Crescentia Research Articles

Brain Histopathological Changes After Treatment Using Calabash Fruit (Crescentia cujete L.) in Rat Model with Artificially Induced Ischemic Stroke

Brain Histopathological Changes After Treatment Using Calabash Fruit (Crescentia cujete L.) in Rat Model with Artificially Induced Ischemic Stroke

Effects of extraction, fermentation, and storage processes on the levels of choline derived from calabash fruit (Crescentia cujete L.)

Effects of extraction, fermentation, and storage processes on the levels of choline derived from calabash fruit (Crescentia cujete L.)

An Initiative Research of the Physicochemical Properties and Fatty Acid Composition of the Crescentia Cujete L. Seed Oil

Objectives: To establish the quality standard of the Crescentia cujete L. seed oil. Material and methods: The Crescentia cujete L. seed oil was extracted by Soxhlet system with n-hexane solvent; the acid, peroxide, and iodine values were determined by the methods described in the Vietnamese pharmacopoeia V; GC/MS method was used to determine the composition and the major components of the seed oil. Results and conclusion: The chemical composition and characteristics of Crescentia cujete L. seed oil have been determined. The result showed that seeds have a high oil content (16.44%). The acid, peroxide, and iodine values were 4.02, 9.6, and 92, respectively. A total of 7 fatty acids were identified in the Crescentia cujete L. seed oil (palmitic acid C16:0 – 19.56%, acid stearic C18:0 – 3.85%, nonadecanoic acid C19:0 – 1.20%, eicosanoic acid C20:0 – 0.54%, octadecadienoic acid C18:2 – 73.75%, palmitoleic acid C16:1 – 0.31%, 11-eicosenoic acid C19:1 – 0.15%). These results will be further used in the development of regulatory documents (draft monograph for the Pharmacopoeia) on the Crescentia cujete L. oil.

Toxicity and Molecular Docking Approach Phenolic Extract of Crescentia cujete L against the enzymes Glutathione peroxidase and Cathepsin K

Toxicity and Molecular Docking Approach Phenolic Extract of Crescentia cujete L against the enzymes Glutathione peroxidase and Cathepsin K

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of bioactive compounds from Crescentia cujete L. leaves and fruit–A review

Crescentia cujete is one of the plants considered to have medicinal properties and is commonly used for ethnomedical purposes for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite the plant’s common indigenous uses, a couple of isolation and characterization studies were done and published in the past listing both identified and unidentified compounds found from the plant. However, the number of studies focusing on its pharmacological activities, specifically the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the bioactive compounds present in the plant along with their mechanism of action is underwhelming and the plant is far from being fully optimized for drug development and pharmacological advancement. Data and information collated for this review were gathered from publications, books, and articles from trusted scientific journals. In this review, available studies focusing on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of various extracts from C. cujete were collated and established. The most commonly studied part of the plant as well as the grey areas realized from this review regarding the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the plant consequently suggests the incorporation of in silico studies to help future researchers understand the mechanism of action of the plant’s bioactive compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities which will ensure the continuous and fast-moving advances in the drug-development and pharmacological advancement of C. cujete extracts.

Germinative capacity of native plant species with forage potential under tropical rainforest conditions at the mountain-foot

The humid tropics harbor great biological diversity, in addition to native species with forage potential as alternatives for animal feed. However, using trees and shrubs and having plantations are limited by the absence of information on their growth and seed germination. Therefore, the goal was to evaluate the germination capacity of native plant species with forage potential in tropical rainforest conditions, selecting eight species with important nutritional value: Bauhinia tarapotensis, Crescentia cujete, Zygia longifolia, Cecropia ficifolia, Piptocoma discolor, Piper bredemeyeri, Calathea lutea and Heliconia rostrata. Two treatments were evaluated: T1: Seeds (sexual and asexual) immersed for 12 hours in water, and T2: Seeds (sexual and asexual) without any pre-germination treatment (control). Significant differences were found in the germination percentage among species, treatments and the interaction of the two factors (p < 0.01). The species C. cujete, C. ficifolia and P. discolor presented better germination percentages with T1, in contrast to P. bredemeyeri, which adapted better to T2. In the same sense, H. rostrata (93%), C. cujete (91%) and Z. longifolia (89%) with T1, were the species with the highest germination capacity when compared to the other species, being desirable for use as fodder in agricultural production systems, due to their high germination power. In general, the pre-germinative treatment with water was very effective in increasing the permeability of the seed coat and, therefore, favored the breaking of endogenous physiological dormancy.

