Fruit extracts of Basella rubra that are rich in bioactives and betalains exhibit antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity against human cervical carcinoma cells

Basella alba L. (Malabar Spinach) as an Abundant Source of Betacyanins: Identification, Stability, and Bioactivity Studies on Natural and Processed Fruit Pigments

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of acylated and decarboxylated gomphrenins, as well as Basella alba L. fruit extract, were investigated in relation to gomphrenin, known for its high biological potential. The most abundant natural acylated gomphrenins, namely, 6'-O-E-caffeoyl-gomphrenin (malabarin) and 6'-O-E-4-coumaroyl-gomphrenin (globosin), were isolated from B. alba extract for the studies. In addition, controlled thermal decarboxylation of gomphrenin in the purified B. alba extract at 65-75 °C resulted in the formation of the most prevalent decarboxylated products, including 17-decarboxy-gomphrenin and 2,17-bidecarboxy-gomphrenin, along with their isoforms. The structures of the decarboxylated pigments were confirmed by NMR analyses. Exploring the matrix effect on pigment reactivity revealed a tremendous increase in the stability of all betacyanins after the initial stage of extract purification using a cation exchanger under various conditions. This indicates the removal of a substantial portion of the unfavorable matrix from the extract, which presumably contains reactive species that could otherwise degrade the pigments. Furthermore, the high concentration of citrates played a significant role in favoring the formation of 2-decarboxy-gomphrenin to a considerable extent. In vitro screening experiments revealed that the tested compounds demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory properties in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated human macrophages. This effect encompassed the selective inhibition of cytokine and chemokine release from activated macrophages, modulation of the chemotactic activity of immune cells, and the regulation of tissue remodeling mediators' release.

Fortification of Extender with Basella rubra Fruit Extract Enhances the Cryosurvival of Ram Semen

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Basella rubra fruit extract (BR-FE) on cryopreserved ram sperm's motility, velocity, and membrane integrity. Thirty ejaculates collected from 3 fertile rams (10 from each) were diluted with semen dilution extender (SDE) in a ratio (1:2) and centrifuged to remove 50% supernatant. The remaining sample was mixed with semen cryopreservation extender (SCE) in 1:4 ratio. Then 1.2 mL of SCE diluted sample was divided in four aliquots (0.3 mL each) that were further extended with [(1) control group (0.7 mL of SCE), (2) BR-FE-0.6% group (0.7 mL of SCE supplemented with 0.6% BR-FE), (3) BR-FE-0.8% group (0.7 mL of SCE supplemented with 0.8% BR-FE), and (4) BR-FE-1.6% group (0.7 mL SCE supplemented with 1.6% BR-FE)]. All extended samples were cooled gradually from 25°C to 4°C in half an hour. The 0.1 mL sample from all aliquots was analyzed for precryopreservation sperm parameters and the remaining sample was loaded in 0.5 mL plastic semen straws, cooled gradually to -20°C, and then dipped in liquid nitrogen. After 24 hours of cryopreservation, the straws were thawed for postcryopreservation sperm evaluations. The results (analysis of variance based) showed significantly enhanced percentage of post-thaw sperm membrane integrity, progressive motility, and velocity in BR-FE-0.6% group at both pre- and postcryopreservation stages as compared with all other groups. However, analysis of covariance revealed concentration-dependent cryoprotective effect of BR-FE with maximum percentage of sperm membrane integrity in the 1.6% group. According to these results, BR-FE supplementation adds enormous sperm protective potential to ram sperm cryopreservation medium.

Structural Studies on Diverse Betacyanin Classes in Matured Pigment-Rich Fruits of Basella alba L. and Basella alba L. var. ‘Rubra’ (Malabar Spinach)

Identification of betacyanins in Basella alba L. and Basella alba L. var. ‘Rubra’ fruits was performed by low- and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS and HRMS) as well as ¹H, ¹³C and two-dimensional NMR which revealed hitherto completely not known betacyanin classes in the plant kingdom. Especially, the presence of unique nitrogenous acyl moieties in the structures of the pigments was ascertained by the HRMS Orbitrap detection. Except for detected polar betacyanin glycosylated derivatives, presence of a series of previously not reported pigments such as malonylated betanidin 6-O-β-glusosides with their acyl migration isomers along with the evidence of the 3′′-hydroxy-butyrylated betacyanins is reported. The first complete NMR data were obtained for novel and principal acylated gomphrenins with hydroxycinnamic acids: 6′-O-E-caffeoyl-gomphrenin (malabarin), 6′-O-E-sinapoyl-gomphrenin (gandolin), 6′-O-E-4-coumaroyl-gomphrenin (globosin) and 6′-O-E-feruloyl-gomphrenin (basellin).

