Antioxidant Phytochemicals of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Cladodes with Potential Anti-spasmodic Activity.

BACKGROUND: Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae), a plant widespread in dry regions of the world, shows interesting biological activities (cicatrizant, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic) and is widely used in traditional medicine. OBJECTIVES: Phytochemical analysis and antispasmodic effect of wild OFI cladodes were carried out. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Polyphenols and Vitamin E occurrence, in antioxidant pool of OFI cladodes, were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antispasmodic effect of OFI cladodes was assessed in isolated rabbit smooth muscle tissues. The experiments were carried out with preparations of rabbit jejunum and uterus with the spontaneous contractile activity, to evaluate the effect of cumulative concentrations of the extract on basal tone, amplitude, and frequency of contractions. RESULTS: Catechin, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and chlorogenic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acid were identified. α-, ß-, and γ-tocopherols have been highlighted and α-tocopherol is the major component. OFI cladodes contain significant amount of polyphenols and tocopherols that are effective radical scavengers and inhibited ethanol 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl formation by 50%. OFI cladodes caused a light inhibition of amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions and a marked decrease in muscle basal tone of rabbit jejunum preparations. On spontaneously contracting uterus preparations, the addition of increasing concentrations of cladode extract caused uterine muscle relaxation. CONCLUSION: The contraction of smooth muscle preparations depends on an increase in cytoplasmic free calcium ion concentration, which activates the contractile elements. The flavonoids may suppress the contractility of smooth myocytes, by an inhibition of availability of Ca2+ for muscle contraction. SUMMARY: Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) cladodes contain significant amount of polyphenols and tocopherols that are effective radical scavengers and inhibited ethanol 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl formation by 50%Polyphenols and Vitamin E complex occurrence in OFI cladodes were characterized by high-performance liquid chromatographyOFI cladodes exhibited significative antispasmodic activity. The antispasmodic effect was assessed in isolated rabbit smooth muscle tissues. The experiments were carried out with preparations of rabbit jejunum and uterus with the spontaneous contractile activity, to evaluate the effect of cumulative concentrations of the extract on basal tone, amplitude, and frequency of contractions. Abbreviations used: OFI: Opuntia ficus-indica, DPPH: Ethanol 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl.

Anti-inflammatory effect of lemon mucilage: in vivo and in vitro studies.

The mucilage extracted from a lemon juice centrifugation pulp was studied for its anti-inflammatory effect in rat. In vivo the lemon mucilage significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced edema in rat paw from 59% to 73.5% showing the highest effect at the third hour. In vitro, at the doses of 10(-8), 10(-6), 10(-4) or 10(-2) mg/mL the lemon mucilage stimulated the superoxide anion production in rat testing neutrophils in whole blood but inhibited it in FMLP stimulated cells at the dose of 10(-2) mg/mL. The neutrophils of rats receiving p.o. the lemon mucilage for 21 days showed a significant decrease of 45.5% in O2- generation after FMLP stimulation, and a not-significant increase after phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or zymosan stimulation. Since the activity on zymosan- and PMA-induced O2- production was not significant, the inhibition exerted by FMLP in rat neutrophils occurred mainly through the blockade of phospholipase D.

Citrus waste recovery: a new environmentally friendly procedure to obtain animal feed.

Citrus juice centrifugation pulp is the semi-solid product obtained from the industrial centrifugation of juices, to obtain a clear juice. This waste causes many economic and environmental problems because of its fermentability. In this paper we describe a method which makes it possible to obtain animal feed from citrus juice centrifugation pulp. To this end, alkaline and/or enzymatic treatments were carried out on the centrifugation pulp. These treatments facilitate pressing and so help to produce a material which, using suitable methods, may be dried. Enzyme treatment proved to be the most efficient of the methods under investigation designed to favour the pressing of the pulp. The product obtained with this method showed excellent digestibility in vitro and its protein content, although not especially high, compared favourably with that of many other agroindustrial waste products currently used as components of animal feed.