17 research outputs found
Colorimetric and HPLC-DAD and bioactivity of Goji phytocomplex components
No full textLycium barbarum L, commonly known as Goji, is originally cultivated in China and Tibet and represents a medicinal plant in the Traditional Chinese Medicine. Several Goji cultivars from Italy and Romania, coming from different harvesting dates and seasons, were submitted, after a simple homogenization, to colorimetric CieLab analysis. The obtained organic and hydroalcoholic extracts were characterized in their quali-quantitative profile of carotenoid or polyphenolic components by HPLC-DAD analysis. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant and scavenger anti-Candida and anti-tyrosinase activity were evaluated.
Samples belonging to “Polonia” and “Wild” varieties harvested in three different dates in 2015 and in two different dates in 2016 at Fondi, (Lazio, Italy) samples belonging to “Sweet” and “Big” varieties harvested in two different dates in 2017 at Subiaco (Lazio, Italy) and to “Erma” and “Biglifeberry” varieties coming from Romania were evaluated.
HPLC-DAD analyses, TPC, TFC, antioxidant, scavenging, anti-Candida and anti-tyrosinase activity were performed according to previously described methods. (1,2,3)
CIELAB parameters (L*, a*, b*, C*ab and hab) were recorded on a Colorimeter X-Rite SP-62 (D65 illuminant, observer angle of 10°) equipped with an integration sphere to determine the color reflectance. (4)
A double phase extraction from the homogenized fruits allows to simultaneously separate an organic and hydroalcoholic phase, containing the carotenoid and the phenolic components submitted to HPLC-DAD analysis. Zeaxanthin dipalmitate, rutin and carvacrol were the most represented molecules and were quantified by calibration curves.
HPLC-DAD analyses confirm that Goji berries represent an exceptional source of zeaxanthin, and a good source of rutin and carvacrol.
Both TPC and TFC showed a good correlation with the HPLC data and the antioxidant and scavenging activity. A correlation was attempted among carvacrol content and anti-Candida activity.
Colorimetric analyses show that different homogenization techniques influence the distribution of pigments in the matrix, so that the purees resulting color is different also if pigment content should be the same. A good correlation was found among color expressed by simple homogenized samples and carotenoid content of the related extracts, showing that colorimetric measurement can represent a crucial point in the design of a processing flow chart for juices preparation.
Preliminary encouraging results about the tested activities on polyphenolic fraction need to be carefully evaluated in order to assess the Goji berry potential use in food suppliers.
1) Boutaoui, Zaiter, Benayache, Benayache, Carradori, Cesa, ... & Locatelli, M. (2018), Molecules, 23(2), 463.
2) Mocan, Moldovan, Zengin, Bender, Locatelli, Simirgiotis, ... & Crișan, G. (2018). Food and Chemical Toxicology,115, 414-424
3) Simonetti, D’Auria, Mulinacci, Milella, Antonacci, Innocenti, & Pasqua, (2017). Phenolic content and in vitro antifungal activity of unripe grape extracts from agro-industrial wastes. Natural Product Research, 1-5.
4) Patsilinakos, Ragno, Carradori, Petralito, Cesa, (2018). Food Chemistry
A review on the dietary flavonoid Tiliroside
No full textAmong flavonoid derivatives, tiliroside is a flavonoid contained in several edible plants or specific plant parts (fruits, leaves, or roots). These parts are often widely used as both food and medicines, in the treatment of various ailments and, in some cases, as food supplements. Considering the easy access to many publications concerning tiliroside and the lack of a review that summarizes the current progress in studies on its safety, efficacy, and presence in the plant kingdom, we present here a review paper on tiliroside and its principal derivatives. The paper also highlights the basic knowledge regarding this molecule, its derivatives, and the analytical approaches used for extraction and quantification, as well as reports on the biological activities against different key enzymes linked to various human diseases. The reported information is also devoted to highlighting the concept “learn from nature to discover new products”, particularly in the development of new drugs, food supplements, and nutraceuticals, starting from a natural lead compound such as tiliroside and improving its biological activities (and selectivities) against a specific target for therapeutic purposes
Polyphenols from Lycium barbarum (Goji) Fruit European Cultivars at Different Maturation Steps: Extraction, HPLC-DAD Analyses, and Biological Evaluation
No full textGoji berries are undoubtedly a source of potentially bioactive compounds but their phytochemical profile can vary depending on their geographical origin, cultivar, and/or industrial processing. A rapid and cheap extraction of the polyphenolic fraction from Lycium barbarum cultivars, applied after homogenization treatments, was combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses based on two different methods. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts, containing interesting secondary metabolites (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, sinapinic acid, rutin, and carvacrol), were also submitted to a wide biological screening. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents, the antioxidant capacity using three antioxidant assays, tyrosinase inhibition, and anti-Candida activity were evaluated in order to correlate the impact of the homogenization treatment, geographical origin, and cultivar type on the polyphenolic and flavonoid amount, and consequently the bioactivity. The rutin amount, considered as a quality marker for goji berries according to European Pharmacopeia, varied from ≈200 to ≈400 µg/g among the tested samples, showing important differences observed in relation to the influence of the evaluated parameters
