New Collaborative Research Article published in Food Chemistry (IF 8.5)

Happy to share our recently published study in the prestigious journal Food Chemistry (IF 8.5), combining advanced analytical techniques with computational methods to investigate Opuntia fruits from Algeria. This study involved researchers from the Université de Bejaia (Algeria), CIIMAR, FCUP and BioSIM.

Key Highlights:

  • The study employed LC-ESI-UHR-QqTOF-MS/MS analysis to profile cultivated Opuntia ficus-indica and wild Opuntia stricta fruits.
  • 8 compounds were identified, with azelaic acid and 1-O-vanilloyl-β-d-glucose reported for the first time in these species.
  • Computational modeling predicted potential anti-inflammatory and skin-lightening properties.

The computational studies were developed at BioSIM. In silico methods were used to assess the binding affinity of the identified compounds to key enzymes. Piscidic and eucomic acids were computationally predicted to have stronger binding affinity to tyrosinase than the reference inhibitor kojic acid. Given the role of tyrosine in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the study suggests a potentially promising pharmacological activity of Opuntia fruit compounds, bringing valuable perspectives for the pharmacological, nutritional and economic valorization of the wild Opuntia fruits.

LC-ESI-UHR-QqTOF-MS/MS profiling and anti-inflammatory potential of the cultivated Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. and the wild Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. fruits from the Algerian region

Food Chemistry (2024) | DOI:  10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140414

Walid Zeghbib, Fares Boudjouan, João Carneiro, Ana L.S. Oliveira, Sérgio F. Sousa, Manuela Estevez Pintado, Asma Ourabah, Vitor Vasconcelos, Graciliana Lopes

Abstract:

Opuntia plants are abundant but still underexplored edible resources of the Algerian region. This work chemically characterizes extracts of different parts of the fruit of the commercial Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. and the wild Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. growing in Bejaia, and evaluates their anti-inflammatory potential through different cell and cell-free bioassays. The LC-ESI-UHR-QqTOF-MS/MS analysis enabled the identification of 18 compounds, with azelaic acid and 1-O-vanilloyl-β-d-glucose reported here for the first time. Aqueous extracts of seeds were the most effective in scavenging superoxide anion radical (IC50 = 111.08 μg/mL) and presented the best anti-inflammatory potential in LPS-stimulated macrophages (IC50 = 206.30 μg/mL). The pulp of O. strictasuggested potential for addressing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, with piscidic and eucomic acids predicted with the strongest binding affinity towards tyrosinase, exhibiting higher scoring values than the reference inhibitor kojic acid. This pioneer study brings valuable perspectives for the pharmacological, nutritional and economic valorization of the wild O. stricta for functional foods.