Phytochemical Characterization, Antioxidant, and Anti-Proliferative Activities of Wild and Cultivated Nigella damascena Species Collected in Sicily (Italy).

The use of Nigella damascena seeds in the culinary field or as aerial parts infusions in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields is widely reported. The biological activity of this plant, as demonstrated over the years, is closely related to its phytochemical content. This investigation focused on the comparative study of the same plants of N. damascena, one totally wild (WND), while the other two, one with white flowers (CWND) and the other with blue flowers (CBND), were subject to cultivation, irrigation, and manual weeding. Using the potential of 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, coupled with MS/MS spectrometric studies, the three methanolic extracts of N. damascena were investigated. Chemical studies have highlighted the presence of triterpene saponin compounds and various glycosylated flavonoids. Finally, the in vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of the three individual extracts were evaluated. The antiproliferative activity performed on U-937, HL-60, and MCF-7 tumor cell lines highlighted a greater anticancer effect of the CBND and CWND extracts compared to the data obtained using WND. The antioxidant activity, however, performed to quantify ROS generation is comparable among the extracts used.

Healthy Lifestyle and Cancer Risk: Modifiable Risk Factors to Prevent Cancer.

Cancer has become a serious problem worldwide, as it represents the main cause of death, and its incidence has increased over the years. A potential strategy to counter the growing spread of various forms of cancer is the adoption of prevention strategies, in particular, the use of healthy lifestyles, such as maintaining a healthy weight, following a healthy diet; being physically active; avoiding smoking, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure; and vitamin D supplementation. These modifiable risk factors are associated with this disease, contributing to its development, progression, and severity. This review evaluates the relationship between potentially modifiable risk factors and overall cancer development, specifically breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer, and highlights updated recommendations on cancer prevention. The results of numerous clinical and epidemiological studies clearly show the influence of lifestyles on the development and prevention of cancer. An incorrect diet, composed mainly of saturated fats and processed products, resulting in increased body weight, combined with physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and smoking, has induced an increase in the incidence of all three types of cancer under study. Given the importance of adopting correct and healthy lifestyles to prevent cancer, global institutions should develop strategies and environments that encourage individuals to adopt healthy and regular behaviors.

Plant Extracts as Antimicrobial Agents in Sustainable Conservation of Erythrina caffra (Fabaceae) Historical Trees.

Microbial colonization plays a relevant role in the biodegradation and biodeterioration of cultural and natural heritage, representing a revealing problem in conservation strategy. In this study, the essential oil (EO) and hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae), an aromatic perennial plant, representative of the Mediterranean basin, growing spontaneously and cultivated all over the world, were analysed. Natural products, such as essential oil and hydro-alcoholic extract, have strong antiseptic and antimicrobial properties and are ad hoc applied for the sustainable conservation of Erithryna caffra (Fabaceae). The main taxa revealed in the damaging of these arboreal heritage, are Bacillus sp., Streptomyces sp. and Terribacillus sp. (as bacteria), Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp. and Chaetomium sp. (as fungi). GS-MS analysis identified carvacrol, thymol and their biosynthetic precursors γ-terpinene and p-cymene, as main components, and the antimicrobial efficiency assayed by in vitro methods (Agar Dish Diffusion, Well Plate Diffusion). In this study, by combining the application/exposure of both HAE and EO, the bacterial and fungal colonies development has been in vitro countered. The results confirm the possible use of plant products as a valid alternative to the traditional synthetic chemical biocides, with full respect to the environment.

Dipropyleneglycol Dimethylether, New Green Solvent for Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis: Further Challenges to Improve Sustainability in the Development of Therapeutic Peptides.

In recent years, peptides have gained more success as therapeutic compounds. Nowadays, the preferred method to obtain peptides is solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), which does not respect the principles of green chemistry due to the large number of toxic reagents and solvents used. The aim of this work was to research and study an environmentally sustainable solvent able to replace dimethylformamide (DMF) in fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) solid-phase peptide synthesis. Herein, we report the use of dipropyleneglycol dimethylether (DMM), a well-known green solvent with low human toxicity following oral, inhalant, and dermal exposure and that is easily biodegradable. Some tests were needed to evaluate its applicability to all the steps of SPPS, such as amino acid solubility, resin swelling, deprotection kinetics, and coupling tests. Once the best green protocol was established, it was applied to the synthesis of different length peptides to study some of the fundamental parameters of green chemistry, such as PMI (process mass intensity) and the recycling of solvent. It was revealed that DMM is a valuable alternative to DMF in all steps of solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Potential Role of Natural Antioxidant Products in Oncological Diseases.

