Hydrolysates from cauliflower and artichoke industrial wastes as biostimulants on seed germination and seedling growth: a chemical and biological characterization.

BACKGROUND: Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) and globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) are vegetables with a high waste index mainly related to stems and leaves. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysates obtained from these wastes were proposed to be used as plant biostimulants. Life cycle assessment methodology was also applied to evaluate environmental performances related to cauliflower and artichoke byproducts. RESULTS: Hydrolysates (HYs) were chemically and biologically characterized. Amino acids, organic acids, amines, polyols, mineral elements, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and sulfur compounds were identified and quantified by means of NMR, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and UV-visible analyses. Cauliflower leaf and flower HYs showed the highest concentration of free amino acids, whereas stems showed the highest concentration of Ca. Regarding artichoke, asparagine, glutamine and aspartic acid were exclusively detected in stems, whereas artichoke leaves showed the highest Mg and Mn levels together with the highest antioxidant activity. The HYs diluted in water were tested as biostimulants. The impacts of five concentrations of HYs (0.00, 0.28, 0.84, 2.52 and 7.56 g L-1) on seed germination and early seedling growth of crimson clover, alfalfa, durum wheat and corn were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: The application of artichoke biostimulant (0.28 g L-1) positively influenced the coefficient of velocity of germination in alfalfa, crimson clover and durum wheat, whereas cauliflower biostimulant significantly improved corn germination speed. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

A Classic Photochemical Approach Inducing an Unexpected Rearrangement: Exploring the Photoreactivity of Pentacyclic Triterpenic Acids.

The discovery of new bioactivities is closely related to the generation of novel scaffolds, and in the past few years different strategies have been proposed to obtain unknown architectures from the manipulation of known compounds. In the present study, we exploited a vintage photochemical approach for the discovery of an unexpected pathway of reactivity related to Δ1-3-oxo-pentacyclic triterpenic acids gaining access to a new class of natural-unnatural 5(10→1)abeo-pentacyclic triterpenic acids.

Byproducts of Globe Artichoke and Cauliflower Production as a New Source of Bioactive Compounds in the Green Economy Perspective: An NMR Study.

The recovery of bioactive compounds from crop byproducts leads to a new perspective way of waste reutilization as a part of the circular economy. The present study aimed at an exhaustive metabolite profile characterization of globe artichoke and cauliflower byproducts (leaves, stalks, and florets for cauliflower only) as a prerequisite for their valorization and future implementations. The metabolite profile of aqueous and organic extracts of byproducts was analyzed using the NMR-based metabolomics approach. Free amino acids, organic acids, sugars, polyols, polyphenols, amines, glucosinolates, fatty acids, phospho- and galactolipids, sterols, and sesquiterpene lactones were identified and quantified. In particular, globe artichoke byproducts are a source of health-beneficial compounds including chiro-inositol (up to 10.1 mg/g), scyllo-inositol (up to 1.8 mg/g), sesquiterpene lactones (cynaropicrin, grosheimin, dehydrocynaropicrin, up to 45.5 mg/g in total), inulins, and chlorogenic acid (up to 7.5 mg/g), whereas cauliflower byproducts enclose bioactive sulfur-containing compounds S-methyl-L-cysteine S-oxide (methiin, up to 20.7 mg/g) and glucosinolates. A variable content of all metabolites was observed depending on the crop type (globe artichoke vs. cauliflower) and the plant part (leaves vs. stalks). The results here reported can be potentially used in different ways, including the formulation of new plant biostimulants and food supplements.

NMR-Based Approaches in the Study of Foods.

In this review, the three different NMR-based approaches usually used to study foodstuffs are described, reporting specific examples. The first approach starts with the food of interest that can be investigated using different complementary NMR methodologies to obtain a comprehensive picture of food composition and structure; another approach starts with the specific problem related to a given food (frauds, safety, traceability, geographical and botanical origin, farming methods, food processing, maturation and ageing, etc.) that can be addressed by choosing the most suitable NMR methodology; finally, it is possible to start from a single NMR methodology, developing a broad range of applications to tackle common food-related challenges and different aspects related to foods.

