Synsepalum Dulcificum Research Articles

A comprehensive review on chemical and pharmacological potential of Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell

The fruit of plant Synsepalum dulcificum(Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell, is found native to tropical regions of West Africa, and vernacularly recognized as the “Miracle Fruit” by Africans. The property of the plant has traditionally been employed in many food industries, besides its ethnopharmacological significance. The phytochemical analysis from literature reveals that various parts of plant contains many bioactive components including alkaloids, lignans, phenolic acids, glycoproteins and flavonoids. Recent studies exhibit its pharmacologicalpotential such as antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-hyperuricemia and anti-convulsant properties. Therefore, this review aims to systematically summarizes scientific evidences with the therapeutic, ethnopharmacological and traditional claims found in literature. However, the data acquired is still very imperfect, thus future research is hopeful to discover the precise mechanism of action of its bioactive components to explore chemical constituents, and their nutraceutical and clinical uses of this multipurpose plant to employ its valuable effects on human beings.

Physicochemical and Microbial Properties of Miracle Berry (Synsepalum dulcificum) Kombucha Tea Treated with Microwave Radiation

Physicochemical and Microbial Properties of Miracle Berry (Synsepalum dulcificum) Kombucha Tea Treated with Microwave Radiation

Isolation and Characterization of Different Compounds Present in Pineapple -Ananas Comosus

Pineapple is a sub-tropical fruit grown in India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and many more. It has a juicy taste and flavour and has been used from the historical ages and used for different purposes like cardiovascular effects, antianginal, wound healing, anticancer, osteoarthritis, antidiarrheal, and anti-aging properties. There are different important phytoconstituents available in different parts of pineapple like root, peel, core, and leaves like flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, amino acids, and many more. Most important is Bromelain which is a very good enzyme having proteolytic activity, burn wound healing activity, and good digestive properties. Due to enormous uses in versatile pharmacological profiles, there are numerous formulations that have also been discovered. These formulations are overcoming the side effects of synthetic drugs and playing a crucial role in herbal drug technology. Bromelain is a complex enzyme and different amino acids are present in it. Many researchers are trying to isolate and are trying to establish unknown pharmacological activity. The pineapple is a magic fruit and many more are yet to be discovered.

Drivers of the Sisrè berry plant [Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach & Thonn.) Daniell] rhizosphere bacterial communities in Benin

Each plant species has its own rhizobacteriome, whose activities determine both soil biological quality and plant growth. Little knowledge exists of the rhizosphere bacterial communities associated with opportunity crops with high economic potential such as Synsepalum dulcificum. Native to West Africa, this shrub is famous for its red berries representing the only natural source of miraculin, a glycoprotein, with sweetening properties, but also playing a role in the treatment of cancer and diabetes. This study aimed to characterize the structure and diversity of rhizobacterial communities associated with S. dulcificum and to identify the parameters determining this diversity. An initial sampling stage allowed the collection of rhizosphere soils from 29 S. dulcificum accessions, belonging to three distinct phenotypes, from 16 municipalities of Benin, located either on farms or in home gardens. The bacterial diversity of these rhizosphere soils was assessed by Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene after DNA extraction from these soils. Furthermore, an analysis of the physicochemical properties of these soils was carried out. All accessions combined, the most represented phylum appeared to be Actinobacteriota, with an average relative abundance of 43.5 %, followed by Proteobacteria (14.8 %), Firmicutes (14.3 %) and Chloroflexi (12.2 %), yet the relative abundance of dominant phyla varied significantly among accessions (p < 0.05). Plant phenotype, habitat, climate and soil physicochemical properties affected the bacterial communities, but our study pointed out that soil physicochemical parameters were the main driver of rhizobacterial communities' structure and diversity. Among them, the assimilable phosphorus, lead, potassium, arsenic and manganese contents, texture and cation exchange capacity of rhizosphere soils were the major determinants of the composition and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial communities. These results suggested the possibility of improving the growth conditions and productivity of S. dulcificum, by harnessing its associated bacteria of interest and better managing soil physicochemical properties.

The Antioxidant and Whitening Effect of Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) Seed and Leaf Methanol Extracts

The seed and leaf 70% methanol extracts of miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) were investigated for its whitening activity for application as a functional ingredient in cosmetic products. At the leaf extract concentration of 100 mg/ml, the DPPH radical scavenging activity was found to be 94.58%, the ABTS+ radical scavenging activity was 36.62%. The total polyphenolic content of seed and leaf extract was 18.76 mgGAE/g, 71.42 mgGAE/g, respectively. The seed and leaf extracts reduced both tyrosinase activity and L-DOPA oxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. In B16F10 mouse melanoma cells, leaf extract inhibited 30% of melanin synthesis at 100 mg/ml. Miracle fruit seed and leaf extracts also inhibited the expression of melanogenesis genes such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1. Moreover, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of the extract showed that the mRNA expression of MITF, tyrosinase, and TRP-1 was decreased. The data suggested a protective role for the Synsepalum dulcificum seed and leaf extracts against melanogenesis.

Does inclusion of miracle fruit powder within a model beverage affect taste of solutions subsequently consumed?

AbstractMiraculin is a glycoprotein present in miracle fruit berries (Richadella dulcifica or Synsepalum dulcificum) known to have taste modifying properties: conversion of sour into sweet taste. So far, research has shown that the effects occur when consuming miracle fruit powder or miracle fruit berries prior to consumption of a sour drink or food product. However, limited research has examined the effects of miraculin consumed within a food or drink product and if there might be any taste‐modifying effects on other food and drinks consumed subsequently. This research looks at miraculin, from freeze‐dried miracle fruit powder, served within model soft drink formulations at concentrations ethically approved for consumption in soft drink beverages (50 and 80 ppm miracle fruit powder). Three experiments were carried out. The first investigated how long any taste‐modifying effects would last following consumption and whether the effects were dose‐dependent. Experiment 2 looked at the effect of repeated exposure on perception of sweet, sour, and bitter tastes, whilst experiment 3 explored whether the receptor binding of miraculin in miracle fruit powder would affect sweetness perception of other sweeteners. All results showed minimal effects of using freeze‐dried miracle fruit powder within a model beverage at the 50 and 80 ppm levels suggesting that future water‐based beverages produced containing low levels of miraculin protein will have little or no taste‐modifying effects on foods and beverages subsequently consumed.Practical ApplicationsMiraculin, derived from miracle fruit berries, acts as a taste modifier and can change food or drink from tasting sour to tasting sweet. This property is known to occur if either a fresh or freeze‐dried powder of miraculin is ingested before food or drink. Miraculin has potential as an ingredient in water‐based beverages to enhance sweetness, reduce the undesirable aftertaste associated with some high‐potency sweeteners, and to add mouthfeel. However, until now, it was unknown whether, by adding miraculin to a beverage at levels considered safe for human consumption, the taste of other foods consumed with or after the beverage would be affected. Here, we show that a low level of miraculin protein within a water‐based beverage has little to no taste‐modifying effects on products that are subsequently consumed. Our study therefore opens new avenues for using miraculin as a taste modifier.

Anti-Hyperlipidemic Components of the Leaves of Synsepalum dulcificum (Miracle Fruit).

Synsepalum dulcificum (Miracle fruit) is a tropical plant in West and Central Africa, which has been historically used for treating diarrhea in humans and animals. Pharmacological research has shown that the leaves of the plant possess anti-hyperlipidemia activity. However, its anti-hyperlipidemic components have not been reported. In this study, the leaves of S. dulcificum were extracted using 95% ethanol and the extract was fractionated using different polar solvents. The anti-hyperlipidemia activity of the extract and fractions were evaluated using the zebrafish model. The results showed that the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction displayed the best anti-hyperlipidemic effect. A comparison of the high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) profiles of the ethanol extract and different fractions at 350nm indicated that a peak at 37.4min has the highest intensity in the EA part, relatively. Then the chemical constituents of the extract and the active fraction were extensively identified using UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS/MS, showing the main peak was quercitrin and other components in the EA part mainly included quercitrin analogs. Furthermore, the quercitrin was isolated from the plant and its contents in the extract and fractions were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV) method. The quantitative results showed that the content of quercitrin in the EA fraction was 10.04% (w/w). Further pharmacological study indicated that quercitrin also possessed potent anti-hyperlipidemia activity (improvement rates of liver fat and total cholesterol were 75.6% and 92.5% at 40μg/mL, respectively). Besides, quercitrin showed little toxicity to zebrafish embryos.

Exploring the diversity, bioactivity of endophytes, and metabolome in Synsepalum dulcificum.