PLANTS OF THE POPOL VUH, THE SACRED BOOK OF THE MAYA

A compilation of the plants mentioned in the sacred book of the Mayans Popol Vuh, recognized as the framework of their cosmogony that was written in the K’iche’ area in Guatemala around the year 1550 was made. Thirty- two different species were identified, from 21 plant families, all native to Mesoamerica. The largest number of species were in Fabaceae with four species, Moraceae and Solanaceae with three species each, in addition to Bromeliaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae with two species each. The five most important and frequently named species are maize (Zea mays), jícaro (Crescentia cujete), copal (Protium copal), rubber (Castilla elastica) and cocoa (Theobroma cacao). Eleven species were identified, such as pito wood (Erythrina berteroana) and zibak (Cyperus canus), considered of cosmogonic significance and food plants that are integrated into five groups: fruit trees [zapote (Manilkara zapota), nance (Byrsonima crassifolia), jocote (Spondias mombin), anona (Annona reticulata), matasano (Casimiroa edulis)], grains and seeds [maize, beans (Phaseolus lunatus), cocoa, pataxte (Theobroma bicolor)], vegetables [squash (Cucurbita moschata), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), chilacayote (Cucurbita ficifolia)], flavourings [chili (Capsicum annuum)], and beverages [maguey (Agave americana)]. Seven species were domesticated: maize, squash, chilacayote, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), beans, tomato and cocoa and others for medicinal purposes, fuel and instruments. The description of the creation of man asserts the close relationship of the Mayan culture with plant biodiversity; moreover, the famous milpa, a multi-species Mesoamerican agroecosystem is mentioned that was practiced by their gods.

About the Cover

About the Cover Gina Athena Ulysse (bio) About the Cover: "Ola Thunder"1 by Gina Athena Ulysse 2019 Kwi and digital photograph © 2019 by Gina Athena Ulysse. Permission to reprint may be obtained only from the artist. Artist Statement What if our point of departure in encounters with difference stemmed not from domination, but an impulse of radical vulnerability? What would we turn to if we did not cling to power? Would we recognize and comprehend that difference as an opening? Expansive. Limitless. Extremities. Revelation. A space to meditatively confront and embrace our socially limited imagination? Would we become more aware of our sensibilities … feel a multitude of sentiments, feel that, as Toni Cade Bambara asserts, "the revolution begins with the self … in the self". Deference. Humility. Surrender. Grace. Can these sentiments be reflected? What reflects them? "Ola Thunder" was a central piece in An Equitable Human Assertion, a site-specific installation-performance rasanblaj (a gathering) of ideas, things, people and spirits exhibited in Australia at the Biennale of Sydney in 2020. Variations of the primary materials in this work are found all over the world. The Kwi, made from the kalbas or calabash tree (Crescentia Cujete), are the simple, sacred and profane holder of rasanblaj. These gourds are known for their multifunctionality and significations, routinely used as containers for eating and storage, carvings, musical instruments, and as sacred objects. In this rasanblaj, the Kwi are and have become living things—primordial beings possessing aesthetics in their myriad forms, patina, textures, and vibrations. Reflected in the Kwi and other materials of this piece (cowries, kindling, threads, ochre, etc.) is the ancestral imperative in Afro-diasporic traditions and found referents in the long history of Indigenous Australian artistic expression. This work is an assertion of shared attachment to the land, and comparability in experiences of self-determination in the persistent shadow of colonialism, displacement, and fracture. My aim is a movement toward wholeness and a quest for beauty in nature, despite our human tendency to denigrate the earth and each other. With their inherent force, the Kwi create space inviting possibilities for new encounters, however ephemeral. [End Page iii] Gina Athena Ulysse Gina Athena Ulysse is a Haitian-American feminist artist-scholar and Professor of Feminist Studies at UCSC Her research is concerned with the expression and representation of the dailyness of Black diasporic conditions, her rasanblaj approach to her art and writing practice entails ongoing crossings and dialogues in the arts, humanities, and the social sciences. Her writing has also been published in Feminist Studies, Journal of Haitian Studies, InterimPoetics, Kerb: Journal of Landscape Architecture, Gastronomica, Third Text, Transition as well as in art catalogs and other venues. She was the invited editor of "Caribbean Rasanblaj" (2017), a double issue of e-misférica, journal of the Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics at NYU. In 2020, she was an invited artist to the Biennale of Sydney, Australia. Over the years, she has been invited to perform at The British Museum, Gorki Theatre, LaMaMa, Marcus Garvey Liberty Hall, and MoMA Salon. Notes 1. This piece was inspired by the fierce little human created by two of my former students. ________ Click for larger view View full resolution Copyright © 2022 Feminist Formations

