Golgi α-mannosidase: opposing structures of Drosophila melanogaster and novel human model using molecular dynamics simulations and docking at different pHs.

The search for Golgi α-mannosidase II (GMII) potent and specific inhibitors has been a focus of many studies for the past three decades since this enzyme is a key target for cancer treatment. α-Mannosidases, such as those from Drosophila melanogaster or Jack bean, have been used as functional models of the human Golgi α-mannosidase II (hGMII) because mammalian mannosidases are difficult to purify and characterize experimentally. Meanwhile, computational studies have been seen as privileged tools able to explore assertive solutions to specific enzymes, providing molecular details of these macromolecules, their protonation states and their interactions. Thus, modelling techniques can successfully predict hGMII 3D structure with high confidence, speeding up the development of new hits. In this study, Drosophila melanogaster Golgi mannosidase II (dGMII) and a novel human model, developed in silico and equilibrated via molecular dynamics simulations, were both opposed for docking. Our findings highlight that the design of novel inhibitors should be carried out considering the human model's characteristics and the enzyme operating pH. A reliable model is evidenced, showing a good correlation between Ki/IC50 experimental data and theoretical ΔGbinding estimations in GMII, opening the possibility of optimizing the rational drug design of new derivatives.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Detection of serum biomarkers of HPV-16 driven oropharynx and oral cavity cancer in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: HPV-16 driven oropharynx/oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas prevalence varies globally. We evaluated the presence of HPV-16 ctDNA and HPV-16 E6 antibodies in samples obtained from participants treated at the Instituto do Cancer do Estado de Sao Paulo, ICESP, and from whom tumoral HPV DNA, HPV-16 E6*I mRNA, and p16INK4a status was also accessed. METHODS: HPV was genotyped by PCR-hybridization. All HPV DNA positive and ∼10 % HPV DNA negative cases underwent p16INK4a immunohistochemistry and E6*I RNA testing using a multiplex bead based protocol. HPV-16 ctDNA and anti-E6 antibodies were assessed by ddPCR (digital droplet PCR) and multiplex serology, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of HPV-16 in oropharynx carcinoma (OPC) cases was low (8.7 %) when considering solely HPV-16 DNA detection, and even lower (5.2 %) when taken into consideration the concomitant detection of HPV-16 E6*I RNA and/or p16INK4 (HPV-16 attributable fraction - AF). None of the oral cavity cancer (OCC) cases were detected with HPV-16 DNA. HPV-16 ctDNA was more commonly detected than HPV-16 E6 antibodies (29.8 % versus 10.6 %). Both serum biomarkers attained 100 % sensitivity of detecting HPV-16 AF OPC, however the specificity of the HPV-16 anti-E6 biomarker was higher compared to ctDNA (93.2 % versus 75.0 %). Finally, when both HPV-16 ctDNA and anti-E6 biomarkers were considered together, the sensitivity and specificity for HPV-16 OPC detection was 100 % and about 70 %, respectively, independently of analyzing HPV-16 DNA positive or HPV-16 AF tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings corroborate that serum biomarkers are highly sensitive and specific biomarkers for detection of HPV-associated OPC.

Insights into the Chemical Composition and In Vitro Bioactive Properties of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) Pericarp.

The industrial processing of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) generates high amounts of waste, as ~60% of the fruit is formed by an inedible pericarp. However, its pericarp has been explored as a source of xanthones; nevertheless, studies addressing the recovery of other chemical compounds from such biomass are still scarce. Hence, this study intended to elucidate the chemical composition of the mangosteen pericarp, including fat-soluble (tocopherols and fatty acids) and water-soluble (organic acids and phenolic compound non-xanthones) compounds present in the following extracts: hydroethanolic (MT80), ethanolic (MTE), and aqueous (MTW). In addition, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antibacterial potentials of the extracts were assessed. The mangosteen pericarp showed a composition with seven organic acids, three tocopherol isomers, four fatty acids and fifteen phenolic compounds. Regarding the extraction of phenolics, the MT80 was the most efficient (54 mg/g extract), followed by MTE (19.79 mg/g extract) and MTW (4.011 mg/g extract). All extracts showed antioxidant and antibacterial activities; however, MT80 and MTE extracts were more efficient than MTW. Only MTW did not show anti-inflammatory properties, whereas MTE and MT80 showed inhibitory activities towards tumor cell lines. Notwithstanding, MTE showed cytotoxicity towards normal cells. Our findings support the idea that the ripe mangosteen pericarp is a source of bioactive compounds, although their recovery is dependent on the extraction solvent.