Prospects and potentials of underutilized leafy Amaranths as vegetable use for health-promotion

Climate change causes environmental variation worldwide, which is one of the most serious threats to global food security. In addition, more than 2 billion people in the world are reported to suffer from serious malnutrition, referred to as 'hidden hunger.' Dependence on only a few crops could lead to the loss of genetic diversity and high fragility of crop breeding in systems adapting to global scale climate change. The exploitation of underutilized species and genetic resources, referred to as orphan crops, could be a useful approach for resolving the issue of adaptability to environmental alteration, biodiversity preservation, and improvement of nutrient quality and quantity to ensure food security. Moreover, the use of these alternative crops will help to increase the human health benefits and the income of farmers in developing countries. In this review, we highlight the potential of orphan crops, especially amaranths, for use as vegetables and health-promoting nutritional components. This review highlights promising diversified sources of amaranth germplasms, their tolerance to abiotic stresses, and their nutritional, phytochemical, and antioxidant values for vegetable purposes. Betalains (betacyanins and betaxanthins), unique antioxidant components in amaranth vegetables, are also highlighted regarding their chemodiversity across amaranth germplasms and their stability and degradation. In addition, we discuss the physiological functions, antioxidant, antilipidemic, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities, as well as the biosynthesis pathway, molecular, biochemical, genetics, and genomic mechanisms of betalains in detail.

Biotechnological advances for improving natural pigment production: a state-of-the-art review

In current years, natural pigments are facing a fast-growing global market due to the increase of people's awareness of health and the discovery of novel pharmacological effects of various natural pigments, e.g., carotenoids, flavonoids, and curcuminoids. However, the traditional production approaches are source-dependent and generally subject to the low contents of target pigment compounds. In order to scale-up industrial production, many efforts have been devoted to increasing pigment production from natural producers, via development of both in vitro plant cell/tissue culture systems, as well as optimization of microbial cultivation approaches. Moreover, synthetic biology has opened the door for heterologous biosynthesis of pigments via design and re-construction of novel biological modules as well as biological systems in bio-platforms. In this review, the innovative methods and strategies for optimization and engineering of both native and heterologous producers of natural pigments are comprehensively summarized. Current progress in the production of several representative high-value natural pigments is also presented; and the remaining challenges and future perspectives are discussed.

High-speed countercurrent chromatography for isolation and enrichment of betacyanins from fresh and dried leaves of Atriplex hortensis L. var. "Rubra"

Betacyanins and their decarboxylated derivatives from fresh and dried edible leaves of Atriplex hortensis L. var. "Rubra" were fractionated for the first time by high-speed countercurrent chromatography. Pigments present in fresh leaf extract were separated in systems: ethanol - acetonitrile - n-propanol - ammonium sulphate - water (0.5:0.5:0.5:1.2:1.0, v/v/v/v/v) (tail-to-head mode) and tert-butyl methyl ether - n-butanol - acetonitrile - water with 0.7% heptafluorobutyric acid (2:2:1:5, v/v/v/v) (head-to-tail mode). The mobile phase flow rate was 2 mL/min and the retention of the stationary phase was 79.8 and 75.2%, respectively. Pigments from dried leaves were separated in a similar ion-pair system with heptafluorobutyric acid in different volume proportions 1:3:1:5 (head-to-tail mode) and the flow rate of the mobile phase 3 mL/min. The stationary phase retention was 64.0%. The application of the countercurrent chromatography for the fractionation of betacyanins from leaves of Atriplex hortensis enabled to isolate and pre-concentrate the pigments for further low- and high-resolution liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric detection. This study revealed the presence of 10 betacyanins in fresh and 16 in dried leaves of Atriplex hortensis. Two compounds were not previously identified in the whole Amaranthaceae family. Additionally, instead of (iso)amaranthin, celosianin and its epimer were dominant betacyanins in the Atriplex hortensis.

