Agave angustifolia Haw. Leaves as a Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds: Extraction Optimization and Extract Characterization.

The leaves of Agave angustifolia Haw. are the main agro-waste generated by the mezcal industry and are becoming an important source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, that could be used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, the extraction and identification of these phytochemicals would revalorize these leaf by-products. Herein, maceration and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extractions were optimized to maximize the phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant capacity of vegetal extracts of A. angustifolia Haw. In the maceration process, the optimal extraction condition was a water-ethanol mixture (63:37% v/v), which yielded a total phenolic and flavonoid content of 27.92 ± 0.90 mg EAG/g DL and 12.85 ± 0.53 µg QE/g DL, respectively, and an antioxidant capacity of 32.67 ± 0.91 (ABTS assay), 17.30 ± 0.36 (DPPH assay), and 13.92 ± 0.78 (FRAP assay) µM TE/g DL. Using supercritical extraction, the optimal conditions for polyphenol recovery were 60 °C, 320 bar, and 10% v/v. It was also observed that lower proportions of cosolvent decreased the polyphenol extraction more than pressure and temperature. In both optimized extracts, a total of 29 glycosylated flavonoid derivatives were identified using LC-ESI-QTof/MS. In addition, another eight novel compounds were identified in the supercritical extracts, showing the efficiency of the cosolvent for recovering new flavonoid derivatives.

Common beans as a source of food ingredients: Techno-functional and biological potential.

Common beans are an inexpensive source of high-quality food ingredients. They are rich in proteins, slowly digestible starch, fiber, phenolic compounds, and other bioactive molecules that could be separated and processed to obtain value-added ingredients with techno-functional and biological potential. The use of common beans in the food industry is a promising alternative to add nutritional and functional ingredients with a low impact on overall consumer acceptance. Researchers are evaluating traditional and novel technologies to develop functionally enhanced common bean ingredients, such as flours, proteins, starch powders, and phenolic extracts that could be introduced as functional ingredient alternatives in the food industry. This review compiles recent information on processing, techno-functional properties, food applications, and the biological potential of common bean ingredients. The evidence shows that incorporating an adequate proportion of common bean ingredients into regular foods such as pasta, bread, or nutritional bars improves their fiber, protein, phenolic compounds, and glycemic index profile without considerably affecting their organoleptic properties. Additionally, common bean consumption has shown health benefits in the gut microbiome, weight control, and the reduction of the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases. However, food matrix interaction studies and comprehensive clinical trials are needed to develop common bean ingredient applications and validate the health benefits over time.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenols in ultrasound-assisted extracts from salvilla (Buddleja scordioides Kunth).

Salvilla is a widely distributed plant used in treatments against gastrointestinal disorders due to its phenolic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Major yield and quality of bioactive polyphenols must be obtained with no degradation during suitable processes such as Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE), which allows an efficient extraction of metabolites at appropriate parameter conditions. Salvilla extractions were made using UAE and aqueous ethanolic solutions. Variables used in UAE were sonication time, wave amplitude and percentage of ethanol in solvent. Extracts were tested for total flavonoids, antioxidant activity (ABTS, FRAP and ORAC) and an identification and quantification of phenolic compounds was carried out by UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS. Once elected the better extraction conditions, an anti-inflammatory test was performed for this treatment. As a result, total flavonoids content in extracts was 147 to 288 µg catechin equivalents/mg of dry salvilla extract. All extracts have shown good antioxidant activity (86 to 280 mM Trolox eq/mg dry salvilla extract). Flavonoids contents by chromatography were higher than hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids specially the flavone, flavanol and flavanone groups. Treatment T6 (75% ethanol, 30% amplitude and 10 min extraction time) was the best extract in terms of significant flavonols, antioxidant activity, and higher anti-inflammatory potential.

Hunting Bioactive Molecules from the Agave Genus: An Update on Extraction and Biological Potential.

Agaves are plants used in the production of alcoholic beverages and fibers. Ever since ancient times, pre-Hispanic cultures in Mexico have used them in traditional medicine to cure different ailments. Over the years, studies of the active principles responsible for the therapeutic benefits of agaves have increased. Leaves and fibers are the main agro-wastes generated in tequila and mezcal production, while fibers are the main waste product in the textile sector. Different investigations have referred to the agro-waste from agave processing as a source of bioactive molecules called secondary metabolites (SM). Among them, phenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and saponins have been extracted, identified, and isolated from these plants. The role of these molecules in pest control and the prospect of metabolites with the biological potential to develop novel drugs for chronic and acute diseases represent new opportunities to add value to these agro-wastes. This review aims to update the biological activities and recent applications of the secondary metabolites of the genus Agave.

Clove Essential Oil (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): Extraction, Chemical Composition, Food Applications, and Essential Bioactivity for Human Health.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae) is an aromatic plant widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries, rich in volatile compounds and antioxidants such as eugenol, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. Clove essential oil has received considerable interest due to its wide application in the perfume, cosmetic, health, medical, flavoring, and food industries. Clove essential oil has biological activity relevant to human health, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and insecticidal activity. The impacts of the extraction method (hydrodistillation, steam distillation, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, cold pressing, and supercritical fluid extraction) on the concentration of the main volatile compounds in clove essential oil and organic clove extracts are shown. Eugenol is the major compound, accounting for at least 50%. The remaining 10-40% consists of eugenyl acetate, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. The main biological activities reported are summarized. Furthermore, the main applications in clove essential oil in the food industry are presented. This review presents new biological applications beneficial for human health, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anesthetic, antinociceptive, and anticancer activity. This review aims to describe the effects of different methods of extracting clove essential oil on its chemical composition and food applications and the biological activities of interest to human health.

