Summary and conclusion
The focus of the study was to investigate nutritional and medicinal values of ten wild edible fruits in Kolhapur district viz. Ficus racemosa, Elaeagnus conferta, Antidesma ghasembilla, Grewia tiliifolia, Meyna laxiflora, Ziziphus rugosa, Schleichlera oleosa, Cordia dichotoma, Glycosmis pentaphylla, Flacourtia indica. Some of the significant findings of the present investigation are summarized as follows. I. Ethnobotanical Studies 1.The tribes like koli, bhoi, ramoshi, dhanagar and vadar and other local people of adjoining areas of kolhapur district keeps most valuable ethnobotanical information of the wild edible fruits around them. 2. Information collected from two places that the raw fruits and young leaves of Cordia dichotoma are used as a vegetable. The raw fruits are also used in making pickle. 3 The rotties are made from the ripen fruits of Ficus racemosa and are sundried and used for three to four days. The ripen fruits are used with rice to make the pej and also ripen fruits are used for making jam and jellies. 4. The fruits of Grewia tiliifolia are used in digestive disorders.the crushed bark of Grewia is used for washing the hairs to prevent the hair fall. 5. The raw and ripen fruits of Meyna laxiflora are used against the cough and pitta. 6. The fruit powder of Ziziphus rugosa are eaten as such or mixed with jaggery. Fruits are known for cooling effect. 7. The ripen fruits of Flacourtia indica along with kokum fruits are used in making sharabat, which is well source of energy during summer days. The paste of the leaves and the bark are used against the itching of the skin. 8. The fruit pulp of Glycosmis pentaphyllla is mixed with honey and taken as a tonic twice a day. The stem extract are used to cure wounds and pains. 9. The leaves of Antidesma ghasembilla are pounded with rice and some gram flour mixed with it for making curry. The raw fruits are used in making pickle and ripen fruits are used in making jam. 10. The seeds of Schleichera oleosa are roasted with salt and eaten. From above summary it was concluded that all the above mentioned fruits are eaten as a food and their plant parts used as medicine to cure various ailments. These
wild edible fruits will be the potential famine food in rural areas. Most of the rural people are depends on these energetic and nutritious fruits. II. Proximate nutrient analysis: In the proximate analysis, Cordia dichotoma fruits are higher in moisture, ash and reducing sugar content. Elaeagnus conferta and Glycosmis pentaphylla is higher in dry matter and crude fiber. Grewia tiliifolia is higher in both crude fat and crude protein. Meyna laxiflora is higher in reducing sugar, starch and energy content while Ficus racemosa is higher in total sugar. From the results it can be conclude that most of the nutrient values are obtained at mature stage of wild edible fruits. So mature fruits provide more nutrients than ripened fruits. III. Mineral Analysis: The mineral nutrition is an important aspects and it play pivoted role in human life for healthy growth. About 14 elements are essential to human health. Their deficiency causes diseases; where as their presence in excess may result in toxicity. Human bodies daily need more than 100 mg of major minerals and less than 100 mg of minor minerals. The higher amount of nitrogen will provide in our body through Ziziphus rugosa fruits; potassium and zinc content through Cordia dichotoma; Calcium through Ficus racemosa; Magnesium and Iron content through Glycosmis pentaphylla; Sodium through Antidesma ghasembilla fruits; manganese and copper through Flacourtia indica fruits; Magnesium and phosphorus through Grewia tiliifolia fruits. Mature fruits of above plants are rich in minerals than ripened fruits. Antioxidant analysis: Non enzymatic antioxidant: Glycosmis pentaphylla is higher in Ascorbic acid and carotenoid content; Grewia tiliifolia is rich in polyphenol. In free radical scavenging activity, Glycosmis pentaphylla is higher in FRAP and reducing power activity, Elaeagnus conferta is rich in ferrous ion chelating and total antioxidant activity. Antidesma ghasembilla and Flacourtia indica
