Plant Source Foods
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy in Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Citrus fruits are produced by the genus Citrus, a flowering plant, belonging to the family Rutaceae. The main citrus fruits are orange, grapefruits, mandarin, pomelo, citron, Lemon, clementine, and tangerine. The three ancestors in the genus Citrus are the mandarin, pomelo, and citron. Almost all the citrus fruits cited here are hybrids of these three ancestors, or with their main progenies. Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, vitamins B1, B5, folic acid, calcium, potassium, fibers, soluble sugars, and water. They are also high in phytochemicals such as beta-carotene, lutein, flavanones, flavonoids (naringenin), terpenes, citric acid, volatile acids, and so on. Citrus fruits have a wide range of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuroprotective effects (86–87). In general, citrus fruit is globose to oval, and comprises two distinct parts: the pericarp also called the peel, skin or rind, and the endocarp, or pulp and juice sacs. Citrus peels are subdivided into the epicarp or flavedo (colored peripheral surface with numerous small aromatic oil glands) and mesocarp or albedo (white soft middle layer). Citrus peel, the primary waste, is a good source of molasses, pectin and limonene, and is usually dried, mixed with dried pulps and sold as cattle feed (88). As citrus peel is rich in polyphenols, fibers, vitamins, and essences, it can be used for the preparation of low-cost nutritional dietary supplements (88).
The 1920s: consolidation of the Society, but still no permanent base, and an unfortunate episode involving the Colonial Office
Gordon C. Cook in Twenty-Six Portland Place, 2019
He then introduced more history: [It] has been wittily remarked [that] anti-scorbutics were recognised in the most ancient times, for did not Eve give Adam an apple, and Nebuchadnezzer go out to satisfy his craving by eating grass? From a naval point of view, the beneficent action of eating ‘scurvy grass’ was recognised by Captain [James] Cook [1728–79], but it was due to [James] Lind [1716–94] and Gilbert Blane [1749–1834] that the great preventives, lemon and lime juice, were supplied and regularly issued [to prevent scurvy] when at sea.… As originally prepared, the lime juice was made from sweet limes, Citrus medica, and with lemons, imported chiefly from Spain. In 1793 war stopped these supplies, but in 1802 delivery was resumed, and scurvy, which had obtained a temporary hold, was again almost eliminated. About 1860, by the development of the cultivation of limes in the West Indies, a large quantity was made available, and the contract for the Navy caused the sour lime, Citrus medica var. acida to supersede the sweet limes and lemons formerly in use, and for a time this new lime juice was believed to be better than the old. This has been proved not to be the case, both by results of arctic expeditions under Sir George Nares [1831–1915], and by much recent laboratory experiment.…
Influence of Light on Essential Oil Constituents
K. Hüsnü Can Başer, Gerhard Buchbauer in Handbook of Essential Oils, 2020
Also, Young et al. (1990) studied the phototumorigenicity of 5-methoxypsoralen (= 5-MOP, bergapten), a constituent of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso et Poit., Rutaceae) oil, by means of model perfumes containing this oil. They concluded that 5-MOP indeed has phototumorigenic potential already at about 5 ppm. Sunscreens were able to significantly lower the tumorigenicity (Young et al., 1990). The chemical profile and photoinduced cytotoxicity of the EO of Citrus medica L. cv. Diamante peel was studied by Menichini et al. (2010). The most abundant compounds were found to be limonene, γ-terpinene, citral, geranial, β-pinene, and α-pinene. The oil also comprised two coumarins, bergapten and citropten. After 100 min of exposure to UV light, the EO showed cytotoxic activity. The phototoxic effect was mainly ascribed to bergapten, as the strong antiproliferative effect of bergapten was not found with citropten (Menichini et al., 2010).
