Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter, a Rapidly Spreading Invasive Plant: Chemistry and Bioactivity.

Dittrichia graveolens L. Greuter belonging to the Asteraceae family, is an aromatic herbaceous plant native to the Mediterranean region. This plant species has been extensively studied for its biological activities, including antioxidant, antitumor, antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase, and antityrosinase, and for its peculiar metabolic profile. In particular, bioactivities are related to terpenes and flavonoids metabolites, such as borneol (40), tomentosin (189), inuviscolide (204). However, D. graveolens is also well known for causing health problems both in animals and humans. Moreover, the species is currently undergoing a dramatic northward expansion of its native range related to climate change, now including North Europe, California, and Australia. This review represents an updated overview of the 52 literature papers published in Scopus and PubMed dealing with expansion, chemistry (262 different compounds), pharmacological effects, and toxicology of D. graveolens up to October 2021. The review is intended to boost further studies to determine the molecular pathways involved in the observed activities, bioavailability, and clinical studies to explore new potential applications.

Muscari comosum L. Bulb Extracts Modulate Oxidative Stress and Redox Signaling in HepG2 Cells.

Muscari comosum L. bulbs are commonly used as food in South Italy and also in folk medicine. By evaluating in vitro antioxidant activity and biological activities of their aqueous and methanol extracts, we shed light on the potential role, including both the nutraceutical and health benefits, of this plant. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and by the aluminum chloride method, respectively. Antioxidant activity was investigated by three in vitro assays and relative antioxidant capacity index (RACI) was calculated to compare results obtained by different tests. The extracts were tested to evaluate their possible involvement in redox homeostasis, using the human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line used as model. The extracts exhibited concentration/solvent dependent radical scavenging activity, as well as dysregulation of some genes involved in redox pathways by promoting Nrf2, SOD-2, GPX1, ABCC6 and ABCG2 expression. NMR metabolomics analysis suggests that HepG2 cells treated with Muscari comosum extracts experience changes in some metabolites involved in various metabolic pathways.

The Promising Ability of Humulus lupulus L. Iso-α-acids vs. Diabetes, Inflammation, and Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

For centuries, natural medicines have represented the only option for treating human diseases and, nowadays, plant phytochemicals are considered as promising compounds to treat or prevent chronic conditions. Among them, hop flowers (Humulus lupulus L.), typically used in brewing industries to give the typical aroma and flavor to beer, have attracted particular attention for their health promoting properties. Several in vivo/vitro studies and human interventional trials have demonstrated the beneficial effects of these molecules on weight gain, lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivities, and inflammation by acting on different targets. All these activities suggest a possible role of bitter hop acid in preventing metabolic syndrome and its related diseases. A systematic quest on PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to identify pre-clinical and clinical studies focusing on this topic. This systematic review summarizes the results obtained by different cell lines, animal models, and human interventional trials to propose iso-α-acids as medical nutrition therapy to treat or prevent metabolic syndrome and its related disorders as diabetes, dislipidemia inflammation, etc.

Astaxanthin anticancer effects are mediated through multiple molecular mechanisms: A systematic review.

During the latest decades, the interest on the effectiveness of natural compounds and their impact on human health constantly increased, especially on those demonstrating to be effective on cancer. Molecules coming from nature are currently used in chemotherapy like Taxol, Vincristine or Vinblastine, and several other natural substances have been showed to be active in reducing cancer cell progression and migration. Among them, astaxanthin, a xanthophyll red colored carotenoid, displayed different biological activities including, antinflammatory, antioxidant, proapoptotic, and anticancer effects. It can induce apoptosis through downregulation of antiapoptotic protein (Bcl-2, p-Bad, and survivin) expression and upregulation of proapoptotic ones (Bax/Bad and PARP). Thanks to these mechanisms, it can exert anticancer effects towards colorectal cancer, melanoma, or gastric carcinoma cell lines. Moreover, it possesses antiproliferative activity in many experimental models and enhances the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapic drugs on tumor cells underling its potential future use. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the anticancer potential of astaxanthin by modulating several molecular targets. While it has been clearly demonstrated its multitarget activity in the prevention and regression of malignant cells in in vitro or in preclinical investigations, further clinical studies are needed to assess its real potential as anticancer in humans.

Phytochemistry and Antioxidant Activity of Aerial Parts of Phagnalon sordidum L.

One new natural monoterpene, 5-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-2-hydroxy-p-cymene (1: ), and 11 known compounds were isolated through a biologically oriented approach from the aerial parts of Phagnalon sordidum L. The most active extract and fractions were selected using 3 complementary antioxidant activity assays. Results and the different methods were compared by relative antioxidant capacity index. In addition, the most active extract of P. sordidum was subjected to liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization hybrid linear ion trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry to quantify secondary metabolites. Antioxidant activities of ethyl acetate extract, and purified 3,4-dihydroxyacetophenone (3: ) and nebrodenside A (7: ) were demonstrated by in vitro cell free model assays, and their protective effect against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in a HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cell line was established.

