Identification of some Opuntia spp. from two Algerian regions and ultrasound-assisted extraction of their phenolic compounds

Amokrane Mahdeb; Nawel Adjeroud-Abdellatif; Azzedine  Mazari; Liberato Portillo; Kamelia Ait Abdelouhab; Dounia Ait Maamer; Khodir Madani

doi:10.56890/jpacd.v23i.320

Authors

Amokrane Mahdeb 1Département des Sciences de l’Environnement & des Sciences Agronomiques, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université Mohamed Seddik Benyahia-Jijel, 18000 Jijel, Algérie. 2Laboratoire de Biomathématiques, Biophysique, Biochimie, et Scientométrie (L3BS), Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie.
Nawel Adjeroud-Abdellatif 2Laboratoire de Biomathématiques, Biophysique, Biochimie, et Scientométrie (L3BS), Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie.
Azzedine Mazari Agri-Food Technology Research Division, Algeria's National Institute of Agronomic Research, Station Mahdi Boualem, BP37, Baraki, Alger, 16000, Algeria.
Liberato Portillo Departamento de Botánica y Zoología, CUCBA-Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan 45200, Jalisco, México.
Kamelia Ait Abdelouhab Laboratoire de Biomathématiques, Biophysique, Biochimie, et Scientométrie (L3BS), Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie.
Dounia Ait Maamer Laboratoire de Biomathématiques, Biophysique, Biochimie, et Scientométrie (L3BS), Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Bejaia, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie.
Khodir Madani Centre de Recherche en Technologies Agro-alimentaires. Route de Targua Ouzemmour, 06000 Bejaia, Algérie.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56890/jpacd.v23i.320

Keywords:

Nopal, Opuntia spp., ultrasound assisted extraction, phenolic compounds

Abstract

Much attention has been paid to cacti for their distinctive characteristics. The nopal Opuntia ficus-indica and related species are found in arid and semi-arid regions around the world. O. ficus-indica shows considerable variability in response to environmental conditions through variation of areola and spine attributes, among other traits. Therefore, the present study sought to morphologically identify some cactus pear plants in two areas of Algeria (Bejaia and Souk-Ahras) in order to evaluate the cactus pears by optimizing the extraction conditions of the phenolic compounds of the cladode, to evaluate the antioxidant activity of these compounds, to measure the total flavonoid content, and to compare the yields among three Opuntia spp. (O. ficus-indica, O. megacantha and O. amyclae) from the sites within the study regions. These three Opuntia spp. were subjected to extraction of polyphenols using a conventional method, and an ecofriendly process using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) technique. Once the extractions was completed, the total phenolic content and flavonoids of the extracts were characterized. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of the total phenolic compounds (TPC) was determined. The UAE was better than conventional extraction for the recovery of TPC. The use of a solvent mixture (50% water/ethanol, v/v) improved the TPC extraction efficiency. These results show that UAE was a useful tool for the extraction of phytochemicals from cactus pear cladodes. Other factors and conditions that influence the optimization of TPC extraction should also be studied, such as pH, ultrasound frequency as well as ecological factors that could possibly influence extraction efficiency.