Walnut By-Products and Elderberry Extracts-Sustainable Alternatives for Human and Plant Health.

A current alternative for sustainable development through green chemistry is the replacement of synthetic compounds with natural ones through the superior capitalization of natural resources, with numerous applications in different fields. The benefits of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) and elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.) have been known since ancient times, due to the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, polyphenols, carotenoids, alkaloids, nitrogen-containing compounds, tannins, steroids, anthocyanins, etc. These active compounds have multiple biological activities for human health, including benefits that are antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antihypertensive, neuroprotective, etc. Like other medicinal plants, the walnut and the elderberry possess important phytosanitary properties (antibacterial, antifungal, and insecticidal) and their extracts can also be used as environmentally safe biopesticides, with the result that they constitute a viable and cheap alternative to environmentally harmful synthetic products. During recent years, walnut by-products and elderberries have attracted the attention of researchers, and investigations have focused on the species' valuable constituents and active properties. Comparing the information from the literature regarding the phytochemical profile and biological activities, it is highlighted that, apart from the predominant specific compounds, the walnut and the elderberry have common bioactive compounds, which come from six classes (phenols and derivatives, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, tannins, triterpenoids, and phytosteroids), and act on the same microorganisms. From this perspective, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the bioactive compounds present in the different constitutive parts of walnut by-products and elderberries, which present a specific or common activity related to human health and the protection of agricultural crops in the context of sustainable development.

Elderberry Extracts: Characterization of the Polyphenolic Chemical Composition, Quality Consistency, Safety, Adulteration, and Attenuation of Oxidative Stress- and Inflammation-Induced Health Disorders.

Elderberry is highly reputed for its health-improving effects. Multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the consumption of berries is linked to enhancing human health and preventing or delaying the onset of chronic medical conditions. Compared with other fruit, elderberry is a very rich source of anthocyanins (approximately 80% of the polyphenol content). These polyphenols are the principals that essentially contribute to the high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities and the health benefits of elderberry fruit extract. These health effects include attenuation of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory disorders, as well as anti-diabetic, anticancer, antiviral, and immuno-stimulatory effects. Sales of elderberry supplements skyrocketed to $320 million over the year 2020, according to an American Botanical Council (ABC) report, which is attributable to the purported immune-enhancing effects of elderberry. In the current review, the chemical composition of the polyphenolic content of the European elderberry (Sambucus nigra) and the American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), as well as the analytical techniques employed to analyze, characterize, and ascertain the chemical consistency will be addressed. Further, the factors that influence the consistency of the polyphenolic chemical composition, and hence, the consistency of the health benefits of elderberry extracts will be presented. Additionally, adulteration and safety as factors contributing to consistency will be covered. The role of elderberry in enhancing human health alone with the pharmacological basis, the cellular pathways, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed health benefits of elderberry fruit extracts will be also reviewed.

Could elderberry fruits processed by modern and conventional drying and extraction technology be considered a valuable source of health-promoting compounds?

The influence of drying and extraction processes on the phytochemical composition and biopotential of elderberry is challenging for the food industry. For this reason in this research two drying techniques (lyophilization and natural convection) and three extraction techniques (ultrasound (UAE), microwave (MAE), and conventional (maceration (MAC)) was applied using two"green" solvents (water and 50 % ethanol). Results of the research showed that lyophilization was a better way of drying than natural convection, while MAE extraction was the most efficient technique for the isolation of secondary metabolites. The most abundant phenolic compounds established by LC-MS/MS analysis, were chlorogenic acid and rutin, identified in extracts of lyophilized elderberries. Elderberry extracts achieved great antioxidant (CUPRAC: 2.30-5.13 mg TE/mL) and enzyme inhibitor potential (α-amylase: 0.51-8.34 mg ACAE/mL). The results suggest that elderberry is a rich natural source of bioactive compounds and could be used for the future development of dietary supplements and functional foods.

Effect of cultivar, maturation stage, and year on sugar and phenolic composition of elderberries.

