestion. Starting from this premise, the present review aims to investigate plant extract and fermented plant matrices, as well as the compounds or mixtures of compounds produced during microbial fermentation processes that have anti-listeria activity.

Silver nanoparticles coated medical fiber synthesized by surface engineering with bio-inspired mussel powered polydopamine: An investigated antimicrobial potential with bacterial membrane leakage reaction mechanism

Nature frequently provides narrative biological motivation. This study reports on oxygen-induced auto-polymerization of dopamine on the surface of medical cotton fibers to develop super-hydrophobic surfaces. The versatile reactivity of polydopamine (PDA) surfactant was adopted to deposit silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the surface of medical cotton. SEM micrographs demonstrated the uniform deposition of Ag NPs. The antimicrobial reactivity confirmed the potential of Ag-loaded PDA-cotton fiber to hinder the growth of some tested pathogenic microbes. Silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers showed the most promising zone of inhibition (ZOI) against (33.5 mm), Candida tropicalis (30.2 mm), and Aspergillus niger (30.2 mm). In growth curve assay, after addition of silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers, the O.D. were lower (0.365 nm), showing the repression impact on S. aureus. It was observed that the quantity of cellular protein discharged from S. aureus is directly proportional to the concentration of silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers and found to be 159.68 μg/ml after the treatment with silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers (2 cm × 2 cm), which proves the antibacterial characteristics of the synthesied silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers. The obtained antimicrobial results gives solution in treating pathogenic microbes and the application of silver-loaded PDA-cotton fibers as wound dressing in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Cashew Apples in Ghana: Stakeholders' Knowledge, Perception, and Utilization

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), a crop projecting Ghana internationally beside cocoa, is usually cultivated for its nut, for both local and international markets. The cashew apple is underutilized in many African countries. This study is aimed at determining the knowledge, perception, and utilization of cashew apples in Ghana among stakeholders in the cashew value chain. Results from the study showed that the cashew industry consisted of farmers (89.1%), nut buyers (6.8%), extension officers (3.5%), and processors (0.6%) with uneven distribution of males (66.2%) and females (33.8%). Cashew apple utilization was low (<10%), though 84.37% had in-depth knowledge on the health benefits and value-added products made from the apples. Cashew apple is mainly utilized as fresh fruits or juice, with minor uses as an ingredient in food preparation, animal feed formulation, and production of mushroom, weedicide, ethanol, and manure. The cashew apple processors identified high cost of processing equipment, perishability of apples, lack of capital, market, technical know-how, and government support as challenges. Based on these findings, education of the stakeholders on value addition or processing of the apples at household and industrial levels and provision of stimulus packages to private processors are recommended to maximize cashew apple utilization in Ghana.