The Different Phytochemical Profiles of Salvia officinalis Dietary Supplements Labelled for Menopause Symptoms.

Phytochemical screening of four commercial products containing Salvia officinalis was carried out. Total phenolic content was estimated spectrophotometrically through the use of the Folin-Ciocalteau method, flavonoid content was measured through the use of aluminum chloride and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine colorimetric assays, and isoflavones and α/ß-thujones were analyzed through the use of high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) and the gas chromatographic method. The analyses revealed the absence of thujones and isoflavones (i.e., genistin, genistein, and daidzein) in all four different extracts. The content of polyphenolic compounds varied among the samples, with the extract T being richer in both polyphenols and flavonoids than the other products by 1.8-3.2 and 1.4-4.0 times, respectively (p-value < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of quality control in salvia-based products since a thujone-free extract rich in polyphenols and flavonoids could be a good candidate for further preclinical and clinical studies to identify an effective herbal approach suitable for the long-term therapy of menopausal symptoms.

Protective Strategies of Haberlea rhodopensis for Acquisition of Freezing Tolerance: Interaction between Dehydration and Low Temperature.

Resurrection plants are able to deal with complete dehydration of their leaves and then recover normal metabolic activity after rehydration. Only a few resurrection species are exposed to freezing temperatures in their natural environments, making them interesting models to study the key metabolic adjustments of freezing tolerances. Here, we investigate the effect of cold and freezing temperatures on physiological and biochemical changes in the leaves of Haberlea rhodopensis under natural and controlled environmental conditions. Our data shows that leaf water content affects its thermodynamical properties during vitrification under low temperatures. The changes in membrane lipid composition, accumulation of sugars, and synthesis of stress-induced proteins were significantly activated during the adaptation of H. rhodopensis to both cold and freezing temperatures. In particular, the freezing tolerance of H. rhodopensis relies on a sucrose/hexoses ratio in favor of hexoses during cold acclimation, while there is a shift in favor of sucrose upon exposure to freezing temperatures, especially evident when leaf desiccation is relevant. This pattern was paralleled by an elevated ratio of unsaturated/saturated fatty acids and significant quantitative and compositional changes in stress-induced proteins, namely dehydrins and early light-induced proteins (ELIPs). Taken together, our data indicate that common responses of H. rhodopensis plants to low temperature and desiccation involve the accumulation of sugars and upregulation of dehydrins/ELIP protein expression. Further studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying freezing tolerance (genes and genetic regulatory mechanisms) may help breeders to improve the resistance of crop plants.

Silk fibroin film from golden-yellow Bombyx mori is a biocomposite that contains lutein and promotes axonal growth of primary neurons.

The use of doped silk fibroin (SF) films and substrates from Bombyx mori cocoons for green nanotechnology and biomedical applications has been recently highlighted. Cocoons from coloured strains of B. mori, such as Golden-Yellow, contain high levels of pigments that could have a huge potential for the fabrication of SF based biomaterials targeted to photonics, optoelectronics and neuroregenerative medicine. However, the features of extracted and regenerated SF from cocoons of B. mori Golden-Yellow strain have never been reported. Here we provide a chemophysical characterization of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fibers, solution, and films obtained from cocoons of a Golden-Yellow strain of B. mori, by SEM, (1) H-NMR, HPLC, FT-IR, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy. We found that the extracted solution and films from B. mori Golden-Yellow fibroin displayed typical Raman spectroscopic and optical features of carotenoids. HPLC-analyses revealed that lutein was the carotenoid contained in the fiber and RSF biopolymer from yellow cocoons. Notably, primary neurons cultured on yellow SF displayed a threefold higher neurite length than those grown of white SF films. The results we report pave the way to expand the potential use of yellow SF in the field of neuroregenerative medicine and provide green chemistry approaches in biomedicine.

ABA and GA3 increase carbon allocation in different organs of grapevine plants by inducing accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates in leaves, enhancement of phloem area and expression of sugar transporters.

