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Recently, there is a growing awareness of the role of plant-derived natural products in modern medicine. This study brought forth the case of anti-microbial properties of root extracts of Anacadiumoccidentale Linn (Cashew) against urogenital clinical pathogens. The clinical pathogens (Candidaalbicans, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) were isolated from body fluid (High Vaginal Swab, (HVS), urine, semen EndoCervical Swab (ECS), Urethral Swab, US, and blood) of patients attending outpatient clinic of Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka. Protocols for ethical clearance were duly observed, and first person informed consent was obtained from each patient before collection of the body fluid. The A. occidentale roots were washed, room-dried and pulverized with laboratory hammer mill to a fine texture/size of 60 micron size. Aqueous extracts of the plant was obtained by hot water maceration for 24 h, and strained with clean muslin clothes. Methanol or n-hexane extracts were obtained by soxhlet extraction technique following standard procedures. The extracts were concentrated using rotary evaporator under vacuum. Antimicrobial properties of the extracts against the clinical isolates were investigated using the agar well dilution technique. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of each extract against the clinical isolates was determined using agar dilution technique. Results of phytochemical screening showed that the extracts contained alkaloids, glycosides, resins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The mean of the methanol extracts of A. occidentaleoil against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 13.3 µg/ml, 13.5 µg/ml, 9.8 µg/ml respectively. The urogenital clinical pathogens were sensitive to the effects of methanol extracts of A. occidentale root. The results justify the folkloric ethno-medicinal uses of the plants in the treatment of tropical diseases. This could be attributed to the presence of natural products seen in the phytochemical screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles are being considered as elemental building blocks of nanotechnology. The green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using the aqueous root extract of Anacardium occidentale by bio-reduction of Auric chloride solution was investigated in the current study. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope. In UV, the absorbance peak was observed at 531nm, FTIR spectrum shows the wavelength range from 464.27 cm-1 to 3364.51 cm-1 and SEM image showed that gold nanoparticles are in spherical shape. Then, the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles examined for the antidiabetic and antioxidant activities and the result outcome with better percentage of potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cashew apple extract (CAE) is a product with intense yellow color obtained from residual fibers of juice processing. Although CAE is known to be rich in carotenoids and anacardic acids, the biological activities of this potential natural food colorant remain unexplored. The present study is the first to investigate the toxicity, antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of the lyophilized CAE (L-CAE) and its encapsulated products, using maltodextrin (M-CAE) or cashew gum (CG-CAE) as carriers. In addition to their high carotenoid content, the phenolic contents in all materials was determined using UPLC-QTOF-MSE. The acute toxicity was performed using adult zebrafish (Danio rerio); antiproliferative activity was assessed using seven different human tumor cell lines [U-251 (glioblastoma), MCF-7 (breast, adenocarcinoma), NCI-ADR/RES (multidrug-resistant ovarian adenocarcinoma), NCI-H-460 (lung, large cell carcinoma), PC-3 (prostate, adenocarcinoma), OVCAR-3 (ovarian adenocarcinoma), and HT-29 (colon, adenocarcinoma)] and an immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) while the antimicrobioal activity was evaluated on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 51812 microorganisms. Both lyophilized and encapsulated CAE samples did not exert acute toxicity against zebrafish neither antiproliferative effect against human tumor and non-tumor cell lines. Further, L-CAE showed potential antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, which was confirmed using electron microscopy. The current findings demonstrated that CAE is a potential source of bioactive compounds to use as an additive in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effects of orally administered graded doses of hydro-methanol stem extract from Anacardium occidentale (MSEAO) on the haematology and serum biochemistry of chickens. Forty, 8-weeks old cockerel chickens were randomly assigned into four groups (groups 1, 2, 3 and 4) of ten birds each. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received 3000, 1500 and 500 mg/kg body weight of MSEAO, respectively, while chickens in control group (group 4) were given drinking water placebo. Blood samples were collected from all chickens on day 0- and 48-hours post-treatment. Haematology and serum biochemistry were evaluated following standard procedures. The results showed that most of the haematological parameters in the treated groups did not differ significantly as compared to the control group. The serum biochemistry results showed that the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity ingroups 1 and 2 were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that ingroups 3 and 4. Serum uric acid levels ingroups 1 and 2 chickens were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in the control group, while the creatinine levels of chickens in the treated groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of chickens in the control group. It was concluded that MSEAO, as used in the study, led to significant changes in heterophil counts, serum ALT and ALP activities, uric acid, creatinine, and calcium levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cashew nuts (Anacardium occidentale L.) is one of the plants adapted in North and Far North of Cameroon after cotton. Nevertheless, the crop is susceptible to several pests and diseases like Red rust. The objective of this work was to characterize red rust disease and the micromorphology of the algal causal agent. Leaves with symptoms of each attacked tree (AB05-08 and AB 29 varieties) were randomly extracted for lesion characterization according to its size and number, in the three mains production sites, Maroua, Yagoua (Far North) and Garoua (North). The pathogen structures were characterized under light microscope. Incidence, severity and prevalence of disease were evaluated during the dry and rainy seasons. The most obvious symptom was small spots lesion, more or less circular with orange color on the upper leaf surfaces. The dimensions obtained for sporangia were 41.32-51.65 µm in length and 25.82-30.95 µm in width. Number of sporangia varied from 0 to 6 depending on the season. Based on symptoms, micromorphology and according to literature, it was found that the disease was caused by the algae Cephaleuros virescens. Incidence was very high in Maroua, whatever the season 51.67 and 64.17 % respectively. Severity was very low (less than 16%) whatever the site and season. The results of this study represent an important baseline data for the implementation of strategies against red rust in Cameroon. According to our knowledge, this is the first report of red rust on cashew in Cameroon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: AFM, profilometry and SEM measurements on both sides of the Anacardium occidentale L. leaf reveal that ultrastructure presented some singularities due to their different morphologies and roughness. The advanced stereometry and power spectrum density of both sides of the Anacardium occidentale L. leaf were carefully studied. We use three different microscopy techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, profilometry, and atomic force microscopy for a complete description of the leaf surface morphology. The morphology of the adaxial and abaxial sides revealed a surface composed of striated cuticles and stomata cells, respectively. The height parameters obtained by profilometry revealed that the abaxial side was rougher. However, both sides presented similar Gaussian height distribution and asymmetry. The advanced stereometric parameters obtained by the topographic maps of AFM revealed that the two sides have some singularities due to their different morphologies and roughness, but with similar microtextures. However, average PSD spectra showed that adaxial and abaxial sides are dominated by relatively low and high spatial frequencies, showing that the microtextures, unlike what was shown in stereometric parameters, are different. These results revealed that leaves surface morphology under different aspects and scales and the quantitative parameters confirmed the different spatial patterns displayed, which can be of great interest for the study of the biological behavior of plants from their leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En la investigación se evaluó el efecto de mezclas de aceite de Anacardium occidentale y Cocos nucifera diluidas en gasoil, como recubrimiento anticorrosivo aplicados a acero al carbono, sometido solución salina. Se utilizaron piezas de barras de acero al carbono utilizadas como refuerzos en construcción, las cuales fueron tratadas con una mezcla 50:50 de los aceites, diluidas en concentraciones de 10, 20, 30 y 50% en gasoil. Las piezas de acero, se sumergieron en una solución salina al 10% NaCl por 360 días a una temperatura constante de 50 °C. Además se utilizó una muestra control sin tratamiento, sometida también al medio salino y una muestra tratada solo con gasoil. Se realizaron tres réplicas por tratamiento y se analizaron los resultados de velocidad de corrosión por pérdida de peso, mediante análisis de varianza no paramétrica de Kruskal-Wallis, con el programa estadístico Statgraphics Centurion XVI.I. Los tratamientos con las mezclas de aceites en gasoil, lograron la reducción de la velocidad de corrosión con eficiencias entre 96.59 y 98.30%, con resultados estadísticamente significativos, donde destaca la mezcla al 50% con diferencia significativa respecto a las otras con 95% de nivel de confianza.

