Caesalpinia Spinosa Research Articles

Effect of Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) Pod Powder on the Oxidation and Colour Stability of Pork Meat Batter During Chilled Storage.

The effect of dried pods of Caesalpinia spinosa, known as tara, on pH, cooking loss, lipid oxidation, colour stability and texture of model meat systems stored at 4 °C for 21 days was investigated. Tara pod powder showing a potential antioxidant activity was added at 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08% (by mass) directly to the pork batter and compared with a synthetic antioxidant, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and control (no added antioxidants). The addition of tara pod powder at 0.02% was as effective as BHA (0.02%) in retarding lipid oxidation in pork products during storage. Results showed that redness increased after the addition of tara pod powder. Specifically, 0.02% of tara pod powder was effective in keeping the red colour of meat batter stored under illumination at 4 °C for 48 h. Hardness of pork products was the lowest in samples manufactured with tara pod powder compared with control. Results highlight the potential of using tara pod powder as natural functional ingredient in the development of pork products with enhanced quality and shelf life.

Quantification of Sugar Epimers in Polygalactomannans by ESI-MS/MS

Polygalactomannans (PGMs) represent an important family of polysaccharides. They are obtained from the endosperm of leguminous plant seeds and are employed in a growing number of industrial applications as thickening agents and rheology modifiers. Each PGM has a typical mannose/galactose (M/G) ratio (from ~1 to ~5), which determines its solubility, viscosity and other physico-chemical properties. Complex polysaccharides are commonly characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), whereas mass spectrometry (MS) has not yet seen wide application. In this work, a new quantification method for sugar epimers in PGMs is presented, based on the characteristic fragmentation patterns of mannose and galactose in tandem MS (MS/MS) analyses. Standard galactose and mannose have been analyzed and fragmented in negative-ion mode on a hybrid quadrupole/time-of-flight (qTOF) mass spectrometer equipped with a nano electrospray ionization (ESI) source. The MS/MS spectra indicate accumulation of the same fragments for the two monosaccharides, but significant and reproducible differences in the relative intensities of the product ions. Known mixtures of mannose and galactose have been analyzed by the same procedure to test the applicability of the method for quantification purposes. The resulting peak intensities over the entire MS/MS spectrum can be deconvoluted as a linear combination of the signals from pure mannose and galactose standards, obtaining reliable and reproducible quantification of the epimers. The method has been applied to the characterization of hydrolysis products of PGMs from different species of leguminous plants, such as guar (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus), sesbania (Sesbania bispinosa) and tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), in order to assess specific susceptibility to hydrolysis conditions.

A Caesalpinia spinosa fraction with antitumor activity induces calreticulin surface expression involving vesicles and autophagy during immunogenic cell death

A Caesalpinia spinosa fraction with antitumor activity induces calreticulin surface expression involving vesicles and autophagy during immunogenic cell death

Tara tannins as phenolic precursors of thermosetting epoxy resins

Tara pods powder was used as a phenolic source in the synthesis of thermosetting epoxy polymer. The tannase-assisted hydrolysis of galloylquinic acids contained in tara powder allowed the determination of the tannins hydroxyl value (13.7mmol/g powder). Then, galloylquinic acids were reacted with epichlorohydrin and an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide in the presence of benzyltriethylammonium chloride as phase transfer catalyst (PTC). The 1D and 2D NMR analyses of glycidylated products revealed the galloylquinic esters hydrolysis and the dimerisation of the glycidylated gallic moities. The glycidylated derivatives of tara tannins (GETT) were cured in epoxy polymer with isophorone diamine (IPD). The glass transition temperature (Tg=129°C) and the thermal resistance (Td30=294°C) of the resulting network were determined. Preliminary results showed that this new epoxy polymer based on GETT displayed interesting properties which are close to those of the epoxy polymer formulated with commercial diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA).

