Ripe Seeds Research Articles

Pharmacognostic Investigations on the Seeds of Butea Monosperma (Lam.) Taub

Butea monosperma is commonly known as Flame of forest, belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is locally called as palas, palash, mutthuga, bijasneha, dhak, khakara, chichra, Bastard Teak, Bengal Kino, Nourouc and is common throughout India, Burma and Ceylon except in very acrid parts.All parts of the plant are traditionally used for curing various diseases and disorders. The plant is traditionally reported to possess astringent, bitter, alterative, aphrodiasiac, anthelmintic, antibacterial and anti-asthmatic properties. The Seeds have anthelmintic property especially for roundworms and tapeworms. Hence, the objectives of the present work were pharmacognostic, physicochemical and phytochemical studies of Butea monosperma un-ripe and ripe seeds. Macroscopic, microscopic and powder features, phytochemical, physicochemical properties and were determined using standard methods.The Seed flat, kidney-shaped, 2.5 to 4 cm long, 1 to 3 cm wide, seeds coat raddish brown thin waxy, hilum was of simple and oblong, margin was smooth, unripe seed was creamiest whiteshgreen in colour while ripe seed was dark brown in colour. The seed; odour, faint; taste, slightly acrid and bitter. The seed is characterized by finely ridged seed coat and palisade like malpighian cells, discontinuous transparent linealucida in upper half of malpighian layers. The microscopic study showed seed was divided into four parts epicarp, mesocarp, testa and endocarp. The epicarp was single layered with thin smooth cuticle layer, polygonal parenchymatous cells. Endocarp consisted of sclerenchyma cells with oil globules; The plasmodesma was yellowish in colour with radially elongated thick walled mucilaginous cells.Palasonin and nitrogenous acidic compounds is present in seeds. Seed also contains isomonospermoside, monospermoside and allophanic acid. The parameters evaluated in physicochemical analysis were all within limits. All the extractive values of un-ripe seed were more than that of ripe seed. The crude powder of un-ripe seeds showed presence of alkaloids, phenols and glycoside while ripe seed showed presence of alkaloids. Butea monosperma seeds contain fixed oil, mixed fatty acids, and unsaponifiable matter. The parameters evaluated in this study are the diagnostic features of the unripe and ripe seeds

Total Phenolics and In-vitro Antioxidant Activities in Methanol Extracts of Raw, Ripe and Overripe Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) Seeds

The harvesting of fruits at different developmental stages until maturity may influence their antioxidant activities. Therefore, thepresent study aimed to investigate the changes in total phenolics, flavonoid contents, and in-vitro antioxidant activities in methanolseed extracts of Azadirachta indica A. Juss at different maturity stages (raw, ripe and overripe). All the tested biochemical parametersvaried significantly with maturity stages (p < 0.05%). Total phenolics [mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dw] and flavonoids contents[mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g dw] were highest in ripe (33.7 and 0.28, respectively) followed by raw (19.4 and 0.16, respectively)and least in overripe seeds (12.9 and 0.15, respectively). 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2-Azino-bis 3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activities in methanol seed extracts [μM ascorbic acid equivalent(AAE)/g dw] varied between 83.6–106.5, 68–93.8 and 44.8–177.9, respectively. IC50 values (mg/mL) for overripe, raw and ripe seedmethanol extract were 0.60, 1.11, and 2.10, respectively. The study concludes that seeds of A. indica were rich in natural phenolics andalso possess significant antioxidant activities. Thus the present study suggested that fruit industries should harvest ripe fruit seeds ofA. indica to meet out the need of natural phenolics for health benefits of local people.

