Flabelliferins of Naringinase Debittered Palmyrah Fruit Pulp

Abstract

Palmyrah (Borassus jlabellifer L) fruit pulp was debittered with the enzyme naringinase, At least three of the 4 natural flabelliferins including the bitter principle (F-II) and an antimicrobial principle (FIl) were hydrolysed and two spots (F and F) appeared on TIc_ F was a pure saponin triglycoside M_W_ 868_ 'Spectrbscopic examination otF, showed it to be an impure mixture of saponins and steroidts), On separat-ion with MPLC 3 isolates were obtained including a free steroid which corresponded to srigmast-Sen-Spo l. F, and F" had no bitterness or antibacterial activity and also had little or no foam stabilizing and haemolytic activity, unlike F-Il and Ffl' While the properties of F.x were very similar to F(., a natural flabelliferin (MW 868), F, contained the products of naringinase hydrolysis of the bitter flabelliferin (F-II) and the antimicrobial flabelliferin (FB).