Oil in Northeast Brazil: mapping conflicts and impacts of the largest disaster on the country's coast.

The crude oil spill on the Brazilian coast in 2019 is considered the largest environmental disaster of this nature in the country. It had important repercussions on the environment and on the living and health conditions of the population, particularly artisanal fishermen, intensifying the vulnerability process, causing situations of injustice and environmental conflicts with negative repercussions on the territories. Aiming to analyze this environmental conflict and its impacts on environment and health of the affected population, the study applied the method proposed by the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice. It analyzed open-access documents made available by governmental and non-governmental organizations, and publications in newspapers of wide circulation. The data obtained allowed to characterize the oil spill and the identification of the socioeconomic, health, and environmental impacts published in the Atlas. There was a deepening of the vulnerability of the people of the waters, influencing the social determination of the health-disease process. The lack of sustainability of the current development model pushes for building environmental and health diagnoses in order to take remedial measures in disasters such as oil spills. EJAtlas is a way to debate situations of environmental injustice and give voice to historically oppressed communities.

Sobre gestar e parir uma criança com a Síndrome Congênita do Zika Vírus: um estudo de caso / On gestating and giving birth to a child with congenital zika virus syndrome: a case study

Resumo Este artigo busca analisar o contexto de gestação, pré-natal e parto de uma criança com Síndrome Congênita do Zika (SCZ). É um estudo exploratório qualitativo, tipo estudo de caso único, delineado a partir de entrevista em profundidade realizada com uma mãe de criança diagnosticada com SCZ em Pernambuco. A análise dos dados ocorreu mediante a categorização do conteúdo da entrevista em quatro núcleos temáticos: contexto da descoberta da gestação; condições da assistência ao pré-natal e ao parto; condições de diagnóstico e assistência à criança; e sentimentos envolvidos na descoberta da gestação e do diagnóstico da síndrome. Esse caso sinaliza falhas no planejamento reprodutivo e na assistência ao pré-natal e parto; despreparo dos profissionais de saúde; e mudanças significativas na rotina da família, que implicam escolhas difíceis num contexto de deficitária assistência pública à saúde. A epidemia da SCZ revelou problemas que vão além do controle vetorial do mosquito. O panorama atual escancara vulnerabilidades dessas famílias, intensificadas com o surgimento e as consequências da covid-19, o que tem exposto ainda mais as fragilidades da atenção integral à saúde da mulher e a necessidade de manter uma rede articulada e resolutiva na assistência e vigilância em saúde.

Abstract This study analyzes the context of pregnancy, prenatal care and birth of children with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). A single case exploratory study was conducted with a mother of a child diagnosed with CZS in Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected by an in-depth interview and content was categorized into four themes: discovery of pregnancy; conditions of prenatal and childbirth care; conditions of diagnosis and childcare; and feelings involved in the pregnancy discovery and syndrome diagnosis. This case study highlights failures in reproductive planning and in prenatal and childbirth care; unpreparedness of health professionals; and significant changes in the family's routine, which imply difficult choices under a deficient public health care. CZS epidemic uncovered problems that go beyond mosquito vector control. The current scenario highlights the vulnerabilities of these families, intensified by the emergence and consequences of COVID-19, which has further exposed the weaknesses of women's comprehensive health care and the need to maintain an articulated and resolute network in health care and surveillance.

Chemical and Bioactive Characterization of Spanish and Belgian Apple Pomace for Its Potential Use as a Novel Dermocosmetic Formulation.

Currently, there is a general trend towards reutilizing industrial by-products that would otherwise be discarded or considered as waste, aiming to explore them as alternative sources of valuable compounds. The apple pomace remaining from cider and apple juice industries represents a high-potential source of bioactive compounds with putative application in food or pharmaceutical-related products. Accordingly, the work reported herein was conducted to characterize the phenolic compounds in apple pomace from Belgium and Spain, as well as to evaluate its chemical composition and particular types of bioactivity. As a proof of concept, a new hydrogel was prepared, incorporated with the bioactive compounds and pectin extracted from apple pomace, aiming to obtain the most organic formulation possible. Independently of the extracting agent, it became evident that using lyophilization as the drying step is a better choice than thermal processes as it yielded a richer phenolic profile (fifteen individual compounds), with 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid as the major compound (66 to 114 mg/100 g dw) in Belgian samples. In general, the hydroethanolic extracts showed the strongest antioxidant and antimicrobial (particularly against Propionibacterium acnes: MIC = 2.5 mg/mL) activities. This result, together with the lipid nature of human skin, led it to be chosen as the extract type to be incorporated in the hydrogel. In general, apple pomace stood out as a valuable source of bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols and pectin, with good potential to be incorporated in dermal formulations.

