New Findings in Prunus padus L. Fruits as a Source of Natural Compounds: Characterization of Metabolite Profiles and Preliminary Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity.

European bird cherry (Prunus padus L.) has been known since the Middle Ages for its medical/food use and high health-promoting value. This study aimed to assess the potential of these fruits as a source of bioactive compounds through the characterization of its physicochemical traits, nutraceutical properties, phytochemical composition via HPLC fingerprint, and antioxidant capacity. Fully ripened fruits of Prunus padus L. (Colorata cv) were collected in mid-July 2017 in Chieri, north-western Italy. The TPC (194.22 ± 32.83 mgGAE/100 gFW) and TAC (147.42 ± 0.58 mgC3G/100 gFW) values were obtained from the analyzed extracts. The most important phytochemical class was organic acids (48.62 ± 2.31%), followed by polyphenols (35.34 ± 1.80%), monoterpenes (9.36 ± 0.64%), and vitamin C (6.68 ± 0.22%). In this research the most important flavonols selected as marker were quercitrin (16.37 ± 3.51 mg/100 gFW) and quercetin (11.86 ± 2.36 mg/100 gFW). Data were reported based on fresh weight. Moreover, fresh fruits showed a mean antioxidant activity value of 17.78 ± 0.84 mmol Fe2+·kg-1. Even though the seeds and leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides, this study showed that these fruits could be a natural source of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant properties, due to the contents of organic and phenolic acids, catechins, and a synergetic effect of vitamin C and flavonoids.

Assessing Nutritional Traits and Phytochemical Composition of Artisan Jams Produced in Comoros Islands: Using Indigenous Fruits with High Health-Impact as an Example of Biodiversity Integration and Food Security in Rural Development.

In the Comoros Islands, as in other developing countries, malnutrition and food insecurity affect a very large percentage of the population. Developing fruit-based products in order to make profit, reduce poverty and improve indigenous people diet could be very important for local population of countries as Comoros Islands. The aim of the present work was to study the chemical composition of jams and jellies produced from seven fruit species harvested in Grand Comore Island. The following parameters were studied sugars and organic acids, total phenolics, total anthocyanins and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint of the main phytochemicals. Antioxidant activity was also measured. A multivariate approach (Principal Component Analysis) was performed in order to better characterize the products and to set a potential analytical tool for jam characterisation. Results showed that the analysed products are a good source of polyphenolic constituents, as caffeic and gallic acids, catechin and quercetin and volatile compounds, as limonene and γ-terpinene: these molecules may be considered as suitable markers for these fruit-derived products as characterizing the chromatographic patterns. The characterisation of these products and their nutritional and nutraceutical traits is important as valorisation of local food production for poverty reduction and rural development. Further benefits of this approach include the maintenance of local agro-biodiversity as raw material for fruit-based products and the strengthening of food security practices.

Cornus mas (L.) Fruit as a Potential Source of Natural Health-Promoting Compounds: Physico-Chemical Characterisation of Bioactive Components.

Interest in new sources of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds has recently become a major research issue, with the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) receiving particular attention for its significant amounts of phenolic compounds and vitamins, which exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. This study was aimed at increasing knowledge regarding the cornelian cherry in Italy through the analysis of biologically active substances in the locally available genotype "Chieri". Spectrophotometric methods were applied to evaluate antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin content and total polyphenolic content. Identification and quantification of the main phytochemical compounds (polyphenols, monoterpenes, organic acids and vitamin C) was performed via high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector. C. mas extracts showed high levels of total soluble solids and low acidity. High amounts of phenolic secondary metabolites were observed, with particular reference to anthocyanins (134.71 mgC3G/100 gFW), which confer remarkable nutraceutical properties to the analysed samples. These results highlight the potential of C. mas fruits as a good source of natural antioxidants, suggesting their use as a functional food. Future studies should focus on identifying other specific phytochemical compounds and the genetic traits of local varieties in order to improve cornelian cherry cultivars for food and medicine production.

Feasibility of UV-VIS-Fluorescence spectroscopy combined with pattern recognition techniques to authenticate a new category of plant food supplements.

