Immunometabolism Modulation by Extracts from Pistachio Stalks Formulated in Phospholipid Vesicles.

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of plant extracts against various diseases, especially skin disorders; namely, they exhibit overall protective effects. The Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is known for having bioactive compounds that can effectively contribute to a person's healthy status. However, these benefits may be limited by the toxicity and low bioavailability often inherent in bioactive compounds. To overcome these problems, delivery systems, such as phospholipid vesicles, can be employed. In this study, an essential oil and a hydrolate were produced from P. vera stalks, which are usually discarded as waste. The extracts were characterized by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and formulated in phospholipid vesicles intended for skin application. Liposomes and transfersomes showed small size (<100 nm), negative charge (approximately -15 mV), and a longer storage stability for the latter. The entrapment efficiency was determined via the quantification of the major compounds identified in the extracts and was >80%. The immune-modulating activity of the extracts was assayed in macrophage cell cultures. Most interestingly, the formulation in transfersomes abolished the cytotoxicity of the essential oil while increasing its ability to inhibit inflammatory mediators via the immunometabolic citrate pathway.

Pistacia lentiscus Hydrosol: Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis and Anti-Inflammatory Activity Mediated by NF-κB and the Citrate Pathway.

Pistacia lentiscus shows a long range of biological activities, and it has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of various kinds of diseases. Moreover, related essential oil keeps important health-promoting properties. However, less is known about P. lentiscus hydrosol, a main by-product of essential oil production, usually used for steam distillation itself or discarded. In this work, by using ultra-high-resolution ESI(+)-FT-ICR mass spectrometry, a direct identification of four main classes of metabolites of P. lentiscus hydrosol (i.e., terpenes, amino acids, peptides, and condensed heterocycles) was obtained. Remarkably, P. lentiscus hydrosol exhibited an anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing the secretion of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) activated primary human monocytes. In LPS-triggered U937 cells, it inhibited NF-κB, a key transcription factor in inflammatory cascade, regulating the expression of both the mitochondrial citrate carrier and the ATP citrate lyase genes. These two main components of the citrate pathway were downregulated by P. lentiscus hydrosol. Therefore, the levels of ROS, NO, and PGE2, the inflammatory mediators downstream the citrate pathway, were reduced. Results shed light on metabolic profile and anti-inflammatory properties of P. lentiscus hydrosol, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent.