Chemical Profile of Essential Oils of Selected Lamiaceae Plants and In Vitro Activity for Varroosis Control in Honeybees (Apis mellifera).

The most significant ectoparasitic mite of honeybees, Varroa destructor, has a detrimental effect on bee health and honey output. The principal strategy used by the control programs is the application of synthetic acaricides. All of this has resulted in drug resistance, which is now a major worry for beekeeping. As a result, research on alternate products and techniques for mite management is now required. The aim of this study was to determine whether essential oils (EOs) extracted from botanical species of Lamiacae, typical of the Calabria region of Southern Italy, could reduce the population of the mite V. destructor. Among the best-known genera of the Lamiaceae family are oregano, rosemary and thyme, whose EOs were employed in this study. By steam distillation, the EOs were extracted from Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum (Martrin-Donos) Nyman, Thymus capitatus Hoffmanns. and Link, Thymus longicaulis C.Presl and Salvia rosmarinus Schleid. plant species harvested directly on the Calabrian territory in their balsamic time. Each EO went to the test in vitro (contact toxicity) against V. destructor. Fifty adult female mites, five for each EO and the positive and negative control, were used in each experimental replicate. The positive controls comprised five individuals treated to Amitraz dilute in acetone, and the negative controls included five individuals exposed to acetone alone. To create the working solution to be tested (50 µL/tube), the EOs were diluted (0.5 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL and 4 mg/mL) in HPLC-grade acetone. After 1 h of exposure, mite mortality was manually assessed. Origanum vulgare subsp. viridulum, Thymus capitatus and Thymus longicaulis were the EOs with the highest levels of efficiency at 2 mg/mL, neutralizing (dead + inactivated), 94%, 92% and 94% of parasites, respectively. Salvia rosmarinus EO gave a lower efficacy, resulting in a percentage of 38%. Interestingly, no adverse effects were highlighted in toxicity tests on honeybees. These results show that these OEs of the Lamiaceae family have antiparasitic action on V. destructor. Therefore, they could be used, individually or combined, to exploit the synergistic effect for a more sustainable control of this parasite mite in honeybee farms.

Interaction of Quercetin, Cyanidin, and Their O-Glucosides with Planar Lipid Models: Implications for Their Biological Effects.

Flavonoids are specialized metabolites produced by plants, as free aglycones or as glycosylated derivatives, which are particularly endowed with a variety of beneficial health properties. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, antiviral, anti-Alzheimer's, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive effects of flavonoids are now known. These bioactive phytochemicals have been shown to act on different molecular targets in cells including the plasma membrane. Due to their polyhydroxylated structure, lipophilicity, and planar conformation, they can either bind at the bilayer interface or interact with the hydrophobic fatty acid tails of the membrane. The interaction of quercetin, cyanidin, and their O-glucosides with planar lipid membranes (PLMs) similar in composition to those of the intestine was monitored using an electrophysiological approach. The obtained results show that the tested flavonoids interact with PLM and form conductive units. The modality of interaction with the lipids of the bilayer and the alteration of the biophysical parameters of PLMs induced by the tested substances provided information on their location in the membrane, helping to elucidate the mechanism of action which underlies some pharmacological properties of flavonoids. To our knowledge, the interaction of quercetin, cyanidin, and their O-glucosides with PLM surrogates of the intestinal membrane has never been previously monitored.

Phytochemical Composition and Pharmacological Efficacy Evaluation of Calamintha nepeta, Calamintha sylvatica, Lavandula austroapennina and Mentha piperita Essential Oils for the Control of Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Varroosis.

