Effects of Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica on Growth and Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus parasiticus

Mycotoxins and consumers' awareness: Recent progress and future challenges

While food shortages have become an important challenge, providing safe food resources is a point of interest on a global scale. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are formed through various fungi species. They are mainly spread through diets such as food or beverages. About one quarter of the world's food is spoiled with mycotoxins. As this problem is not resolved, it represents a significant threat to global food security. Besides the current concerns regarding the contamination of food items by these metabolites, the lack of knowledge by consumers and their possible growth and toxin production attracted considerable attention. While globalization provides a favorite condition for some countries, food security still is challenging for most countries. There are various approaches to reducing the mycotoxigenic fungi growth and formation of mycotoxins in food, include as physical, chemical, and biological processes. The current article will focus on collecting data regarding consumers' awareness of mycotoxins. Furthermore, a critical overview and comparison among different preventative approaches to reduce risk by consumers will be discussed. Finally, the current effect of mycotoxins on global trade, besides future challenges faced by mycotoxin contamination on food security, will be discussed briefly.

Four Pistacia atlantica subspecies (atlantica, cabulica, kurdica and mutica): A review of their botany, ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Pistacia atlantica (wild pistachio) belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, and growing from the Mediterranean basin to central Asia, especially in Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Saudi Arabia where it is extensively used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments related to relieving upper abdominal discomfort and pain, dyspepsia and peptic ulcer.

OBJECTIVE

Despite the diverse biological activities of P. atlantica, there is no current review summarizing medicinal properties of its subspecies, including cabulica, kurdica and mutica. Thus, this paper aims to explore the current understanding of the chemical, pharmacological, and biochemical properties of the extracts and the main active constituents found in each subspecies of this plant.

METHODS

Peer-reviewed articles, using "Pistacia atlantica" as search term (″all fields″), were retrieved from Scifinder, Pubmed, Science direct, Wiley, Springer, ACS, Scielo, Web of Science and other web search instruments (Google Scholar, Yahoo search). Papers published until July 2020 are considered. In addition, various books were consulted that contained botanical and ethnopharmacological information. The information provided in this review is based on peer-reviewed papers in English and French.

RESULTS

Phytochemical studies have shown the presence of numerous valuable compounds, including volatile compounds, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, tocopherols and phytosterols. P. atlantica contains also minerals and trace elements, like iron, lead, copper, potassium, sodium and calcium; fatty acids, like oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acid; fat-soluble vitamins, such as α, β, γ and δ tocopherols; phytosterols, like betasitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol and Δ⁵-avenasterol. Crude extracts and isolated compounds from P. atlantica show a wide range of pharmacological properties, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antinociceptive, wound healing, anticancer, cytotoxic, anticholinesterase, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, urease inhibition, antihypertension, nipple fissure healing, antileishmanial and antiplasmodial activities. However, there are no reports summarizing the P. atlantica bioactivity, its therapeutic value, and the roles played by each of the numerous phytoconstituents.

CONCLUSION

Many traditional uses of P. atlantica and its subspecies have now been confirmed by pharmacologic research. Systematic phytochemical investigation of the P. atlantica subspecies and the pharmacological properties, especially the mechanisms of action and toxicology, to illustrate their ethnomedicinal use, to explore the therapeutic potential and support further health-care product development, will undoubtedly be the focus of further research. Therefore, detailed and extensive studies and clinical evaluation of P. atlantica subspecies should be carried out in future for the safety approval of therapeutic applications.

The effect of Propolis on inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth, aflatoxin production and expression of aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway genes

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Aflatoxins are one of the most important mycotoxins, which have been classified as Group I carcinogenic compounds by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This investigation aimed to examine the effect of Propolis on inhibition of the Aspergillus parasiticus growth, aflatoxin production and expression of aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway genes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A standard strain of Aspergillus parasiticus (ATCC 15517) was used to perform antifungal susceptibility test, using a microdilution method in accordance with the CLSI M38-A2 guidelines. The aflatoxin concentrations in the control and treated media were determined by HPLC. Also, the quantitative changes in the level of nor-1, ver-1 and omtA genes expression in aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway were analyzed using Real-Time PCR method.

RESULTS

The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of propolis was 100 µg/ml. The results showed that total levels of aflatoxin decreased from 386.1 ppm to 3.01 ppm at 50 µg/ml of propolis. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the level of nor-1, ver-1 and omtA genes expression was significantly decreased after treatment with propolis extract.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings reveal that propolis extract, have a significant inhibitory effect on important genes for aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway in aflatoxin production.

Antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial activities and chemical composition of Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica essential oil

This study aimed to evaluate the composition, antioxidant capacity and antibacterial effects of Pistacia atlantica subsp. kurdica (baneh) essential oil on some important bacteria in food safety. Essential oil was derived using hydro-distillation method of the baneh fruits. Essential oil composition was determined using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiaziline-6-sulfonate; ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods were used to evaluate antioxidant activity and Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to determine total phenolic content of essential oil. The antibacterial effect of the essential oil against six pathogen bacteria was determined using minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and disc diffusion methods. Monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were main compounds of total identified constituents in the essential oil (approximately 93.50% and 5.45%, respectively). The main compounds were α-pinene, myrcene, limonene, β-pinene and γ-terpineol, respectively. The mean concentration of essential oil providing 50.00% inhibition was 7.54 ± 0.01 mg mL^-1. Dose-dependent and scavenging activities were seen in DPPH and ABTS tests and total phenolic content within test range of concentrations (0.0625 to 4.00 mg mL^-1). The highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (48.67 ± 0.84%) was seen at a concentration of 4 mg mL^-1. The responses of essential oil concentrations to ABTS assay were quite similar to the DPPH reaction, especially in higher concentrations. Both antimicrobial methods demonstrated that the essential oil had broader antibacterial effects against the Gram-positive bacteria than the tested Gram-negative bacteria. Essential oil of Pistachia atlantica subsp. kurdica can be one of the performing essential oils to be used as a preservative in food industry to increase food safety and reduce food pathogens risks.

Occurrence and preventive strategies to control mycotoxins in cereal-based food

Mycotoxins contamination in cereal-based food is ubiquitous according to systematic review of the scientific documentation of worldwide mycotoxin contamination in cereal and their products between 2008 and 2018, thus representing food safety issue especially in developing tropical countries. Food processing plays a vital role to prevent mycotoxin contamination in food. Therefore, it is with great urgency to develop strategies to inhibit fungi growth and mycotoxin production during food processing. This review begins by discussing physicochemical properties of five most common mycotoxins (aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone) found in cereal grains, regulation for mycotoxins in food, and their potential negative impact on human health. The fate of mycotoxins during major cereal-based food processing including milling, breadmaking, extrusion, malting, and brewing was then summarized. In the end, traditional mitigation strategies including physical and chemical and potential application of biocontrol agent and essential oil nanoemulsions that can be applied during food processing were discussed. It indicated that no single method is currently available to completely prevent mycotoxin contamination in cereal foods.

Pistacia Atlantica Desf., a Source of Healthy Vegetable Oil

Pistacia atlantica, which belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, is an important species for rural people in arid and semi-arid areas. The fruit, rich in oil, is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The oil extracted from this species growing in a northern area of Algeria and its fatty acid composition were previously studied. However, the largest areas where this species is present (traditional cultivation) is located in southern Algeria. Moreover, studies on oil fatty acid composition and essential oil were always conducted separately. This study was performed in order to assess the fatty acid and volatile organic compound composition of P. atlantica vegetable oil. The seeds were collected randomly from Djelfa (300 km South of Algiers, Algeria). Oil content and fatty acid composition were determined by Soxhlet extraction. The seeds contained high concentrations of oil (32–67%). The major fatty acids were oleic (39–49%), linoleic (23.6–31%), and palmitic (21.3–26.6%) acids. The ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA) indicated that the content of unsaturated fatty acids was approximately three times higher than that of SFA. This ratio is widely used in epidemiological studies and research on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. The ratios of -acids, i.e., -9/-6 and -6/-3, were 1.3–2 and 18.5–38.3, respectively. Crushed seeds were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. More than 40 compounds were identified, mainly monoterpenes (C10H16), such as α-terpinene and terpinolene, but also sesquiterpenes (C15H24) at lower levels. The value of this species as a source of healthy oil rich in -3 acid and its effects on cardiovascular disease risk are discussed.

The effect of Saqez (Pistacia atlantica) ointment on nipple fissure improvement in breastfeeding women during one-month follow-up

OBJECTIVE

Painful nipple fissure is a troublesome problem for breastfeeding mothers. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of saqez (Pistacia atlantica) ointment on the improvement of nipple fissure in breastfeeding women during one-month follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 100 eligible women who visited the selected health centers affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, from July 2015 to December 2015 during their postpartum period. A total of 100 subjects were randomly divided into two equal groups of 50 women grouped as saqez ointment group and breast milk group, and followed-up for one month. Both groups received face-to-face instructions on breastfeeding techniques. For severity of nipple fissure, Storr scale and to measure the intensity of pain, visual analog scale (VAS) were used.

RESULTS

The results showed that the two groups were matched in terms of demographic and obstetric characteristics. Mean of nipple fissure severity in ointment group (42.62) was lower than that of the control group (48.02), that was significantly different between the two groups (p=0.047). In addition, Mean nipple pain intensity in ointment group (40.57) was lower than that of the control group (49.81), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.056).

CONCLUSION

The present study showed that saqez ointment was more effective than breast milk in healing and controlling nipple fissures during one-month follow-up, without resulting in any side effects.