scholarly journals Northern Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa): A Potential Candidate for Functional Food, Nutraceutical, and Pharmaceutical Sector

Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abul Hossain ◽  
Deepika Dave ◽  
Fereidoon Shahidi

Sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) is the most abundant and widely distributed species in the cold waters of North Atlantic Ocean. C. frondosa contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, mainly collagen, cerebrosides, glycosaminoglycan, chondroitin sulfate, saponins, phenols, and mucopolysaccharides, which demonstrate unique biological and pharmacological properties. In particular, the body wall of this marine invertebrate is the major edible part and contains most of the active constituents, mainly polysaccharides and collagen, which exhibit numerous biological activities, including anticancer, anti-hypertensive, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-coagulation, antimicrobial, antioxidation, and anti- osteoclastogenic properties. In particular, triterpene glycosides (frondoside A and other) are the most researched group of compounds due to their potential anticancer activity. This review summarizes the latest information on C. frondosa, mainly geographical distribution, landings specific to Canadian coastlines, processing, commercial products, trade market, bioactive compounds, and potential health benefits in the context of functional foods and nutraceuticals.

Marine Drugs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yadollah Bahrami ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Christopher M. M. Franco

Sea cucumbers are an important ingredient of traditional folk medicine in many Asian countries, which are well-known for their medicinal, nutraceutical, and food values due to producing an impressive range of distinctive natural bioactive compounds. Triterpene glycosides are the most abundant and prime secondary metabolites reported in this species. They possess numerous biological activities ranging from anti-tumour, wound healing, hypolipidemia, pain relieving, the improvement of nonalcoholic fatty livers, anti-hyperuricemia, the induction of bone marrow hematopoiesis, anti-hypertension, and cosmetics and anti-ageing properties. This study was designed to purify and elucidate the structure of saponin contents of the body wall of sea cucumber Holothuria lessoni and to compare the distribution of saponins of the body wall with that of the viscera. The body wall was extracted with 70% ethanol, and purified by a liquid-liquid partition chromatography, followed by isobutanol extraction. A high-performance centrifugal partition chromatography (HPCPC) was conducted on the saponin-enriched mixture to obtain saponins with a high purity. The resultant purified saponins were analyzed using MALDI-MS/MS and ESI-MS/MS. The integrated and hyphenated MS and HPCPC analyses revealed the presence of 89 saponin congeners, including 35 new and 54 known saponins, in the body wall in which the majority of glycosides are of the holostane type. As a result, and in conjunction with existing literature, the structure of four novel acetylated saponins, namely lessoniosides H, I, J, and K were characterized. The identified triterpene glycosides showed potent antifungal activities against tested fungi, but had no antibacterial effects on the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The presence of a wide range of saponins with potential applications is promising for cosmeceutical, medicinal, and pharmaceutical products to improve human health.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 530
Author(s):  
Alan Ramalho ◽  
Nadine Leblanc ◽  
Marie-Gil Fortin ◽  
André Marette ◽  
André Tchernof ◽  
...  

Sea cucumbers have been shown to have potential health benefits and are a rich source of several bioactive compounds, particularly triterpenoid saponins. However, most studies concentrate on the body wall, and little is known about the health effects of the coproducts. The objectives of this study were to determine the nutritional composition of a coproduct from the sea cucumber Cucumaria frondosa and the effects of the dietary consumption of this coproduct on cardiometabolic health in rats. Chemical, biochemical, and nutritional analyses were performed to characterize this coproduct. Forty (40) male Wistar rats were then equally divided into four groups and fed a purified control diet or a diet enriched with 0.5%, 1.5%, or 2.5% (by protein) of coproduct. After 28 days of feeding, the rats were sacrificed. Body and tissue weight, body composition, epididymal adipocyte diameter, plasma and hepatic lipids, glycemia, and insulinemia were measured at the end of the 28-day experiment. Analysis of the coproduct revealed high levels of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and saponins. The 1.5% group had significantly smaller epididymal adipocytes vs. the control. We conclude that dietary administration of this sea cucumber coproduct at 1.5% doses decreases visceral adiposity, potentially decreasing the risk of cardiometabolic dysfunction. The coproduct’s saponin content may contribute to the observed effects, but the impact of other components cannot be ruled out.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Kumari Neelam ◽  
Sonali Dey ◽  
Ralene Sim ◽  
Jason Lee ◽  
Kah-Guan Au Eong

