Phytochemical, biological, and nutritional properties of the prickly pear, Opuntia dillenii: A review

Abstract

Opuntia (Cactaceae) species are native to arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and the southern United States and grow in various climatic zones. Opuntia dillenii is a cactus fruit with many beneficial properties, and it is used as a medicinal plant in various countries. This review paper provides updated information on the phytochemical and pharmacological aspects of O. dillenii. The fruit contains valuable compounds such as flavonoids, phenolics, ascorbic acid, betanin, and essential elements, which have been isolated and identified. The fruit also exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive, anti-diabetic, antifungal, and anticancer effects. Moreover, molecular docking and ADMET predictions were performed to evaluate the antibacterial potential of the fruit against Escherichia coli protein. This paper suggests that O. dillenii has significant potential as a complementary therapy for various pathological conditions.

Keywords: Antioxidant and biological properties; Opuntia; Phytochemicals; Prickly pear.

Fig. 1

Main fatty acids, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid of Opuntia dillenii oil seeds.

Fig. 2

Structures of tocopherol substituents.

Fig. 3

Betanin structure. *Isobetanine: C2* epimer of betanine.

Fig. 4

Major phenolic compounds of Opuntia dillenii.

Fig. 5

The 3D structure of the Escherichia coli complex and docked ligand in the binding site are shown in red. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)

Fig. 6

Two-dimensional interactions of the best results (A) Betanin, (B) Quercetin, and (C) control Gentamicin with the receptor of the Escherichia coli protein.