Chemical Profile and Bioactivities of Extracts from Edible Plants Readily Available in Portugal.

Plant extracts have been proposed as alternative biocides and antioxidants to be included in a variety of food products. In this work, to assess the potential of rosemary, lemon balm, basil, tarragon, sage, and spearmint to be used as food additives, the chemical profiles and bioactivities of such plant extracts were studied. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of extraction methods and solvents on the chemical characteristics and bioactivities of the plant extracts, two extraction methods (solid-liquid and Soxhlet extraction) and two solvents (water and ethanol 70% (v/v)) were tested for each plant. Groupwise summary statistics were calculated by plant, extraction method, and solvent, and linear models were built to assess the main effects of those terms and their interactions on the chemical characteristics and bioactivities of the extracts. The results revealed that all factors-type of plant, extraction method and solvent-have influence on the chemical profile and antioxidant activity of the resultant extracts. Interactions between factors were also observed. Hydroethanolic Soxhlet extracts presented the least potential as biopreservatives due to their low phenolic content and reduced antioxidant capacity. Oppositely, aqueous Soxhlet extracts and hydroethanolic solid-liquid extracts showed high contents in phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activities. In particular, the hydroethanolic solid-liquid extracts of lemon balm, spearmint, and sage presented the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, accompanied by a high antioxidant activity, and they revealed antimicrobial activity against four pathogens (S. enterica ser. Typhimurium, E. coli, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus). These results demonstrate the potential of these natural resources to be incorporated as bioactive preservatives in foods or their packaging.

Bioactive and Nutritional Potential of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) Seasoning Mixtures.

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), worldwide appreciated and used as condiments, dyes, and preservatives, possess several biological properties that justify their continuous application in the food industry. In the present study, the nutritional and chemical profiles, as well as the bioactive properties of four combinations of condiments, sold for seasoning poultry, meat, fish, and salads, were evaluated. Twenty-five phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) were identified, with apigenin-O-malonyl-pentoside-hexoside as the major compound detected in all extracts. Oxalic and citric acids were identified in all mixtures (UFLC-PDA), as well as all the four tocopherol isoforms (HPLC-fluorescence). Regarding bioactivities, the mixtures for meat and salads (TBARS) and meat and poultry (OxHLIA) stood out for their antioxidant potential, whereas for the anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties, the mixtures revealing the greatest results were those for poultry and salad, respectively. In terms of antimicrobial activity, all the mixtures revealed the capacity to inhibit the growth of some bacterial strains. In brief, condiment mixtures showed to be a good source of bioactive compounds, as they confer health benefits, validating the importance of their inclusion in the human diet as a good dietary practice.

Glutaminolysis dynamics during astrocytoma progression correlates with tumor aggressiveness.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma is the most frequent and high-grade adult malignant central nervous system tumor. The prognosis is still poor despite the use of combined therapy involving maximal surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Metabolic reprogramming currently is recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Glutamine metabolism through glutaminolysis has been associated with tumor cell maintenance and survival, and with antioxidative stress through glutathione (GSH) synthesis. METHODS: In the present study, we analyzed the glutaminolysis-related gene expression levels in our cohort of 153 astrocytomas of different malignant grades and 22 non-neoplastic brain samples through qRT-PCR. Additionally, we investigated the protein expression profile of the key regulator of glutaminolysis (GLS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD1), and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT2) in these samples. We also investigated the glutathione synthase (GS) protein profile and the GSH levels in different grades of astrocytomas. The differential gene expressions were validated in silico on the TCGA database. RESULTS: We found an increase of glutaminase isoform 2 gene (GLSiso2) expression in all grades of astrocytoma compared to non-neoplastic brain tissue, with a gradual expression increment in parallel to malignancy. Genes coding for GLUD1 and GPT2 expression levels varied according to the grade of malignancy, being downregulated in glioblastoma, and upregulated in lower grades of astrocytoma (AGII-AGIII). Significant low GLUD1 and GPT2 protein levels were observed in the mesenchymal subtype of GBM. CONCLUSIONS: In glioblastoma, particularly in the mesenchymal subtype, the downregulation of both genes and proteins (GLUD1 and GPT2) increases the source of glutamate for GSH synthesis and enhances tumor cell fitness due to increased antioxidative capacity. In contrast, in lower-grade astrocytoma, mainly in those harboring the IDH1 mutation, the gene expression profile indicates that tumor cells might be sensitized to oxidative stress due to reduced GSH synthesis. The measurement of GLUD1 and GPT2 metabolic substrates, ammonia, and alanine, by noninvasive MR spectroscopy, may potentially allow the identification of IDH1mut AGII and AGIII progression towards secondary GBM.