Unravelling the potential of the medicinal halophyte Eryngium maritimum L.: In vitro inhibition of diabetes-related enzymes, antioxidant potential, polyphenolic profile and mineral composition
No full textThis work searched for the biotechnological potential and chemical characterisation of the medicinal halophyte Eryngium maritimum L. as source of bioactive natural products with enzymatic inhibitory properties and antioxidant capacity. With that aim, herbal formulations traditionally used in folk medicine, namely tisanes (infusions and decoctions) and tinctures, were prepared from four different anatomical organs (roots, stems, leaves and flowers) and assessed for in vitro inhibition of enzymes related with diabetes and for antioxidant potential. Phenolic fingerprinting and mineral contents were also assessed. Sea holly's tisanes, particularly from flowers and leaves, had the highest phenolic content although tinctures were comparatively richer considering the ingestion dosage. The main constituents identified were carvacrol, 2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid, naringenin, catechin and t-cinnamic acidfrom the several compounds identified, naringin, naringenin and 2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid are here firstly described in the genus and epicatechin and carvacrol in the species. In all extracts, sodium was the most abundant mineral, followed by potassium, calcium and magnesium, pointing to possible nutritional applications of these beverages/tinctures asmacronutrients supplementary source. Sea holly's tinctures (stems, leaves and flowers) were capable of inhibiting dietary carbohydrate digestive enzymes (alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase) and had in vitro antioxidant potential, particularly flowers. Altogether, results highlight that sea holly extracts, especially tinctures from stems, leaves and flowers, could be a novel source of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitors, antioxidant compounds and also phenolic and mineral constituents, thus suggesting they may be interesting to further explore as potential health-promoting herbal beverages, food additives or other products. (c) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of SAAB.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology - FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [CCMAR/Multi/04326/2013]Portuguese National BudgetMIUR, University of Chieti-Pescara "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, ItalyFCT Investigator Programme [IF/00049/2012]FCTPortuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [SFRH/BD/94407/2013, SFRH/BD/116604/2016
Multiple pharmacological approaches on hydroalcoholic extracts from different parts of Cynoglossum creticum Mill. (Boraginaceae)
No full textCynoglossum creticum Mill (Boraginaceae) is used traditionally as a remedy to manage several human ailments. In this context, the present study aimed to perform multiple pharmacological investigations on the hydroalcoholic extracts prepared from Cynoglossum roots and aerial parts (leaves and flowers). We evaluated the antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory (against cholinesterases, alpha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase, lipase and tyrosinase) activity of the extracts. The protective effect(s) of the extracts on cardiomyocyte C2C12 and intestinal HCT116 cell lines challenged with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was studied. We found that the aerial parts harbored the highest amount of phenolic compounds. Generally, aerial parts showed significant antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects. Leaves exhibited the best lipase inhibitory activity (173.15 mgOE/g extract), followed by flowers and roots. The root and aerial extracts were equally able to blunt intracellular H2O2 induced reactive oxygen species production from both C2C12 and HCT116 cell lines. Both cells lines could be treated with scalar concentrations of root and flower extracts in the range 50-300 mu g/mL without interferences on cell viability. In conclusion, the present study showed protective effects exerted by Cynoglossum extracts, which could serve as a foundation for the development of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals derived from Cynoglossum
Approccio multimetodologico allo studio del profilo fitochimico e delle proprietà biologiche di Cannabis sativa L. var. USO31
No full textCannabis sativa L. è una specie nota non solo per l’uso voluttuario ma anche per l’ampia applicazione in campo alimentare, tessile e terapeutico. Il progresso delle biotecnologie applicate alle piante medicinali ha consentito di produrre varietà di canapa con un basso contenuto di fitocostituenti psicotropi, determinandone un rinnovato interesse industriale e terapeutico [1].