Varroa destructor is currently considered the parasite that causes the greatest damage and economic losses to honeybee farms. Its presence is often associated with that of viral and bacterial pathogens, which ultimately leads to colony collapse. Careful control of the parasitic load is therefore necessary to avoid the onset of these events. Although chemical treatments are often in easily and quickly administered formulations, in recent years, there have been increasingly frequent reports of the onset of drug resistance phenomena, which must lead to reconsidering their use. Furthermore, chemical compounds can easily accumulate in the food matrices of the hive, with possible risks for the final consumer. In such a condition, it is imperative to find alternative treatment solutions. Essential oils (EOs) prove to be promising candidates due to their good efficacy and good environmental biodegradability. In this study, the acaricidal efficacy of the EOs of Calamintha sylvatica Bromf., Calamintha nepeta Savi, Lavandula austroapennina N.G. Passal. Tundis & Upson and Mentha piperita L., extracted from botanical species belonging to the Lamiaceae family, was evaluated. The test chosen for the evaluation was residual toxicity by contact. The examined EOs were diluted in Acetone to a concentration of 2, 1 and 0.5 mg/mL. At the highest concentration, the EOs demonstrated an acaricidal activity equal to 52% for C. nepeta, 60% for C. sylvatica, 80% for L. austroapennina and 68% for M. piperita. Of the EOs tested, therefore, Lavender proves to be a good candidate for subsequent evaluations in semi-field and field studies.

Nematicidal Potential of Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) against the Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

The content of nematicidal metabolites such as saponins, flavonoids and tannins in sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) suggests its potential nematicidal activity. In this study, the biocidal activity of 62.5-1000 µg mL-1 concentrations of flavonoid and tannin fractions from sulla was assessed in in vitro assays on the infective juveniles (J2) of the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne incognita, while the suppressive effects of soil amendments with 10-40 g kg-1 soil rates of sulla biomass were investigated on potted tomato infested by M. incognita. The content of total nitrogen, carbon, flavonoids, tannins and saponins of sulla experimental material was also determined. After a 96-h exposure, more than 80% of the M. incognita J2 were killed even by a 125 µg mL-1 concentration of the flavonoid extract, while mortality peaked at 89% only at the 1000 µg mL-1 concentration of the tannin solution. Soil incorporation with sulla biomass significantly reduced the M. incognita densities both on tomato roots and in the soil, compared to either the non-treated control and chemical treatment with Fluopyram. The data confirmed the nematicidal potential of sulla, mainly due to its content of flavonoids and tannins, suggesting its suitability as green manure or a soil amendment for sustainable RKN management.

Antioxidant activity and protective effect of the outer scales hydroalcoholic extract of Allium cepa L. var. Tropea on toxicity damage induced by Cadmium in Caco-2 cells.

The characterization of bioactive metabolites and the protective effects against Cadmium (Cd) of the hydroalcoholic extract from Allium cepa var. Tropea (Tropea red onion) in human Caco-2 colon adenocarcinoma cells and in vitro antioxidant effects were investigated. Tropea red onion extract showed high levels of bioactive compounds and a strong activity as radical scavenger and inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. The most abundant specialized metabolites were quercetin derivatives. In addition, the extract inhibited NO release in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure of Cd treated human Caco-2 cells to the Tropea red onion extract resulted in a higher cytoprotection with a significant falloff of cells damage produced by Cd. The effect of Tropea red onion evaluated with the MTT assay and LDH test, was time-dependent and more evident after 24h of treatment. Caco-2 cells treated with the Tropea red onion extract and CdCl2 at 24h showed a significant cytoprotection at concentrations equal to 50 µg/mL + 25 µM and 100 µg/mL + 25 µM while at 72h at a concentration of 25 µg/mL + 25 µM. We observed with MTT and LDH assays that treatment of cells with Tropea red onion extract at 24h was able to significantly prevent Cd-induced cytotoxicity alone.