Evaluation of the Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antioxidant Potential of Rourea minor Fruits: An Underutilized Species

The present study focuses on the nutritional, phytochemical composition, and antioxidant activities of the fruits of Rourea minor (Gaertn.) Alston., an underutilized plant species. The ripened seeds contained 0.28%, 12.39%, 25.70%, 1.4%, and 3.4% of fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, and fiber, respectively, whereas ripened pulp possessed 0.19%, 0.34%, 0.90%, 0.35%, and 0.98% of fat, protein, carbohydrates, ash, and fiber, respectively. The ripened seed and pulp were also rich in mineral elements and especially microelements. The pulp, when ripe, had high levels of microelements such as boron, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese with values of 25.98, 2523.56, 499.12, 33.62, and 40.30 µg/g DW, respectively. Phytate and oxalate content were comparatively higher in ripened seeds (6.91 and 31.88 mg/g FW) than in the pulp. Acetone, absolute methanol, water, and 70% methanol were used for the extraction of phytochemicals, and 70% methanol extract contained the highest phytochemicals. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and alkaloid content of unripe seeds was 180.47 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/DW, 68.95 quercetin equivalent (QE)/g DW, and 0.35 atropine equivalent (AE)/g DW, respectively, and that of unripe pulp was 8.21 mg GAE/g DW, 2.97 mg QE/g DW and 1.20 mg AE/g DW, respectively. All the extracts showed remarkable antioxidant activity, proved by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant activity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, following a similar trend to the phytochemical composition. The study concludes that Rourea minor fruits, both seeds, and pulp, could be an excellent source of nutrients, microelements, and antioxidants.

Extraction, characterization, haematocompatibility and antioxidant activity of linseed polysaccharide

The present research intends at investigating the extraction and characterization of linseed polysaccharide to explore its haematocompatibility and antioxidant properties. In this research, a light brown colored, odorless, tasteless, and aqueous-soluble polysaccharide was extracted (with a yield of 20.77%) from linseed powder of mature and ripe seeds (obtained from the plant- Linum usitatisimum, family- Liliaceae). The pH was measured 7.10 ± 0.50 and the viscosity was found 26.04 ± 1.43 cps. The results of phytochemical identification tests revealed the occurrences of carbohydrate as well as mucilage in the extracted linseed polysaccharide. The obtained results of ash values signified the purity of extracted linseed polysaccharide. The extracted polysaccharide was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and P-XRD analysis. The in vitro haematocompatibility testing of extracted linseed polysaccharide indicated its nonhaemolytic (with haemolysis percentage of 1.20%) and nonthrombogenic (with clot weight of 0.060 ± 0.011 g and thrombus percentage of 13.88 %) in nature. The in vitro antioxidant activity (DPPH free radical scavenging, ABTS free radical scavenging, and hydroxyl free radical scavenging assays) results clearly indicated its stronger antioxidant action in terms of good radical scavenging. The extracted linseed polysaccharide can be used as a natural antioxidant.

Evaluation of Selected Medicinal, Timber and Ornamental Legume Species' Seed Oils as Sources of Bioactive Lipophilic Compounds.

Bioactive lipophilic compounds were investigated in 14 leguminous tree species of timber, agroforestry, medicinal or ornamental use but little industrial significance to elucidate their potential in food additive and supplement production. The tree species investigated were: Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia concinna, Albizia lebbeck, Albizia odoratissima, Bauhinia racemosa, Cassia fistula, Dalbergia latifolia, Delonix regia, Entada phaseoloides, Hardwickia binata, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Senegalia catechu, Sesbania sesban and Vachellia nilotica. The hexane-extracted oils of ripe seeds were chromatographically analysed for their fatty acid composition (GC-MS), tocochromanol (RP-HPLC/FLD), squalene and sterol (GC-FID) content. A spectrophotometrical method was used to determine total carotenoid content. The results showed generally low oil yield (1.75-17.53%); the highest was from H. binata. Linoleic acid constituted the largest proportion in all samples (40.78 to 62.28% of total fatty acids), followed by oleic (14.57-34.30%) and palmitic (5.14-23.04%) acid. The total tocochromanol content ranged from 100.3 to 367.6 mg 100 g-1 oil. D. regia was the richest and the only to contain significant amount of tocotrienols while other oils contained almost exclusively tocopherols, dominated by either α-tocopherol or γ-tocopherol. The total carotenoid content was highest in A. auriculiformis (23.77 mg 100 g-1), S. sesban (23.57 mg 100 g-1) and A. odoratissima (20.37 mg 100 g-1), and ranged from 0.7 to 23.7 mg 100 g-1 oil. The total sterol content ranged from 240.84 to 2543 mg 100 g-1; A. concinna seed oil was the richest by a wide margin; however, its oil yield was very low (1.75%). Either β-sitosterol or Δ5-stigmasterol dominated the sterol fraction. Only C. fistula oil contained a significant amount of squalene (303.1 mg 100 g-1) but was limited by the low oil yield as an industrial source of squalene. In conclusion, A. auriculiformis seeds may hold potential for the production of carotenoid-rich oil, and H. binata seed oil has relatively high yield and tocopherol content, marking it as a potential source of these compounds.

