Antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of 40 tropical juices from Malaysia and identification of phenolics from the bioactive fruit juices of Barringtonia racemosa and Phyllanthus acidus

Changes in phenolic compounds of Phyllanthus emblica juice during different storage temperature and pH conditions

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of storage temperature and pH on phenolic compounds of Phyllanthus emblica juice. Juice was stored at different temperatures and pH for 15 days and sampled on 2-day intervals. The browning index (BI, ABS420 nm), pH, centrifugal precipitation rate (CPR), and phenolic compounds were evaluated. The results showed 4°C and pH 2.5 could effectively inhibit browning and slow down pH drop of P. emblica juice. The result of orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis showed P. emblica juice stored at 4°C and pH 2.5 still had a similar phenolic composition, but at 20°C, 37°C, and pH 3.5, the score plots were concentrated only in the first 3 days. Additionally, gallic acid (GA) and ellagic acid (EA) were screened out to be the differential compounds for browning of P. emblica juice. The contents of GA, epigallocatechin (EGC), corilagin (CL), gallocatechin gallate (GCG), chebulagic acid (CA), 1,2,3,4,6-O-galloyl-d-glucose (PGG), and EA were more stable at 4°C and pH 2.5. Overall, during storage at 4°C and pH 2.5, it could inhibit the increase of GA and EA and decrease of CL, GCG, CA, and PGG, whereas EGC did not show significant difference between storage conditions. The CPR was higher at 4°C, while pH 2.5 could reduce the CPR. In conclusion, in order to maintain stability of phenolic compounds and extended storage period, the P. emblica juice could be stored at low temperature and adjust the pH to increase the stability of juice system.

Polysaccharide isolated from wax apple suppresses ethyl carbamate-induced oxidative damage in human hepatocytes

Wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) has received growing research interest for its high nutritional and medicinal value due to its constituents such as polysaccharide, organic acids, flavonoids, minerals, and other substances. In this study, wax apple polysaccharide (WAP) was isolated from this plant and its protective effect against ethyl carbamate (EC)‍-induced oxidative damage was evaluated in human hepatocytes (L02 cells). Firstly, a series of analyses such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were conducted to identify the structure of WAP. Thereafter, in vitro cell experiments were performed to verify the protective effects of WAP against EC-induced cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and oxidative damage in L02 cells. Our results revealed that WAP is composed of mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, arabinose, and fucose in a molar ratio of 2.20:‍3.94:‍4.45:‍8.56:‍8.86:‍30.82:‍39.78:‍1.48. Using a combination of methylation and NMR spectroscopic analysis, the primary structure of WAP was identified as Araf-(1→, Glcp-(1→, →2)‍-Araf-(1→, →3)‍-Galp-(1→, →3)‍-Araf-‍(1→, and →6)‍-Galp-‍(1→. Cell experiments indicated that WAP exhibited significant protective effects on EC-treated L02 cells via suppressing cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and O2•- formation, as well as improving mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and glutathione (GSH). In a nutshell, WAP has the potential as an important therapeutic agent or supplement for hepatic oxidative damage. Meanwhile, further studies are needed to prove the above effects in vivo at the biological and clinical levels.

Polyphenol-Dietary Fiber Conjugates from Fruits and Vegetables: Nature and Biological Fate in a Food and Nutrition Perspective

In the past few years, numerous studies have investigated the correlation between polyphenol intake and the prevention of several chronic diseases. Research regarding the global biological fate and bioactivity has been directed to extractable polyphenols that can be found in aqueous-organic extracts, obtained from plant-derived foods. Nevertheless, significant amounts of non-extractable polyphenols, closely associated with the plant cell wall matrix (namely with dietary fibers), are also delivered during digestion, although they are ignored in biological, nutritional, and epidemiological studies. These conjugates have gained the spotlight because they may exert their bioactivities for much longer than extractable polyphenols. Additionally, from a technological food perspective, polyphenols combined with dietary fibers have become increasingly interesting as they could be useful for the food industry to enhance technological functionalities. Non-extractable polyphenols include low molecular weight compounds such as phenolic acids and high molecular weight polymeric compounds such as proanthocyanidins and hydrolysable tannins. Studies concerning these conjugates are scarce, and usually refer to the compositional analysis of individual components rather than to the whole fraction. In this context, the knowledge and exploitation of non-extractable polyphenol-dietary fiber conjugates will be the focus of this review, aiming to access their potential nutritional and biological effect, together with their functional properties.

