Total utilization of tropical plants Leucaena leucocephala and Alpinia zerumbet

• Published in: Journal of Pesticide Science Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 40 - 43
• Main Authors: Tawata, S.(Ryukyu Univ., Nishihara, Okinawa (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture), Fukuta, M, Xuan, T.D, Deba, F
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Tokyo Pesticide Science Society of Japan 01.01.2008; Nihon nouyaku gakkai; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: ACEITES ESENCIALES; ALPINIA; Alpinia zerumbet; antioxidant; ARBOLES; ARBRE; Biological and medical sciences; BOSQUE TROPICAL; DESINTOXICACION; DETOXIFICATION; dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain; essential oil; ESSENTIAL OILS; FEED LEGUMES; FORET TROPICALE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HUILE ESSENTIELLE; INDUSTRIAL USES; LEGUMINEUSE FOURRAGERE; LEGUMINOSAS FORRAJERAS; Leucaena; LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALA; mimosinase; mimosine; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; TREES; TROPICAL FORESTS; USAGE INDUSTRIEL; UTILIZACION INDUSTRIAL; Nitrogen heterocycle; Tropical zone; Allelochemicals; Pyridine derivatives; Mimosine; Alkaloid; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain; Essential oil; mimosinase; Organic compounds; Vegetals; Alpinia zerumbet; Biochemical compound; Use; Pesticides; Woody plant; Antioxidant; Leucaena leucocephala; Multipurpose tree; Biological compound; α-Aminoacid; Leguminosae; Aminoacid; Spermatophyta; Nitrogen Organic compounds
• ISSN: 1348-589X; 1349-0923
• DOI: 10.1584/jpestics.R07-10

In Okinawa, leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala de Wit) has great potential as animal feed for its high protein content, but its use has been limited owing to the presence of mimosine (β-[N-(3-hydroxy-4-pyridone)]-α-aminopropionic acid) which, when ingested, causes diseases in animals. A detoxifying enzyme, mimosinase, was purified from leucaena leaves and cDNA was cloned based on the amino acid sequence. During essential oil production and fiber isolation from alpinia (Alpinia zerumbet), large volumes of solid and squeezed wastes are produced and subsequently discarded. An extraction protocol to obtain essential oils, dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain (DDK) and enriched antioxidant phenolic extracts from fresh leaves or rhizomes of alpinia and its waste was developed.