Drought Stress Inhibits Starch Accumulation in Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott).

BACKGROUND: Colocasia esculenta L. Schott is a main traditional root crop in China, serving as an important vegetable and staple food. Drought stress plays vital role on the growth and development of taro corm. METHODS: Two different varieties of taro in Jiangsu were selected: Xiangsha taro and Longxiang taro. The accumulation characteristics, morphological structure, and physicochemical properties of taro corm starch were studied by microscopic observation, particle size analysis, and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis. Transcriptome analyses were used to identify the related genes of taro corm under drought stress. RESULTS: During the growth of taro, the number of amyloplasts showed an obvious increasing trend and shifted from being dispersed throughout the cells to being gathered on one side of the cells, and morphological observations showed that smaller granular distribution gradually changed to a larger lumpy distribution. The particle size of Longxiang taro is smaller than that of Xiangsha taro. Under drought stress conditions, the occurrence of starch grains and corm size were inhibited in Xiangsha taro. Transcriptome sequencing of drought-stressed taro corms showed that the enzymes related to starch synthesis were differentially expressed. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of drought-stressed taro corms showed that drought affected hormone signal transduction, material metabolism, drought stress tolerance, plant growth and development, and stress resistance, which triggered the plant drought adaptive response. CONCLUSIONS: Drought stress inhibits starch accumulation in taro.

Structure and functional properties of taro starch modified by dry heat treatment.

Taro starch (TS) was modified by dry heat treatment (DHT) for different periods (1, 3, 5, and 7 h at 130 °C) and temperatures (90, 110, 130, and 150 °C for 5 h) to expand its applications in food and other industries. The structure and functional properties of DHT-modified TS were characterized. It was found that TS granules became agglomerated after DHT, and the particle size, amylose content, solubility, and retrogradation enthalpy change of TS increased with increasing dry heating time and temperature, whereas the relative crystallinity, molecular weight, swelling power, gelatinization temperature, and enthalpy change decreased. The absorbance ratio of 1047 cm-1/1022 cm-1 for DHT-modified TS (except at 7 h) was higher than that of native TS. DHT increased the contact angle of TS in a time- and temperature-dependent manner. At a moderate strength, DHT increased the pasting viscosity, relative setback value, and storage modulus but decreased the relative breakdown value. Moreover, DHT (except at 150 °C) caused a decrease in the rapid digestive starch content and estimated glycemic index of TS. These results suggested that DHT-modified TS could be used in foods with high viscosity requirements, gel foods, and low-glycemic index starch-based foods.

Comparative Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Regulatory Mechanism of Purple Leafstalk Production in Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott).

Taro is a plant in the Araceae family, and its leafstalk possesses significant botanical and culinary value owing to its noteworthy medicinal and nutritional attributes. Leafstalk colour is an essential attribute that significantly influences its desirability and appeal to both breeders and consumers. However, limited information is available about the underlying mechanism responsible for the taro plant's colouration. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to elucidate the information on purple leafstalks in taro through comprehensive metabolome and transcriptome analysis. In total, 187 flavonoids, including 10 anthocyanins, were identified. Among the various compounds analysed, it was observed that the concentrations of five anthocyanins (keracyanin chloride (cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside chloride), cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, tulipanin (delphinidin 3-rutinoside chloride), idaein chloride (cyanidin 3-O-galactoside), and cyanidin chloride) were found to be higher in purple taro leafstalk compared to green taro leafstalk. Furthermore, a total of 3330 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by transcriptome analysis. Subsequently, the correlation network analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the expression levels of these differentially expressed genes and the content of anthocyanin. There were 18 DEGs encoding nine enzymes detected as the fundamental structural genes contributing to anthocyanin biosynthesis, along with seven transcription factors (3 MYB and 4 bHLH) that may be promising candidate modulators of the anthocyanin biosynthesis process in purple taro leafstalk. The findings of the current investigation not only provide a comprehensive transcriptional code, but also give information on anthocyanin metabolites as well as beneficial insights into the colour mechanism of purple taro leafstalk.

Characterization of the physicochemical properties of Lipu Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott starch: A potential new food ingredient.