BACKGROUND: The chemical composition, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity of the three main Portuguese elderberry cultivars were determined for the first time through five stages of maturation, in different harvesting years, to gain a deeper understanding of the effect of climatic conditions and enzymatic activity involved in the synthesis and degradation of phenolic compounds on the final quality of elderberries. RESULTS: Simple sugar and anthocyanin content increased with maturation but total acidity and flavonoids content decreased, and cinnamic acids did not show a clear trend. Climatic conditions seem to have a decisive influence on the elderberry maturation, namely the total number of hot (>30 °C) days. The PAL, PPO, and POD activity can explain the differences observed in elderberry phenolic content. CONCLUSION: These results highlighted the influence of climatic conditions in each harvesting season on elderberry development and quality. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Novel insights on extraction and encapsulation techniques of elderberry bioactive compounds.

BACKGROUND: Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) has been used in traditional medicine and as a supplement in many beverages and meals. Elderberry is a good source of bioactive flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol, and rutin, as well as other phenolic compounds. Extraction techniques significantly influence the efficiency of extraction of bioactive compounds. Green chemistry elements such as safety, environmental friendliness, run-down or at least minimal contaminants, efficiency, and economic criteria should all be addressed by an effective bioactive extraction process. Furthermore, micro/nanoencapsulation technologies are particularly effective for increasing bioavailability and bioactive component stability. SCOPE AND APPROACH: This review article comprehensively describes new developments in elderberry extraction and encapsulation. Elderberry is largely employed in the food and pharmaceutical industries due to its health-promoting and sensory characteristics. Elderberry has traditionally been used as a diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic, antidepressant, and antitumor agent in folk medicine. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Conventional extraction methods (e.g. maceration and Soxhelt extraction) as well as advanced green techniques (e.g. supercritical fluids, pulsed electric field, emulsion liquid extraction, microwave, and ultrasonic extraction) have been used to extract bioactives from elderberry. Over the other protective measures, encapsulation techniques are particularly recommended to protect the bioactive components found in elderberry. Microencapsulation (spray drying, freeze drying, extrusion, emulsion systems) and nanoencapsulation (nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles and nanodispersions, nanohydrogels, electrospinning, nano spray drying) approaches for elderberry bioactives have been examined in this regard.

Effects of Sambucus ebulus Extract on Cell Proliferation and Viability of Triple- Negative Breast Cancer: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15% of all breast cancer (BC) cases and is a severe type of BC. Since medicinal herbs containing biocompatible substances that are accepted by patient more than chemical therapeutics, they can be considered a safe option for treating BC. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of Sambucus Ebulus (S. ebulus) extract on a model of TNBC. METHODS: S. ebulus extract was prepared using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The petroleum ether extract was fractionated and analyzed using vacuum liquid chromatography and GC-MS, respectively. MDAMB- 231 and MCF-10A were used as TNBC and normal breast cells, respectively. Flowcytometry and MTT assays were performed to evaluate cell cycle, apoptosis, and viability of the cells. Gene expression analysis was performed using RT-qPCR. Nude mouse allograft tumor models were used, and pathological sections were evaluated. RESULTS: The findings indicated that S. ebulus extract remarkably decreased cell proliferation and viability. The extract had no toxicity to the normal breast cells but efficiently killed the cancer cells. Cell cycle- and apoptosisrelated gene expression showed that fraction 4 of S. ebulus extract significantly increased the expression of Bax, Bak, P53, and c-MYC. CONCLUSION: This study showed satisfactory results of the effect of S. ebulus extract on clearing BC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, S. ebulus extract may be a safe herbal compound for eliminating BC cells without toxicity to host cells.

A nanophytosomes formulation based on elderberry anthocyanins and Codium lipids to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunctions.

