Antibacterial activity of bioemulsifiers/biosurfactants produced by Levilactobacillus brevisS4 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarumS5 and their utilization to enhance the stability of cold emulsions of milk chocolate drinks.

Chocolate milk drink, one of the most popular and widely consumed milk products among the population, independent of their age, has as its main challenge the problem of its physical instability. The aim of this study was to assess the stabilizing effect of bioemulsifiers/biosurfactants (BE/BS) from two lactobacilli strains in a cold chocolate milk drink. The strains Levilactobacillus brevis S4 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum S5 isolated from pendidam were screened for their ability to produce BE/BS. The produced BE/BS were characterized, their antimicrobial activities were assessed, and their ability to stabilize cold chocolate milk drinks was determined. The results obtained showed BE/BS yields of 3.48 and 4.37 g/L from L. brevis S4 and L. plantarum S5, respectively. These BE/BS showed emulsifying and surface activities that remained stable after treatment at different temperatures, pH, and salinity. The emulsions formed using BE/BS were stable for 72 h at room temperature (25 ± 1°C). The BE/BS exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus S1 and Escherichia coli E1. When applied to cold chocolate milk drinks at 0.2% (w/v), the BE/BS from L. brevis S4 and L. plantarum S5 showed interesting solubility indexes and water absorption capacities, which led to the successful stabilization of the drinks. The results of this study demonstrate the stabilizer potential of BE/BS from L. brevis S4 and L. plantarum S5 and suggest their use in the dairy and food industries.

Effect of controlled differential sieving processing on micronutrient contents and in vivo antioxidant activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. calyxes powder.

Sun-dried calyxes of Hibiscus sabdariffa were finely grinded and fractionated by controlled differential sieving processing (CDSp) into four granulometric classes. The obtained powder fractions were examined for their micronutrient contents and in vivo antioxidant properties in high-fat diet induced oxidation model rats. Unsieved powder and lyophilized ethanolic extract were used for comparison. Micronutrient contents and antioxidant properties were significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by particle sizes. The mineral, vitamin, carotenoid and anthocyanin contents were shown to be higher in smaller powder particles. Comparatively, the ethanolic extract powder had the higher carotenoid, vitamin and anthocyanin contents while the superfine powders < 180 µm and 180-212 µm had the higher mineral contents and antioxidant properties which was characterized by high superoxide dismutase, catalase activities and low malondialdehyde production. Plant grinding followed by CDSp may be an option to improve micronutrient content and antioxidant activity of plant powders.

Micronutrients and in vivo antioxidant properties of powder fractions and ethanolic extract of Dichrostachys glomerata Forssk. fruits.

Dichrostachys glomerata powders were processed by sieve fractionation and ethanolic extraction followed by freeze-drying. The micronutrient contents and the in vivo antioxidant properties of powder fractions in rats' high-fat diet-induced oxidation model were determined. Sieved fractionation was achieved by finely grinding the Dichrostachys fruits and fractionating on a sieve column to retain particle of sizes <180, 180-212, 212-315, and ≥315 µm. Unsieved powder and lyophilized ethanolic extract were used as control. All the powders were examined for the minerals, total carotenoids, and vitamins contents. For in vivo antioxidant properties assessment, the individual powder was dissolved in water and administered to rats at the dose of 250 mg/kg body weight. Oxidation was induced by treating the rat with high-fat diet, and the measured parameters were malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities. The results showed a significant influence (p < .05) of particle size on the micronutrient contents and in vivo antioxidant properties. The smaller the particle size of the powder fractions, the higher the minerals, vitamins, total carotenoids contents, and antioxidant properties. Comparatively, the ethanolic powder had the highest carotenoids content, while the powders of particle size <180 µm and 180-212 µm had the highest minerals and vitamin contents. The highest antioxidant properties were characterized by high superoxide dismutase, catalase activities, and low malondialdehyde production. The grinding of Dichrostachys fruit followed by controlled differential sieving process may compete with ethanol extraction for an efficient concentration of bioactive compounds and micronutrients except carotenoids.

Chemistry and functionalities of lake deposits and plant-based salts used in food preparations: A review.

Lake deposits, plant-based ashes, filtrates and evaporites or alkaline salts are used traditionally in food preparations by local populations in Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania. Depending on the context, traditional alkaline salts are used to reduce cooking times, improve rheological characteristics of starchy doughs, maintain the color of vegetables, improve the viscosity of sticky vegetables, and act as emulsifiers. This review highlights some of the relationships among chemical composition and physicochemical properties of traditional alkaline salts when used in solution as well as their functionalities. In addition, their potential toxicity and physiological effects are explored, which might lead to a better understanding of some previously unexplained functionalities and future trends in research, such as their impact on human health.

Effect of sieved fractionation on the physical, flow and hydration properties of Boscia senegalensis Lam., Dichostachys glomerata Forssk. and Hibiscus sabdariffa L. powders.

