Agronomic cultivation, chemical composition, functional activities and applications of Pereskia species – A mini review

The exploration of the plant biodiversity as a natural source to obtain sustainable food products and new bioactive pharmaceutical compounds has been growing significantly due to their abundance, safety and economy. Natural pharmaceutical and edible compounds present some advantages when compared to synthetic ones, such as being chemically inert and widely available. In this sense, plants of the genus Pereskia belonging to the Cactaceae family, have been studied. It is an unconventional wild edible plant that contains a large amount of protein and minerals. Studies have demonstrated their biological activities and potential application in different areas such as pharmaceutical, medicinal and food. Objective: This review is focused on the chemical composition, functional properties, applications on pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food areas and formulation techniques to enhance the stability and bioavailability of bioactive compounds from the underutilized wild edible plant known as ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata or Pereskia grandifolia). Conclusion: The latest studies involving ora-pro-nobis demonstrated its great potential due to its biological activities, which could stimulate further investigations. The utilization of this plant as a natural source to supplement the diet, or to prepare new food products and pharmaceutical formulations is an attractive approach to explore and fully realize the potential of the rich biodiversity found in Brazil and in other countries

Iron-rich chitosan-pectin colloidal microparticles laden with ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) extract

Iron deficiency represents a global nutrition gap that calls for innovative strategies including food fortification, while overcoming the drawbacks of taste and reactivity of iron. The aim of this work was to develop iron-rich colloidal microparticles laden with a Brazilian plant food extract from ora-pro-nobis (OPN, Pereskia aculeata Miller). We formulated electrostatic self-assembled complexes of oppositely charged chitosans and pectin laden with aqueous OPN extract. After characterisation of the physical properties, selected formulations were examined in their colloidal stability (50 mM NaCl, Dulbecco's modified eagle medium (DMEM), simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF)), production yield, iron association efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cellular cytotoxicity and iron uptake using Caco-2 cells. The ζ-potential varied from ~ −25 mV to ~ +23 mV regardless of the degree of acetylation (DA) of chitosan. The production yield ranged between 20 and 26%. The particles were stable at DMEM, SGF and SIF during 3 h. Iron association efficiency was ~60% for systems charge ratio (n+/n–) = 5.00. TEM analyses revealed invariably spherical morphology. OPN-laden microparticles did not present cytotoxicity against Caco-2 cells. Higher cellular ferritin levels were determined for the particles comprising OPN extract and n+/n– = 5.00. We obtained in vitro proof of concept of the efficiency of chitosan/pectin particles to delivering iron from a Brazilian edible plant extract. The industrial potential of this approach as a viable alternative for iron fortification or supplementation by the food industry is yet to be realised

Pectin as Drug-Release Vehicle

International audienc

Quantification of BSA-loaded chitosan/oligonucleotide nanoparticles using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Therapeutic proteins are administered subcutaneously because of their instability in the gastrointestinal tract. Current research suggests that polymeric-based nanoparticles, microparticles and liposomes are ideal nanocarriers to encapsulate proteins for disease management. In order to develop a successful drug delivery system, it is crucial to determine drug release profile and stability. However, the non-active excipients in polymeric formulations can influence the quantification of proteins in analytical techniques. This study investigated the effect of nine common polymers on quantification of bovine serum albumin (BSA) using RP-HPLC method. The technique offers advantages such as short analytical time, high accuracy and selectivity. In the meantime, the technique can be employed to separate proteins including BSA, insulin and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). Furthermore, the RP-HPLC method was applied to quantify the drug release pattern of a novel BSA-loaded nanoparticulate formulation in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The nanoparticles were formulated by natural polymer (chitosan) and oligonucleotide (Dz13Scr) using complex coacervation. The prepared particles were found to have small size (337.87 nm), low polydispersity index (0.338) and be positively charged (10.23 mV). The in vitro drug release patterns were characterised using the validated RP-HPLC method over 12 h. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]