Vegetable Sources Research Articles

Some regularities in the process of anthocyanin extraction from vegetable sources

This work investigates regularities in the process of extracting anthocyanins from various plant sources in the medium of extractants. For extraction, fresh plant samples were used, including the roots of purple carrots, roots of purple potatoes of the Amethyst variety, fresh fruits of Michurin's aronia, fruits of the garden nightshade, cornelian cherries, blueberries and red cabbage, as well as dried peony petals. The extraction was carried out by infusing the plant material under study in a selected extractant (left overnight). The concentration of anthocyanins was determined spectrophotometrically. It was shown that a 0.1 M aqueous solution of HCl is an effective and environmentally friendly extractant allowing for the extraction of anthocyanins from various sources. Provided that the medium acidity is greater than 1, significant losses of anthocyanins are possible: 5-45% at pH = 2; 33-88% at pH = 3; 41-92% when extracted with distilled water. Acylation does not contribute to an increase in the degree of anthocyanin extraction. The addition of organic solvents (ethanol, acetonitrile and glycerin) can significantly accelerate the anthocyanin extraction in some cases, which is particularly true for cornelian cherries. When using crushed material, the influence of the extractant on the degree of extraction is minimal. Information is presented on the solvatochromic effect, which affects the spectral characteristics of some anthocyanin solutions. It was shown that the shift of the absorption band maximum is the greatest for non-acylated anthocyanins, while decreasing for acylated compounds. The latter is most likely to be associated with the intramolecular copigmentation of acylated anthocyanins in aqueous solutions. When determining the concentration of anthocyanins in solvents with different concentrations of organic additives, the solvatochromic effect should be taken into account. The addition of an organic solvent leads not only to a shift in the absorption band maxima, but also to significant hyperchromic effects. If this effect is ignored, errors in determination of anthocyanins can exceed 70%. This paper proposes a simple and effective approach to considering these effects using a cross-dilution scheme. Therefore, the choice of extractants for efficient anthocyanin extraction from various plant raw materials was experimentally substantiated, and a method for evaluating solvatochromic effects was proposed.

Comparative Study of Vegetable Oils Oxidative Stability using DSC and Rancimat Methods

A comparative study was carried out to evaluate and compare the oxidative stability of vegetable oils (olive, corn and sunflower) in Egypt, through evaluation of accelerated oxidation at four different isothermal temperatures (110, 120, 130, 140 °C) using two different instruments: a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a Rancimat instrument, taking into account the physicochemical quality characteristics and relationships between oxidative stability and fatty acid composition of oils. The Rancimat instrument was set at the four different isothermal temperatures with an air flow 20 L/h and measures the induction period (IP) of the selected oils. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique involved accelerated oxidation of oil samples in an air flow of 60 ml/min in DSC cell set at four different isothermal temperatures. A rapid increase in evolved heat was observed with the appearance of a sharp exothermic curve during initiation of the oxidation reaction. From the resulting exothermic curve, the onset of oxidation time (To) was determined graphically by the DSC instrument. There was an excellent correlation (p 0.98) between the two methods with coefficient of determination (R2 >0.89) for DSC independent of the vegetable oil source, imply that DSC can be recommended as an alternative appropriate objective method for assessing the oxidative stability of vegetable oils because of its simplicity, absence of toxic chemicals, small amount of sample and time-saving nature and could be easily used for routine analysis in oils and fats industry.