Flavonoids from the fruits of Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels with anti-α-glucosidase activity

Eleven flavonoids including one new flavonol glycoside, quercetin-3-O-(2-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl methyl ester (1), were isolated for the first time from the fruits of Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels (Phyllanthaceae). Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic data. The known flavonoids, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronide methyl ester (3), quercetin-3-O-(2''-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-6''-O-α-L-rhamno pyranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), myricetin (9), and 6-methoxy-naringenin (11) were isolated for the first time from the genus Phyllanthus. Flavonoids 4, 6 and 9 (IC₅₀ = 6.01, 6.32, and 7.84 μM, respectively) showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activities than the positive control, acarbose (IC₅₀ = 306.45 μM). The fruits of P. acidus might be further developed as an anti-diabetic food supplement.

Wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) fruit extract ameliorates endothelial dysfunction and liver damage in high cholesterol diet-fed rats

Background and aim

Wax apple fruit (Syzygium samarangense) is one of the most popular tropical fruit in Asia, and contains several essential nutrients. Therefore, this study explored the effects of the wax apple fruit extract on a high-cholesterol diet-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction and fatty liver in rats.

Experimental procedure

Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a diet with 1.5% cholesterol (HCD) for 8 weeks, and were given wax apple fruit extract (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) orally for the last 4 weeks. After 8 weeks, blood sample, thoracic aorta, and liver were collected and processed for biochemical and histological analysis. Additionally, vascular endothelial function and the protein expression of oxidative stress markers in aortae were evaluated.

Results and conclusion

Wax apple reduced serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), but increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Furthermore, the liver levels of TG and TC were reduced in wax apple-treated hypercholesterolemic rats. Histological studies revealed that wax apple ameliorated HCD-induced morphologic changes of aortic and liver tissues of rats. In aortic tissues, the impaired endothelium-dependent responses to acetylcholine, the reduced nitric oxide (NO) contents, the elevated endothelin (ET)-1 contents, and the increased expression of NADPH oxidase subunit p47^phox and 4-hydroxynonenal in HCD-fed rats were reversed by wax apple treatment. These results suggest that oral administration of wax apple improves vascular dysfunction and damage in hypercholesterolemic rats possibly through increasing NO bioavailability, decreasing ET-1 levels and reducing oxidative stress. Furthermore, wax apple ameliorates the HCD-induced fatty liver in rats.

The Evolution of Pharmacological Activities Bouea macrophylla Griffith In Vivo and In Vitro Study: A Review

Bouea macrophylla Griffith (B. macrophylla) is one of the many herbal plants found in Asia, and its fruit is plum mango. This plant is rich in secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, tannins, polyphenolic compounds, and many others. Due to its bioactive components, plum mango has powerful antioxidants that have therapeutic benefits for many common ailments, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. This review describes the evolution of plum mango’s phytochemical properties and pharmacological activities including in vitro and in vivo studies. The pharmacological activities of B. macrophylla Griffith reviewed in this article are antioxidant, anticancer, antihyperglycemic, antimicrobial, and antiphotoaging. Each of these pharmacological activities described and studied the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. Interestingly, plum mango seeds show good pharmacological activity where the seed is the part of the plant that is a waste product. This can be an advantage because of its economic value as a herbal medicine. Overall, the findings described in this review aim to allow this plant to be explored and utilized more widely, especially as a new drug discovery.

Valorisation of food agro-industrial by-products: From the past to the present and perspectives

Food agro-industrial by-products mainly include peels, seeds, stems, bagasse, kernels, and husk, derived during food processing. Due to their overproduction and the lack of sustainable management, such by-products have been conventionally rejected and wasted in landfills, being the principal strategy for their treatment, but nowadays, this strategy has been associated with several environmental, social and economic issues. Hence, we focused on the use of different consolidated biotechnological processes and methodologies as suitable strategies for food by-products management and valorisation, highlighting them as potential bioresources because they still gather high compositional and nutritional value, owing to their richness in functional and bioactive molecules with human health benefits. Food by-products could be utilised for the development of new food ingredients or products for human consumption, promoting their integral valorisation and reincorporation to the food supply chain within the circular bioeconomy concept, creating revenue streams, business and job opportunities. In this review, the main goal was to provide a general overview of the food agro-industrial by-products utilised throughout the years, improving global sustainability and human nutrition, emphasising the importance of biowaste valorisation as well as the methodologies employed for the recovery of value-added molecules.