Pharmacological Activities of Bioactive Compounds from Crescentia cujete L. Plant – A Review

Crescentia cujete is widely known as a medicinal plant with broad indigenous ethnomedical uses such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antivenom, antidiabetic, and antioxidant. Despite these known indigenous uses, the benefits obtained from C. cujete are far from fully used due to the underwhelming studies on its pharmacological potential, bioactive compounds, and mechanism of action that keep the pharmacological and new drug discovery progress slowly. The information in this review was gathered from major and trusted scientific databases and journal publications, books, and dissertations. In this review, available studies on ethnobotanical, general, and medical use, as well as phytochemical findings and known pharmacological applications of the plant, were collated and established. The most commonly investigated as well as the grey areas realized from this review regarding the pharmacological potentials of the plant consequently suggest the incorporation of in silico in-depth studies to understand the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds, as well as more pharmacological potential investigations of the compounds found in the least studied parts, such as the seeds, bark, and flowers of the plant. This will ensure continuous and fast-moving advances in the pharmacological application of C. cujete.

Identification of secondary metabolites from Crescentia cujete as promising antibacterial therapeutics targeting type 2A topoisomerases through molecular dynamics simulation

The potential of fluoroquinolones as remarkable antibacterial agents evolved from their ability to generate ‘poison’ complexes between type IIA topoisomerases [topo2As (DNA gyrases and topoisomerases IV)] and DNA. However, the overuse of fluoroquinolones coupled with chromosomal mutations in topo2As has increased incidence of resistance and consequently undermined the application of the currently available fluoroquinolones in clinical practice. In this study, the molecular mechanism of interaction between the secondary metabolites of Crescentia cujete (an underutilized plant with proven anti-bacterial activity) and topo2As was investigated using computational methods. Through molecular docking, the top five compounds with the best affinity for each topo2A were identified and subjected to molecular dynamics simulation over a period of 100 ns. The results revealed that the identified compounds had higher binding energy values than the reference standards against the topo2As except for topoisomerase IV ParC, and this was consistent with the results of the structural stability and compactness of the resulting complexes. Specifically, cistanoside D (−49.18 kcal/mol), chlorogenic acid (−55.55 kcal/mol), xylocaine (−33.08 kcal/mol), and naringenin (−35.48 kcal/mol) had the best affinity for DNA gyrase A, DNA gyrase B, topoisomerase IV ParC, and topoisomerase IV ParE, respectively. Of the constituents of C. cujete evaluated, only apigenin and luteolin had affinity for all the four targets. These observations are indicative of the identified compounds as potential inhibitors of topo2As as evidenced from the molecular interactions including hydrogen bonds established with the active site amino acids of the respective targets. This is the first in silico report on the antibacterial effect of C. cujete and the findings would guide structural modification of the identified compounds as novel inhibitors of topo2As for further in vitro and in vivo assessments.