Digestive and gastroprotective effects of Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Wulfen) I.Richardson (syn. A. moschata Wulfen) (Asteraceae): From traditional uses to preclinical studies.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Wulfen) I.Richardson (syn. A. moschata Wulfen) (Asteraceae) is an alpine endemic plant whose aerial parts are harvested by the locals mainly for the digestive properties. Despite its widespread use, few studies have been conducted to date to verify its bioactivity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of the work was to meet the tradition confirming with experimental data the popular belief that the consumption of this species offers beneficial effects to the gastrointestinal system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Soxhlet apparatus, the dried aerial parts of A. erba-rotta subsp. moschata were successively extracted with petroleum ether (PET), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH). The essential oil (EO) was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus while infusion (AE) was prepared following the traditional local recipe. Their chemical characterization was performed by various techniques including SPME-GC/MS, GC/MS and HPLC/MS-MS. An in vitro biological screening was carried out. The influence of AE on lipid digestion was monitored by titration of free fatty acids (FFA) during pancreatic lipase activity with the pH-stat method. For all extracts and EO, the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity was assessed by the broth microdilution method, the influence on cell viability was evaluated against NCI-N87, OE21 and Caco-2 cell lines and a preliminary toxicity evaluation was done using Brine Shrimp lethality (BSL) assay. The anti-inflammatory potential was evidenced by interleukin IL-1- induced IL8 expression on Caco-2 cells. RESULTS: AE increased by 15% the FFA releasing compared to the pancreatic lipase alone. PET, DCM and MeOH extracts as well as AE and EO were considered active against the growth of both antimicrobial susceptible and resistant strains of H. pylori with MIC values starting from 16 µg/mL. PET and DCM (IC50 = 89 µg/mL and 96 µg/mL, respectively, against Caco-2 cell line) extracts showed the high effect on cell viability while the EO reduced in 50% of cell viability at 1.48 µL/mL (NCI-N87 cells), 1.42 µL/mL (OE21 cells), and 3.44 µL/mL (Caco-2 cells) corroborating the BSL results. In different degrees, all extracts and EO inhibited the IL-1ß-stimulated IL-8 production in Caco-2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained data are encouraging and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of A. erba-rotta subsp. moschata as a digestive agent although they need to be further corroborated by studies involving the investigation of both the in vivo activities and the role of the compounds detected in the extracts.

Nematicidal Activity of Essential Oil from Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia Emeric ex Loisel.) as Related to Chemical Profile.

Essential oils (EOs) from lavandin are known for a large spectrum of biological properties but poorly and contrastingly documented for their activity against phytoparasitic nematodes. This study investigated the toxicity of EOs from three different lavandin cultivars, Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens, either to juveniles (J2) and eggs of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and to infective stages of the lesion nematode Pratylenchus vulnus. The suppressive activity of treatments with EOs from the three lavandin cultivars in soil infested by M. incognita was also investigated in a greenhouse experiment on potted tomato. The compositional profiles of tested EOs were also analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Linalool was the major component of all the three EOs, as accounting for about 66%, 48%, and 40% of total EO from cv Rinaldi Cerioni, Sumiens, and Abrialis, respectively. Linalool acetate was the second most abundant compound in the EOs from cv Abrialis (18.3%) and Sumiens (14.9%), while significant amounts of camphor (11.5%) and 1,8-cineole (12.1%) were detected in cv Rinaldi Cerioni and Sumiens EOs, respectively. The mortality of M. incognita J2 peaked 82.0%, 95.8%, and 89.8% after a 24 h treatment with 100 mg·mL-1 solutions of cv Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens EOs, respectively. Infective specimens of P. vulnus were largely more sensitive than M. incognita J2, as there were peak mortality rates of 65.5%, 67.7%, and 75.7% after 4 h of exposure to Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens EO, respectively. All three lavandin EOs significantly affected also M. incognita egg hatchability, which reduced to 43.6% after a 48 h egg mass exposure to a 100 µg·mL-1 solution of cv Rinaldi Cerioni EO. Soil treatments with the three lavandin EOs strongly reduced, according to a dose-effect relationship, density of M. incognita eggs, and J2 both on tomato roots and in soil, as well as significantly reduced gall formation on tomato roots. Finally, almost all soil treatments with the lavandin EOs also resulted in a positive impact on tomato plant growth.

Relationship between Chemical Composition and Nematicidal Activity of Different Essential Oils.

In this study, the relationship between nematicidal activity and chemical composition of ten essential oils (EOs) from different plant species was investigated both in in vitro assays on juveniles (J2) and eggs of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and in experiments on tomato in soil infested by M. incognita. Nematode J2 were exposed for 4, 8 or 24 h to 0.78-100 µg mL-1 concentrations of each EO, whereas 24, 48 or 96 h exposures to 250, 500 and 1000 µg mL-1 solutions were tested on M. incognita egg masses. Treatments with 50, 100 or 200 µg kg soil rates of each EO were applied in the experiment on potted tomato. The highest nematicidal potential resulted for the C. verum EO, as highly toxic to both M. incognitaJ2 and eggs and strongly suppressive on nematode multiplication on tomato roots. The infestation of M. incognita on tomato roots was also strongly reduced by the EOs from E. citriodora and S. aromaticum, both highly toxic to M. incognitaJ2 but less active on nematode eggs. Adversely, R. graveolens EO strongly inhibited the egg hatch but was limitedly toxic to the infective J2. Chemical composition of the EOs was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS. The ten EOs showed a very different chemical composition in terms of major phytochemicals, with one or two dominant components totally amounting up to 85%. The structure-activity relationship based on the main phytochemicals identified in the assayed EOs and their nematicidal effects on M. incognita was also discussed. Results from this study confirmed that the selection of suitable EO raw materials can lead to the formulation on new effective nematicidal products.

