Search Results (7)

This study presents an integrated chemical and anatomical characterization of leaves from seven Asparagaceae species (Agave convallis Trel., A. salmiana Otto ex Salm.-Dyck, A. striata Zucc., Dasylirion acrotrichum Zucc., Nolina excelsa García-Mend. & E. Solano, Yucca filifera Chabaud, and Y. periculosa Baker). Leaf biomass was subjected to successive Soxhlet extractions to quantify extractives, followed by isolation of lignocellulosic fractions. Lignin and cellulose were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio and total crystallinity index. Leaf anatomy was examined using fluorescence microscopy. Total extractives ranged from 13.4 to 24.0%, with A. salmiana and D. acrotrichum showing the highest values. Lignin content varied markedly among genera, reaching up to 45.1% in Yucca species, whereas cellulose content ranged from 31.3 to 42.2%. Crystalline cellulose accounted for 42.1–56.9% of total cellulose, with the highest crystallinity observed in A. convallis. FTIR analysis revealed a predominance of guaiacyl-type lignin in all species except Y. periculosa (S/G = 1.2). Multivariate analyses discriminated between genera primarily based on lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose contents. These findings highlight genus-level differences in leaf lignocellulosic composition and support the potential use of Asparagaceae leaves as feedstocks for bioenergy and biomaterial applications. Full article

Hydrogels elaborated from Dasylirion spp. and enriched with grape seed extract (GSE) were investigated for tentative use in dental treatment. Cellulose-GSE hydrogels were elaborated with varying GSE contents from 10 to 50 wt%. The mechanical and physical properties, antimicrobial effect, biocompatibility, and in vitro cytotoxicity were studied. In all the cases, the presence of GSE affects the hydrogel’s mechanical properties. The elongation decreased from 12.67 mm for the hydrogel without GSE to 6.33 mm for the hydrogel with the highest GSE content. The tensile strength decrease was from 52.33 N/mm² (for the samples without GSE) and went to 40 N/mm² for the highest GSE content. Despite the adverse effects, hydrogels possess suitable properties for manipulation. In addition, all hydrogels exhibited excellent biocompatibility and no cytotoxicity, and the antibacterial performance was demonstrated against S. mutans, E. Faecalis, S. aureus, and P. aureginosa. Furthermore, the hydrogels with 30 wt% GSE inhibited more than 90% of the bacterial growth. Full article

Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) grows in the Chihuahan Desert in the north of Mexico and south of the United States. The stem of this species is used to produce a liquor widely known as sotol. A field sampling and a laboratory analysis were carried out to determine the influence of the rainy season, altitude, topography, and aspect over the soluble solid content (°Brix) and bromatological variables of mature plants of sotol in Chihuahua, Mexico. Analyses of variance and Tukey tests were performed. The rainy season and altitude showed significant statistical influence (p ≤ 0.05) on the total soluble solids content; meanwhile, only altitude showed a significant effect on the bromatological variables (p ≤ 0.05). According to the results of the Tukey tests (p < 0.05), sotol plants have the highest concentrations of soluble solid contents before the rainy season (25 °Brix) and at sites with altitudes lower than 1300 m (25.95 °Brix). In addition, the means of raw protein and carbohydrates content were the highest in plants living at altitudes lower than 1500 m, at 1.93% and 31.74%, respectively. Meanwhile, topography, aspect, and the interactions of the evaluated factors did not show significant influence (p ≤ 0.05) over the total soluble solid content, nor over the bromatological variables studied. Full article

Sotol (Dasylirion leiophyllum) is a shrubby species that grows in the Chihuahuan Desert. Sotol plants are commonly used to produce an alcoholic beverage, also known as “sotol”. A study was carried out to assess the composition and structure of shrubby communities where sotol inhabits in northern Mexico. The importance value index (IVI), diversity indexes, and structural attributes of the sotol community were estimated. Furthermore, a principal component and a cluster analysis were conducted in order to identify possible associations of species along the sotol distribution area. A total of 10,273 plants belonging to 17 families and 46 species were recorded, where the Agave lechuguilla and Tiquilia greggi were the most abundant species. Higher abundances of sotol and higher diversity indexes were observed in hillside areas and eastern aspects. The multivariate analyses revealed five shrubby groups in the distribution area of sotol, which grows in valleys, hillsides, and also on the top of mountains. The main communities found where sotol grows are rosetophyllous, microphyllous, and mesquite communities, and also, in higher altitudes, sotol is associated with oak species. This information is not only useful for a better species knowledge, but also for the protection of shrubby communities where Dasylirion leiophyllum inhabits. Full article

