Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a spice used worldwide as a colouring and flavouring agent. Saffron is also a source of multiple bioactive constituents with potential health benefits. Notably, saffron displays consistent beneficial effects against a range of human neurological disorders (depression, anxiety, sleeping alterations). However, the specific compounds and biological mechanisms by which this protection may be achieved have not yet been elucidated. In this review, we have gathered the most updated evidence of the neurological benefits of saffron, as well as the current knowledge on the main saffron constituents, their bioavailability and the potential biological routes and postulated mechanisms by which the beneficial protective effect may occur. Our aim was to provide an overview of the neuroprotective effects attributed to this product and its main bioactive compounds and to highlight the main research gaps that need to be further pursued to achieve full evidence and understanding of the benefits of saffron. Overall, improved clinical trials and adequately designed pre-clinical studies are needed to support the evidence of saffron and of its main bioactive components (e.g., crocin, crocetin) as a therapeutic product to combat neurological disorders.

Interlaboratory Coverage Test on Plant Food Bioactive Compounds and their Metabolites by Mass Spectrometry-Based Untargeted Metabolomics.

Bioactive compounds present in plant-based foods, and their metabolites derived from gut microbiota and endogenous metabolism, represent thousands of chemical structures of potential interest for human nutrition and health. State-of-the-art analytical methodologies, including untargeted metabolomics based on high-resolution mass spectrometry, are required for the profiling of these compounds in complex matrices, including plant food materials and biofluids. The aim of this project was to compare the analytical coverage of untargeted metabolomics methods independently developed and employed in various European platforms. In total, 56 chemical standards representing the most common classes of bioactive compounds spread over a wide chemical space were selected and analyzed by the participating platforms (n = 13) using their preferred untargeted method. The results were used to define analytical criteria for a successful analysis of plant food bioactives. Furthermore, they will serve as a basis for an optimized consensus method.

Caracterización de propóleos venezolanos / Characterization of venezuelan propolis

El propóleos es un producto de la colmena elaborado por las abejas a partir de exudados, gomas y resinas de las plantas, que cumple funciones antisépticas, de aislamiento térmico y de soporte como material de construcción. El hombre ha utilizado el propóleos como medicamento desde la antiguedad y si bien actualmente existen preparados artesanales a base de propóleos en el mercado nacional, su industrialización no ha sido posible porque no se dispone de los estándares necesarios para su control de calidad. En este trabajo se presentan escaleas hedónicas para la evaluación sensorial de los propóleos junto con el análisis químico de 38 muestras venezolanas. La comparación de los perfiles cromatográficos de los propóleos venezolanos con propóleos españoles, por HPLC-UV y por GC-MS, mostró una notable diferencia entre el contenido de flavonoides, derivados de ácidos fenólicos y sustancias altamente lipófilas aún no identificadas