Ziziphus nummularia: A Comprehensive Review of Its Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Properties

Ziziphus nummularia, a small bush of the Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used in traditional folk medicine, is rich in bioactive molecules, and has many reported pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Objective: To gather the current knowledge related to the medicinal characteristics of Z. nummularia. Specifically, its phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, are discussed. Methods: Major scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, Henriette’s Herbal Homepage, Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, were searched to retrieve articles related to the review subject. General web searches using Google and Google scholar were also utilized. The search period covered articles published between 1980 and the end of October 2021.The search used the keywords ‘Ziziphus nummularia’, AND (‘phytochemical content’, ‘pharmacological properties, or activities, or effects, or roles’, ‘anti-inflammatory’, ‘anti-drought’, ‘anti-thermal’, ‘anthelmintic’, ‘antidiabetic’,’ anticancer’, ‘anticholinesterase’, ‘antimicrobial’, ‘sedative’, ‘antipyretic’, ‘analgesic’, or ‘gastrointestinal’). Results: This plant is rich in characteristic alkaloids, especially cyclopeptide alkaloids such as nummularine-M. Other phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, and phenolic compounds, are also present. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and gastrointestinal activities. In addition, Z. nummularia has anti-drought and anti-thermal characteristics. Conclusion: Research into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia has demonstrated that this plant is a rich source of novel bioactive compounds. So far, Z. nummularia has shown a varied pharmacological profile (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective), warranting further research to uncover the therapeutic potential of the bioactives of this plant. Taken together, Z. nummularia may represent a new potential target for the discovery of new drug leads.     

Azanone (HNO): generation,stabilization and detection

HNO (nitroxyl, azanone), joined the ‘biologically relevant reactive nitrogen species’ family in the 2000s. Azanone is impossible to store due to its high reactivity and inherent low stability. Consequently, its chemistry and effects are studied using donor compounds, which release this molecule in solution and in the gas phase upon stimulation. Researchers have also tried to stabilize this elusive species and its conjugate base by coordination to metal centers using several ligands, like metalloporphyrins and pincer ligands. Given HNO''s high reactivity and short lifetime, several different strategies have been proposed for its detection in chemical and biological systems, such as colorimetric methods, EPR, HPLC, mass spectrometry, fluorescent probes, and electrochemical analysis. These approaches are described and critically compared. Finally, in the last ten years, several advances regarding the possibility of endogenous HNO generation were made; some of them are also revised in the present work.

HNO (nitroxyl, azanone), joined the ‘biologically relevant reactive nitrogen species’ family in the 2000s.     

Ethnobotanical Uses,Phytochemistry, Toxicology,and Pharmacological Properties of Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. against Infectious Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Medicinal plants have considerable potential as antimicrobial agents due to the presence of secondary metabolites. This comprehensive overview aims to summarize the classification, morphology, and ethnobotanical uses of Euphorbia neriifolia L. and its derived phytochemicals with the recent updates on the pharmacological properties against emerging infectious diseases, mainly focusing on bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. The data were collected from electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, Semantic Scholar, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink by utilizing several keywords like ‘Euphorbia neriifolia’, ‘phytoconstituents’, ‘traditional uses’, ‘ethnopharmacological uses’, ‘infectious diseases’, ‘molecular mechanisms’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘bacterial infection’, ‘viral infection’, etc. The results related to the antimicrobial actions of these plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals were carefully reviewed and summarized. Euphol, monohydroxy triterpene, nerifoliol, taraxerol, β-amyrin, glut-5-(10)-en-1-one, neriifolione, and cycloartenol are the leading secondary metabolites reported in phytochemical investigations. These chemicals have been shown to possess a wide spectrum of biological functions. Different extracts of E. neriifolia exerted antimicrobial activities against various pathogens to different extents. Moreover, major phytoconstituents present in this plant, such as quercetin, rutin, friedelin, taraxerol, epitaraxerol, taraxeryl acetate, 3β-friedelanol, 3β-acetoxy friedelane, 3β-simiarenol, afzelin, 24-methylene cycloarenol, ingenol triacetate, and β-amyrin, showed significant antimicrobial activities against various pathogens that are responsible for emerging infectious diseases. This plant and the phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids, monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and alkaloids, have been found to have significant antimicrobial properties. The current evidence suggests that they might be used as leads in the development of more effective drugs to treat emerging infectious diseases, including the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).     

Nutraceutical Content and Genetic Diversity Share a Common Pattern in New Pomegranate Genotypes

The nutraceutical value of pomegranate in the treatment of many diseases is well-documented and is linked to its richness in phenolic compounds. This study aims to evaluate the nutraceutical and genetic diversity of novel pomegranate genotypes (G1–G5) in comparison to leading commercial pomegranate varieties, i.e., ‘Wonderful’, ‘Primosole’, ‘Dente di Cavallo’ and ‘Valenciana’. Morphometric measurements were carried out on fruits, accompanied by chemical characterization (total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, carbohydrates and minerals) and the development of four new polymorphic SSR markers involved in the flavonoid pathway. The cultivars displayed a marked variability in the weight and shape of the fruits, as well as in the weight of the arils and juice yield. The highest level of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was found in ‘Wonderful’ and G4, while the lowest was in ‘Dente di Cavallo’. Furthermore, the results showed that pomegranate juice is an excellent source of minerals, especially potassium, which plays a key role in organ functioning. The new flavonoid-related markers effectively differentiated the cultivars with the same diversity pattern as morpho-chemical characterization, so the SSRs developed in the present study can be used as a rapid tool for the identification of pomegranate cultivars with relevant nutraceutical traits, such as the new genotypes investigated.     

High Throughput Screening of the NatureBank ‘Marine Collection’ in a Haemonchus Bioassay Identifies Anthelmintic Activity in Extracts from a Range of Sponges from Australian Waters

Widespread resistance in parasitic nematodes to most classes of anthelmintic drugs demands the discovery and development of novel compounds with distinct mechanisms of action to complement strategic or integrated parasite control programs. Products from nature—which assume a diverse ‘chemical space’—have significant potential as a source of anthelmintic compounds. In the present study, we screened a collection of extracts (n = 7616) derived from marine invertebrates sampled from Australian waters in a high throughput bioassay for in vitro anti-parasitic activity against the barber’s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus)—an economically important parasitic nematode of livestock animals. In this high throughput screen (HTS), we identified 58 active extracts that reduced larval motility by ≥70% (at 90 h), equating to an overall ‘hit rate’ of ~0.8%. Of these 58 extracts, 16 also inhibited larval development by ≥80% (at 168 h) and/or induced ‘non-wild-type’ (abnormal) larval phenotypes with reference to ‘wild-type’ (normal) larvae not exposed to extract (negative controls). Most active extracts (54 of 58) originated from sponges, three from chordates (tunicates) and one from a coral; these extracts represented 37 distinct species/taxa of 23 families. An analysis of samples by ¹H NMR fingerprinting was utilised to dereplicate hits and to prioritise a set of 29 sponge samples for future chemical investigation. Overall, these results indicate that a range of sponge species from Australian waters represents a rich source of natural compounds with nematocidal or nematostatic properties. Our plan now is to focus on in-depth chemical investigations of the sample set prioritised herein.     

The Effect of the Addition of Ozonated and Non-Ozonated Fruits of the Saskatoon Berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) on the Quality and Pro-Healthy Profile of Craft Wheat Beers

Research into the suitability of domestic raw materials, including, for example, new wheat cultivars and fruit additives for the production of flavoured beers, is increasingly being undertaken by minibreweries and craft breweries. The fruits of the Saskatoon berry are an important source of bioactive compounds, mainly polyphenols, but also macro- and microelements. The fruits of two Canadian cultivars of this species, ‘Honeywood’ and ‘Thiessen’, were used in this study. Physicochemical analysis showed that wheat beers with the addition of non-ozonated fruit were characterised by a higher ethanol content by 7.73% on average. On the other hand, enrichment of the beer product with fruit pulp obtained from the cv. ‘Thiessen’ had a positive effect on the degree of real attenuation and the polyphenol profile. Sensory evaluation of the beer product showed that wheat beers with the addition of ‘Honeywood’ fruit were characterised by the most balanced taste and aroma. On the basis of the conducted research, it can be concluded that fruits of both cvs. ‘Honeywood’ and ‘Thiessen’ can be used in the production of wheat beers, but the fermentation process has to be modified in order to obtain a higher yield of the fruit beer product.     

