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.     

Ethanol production by fermentation of fruits and cladodes of prickly pear cactus [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller]

Using prickly pear cladodes and fruits and different yeast strains of the genus Saccharomyces, both the chemical composition of the plant material and alcoholic fermentation were studied under controlled conditions. Before fermentation, fresh or previously dried cladodes were hydrolysed using cellulose or acid (HCl). The yield was determined by measurement of ethanol production by gas-liquid chromatography. Two conversion indices, representing either the percentage of reducing sugars or the energy converted into ethanol, were considered. Using fresh or dried cladodes without fruits, the best results were always obtained after performing both types of hydrolysis. The enzymic method gave the highest sugar yield. However, ethanol production was similar to that obtained by acid hydrolysis of fresh cladodes, and only slightly higher than that of previously dried cladodes. The potential ethanol production that could be obtained from prickly pear cultivation in various regions (arid, semi-arid and irrigated) is discussed.     

Seasonal variations of chemical composition in prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) miller)

The moisture, ash, free reducing sugar, starch, ether extractive, crude protein, amino acid and the heat energy contents of young and mature cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica, with or without fruits, are described. The measurements were made in each of the following stages of development: vegetative growth (March), full vegetative development, and at the beginning of fructification (October). Independently of developmental stage (different cladode types) the highest values were reached always in young cladodes in the following months: moisture content in March and October; ash and free reducing sugars in March; starch and ether extractive in September and October; crude protein in March and July. Crude fibre was maximal in September and global heat energy in October. The nutritive and caloric value of cladodes are compared to other products used for livestock nutrition.     

Effect of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus‐indica (L.) Miller) on the antioxidant capacity of donkey milk

The cladodes of Opuntia ficus‐indica (L.) Miller were fed to lactating donkeys as an alternative food, in order to evaluate effects on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of their milk. Lactating donkeys were divided into two groups: standard feeding and alternative feeding. With regard to chemical composition, no differences were observed. Total antioxidant capacity was constant in the standard feeding group, while it increased in the alternative feeding group: the radical scavenging activity increased from 95.53% to 96.62% in the ABTS test and from 28.40% to 33.33% in the DPPH test. This indicated that alternative feeding affects the antioxidant capacity of milk.     

Effect of pH and temperature on the thermostability of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus‐indica) yellow‐orange pigments

The colour stability of the yellow‐orange pigment (λ_max = 476 nm) of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus‐indica) fruit was determined as a function of temperature and pH. The experiments were carried out at three different temperatures (50, 70 and 90°C) with pigment solutions at pH values ranging from 2–7. The degree of pigment retention decreased with increasing temperature as a function of increasing thermal exposure time with least pigment degradation at pH 5. The reaction rate constants were determined as 0.0062, 0.0383 and 0.1102 min^–1 for a thermal degradation reaction rate of pseudo‐first order. The activation energy was calculated as 65.1 kJ·mol^–1.     

Purification and characterisation of a soluble nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase from prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) fruits

A glycosylated metallo-protein, nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase, in a soluble form was purified to homogeneity from prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica) fruits. The native protein had a molecular mass of 105 ± 8 kDa and was formed by two apparently identical subunits each containing 1 Ca²⁺ and 1 Mg²⁺ ion. The Opuntia enzyme exhibited hydrolytic activities toward pyrophosphate/phosphodiester bonds of a broad range of natural substrates, but among these, only NAD(P) and NAD(P)H were hydrolysed very efficiently. Moreover, Opuntia pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase hydrolysed the artificial substrate thymidine 5′-monophosphate 4-nitrophenyl ester, whereas it did not show any catalytic activity toward bis-4-nitrophenyl phosphate, which is a substrate of other pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase enzymes. We observed an increase of enzyme activity from the green to the red stage of fruits development, suggesting that ONPP activity might be related to the ripening of prickly pears. The protein was shown to be resistant to 75 °C for 30 min. Other biochemical characteristics were investigated and are reported here.     