Activity of Saponins from Medicago Species against Phytoparasitic Nematodes.

Content of bioactive saponins of Medicago species suggests that they may also exert, as previously demonstrated on M. sativa, nematicidal properties exploitable for the formulation of new products for sustainable phytoparasitic nematode management. This study was addressed to highlight the bioactivity of saponins from five different Medicago species still poorly known for their biological efficacy, i.e., M. heyniana, M. hybrida, M. lupulina, M. murex and M. truncatula, against the plant parasitic nematodes Meloidogyne incognita, Xiphinema index and Globodera rostochiensis. The bioactivity of the extracts from the five Medicago species was assessed by in vitro assays on the juveniles (J2) and eggs of M. incognita and G. rostochiensis and the adult females of X. index. The suppressiveness to M. incognita of soil treatments with the Medicago plant biomasses was also investigated in a tomato experiment. The nematicidal activity of the five Medicago species was reported and discussed in relation to their phytochemical profile.

Triterpenic saponins from Medicago marina L.

The saponin composition of leaves and roots from Medicago marina L., sea medic, was investigated by a combination of chromatographic, spectroscopic and spectrometric (GC, LC, ESI-MS/MS, NMR) methods. Several compounds were detected and quantified by HPLC using the external standard method. Saponins from this plant species consist of a mixture of high molecular weight bidesmosidic derivatives of medicagenic and zanhic acid, containing up to six sugars in the molecules. Six of the detected saponins were previously isolated and reported as constituents of other Medicago spp.; one saponin was previously described in other plant species; four saponins are undescribed compounds in Medicago and never reported before in other plant species. These are: 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-ß-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester and 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester. The specific saponins synthesized by M. marina may have a role in its tolerance to environment, representing a reservoir of osmolytic sugars.

Polyphenol content and bioactivity of Achillea moschata from the Italian and Swiss Alps.

Achillea moschata Wulfen, which grows in the Alps, is extensively used by local people for its medicinal properties. Two studied samples were collected, at the flowering stage, in Val Mustair (Switzerland) and Valchiavenna (Italy), respectively. The aerial parts were defatted with petroleum ether (PET) and successively extracted with dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH). High-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analyses of the methanolic extracts evidenced that flavonoids were the predominant compounds compared to phenolic acids in both samples (89.5 vs. 33.0 µg/mg DW in A. moschata Valchiavenna and 82.5 vs. 40.0 µg/mg DW in A. moschata Val Mustair). Among flavonoid derivatives, luteolin and apigenin were the predominant aglycones, free and glycosilated. The A. moschata Valchiavenna extract was characterized by apigenin as the main compound (60.4 µg/mg DW), while A. moschata Val Mustair was characterized by its derivative apigenin 7-O-glucoside (44.7 µg/mg DW). The antioxidant activity of all the obtained extracts was tested by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-picryl hydrazyl) and ABTS (2,21-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) methods, which showed their increasing scavenger capacity in relation to extract polarity (PET extract < DCM extract < MeOH extract). The extracts were also investigated against three Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial species using the disc diffusion assay. DMC and PET were the most active extracts (inhibition diameter: ≥12 mm).

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. Aerial Parts Methanolic Extract: In Vitro Screening of Biological Activity.

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. is a perennial herb growing wild in the Mediterranean basin. The aim of this work was to assess the fatty acid, terpene, phytosterol, and phenolic composition of the methanolic extract and its sub-fractions using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), High-Performance Liquid Chromathography with Dioide-Array Detector (HPLC-DAD), High-Performance Liquid Chromathography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), and Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The potential health benefits of this plant species have been investigated as well. The antioxidant activity was determined in vitro by means of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ß-carotene bleaching tests. The inhibitory potential towards the production of the pro-inflammatory mediator nitric oxide was verified on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line. A remarkable inhibitory activity was observed for the dichloromethane fraction, with an IC50 value equal to 45.86 ± 1.05 µg/mL, a significant result if compared to indomethacin and the known nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), used as positive controls. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction proved to be effective in inhibiting pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the gastrointestinal digestion of dietary fat, suggesting that this species could potentially be a promising source of useful compounds for the treatment of obesity.