Agronomic Investigation of Spray Dispersion of Metal-Based Nanoparticles on Sunflowers in Real-World Environments.

In environmental and agronomic settings, even minor imbalances can trigger a range of unpredicted responses. Despite the widespread use of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) and new bio-nanofertilizers, their impact on crop production is absent in the literature. Therefore, our research is focused on the agronomic effect of spray application of gold nanoparticles anchored to SiO2 mesoporous silica (AuSi-NPs), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) on sunflowers under real-world environments. Our findings revealed that the biosynthetically prepared AuSi-NPs and ZnO-NPs were highly effective in enhancing sunflower seasonal physiology, e.g., the value of the NDVI index increased from 0.012 to 0.025 after AuSi-NPs application. The distribution of leaf trichomes improved and the grain yield increased from 2.47 t ha-1 to 3.29 t ha-1 after ZnO-NPs application. AuSi-NPs treatment resulted in a higher content of essential linoleic acid (54.37%) when compared to the NPs-free control (51.57%), which had a higher determined oleic acid. No NPs or residual translocated metals were detected in the fully ripe sunflower seeds, except for slightly higher silica content after the AuSi-NPs treatment. Additionally, AuSi-NPs and NPs-free control showed wide insect biodiversity while ZnO-NPs treatment had the lowest value of phosphorus as anti-nutrient. Contradictory but insignificant effect on physiology, yield, and insect biodiversity was observed in Fe3O4-NPs treatment. Therefore, further studies are needed to fully understand the long-term environmental and agricultural sustainability of NPs applications.

Reproductive phenology of critical native plant species for mineland restoration in the eastern Amazon

AbstractAmazon ironstone outcrops vegetation, or canga, is a remarkable environment in which the plants are adapted to peculiar circumstances. Knowledge regarding different aspects of this ecosystem remains modest, including necessary insights for its conservation and recovery, such as the reproductive phenology of priority species that form the plant community. This study aimed to monitor the reproductive phenology of critical native species that are categorized as rare, endemic, and/or threatened in the canga of the Amazon Rainforest, in Pará, Brazil. During February 2016 and May 2017, eleven species were evaluated regarding the presence or absence of flowering and fruiting phenophases, and these were associated with environmental variables. Phenological data were evaluated through circular statistical analysis. All studied species flowered and produced fruit during the monitoring period. The evaluated species have an annual reproductive cycle marked by seasonality and flowering peaks between March and April, during the wet season, and fruiting peaks during May, at the beginning of the dry season. The best period for collecting ripe seeds, a primary tool for the restoration of degraded areas, is June. Water availability may be essential for the establishment of annual plants and to induce flowering in both annual and perennial species. The reproductive phenophases of the studied species are concentrated within a short period and are synchronized, which may increase the possibility of cross‐pollination and minimize flower and seed predation. We discuss the challenges in including annual plants and the importance of having them and perennial species in conservation and restoration of degraded areas projects.