Multi-colored shades of betalains: recent advances in betacyanin chemistry

Covering: 2001 to 2021Betacyanins cover a class of remarkable natural red-violet plant pigments with prospective chemical and biological properties for wide-ranging applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and the cosmetic industry. Betacyanins, forming the betalain pigment group together with yellow betaxanthins, have gained much attention due to the increasing social awareness of the positive impact of natural products on human health. Betalains are commercially recognized as natural food colorants with preliminarily ascertained, but to be further investigated, health-promoting properties. In addition, they exhibit a remarkable structural diversity based on glycosylated and acylated varieties. The main research directions for natural plant pigments are focused on their structure elucidation, methods of their separation and analysis, biological activities, bioavailability, factors affecting their stability, industrial applications as a plant-based food, natural colorants, drugs, and cosmetics as well as methods for high-yield production and stabilization. This review covers period of the last two decades of betacyanin research. In the first part of the review, we present an updated classification of all known betacyanins and their derivatives identified by chemical means as well as by mass spectrometric and NMR techniques. In the second part, we review the current research reports focused on the chemical properties of the pigments (decarboxylation, oxidation, conjugation, and chlorination reactions as well as the acyl group migration phenomenon) and describe the semi-synthesis of natural and artificial fluorescent betalamic acid conjugates, showing various prospective research directions.

Pterocarpus santalinus L. extract mitigates gamma radiation-inflicted derangements in BALB/c mice by Nrf2 upregulation

Plant-based natural extracts contain several nutrients and bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids, that possess various health-promoting activities. This study investigated the effects of polyphenols from Pterocarpus santalinus hydroalcoholic extract (PSHE) against gamma radiation-induced derangements via the upregulation of Nrf2. Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) analysis was performed to identify the possible radioprotectors. In vivo and in vitro studies, namely Real-Time-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavenging activity, lipid peroxidation and GSH levels, DNA damage and cell death studies, anti-inflammatory (Sandwich ELISA), immunomodulatory studies (antibody staining), and model free radical scavenging assays, were performed. Vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, para-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, TNF-α inhibitor (Eudesmin), isoflavone (Daidzein 7-o-glucoside), astragalin (Kaempferol 3-o-glycoside), and other polyphenols were identified in PSHE using UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis. Prophylactic administration of PSHE (-1 h) rendered more than 33% survival in mice exposed to 8 Gy whole-body-irradiation with increased mice survival and recovery of bone marrow and spleen cellularity. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that PSHE treatment (50 µg/mL) upregulated Nrf2, HO-1, and GPX-1 in mice splenocytes. At 50 µg/mL, PSHE reduced ROSscavenging activity, mitochondrial and spleen membrane lipid peroxidation levels, DNA damage, and cell death, and increased GSH levels. At 10 µg/mL, PSHE treatment diminished the content of IL-6 and TNF-α. At 50 µg/mL, PSHE suppressed lymphocyte proliferation. These findings indicate that polyphenols of PSHE possess marked antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory capacities, which play important roles in the prevention of radiation damage.

Evaluating the effect of additives on stability of betacyanin pigments from Basella rubra in a model beverage system during storage

The effect of selected additives (catechin, ascorbic acid, β-cyclodextrin and EDTA) on the stability of betacyanin pigments from Basella rubra in a model beverage system was investigated and they exhibited remarkable outcomes. The major betacyanin pigment in B. rubra extract was identified to be gomphrenin-I using HPLC-ESI-MS analysis method. The degradation kinetics of betacyanin pigment in the model beverage variants was established, and temperature was found to be the most detrimental factor. If effect of additives on stability of B. rubra betacyanin pigments in model beverage stored at 4 °C in the absence of light and oxygen is considered, maximum stabilizing effect was demonstrated by catechin (t_1/2 203.9 days) followed by EDTA (t_1/2 187.3 days) and then β-cyclodextrin (t_1/2 144.4 days) when compared with control (t_1/2 119.5 days) whereas, ascorbic acid acted as a prooxidant and reduced storage stability of the pigment (t_1/2 78.8 days).

