Response of the physiological parameters of mango fruit (transpiration,water relations and antioxidant system) to its light and temperature environment

Depending on the position of the fruit in the tree, mango fruit may be exposed to high temperature and intense light conditions that may lead to metabolic and physiological disorders and affect yield and quality. The present study aimed to determine how mango fruit adapted its functioning in terms of fruit water relations, epicarp characteristics and the antioxidant defence system in peel, to environmental conditions. The effect of contrasted temperature and light conditions was evaluated under natural solar radiation and temperature by comparing well-exposed and shaded fruit at three stages of fruit development. The sun-exposed and shaded peels of the two sides of the well-exposed fruit were also compared.     

Unveiling pharmacological studies provide new insights on Mangifera longipes and Quercus gomeziana

Mangifera longipes and Quercus gomeziana both is an ethnomedicinally important Asian herb that has been known for numerous healing activity of tribal people. The present research aims to investigate the phytochemical analysis with in vitro, in vivo possibilities of the soluble ethanol extract of M. longipes root (EEMLR) and Q. gomeziana leaves (EEQGL) by an experimental approach. The plant extract of EEMLR and EEQGL was found secondary metabolites, notably steroids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, gums, and alkaloids. Additionally, the extract showed significant activity in antioxidant, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, membrane stabilization, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, and analgesic activities while no response in antibacterial activity. Our findings reveal that soluble ethanol extract of EEMLR and EEQGL is safe, which can be an effective source for exploring new medicinal products. This research's outcomes may provide potentials for mitigating pyrexia, inflammation, pain, cellular toxicity, and coagulation.     

Effect of pre-storage treatments on mango fruit ripening

The effectiveness of pre-storage treatments of nitrogen (low oxygen), heat and ethanol and acetaldehyde vapours were examined for their potential for improving mango storage. Mature green mango fruit (Mangifera indica L. cv. Keitt) were treated with low oxygen (< 3% oxygen, 97% nitrogen) for 72 h, acetaldehyde (0.12%) and ethanol (1%) vapours for 24 h or heat (38 ± 2°C) for 48 h prior to storage at 14°C. The nitrogen and ethanol treatments induced substantial levels of acetaldehyde and ethanol in the fruit. Initially the firmness of the nitrogen treated fruit remained higher than the control although later in storage this effect was lost. Differences in ripening were reflected in the total soluble solids and acidity levels, nitrogen maintaining a higher acidity and lower total soluble solids (less mature) whereas the heat treated fruit had lower acidity and higher total soluble solids (more mature). Ethanol and acetaldehyde treatments showed no effect. The use of a pre-storage treatment of nitrogen therefore had a beneficial effect on retarding ripening, although as storage progressed this effect was lost.     

In situ feeding tactics of short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx) on mango fruits: evidence of extractive foraging in a flying mammal

We report a sequence of behaviors exhibited by the short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx while feeding on fruits of Mangifera indica. They peel off the outer skin to form a feeding area of about 3–6 cm diameter. Such food preparatory behaviors were more pronounced on larger mangoes. Bats competed among themselves to feed on the mangoes that had such feeding areas exposed. Individuals that spent a considerable amount of time on food preparatory behaviors actively secured the fruits. Altogether, these behaviors indicate that Cynopterus bats might have learnt, over evolutionary time, and developed behaviors that facilitate efficient processing and feeding of fruits such as mangoes. It appears that actions exhibited by C. sphinx in peeling off the outer skin of mangoes exemplify “extractive foraging”, a behavior that is prominently known in large-brained mammals. Thus, our findings will have implications on the distribution and evolution of extractive foraging and “technical intelligence” among mammalian lineages.     

Protective effect of mangiferin on memory impairment: A systematic review

Memory impairment (MI) is one of the predominant criteria generally used to identify schizophrenia, dementia and amnesia that are associated with neurodegenerative disorders by evaluating patient’s cognitive symptoms. To date, there is no available treatment that can completely mitigate MI. Currently, there is a trend in recent investigations towards symptomatic therapy approaches using a variety of natural compounds. Mangiferin is one of them that have been investigated extensively. Mangiferin is a naturally occurring potent glucoxilxanthone and is mainly isolated from the Mangifera indica (Mango) plant. This review is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview on the efficacy of mangiferin on MI, based on in-vivo animal studies. After screening through articles identified from Scopus and PubMed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 11 articles between 2009 and 2019 were included. The minimum and maximum dose of mangiferin were 10 and 200 mg/kg respectively and administered over the period of 12–154 days. The results of 11 articles showed that mangiferin effectively improved spatial recognition, episodic aversive events, short- and long-term memories primarily occurring via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The outcomes of the review revealed that mangiferin improves memory and cognitive impairment in different animal models, indicating that it has potential preventive and therapeutic roles in MI.