ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Propolis, a resinous material collected by honey bees from various plants, has been explored globally for its medicinal and nutritional properties. However, research over Indian propolis is at infancy. This study was designed to investigate nutraceutical potential of Indian propolis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In the present study, propolis extract was standardized with respect to markers caffeic acid phenethyl ester, caffeic acid, galangin, luteolin, curcumin, apigenin, pinocembrin and quercetin by new high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) methods. The physico-chemical analysis, residues analysis and in vitro antioxidant activity analysis were performed. Nutraceutical value was examined in terms of fats, fibers, minerals, proteins, polysaccharides, total carbohydrates, and energy value.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The developed HPTLC methods were found to be simple, reliable accurate, and the validation parameters were within the limits of the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guidelines. Macerated ethanolic extract of propolis (MEEP) was found to have polyphenolic content of (20.99 ± 0.24) mg/g and flavonoids content of (8.39 ± 0.04) mg/g. MEEP was found to comprise of (283.33 ± 51.31) g/kg fats, (30.07 ± 7.30) g/kg fibers, (102.56 ± 2.84) g/kg proteins and (389.36 ± 57.50) g/kg carbohydrate with a calorie value of (38 409.33 ± 6 169.80) kJ/kg. It was found that Indian propolis exhibited high nutraceutical value and showed absence of pesticides and heavy metals. The MEEP showed in vitro antioxidant activity with inhibitory concentration of (12.24 ± 4.64) μg/mL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present work explores Indian propolis as a potential nutritious candidate. The proposed analytical methods can be applied in future screening of the quality of Indian propolis.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was designed to investigate the nutraceutical potential of monofloral Indian mustard bee pollen (MIMBP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The nutritional value of MIMBP was examined in terms of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and energy value. Its chemical composition in terms of total polyphenol and flavonoid content was determined. MIMBP was screened for free flavonoid aglycones by developing and validating a high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array (HPLC-PDA) method. MIMBP was analyzed for in vitro antioxidant effect in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MIMBP was found to be comprised of proteins ((182.2±5.9) g/kg), fats ((137.7±6.8) g/kg) and carbohydrates ((560.6±17.4) g/kg), which result in its high energy value ((17 616.7±78.6) kJ/kg). MIMBP was found to contain polyphenols ((18 286.1±374.0) mg gallic acid equivalent/kg) and flavonoids ((1 223.5±53.1) mg quercetin equivalent/kg). The HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the presence of kaempferol ((65.4±0.5) mg/kg) and quercetin ((51.4±0.4) mg/kg) in MIMBP, which can be used as markers for determining the quality of bee pollen. The MIMBP extract showed DPPH free radical-scavenging activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 54.79 μg/mL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The MIMBP was found to be a rich source of nutrients providing high caloric value, which makes it a candidate for a potential nutraceutical agent. The study also illustrated the high antioxidant content of MIMBP, especially in the principle polyphenols and flavonoids, which suggests its potential role in the prevention of free radical-implicated diseases. The DPPH-scavenging effect of MIMBP further confirmed its antioxidant potential. Additionally, we developed a simple, specific and accurate HPLC-PDA method for the identification and quantification of free flavonoid aglycones. This can be applied in future screenings of the quality of pollen collected by honeybees.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Bees , Chemistry , Dietary Supplements , Free Radical Scavengers , Mustard Plant , Chemistry , Plant Extracts , Pollen , Chemistry , PolyphenolsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To isolate and characterize the alcohol-producing yeasts from Woodfordia fruticosa flowers, which are used for the induction and maintenance of fermentation in the making of Ayurvedic formulations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initially twenty four yeasts strains were isolated on MGYP agar plate. Among them, four strains were selected for further studies on the basis of their alcohol generation capacity using jaggery media (50% w/v). Physiological, biochemical and genetic characterization (18S rRNA sequencing) of selected strains were carried out. RESULTS: Physiological, biochemical and genetic characterization (18S rRNA sequencing) confirmed the strains as Saccharomycopsis fibuligera Jm.8, S. fibuligera Jm.10, S. fibuligera Jm.16 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Jm.20. Under the controlled conditions, S. cerevisiae Jm.20 produced 69.57 g/l of alcohol, whereas remaining strains produced the alcohol in the range of 6.04-7.32 g/l. CONCLUSION: Among selected strains, strains S. fibuligera are a newer in the flowers. Kinetic study of alcohol generation revealed the strain S. cerevisiae Jm.20 can be efficiently used in making of fermented Ayurvedic formulations instead of use W. fruticosa flowers.
ABSTRACT
Tissue culture technique is becoming popular because of its well-known ability to enhance the content of secondary metabolites in plants. Callus tissue cultures of Nothapodytes foetida were developed using 250 different medium compositions to optimize this procedure. Methanolic extracts of callus (MEC) and of various parts of N. foetida were comparatively analyzed for camptothecin content, and a high performance thin layer chromatography method was developed for its quantitation. Chloroform-ethylacetate-methanol (4 : 5 : 0.5 v/v) was used as the mobile phase. The method was validated for linearity, precision (interday and intraday), repeatability, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), and accuracy. The relationship between the concentration of standard solutions and the peak response was linear within the range of 80 to 480 ng/spot with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 +/- 0.020. Instrumental precision was evaluated as 0.54 (% CV). Repeatability of sample and standard were estimated to be 1.08 and 1.01 (% CV), and LOD and LOQ were found to be 40 and 80 ng/spot, respectively. The accuracy of the method was checked out by a recovery study and the average percentage recovery was calculated as being 99.13 %. The methanolic extract of callus grown in tissue culture with medium composition picloram + thidiazuron + gibberellic acid (1 : 1 : 4; MEC-PTG) showed a higher percentage of camptothecin (5.74 % w/v) than the methanolic extract of fruits (3.56 % w/w), leaves (1.56 % w/w), stem (1.19 % w/w), and root (1.11 % w/w). The results of the antimicrobial screening indicate that MEC-PTG exhibited maximum activity against all microorganisms. Among the fungi tested, MEC-PTG showed maximum activity against A. niger and C. albicans (MIC value 10 microg/mL) whereas among bacteria strains, its activity was highest against B. subtilis and S. lutea (MIC 20 microg/mL).
