Siti Aisha Na’illa Che Musa, R.M. Taha, Ummi Nur Ain Abdul Razak, Nordiyanah Anuar and A.K. Arof
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential use of natural colorant extracted from fruit flesh and leaves of Cucumis melo L. (C. melo L.) in coating applications.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential use of natural colorant extracted from fruit flesh and leaves of Cucumis melo L. (C. melo L.) in coating applications.
Design/methodology/approach
Carotenoids and chlorophylls compounds were extracted from C. melo L. fruit flesh and C. melo L. leaves with the best extraction solvents. Both compounds were tested at various pH for colour stability tests. Then, the most stable pH of both extracts was mixed with 20 per cent poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) together with tetrahydrofuran and acrylic polyol to form a coating system on glass slides. The coated glass slides were exposed to three different temperatures. The effects of heat on the coated glass slides were evaluated using spectrophotometer at 400-700 nm wavelengths.
Findings
Results revealed that carotenoids extracted from C. melo L. were less stable to be applied in coating applications since the colour degraded in a very short time; however, the chlorophylls extracted were more stable where the colour retained for longer duration.
Originality/value
The method of the plant pigment production of C. melo L. with PMMA was a modified method that could give other various applications as natural product based on plant pigments.
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Nordiyanah Anuar, Rosna Mat Taha, Noraini Mahmad and Rashidi Othman
The purpose of the study is to identify the high valuable compounds which are crocin, crocetin and zeaxanthin in the stigmas and stamens of Crocus sativus grown under controlled…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to identify the high valuable compounds which are crocin, crocetin and zeaxanthin in the stigmas and stamens of Crocus sativus grown under controlled environment in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
Spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis were used to identify and measure crocin, crocetin and zeaxanthin content qualitatively and quantitatively in the stigmas and stamens of C. sativus grown under controlled environment in Malaysia.
Findings
The results of this study showed that crocin, crocetin and zeaxanthin were detected in the stigmas. However, among those three compounds, only crocetin was detected in the stamens. In the stigmas, the detectable level of crocin was high compared to crocetin and zeaxanthin. It was also found that crocetin was higher in the stamens compared to in the stigmas.
Originality/value
This is the first attempt in Malaysia that the stigmas and stamens were directly purified from the natural sources by means of no addition of preservatives as C. sativus has never been grown here before. Furthermore, limited reports are available regarding the identification of compounds in saffron stamens.
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Nordiyanah Anuar, R.M. Taha, Noraini Mahmad, Sadegh Mohajer, Siti Aisha Na’illa Che Musa and Zul Hazrin Zainal Abidin
The aim of the present study is to gain correlation between saffron colours, their antioxidant capacity and the constituents of the secondary metabolites of three different…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the present study is to gain correlation between saffron colours, their antioxidant capacity and the constituents of the secondary metabolites of three different saffron samples commonly available in the Malaysian market.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, saffron samples imported from Iran, Spain and Kashmir were extracted using methanol and the total antioxidant capacity were analysed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging assay. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and electrospray ionization coupled with mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) were then used to identify secondary metabolites present in the saffron crude extracts. The colour variation of the saffron extract was expressed by the CIELAB colorimeter in terms of lightness (L*), greenness (a*), yellowness (b*), chroma (C) and hue angle (H°). Principle component analysis (PCA) was carried out to analyse the similarities and correlation between variables.
Findings
This study reveals that antioxidant has a positive correlation with flavanols, especially quercetin and kaempferol. In addition, colour appearance is not necessarily an indicator for the antioxidant level.
Research limitations/implications
The major classes of polyphenolics identified in saffron methanolic crude extract are flavonoids and phenolic acids. Further improvements in the extraction and identification methods may find other compounds that could attribute to the visual factors and antioxidant capacity as a complement for this preliminary study.
Practical implications
This analysis provides comparison basis and valuable information for saffron consumers in Malaysia depending on the consumers’ purpose of whether to have a certain desired colour or health benefits.
Originality/value
A comparative study about saffron product available in Malaysian market is original. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt of evaluation on a saffron product that has been carried out in Malaysia.
