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The fruits of Psidium guajava L., known as guava, are edible. The objectives of the study were to analyse the chemical composition of the skin, flesh, and pulp of two different Indian varieties of ...

The hexane soluble non-polar metabolites in pericarp and seeds of Capsicum chinense (cv. ghee smelling group), C. frutescens (cv. erect upward bird’s eye chili group and cv. upward tobasco ...

Mango fruits from different varieties vary in aroma and taste. In this study, methanol extracts of fruit pulps obtained from seven Indian varieties of Mangifera indica (Amrapali, Fazli, Golapkhas, ...

Phoenix sylvestris is an underutilized seasonal fruit in West Bengal, India. Methanol extract and extracts after alkaline hydrolysis of the mesocarp tissue of full-mature edible fruits of P. sylvestris were analyzed by GC-MS following a metabolomics approach. The fractions were tested for their antioxidant and inhibitory properties against the two key enzymes involved in diabetes, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Total 71 metabolites belonging to organic acids, amino acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, fatty acids, and phenols were identified in the methanol extract and in fractions after saponification. All the extracts and fractions showed high antioxidant, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase inhibitory activities. Sugars like raffinose (IC50 = 0.36 μM), sucrose (IC50 = 0.51 μM), trehalose (IC50 = 0.85 μM), and phenols like taxifolin (IC50 = 0.31 μM), benzoic acid (IC50 = 2.74 μM) inhibited only the enzyme α-amylase. Phenolic components which inhibited both the enzymes were caffeic acid (IC50 = 1.42 μM for α-a...

In India, many flowers are consumed as food. During the present study, 37 flowers have been analyzed for their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity. The flowers were found to have different levels of antioxidant properties in the systems tested. On the basis of the activity and availability, a few flowers were further studied for hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, lipid peroxidation prevention, and DNA damage prevention properties. The correlations suggest that the total phenol contents of the flowers were responsible for the antioxidant properties of the aqueous extracts. The unweighted-pair group average dendrogram showing interrelationships between the investigated species grouped them into two high level clusters based on activity.

A GC-MS based analytical approach was undertaken to understand the metabolomic responses of seedlings of 2 salt sensitive (Sujala and MTU 7029) and 2 tolerant varieties (Bhutnath, and Nonabokra) of indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) to NaCl induced stress. The 4 varieties responded differently to NaCl treatment with respect to the conserved primary metabolites (sugars, polyols, amino acids, organic acids and certain purine derivatives) of the leaf of rice seedlings. However, there were significant differences in salt induced production of chorismic acid derivatives. Serotonin level was increased in both the salt tolerant varieties in response to NaCl induced stress. In both the salt tolerant varieties, increased production of the signaling molecule gentisic acid in response to NaCl treatment was noticed. Salt tolerant varieties also produced increased level of ferulic acid and vanillic acid. In the salt sensitive varieties, cinnamic acid derivatives, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (in Sujala) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (in MTU 7029), were elevated in the leaves. So increased production of the 2 signaling molecules serotonin and gentisic acid may be considered as 2 important biomarker compounds produced in tolerant varieties contributing toward NaCl tolerance.

Phyllanthus amarus (Euphorbiaceae), an Ayurvedic plant is used in many problems of stomach, genito-urinary system, liver and kidney. The plant is often admixed with different small herbs and also with medicinally less important related species. An attempt has been made to distinguish the plant from other herbs on the basis of macromorphology, micromorphology, histochemical study and physical pharmacognostic study.