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Mohammed HY, Teferra TF, Sime G. Indigenous knowledge and nutritional and morphological characterization of okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moecnh) varieties in Western Ethiopia. Food Sci Nutr 2024; 12:2537-2550. [PMID: 38628224 PMCID: PMC11016411 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moecnh) is a versatile crop that is widely grown in western Ethiopia, despite that it is less researched. This study, therefore, investigates the traditional knowledge, nutritional, and morphological characteristics of two commonly grown okra varieties (Kenketse and Sharma) in west Ethiopia. A semi-structured questionnaire, checklist, and observations were used to collect primary data from households, key informants, and farms. In addition, proximate composition parameters like moisture content, total ash, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, utilizable carbohydrates, and gross energy fruits were measured through laboratory analysis. Fruit morphological traits, including fruit dimensions such as length and width, were determined using a digital Vernier caliper. For data analysis, SPSS software was used. The results revealed that the entire plant is used for both food and ethnomedicinal purposes. Curing ailments such as stomach pain, constipation, wound/cut, heart discomfort, back pain, malaria, diarrhea, and amoebae were among the medical benefits of okra. The proximate composition (%) on a dry matter basis of okra fruits differed significantly (p < .05) by cultivar type and drying method. Moisture (3.69%-5.24%), total ash (6.60%-8.01%), crude fat (4.87%-8.58%), crude protein (4.06%-5.23%), crude fiber (12.85%-15.26%), utilizable carbohydrate (56.42%-67.63%), and gross energy contents (326-341 kcal) were the ranges of the various proximate and energy levels. Morphological characteristics of fruit and leaf length, width, and length-to-width ratio varied with cultivar type, where Sharma had more than double the length of Kenketse (70.1 vs. 187.1 mm). Despite being an undervalued native vegetable crop in Ethiopia, the study's findings show that okra is a multipurpose vegetable for promoting human health and ensuring food and nutritional security. Therefore, stepping up its production, marketing, and consumption could help alleviate the food shortage and improve human nutrition and health in the study areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasebu Yassin Mohammed
- Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational SciencesAssosa UniversityAsosaEthiopia
| | - Tadesse Fikre Teferra
- School of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, College of AgricultureHawassa UniversityHawassaEthiopia
| | - Getachew Sime
- Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational SciencesHawassa UniversityHawassaEthiopia
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Yue XJ, Xu PW, Luo XC, Zhao B. Multi-spectroscopies and molecular docking insights into the interaction mechanism and antioxidant activity of isoquercetin and zein nanoparticles. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 263:130412. [PMID: 38401577 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare and characterize the theoretical properties and interaction mechanisms of zein and isoquercetin (ISO) from experimental and theoretical perspectives. Zein nanoparticles with different ISO concentrations (ZINPs) were prepared by the antisolvent precipitation method. The experimental results indicated all particles appeared spherical. When the mass ratio of zein to ISO was 10:1, the encapsulation efficiency of ZINPs reached 88.19 % with an average diameter of 126.67 nm. The multispectral method and molecular docking results confirmed that hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force played a dominant role for the binding of ISO to zein, and the primary fluorescence quenching mechanism for zein by ISO was static quenching. Furthermore, ZINPs had greater solubility and antioxidant activity, as well as inhibited the release of ISO during simulated gastrointestinal digestion processes. This research contributes to the understanding of the non-covalent binding mechanism between zein and ISO, providing a theoretical basis for the construction of ISO active carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jie Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Peng-Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xiao-Chuan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China
| | - Bing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
