In vitro lipid-lowering properties of the fruits of two bignay [Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng] cultivars as affected by maturity stage and thermal processing

Bignay [Antidesma bunius (L). Spreng] fruit contains an array of polyphenols and information on how these bioactive compounds vary with cultivar type, maturity stage, and process treatment are unclear. Also, the effects of these variations on the lipid-lowering potential of this Philippine indigenous berry have not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the lipid-lowering properties of the fruits of two bignay cultivars as affected by maturity stage and thermal processing. In vitro lipid-lowering assays revealed that both bignay cultivars had appreciable pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity, bile acid binding capacity, and cholesterol micellar solubility inhibition, which were comparable to those of the known lipid-lowering agents used as positive controls in this study. Freeze-dried samples of the freshly harvested fruits of both bignay cultivars [i.e., Common Cultivar (CC) and Kalabaw cultivar (KC)] had the highest bile acid binding activity (41.9–45.5% for CC and 43.4–54.0% for KC) for all the three maturity stages implying the beneficial effects of fresh bignay fruits related to lipid metabolism. Steam-blanched fruits had the highest pancreatic lipase inhibition activity (17.8–37.4% for CC and 29.2–39.0% for KC), regardless of maturity stage, while water-blanched samples exhibited the highest cholesterol micellar solubility inhibition (39.6–42.2% for CC and 40.2–47.6% for KC). Thermal processing tended to lower the lipid-lowering properties of the bignay fruits relative to their freeze-dried fresh fruits. Results of this study showed the potential of Philippine bignay fruit as a functional food that may be helpful in the management of dyslipidemia.