Beneficial Role of Citrus Fruit Polyphenols Against Hepatic Dysfunctions: A Review
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2018
Mohabbulla Mohib, Kazi Afnan, Tasfiq Zaman Paran, Salma Khan, Juthika Sarker, Nahid Hasan, Istiaque Hasan, Abu Taher Sagor
Citrus fruits are very familiar throughout the world. These trees belong to the Rutaceae family (Hermoni, Shefer, & Raz, 2016). Some members of this family are Citrus maxima, Citrus bergamia, Citrussinensis, Citrusaurantium, Citrus reticulate, Citrus medica, Citrus reticulate, Citrus glauca, Citrus australasica, Citrus tamurana, Citrus sphaerocarpa, Citrus hystrix, Citrus aurantiifolia, Citrus japonica, Citrus mangshanensis, Citrus myrtifolia, Citrus limetta, Citrus macroptera, and others (Hume, 1957; Davies & Albrigo, 1999). Most of them are under investigation to produce a more effective plant for both commercial and medicinal purposes via hybridization. These trees normally are small in size and green, contain white flowers, and have fruits that are green when young but turn reddish or orange when ripe (Ladaniya, 2010). All members of the citrus family and their parts possess several medicinal activities. These fruits contain multiple pharmacognostical constituents such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, tannins, carbohydrates, alkaloids, amino acids, carotenoids, coumarins, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, steroids, and many more biologically active components (Vijaylakshmi & Radha 2015; Kefford & Chandler, 1970). The demand for citrus fruits has been increasing owing to positive evaluation observed through several clinical trials (Cases et al., 2015). A summary has been given in Table 1 to provide an overview of the citrus family.
Biological effects of bergamot and its potential therapeutic use as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer agent
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2023
Sabrina Adorisio, Isabella Muscari, Alessandra Fierabracci, Trinh Thi Thuy, Maria Cristina Marchetti, Emira Ayroldi, Domenico Vittorio Delfino
Bergamot is very sensitive to pedoclimatic soil conditions, thus, it grows almost exclusively in a narrow coastal area that extends from Reggio Calabria to Locri in the southernmost part of the Italian peninsula, where 95% of global bergamot production is concentrated. This province has one of the best habitats for bergamot, as it is the only known place where both yield and quality of the essence can be optimized (Navarra et al. 2015). The word bergamot may have been derived from the Turkish word ‘beg-a-mudi’, meaning ‘Pears of the Prince’, based on its close resemblance to the bergamot pear, a fruit shown in a 1715 painting by B. Bimbi. Alternatively, it may originate from the city of Bergamo, where bergamot oil was sold for the first time (Rapisarda and Germanò 2013). The exact origin of this Citrus fruit is not known; though the yellow-green color may indicate that it is a derivation by genetic mutation from pre-existing Citrus species, such as the sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.) and citron (Citrus medica). It has been hypothesized that bergamot originated from the Canary Islands, although other sources suggest China, Greece, or the Spanish city of Berga, from which it was transported to Southern Italy (Navarra et al. 2015; Maruca et al. 2017). Due to its particular fragrance, bergamot was initially used primarily by the perfume industry to produce perfumed waters known as ‘bergamot water’ or ‘cologne water’. In addition, it has been utilized for flavoring by the food and confectionery industries and by the pharmaceutical industry to improve the smell of ointments and medicines, as well as for making toothpaste, hair oils, and cosmetic products (Maruca et al. 2017).
Anti-biofilm activity of dalbavancin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from human bone infection
Published in Journal of Chemotherapy, 2021
Vanessa Silva, Carla Miranda, Mário Bezerra, H. Sofia Antão, João Guimarães, Justina Prada, Isabel Pires, Luís Maltez, José E. Pereira, José L. Capelo, Gilberto Igrejas, Patrícia Poeta
A novel lipoglycopeptide antimicrobial agent, dalbavancin, was recently approved in the United States for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by gram-positive pathogens, mainly MRSA. In Europe, the commercialization of dalbavancin was approved by the European Medicines Agency.2,3 In addition to skin infections, dalbavancin is being studied for other infections as an alternative therapy since pathogenic S. aureus strains can cause a wide range of diseases, such as pneumonia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, toxic shock syndrome, bacteremia and sepsis.3–5 Although dalbavancin, a teicoplanin-derived molecule, has demonstrated in vitro activity similar to vancomycin and teicoplanin, it is more effective and potent against gram-positive pathogens, such as S. aureus, including MRSA, Enterococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp.6,7 In general, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of dalbavancin is less than or equal to 0.06 µg/mL for staphylococci and streptococci.8 Dalbavancin activity against both oxacillin-susceptible and oxacillin-resistant S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates (MIC90, 0.06 µg/mL) was 16-fold more active than vancomycin (MIC90, 1 µg/mL). Similar activity was obtained against vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus sp. isolates, with MIC90 of 0.06 and 0.12 µg/mL for E. faecalis and E. faecium, respectively.6 Citron et al.8 reported that dalbavancin was the most active agent tested with MICs, 8-fold lower than vancomycin and 16- to 32-fold lower than linezolid for staphylococci isolates, including MRSA and MSSA. However, in vitro activity of dalbavancin MICs wwas high against vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA), demonstrating a reduced susceptibility, although MICs were again typically 4- to 8-fold lower than vancomycin.8