INTRODUCTION:

Prickly pear, cactus pear or “tuna” is the fruit of the cactus pads tree (Opuntia spp.) or “nopal” member of the Cactaceae family. There are a number of prickly pears with a wide range of flavors and colors. Prickly pears are known with different scientific names (Opuntia spp.) and common names, depending on the interior and exterior colors, size, and region of production. Pale-green, yellow, orange, magenta, red, and red–purple are the color of prickly pear pulp. Prickly pear is produced in Summer over a very short period of time. Fresh fruits do not last too long, even stored at refrigeration conditions. Today, the fruit is eaten fresh or as juice, chilled or at room temperature; however, there are some locally manufactured products such as preserves, prickly pear fudge, crystallized prickly pear, and prickly pear wine in some villages or towns where the fruit is grown. However, there are a number of Opuntia spp. Prickly pears that grows in nature that are not consumed.¹

What Is Prickly Pear?

Prickly pear is a fruit that grows on the leaves of the Nopales cacti, belonging to the genus Opuntia, its scientific name is Opuntia ficus-indica. It is also referred to as Nagfani in Hindi, Nagajemudu in Telugu, Kallimullpazham in Malayalam, and Dindla in Gujarati. The younger plants are edible and often part of the Mexican diet. The other edible parts of the prickly pear cactus are the flowers, stems, and the leaves.²

Fig No.1

Botanical classification:

Table No 1

Kingdom	:	Plantae
Division	:	Magnoliophyta
Class	:	Magnoliopsida
Order	:	Caryophyllales
Family	:	Cactaceae

Cactus is commonly known as prickly pears having about 130 genera and 1,500 species of cactaceae. Cacti exist in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The tallest is Pachycereus pringlei, with a maximum recorded height of 19.2m, and the smallest is Blossfeldia liliputiana, only about 1cm diameter at maturity. Cactus flowers are large and like the spines and branches arise from areoles. Many cactus species are night blooming, as they are pollinated by nocturnal insects or small animals, principally moths and bats. Numerous species have entered widespread cultivation, including members of Echinopsis, Mammillaria and Cereus among others. Opuntia ficus-indica is the most important cactus species in agriculture today and the first fruit crop especially adapted to semi-arid and non-irrigated lands. It has usefulness as food, fodder, dye, source of energy and has role in ecosystem remediation (Small and Catling 2004)³.

Geographical Distribution:

The Cactaceae are one of the most intriguing plant families of the world’s arid and semi-arid regions, the latter covering about 30% of the world’s continental surface.This is due to their peculiar adaptations to water scarcity and sun irradiation, such as:

(1) CAM metabolism (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism), the reduction of

(2) Leaf tissues and

(3) Cuticular waxes covering the cladodes and fruit surfaces, which allow them to grow year-round and stay evergreen despite harsh environmental conditions. The genus Opuntia is most widespread, presumably due to its capacity to regenerate either from root calluses, pads, fruits, seeds, tissue culture and grafting. It can be encountered from temperate (Italy, Israel), subtropical African and American zones, Asia (China, South Korea) as well as in cold regions with winter snowfalls as in Canada or Argentina^4,5,6,7,8

Cultivation of prickly pear:

1. Selection of suitable clone and site for cultivation. The selection of suitable cactus clone/ accession/ cultivar depends upon the purpose i.e. Vegetable, fodder or fruit for which cultivation is being done. ICAR-Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (ICAR-CIAH), Bikaner has identified 6 promising genotypes of cactus pear which Are suitable for vegetable (nopal production), fruit and fodder and 3 spiny genotypes, which Are prolific fruit bearing type. Formal orchards with spineless (vegetable type) cultivars/varieties Should be considered only close to household, where human presence provides sufficient Safety to damaging pests such as wild animals as well as domestic ruminants and squirrels. Vegetable type genotype is easier to handle and better for human and animal consumption. Low cost green house and net houses are also suitable for safe cultivation of this genotype. Plantations in isolated areas are more practical with spiny varieties (Saroj et al, 2017).

Planting season:

Cactus can be planted in the field during July– September and February- April. But in green House it can be planted round the year. Maximum plant survival was found where planted During July– September under field condition.⁹

Nutrition:

The nutritional profile of prickly pears may vary slightly depending on the variety. They’re generally a good source of fiber and contain many vitamins and minerals.

