Flavonoids and saponins from Passiflora edulis f. edulis leaves (purple passion fruit) and its potential anti-inflammatory activity

Nanozyme-based colorimetric sensor arrays coupling with smartphone for discrimination and "segmentation-extraction-regression" deep learning assisted quantification of flavonoids

Achieving rapid, cost effective, and intelligent identification and quantification of flavonoids is challenging. For fast and uncomplicated flavonoid determination, a sensing platform of smartphone-coupled colorimetric sensor arrays (electronic noses) was developed, relying on the differential competitive inhibition of hesperidin, nobiletin, and tangeretin on the oxidation reactions of nanozymes with a 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine substrate. First, density functional theory calculations predicted the enhanced peroxidase-like activities of CeO2 nanozymes after doping with Mn, Co, and Fe, which was then confirmed by experiments. The self-designed mobile application, Quick Viewer, enabled a rapid evaluation of the red, green, and blue values of colorimetric images using a multi-hole parallel acquisition strategy. The sensor array based on three channels of CeMn, CeFe, and CeCo was able to discriminate between different flavonoids from various categories, concentrations, mixtures, and the various storage durations of flavonoid-rich Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium through a linear discriminant analysis. Furthermore, the integration of a "segmentation-extraction-regression" deep learning algorithm enabled single-hole images to be obtained by segmenting from a 3 × 4 sensing array to augment the featured information of array images. The MobileNetV3-small neural network was trained on 37,488 single-well images and achieved an excellent predictive capability for flavonoid concentrations (R2 = 0.97). Finally, MobileNetV3-small was integrated into a smartphone as an application (Intelligent Analysis Master), to achieve the one-click output of three concentrations. This study developed an innovative approach for the qualitative and simultaneous multi-ingredient quantitative analysis of flavonoids.

Sub-acute toxicity evaluation of aqueous leaf extract from Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis (Gulupa) in Wistar rats

The genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae) comprises about 500 species. The Passiflora edulis stands out because of its economic and medicinal importance. It is widely planted in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, especially in South America, the Caribbean, South Africa, and Asia. The aqueous extract of Passiflora edulis Sims f. edulis (Gulupa) leaves is used in traditional medicine for its soothing and tranquilizing effects on the central nervous system. Therefore, evaluating its safety for human use is a fundamental requirement to continue the development of new therapies within the framework of regulatory, preclinical, and clinical guidelines. Here, the sub-acute toxicity study was conducted following the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guideline 407 for 28 days in Wistar albino rats. The study showed that 1000 mg/kg/day of the aqueous extract in 10 adult Wistar rats (five males and five females) was well tolerated. The hematological results are at normal levels. However, monocytopenia and eosinopenia were observed with a significant difference (P < 0,05) for both male and female rats treated with the aqueous extract of Passiflora edulis. The results show that liver and kidney function profiles were conserved. However, an increase in ALT is observed with significant differences between male and female rats treated with the extract compared to the controls. Study findings were limited to non-adverse histopathological results of a slightly increased incidence of focal periportal lymphocytic infiltrate in the liver and focal corticomedullary nephrocalcinosis in the kidney compared to control. Therefore, the aqueous extract of Passiflora edulis has a good safety profile in oral administration, was well tolerated, and did not cause any lethality or adverse effects in the sub-acute toxicity study in male and female rats. The NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) for the 28-day subacute toxicity study was considered to be 1000 mg/kg.

Phytochemistry, nutritional composition, health benefits and future prospects of Passiflora: A review

Passiflora, also known as "passion fruit", is widely grown in tropical and subtropical regions. It is not only eaten raw but is also widely used in processed foods. Various extracts, juices and isolated compounds show a wide range of health effects and biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, sedative, and neuroprotective effects. In this review, we not only review the phytochemical properties of Passiflora but also highlight the potential of Passiflora for food applications and the use of all parts as a source of ingredients for medicines and cosmetics that promote health and well-being. This will provide theoretical support for the integrated use of such natural products.

Constituent Characteristics and Functional Properties of Passion Fruit Seed Extract

The genus Passiflora L. is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. The major species, Passiflora edulis Sims, is known as 'passion fruit' and is widely used in processed foods as well as eaten raw. P. edulis fruits are eaten for their pulp together with the seeds; however, the seeds are often discarded when used in processed foods. P. edulis seeds contain a variety of nutrients and functional components, and their industrial use is desirable from the perspective of waste reduction. Previous studies have analyzed the constituents of P. edulis and their physiological functions. P. edulis seeds contain various types of polyphenols, especially those rich in stilbenes (e.g., piceatannol). P. edulis seed extracts and isolated compounds from seeds have been reported to exhibit various physiological functions, such as antioxidant effects, improvement of skin condition, fat-burning promotion effects, and hypoglycemic effects. This review summarizes the nutritional characteristics, polyphenol content, and physiological functions of P. edulis seeds.