Bioactive micro-constituents of ackee arilli (Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig)

Bioactive constituents and acute toxicity of Blighia sapida capsule extracts using wistar rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Blighia sapida, commonly known as Ackee, is a plant native to West Africa, with great cultural and therapeutic value, particularly in Western Nigeria. Traditionally, Blighia sapida capsule is used in western Nigeria to treat ecthyma in sheep and goats by heating it in hot ash. This process causes the capsule to release a liquid, which is then directly applied to the entire affected area of the skin. However, there is limited information available on its phyto-constituents and medicinal effects.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This work examined the bioactive constituents, acute toxicity, and sub-acute toxicity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida capsule.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Extraction of phytochemical constituents was carried out with distilled water and ethanol and was concentrated at 40 °C. The phytochemical constituents were determined using a variant 3800/4000 gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) machine. Lorke's method was employed to determine the acute toxicity of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida capsule.

RESULTS

The GC-MS analysis revealed 15 bioactive compounds in both extracts, with kaempferol being the most abundant. Notable pharmacologically active compounds included pyrrolidin-2-ylmethanol, rutin, quinoline, apigenin, and naringenin. The study observed distinctive differences in aqueous and ethanolic extracts compound weights and peak areas. Acute toxicity study depicts that the lethal dose of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida capsule is above 5000 mg/kg as no mortality was recorded in the oral administration of 10, 100, 1000, 1600, 2900, and 5000 mg/kg of aqueous and ethanolic extracts. Sub-acute toxicity results indicated no significant adverse effects on kidney and liver function, although some variations in biochemical parameters were observed. Histological analysis showed normal renal and hepatic architecture in treated animals.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Blighia sapida capsule exhibited no acute toxicity and minimal sub-acute toxicity, suggesting they are safe for consumption at the tested doses.

Branched-Chain Volatiles in Fruit: A Molecular Perspective

Branched-chain volatiles (BCVs) constitute an important family of fruit volatile metabolites essential to the characteristic flavor and aroma profiles of many edible fruits. Yet in contrast to other groups of volatile organic compounds important to fruit flavor such as terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and oxylipins, the molecular biology underlying BCV biosynthesis remains poorly understood. This lack of knowledge is a barrier to efforts aimed at obtaining a more comprehensive understanding of fruit flavor and aroma and the biology underlying these complex phenomena. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge regarding fruit BCV biosynthesis from the perspective of molecular biology. We survey the diversity of BCV compounds identified in edible fruits as well as explore various hypotheses concerning their biosynthesis. Insights from branched-chain precursor compound metabolism obtained from non-plant organisms and how they may apply to fruit BCV production are also considered, along with potential avenues for future research that might clarify unresolved questions regarding BCV metabolism in fruits.

Pasting and Dough Rheological Properties of Ackee (Blighia sapida) Aril Flour: A Contribution to the Search for Wheat Flour Substitutes

Wheat is one of the most widely used cereals in the world. However, studies consider wheat flour doughs to be of low nutritional quality, as there is now greater public awareness of celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Therefore, consumers are demanding healthier and more varied food products. Consequently, wheat flour is being replaced fully or partially by flours from other sources with higher quality. Hence, the main objective of this work was to report the effect of blending wheat flour with ackee aril flour, until the total replacement of wheat flour, on pasting and dough rheological properties. Five different levels of blending were analyzed: wheat to ackee aril flour mass ratios of 100 : 0, 75 : 25, 50 : 50, 25 : 75, and 0 : 100. Pasting properties (pasting temperature, peak viscosity, ease of cooking, swelling power, final viscosity at 50  °C, and thixotropy) were analyzed; and steady-state shear measurements were used to obtain consistency coefficients (K) and flow behavior indexes (n) after data was fitted to the Power Law and Herschel-Bulkley models. The gradual addition of the ackee aril flour fraction produced an increase in ash, fat, protein, and fiber content; while water and carbohydrate content showed the opposite behavior in the obtained composite flour. Consequently, the partial or full replacement of wheat flour changed the rheological properties of the produced doughs, as well as the quality of the final product. These changes were mostly related to the protein and carbohydrate content of the ackee aril flour fraction. In general, doughs showed a pseudoplastic behavior with thixotropy whose viscosity decreased as the addition of ackee aril flour was increased. Pasting properties of blends involving 25 %-75 % ackee aril flour demonstrate the feasibility of including these flours in products subjected to high processing temperatures such as canned products or even to produce chips and pasta.

Bioactive compounds and techno-functional properties of high-fiber co-products of the cacao agro-industrial chain

The cacao shell (CS) and cacao pod husk (CPH), two of the most promising high-fiber co-products of the cacao agro-industrial chain, were evaluated to determine their potential incorporation into food products. This research determined bioactive compounds and techno-functional properties of CS and CPH, and was evaluated the enzymatic inactivation by thermal treatments in CPH. We found that CS is rich in protein, lipids, dietary fiber (48.1 ± 0.3 g 100 gdw -1), and antioxidant molecules such as epicatechin (1.10 ± 0.02 mg g-1) and isoquercetin (1.04 ± 0.09 mg g-1). Moreover, in CS a positive effect of hydration mechanism occur; in fact, it was observed a reduction of Lightness (L∗) value and a remarkable color difference (ΔE∗,18.8 ± 0.7) (CIEL∗a∗b∗ color space), between hydrated and dry CS samples; so, it could be used as a potential natural colorant in foods. CPH resulted equally rich in dietary fiber (35.3-37.4%) and flavonoids (2.9 ± 0.1 mg RE g-1); in this co-product, the rapid enzymatic inactivation by thermal treatments was essential to obtain the highest antioxidant activity and polyphenols content; regarding the techno-functional properties, it was found that CPH flour had high hydration capacity, so CPH can use it as a replacement for emulsifiers or water holding additives while incorporating the fiber and abundantly found antioxidants.

Effect of Pretreatment with Low-Frequency Ultrasound on Quality Parameters in Gulupa (Passiflora edulis Sims) Pulp

The Gulupa (Passiflora edulis f. edulis Sims) is an expression of South America’s tropics’ biodiversity, and a source of B vitamins and amino acids. It is a climacteric export fruit for which it is necessary to incorporate emerging technologies for its conservation and transport. This work investigated the effect of ultrasound on gulupa pulp and verified the stability of the characters of interest in the shelf life of 20 days. Six treatments and a control sample were used, evaluated in triplicate, and varied in frequency (30 and 40 kHz) with an exposure time of 10, 20, and 30 min. A statistical analysis of unidirectional variances and Dunnett’s test was used. It was found that the ultrasound treatments did not affect the pH or the titratable acidity. Soluble solid results presented a significant increase (p < 0.05) (from 13.4 to 14.8% w/v) in the antioxidant capacity (from 1.13 to 1.54 µmol Trolox Equivalent (TE)/g by the ABTS•+ (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) Cationic Radical Assay and from 3.3 to 3.7 µmol TE/g by the DPPH· (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhydrazil) Radical Scavenging Assay). During the shelf life, ascorbic acid was the parameter that varied most (p < 0.05). It decreased from 42.7 to 21.6 mg ascorbic acid/100 g of pulp in the control sample. However, a smaller decrease was observed (23.8–24.5 mg ascorbic acid/100 g of pulp) in the 40 kHz treatments. The smallest global color difference (ΔE) for the control was found in the 40 kHz treatment at 30 min through the entire shelf life (day 0 to 20). Ultrasound treatment offers a new strategy to improve and extend the shelf life of chilled gulupa pulp.