fruit

Prickly Pear

Introduction

"Tenacious monument of the deserts": it is with this metaphor that the character of the prickly pear is best described, a fruit crowned with thorns that survives the arid and dry desert temperatures.

For a long time, the prickly pear has represented a symbol of the Aztec tradition: today it is a source of interest not only in food and agriculture, but also in phytotherapy and cosmetics.

Origin of the term

The botanical name of the prickly pear is Opuntia ficus-indica : this demonination, still present today, was qualified by Miller in 1768, but the name probably derives from Christopher Columbus, who in 1493 believed he had landed in India.

The prickly pear is a native plant of Mexico: the importance of this plant for the Mexicans is such as to embody the symbol of the country, so much so that it even appears in the flag of the Mexican Republic. Opuntia is currently widespread throughout America, the Mediterranean (especially Sicily), Africa, Asia and Australia.

Features

The prickly pear cactus belongs to the Cactaceae family and represents a succulent plant that can reach up to 5 meters in height.

The cladodes (or shovels, improperly called leaves) constitute the stem and group together forming branches. They are covered with a waxy film that protects the plant from excessive heat, preventing perspiration and protecting it from a possible attack by predators.

After four years of development, the cladodes undergo a lignification, constituting a real trunk. Also the opuntia, like all cacti, delegates the chlorophyll function to the stem and not to the leaves; these are very small and are only found in young shovels. The areolas, at the base of the leaves, develop into thorns or into particular roots called glochids, or into flowers.

Also the fleshy fruit is covered by areolas; some varieties of prickly pear may not have thorns: the color of the fleshy berry may be yellow-orange, red or white. The taste is sweet and pleasant.

Nutritional values

The nutritional composition of the leaves of the prickly pear is very different from that of the fruit and seeds.

  • Chemical composition of the "leaves"

The cladodes of the plant contain a consistent amount of water, but they also represent a precious source of trace elements (potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, silica), nutrients (especially raw fiber, carbohydrates) and vitamins, in particular vitamin C and precursors of vitamin A (beta-carotene, lutein and alpha-cryptoxanthin). In the juice of the leaves there is no lack of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. Moreover, in the leaves of the prickly pear many amino acids are found, including 7 essential.

  • Fruit / seed chemical composition

If the seeds are rich in lipids and proteins, the superabundant fruits of simple sugars such as glucose and fructose. In the fruit there are also anti-oxidant substances such as indicaxanthin and betanin, which counteract the oxidative processes.

Uses and traditions

There are many uses of the prickly pear: many customs are rooted in the ancient Aztec people: at the time, the Aztecs used the leaves of the prickly pear to raise an insect, the Dactylopius coccus Costa, which was used to obtain cochineal red. From the body of the dried insect the red color was extracted, still in great demand in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, textile and food sectors.

At one time, the juice extracted from the leaves was used as a lubricant to facilitate the movement of large boulders of stone; besides, associated with honey and egg yolk, it seemed to be useful against sunburn. It could also be used to relieve inflammation, dislocations and tonsillitis.

Thanks to its vitamin resources, the prickly pear was also used by the conquerors of Mexico to counteract scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency disease.

Flowers, in contemporary Mexican medicine, are used to counter cystitis and as diuretics; the fruits help block diarrhea and exert astringent actions, while the fibers and mucilages are still used as protectors of the gastric mucosa and as regulators of glycaemia.

Opuntia has cholesterol-lowering properties thanks to the fibrous component of the leaves; the mucilages, in addition to giving the plant of the same name with gastroprotective properties, also give it anti-inflammatory and healing properties. The positive effect of soluble fiber in the reduction of plasma cholesterol and in delaying glucose absorption is demonstrated.

In popular Sicilian medicine, the decoction of dried opuntia flowers is recommended to counteract renal colic.

In the case of surface wounds, the mucilages of cladodes could be exploited for their emollient, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties.

The use of prickly pear is particularly interesting also in cosmetics, for the production of moisturizing creams, shampoos, soaps, lotions with astringent action, and seems to favor hair growth.

Property of the prickly pear

Recently, a possible effect in reducing the symptoms following alcohol intoxication has been demonstrated in the New Orleans (United States) Department of Medicine.

The antioxidant action of the prickly pear has also been demonstrated by a study carried out in the Department of Pharmaceutical, Toxicology and Biological Chemistry of the University of Palermo, and in the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Jerusalem: betanin and indicaxanthin are the two antioxidant substances responsible for the anti-radical action.

Also the diuretic and cytoprotective activities have a foundation of truth: these actions attributed to the prickly pear have been evaluated by the Department of Biological Medication of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Messina: precisely, the diuretic activity is enhanced by the infusion of the fruit and not from the flower.

Food use

The alimentary use of opuntia refers to fruits, rich in sugars, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C; they can be used fresh or intended for the production of liqueurs, jellies, jams, sweeteners and juices. Even cladodes are exploited by the food industry: they are preserved in vinegar or candied.

Prickly pear figs can also be used as forage.

In Sicily there is the tradition of producing a particular syrup with a seedless pulp: it is used to prepare typical rustic sweets.

Recommendations

The fruit must not be eaten in excessive quantities: it could cause, in fact, intestinal blockage; it is therefore not recommended for people suffering from intestinal diverticula.

Summary

TO FIX THE CONCEPTS ...

PART USED

PROPERTY'

Leaves (popular tradition)

They were used for the cultivation of the insect Dactylopius coccus Costa for the production of the cochineal red color

Leaves (Aztec tradition)

Used as a lubricant to facilitate the movement of stone blocks

Ficus juice with egg yolk and honey (ancient tradition)

It was used to relieve sunburn

Juice (ancient peoples)

Decreases inflammation and tonsillitis. Remedy for scurvy

Flowers (currently)

Used against cystitis and as diuretics

fruits

Used for astringent action against diarrhea

Mucilage (internal use)

Protective action of gastric mucosa

Mucilages (usotopic)

Emollient, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing: used to relieve wounds

fibers

Prickly pear (cladodes) exerts a valuable cholesterol-lowering action

Cladodi (topical use)

Anti-inflammatory and healing action

Decoction of dried ficus flowers

Action exerted on the kidney, against colic. Diuretic properties.

Juice

Treatment of after-effects of alcohol intoxication

In cosmetics

Prickly pear is used to promote hair growth, in creams, lotions, shampoos and soaps