Fructus lycii (F. lycii) is an exotic “berry-type” fruit of the plant Lycium barbarum that is characterized by a complex mixture of bioactive compounds distinguished by their high antioxidant potential. F. lycii is used in traditional Chinese home cooking and in the Chinese Pharmacopeia as an aid to vision and longevity as well as a remedy for diabetes to balance “yin” and “yang” in the body for about two centuries. Although a myriad of bioactive compounds have been isolated from F. lycii, polysaccharides, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolics represent the key functional components of F. lycii. F. lycii has been shown to exhibit a wide range of biological activities in experimental settings including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective effects. Despite its medicinal role dating back to the eighteenth century in the Far East and robust evidence of beneficial effects on ocular health and retinal diseases originating mainly from studies in animal models, the role of F. lycii in the clinical management of retinal diseases is yet to be established. This article comprehensively reviews the literature germane to F. lycii and retinal diseases with particular emphasis on age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa, which are commonly seen in clinical practice.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chem Int

Coumarin and its derivatives are widely spread in nature. Coumarin goes to agroup as benzopyrones, which consists of a benzene ring connected to a pyronemoiety. Coumarins displayed a broad range of pharmacologically useful profile.Coumarins are considered as a promising group of bioactive compounds thatexhibited a wide range of biological activities like anti-microbial, anti-viral,antiparasitic, anti-helmintic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer,anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-convulsant, and antihypertensiveactivities etc. The coumarin compounds have immense interest due to theirdiverse pharmacological properties. In particular, these biological activities makecoumarin compounds more attractive and testing as novel therapeuticcompounds.


Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rusu ◽  
Fizeșan ◽  
Pop ◽  
Gheldiu ◽  
Mocan ◽  
...  

Tree nut by-products could contain a wide range of phytochemicals, natural antioxidants, which might be used as a natural source for dietary supplements. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the phenolic and sterolic composition, as well as the antioxidant and other biological activities, of hazelnut involucre (HI) extracts. Experimental designs were developed in order to select the optimum extraction conditions (solvent, temperature, time) using turbo-extraction by Ultra-Turrax for obtaining extracts rich in bioactive compounds. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by LC-MS and LC-MS/MS and they revealed important amounts of individual polyphenols and phytosterols, molecules with antioxidant potential. The richest polyphenolic HI extract with the highest antioxidant activity by TEAC assay was further evaluated by other in vitro antioxidant tests (DPPH, FRAP) and enzyme inhibitory assays. Additionally, the cytotoxic and antioxidant effects of this extract on two cancerous cell lines and on normal cells were tested. This is the first study to analyze the composition of both hydrophilic and lipophilic bioactive compounds in HI extracts. Our findings reveal that this plant by-product presents strong biological activities, justifying further research, and it could be considered an inexpensive source of natural antioxidants for food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic industry.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nourhan Shady ◽  
Mostafa Fouad ◽  
Mohamed Salah Kamel ◽  
Tanja Schirmeister ◽  
Usama Abdelmohsen

Marine sponges are a very attractive and rich source in the production of novel bioactive compounds. The sponges exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. The genus Amphimedon consists of various species, such as viridis, compressa, complanata, and terpenensis, along with a handful of undescribed species. The Amphimedon genus is a rich source of secondary metabolites containing diverse chemical classes, including alkaloids, ceramides, cerebrososides, and terpenes, with various valuable biological activities. This review covers the literature from January 1983 until January 2018 and provides a complete survey of all the compounds isolated from the genus Amphimedon and the associated microbiota, along with their corresponding biological activities, whenever applicable.