Nell’ambito del progetto di ricerca e-ALIERB [2], sono state studiate alcune varietà di canapa a basso contenuto di componenti psicotropi, ottenute da coltivazioni laziali, al fine di evidenziarne un potenziale interesse farmaceutico. In questo studio è stata valutata l’attività scavenger (verso i radicali DPPH e ABTS) ed antimutagena (verso il danno genetico di tipo ossidativo indotto dal t-BOOH) di estratti organici ed idroalcolici delle infiorescenze di C. sativa L. var. USO31 in funzione del contenuto di polifenoli. Inoltre, è stata studiata la capacità degli estratti di inibire l’enzima glucosio-6-fosfato deidrogenasi (G6PD), iperespresso in diversi processi degenerativi, tra cui il cancro [3].
L’analisi fitochimica ha evidenziato la presenza ubiquitaria dei polifenoli totali e flavonoidi nei diversi estratti saggiati, con livelli superiori nei campioni idroalcolici: tale composizione si rifletteva anche in una spiccata attività radical scavenger. Gli estratti organici presentavano un’attività antimutagena forte ed erano attivi come inibitori dell’enzima G6PD, suggerendo un possibile ruolo farmacologico per i fitocostituenti composti di natura apolare, tra cui polifenoli e terpenoidi.
I risultati ottenuti evidenziano un interesse per le infiorescenze di canapa var. USO31 come fonte di molecole bioattive e stimolano ulteriori studi al fine di caratterizzarne la possibile applicazione in campo nutraceutico e farmaceutico
Atriplex mollis desf. Aerial parts: extraction procedures, secondary metabolites and color analysis
No full textA method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector was proposed for the rapid characterization of different phenolic constituents from the extracts of Atriplex mollis aerial parts. Atriplex species are known for their multiple biological activities, but no information is available in the literature about A. mollis. With the aim to firstly characterize the main secondary metabolites of this plant, so as to orient better the biological evaluation, we applied three different extraction procedures and compared the chromatographic results. Microwave-assisted extraction gave the best yield and recovery of important compounds such as gallic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, p-OH benzoic acid, rutin, sinapinic acid, t-ferulic acid, naringenin and benzoic acid. These constituents belong to three important chemical classes: phenolic acids, flavonoids and monoterpenes. Color evaluation and analysis of chlorophylls (a and b) and carotenoids complete the preliminary profile of this plant. From these analyses, Atriplex mollis is a source of bioactive compounds (especially rutin, t-ferulic acid and gallic acid) and could be recommended as a plant of phyto-pharmaceutical relevance, opening new perspectives on this salt-tolerant plant
Investigations into the therapeutic potential of Asphodeline liburnica roots: In vitro and in silico biochemical and toxicological perspectives
No full textThis study aims to establish the biological and chemical profile of Asphodeline liburnica root. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, enzyme inhibitory, DNA protection, apoptotic DNA ladder fragmentation analysis, and anti-proliferative of A. liburnica were established using standard assays. In silico study was also performed to understand interactions between quantified anthraquinones and key enzymes of clinical relevance. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be 9.67 mgGAE/g and 1.48 mgRE/g extract, respectively. Chrysophanol was detected as a major anthraquinone, followed by emodine and physicone. The extract exhibited radical scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS with values of 13.23 and 66.99 mgTE/g extract, respectively. Good inhibitory activity against tyrosinase was recorded. In silico experiments showed that all anthraquinones were able to establish coordinative bonds with the copper atoms present in the enzymatic cavity of tyrosinase. MTT cell viability test on MDA-MB-231 cells showed that at 0.1 and 1 μg of extracts induced anti-proliferative effect. Apoptotic DNA fragmentation analysis indicated nuclear condensation resulting in DNA fragmentation, which exhibited apoptotic cell death in the presence of A. liburnica. This study has provided insights on the potential usage of A. liburnica which could open new avenues for research and stimulate future interest for the development novel biopharmaceuticals
Enhancing PDAC therapy: Decitabine-olaparib synergy targets KRAS-dependent tumors
No full textSummary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) shows limited response to chemotherapy, partly due to the absence of effective biomarkers for personalized treatment. Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations are found in 90% of PDAC cases, and tumors dependent on KRAS (dKRAS) can be identified using gene expression signature scores. Previous research indicates that dKRAS-PDAC cells are sensitive to decitabine (DEC), an FDA-approved drug for hematological cancers, though its use in solid tumors is limited by side effects. We discovered that low-dose DEC combined with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib (OLA) enhances antitumor activity in dKRAS-PDAC. DEC induces DNA damage and activates the ataxia telangiectasia (ATR)/ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-mediated DNA damage response (DDR), with PARP1-mediated repair playing a key role. Inhibiting PARP with OLA further improves efficacy, even in BRCA1/2-wild-type and homologous recombination (HR)-proficient tumors but not in KRAS-independent tumors. The combination was especially effective in dKRAS-PDAC with a BRCA2 mutation, preventing metastasis growth. Our results support the clinical evaluation of DEC+OLA in PDAC