fruits gives highest DPPH activity. Ascorbic acid, carotenoid and polyphenol is higher at mature stage of the fruits while DPPH, reducing power and ferrous ion chelating activity is higher at ripened stage of the fruits. So majority of the fruits can scavenge the free radical at ripened stage and hence helpful in preventing the diseases. Enzymatic antioxidant: Fruits can develop their own defense mechanism by activating the antioxidant enzymes. Ziziphus rugosa fruits showed higher catalase activity, while Meyna laxiflora fruits showed higher peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity. Enzyme catalase and Enzyme superoxide dismutase can scavenge the free radical and protect the tissues more at the mature stage while Enzyme peroxidase can prevent diseases at ripened stage of the fruit. Antinutritional factors: The highest phytic acid level is observed in mature and ripened fruits of Ficus racemosa, highest oxalate was found in mature and ripened fruits of Ziziphus rugosa, Meyna laxiflora showed higher level of saponin. Grewia tiliifolia and Flacourtia indica showed high level of tannin. The antinutritional factors are obtained in present study are below the standard level of antinutrients. The antinutrients are less at ripened stage and higher at mature stage. Secondary metabolites: The flavonoid content is higher Flacourtia indica whereas alkaloid content is higher in Cordia dichotoma. The Secondary metabolites are higher at mature stage of the fruits. GCMS Analysis of Chemical Compounds from Ripened Fruits: All the studied wild edible fruits, many compounds were detected, which were rich in bioactive volatile compounds. Among these volatile compounds some are represents class of acid, ketone, amines and hydrocarbons. The major compounds noticed were hexadecanoic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, Pentadecanoic acid, 4H-Pyran-4-one, 2,3-
dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl and 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-(hydroxymethyl). Hence, the presence of some of the important bioactive volatile compounds will certainly prove the use of fruit extract for the preparation of various antimicrobial products. From the GCMS, compounds, which were found, are responsible for flavour and odour. Because of the presence of such volatile compounds in fruits, these may be highly demanded in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Quantitative Analysis of Amino Acid Profile in Ripened Fruits through LCMS: Total amino acids were highest in Ficus racemosa (8.46%) fruit and lowest in Elaeagnus conferta (1.18%) fruit. DL-2 Amino-2-Butyric acid, L-Cystein, L-Orthonine, monohydrochloride were absent in all fruits. Serine also absent in all fruits except Ficus racemosa and Flacourtia indica. Among all amino acid, valine is found to be higher in all fruits whereas Glycine and leucine is found to be less. HPTLC Analysis of Active Chemical Compound and Fingerprints from Ripened Fruits. The betasitosterol is mainly present in Ficus racemosa whereas fewer amounts are detected in Cordia dichotoma. There is also presence of betulinic acid and lupeol. The fingerprints also carried out in all ripend fruits. In the presence of tungstone lamp, various chemical compounds are detected in all ripened fruits. Beta sitosterol: Beta sitasterol is the active compound present in the both Ficus racemosa and Cordia dichotoma. Through HPTLC it is observed that Ficus racemosa fruit contain higher amount of beta sitosterol (0.40%) than Cordia dichotoma fruit (0.062%) Betulinic acid: Ziziphus rugosa fruit shows presence of the betulinic acid. 0.072% of betulinic acid is obtained in Ziziphus rugosa fruit. Lupeol (lupenol): The presence of lepeol in Grewia tiliifolia fruit sample is confirmed through, Indian council of medical research medicinal plants unit (7). 0.021% lepeol is found in Grewia tiliifolia fruit.
Fingerprints: All the ripened fruit samples are analyzed for the presence of chemical compound through fingerprints. Their result shows that, presence of Alkaloid group (orange colour band) in the Schleichera oleosa, amino acid in Flacourtia indica and Ficus racemosa (Blue colour band). These bands are confirmed through Indian council of medical research medicinal plant unit. LCMS: Phenolic Compound Analysis from the Ripened Fruits. All the ripened fruit samples were analysed for the presence of phenolic compounds. The major phenolic compounds found in the fruit samples are Quicetrin hydtrate 1, Quicetrin hydtrate 2, Gallic acid 1 and Gallic acid 2. The Quicetrin hydtrate 1 is present in Schleichera oleosa, Grewia tiliifolia, Ziziphus rugosa and Antidesma ghasembilla while it is absent in remaining fruits; Quicetrin hydtrate 2 is also absent in all fruits. Gallic acids are higher in Schleichera oleosa and lower in Cordia dichotoma. Gallic acid 2 is again higher in Schleichera oleosa while lower in Glycosmis pentaphylla. All ten wild fruit plants are rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins and in antioxidant enzymes. Out of them, Meyna laxiflora, Ziziphus rugosa, are rich in antioxidant enzymes; Cordia dichotoma, Glycosmis pentaphylla, Grewia tiliifolia, Elaeagnus conferta, Ficus racemosa and Schleichera oleosa are rich in minerals and all antioxidant. The nutritional composition of ten wild edible fruits indicates that, these neglected plants can be a valuable source of nutrients under famine conditions and high levels of some vitamins and minerals can be used to prevent diseases.