Comparison of the Essential Oil Content, Constituents and Antioxidant Activity from Different Plant Parts during Development Stages of Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

The study was conducted to determine fennel essential oil (FEO) yield, composition, and antioxidant activity during four different maturation stages of umbels with seeds (1st stage: immature-pasty; 2nd stage: premature-waxy; 3rd stage: mature-fully ripe; and 4th stage: seeds only), and leaves of wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. vulgare) from the Montenegro coast. The maximum oil yield was found in premature umbels at the waxy stage (4.76 mL/100 g p.m.) and in fully ripe umbels in the early fruiting stage (5.16 mL/100 g p.m.). Fully ripe seeds contained the lowest FEO (mL/100 g p.m.). The minimum FEO content was found in leaves (0.67%). (E)-anethole (64%), α-phellandrene (11.0%), and fenchone (4.8%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from immature fennel umbels. (E)-anethole (72.3%), fenchone (9.6%) and methyl chavicol (9.5%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from premature fennel umbels. (E)-anethole (71.6%), fenchone (10.7%) and methyl chavicol (10.3%) were found to be the main components of the essential oil from mature fully ripe fennel umbels. Fennel seeds were rich in (E)-anethole (75.5%) and fenchone (13.7%). FEO from fennel leaves contained (E)-anethole (32.5%), α-phellandrene (18.8%), p-cymene (17.3%), and β-phellandrene (10.3%) as the main compounds. The antioxidant activity of FEO decreases from leaves (12.37 mg/mL) to seeds (37.20 mg/mL). The degree of DPPH radical neutralization increased with the incubation time. Fennel umbels can be harvested before the fully ripe stage, i.e., at the waxy stage, which considerably reduces seed shedding and losses and increases the essential oil yield.

Electrochemistry born in Bulgaria: the wide spread of ripened seeds at the transition to the twenty-first century

Electrochemistry born in Bulgaria: the wide spread of ripened seeds at the transition to the twenty-first century

Thevetia peruviana Seed Oil Transesterification for Biodiesel Production: An Optimization Study

Biodiesel production has been studied using non-edible seed oil from Thevetia peruviana. The non-edible oil from Thevetia peruviana seed could be used as a feedstock for biodiesel manufacturing. In this paper, the production of biodiesel utilizing Thevetia peruviana Seed Oil (TPSO) has been investigated. The ripe seeds of Thevetia peruviana were gathered from China and Pakistan, and after drying, its oil was extracted using the Soxhlet procedure. The seeds' highest oil content was discovered to be between 48-62%. Investigations were done into the TPSO's physicochemical characteristics. Transesterification was used to make biodiesel. The methanol to oil molar ratio, the duration, temperature, rate of stirring, and the amount of catalyst loaded were all studied in order to optimize the biodiesel synthesis process and get the highest yield. Under the ideal conditions, which included a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 6:1, a catalyst loading of 0.42 weight percent, a temperature of 70°C, a stirring rate of 700 rpm, and an 80-minute reaction period, the biodiesel yield was 98.4%. Gas Chromatography (GC) analysis was used to identify the fatty acid configuration of the oil. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the biodiesel product. The ASTM & EN test technique were used to determine the biodiesel's fuel characteristics. Thevetia peruviana seed oil is used to make biodiesel that satisfies the requirements of ASTM D6751 and EN standards. As a result, this seed oil is a possible feedstock for the production of biodiesel.