Sotol is a distilled spirit made in the north of Mexico produced from the wild plant Dasylirion wheeleri. Although sotol was awarded the Designation of Origin (DO) in 2002 and has an economic influence on the DO region, its environmental profile has not been determined. For that reason, this paper reports a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the industrial sotol production process in the Mexican state of Chihuahua to determine any significant environmental impacts caused by sotol production from raw material acquisition to the packaging stage. The LCA was modeled using SimaPro 8.5.2 software (PRé Sustainability, Amersfoort, The Netherlands) and the environmental impacts were calculated using the CML-IA baseline v3.03/EU25 impact assessment technique. The findings reveal that sotol beverage manufacturing considerably affects three of the eleven impact categories selected and that the harvesting and bottling stages have the greatest negative environmental impact of all the sotol production stages. According to empirical data, one bottle (750 mL) of sotol results in a higher carbon dioxide value than any other spirit evaluated in earlier LCA studies, with white, rested, and aged sotol generating 5.07, 5.12, and 5.13 kg CO₂ eq, respectively. Other drinks, such as mescal, classic gin, and whisky generate only 1.7, 0.91, and 2.25 kg CO₂ eq, respectively. In conclusion, sotol distillery companies should start to decrease road transport of raw materials used in the packaging stage and begin to cultivate sotol instead of extracting it from the wild as strategies to achieve cleaner production. Full article

In northern Mexico, the distilled spirit sotol with a denomination of origin is made from species of Dasylirion. The configuration of the volatile metabolites produced during the spontaneous fermentation of Dasylirion sp. must is insufficiently understood. In this study, the aim was to investigate the composition of the microbial consortia, describe the variation of volatile metabolites, and relate such profiles with their particular flavor attributes during the fermentation of sotol (Dasylirion sp.) must. Ascomycota was the phylum of most strains identified with 75% of total abundance. The genus of fermenting yeasts constituted of 101 Pichia strains and 13 Saccharomyces strains. A total of 57 volatile metabolites were identified and grouped into ten classes. The first stage of fermentation was composed of diesel, green, fruity, and cheesy attributes due to butyl 2-methylpropanoate, octan-1-ol, ethyl octanoate, and butanal, respectively, followed by a variation to pungent and sweet descriptors due to 3-methylbutan-1-ol and butyl 2-methylpropanoate. The final stage was described by floral, ethereal-winey, and vinegar attributes related to ethyl ethanimidate, 2-methylpropan-1-ol, and 2-hydroxyacetic acid. Our results improve the knowledge of the variations of volatile metabolites during the fermentation of sotol must and their contribution to its distinctive flavor. Full article

The industrial production and commercialization of distilled beverages from Sotol plants (Family: Asparagaceae, Subfamily: Zolinoideae and Genus: Dasylirion) has witnessed a steady growth in recent decades; this condition involves a greater use of the raw material that comes almost exclusively from natural populations, which could compromise the sustainability of the marginalized areas of Northern México. In the present work, habitat availability was evaluated for the presence and use of the species; Dasylirion wheeleri (S. Watson ex Rothr.), Dasylirion cedrosanum (Trelease), and Dasylirion durangense (Trelease) in México, considering different scenarios of climate change. For this purpose, we used the niche’s spatial analysis from a correlative approach. The results show that under the current climate, the species studied have a predominantly low habitat suitability in the central region of the Chihuahuan desert, with D. cedrosanum being the species with the lowest suitability. For the year 2050, a slight increase in the habitat suitability is expected only for D. durangense and D. wheeleri. This suggests that D. cedrosanum could be considered as the species with the greatest vulnerability to the possible climatic variations generated by global climate change. Likewise, the analysis of the results indicates that D. durangense is the one who has the greatest potential for use; however, it is necessary to consider that many of its populations may be climatically stressed and an inappropriate use could put them at risk. Full article