Nutritional Value and Volatile Compounds of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Seeds

Prunus serotina (black cherry), commonly known in Mexico as capulín, is used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal diseases. Particularly, P. serotina seeds, consumed in Mexico as snacks, are used for treating cough. In the present study, nutritional and volatile analyses of black cherry seeds were carried out to determine their nutraceutical potential. Proximate analysis indicated that P. serotina raw and toasted seeds contain mostly fat, followed by protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and ash. The potassium content in black cherry raw and toasted seeds is high, and their protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores suggest that they might represent a complementary source of proteins. Solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography/flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry analysis allowed identification of 59 and 99 volatile compounds in the raw and toasted seeds, respectively. The major volatile compounds identified in raw and toasted seeds were 2,3-butanediol and benzaldehyde, which contribute to the flavor and odor of the toasted seeds. Moreover, it has been previously demonstrated that benzaldehyde possesses a significant vasodilator effect, therefore, the presence of this compound along with oleic, linoleic, and α-eleostearic fatty acids indicate that black cherry seeds consumption might have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system

Gut metabolites associated with pH and antioxidant capacity during in vitro colonic fermentation of Mexican corn products

Background and objectives: Food is the major factor driving the metabolism of the gut microbiota. In Mexico, nixtamalized corn products are widely consumed. Changes in antioxidant capacity (AOX) in 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), pH values, short-chain fatty acid concentration, and relative metabolite production during in vitro colonic fermentation of indigestible fractions (IF) isolated from Istmo Totopos (ITs), baked corn tortillas (BCTs), and traditional corn tortillas (TCTs) were analyzed. Findings: The consumption of one piece (10 g) of any corn product may potentially maintain appreciable colonic antioxidant status (above 60 mmol TE) until 48 hr of fermentation. A portion of 10 g of corn products produces similar concentrations of acetic (3,050.43-4,181.47 mM), propionic (1,904.78-2,975.18 mM), and butyric acid (1,458.14-2,873.47 mM) at 12 hr of fermentation. Forty-six volatile compounds were also detected by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), and six principal components were identified. Positive correlations were found between DPPH, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. Conclusions: Our results suggest the colonic fermentation potential to increase bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity hence suggesting improved gut health. Additional studies are required to evaluate their in vivo effects. Significance and novelty: The study of traditional corn products will facilitate a better understanding of the potential health-promoting impact of the interactions between indigestible components of the Mexican diet and the gut metabolites

Chemical Constituents with Leishmanicidal Activity from a Pink-Yellow Cultivar of <i>Lantana camara</i> var. <i>aculeata</i> (L.) Collected in Central Mexico

Lantana camara (L.) is employed by several ethnical groups to treat numerous diseases. Although there are no ethnomedical reports on its use against leishmaniasis, organic extracts prepared from L. camara were shown to display leishmanicidal activity. In the present study, we carried out a bioassay-guided fractionation of the dichloromethane extract from Mexican L. camara in order to identify the compounds responsible for the leishmanicidal activity. Eighteen chromatographic fractions (FI&#8315;FXVIII) were evaluated in vitro against Leishmania mexicana and L. amazonensis. FII, FX, FXI, FXV, and FXVI showed significant activity against both Leishmania strains, the most potent of which was FXV. Eicosane (1), squalene (2), &#946;-ionone (3), caryophyllene oxide (4), &#946;-caryophyllene (5), hexanoic acid (6), tiglic acid (7), a mixture of lantanilic (8) and camaric (9) acids, and lantadene B (10) were identified and obtained from the active fractions and evaluated for their leishmanicidal activity. The mixture of lantanilic (8) and camaric (9) acids (79%/21%) was the most potent one (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 12.02 &#177; 0.36 &#956;M). This study indicates that this cultivar of L. camara has high potential for the development of phytomedicines or as a source of natural products, which might represent lead compounds for the design of new drugs against leishmaniasis