Applications of Antioxidant Secondary Metabolites of Sargassum spp.

Sargassum is one of the largest and most diverse genus of brown seaweeds, comprising of around 400 taxonomically accepted species. Many species of this genus have long been a part of human culture with applications as food, feed, and remedies in folk medicine. Apart from their high nutritional value, these seaweeds are also a well-known reservoir of natural antioxidant compounds of great interest, including polyphenols, carotenoids, meroterpenoids, phytosterols, and several others. Such compounds provide a valuable contribution to innovation that can translate, for instance, into the development of new ingredients for preventing product deterioration, particularly in food products, cosmetics or biostimulants to boost crops production and tolerance to abiotic stress. This manuscript revises the chemical composition of Sargassum seaweeds, highlighting their antioxidant secondary metabolites, their mechanism of action, and multiple applications in fields, including agriculture, food, and health.

Comparative Methods to Evaluate the Antioxidant Capacity of Propolis: An Attempt to Explain the Differences.

Propolis is a natural product produced by bees that contains a complex mixture of compounds, including phenolic compounds and flavonoids. These compounds contribute to its biological activities, such as antioxidant capacity. This study analysed the pollen profile, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant properties, and phenolic compound profile of four propolis samples from Portugal. The total phenolic compounds in the samples were determined by six different techniques: four different Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) methods, spectrophotometry (SPECT), and voltammetry (SWV). Of the six methods, SPECT allowed the highest quantification, while SWV achieved the lowest. The mean TPC values for these methods were 422 ± 98 and 47 ± 11 mg GAE/g sample, respectively. Antioxidant capacity was determined by four different methods: DPPH, FRAP, original ferrocyanide (OFec), and modified ferrocyanide (MFec). The MFec method gave the highest antioxidant capacity for all samples, followed by the DPPH method. The study also investigated the correlation between TPC and antioxidant capacity with the presence of hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA), and flavonoids (FLAV) in propolis samples. The results showed that the concentrations of specific compounds in propolis samples can significantly impact their antioxidant capacity and TPC quantification. Analysis of the profile of phenolic compounds by the UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS technique identified chrysin, caffeic acid isoprenyl ester, pinocembrin, galangin, pinobanksin-3-O-acetate, and caffeic acid phenyl ester as the major compounds in the four propolis samples. In conclusion, this study shows the importance of the choice of method for determining TPC and antioxidant activity in samples and the contribution of HBA and HCA content to their quantification.

Insights on Juniperus phoenicea Essential Oil as Potential Anti-Proliferative, Anti-Tyrosinase, and Antioxidant Candidate.

In this study, the anti-cancer, anti-tyrosinase, and antioxidant activities of essential oils (EOs) of berries and leaves of Juniperus phoenicea grown wild in North of Tunisia were investigated. The EO yields from leaves and berries were 1.69% and 0.45%, respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed that α-pinene is the predominant component in both EOs (44.17 and 83.56%, respectively). Leaves essential oil presented high levels of ß-phellandrene (18%) and camphene (15%). The EOs displayed cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 breast cancer cell, HT-29 colon cancer, and the normal cells H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. Leaves oil strongly inhibited colon cell line proliferation (IC50 of 38 µg/mL), while berries essential oil was more potent against breast cancerous cells MCF-7 (IC50 of 60 µg/mL). Interestingly, berries essential oil exhibited high ability to inhibit melanin synthesis by inhibiting enzyme mono and diphenolase activities. Overall, the results suggested that the two oils are significant sources of healthy natural chemicals.

Phenolic Compounds Contribution to Portuguese Propolis Anti-Melanoma Activity.

Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer, with about 61,000 deaths annually worldwide. Late diagnosis increases mortality rates due to melanoma's capacity to metastasise rapidly and patients' resistance to the available conventional therapies. Consequently, the interest in natural products as a strategy for drug discovery has been emerging. Propolis, a natural product produced by bees, has several biological properties, including anticancer effects. Propolis from Gerês is one of the most studied Portuguese propolis. Our group has previously demonstrated that an ethanol extract of Gerês propolis collected in 2018 (G18.EE) and its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) decrease melanoma cell viability. Out of all the fractions, G18.EE-n-BuOH showed the highest potential as a melanoma pharmacological therapy. Thus, in this work, G18.EE-n-BuOH was fractioned into 17 subfractions whose effect was evaluated in A375 BRAF-mutated melanoma cells. The subfractions with the highest cytotoxic activity were analysed by UPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn in an attempt to understand which phenolic compounds could account for the anti-melanoma activity. The compounds identified are typical of the Gerês propolis, and some of them have already been linked with antitumor effectiveness. These results reaffirm that propolis compounds can be a source of new drugs and the isolation of compounds could allow its use in traditional medicine.

Introducing Petrachlorosaceae fam. nov., Petrachloros gen. nov. and Petrachloros mirabilis sp. nov. (Synechococcales, Cyanobacteria) Isolated from a Portuguese UNESCO monument.

The Synechococcales is a large cyanobacterial order comprising both unicellular and filamentous forms, with parietal thylakoid arrangement. Previously, this order has been the subject of taxonomic revisions with new families being erected. During studies of the phototrophic communities on the limestone walls of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra (UNESCO monument), a coccoid Aphanocapsa-like cyanobacterium was isolated. It was characterized using a polyphasic approach, based on morphology, 16S rRNA phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) secondary structure, and ecology. The 16S rRNA phylogenetic analyses showed that this strain is placed in a separate and highly supported family-level clade, as part of a large group comprising the families Prochlorococcaceae and Prochlorotrichaceae, with Lagosinema as the closest (although quite distant) taxon. Additionally, the phylogenomic analysis also placed this strain in a separate lineage, situated distantly apart from the family Thermosynechococcaceae, but with strains assigned to Acaryochloris marina MBIC 11017 and Aphanocapsa montana BDHKU210001 as the closest taxa. Based on these data, as well as on the results from the secondary ITS structure, morphology, and ecology, we here propose the establishment of Petrachlorosaceae fam. nov., along with the description of Petrachloros gen. nov. and Petrachloros mirabilis sp. nov. We also address additional considerations regarding some cyanobacterial taxa within the order Synechococcales, which we believe deserve further revisions.

Overview of Phlorotannins' Constituents in Fucales.

Fucales are an order within the Phaeophyceae that include most of the common littoral seaweeds in temperate and subtropical coastal regions. Many species of this order have long been a part of human culture with applications as food, feedand remedies in folk medicine. Apart from their high nutritional value, these seaweeds are also a well-known reservoir of multiple bioactive compounds with great industrial interest. Among them, phlorotannins, a unique and diverse class of brown algae-exclusive phenolics, have gathered much attention during the last few years due to their numerous potential health benefits. However, due to their complex structural features, combined with the scarcity of standards, it poses a great challenge to the identification and characterization of these compounds, at least with the technology currently available. Nevertheless, much effort has been taken towards the elucidation of the structural features of phlorotannins, which have resulted in relevant insights into the chemistry of these compounds. In this context, this review addresses the major contributions and technological advances in the field of phlorotannins extraction and characterization, with a particular focus on Fucales.

Metabolite Profiling of Alocasia gigantea Leaf Extract and Its Potential Anticancer Effect through Autophagy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a poor-prognosis type of cancer with high resistance to chemotherapy, making the search for safe drugs a mandatory issue. Plant-derived products have potential to reduce negative side effects of cancer treatments. In this work, ability of a defatted methanolic extract of Alocasia gigantea leaves to fight HCC was evaluated in an animal model. Overall, treatment of HCC-induced mice with the methanolic extract at 150 mg/kg body weight for four consecutive weeks caused induction of autophagy through silencing of the relative expression of autophagy suppressor (mTOR) and inducement of autophagy markers (AMPK, Beclin-1, and LC-3). Moreover, it improved preservation of the hepatic histological architecture of the animals, with minor hepatocytic changes but scattered foci of hepatocytic apoptosis. Chemical profiling of the methanolic extract via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and an electrospray mass spectrometer (UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) allowed identification of di-C-glycosyl flavones, mostly represented by 6-C-hexosyl-8-C-pentosyl apigenin isomers, which may possibly be associated with inducement of the autophagy pathway in HCC. Overall, these outcomes gave an initial visualization of the operative effect of some compounds in A. gigantea leaves that are potential treatment for HCC.