Development of essential oil-based phyto-formulations to control the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus using a mixture design approach.

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is one of the most important ectoparasites for livestock in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. This tick economically impacts cattle production by reducing weight gain and milk production. Moreover, it is a vector of pathogens causing diseases such as babesiosis and anaplasmosis. Conventional tick control relies mainly on the use of chemical acaricides; however, their intensive use has led to the rapid appearance of resistant tick populations. It is therefore necessary to look for alternative tick control products. In that sense, plant extracts might represent a promising source of new acaricides. Previously, we reported a significant acaricide effect of essential oils from selected plant species. In the present study, we used a mixture design approach to develop phyto-formulations by combining individual essential oils. We produced several mixtures at 10% containing different proportions of individual essential oils (ranging from 0 to 1) from cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and allspice (Pimenta dioica) and tested their acaricidal activity against R. microplus ticks by means of larval packet test (LPT) and adult immersion test (AIT) assays. The optimal mixture predicted against R. microplus was composed of 66%, 17% and 17% of essential oils from C. zeylanicum, C. cyminum and P. dioica, respectively. We generated an estimated response surface contour plot that estimates 80%-100% acaricidal efficacy. In the optimal mixture 34 compounds were identified, which represent 98.65% of the total composition, with cinnamaldehyde (37.77%), ß-caryophyllene (13.92%), methyl eugenol (12.27%) and cuminaldehyde (8.99%) being the major components. Next, we developed emulsions by combining the optimal mixture with several surfactants and determined particle size, Zeta potential, stability and bioactivity. Emulsions containing 2% and 5% Tween 20 or Tween 80 remain stable after 14 days at 54 °C. Finally, optimized emulsion retained a high acaricidal activity against larval and adult R. microplus ticks. Taken together, our findings showed the usefulness of mixture design method for the development of essential oil mixtures with potent acaricidal activity. These formulations have the potential to successfully control tick infestations.

Artemisia dracunculus Extracts Obtained by Organic Solvents and Supercritical CO2 Produce Cytotoxic and Antitumor Effects in Mice with L5178Y Lymphoma.

We investigated the cytotoxic and antitumor effects of nine leaf extracts from Artemisia dracunculus (Tarragon). Five extracts were obtained using different organic solvents and four by supercritical CO2. The cytotoxic effects were expressed as IC50 in 100, 80, 80, 100, and 80 µg/mL by respective solvents: hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, and acetonitrile in L5178Y lymphoma cells. For supercritical CO2 extract A, IC50 was 100 µg/mL; for extracts C and D, IC50 was 150 µg/mL. The antitumor activity was assessed through a tumor growth inhibition test that measured ascites fluid volume and tumor cell counts of BALB/c mice (2 × 104 cells L5178Y i.p.). Twenty-four hours after inoculation, mice were treated with 100 mg/kg of acetonitrile extract or extract SF-A daily for 15 days in independent groups of five mice, using two administration routes. We observed tumor evolution with and without treatment. Without treatment, tumor evolution was 17,969 × 106 ± 5485 L5178Y cells in 2.6 mL ascites volume, whereas the orally treated acetonitrile extract group showed 0.1 × 106 ± 0.07 L5178Y cells (P < .05). The oral SF-A group showed 12.9 × 106 ± 243 L5178Y cells, and intraperitoneal (i.p.)-treated SF-A group showed 0.1 × 106 ± 0.05 L5178Y cells (P < .05) without any ascites volume development. The acetonitrile extract contains abundant polyphenols and possibly a flavone with antioxidant activity. The SF-A contains abundant alkamides. Both extracts are complexes and the identity of the compounds responsible for observed antitumor activity remains unknown.

Acaricidal effect and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from Cuminum cyminum, Pimenta dioica and Ocimum basilicum against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

Acaricidal activity of essential oils extracted from cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), allspice berries (Pimenta dioica) and basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) were tested on 10-day-old Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick larvae using the LPT. Two-fold dilutions of the three essential oils were tested from a starting dilution of 20% down to 1.25%. Results showed a high toxicological effect for cumin, producing 100% mortality in all tested concentrations on R. microplus larvae. Similarly, allspice essential oil produced 100% mortality at all concentrations with the exception of a dramatic decrease at 1.25% concentration. Conversely, basil essential oil was not shown to be toxic against R. microplus larvae. The most common compounds detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were as follows: cumin: cuminaldehyde (22.03%), γ-terpinene (15.69%) and 2-caren-10-al (12.89%); allspice: methyl eugenol (62.7%) and eugenol (8.3%); basil: linalool (30.61%) and estragole (20.04%). Results clearly indicate that C. cyminum and P. dioica essential oils can be used as an effective alternative for R. microplus tick control, and there is a high probability they can be used for other ticks affecting cattle in Mexico and throughout the world, thereby reducing the necessity for traditional and unfriendly synthetic acaricides.