Draft genomes of two Artocarpus plants, jackfruit (A. heterophyllus) and breadfruit (A. altilis)

Two of the most economically important plants in the Artocarpus genus are jackfruit (A. heterophyllus Lam.) and breadfruit (A. altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg). Both species are long-lived trees that have been cultivated for thousands of years in their native regions. Today they are grown throughout tropical to subtropical areas as an important source of starch and other valuable nutrients. There are hundreds of breadfruit varieties that are native to Oceania, of which the most commonly distributed types are seedless triploids. Jackfruit is likely native to the Western Ghats of India and produces one of the largest tree-borne fruit structures (reaching up to 45 kg). To-date, there is limited genomic information for these two economically important species. Here, we generated 273 Gb and 227 Gb of raw data from jackfruit and breadfruit, respectively. The high-quality reads from jackfruit were assembled into 162,440 scaffolds totaling 982 Mb with 35,858 genes. Similarly, the breadfruit reads were assembled into 180,971 scaffolds totaling 833 Mb with 34,010 genes. A total of 2822 and 2034 expanded gene families were found in jackfruit and breadfruit, respectively, enriched in pathways including starch and sucrose metabolism, photosynthesis, and others. The copy number of several starch synthesis-related genes were found to be increased in jackfruit and breadfruit compared to closely-related species, and the tissue-specific expression might imply their sugar-rich and starch-rich characteristics. Overall, the publication of high-quality genomes for jackfruit and breadfruit provides information about their specific composition and the underlying genes involved in sugar and starch metabolism

Rumen Fermentation, Blood Metabolites, and Performance of Sheep Fed Tropical Browse Plants

The in vitro study was designed to evaluate total gas production, dry matter degradability (DMD), and VFA profile; while in vivo study was designed to evaluate nutrient intakes, blood metabolites, and performance of sheep fed native grass mixed with Calliandra calothyrrus (CC), Leucaena leucochepala (LL), Moringa oleifera (MO), Gliricidea sepium (GS), and Artocarpus heterophyllus (AH). The best three from the in vitro results were used to formulate diets in in vivo study. Sixteen male growing sheep (average BW 20 kg) were fed 100% native grass (NG) as control; 70% NG + 30% GS; 70% NG + 30% MO; and 70% NG + 30% AH. Nutrient consumptions, DMD, blood metabolites, and sheep performances were analyzed by using Completely Randomized Design. The in vitro results showed that the total gas production and DMD of CC and LL were the lowest (P<0.05) while the highest was found in GS, MO, and AH treatments (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the in vivo results showed that nutrient intakes (DM, CP, and CF) of GS and AH rations were the highest. The ADG, concentration of albumin, and globulin in all treatments were similar, while total serum protein, triglycerides, and glucose concentration in MO and AH rations were higher than others. Serum cholesterol concentration in MO ration was the lowest, meanwhile the concentration of IgG was the highest (P<0.05). Supplementation of 30% MO was the best choice for optimum rumen fermentation and maintaining health status of local sheep

Diversity of secondary metabolites from Genus Artocarpus (Moraceae)

Abstrak. Hakim A. 2010. Keanekaragaman metabolit sekunder Genus Artocarpus (Moraceae). Nusantara Bioscience 2:146-156. Beberapa spesies dari genus Artocarpus (Moraceae) telah diteliti kandungan bahan alamnya. Metabolit sekunder yang berhasil diisolasi dari genus Artocarpus terdiri dari terpenoid, flavonoid, stilbenoid, arilbenzofuran, neolignan, dan adduct Diels-Alder. Kelompok flavonoid merupakan senyawa yang paling banyak ditemukan dari tumbuhan Artocarpus. Senyawa flavonoid yang telah berhasil diisolasi dari tumbuhan Artocarpus memiliki kerangka yang beragam seperti calkon, flavanon, flavan-3-ol, flavon sederhana, prenilflavon, oksepinoflavon, piranoflavon, dihidrobenzosanton, furanodihidrobenzosanton, piranodihidrobenzosanton, kuinonosanton, siklolopentenosanton, santonolid, dihidrosanton. Kata kunci: Artocarpus, Moraceae, flavonoid, Diels-Alder, metabolit sekunder