Current Practice of Branched Chain Amino Acids Administration in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: A Physician Survey

Introduction: Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) is prevalent in about 65-90% of patients with liver disorders. PEM is usually associated with poor quality of life, high risk of complications, morbidity and mortality, and longer duration of hospital stays. PEM is also associated with decreased skeletal muscle mass and reduced levels of serum albumin and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). Therefore, BCAAs are recommended as nutritional therapy in various liver disorders. Aim: To understand the current practice of BCAA use in patients with liver cirrhosis in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted pan India involving 100 gastroenterologists over a period of four months from September 2019 to December 2019. Each physician participated in the survey after verbal consent. Ample time was given for completion of the questionnaires. Results: Out of 83 participating physicians, nearly 3/4th considered liver cirrhosis as the most common Gastrointestinal (GI) disorder where nutrition is important in patient management. Malnutrition was commonly observed in patients with cirrhosis by nearly over 80% physicians and was most common in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Weight loss and loss of appetite can be early signs of sarcopenia as these were common profiles observed in patients with malnutrition. Total 51.8% physicians considered BCAA administration in all Child-Pugh class patients. The practice of BCAA treatment with regards to its dose and duration highly varied for patients with cirrhosis, Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), and Liver Transplantation (LT). Proteins from vegetarian source (50.6%) and BCAA supplementation (96.4%) were considered as major treatments for HE patients. Majority of the physicians reported that BCAA administration improved quality of life (52.4%), reduced HE episodes (49.4%), improved muscle mass (50%), and reduced hospitalisation rates (49.4%) in 20-40% of their patients. In all, 92.8% of physicians suggested that early administration of oral BCAA can prolong the waiting period for LT. Conclusion: Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) is an integral part of nutritional management in patients with liver cirrhosis in India. Further studies are required to guide the decision on dose and duration of BCAA treatment in the management of cirrhosis.

On the Formation Mechanism of Indigo Blue and Indigo Red from Vegetable Source

In this communication a series of ionic reactions is advanced in order to explain not only indigo blue formation but also the continuous presence of indigo red as companion, and why this compound is always found in minority. Indican is the glycoside found in <i>Indigofera tinctoria</i> from which the mixture of indigo blue and indigo red is obtained by means of air oxidation in alkaline medium. A reaction mechanism for the hydrolysis of indican, which was advanced decades ago, is criticized in this paper. Fifty years ago a radical mechanism was suggested for indigo formation. However, the supposed reactive species, indoxyl radical, was not detected by electron spin resonance. Besides, there is no free radical promoter, and indirubin (indigo red) was not considered. A series of ionic reactions explain the formation of both indigoids, and why indigo red occurs in minor proportion. Indoxyl, 3-hydroxyindole, is the aglycone from indican. Reaction of indoxyl with oxygen is catalyzed by calcium hydroxide, indoxyl hydroperoxide being formed. Internal reaction in this intermediate produces 3-oxo-indolenine, which reacts with indoxyl carbanion to give leucoindigo. Further steps lead to indigo blue. Indirubin is formed from indoxyl hydroperoxide by dehydration to isatin, a keto lactam. Condensation of isatin salt with 3-indolinone affords indigo red. This step is retarded due to electric hindrance.

Palm Oil Processing and Controversies over Its Health Effect: Overview of Positive and Negative Consequences.

Palm oil is the world's most commonly used vegetable oil and extracted both from fruit and seed of palm tree. However, its high saturated fatty acid content raised controversies over consumption of the oil. Few scientific findings suggest it as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and increased consumer's awareness over healthy diet raised claim over it. So that, this article aimed to review literatures on palm oil extraction process and its positive and negative health consequences and besides suggest strategies for healthy diet. Literature search of relevant articles was conducted by using Google scholar, PubMed, Web of science, MEDLINE, World Health Organization library online catalogue, UNICEF library, Open access thesis and dissertations published between 2009 and 2021 explored. Study reports recommend that palmitic acid from vegetable source has less effect on blood total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol level as compared to palmitic acid from animal source. In contrary tocotrienols of palm oil lowers blood bad cholesterol level by 7-38%. Moreover, palm oil triacylglycerol arrangement does not have a cardiovascular risk and evidences from available in vitro and in vivo studies are not sufficient enough to conclude palm oil as a causative agent for cardiovascular disease. For healthy diet consumers should avoid trans fatty acids, solid and semi solid oils. Finally, further studies recommended on mitigation strategies to minimize process induced toxicants of palm oil to acceptable level.

