Passiflora edulis

Mercadante A.Z., Britton, G., and Rodriguez-Amaya, D.B., Carotenoids from yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), J. Agric. Food Chem., 46, 4102, 1998. 

Ferreres F, Sousa C, Valentao P, Andrade PB, Seabra RM and Gil-Izquierdo A. 2007b. New C-deoxyhexosyl flavones and antioxidant properties of Passiflora edulis leaf extract. J Agric Food Chem 55(25) 10187-10193. 

Talcott ST, Percival SS, Pittet-Moore J and Celoria C. 2003. Phytochemical composition and antioxidant stability of fortified yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). J Agric Food Chem 51 (4) 935—941. 

There are a few members of the passionflower family (Passifloraceae) that have psychotropic effects. The one most studied is Pass flora incarnata, although some work has been done on Pass flora coerulea and Passiflora edulis. P. incarnata is a colorful, flowering plant with five white or lavender petals, a purple or pink corona, and five brightly colored stamen (Gruenwald et al. 1998). The parts of the plants used for medicinal effect are the whole plant or aerial parts. It is native to the mid- to southeastern United States. Passionflower has a history with Native Americans as a poultice to treat bruises, and as a tea for sedative/anxiolytic effects (Kowalchick and Hylton 1987). It is one of the most common herbs commercially available in Britain (Tyler 1994). 

Maluf E, Baros HMT, Frochtengarten ML, Benti R, Leite JR. (1991). Assessment of the hypnotic/sedative effects and toxicity of Passiflora edulis aqueous extract in rodents and humans. Phytother Res. 5(6) 262-66. 

Examination of the flavour constituents of the passion fruit Passiflora edulis has yielded the novel ionone derivatives (47) and (48). Edulans 1 and II, (49) and (50), and dihydroedulans I and II, (51) and (52), from the same source have been characterized fully. Two bicyclodamascenones, (53) and (54), have been identified as components of the flavour of Virginia tobacco, and several ionone, damascone, and cyclocitral derivatives are present amongst the many volatile compounds produced during flue-curing of this tobacco. ... 

Mareck, U. et al., The 6-C-chinovoside and 6-C-fucoside of luteolin from Passiflora edulis. Phytochemistry, 30, 3486, 1991. 

Pereira, C.A.M. and Vilegas, J.H.Y., Chemical and pharmacological constituents of Passiflora alata Dryander, Passiflora edulis Sims and Passiflora incarnata L., Rev. Bras. Plant. Med., 3, 1, 2000. 

Owing to their unique and delicate flavour, species of the genus Passiflora have been the subject of intensive research on their volatile constituents [13]. The purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is a tropical fruit native to Brazil but is now grown in most tropical and subtropical countries [50]. Purple passion fruit is cultivated in Australia, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and South Africa [48]. Yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis t flavicarpa) is one of the most popular and best known tropical fruits, having a floral, estery aroma with an exotic tropical sulfury note [62]. Yellow passion fruit is cultivated in Brazil, Hawaii, Fiji, and Taiwan [48]. Because of its more desirable flavour, the purple passion fruit is preferred for consumption as fresh fruit, whereas the yellow passion fruit is considered more suitable for processing [28]. 

The first report about volatile constituents in purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) described the identification of 20 volatiles in the solvent extract of passion fruit juice from New Guinea [50]. The author attributed the unique... 

Later, the chemical characterisation of the volatiles from yellow passion fruit essence and from the juice of the fruit was done by GC-MS and GC-olfactom-etry (GC-O) [27]. Esters were the components found in the largest concentrations in passion fruit juice and essence extracted with methylene chloride. Analysis by GC-O yielded a total of 66 components which appeared to contribute to the aroma of passion fruit juice and its aqueous essence. Forty-eight compounds were identified in the pulp of Brazilian yellow passion fruits (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) [48]. The predominant volatile compounds belonged to the classes of esters (59%), aldehydes (15%), ketones (11%), and alcohols (6%). 

Mita, S. Kawamura, S. Yamawaki, K. Nakamura, K. Hyodo, H. Differential expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis and perception of ethylene during ripening of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims). Plant Cell Physiol., 39, 1209-1217 (1998)... 

More recently, such processes were tested to reduce the acidity of clarified passion fruit (Passiflora edulis v. flavicarpa) juices from pH 2.9 to 4.0 in comparison with other conventional processes, such as calcium citrate precipitation as resulting from CaC03 or Ca(OH)2 addition, or removal via weakly basic IER (Calle et al., 2002 Vera et al., 2003). Whatever the process tested, the physicochemical and sensory properties of the de-acidified juices were quite similar. In spite of the fact that their sodium concentration was higher when using any of the above-mentioned ED processes, the two-compartment stack using bipolar and anionic membranes (Figure 8C) was regarded as optimal, since no chemical consumption was needed and a valuable solution rich in citric acid (89% purity) was recovered (Vera et al., 2003). 

The impact of commercial yeast strains on wine fermentation leads to the formation of metabolites of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) 2-methyl-4-propyl-l,3-oxathian 79 (10MI282,98JAFC1076,98MI53). This oxathian exists in four enantiomeric forms, 79a-d, and there are pronounced sensory differences between them (06CRV4099) for their enan-tioselective synthesis, cf. (84HCA947, 85LA1185). It should be mentioned that most of the aforementioned sulfur heterocycles are sold worldwide as fragrances and flavors. 

Figure 9.1 Analysis of Passiflora edulis comparison of HPLC vs. UPLC (kindly provided by Waters Corporation).

Passiflora edulis, P. incarnata (Passifloraceae), Singickia rubra (Rubiaceae), Symplocos raeemosa (Symplocaceae), Peganum harmala, Tribulus terrestris, f(ygophyllum fabago (Zygophyllaceae)... 

Harman (= 1-Methvl-P- Passiflora edulis, P. incarnata Activates G protein (alA-R,... 

Loturine l-Methyl-(3- culture], Passiflora edulis, P incamata MAO-B (5) (T CAT-... 

Odd-numbered secondary alcohols (pentanol-2, hepta-nol-2, nonanol-2) are contained as aroma components in yellow (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) and purple (Pas-siflora edulis simsl passion fruits the corresponding esters however are typical constituents only of the purple variety (2 3). The capillary GC investigation of the enantiomeric composition of these chiral components revealed interesting aspects of their biogenesis. 

Engel, K. H., Tressl, R. (1991). Identification of new sulfur-containing volatiles in yellow passion fruits (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa). J. Agric. Food Chem., 39, 2249-2252. 

Chassagne, D. and Crouzet, J. (1998) A cyanogenic glycoside from Passiflora edulis fruits. Phytochemistry, 49, 757-9. 

Seigler, D.S., Pauli, G.F., Nahrstedt, A. and Leen, R. (2002) Cyanogenic allosides and glucosides from Passiflora edulis and Carica papaya. Phytochemistry, 60, 873-82. 

Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis). This popular fruit contains about 20% of oil in its seed and is available as a gourmet oil for use in speciality foods and salad dressings. It is a linoleic-rich (65-75%) but also contains palmitic (8-12%) and oleic acids (13-20%). Its high level of linoleic acid makes the oil good for skin care (157). 

The passion fruit flavor in prepared foods usually comes from the fruit of Passiflora edulis. Other notable fruits produced by species of Passiflora include the foot-ball-sized granadilla, from P. quadrangularis. Popular ornamental species include P. caerula, with its sky-blue flowers P. alato-caerula, a blue-purple flowered hybrid and P. mollissima, the banana passion flower, so named for the shape of its fruit. 

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