Review of Nephelium lappaceum and Nephelium ramboutan-ake: A High Potential Supplement

Nephelium lappaceum (N. lappaceum) and Nephelium ramboutan-ake (N. ramboutan-ake) are tropical fruits that gain popularity worldwide due to their tastiness. Currently, their potential to be used as pharmaceutical agents is underestimated. Chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and aging have high incidence rates in the modern world. Furthermore, pharmaceutical agents targeting pathogenic microorganisms have been hampered by the growing of antimicrobial resistance threats. The idea of food therapy leads to extensive nutraceuticals research on the potential of exotic fruits such as N. lappaceum and N. ramboutan-ake to act as supplements. Phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds that present in the fruit act as potent antioxidants that contribute to the protective effects against diseases induced by oxidative stress. Fruit residuals such as the peel and seeds hold greater nutraceutical potential than the edible part. This review highlights the antioxidant and biological activities (anti-neoplastic, anti-microbial, hypoglycemic actions and anti-aging), and chemical contents of different parts of N. lappaceum and N. ramboutan-ake. These fruits contain a diverse and important chemical profile that can alleviate or cure diseases.

Antihyperglycemic and hypoglycemic activity of Mayan plant foods in rodent models

BACKGROUND

Postprandial hyperglycemia and decreased insulin secretion are relevant to risk factors in the development of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Plant foods with antidiabetic properties could be an affordable alternative in the prevention and treatment of this disease. In the present study, the antihyperglycemic and hypoglycemic activity of Bixa orellana, Psidium guajava L., Cucurbita moschata, Raphanus sativus L. and Brassica oleracea var. capitata - Mayan plant foods - were evaluated at doses of 5 and 10 mg kg^-1 . Antihyperglycemic activity was measured in healthy Wistar rats and those with obesity induced by high-sucrose diet (group HSD) (20%). The hypoglycemic activity was measure in healthy CD1 mice.

RESULTS

Fasting glucose, Lee index and the body weight of HSD rats increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) after 12 weeks of induction compared to healthy rats. In healthy rats, P. guajava and Bixa orellana (10 mg kg^-1 ) demonstrated higher and statistically different (P ≤ 0.05) antihyperglycemic activity compared to control acarbose (0.5 mg kg^-1 ). In the HSD rat group, all Mayan plant foods (10 mg kg^-1 ) demonstrated antihyperglycemic activity statistically equal (P ≤ 0.05) to control acarbose. However, Brassica oleracea and R. sativus registered the highest antihyperglycemic activity. Bixa orellana and P. guajava (5 mg kg^-1 ) showed similar hypoglycemic activity (P ≤ 0.05) to glibenclamide (0.5 mg kg^-1 ) but was not significant (P ≤ 0.05) compared to insulin (5 UI kg^-1 ).

CONCLUSION

The present study provides valuable evidence on the possible health benefits of Mayan plant foods. These foods could contribute to the development of therapeutic diet strategies for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

A study on nutritional and functional study properties of Mayan plant foods as a new proposal for type 2 diabetes prevention

Mayan communities cultivate a great variety of plant foods that could be of interest due to their nutritional and functional potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value, glycemic index (GI), total phenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC), and in vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of 24 plant foods of a Mayan community from the Yucatan Peninsula. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that Psidium guajava L. (fruit), Cucurbita moschata (vegetable), Raphanus sativus L. (tuber), Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. (leaf), and Bixa orellana L. (seed) had the highest nutritional and functional value for each plant food group. Principal component analysis suggested that TFC is a key feature to select plant foods with antidiabetic potential. Mayan plant foods have nutritional and functional properties that can be used in the development of a new proposal aimed at preventing type 2 diabetes.

Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Phyllanthus acidus (L.) Skeels is not only used for its edible fruits but also used to treat a wide spectrum of diseases such as inflammatory, rheumatism, bronchitis, asthma, respiratory disorder, hepatic diseases and diabetes in India, Asia, the Caribbean region, and Central and South America. This paper aims to discuss the current understanding regarding the traditional uses, phytochemical and pharmacological studies of P. acidus, and their possible research opportunities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All information on P. acidus was collected from various electronic database (ACS, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SciFinder, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Springer, Wiley, Taylor and Mendeley) and also from those published materials (Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations and books) by using a combination of various meaningful keywords.

RESULTS

Phytochemical analyses on barks, leaves, roots and fruits of P. acidus identified triterpene, diterpene, sesquiterpene, and glycosides as predominant classes of bioactive substances found in this plant. P. acidus was reported with various pharmacological activities such as in vivo hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic, in vitro anti-oxidant, α-glucosidase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. However, none of these studies are with clinical research. Some of the studies were performed with only a single set of experiments or with a high dose of extract, and thus the validity of the experimental data may be questionable. In addition, most of the studies described were without identifying the effective components. Some of the assays were even without a positive control for comparison which makes results questionable.