Epiphytes improve host plant water use by microenvironment modification

Summary Epiphytes have the potential to modify the canopy environments in which they grow. Accurately evaluating the impact of epiphytes can be challenging, since plants without epiphytes may also otherwise differ from host plants, and experimental removal is impractical and difficult to replicate in many forests. We studied the impacts of epiphytes (primarily fruticose lichens and Tillandsia spp.) on host plants (Eulychnia saint‐pieana and Caesalpinia spinosa) in two fog ecosystems in Chile (Pan de Azucar) and Peru (Atiquipa). These desert ecosystems sustain very high epiphyte loads and depend heavily on fog‐water inputs. Using a combination of artificial substrates and epiphyte removals, we show significant impacts of epiphytes on their host plants. The presence of epiphytes reduced throughfall volumes, reducing fog and rainfall inputs to the soil beneath host plant canopies. Soil moisture loss rate was increased below cacti after removal of epiphytes from sun‐facing but not shade‐facing branches. This suggests epiphyte effects on hosts are microclimatic. Epiphytes also buffered temperature fluctuations and reduced daytime vapour pressure deficit. Epiphytes can have strong effects on host plant ecophysiology and forest ecosystem processes, making them an important component for models and studies of canopy environments.

Potential of tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) gallotannins and hydrolysates as natural antibacterial compounds

Gallotannins obtained from tara pod extracts (EE) and from the products of acid hydrolysis for 4 and 9h (HE-4 and HE-9) were characterised for their composition, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity (AA) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results of AA and MIC showed that EE exerted the highest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens; and among these bacteria, the antibacterial potency was enhanced after EE hydrolysis only against S. aureus. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value (0.13mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/ml) was exerted by HE-4 against S. aureus. These results indicate that tara gallotannins have the potential to inhibit pathogenic bacteria with potential application in foods as antimicrobials and their AA can be enhanced by acid hydrolysis.

Different approaches to evaluate tannin content and structure of selected plant extracts - review and new aspects

Tannins occur in many field herbs and legumes, providing an immense variability in structure and molecular weight. This leads to complications when measuring tannin content; comparability of different methods is problematic. The present investigations aimed at characterizing four different tannin extracts: quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii), mimosa (Acacia mearnsii), tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), and gambier (Uncaria gambir) and impact of storage conditions. Using photometrical methods as well as HPLC-ESI-MS, fundamental differences could be determined. Quebracho, mimosa, and gambier contained 164.3, 108.2, and 169.3 g kg-1 of tannin (calculated as procyanidin C1); tara reached 647.5 g kg-1 (calculated as epigallocatechin gallate). Alongside with compounds already described in the literature, several tannin molecules were found that have not been observed before in the analyzed sources. Extraction with hot water provided clear advantage over treatment with acetone or methanol; the organic solvents resulted in 9.2 to 15.3 % less tannin isolation. Tannin content decreased by a maximum of 1 % per year stored at room temperature compared to 4 °C, but proportions of some compounds slightly shifted. Oven drying of material should be avoided. In general, the tannin extracts proved to have very diverse structures, making application of an overall standard method difficult.

Antioxidant properties of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) pods in vitro and in model food emulsions

The successful replacement of some synthetic food antioxidants by safe natural antioxidants has fostered intensive search for new vegetable sources of antioxidants. In our study the phenol and flavonoid content of extracts of tara pods was determined. The antioxidant activity was also studied by three different analytical assays: the measurement of scavenging capacity against a radical ABTS⁺ , the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). All analyzed samples showed a good antioxidant capacity, but the use of a solution of ethanol 75% in a 1 h ultrasonic process allowed achieving the greatest quantity of phenolics (0.464 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) g⁻¹ dry weight (DW) ) and the highest antioxidant activity measured by the ABTS⁺ and ORAC methods (10.17 and 4.29 mmol L⁻¹ Trolox equivalents (TE) g⁻¹ DW, respectively). The best method for efficient extraction of flavonoids (3.08 mg catechin equivalent (CE) g⁻¹ DW) was a 24 h maceration in cold water. Two extracts obtained with ethanol 75% and water were added to a model food system (oil-in-water emulsion) and the oxidative stability was studied during storage at 38 °C. Oxidation was monitored by determination of the peroxide value. The addition of 48 µg mL⁻¹ ethanol extract to the emulsion delayed oxidation to the same extent as 17.8 µg mL⁻¹ of Trolox, while water extract was only effective in the early stages of the oxidation process. The results of this study indicate that ethanolic tara extracts may be suitable for use in food, cosmetic and nutraceutical applications.