Comparison of different green-extraction techniques and determination of the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of Echinacea angustifolia L. extracts.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays several plant species, such as Echinacea angustifolia L., can be considered natural important sources for therapeutic applications. Echinacea angustifolia is one of the most known medicinal plants, it shows protective and preventive effects against many chronic diseases, thanks to immunostimulant properties, mostly due to its polysaccharides and antioxidants. However, the optimisation of green extraction techniques to respect the environment is, currently, a hard challenge for the recovery of secondary metabolites. METHODOLOGY: Hydro-enzymatic extraction has been performed for the first time, it was compared with other different extraction techniques, for their efficacy in bioactive compound recovery. Phytochemical characterisation has been carried out through high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis and the antioxidant activity has been also measured. RESULTS: The highest extractive yields and the strongest antioxidant activity was obtained by cellulase and xylanase enzyme extraction. The enzymatic extraction with pectinase enzyme led to a higher polysaccharide content in comparison with the literature. The hydro-enzymatic extraction method and analytical conditions allowed the identification and quantification of two compounds, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time in E. angustifolia root extract. CONCLUSION: The optimised extraction methods discussed in this work led to a higher polysaccharides content, in comparison to previous literature results. The enzymatic extraction seems to be the best extraction technique, in terms of antioxidant yield and efficacy in bioactive compound recovery.

Future in the Past: Azorella glabra Wedd. as a Source of New Natural Compounds with Antiproliferative and Cytotoxic Activity on Multiple Myeloma Cells.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy and, although the development of novel agents has improved survival of patients, to date, it remains incurable. Thus, newer and more effective therapeutic strategies against this malignancy are necessary. Plant extracts play an important role in anti-tumor drug discovery. For this reason, in the investigation of novel natural anti-MM agents, we evaluated the phytochemical profiles, in vitro antioxidant activity, and effects on MM cells of Azorella glabra (AG) Wedd. Total polyphenols (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and terpenoids (TTeC) contents were different among samples and the richest fractions in polyphenols demonstrated a higher antioxidant activity in in vitro assays. Some fractions showed a dose and time dependent anti-proliferative activity on MM cells. The chloroform fraction (CHCl3) showed major effects in terms of reduction of cell viability, induction of apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest on MM cells. The apoptosis induction was also confirmed by the activation of caspase-3. Importantly, the CHCl3 fraction exhibited a negligible effect on the viability of healthy cells. These results encourage further investigations on AG extracts to identify specific bioactive compounds and to define their potential applications in MM.

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities of Adansonia digitata L. (Baobab) from Mali, as a Source of Health-Promoting Compounds.

Background: Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae), also known as baobab, is a tree attracting recent interest especially due to the high nutritional value of the fruit pulp. However, few studies are reported on the secondary metabolite content, showing high variability depending on the geographic region. METHODS: In this study, the chemical profiles of Malian commercial baobab fruits and leaves, focused on phenolic content, were investigated by HPLC coupled with a photodiode array (PDA)/UV and an electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometer (MS) and gas chromatography (GC)/MS. In addition, the extracts of fruit pulps obtained from three different markets (Fruits 1, 2, and 3) were evaluated for their total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibition. RESULTS: Baobab fruit pulps were found to be rich in procyanidins and flavonol glycosides, with tiliroside as the major constituent. The baobab leaves showed a similar profile respect to the fruits, but with more detected phenolics. All fruit pulp extracts exerted antioxidant activity (highest for Fruit 3) and higher α-glucosidase inhibition than acarbose used as standard. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the variability of baobab with different origins and indicated Malian species baobab as a promising source of health-promoting substances.

Nanotechnological exploitation of the antioxidant potential of Humulus lupulus L. extract.

The present study investigated the potential antioxidant applications of Humulus lupulus L. as raw extract and nanoformulated in liposomes. H. lupulus is commonly used as a food ingredient, but it is also a promising source of specialized metabolites with health-promoting effects. In the extract obtained by hydroalcoholic maceration, 24 compounds were characterized using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. The extract exhibited an interesting antioxidant activity in in vitro spectrophotometric and cell assays. The extract was nanoformulated into liposomes to exploit and improve its beneficial proprieties. The in vitro assays revealed that, after incorporation into liposomes, the extract's antioxidant activity was preserved and even improved. Moreover, a lower dose of the extract was required to prevent reactive oxygen species overproduction when included in the nanoformulation. These results confirm the advantages of nanoformulating herbal extract to maximize its health-promoting effects for a potential pharmaceutical application.