Degradation Kinetics of Betacyanins during the Pasteurization and Storage of Cactus Pear (Opuntia dillenii Haw.) Juice Using the Arrhenius, Eyring, and Ball Models

Betacyanin stability was assessed over temperatures ranging from 60 to 90 °C for cactus pear (Opuntia dillenii Haw.) juice. The juice showed a betacyanin content of 0.76 g/kg. The rate constants for the betacyanin degradation and isothermal kinetic parameters were calculated according to the following three models: Arrhenius, Eyring, and Ball. The fittings of the models were found to be close to one other with SSE values of 0.0964, 0.0964, and 0.0974, respectively. However, because the estimated parameters for the Ball equation happened to be less correlated than the parameters of the other models, this equation was then used for the simulations. The parameters for z and D0 were 42.21 °C and 6.79 × 104 s, respectively. Betacyanins were found to resist typical heat treatment conditions (F70°C values between 100 and 200 min), with a maximum loss of 10% when the temperature was above 80 °C. The time/temperature combinations that could assure both the safety of the product and the preservation of the betacyanins were identified. With Enterococcus faecalis as the reference, when the temperature was 100 °C, the pasteurization time satisfying these two conditions was 0.6 min, whereas it was 180 min when the temperature was 62 °C. The degradation of betacynins during storage was positively correlated with temperature and was accompanied by the appearance of a brown shade.

Chemical composition, nutraceuticals characterization, NMR confirmation of squalene and antioxidant activities of Basella rubra L. seed oil

Basella rubra (Malabar spinach) is a commonly consumed green leafy vegetable in southern parts of India. The chemical composition, nutraceuticals characterization, squalene Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), in vitro antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity of B. rubra seed oil (33.08%) was investigated. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis revealed the presence of palmitic (27.21 μmol%), oleic (33.83 μmol%) and linoleic acid (26.02 μmol%) with a total of 64.38 μmol% unsaturated fatty acids respectively. HPLC nutraceutical characterization showed a major constituent of gallic acid (11.23 mg%), γ-tocopherols (17.74 mg%), cycloartenylferulate (1.7 mg%), and squalene (1 g%). Squalene was further recovered (98%), purified (99.9%), and confirmed through 1H and 13C NMR. The in vitro antioxidant activities recorded by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (EC50 = 6 mg mL-1), ferric reducing antioxidant power (361.85 mM of Trolox Eq./100 g) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (EC50 = 56.19 mg mL-1) scavenging activity. In vitro cytotoxicity assessed on 3T3-L1 showed good cell survival without any toxicity (upto 400 μg mL-1). B. rubra seed oil has proven nutraceuticals and antioxidant potentials with least toxicity which can be recommended for functional foods applications.

Nanoliposomal encapsulation mediated enhancement of betalain stability: Characterisation, storage stability and antioxidant activity of Basella rubra L. fruits for its applications in vegan gummy candies

Betalains are violet-red, natural food grade pigments with health benefits; however, their stability limits its use in industrial food processing. This can be overcome by placing the betalains in lecithin nanoliposomes (NLs), which causes a 76% improvement of betalain colour and stability. Extended sonication time (8 min) lowered the zeta potential (-47.5 to -40.8), and particle size (74.23 to 55.35 nm). Zeta potential, particle size, and polydispersity index of Betalain NLs (BNLs) didn't change significantly during storage (40 days). Degradation in the colour of BNLs was observed only at 121 °C (20 min) while the native juice degraded at 100 °C (20 min). BNLs were incorporated in gummy candies (GuCa) to improve its colour stability. The betalain retention, colour, texture, antioxidant activity, and shelf-life of the GuCa during storage (5 °C, 28 days) demonstrated the efficacy of BNLs to be explored as a natural colourant for the food industry.

Identification of Novel Low-Weight Sulfhydryl Conjugates of Oxidized 5-O- and 6-O-Substituted Betanidin Pigments

The formation of conjugates of oxidized betacyanin pigments with selected low-weight sulfhydryl scavengers was studied. Short-lived quinonoids, quinone methides, and aminochromes derived from oxidized betacyanins are able to form adducts with different efficiencies. In this report, mass spectrometric and NMR identifications of CS-linked conjugates of cysteine, cysteamine, N-acetylcysteine, and dl-dithiolthreitol with quinonoid forms generated through oxidation of betanidin, betanin, and gomphrenin is presented. An adduct that formed between cysteine and quinonoid generated from betanin by its oxidation and decarboxylation (2-decarboxy-xanbetanin) was detected and reported for the first time. The most stable gomphrenin CS-conjugate, N-acetylcysteinylated gomphrenin, was isolated by semipreparative chromatography and its structure was established by NMR analysis. This enabled to confirm the conjugation position at carbon C-4 and to indicate the presence of a dopachromic intermediate during oxidation of gomphrenin. Conjugation of betacyanins with thiol-bearing moieties may generate new molecules with modified chemical and biological properties. Obtained results confirm that gomphrenin is capable of forming CS-conjugates with higher efficiency than betanin.

