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Characterization of mexican Opuntia ficus indica cladode and bioactive compound profile. Oxidative stress resistance and anti-adipogenic effect in Caenorhabditis elegans

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Abstract

Cladodes from Opuntia ficus indica var. Atlixco serve as a valuable source of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. This study delves into the chemical composition, total polyphenolic content, and antioxidant capacity of powdered samples at three ripening stages. Notably, cladodes at 60 days of ripening (60 d) exhibited the highest dietary fiber content, while those at 45 days of ripening (45 d) showcased superior levels of total polyphenols and antioxidant capacity, as measured by ABTS. Key minerals identified through ICP-OES included Ca, K, Mg, P, and Na, with Ca and K being more abundant. Liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) facilitated the identification and quantification of polyphenols in 60 d cladodes. Despite their size (> 30 cm), rendering them unsuitable for commercialization, these cladodes’ extract revealed elevated proportions of piscidic and eucomic acids, along with isorhamnetin derivatives. Evaluation of oxidative stress resistance and anti-adipogenic capacity in a Caenorhabditis elegans animal model revealed that the extract from 60 d cladodes enhanced the survival rate under oxidative stress conditions and reduced fat deposition in the C. elegans intestine. These findings not only highlight the health and nutritional advantages but also inspire further research and the potential development of innovative functional products.

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Acknowledgements

R.A.O. acknowledge to Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) and Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnología (CONAHCYT) for the scholarship granted to complete her doctoral degree. The authors thank Food Analysis Laboratory Intema S.A. de C.V. for its contribution in mineral and polyphenol profile analysis in Opuntia ficus indica.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical, Food and Environmental Engineering, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Sta. Catarina Mártir, Cholula, C.P. 72820, Puebla, México

    Rocío Aparicio-Ortuño

  2. Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Sta. Catarina Mártir, Cholula, C.P. 72820, Puebla, México

    J. Daniel Lozada-Ramírez & Cecilia Anaya de Parrodi

  3. Department of Health Science, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Sta. Catarina Mártir, Cholula, C.P. 72820, Puebla, México

    Taisa S. Silva-Pereira, Karen Villaseñor-López & Ana E. Ortega-Regules

  4. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407, USA

    Milena M. Ramírez-Rodrigues

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  1. Rocío Aparicio-Ortuño
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Contributions

Conceptualization, R.A.O., J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; methodology, R.A.O., J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; validation, T.S.P., K.V.L., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; formal analysis, J.D.L.R., C.A.P., T.S.P., K.V.L. M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; investigation, R.A.O., J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; resources, M.M.R.R., C.A.P., and A.E.O.R.; data curation, R.A.O. and T.S.P.; writing—original draft preparation, R.A.O., J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; writing—review and editing, R.A.O., J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R; visualization, R.A.O. and J.D.L.R.; supervision, J.D.L.R., M.M.R.R, and A.E.O.R.; project administration, A.E.O.R.; funding acquisition, C.A.P, M.M.R.R., and A.E.O.R.

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Correspondence to Ana E. Ortega-Regules.

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Aparicio-Ortuño, R., Lozada-Ramírez, J.D., de Parrodi, C.A. et al. Characterization of mexican Opuntia ficus indica cladode and bioactive compound profile. Oxidative stress resistance and anti-adipogenic effect in Caenorhabditis elegans. Food Measure (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-024-02602-x

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