ABSTRACT Cashew gummosis is one of the main diseases of the cashew in the semi-arid region of the northeast and is characterised by a decline in the plants and a reduction in stand. Lasiodiplodia theobromae, the causal agent, is an endophytic fungus that eventually takes on pathogenic characteristics; however, the environmental conditions that cause this change in behaviour are still unknown. It is assumed that stress in the host caused by environmental changes stimulate pathogenicity. The aim of this study was to define the relationship between climate and geographical factors and the occurrence of gummosis. Rainfall data, maximum and minimum temperature, thermal amplitude, and the altitude of 14 micro-regions in the northeast were compared and classified into five frequencies of disease occurrence: 0 (no occurrence), 1 (rare occurrence), 2 (frequent occurrence), 3 ( generalised occurrence) and 4 (generalised high-severity occurrence). The data were submitted to the Doornik-Hansen test for multivariate normality, and principal component analysis was carried out using the correlation matrix between the climate and geographical variables and occurrence of the disease. Areas of disease severity were correlated (Pearson’s correlation). Only thermal amplitude, altitude and latitude were associated with the different areas of gummosis occurrence. The districts of Buíque, in the state of Pernambuco, and São Raimundo Nonato, Canto do Buriti and Pio IX, in Piauí, with the highest incidence of the disease, had the highest values for thermal amplitude, altitude and latitude. Whereas the districts of Pacajus and Beberibe had a lower occurrence of gummosis, with lower values for thermal amplitude, altitude and latitude.

RESUMO Devido a sua riqueza em compostos bioativos, sabor exótico, polpa carnuda, pele macia e alto teor de açúcares, o pedúnculo do cajueiro é consumido, tanto na forma in natura quanto destinado à industrialização na forma de sucos e derivados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade físico-química e sensorial de pedúnculos de cinco novos clones de cajueiro e compará-los com dois clones comerciais, de forma a auxiliar a seleção de novos materiais adequados para a comercialização como fruta ou para processamento. Foram avaliados acidez titulável, pH, sólidos solúveis, relação Brix/acidez, ácido ascórbico e polifenois totais. O perfil sensorial foi determinado por análise descritiva quantitativa clássica. Os resultados foram submetidos à Anova, teste de Tukey, Análise de Agrupamentos Hierárquicos (AAH), Análise de Componentes Principais (ACP) e correlação de Pearson. Os novos clones possuem características físico-químicas e sensoriais diferentes, permitindo a seleção de cultivares de acordo com o interesse comercial. O clone PRO 555/2 apresenta características físico-químicas e sensoriais semelhantes ao CCP 76 (material de referência), podendo ser indicado para o consumo de mesa. Os clones HAC 276/1 e SLC 12-20 apresentam elevada adstringência, e os clones CAPI 17 e PRO 805/4 destacam-se pela elevada fibrosidade e baixas maciez e suculência. Portanto, esses materiais são mais indicados para o processamento de sucos.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to identify Aleurodicus cocois resistant genotypes among five dwarf cashew clones available in the germplasm bank of Embrapa/Centro Nacional de Pesquisa Agroindústria Tropical. Free-choice and no-choice tests were applied in order to evaluate the relative attractiveness of the clones and the oviposition preferences, egg-to-adult development times and adult emergence rates of the pest. In comparison with other clones, PRO143/7 exhibited the lowest attraction to the whitefly and was least preferred for oviposition in the free-choice test. Conversely, CCP76 attracted the highest number of A. cocois and was preferred for oviposition. In the no-choice test, the rates of emergence of adults from clones BRS274, CCP76 and PRO143/7 varied between 53.0 and 56.8%, values that were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of clones BRS226 and EMBRAPA51, which were 72.34 and 75.16%, respectively. Some of the cashew clones tested showed antibiotic (CCP76, PRO143/7 and BRS274) and antixenotic (PRO143/7 and BRS226) resistance to A. cocois. These clones are good candidates for use in breeding programs of cashew.