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Fakudze NT, Sarbadhikary P, George BP, Abrahamse H. Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Anticancer Potentials of African Medicinal Fruits: A Comprehensive Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1117. [PMID: 37631032 PMCID: PMC10458058 DOI: 10.3390/ph16081117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Africa is home to diverse medicinal plants that have been used for generations for the treatment of several different cancers and, presently, they are gaining interest from researchers as promising approaches to cancer treatment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review of dietary and medicinal African fruits including their traditional uses, botanical description, ethnobotanical uses, bioactive phytochemical compositions, and anticancer properties investigated to date in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical studies. Data on recent updates concerning the traditional uses and anticancer properties of these fruits were collected from a myriad of available publications in electronic databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. The results suggest that approximately 12 native or commercially grown African fruits belonging to different plant species, including Tribulus terrestris, Xanthium strumarium, Withania somnifera, Xylopia aethiopica, Abelmoschus esculentus, Carissa macrocarpa, Carpobrotus edulis, Syzygium cumini, Kigelia Africana, Annona muricata, Persea americana, and Punica granatum, have been reported for their potential as treatment options for the management of cancer. We further found that approximately eight different fruits from native plant species from Africa, namely, Sclerocarya birrea, Dovyalis caffra, Parinari curatellifolia, Mimusops caffra, Carpobrotus edulis, Vangueria infausta, Harpephyllum caffrum, and Carissa macrocarpa, have been widely used for the traditional treatment of different ailments but somehow failed to gain the interest of researchers for their use in anticancer research. In this review, we show the potential use of various fruits as anticancer agents, such as Tribulus terrestris, Xanthium strumarium, Withania somnifera, Xylopia aethiopica, Abelmoschus esculentus, Carissa macrocarpa, Carpobrotus edulis, Syzygium cumini, Kigelia Africana, Annona muricata, Persea americana, and Punica granatum; unfortunately, not enough reported research data have been published to gain thorough mechanistic insights and clinical applications. Additionally, we discuss the possibility of the utilization of potential phytochemicals from fruits like Persea americana and Punica granatum in anticancer research, as well as future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paromita Sarbadhikary
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, P.O. Box 1701, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa; (N.T.F.); (H.A.)
| | - Blassan P. George
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, P.O. Box 1701, Johannesburg 2028, South Africa; (N.T.F.); (H.A.)
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Gaobotse G, Venkataraman S, Brown PD, Masisi K, Kwape TE, Nkwe DO, Rantong G, Makhzoum A. The use of African medicinal plants in cancer management. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1122388. [PMID: 36865913 PMCID: PMC9971233 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1122388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the third leading cause of premature death in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer has the highest number of incidences in sub-Saharan Africa due to high HIV prevalence (70% of global cases) in African countries which is linked to increasing the risk of developing cervical cancer, and the continuous high risk of being infected with Human papillomavirus In 2020, the risk of dying from cancer amongst women was higher in Eastern Africa (11%) than it was in Northern America (7.4%). Plants continue to provide unlimited pharmacological bioactive compounds that are used to manage various illnesses, including cancer. By reviewing the literature, we provide an inventory of African plants with reported anticancer activity and evidence supporting their use in cancer management. In this review, we report 23 plants that have been used for cancer management in Africa, where the anticancer extracts are usually prepared from barks, fruits, leaves, roots, and stems of these plants. Extensive information is reported about the bioactive compounds present in these plants as well as their potential activities against various forms of cancer. However, information on the anticancer properties of other African medicinal plants is insufficient. Therefore, there is a need to isolate and evaluate the anticancer potential of bioactive compounds from other African medicinal plants. Further studies on these plants will allow the elucidation of their anticancer mechanisms of action and allow the identification of phytochemicals that are responsible for their anticancer properties. Overall, this review provides consolidated and extensive information not only on diverse medicinal plants of Africa but on the different types of cancer that these plants are used to manage and the diverse mechanisms and pathways that are involved during cancer alleviation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goabaone Gaobotse
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana,*Correspondence: Goabaone Gaobotse, ; Kabo Masisi, ; Abdullah Makhzoum,
| | - Srividhya Venkataraman
- Virology Laboratory, Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Phenyo D. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Kabo Masisi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana,*Correspondence: Goabaone Gaobotse, ; Kabo Masisi, ; Abdullah Makhzoum,
| | - Tebogo E. Kwape
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - David O. Nkwe
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Gaolathe Rantong
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Abdullah Makhzoum
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana,*Correspondence: Goabaone Gaobotse, ; Kabo Masisi, ; Abdullah Makhzoum,