Author(s):  
Nieves Baenas ◽  
Jenny Ruales ◽  
Diego A. Moreno ◽  
Daniel Alejandro Barrio ◽  
Carla M. Stinco ◽  
...  

Andean blueberries are wild berries grown and consumed in Ecuador which contain high values of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, with powerful antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile and contents of (poly)phenols and carotenoids in Andean blueberry by HPLC-DAD-MSn and determine a wide range of its biological activities. The antioxidant capacity of this fruit was evaluated in vitro by three different methods and in vivo using the zebrafish animal model, also the toxicity effect was determined by the zebrafish embryogenesis test. Besides, the antimicrobial activity and the capacity of Andean blueberry to produce hemagglutination in blood cells were evaluated. Finally, the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols and related antioxidant capacity were determined in the different phases of an in vitro digestion. The global results indicated no toxicity of Andean blueberry, weakly bacteriostatic activity, and high contents of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity, which were partially bioaccesible in vitro (~ 50 % at the final intestinal step), contributing to the knowledge of its health benefits for consumers and its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industry as functional ingredient.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Jaoko ◽  
Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning ◽  
Simon Backx ◽  
Jackson Mulatya ◽  
Jan Van den Abeele ◽  
...  

Due to potential health and environmental risks of synthetic pesticides, coupled with their non-selectivity and pest resistance, there has been increasing demand for safer and biodegradable alternatives for insect pest management. Botanical pesticides have emerged as a promising alternative due to their non-persistence, high selectivity, and low mammalian toxicity. Six Meliaceae plant species, Azadirachta indica, Azadirachta excelsa, Azadirachta siamens, Melia azedarach, Melia toosendan, and Melia volkensii, have been subject to botanical pesticide evaluation. This review focuses on Melia volkensii, which has not been intensively studied. M. volkensii, a dryland tree species native to East Africa, has shown activity towards a broad range of insect orders, including dipterans, lepidopterans and coleopterans. Its extracts have been reported to have growth inhibiting and antifeedant properties against Schistocerca gregaria, Trichoplusia ni, Pseudaletia unipuncta, Epilachna varivestis, Nezara viridula, several Spodoptera species and other insect pests. Mortality in mosquitoes has also been reported. Several limonoids with a wide range of biological activities have been isolated from the plant, including volkensin, salannin, toosendanin, trichilin-class limonoids, volkendousin, kulactone among others. This paper presents a concise review of published information on the phytochemical composition and potential of M. volkensii for application in insect pest management.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (23) ◽  
pp. 5690
Author(s):  
Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy ◽  
Dayanand Dalawai ◽  
Yaser Hassan Dewir ◽  
Abdullah Ibrahim

Garcinia morella (Gaertn.) Desr. is an evergreen tree that yields edible fruits, oil, and resin. It is a source of “gamboge”, a gum/resin that has a wide range of uses. The fruits, leaves, and seeds of this tree are rich in bioactive compounds, including xanthones, flavonoids, phenolic acids, organic acids, and terpenoids. Evidence from different studies has demonstrated the antioxidant, antifungal, antiviral, hepatoprotective, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and larvicidal activities of the fruit, leaf, and seed extracts of G. morella. This review summarizes the information on the phytochemicals of G. morella and the biological activities of its active constituents.


Author(s):  
Sayed Rashad ◽  
Ghadir El-Chaghaby

Nowadays, the use of natural bio-products in pharmaceuticals is gaining popularity as safe alternatives to chemicals and synthetic drugs. Algal products are offering a pure, healthy and sustainable choice for pharmaceutical applications. Algae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can survive in different environmental conditions. Algae have many outstanding properties that make them excellent candidate for use in therapeutics. Algae grow in fresh and marine waters and produce in their cells a wide range of biologically active chemical compounds. These bioactive compounds are offering a great source of highly economic bio-products. The present review discusses the phytochemical and bioactive compounds present in algae biomass and their potent biological activities. The review focuses on the use of alga in therapy and their pharmaceutical applications with special reference to the possible preventive and therapeutic role of algae against COVID-19.


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