Cactus stem (<i>Opuntia ficus‐indica</i> Mill): anatomy, physiology and chemical composition with emphasis on its biofunctional properties

Ventura‐Aguilar, Rosa Isela; Bosquez-Molina, Elsa; Bautista‐Baños, Silvia; Rivera-Cabrera, Fernando

doi:10.1002/jsfa.8493

Cited by 76 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…There are many varieties of O. ficus‐indica not only obtained from their hybridization in nature but also from creation of new varieties through clonal selection. These varieties are of great worldwide economical importance (Arba, Falisse, Choukr‐Allah, & Sindic, ; Ventura‐Aguilar, Bosquez‐Molina, Bautista‐Baños, & Rivera‐Cabrera, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative evaluation of fruits from different Opuntia ficus‐indica ecotypes/cultivars harvested in South Portugal

et al. 2018

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Opuntia ficus‐indica fruits have an important nutritional value and show several biological properties. This work studied the fruit physicochemical characteristics of two wild ecotypes (“Green” and “Orange”) and two cultivars (“Rossa” and “Gialla”) from Portugal. The results showed that the largest and heaviest fruits were those from ecotype “Orange,”, whereas the wild ecotype “Green” had fruits with firmer flesh. The fruit peels of cultivars “Rossa” and “Gialla” presented the highest fibre content. Glucose was the major carbohydrate in the fruits, particularly in the peels. Malic acid was the sole organic acid in both peels and pulps of all samples. The betacyanins’ content was higher in fruits of the “Rossa” cultivar, and the higher betaxanthins’ content was present in the peel of the cultivar “Gialla.” Peels of all samples generally had higher amounts of betalains than the pulps. The peel was a better scavenger of DPPH and ABTS free radicals than the pulp. Practical application The wastes of diverse food industries have revealed the presence of bioactive compounds with added value. The fruits of Opuntia ficus‐indica are appreciated for possessing biological attributes, nevertheless the peel generally is not used. The present work shows that the pigments (betalains) are predominantly found in the peel. Moreover, the in vitro antioxidant activity was also higher in this part of the fruit, independent on the ecotype or cultivar studied. Such results might trigger the interest for these residues from which pigments and bioactive compounds can be extracted, and, as extracts, can be used in diverse domains particularly in food and pharmaceutical industries.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Qualitative evaluation of fruits from different Opuntia ficus‐indica ecotypes/cultivars harvested in South Portugal

et al. 2018

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“…Neutral sugars content was 345 mg/g and 380 mg/g for LP and DP, respectively. The considerable amount of neutral sugars in the DP can be assigned to the temperature effect which may lead to the decomposition of polysaccharides into pentoses and hexoses with reference to Ventura-Aguilar et al [ 49 ] work. It is also worth noting that, based on some other scholars’ works, carbohydrates are assumed to be d -galactose, d -xylose, l -rhamnose, l -arabinose, and galacturonic acid [ 50 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of Two Cactus Formulation-Based Flocculants and Investigation on Their Flocculating Ability for Cationic and Anionic Dyes Removal