Synsepalum dulcificum exhibits high edible and medicinal value; however, there have been no reports on the exploration of its endophyte resources. Here, we conducted analyses encompassing plant metabolomics, microbial diversity, and the biological activities of endophytic metabolites in S. dulcificum. High-throughput sequencing identified 4,913 endophytic fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and 1,703 endophytic bacterial ASVs from the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of S. dulcificum. Fungi were classified into 5 phyla, 24 classes, 75 orders, 170 families, and 313 genera, while bacteria belonged to 21 phyla, 47 classes, 93 orders, 145 families, and 232 genera. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the composition and content of metabolites in different tissues of S. dulcificum. Spearman's correlation analysis of the differential metabolites and endophytes revealed that the community composition of the endophytes correlated with plant-rich metabolites. The internal transcribed spacer sequences of 105 isolates were determined, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these fungi were distributed into three phyla (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota) and 20 genera. Moreover, 16S rDNA sequencing of 46 bacteria revealed they were distributed in 16 genera in three phyla: Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. The antimicrobial activities (filter paper method) and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS assays) of crude extracts obtained from 68 fungal and 20 bacterial strains cultured in different media were evaluated. Additionally, the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the fungal extracts was examined. The results showed that 88.6% of the strains exhibited antimicrobial activity, 55.7% exhibited antioxidant activity, and 85% of the fungi exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The research suggested that the endophytes of S. dulcificum are highly diverse and have the potential to produce bioactive metabolites, providing abundant species resources for developing antibiotics, antioxidants and hypoglycemic drugs.

Synsepalum dulcificum extract as green corrosion inhibitor for acid corrosion of mild steel in HCl solution

Anticorrosive potential of Synsepalum dulcificum leaf extract on the corrosion of mild steel in HCl solution was investigated using chemical technique. The extract inhibited the deterioration of mild steel in HCl solution and the inhibition efficiency increased with increasing concentration of the extract at 30o C. The results obtained showed that inhibition was as a result of the adsorption of the inhibitor molecule onto mild steel surface and the adsorption obeyed Flory-Huggins adsorption isotherm.

To make food palatable, cancer patients try miracle fruit

To make food palatable, cancer patients try miracle fruit

Developing improvement strategies for management of the Sisrè berry plant [Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach &amp; Thonn.) Daniell] based on end-users’ preferences in Southern Nigeria

Synsepalum dulcificum is a valuable horticultural and lesser-known crop, famous for the uniqueness of its taste modifying properties, which is candidate for genetic improvement in West Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 100 respondents purposively selected to analyze the current production systems and constraints as well as to document the farmers’ and consumers’ preferences for breeding traits in Southern Nigeria. The results showed that none of the investigated farmers applied all required crop management practices to produce the species (land cleaning before establishment, pegging and lining, holing, base manure application, crop irrigation, weeding, pruning, fertilizers application, and pests and diseases control). Farmers were grouped into three clusters based on crop management practices. There was a strong and highly significant agreement among farmers (Kendall’s W = 0.8, p &amp;lt; 0.001) that bush fire, poor plant growth, drought, pests, and parasitic weed were the five most important constraints in Southwest Nigeria. In Southeast Nigeria, damage by insects and birds, poor seed germinability and poor knowledge of cultivation technics were the most important constraints challenging production. Farmers’ agreement around these constraints was moderate but highly significant (Kendall’s W = 0.6, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Overall, the top three desired breeding traits by farmers included: high growth rate, extended fruit shelf-life, and high fruits yield while the top three consumer’s preferences included: high miraculin potency (long lasting action of the miraculin), fruit glossiness, and high metabolites content. However, cultural specificities were detected in these preferences with a higher agreement in Yoruba farmers’ preferences compared with their counterparts Igbo. The Igbo consumers showed a higher concordance in their traits’ preferences than the Yoruba consumers. These findings pave the way for an informed cultivar development for the Sisrè berry plant in Nigeria and expand knowledge on end-users’ preferences for the species in West Africa.

Feasibility and acceptability of miracle fruit application prior to the consumption of sour-tasting foods as a weight-loss strategy in adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A randomized crossover trial