Bud extracts, named also "gemmoderivatives", are a new category of natural products, obtained macerating meristematic fresh tissues of trees and plants. In the European Community these botanical remedies are classified as plant food supplements. Nowadays these products are still poorly studied, even if they are widely used and commercialized. Several analytical tools for the quality control of these very expensive supplements are urgently needed in order to avoid mislabelling and frauds. In fact, besides the usual quality controls common to the other botanical dietary supplements, these extracts should be checked in order to quickly detect if the cheaper adult parts of the plants are deceptively used in place of the corresponding buds whose harvest-period and production are extremely limited. This study aims to provide a screening analytical method based on UV-VIS-Fluorescence spectroscopy coupled to multivariate analysis for a rapid, inexpensive and non-destructive quality control of these products.

Analytical fingerprint and chemometrics as phytochemical composition control tools in food supplement analysis: characterization of raspberry bud preparations of different cultivars.

BACKGROUND: The raspberry, Rubus idaeus L., provides several plant parts (as buds) used for food supplements. The aim of this research was to establish a technique for chemical composition control of R. idaeus herbal preparations, using chromatographic methods. These methods allowed us to identify and quantify the main phytochemicals, obtaining a specific phytochemical fingerprint (phytocomplex). Combined with two different chemometric methods - clustering analysis and principal component analysis - the raspberry bud extracts of the different cultivars were efficiently characterized. RESULTS: Rubus idaeus buds were identified as a rich source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds: organic acids, vitamins and catechins were found to be the most discriminating variables by chemometric techniques to differentiate raspberry cultivars. In particular, catechins (13.25%) and flavonols (8.71%) were the most important polyphenolic classes, followed by cinnamic and benzoic acids. CONCLUSION: This study developed a useful tool for R. idaeus extract phytochemical characterization that could be applied also for differentiation and composition control of other herbal preparations. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Castanea spp. buds as a phytochemical source for herbal preparations: botanical fingerprint for nutraceutical identification and functional food standardisation.

BACKGROUND: Many plant species may be used for the production of herbal preparations containing phytochemicals with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities and health benefits: Castanea spp. is among the most commonly used herbal medicines. The aim of this research was to perform an analytical study of chestnut bud preparations, in order to identify and quantify the main bioactive compounds, and to obtain a specific chemical fingerprint to evaluate the single class contribution to the herbal preparation phytocomplex. The analyses were performed using a high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a diode array detector. RESULTS: Castanea spp. was identified as a rich source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds: the observed analytical fingerprint demonstrated that these bud preparations represent a rich source of bioactive compounds (104.77 ± 1.14 g kg(-1) FW) in relation to different genotypes, specific sampling sites and several phenological stages. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the observed analytical fingerprint can be considered an important tool for assessing the chemical composition and bioactivities of the chestnut-derived products, considering the Castanea genus as a new source of natural health-promoting compounds. This study allowed the development of an effective tool for quality control by fingerprinting the bud preparation in order to develop a new generation of standardised preparations.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant capacity of Micromeria flagellaris Baker and M. madagascariensis Baker: Two endemic species from Madagascar as sources of essential oils.

Background: The aerial parts of Micromeria madagascariensis Baker and M. flagellaris Baker are used by the population of the Vakinankaratra and Itasy regions (Madagascar) to treat breathing difficulty, fever and/or headache, wounds, and sores. Purpose: This work aimed to characterise plant materials from M. madagascariensis and M. flagellaris to report i) chemical composition, ii) antimicrobial properties, and iii) antioxidant capacity of the essential oils extracted from the aerial parts of these species. Materials and methods: The essential oils from M. madagascariensis (MMO) and M. flagellaris (MFO) were obtained by hydrodistillation. Their chemical composition was quantified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). MMO and MFO were also tested against 7 microbial strains using the disk diffusion method and their antioxidant capacity was assessed using the DPPH scavenging assay. Results: Hydrodistillation yielded 0.26% MMO and 0.29% MFO (w/w) in relation to the fresh weight. Twenty-seven compounds were identified by GC-MS in MMO extract against 36 in MFO one. The main compounds in MMO were pulegone (24.67%), trans-menthone (24.67%), eucalyptol (8.12%), ß-caryophyllene (4.98%), α-guanene (4.47), iso-menthone (3.85%), iso-pulegone (3.34%), azulene (3.28%) and 2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexenone (2.82%). The main compounds in the MFO were eudesma-4,11-dien-2-ol (13.88%), δ-guanene (6.62%), pulegone (6.40%), cyperone (5.56%), 4-epi-dehydrobietinol acetate (5.39%), eucalyptol (5.12%), trans-menthone (4.67%), limonene (3.77%) and sabinene (2.29%). Regarding the chemotaxonomy, M. flagellaris was very different from M. madagascariensis and both species also differed from the other Micromeria species, as confirmed by multivariate statistical analysis. Both MMO and MFO exerted activities against a large microbial spectrum; the antimicrobial activity of MMO was higher than MFO one against S. pneumoniae and C. albicans due to the presence of pulegone as the main component. MFO showed an excellent scavenging capacity with an SC50 value of 2.17 ± 0.03 µg/mL. Conclusion: The biological properties of the essential oils extracted from the selected species may explain their therapeutic value showing that Malagasy Micromeria species may be very important as new natural sources of bioactive compounds. This study may promote the effectiveness and quality of Malagasy Micromeria species, contributing to sustainable development and commercial valorisation of traditional preparations based on natural local resources.

