The composition of Zizyphus mauritiana mucilage (ZMM) and several properties related to its nutritional quality were investigated. The ZMM with good water holding capacity (25.21 g/g), swelling capacity (19.34 mL/g), glucose dialysis retardation index and in vitro amylolysis kinetics indicate that it may have the capability in controlling the diabetes. Structural characteristics of ZMM were analyzed using the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In addition, the ZMM has the strong antioxidant potency against ABTS (16,587.32 mmol trolox equiv./g), DPPH (5.27 g mucilage/g DPPH), hydroxyl (76.13%) and superoxide (85.12%) radicals due to the presence of polyphenols (25.54 mg GAE/g mucilage). Besides, the ZMM also inhibited the acetylcholine esterase (86.89%), tyrosinase (47.01%), α-amylase (70.13%) and α-glucosidase (87.14%) enzymes. These properties make the crude mucilaginous fraction from Z. mauritiana fruit an excellent candidate of potential nutraceutical and functional food.

Momordica species are vegetable crops widely distributed in warmer regions of the world. In this work, we describe the antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effects of the leaves from three different species of Momordica. The present investigation was initially carried out to explore the possible link between antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory property of Momordica leaf extract and their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The anti-inflammatory activity was tested by using carrageenan-induced paw edema. Our results illustrated an enhanced antioxidant power of wild species comparable with a commercial variety. In addition, the leaf extract of M. dioica (200 mg/kg) presented a significant anti-inflammatory activity toward carrageenan-induced paw edema in Wistar rats in comparison to indomethacin (10 mg/kg). The contents of flavonoids and total phenolic compounds could be correlated with the antioxidant and enzymes inhibition activities. The major bioactive compounds of phenolic acids and flavonoids such as gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, ellagic acid, catechin, rutin, and quercetin were identified. Our findings suggest that wild Momordica species contains higher potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities than a commercial variety does, which could be tested as drug candidates against oxidative and inflammation-related pathological processes.

In the present study, antioxidant potential, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of fresh juice from indigenous fruits of Citrus hystrix and C. maxima (Red & White var.) were investigated using an in vitro model. The contents of total phenolics, tannins, and total flavonoids ranged between 836.90 and 909.52 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L, 333.33 and 523.21 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/L and 224.88 and 262.22 mg rutin equivalent/L, respectively. The antioxidant activity of fresh juice was evaluated by employing different in vitro assays such as reducing power assay, DPPH^•, ABTS^•+ and ^•OH radical scavenging capacities, peroxidation inhibition activity, antihemolytic assay. In addition, 75.55%–79.75% of α-amylase and 70.68%–72.83% of α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition characteristics were found under in vitro starch digestion bioassay. Also, all the juice samples exhibited excellent tyrosinase (76.95%–80.79%), acetylcholinesterase (75.71%–79.74%) and β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity (68.13%–69.38%). These results indicated that fresh juice of C. hystrix and C. maxima (Red & White var.) could be used as a source of antioxidant agents, functional food and nutraceuticals.