The physicochemical properties of Lipu taro starch (LTS), cassava starch (CS) and wheat starch (WS) were analyzed. These starches exhibited a comparable starch content (86 %). However, LTS had a significantly lower amylose content (15.93 %) compared to CS (26.62 %) and WS (33.53 %). Moreover, LTS demonstrated an irregular polygonal cubic morphology with a smaller particle size of 2.55 µm while possessed an A-type crystal structure with high crystallinity at 25.07 %. In contrast, CS and WS had larger particle sizes of 13.33 µm and 16.68 µm, respectively, with lower crystallinities of 22.52 % and 20.33 %. Due to these physicochemical properties, LTS exhibited superior emulsification properties with a higher emulsifying activity index of 8.63 m2/g and an emulsion stability index of 69.18 min, whereas CS and WS had values of 2.35 m2/g and 25.15 min, and 0.37 m2/g and 11.48 min, respectively. LTS also demonstrated enhanced thermal stability, characterized by higher gelatinization temperature (indicated by To, Tp, Tc, and ΔT) and reduced paste viscosity (indicated by PV, TV, FV, SBV, and BDV) compared to CS. However, the mechanical strength of the gel made from LTS (indicated by hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness) was comparatively inferior to those from CS and WS.

Optimization and characterization of taro starch, nisin, and sodium alginate-based biodegradable films: antimicrobial effect in chicken meat.

Biodegradable films based on polymers from renewable resources have become a feasible technology to preserve the quality (texture, color, flavor) and safety of food. The addition of antimicrobial agents to films can prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms that affect meat and poultry products. In this study, a biodegradable film with sodium alginate (SA), taro starch (MS), and nisin (Nis) was optimized to have high tensile strength (TS), breaking force (BF), and a low water vapor permeability (WVP) using a Box-Behnken response surface design, and its antimicrobial effect was evaluated in relation to its use as a packaging material for chicken meat. The OB was characterized via analysis of its mechanical, physical, and chemical properties; in addition, the total migration of Nis was also analyzed, along with its retention ability, the kinetics of the release of Nis into food simulants, and its antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes in vitro and on inoculated chicken meat. The resulting optimal OB was produced with 1.9% MS, 1% glycerol (G), and 2,369 IU/mL of Nis, and displayed adequate TS and WVP. The OB significantly reduced the microbial load and helped extend the shelf life of the chicken meat under refrigeration by up to 15 d. Total migration and the kinetics of the release of Nis showed that the OB can be used on hydrophilic and acidic foods, making it a natural alternative for use in food packaging.

Complete genome sequence of a novel mitovirus detected in Colocasia esculenta.

A novel mitovirus was detected in taro (Colocasia esculenta) growing in Ningbo, China. The complete genome sequence of Colocasia esculenta associated mitovirus 1 (CeaMV1) was determined by next-generation sequencing combined with RT-PCR and RACE. The genome is 2921 nucleotides long and contains a single ORF encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Homology searches and phylogenetic analysis suggested that CeaMV1 is a member of a new species in the genus Duamitovirus. This is the first report of a member of the family Mitoviridae associated with taro.

Growing Kalo (Taro) in the Continental United States.

As an increasing number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults move to the continental United States, the development and implementation of resources that promote access to cultural foods and support food sovereignty on the continent is crucial to perpetuate cultural practice and connection to the 'aina (land that feeds). Kalo (taro) is an important cultural food central to Native Hawaiian identity. Native Hawaiians connect their genealogy as far back to the cultivation of kalo and the creation of kalo itself. In this practice note, we describe the creation of a mala kalo (cultivated field for taro) in Oregon by the Ka'aha Lahui O 'Olekona Hawaiian Civic Club. An ongoing project over the past 3 years, the creation of a mala kalo exceeded expectations. Not only did the mala allow the cultivation of kalo outside of Hawaii, the mala became a place for the community to unite toward common goals of connecting with the land, promoting mental health, and creating a sense of place in their diaspora. This project indicates that not only is the creation of mala kalo in Oregon feasible, it may also be an important opportunity for the growing number of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders adults living on the continent to improve health outcomes through connections with cultural foods and practices.