Hydroethanolic extract of Juglans regia L. green husks: A source of bioactive phytochemicals.

Juglans regia L. (walnut) green husks are an important fraction of waste resulting from the walnut production, thus representing an interesting natural matrix to explore as a source of bioactive compounds. In this work, the hydroethanolic extract of walnut green husks was studied considering the phytochemical composition and the biological activity using different cell model assays, most of them evaluated for the first time for this matrix. From the HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn analysis, sixteen compounds were identified, being the extract mostly composed of naphthalene derivatives (including tetralone derivatives) and less abundant in phenolic compounds (hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols). The cytotoxic potential of the extract was assessed against tumour (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2) and non-tumour (PLP2) cell lines. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by inhibition of the oxidative haemolysis (OxHLIA) and the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and the anti-inflammatory potential by the inhibition of the NO production by the RAW264.7 cell culture. The antibacterial effects of the extract were also evaluated against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The results obtained represent a stepping stone for the development of future applications using walnut green husks as a source of added value compounds with bioactive potential.

Chemical and bioactive characterization of the aromatic plant Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch: a comprehensive study.

Aromatic plants have been used since antiquity as seasoning ingredients to impart unique flavours to foods, and also as folk medicines, and are currently used as a source of several compounds of interest for different industries. Lovage (Levisticum officinale W.J.D. Koch) is an aromatic plant from the Apiaceae family with a strong flavour that has long been used in culinary products, in traditional medicine and by the food industry. Despite its significance and relevance, apart from its composition in volatile compounds, there is a scarcity of information about this plant species. To the best of our knowledge, this study documents for the first time the nutritional value and composition in fatty acids, organic acids and tocopherols of the edible aerial part of lovage, evidencing a low caloric value, a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly α-linolenic acid, oxalic acid as the most abundant organic acid and α-tocopherol as the most abundant vitamin E isoform. The essential oil was mainly characterised by the presence of monoterpenes, showing also a high abundance of phthalides. In addition, a total of 7 phenolic compounds were identified in the decoction and hydroethanolic extracts, which showed interesting antioxidant properties and bacteriostatic activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria. Only the decoction showed cytotoxicity against a tumoral cell line (HepG2).

Exploring the phytochemical profile of Cytinus hypocistis (L.) L. as a source of health-promoting biomolecules behind its in vitro bioactive and enzyme inhibitory properties.

Cytinus hypocistis whole plant and its three different parts (petals, stalks, and nectar) were chemically characterised and their biological properties evaluated. A total of 17 phenolic compounds were identified, being galloyl-bis-HHDP-glucose the most abundant. All the tested extracts showed high antioxidant capacity, with the petals exhibiting the most promising results both in the OxHLIA (IC50 = 0.279 ng/mL) and TBARS (IC50 = 0.342 ng/mL) assays. For the antidiabetic and anti-tyrosinase enzyme inhibitory assays, the stalk extract presented the lowest IC50 values, 0.039 mg/mL and 0.09 mg/mL, respectively. Regarding antibacterial activity, all tested extracts displayed broad-spectrum microbial inhibition against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Similarly, all extracts displayed effective anti-proliferation activity against four tested tumour cell lines (NCI-H460, HeLa, HepG2, and MCF-7), with no toxicity observed for a non-tumour cell line. Considering the anti-inflammatory activity, the petals showed the highest nitric oxide inhibition (IC50 = 127 µg/mL). These results point C. hypocistis as a promising source of health-promoting biomolecules.