ABSTRACT Foliar fertilization is an important agricultural technique that has stood out for its ease of use and can contribute to the production of high-quality and -vigor cashew seedlings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar fertilizer rates and time of application on ‘BRS 226’ dwarf cashew seedlings after grafting. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and 24 replicates. Each experimental unit consisted of one plant. The commercial product (NPK 20-20-20) was used at the recommended rate for fruit crops in general, 2.5 g L-1. Foliar fertilizer applications at 45 and 60 days after grafting (DAG), with 50% of the recommended rate (1.25 g L-1), or at 80 DAG, with 100% of the recommended, promoted increments of 9% and 13% in the total dry mass, respectively, in comparison to unfertilized plants. Besides that, at 80 DAG the foliar fertilizer application caused significant difference in the B contents, allowed obtaining better quality ‘BRS 226’ grafted dwarf-cashew seedlings. In the production of grafted seedlings of ‘BRS 226’ dwarf-cashew, it’s recommended to foliar fertilization at 45 and 60 days after grafting, with 1.25 g L-1 of the product based on NPK 20-20-20; or a single dose application 2.5 g L-1 at 80 days after grafting.

New functional foods and beverages can be developed using bioactive compounds present in pequi oil. Complex coacervation is an encapsulation method used for preserving bioactive molecules, especially those that are hydrophobic or sensitive to high temperatures. The objective of this work was to produce and characterize pequi oil microparticles using cashew gum/gelatin matrix (CG/GE) through complex coacervation. Gum Arabic (GA) was also studied in comparison with CG. The coacervation process was performed withoutpequi oil to determine the ideal proportions of the matrix components, followed by the embedding of the oil inthe microparticles for evaluation. Satisfactory microparticles were produced at pH 4.5 in the weight ratios of CG/GE = 2:1 and GA/GE = 1:3. Pequi oil release was greater in acidic pH, especially at pH 2 for the CG/GE matrix. The encapsulation efficiency for CG/GE and GA/GE was 72.53% (±4.80) and 82.77% (±6.09), respectively. The results showed that the CG/GE combination seemed very promising as anencapsulation matrix, especially for food applications involving pH values higher than 3.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the preharvest treatment with gibberellic acid (GA3) and aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) on the quality and physiological attributes of ripe 'CCP 76' cashew (Anacardium occidentale) peduncles at different developmental stages. Sprays of 180 mg L-1 GA3 and 180 mg L-1 AVG were applied, combined and isolated, at 34, 40, and 44 days after anthesis (DAA), and peduncles were harvested ripe at 46 DAA and evaluated for physical and physiological variables. The treatment with GA3 resulted in firmer peduncles with a greater apical diameter, but did not affect the physiological variables activity of the pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase cell wall enzymes and degree of lipid peroxidation of the biological membranes, nor the physical attributes total mass (peduncles and nut) and nut size. At early developmental stages (34 DAA), GA3 increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, and, at later stages (40 DAA), promoted polyphenol and carotenoid accumulation. The application of AVG at the final stages (44 DAA) provided greater total antioxidant activity, despite the lower ascorbate peroxidase activity. The application of GA3 pre-harvest increases the firmness and diameter of the cashew peduncles, and the treatment with AVG increases the total antioxidant activity of the peduncles.

Anacardium occidentale is widely used in folk medicine in Brazil, India, and Africa to treat inflammation, diabetes and hypertension. The aim of the study was to assess the hypotensive, vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects produced by the hexane extract from the leaves of A. occidentale (HEAO) in rats. The animals were anesthetized, and polyethylene catheters were embedded into the lower abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava for blood pressure measurements and drug administration. The HEAO was injected and the mean arterial pressure and heart rate were measured. The effects of the HEAO on isolated rat mesenteric rings with and without endothelium were investigated. HEAO induced hypotension and bradycardia in normotensive rats. After pretreatment with L-NAME, indomethacin, atropine or hexamethonium, these effects were attenuated. In mesenteric rings, HEAO antagonized the contractile effects induced by phenylephrine or KCl. This effect was inhibited after removal of the vascular endothelium. Oral administration of the HEAO decreased significant mean arterial pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Mass spectrometric analysis of HEAO identified malic acid and quercetin. Our findings demonstrate that HEAO produces hypotension probably due to a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance, mediated by the endothelium, in part, by a decrease in cardiac output. Bradycardia appears to be due to the indirect activation of cardiac muscarinic receptors via activation of the vagus nerve. The HEAO also induces an antihypertensive effect.

The article discusses a study which reported an incidence of branch canker and dieback caused by the pathogen Lasiodiplodia theobromae in cashew Anacardium occidentale at an orchard in Panama. Topics include the similarity of the cultural and morphological characteristics of the fungal isolates from the cashew branches collected to those of Lasiodiplodia, how the molecular identification was done, and the effect of the disease on cashew production.