Assessment of Colocasia esculenta leaf extract as a natural alternative for Sitophilus zeamais control: Toxicological, biochemical, and mechanistic insights.

The present study assessed the toxicological, biochemical, and mechanism of action of Colocasia esculenta leaf extract (CELE) on Wistar albino rat and on cholinergic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory enzymes in Sitophilus zeamais. This was with a view to assessing the potential benefits and safety profile of CELE as a natural alternative for insect control. The bioactivity of the fraction was evaluated using insecticidal and repellent activities against colonies of Sitophilus zeamais to obtain a VLC-chromatographed fraction which was spectroscopically characterized and investigated for enzyme inhibition. The results revealed the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) as the most potent one with LC50 6.198 µg/ml and 6.6 ± 0.5 repellency. The EAF had an LD50 > 5000 mg/kg but repeated dose >800 mg/kgbw po administration caused significant (p < 0.05) increase in liver and kidney function biomarkers accompanied with elevated atherogenic and coronary indices. Also, renal and hepatomorphological lesions increased in a dose-dependent manner. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography analysis profiled 7 unknown compounds while the GC-qMS revealed 103 compounds in the CC6 fraction allowing for their identification, quantification, and providing insights into the biological activities and its potentials application. The CC6 fraction inhibited glutathione S-transferase (IC50 = 2265.260.60 mg/ml), superoxide dismutase (IC50 = 1485.300.78 mg/ml), catalase (IC50 = 574.471.57 mg/ml), acetyl cholinesterase (IC50 = 838.280.51 mg/ml), butyryl cholinesterase (IC50 = 1641.76 ± 1.14 mg/ml) and upregulated cyclooxygenase-2 (IC50 = 37.89 ± 0.15 mg/ml). Based on the result of the study, it could be inferred that the unidentified compounds present in the EAF exhibit strong insecticidal properties. The study concluded that the acute toxicity of the potent fraction showed no abnormal clinical toxic symptoms while a repeated dose of the extract in sub-acute studies showed a toxic effect that is dose-dependent. The mechanism of action of the purified fraction could be said to be by inhibition of cholinergic and antioxidant enzymes. However, the potent fraction also upregulated the activity of anti-inflammatory enzymes. Hence, regulated amount of CELE at a repeated dose <800 mg/kgbw could be considered for use as an anti-pest agent in Integrated Pest Management of Sitophilus zeamais.

Effect of high voltage dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric cold plasma treatment on physicochemical and functional properties of taro (Colocasia esculenta) starch.

The goal of the proposed study is to investigate the effects of three different power levels (30, 32 and 34 kV) and exposure time (2, 4 and 8 min) of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric cold plasma treatment on the functional and physicochemical characteristics of taro starch. Investigations were done into how different treatments impact the multi-structural, functional and physicochemical attributes of taro starch. The findings showed that cold plasma treatments substantially impacted starch granule shapes (3.60-2.54 µm), such as reduced aggregations and developed fissures on granule surface due to the generation of an etching by plasma species and enhancement in the surface topography and roughness of treated starch as compared with native by SEM and AFM analysis. Besides this, no variations were detected in the functional groups of taro starch using FT-IR analysis after cold plasma treatments. However, the A-type pattern in the XRD did not affect it, while a reduction in relative crystallinity (14.20-11.50 %) was seen as a function of the active plasma species depolymerization. Furthermore, depending on the cold plasma voltage and treatment time, amylose content (20.12-15.98 %), paste clarity (24.48-31.27 %), solubility (0.41-65.53 %), freezing thaw stability (% syneresis) (32.10-42.58 %), color properties (L*, 94.79-97.52), whiteness index (79.37-84.66), molecular weight distribution (Peak 1, 12.79-5.35 × 108 g/mol; Peak 2, 4.20-1.56 × 107 g/mol) and in vitro digestibility (RDS, 64.10-64.08 %) significantly changed. So, based on these excellent properties, this study suggested that cold plasm-treated taro starch can be used in the field of food packaging material, functional food and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, a potential approach for physically altering starch is plasma treatment.