Propolis Efficacy: The Quest for Eco-Friendly Solvents.

Propolis, a natural product made by bees with resins and balsams, is known for its complex chemical composition and remarkable bioactivities. In this study, propolis extraction was studied seeking extracts with strong bioactivities using less orthodox solvents, with some derived from apiary products. For that, a propolis sample collected from Gerês apiary in 2018 (G18) was extracted by maceration with six different solvents: absolute ethanol, ethanol/water (7:3), honey brandy, mead, propylene glycol and water. The solvent influence on the chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the extracts was investigated. Antioxidant potential was assessed by the DPPH free-radical-scavenging assay and the antimicrobial activity by the agar dilution method. Chemical composition of the extracts was determined in vitro by three colorimetric assays: total ortho-diphenols, phenolics and flavonoids contents and the LC-MS technique. To our knowledge, this is the first time that solvents such as honey brandy and mead have been studied. Honey brandy showed considerable potential to extract propolis active compounds able to inhibit the growth of bacteria such as the methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and Propionibacterium acnes (MIC values of 100 and 200 µg/mL, respectively) and the fungi Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MIC = 500 µg/mL, for both). Mead extracts displayed high antioxidant capacity (EC50 = 1.63 ± 0.27 µg/mL) and great activity against resistant bacteria such as the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (MIC = 750 µg/mL, for both). The production of such solvents made from beehive products further promotes a diversification of apiary products and the exploration of new applications using eco-friendly solutions.

Portuguese Propolis Antitumoral Activity in Melanoma Involves ROS Production and Induction of Apoptosis.

Melanoma is the most aggressive and life-threatening skin cancer type. The melanoma genome is the most frequently mutated, with the BRAF mutation present in 40-60% of melanoma cases. BRAF-mutated melanomas are characterized by a higher aggressiveness and progression. Adjuvant targeted treatments, such as BRAF and MEK inhibitors, are added to surgical excision in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanomas to maximize treatment effectiveness. However, resistance remains the major therapeutic problem. Interest in natural products, like propolis, for therapeutic applications, has increased in the last years. Propolis healing proprieties offer great potential for the development of novel cancer drugs. As the activity of Portuguese propolis has never been studied in melanoma, we evaluated the antitumoral activity of propolis from Gerês (G18.EE) and its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butanol) in A375 and WM9 melanoma cell lines. Results from DPPH•/ABTS• radical scavenging assays indicated that the samples had relevant antioxidant activity, however, this was not confirmed in the cell models. G18.EE and its fractions decreased cell viability (SRB assay) and promoted ROS production (DHE/Mitotracker probes by flow cytometry), leading to activation of apoptotic signaling (expression of apoptosis markers). Our results suggest that the n-BuOH fraction has the potential to be explored in the pharmacological therapy of melanoma.

Selective Cytotoxicity of Portuguese Propolis Ethyl Acetate Fraction towards Renal Cancer Cells.

Renal cell carcinoma is the most lethal cancer of the urological system due to late diagnosis and treatment resistance. Propolis, a beehive product, is a valuable natural source of compounds with bioactivities and may be a beneficial addition to current anticancer treatments. A Portuguese propolis sample, its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water) and three subfractions (P1-P3), were tested for their toxicity on A498, 786-O and Caki-2 renal cell carcinoma cell lines and the non-neoplastic HK2 kidney cells. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest toxicity against A498 (IC50 = 0.162 µg mL-1) and 786-O (IC50 = 0.271 µg mL-1) cells. With similar toxicity against 786-O, P1 (IC50 = 3.8 µg mL-1) and P3 (IC50 = 3.1 µg mL-1) exhibited greater effect when combined (IC50 = 2.5 µg mL-1). Results support the potential of propolis and its constituents as promising coadjuvants in renal cell carcinoma treatment.