Meat tenderness is one of the most important organoleptic properties in determining consumer acceptance in meat product marketability. Therefore, an effective meat tenderization method is sought after by exploring plant‐derived proteolytic enzymes as meat tenderizer. In this study, a novel protease from Cashew was identified as a new alternative halal meat tenderizer. The extraction of cashew protease was optimized using response surface methodology (R2 = 0.9803) by varying pH, CaCl2 concentration, mixing time, and mass. pH 6.34, 7.92 mM CaCl2 concentration, 5.51 min mixing time, and 19.24 g sample mass were the optimal extraction conditions. There was no significant difference (n = 3; p < 0.05) between the calculated (6.302 units/ml) and experimental (6.493 ± 0.229 units/ml) protease activity. The ascending order of the effects was pH < mixing time < CaCl2 < sample mass. In meat tenderizing application, the meat samples treated with 9% (v/w) crude protease extract obtained the lowest shear force (1.38 ± 0.25 N) to cause deformation on the meat. An electrophoretic analysis showed that protein bands above ~49.8 kDa were completely degraded into protein bands below ~22.4 kDa. Scanning electron microscopy shows the disruption of the muscle fibers after being treated by the Cashew protease. The results of this study show the Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) crude extract can be used as an alternative of the animal and microbial protease as meat tenderizer and subsequently overcome the shortcoming of the halal industrial protease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever is a major risk to public health due to the recent worldwide spread. Chemical vector control are usually considered, therefore, negative consequences are commonly occurred due to chemical resistance and environmental effects. Volume of cashew nut shell is become increasing as by-product after nut processing. This study was aimed to evaluate larvicial activity and toxicity of cashew shell extract with simple preparation for community use. Fresh cashew nut shell was dried and grinded in powder form. Material was immersed in water tank for 72 h and ratio of flavor and material and water ratio was 100 g/L (10% W/V). The supernatant of stock solution was diluted to 1:5, 1:10, 1:20, 1:50 and 1:100 of larvicidal solution for phenolic content measurement, analysis of alkyl phenols by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and larvicial activity test. Larvicidal activity was effective at LC50 = 3.8 mg of GAE/ml; LC90 = 11.5 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE) /ml. The solution was contained five alkyl phenols, which included saturated cardol, monounsaturated cardol, anacardic acid, diunsaturated cardanol and monounsaturated cardanol. Anacardic acid was major active compound, which was correlated to mass spectra. This larvicidal solution preparation was simple and cost effectiveness, which may useful in community level especially in cashew cultivating area. Field application and public training on this study will be conduct on controlling of mosquito-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the hypoglycemic activity of cashew, soursop, guava and mamey sapote pulps in Wistar rats with alloxane-induced diabetes. Thirty-six rats with induced diabetes and randomly divided into six groups were used: group I as control (without treatment), group II was administered orally metformin (medicine) and groups III to VI were administered orally a dose of cashew apple, soursop, guava and mamey sapote, respectively. Glucose levels were measured at times 0, 0.5 and 1 hour. The results showed that with the exception of soursop, the remaining pulps significantly decreased blood glucose, particularly guava, which had a behavior close to metformin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale) is one of the most important cash crops of Far north Cameroon. A disease, named dieback was observed causing serious damage on many trees in some orchards of two mains production sites Maroua and Yagoua. Leaves and stems with symptoms of each attacked tree varieties were randomly extracted for isolation and identification of pathogens. The pathogen structures were characterized under light microscope. Incidence, severity and prevalence of disease were evaluated during the dry and rainy seasons. Pathogenicity test were performed with C. gloeosporioides conidia inoculation of healthy plants. The disease symptoms were first observed in leaves and on bark of stems. Orange brown necrosis were observed in leaves and stem of bark were dark. Both two symptoms lead to death of plant. Different gum exudations were observed on bark of infected trees. Lasiodiplodia spp and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were identified using identification keys. Young conidia of Lasiodiplodia were hyaline and non-septate, whereas mature conidia were brown, one septate, and striate. Pure culture of C. gloeosporioides is whitish in PDA medium. The disease seems to occur throughout the year, but it spreads faster during the rainy season. Incidence was higher in Yagoua site, 73 and 90 % respectively in dry season and rainy season. Severity was low whatever the site. Artificially inoculated plants (with C. gloesporioides) showed symptoms similar to those that were naturally infected. Yellow variety was more susceptible than red variety. Cashew dieback is spreading to all production areas in the Far North of Cameroon and remains a threat to cashew nut production by reducing tree growth and eventually cause plant death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência Agronômica is the property of Revista Ciencia Agronomica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ciência Agronômica is the property of Revista Ciencia Agronomica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Proteins from cashew nut can elicit mild to severe allergic reactions. Three allergenic proteins have already been identified, and it is expected that additional allergens are present in cashew nut. pathogenesis‐related protein 10 (PR10) allergens from pollen have been found to elicit similar allergic reactions as those from nuts and seeds. Therefore, we investigated the presence of PR10 genes in cashew nut. Using RNA‐seq analysis, we were able to identify several PR10‐like transcripts in cashew nut and clone six putative PR10 genes. In addition, PR10 protein expression in raw cashew nuts was confirmed by immunoblotting and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analyses. An in silico allergenicity assessment suggested that all identified cashew PR10 proteins are potentially allergenic and may represent three different isoallergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Africa is a core producer of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.), supplying 45% of the commodity on the global market. Despite this huge share of the international market, only 10% of the commodity is processed and consumed domestically. The low rate of consumption is reflected by low investment in the cashew industry, making the crop underutilised as a food and nutrition security crop in the region. The objective of this study was to analyse the trends in production, levels of consumption and export of the crop in West Africa, as a basis for informing strategic development interventions. This work utilised metadata from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation database, Nitidae and other relevant sources to explore the production, consumption and export patterns of cashew from the year 2000 up to 2017. The metadata used were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that eleven (Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, The Gambia, Senegal, and Togo) of the sixteen countries in West Africa were actively engaged in cashew production. It was also projected that production will decline in the next five years in countries such as Nigeria, Togo, Senegal, and Burkina Faso due to a reduction in the land under cashew cultivation, an increase in pest and disease infestations, coupled with a decline in genetic improvement and poor extension services. Production will remain stable in The Gambia and Guinea Bissau because most trees there are yet to hit the peak of production; and of reduced investment in research and development. Cashew consumption locally is dismal (<10% across the region) due to limited attention given to the processing industry in the region. To boost local production and consumption, as well maintain the 45% share of the international market in the next five years and beyond, it is essential to invest in genetic improvement, modification of agronomic practices, and investment in the processing industry, as well as research and development of the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity of the pulps of different tropical fruits: cashew (Anacardium occidentale L), soursop (Annona muricata L.) and sapote mamey (Pouteria sapota [Jacq.] HE Moore et Stearn). The chemical composition was determined by AOAC official methods and the antioxidant capacity was measured by the FRAP test. The results indicate that the cashew pulp had the lowest carbohydrate content, while the sapote mamey sapote pulp stood out for its calcium and phosphorus content. As for other indicators, the soursop pulp was the one with the highest acidity and the lowest antioxidant capacity. These results show that the nutritional value of the studied pulps is similar to that of other more widely used tropical fruits, with a content of antioxidants that can be classified as moderate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium is carcinogenic ion and if present in water above its permissible limit, is very harmful to living beings. The main objective of this study is the removal of uranium from water sample using nano zero-valent copper prepared by green synthesis from Anacardium occidentale testa extract by a fully environment-friendly and cost-effective process without involvement of any hazardous chemicals. The formation of the A. occidentale-Cu nanoparticle is characterized through UV–Visible spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM–EDS, XRD and HR-TEM analysis. The adsorption capacity of copper nanoparticles, effect of pH, adsorbent and adsorbate dosage and contact time are studied and analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The cashew stem borer Anthistarcha binocularis (Meyrick) is a major pest in cashew orchards in Brazil. The damage caused by the larvae results in economic losses, and the available chemical control is not suitable because of the endophytic nature of A. binocularis. The identification of the A. binocularis sex pheromone could provide novel applications for the detection and monitoring of this species. RESULTS: Two compounds from female sex gland extracts elicited electrophysiological responses on male antennae. They were identified as dodec‐6‐en‐1‐ol and dodec‐6‐en‐1‐yl acetate by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. E/Z stereoisomers of both compounds were synthesized, and the electroantennograms for the synthetic compounds showed the strongest responses for the (E)‐stereoisomers of the alcohol and acetate. In a field trial, the E6‐12:OH/E6‐12:OAc mixture attracted male A. binocularis, whereas the Z6‐12:OH/Z6‐12:OAc mixture attracted no specimens. CONCLUSIONS: The bioactive compounds from the sex pheromone of A. binocularis have been identified as a mixture of two previously unidentified pheromone compounds: E6‐12:OH and E6‐12:OAc. The mixture of both compounds was attractive to males in preliminary field experiments, and this study is the first report of Δ6‐unsaturated monoenyl pheromone compounds in Lepidoptera. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The cashew whitefly (CW), Aleurodicus cocois, is an important pest of cashew in Brazil. The use of resistant plants may be an effective strategy for the control of this pest. In a preliminary assay, we found that dwarf‐cashew clones show different levels of resistance to CW. Here, we hypothesized that such resistance is associated with morphological characteristics of cashew leaves and their content of phenolic compounds. RESULTS: We determined (i) the attractiveness and suitability for oviposition of five dwarf‐cashew clones towards CW, (ii) the leaf morphology and chemistry of those clones, and (iii) the relationship between leaf characteristics and resistance to CW. In greenhouse multiple‐choice assays, PRO143/7 and CCP76 showed, respectively, the lowest and highest counts of both CW adults and eggs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that PRO143/7 and EMBRAPA51 have, respectively, the highest and lowest numbers of leaf glandular trichomes. We found a negative correlation between number of trichomes in the abaxial surface of cashew leaves and CW oviposition. In addition, confocal microscopy analysis and histochemical tests with ferrous sulfate indicated a higher accumulation of phenolic compounds in the resistant clone PRO143/7 relative to the other clones. Dwarf‐cashew clones did not significantly differ based on the number of leaf epicuticular striations, and the thickness of both leaf lamina and the epidermal layer. CONCLUSION: The resistance of dwarf‐cashew plants to CW is associated with an elevated number of trichomes and accumulation of high levels of phenolics in leaves. Additionally, the contribution of epicuticular striation density and thickness of leaf lamina/epidermal layer are insignificant. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New functional foods and beverages can be developed using bioactive compounds present in pequi oil. Complex coacervation is an encapsulation method used for preserving bioactive molecules, especially those that are hydrophobic or sensitive to high temperatures. The objective of this work was to produce and characterize pequi oil microparticles using cashew gum/gelatin matrix (CG/GE) through complex coacervation. Gum Arabic (GA) was also studied in comparison with CG. The coacervation process was performed withoutpequi oil to determine the ideal proportions of the matrix components, followed by the embedding of the oil inthe microparticles for evaluation. Satisfactory microparticles were produced at pH 4.5 in the weight ratios of CG/GE = 2:1 and GA/GE = 1:3. Pequi oil release was greater in acidic pH, especially at pH 2 for the CG/GE matrix. The encapsulation efficiency for CG/GE and GA/GE was 72.53% (±4.80) and 82.77% (±6.09), respectively. The results showed that the CG/GE combination seemed very promising as anencapsulation matrix, especially for food applications involving pH values higher than 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cashew tree or Anacardium occidentale, a tropical tree native from Brazil, was introduced to Asia and Africa by European explorers in the sixteenth century. The world production of cashew nuts reached 4.89 million tons in 2016, with Vietnam being the largest producer of nuts. The cashew market is expected to remain strong due to high production growth in some areas, such as West Africa. Cashew production is potentially an important value for small farmers in emerging countries and there is an immense potential for cashew by-product exploitation that can add value to cashew agribusiness. The present work carries out a technological prospection in databases of patents and scientific papers mapping the applications of cashew nuts and cashew apple. It was possible to identify 2376 patent applications and 586 scientific publications on cashew nuts and cashew apple together. After the analysis of patents and scientific papers, it was possible to note that the cashew tree is a tree of multiple uses that can contribute in several industry sectors. Thus, the present study mapped the potentiality of applications of the various parts of the cashew, which allows adding value to the cashew agribusiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical fruits rich in polyphenols, ascorbic acid, and high antioxidant capacity can enhance the functional composition, flavor as well as the overall acceptance of their juices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasteurization and storage time on the physical, chemical, and sensory quality parameters of two formulations of tropical fruit juice blends with high antioxidant capacity. Two formulations with different concentrations of acai, camu-camu, acerola, cashew apple, yellow mombin, and pineapple were pasteurized at 85 °C for 30 s, hot-filled in glass bottles, and stored in refrigerated conditions (5 °C). Analyses for color, total antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and sensory quality were performed before and after pasteurization as well as at 90 and 180 day of storage. Pasteurization did not negatively affect the concentration of functional components and sensory properties. However, the storage time negatively influenced the sensory quality and reduced the ascorbic acid content of both the formulations. Further, the acceptability and the nutritional quality were still high in these products after 180-days of storage, thus, not preventing their consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant leaf litter has a major role in the structure and function of soil ecosystems as it is associated with nutrient release and cycling. The present study is aimed to understand how well the decomposing leaf litter kept soil organic carbon and nitrogen levels stable during an incubation experiment that was carried out in a lab setting under controlled conditions and the results were compared to those from a natural plantation. In natural site soil samples, Anacardium. occidentale showed a higher value of organic carbon at surface (1.14%) and subsurface (0.93%) and Azadirachta. indica exhibited a higher value of total nitrogen at surface (0.28%) and subsurface sample (0.14%). In the incubation experiment, Acacia auriculiformis had the highest organic carbon content initially (5.26%), whereas A. occidentale had the highest nitrogen level on 30th day (0.67%). The overall carbon-nitrogen ratio showed a varied tendency, which may be due to dynamic changes in the complex decomposition cycle. The higher rate of mass loss and decay was observed in A. indica leaf litter, the range of the decay constant is 1.26–2.22. The morphological and chemical changes of soil sample and the vermicast were substantained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). [Display omitted] • Study on decomposing leaf litter under natural and laboratory conditions. • Quantity (mass) of leaf litter collected was high for Anacardium occidentale. • Overall C/N ratio varied due to dynamic changes in the complex decomposition cycle. • High level of mass loss and decay recorded in Azadirachta indica leaf litter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to obtain and characterize sodium alginate-based biopolymer films with the addition of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). The study employed a completely randomized design, including 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5% inclusion of CNSL. Uniform formation of the films was observed, and the addition of CNSL provided better thermal resistance than did the treatment without inclusion, while the addition of CNSL reduced the homogeneity of the microstructure, especially for the 1.5% inclusion level. The permeability of the film increased as the level of CNSL increased, especially in response to the concentrations of 1% and 1.5%, and no significant difference in permeability was observed between these treatments. The tensile strength decreased proportionally as a function of the addition of CNSL, as its inclusion increased the elasticity and elongation of the films. In addition, the films with CNSL demonstrated strong antioxidant activity and discrete antimicrobial activity, and ecotoxicity analysis showed that the levels of CNSL tested and the films produced were nontoxic. Thus, these films are promising and self-sustainable alternatives for the agrifood industry.

Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae) is used in South Cameroon as well as in other tropical countries by traditional practitioners as a folk remedy for treatment of diabetes mellitus. We demonstrated the antidiabetic potential of the plant extracts in n-streptozotocin diabetic rats. The aim of the current study was to investigate the antidiabetic effects of ethanol extract of leaves of A. occidentale on neonatal streptozotocin diabetic rats. Two day old neonates were injected with 100 mg/kg of streptozotocin. At the end of the experimental period of 30 days, reduction in the fasting blood glucose levels, serum insulin, glycated hemoglobin levels, serum lipid parameters, and renal function biomarkers were estimated in the control and treated rats. Histopathological examination of liver, kidney and pancreas were also carried out. On administration of 100 mg/kg of plant extract, blood glucose levels of the rats showed 8.01% and 19.25% decrease in the fasting blood glucose levels on day 15 and day 30, respectively. The administration of extract showed that the effects of extract treatment are comparable to treatment with the standard drug Pioglitazone. These results demonstrate significant antidiabetic potential of the ethanol extract of leaves of A. occidentale, justifying the use of plant in the indigenous system of medicine. Further studies for investigating the specific compound(s) responsible for such beneficial role in diabetes would open new outlook in the therapy of type 2 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to determine the apparent digestibility and energy value of almond cashew nut by-products for slow-growing broiler chickens. Seventy-six chickens (males and females) were allocated in a completely randomized design to four treatments: a control diet and the same diet in which the conventional ingredients were replaced with 30% (kg/kg) almond cashew nut film, almond cashew nut meal or almond cashew nut mass. The animals were housed in individual cages adapted for excreta collection. The apparent digestibility coefficients of film, full meal and almond mass were, respectively, 81.3, 87.3 and 86.2% for dry matter; 32.1, 71.2 and 56.7% for crude protein (CP); 82.7, 92.6 and 92.8% for ether extract; 10.9, 29.9 and 34.7% for neutral detergent fiber; 7.7, 17.9 and 19.6% for acid detergent fiber; 41.9, 57.2 and 66.7% for coefficient of gross energy metabolism (CGEM); 1,189, 2,648 and 3,719 kcal/kg for apparent metabolizable energy (AME); 8.1, 19.9 and 12.9% for digestible protein, and 3.9, 15.2 and 6.3% for mineral matter (MM). The CP and MM apparent digestibility coefficients of full meal were higher than those of film and almond cashew nut mass, while the latter exhibited higher apparent digestibility of fiber, CGEM and AME compared to the other by-products. The inclusion of almond cashew nut by-products in diets for slow-growing broiler chickens results in lower nutrient digestibility, except for ether extract, neutral detergent fiber and AME, in diets containing 30% almond cashew nut mass.