Encapsulation of Formosa Papaya (Carica papaya L.) Seed Extract: Physicochemical Characteristics of Particles, and Study of Stability and Release of Encapsulated Phenolic Compounds

Papaya seeds are a promising source of phenolic compounds, but these are unstable, and the papaya extract has a bitter taste. This study aimed to encapsulate papaya seed extracts at different maturation levels, and to characterize the obtained microparticles for their physicochemical properties, chemical stability and release of bioactives. Extracts of papaya (unripe and ripe) seeds were spray-dried using concentrations of 0, 15 and 30% of maltodextrin and inlet air temperatures of 130 and 150 °C. The powders were analyzed for yield, moisture, Aw, hygroscopicity, dispersibility, color parameters, morphology, mean diameter, total phenolics, antioxidant activity, stability during storage and release of phenolics in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Powders produced with maltodextrin showed better results regarding particle diameter, hygroscopicity, dispersibility, and phenolic stability during storage. All powders showed antioxidant action and significant values of total phenolic compounds. Samples without maltodextrin underwent caking. Drying temperatures had little influence on the characteristics of the powders. Encapsulated phenolic compounds were released in large amounts in the intestinal phase (86.6–100%). Powders produced with unripe seeds, 15% of maltodextrin and an inlet air temperature of 130 °C showed the best results. Thus, encapsulation was efficient, and encapsulated papaya seed extract has potential for food application as a natural additive.

PROSPECTS OF SOYBEAN GROWING IN THE WESTERN POLISSIA ZONE

Modern climatic changes, namely significant warming in the northern Forest-Steppe and Polissia zones of Ukraine, provide opportunities for growing a number of grain and leguminous crops (maize for grain, soybeans, sunflower, and others), previously unusual for this region. Among the above-mentioned crops, soybean is a crop that can significantly improve the nitrogen balance of the soil without the use of mineral fertilizers; its cultivation to some extent can be an alternative to expensive nitrogen fertilizers because, under the condition of inoculation, soybean can leave up to 80 kg/ha of biological nitrogen, which equivalent to 300 kg of ammonium nitrate, which is enough for forming decent harvest of winter wheat or corn. The analysis of meteorological data shows that when having the current amount of heat supply during the growing season in the Western Polissia zone, it is possible to grow ultra-early and early-ripening soybean varieties with a duration of the growing season of up to 90-100 days and a required number of heat units - up to 2400-2500 CHU. It was established that the main factor limiting the cultivation of soybeans on the peat soils of the Western Polissia zone is a significantly shorter frost-free period (compared to the adjacent sod-podzolic soils on dry land). Therefore, for growing on peat soils, it is necessary to choose ultra-early varieties of soybeans with a growing season of up to 85 days and the required number of heat units - up to 2400-2500 CHU. That will allow obtaining physiologically ripe seeds before the onset of the first autumn frosts, which in some years can already occur in the first decade of September. On peat soils, the yield of the Yunka soybean variety by the variants of the experiment ranged from 15,1-24,8 t/ha, while on the adjacent sod-podzolic light loamy soils it was 30,3-46,8 t/ha. The reason for the significantly lower soybean yield on peat soils is a short frost-free period compared to sod-podzolic soils, which did not allow the studied varieties to fully realize their potential for 2 years in a row. The research has established that on sod-podzolic light loamy soils of the Western Polissia zone, under favorable conditions, the yield of such ultra-early and early-ripening soybean varieties as Yunka and Astor of the Sevita genetics selection (Canada) can be up to 45,0-46,8 t/ha. The use of Rizofix inoculant in a combination with Rice Pi phosphorus-mobilizing product allows increasing the productivity of soybeans to 6,7-7,0 t/ha. Additional profit from their use is about 8-8,3 thousand hryvnias from 1 ha.

Comprehensive Quality Evaluation for Medicinal and Edible Ziziphi Spinosae Semen before and after Rancidity Based on Traditional Sensory, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Volatile Compounds.