Gastroprotective Effect of Microencapsulated Myrtus communis Essential Oil against Ethanol/HCl-Induced Acute Gastric Lesions.

Myrtus communis L. essential oil (EO), mainly composed of myrtenyl acetate (30.6%), linalool (14.9%), α-pinene (11.10%) and 1,8-cineole or eucalyptol (9.9%), was microencapsulated with maltodextrin by emulsification and spray-drying, reaching a yield and efficiency of 43.7 and 48.7%, respectively. The microencapsulated myrtle EO (MMEO) was then evaluated regarding its gastroprotective activity in a model of ethanol/HCl-induced acute gastric ulcer in Wistar rats. Pretreatment with MMEO induced a remarkable inhibition of gastric lesions and acidity, correlated to high healing and protection percentages. Moreover, it exerted a potent anti-inflammatory effect on the gastric mucosa, counteracting EtOH-induced gastric lipoperoxidation and preventing the depletion of the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Taken together, the gastroprotective action of encapsulated MMEO may be multi-factorial, and ascribable, at least in parts, to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Metabolite Profiling, Antioxidant and Key Enzymes Linked to Hyperglycemia Inhibitory Activities of Satureja hispidula: An Underexplored Species from Algeria.

In the present study, two extracts from the aerial parts of the endemic species Satureja hispidula were analyzed for the first time by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and an electrospray mass spectrometer (UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) method in order to identify and quantify their phenolic compounds. These extracts' antioxidant, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities were also evaluated. UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS allowed the identification of 28 and 20 compounds in the ethanolic and aqueous extracts, respectively; among them, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid was the most abundant in both extracts. The biological assay results indicate that the species S. hispidula, besides its high antioxidant power, is also potentially useful for inhibiting the α-glucosidase enzyme. In both antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays, the aqueous extract exhibited the most promising results, significantly better than the standards used as positive controls.

Chitosan nanoparticles as a promising tool in nanomedicine with particular emphasis on oncological treatment.

The study describes the current state of knowledge on nanotechnology and its utilization in medicine. The focus in this manuscript was on the properties, usage safety, and potentially valuable applications of chitosan-based nanomaterials. Chitosan nanoparticles have high importance in nanomedicine, biomedical engineering, discovery and development of new drugs. The manuscript reviewed the new studies regarding the use of chitosan-based nanoparticles for creating new release systems with improved bioavailability, increased specificity and sensitivity, and reduced pharmacological toxicity of drugs. Nowadays, effective cancer treatment is a global problem, and recent advances in nanomedicine are of great importance. Special attention was put on the application of chitosan nanoparticles in developing new system for anticancer drug delivery. Pre-clinical and clinical studies support the use of chitosan-based nanoparticles in nanomedicine. This manuscript overviews the last progresses regarding the utilization, stability, and bioavailability of drug nanoencapsulation with chitosan and their safety.

Impact of Phlorotannin Extracts from Fucus vesiculosus on Human Gut Microbiota.