Alkaloids of the Genus Datura: Review of a Rich Resource for Natural Product Discovery

The genus Datura (Solanaceae) contains nine species of medicinal plants that have held both curative utility and cultural significance throughout history. This genus’ particular bioactivity results from the enormous diversity of alkaloids it contains, making it a valuable study organism for many disciplines. Although Datura contains mostly tropane alkaloids (such as hyoscyamine and scopolamine), indole, beta-carboline, and pyrrolidine alkaloids have also been identified. The tools available to explore specialized metabolism in plants have undergone remarkable advances over the past couple of decades and provide renewed opportunities for discoveries of new compounds and the genetic basis for their biosynthesis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of studies on the alkaloids of Datura that focuses on three questions: How do we find and identify alkaloids? Where do alkaloids come from? What factors affect their presence and abundance? We also address pitfalls and relevant questions applicable to natural products and metabolomics researchers. With both careful perspectives and new advances in instrumentation, the pace of alkaloid discovery—from not just Datura—has the potential to accelerate dramatically in the near future.     

Novel Big Data-Driven Machine Learning Models for Drug Discovery Application

Most contemporary drug discovery projects start with a ‘hit discovery’ phase where small chemicals are identified that have the capacity to interact, in a chemical sense, with a protein target involved in a given disease. To assist and accelerate this initial drug discovery process, ’virtual docking calculations’ are routinely performed, where computational models of proteins and computational models of small chemicals are evaluated for their capacities to bind together. In cutting-edge, contemporary implementations of this process, several conformations of protein targets are independently assayed in parallel ‘ensemble docking’ calculations. Some of these protein conformations, a minority of them, will be capable of binding many chemicals, while other protein conformations, the majority of them, will not be able to do so. This fact that only some of the conformations accessible to a protein will be ’selected’ by chemicals is known as ’conformational selection’ process in biology. This work describes a machine learning approach to characterize and identify the properties of protein conformations that will be selected (i.e., bind to) chemicals, and classified as potential binding drug candidates, unlike the remaining non-binding drug candidate protein conformations. This work also addresses the class imbalance problem through advanced machine learning techniques that maximize the prediction rate of potential protein molecular conformations for the test case proteins ADORA2A (Adenosine A2a Receptor) and OPRK1 (Opioid Receptor Kappa 1), and subsequently reduces the failure rates and hastens the drug discovery process.     

Reuse of Food Waste: The Chemical Composition and Health Properties of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) Cultivar Essential Oils

The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition, and hypolipidemic effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Sicilian Citrus maxima (pomelo) flavedo. Using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) we analysed the Eos of five cultivars of C. maxima, namely, ‘Chadock’, ‘Maxima’, ‘Pyriformis’, ‘Terracciani’, and ‘Todarii’, and their blends. The antioxidant activity was performed by using a multi-target approach using 2,2′-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. The α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase-inhibitory activities were also assessed. GC-MS analyses revealed D-limonene as the main monoterpene hydrocarbon in all cultivars, albeit with different percentages in the range of 21.72–71.13%. A good content of oxygenated monoterpenes was detected for all cultivars, especially for ‘Todarii’. The analysis of the principal components (PCA), and related clusters (HCA), was performed to find chemo-diversity among the analysed samples. EOs from ‘Chadock’ and ‘Maxima’ were statistically similar to each other, and they differed from P3 in the smaller amount of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, while the oils from ‘Terracciani’ and ‘Todarii’ were found to be chemically and statistically different. ‘Chadock’ EO was the most active to scavenge radicals (IC₅₀ values of 22.24 and 27.23 µg/mL in ABTS and DPPH tests, respectively). ‘Terracciani’ EO was the most active against both lipase and α-amylase, whereas the blends obtained by the combination (1:1 v/v) of C. maxima ‘Maxima’ + ‘Todarii’ were the most active against α-glucosidase. Generally, the blends did not exert a unique behaviour in potentiating or reducing the bioactivity of the pomelo EOs.     

