Assessment of Wild Edible Fruits Consumed through the Tribal People of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh

598-603The present study was conducted with the ethno-botanical survey, documentation and future potentialities of the wild edible fruits used through the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). The wild edible fruits play an important role in meeting the food and nutritionneeds of the tribal people living in the CHTs. This paper deals with documentation of 49 types of wild edible fruits plant speciesbelonging to 25 families used by the tribal people of CHTs. Their botanical names, families, local name, habit and fruit ripening time are discussed. Suggestions have been made to improve the quality (variety) of wild fruits through domestication, hybridization, grafting and also for their chemical analysis for improved food values and economic properties. Attempts should be taken to protect the wild edibles fruit species in the vanishing from natural forests. Also the general public should be encouraged to cultivate and use these wild fruits in addition to the conventional fruits by improving the varieties and nutritional value of the wild fruits through research

Assessment of Wild Edible Fruits Consumed through the Tribal People of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), Bangladesh

The present study was conducted with the ethno-botanical survey, documentation and future potentialities of the wild edible fruits used through the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs). The wild edible fruits play an important role in meeting the food and nutritionneeds of the tribal people living in the CHTs. This paper deals with documentation of 49 types of wild edible fruits plant speciesbelonging to 25 families used by the tribal people of CHTs. Their botanical names, families, local name, habit and fruit ripening time are discussed. Suggestions have been made to improve the quality (variety) of wild fruits through domestication, hybridization, grafting and also for their chemical analysis for improved food values and economic properties. Attempts should be taken to protect the wild edibles fruit species in the vanishing from natural forests. Also the general public should be encouraged to cultivate and use these wild fruits in addition to the conventional fruits by improving the varieties and nutritional value of the wild fruits through research

Comparative investigation of the free radical scavenging potential and anticancer property of Diospyros blancoi (Ebenaceae)

Objective: To investigate the comparative effects of Diospyros blancoi (Ebenaceae) leaves (DBL), root bark (DBRB) and stem bark (DBSB) on free radicals and cancer. Methods: The polyphenol contents, antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties were determined using standard spectrophotometric methods. Cytotoxicity and anticancer activities were performed on brine shrimp nauplii and Ehrlich ascite carcinoma cells, respectively. Results: Among the extracts, DBSB showed the highest total antioxidant capacity and reducing capacity on ferrous ion. Based on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, DBSB showed (95.760 ± 0.343)% and (67.460 ± 2.641)% scavenging with IC50 of (3.10 ± 0.17) and (50.00 ± 3.11) μg/mL, respectively. The IC50 values of standard butylated hydroxytoluene and catechin (CA) for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals were (8.50 ± 0.25) and (75.00 ± 0.14) μg/mL, respectively suggesting that DBSB had a significant (P  DBRB > CA > DBL. Also, the phenolic [(139.91 ± 3.924) mg gallic acid equivalent/g] and flavonoid contents [(412.00 ± 16.70) mg catechin equivalent/g)] of DBSB were higher than that of other extracts. In addition, the DBSB showed the moderate cytotoxic and anticancer properties. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Diospyros blancoi stem bark had the significant highest antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties as well as moderate anticancer activity. Hence, we assume that the anticancer activity of this plant can be, at least in part, attributed to its content in phenolic compounds as well as its significant free radical scavenging properties