Influence of photoperiod on growth, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in callus cultures of Basella rubra L

Basella rubra L. is an important green leafy vegetable vine and is known for its health benefits in traditional medicine. Light is a basic physical factor essential to the development and bioactive secondary metabolite production in in vitro callus cultures. The present study researched the impact of different photoperiods on biomass, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity in callus cultures of B. rubra. The in vitro seedling based cotyledonary leaf explants responded differently, when cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with varying concentrations and combination of auxins and cytokinins. The best callus proliferation was found in MS medium with 0.1 mg.L^-1 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 6 mg.L^-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), with greenish callus inception by about 2 weeks. The growth curve recorded for 6 weeks of culturing revealed that the photoperiod effect was found to be pivotal for acquiring biomass. At the fifth week, the continuous light supported maximum biomass (12.42 g) production followed by the 16:8 h photoperiod (9.02 g) and continuous darkness (4.28 g). The 80% ethanol extract of 1-week-old callus that grows under the 16:8 h photoperiod showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC) (74 mg.100 g^-1 fresh weight, FW) when compared to all other extracts at different stages. The ferric reducing antioxidant power assay showed the highest (336.23 mg.100 g^-1 FW) activity in methanol extractions of first-week callus cultures maintained in the continuous light condition. HPLC-UV identification and quantification of individual phenolics and flavonoids, such as gallic, trans-cinnamic, quercetin, protocatechuic and rutin, were highest in the callus cultures. The outcome of this study is significant to this plant, as B. rubra is familiar for its important health constituents with high-value bioactives and applications in the pharma and nutraceutical industries.

Could fruits be a reliable source of food colorants? Pros and cons of these natural additives

Color additives are important for the food industry to improve sensory quality lost during food process and to expand the variety of products. In general, artificial colorants have lower cost and better stability than the natural ones. Nevertheless, studies have reported their association with some health disorders. Furthermore, consumers have given greater attention to food products with health beneficial effects, which has provided a new perspective for the use of natural colorants. In this context, fruits are an excellent alternative source of natural compounds, that allow the obtainment of a wide range of colorant molecules, such as anthocyanins, betalains, carotenoids, and chlorophylls. Furthermore, in addition to their coloring ability, they comprise different bioactive properties. However, the extraction and application of natural colorants from fruits is still a challenge, since these compounds show some stability problems, in addition to issues related to the sustainability of raw-materials providing. To overcome these limitations, several studies have reported optimized extraction and stabilization procedures. In this review, the major pigments found in fruits and their extraction and stabilization techniques for uses as food additives will be looked over.

RNA-sequencing analysis reveals betalains metabolism in the leaf of Amaranthus tricolor L

Amaranth plants contain large amounts of betalains, including betaxanthins and betacyanins. Amaranthin is a betacyanin, and its molecular structure and associated metabolic pathway differ from those of betanin in beet plants. The chlorophyll, carotenoid, betalain, and flavonoid contents in amaranth leaves were analyzed. The abundance of betalain, betacyanin, and betaxanthin was 2-5-fold higher in the red leaf sectors than in the green leaf sectors. Moreover, a transcriptome database was constructed for the red and green sectors of amaranth leaves harvested from 30-day-old seedlings. 22 unigenes were selected to analyze the expression profiles in the two leaf sectors. The RNA-sequencing data indicated that many unigenes are involved in betalain metabolic pathways. The potential relationships between diverse metabolic pathways and betalain metabolism were analyzed. The validation of the expression of 22 selected unigenes in a qRT-PCR assay revealed the genes that were differentially expressed in the two leaf sectors. Betalains were biosynthesized in specific tissues of the red sectors of amaranth leaves. Almost all of the genes related to betalain metabolism were identified in the transcriptome database, and the expression profiles were different between the red sectors and green sectors in the leaf. Amaranth plants consist of diverse metabolic pathways, and the betalain metabolic pathway is linked to a group of other metabolic pathways.