Density and distribution of calcium oxalate crystals in vegetative organs of “green” wild taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.)

The study’s aim was to investigate the distribution of calcium oxalate (CaOx) in vegetative organs of “green” morphotype wild taro Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott. An anatomical study was conducted on the vegetative organs (root, corm, leaf blade, and petiole) of the “green” morphotype wild taro at different developing stages. The transverse sections were double-stained with carmine alum laque–iodin green dye to investigate the density and distribution of CaOx crystals. The four forms of CaOx crystals found in vegetative organs were druse, free needle-liked, raphide bundle, and prism crystals. Prismatic crystals were observed in the root only once. Biforine or biforine-liked cell, an unusual form of raphide bundle, was detected. These crystals were revealed in specialized cells such as epidermis, parenchyma, palisade mesophyll, and spongy mesophyll. The density, size, shape, and distribution of crystals in the vegetative organs varied depending on the type and developmental stage of the organs. The diameter of the druses and the width of the raphide bundles were both increased in the developing leaves compared to that of the young leaves. The width of the raphide bundles of the old leaves was reduced compared to that of the developing leaves. The minimum and maximum sizes of all CaOx crystals varied greatly. The density and distribution of CaOx in the vegetative organs made it facility to protect plants against herbivores. The presence of CaOx in the vegetative organs created a warning signal when used as a source of green vegetables or traditional medicine.

Different Types of Plant-Based Fiber in a Protein-Containing Meal During Satiety and Hunger States: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Fiber content of a meal is distinctly effective in appetite. There are studies that draw attention to the effects of protein and fiber combined meals on short-term satiety and food intake. This study was performed to examine the effects of different fiber sources in a protein-containing meal during satiety and hunger. The study was carried out once a week on the same day and for three-week duration, with total of 17 randomly selected participants with ages between 18 and 24 years. The test foods containing different vegetable fiber sources (chickpeas and oats) were given to the participants every week as isocaloric, which have been the control food for a week. The satiety status was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) for total of five times as immediately before the test food consumption and at 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after consumption. Fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels were measured. A 24-hour retrospective food consumption record was obtained the next day. There was no statistically significant difference among the VAS results of the three groups, which were given chickpea + yoghurt (CY), oat + yoghurt (OY), and yoghurt (Y) as control (p&gt; 0.05). No significant difference was observed in ad libitum food intake after the test food and daily energy intake determined by 24-hour food consumption records (p&gt; 0.05). However, the energy and macronutrient intake of the OY group at the ad libitum lunch and the rest of the day were significantly lower than that of CY. The difference between blood glucose levels during hunger and satiety states of CY group was found significant (p &lt;0.05). Collectively, the VAS findings revealed that consumption of fiber-enriched meal has a significant effect on short-term satiety, daily energy intake and blood glucose level control compared to a protein-only meal, however no significant difference was observed between the types of fiber consumed. Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT 04601025. Keywords: hunger, fiber, protein, satiety, appetite DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/85-13 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Evaluation of Vegetable Protein Sources on Nursery Pig Performance in a Commercial Environment

Evaluation of Vegetable Protein Sources on Nursery Pig Performance in a Commercial Environment