Evaluation and phenotypic plasticity of taro [Colocasia esculenta (l.) Schott.] genotypes for nutrient and anti-nutrient composition.

The study was carried out to determine the nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of taro genotypes and also determine the phenotypic plasticity of the genotypes in two agro ecological zones in Ghana. The towns and zones were Bunso in the semi deciduous forest (an upland) and Tano Dumasi in the forest savannah transition agro-ecological (a waterlogged area) zone in the Eastern and Ashanti regions respectively.Two (2) freshly harvested corms of each genotype from each location were assessed for their nutritional (moisture, protein, carbohydrate, ash and fat) and anti-nutritional (phytate, oxalate and tannin) composition Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and AMMI analysis using GenStat 12 edition to assess the effect of genotype, environment and their interaction on the traits studied. Phenotypic plasticity for the genotypes and the traits studied was also calculated. Pearson correlation was also conducted to assess the relationship between the traits studied. There were significant differences among the genotypes for nutrient and anti-nutrient composition except for percentage fat, indicating enough genetic variability among the genotypes, giving room for good selection progress for development of taro varieties. A higher magnitude of the environment over genotype and genotype by environment interaction observed indicates the influence of environment in the expression of the nutritional and anti-nutritional traits. Observed varied phenotypic plasticity among the genotypes for the nutrient and anti-nutrients composition also indicates varied adaptation of the genotypes to the environment. Genotypes BL/SM/115, CE/MAL/32 and CE/IND/16 and hybrids KAO19 × CE/MAL/32 and CE/IND/16×KAO19, CE/IND/16 × BL/SM/10, and CE/IND/16 × BL/SM/115 which recorded high nutrients and low anti-nutrients content and were stable across the environments can be released to farmers for cultivation. They could also be included in breeding programs for the development of enhanced nutritional quality of taro in Ghana.

Taro Roots: An Underexploited Root Crop.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a root crop that remains largely underutilized and undervalued despite its abundance and affordability. In comparison to other root vegetables, such as potatoes, yams, carrots, and cassava, taro stands out as a plentiful and low-cost option. As global hunger increases, particularly in Africa, it becomes essential to address food insecurity by maximizing the potential of existing food resources, including taro, and developing improved food products derived from it. Taro possesses a wealth of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, thereby making it a valuable nutritional source. Additionally, while not a significant protein source, taro exhibits higher protein content than many other root crops. Consequently, utilizing taro to create food products, such as plant-based milk alternatives, frozen desserts, and yogurt substitutes, could play a crucial role in raising awareness and increasing taro production. Unfortunately, taro has been stigmatized in various cultures, which has led to its neglect as a food crop. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the substantial potential of taro as an economical source of dietary energy by exploring the rich fiber, potassium, vitamin C, protein, and other micronutrient content of taro, and providing a foundation for the formulation of novel food products. Furthermore, this paper assesses the nutritional benefits of taro, its current utilization, and its antinutritional properties. It emphasizes the need for further research to explore the various applications of taro and improve on-farm processing conditions for industrial purposes.

Research progress on the bulb expansion and starch enrichment in taro (Colocasia esculenta (L). Schott).

Background: Taro is an important potato crop, which can be used as food, vegetable, feed, and industrial raw material. The yield and quality of taro are primarily determined by the expansion degree of taro bulb and the filling condition of starch, whereas the expansion of taro bulb is a complex biological process. However, little information is reviewed on the research progress of bulb expansion and starch enrichment in taro. Methodology: PubMed, Web of Science, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for relevant articles. After removing duplicate articles and articles with little relevance, 73 articles were selected for review. Results: This article introduces the formation and development of taro bulb for workers engaged in taro research. The content includes the process of amyloplast formation at the cytological level and changes in bulb expansion and starch enrichment at physiological levels, which involve endogenous hormones and key enzyme genes for starch synthesis. The effects of environment and cultivation methods on taro bulb expansion were also reviewed. Conclusions: Future research directions and research focus about the development of taro bulb were proposed. Limited research has been conducted on the physiological mechanism and hormone regulatory pathway of taro growth and development, taro bulb expansion, key gene expression, and starch enrichment. Therefore, the abovementioned research will become the key research direction in the future.