To comprehensively evaluate the quality of medicinal and edible Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS, the dried ripe seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa) before and after rancidity during storage, some indicators including traditional sensory properties, physicochemical characteristics, and volatile compounds were analyzed. As a result, compared with the normal samples, the rancid samples of ZSS produced a darker color, a bitter taste, and an irritating odor, increased moisture content, electrical conductivity, fatty oil content, and acid value, and decreased water- and alcohol-soluble extract contents and pH value. Among them, the acid value had significant difference (p < 0.01) from 3.90 of normal ZSS to 18.68 mg/g of rancid ZSS. A total of 39 volatile compounds were identified in samples, including 20 in normal ZSS and 38 compounds in rancid ZSS. Nineteen common compounds were identified in normal and rancid samples. Among them, the content of 10 compounds such as δ-limonene, (R,R)-2,3-butanediol, and (R,S)-2,3-butanediol was decreased but that of nine compounds such as acetic acid, n-octanoic acid, and n-nonanoic acid was increased in rancid ZSS. Nineteen unique compounds such as β-phellandrene, α-pinene, and 3-carene were detected and only one compound, δ-cadinene, was not detected in rancid ZSS. In addition, eight short-chain organic acids, acetic, propanoic, butanoic, pentanoic, hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, and nonanoic acids, were new products in rancid ZSS, and it was speculated that the production of a series of organic acids might be the material basis of irritating odor after normal ZSS became rancid. This is the first report that a series of short-chain organic acids have been found in a rancid substance. In conclusion, there was a significant difference between normal and rancid ZSS. These indicators could be used as an early warning for judging the rancidity phenomenon of medicinal and edible ZSS. In addition, this is the first comprehensive evaluation about the rancidity process of a medicinal and edible substance.

SUBSTANTION OF THE PARAMETERS TO TILT THE CAMERA ADVANCED CLEANING SEEDS PASTURE PLANTS

To reduce losses and improve the quality of harvesting of pasture plant seeds by isolating biologically valuable seeds and reducing the degree of their injury, it is necessary to re-equip the serial inclined chambers of the combine harvester. By dismantling the necessary components of the inclined chamber with the spacer of the experimental installation, it is possible to study the leveling of the granary biomass by each of the feeding organs separately, and when they are put in place - in a complex. The principles of reducing the loss of seeds and their injury by preliminary isolation of free seeds from the mown crop mass, as well as pre-threshing destruction of the connection of ripened seeds with the stem are implemented in the design scheme of the combine harvester. With a quadratic regression equation of four independent variables, we can convert it to canonical form and analyze multi-dimensional view of the response surface in the investigated region of the factor space, and find the zone settings in which the response is extreme. Sum of squares due to regression (SSR) to complete the destruction of com double µ and the degree of leveling wheatgrass biomass v, is about 93% of the total sum of squares (SST), and for the degree of separation of spikes λ - 89,5%. Therefore, taking these coordinates for the optimal solution and converting them into natural scale, the following parameters improved feeding channel: supply of biomass q = 2,57 kg / pm; the length of the fracture L = 58,73 cm; angle of attack a = 25,76 corrugation deg.; height of the corrugation h - 19,62 mm

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of extracts from Moroccan fresh fava beans pods (Vicia Faba L.).