Conical intersections and the weak fluorescence of betalains

Betalains are natural plant pigments found in certain plants belonging to the order Caryophyllales.

Mucilaginous polysaccharides from vegetative parts of Bixa orellana L.: Their characterization and antioxidant potential

The aim of this study was to extricate adhesive mucilaginous polysaccharides (MPS) from vegetative parts of Bixa orellana and furthermore to explore proximate analysis and antioxidant potentials. The ethanol precipitated mucilage concentrates of leaf holds 57.7% ± 3.2% moisture, 31.7 ± 1.61 g/100 g aggregate starch content, 23.6 ± 0.07 g/100 g reducing sugar content, 14.5 ± 2.0 g/100 g pentose content, 9.37 ± 0.56 g/100 g uronic acid substance, 10.6 ± 0.98 g/100 g total phenolic content, and 36.9 ± 0.52 mg/100 g total protein content. In contrasted with twigs, the leaves MPS demonstrated two folds increment in phenolic content. The sugar composition characteristics of MPS by gas liquid chromatography demonstrated a noteworthy content of xylose (163.5 ± 6.6 mg/100 g), mannose (17.2 ± 0.6 mg/100 g), and galactose (13.7 ± 0.4 mg/100 g) in leaf. The MPS extract of leaves exhibited a dose-dependent antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging ability. The data obtained in this study open a new avenue to further investigate the broad applications of these annatto dye yielding plant polysaccharides. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The mucilaginous polysaccharides (MPS) from plant sources are being used for different applications in food, pharma, and cosmetic enterprises. Nowadays there is a developing enthusiasm for MPS for their dietary and medicinal advantages. Particularly dietary polysaccharides are known to evoke immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we present the leaf and twig parts of Bixa orellana as rich sources of MPS, the MPS characterization and also antioxidant potential, which could substantiate B. orellana MPS as functional ingredients and furthermore in nourishment industry for expanding dairy foods consistency.

Identification and characterization of bioactive phenolic constituents, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic activity of stem extracts of Basella alba and rubra

Basella is an important green leafy vegetable species of Chenopodiaceae family and is known for its medicinal properties. Hydroxy-benzoic acids, hydroxy-cinnamic acids and flavones groups were identified and characterized from the aqueous stem extracts of B. alba and B. rubra species. Higher values of phenolics as well as antioxidant activity were noted from B. alba species extracts. The evaluation of the cytoxicity of these extracts on A431 (epidermoid carcinoma), Hep G2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) and MG 63 (osteosarcoma) cells indicated anti-proliferative activity against all the cell lines. B. alba extract showed higher anti-proliferative activity (37.95-84.86%). Chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay revealed inhibition of neo-vessels formation. Significant suppression was found with extracts of B. alba at 7 mg/ml compared to that of B. rubra. This is the first study to report the anti-angiogenic activity of Basella species. These studies indicate that Basella sps can be used as a source of natural antioxidants and can be of high significance in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Application of HPLC and ESI-MS techniques in the analysis of phenolic acids and flavonoids from green leafy vegetables (GLVs)

Diets containing high proportions of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of onset of chronic diseases. The role of herbal medicines in improving human health is gaining popularity over the years, which also increases the need for safety and efficiency of these products. Green leafy vegetables (GLVs) are the richest source of phenolic compounds with excellent antioxidant properties. Increased consumption of diets containing phenolic compounds may give positive and better results to human health and significantly improves the immune system. Highly selective, susceptible and versatile analytical techniques are necessary for extraction, identification, and quantification of phenolic compounds from plant extracts, which helps to utilize their important biological properties. Recent advances in the pre-treatment procedures, separation techniques and spectrometry methods are used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds. The online coupling of liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has become a useful tool in the metabolic profiling of plant samples. In this review, the separation and identification of phenolic acids and flavonoids from GLVs by LC-MS have been discussed along with the general extraction procedures and other sources of mass spectrometer used. The review is devoted to the understanding of the structural configuration, nature and accumulation pattern of phenolic acids and flavonoids in plants and to highlighting the recent developments in the chemical investigation of these compounds by chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. It concludes with the advantages of the combination of these two methods and prospects.

