Innovative multiple nanoemulsion (W/O/W) based on Chilean honeybee pollen improves their permeability, antioxidant and antibacterial activity.

Beehive derivatives, including honeybee pollen (HBP), have been extensively studied for their beneficial health properties and potential therapeutic use. Its high polyphenol content gives it excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Today its use is limited due to poor organoleptic properties, low solubility, stability, and permeability under physiological conditions. A novel edible multiple W/O/W nanoemulsion (BP-MNE) to encapsulate the HBP extract was designed and optimized to overcome these limitations. The new BP-MNE has a small size (∼100 nm), a zeta potential greater than +30 mV, and efficiently encapsulated phenolic compounds (∼82%). BP-MNE stability was measured under simulated physiological conditions and storage conditions (4 months); in both cases, stability was promoted. The formulation's antioxidant and antibacterial (Streptococcus pyogenes) activity was analyzed, obtaining a higher effect than the non-encapsulated compounds in both cases. In vitro permeability was tested, observing a high permeability of the phenolic compounds when they are nanoencapsulated. With these results, we propose our BP-MNE as an innovative solution to encapsulate complex matrices, such as HBP extract, as a platform to develop functional foods.

Certificación del origen botánico de miel y polen corbicular pertenecientes a la comuna de Litueche, IV Región de Chile / Certification of the botanical origin of honey and corbicular pollen belonging to the commune of Litueche, IV Region of Chile

The objective of this study was to certify and register the botanical origin of honey and corbicular pollen from beehives located at the community of Litueche. For this purpose, a survey of vegetation was conducted within a radio of 2 km from the beehives. The results show that from a total of 120 species found, 59 were native, and the most representative families are Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Papilionaceae. Most of the species present some medicinal uses, and are actually used or have a potential use. In general, they do not present conservation problems. In order to analyze the honey samples, the quantification of pollen grains and the Analysis of Proportions allowed us to determine their frequency and their relative importance. All the study samples presented less than 50% of pollen grains of single species, so they were classified as multifloral honeys. Species that appeared with significant importance are Retanilla trinervis, Lotus uliginosus, Rubus ulmifolius and Quillaja saponaria. The corbicular pollen samples were different in the different beehives analyzed. The results show that not all the species flowering at the same time in the area, were selected by the honeybees as nectar and pollen sources.

Iridoids from Stachys grandidentata (Labiatae).

Monomelittoside, melittoside, 8-acetyl-harpagide, harpagide, ajugol, 5-desoxy-harpagide, 5-desoxy-8-acetylharpagide and catalpol were isolated from the aerial parts of S. grandidentata.

Propolis from Chilean matorral hives.

Viscidone (0.5%), vanillin, 3',4'-(methylendioxy)acetophenone, 3-ethoxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde, cinnamic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymethyl ester were isolated from propolis of hives from Cuncumen. This is the first report on propolis composition of an arid and a Mediterranean type climate area.

Phytochemical, morphological, and biological investigations of propolis from Central Chile.

Propolis from central Chile was investigated for its plant origin by microscopical analysis of pollen grains and leaf fragments found in the sample. The pollen grains that appear with significant higher frequency in the sample corresponded to four native and two introduced species, whereas leaf fragments corresponded to four native species. Seventeen phenolic compounds that belong to the phenylpropane, benzaldehyde, dihydrobenzofuran, or benzopyran classes, were isolated from an organic extract that was found to have a moderate growth inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium avium, M. tuberculosis, and two strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The components responsible for activity were determined.

Pentacyclic triterpenes from Chuquiraga ulicina.

Four taraxastane triterpenes, 3 beta-acetoxy-6 beta-hydroxytaraxasta-20-ene, 6 beta-hydroxytaraxasta-20-en-3-one, 6 beta-hydroxytaraxasta-20-ene 3 beta-palmitate and 3 beta,6 beta-dihydroxytaraxasta-20-ene were isolated from the dichloromethane-methanol extract of Chuquiraga ulicina ssp. ulicina together with the known triterpenes lupeol, lupenyl acetate, lupenone, friedelinol, 3 beta-acetoxy-30-nor-lupan-20-one, and 30-nor-lupan-3 beta-ol-20-one.

Flavonoids and terpenoids from Luma gayana (Barn.) Burret.

The flavonoids 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone, 6,8-dimethyl-5,7-dihydroxyflavanone and 2',4'-dihydroxy-6'-methoxy-3',5'-dimethylchalcone, a mixture of alkyl esters of p-coumaric acid, the triterpenoids oleanolic acid and maslinic acid, the monoterpenoid 1 alpha,2 beta,4 beta-trihydroxy-p-menthane, the sesquiterpenoid clovandiol and beta-sitosterol were isolated from the aerial parts of Luma gayana (Barn.) Burret. This is the first report on the chemistry of this species.

Antitubercular activity of pentacyclic triterpenoids from plants of Argentina and Chile.

Screening of plants from South America for antitubercular activity and subsequent assay-guided fractionation resulted in the isolation and characterization of several pentacyclic triterpenoids. The MIC values of 22 triterpenoids were determined using the radiorespiratory BACTEC assay and range from 8 microM to above 128 microM. The structure-activity relationships are discussed.

A new antitubercular mulinane diterpenoid from Azorella madreporica Clos.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the petroleum ether extract of Azorella madreporica Clos has led to the isolation of the novel, antitubercular mulinane diterpenoid 1. The structure has been elucidated on the basis of its 1D and 2D NMR spectra and by comparison with mulinolic acid 2 and a dehydration product 3 obtained from 1. The MIC of 1 for growth inhibition of the H37Rv strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was determined as 20 microg/mL. LC-MS and NMR have suggested the presence of this new compound in four other species of Azorella.

Triterpenoids from Acaena pinnatifida R. et P.

Eight urs-12-ene triterpenoids, beta-sitosterol, (+)-catechin, and apigenin 7-O-glucoside were isolated from the leaves of Acaena pinnatifida R. et P. The triterpenoids were characterized as pomolic acid, pomolic acid-3-acetate, tormentic acid, 2-epi-tormentic acid, euscaphic acid, tormentic acid glucoside, niga-ichigoside F1, and niga-ichigoside F2.

[Bioessay with brine Artemia to predict antibacterial and pharmacologic activity]. / Bioensayo con Artemia salina para predecir la actividad antibacteriana y farmacológica.

The Brine Shrimp Test (BST) is a simple and inexpensive method to test cytotoxity, to biodirect phytochemical fractionation of natural products and as a predictor for antitumor and pesticidal activity. In this work, the BST test, an antibacterial test and the rat hippocratic screening test were used on 25 plant extracts and fractions, to evaluate the correlation, if any, between the BST and the others. Preliminary results show that the BST is not a predictor of antibacterial activity nor the hippocratic screening test.

Bioensayo con Artemia salina para predecir la actividad antibacteriana y farmacológica / Bioessay with brine Artemia to predict antibacterial and pharmacologic activity

The Brine Shrimp Test (BST) is a simple and inexpensive method to test cytotoxity, to biodirect phytochemical fractionation of natural products and as a predictor for antitumor and pesticidal activity. In this work, the BST test, an antibacterial test and the rat hippocratic screening test were used on 25 plant extracts and fractions, to evaluate the correlation, if any, between the BST and the others. Preliminary results show that the BST is not a predictor of antibacterial activity nor the hippocratic screening test