Quality Assessment of Commercial Spagyric Tinctures of Harpagophytum procumbens and Their Antioxidant Properties.

Preparations from the dried tubers of Harpagophytum procumbens (Burch.) DC ex Meisn, commonly known as devil's claw, are mainly used in modern medicine to relieve joint pain and inflammation in patients suffering from rheumatic and arthritic disorders. This paper describes for the first time the chemical profile of a commercial spagyric tincture (named 019) prepared from the roots of the plant. For comparison purposes, a commercial not-spagyric devil's claw tincture (NST) was also analyzed. Chemical investigation of the content of specialized metabolites in the three samples indicated that harpagoside was the main compound, followed by the two isomers acteoside and isoacteoside. Compositional consistence over time was obtained by the chemical fingerprinting of another spagyric tincture (named 014) from the same producer that was already expired according to the recommendation on the label of the product. The two spagyric preparations did not show significant compositional differences as revealed by HPLC and MS analyses, except for a decrease in harpagide content in the expired 014 tincture. Moreover, their antioxidant capacities as assessed by 2,2'-di-phenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2.2'-azin-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods resulted in very similar IC50 values. The expired 014 tincture showed instead a lower IC50 value compared to the 019 and NST tinctures with the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay, indicating a higher ferric-reducing antioxidant ability. Overall, these results indicated that the two preparations could generally maintain good stability and biological activity at least for the four years from the production to the expiration date.

Phytochemical and Biological Profile of Moricandia arvensis (L.) DC.: An Inhibitor of Pancreatic Lipase.

Pancreatic lipase, a key enzyme for lipid absorption, is one of the most important targets for the treatment of obesity, while natural compounds have recently attracted much interest as potential inhibitors of this enzyme. Here, in an attempt to find new effective agents, the methanolic extract from Moricandia arvensis (L.) DC. and its sub-extracts were investigated for their potential inhibitory activity. The ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase was verified through the in vitro evaluation of the prevention of p-nitrophenyl caprylate hydrolysis. The antioxidant activity was also verified by means of DPPH and ß-carotene bleaching tests. Compositional profiling revealed that flavonoid glycosides were the main specialized metabolites present in the methanolic extract from the aerial parts of the plant with kaempferol and quercetin representing the two O-glycosylated aglycones. Kaempferol-3-O-ß-(2″-O-glucosyl)-rutinoside and kaempferol-3-O-a-arabinosyl-7-O-rhamnoside were the most abundant flavonols. The crude methanolic extract and the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate sub-extracts showed a strong lipase inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 2.06 ± 0.02, 1.52 ± 0.02 and 1.31 ± 0.02 mg/mL, respectively. The best capacity to scavenge DPPH radical was detected for the ethyl acetate sub-extract (IC50 = 171.9 ± 1.0 µg/mL), which was also effective in protecting linoleic acid from peroxidation (IC50 = 35.69 ± 2.30 µg/mL). Obtained results support the hypothesis that M. arvensis can be a source of bioactive phytochemicals for the pharmacological inhibition of dietary lipids absorption.

Correction to: Nematicidal potential of Taraxacum officinale.

The original publication of this paper contains a mistake. Data on Table 1 under TR and TL column have been interchanged: that is compounds 1-12 and their amounts refer to TL; compounds 1-8 and related amounts refer to TR (see Fig. 1).

Nematicidal potential of Taraxacum officinale.