Artichoke leaf extracts: Proteolytic activity, coagulant and HPLC analysis

ABSTRACT The search for origin plant-based proteases increases gradually due to their diversity and stability over a wide range of pH and temperature. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) flowers are a proteolytic vegetable source already studied, but their leaves are scarce in this respect. Thus, the objective of this research was to obtain extracts of artichoke leaves with different buffers and extraction methods as an alternative proteolytic source and plant coagulant, as well as the separation and comparison of the protein profile of these extracts. The methodology used was based on extraction with sodium citrate buffer (pH 3), sodium acetate (pH 5) and Tris-HCl (pH 7) by mechanical stirrer (MS) and ultrasound (US); protein determination; proteolytic activity (PA) and specific activity (SA); milk clotting activity (MCA) and rennet substitution potential (RSP); high- performance liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC) with UV-Vis detector and principal component analysis (PCA). Extracts of Cynara scolymus leaves showed high results with Citrate-US for the parameters PA (14.38), SA (19.71), MCA (440) and RSP (30.60) compared to other treatments. The extracts with citrate and acetate presented a quick coagulation time (max 3 min). The HPLC analysis enabled the separation of the different protein compounds present in the extracts and most expressive peaks in the samples with Citrate-MS and Acetate-MS; and isolated peaks for Citrate-US. It was concluded that extracts of artichoke leaves with citrate and acetate buffer attributed satisfactory results to act as plant coagulant, as well as to carry out further studies for the purification of proteolytic enzymes and application in cheeses.

Alkyd based water-reducible anticorrosive paints and their antifungal potential

Concerns about ozone layer, contamination, fossils resources and health, has banned or restricted the use of traditionally organic solvents in paints. As a consequence, new resins that employed water as main solvent are being studied. Among these resins, alkyds are the most studied one as they can also be synthesised from natural vegetable sources, making them more acceptable.The aim of this paper was to study the anticorrosive behaviour of alkyd / polysaccharide paints containing zinc phosphate or zinc aluminum phosphate as main pigment and their performance against fungal growth. Two different PVC (pigment volume concentration) were studied. Painted panels were studied by exposition to salt spray and humidity chambers, where rusting and blistering degrees were evaluated, and by electrochemical tests (corrosion potential measurements, ionic resistances determination, linear polarization curves and polarization resistances determination).Results showed that these type of paints can be used to protect steel and that the type of pigment and the PVC are important to the protection. Besides, good selection of both also prevents fungi growth in a high humid environment.

The nitrogen and carbon footprints of vegetable production in the subtropical high elevation mountain region

Mountain vegetable production has become a critical source of low heat-resistance vegetables in summer in subtropical regions, but evaluations based on life-cycle assessment (LCA) that are relevant to the environment and economics have not been reported. We conducted a survey to compare the cabbage yield and resource inputs for small-holder farms at a high (HEL, 900–1500 m) and low (LEL, 200–600 m) elevations in a subtropical region in Southwest China. We used LCA to quantify the nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) footprints, and used the yield and environmental impacts gap method to determine the potential to mitigate the environmental impacts of farming at HELs and LELs. The results show that the respective average reactive N (Nr) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the HEL and LEL were 137.0 kg N ha−1 and 6785 kg CO2-eq ha−1, and 126.7 kg N ha−1 and 6153 kg CO2-eq ha−1, respectively. The N and C footprints for the HEL were 17.3% and 16.2% lower, respectively, than those for the LEL due to the higher yield at the HEL. The average cabbage yield was 26.5% greater at the HEL (53.2 t ha−1) than at the LEL (42.0 t ha−1). The average total N application rate at the HEL was 455 kg N ha−1, which was 6.0% greater than that at the LEL. There was great potential for yield increases and the mitigation of N and C footprints by farmers at both the HEL and LEL. Compared to the average of all surveyed farmers for HEL and LEL, those farmers whose yields and N fertilizer production efficiency were both higher than the average of all surveyed farmers (HH groups) reduced their N and C footprints by 44.7–49.4% and 44.4–51.2%, respectively, with 34.4–52.3% higher yield and 9.2–19.8% lower N application rate. This study indicates that high yield, low environmental cost, and high economic benefit can be achieved by advancing agronomic management based on the best farmers’ practices for vegetable production in a subtropical high-elevation mountain region.

Plant Sources Responsible for the Chemical Composition and Main Bioactive Properties of Poplar-Type Propolis.