Rapid Discrimination of Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ by Electrospray Ionization–Ion Mobility–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

A common idea is that some dishonest businessmen often disguise Citrus reticulata Blanco varieties as Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’, which places consumers at risk of economic losses. In this work, we combined high-resolution ion mobility (U-shaped mobility analyzer) with high-resolution mass spectrometry to rapidly distinguish Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ from other Citrus species. The samples were analyzed directly through simple extraction and the analytes were separated in one second. It only took about 1 min to perform a cycle of sample analysis and data acquisition. The results showed that polymethoxylated flavones and their isomers were separated easily by the ion mobility analyzer and preliminarily identified according to the accurate mass. Moreover, the collision cross-section values of all analytes, which could be used as auxiliary parameters to characterize and identify the compounds in the samples, were measured. Twenty-four samples were grouped as two clusters by multivariate analysis, which meant that Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ could be effectively differentiated. It was confirmed that the developed method had the potential to rapidly separate polymethoxylated flavones and distinguish between Citrus reticulata ‘Chachi’ and other Citrus reticulata Blanco varieties.     

Classification,Toxicity and Bioactivity of Natural Diterpenoid Alkaloids

Diterpenoid alkaloids are natural compounds having complex structural features with many stereo-centres originating from the amination of natural tetracyclic diterpenes and produced primarily from plants in the Aconitum, Delphinium, Consolida genera. Corals, Xenia, Okinawan/Clavularia, Alcyonacea (soft corals) and marine sponges are rich sources of diterpenoids, despite the difficulty to access them and the lack of availability. Researchers have long been concerned with the potential beneficial or harmful effects of diterpenoid alkaloids due to their structural complexity, which accounts for their use as pharmaceuticals as well as their lousy reputation as toxic substances. Compounds belonging to this unique and fascinating family of natural products exhibit a broad spectrum of biological activities. Some of these compounds are on the list of clinical drugs, while others act as incredibly potent neurotoxins. Despite numerous attempts to prepare synthetic products, this review only introduces the natural diterpenoid alkaloids, describing ‘compounds’ structures and classifications and their toxicity and bioactivity. The purpose of the review is to highlight some existing relationships between the presence of substituents in the structure of such molecules and their recognised bioactivity.     

Tirzepatide,a New Era of Dual-Targeted Treatment for Diabetes and Obesity: A Mini-Review

The prevalence of obesity and diabetes is an increasing global problem, especially in developed countries, and is referred to as the twin epidemics. As such, advanced treatment approaches are needed. Tirzepatide, known as a ‘twincretin’, is a ‘first-in-class’ and the only dual glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) receptor agonist, that can significantly reduce glycemic levels and improve insulin sensitivity, as well as reducing body weight by more than 20% and improving lipid metabolism. This novel anti-diabetic drug is a synthetic peptide analog of the human GIP hormone with a C₂₀ fatty-diacid portion attached which, via acylation technology, can bind to albumin in order to provide a dose of the drug, by means of subcutaneous injection, once a week, which is appropriate to its a half-life of about five days. Tirzepatide, developed by Eli Lilly, was approved, under the brand name Mounjaro, by the United States Food and Drug Administration in May 2022. This started the ‘twincretin’ era of enormously important and appealing dual therapeutic options for diabetes and obesity, as well as advanced management of closely related cardiometabolic settings, which constitute the leading cause of morbidity, disability, and mortality worldwide. Herein, we present the key characteristics of tirzepatide in terms of synthesis, structure, and activity, bearing in mind its advantages and shortcomings. Furthermore, we briefly trace the evolution of this kind of medical agent and discuss the development of clinical studies.     

Biocomputational Screening of Natural Compounds against Acetylcholinesterase

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by irreversible and progressive neurodegeneration. Cholinergic dysfunction has been reported in AD, and several cholinesterase inhibitors, including natural compounds and synthetic analogs, have been developed to treat the disease. However, there is currently no treatment for AD, as most drug-like compounds have failed in clinical trials. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the target of most drugs used commercially to treat AD. This work focused on screening natural compounds obtained from the ZINC database (224, 205 compounds) against AChE to identify those possibly capable of enabling the management of AD. Indirubin and dehydroevodiamine were the best potential AChE inhibitors with free binding energies of −10.03 and −9.00 kcal/mol, respectively. The key residue (His⁴⁴⁷) of the active site of AChE was found to participate in complex interactions with these two molecules. Six H-bonds were involved in the ‘indirubin–AChE’ interaction and three H-bonds in the ‘dehydroevodiamine–AChE’ interaction. These compounds were predicted to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and to exhibit high levels of intestinal absorption. Furthermore, ‘indirubin–AChE’ and ‘dehydroevodiamine–AChE’ complexes were found to be stable, as determined by root mean square deviation (RMSD) during a 50 ns molecular dynamics simulation study. Based on the free binding energies and stabilities obtained by simulation studies, we recommend that experimental studies be undertaken on indirubin and dehydroevodiamine with a view towards their potential use as treatments for AD.     