Nutrition has a significant effect and a crucial role in disease prevention. Low consumption of fruit and vegetables and a sedentary lifestyle are closely related with the onset and development of many types of cancer. Recently, nutraceuticals have gained much attention in cancer research due to their pleiotropic effects and relatively non-toxic behavior. In fact, although in the past there have been conflicting results on the role of some antioxidant compounds as allies against cancer, numerous recent clinical studies highlight the efficacy of dietary phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of cancer. However, further investigation is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the potential anticancer capacities of dietary phytochemicals as well as the mechanisms of their action. Therefore, this review examined the current literature on the key properties of the bioactive components present in the diet, such as carotenoids, polyphenols, and antioxidant compounds, as well as their use in cancer therapy. The review focused on potential chemopreventive properties, evaluating their synergistic effects with anticancer drugs and, consequently, the side effects associated with current cancer treatments.

Prototype of an IoT-Based Low-Cost Sensor Network for the Hydrological Monitoring of Landslide-Prone Areas.

Steep slopes covered by loose unsaturated pyroclastic deposits widely dispersed in Campania, Southern Italy, are often subjected to shallow landslides that turn into fast debris flows causing a large amount of damage and many casualties, triggered by heavy and persistent precipitation. The slope of Cervinara, located around 40 km northeast of Naples, was involved in a destructive flowslide between 15 and 16 December 1999, triggered by a rain event of 325 mm in 48 h. Hydrometeorological monitoring activities have been carried out near the landslide scarp of 1999 since 2017 to assess the water balance and to identify major hydrological processes involving the cover and the shallow groundwater system developing in the upper part of the underlying limestone fractured bedrock. Since 1 December 2022, a remotely accessible low-cost network has been installed to expand the field hydrological monitoring. The use of a network of low-cost capacitive sensors, communicating within the domain of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, aiming at dispersed monitoring of soil moisture, has been tested. Specifically, the tested prototype network allows measurements of the soil water content at two different points, communicating through a Wi-Fi-based IoT system using ESP32 boards. The ThingSpeakTM IoT platform has been used for remote field data visualization. Based on the obtained results, the prototype of this IoT-based low-cost network shows the potential to expand the amount of hydrological data, suitable for setting up early warning systems in landslide-prone areas.

The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of Nigella damascena - A review.

This review is a systematic scientific work on medicinal and traditional use, on the chemical composition of specialized metabolites, volatile and non-volatile, on aspects related to toxicology and phytotherapy of Nigella damascena L. The genus Nigella (Ranunculaceae) is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin, extending to northern India, and has been divided into three sections. Nigella damanscena L. is traditionally used as an ingredient in food, for example, as flavouring agents in bread and cheese, but is also known in folk medicine, used to regulate menstruation; for catarrhal affections and amenorrhea; as a diuretic and sternutatory; as an analgesic, anti-oedematous, and antipyretic; and for vermifuge and its disinfectant effects. This paper reviews the most dated to the latest scientific research on this species, highlighting the single isolated metabolites and exploring their biological activity. Fifty-seven natural compounds have been isolated and characterised from the seeds, roots, and aerial parts of the plant. Among these constituents, alkaloids, flavonoids, diterpenes, triterpenes, and aromatic compounds are the main constituents. The isolated compounds and the various extracts obtained with solvents of different polarities presented a diverse spectrum of biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antitumour, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-oedema, and antiviral activities. Various in vitro and in vivo tests have demonstrated the pharmacological potential of ß-elemene and alkaloid damascenin. Unfortunately, the largest number of biological studies on this species and its metabolites have been conducted in vitro; therefore, further investigation is necessary to evaluate the toxicological aspects and real mechanisms of action of crude extracts to confirm the therapeutic potential of N. damascena.