Broad bean (Vicia faba L.) pods: a rich source of bioactive ingredients with antimicrobial, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, anti-diabetic and health-promoting properties

Annona squamosa L. (custard apple) belongs to the family Annonaceae and is an important tropical fruit cultivated in the West Indies, South and Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, India, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Egypt. Leaves of custard apple plants have been studied for their health benefits, which are attributed to a considerable diversity of phytochemicals. These compounds include phenol-based compounds, e.g., proanthocyanidins, comprising 18 different phenolic compounds, mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Extracts from Annona squamosa leaves (ASLs) have been studied for their biological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiobesity, lipid-lowering, and hepatoprotective functions. In the current article, we discussed the nutritional and phytochemical diversity of ASLs. Additionally, ASL extracts were discussed with respect to their biological activities, which were established by in vivo and in vitro experiments. A survey of the literature based on the phytochemical profile and health-promoting effects of ASLs showed that they can be used as potential ingredients for the development of pharmaceutical drugs and functional foods. Although there are sufficient findings available from in vitro and in vivo investigations, clinical trials are still needed to determine the exact effects of ASL extracts on human health.

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In vitro mass proliferation of two commercially important Turkish Broad Bean (Vicia faba L.) cultivars

Current Opinion in Biotechnology ◽

10.1016/j.copbio.2013.05.380 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

pp. S121

Author(s):

Farzad Nofouzi ◽

Mohsen Mirzapour ◽

Sam Mokhtarzadeh ◽

Khalid Mahmood Khawar

Keyword(s):

Vicia Faba ◽

Broad Bean ◽

Vicia Faba L ◽

Commercially Important

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Investigation of the Metabolism of [3H]GA20-13-O-glucoside Vicia faba L. in vivo and in vitro

Biochemie und Physiologie der Pflanzen ◽

10.1016/s0015-3796(87)80006-9 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 182 (5) ◽

pp. 385-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. Lattke ◽

W. Schliemann ◽

G. Schneider

Keyword(s):

Vicia Faba ◽

Vicia Faba L

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Biological activities of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) extracts cultivated in south anatolia in favism sensitive subjects

Toxicology ◽

10.1016/0300-483x(84)90009-x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 175-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Nevin Vural ◽

Semra Sardas

Keyword(s):

Vicia Faba ◽

Broad Bean ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Vicia Faba L

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Traditional Uses, Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Properties of Averrhoa carambola L.: A Review

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.699899 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Fei Luan ◽

Lixia Peng ◽

Ziqin Lei ◽

Xiyu Jia ◽

Junbo Zou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pharmaceutical Industry ◽

Functional Food ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Southern China ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Averrhoa Carambola ◽

Valuable Treatment

Averrhoa carambola L. (star fruit) is an edible fruit that is extensively cultivated in southern China, Southeast Asia, India, and northern South America. It has a sweet and juicy taste and is frequently used in fruit salads and fruit platters, as a garnish in cocktail drinks and beverages, or squeezed into juice and served as a beverage. Traditionally, it has been used for treating diabetes and diabetic nephropathy, arthralgia, vomiting, lithangiuria, coughing, hangovers, and chronic paroxysmal headache for thousands of years. Currently, approximately 132 compounds have been isolated from A. carambola. Among them, flavonoids, benzoquinone, and their glycosides have been considered as biologically active substances, which are responsible for various biological activities. Pharmacological studies have revealed that crude extracts or monomeric compounds from A. carambola exhibit multiple bioactivities, such as anti-oxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-hypertensive, neuroprotective, and others. Thus, A. carambola is a valuable treatment in Chinese medicine with therapeutic potential for multiple diseases, especially diabetes and diabetes-related diseases. Even though it is a very promising candidate in the development of functional food and the pharmaceutical industry, reports on its bioactivities have only been conducted in vivo and in vitro and there is a gap in research regarding clinical settings and safety. This review therefore provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of current progress on botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of A. carambola, providing a valuable reference for further developments and applications of A. carambola in the pharmaceutical industry and functional food.