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of successive grinding and sieving processes on the physicochemical properties of powders obtained from Boscia senegalensis seeds, Dichostachys glomerata fruits and Hibiscus sabdariffa calyxes. Plant powders were fractionated into four granulometric classes and their properties were compared to those of unsieved powders. Mean particle size exerted a significant influence (p < 0.05) on the plant powders properties. The smaller the particle size of the powder fraction, the higher the protein, lipid and ash contents and the lower the carbohydrate and fiber contents. The decrease in particle size increased particle sphericity and elongation and enhanced flowability of B. senegalensis and D. glomerata powders, whereas an inverse tendency seemed to be observed for H. sabdariffa powders. Water absorption capacity, water solubility index and dispersibility were improved for finer particles for all plants. Sieve fractionation is a novel approach for improving physicochemical properties of plant powders.

Hypolipidemic and anti-atherogenic effect of aqueous extract leaves of Ficus glumosa (Moraceae) in rats.

Leaves of Ficus glumosa are used in northern Cameroon and southern Chad for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as food and as a stimulant for milk production in both women and animals. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which frequency increases with age. The first lesions appear at the young subject during adolescence. Atherosclerosis lesions appear very precociously and worsen with age. They interest the levels chronologically aortic, coronary then carotid. Age is a risk factor in that it reflects the exposure time of individual to the other risk factors. The frequency of the atherosclerosis increases with age because of the aging of the cells. This study was undertaken to evaluate the hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic properties of aqueous extract of the leaves of F. glumosa in rats with hypercholesterolemia (HC). 60 male rats were fed for 4 weeks with a high-cholesterol diet (1%) and 3 doses (225, 300 and 375 mg/kg) of extract of F. glumosa were used in these experiments. The experiments were conducted under the same conditions with atorvastatin (1 mg/kg), as pharmacological reference substance. The effects of F. glumosa on weight gain, water and food consumption, levels of serum lipids and lipoprotein lipid oxidation and stress markers in the blood and liver were examined. The administration of F. glumosa extract prevented significant (P<0.05) elevation in TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c, hepatic and aortic TG and TC. The atherogenic, triglyceride, and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) indexes were also decreased in the rats treated with the extract. F. glumosa favored the performance of fecal cholesterol. It also significantly inhibited the changes and the formation of aortic atherosclerotic plaques. These results revealed the hypolipidemic and antiatherosclerotic effects of F. glumosa extract and support the traditional use of the extract of this plant in the treatment of hypertension and diabetes.

Mucilage chemical profile and antioxidant properties of giant swamp taro tubers.

The yellow (YP) and white (WP) sections of giant swamp taro (GST) contain 40.0 g/kg and 51.5 g/kg (dry wt) respectively of pure mucilage made up of D-glucose (44.95-78.85 %), D-galactose (8.70-25.35 %), D-mannose (3.20-10.45 %), D-arabinose (2.45-5.20 %) and small amounts of glucuronic acid and rhamnose. Arabinogalactan-proteins (5.30-8.83 g/kg) contain mainly arabinose and galactose (in a 1:1 proportion) and also significant amounts of rhamnose, xylose, glucuronic acid and mannose. Antioxidant activity of YP was higher than those of WP while chelating ability and reducing power increased with mucilages content. Generally YP and WP showed better reducing power (1.06 ± 0.35 at 5 mg/mL) than ascorbic acid (0.89 ± 0.22). WP and YP chelated ferrous ions by 20.0-76.0 % and 16.4-71.0 % respectively. Effective concentrations (EC50) of mucilages (WP 1.28 ± 0.05 mg/mL; YP 1.42 ± 0.04 mg/mL) were lower than those of citric acid (1.58 ± 0.04 mg/mL). Generally mucilage from the WP and YP sections are excellent sources of chelating agents.

Evaluation of antinociceptive effects of Crassocephalum bauchiense Hutch (Asteraceae) leaf extract in rodents.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The leaves of Crassocephalum bauchiense have long been used in traditional Cameroonian medicine for the treatment of epilepsy, pain, inflammatory disorders, arthritis and intestinal pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we attempted to identify the possible antinociceptive action of the aqueous extract and the alkaloid fraction prepared from the leaves of Crassocephalum baucheiense. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using acetic acid induced abdominal constrictions, formalin-, capsaisin- and glutamate-induced nociception, and hot plate assay procedures, the antinociceptive effects of the aqueous extract and the alkaloid fraction was assessed after oral administration in mice. Morphine sulfate was used as reference analgesic agent. Mice were submitted to the rota-rod task and open-field test in order to assess any non-specific muscle-relaxant or sedative effects of the extracts of Crassocephalum bauchiense. Male and female Swiss mice were used to assess acute toxicity of these extracts. RESULTS: The aqueous extract and the alkaloid fraction of Crassocephalum bauchiense produced a significant antinociceptive effects in the acetic acid, formalin, glutamate, capsaicin and hot plate tests. These antinociceptive effects of Crassocephalum bauchiense were significantly attenuated by pretreatment with naloxone. The extracts of Crassocephalum bauchiense did not alter the locomotion of animals in the open-field or rotarod tests, which suggest a lack of a central depressant effect. The animals did not exhibit any acute toxicity to the aqueous extract and the alkaloid fraction, so it was not possible to calculate the LD(50). CONCLUSION: The results confirm the popular use of Crassocephalum bauchiense as an antinociceptive, and contribute to the pharmacological knowledge of this species because it was shown that the aqueous extract and the alkaloid fraction of Crassocephalum bauchiense produced dose related antinociception in models of chemical and thermal nociception through mechanisms that involve an interaction with opioidergic pathway.