An analysis of morphological, physiological, and molecular data from five cactus fruit varieties from Mexico and Chile, two ornamental Texas accessions, and one vegetable accession from Mexico are presented. Molecular analysis was performed using the RAPD (random amplification of polymorphic DNA) method. Phenotypic and molecular analyses distinguished ornamental, vegetative, and fruit market ac...

Mechanical, microstructural properties, mineral content and bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur were evaluated in growing rats fed with Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) cladodes at different maturity stages as calcium source. Male weanling rats were fed with cladodes at early maturity stage (25 and 60 days of age, belonging to groups N-60 and N-200, respectively) and cladodes at ...

Background High-intensity exercise typically leads to a depletion of body carbohydrate stores, primarily muscle glycogen. Therefore, typical ‘sports recovery drinks’ include a high carbohydrate dose together with proteins so as to stimulate muscle glucose uptake and glycogen resynthesis via increased plasma insulin level. In fact, any intervention that elevate plasma insulin following exercise ...

We describe here the isolation and characterization of a major albumin from the seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae). This protein has a molecular mass of 6.5 kDa and was isolated by a combination of gel filtration chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. The amino acid composition of this protein was determined and it was shown to have similarities with the amino acid composition of several...

The genus Opuntia is a valuable forage resource in arid and semiarid lands during periods of drought and shortage of herbaceous plants. However, absolute minimum temperatures in the plains of Mendoza represent a limiting factor to cultivate several species. Opuntia ellisiana is a cold hardy species, so the goals of this study were to massively propagate is using in vitro culture techniques, and...

Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) belongs to the family Cactaceae. Family Cactaceae is reported to contain about 130 genera and nearly 1500 species. This plant is native of Mexico and it is widely distributed in Mexico and in all American hemispheres as well as in Africa and in the Mediterranean basin. It has been used in traditional folk medicine because of its role in treating a number of disease...