Fatty acids composition of Tunisian Ziziphus lotus L. (Desf.) fruits and variation in biological activities between leaf and fruit extracts

Abstract

This study was conceived to evaluate the essential fatty acids, secondary metabolites, antiradical and antimicrobial activities of unexploited Tunisian Ziziphus lotus L. The obtained results indicated that the major components of fatty acids were oleic acid (88.12%) and elaidic acid (7.88%). Leaves contained higher amount of total phenols, flavonoids and tannins than fruits, although both methanolic extracts had significant antioxidant activities. Significant correlations were observed between the total phenol or flavonoid contents in methanolic extracts and antioxidant activity estimated by using both 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic radical-scavenging methods. In addition, both methanolic extracts exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal activities. The inhibition zone diameters and the minimal inhibition concentration values were in the range of 10-17 mm and 3.1-50 mg/mL, respectively.

Potential Benefits of Jujube (Zizyphus Lotus L.) Bioactive Compounds for Nutrition and Health

“…which have been supposed to be responsible for most of its health benefits such as hypoglycemic, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties [14, 21, 22]. In this respect, the fruit of Z. lotus is a valuable source of nutrients as well as antioxidant [4, 21, 23, 24], antimicrobial, and antifungal [13, 25], immunosuppressive [14], anti-inflammatory [26], and antiulcerogenic [21, 27] compounds. Z. lotus leaves contain different carbohydrates and dammarane saponins notably jujuboside B, three jujubogenin glycosides, and jujubasaponine IV [20].…”

“…In the fruit, total phenols are the major compound, amounting from 297 to 4078.2 mg/100 g of dry matter; in addition, flavonoids and tannins are present in moderate quantities, 122 and 33 mg/100 g, respectively [13, 23]. In the leaf, total phenol content is 664 mg/100 g [13], along with flavonoids ranging from 130 to 199 mg/100 g [13, 18], high content of saponins (340 mg/100 g) [18], and large amount of carbohydrates (8720 mg/100 g) [20], and other molecules are found in small quantities under 10 mg/100 g (see Table 1). Interestingly, Z. lotus seeds contain a very high amount of several compounds such as fats (29.73 g/100 g), fibers (16.57 g/100 g), and protein (14.22 g/100 g) [19], along with carbohydrates (4720 mg/100 g) and small amounts of polyphenol (14.68 mg/100 g) [11].…”

“…Numerous studies reported that all parts of Z. lotus particularly, seeds, pulp, fruits, leaves, almond, root, and stem, were rich in palmitic, stearic, linoleic, and oleic acid [11, 13, 19, 28]. Oleic acid was the most important fatty acid of Z. lotus fruits [13], seeds [11], and almond [19] at 88.12%, 61.93%, and 49.88%, respectively.…”

“…In herbal medicine, the properties of bioactive compounds from plants depend on the part of the plant concerned (root, leaf stalk, pulp, or fruit) and the type of extract used. Z lotus is known for its high content in polyphenols exhibiting antioxidant and antimicrobial, immunomodulatory properties [13, 14]. Importantly, others biologically active molecules, particularly cyclopeptide alkaloids, termed lotusines [15–17], dammarane saponins [12], and various flavonoids [18] have been isolated from this shrub, along with polyunsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid and linoleic acid), high carbohydrate, and fibers which are abundant in seed extracts and endowed with antiulcerogenic and antioxidants effects [11, 19].…”

Quantification of total phenols, flavonoides and tannins from Ziziphus jujuba (mill.) and Ziziphus lotus (l.) (Desf). Leaf extracts and their effects on antioxidant and antibacterial activities

“…This richness improved the use of these organs in cosmetics and in pharmacology. Zizyphus spinachristi and Ziziphus lotus had been used in folk medicine as a demulcent, depurative, anodyne, emollient, stomachic, These characteristics make those species with valuable multi-purpose shrubs for semi-arid to arid ecological areas [2,5].…”