Safety profile of colocasia esculenta tuber extracts in benign prostate hyperplasia.

INTRODUCTION: This study was motivated by the increasing global incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and the promising potential of nutraceuticals as complementary therapies in ameliorating its burden. We report the safety profile of C. esculenta tuber extracts, a novel nutraceutical in benign prostate hyperplasia in a rat model. METHODS: In this study, forty-five male albino rats were randomly assigned to 9 groups of 5 rats each. Group 1 (normal control) received olive oil and normal saline. Group 2 (BPH untreated group) received 3 mg/kg of testosterone propionate (TP) and normal saline, and group 3 (positive control) received 3 mg/kg of TP and 5 mg/kg of finasteride. Treatment groups 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 received 3 mg/kg of TP and a middle dose (200 mg/kg) of LD50 of ethanol crude tuber extract of C. esculenta (ECTECE) or hexane, dichloromethane, butanone, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions of ECTECE respectively for a period of 28 days. RESULTS: The negative controls showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in mean relative prostate weight (approximately 5 times) as well as a reduction in relative testes weight (approximately 1.4 times less). There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in the mean relative weights of most vital organs: liver, kidneys, and heart. This was also observed in hematological parameters: RBC, hemoglobin, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and platelets counts. In general, we note that the effects of the well-established drug finasteride on the biochemical parameters and histology of selected organs are comparable to those of C. esculenta fractions. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that C. esculenta tuber extracts provide potentially safe nutraceutical if applied in the management of benign prostate hyperplasia based on a rat model.

Preparation of Neohesperidin-Taro Starch Complex as a Novel Approach to Modulate the Physicochemical Properties, Structure and In Vitro Digestibility.

Neohesperidin (NH), a natural flavonoid, exerts multiple actions, such as antioxidant, antiviral, antiallergic, vasoprotective, anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as inhibition of tumor progression. In this study, the NH-taro starch complex is prepared, and the effects of NH complexation on the physicochemical properties, structure and in vitro digestibility of taro starch (TS) are investigated. Results showed that NH complexation significantly affected starch gelatinization temperatures and reduced its enthalpy value (ΔH). The addition of NH increased the viscosity and thickening of taro starch, facilitating shearing and thinning. NH binds to TS via hydrogen bonds and promotes the formation of certain crystalline regions in taro starch. SEM images revealed that the surface of NH-TS complexes became looser with the increasing addition of NH. The digestibility results demonstrated that the increase in NH (from 0.1% to 1.1%, weight based on starch) could raise RS (resistant starch) from 21.66% to 27.75% and reduce RDS (rapidly digestible starch) from 33.51% to 26.76% in taro starch. Our work provided a theoretical reference for the NH-taro starch complex's modification of physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility with potential in food and non-food applications.

Mechanism of synergistic stabilization of emulsions by amorphous taro starch and protein and emulsion stability.

Amorphous taro starch (TS)/whey protein isolate (WPI) mixtures were prepared using pasting treatment. The TS/WPI mixtures and their stabilized emulsions were characterized to determine the emulsion stability and the mechanism of synergistic stabilization of emulsions. As WPI content increased from 0% to 13%, the paste final viscosity and retrogradation ratio of the TS/WPI mixture gradually decreased from 3683 cP to 2532 cP and from 80.65% to 30.51%, respectively. As the WPI content increased from 0% to 10%, the emulsion droplet size decreased gradually from 96.81 µm to 10.32 µm, and the storage modulus G' and stabilities of freeze-thaw, centrifugal, and storage increased gradually. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that WPI and TS were mainly distributed at the oil-water interface and droplet interstice, respectively. Thermal treatment, pH, and ionic strength had little influence on the appearance but had different influences on the droplet size and G', and the rates of droplet size and G' increase under storage varied with different environmental factors.

Modulation of MRSA virulence gene expression by the wall teichoic acid enzyme TarO.

Phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs) and Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) are key virulence determinants for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA), an important human pathogen that causes a wide range of diseases. Here, using chemical and genetic approaches, we show that inhibition of TarO, the first enzyme in the wall teichoic acid (WTA) biosynthetic pathway, decreases the expression of genes encoding PSMs and SpA in the prototypical CA-MRSA strain USA300 LAC. Mechanistically, these effects are linked to the activation of VraRS two-component system that directly represses the expression of accessory gene regulator (agr) locus and spa. The activation of VraRS was due in part to the loss of the functional integrity of penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) in a PBP2a-dependent manner. TarO inhibition can also activate VraRS in a manner independent of PBP2a. We provide multiple lines of evidence that accumulation of lipid-linked peptidoglycan precursors is a trigger for the activation of VraRS. In sum, our results reveal that WTA biosynthesis plays an important role in the regulation of virulence gene expression in CA-MRSA, underlining TarO as an attractive target for anti-virulence therapy. Our data also suggest that acquisition of PBP2a-encoding mecA gene can impart an additional regulatory layer for the modulation of key signaling pathways in S. aureus.

Detection of the local adaptive and genome-wide associated loci in southeast Nigerian taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) populations.

BACKGROUND: Taro has a long history of being consumed and remains orphan and on the hand Nigeria farmers. The role of farmer-driven artificial selection is not negligible to fit landraces to a particular ecological condition. Limited study has been conducted on genome-wide association and no study has been conducted on genome-environment association for clinal adaptation for taro. Therefore, the objective of this study was to detect loci that are associated with environmental variables and phenotype traits and forward input to breeders. The study used 92 geographical referred taro landraces collected from Southeast (SE) Nigeria. RESULTS: The result indicates that SE Nigerian taro has untapped phenotype and genetic variability with low admixture. Redundancy analysis indicated that collinear explained SNP variation more than single climatic variable. Overall, the results indicated that no single method exclusively was able to capture population confounding effects better than the others for all six traits. Nevertheless, based on overall model performance, Blink seemed to provide slight advantage over other models and was selected for all subsequent assessment of genome-environment association (GEA) and genome-wide association study (GWAS) models. Genome scan and GEA identified local adapted loci and co-located genes. A total of nine SNP markers associated with environmental variables. Some of the SNP markers (such as S_101024366) co-located with genes which previously reported for climatic adaptation such as astringency, diaminopimelate decarboxylase and MYB transcription factor. Genome-wide association also identified 45, 40 and 34 significant SNP markers associated with studied traits in combined, year 1 and year 2 data sets, respectively. Out of these, five SNP markers (S1_18891752 S3_100795476, S1_100584471 S1_100896936 and S2_10058799) were consistent in two different data sets. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study improve our understanding of the genetic control of adaptive and phenotypic traits in Nigerian taro. However, the study suggests further study on identification of local adaptive loci and GWAS through collection of more landraces throughout the country, and across different agro-ecologies.

Effect of effective microorganisms (EM) treated taro (Colocasia esculenta) root on the growth performance of broiler chickens.

A seven-week study was conducted to determine the effects of the replacement of maize with TRM treated with effective microorganisms on the growth performance of broiler chickens (cobb-500). In a completely randomized design, 2*3 factorial, the first factor corresponded to the EM (with and without), and the second factor corresponded to the taro levels (0%, 30%, and 45%), 216 unsexed, day-old broiler chickens were used for the study divided into 6 treatments and 3 replicates. Each treatment contained (T1) 0% TRM without EM (negative control); (T2) 30% TRM without EM; (T3) 45% TRM without EM; (T4) 0% TRM with-EM (positive control); (T5) 30% TRM with-EM; (T6) 45% TRM with-EM of the total diets. There were (p < .001) interaction effects (TRM level*EM) on DM intake, BWG (p < .001), and FCR (p < .05), during the starter, finisher, and overall periods. A higher improvement (p < .001) on DM intake and BWG was observed from broiler fed T6. In addition, T6 had comparable (p < .05) with the T4 group broilers. There were significant (p < .05) reductions in antinutritional factors concentrations in EM-fermented taro root than that unfermented one. Therefore, it had seen that the replacement of maize at 45% TRM with-EM in diets improved the growth performance of broiler chicken.