Cytotoxic Activity Test Of Ethanolic Extract Of Berenuk Fruit (Crescentia Cujete L.) On Artemia Salina Leach Shrimp Larva Using Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) Method

Abstract: Cancer is one of the leading causes of human death in the world. One of the therapies given to cancer patients is chemotherapy which has cytotoxic effects. One of the plants that have the same effect is berenuk or calabash (Crescentia cujete L.) plant, from the family of Bignoniaceae, which grows wild and is often referred to as a poisonous plant. This plant contains napthoquinone as one of cytotoxic chemical compounds and other metabolite secondary such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, and anthraquinones. The objective of this study is to determine the cytotoxic activity of ethanolic extract of the fruit of berenuk on Artemia salina Leach larva. The BSLT (Brine Shrimp Lethality Test) method was used for this study. The powder of berenuk fruit flesh was extracted using ethanol. The obtained solvent was evaporated using a rotary evaporator to obtain a thick extract. The extract was tested on A. salina larva that has been prepared and the value of mortality was observed. The result of cytotoxic activity test of ethanolic extract of berenuk fruit on A. salina larva had the LC50 value of 529.386 ppm which is categorized as toxic.

Analysis of the cytotoxic effects of the fruit extract of Crescentia cujete L.

Introduction: Over time, treatments with plant species have become more effective for the vast majority of the population, even with a vague collection of scientific research that proves their safety and effectiveness. Among these different species is the arboreal Crescentia cujete L., which is widely distributed in Northeastern Brazil. It is applied with various therapeutic purposes, from antihypertensive, analgesic, antispasmodic and some gynecological disorders. Objective: To analyze the possible cytotoxicity of the hydroalcoholic extract of the fruit. Methodology: The extract was obtained through dynamic maceration in a hydroalcoholic solution. A cytotoxicity analysis was carried out based on the methodologies of osmotic fragility and lethality against Artemia salina L. 45.32%. Conclusion: Therefore, further research aimed at safety and possible applicability of the extract in question is encouraged.

Antimitotic and Antigenotoxic Activity of Calabash (Crescentia cujete) Fruit and Leaf Extracts on Mongo (Vigna radiata) seeds and Allium test

Calabash tree (C. cujete) is a flowering plant indigenous in the Philippines and used as a traditional medicine. The study aimed to assess the effects of fruit and leaf extracts from Calabash (C. cujete) on the percent inhibition, chromosomal aberrations, mitotic index and percent germination of the onion (Allium cepa) cell division and mongo seed (V. radiata) germination exposed to sodium azide (NaN3). Allium assay was used to determine the mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations with 400 mg/L C. cujete fruit and leaf extracts concentrations. The Cresentia cujete fruit extract exhibits more antimitotic and antigenotoxic potential compared to the leaf extract based on the mitotic index and frequency of chromosomal aberrations in the onion root cells. Thus, the fruit extract contains more phytochemicals compared to the leaf extract.

Effect of tropical forage species in silvopastoral arrangements on methane production and in vitro fermentation parameters in a RUSITEC system

Background: Supplementation of grazing cattle with native and naturalized forages using silvopastoral systems has been suggested as an affordable strategy to reduce methane production and improve nutrition, diminishing the environmental impact of cattle production. Objective: To evaluate the effect of three tropical forage species in a silvopastoral arrangement on methane production and fermentation parameters using an in vitro ruminal simulation system (RUSITEC). Methods: Four diets were evaluated. The control treatment was a basal diet of colosuana grass (COL; Bothriochloa pertusa), while the other diets consisted of 70% COL complemented with 30% shrub forage from either Leucaena leucocephala (CL), Guazuma ulmifolia (CG), or Crescentia cujete (CT). A randomized complete block design with repeated measurements over time was used. Results: The inclusion of shrub forage did not affect pH, organic matter degradation (OMD) or volatile fatty acids (VFA). The inclusion of shrub forage affected the degradation of structural components. The concentration of N-NH3 increased in the CL diet compared to COL (p<0.05). In general, methane production in terms of mL/day, mL/g DMi, mL/g DMd, and mL/gOMd was reduced for CL compared to COL (p<0.05). Conclusions: Based on these results, inclusion of Leucaena leucocephala, Guazuma ulmifolia or Crescentia cujete on B. pertusa-based diets improves ruminal fermentation parameters and reduces in vitro methane production.

