Ultrasound-assisted extraction of pectin from sisal waste.

Isolation, structural characterization and antioxidant activity of a neutral polysaccharide from Sisal waste

Agave has been used as a raw material for food and folklore medicinal purposes. Traditional processing in- volves the use of agave as a source of carbohydrate-rich syrups for direct use or as substrate to yield hydrolyzed fer- mented products and spirits. Agave plants can accumulate significant amounts of inulin, important molecule with prebi- otic activity. The agave plant has been used to feed ruminants in arid areas where drought episodes are prevalent. This plant is an important source of saponins, considered as antinutritional factors but also as anticancer, antifungal, and anti- inflammatory agents. Considering the low hydrosolubility of saponins, these compounds are not being recovered from the plant and alternative processes need to be devised. Agave also contains polyphenols with activities such as: anticancer, an- tioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitical, antimicrobial, prebiotics and coadjuvant in mineral absorption. The full phytochemical characterization of the sap, leaves and byproducts generated from the traditional food uses is needed to validate the beneficial effects of agave consumption and its potential use as a source of functional ingredients.

Agave (Agave spp.) and its Traditional Products as a Source of Bioactive Compounds

Extraction, isolation and characterization of inulin from Agave sisalana boles

The potential for crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to support resilient crops that meet demands for food, fiber, fuel, and pharmaceutical products far exceeds current production levels. This review provides background on five families of plants that express CAM, including examples of many species within these families that have potential agricultural uses. We summarize traditional uses, current developments, management practices, environmental tolerance ranges, and economic values of CAM species with potential commercial applications. The primary benefit of CAM in agriculture is high water use efficiency that allows for reliable crop yields even in drought conditions. Agave species, for example, grow in arid conditions and have been exploited for agricultural products in North and South America for centuries. Yet, there has been very little investment in agricultural improvement for most useful Agave varieties. Other CAM species that are already traded globally include Ananas comosus (pineapple), Aloe spp., Vanilla spp., and Opuntia spp., but there are far more with agronomic uses that are less well known and not yet developed commercially. Recent advances in technology and genomic resources provide tools to understand and realize the tremendous potential for using CAM crops to produce climate-resilient agricultural commodities in the future.

Undervalued potential of crassulacean acid metabolism for current and future agricultural production.

Agave sisalana Perr. Syn (Agavaceae) is cultivated for its fiber, ornamental and medicinal value. The plant contains saponin useful for soap making and pharmacological importance. It yields a stiff fiber traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. Despite their economic importance, the Agave spp. has not been genetically improved. In vitro propagation offers an alternative to this problem through the efficient cloning of selected high-yielding “elite” plants. The present review gives a brief account on this important fiber yielding and medicinal plant with special emphasis on the secondary metabolite and in vitro propagation.

	 

	Key words: Agave sisalana, saponin, in vitro propagation, fiber.

https://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380378603_Debnath et al.pdf

Pushpa Lal

Papers

Biotechnological intervention of Agave Sisalana: A unique fiber yielding plant with medicinal property