NMR, RP-HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn, and RP-HPLC-FD Characterization of Green and Oolong Teas (Camellia sinensis L.).

Untargeted (NMR) and targeted (RP-HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn, RP-HPLC-FD) analytical methodologies were used to determine the bioactive components of 19 tea samples, characterized by different production processes (common tea and GABA tea), degrees of fermentation (green and oolong teas), and harvesting season (autumn and spring). The combination of NMR data and a multivariate statistical approach led to a statistical model able to discriminate between GABA and non-GABA teas and green and oolong teas. Targeted analyses showed that green and GABA green teas had similar polyphenol and caffeine contents, but the GABA level was higher in GABA green teas than in regular green tea samples. GABA oolong teas showed lower contents of polyphenols, caffeine, and amino acids, and a higher content of GABA, in comparison with non-GABA oolong teas. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the healthy properties of teas, especially GABA teas, have to be evaluated via comprehensive metabolic profiling rather than only the GABA content.

A Fast and Efficient Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Tocopherols in Cow Milk Followed by HPLC Determination.

A fast HPLC method with fluorescence detector (FD) was developed for the determination of three tocopherols (TOCs) in milk samples from Modicana cattle breed. The ultrasound-assisted procedure was optimized for the extraction of TOCs prior to HPLC/FD analysis, reducing sample preparation time and allowing a fast quantification of α-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol and γ tocopherol. The optimized ultrasonic extraction combines an efficient and simple saponification at room temperature and a rapid HPLC quantification of TOCs in milk. The precision of the full analytical procedure was satisfactory and the recoveries at three spiked levels were between 95.3% and 87.8%. The linear correlations were evaluated (R2 > 0.99) and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values for intra-day and inter-day tests at three spiked levels were below 1% for the retention time and below 5.20% for the area at low level spiking. The proposed procedure, reducing the experimental complexity, allowed accurate extraction and detection of three TOCs in milk samples from Modicana cattle breed.

A Multimethodological Characterization of Cannabis sativa L. Inflorescences from Seven Dioecious Cultivars Grown in Italy: The Effect of Different Harvesting Stages.

The chemical profile of the female inflorescence extracts from seven Cannabis sativa L. dioecious cultivars (Carmagnola, Fibranova, Eletta Campana, Antal, Tiborszallasi, Kompolti, and Tisza) was monitored at three harvesting stages (4, 14, and 30 September), reaching from the beginning of flowering to end of flowering/beginning of seed formation, using untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and targeted (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and spectrophotometry) analyses. The tetrahydrocannabinol content was always below the legal limits (<0.6%) in all the analyzed samples. The NMR metabolite profile (sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and minor compounds) subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) showed a strong variability according to the harvesting stages: samples harvested in stage I were characterized by a high content of sucrose and myo-inositol, whereas the ones harvested in stage II showed high levels of succinic acid, alanine, valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and threonine. Samples harvested in stage III were characterized by high levels of glucose, fructose, choline, trigonelline, malic acid, formic acid, and some amino acids. The ratio between chlorophylls and carotenoids content indicated that all plants grew up exposed to the sun, the Eletta Campana cultivar having the highest pigment amount. Tiborszallasi cultivar showed the highest polyphenol content. The highest antioxidant activity was generally observed in stage II. All these results suggested that the Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences of each analyzed dioecious hemp cultivar presented a peculiar chemical profile affected by the harvesting stage. This information could be useful for producers and industries to harvest inflorescences in the appropriate stage to obtain samples with a peculiar chemical profile suitable for proper applications.

Metabolomic Profiling of Fresh Goji (Lycium barbarum L.) Berries from Two Cultivars Grown in Central Italy: A Multi-Methodological Approach.