Miracle fruit (MF) has emerged as a promising option for healthy noncaloric sweeteners due to its sour-to-sweet taste-modifying effects and high antioxidant activity. We aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of using MF as a weight-loss strategy for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. Fifty Korean-American men and women (25 participants each) aged 45–75 years with diabetes or prediabetes were recruited in this study. They participated in a randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial where they took the assigned tablet (either an MF tablet or a placebo-sugar candy) 10 min before consuming food. Using a 9-point hedonic scale, participants assessed the likings of overall, flavor, texture, and aftertaste for green apples, goat cheese, lemonade, pickles, and plain fat-free yogurt before and 10 min after taking the assigned tablet. Additionally, overall liking for meals and calorie intake were assessed during subsequent ad libitum meal sessions. An ANOVA for a crossover design, and independent and paired t-tests were used to compare the outcomes. The results revealed that all postintervention liking values for sour-tasting foods were higher than the respective preintervention liking values for both interventions. However, the MF intervention showed significantly higher pre–post differences in liking for all sour-tasting foods and the overall liking values for breakfast and dinner compared to the placebo intervention (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the MF intervention resulted in a significantly lower calorie intake for each meal than the placebo (P < 0.001). These findings suggest that MF intervention can be considered a viable weight-loss strategy for individuals with diabetes.

Miracle Fruit Pulp Transcriptomes Identify Genetic Variants in Support of Discovery Research and Breeding

Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) is the botanical source of miraculin, a natural, noncaloric sweetener. Miracle fruit plants have a bush-like architecture and produce multiple flushes of attractive red berries each year. The berries consist of a large seed, opaque pulp, and brilliant red peel. The pulp of the fruit contains a glycoprotein, miraculin, that binds to the tongue’s sweet receptors and induces a conformational change in response to acidic stimuli. Thus, a strong sweet sensation is imparted in the absence of sugars. The miracle fruit plant is becoming increasingly popular because of its taste-modifying properties, but the species lacks many of the breeding tools common to other crops. We report miracle fruit pulp transcriptomes from ‘Sangria’, ‘Vermilion’, ‘Flame’, and ‘Cherry’ morphotypes. A consensus transcriptome included 91,856 transcripts. Reads mapping to the miraculin gene had the highest representation in individual miracle fruit pulp transcriptomes. Other abundant transcripts primarily included Gene Ontology categories representing cellular components, nucleus and nucleic acid binding, and protein modification. The transcriptomes were used to design real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) primers for actin, elongation factor 1α, and the miraculin gene. Analysis by qRT-PCR indicated that miracle fruit pulp and peel tissues had the highest abundance of miraculin transcripts, although other tissues such as leaf, root, and flower also had detectable levels of the target sequence. Overall, these results will support discovery research for miracle fruit and the eventual breeding of this species.

P06-015-23 Hedonic and Calorie Reduction Effects of Prior Miracle Fruit Application on Meal Intakes in Korean American Adults With Diabetes or Prediabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial

P06-015-23 Hedonic and Calorie Reduction Effects of Prior Miracle Fruit Application on Meal Intakes in Korean American Adults With Diabetes or Prediabetes: A Randomized Crossover Trial

Miracle Fruit- The fruit that tricks your tongue

Miracle Fruit- The fruit that tricks your tongue

Шугнанский перевод сказки Вильгельма Гауфа «Маленький Мук»

This article presents the Shughnani translation of “Little Muck”, a fairy tale by the 19th century German writer Wilhelm Hauff. This is the story of a tiny man whose appearance causes others to make fun of him. When he comes into possession of a pair of magic shoes, Muck’s hopes of attaining happiness are close, but then envious people take the shoes away. With the help of some magic fruit, Muck gets his shoes back and punishes the offenders. In the 1930s, as part of the Soviet campaign to create alphabets for non-written languages of the Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Region, work began on an alphabet and writing system for the Shughnani language based on the Roman script. Based on this alphabet, primers, educational books, and translated literature were published in the Shughnani language. “Little Muсk” was translated into Shughnani and published in 1938. Here it is presented according to the 1938 edition of the Shughnani text. The text is accompanied by morphemic glossing, using the currently accepted system of Iranian transcription in Roman script with addi‑ tional characters, and a translation into Russian. The presentation of the text in this format makes it suitable for use in comparative language research, as well as in research related to intertextuality.

Biological Activities of Miracle Berry Supercritical Extracts as Metabolic Regulators in Chronic Diseases.