Antioxidant potential of hydrolyzed polyphenolic extracts from tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) pods

The antioxidant potential of tara pod extracts rich in gallotannins submitted to chemical hydrolysis was evaluated. The increase in the release of gallic acid from the tara pod extracts during the hydrolysis process reached a maximum ratio of free gallic acid/total phenolics of 94.1% at 20h, at this point, 100% hydrolysis degree (HD) was obtained. After 4h of hydrolysis (38.8% of HD) the highest antioxidant capacity was obtained reaching values of 25.9, 23.8 and 8.8μmol trolox equivalent/mg gallic acid equivalent measured by ABTS, FRAP and ORAC methods. Lipophilicity diminished from 0.8 to 0.3 (logP value). In addition, the antioxidant efficacy of 100ppm total phenolics of hydrolyzates at 9h (93.7% of HD) and 20h showed to be significantly more efficient than a similar concentration of the synthetic antioxidant TBHQ to retard soybean oil oxidation. These results indicate that 4 and 9h of chemical hydrolysis of tara pod extracts under the tested conditions are sufficient to obtain a product with good antioxidant properties to be used as an alternative source of antioxidants.

Gallotannin-rich Caesalpinia spinosa fraction decreases the primary tumor and factors associated with poor prognosis in a murine breast cancer model

BackgroundSeveral treatment alternatives are available for primary breast cancer, although those for metastatic disease or inflammation associated with tumor progression are ineffective. Therefore, there is a great need for new therapeutic alternatives capable of generating an immune response against residual tumor cells, thus contributing to eradication of micrometastases and cancer stem cells. The use of complex natural products is an excellent therapeutic alternative widely used by Chinese, Hindu, Egyptian, and ancestral Latin-American Indian populations.MethodsThe present study evaluated cytotoxic, antitumor, and tumor progression activities of a gallotannin-rich fraction derived from Caesalpinia spinosa (P2Et). The parameters evaluated in vitro were mitochondrial membrane depolarization, phosphatidylserine externalization, caspase 3 activation, DNA fragmentation, and clonogenic activity. The parameters evaluated in vivo were tumor growth, leukocyte number, metastatic cell number, and cytokine production by flow cytometry.ResultsThe in vitro results showed that the P2Et fraction induced apoptosis with mitochondrial membrane potential loss, phosphatidylserine externalization, caspase 3 activation, DNA fragmentation, and decreased clonogenic capacity of 4T1 cells. In vivo, the P2Et fraction induced primary tumor reduction in terms of diameter and weight in BALB/c mice transplanted with 4T1 cells and decreased numbers of metastatic cells, mainly in the spleen. Furthermore, decreases in the number of peripheral blood leukocytes (leukemoid reaction) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) serum levels were found, which are events associated with a poor prognosis. The P2Et fraction exerts its activity on the primary tumor, reduces cell migration to distant organs, and decreases IL-6 serum levels, implying tumor microenvironment mechanisms.ConclusionsOverall, the P2Et fraction lessens risk factors associated with tumor progression and diminishes primary tumor size, showing good potential for use as an adjuvant in breast cancer ER(+) treatment.