*One cup (149 grams) of raw prickly pear contains (4Trusted Source):

· Calories: 61

· Protein: 1 gram

· Fat: 1 gram

· Carbohydrates: 14 grams

· Fiber: 5 grams

· Magnesium: 30% of the Daily Value (DV)

· Vitamin C: 23% of the DV

· Potassium: 7% of the DV

· Calcium: 6% of the DV

Prickly pears are a good source of dietary fiber, providing about 19% of the DV in 1 cup (149 grams). They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which are important for healthy digestion.

The magnesium, potassium, and calcium in prickly pears are key nutrients for healthy blood pressure, while vitamin C plays an important role in immune system health.

Prickly pears also contain many beneficial plant compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments, which act as antioxidants.

Table No:-2 Composition of prickly pear fruits¹¹:

Parameter	Content in fresh fruit mass
Pulp (%)	43–57
Seeds (%)	2–10
Peel (%)	33–55
Moisture (%)	84–90
TSS(° Brix)	12–17
pH	5.3–7.1
Protein (%)	0.2–1.6
Fat (%)	0.09–0.7
Fibre (%)	0.02–3.1
Ash (%)	0.3–1
Total sugars (%)	10–17
Pectin (%)	0.19
Vitamin C (mg·100 g−1)	1–41
Β-carotene	In traces
Calorific value (K cal.100 g−1)	47.30
Calcium (mg·100 g−1)	12.8–59
Magnesium (mg·100 g−1)	16.1–98.4
Sodium (mg·100 g−1)	0.6–1.1
Potassium (mg·100 g−1)	90–217
Phosphorus (mg·100 g−1)	15–32.8
Iron (mg·100 g−1)	0.4–1.5

Antioxidants help prevent oxidative damage that’s caused by reactive molecules called free radicals and can lead to disease.¹⁰

Biological Activities:

Following the screening of the selected references, 42.2% of the analyzed information is related to O. ficus-indica’s biological activities (156 records). Due to the elevated number of records, the nature of the information and to simplify the analysis and discussion of the information, the data were subdivided into biochemical assays and biological assays in following figures.

Fig No :- 2 :-(A) Percentage of records dealing with biological activities (from a total of 396 records used in the study). (B)Resulting sub-categories after the biological activities analysis.¹²

Health benefits of prickly pear:

1. Increases Immunity:

Fig.no.3

Consumption of prickly pear fruit, which is rich in vitamins C and E, has been associated with improved detoxification and antioxidant performance. The vitamin C content of only one serving of prickly pears is enough to provide more than a third of the average person’s daily needs. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, helps the body fight off infections by strengthening the immune system and encouraging the creation of white blood cells. Vitamin C also plays a role in the development of bone and muscle, among other metabolic and enzymatic activities.

2. Improves Bone Density and Dental Health:

Prickly pears have a high calcium content, which is essential for healthy bone development. Inadequate calcium intake has been linked to tooth decay, osteoporosis, and other bone diseases associated with ageing.

3. Helps in digestion:

Like other fibrous produce like fruits and vegetables, prickly pears aid in digestion thanks to their high fibre content. Constipation, bloating, and more serious gastrointestinal problems including colon cancer and gastric ulcer can all be prevented by increasing your fibre intake.

4. Prevents heart diseases:

Prickly pears are great for your heart because of several beneficial nutrients. First, the fruit’s high fibre content has been shown to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Second, the high potassium content has been shown to reduce blood pressure by relieving strain on the heart and blood vessels. Finally, the betalains in prickly pear have been linked to a reduction in the risk of weakening of the circulatory system by strengthening the endothelial walls of blood vessels. Generally speaking, the cactus fruit can protect against atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke.

5. Pevents Cancer:

There are many beneficial compounds, including betalains, polyphenols, and flavonoids, in prickly pears. These molecules prevent normal cells from mutating into malignant ones by acting as antioxidants. People who consume these antioxidants on a daily basis have been found to have a reduced risk of developing cancer.

6. Rich in Antioxidant:

Prickly pears are rich in antioxidants, which preserve the skin, delay the onset of ageing, sharpen vision, ward off macular degeneration, and fortify and improve brain function, among other benefits. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are caused, in part, by free radicals oxidising brain cells. Researchers have found a correlation between polyphenolic chemicals and improved brain function.