The development of nanomedicines to modulate the mitochondrial function is a great scientific challenge since mitochondrial dysfunction is a pathological hallmark of many chronic diseases, including degenerative brain pathologies like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. To address this challenge, the mitochondriotropic features of the elderberry anthocyanin-enriched extract (Sambucus nigra) were combined with the self-assembling properties of the membrane polar lipids from Codium tomentosum in an innovative SC-Nanophytosomes formulation. Membrane polar lipids, obtained by a new procedure as chlorophyll-free extract, are characterized by 26% of non-phosphorus polar lipids and 74% of phospholipids (dominated by anionic lipids) containing a high degree of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The anthocyanin-enriched extract is dominated by a mixture of four cyanidin-glycosides, representing about 86% of their phenolic content. SC-Nanophytosomes engineered with 600 µM algae membrane polar lipids and 0.5 mg/L of the anthocyanin-enriched extract are nanosized vesicles (diameter =108.74 ± 24.74 nm) with a negative surface charge (Zeta potential = -46.93 ± 6.63 mV) that exhibit stability during storage at 4 ºC. In vitro assays with SH-SY5Y cells showed that SC-Nanophytosomes have the competence to target mitochondria, improving the mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I and II and preserving the mitochondrial membrane potential in the presence of rotenone. Additionally, SC-Nanophytosomes protect SH-SY5Y cells against the toxicity induced by rotenone or glutamate. Green-fluorescent labeled SC-Nanophytosomes were used to reveal that they are mainly internalized by cells via caveola-mediated endocytosis, escape from endosome and reach the cytoplasm organelles, including mitochondria. Overall, data indicate that SC-Nanophytosomes have the potential to support a mitochondria-targeted therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.

Antioxidant Effects of Elderberry Anthocyanins in Human Colon Carcinoma Cells: A Study on Structure-Activity Relationships.

SCOPE: Glycosylation is a way to increase structure-stability of anthocyanins, yet compromises their bioactivity. The study investigates the antioxidant activity of purified cyanidin (Cy)-based anthocyanins and respective degradation products in Caco-2 clone C2BBe1 aiming to identify structure-activity relationships. RESULTS AND METHODS: Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (Cy-3-glc) and cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside (Cy-3-sam) proved to be most potent regarding antioxidant properties and protection against hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS)-levels measured with the dichloro-fluorescein (DCF) assay. Cyanidin 3-O-sambubioside-5-O-glucoside (Cy-3-sam-5-glc) and cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside (Cy-3-rut) were less efficient and not protective, reflecting potential differences in uptake and/or degradation. Following ranking in antioxidant efficiency is suggested: (concentrations ≤10 × 10-6  M) Cy-3-glc ≥ Cy-3-sam > Cy-3-sam-5-glc ≈ Cy-3-rut ≈ Cy; (concentrations ≥50 × 10-6  M) Cy-3-glc ≈ Cy-3-sam ≥ Cy > Cy-3-sam-5-glc ≈ Cy-3-rut. Cy and protocatechuic acid (PCA) reduced ROS-levels as potent as the mono- and di-glycoside, whereas phloroglucinol aldehyde (PGA) displayed pro-oxidant properties. None of the degradation products protected from oxidative stress. Gene transcription analysis of catalase (CAT), superoxide-dismutase (SOD), glutathione-peroxidase (GPx), heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and glutamate-cysteine-ligase (γGCL) suggest no activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). CONCLUSION: More complex residues and numbers of sugar moieties appear to be counterproductive for antioxidant activity. Other mechanisms than Nrf2-activation should be considered for protective effects.

Application of Crude Pomace Powder of Chokeberry, Bilberry, and Elderberry as a Coloring Foodstuff.

Berry pomace, rich in polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, accumulates during the production of red juices. Pomace from chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa Michx.), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), and elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) represent good sources of coloring foodstuffs. Pomace powders (PP) were prepared by milling the seedless fractions of the three dried berry pomaces (50 °C, 8 h). Techno-functional properties of the powders such as particle size distribution, bulk density, sedimentation velocity, and swelling capacity were determined to evaluate the powders for possible food applications. Total anthocyanin content was quantified by UHPLC-DAD before and during a storage experiment to monitor the degradation of anthocyanins in the PP and in a yogurt model application. The high content of phenolic compounds and the still intact cell structure ensured high stability of anthocyanins over 28 days of storage. In the model application, color saturation was stable over the whole storage time of 14 days. Regarding the techno-functional properties, only a few differences between the three PP were observed. The particle size of elderberry PP was larger, resulting in lowest bulk density (0.45 g/mL), high cold-water solubility (16.42%), and a swelling capacity of 10.16 mL/g dw. Sedimentation velocity of the three PP was fast (0.02 mL/min) due to cluster formation of the particles caused by electrostatic and hydrophobic properties. Compared to other high-intensity coloring foodstuffs, the use of PP, showing acceptable color stability with potential health-promoting effects, represents a wide applicability in different food applications and especially in products with a longer shelf-life.