Optimal conditions for anthocyanin extract microencapsulation in taro starch: Physicochemical characterization and bioaccessibility in gastrointestinal conditions.

This research aims to find the optimal conditions for the encapsulation of anthocyanin extract using taro starch to increase the retention of active compounds (RAC), drying yield (DY), antioxidant activity, stability, and bioaccessibility. The microencapsulation is carried out in a spray dryer, and the process is optimized using response surface method (RSM), applying starch concentration and inlet air temperature as independent parameters. Optimized microcapsules (OM) are obtained with solids concentration of 20.9 % and inlet temperature of 125 °C as optimal conditions. Drying yield (70.1 %), moisture content (5.2 %), water activity (0.211), phenolic compound content (797.8 mg GAE/g), anthocyanins (469.4 mg CE3G/g), ABTS (116.2 mg AAE/g) and DPPH (104.4 mg AAE/g) are analyzed through RSM. Retention percentage in OM show values of 60 % in bioactive compounds up to four weeks of storage under accelerated storage conditions. Bioaccessibility of OM is 10 % higher than that observed in the extract without encapsulation during gastrointestinal digestion. The results in this study show that OM made with taro starch and obtained with RSM effectively protect through digestion and ensure bioactive compound stability during storage.

Exploring the anti-inflammatory potential of Colocasia esculenta root extract in in-vitro and in-vivo models of inflammation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Colocasia esculenta (CE) (L.) Schott is an annual herbaceous tropical plant from the family of Araceae which has been traditionally used for the healing of various ailments such as asthma, arthritis, internal hemorrhage, diarrhea, and neurological disorders. The plant is reported to have potential anti-microbial, anti-fungal, antimetastatic, anti-hepatotoxic, and anti-lipid peroxidative activities. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study is designed to explore the potential anti-inflammatory property of Colocasia esculenta methanolic root extract (CEMRE) on carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW264.7 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model was used to investigate the in vivo anti-inflammatory action of CEMRE. Adult male Wistar rats (180-220 g; n = 6) were pre-treated with CEMRE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW) orally before 1 h of injection of 1% carrageenan. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg BW) was given orally as the standard drug. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandinE2 (PGE2), and cytokines levels were measured. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was done to identify the phytoconstituents present in CEMRE. The inhibitory activity of CEMRE was investigated against cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in in vitro assessment of LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The RAW 264.7 cells were pre-treated with Indomethacin (5 µM and 10 µM) and CEMRE (17 µg/ml and 34 µg/ml) followed by induction of LPS (1 µg/ml) for 24 h. Docking analyses were also performed to explore the interaction of important phytoconstituents (Sinapic acid, Acetylsalicylic acid, L-fucose, Salicylic acid, Quinic acid, Zingerone, and Gingerol) of CEMRE with COX-2 and iNOS. RESULTS: Pre-treatment with CEMRE (400 mg/kg) could inhibit the paw inflammation significantly which was elevated due to carrageenan induction. The inhibition is comparable to that of the standard drug Indomethacin. The concentration of serum AST, ALT, ALP, NO, PGE2 and cytokines were also considerably lowered in the CEMRE-treated group as compared to the carrageenan-induced group. CEMRE (34 µg/ml) inhibited the LPS-stimulated relative expression of mRNA of COX-2 and iNOS and significantly reduced the expression of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2. Docking analyses revealed promising interaction with low binding energies between Sinapic acid with both the target proteins COX-2 and iNOS. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our results suggested that CEMRE exhibited effective anti-inflammatory actions on carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells by reducing the in vivo paw edema inhibition, inhibiting the serum NO, PGE2, cytokines and also reduced the in vitro production of NO, PGE2 along with expressions of mRNA COX-2 and iNOS. Molecular docking demonstrated good binding affinities among the target proteins and ligand Sinapic acid. Thus the bioactive compound from CE need to be isolated and purified.