A nectar oasis for urban Glossophaginae bats: Temporal resource dynamics of the chiropterophilous Crescentia cujete (Bignoniaceae)

Pollinator-friendly plants are often a necessary component of the management of urban ecosystem that aim to reduce the impact of the artificial urban matrix on natural pollinator populations. Nectarivorous bats are neglected components of the urban pollinator community and there is a paucity of assessments on pollinator-friendly plants that may provide urban bats with reliable, year-long resources. Crescentia cujete is a bat-pollinated Bignoniaceae with very distinctive chiropterophilous features that is often used as an ornamental species in tropical urban areas worldwide. Its flowers are large and produce copious amounts of nectar, which accumulates in the flower’s storage-shaped flowers. Thus, the species is a potential bat-friendly urban plant. We assessed the species’ year-round flower emission and nightly nectar production dynamics in a green area in northeastern Brazil, and described the behavior of its floral visitors. C. cujete showed a steady, year-round flowering pattern, with no significant seasonality. Its flowers secreted copious amounts of diluted nectar and were visited exclusively by the Pallas long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina throughout the night at high visiting frequencies, delivering successive visits to individual flowers spaced by short intervals. Our results suggest overexploitation of floral resources from C. cujete by urban bats. Moreover, its continuous flowering and copious nectar production may become a reliable resource in an artificial environment generally lacking bat-pollinated plants, thus mitigating the effects of food shortage for urban nectar bats.

A Cream Formulation Of Extract Of Maja Leaves (Crescentia cujete) As An Antimicrobial Against Staphylococcus aureus

Maja (Crescentia cujete L) is a plant that has medicinal properties for various diseases. Leaves of Maja contain some compounds such which are thought to have the potential to be antibacterial. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of maja leaf extract in cream dosage form and to prove the presence of Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The cream of Maja leaf extract was made into several formulations; (5, 10, 15 %) The results was the cream of Maja leaf extract was able to inhibit the growth of S. aureus with the largest inhibition zone at a concentration of 15% with an average of 11.52 ± 0.95mm. Cream formulations were evaluated physically; organoleptic was resulting F1 in brownish-green, F2 in brown, and F3 in dark brown. Homogeneity tests show that all formulations were homogeneous. The pH value of all formulations following the cosmetic standard was about 4.5 – 6.5. The standard viscosity value was between 2000 – 4000 cps. The stability test of cream preparations shows no changes in the form of low-temperature storage (4ºC), room temperature, and high temperature (40ºC), so that maja leaf extracts can be formulated in cream preparations and cream formulations

PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION, SPECTRUM ANALYSIS OF SALVADORA PERSICA AND CRESCENTIA CUJETE

Salvadora persica is a well-known medicinal plant which belongs to the family Salvadoraceae. It is commonly known as the Meswak tree. Calabash tree or Crescentia cujete tree belongs to the family of Bignoniaceae. It is also known as the gourd tree. These two plants have been studied by preliminary phytochemical and FTIR analysis. Data gathered on solvent extraction and preliminary phytochemical method suggested that the presence of primary and secondary metabolites in leaf tissue. Two solvents such as ethanol and aqueous are used here to reveal the phytocompounds and extend our work to find out the various functional groups present in these two plants through FTIR analysis was done. Spectrum of Salvadora persica showed 5 peaks that are 599.89, 654.86, 1409.06, 1431.24, 2930.96 and spectrum of Crescentia cujete showed that 13 peaks that are 470.65, 520.80, 630.75, 652.93, 776.38, 1060.89, 1155.41, 1248, 1321.30, 1431.24, 1527.69, 2860.56, 2924.21. The present study revealed that the functional groups of both plants, such as alcohols or phenols, alkanes, amines, esters or carboxylic acid or lactones, aldehyde or ketones, acetates and ethylene.