Thermal Degradation of Major Gomphrenin Pigments in the Fruit Juice of Basella alba L. (Malabar Spinach)

Generation of decarboxylated and dehydrogenated gomphrenins during heating of Basella alba L. fruit juice containing high levels of betacyanin pigments was monitored by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. The presence of principal decarboxylation products, 2-, 17-, and 2,17-decarboxy-gomphrenins, their diastereomers, as well as minor levels of their dehydrogenated derivatives are reported. In addition, determination of molecular masses of decarboxylated gomphrenins by high-resolution mass spectrometry (LCMS-IT-TOF) was performed. Enzymatic deglucosylation of decarboxylated and dehydrogenated gomphrenins resulted in the generation of betanidin diagnostic derivatives for further identification processes. In addition, experiments were conducted to prove that the position of glucosylation of the chromophoric part of betacyanins (betanidin part) has decisive influence on different chromatographic properties of their decarboxylated derivatives.

Coloring attributes of betalains: a key emphasis on stability and future applications

Organoleptic characteristics largely determine food acceptance, selection, and subsequent consumption.

Phytoconstituents and stability of betalains in fruit extracts of Malabar spinach (Basella rubra L.)

This study aimed to assess the nutrient composition, minerals, and stability of betalains pigment from fruit extracts of Basella rubra. The proximate composition included total carbohydrates (1.64 g), protein (51 mg), total lipid (1.38%), moisture (81.76%), niacin (0.5 mg), ascorbic acid (89.33 mg), and total tocopherols (1.27 mg) in 100 g fresh deseeded fruit. Total dietary fibre of 32.52 g and soluble dietary fibre of 12.34 g in 100 g dry deseeded fruits. Fatty acid composition of dry deseeded fruits comprised 57.52% SFA, 20.62% MUFA and 22.28% PUFA. Pigment (betalain) rich fruit extracts showed excellent stability over 20 days of storage under varied pH, temperature, light, acids, salts and sugars. B. rubra fruit was observed as a potential source of nutrients and betalains as a functional food.

Dehydrated Basella alba Fruit Juice as a Novel Natural Colorant: Pigment Stability, In Vivo Food Safety Evaluation and Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism Characterization

Flesh of Basella alba L. mature fruits bearing deep-violet juice provides a novel and potential source of natural colorant. To minimize the pigment purification process and warrant safety acceptability, B. alba colorant powder (BACP) was prepared using mature fruits through a practical batch preparation and subjected to fundamental pigment characterization, food safety assessment and bio-function evaluation. Yield of the dehydrated B. alba colorant powder (BACP) was 37 g/kg fresh fruits. Reconstituted aqueous solution of the BACP exhibited an identical visible spectrum (400-700 nm) as that of fresh juice. Color of the solution (absorbance at 540 nm) was stable in a broad pH ranged from 3 to 8 and enhanced by co-presence of calcium and magnesium ions, while was rapidly bleached by ferrous and ferric ions. For in vivo food safety evaluation, ICR mice were daily gavage administered with BACP up to 1000 mg/kg body weight for 28 days. Organ weight determination, serum biochemical analysis and histopathological examination of hearts, livers, lungs and kidneys revealed no obvious health hazard. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of BACP was characterized in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. BACP exerted potent anti-inflammatory activity by down-regulation of inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12 and the blockage of IκB kinase (IKK)/IκB/nuclear factor-κ B (NFκB) activation cascade. These results supported that BACP may serve as a beneficial alternative of natural food colorant.

Impact of extraction and processing conditions on betalains and comparison of properties with anthocyanins - A current review

The search for natural pigments has been driven by growing evidence indicating that synthetic colorants can cause deleterious health effects. Betalains, in addition to anthocyanins, have been proposed as an alternative to address this need. However, the incorporation of natural pigments poses some challenges to the food industry, such as reduced stability in comparison to their synthetic counterparts. Moreover, betalains are not well studied in comparison to anthocyanins and information about the effects of processing on their physicochemical properties and stability is scattered. Thus, this review will provide an overview of the recent research on the extraction and processing of betalains from natural sources, and comparison of their colorant and physicochemical properties with anthocyanins.