Compositional, Elemental, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Characterization of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Pulps and Seeds from Selected Regions in Kenya and Uganda

The number of people affected by nutrition insecurity worldwide in 2016 was 815 million, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. This has been attributed to starvation and overdependence on a few crops for nutritional needs. There is therefore need to find alternative nutrition sources. This study sought to determine the nutritional profile, mineral composition, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of Jackfruit seeds and pulps, collected from selected regions in Kenya and Uganda. The moisture contents were found to be higher in the edible pulp region (62.67-70.42%), compared to the seeds (44.76-50.54%). The ash, lipid, carbohydrate and protein contents of fresh weight, on the other hand, were found to be higher in the seeds than in the edible pulp region. The ash contents were (1.12 -1.64%) and (0.34 -0.48%), the lipid contents were (0.41-0.50%) and (0.09-0.12%), the protein contents were (14.11 to 16.26%) and (10.56 to 13.67%) and the carbohydrate contents were (31.41%-34.95%) and (21.65 to 24.91%) for the seeds and pulps respectively. The mineral analysis showed that Jackfruit seeds and pulps were rich in essential minerals. The seeds and pulps, were found to both rich in potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron minerals. The phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities, were also found to be higher in the seeds than in the pulps. The phenolic contents were (17.37 to 18.69 mg/g) and (12.10 to 14.55 mg/g), while flavonoids contents were (0.5 - 0.89 mg/g) and (0.18 -0.29 mg/g) for the seeds and pulps respectively. The DPPH scavenging activities were (21.70 - 24.44%) and (15.49 - 17.47%), while the reducing powers were (51.05 -58.00 µg/ml) and (43.54-45.38 µg/ml) for the seeds and pulp respectively. Jackfruit seeds and pulps are therefore highly nutritious, rich in minerals and can be used as natural antioxidants.

Chronic Metal Exposure, Air Pollution and Cancer in Haifa, Israel.

Air pollution is a worldwide problem to millions of people exposed to concentrations of air pollutants above safety standards, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In Haifa, Israel, the apparent link between pollution and cancer development is a topic of concern. The study focused on evaluating the metal exposure of children and adults residing in the Haifa area. A high toxic burden to combustion metals such as nickel and potential carcinogens such as mercury was determined. Samples of hair were collected from people living in and around Haifa between 2007 and 2015. Selected patients were separated into three groups, adult males and females, and children with a median age of 6.6 years. Multiple metal exposure was determined in all groups, with the greatest burden found in children.

Biochemical analysis, pharmacological activity, antifungal activity and mineral analysis in methanolic extracts of Myrica esculenta and Syzygium cumini: the Indian traditional fruits growing in Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Myrica esculenta (Myricaceae) and Syzygium cumini(Myrtaceae), the Indian traditional fruits were studied for their biochemical assay, antifungal activity and mineral analysis. The biochemical assay in terms of total phenols, flavonols, ortho dihydroxy phenolic, ascorbic acid & phytic acid content and antioxidant activity revealed different quantitative make up in all the different samples. The in vitro antioxidant activity determined by reducing power assay, chelating power on Fe2+ ions and 2, 2-diphenylpicrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were found to be good to moderate in a dose dependent manner in all the extracts. The extracts showed significant antinociceptive and antipyretic activity on mice. Methanolic extracts of both the fruits collected from different regions exhibited good antifungal activity against the three pathogenic fungi viz; Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Fusarium oxysporium. All the extracts studied for their mineral analysis through atomic absorption spectroscopy also revealed quantitative variation of N, P , K , S, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn. Fe was found to be maximum in all the samples however Na was absent in all the samples.

Avaliação de minerais em plantas medicinais amazônicas / Minerals evaluation in Amazonian medicinal plants

Amazônia brasileira oferece um apreciável potencial de plantas com propriedades terapêuticas, embora a maioria seja pouco conhecida. Dessa forma, com o objetivo de verificar a potencialidade nutricional de ervas medicinais, determinou-se a concentração de Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu e Zn nas folhas e nos chás das espécies: Piper callosum Ruiz & Pav., Piperaceae, Mikania lindleyana DC., Asteraceae e Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verl., Bignoniaceae. As amostras de plantas depois de terem sido processadas, foram submetidas a digestão e em seguida realizada as leituras dos metais em um espectrofotômetro de absorção atômica. Para o chá de Arrabidaea chica foram detectados teores de Ca (6955 a 20058 mg/L), Mg (2390 a 3094 mg/L) e Fe (40 a 61 mg/L). Para o chá de Mikania lindleyana além da presença de altos valores de Ca (17722 a 22336 mg/L), Mg (4531 a 9370 mg/L) e Fe (20 a 87 mg/L) foram encontrados de 7 a 16 mg/L de Cu e 9 a 41 mg/L de Zn. O chá do Piper callosum apresentou em média 2036 a 4344 mg/L de Ca, 618 a 4023 mg/L de Mg e 39 a 60 mg/L de Fe. Comparando-se os resultados dos minerais com os valores recomendados pela Organização Mundial da Saúde, conclui-se que os metais presentes nos chás das plantas poderiam contribuir na complementação das dietas alimentares das pessoas que as utilizam.