Preserving Biodiversity as Source of Health Promoting Compounds: Phenolic Profile and Biological Activity of Four Varieties of Solanum lycopersicum L.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a precious source of specialized metabolites with a great role in human health. Many varieties of tomatoes characterize the south of Italy's agronomic production and biodiversity, thanks to its warm temperatures and favorable weather. The preservation of biodiversity is a major goal of recent years, as each variety shows a peculiar phytochemical profile and provides a wide variety of metabolites with health-beneficial properties. Among the wide range of tomato varieties, literature focused on the most commercially-known types, including San Marzano and Datterino, while this study considered typical South Italy varieties for the first time, as well as Crovarese and Arsicolo. The aim of our work is to enrich the current knowledge about the tomato by evaluating the carotenoid content, the phytochemical profile by HPLC-DAD, and the biological activity of the different parts (peel, fruit, pulp, and seeds) of niche cultivars compared with commercial ones. Radical scavenging activity, assessed by the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, was higher in Crovarese peel extract, while Arsicolo possessed the highest lycopene content, underlying the importance of local ecotypes as a precious source of health promoting compounds. However, out of all of the varieties considered, peel extract was the most active one, opening new insights on their valorization in light of the circular economy.

The Beneficial Effects of Red Sun-Dried Capsicum annuum L. Cv Senise Extract with Antioxidant Properties in Experimental Obesity are Associated with Modulation of the Intestinal Microbiota.

SCOPE: Capsicum annuum L. cv Senise is a sweet pepper containing health promoting compounds that can be modified by ripening and drying. This study focuses on finding the peppers with the best antioxidant properties, which are evaluated on an experimental model of obesity. METHODS AND RESULTS: Phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity are evaluated on several peppers obtained from the same cultivar at different ripening stages. Red sweet peppers show the highest content in polyphenols, ß-carotene, lycopene, and capsinoids, and demonstrate the best antioxidant activity in vitro. Mice fed a high fat diet are orally treated with an extract from these peppers (Capsicum annuum extract [CAE]) (1, 10, and 25 mg/kg/day). It promotes weight loss and improves plasma markers related to glucose and lipid metabolisms. CAE also ameliorates obesity-associated systemic inflammation reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in adipose and hepatic tissues and improving the expression of different markers involved in the gut epithelial barrier function. These effects are associated with a modulation of the intestinal microbiome, which appears altered. CONCLUSIONS: The extract can be considered a new potential approach for the treatment of obesity, complementary to dietary restrictions.

Phytochemical Profile of Capsicum annuum L. cv Senise, Incorporation into Liposomes, and Evaluation of Cellular Antioxidant Activity.

Overproduction of oxidants in the human body is responsible for oxidative stress, which is associated with several diseases. High intake of vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, as they are sources of bioactive compounds capable of contrasting the free radical effects involved in cancer, obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Capsicum annuum L. cv Senise is a sweet pepper that is grown in the Basilicata region (Italy). It is an important source of polyphenols, carotenoids, and capsinoids and can play a key role in human health. In this study, an ethanol extract was obtained from C. annuum dried peppers and the analysis of the phytochemical composition was performed by LC-ESI/LTQ Orbitrap/MS. The extract was incorporated into liposomes, which showed small size (~80 nm), good homogeneity, negative surface charge, and good stability in storage. The biological activity of the extract was evaluated in the human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line, used as model cells. The extract showed no cytotoxic activity and reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in stressed cells. The antioxidant activity was further improved when the extract was loaded into liposomes. Moreover, the extract promoted the expression of endogenous antioxidants, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase through the Nrf-2 pathway evaluated by RT-PCR.

Chemical and biological evaluation of essential oil from Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. from Garhwal Himalaya collected at different harvesting periods.

The purpose of this study is the determination of chemical composition and antioxidant activity of essential oils (EOs) from Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. Roots have been collected on December of the first plant year (IY) and in April, August and December of the third plant year (I, 6B, D7). A GC analysis was carried out for achieving this purpose. Subsequently, total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activity measured by DPPH, FRAP and BCB assays were evaluated. Three different statistical methods: Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI), Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and PCA, were used to compare results obtained and underline EO relationships. From the results obtained, it was possible to observe how the collection period of the EO, in particular both the month and the year of collection, influences the metabolite profile.

Berberis Plants-Drifting from Farm to Food Applications, Phytotherapy, and Phytopharmacology.

The genus Berberis includes about 500 different species and commonly grown in Europe, the United States, South Asia, and some northern areas of Iran and Pakistan. Leaves and fruits can be prepared as food flavorings, juices, and teas. Phytochemical analysis of these species has reported alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds and oleanolic acid, among others. Moreover, p-cymene, limonene and ocimene as major compounds in essential oils were found by gas chromatography. Berberis is an important group of the plants having enormous potential in the food and pharmaceutical industry, since they possess several properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer activities. Here we would like to review the biological properties of the phytoconstituents of this genus. We emphasize the cultivation control in order to obtain the main bioactive compounds, the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in order to apply them for food preservation and for treating several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or Alzheimer. However, further study is needed to confirm the biological efficacy as well as, the toxicity.