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Underutilised fruits: a review of phytochemistry and biological properties

Journal of Food Bioactives ◽

10.31665/jfb.2018.1124 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

Author(s):

Ahmad Hasan Salahuddin Mirfat ◽

Ismail Amin ◽

Kassim Nur Kartinee ◽

Hamid Muhajir ◽

Mat Ali Mohd Shukri

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Fruit Species ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Health Significance ◽

Canarium Odontophyllum

Underutilised fruits are not only important sources of food and nutrition, but also secure household income especially for rural and farm communities. However, some of the underutilised fruits have not received much attention as compared to commercial fruits. This could be due to their lack of knowledge of their potential values. Hence, information about their health promoting properties is critical to increase the value of underutilised fruit species to enhance their preservation and sustainable use in strengthening food, nutrition, health and livelihood security. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the phytochemical properties and biological activities of underutilised fruit species grown in Malaysia focussing on health promoting aspects. With regard to phytochemistry, only 21 species of underutilised fruits have been identified and quantified. Phytochemical investigations of various parts of the fruits have revealed the presence of over 100 phytochemicals which are phenolics, terpenoids, carotenoids and other miscellaneous compounds. About 51 underutilised fruit species have been explored for interesting biological activities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticholinesterase, cytotoxicity, antiatherosclerotic, antihyperlipidemia, antidiabetic, cytoprotective, cardioprotective and antiplatelet activities) supporting their diverse traditional uses. Different parts of the fruits have been analysed mainly in vitro and barely in vivo, with pulp being the most dominant. Of all the underutilised fruits studied, Mangifera species and Canarium odontophyllum have been the major focus for researchers. The gaps obtained from this review create further research opportunities to add to the current knowledge of health promoting properties of underutilised fruits in Malaysia. More studies are needed to confirm the health significance and explain their mechanisms of action in order to fully understand the real potential of this underutilised fruit species.

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Phytochemical Constituents, Biological Activities, and Health-Promoting Effects of the Melissa officinalis

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/6584693 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Javad Sharifi-Rad ◽

Cristina Quispe ◽

Jesús Herrera-Bravo ◽

Muhammad Akram ◽

Wafa Abbaass ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medicinal Plants ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Phenolic Antioxidants ◽

Special Focus ◽

Melissa Officinalis ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Health Promoting

Medicinal plants are being used worldwide for centuries for their beneficial properties. Some of the most popular medicinal plants belong to the Melissa genus, and different health beneficial effects have already been identified for this genus. Among these species, in particular, the Melissa officinalis L. has been reported as having many biological activities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumour, antiviral, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and also flatulence inhibiting effects. The beneficial properties of the Melissa officinalis, also known as “lemon balm herb”, can be related to the bioactive compounds such as terpenoids, alcohols, rosmarinic acid, and phenolic antioxidants which are present in the plant. In this updated review, the botanical, geographical, nutritional, phytochemical, and traditional medical aspects of M. officinalis have been considered as well as in vitro and in vivo and clinically proven therapeutic properties have been reviewed with a special focus on health-promoting effects and possible perspective nutraceutical applications. To evidence the relevance of this plant in the research and completely assess the context, a literature quantitative research analysis has been performed indicating the great interest towards this plant for its beneficial properties.

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Stilbenoid chemistry from wine and the genus Vitis, a review

OENO One ◽

10.20870/oeno-one.2012.46.2.1512 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 57 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Alison D. Pawlus ◽

Pierre Waffo-Téguo ◽

Jonah Shaver ◽

Jean-Michel Mérillon

Keyword(s):

Biological Activities ◽

Chemical Diversity ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Biological Studies ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Tremendous Amount ◽