Synsepalum dulcificum (Richardella dulcifica) is a berry fruit from West Africa with the ability to convert the sour taste into a sweet taste, and for this reason, the fruit is also known as the "miracle berry" (MB). The red and bright berry is rich in terpenoids. The fruit's pulp and skin contain mainly phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which correlate with their antioxidant activity. Different polar extracts have been described to inhibit cell proliferation and transformation of cancer cell lines in vitro. In addition, MB has been shown to ameliorate insulin resistance in a preclinical model of diabetes induced by a chow diet enriched in fructose. Herein, we have compared the biological activities of three supercritical extracts obtained from the seed-a subproduct of the fruit-and one supercritical extract obtained from the pulp and the skin of MB. The four extracts have been characterized in terms of total polyphenols content. Moreover, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypo-lipidemic, and inhibition of colorectal cancer cell bioenergetics have been compared. Non-polar supercritical extracts from the seed are the ones with the highest effects on the inhibition of bioenergetic of colorectal (CRC) cancer cells. At the molecular level, the effects on cell bioenergetics seems to be related to the inhibition of main drivers of the de novo lipogenesis, such as the sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor (SREBF1) and downstream molecular targets fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl coenzyme desaturase 1 (SCD1). As metabolic reprograming is considered as one of the hallmarks of cancer, natural extracts from plants may provide complementary approaches in the treatment of cancer. Herein, for the first time, supercritical extracts from MB have been obtained, where the seed, a by-product of the fruit, seems to be rich in antitumor bioactive compounds. Based on these results, supercritical extracts from the seed merit further research to be proposed as co-adjuvants in the treatment of cancer.

Triterpenoids from the leaves of Synsepalum dulcificum and their antitumor activities against hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Triterpenoids from the leaves of Synsepalum dulcificum and their antitumor activities against hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Genome-wide diversity analysis suggests divergence among Upper Guinea and the Dahomey Gap populations of the Sisrè berry (Syn: miracle fruit) plant (Synsepalum dulcificum [Schumach. & Thonn.] Daniell) in West Africa.

Although Synsepalum dulcificum is viewed as one of the most economically promising orphan tree crops worldwide, its genetic improvement and sustainable conservation are hindered by a lack of understanding of its evolutionary history and current population structure. Here, we report for the first time the application of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping to a diverse panel of S. dulcificum accessions to depict the genetic diversity and population structure of the species in the Dahomey Gap (DG) and Upper Guinea (UG) regions to infer its evolutionary history. Our findings suggest low overall genetic diversity but strong population divergence within the species. Neighbor-joining analysis detected two genetic groups in the UG and DG regions, while STRUCTURE distinguished three genetic groups, corresponding to the UG, Western DG, and Central DG regions. Application of Monmonier's algorithm revealed the existence of a barrier disrupting connectivity between the UG and DG groups. The Western DG group consistently exhibited the highest levels of nucleotide and haplotype diversities, while that of the Central DG exhibited the lowest. Analyses of Tajima's D, Fu's Fs, and Achaz Y* statistics suggest that while both UG and Central DG groups likely experienced recent expansions, the Western DG group is at equilibrium. These findings suggest a geographical structuring of genetic variation which supports the conclusion of differential evolutionary histories among West African groups of S. dulcificum. These results provide foundational insights to guide informed breeding population development and design sustainable conservation strategies for this species.

Miracle fruit seed as a potential supplement for the treatment of learning and memory disorders in Alzheimer's disease.

Currently, the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still at the stage of symptomatic treatment due to lack of effective drugs. The research on miracle fruit seeds (MFSs) has focused on lipid-lowering and antidiabetic effects, but no therapeutic effects have been reported in AD. The purpose of this study was to provide data resources and a potential drug for treatment of AD. An AD mouse model was established and treated with MFSs for 1month. The Morris water maze test was used to assess learning memory function in mice. Nissl staining was used to demonstrate histopathological changes. MFSs were found to have therapeutic implications in the AD mouse model, as evidenced by improved learning memory function and an increase in surviving neurons. To explore the mechanism of MFSs in treating AD, network pharmacological approaches, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and molecular docking studies were carried out. Based on the network pharmacology strategy, 74 components from MFS corresponded to 293 targets related to the AD pathology. Among these targets, AKT1, MAPK3, ESR1, PPARG, PTGS2, EGFR, PPARA, CNR1, ABCB1, and MAPT were identified as the core targets. According to the relevant number of core targets, cis-8-octadecenoic acid, cis-10-octadecenoic acid, 2-dodecenal, and tetradecane are likely to be highly correlated with MFS for AD. Enrichment analysis indicated the common targets mainly enriched in AD and the neurodegeneration-multiple disease signaling pathway. The molecular docking predictions showed that MFSs were stably bound to core targets, specifically AKT1, EGFR, ESR1, PPARA, and PPARG. MFSs may play a therapeutic role in AD by affecting the insulin signaling pathway and the Wnt pathway. The findings of this study provide potential possibilities and drug candidates for the treatment of AD.