A polyphenol extract of tara pods (Caesalpinia spinosa) as a potential antioxidant in oils

AbstractTara is a native species of Peru and is widely distributed in Latin America; its fruits (pods) have a high potential for medical, industrial and food uses. A supercritical tara polyphenol extract (STPE) was obtained from tara pods by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2. The antioxidant activity of the STPE was studied in two oils, regular and high‐oleic sunflower oil (SO, HOSO), with and without their natural antioxidants. Under accelerated conditions of oxidation, a linear relationship was observed in antioxidant‐stripped oils between the polyphenol content of the STPE and the induction period.The antioxidant effect of STPE on the HOSO was studied at 60°C. The highest polyphenol concentration of STPE showed the greatest α‐tocopherol degradation and the lowest hydroperoxide formation, which implies that α‐tocopherol causes the regeneration of the polyphenols that protect the TAGs in HOSO.Tara pods combined with SFE method could be used as a source of antioxidants in oils.

Statistical mixture design investigation of CO2–Ethanol–H2O pressurized solvent extractions from tara seed coat

Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) fruit seed coat is an abundant Peruvian agro-industrial residue that could be explored as a raw material for the production of valuable phenolic- and antioxidant-rich extracts. In this work, a mixture design was applied to optimize solvent mixtures for selective extraction of phenolic compounds from tara fruit seed coat. Pressurized solvent extractions (PSE) were performed at 313K and 20MPa, using homogeneous CO2, ethanol (EtOH) and H2O solvent mixtures. Extraction kinetics was obtained and phenolic contents, antioxidant activities (measured by the coupled oxidation of β-carotene and linoleic acid) and anti-inflammatory activities (measured by the lipoxygenase inhibition activity) of extracts were evaluated. A linear mixture model predicted total yields and it was verified that H2O was the most effective solvent to obtain high extraction yields. A quadratic model predicted extracts’ phenolic contents and it was verified that H2O and CO2 had an antagonistic effect and that maximum phenolic contents can be expected for EtOH-rich mixtures. A special cubic model predicted anti-inflammatory activities and the maximum activities were also predicted for EtOH-rich mixtures. For the antioxidant activity, no model revealed to be significant (at a 95% confidence level). Nevertheless, high antioxidant activities were observed after 3h of assay (above 80% of oxidation inhibition for nine out of eleven extracts) and even after 6h of assay (above 70%). The obtained results strongly suggest that tara seed coat is a residue that has great potential to be valorized for the production of phenolic-rich extracts presenting high anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

Caesalpinia Spinosa Tannin Derivatives for Antifouling Formulations

AF coatings prevent the undesirable accumulation of a wide variety of marine organisms (biofouling) on ship hulls can lead to significant increased costs, principally by increased fuel consumption. The bioactive compounds (biocides) used in antifouling coatings, like tributyltin (TBT), are banned for their toxic action towards non-target marine organisms. As a consequence, the development of alternative AF coatings with new natural products as biocides inhibit is a key factor. In this approach, tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) tannin (TT) derivatives are being proposed as a promising solution.The aim of this research work was, primarily, to explore the possible application of a natural and abundant product, such as the TT, in the preparation of AF coatings. So, two TT derivatives were obtained at different temperatures (20¼C and 60¼C) as zinc “tannate” and characterized to be employed as bioactive compounds in AF coatings. Previous to the immersion in natural environments, the dissolution of TT from coatings in artificial sea water was studied. Antifouling paints with a soluble matrix were formulated and their action was assessed in natural sea water environment (Mar del Plata harbor)

Forest Restoration in a Fog Oasis: Evidence Indicates Need for Cultural Awareness in Constructing the Reference

