Functional, Chemical, and Phytotoxic Characteristics of Cestrum parqui L'Herit: An Overview.

Cestrum parqui L'Herit. (Solanaceae family) is a species of forest shrub, self-incompatible and specialized in pollination, widespread in the subtropical area of the planet, and now widely distributed also in the Mediterranean area. The constituents of its leaves have antimicrobial, anticancer, insecticidal, antifeedant, molluscicidal, and herbicidal properties. The spread of this species represents a valuable source of compounds with high biological value. Various research groups are engaged in defining the chemical composition of the different parts of the plant and in defining its properties in view of important and promising commercial applications. To date, there are only a few incomplete reports on the potential applications of C. parqui extracts as selective natural pesticides and on their potential phytotoxic role. Scientific knowledge and the use of extraction techniques for these components are essential for commercial applications. This article summarizes the research and recent studies available on the botany, phytochemistry, functional properties, and commercial applications of C. parqui.

Chemical, Functional, and Technological Features of Grains, Brans, and Semolina from Purple and Red Durum Wheat Landraces.

A main reason of the increasing interest in cereal landraces is their potential to offer more diversified and functional staple food. For instance, landraces are an underexploited resource of pigmented varieties, appreciated for the high accumulation of phytochemicals with known health benefits. This study characterized the chemical, functional, and technological features of the bran, semolina, and grains of two durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum, Desf.) landraces, named 'Purple' and 'Red' for their grain color, collected in Ethiopia and grown and sold in southern Italy as a niche product. Specifically, we analyzed the protein content, dry gluten, ash, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and specific phenolic acids. We also evaluated the antioxidant activity using DPPH- and ABTS-based methods. The two landraces had positive nutritional features, such as a high protein content, a rich and composite range of secondary metabolites (which include specific phenolic acids and anthocyanins), and antioxidant activities in all the fractions analyzed. The germplasm under investigation therefore has a well-justified potential to yield functional products and to diversify durum wheat-based foods.

Silymarin from Silybum marianum by Naviglio's extractor: a new and very efficient approach.

The aim of this work is to compare new and traditional extraction methods to obtain silymarin from Silybum marianum, a biennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, present throughout the Mediterranean basin and used to treat several diseases. Silymarin primarily contains flavonolignans and flavonoids and is used in some pharmaceutical preparations to improve of liver function and as a protective against some hepatotoxins. In six extracts obtained by new and traditional extraction methods, the total contents of silymarin and its main flavonolignans, total phenols and condensed tannins were evaluated in addition to their respective antioxidant capacities. By the Naviglio extractor, that is a rapid solid-liquid dynamic extraction method, it is possible to obtain a fraction quantitatively more abundant than other methods, and with a lower content of tannins and phenolic compounds but with a higher content of flavonolignans, rare and expensive, and therefore easier to separate and purify.

Effects of Dried Blood Spot Storage on Lipidomic Analysis.

During the lipidomic analysis of red blood cell membranes, the distribution and percentage ratios of the fatty acids are measured. Since fatty acids are the key constituents of cell membranes, by evaluating their quantities it possible to understand the general health of the cells and to obtain health indicators of the whole organism. However, because the analysis is precise, it is necessary to ensure that the blood does not undergo significant variations between the point of collection and analysis. The composition of the blood may vary dramatically weeks after collection, hence, here an attempt is made to stabilize these complex matrixes using antioxidants deposited on the paper cards on which the blood itself is deposited.

Bioactive Compounds of Aristotelia chilensis Stuntz and their Pharmacological Effects.

Aristotelia chilensis ([Molina], Stuntz) a member of the family Eleocarpaceae, is a plant native to Chile that is distributed in tropical and temperate Asia, Australia, the Pacific Area, and South America. The juice of its berries has important medicinal properties, as an astringent, tonic, and antidiarrhoeal. Its many qualities make the maqui berry the undisputed sovereign of the family of so-called "superfruits", as well as a valuable tool to combat cellular inflammation of bones and joints. Recently, it is discovered that the leaves of the maqui berry have important antibacterial and antitumour activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the traditional use, phytochemistry, and biological activity of A. chilensis using information collected from scientific journals, books, and electronic searches. Anthocyanins, other flavonoids, alkaloids, cinnamic acid derivatives, benzoic acid derivatives, other bioactive molecules, and mineral elements are summarized. A broad range of activities of plant extracts and fractions are presented, including antioxidant activity, inhibition of visible light-induced damage of photoreceptor cells, inhibition of α-glucosidase, inhibition of pancreatic lipase, anti-diabetic effects, anti-inflammatory effects, analgesic effects, anti-diabetes, effective prevention of atherosclerosis, promotion of hair growth, anti-photo ageing of the skin, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Although some ethnobotanical uses have been supported in in vitro experiments, further studies of the individual compounds or chemical classes of compounds responsible for the pharmacological effects and the mechanisms of action are necessary. In addition, the toxicity and the side effects from the use of A. chilensis, as well as clinical trials, require attention.

Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., an Indian medicinal herb: traditional uses, chemical composition, and biological activity.

Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. is one of the most important medicinal plants that grows in tropical forests in India and South East Asia. Its active ingredients and extracts of leaves and roots are used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments and they are present in the market for pharmaceutical and parapharmaceutical products. Commercial products based on substances of plant origin that are generally connoted as natural have to be subjected to monitoring and evaluation by health authorities for their potential impacts on public health. The monitoring and evaluation of these products are critical because the boundary between a therapeutic action and a functional or healthy activity has not yet been defined in a clear and unambiguous way. Therefore, these products are considered borderline products, and they require careful and rigorous studies, in order to use them as complement and/or even replacement of synthetic drugs that are characterized by side effects and high economic costs. This review explores the traditional uses, chemical composition and biological activity of G. sylvestre extracts, providing a general framework on the most interesting extracts and what are the necessary studies for a complete definition of the range of activities.

History of gymnemic acid, a molecule that does not exist. .

In the literature there are hundreds of articles, the first dating back to 1866 and the last to 2014, on gymnemic acid, isolated from Gymnnema sylvestre, from its isolation to the determination of its biological activities. Gymnemic acid has a CAS number but its structure is not specified. Studies during the second half of the 1970s clearly demonstrated that what was being referred to as gymnemic acid is actually a very complex mixture of dozens of substances, belonging to different classes of natural compounds. This plant, whose infusions or complex mixtures of its metabolites are the basis for many formulas sold in pharmacies and by herbalists, has anti-diabetic and slimming effects. It is certainly misleading to talk about gymnemic acid as a specific molecule. There may be doubts about the exact composition of the products, and consequently about their origin and the claimed effects.

A rapid and simple chromatographic separation of diastereomers of silibinin and their oxidation to produce 2,3-dehydrosilybin enantiomers in an optically pure form.

Silybin A and B were separated from commercial silibinin using the preparative HPLC method. The described method is rapid and effective in obtaining gram-scale amounts of two diastereoisomers with minimal effort. In our approach, silibinin was dissolved in THF (solubility greater than 100 mg/mL), an alternative solvent to H2O or MeOH in which silibinin has a very low solubility (ca 0.05-1.5 mg/mL), and then separated into its two components using preparative RP-HPLC. By starting with purified diastereoisomers, it was possible to obtain the two enantiomers of 2,3-dehydrosilybin in good yields and optically pure using an efficient oxidation procedure. All of the purified products were fully characterised using NMR (¹H, ¹³C), CD, [α](D), and ESI MS analyses. The purities of the products, which were evaluated using analytical HPLC, were greater than 98% in all cases.

Isolation and phytotoxicity of apocarotenoids from Chenopodium album.

Two new compounds (1, 2) and 16 apocarotenoids (3-18) were isolated from the weed Chenopodium album. The structures of new apocarotenoids were determined to be (3R,6R,7E,9E,11E)-3-hydroxy-13-apo-alpha-caroten-13-one (1) and (6S,7E,9E,11E)-3-oxo-13-apo-alpha-caroten-13-one (2) by spectroscopic, NMR, and MS analysis. Five of the known compounds (5, 6, 13, 15, and 17) were previously reported only as synthetic compounds. Effects of these compounds on germination and growth of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) were studied in the 10(-4)-10(-7) M concentration range.

Cinnamic acid amides from Chenopodium album: effects on seeds germination and plant growth.

Seven cinnamic acid amides have been isolated from Chenopodium album. The structures have been attributed by means of their spectral data. One of them, N-trans-4-O-methylferuloyl 4'-O-methyldopamine, is described for the first time. Their effects on germination and growth of dicotyledons Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce) and Lycopersicon esculentum L. (tomato) and of monocotyledon Allium cepa L. (onion) as standard target species have been studied in the range concentration 10(-4)-10(-7) M.