Propolis is a resinous mixture, made by the honeybees from substances collected from tree or other plant buds, plant exudates, or resins found in the stem, branches, or leaves of different plants. The geographical origin of propolis is given by plant sources from respective areas. Different studies have classified this bee product according to the vegetal material from the same areas. Poplar-type propolis has the widest spread in the world, in the temperate zones from Europe, Asia, or North America. The name is given by the main plant source from where the bees are collecting the resins, although other vegetal sources are present in the mentioned areas. Different Pinus spp., Prunus spp., Acacia spp. and also Betula pendula, Aesculus hippocastanum, and Salix alba are important sources of resins for “poplar-type” propolis. The aim of this review is to identify the vegetal material’s chemical composition and activities of plant resins and balms used by the bees to produce poplar-type propolis and to compare it with the final product from similar geographical regions. The relevance of this review is to find the similarities between the chemical composition and properties of plant sources and propolis. The latest determination methods of bioactive compounds from plants and propolis are also reviewed.

Carcass yield and haemato-biochemical indices of broiler chickens as affected by dietary replacement of yellow maize with gayamba pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) variety

The consumer price for poultry products in Nigeria and the expansion of the commercial poultry industry are negatively affected by the utilization of competitive and costly ingredients in making poultry diets. Consequently, the identification and utilization of locally available alternatives would greatly reduce cost of poultry production and products. In this regard, a study was undertaken to examine the effects of replacement of yellow maize (YM) with gayamba pearl millet variety as dietary energy source on carcass yield and blood parameters of broiler chickens. Three hundred (300) Ross 308 broiler chicks weighing 167.94 – 173.07g were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments of 75 birds each. Each treatment was replicated thrice with 25 birds in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets contained 0, 33.33, 66.67 and 100% gayamba millet as replacement for YM designated as diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Full-fat soya bean and groundnut cake meal were the main vegetable protein sources used in the diets. Feed and water were provided ad libitum and the experiment lasted for 49 days. Results for carcass yield indicated a significant (P&lt;0.05) influence of diet on live weight (1828.33 – 2316.66 g), plucked weight (1622.83 – 2132.83 g), eviscerated weight (1429.50 – 1883.47 g) and carcass weight (1277.66 – 1680.33 g) in favour of diet 3. However, dressing percentage (69.00 – 72.50%) did not differ among treatments. In the same way, most of the relative weights of organs were also not significantly affected by diet. Except for the packed cell volume (29.81 – 35.04%), none of the haematological parameters showed significant difference among the treatments. Similarly, most of the serum biochemical indices apart from total proteins, albumin and globulin, did not differ significantly among treatments. It was therefore concluded that gayamba pearl millet can completely replace yellow maize in broiler chickens' diets with no adverse effect on carcass yield and blood constituents.

Bioconversion of Selected Solid Wastes by Control Cultivation of Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus florida and its Nutrient Analysis

Mushrooms are a source of nutrition particularly in respect of proteins and vitamins. It has been rightly called “vegetable meat”. Apart from being potential protein and energy source, mushrooms are famous for their medicinal values. In addition to their fascination for the gourmet, they are nature’s most active agents in the disposal of forest’s waste materials. Not only in disposing timber, but also helps in converting dead plants into available food. They are efficient agents, fitting into the nutrient cycle of farms and forests. As they utilize agricultural by products and wastes as their substrate, mushroom cultivation is an eco-friendly activity. In a country like India where vegeterians dominate, every attempt should be made to popularize a vegetable protein source like mushroom. A study on the cultivation of oyster mushroom, Pleurotus florida was undertaken. It was found to grow on various solid wastes viz. paddy straw, rice husk, saw dust, water hyacinth and a mixture of all the selected substrates. The oyster mushroom cultivated on the paddy straw gives the maximum yield with high content of protein, carbohydrate and lipid.

