Chemical Composition and In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Effects of Volatile Oils Hydrodistilled from Onobrychis carduchorum C.C. Towns., a Kurdish Traditional Plant.

The volatile oils hydrodistilled from the aerial parts and roots of O. carduchorum C.C Towns. (Fabaceae) have been chemically characterized for the first time. A total of 43 constituents with an abundance >0.03% were identified and quantified in the two oils by GC/MS and GC/FID analyses. They comprise 38 components (98.58%) of the oil isolated from the aerial parts (OCA) and 34 components (93.33%) of the oil from the roots (OCR). Six constituents, α-pinene (23.11 ± 0.1%), ß-elemene (17.33 ± 0.1%), 1,8-cineole (12.15 ± 0.2%), furfural (7.91 ± 0.1%), terpineol-4-ol (6.32 ± 0.2%), and limonene (4.13 ± 0.1%), accounted for about 75% of the total OCA oil. On the other hand, 1,8-cineole (15.79 ± 0.1%), furfural (10.44 ± 0.1%), ß-elemene (10.14 ± 0.2%), α-terpineol (7.74 ± 0.1%), linalool (7.45 ± 0.1%), and α-pinene (4.76 ± 0.1%) made up about 60% of the OCR oil. The IC50 values of the scavenging activities of the OCA and OCR oils towards the DPPH radical and H2O2 were 79.8 ± 0.5 and 153.3 ± 0.6 µg/mL and 394.09 ± 0.2 and 311.67 ± 0.4 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, in the MTS assay, the OCA and OCR oils showed significant antiproliferative effects against T47D, MDA-MB-453, BG-1, and A549 human cancer cells that were more powerful than those against two normal human cell lines, HEK-293 and HFF-1. The abundant presence of ß-elemene as an antiproliferative component of the two oils suggested the existence of a new chemotype of O. carduchorum.

Food Security beyond Cereals: A Cross-Geographical Comparative Study on Acorn Bread Heritage in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

This article aims to contribute to the limited literature on traditional gastronomic knowledge concerning acorn-based bread by ethnographically documenting the ingredients, preparation techniques and consumption practices of baked goods made from acorn seeds and flour that are still used today or at least still present in living memory. A qualitative comparative case method was adopted, and ethnographic data were gathered from 67 people in six selected Mediterranean, Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries. The analysis highlighted distinct trajectories in the development of acorn-based bread, showing some differences in terms of ingredients, preparation techniques and baking methods in the two cultural and geographical macro-regions. By exploring the evolution of the alimentary role of acorn bread in the past century, our findings also support the hypothesis that the product, at least during the last two centuries, has mostly been used as a famine food. By acknowledging the cultural importance of acorn fruits and acorn-based products, this study suggests that the rediscovery of acorn-based products and associated traditional knowledge may foster the sustainable development of rural and marginal regions in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Central Asia. This could help to reinforce the resilience of local communities and thus increase food security. Furthermore, reassessing acorns as a foodstuff may aid in developing innovative products in line with emerging trends in the food sector, which is looking for new non-cereal-based bakery products and other novel culinary applications.