Comparison of effects of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica sp) fruit,arabic gum,carrageenan, alginic acid,locust bean gum and citrus pectin on viscosity and in vitro digestibility of casein

The consumption of high levels of fibres can induce a decrease in both food digestibility and nutrient availability. Prickly pear is a pectin‐rich fruit and it is possible to use it to decrease plasma cholesterol levels. Its effect on food digestibility deserves attention. This effect was determined by using a mixture of a constant quantity of casein and an increasing quantity (10, 20, 25% of the casein) of prickly pear pulp, skin and seed. In parallel, the effect of similar mixtures of carrageenan, gum arabic, locust bean gum, alginic acid and citrus pectin with casein was also studied. The flow behaviour of the different mixtures was determined and their digestibilities were measured using an in vitro digestion cell device. The apparent viscosities of the mixtures with prickly pear components and gum arabic were similar. The nature and level of fibres in the diet modified nitrogen release in the in vitro digestion cell model. The pulp of the prickly pear decreased the digestibility of the casein‐based diet to a greater extent than the other soluble fibres, whatever the percentage used. The results suggest that the decrease in N release in the digestion cell model is due to the interaction of the fibres with the enzymes or casein rather than to the apparent viscosity of the mixtures. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

假酸浆籽油的理化指标及其脂肪酸组成分析

按国家标准分析测定了假酸浆籽油的理化指标,采用GC法分析了假酸浆籽油的脂肪酸组成。假酸浆籽油含亚油酸73.66%、油酸12.06%、α-亚麻酸2.01%、硬脂酸9.05%、棕榈酸3.15%。假酸浆籽是富含亚油酸的一种新油源。     

Physical and chemical properties of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L) tubers grown in the Çukurova region of Turkey

Four lines of chufa (Cyperus esculentus) grown in 1998 and 1999 in the Çukurova region of Turkey were analysed for their physical properties, proximate chemical composition and fatty acid contents. The chufa lines contained on average (g kg^?1) 932.8 dry matter, 245.0 crude lipid, 256.8 starch, 14.3 ash, 50.5 protein, 89.1 crude fibre, 17.1 reducing sugar, 154.3 total sugar and 130.4 sucrose. Hunter L, a⁺ and b⁺ colour values of ground chufa samples were in the ranges 55.93–60.59, 3.71–5.09 and 15.60–16.85 respectively. Individual chufa tubers weighed between 0.224 and 0.283 g. The fatty acid composition of chufa oil included (g kg^?1) 689.2–732.9 oleic acid, 125.5–141.2 palmitic acid and 99.6–154.6 linoleic acid, which is comparable with that of olive oil. After storage for 1 year the differences in mean values were significant (p < 0.05). © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Changes in lipid class and fatty acid composition during maturation of mesocarp of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) variety dura

The deposition of oil, major lipid classes, and the constituent fatty acids of the oil palm fruit mesocarp were investigated to gain a better insight into the accumulation of these components. The oils were extracted with chloroform-methanol 1:2 (v/v) and were fractionated by silicic acid column chromatography into classes. Fatty acids were analysed by gas-liquid chromatography. Shortly after anthesis, lipids, mainly phospho- and glyco-lipids, were a small proportion of the mesocarp. With time the lipid content increased, until at maturity it accounted for about 60% of fresh mesocarp weight. Approximately 97% of the lipid at maturity was neutral lipid, essentially triacylglycerol. Maximum oil quantity was obtained at 22 weeks after anthesis. The active lipid accumulation period was from weeks 18 to 22 after pollination. Contrary to previously published data, palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids were characteristically present at all stages of oil accumulation. Linolenic acid was present in the neutral lipids from immature mesocarp of the oil palm fruit, but was probably diluted out in mature palms. Appreciable amounts of linolenic acid were present in the polar lipid fractions.     

In vitro evaluation of the fermentation of added‐value agroindustrial by‐products: cactus pear (Opuntia ficus‐indica L.) peel and pineapple (Ananas comosus) peel as functional ingredients

Agroindustrial by‐products derived from fruit processing are an important source of biocompounds that can be used as functional food ingredients. The objective of this work was to evaluate cactus pear and pineapple peel flours as an alternative carbon source during fermentation using bacteria with probiotic potential. The total fibre content of both flours was over 60%, with total soluble carbohydrate content around 20%, indicating a good carbon source for lactic acid bacteria. Kinetic parameters indicate that peel flours are a suitable carbon source because the lactic acid bacteria grow (mean growth rate constant, k, values close to glucose, 1.52 h) and acidify the culture media (maximum acidification rate, V_max, approximately 1.60 pH × 10^?3 min^?1). There was no difference in prebiotic potential or prebiotic activity score for both the peel flours. Pediococcus pentosaceus performs better during fermentation. In this respect, cactus pear and pineapple peel flours can be used as functional ingredients due to their fermentable properties.