Upgrading Black Gram By-Product to a New Texturized Vegetable Source by Extrusion: Evaluation of Functionality, Antinutrients and In Vitro Digestibility

In this study, the feasibility of extruding black gram protein-rich by-product was evaluated. The functionality, digestibility and antinutrient content of the extruded by-product was studied in comparison with the commercial texturized vegetable protein (TVP). The extrusion significantly improved the water absorption capacity (from 2.85 to 3.61 g/g) and starch digestibility (from 72.88 to 78.83%). The extrusion also reduced the content of phenolics (from 3.21 to 1.94 mg/g), flavonoids (from 0.52 to 0.29 mg/g), proanthocyanidins (from 12.93 to 9.7 mg/g) and saponins (from 31.35 to 22.02 mg/g). The microstructure examination confirmed the structural transformation of starch granules and their embedded protein matrix as a result of extrusion. Findings of the study indicated that the extruded by-product exhibited favorable functional characteristics, which were comparable to TVP, a widely used meat substitute. Furthermore, the product development study revealed the suitability of this extruded by-product as a meat substitute in patty formulation. The above finding suggests the utility of the black gram by-product as a potential alternative to commercial TVP.

Plant foods, dietary fibre and risk of ischaemic heart disease in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort.

BackgroundEpidemiological evidence indicates that diets rich in plant foods are associated with a lower risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), but there is sparse information on fruit and vegetable subtypes and sources of dietary fibre. This study examined the associations of major plant foods, their subtypes and dietary fibre with risk of IHD in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).MethodsWe conducted a prospective analysis of 490 311 men and women without a history of myocardial infarction or stroke at recruitment (12.6 years of follow-up, n cases = 8504), in 10 European countries. Dietary intake was assessed using validated questionnaires, calibrated with 24-h recalls. Multivariable Cox regressions were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of IHD.ResultsThere was a lower risk of IHD with a higher intake of fruit and vegetables combined [HR per 200 g/day higher intake 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90–0.99, P-trend = 0.009], and with total fruits (per 100 g/day 0.97, 0.95–1.00, P-trend = 0.021). There was no evidence for a reduced risk for fruit subtypes, except for bananas. Risk was lower with higher intakes of nuts and seeds (per 10 g/day 0.90, 0.82–0.98, P-trend = 0.020), total fibre (per 10 g/day 0.91, 0.85–0.98, P-trend = 0.015), fruit and vegetable fibre (per 4 g/day 0.95, 0.91–0.99, P-trend = 0.022) and fruit fibre (per 2 g/day 0.97, 0.95–1.00, P-trend = 0.045). No associations were observed between vegetables, vegetables subtypes, legumes, cereals and IHD risk.ConclusionsIn this large prospective study, we found some small inverse associations between plant foods and IHD risk, with fruit and vegetables combined being the most strongly inversely associated with risk. Whether these small associations are causal remains unclear.

Revealing the organic dye and mordant composition of Paracas textiles by a combined analytical approach

The object of this study is a wide selection of dyed cotton and camelid samples from an important collection of 2000-year-old Paracas textiles, now at the Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú (MNAAHP; Lima; Peru) and at the National Museum of World Culture (NMWC; Gothenburg; Sweden). The threads, chosen as representative of the whole palette, were selected from eighteen different textiles. A combined spectroscopic and spectrometric analytical approach was selected to characterize the organic and inorganic composition of this wide set of samples. In particular, technical photography was used to gain a general overview of the samples, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was employed for identifying the mordants and mapping the elemental distribution in the threads, while liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector and with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD, HPLC–HRMS) were used for characterizing organic dye composition. This study provides fundamental information on the mordants or other inorganic auxiliaries used in the dyeing processes, rarely investigated up to now, and to the varieties of vegetal sources employed in Paracas textiles. The widening of the Andean dyestuff database is highly important not only to acquire knowledge on Paracas culture, but also to ease the dye characterization of archaeological textiles from the Peruvian region and South American area in general.