O cajueiro (Anacardium occicentale L.) é uma planta nativa do Brasil e de suma importância para o desenvolvimento socioeconômico de diversas regiões do mundo. Sua atividade antimicrobiana tem sido estudada cientificamente a fim de se obter novas fontes alternativas de tratamento para as afecções orais. O presente estudo realizou um levantamento etnobotânico e bibliográfico sobre essa planta medicinal através de pesquisas científicas publicadas nas bases de dados PUBMED, SCIELO e LILACS. Foram incluídos na pesquisa oito artigos que analisaram o potencial inibitório do cajueiro frente a espécies patogênicas da microbiota oral. Atividades antimicrobiana, antioxidante e anticacerígena foram relatadas e atribuídas aos compostos taninos. Dentre as partes utilizadas destacam-se os frutos, as cascas do caule e os extratos de folhas. O Anacardium occidentale L. mostra-se como uma alternativa promissora para o desenvolvimento de medicamentos fitoterápicos com potencial inibitório.

En este proyecto se realizó el proceso de obtención de un biomaterial con propiedades de protección superficial de metales, a base del aceite de la cáscara de la nuez de la India (Anacardium occidentale) conocido en la literatura como Cashew Net Shell Liquid - CNSL. Esta materia prima posee una cascarilla protectora de la nuez, la cual contiene un aceite cáustico, conocido como cardol. Esta sustancia además, de poseer características inhibidoras de la corrosión en metales, posee propiedades antioxidantes sobre superficies nuevas y oxidadas, además de presentar una buena adhesión y acabado y de presentar una adecuada resistencia química y resistencia a la intemperie. El CNSL puede ser obtenido mediante el proceso de extracción con solventes orgánicos. En este proyecto, la extracción del CNSL se realizó en varias fases: (i) molienda de la cáscara, (ii) extracción del aceite con acetato de etilo y (iii) destilación del aceite. Posterior a la fase de extracción del CNSL se procedió a realización de experiencias de pavonado de piezas metálicas. Luego de realizado el proyecto se obtuvieron resultados que permiten concluir en términos de la calidad o propiedad anticorrosiva del aceite extraída de la cáscara de la nuez de la India sobre muestras de metales pavonados y expuestos a condiciones naturales de corrosibidad atmosférica. De esta manera, el anticorrosivo obtenido fue capaz de proteger piezas de metales expuestos a condiciones atmosféricas tropicales.

