Phoenix dactylifera L. seeds: a by-product as a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties

Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds are a valuable and abundant by-product with various potential food applications and a source of functional and bioactive ingredients. In this study, date seeds from eight cultivars (Ourous “OUR”, Tazizaout “TAZ”, Tazarzeit “TAR”, Tazoughart “TAG”, Ouaouchet “OUC”, Oukasaba “OUK”, Delat “DEL” and Tamezwertn'telet “TWT”) cultivated in the M'zab oasis (south of Algeria) were analyzed for their chemical and phytochemical compositions, antioxidant capacities and in vitro inhibition of some enzymes. Variations in chemical compositions were observed in the studied date seeds. The greatest contents of total phenolic compounds (476 mg GAE per g dw), total flavonoids (6.52 mg QE per g dw), anthocyanins (1.26 mg Q3GE per g dw), flavonols (3.36 mg Q3GE per g dw), proanthocyanidins (85.13 mg CE per g dw), and ascorbic acid were detected in the seeds of the TAG cultivar. All extracts manifested good antioxidant activities tested by ORAC and FRAP assays. The OUC and OUR extracts displayed the most potent antioxidant capacity against DPPH˙ free radicals (IC50 = 37.30 μg ml−1) and ABTS˙+ cation radicals (IC50 = 13.89 μg ml−1), respectively. The antioxidant activity evaluated through a xanthine/xanthine oxidase system demonstrated that the TAZ extract was more efficient as a superoxide radical scavenger (IC50 = 9.08 μg ml−1). Date seed extracts (DSE) exhibited inhibitory activities on enzymes, showing substantial potential as skin-whitening, neuroprotective, anti-hyperglycemic or anti-hyperlipidemic agents; the inhibitory potential was tested using tyrosinase (TYR), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), α-glucosidase (α-GLU) and lipase. All date seed cultivars were able to inhibit tyrosinase and α-glucosidase in a dose-dependent manner reaching the maximum inhibition

A global overview of dietary supplements: Regulation, market trends, usage during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and health effects

Over the last 20 years, the use of dietary supplements (DS) has continued to grow in many countries. Due to the public health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and amidst fears regarding COVID-19 vaccines and their low supply in many regions of the world, there has been a marked interest in the use of DS as alternative means of protecting against and treating this emerging disease, as well as boosting the immune system and minimizing the risk of inflammation. Despite a lack of evidence to suggest their efficacy, a surge in the sales of DS has been reported in many parts of the world. Questions have also been raised about the health effects associated with DS due to their increased use during the health crisis. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated their beneficial properties as well as some adverse and even toxic effects. In addition, given the current global interest in this issue, a review is needed to establish the status of dietary supplements before and during the health crisis. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence on the impact of dietary supplements on the incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their regulation and associated market trends. First, we provide an overview of DS, including a comprehensive review of the legislative and regulatory aspects of DS in the USA, China, the EU, and Algeria. Second, we describe the prevalence of the most commonly consumed DS and their efficacy as a prophylactic modality in the era of COVID-19. Additionally, we examine the structure and size of the DS market in the countries that predominantly produce and import them, its global market trend, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on market growth. Finally, in this review, we also discuss the profile of DS users.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Physicochemical Characteristics and Nutritional Compositions of Some Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Fruit Cultivars

A comparative study was carried out for eight mature date fruit cultivars to assess physicochemical and nutritional values. Results showed that fruit and flesh weights and seed sizes indicated wide diversity among studied cultivars. The highest pH, acidity, and ash levels were obtained from Tazizaout and Oukasaba cultivars; protein contents varied from 0.47 (Tazizaout) to 0.31 g/100g DM (Delat), while free amino acids concentrations were found between 1.47 (Oukasaba) and 0.79 g/100g DM (Tazarzeit). Total carbohydrates were ranged from 96.28 to 84.51 g/100g DM. The date is low in fat, the highest concentration was 0.11 g/100g DM. Principal Component Analysis indicated that Ourous and Delat cultivars have specific characteristics and can be distinguished from the other cultivars

Immature <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> Peel By-Product as Mayonnaise Additive and Natural Anticoccidial Drug

