Echinacea purpurea Fractions Represent Promising Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Formulations.

Echinacea purpurea is traditionally used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Therefore, we investigated the anti-inflammatory capacity of E. purpurea dichloromethanolic (DE) and ethanolic extracts obtained from flowers and roots (R). To identify the class of compounds responsible for the strongest bioactivity, the extracts were fractionated into phenol/carboxylic acid (F1) and alkylamide fraction (F2). The chemical fingerprint of bioactive compounds in the fractions was evaluated by LC-HRMS. E. purpurea extracts and fractions significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin 6 and/or tumor necrosis factor) and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated primary human monocyte-derived macrophages. Dichloromethanolic extract obtained from roots (DE-R) demonstrated the strongest anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, fractions exhibited greater anti-inflammatory activity than whole extract. Indeed, alkylamides must be the main compounds responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of extracts; thus, the fractions presenting high content of these compounds presented greater bioactivity. It was demonstrated that alkylamides exert their anti-inflammatory activity through the downregulation of the phosphorylation of p38, ERK 1/2, STAT 3, and/or NF-κB signaling pathways, and/or downregulation of cyclooxygenase 2 expression. E. purpurea extracts and fractions, mainly DE-R-F2, are promising and powerful plant-based anti-inflammatory formulations that can be further used as a basis for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

On the Bioactivity of Echinacea purpurea Extracts to Modulate the Production of Inflammatory Mediators.

Inflammatory diseases are the focus of several clinical studies, due to limitations and serious side effects of available therapies. Plant-based drugs (e.g., salicylic acid, morphine) have become landmarks in the pharmaceutical field. Therefore, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of flowers, leaves, and roots from Echinacea purpurea. Ethanolic (EE) and dichloromethanolic extracts (DE) were obtained using the Accelerated Solvent Extractor and aqueous extracts (AE) were prepared under stirring. Their chemical fingerprint was evaluated by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the reduction in intracellular reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), of the different extracts were evaluated using non-stimulated and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages. Interestingly, AE were able to stimulate macrophages to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor -TNF-α, interleukin -IL-1ß, and IL-6), and to generate ROS/RNS. Conversely, under an inflammatory scenario, all extracts reduced the amount of pro-inflammatory mediators. DE, alkylamides-enriched extracts, showed the strongest anti-inflammatory activity. Moreover, E. purpurea extracts demonstrated generally a more robust anti-inflammatory activity than clinically used anti-inflammatory drugs (dexamethasone, diclofenac, salicylic acid, and celecoxib). Therefore, E. purpurea extracts may be used to develop new effective therapeutic formulations for disorders in which the immune system is either overactive or impaired.

The Potential of Cistus salviifolius L. to Phytostabilize Gossan Mine Wastes Amended with Ash and Organic Residues.

The São Domingos mine is within the Iberian Pyrite Belt, a mining district with large concentrations of polymetallic massive sulfide deposits. Mine waste heaps are considered extreme environments, since they contain high total concentrations of potentially hazardous elements (PHE), which contribute to inhibiting the development of most plants. Autochthonous plant species, such as Cistus salviifolius L., are able to grow naturally in this degraded environment, and may contribute to minimizing the negative chemical impacts and improving the landscape quality. However, the environmental rehabilitation processes associated with the development of these plants (phytostabilization) are very slow, so the use of materials/wastes to improve some physicochemical properties of the matrix is necessary in order to speed up the process. This work studied the effectiveness of the phytostabilization with C. salviifolius of gossan mine wastes from the mine of São Domingos amended with organic and inorganic wastes in order to construct Technosols. The mine wastes have an acid pH (≈3.5), high total concentrations of PHE and low concentrations of organic C and available nutrients. The best vegetative development occurred without visible signs of toxicity in the Technosols containing a mixture of agriculture residues. These treatments allowed the improvement of the soil-plant system providing a better plant cover and improved several chemical properties of mine wastes, helping to speed up the environmental rehabilitation.