In Morocco, fava beans are widely used as a main meal or as an ingredient in various traditional recipes, in the form of fresh ripe seeds or dry seeds. In the past, the tender skin of bean pods was also used in certain specific dishes, thus diversifying the diet. However, the peels of the tender bean pods are currently less or not used and considered waste. In Moroccan, fava bean pods peels, traditionally used in food in the past, are today considered as waste. The valorization of fresh fava bean pods could revitalize the use of the specific dishes and diversify the diet. For this reason, the research aimed to assess the nutritional values and biological compounds of the whole fresh fava bean pods (Vicia faba L.). Evaluate the content of nutrients, total phenolic, flavonoids and tannin contents and antioxidant activity in different extracts of the tender pods of the fava bean (Vicia faba L.). The proximate composition and minerals were determined using AOAC methods. The total phenolic compounds by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, the total flavonoids were analyzed using aluminum chloride colorimetric method, the tannins by method of vanillin in an acidic medium and the antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH method. The results show that the fresh fava bean pods have a moisture content of 87.31 ± 0.25%, ash 4.67 ± 1.03, and protein 29.11 ± 3.20 g/100 g. The legume samples also contain potassium (1946.8±4.61), phosphorus (483.8 ± 3.14), and calcium (399.6 ±2.25) mg/100 g of dry matter representing at last 40-50% of the RDI. The content of the different extracts of (Vicia faba L) varied from 49.5 to 594.4 mg GAE/ g for the total phenols, from 0.7 mg to 3.4 mg QE/g for flavonoids, and from 4.9 mg to 73.91 mg TAE/g dry weight for tannins. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity in the various extracts revealed a better activity in the methanolic extract (IC50=491.2 μg/mL) compared to others extracts: the MeOH/water extract (IC50=606.61 μg/mL), DCM/ MeOH extract (IC50 = 642.67 μg/mL) and DCM extract below of 50%. This study shows that fava bean pods, traditionally used in food, are rich in macro and micronutrients and bioactive substances, which demonstrates their potential contribution to human food and nutritional security.

Ripe and unripe seed of Xanthium italicum – elemental composition

Elements content in plants varies considerably, which is a consequence of various factors, such as plant species, vegetative stage, pedological characteristics of the soil and environmental conditions. The subject of this work is an investigation of the elemental composition of Xanthium italicum ripe and unripe seed collected in Temska using ICP OES. Out of the analyzed macroelements, potassium is the one with the highest concentration, and its content significantly differs in the ripe and unripe seeds. Iron showed five times higher concentration in unripe (27.7 µg/g) compared to ripe (6.2 µg/g) seed. The content of Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn also differ in the ripe and unripe stages of the analyzed seed, which indices that elemental composition is affected by the vegetative stage. Lead and arsenic content are higher than permissible limits, which might affect honey production in this region.

Physicochemical Evaluation of Diploknema butyracea Seed Extract and Formulation of Ketoconazole Ointment by Using the Fat as a Base

The fat obtained from the ripened seeds of Diploknema butyracea is widely used as a vegetable oil in rural areas of Nepal. This study was aimed for the physicochemical evaluation (acid value, iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value, ester value, pH, and liquefaction point) of the Diploknema butyracea seed extract (chyuri fat) and the formulation of 2% w/w ketoconazole ointment by using it as a base. All the physicochemical parameters were determined quantitatively by using the method of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), volume-I. By fusion method, 3 different formulations F-A, F-B, and F-C were prepared, in which different proportions of chyuri fat, polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 600), Tween 80, and propylene glycol were used as an ointment base. Various quality parameters such as spreadability, extrudability, viscosity, smoothness, pH, average fill weight, assay, content uniformity, accelerated stability, and drug release profiles were determined. HPLC was used for the determination of ketoconazole content in the ointment formulations. Physicochemical evaluation of the chyuri fat ensured its suitability for industrial purpose. The active ingredient release profile of formulations F-A (87.71%), F-B (88.89%), and F-C (91.09%) after 5 hours were within acceptable range along with other parameters. Assay of the formulations F-A, F-B, and F-C were reported to be 103.01, 107.9, and 102.45%, respectively. Overall, evaluation of the formulation F-A, prepared by using chyrui fat only, gave satisfactory results and most of the parameters were statistically similar (p&gt;0.05) to the F-B and F-C formulated by incorporating a certain proportion of synthetic base. Thus it can be concluded that chyuri fat can be the best alternative to replace the expensive synthetic base.