Assessing a "Least-Concern" Red List Tree Species from Madagascar Used in Traditional Medicine: Morella spathulata (Myricaceae) Phyto-Compounds and Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

Morella spathulata (Myricaceae family) is a common plant from Madagascar and is present on the IUCN Red List of threatened species classified at the 'least concern' level, used by the local population to treat numerous illnesses and pain. Despite its frequent use, comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological research on the species is limited. This study evaluated the antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the toxicity of methanol extracts from the leaves (MS_L) and bark (MS_B) of M. spathulata. The research involved the analysis of nutritional traits such as sugars, organic acids, vitamin C, polyphenolic content (TPC) and the main phytochemicals by HPLC analysis. Antioxidant capacity was assessed through DPPH and FRAP assays. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing and carrageenan-induced paw oedema tests in mice. The results showed a high content of phenolic and bioactive components in the leaf and bark extracts, associated with antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The interaction of key compounds such as ferulic acid and ellagic acid with proteins involved in pH regulation and immune modulation provides clues to the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects. However, conservation efforts are crucial due to habitat loss and illegal logging, and further studies are needed to fully explore the plant's therapeutic potential.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bud-derived supplements by magnetic molecular imprinted microparticles and GC-MS: D-optimal design for a fast method optimization.

Within the world of natural food supplements, organic extracts deriving from young plant meristematic tissue (bud-derivatives) are becoming attractive, thanks to their richness in bioactive molecules. This natural source is scarce, but every year, tons of plant material, including buds, come from city pruning. If this sustainable source is rather promising from a circular economy point of view, the safety of the obtained supplements must be assessed. In fact, anthropic microcontaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), could adsorb onto the urban buds, leading to a possible contamination of the bud-derivatives. In this study, we developed a magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (m-dSPE) based on molecularly imprinted microparticles, combined with GC-MS, to quantify the 16 priority PAHs in such extracts. The D-optimal experimental design was implemented to maximize analytes' recovery with the smallest set of experiments. The optimized method was characterized by great selectivity thanks to the molecular imprinted polymer and ease of use provided by m-dSPE. Moreover, it complies with green principles, thanks to the minimum consumption of organic solvent (1.5 mL of acetone per sample). The recoveries ranged from 76 to 100% and procedural precision was below 10% for most PAHs. Despite the matrix complexity, low quantification limits (0.7-12.6 µg kg-1) were reached. This guaranteed the PAHs' quantitation at levels below those indicated as safe by a European Community regulation on food supplements. None of the analyzed samples, coming from different anthropically impacted areas, showed concerning PAHs levels.

Quali-Quantitative Fingerprinting of the Fruit Extract of Uapaca bojeri Bail. (Euphorbiaceae) and Its Antioxidant, Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antihyperglycemic Effects: An Example of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in Madagascar.