BackgroundIn the Peruvian Coastal Desert, an archipelago of fog oases, locally called lomas, are centers of biodiversity and of past human activity. Fog interception by a tree canopy, dominated by the legume tree tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), enables the occurrence in the Atiquipa lomas (southern Peru) of an environmental island with a diverse flora and high productivity. Although this forest provides essential services to the local population, it has suffered 90% anthropogenic reduction in area. Restoration efforts are now getting under way, including discussion as to the most appropriate reference ecosystem to use.Methodology/Principal FindingsGenetic diversity of tara was studied in the Atiquipa population and over a wide geographical and ecological range. Neither exclusive plastid haplotypes to loma formations nor clear geographical structuring of the genetic diversity was found. Photosynthetic performance and growth of seedlings naturally recruited in remnant patches of loma forest were compared with those of seedlings recruited or planted in the adjacent deforested area. Despite the greater water and nitrogen availability under tree canopy, growth of forest seedlings did not differ from that of those recruited into the deforested area, and was lower than that of planted seedlings. Tara seedlings exhibited tight stomatal control of photosynthesis, and a structural photoprotection by leaflet closure. These drought-avoiding mechanisms did not optimize seedling performance under the conditions produced by forest interception of fog moisture.Conclusions/SignificanceBoth weak geographic partitioning of genetic variation and lack of physiological specialization of seedlings to the forest water regime strongly suggest that tara was introduced to lomas by humans. Therefore, the most diverse fragment of lomas is the result of landscape management and resource use by pre-Columbian cultures. We argue that an appropriate reference ecosystem for ecological restoration of lomas should include sustainable agroforestry practices that emulate the outcomes of ancient uses.

Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of selected Peruvian medicinal plants

The increasing evidence that oxidative stress is involved in several serious inflammatory and degenerative human diseases has escalated interest in the research of antioxidant activity of naturally occurring molecules in food and biological systems [1]. It has been proved that a great number of aromatic, spicy and medicinal plants contain chemical compounds exhibiting antioxidant activity [2]. In this study we investigated the antioxidant properties of 18 Peruvian medicinal plants selected by their traditional medicinal uses in Coronel Portillo Province of Ucayali Department, Peru. The in vitro antioxidant capacity of medicinal plants was evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity assays. Total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids were also determined for all plant species studied, in order to evaluate their contribution to antioxidant activity. Considering results of ORAC and DPPH tests, Calycophyllum spruceanum (8438µmol TE/g extract, EC50 5.34µg/ml), Caesalpinia spinosa (7362µmol TE/g extract, EC50 3.50µg/ml) and Naucleopsis glabra (8310µmol TE/g extract, EC50 5.45µg/ml) performed the strongest antioxidant properties from all species tested. The total phenolic content has a significant correlation with the antioxidant activity of investigated plant extracts; nevertheless flavonoids seem not to be the main group of metabolites responsible for the effect. The results of our study indicate that Calycophyllum spruceanum, Caesalpinia spinosa and Naucleopsis glabra are the most perspective species for further phytochemical research focused on determination of compounds responsible for their antioxidative properties. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CIGA 20085001) and MSM 6046070901.

ILSMRs (intensifier of β-lactam-susceptibility in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) from Tara [Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze

Four quinic acid gallates were isolated from the dried pods of Tara [Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze]. These compounds intensified the susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to oxacillin. 3,4,5-Tri-O-galloylquinic acid methyl ester (2) was the most effective compound of them.

Antibacterial screening of some Peruvian medicinal plants used in Callería District

Nine ethanol extracts of Brunfelsia grandiflora (Solanaceae), Caesalpinia spinosa (Caesalpiniaceae), Dracontium loretense (Araceae), Equisetum giganteum (Equisetaceae), Maytenus macrocarpa (Celastraceae), Phyllanthus amarus (Euphorbiaceae), Piper aduncum (Piperaceae), Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae), and Uncaria tomentosa (Rubiaceae), medicinal plants traditionally used in Callería District for treating conditions likely to be associated with microorganisms, were screened for antimicrobial activity against nine bacterial strains using the broth microdilution method. Among the plants tested, Phyllanthus amarus and Terminalia catappa showed the most promising antibacterial properties, inhibiting all of the strains tested with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.25 to 16 mg/ml. The extract from aerial part of Piper aduncum was significantly more active against Gram-positive (MICs ranging from 1 to 2 mg/ml) than against Gram-negative bacteria (MICs >16 mg/ml).