Recent studies indicate that plant polyphenols could be pointed as potential prebiotic candidates since they may interact with the gut microbiota, stimulating its growth and the production of metabolites. However, little is known about the fate of brown seaweeds' phlorotannins during their passage throughout the gastrointestinal tract. This work aimed to evaluate the stability and bioaccessibility of Fucus vesiculosus phlorotannins after being submitted to a simulated digestive process, as well as their possible modulatory effects on gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids production following a fermentation procedure using fecal inoculates to mimic the conditions of the large intestine. The stability of phlorotannins throughout the gastrointestinal tract was reduced, with a bioaccessibility index between 2 and 14%. Moreover, slight alterations in the growth of certain commensal bacteria were noticed, with Enterococcus spp. being the most enhanced group. Likewise, F. vesiculosus phlorotannins displayed striking capacity to enhance the levels of propionate and butyrate, which are two important short-chain fatty acids known for their role in intestinal homeostasis. In summary, this work provides valuable information regarding the behavior of F. vesiculosus phlorotannins along the gastrointestinal tract, presenting clear evidence that these compounds can positively contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gastrointestinal condition.

Antitumor Activity of Fucus vesiculosus-Derived Phlorotannins through Activation of Apoptotic Signals in Gastric and Colorectal Tumor Cell Lines.

Seaweeds are one of the largest producers of biomass in the marine environment and a source of multiple bioactive metabolites with valuable health benefits. Among these, phlorotannins have been widely recognized for their promising bioactive properties. The potential antitumor capacity of Fucus vesiculosus-derived phlorotannins remains, however, poorly explored, especially in gastrointestinal tract-related tumors. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic properties and possible mechanisms by which F. vesiculosus crude extract (CRD), phlorotannin-rich extract (EtOAc), and further phlorotannin-purified fractions (F1-F9) trigger cell death on different tumor cell lines of the gastrointestinal tract, using flow cytometry. The results indicate that F. vesiculosus samples exert specific cytotoxicity against tumor cell lines without affecting the viability of normal cells. Moreover, it was found that, among the nine different phlorotannin fractions tested, F5 was the most active against both Caco-2 colorectal and MKN-28 gastric cancer cells, inducing death via activation of both apoptosis and necrosis. The UHPLC-MS analysis of this fraction revealed, among others, the presence of a compound tentatively identified as eckstolonol and another as fucofurodiphlorethol, which could be mainly responsible for the promising cytotoxic effects observed in this sample. Overall, the results herein reported contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the antitumor properties of F. vesiculosus phlorotannin-rich extracts.

Bio-Guided Fractionation of Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb & Berthel Polar Extracts.

The fractionation of the methanolic extract (MeOH-E) of Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb & Berthel and further analysis by thin layer chromatography resulted in four fractions (F1, F2, F3 and F4) that, in parallel with the MeOH-E, were screened for antioxidant, cytotoxic, antidiabetic and antibacterial properties. In addition, chemical characterization of their bioactive molecules was performed using LC-DAD-ESI/MSn. The results indicated that F3 was the most promising regarding antioxidant and cytotoxicity abilities, possibly due to its richness in flavonoids class, particularly isoflavones. In turn, F1 was characterized by the presence of the most polar compounds from MeOH-E (organic acids and piscidic acid) and showed promising abilities to inhibit α-amylase, while F4, which contained prenylated flavonoids and furanoflavonoids, was the most active against the tested bacteria. The gathered results emphasize the distinct biological potentials of purified fractions of Retama raetam.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of an Endemic Species from Southern Algeria: Warionia saharae.

Warionia saharae Benth. & Coss. (Asteraceae) is an endemic species of North Africa naturally grown in the southwest of the Algerian Sahara. In the present study, this species' hydromethanolic leaf extract was investigated for its phenolic profile characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and an electrospray mass spectrometer (UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). Additionally, the chemical composition of W. saharae was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and its antioxidant potential was assessed through five in vitro tests: DPPH● scavenging activity, ABTS●+ scavenging assay, galvinoxyl scavenging activity, ferric reducing power (FRP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity. The UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis allowed the detection and quantification of 22 compounds, with taxifolin as the dominant compound. The GC-MS analysis allowed the identification of 37 compounds, and the antioxidant activity data indicate that W. saharae extract has a very high capacity to capture radicals due to its richness in compounds with antioxidant capacity. The extract also showed potent α-glucosidase inhibition as well as a good anti-inflammatory activity. However, weak anti-α-amylase and anticholinesterase activities were recorded. Moreover, an in silico docking study was performed to highlight possible interactions between three significant compounds identified in W. saharae extract and α-glucosidase enzyme.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Phlorotannins from Fucus vesiculosus.