Quantitative study on medicinal plants used for the treatment of respiratory diseases in chontales of Nacajuca, Tabasco, Mexico

The results of an evaluation of the traditional knowledge of the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of respiratory diseases among the inhabitants of five communities of Nacajuca, Tabasco, Mexico are presented. The study was conducted using ethnobotanical methods applied to 26 key informants. A total of 22 species used for respiratory diseases were recorded. Of the informants, 61.5% are traditional doctors, recognized by the people, the rest are people who only use them at home. Of these, the species that had the greatest relative importance due to their frequency of mention in the interviews were the Jícara (Crescentia cujete), the toad grass (Epaltes mexicana), the purple maguey (Tradescantia spathacea) and the elderberry (Sambucus mexicana). The part that they use the most are the leaves as tea. 77% grow them within their home gardens, others collect them in the field and only one buy them in the markets. Of the species reported for respiratory problems, most have other uses, being also ornamental, edible and timber. The greater participation of women is observed during the study, since they are the head of the family and have knowledge of the use of medicinal plants for lung diseases. This shows that traditional medicine continues to be of great importance for Chontal communities in solving respiratory problems.

Exotic Cultivated Plants in the Diet of the Nectar-Feeding Bat Glossophaga soricina (Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae) in the City of Lima, Peru

While the presence of some phytophagous bats species in Neotropical cities is generally known, detailed information on their feeding habits in urban ecosystems is still limited. In some highly developed urban spaces, native plant species are scarce, therefore phytophagous bats living in those conditions could be relying only on resources offered by introduced vegetation. This study describes the diet of Glossophaga soricina in the campus of Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in the city of Lima, Peru. To achieve this, from September 2016 to May 2017, bats were captured using mist nets to collect samples of feces and pollen from their body surface. The phytophagous diet of G. soricina comprised resources offered by at least 25 species of cultivated plants, nearly all of them introduced to Lima. Glossophaga soricina mainly fed on the nectar/pollen of Agave angustifolia, Eucalyptus spp., Crescentia cujete and Musa spp., and fruits of Piper aduncum and Morus nigra. Insects were also registered in its diet. It consumed many non-chiropterophilous flowers and most of its principal resources are not abundant in the study area. Results suggest that G. soricina is a generalist nectarivore that has adapted its dietary habits to consume nectar/pollen of a wide variety of flowers and complements its diet with fruits and insects. It is concluded that introduced cultivated vegetation permits the persistence of G. soricina in the city; hence unsuitable green areas management could negatively affect its local populations. More studies on ecology of urban phytophagous bats in Lima and other Neotropical cities are required to conserve their populations in those altered ecosystems.

A Review of the Phytochemistry, Ethnobotany, Toxicology, and Pharmacological Potentials of Crescentia cujete L. (Bignoniaceae).

Crescentia cujete is an economical and medicinal plant of wide indigenous uses including hypertension, diarrhea, respiratory ailments, stomach troubles, infertility problems, cancer, and snakebite. Despite these attributes, C. cujete is largely underutilized, notwithstanding the few progresses made to date. Here, we reviewed the available findings on the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, toxicology, and pharmacology, as well as other economic benefits of the plant. The information on the review was gathered from major scientific databases (Google scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed, Springer, and BioMed Central) using journals, books, and/or chapters, dissertations, and conference proceedings. The review established the antidiabetic, antioxidant, acaricidal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antivenom, wound healing, neuroprotection, antiangiogenic, and cytotoxic properties from aqueous and organic (particularly ethanol) aerial parts attributed to several secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, phytosterols, reducing sugar, and volatile oils. Economically, the fruit hard outer shell found applications as musical tools, tobacco pipes, bowls, food containers, and bioethanol production. While most of the current studies on C. cujete are mainly from Asia and South America (Philippines, Bangladesh, India, etc.), part of the persistence challenge is lack of comprehensive data on the plant from in vivo pharmacological studies of its already characterized compounds for probable clinical trials toward drug discovery. Consequently, upon this, modern and novel translational studies including the concept of ‘-omics' are suggested for studies aiming to outfit more comprehensive data on its therapeutic profiles against pathological markers of diseases and to fully explore its economic benefits.