Aspects of the binding of acyclic carotenoids to flabelliferins from palmyrah fruit pulp

Authors

  • I Uluwaduge Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • P.M. Jayaweera Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • N. Ileperuma Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • E.R. Jansz Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
  • M.I. Thabrew Dept. of Biochemistry & Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31357/vjs.v14i2.145

Abstract

The fruit pulp of palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) contains flabelliferins which are glycosides of β-sitosterol. Naturally bound to flabelliferins is an UV active compound, phvtofluene, which affectsbiological activity. This UV active compound shows intense blue fluorescence and can be dissociatedfrom flabelliferins.

The objectives of this study were to determine the main carotenoid binder to flabelliferin-II (F-II, atetraglycoside) in a sample of PFP from Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka by HPLC and some of the chemical featuresof this complex (F-II+ carotenoid binder).

HPLC studies showed that the major binder to F-II in a sample of PFP from Kalpitiya was phytofluene.No correlation was found between the stoichiometry of binding of phytofluene and F-II (r2=0.406) as wellas for Fb (r2=0.007) indicating that the binding ratios of phytofluene with F-II or Fb are not constant indifferent PFP samples tested.

Computational calculations(-ΔΔHf /KJ mol-1) suggest that binding is less stable between F-II andphytofluene compared to the other flabelliferins tested. This was probably due to phytofluene distortingthe conformation of the carbohydrate moiety of F-II. Computer modeling provided confirmatory evidencefor this assumption.

Key Words : Palmyrah, Borassus flabelifer, Flabelliferins

Author Biographies

I Uluwaduge, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

P.M. Jayaweera, Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

N. Ileperuma, Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

E.R. Jansz, Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Dept. of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

M.I. Thabrew, Dept. of Biochemistry & Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka

Dept. of Biochemistry & Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka

Published

2012-01-12

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2009)

Section

Articles