Use of combined tools for effectiveness evaluation of tailings rehabilitated with designed Technosol.

Soil and water characteristics and biogeochemical processes can be improved by the application of an integrated technology based on circular economy: designed Technosol. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the superficial application of a designed Technosol, with andic and eutrophic properties, on the rehabilitation of sulfide tailings of a uranium mine (Fé mining area, Spain) was the aim of this study. After 20 months of the Technosol application, the tailing rehabilitation status (Rehabilitated tailing) was compared to a non-rehabilitated tailing (Tailing). To assess the rehabilitation of these systems, several properties were analyzed: chemical characteristics of the materials and their leachates, soil enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, ß-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and urease), basal respiration and several plant endpoints from direct and indirect bioassays and pot experiment using Lolium perennse L. and Trifolium pratense L.. Potentially toxic concentrations of Co, Mn and Ni were identified in both available fraction and leachates, pointing out the serious environmental risk posed by the tailing. The improvement of overall physicochemical properties in the rehabilitated tailing materials (e.g., decrease of the hazardous element concentrations in leachates and available fraction, and improvement of the fertility and structure) allowed a quick plant cover with pasture species and provided a suitable habitat for active microbial community (evaluated by increasing dehydrogenase activity and basal respiration). This improvement in the rehabilitated tailing contributed to a significant decrease in the ecotoxicological risk and the spread of hazardous elements. The field application of this specific Technosol was a promising and lasting solution for rehabilitation of this type of tailings.

Desarrollo de materiales educativos para pacientes crónicos y familiares / Development of educational materials for chronic patients and families

Un nivel bajo de alfabetización puede dificultar la comprensión de la información necesaria para tomar decisiones apropiadas en relación con la propia salud. Esta situación está relacionada con una peor adherencia a los tratamientos, un peor estado de bienestar y una mortalidad más elevada, sobre todo en personas de edad avanzada. Resulta esencial que la información pueda ser comprendida por el paciente y su familia. Este artículo tiene como objetivo presentar las recomendaciones internacionales existentes para el diseño y la elaboración de materiales o recursos educativos para pacientes crónicos y familiares. Se describen aspectos metodológicos que engloban la inclusión de los pacientes en distintos puntos durante el proceso de desarrollo del material, la adaptación del formato y el contenido al nivel de comprensión del paciente, así como su participación en una prueba piloto antes de la publicación de los mismos. Los materiales educativos que se han elaborado con la colaboración de los pacientes resultan más adaptados a su contexto y promueven cambios positivos en su salud

Low literacy can difficult the use of information needed to take appropriate decisions in healthcare. This situation is associated with poorer treatment adherence, lower health outcomes and higher mortality among the population and, specifically, the elderly. It is essential that information can be understood by patients and families. This article aims to present the existing international recommendations for the design and development of educational materials and resources to chronic patients and families. This process encompasses the involvement of patients at various levels during the development process of the materials, the adaptation of the format and content to the level of understanding of the patient as well as their participation in the evaluation process. Educational materials that have been developed in collaboration with patients are more adapted to their context and promote positive changes in their health

Rehabilitation of mining areas through integrated biotechnological approach: Technosols derived from organic/inorganic wastes and autochthonous plant development.

In order to restore the plant cover, improve ecosystem services and decrease the environmental risk of two mine wastes (gossan and sulfide-rich wastes), an integrated biotechnology was tested at long-term and greenhouse conditions. This integrated biotechnology involves the natural isolation of sulfide-rich wastes through an alkaline barrier, covered by designed Technosols (both of them derived from mining and agro-industrial wastes) and a plant cover with Lavandula pedunculata and Cistus ladanifer. Technosols allowed significant germination (L. pendunculata: 16-18%; C. ladanifer: 5-11%) and biomass production of both species (g FW/pot; Roots: 16.3-30.9, Shoots: 41.2-76.4 depending on species and Technosol). In the control was reached the lowest germination (<3%) and seedlings died after 40 days, so the improvement of the chemical characteristics of the surface layer, i.e. the implementation of the designed Technosols, is essential to ensure good vegetative development. No visual symptoms of nutritional deficiency and phytotoxicity neither element concentrations above hazardous levels for domestic animals intake were observed in those plants species. The alkaline barrier's components stabilise the sulfide-rich wastes by decreasing the oxidation and capillary rise of acid solutions that are rich in metals/metalloids. The limestone gravel showed, in some places, a thin layer of salts from alunite-jarosite group and metal-oxyhydroxides. As an outcome, the biotechnology was efficient and sustainable allowing the combined rehabilitation of both mine wastes at long-term.