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITES AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS LAM

Objective: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the phytochemical constituents, free radical scavenging activities and antioxidant properties of the methanol extract of leaves of Artocarpus heterophyllus. Methods: The phytochemicals in the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus were determined qualitatively and quantitatively using standard methods. The antioxidant activities were carried out by DPPH free radical scavenging assay, OH• radical scavenging assay, NO• radical scavenging assay, Fe3+reducing power assay and phosphomolybdenum reduction assay methods. Results: The methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus showed good radical scavenging activities and reducing power activities which were found to increase with the increasing concentration of the extract. The study indicated that the presence of the major phytochemicals viz. flavonoids and phenols in the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus were 86.75 mg/g and 524.86 mg/g, respectively. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the methanol extract of leaves of A. heterophyllus showed significant antioxidant activities as well as phenolic content

Pemanfaatan Nangka (Artocapus heterophyllus) Sebagai Obat Tradisional dan Bioktivitasnya

Artocarpus heterophyllus or jackfruit is one of the species from the Moraceae family which has been used as a nutraceutical, namely food and traditional medicinal ingredients. Information regarding the bioactivity of A. heterophyllus is needed for its development into standardized herbs and phytopharmaca. The writing of this article is based on a literature review in the form of research results published online using the keyword A. heterophyllus, uses A. heterophyllus and A. heterophyllus bioactivities. The information obtained was synthesized to explain the benefits and bioactivity of A. heterophyllus. Bioactivity of A. heterophyllus is antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic mellitus, anti-cancer, and anti-melanogenesis. The bioactivity of A. heterophyllus as an anti-melanogenesis is very potential to be developed in the cosmetic industry as a natural skin whitener while bioactivity as an anti-microbial can be developed as a natural preservative. Keywords: Artocarpus heterophyllus, antimicrobial, ant melanogenesis/Artocarpus heterophyllus atau nangka merupakan salah satu species dari family Moraceae yang telah digunakan sebagai nutraceutika yaitu bahan pangan dan sekaligus bahan obat tradisional. Informasi mengenai bioaktivitas A. heterophyllus sangat diperlukan untuk pengembangannya menjadi herbal terstandart maupun fitofarmaka. Penulisan artikel ini didasarkan pada kajian literatur berupa hasil penelitian yang terbit secara online dengan menggunakan kata kunci A. heterophyllus, uses A. heterophyllus dan bioctivities A. heterophyllus. Infomasi yang diperoleh disintesakan untuk menjelaskan manfaat dan bioaktivitas A. heterophyllus. Bioaktivitas A. heterophyllus adalah antimikroba, antiinflamasi, antioksidan, antidiabetes mellitus, anti kanker, dan anti melanogonesis. Bioaktivitas A. heterophyllus sebagai antimelagonesis sangat potensial dikembangkan dalam industri kosmetik sebagai pemutih kulit alami sedangkan bioaktivitas sebagai anti mikroba dapat dikembangkan sebagai pengawet alami. Kata Kunci: Artocarpus heterophyllus, antimikroba, antimelanogenesi

Optimized aqueous extraction conditions for maximal phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity from Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit) leaves by response surface methodology (RSM)

Introduction: There are numerous studies on the therapeutic properties of Artocarpus heterophyllus. However, studies on the aqueous extraction of A. heterophyllus leaves are limited. This present study was conducted to optimize the extraction conditions of A. heterophyllus leaves to yield the highest phenolic, flavonoids and antioxidant contents. Methods: Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to obtain a higher phenolic extraction parameter(s) of A. heterophyllus leaves using Central Composite Design (CCD). The antioxidant activity was then determined via ABTS (2,29-azinobis (3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay and analysis of the individual phenolics was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: The optimum extraction conditions with higher phenolics content and antioxidant activity was achieved at 81°C, 100 min and 40 mL/g sample with a good desirability value of 0.87. Under these optimized parameters, total phenolics and flavonoids were 174.48 ± 4.05 mg GAE/g sample and 21.44 ± 0.05 mg RE/g sample, respectively. Meanwhile, antioxidant activity via ABTS and DPPH assays were 90.88% ± 0.09 and 87.22% ± 0.62, respectively. Finally, under optimal extraction conditions revealed 4 compounds identified as chlorogenic acid, quercetin, rutin and kaempferol. Conclusion: The optimisation are promising to improve phenolic yield and antioxidant activity in A. heterophyllusleaves. It also proved that A. heterophyllus leaves can be used as an alternative natural antioxidant especially in medicinal applications since all identified compound possess significant biological activities for human health

