Sinopsis del género Meliosma (Sabiaceae) en El Salvador

A synopsis of the genus Meliosma (Sabiaceae) in El Salvador is presented, with a key, descriptions, illustrations, distributional data, phenology, and citation of all specimens examined. Two species are reported, including a new taxon, Meliosma echeverriae.Se presenta una sinopsis del género Meliosma (Sabiaceae) en El Salvador, incluyendo una clave, descripciones, ilustraciones, datos de distribución, fenología y una lista de los especímenes examinados. Se describen un total de dos especies, incluyendo un nuevo taxón, Meliosma echeverriae

Contenido de fenoles totales y actividad antioxidante en frutos de la flora salvadoreña

Due the increase prevalence of diseases related to oxidative stress, it has become necessary to seek alternatives for their prevention. These groups of diseases have a significant impact on life expectancy regardless of gender, and constitute health conditions that bring a high psychological and economic cost to the population. In recent years, the study of the properties of plant-based foods has gained particular interest, especially regarding the evaluation of their antioxidant effect. In the present investigation, the quantification of total phenols was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The evaluation of the antioxidant activity was conducted in twenty fruits of plant species belonging to the Salvadoran flora, using the DPPH method. The results showed that the fruits with the highest amount of total phenols were Theobroma cacao “Cacao”, followed by Annona diversifolia “Anona rosada” and similar concentrations were observed Spondias purpurea “Jocote chapín”, Muntingia calabura “Capulín” and Annona diversifolia “Anona blanca”. The order of antioxidant activity, based on antioxidant capacity, was as follows: Eriobotrya japonica “Níspero”, Licania platypus “Sunza”, Spondias purpurea “Jocote corona”, Artocarpus altilis “Árbol de pan” and Annona diversifolia “Anona rosada”. The results suggest that fruits present an alternative, not only nutritional, but also as a source of antioxidant substances to prevent chronic diseases. Therefore, their consumption and use can be proposed to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry for developing products that provide benefits related to oxidative stress.Debido al incremento en casos de enfermedades relacionadas con el estrés oxidativo, se vuelve necesario buscar alternativas para prevenir dichos problemas de salud. Estos grupos de enfermedades tienen gran impacto en la esperanza de vida sin distinción de género, además, constituyen problemas de salud que traen un alto costo psicológico y económico para la población. En los últimos años ha cobrado especial interés, el estudio de las propiedades de los alimentos de origen vegetal, en especial por la evaluación del efecto antioxidante asociado a ellos. En la presente investigación, se realizó la cuantificación de fenoles totales a través del método Folin- Ciocalteu y evaluación de la actividad antioxidante por medio del método DPPH en veinte frutos de especies vegetales pertenecientes a la flora salvadoreña. Los resultados muestran que los frutos con mayor cantidad de fenoles totales son el Theobroma cacao “Cacao”, seguido por Annona diversifolia “Anona rosada” y se observó similares concentraciones en Spondias purpurea “Jocote chapín”, Muntingia calabura “Capulín” y Annona diversifolia “Anona blanca”. Los frutos que presentaron mayor actividad antioxidante en orden descendente fueron las siguientes: Eriobotrya japonica “Níspero”, Licania platypus “Sunza”, Spondias purpurea “Jocote corona”, Artocarpus altilis “Árbol de pan” y Annona diversifolia “Anona rosada”. Los resultados muestran que los frutos presentan una alternativa no solo nutricional, sino que puede ser una fuente de sustancias antioxidantes, interesantes para la prevención de enfermedades crónicas, de tal forma que se puede proponer su consumo y utilización a nivel de la industria farmacéutica y cosmética, elaborando productos que brinden beneficios a los padecimientos relacionados con el estrés oxidativo

Extinction risk of Mesoamerican crop wild relatives

Ensuring food security is one of the world's most critical issues as agricultural systems are already being impacted by global change. Crop wild relatives (CWR)—wild plants related to crops—possess genetic variability that can help adapt agriculture to a changing environment and sustainably increase crop yields to meet the food security challenge. Here we report the results of an extinction risk assessment of 224 wild relatives of some of the world's most important crops (i.e. chilli pepper, maize, common bean, avocado, cotton, potato, squash, vanilla and husk tomato) in Mesoamerica—an area of global significance as a centre of crop origin, domestication and of high CWR diversity. We show that 35% of the selected CWR taxa are threatened with extinction according to The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List demonstrates that these valuable genetic resources are under high anthropogenic threat. The dominant threat processes are land use change for agriculture and farming, invasive and other problematic species (e.g. pests, genetically modified organisms) and use of biological resources, including overcollection and logging. The most significant drivers of extinction relate to smallholder agriculture—given its high incidence and ongoing shifts from traditional agriculture to modern practices (e.g. use of herbicides)—smallholder ranching and housing and urban development and introduced genetic material. There is an urgent need to increase knowledge and research around different aspects of CWR. Policies that support in situ and ex situ conservation of CWR and promote sustainable agriculture are pivotal to secure these resources for the benefit of current and future generations

Sinopsis del género "Meliosma" (Sabiaceae) en El Salvador

Menjívar C., J. & Cerén, G. 2008. Sinopsis del género Meliosma (Sabiaceae) en El Salvador. Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 65(2): 389- 392. Se presenta una sinopsis del género Meliosma (Sabiaceae) en El Salvador, incluyendo una clave, descripciones, ilustraciones, datos de distribución, fenología y una lista de los especímenes examinados. Se describen un total de dos especies, incluyendo un nuevo taxón, Meliosma echeverriae.Menjívar C., J. & Cerén, G. 2008. A synopsis of the genus Meliosma (Sabiaceae) in El Salvador. Anales Jard. Bot. Madrid 65(2): 389-392 (in Spanish). A synopsis of the genus Meliosma (Sabiaceae) in El Salvador is presented, with a key, descriptions, illustrations, distributional data, phenology, and citation of all specimens examined. Two species are reported, including a new taxon, Meliosma echeverria