Biochar as low-cost sorbent of volatile fuel organic compounds: potential application to water remediation.

Pyrolysis of waste materials to produce biochar is an excellent and suitable alternative supporting a circular bio-based economy. One of the properties attributed to biochar is the capacity for sorbing organic contaminants, which is determined by its composition and physicochemical characteristics. In this study, the capacity of waste-derived biochar to retain volatile fuel organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) and fuel oxygenates (FO)) from artificially contaminated water was assessed using batch-based sorption experiments. Additionally, the sorption isotherms were established. The results showed significant differences between BTEX and FO sorption on biochar, being the most hydrophobic and non-polar contaminants those showing the highest retention. Furthermore, the sorption process reflected a multilayer behaviour and a relatively high sorption capacity of the biochar materials. Langmuir and Freundlich models were adequate to describe the experimental results and to detect general differences in the sorption behaviour of volatile fuel organic compounds. It was also observed that the feedstock material and biochar pyrolysis conditions had a significant influence in the sorption process. The highest sorption capacity was found in biochars produced at high temperature (> 400 °C) and thus rich in aromatic C, such as eucalyptus and corn cob biochars. Overall, waste-derived biochar offers a viable alternative to be used in the remediation of volatile fuel organic compounds from water due to its high sorption capacity.

Characterization and fingerprinting of soil and groundwater contamination sources around a fuel distribution station in Galicia (NW Spain).

Soil and groundwater contamination around a fuel distribution station in Tomiño (NW Spain) was evaluated. For this purpose, top and subsoil (up to 6.4 m) and groundwater were sampled around the station, approximately in a 60-m radius. Samples were analysed by HS-SPME-GC-MS to identify and quantify volatile fuel organic compounds (VFOC) (MTBE, ETBE and BTEX) and diesel range organics (DRO). Analysis and fingerprinting data suggested that the contamination of soil and groundwater was provoked by a fuel leak from underground storage tanks. This was reflected by hydrocarbon indices and principal component analysis, which discriminated a direct source of contamination of the subsoil samples around the station. The contaminants probably migrated from tank nearby soils to surrounding soils and leached to groundwater, following a SW direction. Irrigation with contaminated groundwater provoked a severe contamination of topsoils, which were enriched with the lightest components of gasoline and diesel. Fingerprinting also revealed the continuity of the leak, reflected by the presence of volatiles in some samples, which principally appeared in fresh leaks. MTBE was detected in a very high concentration in groundwater samples (up to 690 µg L(-1)), but it was not detected in fresh gasoline. This also evidenced an old source of contamination, probably starting in the mid-1990s, when the use of MTBE in gasoline was regulated.

Influence of feedstock on the copper removal capacity of waste-derived biochars.

Biochar samples were generated by low temperature pyrolysis of different types of waste. The physicochemical characteristics of the different types of biochar affected the copper retention capacity, by determining the main mechanism involved. The capacity of the biochar to retain copper present in solution depended on the size of the inorganic fraction and varied in the following order: rice biochar>chicken manure biochar>olive mill waste biochar>acacia biochar>eucalyptus biochar>corn cob biochar. The distribution of copper between the forms bound to solid biochar, dissolved organic matter and free organic matter in solution also depended on the starting material. However, the effect of pH on the adsorption capacity was independent of the nature of the starting material, and the copper retention of all types of biochar increased with pH.