7. Promotes weight loss:

Prickly pears can help you maintain a healthy weight because they are rich in fibre and nutrients yet low in calories and saturated fat. The carbs and fibre help you feel full without eating too much.¹³

Side Effects of Prickly Pear Cactus:

· Upset stomach, diarrhea, bloating, and headache are the most common side effects noticed³⁶.

· Nasal inflammation or asthma can be caused due to an allergy to it.

· Eating broiled nopal stem can have an extreme hypoglycemic effect. This is not seen when raw stems or ripe fruit are eaten.

· It can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb certain medications due to its diuretic properties.

· Pregnant or women who are breastfeeding should not intake prickly pear in any form as it can interfere with the fetus’ or child’s development.¹⁴

• Habitat:

Prickly pear are found growing in washes, rocky hillsides, around boulders, and in areas where the soil is sandy or gravelly.

• Range:

The Englemann variety of prickly pear can be found over much of the desert southwest from central Texas through inland southern California. Their range extends into northern Baja California and into central Sonora, Mexico.

• Life Span:-

They are known to live well over 20 years.

• Size:

There are several different varieties of prickly pear cactus each growing to different sizes. The most common species in the Sonoran Desert is the Engelmann prickly pear which grows up to 5 feet tall and can grow to a width of 10-15 feet.¹⁵

• Special Precautions And Warnings:

When taken by mouth:

Prickly pear cactus is likely safe when the fruit and cactus pads are eaten as food. The pads and fruit are possibly safe when taken as medicine for a short period of time. Prickly pear cactus can cause minor side effects in some people, including diarrhea, nausea, bloating, and heartburn.

Surgery:

Prickly pear cactus might affect blood sugar levels, making blood sugar control difficult during and after surgery. Stop using prickly pear cactus at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding:

There isn’t enough reliable information to know if prickly pear cactus is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.¹⁶

CONCLUSION:

From the presented data, it appears that Opuntia Spp. Has been subject to intensive exploitation due to its Great compositional diversity. Nowadays, this hidden Knowledge needs to be discovered and re-evaluated. Sophisticated analytical approaches and innovative processing technologies will open new avenues to further Promote the use of cactus pear stems, fruits and flowers in Food, medicine, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the multiple-ingredient Characteristics of cactus pear should encourage research to obtain different fruit products with emerging Technologies. In fact, although some of them (pulsed-electrical-field processing) have been developed. Only at the laboratory level and capital costs are higher than with conventional equipment, products that Combine added value with a fresher taste might be obtained.

REFERENCE:

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/opuntia

2. https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-prickly-pear-for-skin-hair-and-health/#what-is-prickly-pear

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3550841/

4. J Kigel: Seed germination in arid and semi-arid regions. In: Seed Development and Germination. Eds: Kigel J, Galili G, New York, 645–699 (1995)

5. Lazcano C.A., F.T. Davies Jr., A.A. Estrada-Luna, S.A. Duray, & V. Olalde-Portugal: Effect of auxin and wounding on adventitious root formation of prickly-pear cactus cladodes. HortTechnol 9, 99–102 (1999)

6. Estrada-Luna A.A.: Producción de Brotes e injertación in vitro de seis especies de nopal (Opuntia spp.) originarias del Altiplano Potosino-Zacatecano. Tesis de MC. Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Edo. de México, México 160(1988)

7. Russel C. and P. Felker: The prickly pear (Opuntia spp., Cactaceae): a source of human and animal food in semi-arid regions. Econ Bot 41, 433–445 (1987)

8. Mohamed-Yasseen Y., S.A. Barringer, & W.E Splittstoesser: A not on uses of Opuntia spp. In Central/North America. J Arid Environ 32, 347–353 (1996)

9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330104598_Cactu

s_Pear_Cultivation_and_uses#:~:text=cactus% 20pear%20can%20be%20grown,withstand%20long%20periods%20of%20drought.

10. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/prickly-pear-benefits

11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3550841/

12. https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/3/543

13. https://www.potsandpans.in/blogs/articles/prickly-pear-health-benefits-uses-and-important-facts

14. https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-prickly-pear-for-skin-hair-and-health/

15. https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Prickley%20Pear.php

16. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-880/prickly-pear-cactus

Received on 07.05.2023 Modified on 08.06.2023

Asian J. Res. Pharm. Sci. 2023; 13(3):221-224.

DOI: 10.52711/2231-5659.2023.00039