Leishmanicidal activities of biosynthesized BaCO3 (witherite) nanoparticles and their biocompatibility with macrophages.

The aim of this study was cost-effective and greener synthesis of barium carbonate (BaCO3 or witherite) nanoparticles with economic importance, and to evaluate their therapeutic potentials and biocompatibility with immune cells. Barium carbonate nanoparticles were biosynthesized using black elderberry extract in one step with non-toxic precursors and simple laboratory conditions; their morphologies and specific structures were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX). The therapeutic capabilities of these nanoparticles on the immune cells of murine macrophages J774 and promastigotes Leishmania tropica were evaluated. BaCO3 nanoparticles with IC50 = 46.6 µg/mL were more effective than negative control and glucantium (positive control) in reducing promastigotes (P < 0.01). Additionally, these nanoparticles with a high value of cytotoxicity concentration 50% (CC50) were less toxic to macrophage cells than glucantime; however, they were significantly different at high concentrations compared to the negative control.

Probiotic Yoghurts with Sea Buckthorn, Elderberry, and Sloe Fruit Purees.

Elderberries, sea buckthorn, and sloe berries are fruits of wild-grown bushes, valued in folk medicine for their health-promoting properties but still rarely applied in food. The aim of the present study was to produce probiotic yoghurts with a 10% addition of sweetened purees prepared from elderberries (EPY), sea buckthorn (SBPY), and sloe berries (SPY) and to assess their chemical composition, acidity, content of polyphenols and anthocyanins, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and antiradical power (ARP), level of starter microbiota, concentration of acetaldehyde and diacetyl, syneresis, instrumentally measured color and texture parameters, and sensory acceptance. The results were compared to those obtained for plain probiotic yoghurt (PPY) and the changes tracked during 1 month of cold storage at 2 week intervals. The addition of elderberry and sloe berries significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of probiotic yoghurts, probably due to a high content of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. However, anthocyanins were more stable in the EPY when compared to the SPY. All yoghurt treatments were characterized by good sensory quality and viability of starter microorganisms, including probiotic strains during cold storage. Elderberries promoted the evolution of diacetyl in yoghurts during storage and, together with sloe berries, produced increased syneresis and the greatest changes in color profile compared to PPY.

Fluorescent Products of Anthocyanidin and Anthocyanin Oxidation.

We found that the oxidation of cyanidin with hydrogen peroxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine), 3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride, sodium hypochlorite, Fe3+, and Fe2+ induced the appearance of a new fluorescence band, centered at 525-540 nm when excited at 470-490 nm. The intensity of this fluorescence was related to the oxidant concentration. The same fluorescence was induced by the oxidation of other anthocyanidins, an anthocyanin (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside) as well as anthocyanin-rich red cabbage extract, and blackcurrant and elderberry juices. Peroxidized blood plasma also induced the appearance of cyanidin fluorescence. We also showed that the formation of the fluorescent product of pelargonidin can be observed in a culture of the MRC-5 human fetal lung fibroblast cell line and the DU-145 human prostate carcinoma cell line. Our results suggest that this new anthocyanidin/anthocyanin fluorescence may be an indicator of oxidation, especially of food products, where these compounds are present or added as colorants, and can also be useful to detect oxidation in biomedical experiments.

Seven recommendations to rescue the patients and reduce the mortality from COVID-19 infection: An immunological point of view.

Now COVID-19 is causing a severe public health emergency and the mortality is rapidly increasing all over the world. In the current pandemic era, although there have been many efforts to diagnose a number of patients with symptoms or close contacts, there is no definite guideline for the initial therapeutic approach for them and therefore, many patients have been dying due to a hyperinflammatory immunological reaction labeled as "cytokine storm". Severe patients are hospitalized and the treatment is done, though they have not been established yet. Currently, however, no treatment is provided for those who are isolated at home or shelter until they get severe symptoms, which will increase the harms to the patients. In this review, we discuss some important points dedicated to the management of patients with COVID-19, which should help reducing morbidity and mortality. In this era, we suggest 7 recommendations to rescue the patients and to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 based on the immunological point of view.

