Volatile organic compounds from pachyrhizus ferrugineus and pachyrhizus erosus (Fabaceae) leaves / Compuestos orgánicos volátiles de las hojas de pachyrhizus ferrugineus y pachyrhizus erosus (Fabaceae)

In México, Pachyrhizus erosus (Fabaceae) commonly called "jícama", is widely known for its edible tubers. It is cultivated since the pre-Columbian period, and the powdered seeds have been used for the treatment of mange, lice, and fleas, due to their content of rotenone, a well-known insecticidal compound. On the other hand, P. ferrugineus, a wild species can only be found in the Tropical Forests, and has no commercial value. It is known that plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) showing qualitative and quantitative differences if are wild or cultivated. VOCs are also involved as repelling or attracting chemical signals to insect herbivores, and their natural enemies. Until now, the VOCs of the leaves of P. erosus and P. ferrugineus have not been investigated. In the present contribution the VOCs of both species were characterized by headspace solid-phase (HS-SPME) extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS-TOF). In P. erosus 21 VOCs were found, being the most abundant: cyclohexanone (32.8 percent), 3-hexen-1-ol (Z) (32.7 percent), 3-hexenal (Z) (10.5 percent). The majoritarian compounds were C6 or C5 derivatives In P. ferrugineus, the most abundant VOCs were: 5-hexene-1-ol acetate (51.5 percent), undecanal (22.4 percent), 2-hepten-1-al (14.5 percent). The majoritarian compounds were C6, C7 or C11 derivatives.

En México, Pachyrhizus erosus (Fabaceae) es llamada comúnmente "jícama" y es conocida por sus tubérculos comestibles. Se ha cultivado desde el período pre-Colombino y las semillas se han utilizado para el tratamiento tópico de la sarna, piojos, pulgas; las semillas contienen rotenona, un compuesto insecticida. Por otra parte, P. ferrugineus solo está presente en estado silvestre en los bosques tropicales y carece de valor comercial. Se sabe que las plantas liberan compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COV) y muestran diferencias cualitativas y cuantitativas dependiendo, si son silvestres o cultivadas. Los COV también son señales químicas atrayentes o repelentes de los insectos herbívoros y a sus enemigos naturales. Hasta ahora, los COV en las hojas de P. erosus y P. ferrugineus no han sido investigados. En el presente trabajo, los COV se identificaron mediante la microextracción (HS-SPME) en fase sólida, e identificados por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas (GC-MS-TOF). En P. erosus se encontraron 21 COV, siendo los más abundantes: ciclohexanona (32.8 por ciento), 3-hexen-1-ol (Z) (32.7 por ciento) y 3-hexenal (Z) (10.5 por ciento). Los compuestos mayoritarios son C6 y C5. En P. ferrugineus los más abundantes fueron: 5-hexen-1-ol acetato (51.5 por ciento), undecanal (22.4 por ciento) y 2-hepten-1-al (14.5 por ciento). Los compuestos mayoritarios son C6, C7 o C11.

Diversity of yam bean ( Pachyrhizus spp. Fabaceae) based on morphoagronomic traits in the Brazilian Amazon / Diversidade de feijão-macuco ( Pachyrhizus spp. Fabaceae) baseada em caracteres morfoagronômicos na amazônia brasileira

Yam bean is a non-conventional horticultural crop adapted to the Amazon region. It presents edible roots, yet, its seeds contain cytotoxic components such as rotenone and pachyrhizin. The Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia has 64 yam bean genotypes in its germplasm bank, however, their diversity is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the diversity of these genotypes using 10 morphoagronomic traits, plant height, number of secondary branches, shoot biomass, stem diameter, root biomass, number, length, diameter, length/diameter ratio (L/D), and shape. The accessions were planted on non-flooded land, Manaus, Amazonas (02º 59'48.2''S and 60º 01' 22.4''W) in completely randomized design with three replicates and three plants per plot spaced 0.5 x 1 m. The results showed significant diversity for all characters except for stem diameter and visual assessment of root shape. Biplot graphic explained 60% of the total variation, which identified that genotypes P44, P22 and P18 have high values for root yield (80-108 t ha-1), number of secondary branches (15-31) and shoot biomass (0.5-0.8 kg plant-1). Cluster analysis, considering 50% of relative Euclidean distance, revealed 15 major groups. We conclude that the genotypes assessed have wide diversity and some of them high root yield potential. This suggests that a yam bean breeding program can be successful for the yield of roots and seeds in the Amazonian region.

O feijão-macuco é uma hortaliça não convencional da Amazônia. Suas raízes são comestíveis e suas sementes tóxicas por conter rotenona e paquirizina. O Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) tem conservado 64 genótipos de feijão-macuco em seu banco de germoplasma, mas a diversidade genética destes é desconhecida. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar estes acessos utilizando 10 descritores morfoagronômicos tais como: altura de planta, número de ramas secundárias, massa da parte aérea, diâmetro de caule, massa, número, comprimento, diâmetro, relação comprimento/diâmetro e formato de raízes. O experimento foi conduzido em terra firme no município de Manaus (02º 59'48.2''LS e 60º 01' 22.4''LO), em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com três repetições e três plantas por parcela. Os resultados mostraram diversidade significativa para todos os caracteres, exceto para diâmetro do caule e avaliação visual do formato da raiz. O Biplot explicou 60% da variação total o qual mostrou que os genótipos P44, P22 e P18 tem elevada produtividade de raízes (80-108 t ha-1), número de ramificações secundarias (15-31) e massa da parte aérea (0.5-0.8 kg/planta). A análise de agrupamento considerando 50% da distancia euclidiana relativa mostrou 15 grupos principais. Por tanto, concluímos haver ampla diversidade nos genótipos especialmente para produtividade de raízes. Isto indica que o melhoramento de feijão-macuco, na região Amazônica, pode ter sucesso para aumentar a produtividade de raízes e sementes.

