effect of nanoemulsions containing polysaccharide-enriched fraction obtained from
the crude extract of the by-product from the processing of the leaves of A. sisalana.
According to the authors, nanoemulsions showed moisturizing properties, improving the increase in the water content of the stratum corneum while maintaining the
skin barrier function. Ribeiro, Barreto, Ostrosky, da Rocha, Verissimo, and Ferrari
[103] related the skin moisturizing activity for O/W nanoemulsion containing 1% of
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill hydroglycolic extract. They attributed its properties to
the chemical composition of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill which is rich in
carbohydrates.
As previously discussed, several studies reported the presence of tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, and steroids in extracts of certain parts of
Prosopis. This chemical composition demonstrates P. juliflora as a potential candidate for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries [82]. Over time, the search
for phenolic compounds has increased substantially by the industries [104], due to
their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in numerous
oxidative mechanisms, which reduce the cell aging process, as well as having antiinflammatory, antiallergic, antiviral, anticarcinogenic properties [105] and antimalarial properties [106]. The antioxidant activity of P. juliflora extracts was evaluated
and showed the presence of flavanols, attributing the antioxidant activity to its main
compound: (-)-mesquitol, suggesting that P. juliflora could be an important natural
source of antioxidants for such industries Sirmah, Mburu, Iaych, Dumarçay, and
Gérardin [104].
Other pharmacological properties have been reported. The antiemetic activity of
P. juliflora shows methanol extract, which demonstrated that a dose of 150 mg/kg
could reduce the retching in chicks by 73.64% when compared to the standard drug
(chlorpromazine) [107]. Scientific studies have also discovered that juliflorine, a
specific alkaloid, only found in P. juliflora, can suppress acetylcholinesterase and
butyrylcholinesterase enzymes in a concentration dependent manner, leading to a
potential drug for Alzheimer’s disease [108, 109]. Finally, Malik, Ahmed, and Khan
[110] reported that the P. juliflora pod extract is a novel source of anticancer,
antitumor, and chemoprotective activity, especially due to the presence of their
terpenoids.
Beyond all the applications already mentioned, in regard to Prosopis juliflora, the
species has other potential, in the field of biotechnology. For instance, wood is
considered a lignocellulosic biomass and may be used as an important substrate for
the extraction of sugars, enabling the production of second generation (2G) ethanol
[111]. However, in order to produce 2G ethanol, commercial viability must be
achieved by process optimization. In this context, P. juliflora is very suitable as a
lignocellulosic substrate, since the species is a nonfood plant, has a cosmopolitan
distribution, grows in a wide range of soils, and has a very high content of
carbohydrates. Recent studies have reported the production of ethanol at 10.85 g/L,
with a fermentation efficiency of 87.34%, using P. juliflora lignocellulosic biomass
as substrate, and a co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae VS3 and Pichia stipitis
NCIM 3498 within 36 h in a sequential manner [112, 113]. Seeds from P. juliflora
may also be considered an important source of fuel, since the constituents of its oil
534
G. A. de Brito Damasceno et al.
the crude extract of the by-product from the processing of the leaves of A. sisalana.
According to the authors, nanoemulsions showed moisturizing properties, improving the increase in the water content of the stratum corneum while maintaining the
skin barrier function. Ribeiro, Barreto, Ostrosky, da Rocha, Verissimo, and Ferrari
[103] related the skin moisturizing activity for O/W nanoemulsion containing 1% of
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill hydroglycolic extract. They attributed its properties to
the chemical composition of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill which is rich in
carbohydrates.
As previously discussed, several studies reported the presence of tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, and steroids in extracts of certain parts of
Prosopis. This chemical composition demonstrates P. juliflora as a potential candidate for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries [82]. Over time, the search
for phenolic compounds has increased substantially by the industries [104], due to
their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in numerous
oxidative mechanisms, which reduce the cell aging process, as well as having antiinflammatory, antiallergic, antiviral, anticarcinogenic properties [105] and antimalarial properties [106]. The antioxidant activity of P. juliflora extracts was evaluated
and showed the presence of flavanols, attributing the antioxidant activity to its main
compound: (-)-mesquitol, suggesting that P. juliflora could be an important natural
source of antioxidants for such industries Sirmah, Mburu, Iaych, Dumarçay, and
Gérardin [104].
Other pharmacological properties have been reported. The antiemetic activity of
P. juliflora shows methanol extract, which demonstrated that a dose of 150 mg/kg
could reduce the retching in chicks by 73.64% when compared to the standard drug
(chlorpromazine) [107]. Scientific studies have also discovered that juliflorine, a
specific alkaloid, only found in P. juliflora, can suppress acetylcholinesterase and
butyrylcholinesterase enzymes in a concentration dependent manner, leading to a
potential drug for Alzheimer’s disease [108, 109]. Finally, Malik, Ahmed, and Khan
[110] reported that the P. juliflora pod extract is a novel source of anticancer,
antitumor, and chemoprotective activity, especially due to the presence of their
terpenoids.
Beyond all the applications already mentioned, in regard to Prosopis juliflora, the
species has other potential, in the field of biotechnology. For instance, wood is
considered a lignocellulosic biomass and may be used as an important substrate for
the extraction of sugars, enabling the production of second generation (2G) ethanol
[111]. However, in order to produce 2G ethanol, commercial viability must be
achieved by process optimization. In this context, P. juliflora is very suitable as a
lignocellulosic substrate, since the species is a nonfood plant, has a cosmopolitan
distribution, grows in a wide range of soils, and has a very high content of
carbohydrates. Recent studies have reported the production of ethanol at 10.85 g/L,
with a fermentation efficiency of 87.34%, using P. juliflora lignocellulosic biomass
as substrate, and a co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae VS3 and Pichia stipitis
NCIM 3498 within 36 h in a sequential manner [112, 113]. Seeds from P. juliflora
may also be considered an important source of fuel, since the constituents of its oil
534
G. A. de Brito Damasceno et al.