Nutritional, chemical and bioactive profiles of different parts of a Portuguese common fig (Ficus carica L.) variety.

This study aims to give an unprecedented contribution on the chemical composition and bioactivities of the most produced and appreciated Portuguese fig variety ("Pingo de Mel") with the view of expanding the knowledge on its potentialities. An advanced characterization of its peel and pulp parts was carried out. Four free sugars (glucose, fructose, trehalose and sucrose), 5 organic acids (oxalic, quinic, malic, citric, and succinic acids), tocopherols in all their 4 forms, besides 23 fatty acids were detected in the samples. Fifteen different phenolic components were found in the peel hydroethanolic extract; whereas 12 were detected in the pulp hydroethanolic extract. Quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin) was the major constituent of the peel, accounting for 33.8% of its phenolic content, followed by 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid and vanillic acid malonyl di-deoxyhexoside. Caffeic acid derivatives, such as caffeic acid hexosides, were the major components of pulp, followed by vanillic acid derivatives and O-caffeoylquinic acid. Both extracts displayed promising antioxidant capacities in all methods used, namely the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging, the reducing power, the inhibition of ß-carotene bleaching assays, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay and the oxidative haemolysis inhibition assay; however, the peel presented significantly lower IC50 values than pulp. The extracts showed practically identical antibacterial capacities, being effective against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MICs = 2.5 mg/mL), besides methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Morganella morganii (MICs = 5 mg/mL). The obtained results evidence that the fig peel is superior to the corresponding pulp as it relates to nutritional and phenolic profiles as well as bioactivities, endorsing the urgency in valorising and exploiting this usually discarded industrial by-product.

Valorisation of the green waste parts from turnip, radish and wild cardoon: Nutritional value, phenolic profile and bioactivity evaluation.

The recovery of bio-wastes to obtain high added value compounds is of great interest for the pharmaceutical, medicinal and food industries. Therefore, the aerial parts of turnip (Brassica rapa L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and leaf blade of wild cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L. var. sylvestris (Lamk) Fiori) were characterized regarding their nutritional composition, as also their content in soluble sugars, organic acids, fatty acids, and tocopherols. Furthermore, their hydroethanolic extracts and infusion preparations, were profiled regarding individual phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS and their antioxidant, antibacterial and hepatotoxic activities were evaluated. Regarding the nutritional content, wild cardoon revealed the best results, however it was radish and turnip that showed higher values for organic acids and phenolic compounds. The hydroethanolic extract and infusion preparation of wild cardoon stood out for its antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Overall, the hydroethanolic extracts seemed more effective (regarding antioxidant and antibacterial activity) than the infusions. Total phenolic acids proved to be strongly correlated with the antioxidant and antibacterial (against Morganella morganii) activities. This study showed that the discarded parts of these plants can be used as an important natural source of valuable nutrient content and new and safe bioactive compounds, beneficial for human health. Moreover, the extraction of those compounds from underused parts of turnip, radish and cardoon could be used to preserve foods, avoiding artificial additives and thus, contributing to the development of new natural ingredients.

HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS screening of phytochemical compounds and the bioactive properties of different plant parts of Zizyphus lotus (L.) Desf.

Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf.) has been widely used as a homemade ingredient to treat numerous diseases in Algerian folk medicine. In this context, decoction, infusion and hydroethanolic extracts were prepared from the branches, leaves, roots, and stem barks. The extracts were characterized regarding their phytochemical composition by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and were assessed for in vitro bioactivity (cytotoxicity, anti-inflammatory activity, and antibacterial activity). A total of 29 compounds (flavonoid derivatives and secoiridoids) were identified in Z. lotus, 15 being detected in leaves, 10 in branches, 5 in roots and 7 in stem barks. The highest contents of these compounds, especially secoiridoids, were detected in branches followed by leaves, oleuropein being the main compound detected in leaves and oleoside in branches. The aqueous preparations of the leaves and root barks revealed the highest cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory potential. On the other hand, as for the antibacterial activity, the hydroethanolic extract of the branches showed the highest potential, especially against the MSSA strain. Hence, the chemical diversity found in Z. lotus makes it a source of bioactive ingredients that can be applied in the formulations of different ingredients in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Rubus ulmifolius Schott as a Novel Source of Food Colorant: Extraction Optimization of Coloring Pigments and Incorporation in a Bakery Product.

