Litchi has diverse fruit color phenotypes, yet no research reflects the biochemical background of this diversity. In this study, we evaluated 12 litchi cultivars for chromatic parameters and pigments, and investigated the effects of abscisic acid, forchlorofenron (CPPU), bagging and debagging treatments on fruit coloration in cv. Feizixiao, an unevenly red cultivar. Six genes encoding chalcone ...

Peel extracts of litchi and rambutan, and that of tamarind seed coat were investigated in relation to their utility in skin-aging treatments. Standardized extracts of tamarind were significantly (p < 0.05) more efficient at O2 •- scavenging (IC50 = 27.44 ± 0.09) than those of litchi and rambutan (IC50 = 29.57 ± 0.30 and 39.49 ± 0.52 μg/ml, respectively) and the quercetin standard (IC50 = 31.88 ...

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) plays a key role in the postharvest pericarp browning of litchi fruit, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we cloned the litchi PPO gene (LcPPO, JF926153), and described its expression patterns. The LcPPO cDNA sequence was 2120 bps in length with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1800 bps. The ORF encoded a polypeptide with 599 amino acid residues,...

BACKGROUND The phenolic contents and antioxidant activities of fruits could be underestimated if the bound phenolic compounds are not considered. In the present study, the extraction efficiencies of various solvents were investigated in terms of the total content of the free and bound phenolic compounds, as well as the phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of the extracts. METHODS Five...

How is it possible that lychee, a deliciously sweet tropical fruit, could induce a fatal hypoglycemic encephalopathy in children? The answer is straightforward: the edible fruit (aril) of lychee or litchi (Litchi sinensis or Litchi chinensis), and other members of the Soapberry family (Sapindaceae), contains unusual amino acids that disrupt gluconeogenesis and β-oxidation of fatty acids. This i...

Fruit cracking has long been a topic of great concern for growers and researchers of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.). To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying fruit cracking, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was first used for de novo assembly and characterization of the transcriptome of cracking pericarp of litchi. Comparative transcriptomic analyses were performed on non-crac...

BACKGROUND Litchi chinensis is regarded as one of the 'heating' fruits in China, which causes serious inflammation symptoms to people. METHODS In the current study, the effects of isolates of litchi on prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) and nitric oxide (NO) production in J774 murine macrophage cells were investigated. RESULTS The AcOEt extract (EAE) of litchi was found effective on stimulating PG...

Bihar is known as hub of litchi production not only in India but also in the world due to its quality fruit. Entire country people desire to taste this fascinating fruit having unique fragrance and high demand during the season. The plant is highly specific to climatic condition and soil requirement and probably due to which its cultivation is restricted to the few countries in the world. Fruit...

Natural antioxidants such as polysaccharides with strong antioxidant activities are used to protect against oxidative damage, yet little is known so far about the antioxidant effects of litchi fruit polysaccharides. In the present study, four different polysaccharide-enriched fractions were isolated from litchi pulp tissue and partially purified by a stepwise method of ethyl alcohol (EtOH) prec...

Zeamines (ZMS), a class of polyamine-polyketide-nonribosomal peptide produced by bacterial isolate Dickeya zeae, were shown recently to be potent antibiotics against some bacterial pathogens. In this study, the results indicated that ZMS showed antifungal activity against Peronophythora litchii and other fungal pathogens. The activity of ZMS against the oomycete pathogen P. litchi, which causes...