A resistência de microrganismos às drogas atuais incentiva a busca de novos fármacos com atividade antimicrobiana. A espécie Anacardium occidentale, o cajueiro, vem sendo usado na medicina popular como anti-séptico, no tratamento de aftas e feridas. Com atividade antimicrobiana comprovada contra espécies patogênicas de humanos, a atividade frente à fungos fitopatogênicos ainda não foi estudada. Neste trabalho avaliou-se a atividade antimicrobiana do líquida da casca da castanha de caju (LCC) frente bactérias e fungos patogênicos. Foi utilizado o LCC extraído das cascasdas castanhas de caju em hexano, e também o ácido anacárdico (AcA) isolado do LCC. Para verificar a atividade antimicrobiana foram utilizados os fungos patogênicos Candida albicans e Aspergillus brasiliensis; os fungos fitopatogênicos Colletotrichum guaranicola, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Mycosphaerella fijiensis, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia sp. e Corynespora sp. e cepas de bactérias patógenas a humanos Staphylococcus aureus, Streptoccocus pyogenes Escherichia coli e Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Apenas S. aureus e S. pyogenes foram susceptíveis ao LCC e ao AcA, com concentração inibitória mínima de 4 mg/mL para ambos. Na comparação das duas atividades positivas, o LCC mostrou-se mais ativo que o AcA, onde no teste de difusão em meio sólido, o LCC desenvolveu um halo de inibição maior que do AcA. Uma concentração mais alta, 20 mg/mL, foi testada contra os fungos, porém o resultado se manteve o mesmo. Os extratos da castanha de caju, LCC e o AcA, mostram-se, então, potencias agente com atividade antimicrobiana frente a bactérias Gram-positivas

Abstract: We have identified specimens of the leafhopper Gypona cerea DeLong & Freytag (Cicadellidae: Iassinae: Gyponini) collected from a crop of dwarf cashew (Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus 1753) located in Canto do Buriti, Piauí, Northeastern Brazil. The damage caused to the crop included inflorescences covered with sticky exudates, presence of sooty mold, and yellowing and drying of new shoots and inflorescences. Such documentation serves as a warning about possible outbreaks of infestation in the region and the likelihood of its expansion to other cashew producing areas.

Abstract Yacon syrup (YS) and cashew apple extract (CAE) are products with high concentrations of bioactive compounds such as fructooligosaccharides and carotenoids, which exhibit prebiotic and antioxidant properties. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of YS and CAE on the chemical, physical, physicochemical and sensory properties when these products were incorporated into natural yoghurt. Initially, the YS and CAE were characterized by chemical, physical and physicochemical analyses. The bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids, fructooligosaccharides and phenolic compounds, and the antioxidant activity were also determined. After characterization, natural yoghurt was supplemented with YS and CAE in different concentrations as follows: formulation A (non-supplemented yoghurt, as the control), formulation B (yoghurt with the addition of 20% of YS), formulation C (yoghurt with the addition of 20% of YS and 10% of CAE) and formulation D (yoghurt with the addition of 20% of YS and 20% of CAE). The formulations were evaluated for their sensory acceptance (overall acceptance, texture and appearance) and purchase intent, and were then characterized by chemical, physicochemical and physical analyses. The results indicated that the YS and CAE presented high concentrations of bioactive compounds, such as fructooligosaccharides and carotenoids, respectively. In addition, when the yoghurt was supplemented with these products, this induced changes in the chemical, physicochemical and physical properties of the yoghurt. In the sensory analysis, all the formulations presented good acceptance. The results indicated that yoghurt could be considered as an interesting vehicle for YS and CAE, products with high levels of bioactive compounds that may exert beneficial effects on human health.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to estimate sample sizes of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) nuts as an aid to the genetic improvement of cashew tree. Nuts were separated by size: nuts < 17 mm were classified as size 1 (S1); 17 mm ≤ nuts < 19 mm, size 2 (S2); 19 mm ≤ nuts < 23 mm, size 3 (S3); 23 mm ≤ nuts < 25 mm, size 4 (S4); and nuts ≥ 25 mm, size 5 (S5). Sizing the sample for each stratum depends on the variance of nut size and on the error level B allowed for either the estimates or the desired precision in the results. The sample size will be larger the greater the variance of the stratum, the lower the error level allowed for the estimates, or the greater the precision desired in the results. For an error B = 0.2 g, the sample sizes of the S5, S4, and S3 strata were n5 = 42 nuts, n4 = 30 nuts, and n3 = 19 nuts, respectively. In the S5 and S4 strata, with better nut classifications, the average weight was 12.71 and 9.76 g, respectively. The Sm stratum - formed by the mixture of nuts of several sizes - should not be used as a parameter in this context due to its great variability, which is far larger than that of the other strata. Stratified sampling composed of six strata (S1, S2, ..., S5, Sm) is effective for estimating different sizes of nut samples.

ABSTRACT: The great diversity of plant species in pastures of the Brazilian Cerrado with distinct ecophysiological characteristics indicates the possibility of finding, in the cellular content of this flora, chemical compounds with potential for use in agriculture and human and animal health. Three steps are necessary to prove this hypothesis: phytochemical prospecting, characterization of secondary metabolites, and studies on the biological activities of these metabolites present in these plants. The chemical profile of secondary metabolites present in five species of the Brazilian Cerrado (Davilla elliptica, Remijia ferruginea, Luehea paniculata, Anacardium occidentale, and Acosmium dasycarpum) was traced in this research. These plant species were collected in pasture areas of Felício dos Santos, Minas Gerais. The samples were dried and submitted to two types of extract (ethanolic and hexanic). By using specific chemical reactions, the presence of coumarins, triterpenes/steroids, and anthracenosides was observed in the hexanic extracts, while the presence of alkaloids, triterpenes/steroids, flavonoids, tannins, reducing compounds, and anthocyanins was observed in the ethanolic extracts. The species presented diverse classes of compounds. However, triterpenes/steroids, tannins, reducing compounds and anthocyanins were found in all species, being the use of the solvent ethanol the most efficient in extracting the compounds. The species D. elliptica presented the highest number of classes of compounds. The widespread application in folk medicine justifies further studies on the biological activity of different metabolites in agriculture and health areas.

