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Plant Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Coconut is a fruit of the Cocos nucifera tree (family Palmaceae or Arecaceae), mainly found in Southeast Asia and Pacific islands. It is used as food for inhabitants in these areas. The coconut fruit comprises an outer epicarp, a mesocarp, and an inner endocarp. The epicarp, which is the outer skin of the fruit, and the mesocarp, which is heavy, fibrous, and tanned when dry, have many industrial uses. The endocarp is the dark and hard core. Inside is an edible white kernel (meat) which is a solid white albumen of varied thickness, depending on the age of the fruit, and with an oily pulp consistency and a liquid albumen called coconut water that is thick, sweet, and slightly acidic (123).
Recent In-Depth Insights of Nature-Based Anti-Worm Therapeutic Medications: Emerging Herbal Anthelmintics
Published in Debarshi Kar Mahapatra, Cristóbal Noé Aguilar, A. K. Haghi, Applied Pharmaceutical Practice and Nutraceuticals, 2021
Ankita Soni, Paras Kothari, Debarshi Kar Mahapatra
Cocos nucifera Linn, commonly known as coconut tree is a member of the family Arecaceae. It is largely cultivated in Southeast Asia and the island between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.49 The plant is a monocotyledonous tree having height of about 25 m. The root is fasiculated type with unbranched stem. The leaves are feather shaped having a petiole, rachis, and leaflets. The coconut fruit is an ovoid consisting of three layers; outer epicarp, mesocarp, and inner endocarp. Inside the fruit, is solid white albumen of varied thickness with an oily pulp and a liquid known as coconut water.50
Green Metal-Based Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Medicinal Plants and Plant Phytochemicals against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Published in Richard L. K. Glover, Daniel Nyanganyura, Rofhiwa Bridget Mulaudzi, Maluta Steven Mufamadi, Green Synthesis in Nanomedicine and Human Health, 2021
Abeer Ahmed Qaed Ahmed, Lin Xiao, Tracey Jill Morton McKay, Guang Yang
The extract of coconut shell (Cocos nucifera) was used to biosynthesize AgNPs and their antibacterial activity was evaluated against human pathogens S. aureus, E. coli, L. monocytogenes and S. typhimurium (Sinsinwar et al., 2018). The biosynthesized AgNPs using extract of coconut shell (CSE-AgNPs) were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy (432 nm peak absorption), TEM (size from 14.2 to 22.96 nm with spherical shape), FTIR spectroscopy revealed coconut shell extract capping around the AgNPs (with peaks at 1384, 1609 and 3418; correspond to the biomolecules) and XRD (with a peak at 32.078 as well as 2-Theta). CSE-AgNPs showed 15 mm inhibition zone against S. aureus, while the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 26 μg/ml. CSE-AgNPs ability to inhibit pathogens was compared to extract and ampicillin control using growth curve assay. The effect of CSE as well as CSE-AgNPs on human pathogens’ growth pattern was evaluated on the absorbance at 600 nm. CSE-AgNPs noticeably inhibited bacterial cells’ growth, even at the start of incubation. Both CSE and ampicillin (positive control) slowed the inhibition up to 10 hours, but subsequently failed to contain the growth of the tested bacteria.
In vivo studies on the ameliorative effect of coconut water against carbon tetrachloride induced toxicity in rats
Published in Biomarkers, 2021
Ifeanyichukwu Elekwa, Victor Chibueze Ude, Okezie Emmanuel, Victor Obioma Amachaghi, Eziuche Amadike Ugbogu
In recent days, the use of plant bioactive for the treatment of disease has grown dramatically, as some of these plants are not only used for folklore medicine but are often used as natural food supplements. Since these plants are used as food, they may be termed as non-toxic and would be easily used for treatment and/or management of ailments without any concern on the risk of toxicity. Cocos nucifera (L.) belongs to the plant family of Arecaceae and is also referred to as coconut (Ghosh et al. 2014, Lima et al. 2015). Cocos nucifera originated from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and the Island which is located in between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It was later taken to India and East Africa followed by West Africa, America, and other tropical regions (Ghosh et al. 2014). Coconut looks like a palm tree, about 25 m tall. It is an arborescent monocotyledonous tree with the fasciculate root system, unbranched stem with a tuft of leaves that protects a single apical bud at the apex. Its fruits consist of an epicarp (outer skin of the fruits), mesocarp (heavy and fibrous) and endocarp (hard dark core) (Awua et al.2011, Lima et al. 2015). The white solid albumen with oily pulp consistency and liquid albumen known as coconut water, which is thick, sweet, and slightly acidic are found inside the hard-dark core endocarp (Lima et al. 2015).
Dietary Supplementation with Virgin Coconut Oil Improves Lipid Profile and Hepatic Antioxidant Status and Has Potential Benefits on Cardiovascular Risk Indices in Normal Rats
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2018
Ademola C. Famurewa, Chima A. Ekeleme-Egedigwe, Sophia C. Nwali, Ngozi N. Agbo, Joy N. Obi, Goodness C. Ezechukwu
Coconut (Cocos nucifera) is a fruit that is abundant in Asian countries such as India, Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia. Coconut oil is obtained from the seeds of coconut palm through various processing methods that influence the quality, aroma, and flavor of the product oil being used as food and medication (Hamsi et al., 2015; Marina et al., 2009b). Coconut oil is considered a saturated fat because it contains more than 90% saturated fatty acids of which 60% to 63% is medium-chain fatty acid (Rahim et al., 2017; Babu et al., 2014; Marina et al., 2009b). For a considerable time, epidemiological reports have indicated that blood cholesterol and consuming high amounts of saturated fatty acids play a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (Dumancas et al., 2016; German and Dillard, 2004). In this regard, coconut oil has been regarded as a culprit in increasing cardiovascular risk, and this led to a significant reduction in human consumption of coconut oil over the past 40 years (Dumancas et al., 2016).
Hepatoprotective effect of polyphenols isolated from virgin coconut oil against sub-chronic cadmium hepatotoxicity in rats is associated with improvement in antioxidant defense system
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2021
Ademola C. Famurewa, Chioma S. Ugwu-Ejezie, Eghosa E. Iyare, Abiola M. Folawiyo, Ekenechukwu K. Maduagwuna, Fidelis E. Ejezie
The recent trend worldwide is a paradigm shift in favor of natural product phytochemicals with antioxidant potential to reduce oxidative stress consequences in biological processes (Shahidi 2000). Natural products are repositories of several polyphenols with potent antioxidant capacity. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) from Cocos nucifera is emerging as functional food oil that may have beneficial health effect against oxidative stress-induced pathologies (Famurewa et al.2017). VCO is found to contain potent natural phenolic antioxidants (Marina et al.2009a, Srivastava et al.2016, Illam et al.2017). Research evidence shows that wet method of VCO production from fresh and mature kernel that is devoid of chemical refining, bleaching and deodorizing conserves the bioactive polyphenolics (Marina et al.2009a). Recent evidences suggest that VCO possesses beneficial health effects in oxidative stress-related disorders (Nevin and Rajamohan 2006, Zakaria et al.2011, Srivastava et al.2013, Vysakh et al.2014). These beneficial health effects have been associated with the polyphenols present in the oil (Marina et al.2009a, Vysakh et al.2014). Although many agents have demonstrated antioxidant potential against Cd-mediated toxicity and oxidative stress, the possible role of functional oils such as VCO that is affordable and amenable to daily diet in metal toxicity need considerable attention. To our knowledge, the potential of VCO polyphenol in the prevention of Cd-induced toxicity remains to be reported in published literature. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the protective effect of polyphenols isolated from VCO on Cd-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats.