Jamun Seed-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots: A Novel Microwave-Assisted Synthesis for Ultra-Bright Fluorescence and Mn7+ Detection

For the synthesis of heteroatom-doped carbon nanostructures, biomass is considered as a promising option. Utilizing the microwave-assisted method, we have demonstrated an easy and straightforward one-pot synthesis of nitrogen-doped luminous carbon dots (NCDs) from jamun seed powder and guanidine hydrochloride. Structural and morphological analyses were performed using various analytical techniques. Under ultraviolet light of 315 nm, NCDs emit a bright blue fluorescence, possess a high quantum yield of 26.90%, exhibit strong water dispersion, and demonstrated excellent stability. The average particle size of the NCDs was found to be 7.5±1.2 nm, with a spherical shape. NCDs exhibit high selectivity and sensitivity in fluorescence quenching when exposed to Mn7+ ions. Over a concentration range of 2-30 µM, the fluorescence response (F0/F) shows a linear relationship with Mn7+ concentration, with a detection limit of 0.81 µM. The probe exhibited negligible interference and proved to be effective in accurately quantifying Mn7+ in spiked real-water samples.

Compounds isolation from Syzygium cumini leaf extract against the Vibrio species in shrimp through bioassay-guided fractionation

This study was conducted to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds from the ethanolic extract of Syzygium cumini leaf against Vibrio species through a bioassay-guided fractionation. The ethanol extract was exposed to silica gel chromatography followed by reversed phase HPLC to isolate the most effective fraction against V. parahaemolyticus. Using further UHPLC-orbitrap-ion trap mass spectrometry, five compounds were isolated with broad-spectrum potency against a range of Vibrio species viz. V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. vulnificus and V. anguillarum. The IC50 values for the compounds ranged from 8 to 48 µg/mL against the most sensitive species V. vulnificus and 58 to >400 µg/mL against V. alginolyticus. The results of the toxicity tests demonstrated that the compounds were not harmful for shrimp. The study's findings indicate that S. cumini leaf extract may contain bioactive molecules that are able to be substituted for antibiotics to treat vibriosis in shrimp farming.

Valorization of non-edible fruit seeds into valuable products: A sustainable approach towards circular bioeconomy

Global imperatives have recently shown a paradigm shift in the prevailing resource utilization model from a linear approach to a circular bioeconomy. The primary goal of the circular bioeconomy model is to minimize waste by effective re-usage of organic waste and efficient nutrient recycling. In essence, circular bioeconomy integrates the fundamental concept of circular economy, which strives to offer sustainable goods and services by leveraging biological resources and processes. Notably, the circular bioeconomy differs from conventional waste recycling by prioritizing the safeguarding and restoration of production ecosystems, focusing on harnessing renewable biological resources and their associated waste streams to produce value-added products like food, animal feed, and bioenergy. Amidst these sustainability efforts, fruit seeds are getting considerable attention, which were previously overlooked and commonly discarded but were known to comprise diverse chemicals with significant industrial applications, not limited to cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. While, polyphenols in these seeds offer extensive health benefits, the inadequate conversion of fruit waste into valuable products poses substantial environmental challenges and resource wastage. This review aims to comprehend the known information about the application of non-edible fruit seeds for synthesising metallic nanoparticles, carbon dots, biochar, biosorbent, and biodiesel. Further, this review sheds light on the potential use of these seeds as functional foods and feed ingredients; it also comprehends the safety aspects associated with their utilization. Overall, this review aims to provide a roadmap for harnessing the potential of non-edible fruit seeds by adhering to the principles of a sustainable circular bioeconomy.

Non-edible fruit seeds: nutritional profile, clinical aspects, and enrichment in functional foods and feeds

Nowadays, fruits are gaining high demand due to their promising advantages on human health. Astonishingly, their by-products, that is, seeds and peels, account for 10-35% of fruit weight and are usually thrown as waste after consumption or processing. But it is neglected that fruit seeds also have functional properties and nutritional value, and thus could be utilized for dietary and therapeutic purposes, ultimately reducing the waste burden on the environment. Owing to these benefits, researchers have started to assess the nutritional value of different fruits seeds, in addition to the chemical composition in various bioactive constituents, like carotenoids (lycopene), flavonoids, proteins (bioactive peptides), vitamins, etc., that have substantial health benefits and can be used in formulating different types of food products with noteworthy functional and nutraceutical potential. The current review aims to comprehend the known information of nutritional and phytochemical profiling of non-edible fruits seeds, viz. apple, apricot, avocado, cherry, date, jamun, litchi, longan, mango, and papaya. Additionally, clinical studies conducted on these selected non-edible fruit seed extracts, their safety issues and their enrichment in food products as well as animal feed has also been discussed. This review aims to highlight the potential applications of the non-edible fruit seeds in developing new food products and also provide a viable alternative to reduce the waste disposal issue faced by agro-based industries.

Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Anticancer Potentials of African Medicinal Fruits: A Comprehensive Review

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.

Major Bioactive Compounds from Java Plum Seeds: An Investigation of Its Extraction Procedures and Clinical Effects

Java plum is widely recognized as a plant with valuable medicinal properties, originating from Indonesia and India and distributed globally in the tropic and sub-tropic regions of the world. The plant is rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, phenyl propanoids, terpenes, tannins, and lipids. The phytoconstituents of the plant seeds possess various vital pharmacological activities and clinical effects including their antidiabetic potential. The bioactive phytoconstituents of Java plum seeds include jambosine, gallic acid, quercetin, β-sitosterol, ferulic acid, guaiacol, resorcinol, p-coumaric acid, corilagin, ellagic acid, catechin, epicatechin, tannic acid, 4,6 hexahydroxydiphenoyl glucose, 3,6-hexahydroxy diphenoylglucose, 1-galloylglucose, and 3-galloylglucose. Considering all the potential beneficial effects of the major bioactive compounds present in the Jamun seeds, in the current investigation, the specific clinical effects and the mechanism of action for the major bioactive compounds along with the extraction procedures are discussed.