Prickly Pear

"Саагун Б. де., Куприенко С. А.

Общая история о делах Новой Испании. Книги X-XI: Познания астеков в медицине и ботанике / Бернардино де Саагун, С. А. Куприенко. — Киев : Видавець Купрієнко С. А., 2013. — 218 с. : ил. — (Месоамерика. Источники. История. Человек).

ISBN 978-617-7085-07-1



В предлагаемом Вашему вниманию издании впервые осуществлен перевод на русский язык X и XI книг фундаментального труда францисканского монаха Бернардино де Саагуна (1498 или 1500–1590). Данные книги, в основном, посвящены вопросам медицины и ботаники. Для написания такого медицинского трактата автор использовал в качестве информаторов индейских лекарей, предоставивших львиную долю сведений о местных растениях, болезнях, лекарствах и методах лечения.

В отечественной науке до сих пор отсутствовали какие-либо исследования по истории медицины или ботаники астеков, поэтому публикация столь важного исторического источника должна будет восполнить этот пробел и пробудить живой интерес к наследию одной из месоамериканских цивилизаций. В своей «Истории» сам Саагун дал описания 123 лекарственным травам, в то время, как в текстах его информаторов упоминаются 266 растений. В целом же, в его книгах упоминаются 724 растения, из которых можно идентифицировать 328 видов, относящихся к 101 семье. Примечательно, что автор дал, фактически, первые описания таким растениям: кукуруза, чиа, авокадо, амарант, фасоль, тыква, агава, гуайява, черимойя, перец красный острый, табак, батат, какао, маниок, капулин, лукума, опунция, хикама, сапота, томат, ваниль, юкка и многим другим.

Книга рассчитана на студентов, аспирантов и преподавателей исторических, филологических, биологических факультетов и медицинских вузов, а также всех тех, кто интересуется доколумбовыми цивилизациями.



УДК 94(399.7)(093) +572+581.6+581.9+582+615.1+615.8+811.822

ББК Е5г + Р28г + Р.г(7) + Т3(7)213 + Ш177.16""

The spider mite Tetranychus merganser occurs in some crops in Mexico and USA. This mite could be considered a potential pest in countries like Japan. In this work we recorded the damages that T. merganser causes to the nopal verdura (prickly pear vegetable crop) in one of the principal cactus crop regions of Mexico.

This paper presents some interesting results on the physic-chemical and morphological properties of the
enzymatic degradation of prickly pear seed vegetable fiber (PPS) enhanced Polyhydroxy(butyrate-co-vale
rate) (PHBV) biocomposite. It is shown that the b-glucanase enzyme at pH = 5,5 accelerated the degradation of PHBV/PPS biocomposite compared to PHBV as well as compared to a-amylase (pH = 7) and protease (pH = 8) enzymes, which is confirmed by the significant weight loss in b-glucanase. The Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy analysis FTIR analysis allowed seeing the decrease of carbonyl group
and thus its hydrolysis and degradation by ester chain cleavage. Morphological analysis is evaluated
by scanning electron microscope (SEM); this analysis also confirms the enzymatic degradation by the
presence of small holes on the surface of PHBV/PPS biocomposite immersed in the enzymatic solution
of b-glucanase. In addition, the effect of the incorporation of the PPS fiber plays an important role in this
degradation

Recently, there is a growing interest in incorporating cactus cladode flour in foods, in order to improve their nutritional value, while cactus cladode mucilage exhibits potential as a thickener. In the present study, cladodes from Opuntia ficus-indica were dried at 45 oC in a hot air dryer for 24 hours, followed by a 18 hours long drying in a vacuum oven at two different temperatures (45 or 60 oC). The dried cladodes were then ground with two different methods (hammer mill or hammer mill followed by jet mill). The physical and rheological properties of the four flours were studied. Color parameters were affected both by drying and grinding process. Cladode flour aqueous solutions (5% w/v) exhibited a non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior, while micronization with jet mill led to lower apparent viscosity values for the tested shear rate range (0.3-300 s-1). These findings show that micronization of cladode flour deteriorates its thickening capacity.

Background. Natural cycles and increases in temperature and droughts worldwide are being caused by the climate change effect. In addition, greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by anthropogenic causes are released to atmosphere. In this way, ruminants contribute with 30% of the total methane produced, whereas in Mexico this value represents over 50%. Since droughts are more frequent, production of forage sources which require more water are decreasing alarmingly. Due to the latter, researchers are looking for alternative forages which may alleviate this issue; Opuntia ficus-indica arises as a good forage source. Objective. To evaluate the effect of the solid state fermentation (SSF) of prickly pear with yeast cultures on in vitro gas production, ruminal fermentation parameters and in situ degradability. Methodology. Three experimental treatments were evaluated: solely prickly pear without previous SSF with yeast cultures (PP) as a control; PP+SC, previously fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae; and PP+KM, previously fermented with Kluyveromyces marxianus ITD00262. Treatments were fermented with ruminal liquor and dry matter and protein degradabilities, as well as ruminal fermentation parameters and gas production kinetics were measured. Results. The results obtained showed that total degradability of DM increased due to yeast pretreatment (p<0.05). Crude protein degradability and total VFA decreased with PP+SC; however, PP+SC increased total gas production (p<0.05). Otherwise, PP+KM increased propionate production and decreased methane and CO2 production (p<0.05). Implications. The information presented in this research is focused in the use of PP pretreated with yeast strains in order to increase the nutritional value by increasing its protein content. In addition, the presence of yeast cultures in feedstuffs contributes to decrease the methane synthesis in rumen. Additionally, the use of PP in arid and semiarid zones may increase the water availability for ruminants. Conclusion: The use of PP pretreated with strains of Kluyveromyces marxianus into livestock feeding increases the protein availability and contributes to a reduction in the in vitro methane synthesis in 23%.