CONCLUSION

Although P. acidus has been proven as a valuable medicinal source from its traditional uses. However, the pharmacological experiments conducted were not sufficient to verify its traditional uses. More investigation is required to confirm the traditional claims such as bioassay-guided isolation of bioactive compounds, detailed pharmacological investigations, clinical studies, and its toxicity investigation. Additionally, an experimental design with sufficient data replication, the use of controls and authenticated research materials, and the selection of a rationale dose or concentration for the analysis are keys to providing reproducible experimental data.

Nutritional Composition, Anti-Diabetic Properties and Identification of Active Compounds Using UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS in Mangifera odorata L. Peel and Seed Kernel

Mangifera odorata fruit, the hybrid forms between M. indica (mango) and M. foetida (bacang), has been shown to exhibit potential antioxidant activity, and the fruit waste could demonstrate functional and nutritional potential. In the present study, the nutritional composition (proximate, sugars, vitamins and minerals analyses), the anti-diabetic activities and phytochemical profile of M. odorata peel and seed kernel were investigated for the first time. The results indicated that seed kernel rich in fat, protein, carbohydrate, and ash while peel contained significantly greater amount of fiber, minerals, β-Carotene and ascorbic acid compared to seed kernel. The samples were then extracted using different solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol at 60%, v/v and pure deionized water) and their anti-diabetic activities (α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay) were determined. Seed kernel had the lowest IC50 values for α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay in 60% ethanol and 60% acetone, respectively. Due to the toxic effect and high volatility of acetone, the ethanolic extracts of samples were further analyses for their phytochemical profile using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS). The most abundant compounds identified were phenolic acid, ellagic acid, and flavonoid. These findings suggest that M. odorata fruit wastes, especially the seed kernel possesses promising ability to be used as functional ingredient in the food industry.

Determination of acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibition by electrophoretically-mediated microanalysis and phenolic profile by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS of fruit juices from Brazilian Myrtaceae Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel and Eugenia uniflora L

Alzheimer's disease and diabetes mellitus are contemporary diseases of great concern. Phenolic compounds are linked to several health benefits and could lead to novel strategies to combat these ailments. The objective of this study was to evaluate by electrophoretically-mediated microanalysis the potential inhibitory activity of the fruit juices from Plinia cauliflora ("jaboticaba") and Eugenia uniflora ("pitanga") toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase, target enzymes in strategies for the treatment of these diseases. The phenolic profiles of the samples were also investigated. Jaboticaba and pitanga juices inhibited 85.90 ± 1.73 and 52.67 ± 1.24% of AChE activity at 5 mg mL^-1, and 57.91 ± 2.60 and 69.47 ± 2.89% of α-glucosidase activity at 1 mg mL^-1, respectively. Total phenolic content of the juices were 303.54 ± 28.28 and 367.00 ± 11.42 mgGA L^-1, respectively. The observed inhibitory activity can be explained, at least in part, by the presence of the phenolic compounds.

Identification and characterization of phenolics and terpenoids from ethanolic extracts of Phyllanthus species by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS

Phyllanthus species plants are a rich source of phenolics and widely used due to their medicinal properties. A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) for the identification and characterization of quercetin, kaempferol, ellagic acid and their derivatives in ethanolic extracts of Phyllanthus species. The chromatographic separation was carried out on Thermo Betasil C₈ column (250 mm×4.5 mm, 5 µm) using 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in methanol as the mobile phase. The identification of diagnostic fragment ions and optimization of collision energies were carried out using 21 reference standards. Totally 51 compounds were identified which include 21 compounds identified and characterized unambiguously by comparison with their authentic standards and the remaining 30 were tentatively identified and characterized in ethanolic extracts of P. emblica, P. fraternus, P. amarus and P. niruri.

α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Selected Malaysian Plants

Diabetes is a common metabolic disease indicated by unusually high plasma glucose level that can lead to major complications such as diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular diseases. One of the effective therapeutic managements of the disease is to reduce postprandial hyperglycemia through inhibition of α-glucosidase, a carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme to retard overall glucose absorption. In recent years, a plenty of research works have been conducted looking for novel and effective α-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) from natural sources as alternatives for the synthetic AGI due to their unpleasant side effects. Plants and herbs are rich with secondary metabolites that have massive pharmaceutical potential. Besides, studies showed that phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, anthocyanins, glycosides, and phenolic compounds possess significant inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase enzyme. Malaysia is a tropical country that is rich with medicinal herbs. In this review, we focus on eight Malaysian plants with the potential as AGI to develop a potential functional food or lead compounds against diabetes.