Antioxidants are important supplements for the human body for their roles in human life for the maintenance of homeostasis. Tapia fruits (Uapaca bojeri) are used by the riverain population of the Tapia forests in Madagascar as complementary foods. This study aims to quantify the main antioxidants in the U. bojeri fruits to verify their contribution to the enhancement of their anti-inflammatory and antihyperglycemic effects. Standard phytochemical screening was used for qualitative analysis, while spectrophotometric (TPC, TAC, and TFC) and chromatographic analyses (HPLC) were used to quantify several phytochemicals in U. bojeri fruits. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and FRAP assays. The writhing test was used for the analgesic effects, the carrageenan-induced paw edema was used for the anti-inflammatory activity, and OGTT was used to test the anti-hyperglycemia property of the MEUB in mice. Several phytocompounds were detected and quantified in the fruits, including succinic acid (67.73%) as the main quantified compound. Fruits exerted a good antioxidant capacity and showed analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic activities in mice. Isolation of the bioactive compounds should be carried out to confirm these pharmacological properties and develop health-promoting food products or medicinal applications derived from this species.

Bio-guided isolation of androsta-1,4-dien-3,16-dione as a vasodilator active principle from the inflorescence of Ravenala madagascariensis Sonn. (Strelitziaceae).

Androsta-1,4-dien-3,16-dione was isolated for the first time from the plant kingdom of the ethanolic extract of the Ravenala madagascariensis' inflorescence by the bio-guided method. Its structure was elucidated by NMR and MS spectroscopic data analysis. The vascular effects of ethanol extracts, fractions and androsta-1,4-dien-3,16-dione were assessed on the phenylephrine pre-contracted isolated rat aorta. The isolated compound exerted the most potent vaso-relaxing effect (EC50 = 109.32 ± 15.82 µM) than the ethanol extract and fractions. The pharmacological mechanism of its vaso-relaxing action was analysed on isolated rat aorta using free-endothelial vascular tissue, specific contracting reagents (CaCl2 and KCl), antagonist (propranolol), enzyme inhibitors (L-NAME, methylene blue) and channel blocker (glibenclamide). Its vaso-relaxing activity could be due, at least partly, to the non-specific inhibition of the calcic influx.

Screening, Identification, and Quantification of Nutritional Components and Phytochemicals in Foodstuffs.

Foods confer many health-promoting benefits to humans for the treatment/prevention of different diseases [...].

Vitis vinifera L. Pruning Waste for Bud-Preparations as Source of Phenolic Compounds-Traditional and Innovative Extraction Techniques to Produce New Natural Products.

Herbal products are now considered among the most important sources of phenolic compounds: the FINNOVER project aimed at the creation and development of sustainable supply chains to extract and use natural biologically active agents. Vitis vinifera is one of the most utilised herbal products derived from buds and sprouts as polyphenolic food supplements for its homeostatic and astringent properties. This research was aimed to describe the antioxidant capacity and the phytochemical composition of V. vinifera herbal products by the application of spectroscopic and chromatographic fingerprints considering phenolics as potential markers to significantly differentiate traditional preparations (macerates) from innovative extracts obtained by an ultrasound extraction from V. vinifera buds. Two different commercial products were also considered. Flavonols were the most abundant class in ultrasound extracts (45%), while phenolic acids were the most important class in traditional macerates (49%) and commercial bud-preparations (about 50%). This study may support the potential use of V. vinifera bud-products (starting from pruning byproducts) as food supplements to integrate human diet with good amounts of phenolics. Finally, the use of different extraction methods on the same plant material could be an important development to produce innovative herbal products with a phytochemical composition similar to traditional preparations.

Phytochemical Composition, Antibacterial Activity, and Antioxidant Properties of the Artocarpus altilis Fruits to Promote Their Consumption in the Comoros Islands as Potential Health-Promoting Food or a Source of Bioactive Molecules for the Food Industry.