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Li W, Li J, Wang J, He Y, Hu YC, Wu DT, Zou L. Effects of various degrees of esterification on antioxidant and immunostimulatory activities of okra pectic-polysaccharides. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1025897. [PMID: 36337617 PMCID: PMC9630948 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1025897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Pectic-polysaccharides are considered as one of the most abundant bioactive components in okra, which possess various promising health-promoting effects. However, the knowledge regarding the structure-bioactivity relationship of okra pectic-polysaccharides (OPP) is still limited. In this study, effects of various degrees of esterification (DEs) on in vitro antioxidant and immunostimulatory activities of OPP were analyzed. Results displayed that OPP with high (42.13%), middle (25.88%), and low (4.77%) DE values were successfully prepared by mild alkaline de-esterification, and their primary chemical structures (compositional monosaccharide and glycosidic linkage) and molecular characteristics (molecular weight distribution, particle size, and rheological property) were overall stable. Additionally, results showed that the notable decrease of DE value did not significantly affect antioxidant activities [2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging abilities as well as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)] of OPP, suggesting that the DE was not closely related to its antioxidant activity. In fact, the slight decrease of antioxidant activity of OPP after the alkaline de-esterification might be attributed to the slight decrease of uronic acid content. Nevertheless, the immunostimulatory effect of OPP was closely related to its DE, and a suitable degree of acetylation was beneficial to its in vitro immunostimulatory effect. Besides, the complete de-acetylation resulted in a remarkable reduction of immune response. The findings are beneficial to better understanding the effect of DE value on antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of OPP, which also provide theoretical foundations for developing OPP as functional foods or health products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- School of Preclinical Medicine, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuan He
- Sichuan Institute of Food Inspection, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi-Chen Hu
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ding-Tao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Zou
- Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), Sichuan Engineering and Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Zeng C, Long Y, Tan Y, Zeng F, Wu S. Water-Dispersible Activatable Nanoprobe for Detecting Cadmium-Ion-Induced Oxidative Stress in Edible Crops via Near-Infrared Second-Window Fluorescence Imaging. Anal Chem 2022; 94:14021-14028. [PMID: 36153992 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Edible crops are important in terms of food security and sustainable agriculture. Heavy-metal-ion contamination of water/soil has deleterious impacts on the growth of edible crops. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is toxic to plants, people, and animals, as it is widely used in industry; it has become the most important metal ion in the soil/water pollution. Once the toxic Cd ion enters edible crops via the water/soil in which the crops grow, it will induce oxidative stress (overproduction of reactive oxygen species with H2O2 being the most abundant) in the crops, and strong oxidative stress leads to the crops' growth depression or inhibition. Hence, it is of great significance to accurately monitor the oxidative stress induced by Cd ions in edible crops, as the monitoring results could be employed for the early warning of Cd-ion pollution in water/soil. Herein, we design an activatable nanoprobe that can detect Cd-ion-induced oxidative stress in edible crops via near-infrared second-window (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging. The molecular probe IXD-B contains the diphenylamine-modified xanthene group acting as the electron-donating unit, bis(methylenemalononitrile)indan as the electron-accepting unit, and the methenephenylboronic acid group as the recognition moiety for H2O2 and the fluorescence quencher. The probe molecules being encapsulated by the amphiphilic DSPE-PEG2000 render the water-dispersible nanoprobe (IXD-B@DSPE-PEG2000). When the nanoprobe enters the edible crops, it can be activated by the overexpressed H2O2 therein and consequently emit strong NIR-II fluorescence signals for visualizing and tracking the oxidative stress in edible crops induced by Cd ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yi Long
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yunyan Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Fang Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Shuizhu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, College of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Structural Morphology and Rheological Properties of Pectin Fractions Extracted from Okra Pods Subjected to Cold Plasma Treatment. FOOD BIOPROCESS TECH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11947-022-02798-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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