Thai Fruits Exhibit Antioxidant Activity and Induction of Antioxidant Enzymes in HEK-293 Cells

The cellular antioxidant enzymes play the important role of protecting the cells and organisms from the oxidative damage. Natural antioxidants contained in fruits have attracted considerable interest because of their presumed safety and potential nutritional value. Even though antioxidant activities of many fruits have been reported, the effects of phytochemicals contained in fruits on the induction of antioxidant enzymes in the cells have not been fully defined. In this study, we showed that extracts from Antidesma ghaesembilla, Averrhoa bilimbi, Malpighia glabra, Mangifera indica, Sandoricum koetjape, Syzygium malaccense, and Ziziphus jujuba inhibited H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species production in HEK-293 cells. Additionally, these Thai fruit extracts increased the mRNA and protein expressions of antioxidant enzymes, catalase, glutathione peroxidase-1, and manganese superoxide dismutase. The consumption of Thai fruits rich in phenolic compounds may reduce the risk of oxidative stress.

Screening for potential α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory constituents from selected Vietnamese plants used to treat type 2 diabetes

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The 18 plant species investigated in this study have been used as herbal antidiabetic remedies in Vietnamese traditional medicines. This study aimed to evaluate their ability to inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase, two key enzymes involved in serum glucose regulation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Chloroform, ethanol and water extracts of 18 plants were screened for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity. Analytical-scale HPLC was subsequently used to investigate the most active extracts, where samples with low level of tannins were identified and fractionated into 96-well microplates, followed by α-glucosidase and α-amylase assessment of each well. High-resolution α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition profiles constructed from these assays allowed identification of HPLC peaks correlated with α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity. The active constituents were subsequently isolated using preparative-scale HPLC and their structure was elucidated by HR-ESIMS and NMR.

RESULTS

Ethanol extracts of Nepenthes mirabilis, Phyllanthus urinaria, and Kandelia candel significantly inhibited α-glucosidase with IC50 values of 32.7±6.3, 39.7±9.7, and 35.4±13.9μg/mL, respectively. Water extracts of N. mirabilis, Phyllanthus amarus, P. urinaria, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Syzygium cumini, Rhizophora mucronata, and K. candel showed IC50 values of 3.3±0.8, 34.9±1.5, 14.6±4.6, 5.4±0.5, 20.9±1.8, 3.3±0.6, and 4.0±0.8μg/mL, respectively. In the α-amylase inhibition assay, ethanol extracts of K. candel and Ficus racemosa showed IC50 of 7.6±0.9 and 46.7±23.6μg/mL, respectively. Showing low tannin constituents as seen from HPLC profiles, P. amarus and P. urinaria water extracts and F. racemosa ethanol extract were subjected to microfractionation. Only high-resolution α-glucosidase inhibition profiles of P. amarus and P. urinaria water extracts showed several active compounds, which were isolated and identified as corilagin (1), repandusinic acid A (2), and mallotinin (3). IC50 of these compounds were 1.70±0.03, 6.10±0.10, and 3.76±0.15μM, respectively. Kinetics analysis revealed that 1 displayed a mixed type mode of inhibition with Ki and Ki' values of 2.37±0.90 and 2.61±0.61μM, respectively, whereas 2 and 3 competitively inhibited α-glucosidase with Ki values of 4.01±0.47 and 0.65±0.11μM, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Corilagin (1), repandusinic acid A (2), and mallotinin (3) were potent α-glucosidase inhibitors contributing significantly to the inhibitory effect observed for the water extracts of P. amarus and P. urinaria.

Phytochemicals and Medicinal Properties of Indigenous Tropical Fruits with Potential for Commercial Development

Hundreds of fruit-bearing trees are native to Southeast Asia, but many of them are considered as indigenous or underutilized. These species can be categorized as indigenous tropical fruits with potential for commercial development and those possible for commercial development. Many of these fruits are considered as underutilized unless the commercialization is being realized despite the fact that they have the developmental potential. This review discusses seven indigenous tropical fruits from 15 species that have been identified, in which their fruits are having potential for commercial development. As they are not as popular as the commercially available fruits, limited information is found. This paper is the first initiative to provide information on the phytochemicals and potential medicinal uses of these fruits. Phytochemicals detected in these fruits are mainly the phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and other terpenoids. Most of these phytochemicals are potent antioxidants and have corresponded to the free radical scavenging activities and other biological activities of the fruits. The scientific research that covered a broad range of in vitro to in vivo studies on the medicinal potentials of these fruits is also discussed in detail. The current review is an update for researchers to have a better understanding of the species, which simultaneously can provide awareness to enhance their commercial value and promote their utilization for better biodiversity conservation.