A Green Extraction Process for Polyphenols from Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) Flowers Using Deep Eutectic Solvent and Ultrasound-Assisted Pretreatment.

Sambucus nigra flowers, known as elderberry flowers (EBF), are a plant tissue rich in polyphenolic phytochemicals with important bioactivities. However, there are few studies dealing with the production of polyphenol-containing EBF extracts. The objective of the investigation presented herein was the development of a high-performance green extraction methodology, to generate EBF extracts enriched in polyphenolic substances, using an efficient deep eutectic solvent, combined with ultrasonication pretreatment. The DES was composed of L-lactic acid (hydrogen bond donor-HBD) and glycine (hydrogen bond acceptor-HBA) and, after an initial screening to properly regulate HBD/HBA ratio, the extraction was optimized by deploying response surface methodology. Under the optimized conditions, which were DES/water (85% w/v), liquid-to-solid ratio 60 mL g-1, and stirring speed 200 rounds per minute, the extraction yield in total polyphenols amounted to 121.24 ± 8.77 mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry matter. The integration of ultrasonication prior to the batch stirred-tank extraction boosted polyphenol recovery of up to 174.73 ± 2.62 mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry matter. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the richest EBF extract obtained was dominated by rutin, a di-p-coumaroylquic acid and chlorogenic acid.

Effect of harvesting year and elderberry cultivar on the chemical composition and potential bioactivity: A three-year study.

Sambucus nigra is one of the richest sources of anthocyanins and other polyphenols being used industrially as a source of antioxidants, colorants, and bioactives. Although cultivars can influence elderberry composition, no study has addressed the effect of harvesting year on elderberries composition and bioactivity. The composition of the main Portuguese cultivars, "Sabugueiro", "Sabugueira" and "Bastardeira", were evaluated during three consecutive years. Harvesting year had a stronger influence on the chemical composition than cultivars, including total sugars, anthocyanins, and phenolic compounds, being related to the different climatic conditions, especially water status. "Bastardeira" was the best cultivar concerning total soluble solids, anthocyanins, polyphenols, and antioxidant activity, but containing a lower total free sugar content compared to "Sabugueiro". The results obtained in this study provide novel information from a nutritional perspective and for breeding programs aiming to select cultivars with enhanced levels of health-promoting compounds or for other industrial applications of elderberries.

Structural characterisation and immunomodulatory activity of a neutral polysaccharide from Sambucus adnata Wall.

A neutral polysaccharide, SPW-2, was purified from the leaves of Sambucus adnata Wall. using water extraction and alcohol precipitation, Sevage deproteination, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. This molecule had an average molecular weight of 7040 Da and was composed of arabinose, xylose, mannose, glucose and galactose at a molar ratio of 1.5:0.5:1.2:5.0:1.8. The repetitive structural units of SPW-2 were deduced using methylation analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (one- and two-dimensional) spectroscopy. In vitro immunological activity test showed that SPW-2 could induce the secretion of nitric oxide, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and increase the mRNA expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α in macrophages. The data supported the notion that SPW-2 exerts an immunomodulatory effect by activating macrophages and enhancing the host immune system function, which enabled it to be used as a novel immunomodulator for application in the treatment of immunological diseases.

Antiviral activity of Sambucus FormosanaNakai ethanol extract and related phenolic acid constituents against human coronavirus NL63.

Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63), one of the main circulating HCoVs worldwide, causes respiratory tract illnesses like runny nose, cough, bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Recently, a severe respiratory illness outbreak of HCoV-NL63 has been reported in a long-term care facility. Sambucus FormosanaNakai, a species of elderberry, is a traditional medicinal herb with anti-inflammatory and antiviral potential. The study investigated the antiviral activity of Sambucus FormosanaNakai stem ethanol extract and some phenolic acid constituents against HCoV-NL63. The extract was less cytotoxic and concentration-dependently increased anti-HCoV-NL63 activities, including cytopathicity, sub-G1 fraction, virus yield (IC50 = 1.17 µg/ml), plaque formation (IC50 = 4.67 µg/ml) and virus attachment (IC50 = 15.75 µg/ml). Among the phenolic acid constituents in Sambucus FormosanaNakai extract, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and gallic acid sustained the anti-HCoV-NL63 activity that was ranked in the following order of virus yield reduction: caffeic acid (IC50 = 3.54 µM) > chlorogenic acid (IC50 = 43.45 µM) > coumaric acid (IC50 = 71.48 µM). Caffeic acid significantly inhibited the replication of HCoV-NL63 in a cell-type independent manner, and specifically blocked virus attachment (IC50 = 8.1 µM). Therefore, the results revealed that Sambucus Formosana Nakai stem ethanol extract displayed the strong anti-HCoV-NL63 potential; caffeic acid could be the vital component with anti-HCoV-NL63 activity. The finding could be helpful for developing antivirals against HCoV-NL63.