The Amazonian Brazilian offers an appreciable potential of plants with therapeutic properties, although most are little known. In this way, with the objective of verifying the potentiality nutritional of medicinal herbs, a work was developed to determine the concentration of Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu and Zn in the leaves and in the teas of these species: Piper callosum Ruiz & Pav., Piperaceae, Mikania lindleyana DC., Asteraceae e Arrabidaea chica (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. Verl., Bignoniaceae. After the plants samples have been processed, they were submitted to digestion and soon afterwards the metals were analyzed in an spectrophotometer of Atomic Absorption. The results showed the follow yields: for the tea of Arrabidaea chica Ca were detected (6955 to 20058 mg/L), Mg (2390 to 3094 mg/L) and Fe (40 to 61 mg/L). For the tea of Mikania lindleyana besides the presence of high values of Ca (17722 to 22336 mg/L), Mg (4531 to 9370 mg/L) and Fe (20 to 87 mg/L) they were found from 7 to 16 mg/L of Cu and 9 to 41 mg/L of Zn. The tea of the Piper callosum presented 2036 to 4344 mg/L of Ca, 618 to 4023 mg/L of Mg and 39 to 60 mg/L of Fe. Being compared the results of the minerals with the values recommended by the Health World Organization, is possible that the present metals in the teas of the plants could contribute in the complementation of the people's alimentary diets that use these medicinal plants.

Trace element concentrations profiles in the hair of normal children living in the northern area of Seoul / 소아과

PURPOSE: The reliability of hair mineral analyses regarding nutritional status, environmental exposure or diseases is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the normal reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children. METHODS: We examined hair mineral concentrations of 223 children(3-12 yrs old, 110 boys, 113 girls, mean age 8.8+/-2.2 yrs old) living in the northern area of Seoul. The trace elements including six toxic elements(Al, As, Cd, Ba, Hg, Pb) and 11 nutritional elements(Na, Mg, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) were analyzed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). RESULTS: The mean concentrations of Ca and Mg were higher in girls than in boys. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cr were higher in boys than girls. The Zn, Ca, Mg, Cu and Hg levels in hair samples were positively correlated with increasing age. The Zn levels of the Korean children's hair samples appear to be lower than that of other countries' reference values. CONCLUSION: There are considerable differences in hair mineral concentrations by age, sex and race. Additional research is needed to establish Korean reference values, and to evaluate the usefulness of hair mineral analyses as a screening tool for nutrition- and environment-related childhood diseases.

Quantitative Analysis of Hair Minerals in Vitiligo Patients / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Although vitiligo is generally recognized as a single entity, the etiology is complex. There have been three hypotheses to explain vitiligo, (1) neural hypothesis, (2) the self-destruct hypothesis, and (3) the autoimmune hypothesis. And recently, there have been several reports about mineral status in vitiligo patients. Hair minerals may provide a continuous record of nutritional status and exposure to heavy metal pollutants. So, analysis of hair minerals in vitiligo patients may help to explain the etiology of vitiligo. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the hair mineral concentrations between vitiligo patients and normal controls. METHODS: Hair mineral concentrations were measured in 30 normal controls and 30 vitiligo patients. We measured the contents of fifteen nutritional elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, P, Fe, Mn, Cr, Se, B, Co, Mo, S), eight toxic elements (Sb, U, As, Be, Hg, Cd, Pb, Al), and fifteen additional elements (Ge, Ba, Bi, Rb, Li, Ni, Pt, Tl, I, V, Sr, Sn, Ti, W, Zr) by an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In vitiligo patients, the contents of Fe, Mg, P, Cr, Se, Zr were significantly higher than normal controls, and B, Al, W were significantly lower than normal controls. In male patients, K, Cr, B, Rb contents were higher than female and in female patients, Ca, Ba, Sr contents were higher than male. In vitiligo patients, Hg showed positive relationship with increasing age, and B, Pb, Sn, Zr contents showed negative relationship with age. CONCLUSION: Hair mineral analysis was performed with vitiligo patients and normal controls. We concluded that the hair mineral analysis will be useful in researching various skin diseases including vitiligo and may give the clues of etiology of various skin diseases.

Hair Mineral Analysis of Normal Korean Children / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Minerals play important roles in biological processes. They can cause disease through deficiency, imbalance, and toxicity. Many chronic diseases of children may be related to mineral status. But difficulty in sampling enough numbers and amount of body fluid to see long term mineral status for those children have been obstacles for detailed clinical studies. Though measurements of body mineral status are usually done for body fluid, hair mineral analysis method showed potentiality as a useful clinical tool. It could provide a continuous record of nutritional status and exposure history to heavy metal pollutants. Also it has advantages in sampling and observing the profiles of multiple minerals simultaneously. But lack of normal reference values of hair mineral contents focused on Korean children prevented us from conducting further studies. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to survey reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children 2 to 7 years old and analysis its characteristics. METHODS: Mineral concentrations of hair were measured in 78 children 2 to 7 years of age, living in the same area. The contents of fifteen nutritional elements(Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, P, Fe, Mn, Cr, Se, B, Co, Mo, S), eight toxic elements(Sb, U, As, Be, Hg, Cd, Pb, Al), and fifteen additional elements(Ge, Ba, Bi, Rb, Li, Ni, Pt, Tl, V, Sr, Sn, Ti, W, Zr) were determined by an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). Data are analyzed by meticulous statistical approaches. RESULTS: Though direct comparison was impossible in statistical manner, the suggested reference values of normal Korean children were different in K, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sn, Mg, Sb, Zn, Ge, and U content with American reference value. In normal Korean children, the contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, S, Al, Ba, Ni, Sr, U were higher in girls, and Na, Cr, As, V, Bi were higher in boys. Zn and Sr contents were increased with age, Rb, K, Ti, Pb, Mo, Sn, and V contents were decreased with age. CONCLUSION: There are considerable differences in hair mineral contents of normal population by race, age, sex. So it is important to use proper reference values to interpret the hair mineral analysis result correctly. We hope future study conducting for the children living in different geographic regions could verify our suggested reference data as a Korean reference value.