Phenolic Compounds and Bioactive Properties of Ruscus aculeatus L. (Asparagaceae): The Pharmacological Potential of an Underexploited Subshrub.

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a subshrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. According to reported folk knowledge, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground organs are used for the treatment of disorders of the urinary system and as a laxative. In this work, the aerial part and the roots and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were chemically characterized with regard to the content of phenolic compounds and bioactive properties. Aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations and hydroethanolic extracts from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Nine phenolic compounds were detected in all the extracts. Apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II was the major compound in aqueous extracts and, in the hydroethanolic extract was quercetin-O-deoxyhexoside-hexoside followed by apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II. All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria; aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects on a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provides suggestions of the biological potential associated with the empirical uses and knowledge of this species, in particular its bioactivities.

Emerging Strategies to Combat Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Natural Agents with High Potential.

Infectious diseases have always been a concern for human health, responsible for numerous pandemics throughout history. Even with the advancement of medicine, new infectious diseases have been discovered over the years, requiring constant effort in medical research to avoid future problems. Like the emergence of new diseases, the increase in resistance of certain bacterial strains also becomes a concern, carried out through the misuse of antibiotics, generating the adaptation of certain microorganisms. Worldwide, the resistance developed by several bacterial strains is growing exponentially, creating awareness and developing novel strategies to control their evolution a mandatory research topic. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an example of a bacterial strain that causes serious and mortal infections. The fact is that this bacterial strain started to develop resistance against commonly used antibiotics, first to penicillin and against methicillin. Thus, the treatment against infections caused by MRSA is limited and difficult due to its capacity to develop defense mechanisms against the antibiotic's action. Given the urgency to find new alternatives, the scientific community has been developing interesting research regarding the exploitation of natural resources to discover bioactive molecules that are able to inhibit/kill MRSA. In this sense, several natural matrices, namely plants, have shown great potential against MRSA, due to the presence of phenolic compounds, molecules with high antimicrobial capacity due to their chemical structure and arrangement.