(1) Background: Color has been considered to be the flashiest attribute of foodstuffs and researchers have shown a great interest in the extraction of pigmented compounds from vegetal products, with the purpose to provide alternative counterparts to the food industry; (2) Methods: This study aimed to explore Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits as a potential source of anthocyanins, optimizing the extraction method, evaluating the bioactivity and incorporating the rich extract into a bakery food product; (3) Results: After the extraction optimization, results showed R. ulmifolius fruits to be a great source of anthocyanins, obtaining an amount of 33.58 mg AT/g E, with an extraction yield of 62.08%. The rich anthocyanin extract showed antitumor and antimicrobial potential in some tumor cell lines and strains, respectively, as well as the absence of toxicity; (4) Conclusions: The extract when incorporated in a bakery product showed a good coloring capacity, maintaining the nutritional value, revealing its use to be a great approach for replacing artificial colorants.

Nutritional composition and bioactivity of Umbilicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy: An underexploited edible wild plant.

The inclusion of edible wild plants in human diet has been receiving an increasing attention, as they represent an easily accessible source of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. In this work, the leaves of Umbelicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy, an edible species for which only scarce data is available in literature, were thoroughly evaluated for its nutritional profile, chemical characterization and bioactive properties. Being considered a succulent plant, the leaves revealed a very high content of moisture, with several beneficial compounds, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols and different polyphenols. A total of twelve flavonoids, three phenolic acids and one phenylpropanoid glucoside were identified in the decoction and/or hydroethanolic extracts, with most of them being described for the first time in this plant. Both extracts showed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria, while not presenting cytotoxic effects on a non-tumour primary cell culture.

Phenolic Profile and Bioactive Properties of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC.: An In Vitro Comparative Study between Leaves, Stems, and Flowers.

The present work aimed to characterize leaves, stems, and flowers of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A.DC., by performing an analysis of the phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS, correlating them with bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial activities. Thirty polyphenols were identified in the hydroethanolic extract, including phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, and flavonol glycosides derivatives (which presented the highest number of identified compounds). However, flavan-3-ols showed the highest concentration in stems (mainly owing to the presence of dimers, trimmers, and tetramers of type B (epi)catechin). Leaves were distinguished by their high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as their bactericidal effect against E. coli, while stems presented a higher cytotoxic activity and bactericidal effect against Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, a high correlation between the studied bioactivities and the presence of phenolic compounds was also verified. The obtained results bring added value to the studied plant species.

Healthy novel gluten-free formulations based on beans, carob fruit and rice: Extrusion effect on organic acids, tocopherols, phenolic compounds and bioactivity.

Rice and legumes have great potential in the development of novel gluten-free snacks that are healthier than traditional snacks. Novel gluten-free extruded foods (composed of rice: 50-80%, beans: 20-40% and carob: 5-10%) were analysed and the extrusion effects regarding organic acids, tocopherols, phenolic compounds and bioactive properties were evaluated. The total concentration of organic acids was not significantly affected by extrusion, while tocopherols showed a significant reduction. Extrusion did not produce an increase of the total phenolic content. For the bioactivity assays, commercial extruded rice, carob and most of the extruded samples showed anti-proliferative activity, which was higher than in the non-extruded samples, while for the anti-inflammatory activity, the extrusion process did not show a significant effect. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, low potential was observed with extruded and non-extruded samples showing high values of MIC and MBC as the microorganisms tested were multi-resistant isolated clinical strains.

Chemical composition and bioactive properties of the wild edible plant Raphanus raphanistrum L.

Recently, there has been an interest regarding the consumption of wild edible plants in modern diets. However, there is still scarce information about several wild vegetables traditionally consumed. Therefore, this work aims on documenting the nutritional and chemical composition of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.), as well as its bioactive potential. Results showed that wild radish is a potential source of beneficial compounds, including vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acid (particularly α-linolenic acid) and different phenolic compounds, in which fourteen phenolics were identified, with kaempferol-3,7-O-di-rhamnoside being the most abundant. The bioactive potential was exploited using hydroethanolic and decoction extracts. Both proved to inhibit several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and revealed antioxidant activity, while cytotoxicity against non-tumor cell was not observed. In general, results evidence the interest in recovering the use of this wild vegetable as part of a varied diet, which can bring several health benefits.