Increase in digestive organs of rats due to the ingestion of dietary fiber with similar solubility to that of common bean / Incremento en órganos digestivos de ratas debido a la ingestión de fibra dietética de solubilidad similar al del frijol común

The aim of the present work is to study the effect of dietary dietary fiber of similar solubility to that of the cooked common bean in the increase of the small intestine, liver, and pancreas of rats. Recently weaned male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum balanced diets containing cooked common bean (12.9 percent of dietary fiber plus resistant starch) or casein with 5.0 percent (control group), 10.0 percent, 12.5 percent or 15.0 percent of dietary fiber plus resistant starch added, with the same proportions of insoluble and soluble fibers and resistant starch found in bean (8:3:1) for 14 days. Weight gain and diet intake were smaller in the group fed the cooked bean diet. However, this group showed the highest increase in the studied organs. Rats that ingested the diet containing casein with 15.0 percent of dietary fiber added showed a growth of 21.4 percent in the pancreas. Rats fed other casein diets did not show significant differences (p>0.05). The diet containing the cooked common bean led to weight gain of all studied organs (50.0 percent in the pancreas, 25.0 percent in the liver and 33.4 percent in the small intestine) and an increase of 47.1 percent in the small intestine length. Therefore, dietary fiber plus resistant starch had a trophic effect on digestive organs, although they were not the only stimulation factor, because the cooked bean has other chemical components, like phytates and tannins, that probably contribute to that effect.

Ratas Wistar machos recién destetados fueron alimentados ad libitum con dietas balanceadas, conteniendo frijol común cocinado (12,9 por ciento de fibras dietéticas + almidón resistente) o caseína agregado de 5,0 por ciento (grupo control), 10,0 por ciento, 12,5 por ciento o 15,0 por ciento de fibras dietéticas + almidón resistente, con las mismas proporciones de fibras insolubles y solubles y almidón resistente, encontradas en el frijol (8:3:1) por 14 días. El aumento de peso y la ingesta de dieta fueron más pequeños en el grupo alimentado con la dieta del frijol cocinado. Sin embargo, este grupo mostró el aumento más alto en los órganos estudiados. Las ratas que ingirieron la dieta conteniendo caseína con agregado de 15,0 por ciento de fibra dietética mostraron un crecimiento de 21,4 por ciento en el páncreas. Las ratas alimentadas con las otras dietas de caseína no mostraron diferencias significativas (p>0,05). El consumo de dieta conteniendo frijol común cocinado provocó un aumento de peso en todos los órganos estudiados (50,0 por ciento en el páncreas, 25,0 por ciento en el hígado y 33,4 por ciento en el intestino delgado) y un incremento del 47,1 por ciento en el tamaño del intestino delgado. La fibra dietética más almidón resistente ejerce un efecto trófico en los órganos digestivos, aunque no fue ese el único factor estimulante. El frijol cocinado puede tener otros componentes químicos, además de los inhibidores de proteasas, lectinas, fitatos y taninos, que probablemente contribuyen a ese efecto.

Pharmacological evaluation of Pachyrrhizus erosus (L) seeds for central nervous system depressant activity.

The research work deals with the screening of ethanol and chloroform extracts of Pachyrrhizus erosus seeds for central nervous system (CNS) depressant activity. The Pachyrrhizus erosus seed is known to contain rotinoids, flavonoids and phenylfuranocoumarin derivatives as chemical components and is reported to have antifungal, antisecretory, insecticides, antibacterial and spasmolytic activity. Since seeds of Pachyrrhizus erosus is used as folk medicine in treatment of insomnia, we made an attempt to study its CNS depressant effect. The different activities studied were potentiation of pentobarbitone-induced sleep, test for locomotor activity, effect on muscle co-ordination, antiaggressive and antianxiety activities. The result of the study reflected that ethanol extract of the seeds (150 mg/kg, p.o) decreased locomotor activity, produced muscle relaxation and showed antianxiety and antiaggressive activity.

The first fatal case of yam bean and rotenone toxicity in Thailand.

The first fatal case of Yam bean and Rotenone toxicity in Thailand was studied at Forensic Medicine, Chiang Mai, Thailand. A Chinese Taiwan man, 59 years old, was found dead after Yam bean ingestion. Yam bean toxicity and death have been found very rarely in the world and has not been reported in Thailand The Yam bean plant is grown widely in Northern Thailand. But many people know that mature pods, seeds and filage of the Yam bean, except the tuberous root, are very toxic. The victim ate a lot of Yam bean seeds and died within 2 hours with respiratory failure. The authors detected Rotenone substance in Yam bean seeds, gastric content and 72 ng/ml blood by HPLC. Also generalized microscopic hemorrhage in the brain, lungs, liver and adrenal glands which were of characteristic pathology were detected. The authors concluded that the cause of death was asphyxia from Yam bean or Rotenone toxicity.