The prevalence of NCDs (non-communicable diseases), which include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic inflammatory conditions has been rising globally, posing significant challenges to public health systems. Remedies from natural ingredients and functional foods have gained attention these days for their potential to prevent and manage these conditions. Local communities in Southeast Asian countries have been using sky fruit seeds for centuries as a traditional medicine because of their unique characteristics and therapeutic potential. Sky fruit seeds rich in phytochemical compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, limonoids, saponins, tannins, etc., which show antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. These phytochemicals also play a crucial role in inhibiting the production of ROS (reactive oxygen species) through the activation of antioxidant enzymes. A literature review of 25 relevant scientific articles that were published in the last 10 years from PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted, using the search terms &ldquo;Swietenia macrophylla and Swietenia mohogany&rdquo; to identify articles related to the botanical species. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of current knowledge on the phytochemical composition, biological activities and health benefits of sky fruit seeds, as well as their potential applications in the development of nutraceuticals and functional food products. 
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Therapeutic Potential of Sky Fruit Seeds and its Utilization in Functional Foods and Nutraceutical: A Review

<div>Background: Intercropping is wildly practiced in oil palm plantation in Thailand for a long time. However, there are few studies connected to oil palm intercropping. This study evaluated the effects of perennial intercrops on the agronomic and yield traits of oil palm. 
 
Methods: The observation used a completely randomized design with eight treatments including oil palm monocropping, oil palm intercropped with Intsia palembanica, Hopea odorata, Swietenia macrophylla, Ternstroemia wallichiana, Azardirachta excelsa, Magnolia champaca and Mesua ferrea. The height and stem perimeter of intercrops were recorded as were the plant height and diameter, number of male and female inflorescences and sex ratio of the oil palms. Those parameters were observed in October 2019, February and June 2020. 
 
Result: Oil palm intercropped with A. excelsa produced the highest number of female inflorescences and oil palm intercropped with M. champaca produced the highest sex ratio in October 2019 and February 2020, however, the differences of those parameters were not found in June 2020. There were no significant differences in the diameter, height, the number of male inflorescences throughout the observation. Among the 7 intercrops, M. champaca and A. excelsa produced the highest growth rate of plant height and stem perimeter, respectively. In conclusion, oil palm can be intercropped with perennial plants. However, more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of intercropping in oil palm.</div>

Therapeutic Potential of Sky Fruit Seeds and its Utilization in Functional Foods and Nutraceutical: A Review

Effects of Perennial Intercrops on Oil Palm Agronomic and Yield Traits