Chemical composition of juice and antihyperglycemic studies in seed of the prehispanic fruit tunillo (Stenocereus stellatus) collected in Oaxaca, Mexico

580-584Tunillo, or pitaya of august (Stenocereus stellatus) is a prehispanic fruit, endemic to the Mixteca region in Mexico and to which a lot of medicinal properties have been associated. However, there are few scientific studies regarding its characterization and use. For these reasons, in this study we carried out a chemical characterization of the juice of four-color variants as well as determine the antihyperglycemic capacity of seed. Physical and chemical characterization were carried out in juice of fruits of Stenocereus after a preselection based on pulp color. Total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, organic acid and betalains were quantified in juice and antihyperglycemic capacity was measured in seed. Physicochemical parameters in juice were similar in the 4 variants; regarding the content of pigments, the red variant showed the highest values as well as the highest organic acids. However, the white, orange, and red variants showed better antihyperglycemic capacity. Red tunillo is the best candidate for obtaining pigments and its higher organic acids content correlates with its lower acceptance by the local population. The seeds of the white, orange, and red colors showed promising anhyperglycemic capacity, which suggest that they should be considered for the development of antidiabetic treatments. These results contribute to the use of compex matrices considered waste products of the fruits. This would undoubtedly increase their commercial value

Chemical composition of juice and antihyperglycemic studies in seed of the prehispanic fruit tunillo (Stenocereus stellatus) collected in Oaxaca, Mexico

Tunillo, or pitaya of august (Stenocereus stellatus) is a prehispanic fruit, endemic to the Mixteca region in Mexico and to which a lot of medicinal properties have been associated. However, there are few scientific studies regarding its characterization and use. For these reasons, in this study we carried out a chemical characterization of the juice of four-color variants as well as determine the antihyperglycemic capacity of seed. Physical and chemical characterization were carried out in juice of fruits of Stenocereus after a preselection based on pulp color. Total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, organic acid and betalains were quantified in juice and antihyperglycemic capacity was measured in seed. Physicochemical parameters in juice were similar in the 4 variants; regarding the content of pigments, the red variant showed the highest values as well as the highest organic acids. However, the white, orange, and red variants showed better antihyperglycemic capacity. Red tunillo is the best candidate for obtaining pigments and its higher organic acids content correlates with its lower acceptance by the local population. The seeds of the white, orange, and red colors showed promising anhyperglycemic capacity, which suggest that they should be considered for the development of antidiabetic treatments. These results contribute to the use of compex matrices considered waste products of the fruits. This would undoubtedly increase their commercial value

Evaluation of Somaclonal and Ethyl Methane Sulfonate-Induced Genetic Variation of Mexican Oregano (<i>Lippia graveolens</i> H.B.K.)

Lippia graveolens, commonly known as Mexican oregano, is an aromatic plant of great industrial, nutritional, and medicinal value, principally for its essential oils. Regeneration via axillary buds was established in MS medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) (0.5 mgL&#8722;1) as a growth regulator. Three genotypes and three stages of cultivation were considered in the study. On average, 3.5, 4.2, and 6.4 shoots induced per explant were obtained for genotypes B, C, and D, respectively. Several doses (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5%) of ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and different exposure times (1, 2, and 3 h) were applied to investigate the effect of the chemical mutagen on the formation of axillary buds. Genetic variation among the collected plants, the micro-propagated plants during three sub-cultivations, and the plants regenerated in the presence of the mutagen was evaluated by means of randomly amplified microsatellite polymorphism (RAMP) markers. A high genetic stability was observed in the micro-propagation of Mexican oregano for the three genotypes and three sub-cultivations, presenting 100% of monomorphic bands. The genetic variation observed in the different collections of wild populations (A, R, and V) and after treatment with EMS regarded 34 and 35% of polymorphic loci, respectively