The present study aimed to evaluate the health-promoting potential of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg, Moraceae family), a traditional Comorian food, considering the sample variability according to geographic localisation. Moreover, the main aims of this research were also to promote its consumption in the Comoros Islands as potential health-promoting food and evaluate it as a source of bioactive molecules for the food industry thanks to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Investigations on biologically active substances were carried out on the extracts obtained from breadfruit flours from five regions of Grande Comore (Ngazidja), the main island in Comoros. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins and polyphenols, flavonoids, leucoanthocyanins, steroids, and triterpenes. The considered secondary metabolites were phenolic compounds, vitamin C, monoterpenes, and organic acids. The contents of total phenolic compounds (mgGAE/100 g of dry weight-DW) in the extracts ranged from 29.69 ± 1.40 (breadfruit from Mbadjini-ExMBA) to 96.14 ± 2.07 (breadfruit from Itsandra-ExITS). These compounds included flavanols, flavonols, cinnamic acid and benzoic acid derivatives, and tannins which were detected at different levels in the different extracts. Chlorogenic acid presented the highest levels between 26.57 ± 0.31 mg/100 g DW (ExMIT) and 43.80 ± 5.43 mg/100 g DW (ExMBA). Quercetin was by far the most quantitatively important flavonol with levels ranging from 14.68 ± 0.19 mg/100 g DW (ExMIT) to 29.60 ± 0.28 mg/100 g DW (ExITS). The extracts were also rich in organic acids and monoterpenes. Quinic acid with contents ranging from 77.25 ± 6.04 mg/100 g DW (ExMBA) to 658.56 ± 0.25 mg/100 g DW of ExHAM was the most important organic acid in all the breadfruit extracts, while limonene was quantitatively the main monoterpene with contents between 85.86 ± 0.23 mg/100 g DW (ExMIT) and 565.45 ± 0.24 mg/100 g DW (ExITS). The antibacterial activity of the extracts was evaluated on twelve pathogens including six Gram (+) bacteria and six Gram (-) bacteria. By the solid medium disc method, except for Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, all the bacteria were sensitive to one or more extracts. Inhibitory Halo Diameters (IHDs) ranged from 8 mm to 16 mm. Salmonella enterica, Clostridium perfringens, and Vibrio fischeri were the most sensitive with IHD > 14 mm for ExITS. By the liquid microdilution method, MICs ranged from 3.12 mg/mL to 50 mg/mL and varied depending on the extract. Bacillus megaterium was the most sensitive with MICs ≤ 12.5 mg/mL. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, and Vibrio fischeri were the least sensitive with all MICs ≥ 12.5 mg/mL. ExHAM was most effective with a MIC of 3.12 mg/mL on Staphylococcus aureus and 6.25 mg/mL on Salmonella enterica. The antioxidant power of the extracts was evaluated by the FRAP method. The activity ranged from 5.44 ± 0.35 (ExMBA) to 14.83 ± 0.11 mmol Fe2+/kg DW (ExHAM). Breadfruit from different regions of Comoros contained different classes of secondary metabolites well known for their important pharmacological properties. The results of this study on phenolics, monoterpenes, and organic acids have provided new data on these fruits. The obtained results showed that breadfruit from the biggest island of the Union of Comoros also presented antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, even if some differences in effectiveness existed between fruits from different regions.

Advances in Rootstock Breeding of Nut Trees: Objectives and Strategies.

The production and consumption of nuts are increasing in the world due to strong economic returns and the nutritional value of their products. With the increasing role and importance given to nuts (i.e., walnuts, hazelnut, pistachio, pecan, almond) in a balanced and healthy diet and their benefits to human health, breeding of the nuts species has also been stepped up. Most recent fruit breeding programs have focused on scion genetic improvement. However, the use of locally adapted grafted rootstocks also enhanced the productivity and quality of tree fruit crops. Grafting is an ancient horticultural practice used in nut crops to manipulate scion phenotype and productivity and overcome biotic and abiotic stresses. There are complex rootstock breeding objectives and physiological and molecular aspects of rootstock-scion interactions in nut crops. In this review, we provide an overview of these, considering the mechanisms involved in nutrient and water uptake, regulation of phytohormones, and rootstock influences on the scion molecular processes, including long-distance gene silencing and trans-grafting. Understanding the mechanisms resulting from rootstock × scion × environmental interactions will contribute to developing new rootstocks with resilience in the face of climate change, but also of the multitude of diseases and pests.

Plant Foods and Underutilized Fruits as Source of Functional Food Ingredients: Chemical Composition, Quality Traits, and Biological Properties.

Changes in lifestyle and demographics, rising consumer incomes, and shifting preferences due to advanced knowledge about the relationships between food and health contribute to generate new needs in the food supply. Today, the role of food is not only intended as hunger satisfaction and nutrient supply but also as an opportunity to prevent nutrition-related diseases and improve physical and mental well-being. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the novel or less well-known plant foods that offer an opportunity for health maintenance. Recently, interest in plant foods and underutilized fruits is continuously growing, and agrobiodiversity exploitation offers effective and extraordinary potentialities. Plant foods could be an important source of health-promoting compounds and functional food ingredients with beneficial properties: the description of the quality and physicochemical traits, the identification and quantification of bioactive compounds, and the evaluation of their biological activities are important to assess plant food efficacy as functional foods or source of food supplement ingredients.

