Extracts and compounds active on TRP ion channels from Waldheimia glabra, a ritual medicinal plant from Himalaya.

BACKGROUND: Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Regel is a wild plant from the Himalayan Mountains, commonly known as Smooth Ground Daisy. This plant is traditionally used by local populations in religious rituals (incense) or in traditional herbal medicine to treat skin diseases, headache, joint pain and fever. In literature few data are available on the investigation of this aromatic plant. PURPOSE: The present work aims at deepening knowledge about the chemical composition of W. glabra extracts and incense, as well as its activity on TRP ion channels. METHODS: Extracts and incense of W. glabra were analyzed by using HS-SPME GC/MS, GC/MS and NMR analysis. Tests on the activity of W. glabra extracts and isolated compounds (+)-ludartin 1 and B-ring-homo-tonghaosu 2 on TRP channels were also performed. RESULTS: Some extracts and pure compounds from W. glabra showed an interesting activity in terms of efficacy and potency on rat TRPA1, an ion channel involved in several sensory mechanisms, including pungency, environmental irritation and pain perception. Activity is discussed and compared with that of other known TRPA1 natural agonists with different chemical structures. All compounds showed only a negligible inhibition activity on rat TRPM8 ion channel. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that W. glabra is involved in the receptor activation mechanism and therefore represents a new natural product potentially useful in pharmaceutical and agrifood research.

Screening of the chemical composition and bioactivity of Waldheimia glabra (Decne.) Regel essential oil.

BACKGROUND: This research aimed at improving knowledge as to the chemical composition and the antibacterial and anti-cancer activities of the essential oil of Waldheimia glabra, a wild plant from the Himalayan Mountains. RESULTS: The results obtained by GC-MS showed that spathulenol, 9-tetradecenol, thujopsene, α-thujone, santolina alcohol and terpinen-4-ol were the main constituents of Waldheimia glabra essential oil. These results were confirmed by HS-SPME GC-MS analysis that also reported high amounts of artemisia alcohol and camphor. Disc diffusion assay suggested a mild antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, a dose-response correlation was observed between Waldhemia glabra essential oil concentration and viability of human breast adenocarcinoma cells MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7. CONCLUSIONS: Together with the GC-MS method, HS-SPME GC-MS proved to be a reliable technique to characterise the chemical composition of essential oil obtained from aromatic plants. Further studies will focus on W. glabra phytochemicals and their biological activity, in order to support traditional uses of the plant. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of biotic and abiotic stresses on volatile emission of Achillea collina Becker ex Rchb.

This study describes the application of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to characterise the volatile fingerprint changes of Achillea collina, induced by aphids' infestation, mechanical damage and jasmonic acid (JA) treatment. The volatile organic compound profiles of A. collina, Prunus persica and Pisum sativum infested by Myzus persicae were also compared. Several changes were observed between control, infested, mechanically damaged and JA-treated plants, and new inducible volatile organic compounds (IVOCs) were emitted in response to biotic or abiotic stresses. Some of these were in common for all stresses and other compounds were in common only for two types of stress. Conversely some IVOCs were emitted only in response to the specific stimuli. The results suggested that there were species-specific and common IVOCs emitted by A. collina, P. persica and P. sativum in response to M. persicae infestation. In conclusion, HS-SPME-GC/MS seems to be a reliable analytical approach to study in vivo plant reaction to external stimuli.

Volatile fingerprint of italian populations of orchids using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

The volatile fraction of Ophrys sphegodes Mill. subsp. sphegodes, Ophrys bertolonii subsp. benacensis (Reisigl) O. Danesch, E. Danasch & Ehrend. and Neotinea tridentata (Scop.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W. Case, three orchid species with different pollinator attraction strategies, sampled in vivo and in situ, were evaluated by headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry. The results were compared with the volatile compounds emitted by flowering plant samples picked from the same populations of orchid species. Hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols and terpenes were the major constituents of "in vivo" orchid scents and some distinctive differences in volatile metabolite composition were observed between Ophrys and Neotinea species. Moreover, the odour bouquets of the picked flowering plant samples were different from the in vivo ones and in particular different proportions of the various terpenes and an increase of α-pinene were observed. In conclusion HS/SPME GCMS proved to be a suitable technique for analyzing and distinguishing the volatile fingerprint of different orchid species, sampled in vivo and in situ in a non-disruptive way, with potentially great advantages for ecophysiological studies of rare and endangered species.

Analytical investigations on elastomeric shells of new Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) breast and from sixteen cases of surgical explantation.

In this study we have analysed the chemical composition of the extractable components from the elastomeric shells from n=27 explanted implants (n=16 patients), n=2 new PIP implants, and from explanted Eurosilicone and McGhan implants (n=2 for each brand). Empty elastomeric PIP shells (n=2) were also available for analysis. Prostheses were explanted between 2011 and 2012, after 3-11 years of implantation. Patients presented pre- and post-operation complications of different degrees. First we evaluated the micro-structural features of the shells by phase contrast microscopy, and compared the results with those obtained using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR), head space gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) and GC-MS in direct injection mode. The results of these studies confirm and explain the conclusion of previous international investigations that evidenced a linear decrease of rupture rate for prostheses implanted after 2006. The analytical identification of a series of UV sensitive radical photo-initiators (0.1%-0.2% w/w), belonging to the benzophenone family, in the shells of new and explanted prostheses produced after 2006 (associated with a strong smell absent in those produced earlier), in parallel to (ii) the removal of the anti bleed barrier from their manufacturing procedure (introduced after 2001), strongly suggested that from 2007, the PIP company used a polymerisation process different from that declared, probably as a consequence of the first reports of rupture problems. In addition, the HS-GC-MS experiments demonstrated that at body temperature the diffusivity of low molecular weight (LMW) silicones present in the PIP filler silicone is significantly higher than that of LMW silicones in an approved implant.

Effect of Light Environment on Growth and Phenylpropanoids of Yarrow (Achillea collina cv. SPAK) Grown in the Alps.

A 2-year field study on the effect of different light environments, obtained by using cladding materials (polyethylene films and shade net) able to cut off specific regions of the photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet wavebands, on the growth and phenylpropanoids content of Achillea collina grown in the Alps was conducted. Overall the plant growth was strongly enhanced in the second growing season irrespective of radiation treatment. The light environment did not affect total biomass accumulation, but only carbon allocation to leaves or inflorescences. Indeed the phenylpropanoid levels in inflorescences appeared to be more sensitive to the light environment than leaves as the latter showed high constitutive amounts of these compounds. However, the use of polyethylene films improved to some extent the content of caffeic acid derivatives in leaves. Our results showed that yarrow production, in the alpine situation considered, is influenced by the growing season and the light environment, providing a basis to optimize its quality, depending on the concentration of bioactive compounds, by means of proper agronomic practices.