Grape quality for winemaking depends on sugar accumulation and metabolism in berries. Abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GAs) have been reported to control sugar allocation in economically important crops, although the mechanisms involved are still unknown. The present study tested if ABA and gibberellin A3 (GA3) enhance carbon allocation in fruits of grapevines by modifying phloem loading, phloem area and expression of sugar transporters in leaves and berries. Pot-grown Vitis vinifera cv. Malbec plants were sprayed with ABA and GA3 solutions. The amount of soluble sugars in leaves and berries related to photosynthesis were examined at three points of berry growth: pre-veraison, full veraison and post-veraison. Starch levels and amylase activity in leaves, gene expression of sugar transporters in leaves and berries and phloem anatomy were examined at full veraison. Accumulation of glucose and fructose in berries was hastened in ABA-treated plants at the stage of full veraison, which was correlated with enhancement of Vitis vinifera HEXOSE TRANSPORTER 2 (VvHT2) and Vitis vinifera HEXOSE TRANSPORTER 6 (VvHT6) gene expression, increases of phloem area and sucrose content in leaves. On the other hand, GA3 increased the quantity of photoassimilates delivered to the stem thus increasing xylem growth. In conclusion, stimulation of sugar transport by ABA and GA3 to berries and stems, respectively, was due to build-up of non-structural carbohydrates in leaves, modifications in phloem tissue and modulation in gene expression of sugar transporters.

Effect of Duration of Olive Storage on Chemical and Sensory Quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oils.

This work considered the influence of the duration of olive storage on the chemical and sensory properties of extra virgin olive oil. In total, 228 batches of olives collected during three successive crop seasons were sampled in seven industrial mills; information about olive batches (variety, harvest date) was collected, together with the produced oils. Four classes of storage times were considered: ≤24 h, 2-3 days, 4-6 days, ≥7 days. The oils' quality parameters free acidity, peroxide number and K232 increased significantly as storage duration increased, while phenolic content decreased significantly, with a resulting effect on oil stability. The fatty acid composition was not affected by the olive storage period, while α-tocopherol, lutein and ß-carotene content decreased as storage duration lengthened. Finally, the main positive sensory attributes (olive fruity, green notes, bitter and pungency) underwent a statistically significant reduction with the increase in storage duration, while the intensity of defects increased, suggesting that the duration of olive storage has an important effect on the quality of the final oil.

ABA and GA3 regulate the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites related to alleviation from biotic and abiotic stresses in grapevine.

Plants are able to synthesize a large number of organic compounds. Among them, primary metabolites are known to participate in plant growth and development, whereas secondary metabolites are mostly involved in defense and other facultative processes. In grapevine, one of the major fruit crops in the world, secondary metabolites, mainly polyphenols, are of great interest for the wine industry. Even though there is an extensive literature on the content and profile of those compounds in berries, scarce or no information is available regarding polyphenols in other organs. In addition, little is known about the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs), ABA and GA3 (extensively used in table grapes) on the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites in wine grapes. In table grapes, cultural practices include the use of GA3 sprays shortly before veraison, to increase berry and bunch size, and sugar content in fruits. Meanwhile, ABA applications to the berries on pre-veraison improve the skin coloring and sugar accumulation, anticipating the onset of veraison. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to assess and characterize primary and secondary metabolites in leaves, berries and roots of grapevine plants cv. Malbec at veraison, and changes in compositions after ABA and GA3 aerial sprayings. Metabolic profiling was conducted using GC-MS, GC-FID and HPLC-MWD. A large set of metabolites was identified: sugars, alditols, organic acids, amino acids, polyphenols (flavonoids and non-flavonoids) and terpenes (mono-, sesqui-, di- and triterpenes). The obtained results showed that ABA applications elicited synthesis of mono- and sesquiterpenes in all assessed tissues, as well as L-proline, acidic amino acids and anthocyanins in leaves. Additionally, applications with GA3 elicited synthesis of L-proline in berries, and mono- and sesquiterpenes in all the tissues. However, treatment with GA3 seemed to block polyphenol synthesis, mainly in berries. In conclusion, ABA and GA3 applications to grapevine plants cv. Malbec influenced the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites known to be essential for coping with biotic and abiotic stresses.