et al. 2020

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Dye invasion in wastewaters is undeniably one of the crucial environmental concerns in addition to the supplement of toxic synthetic chemical flocculants used for color removal using the conventional coagulation-flocculation process. With the aim to improve the flocculation stage in terms of reagents safety and ensure dyes removal, the present study explores the flocculating effectiveness of two natural, stable, and eco-friendly cactus formulations, namely 60 °C oven-dried (DP) and lyophilized (LP) cladodes. Both formulations were assessed to treat cationic (Methylene blue; MB) and anionic (Methyl Orange; MO) dye solutions as a substitution attempt for the currently questioned employed synthetic chemical flocculants. Obtained results demonstrate that, in conjunction with alum as coagulant, the lyophilized powder (LP) bio-based flocculant appears to be the most efficient cactus formulation, showing a significant color (83%) and a turbidity (69%) abatement for the cationic dye (MB) and, respectively, 63% and 62% for the anionic one (MO). Additionally, the flocculation activity of the LP formula remained high over an eight-month period of storage. Moreover, based on the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis and the chemical characterization of cactus formulations, the occurring flocculation mechanisms of the dye removal are presumed to be based on both adsorption and bridging phenomena. Further, the significant color and turbidity decline achieved upon the addition of the lyophilized cactus cladodes powder (LP), enhancing thus the coagulation performance of the alum-based coagulant, proved the effectiveness of this bio-flocculant compared to the commonly used chemical flocculant (polyacrylamide). Hence, it was suggested that lyophilized cactus cladodes as a natural flocculant could be one of the effective surrogates to chemical flocculants conventionally used in wastewater treatment for the sake of a safer and sustainable environment.

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“…Cacti are highly adapted to xeric environments, owing to physiological modifications such as the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) or morphological adaptations ( Anderson, 2001 ). The latter affect particularly the stem, which consists mostly of water-storage aquifer parenchyma tissue and usually has a thick cuticle that limits water loss and a hypodermis ( Anderson, 2001 ; Arruda et al, 2004 ; Ventura-Aguilar et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy, Flow Cytometry, and X-Ray Tomography Reveal Tissue Organization and Ploidy Distribution in Long-Term In Vitro Cultures of Melocactus Species

et al. 2020

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Cacti have a highly specialized stem that enables survival during extended dry periods. Despite the ornamental value of cacti and the fact that stems represent the main source of explants in tissue culture, there are no studies on their morpho-anatomical and cytological characteristics in Melocactus . The present study seeks to address the occurrence of cells with mixed ploidy level in cacti tissues. Specifically, we aim to understand how Melocactus stem tissue is organized, how mixoploidy is distributed when present, and whether detected patterns of ploidy change after long periods of in vitro culture. To analyze tissue organization, Melocactus glaucescens and Melocactus paucispinus plants that had been germinated and cultivated in vitro were analyzed for stem structure using toluidine blue, Xylidine Ponceau, Periodic Acid Schiff, ruthenium red, and acid floroglucin. To investigate patterns of ploidy, apical, medial, and basal zones of the stem, as well as, periphery, cortex, and stele (vascular tissue and pith) regions of the stem and root apexes from four- and ten-year old cultured in vitro were analyzed by flow cytometry. X-ray micro-computed tomography (XRµCT) was performed with fragments of stems from both species. The scarcity of support elements ( i.e. , sclereids and fibers) indicates that epidermis, hypodermis, and wide-band tracheids present in cortical vascular bundles and stele, as well as water stored in aquifer parenchyma cells along the cortex, provide mechanical support to the stem. Parenchyma cells increase in volume with a four-fold increase in ploidy. M. glaucescens and M. paucispinus exhibit the same pattern of cell ploidy irrespective of topophysical region or age, but there is a marked difference in ploidy between the stem periphery (epidermis and hypodermis), cortex, stele, and roots. Mixoploidy in Melocactus is not related to the age of the culture, but is a developmental trait, whereby endocycles promote cell differentiation to accumulate valuable water.

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Cactus stem (Opuntia ficus‐indica Mill): anatomy, physiology and chemical composition with emphasis on its biofunctional properties

Cited by 76 publications

References 53 publications

Qualitative evaluation of fruits from different Opuntia ficus‐indica ecotypes/cultivars harvested in South Portugal

Qualitative evaluation of fruits from different Opuntia ficus‐indica ecotypes/cultivars harvested in South Portugal

Characterization of Two Cactus Formulation-Based Flocculants and Investigation on Their Flocculating Ability for Cationic and Anionic Dyes Removal

Anatomy, Flow Cytometry, and X-Ray Tomography Reveal Tissue Organization and Ploidy Distribution in Long-Term In Vitro Cultures of Melocactus Species

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