Sambucus ebulus extract stimulates cellular responses in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

This is the first study aiming to determine the therapeutic effects of the Sambucus ebulus aquatic extract as an antileishmanial herbal drug and evaluate the immune responses in Leishmania major major infected BALB/c mice. The antileishmanial activity of S ebulus aquatic extract was evaluated using MTT test as well as parasite rescue and transformation assay. Footpad swelling and parasite load of infected mice were measured by several techniques. The immune responses were evaluated by measuring the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, nitric oxide and arginase. The results indicated that S. ebulus can significantly decrease L. major promastigotes and amastigotes viability, but it was not toxic to macrophages. The lesion size, parasite burden and the level of ARG decreased in the treated infected mice, while the IFN-γ-to-IL-4 ratio and the level of NO increased significantly. Altogether, the S. ebulus extract is an effective compound for killing Leishmania parasite without excessive toxicity to the host cells and can cure the CL by switching the host immune responses towards Th1 response. Thus, it may be a perfect therapeutic option for CL treatment.

In vitro metabolism of elderberry juice polyphenols by lactic acid bacteria.

In this study, ten strains of Lactobacillus were used to assess the in vitro metabolism of elderberry juice polyphenols. Total polyphenolic compounds increased after starter addition, especially with three L. rhamnosus and one L. plantarum strains, of dairy origin: quercetin-3-O-rutinoside was the most abundant compound (from 39.02 ±â€¯5.28 to 127.56 ±â€¯11.34 µg/mL) and hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins reached the highest amounts. When L. plantarum were used phenyllactic acids presented a value of 7.05 ±â€¯2.38 µg/mL, while in the other samples it was around 5.56 ±â€¯1.65 µg/mL. Hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids were subjected to lactic acid bacteria metabolism: caffeic and protocatechuic acids were consumed during fermentation while dihydrocaffeic acid and catechol were produced. Anthocyanins increased in a strain-specific way. So, by this study we highlighted that dairy strains can produced (phenyllactic acids), modified (hydroxycinnamic acids) or increased (flavonols glycosides and anthocyanins) phenolic compounds.

A Comprehensive Study on the Biological Activity of Elderberry Extract and Cyanidin 3-O-Glucoside and Their Interactions with Membranes and Human Serum Albumin.

In our research we used the extract from dietary supplement of elderberry (EE) and its dominant anthocyanin-cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (Cy 3-gluc). By interacting with a model membrane that reflects the main lipid composition of tumor membranes, the extract components, including Cy 3-gluc, caused an increase in packing order, mainly in the hydrophilic region of the membrane. It can thus be stated that EE caused a rigidifying effect, which is fundamental for understanding its anticancer and antioxidant activity. This study represents the first attempt to unravel the mechanism of interaction of elderberry extract with membranes. The results of the interaction with human serum albumin (HSA) proved that the studied substance quenches the fluorescence of HSA through a static mechanism in which the main interaction forces are Van der Waals and hydrogen bonding. The antioxidant activity of EE and Cy 3-gluc on liposomal membranes, antiradical properties and ability to inhibited the activity of the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 were also demonstrated. Moreover, the anticancer activity of EE and Cy 3-gluc on human breast adenocarcinoma cell line were investigated. In addition, EE also exhibited the ability to form lipid aggregates in the form of liposomal capsules that can be applied as carriers of active biological substances, and the highest efficacy of EE encapsulation was obtained for multilayered liposome formulations.