Efeito inibitório do extrato hexânico dos folíolos de Caesalpinia spinosa em Fusarium solani e Phoma tarda

In order to evaluate the plant extract effect on the in vitro growth of Fusarium solani and Phoma tarda, hexane crude extract from spiny holdback (Caesalpinia spinosa) leaflets was obtained and incorporated into potato-dextrose-agar (PDA) at 2204 mg L-1, 4460 mg L-1, 6370 mg L-1, 7644 mg L-1 and 16179 mg L-1 concentrations. The hexane crude extract inhibited mycelial growth at the range of 3,95% to 32,20% of P. tarda and 7,29% to 33,83% of F. solani, according to the extract concentration. It was demonstrated that the extract has antifungal activity and might be an alternative to physical or chemical control methods of fusariosis disease in several cultivations and of Phoma spot on coffee plant leaf

Alkyl gallates, intensifiers of beta-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

We found that ethyl gallate purified from a dried pod of tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) intensified beta-lactam susceptibility in methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA strains, respectively). This compound and several known alkyl gallates were tested with MRSA and MSSA strains to gain new insights into their structural functions in relation to antimicrobial and beta-lactam susceptibility-intensifying activities. The maximum activity of alkyl gallates against MRSA and MSSA strains occurred at 1-nonyl and 1-decyl gallate, with an MIC at which 90% of the isolates tested were inhibited of 15.6 microg/ml. At concentrations lower than the MIC, alkyl gallates synergistically elevated the susceptibility of MRSA and MSSA strains to beta-lactam antibiotics. Such a synergistic activity of the alkyl gallates appears to be specific for beta-lactam antibiotics, because no significant changes were observed in the MICs of other classes of antibiotics examined in this study. The length of the alkyl chain was also associated with the modifying activity of the alkyl gallates, and the optimum length was C5 to C6. The present work clearly demonstrates that the length of the alkyl chain has a key role in the elevation of susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics.

Tannins Protect Against Skin Tumor Promotion Induced by Ultraviolet-B Radiation in Hairless Mice

We recently showed that Tarapod tannic acid (TA), a hydrolyzable tannin extracted from the pods of the Tara tree (Caesalpinia spinosa), was more effective than other tannins tested at inhibiting ultraviolet-B (UV-B)-stimulated hydrogen peroxide activity (an indirect measure of free radicals) in the skin of hairless mice. We also found that Tarapod TA inhibited UV-B-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity and UV-B-stimulated DNA synthesis, two biochemical markers linked to the skin tumor-promoting ability of this physical carcinogen. For this reason, we examined the effect of topical application, force feeding (gavage), and intraperitoneal injections of Tarapod TA on mouse skin chronically treated with UV-B light. Mice were initiated by a single topical application of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (50 nmol) and promoted by two weekly treatments with UV-B light (250 mJ/cm2) for 25 weeks. Topical application of Tarapod TA, 20 minutes before irradiation, resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor incidence (number of mice with tumors) and tumor yield (number of tumors/ mouse), with 8 mg of TA inhibiting tumor yield by 70% at Week 25. Intraperitoneal injections of low doses (10 mg/kg mouse body wt), but not of high doses (25 mg/kg body wt), of TA afforded protection against UV-B-induced papillomas. However, the protection by intraperitoneal injection was lower than that observed by topical application: 10 mg/kg body wt of TA reduced tumor yield by 55%. The force feeding of 10 mg of Tarapod TA before irradiation failed to significantly inhibit the yield of tumors at the end of the experiment but delayed tumor appearance by six weeks. These results suggest that plant tannins administered topically or injected intraperitoneally reduce the tumor-promoting effects of UV-B radiation and thus could be useful photoprotectants.