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Noraini Mahmad, R.M. Taha, Rashidi Othman, Sakinah Abdullah, Nordiyanah Anuar, Hashimah Elias and Norlina Rawi
The purpose of this paper is to validate the antimicrobial activity (both antibacterial and antifungal) of in vivo and in vitro ethanolic anthocyanin extracts of Clitoria ternatea…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to validate the antimicrobial activity (both antibacterial and antifungal) of in vivo and in vitro ethanolic anthocyanin extracts of Clitoria ternatea L. (vivid blue flower butterfly-pea) and Dioscorea alata L. (purple yam) against selected bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and fungi (Fusarium sp., Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma sp.).
Design/methodology/approach
The freeze-dried samples (0.2 g) from in vivo vivid blue flowers of C. ternatea L. were extracted using 10 mL ethanol (produced ethanolic red extraction) and 10 mL distilled water (produced aqueous blue extraction) separately. Two-month-old in vitro callus samples (0.2 g) were only extracted using 10 mL ethanol. The anthocyanin extractions were separated with the addition (several times) of ethyl acetate and distilled water (1:2:3) to remove stilbenoids, chlorophyll, less polar flavonoids and other non-polar compounds. Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties were determined using agar diffusion technique. Three bacteria (B. subtilis, S. aureus and E. coli) and fungi (F. sp., A. niger and T. sp.) were streaked on bacteria agar and dextrose agar, respectively, using “hockey stick”. Then, the sterile paper discs (6 mm diameter) were pipetted with 20 µL of 1,010 CFU/mL chloramphenicol (as control for antibacterial) and carbendazim (as control for antifungal) in vivo and in vitro extracts. The plates were incubated at room temperature for 48 h, and the inhibition zones were measured.
Findings
Based on the results, both in vivo and in vitro ethanolic extracts from vivid blue flowers of C. ternatea L. showed the best antibacterial activity against the same bacteria (B. subtilis), 11 and 10 mm inhibition zones, respectively. However, different antifungal activity was detected in in vitro ethanolic callus extract (12 mm), which was against T. sp., contrary to in vivo ethanolic extract (10 mm), which was against F. sp.; antibacterial activity of D. alata L. was seen against the same bacteria (E. coli) with the highest inhibition zone for in vivo extract (8.8 mm), followed by in vitro extract (7.8 mm).
Research limitations/implications
Anthocyanins are responsible for the water soluble and vacuolar, pink, red, purple and blue pigments present in coloured plant pigments. These pigments (pink, red, purple and blue) are of important agronomic value in many crops and ornamental plants. However, anthocyanins are not stable and are easy to degrade and fade whenever exposed to light.
Social implications
Plant extracts containing bioactive agents with antimicrobial properties have been found to be useful in treating bacterial and fungal infections, as well as showed multiple antibiotic resistance.
Originality/value
Both in vivo and in vitro extracts from vivid blue flower petals (C. ternatea L.) and purple yam (D. alata L.) have important applications as natural antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) agents in the coating industry, instead of natural pharmaceutical products.
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Sadegh Mohajer, Rosna Mat Taha, Minoo Mohajer and Nordiyanah Anuar
This study aims to determine the appropriate irradiation dose for induction of somaclonal variation in mass of unorganized parenchyma cells derived from sainfoin (Onobrychis…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the appropriate irradiation dose for induction of somaclonal variation in mass of unorganized parenchyma cells derived from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) tissues.
Design/methodology/approach
To investigate the feasibility of UV-B irradiation (312 nm), seeds and callus of sainfoin were exposed to five different intensities (20-100 per cent) for evaluating the effectiveness of phytochemical constituents and cellular behaviour.
Findings
Although percentage of seed viability reduced in 20 per cent intensity of UV-B irradiation compared with control seeds, the germination speed significantly enhanced from 3.58 to 5.42. The spectrophotometer analysis confirmed that concentrations of chlorophyll (a and b) decreased after UV-B exposure as compared with control callus. Also, carotenoid content showed significant differences among treated calli. Flavonoid and phenolic contents were observed to gradually increase when the non-irradiated callus subjected to 40 and 60 per cent intensities of UV-B irradiation, respectively. Observation on cellular behaviour such as determination of nuclear and cell areas, mitotic index and chromosomal aberrations were also detected to change in different intensities of UV-B irradiation. Fragmented and aneuploidy aberrations were only observed in exposed cells with more than 40 per cent intensity of UV-B irradiation.
Originality/value
In reality, radiocytological evaluation was proven to be essential in deducing the effectiveness of UV-B irradiation to induce somaclonal variation in callus tissue of sainfoin.