Xao tam phan (Paramignya trimera (Oliv.) Guillaum) has been used as a herbal medicine for the treatment of cancer or cancer-like diseases in recent years, particularly in Vietnam. Drying is an important step for preparation of dried materials for storage and further investigation; however, the effects of drying must be taken into account when processing samples, as this can have profound effects on the stability of phytochemical compounds and the biological activity of the dried P. trimera root. As such, this study assessed the effects of four different drying methods (conventional, hot-air, vacuum, and microwave) on phytochemical retention and antioxidant capacity of the P. trimera root, to identify an optimal drying method for the P. trimera root. The results showed that the drying methods significantly affected phytochemical levels and antioxidant capacity of the P. trimera root, and that among the four drying methods tested, microwave drying (400 W) had the highest levels of phytochemical compounds with total phenolic, total flavonoid, Downloaded by [New York University] at 13:46 31 July 2015 2 proanthocyanidin, and saponin contents being 11.27 mg GAE, 19.88 mg RE, 3.98 mg CE, and 267.15 mg EE/gram of dried sample, respectively. Dried sample prepared using this method had comparable antioxidant capacity with other drying methods. In addition, this method had the shortest drying time (0.28 h), and consumed the least energy (0.28 kWh).Therefore, microwave drying method should be considered for drying P. trimera root for further investigation and utilization.

Abstract:The tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) is an Australian native plant that fruits over the summer months. There are very few studies that have characterised its fruit; consequently, this study aimed to delineate the physical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of the tuckeroo fruit. The tuckeroo skin embodied the largest weight proportion with over 77% of the total fruit weight and it had the highest levels of total phenolic compounds (TPC; 151.36 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids compounds (TFC; 95.94 mg CAE/g), and proanthocyanidins (Proanth; 164.86 mg CAE/g) content, as well as the strongest antioxidant power. The seed and flesh accounted for 23% of the total fruit weight and they possessed significantly lower levels of TPC, TFC and Proanth. This study has demonstrated that the tuckeroo fruit skin is a rich source of phenolic compounds, which can be further isolated and identified for further utilisation in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

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