Ginkgo biloba Seeds—An Environmental Pollutant or a Functional Food

Ginkgo biloba has been cultivated in Bulgaria since the end of the 19th century. Ividual specimens can be seen in almost every park. Females of the tree are considered contaminants of the landscape because their ripe seeds have a strong odor and are not utilized. We undertook this study to clarify whether ginkgo seeds of local origin can be converted from an unwanted and unused environmental pollutant into a source of beneficial compounds. Various analytical and chromatographic methods were used to quantify the major constituents and ten biologically active compounds in methanol seed extract. The results showed that the seeds are low in proteins (5%) and fats (1%); the seeds were also rich in unsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols. About 44% of nut starch was resistant to in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis. The amount of terpene trilactones in an aqueous-methanol seed extract was significantly higher than the number of flavonoids. Ginkgotoxin and ginkgolic acid were also found. The extract demonstrated weak antimicrobial activity against thirteen microorganisms. This study revealed that seeds of locally grown Ginkgo trees can be used as a source of biologically active substances. The chemical composition show similarity to those of seeds from other geographical areas.

Burrowing Parrots Cyanoliseus patagonus as Long-Distance Seed Dispersers of Keystone Algarrobos, Genus Prosopis, in the Monte Desert

Understanding of ecosystem structure and functioning requires detailed knowledge about plant–animal interactions, especially when keystone species are involved. The recent consideration of parrots as legitimate seed dispersers has widened the range of mechanisms influencing the life cycle of many plant species. We examined the interactions between the burrowing parrot Cyanoliseus patagonus and two dominant algarrobo trees (Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra) in the Monte Desert, Argentina. We recorded the abundance and foraging behaviour of parrots; quantified the handling, consumption, wasting, and dispersal of ripe and unripe pods; and tested the viability of soft and hard ripe seeds wasted and transported by parrots. We found a high abundance of burrowing parrots. They predated on soft seeds from unripe pods while exclusively feeding upon pulp wrapping hard seeds from ripe pods. Frequent pod wasting beneath the plant or transport at a distance invariably implied the dispersal of multiple seeds in each event. Moreover, soft seeds retained viability after desiccation outside the mother plant, suggesting effective seed dispersal after partial pod predation due to a predator satiation effect. In about half of the foraging flocks, at least one parrot departed in flight with pods in its beak, with 10–34% of the flock components moving pods at distances averaging 238 m (P. alba) and 418 m (P. nigra). A snapshot sampling of faeces from livestock and wild mammals suggested a low frequency of seed dispersal by endozoochory and secondary dispersal by ants and dung beetles. The nomadic movements and long flights of burrowing parrots between breeding and foraging sites can lead to the dispersal of huge amounts of seeds across large areas that are sequentially exploited. Further research should evaluate the role of the burrowing parrot as a functionally unique species in the structure of the Monte Desert woods and the genetic structure of algarrobo species.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Bignay (Antidesma bunius (Linn.) Spreng var. Kalabaw) Flesh and Seeds as Affected by Maturity and Processing Method

This study aimed to determine the influence of maturity stages and processing methods (blanching and steaming) on the antioxidant profile and in vitro antioxidant activities of bignay (Antidesma bunius (Linn.) Spreng var. Kalabaw) flesh and seeds. Bignay fruits of three maturities (unripe, half ripe, and fully ripe) were collected from Laguna, Philippines. Each maturity stage was subdivided into three lots. One lot underwent blanching at 90 ± 5°C for 2 minutes, and another underwent steaming at 105 ± 5°C for 5 minutes while the last did not undergo treatment. Seeds of the samples were then separated from the flesh. Both seeds and flesh were freeze-dried, extracted, and analyzed for antioxidant contents (total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and total anthocyanin content) and antioxidant activity by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Results show that both the maturity and processing methods significantly affect the antioxidant content and activity of the samples. Moreover, except for the FRAP assay done on flesh samples, all assays showed that there is significant interaction between the effect of maturity and processing method on the antioxidant contents and activity of bignay flesh and seeds. Results also show that fully ripe flesh and seeds yielded greater antioxidant content and antioxidant activity than their half-ripe and unripe counterparts; whereas, blanched flesh and seeds generally had higher antioxidant activities than their unprocessed and steamed counterparts.