Content of Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acids in the Flowers of Selected Tulipa gesneriana Cultivars

The study focused on the determination of phenolic acids, flavonoids and organic acids in five tulip cultivars ‘Barcelona’, ‘Columbus’, ‘Strong Gold’, ‘Super Parrot’ and ‘Tropicana’. The cultivars grown in field and in a greenhouse were exposed after cutting to different times of storage (0, 3 and 6 days). The phenolic profile contained 4-hydroxybenzoic, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic, gallic, vanillic, syringic, salicylic, protocatechuic, trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, chlorogenic and sinapic acids, as well as quercetin, rutin, luteonin, catechin and vitexin. The mean phenolic acid content was in the following order: ‘Columbus’ and ‘Tropicana’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Strong Gold’ > ’Super Parrot’, while the levels of flavonoids were as follows: ‘Strong Gold’ > ’Barcelona’ > ’Tropicana’ > ’Columbus’ > ’Super Parrot’. The highest content of phenolic acids was confirmed for Columbus and Tropicana, while the lowest was for Super Parrot. However total phenolic content was very similar, observed between the place of cultivation, time of storage and cultivars. Malonic, succinic, acetic and citric acids were the major organic acid components in tulip petals. More organic acids (except malonic) were accumulated in tulip petals from fields than those from the greenhouse, while changes during storage were strictly correlated with cultivars.     

Comparative Assessment of Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of Kernel Oil from Eight Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Cultivars

New plant oils as a potential natural source of nutraceutical compounds are still being sought. The main components of eight cultivars (‘Koral’, ‘Lucyna’, ‘Montmorency’, ‘Naumburger’, ‘Wanda’, ‘Wigor’, ‘Wołyńska’, and ‘Wróble’) of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) grown in Poland, including crude fat, protein, and oil content, were evaluated. The extracted oils were analysed for chemical and biological activity. The oils had an average peroxide value of 1.49 mEq O₂/kg, acid value of 1.20 mg KOH/g, a saponification value of 184 mg of KOH/g, and iodine value of 120 g I₂/100 g of oil. The sour cherry oil contained linoleic (39.1–46.2%) and oleic (25.4–41.0%) acids as the major components with smaller concentrations of α-eleostearic acid (8.00–15.62%), palmitic acid (5.45–7.41%), and stearic acid (2.49–3.17%). The content of sterols and squalene varied significantly in all the studied cultivars and ranged between 336–973 mg/100 g and 66–102 mg/100 g of oil. The contents of total tocochromanols, polyphenols, and carotenoids were 119–164, 19.6–29.5, and 0.56–1.61 mg/100 g oil, respectively. The cultivar providing the highest amounts of oil and characterised by the highest content of PUFA (including linoleic acid), plant sterols, α-and β-tocopherol, as well as the highest total polyphenol and total carotenoids content was been found to be ‘Naumburger’. The antioxidant capacity of sour cherry kernel oils, measured using the DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ methods, ranged from 57.7 to 63.5 and from 38.2 to 43.2 mg trolox/100 g oil, respectively. The results of the present study provide important information about potential possibilities of application of Prunus cerasus kernel oils in cosmetic products and pharmaceuticals offering health benefits.     

Sea Buckthorn Leaf Powders: The Impact of Cultivar and Drying Mode on Antioxidant,Phytochemical, and Chromatic Profile of Valuable Resource

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L. (HR)) leaf powders are the underutilized, promising resource of valuable compounds. Genotype and processing methods are key factors in the preparation of homogenous, stable, and quantified ingredients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the phenolic, triterpenic, antioxidant profiles, carotenoid and chlorophyll content, and chromatic characteristics of convection-dried and freeze-dried HR leaf powders obtained from ten different female cultivars, namely ‘Avgustinka’, ‘Botaniceskaja Liubitelskaja’, ‘Botaniceskaja’, ‘Hibrid Percika’, ‘Julia’, ‘Nivelena’, ‘Otradnaja’, ‘Podarok Sadu’, ‘Trofimovskaja’, and ‘Vorobjovskaja’. The chromatic characteristics were determined using the CIELAB scale. The phytochemical profiles were determined using HPLC-PDA (high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector) analysis; spectrophotometric assays and antioxidant activities were investigated using ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power) assays. The sea buckthorn leaf powders had a yellowish-green appearance. The drying mode had a significant impact on the total antioxidant activity, chlorophyll content, and chromatic characteristics of the samples; the freeze-dried samples were superior in antioxidant activity, chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and chromatic profile, compared to convection-dried leaf powder samples. The determined triterpenic and phenolic profiles strongly depend on the cultivar, and the drying technique had no impact on qualitative and quantitative composition. Catechin, epigallocatechin, procyanidin B3, ursolic acid, α-amyrin, and β-sitosterol could be used as quantitative markers in the phenolic and triterpenic profiles. The cultivars ‘Avgustinka’, ‘Nivelena’, and ‘Botaniceskaja’ were superior to other tested cultivars, with the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity.     

Evaluation of Leaf Mineral,Flavonoid, and Total Phenolic Content in Spider Plant Germplasm

Spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.) is an important leafy vegetable that grows naturally in many parts of the world. The leaves are highly nutritious and are used mainly for human consumption. The mineral content and phenolic compounds of 17 genotypes (local and exotic) of spider plant and four standards (swiss chard, jute mallow, cowpea, and pumpkin) were investigated. Leaf samples were harvested from plants raised at Thohoyandou, South Africa. Exotic genotypes were superior to local genotypes for most of the minerals. Swiss chard possessed significantly high levels of some minerals such as iron and manganese in comparison with exotic spider plant genotypes. The calcium content in the local (‘MP-B-3-CG’) and exotic (‘GPS’) genotypes was >30.0% and >60.0% higher than in swiss chard, respectively. Total phenolics among spider plant genotypes ranged from 9.86 to 12.21 mg GAE/g DW and were superior to pumpkin. In addition, the spider plant genotypes varied significantly in the antioxidant capacity as estimated by the 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. The main flavonoid in the leaves of spider plant genotypes was quercetin-3-rutinoside. Crotonoside (glycoside) was detected in all the spider plant genotypes and swiss chard. A positive correlation was observed between total phenolic content and each of the three flavonoids. The PCA biplot associated exotic genotypes (‘ML-SF-29′, ‘PS’, ‘TZ-1’, and ‘GPS’) and local genotypes (‘ML-3-KK’, ‘ML-13-SDM’, and ‘ML-12-TMP’) with high Al, Fe, Zn, N, and TPC. Cluster analysis indicated high “distant groups” between exotic and local genotypes of spider plant. These results indicated that some of the local germplasm of spider plant was largely inferior to the exotic germplasm in terms of their mineral composition but contained considerable quantities of quercetin-3-rutinoside, particularly in the local genotypes ‘MP-B-2-CG’ and ‘MP-B-1-CG’. There is a need for genetic improvement of the local germplasm in some of the minerals particularly to benefit the end-users.     

Quality of Oil Pressed from Hemp Seed Varieties: ‘Earlina 8FC’, ‘Secuieni Jubileu’ and ‘Finola’

In the last decade, the demand for edible niche oils has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the seeds hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties: ‘Finola’ (FIN-314)’, ‘Earlina 8FC’, and ‘Secuieni Jubileu’, and cold and hot pressed oils were prepared from each seed. The seeds were examined for moisture content, granulometric distribution, bulk density, and fat content. Seeds were pressed without and with preconditioning (60 °C), and oil yield and pressing time were recorded. The oil was filtered through cellulose membranes. Oil–water content, oil color, fatty acid profile, and sterol content were studied. From the study conducted, there are significant differences in the parameters of oil recovery and its quality compared to ‘Finola’ seed oil, which is widely reported in the literature. ‘Finola’ oil yield was the lowest, with an average of 79% compared to ‘Earlina’ (82%) and ‘S. Jubileu’ (84%). All oil samples contained a comparable amount of sterols, with campesterol (0.32 mg/g), β-sitosterol (1.3 mg/g) and Δ5-avenasterol (0.15 mg/g) predominating. From the organoleptic evaluation, it was evident that both varieties hemp oils and marc (‘Earlina’ and ‘S. Jubileu’) were not bitter like the “Finola” oil and marc. More detailed studies in this direction have to be undertaken.