Traceability of Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller by ICP-MS multi-element profile and chemometric approach.

BACKGROUND: Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller fruits, particularly 'Ficodindia dell'Etna' of Biancavilla (POD), 'Fico d'india tradizionale di Roccapalumba' with protected brand and samples from an experimental field in Pezzolo (Sicily) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in order to determine the multi-element profile. A multivariate chemometric approach, specifically principal component analysis (PCA), was applied to individuate how mineral elements may represent a marker of geographic origin, which would be useful for traceability. RESULTS: PCA has allowed us to verify that the geographical origin of prickly pear fruits is significantly influenced by trace element content, and the results found in Biancavilla PDO samples were linked to the geological composition of this volcanic areas. It was observed that two principal components accounted for 72.03% of the total variance in the data and, in more detail, PC1 explains 45.51% and PC2 26.52%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that PCA is an integrated tool for the traceability of food products and, at the same time, a useful method of authentication of typical local fruits such as prickly pear. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Feijoa sellowiana Berg fruit juice: anti-inflammatory effect and activity on superoxide anion generation.

Feijoa sellowiana Berg var. coolidge fruit juice was studied in vivo for the anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenin-induced paw edema test and in vitro for the effects on superoxide anion release from neutrophils in human whole blood. The fruit juice was analyzed by the high-performance liquid chromatography method, and quercetin, ellagic acid, catechin, rutin, eriodictyol, gallic acid, pyrocatechol, syringic acid, and eriocitrin were identified. The results showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity of F. sellowiana fruit juice, sustained also by an effective antioxidant activity observed in preliminary studies on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. In particular, the anti-inflammatory activity edema inhibition is significant since the first hour (44.11%) and persists until the fifth hour (44.12%) of the treatment. The effect on superoxide anion release was studied in human whole blood, in the presence of activators affecting neutrophils by different mechanisms. The juice showed an inhibiting response on neutrophils basal activity in all experimental conditions. In stimulated neutrophils, the higher inhibition of superoxide anion generation was observed at concentration of 10(-4) and 10(-2) mg/mL in whole blood stimulate with phorbol-myristate-13-acetate (PMA; 20% and 40%) and with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP; 15% and 48%). The significant reduction of edema and the inhibition of O2(-) production, occurring mainly through interaction with protein-kinase C pathway, confirm the anti-inflammatory effect of F. sellowiana fruit juice.

Influence of levetiracetam on the anticonvulsant efficacy of conventional antiepileptic drugs against audiogenic seizures in DBA/2 mice.

Levetiracetam (LEV, [S]-alpha-ethyl-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine acetamide) is a new antiepileptic that has been used as adjunctive therapy to treat patients with intractable epilepsy. Systemic administration of levetiracetam (2.5-30 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) was able to produce a dose-dependent decrease in DBA/2 audiogenic seizure severity score. In combination with conventional antiepileptic drugs, levetiracetam, 5mg/kg, i.p., which per se did not significantly affect the occurrence of audiogenic seizures in DBA/2 mice, potentiated the anticonvulsant activity of some antiepileptic drugs studied against sound-induced seizures in DBA/2 mice. The degree of potentiation induced by levetiracetam was greater, approximately twice, for carbamazepine, diazepam, felbamate, topiramate, gabapentin, and valproate, less for lamotrigine, phenobarbital and phenytoin. This increase was associated with a comparable impairment in motor activity; however, the therapeutic index of combined treatment of antiepileptic drugs with levetiracetam was more favourable than the combination with saline with the exception of lamotrigine, phenytoin and phenobarbital. Since levetiracetam did not significantly influence the total and free plasma and the brain levels of antiepileptics studied. In addition, levetiracetam did not significantly affect the hypothermic effects of the anticonvulsants tested. In conclusion, levetiracetam showed an additive anticonvulsant effect when administered in combination with some classical anticonvulsants, most notably carbamazepine, diazepam, felbamate, gabapentin, topiramate and valproate, implicating a possible therapeutic relevance of such drug combinations.