Analytical Strategies for Fingerprinting of Antioxidants, Nutritional Substances, and Bioactive Compounds in Foodstuffs Based on High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: An Overview.

New technology development and globalisation have led to extreme changes in the agri-food sector in recent years that need an important food supply chain characterisation from plant materials to commercial productions. Many analytical strategies are commonly utilised in the agri-food industry, often using complementary technologies with different purposes. Chromatography on-line coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) is one of the most selective and sensitive analytical methodologies. The purpose of this overview is to present the most recent MS-based techniques applied to food analysis. An entire section is dedicated to the recent applications of high-resolution MS. Covered topics include liquid (LC)- and gas chromatography (GC)-MS analysis of natural bioactive substances, including carbohydrates, flavonoids and related compounds, lipids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and other different molecules in foodstuffs from the perspectives of food composition, food authenticity and food adulteration. The results represent an important contribution to the utilisation of GC-MS and LC-MS in the field of natural bioactive compound identification and quantification.

Emerging species with nutraceutical properties: Bioactive compounds from Hovenia dulcis pseudofruits.

Hovenia dulcis Thunberg is widely distributed in East Asia, where it is well known as a food, but it is rarely consumed in Western countries. Information about its composition is scarce and focused on southern hemisphere genotypes. In the present research, the main bioactive compounds of H. dulcis pseudofruits were characterised using phytochemical analysis (HPLC fingerprint) to improve knowledge about this plant and support development of potential food applications. These preliminary results showed high levels of catechins (157.18 ± 34.34 mg/100 gFW) and other phenolic compounds responsible for antioxidant properties. Concentrations of ferulic acid were particularly high (9.66 ± 1.76 mg/100 gFW) and further studies would advance exploitation of this plant-food.

Use of an Animal Model to Evaluate Anxiolytic Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Tilia tomentosa Moench Bud Extracts.

Anxiety disorders are common and complex psychiatric syndromes affecting a broad spectrum of patients. On top of that, we know that aging produces an increase in anxiety vulnerability and sedative consumption. Moreover, stress disorders frequently show a clear gender susceptibility. Currently, the approved pharmacological strategies have severe side effects such as hallucinations, addiction, suicide, insomnia, and loss of motor coordination. Dietary integration with supplements represents an intriguing strategy for improving the efficacy and the safety of synthetic anxiolytics. Accordingly, a recent article demonstrated that glyceric bud extracts from Tilia tomentosa Moench (TTBEs) exert effects that are consistent with anxiolytic activity. However, the effects of these compounds in vivo are unknown. To examine this question, we conducted behavioral analysis in mice. A total of 21 days of oral supplements (vehicle and TTBEs) were assessed by Light Dark and Hole Board tests in male and female mice (young, 3 months; old, 24 months). Interestingly, the principal component analysis revealed gender and age-specific behavioral modulations. Moreover, the diet integration with the botanicals did not modify the body weight gain and the daily intake of water. Our results support the use of TTBEs as dietary supplements for anxiolytic purposes and unveil age and gender-dependent responses.

Bud-Derivatives, a Novel Source of Polyphenols and How Different Extraction Processes Affect Their Composition.

The use of herbal food supplements, as a concentrate form of vegetable extracts, increased so much over the past years to count them among the relevant sources of dietetic polyphenols. Bud-derivatives are a category of botanicals perceived as a "new entry" in this sector since they are still poorly studied. Due to the lack of a manufacturing process specification, very different products can be found on the market in terms of their polyphenolic profile depending on the experimental conditions of manufacturing. In this research two different manufacturing processes, using two different protocols, and eight species (Carpinus betulus L., Cornus mas L., Ficus carica L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Larix decidua Mill., Pinus montana Mill., Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl., Tilia tomentosa Moench), commonly used to produce bud-derivatives, have been considered as a case study. An untargeted spectroscopic fingerprint of the extracts, coupled to chemometrics, provide to be a useful tool to identify these botanicals. The targeted phytochemical fingerprint by HPLC provided a screening of the main bud-derivatives polyphenolic classes highlighting a high variability depending on both method and protocol used. Nevertheless, ultrasonic extraction proved to be less sensitive to the different extraction protocols than conventional maceration regarding the extract polyphenolic profile.