Pericarp and seed of litchi and longan fruits: constituent, extraction, bioactive activity, and potential utilization

• Published in: Journal of Zhejiang University. B. Science Vol. 20; no. 6; pp. 503 - 512
• Main Authors: Zhu, Xiang-rong, Wang, Hui, Sun, Jian, Yang, Bao, Duan, Xue-wu, Jiang, Yue-ming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hangzhou Zhejiang University Press 01.06.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anticancer properties; antineoplastic activity; Antioxidants; aril; Biological activity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Byproducts; Cardiovascular diseases; Constituents; Dimocarpus longan; enzyme inhibition; Fruit - chemistry; Fruits; Herbal medicine; herbs; human health; Humans; Immunomodulation; Inflammation; Litchi - chemistry; Litchi chinensis; Longan; longans; Medical treatment; Oriental traditional medicine; Pain; Pericarp; Pharmacology; Phytochemicals - analysis; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Review; Sapindaceae - chemistry; seed extracts; Seeds; Seeds - chemistry; Traditional Chinese medicine; Tyrosinase; Utilization; Litchi; TS255.36; 药理活性; Pharmacological activity; Longan; 提取; 龙眼; Utilization; 活性物质; 利用; Bioactive compound; 荔枝; Extraction; Bioactive compound; Extraction; Litchi; Longan; Pharmacological activity; Utilization
• ISSN: 1673-1581; 1862-1783; 1862-1783
• DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B1900161

Litchi ( Litchi chinensis Sonn.) and longan ( Dimocarpus longan Lour.) fruits have a succulent and white aril with a brown seed and are becoming popular worldwide. The two fruits have been used in traditional Chinese medicine as popular herbs in the treatment of neural pain, swelling, and cardiovascular disease. The pericarp and seed portions as the by-products of litchi and longan fruits are estimated to be approximately 30% of the dry weight of the whole fruit and are rich in bioactive constituents. In the recent years, many biological activities, such as tyrosinase inhibitory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-glycated, and anti-cancer activities, as well as memory-increasing effects, have been reported for the litchi and longan pericarp and seed extracts, indicating a potentially significant contribution to human health. With the increasing production of litchi and longan fruits, enhanced utilization of the two fruit by-products for their inherent bioactive constituents in relation to pharmacological effects is urgently needed. This paper reviews the current advances in the extraction, processing, identification, and biological and pharmacological activities of constituents from litchi and longan by-products. Potential utilization of litchi and longan pericarps and seeds in relation to further research is also discussed.