The metabolite profile of fresh Goji berries from two cultivars, namely Big Lifeberry (BL) and Sweet Lifeberry (SL), grown in the Lazio region (Central Italy) and harvested at two different periods, August and October, corresponding at the beginning and the end of the maturation, was characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ESI FT-ICR MS) methodologies. Several classes of compounds such as sugars, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, polyphenols, and terpenes were identified and quantified in hydroalcoholic and organic Bligh-Dyer extracts. Sweet Lifeberry extracts were characterized by a higher content of sucrose with respect to the Big Lifeberry ones and high levels of amino acids (glycine, betaine, proline) were observed in SL berries harvested in October. Spectrophotometric analysis of chlorophylls and total carotenoids was also carried out, showing a decrease of carotenoids during the time. These results can be useful not only to valorize local products but also to suggest the best harvesting period to obtain a product with a chemical composition suitable for specific industrial use. Finally, preliminary studies regarding both the chemical characterization of Goji leaves generally considered a waste product, and the biological activity of Big Lifeberry berries extracts was also investigated. Goji leaves showed a chemical profile rich in healthy compounds (polyphenols, flavonoids, etc.) confirming their promising use in the supplements/nutraceutical/cosmetic field. MG63 cells treated with Big Lifeberry berries extracts showed a decrease of iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, and IL-8 expression indicating their significant biological activity.

Cannabis sativa L. Inflorescences from Monoecious Cultivars Grown in Central Italy: An Untargeted Chemical Characterization from Early Flowering to Ripening.

The chemical composition of the inflorescences from four Cannabis sativa L. monoecious cultivars (Ferimon, Uso-31, Felina 32 and Fedora 17), recently introduced in the Lazio Region, was monitored over the season from June to September giving indications on their sensorial, pharmaceutical/nutraceutical proprieties. Both untargeted (NMR) and targeted (GC/MS, UHPLC, HPLC-PDA/FD and spectrophotometry) analyses were carried out to identify and quantify compounds of different classes (sugars, organic acids, amino acids, cannabinoids, terpenoids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids and biogenic amines). All cultivars in each harvesting period showed a THC content below the Italian legal limit, although in general THC content increased over the season. Citric acid, malic acid and glucose showed the highest content in the late flowering period, whereas the content of proline drastically decreased after June in all cultivars. Neophytadiene, nerolidol and chlorogenic acid were quantified only in Felina 32 cultivar, characterized also by a very high content of flavonoids, whereas alloaromadendrene and trans-cinnamic acid were detected only in Uso-31 cultivar. Naringenin and naringin were present only in Fedora 17 and Ferimon cultivars, respectively. Moreover, Ferimon had the highest concentration of biogenic amines, especially in July and August. Cadaverine was present in all cultivars but only in September. These results suggest that the chemical composition of Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences depends on the cultivar and on the harvesting period. Producers can use this information as a guide to obtain inflorescences with peculiar chemical characteristics according to the specific use.

Gli1/DNA interaction is a druggable target for Hedgehog-dependent tumors.

Hedgehog signaling is essential for tissue development and stemness, and its deregulation has been observed in many tumors. Aberrant activation of Hedgehog signaling is the result of genetic mutations of pathway components or other Smo-dependent or independent mechanisms, all triggering the downstream effector Gli1. For this reason, understanding the poorly elucidated mechanism of Gli1-mediated transcription allows to identify novel molecules blocking the pathway at a downstream level, representing a critical goal in tumor biology. Here, we clarify the structural requirements of the pathway effector Gli1 for binding to DNA and identify Glabrescione B as the first small molecule binding to Gli1 zinc finger and impairing Gli1 activity by interfering with its interaction with DNA. Remarkably, as a consequence of its robust inhibitory effect on Gli1 activity, Glabrescione B inhibited the growth of Hedgehog-dependent tumor cells in vitro and in vivo as well as the self-renewal ability and clonogenicity of tumor-derived stem cells. The identification of the structural requirements of Gli1/DNA interaction highlights their relevance for pharmacologic interference of Gli signaling.