Lead (Pb) poisoning is an environmental substance that accumulates in the hepato-renal tissue, which is hazardous to health, while Anacardium occidentale L. is a tropical herb used to treat oxidative stress and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the antagonistic effect of Anacardium occidentale leaf extract on lead acetate exposure-induced hepatorenal toxicity in rats. Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were split into six equal groups (n = 6). Group I served as a control, and groups II and III were administered lead acetate (50 mg/kg) and Anacardium occidentale leaf extract (400 mg/kg), respectively, while rats in groups IV-VI were administered Anacardium occidentale (L) extract (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) and 10 mg/kg of Succimer, respectively, and were then administered lead acetate (50 mg/kg). When compared to the group I, rats administered lead acetate showed an increase in hepatic enzymes, urea, creatinine, MDA, TNF-α, and IL-1β (p < 0.001) levels and decreased levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH, whereas Anacardium occidentale prevented the increase in hepatorenal function parameters, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-1β) induced by lead acetate. Rats administered only lead acetate had a marked increase in hepatic Pb concentration, severe hepatic steatosis, and renal glomerulus degeneration. However, treatment with Anacardium occidentale extract and succimer decreases the Pb concentration, oxidative stress, and inflammation, and also reduces histological liver steatosis and glomerular cytoarchitecture deterioration in the kidney. The results of this study revealed that Anacardium occidentale extract protects against lead acetate-induced liver and kidney toxicity by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-obesity activity of ethanolic extract of cashew apple using various in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: Phytochemical screening was carried out in ethanolic extract of cashew apple, followed by quantification of phenol and flavonoid. Antioxidant potential was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) scavenging assays. The inhibitory effect of ethanolic extract of cashew apple on α-amylase and pancreatic lipase was also studied. In addition, anti-obesity activity was determined in two in vivo models, lipid emulsion model and atherogenic diet-induced obese rat model. Levels of postprandial plasma triglycerides were assessed in lipid emulsion model, whereas serum lipid profile, in vivo antioxidants and histopathological studies of the carotid artery and liver were performed in an atherogenic diet-induced obese model. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, and steroids. The in vitro assays showed inhibition of α-amylase and pancreatic lipase and strong antioxidant potential. Ethanolic extract of cashew apple showed significant and time- dependent inhibitory activity on postprandial triglycerides after administration of lipid emulsion for 5 h. Ethanolic extract of cashew apple at 200 and 400 mg/kg on day 60 showed a significant reduction in body weight, body mass index and atherogenic index, whereas lipid profile and liver function marker levels in the serum were decreased in a dose-dependent manner at time intervals (day 0, 20, 40, and 60) compared to the atherogenic diet-induced obese rats. Histological observations showed reduced non-alcoholic fatty liver deposits and decreased atherosclerotic fatty streak plaques (carotid artery) after treatment with ethanolic extract of cashew apple. Conclusions: Ethanolic extract of cashew apple ameliorates obesity, which may be partly mediated by its delayed absorption of cholesterol and carbohydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), Cordia verbenacea and Psidium guajava, both alone and in association against Rhipicephalus microplus. Larval packet and adult immersion tests were conducted in concentrations ranging from 3.1 at 100.0mg mL−1. CNSL was effective against engorged females (99.6%) at 100.0mg mL−1 and against larvae (99.2 %) at 50.0mg mL−1. The highest efficacy on engorged females was achieved by the essential oils of P. guajava at 12.5mg mL−1 (99.9%), followed by those of C. verbenacea at 25.0mg mL−1 (96.9%), while a low larvicidal activity of 5.8 and 59.0% was, respectively, obtained. The association at 50.0mg mL−1 had asignificant effect on both life stages of R. microplus. This association caused considerable larval mortality (95.3%) and high efficacy on engorged females (93.9%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cashew powdery mildew is presently the most important disease of cashew trees in all Brazilian growing regions. Although it was described over a century ago, it had never threatened the Brazilian cashew industry until the first decade of the 21st century. Morphological and pathogenic evidence indicated the possibility of different pathogen species being involved in early and late types of cashew powdery mildew. This study was designed to elucidate this issue by comparing two different powdery mildew fungi occurring on cashew plants in Brazil according to the morphological characteristics, phylogenetic relationships with closely related powdery mildew fungi and pathogenic relationships. Based on morphology, molecular phylogenetics and pathogenicity on cashew, it was shown that two species of powdery mildew specimens are without question associated with cashew trees. One species, which infects young immature tissues such as shiny leaves, flowers and young fruits, is Erysiphe quercicola, while Erysiphe necator is associated exclusively with mature leaves. This is the first report of both E. quercicola and E. necator causing cashew powdery mildew, and the first detection of E. necator on cashew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and to select promising common cashew tree genotypes in commercial growing areas in four environments in Piauí (Piracuruca - P, Barro Duro - B, Teresina - T, and Ipiranga do Piauí - I) using the mixed model approach. Genetic variances were significant for most of agromorphological and physicochemical traits of the cashew nut and accessory fruit. The physicochemical traits exhibited more genetic variability and less environmental influence. The genetic correlations among traits were significant, positive, and of medium to high magnitude, except for titratable acidity and total soluble solids. The prominent genotypes for the agromorphological traits were 115(I), 110(I), 92(T), 38(P), 108(I), and 103(I); for titratable acidity, 31(P), 118(I), and 74(B); for total soluble solids, 124(I) and 112(I); and for total soluble solids/titratable acidity, 109(I) and 47(P). The selected genotype 115(I) exhibited superior performance for most of the traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anacardic acids are alkyl phenols, with biological activities, obtained as a byproduct from cashew nut processing. The anacardic acids isolation by preparative reversed phase high‐performance liquid chromatography was developed injecting large pulse from 50 to 200 mg of cashew nut shell liquid through a C18 column eluted with methanol, water and acetic acid (80:20:1). The separations were carried out at 25°C and monitored at 280 nm. Yield, recovery, purity, solvent consumption and productivity were analyzed. The results of anacardic acids isolation pointed the concentration loading of 100 mg as a process threshold leading to a productivity of 0.681 Kg.day−1.Kg−1 of anacardic acids with purity of 96.41, 95.32 and 90.77% for anacardic acid triene, diene and monoene, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]