Antilisterial effects of ethanolic extracts of some edible Thai plants on refrigerated cooked pork

Listeria monocytogenes is a major foodborne pathogen responsible for the disease listeriosis.Effective methods for reducing L. monocytogenes in foods would reduce the likelihood of foodborneoutbreaks of listeriosis and decrease economic losses to the food industry. Crude ethanolic extracts from 50 edible Thai plants were screened for inhibitory effects on isolated strains and type strains of L.monocytogenes by the well assay technique. Ethanolic extracts of Micromelum minutum, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Piper retrofractum and Cucurbita moschata, which showed listerial growth inhibition,were applied to cooked pork to determine their antimicrobial activities against L. monocytogenes. Pork was cooked to an internal temperature of 85C, allowed to cool to 8C and then treated by surface application with the plant extracts. Low (102 cfu g-1) or high (105 cfu g-1) population of L.monocytogenes were applied and samples were stored at 4C for up to 7 days. M. minutum and A.heterophyllus extracts were most effective in inhibiting the growth of the pathogen. These results suggested that some edible Thai plant extracts might be useful as antimicrobials in cooked, ready-to-eatpork

IN VITRO AND IN VIVO ANTIANGIOGENIC EFFECT OF ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS SEED EXTRACT

Objective: Angiogenesis the formation of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature plays a major role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis of cancer diseases. The current research was designed for the inhibition of angiogenesis, which can provide a novel way to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in cancer.Methods: The antiangiogenic properties of serial concentrations of the hydroethanolic extract of Artocarpus heterophyllus were examined in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using a tube formation assay in vitro and in a Matrigel plug assay as in vivo model.Results: Hydroethanolic extract of A. heterophyllus significantly inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-mediated angiogenesis in the HUVECs in culture dose-dependently. Further, the new blood vessel formation was observed to be inhibited by the extract at 100 mg/kg p.o. in Matrigel plug model in C57BL/6 mice. However, the effect was enhanced in higher concentration (500 mg/kg p.o.) demonstrating the in vivo antiangiogenic activity of the extract.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the hydroethanolic seed extract of A. heterophyllus strongly inhibited the angiogenesis in HUVECs. Moreover, the extract significantly inhibited the VEGF production in HUVECs, confirming their possible antiangiogenic mechanism

GEOSPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF FOREST SPECIES IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF RECIFE, PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL

The adoption of appropriate strategies for the conservation and management of forest ecosystems associated with the Atlantic Forest depends on understanding the pattern of spatial distribution of forest species, mainly in protected areas. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the geospatial distribution of forest species in a fragment of Atlantic Forest (Lowland Dense Ombrophilous Forest) in the Botanical Garden of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The phytosociological study was carried out by the plot method, with 40 plots of 10 m x 25 m, systematically distributed, where all living individuals that showed circumference at 1.3 m above the ground ≥ 15 cm were identified and georeferenced. To identify the existence of floristic similarity between the plots, the obtained data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis. The spatial variability of forest species was characterized using geostatistical analysis. The data were interpolated by kriging, followed by the construction of thematic maps of spatial distribution. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed the formation of two groups of plots. The forest species Artocarpus heterophyllus, Dialium guianense, Helicostylis tomentosa, Hevea brasiliensis, Pouteria durlandii and Thyrsordium spruceanum showed spatial dependence. The use of geostatistics allowed visualizing the spatial distribution arrangements and identifying the concentration sites of these species. Information on the geospatial distribution of forest species can be used for the preservation, conservation and management of forest remnants