In recent years, the valorization of food by-products has attracted increased interest in the scientific community for ecological and economic reasons. Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) peels are the primary by-products of prickly pears. Several studies claim that the beneficial bioactive compounds are concentrated in the fruit’s peel. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to study the immature OFI peel as a natural antioxidant in mayonnaise and its use as a natural treatment against coccidiosis, which is the main disease of broiler chickens. The findings confirmed that OFI peels are a source of phenolic compounds, including total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and carotenoids (21.01 ± 0.33, 1.12 ± 0.28, 10.25 ± 0.10 mg equivalent standard/g, and 5.62 ± 0.53 mg β-carotene equivalent/100 g, respectively), having strong antioxidant activities over 87 percent (DPPH radical, iron chelation power, β-carotene bleaching). Using the rancimat test, OFI extract improves the mayonnaise’s stability for 2.5 h. Immature OFI peel extracts recorded a notable destruction rate of Eimeria oocysts. The current study promoted the use of immature OFI peel extracts as a natural food additive and as an antiparasitic treatment substitute

A Sustainable Extraction Approach of Phytochemicals from Date (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L.) Fruit Cultivars Using Ultrasound-Assisted Deep Eutectic Solvent: A Comprehensive Study on Bioactivity and Phenolic Variability

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) on the extraction of phytochemicals from eight Algerian date fruit cultivars (Phoenix dactylifera L.). In this study, lactic acid/sucrose-based NADESs were used as an alternative to conventional chemical solvents using the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method. The obtained extracts were assessed for the determination of bioactive compound contents, phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and enzyme inhibitory potential. The results showed a considerable variation in phytochemical compositions and related activities between cultivars, where the greatest contents of total phenolics (1288.7 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoids (53.8 mg QE/100 g), proanthocyanidins (179.5 mg CE/g), and total triterpenoids (12.88 mg OAE/100 g) were detected in the fruits of the Ourous cultivar. The same cultivar displayed the highest antioxidant capacity against DPPH• free radical (595 mg AAE/100 g), ABTS•+ cation radical (839 mg TE/100 g), and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (704 mg AAE/100 g). All extracts manifested moderate antioxidant activities tested by phosphomolybdenum, NO•, and linoleic acid lipid peroxidation assays. These extracts also exhibited interesting levels of in vitro enzyme inhibition; the Ourous cultivar gave the best inhibitory activity against α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase with 45 and 37%, respectively. HPLC-DAD-MS detected a total of five compounds, with phenolic acids and flavonoids being the main phenolics identified in the extract. The phenolic composition exhibited significant variability among cultivars. Notably, the highest amounts were revealed in the Tazizaout cultivar, with the predominance of gallic acid. The results confirmed that the combination of UAE and NADESs provides a novel and important alternative to chemical solvents for sustainable and environmentally friendly extraction and can represent a good alternative in food and pharmaceutical industry applications

Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory capacities of fruit and seed extracts from different Algerian cultivars of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) were affected by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the digestive process (gastric and intestinal phases) on the stability of the individual and total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, antioxidant activity and enzymes inhibitory potential of extracts from date fruits (pulp) and seeds from eight Algerian cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). The obtained results showed a considerable increase in the TPC for both samples when exposed to digestion conditions. The TFC was higher after gastric digestion compared to intestinal digestion. Along the digestion process, the release of individual phenolics (phenolic acids and flavonoids) analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) showed different behavior in seed and fruit extracts. The digestion increased the scavenging of 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and peroxyl (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC) radicals in both samples. However, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity were reduced in date seed extracts, while the fruit extracts showed an increase at the end of digestion process. The enzymes inhibitory potential of date seeds extracts decreased after digestion and was maintained or enhanced in fruit extracts. Thus, it seems that the date fruit extracts had more bioaccessible components compared to seed extracts. (C) 2020 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Laboratoires Hors Murs (Montpellier, France); project INTERREG - MD.NET: When Brand Meets People; FCT - Foundation for Science and TechnologyPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UIDB/05183/2020]; FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission [SFRH/BD/145243/2019, DL 57/2016/CP1361/CT0022