The secret of health in daily cuisine: typical healthy vegetables in local markets in central Myanmar

BackgroundCentral Myanmar is located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, and the Bamar people are the main ethnic group, which settled there over 1000 years ago. Despite being the core region of the country, central Myanmar has been ignored in previous ethnobotanical studies. Local healthy foods and knowledge are regarded as treasures for resource development and pharmaceutical drug discovery, and market surveys are a good strategy in ethnobotanical research. Thus, we collected and documented typical vegetables and local knowledge in local markets and then analysed the diversity and local knowledge of these vegetables.Materials and methodsObservations and interviews were used in the field study, and 10 markets and fairs were selected in central Myanmar. A total of 277 vegetable stalls or shops were visited. We compared the local knowledge we collected with selected important and typical herbal books on traditional Myanmar medicine. Quantitative analysis, including frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV), was used to assess the diversity and local knowledge of these vegetables.ResultsA total of 132 plant taxa from 47 botanical families and 116 genera were collected. Most (106 taxa, 80.3%) of these vegetables were cited by the informants as functional foods that had health benefits, while others were regarded as merely “good for health”. The main health function of the vegetables was treating digestive problems. Sixty-four species were recorded in selected herbal books on traditional Myanmar medicine, and forty-seven taxa were not recorded in these books but were nonetheless used as healthy vegetables by local people. Twenty-eight species of vegetables were collected from wild places.ConclusionThe diversity and local knowledge of healthy vegetables in central Myanmar were rich. Nevertheless, the diversity of wild vegetables was seemingly relatively low. The possible reason was that we counted only the vegetables that were from entirely wild sources as “wild vegetables”. The most frequently cited vegetables were commonly cultivated species, which reflects the fact that plants cultivated on a large scale comprise the major source of vegetables. Some lesser known vegetables could reflect the unique food culture of local people, but most of these were cited only a few times by the interviewees, which caused low UV and RFC rankings for them in the league table. In addition, future research should pay more attention to the food safety of these vegetables.

Baccharis dracunculifolia and Dalbergia ecastophyllum, Main Plant Sources for Bioactive Properties in Green and Red Brazilian Propolis.

Nowadays, propolis is used as a highly valuable product in alternative medicine for improving health or treating a large spectrum of pathologies, an ingredient in pharmaceutical products, and also as a food additive. Different vegetal materials are collected by honeybees and mixed with wax and other own substances in order to obtain the final product, called propolis. It is known as the bee product with the widest chemical composition due to the raw material collected by the bees. Different types are known worldwide: green Brazilian propolis (having Baccharis dracunculifolia as the major plant source), red Brazilian propolis (from Dalbergia ecastophyllum), European propolis (Populus nigra L.), Russian propolis (Betula verrucosa Ehrh), Cuban and Venezuelan red propolis (Clusia spp.), etc. An impressive number of scientific papers already demonstrate the pharmacological potential of different types of propolis, the most important activities being the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. However, the bioactive compounds responsible for each activity have not been fully elucidated. This review aims to collect important data about the chemical composition and bioactive properties of the vegetal sources and to compare with the chemical composition of respective propolis types, in order to determine the connection between the floral source and the propolis properties.

Lecithins from Vegetable, Land, and Marine Animal Sources and Their Potential Applications for Cosmetic, Food, and Pharmaceutical Sectors

The aim of this work was to review the reported information about the phospholipid composition of lecithins derived from several natural sources (lipids of plant, animal, and marine origin) and describe their main applications for the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical sectors. This study was carried out using specialized search engines and according to the following inclusion criteria: (i) documents published between 2005 and 2020, (ii) sources of lecithins, (iii) phospholipidic composition of lecithins, and (iv) uses and applications of lecithins. Nevertheless, this work is presented as a narrative review. Results of the review indicated that the most studied source of lecithin is soybean, followed by sunflower and egg yolk. Contrarily, only a few numbers of reports focused on lecithins derived from marine animals despite the relevance of this source in association with an even higher composition of phospholipids than in case of those derived from plant sources. Finally, the main applications of lecithins were found to be related to their nutritional aspects and ability as emulsion stabilizers and lipid component of liposomes.