This study was aimed to investigate the activity of the Asteraceae species Taraxacum officinale against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Leaf and root extracts of T. officinale were tested in vitro at a range of 62.5-1000 and 250-1000 µg mL-1 concentrations on nematode juveniles and eggs, respectively, whereas treatments with 10-40 g kg-1 soil rates of dry leaf and root T. officinale biomass were applied to soil infested by M. incognita in greenhouse experiments on potted tomato. Peak 36 and 50% juvenile mortality and 14.8 and 23.8% egg hatchability reduction were recorded at the maximum concentration of leaf and root extracts, respectively. Soil treatments with T. officinale leaf and root material strongly suppressed nematode multiplication and gall formation on tomato roots and significantly increased plant growth. Chicoric acid and 3-O- and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid were found to be the main components of leaf and root extract, respectively, and proved, as the total hydroalcoholic extracts from T. officinale leaf and root material, for an antioxidant activity. Data from this study indicate the suitability of plant materials from T. officinale for a potential formulation of nematicidal products to include in sustainable nematode management strategies.

Chemical Profile, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Achillea moschata Wulfen, an Endemic Species from the Alps.

Aerial parts of Achillea moschata Wulfen (Asteraceae) growing wild in the Italian Rhaetian Alps were investigated to describe, for the first time, their phenolic content, as well as to characterize the essential oil. Inspection of the metabolic profile combining HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS/MS data showed that the methanol extract contained glycosylated flavonoids with luteolin and apigenin as the main aglycones. Among them, the major compound was 7-O-glucosyl apigenin. Caffeoyl derivates were other phenolics identified. The essential oil obtained by steam distillation and investigated by GC/FID and GC/MS showed camphor, 1,8-cineole, and bornylacetate as the main constituents. The antioxidant capacity of three different extracts with increasing polarity and of the essential oil was evaluated by employing ABTS·+ and DPPH· radical scavenging assays. The methanolic extract was the only significantly effective sample against both synthetic radicals. All samples were also tested against Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial species using the disk diffusion assay. The non-polar extracts (dichloromethane and petroleum ether) and the essential oil possessed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity expressed according to inhibition zone diameter (8-24 mm).

Inhibitory Effect on Lipid Absorption and Variability of Chemical Constituents from Capparis sicula subsp. sicula and Capparis orientalis.

In continuation of our research program on Mediterranean dietary plants, a bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts from several accessions of Capparis sicula subsp. sicula and Capparis orientalis aerial parts was carried out. Antilipidemic activity of samples was assayed using inhibition of pancreatic lipase. To study the metabolic variability in Capparis species, HPTLC analyses were performed in order to characterize the species through the detection, isolation, and quantitative evaluation of rutin taken as significant chemical marker. The best activity was exerted by C. orientalis accession no. C10 and C. sicula subsp. sicula accession no. C6. The bioactivity evaluation of specific chemical markers, rutin and glucocapparin, led to the identification of a potent antilipidemic compound rutin. The HPTLC analysis showed large variation among the different analyzed samples with respect to rutin concentration. The chemical investigation showed a different composition between the species and between the collection zones. The variations showed by the studied accessions of caper could be attributed to exogenous factors. Capparis species contained predominantly quercetin rutinoside (rutin), accompanied by other constituents such as the glucosinolate glucocapparin. These rutin-rich extracts exhibited pronounced dose-dependent enzyme inhibitory activities toward pancreatic lipase.

Compositional Analysis of Lavandula pinnata Essential Oils.

The genus Lavandula includes about thirty species plus a number of intraspecific taxa and hybrids, which are distributed in the Mediterranean area. The traditional use of lavender both as perfume or medicinal plant is known since antiquity. Nowadays several species are extensively cultivated for the extraction of their essential oils (EOs) which are used in manufactured products like cosmetics and perfumes or in phytotherapy. Lavandula pinnata L. f. (syn L. pinnata Lundmark) is a rare species native to the Canary Islands used in folk medicine as relaxant and also a valuable remedy against bites. To the best of our knowledge, EOs from L. pinnata have been very little studied. The present paper reports on the quali- and quantitative compositional profile of the EOs distilled (by a Spring type apparatus) from the aerial parts (flowers and leaves) of this species cultivated in soilless conditions. Chemical analyses by means of GC and GC-MS techniques have indicated that oxygenated monoterpenes are the main constituents of both the flowers (68.30%) and the leaves (83.65%). Carvacrol is the main compound which characterizes the EOs of this species. In addition, discrete amounts of spathulenol (12.22%) and caryophyllene oxide (14.62%) have been detected in flowers EOs, while leaves EOs contained small amounts of carvacrol methyl ether (2.52%).