Determination of some mineral contents of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) seed flours

Temperature and extraction methods effects on yields, fatty acids, and tocopherols of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) seed oil of eastern region of Morocco

The present study focuses on the effect of temperature and extraction methods on the yields, chemical quality, fatty acids, and tocopherols of the oil extracted from the seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica, collected in the eastern region of Morocco. Our results revealed the effect of temperature that when we increase the temperature used, the yields also increase; the results also showed that this high temperature does not affect the physicochemical properties, fatty acids, and tocopherols. Thus, the results of this study revealed that the prickly pear is a rich source of oil; the obtained oil yields varied from 12.49%±0.09 for mechanical extraction, 11.46±0.10 for chemical extraction, and 10.52%±0.09 for maceration. The main fatty acids founded in Opuntia ficus-indica are linoleic acid 75.80%±0.10 (chemical), 74.07%±0.14 (maceration), and 71.59%±0.14 (mechanical) and palmitic acid 17.32%±0.02 (chemical), 22.419%±0.06 (maceration), and 26.58%±0.00 (mechanical); prickly pear oil could be classified as a linoleic acid. The physicochemical properties of Opuntia ficus-indica seed oils such as acid index mgKOH/g oil (4,376±0.10, 5.854±0.03, 5.667±0.07), saponification value mgKOH/g oil (181.12 ±0.18, 183.77±1.23, 179.08±3.45), and peroxide value 20milieq/Kg (5.75±0.08, 6±0.06, 5.97±0.04) for mechanical, chemical, and maceration extraction, respectively, density, and refractive index were all found to be in good accordance with quality criteria for both pure and fresh oils. Among the tocopherols found, a high value of γ-tocopherol was detected in mechanical extraction with 502.04±0.76 mg/kg, followed by chemical extraction and maceration with 430.12±0.61mg/kg and 315.47±0.96 mg/kg, respectively.

Total titratable acidity and organic acids of wines produced from cactus pear (Opuntia-ficus-indica) fruit and Lantana camara (L. Camara) fruit blended fermentation process employed response surface optimization

Fruits and fermentation methods are important sources of organic acids that determine organoleptic properties, microbiological and biochemical stability of fruit wines. This study is aimed at investigating total titrable acidity and organic acids of fruit wines produced by response surface optimization of cactus pear and Lantana camara fruits blend and cactus pear fruit alone. The predictive mathematical model of the blended fruit wine is well fitted (R 2 = 0.9618 and absolute average deviation (AAD) = 2.06%). The optimum values of fermentation temperature, inoculum concentration, and Lantana camara fruitjuice concentration to produce predictive total titrable acidity of 0.8% (w/v citric acid) were 24°C, 10% (v/v), and 10.7% (v/v), respectively. The blended fruit wine was with lower total titrable acidity (w/v citric acid) of 0.83 ± 0.058% compared to wine produced from cactus pear fruit alone 1.06 ± 0.27%. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of both produced wines revealed the difference in concentration of citric (±3.35 mg/ml), L-tartaric (± 3.71 mg/ml), and L-ascorbic acid (± 0.07 mg/ml). Citric acid was predominant organic acid in both fruit wines, and its content in the cactus pear is 7.09 ± 0.07 mg/ml and blended fruit wine 4.74 ± 0.07 mg/ml.

Identification and isolation of anti-pneumonia bioactive compounds from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit waste peels

Prickly pear fruit peel constitutes a high percentage of the fruit and could be a natural, economic agro-industrial waste of potential use in the nutraceutical industry. This study aimed to isolate and characterize the main constituents of the fruit peel and evaluate its antibacterial activity. A methanol extract was successively fractionated using hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The n-hexane fraction was evaluated for its fatty acid content using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing linolenic acid (omega-3) as the major fatty acid (60.56%), while an ethyl acetate fraction was analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS), resulting in the identification of 6 phenolic acids and 9 flavonoids, where caffeic acid (43.69%) and quercetin (14%) were found the most abundant. The ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to column chromatography, resulting in the isolation of four flavanols, viz. astragalin (1), quercetin 5,4'-dimethyl ether (2), isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (3) and isorhamnetin (4). Antibacterial evaluation revealed that the EtOAc fraction is the most potent active fraction against the selected pneumonia pathogens, and quercetin 5,4'-dimethyl ether (2) is the most active among the isolated compounds. Virtual docking of the isolated compounds showed promising in silico anti-quorum sensing efficacy, indicating that they could represent natural antibacterial agents. These findings indicate that the unused waste from prickly pear fruits contains valuable constituents that have beneficial potential against some pneumonia pathogens.

The effect of harvest times on bioactive properties and fatty acid compositions of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-barbarica A. Berger) fruits

In the study, the impact of harvest time on total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-barbarica A. Berger) fruit pulp and the oil content and fatty acids profile of the seed were investigated. The highest total phenolic content was determined as 156.77 mg/100 g in July 1 harvest, while the maximum antioxidant activity and total oil content were found as 9.81% and 6.80% at the last stage of maturation (15 August), respectively. The highest oleic (28.51%), palmitic (22.61%) and stearic acid contents (9.20%) in seed oil were observed in June 15 harvest. The highest value for linoleic acid (57.50%) was detected in August 15 harvest. Prickly pear is a vital source of bioactive constituents such as phenolic and antioxidant substances in terms of being useful for human health and the optimum harvesting time to retain high quantities of most phenolic compounds is 1st July.

Reverse Effect of Opuntia ficus-indica L. Juice and Seeds Aqueous Extract on Gastric Emptying and Small-Bowel Motility in Rat

This study was conducted to compare the effects of juice and seeds on gastric emptying, small-bowel motility and intestinal ion transport. Separate groups of rats were randomized to receive NaCl, increasing doses of juice (5, 10, and 20 mL/kg, b.w.) or seeds aqueous extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, b.w.). Simultaneously, two other groups were received, the reference drugs; clonidine (1 mg/kg) and yohimbine (2 mg/kg). The charcoal meal was used as a suspension for gastrointestinal motility test. The purgative action of juice was confirmed using the loperamide (5 mg/kg, p.o.) induced constipation. To evaluate the antisecretory effect, we were used as a hypersecretion agent, the castor oil at the dose of 5 mL/kg. Compared to the control and standard groups, we were showed that the prickly pear has an opposite effect on small-bowel motility and gastric emptying. Indeed, the juice at various doses has a laxative effect of gastrointestinal transit in healthy and constipated-rats. However, the aqueous extract of the seeds leads to a reduction of motility in normal rats which gives it a remarkable antidiarrhoeal activity, a notable intestinal fluid accumulation decline and electrolyte concentrations reestablishment. Moreover, orally juice administered at different doses accelerated the stomach emptying time in contrast to the seeds aqueous extract. More importantly, a significant variation in the phytochemical constituents levels between juice and seeds was found. These findings confirm the reverse therapeutic effects of this fruit in the treatment of digestive disturbances such as difficulty stool evacuation and massive intestinal secretion, likewise, the gastric emptying process perturbation.

Bioactivity and chemical characterization of Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. seed oil: potential food and pharmaceutical applications

In the food industry, there is a continuous search for ingredients that might provide advantageous properties to food products, either considering their nutritional value or bioactivity, as well as flavouring and technological aspects. Crude oils are good examples of this type of ingredient, especially if obtained from nonconventional sources. Accordingly, the Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. seed oil (OMSO) was chemically characterized and evaluated for different in vitro and in vivo bioactivities. OMSO presented physicochemical characteristics appropriate to be considered as an edible oil, namely low acidity value, stability to oxidation (high peroxide value and low K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀ values), and high contents of unsaturated fatty acids (as shown by the iodine value) and saponifiable matter. Furthermore, this natural oil, owing to its rich phytochemical profile, showed relevant antioxidant activity (especially in lipid peroxidation inhibition assays), α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, cytotoxicity against human tumour cell lines, antibacterial (mainly against Gram positive species) and antifungal properties, as well as anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Furthermore, OMSO did not show any sign of acute toxicity on animals, highlighting its possible use in different applications, considering that this natural product is not expected to induce the adverse effects typically associated with synthetic bioactive agents (e.g., ampicillin, amphotericin B, or lysine acetylsalicilate).

Seed oil extraction from red prickly pear using hexane and supercritical CO2 : assessment of phenolic compound composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities

BACKGROUND

Investigating Opuntia species for their seed oil content is of much importance owing to their potential use for food and in cosmetic applications. These oils have an important content in unsaturated fatty acids as well as antioxidant compounds (e.g. polyphenols, vitamin E), which have been associated with the prevention of some chronic diseases. Moreover, Opuntia stricta oils possess important antimicrobial activities. For instance, the main focus of this study was to compare the effectiveness of conventional (hexane extraction) and novel (supercritical (SC)-CO₂ ) extraction methods for the recovery of oil and phenolic compounds from O. stricta seeds. The oil yield of both extracts was then compared and the polyphenol content and composition of both extracts were determined by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Additionally, antioxidant (DPPH assay) and antimicrobial activities (disc diffusion method) of O. stricta seed oils were determined.

RESULTS

The oil yield (based on Soxhlet's method) of O. stricta seeds was determined using SC-CO₂ (49.9 ± 2.2%), and hexane (49.0 ± 1.5%). Although obtaining similar oil extraction yields using the two methods, the extracted oil using SC-CO₂ was more enriched in polyphenols (172.2 ± 11.9 µg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g^-1 oil) than that extracted using hexane (76.0 ± 6.9 µg GAE g^-1 of oil). Polyphenol profiles showed that the SC-CO₂ process led to the yield of more compounds (45) than that using hexane extraction (11). Moreover, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of SC-CO₂ extract showed a high percentage of inhibition.

CONCLUSION

SC-CO₂ extraction of O. stricta seed oil led to extraction of oil with a similar yield to that with hexane extraction, but with higher polyphenol content. The extract containing polyphenols exhibited high antioxidant and antibacterial properties, demonstrating their great potential as feedstock for high-oil quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.