Insights into low biological activity of wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) juice by in vitro phytochemical investigation with special reference to metabolomics

Abstract

Abstract. Majumder S, Acharyya S, Ghosh A, Chakraborty S, Sarkar S, Saha S, Bhattacharya M. 2021. Insights into low biological activity of wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) juice by in vitro phytochemical investigation with special reference to metabolomics. Biofarmasi J Nat Prod Biochem 19: 30-38. Wax-apple (Syzygium samarangense) is an Asian waxy and juicy fruit which is reported as antidiarrheal and useful in diseases like dysentery. Moreover, no stronger medicinal evidences have been found associated with this fruit as well as its juice to ensure more biological activities and composition. Being edible, waxy and juicy this fruit is quite popular in coastal areas and islands but, absence of stronger medicinal and biochemical evidences associated with this fruit or its juice has created an worldwide underutilizing status on it. In this research, we intended to investigate phytochemical characteristics and composition of this fruit juice through detailed biochemical tests and metabolomics. Qualitative detection tests for bioactive groups of molecules (tannin, coumarin, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenol etc.), antioxidant assay and antibacterial test simply showed its low in vitro biological activity. A GC-MS based metabolomics was performed where presence of wax components like long chain hydrocarbons have been revealed. Based on the GC-MS based metabolomics a proposed pathway of wax apple’s wax biosynthesis has been established. The overall study not only strongly clarified the absence of bioactive components in this fruit but also proved that the fruit, named wax apple, is actually a source of natural waxes which can be responsible for its claimed antidiarrheal property.