Resistant Strains ◽

Commercial Sources

Stilbenoids are of great interest on account of their many promising biological activities, especially in regards to prevention and potential treatment of many chronic diseases associated with aging. The simple stilbenoid monomer, E-resveratrol, has received the most attention due to early in vitro and in vivo biological activities in anti-aging assays. Since Vitis vinifera, primarily in the form of wine, is a major dietary source of these compounds, there is a tremendous amount of research on resveratrol in wine and grapes. Relatively few biological studies have been performed on other stilbenoids from Vitis, primarily due to the lack of commercial sources of many of these compounds. The diverse stilbenoids from this economically important genus are an untapped source of health promoting compounds and because of this, numerous efforts for isolation, identification and quantification of additional stilbenoids have been ongoing. Additionally, due to their role as phytoalexins, stilbenoids play an important role in the defense against pathogens. Therefore, the compounds produced by highly resistant strains are of great interest for the development of resistant crops, natural spray reagents, and as new dietary supplements or pharmaceuticals. Since closely related species are likely to have similar metabolic pathways, a more thorough understanding of the chemical diversity of stilbenoids within Vitis is useful in this endeavor. In this review, we focus on stilbenoids found in the Vitis genus with the aim of aiding future stilbenoid chemistry, particularly in V. vinifera and wine. Additionally, we discuss the efforts to quantify stilbenoids in Vitis, with a focus on non-resveratrol stilbenoid compounds.

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Phenolic Compounds from Five Ericaceae Species Leaves and Their Related Bioavailability and Health Benefits

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules24112046 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (11) ◽

pp. 2046 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Bianca Eugenia Ștefănescu ◽

Katalin Szabo ◽

Andrei Mocan ◽

Gianina Crişan

Keyword(s):

Phenolic Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Health Impact ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Chemical Components ◽

Phenolic Components ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Ancient Times

Some species of the Ericaceae family have been intensively studied because of the beneficial health impact, known since ancient times, of their chemical components. Since most studies focus on the effects of fruit consumption, this review aims to highlight the phenolic components present in the leaves. For this purpose, five species from Ericaceae family (bilberry—Vaccinium myrtillus L., lingonberry—V. vitis-idaea L., bog bilberry—V. uliginosum L., blueberry—V. corymbosum L. and bearberry—Arctostapylos uva-ursi L.) were considered, four of which can be found in spontaneous flora. The chemical composition of the leaves revealed three major phenolic compounds: chlorogenic acid, quercetin and arbutin. The health promoting functions of these compounds, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that could have preventive effects for cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and obesity, have been exemplified by both in vitro and in vivo studies in this review. Furthermore, the importance of bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the phenolic compounds have been summarized. The findings highlight the fact that leaves of some Ericaceae species deserve increased attention and should be studied more profoundly for their biological activities, especially those from spontaneous flora.

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Essential Oil of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. as a Green Fungicide and Defense-Inducing Agent against Fusarium Root Rot Disease in Vicia faba L.

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10080696 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 696

Author(s):

Mona M. Khaleil ◽

Maryam M. Alnoman ◽

Elsayed S. Abd Elrazik ◽

Hayat Zagloul ◽

Ahmed Mohamed Aly Khalil

Keyword(s):

Essential Oil ◽

Plant Growth ◽

Vicia Faba ◽

Root Rot ◽

Foeniculum Vulgare ◽

Root Rot Disease ◽

Vicia Faba L ◽

Rot Disease

Fusarium solani, the causative agent of root rot disease is one of the major constraints of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) yield worldwide. Essential oils have become excellent plant growth stimulators besides their antifungal properties. Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) is a familiar medicinal plant that has inhibitory effects against phytopathogenic fungi. Herein, different concentrations of fennel seed essential oil (FSEO) (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 μL/mL) were examined against F. solani KHA10 (accession number MW444555) isolated from rotted roots of faba bean in vitro and in vivo. The chemical composition of FSEO, through gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, revealed 10 major compounds. In vitro, FSEO inhibited F. solani with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25 µL/mL. In vivo, FSEO suppressed Fusarium root rot disease in Vicia faba L. by decreasing the disease severity (61.2%) and disease incidence (50%), and acted as protective agent (32.5%) of Vicia faba L. Improvements in morphological and biochemical parameters were recorded in FSEO-treated faba seeds. Moreover, the expression level of the defense-related genes defensin and chitinase was noticeably enhanced in treated plants. This study suggested using FSEO as a promising antifungal agent against F. solani not only to control root rot disease but also to enhance plant growth and activate plant defense.

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