Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Cancer Properties of Amygdalin Extracted from Three Cassava Varieties Cultivated in Benin.

Given that cancer is a disease that is rampant in the world and especially in Africa, where the population has enormous difficulty treating it, plants are a safer and less expensive alternative. Cassava is a plant species valued in Benin because of its numerous medicinal and nutritional virtues. This study evaluated the biological activities of amygdalin from the organs of three cassava varieties most commonly produced in Benin (BEN, RB, and MJ). HPLC analysis was used to quantify amygdalin in cassava organs and derivatives. Phytochemical screening was performed to determine secondary metabolite groups. DPPH and FRAP methods were used to assess antioxidant activity. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested on Artemia salina larvae. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vivo in an albino mouse paw edema model induced by 5% formalin. The anticancer activity was evaluated in vivo on Wistar rats rendered cancerous by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) using 5-fluorouracil as a reference molecule. The results showed that the organs of all three-cassava varieties contained glycosides, flavonoids, saponosides, steroids, tannins, coumarins, and cyanogenic derivatives. Young stems and fresh cassava leaves had the highest amygdalin concentrations, with 11,142.99 µg 10 g-1 and 9251.14 µg 10 g-1, respectively. The Agbeli derivative was more concentrated in amygdalin, with a content of 401.56 µg 10 g-1 than the other derivatives. The antioxidant activity results showed that the amygdalin extracts were DPPH radical scavengers with IC50 values ranging from 0.18 mg mL-1 to 2.35 mg mL-1. The cytotoxicity test showed no toxicity of the extracts toward shrimp larvae. Administration of amygdalin extracts from the leaves of BEN and MJ varieties prevents inflammatory edema. The percentages of edema inhibition varied between 21.77% and 27.89%. These values are similar (p > 0.05) to those of acetylsalicylic acid (25.20%). Amygdalin extract of the BEN variety significantly (p < 0.0001) reduces edema. Both BEN extracts inhibited cancer induction with DMH. In preventive and curative treatments, rats fed with amygdalin extracts showed low anti-cancer activity under the effect of DMH and a significant difference in biochemical results. Thus, the organs of all three cassava varieties studied have secondary metabolites and good antioxidant activity. The leaves contain high levels of amygdalin and can be used as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents.

Mung Bean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) from Burkina Faso Used as Antidiabetic, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agent.

Chronic non-communicable diseases are becoming more and more recurrent and require the addition of functional foods in our eating habits. Legumes due to their composition in biomolecules could meet this need. Much used in Chinese medicine, the mung bean arouses interest in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study is to perform phytochemical profiling and to evaluate certain biological properties of the mung bean in its natural or germinated state. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out by precipitation and differential staining tests. The antimicrobial activity was tested on in vitro growth by the agar medium diffusion method. DPPH and FRAP methods were used to assess antioxidant activity. The antidiabetic activity of hydroethanolic extracts was evaluated on rats rendered diabetic by streptozotocin, with metformin as a reference molecule. Phytochemistry has revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and derivatives in the mung bean, whether in its natural state (MBN) or in its germinated state (MBG). Only the MBG exhibits antimicrobial activity on 70% of the strains used. It appears that the MBG has a reducing power of the DPPH radical with an IC50 of 28 mg/mL compared to the same extract of the MBN, which had an IC50 of 32.5 mg/mL with a difference (p < 0.05) between the extracts. MBN extracts at a dose of 300 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg.bw) showed a reduction (p < 0.0001) in glycaemia and kept the body weight of the animals constant throughout the treatment. In addition, the MBN regulated the level of total cholesterol, tryglicerides of LDL, ASAT, ALAT, urea and creatine. These results show that the mung bean grown in Burkina Faso is a health food, which, integrated into dietary habits, could contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases.