Physicochemical characterization of natural fibers obtained from seed pods of Ceiba aesculifolia

Characterization of Ceiba aesculifolia (CA) fibers by various techniques is herein reported. The seed pods were collected, and the fibers surrounding the seeds were characterized or treated in an oven at 100 °C prior to characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis coupled with a differential scanning calorimeter (TGA-DSC). The SEM micrographs showed that the natural material is comprised of tubes of external diameter of approximately 27 μm and a mean wall thickness of about 0.62 μm. The results also indicated that the tubes begin to decompose at approximately 220 °C.

Physical, Chemical and Rheological Characterization of Tuber and Starch from Ceiba aesculifolia subsp. parvifolia

This work aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical and antioxidant properties of Ceiba aesculifolia subsp. parvifolia (CAP) tuber and determinate rheological, thermal, physicochemical and morphological properties of the starch extracted. The CAP tuber weight was 3.66 kg; the edible yield was 82.20%. The tuber presented a high hardness value (249 N). The content of carbohydrates (68.27%), crude fiber (15.61%) and ash (9.27%) from the isolated starch, reported in dry weight, were high. Phenolic compounds and flavonoid content of CAP tuber peel were almost 3-fold higher concerning the pulp. CAP tuber starch exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior and low viscosity at concentrations of 5–15%. Purity percentage and color parameters describe the isolated starch as high purity. Thermal characteristics indicated a higher degree of intermolecular association within the granule. Pasting properties describes starch with greater resistance to heat and shear. CAP tuber starch has X-ray diffraction patterns type A. The starch granules were observed as oval and diameters ranging from 5 to 30 µm. CAP tuber could be a good source of fiber and minerals, while its peel could be used for extracting bioactive compounds. Additionally, the starch separated from this tuber could be employed as a thickening agent in food systems requiring a low viscosity and subjected to high temperatures.

Desarrollo de la corteza: Estudio comparativo en dos especies de Ceiba (Malvaceae)

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Ceiba aesculifolia y C. pentandra (Malvaceae) son dos de las cuatro especies de Ceiba presentes en México. Se conocen como “pochotes”; sus cortezas tienen usos ornamentales y medicinales. Con la finalidad de encontrar atributos distintivos entre estas dos especies de amplia distribución en el país, se realizó un estudio comparativo de la estructura anatómica de la corteza a lo largo de sus ejes y su relación con posibles adaptaciones ecológicas. Métodos: Se recolectaron muestras desde las ramas nuevas hasta el tronco principal de cuatro individuos en un bosque tropical caducifolio de los estados de México y Puebla. Se realizaron cortes histológicos de la corteza con un microtomo de deslizamiento; las secciones se tiñeron con safranina-verde rápido y se montaron en resina sintética. Resultados clave: La corteza es ligeramente fisurada a fisurada en tallos maduros, de color gris plomizo en C. aesculifolia y verde en C. pentandra; con aguijones. La peridermis se origina de un estrato subepidérmico en los ápices de las ramas; conforme los ejes aumentan en diámetro, los radios se dilatan fuertemente (forma de embudo) y las fibras del floema se organizan en estratos, características compartidas con otras Bombacoideae (Malvaceae). Ceiba pentandra mantiene parches de peridermis que se alternan con epidermis, aguijones no estratificados y drusas escasas (<20/mm2), mientras que en C. aesculifolia hay ritidoma, aguijones estratificados y drusas abundantes (50-60/mm2). Conclusiones: Detalles de los cambios estructurales a lo largo del eje, además de las diferencias encontradas entre ambas especies se reportan por primera vez para Ceiba. La rápida diferenciación de la peridermis en las ceibas estudiadas, se interpreta como una adaptación para protección de la luz solar y la desecación; aspecto que ha sido observado en otras especies que crecen en ambientes estacionales.

Phytochemical screening and anti-virulence properties of Ceiba pentandra and Ceiba aesculifolia (Malvaceae) bark extracts and fractions

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Inhibition of quorum sensing systems (QSS-I) is a novel strategy in the treatment of bacterial infections. To date, plants are the major source of metabolites with this inhibitory activity. Thus, species of Mexican flora can be important resources for obtaining metabolites with QSS-I activity.</p><p><strong>Hypothesis</strong>: We hypothesized that extracts from species of the genus <em>Ceiba</em> have metabolites with inhibitory activity against bacterial quorum sensing systems.</p><p><strong>Species studied</strong>: <em>Ceiba pentandra </em>(L.) Gaertn.<em> </em>and <em>Ceiba aesculifolia (</em>Kunth) Britten &amp; Baker f. (Malvaceae).</p><p><strong>Study site and years of study</strong><strong>: We collected <em>Ceiba </em>bark in the municipalities of </strong>Tierra Blanca, Veracruz, and Acatlan, Oaxaca, in August 2013.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: We determined the effect of extracts from <em>C. aesculifolia</em> and <em>C. pentandra</em> against QSS-regulated phenotypes of <em>Chromobacterium violaceum</em> and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>. Extracts were fractionated and the main metabolites were identified. As support in the identification of the species, we carried out an anatomical study of the bark.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of both species of <em>Ceiba</em> exhibited QSS-I activity. We identified four fractions rich in terpene and sterol compounds with the ability to attenuate virulence factors in <em>P. aerugiosa</em>. The histological analysis appears to support the presence of some differences in the barks that can facilitate identification of the two species.</p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: The extracts and fractions of the two species of <em>Ceiba </em>are sources of phytochemicals with the ability to regulate bacterial quorum sensing systems positively or negatively.</p>