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was carried out to maximize the extraction of phlorotannins from Fucus vesiculosus using a hydroethanolic mixture as a solvent, as an alternative to the conventional method with a hydroacetonic mixture. Optimal MAE conditions were set as ethanol concentration of 57% (v/v), temperature of 75 °C, and time of 5 min, which allowed a similar recovery of phlorotannins from the macroalgae compared to the conventional extraction. While the phlorotannins richness of the conventional extract was slightly superior to that of MAE (11.1 ± 1.3 vs. 9.8 ± 1.8 mg PGE/g DWextract), both extracts presented identical phlorotannins constituents, which included, among others, tetrafucol, pentafucol, hexafucol, and heptafucol structures. In addition, MAE showed a moderate capacity to scavenge ABTS•+ (IC50 of 96.0 ± 3.4 µg/mL) and to inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase (IC50 of 23.1 ± 3.4 µg/mL) and a superior ability to control the activity of the key metabolic enzyme α-glucosidase compared to the pharmaceutical drug acarbose.

Areca catechu-From farm to food and biomedical applications.

The family Arecaceae includes 181 genera and 2,600 species with a high diversity in physical characteristics. Areca plants, commonly palms, which are able to grow in nearly every type of habitat, prefer tropical and subtropical climates. The most studied species Areca catechu L. contains phytochemicals as phenolics and alkaloids with biological properties. The phenolics are mainly distributed in roots followed by fresh unripe fruits, leaves, spikes, and veins, while the contents of alkaloids are in the order of roots, fresh unripe fruits, spikes, leaves, and veins. This species has been reputed to provide health effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, metabolic, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems. However, in many developing countries, quid from this species has been associated with side effects, which include the destruction of the teeth, impairment of oral hygiene, bronchial asthma, or oral cancer. Despite these side effects, which are also mentioned in this work, the present review collects the main results of biological properties of the phytochemicals in A. catechu. This study emphasizes the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and clinical effectiveness in humans. In this sense, A. catechu have demonstrated effectiveness in several reports through in vitro and in vivo experiments on disorders such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, or anticancer. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that this species presents clinical effectiveness on neurological disorders. Hence, A. catechu extracts could be used as a bioactive ingredient for functional food, nutraceuticals, or cosmeceuticals. However, further studies, especially extensive and comprehensive clinical trials, are recommended for the use of Areca in the treatment of diseases.

Phlorotannins from Fucus vesiculosus: Modulation of Inflammatory Response by Blocking NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Due to their large spectrum of bioactive properties, much attention has recently been drawn to phlorotannins-i.e., phenolic compounds characteristic from brown macroalgae. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of F. vesiculosus phlorotannin extracts and purified fractions. Overall, the crude extract and its ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc) showed good radical scavenging activity, particularly towards nitric oxide (NO•). Subsequent subfractions of EtOAc (F1 to F9) with different molecular weights were then shown to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced NO• production in macrophages, with stronger effects being observed for fractions of lower MWs. Of the three intracellular markers analyzed, inducible NO• synthase showed the highest sensitivity to almost all the phlorotannin-rich samples, followed by interleukin 1ß and cyclooxygenase 2, which was only inhibited by F2. Furthermore, this subfraction inhibited the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory protein κBα, thus preventing the activation of NF-κB and blocking the inflammatory cascade at the transcriptional level. This sample was characterized by the presence of a major compound with a deprotonated molecular ion at m/z 507 with a fragmentation pattern coherent with that of a phlorotannin derivative. Overall, this work unveiled some of the mechanistic aspects behind the anti-inflammatory capacity of phlorotannins from F. vesiculosus, endorsing its use as a possible natural source of anti-inflammatory compounds.