•Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of Greek garlics were evaluated.•Significant variation among the studied genotypes was observed.•Genotype G5 showed the highest total phenolics content and ...the lowest EC50 values.•Significant activity against Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli was recorded.•Inhibitory properties against Candida albicans and C. kruzei were detected.
Recent studies show a significant variation in antioxidant and antimicrobial properties between the various garlic genotypes mostly due to differences in chemical composition and bioactive compounds content. The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity of garlics collected from the main cultivation areas of Greece, as well as to correlate this activity with their total phenolics content. Genotype G5 showed the highest total phenolics content, which was significantly correlated with the lowest EC50 values for all the tested antioxidant activity assays. Antimicrobial activity was significant, especially against the bacteria Proteus mirabilis and Antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli. In conclusion, significant variation was observed between the studied garlic genotypes, indicating the importance of both growing conditions and genotype on bioactive properties of dry garlic bulbs. This variation could be further exploited in breeding programs in order to select elite genotypes with increased bioactive properties.
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•Improved spirulina-based ingredients were produced by spray-drying.•Maltodextrin and maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid were used.•The novel ingredients offer advantages over ...the direct use of spirulina.•The best solution is based on maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid.
The consumption of foods functionalized with spirulina might have positive health effects. However, spirulina-based food products are usually associated with unpleasant flavor and odor, and can present non-homogeneous appearance, impairing consumers’ acceptance. Moreover, it is important to assure bioactivity maintenance. To develop a novel food ingredient, spirulina was chemically characterized, and spray-dried using two encapsulating materials: i) maltodextrin and ii) maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid. Thereafter, free and encapsulated spirulina were evaluated for their bioactive properties. Microencapsulated spirulina presented higher thermal stability than the base materials, while showing better anti-inflammatory activity without exerting cytotoxicity. Free and encapsulated spirulina were further added to yogurts to validate their suitability as functionalizing agents. Yogurts added with encapsulated spirulina presented a more homogeneous appearance, and the best solution was spirulina encapsulated in maltodextrin crosslinked with citric acid, considering the nutritional profile, attractive color, and improved antioxidant activity throughout storage time.
The deficiency of vitamin D has been widely reported all over the world and linked to several chronic diseases. Mushrooms are valuable nutritional foods with recognized bioactive properties, leading ...the application of UV irradiation to the production of significant amounts of vitamin D2. In this context, cultivated species such as Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus have been widely studied.
However, there is still gap considering the knowledge of the most appropriate irradiation procedures (dose, intensity, distance between source and sample, exposure time) in order to maximize the content of vitamin D2 in the mushrooms. This strategy will enable vitamin D2-enhanced mushrooms to be commercially available at affordable costs. Considering the interest and potential of application, this review mentioned some of the physiological roles and sources of vitamin D, while the major focus was on mushroom's UV irradiation as a source of vitamin D2. Also, topics related to its bioavailability and clinical studies evidencing the health benefits reported so far were also addressed.
UV-irradiated mushrooms present a high rate of conversion from ergosterol to vitamin D2 at short treatment time and have the potential to increase serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Even though irradiated mushrooms exhibit some promising advantages, there is still a huge knowledge gap to allow for extraction, separation, recovery and purification of vitamin D2 from irradiated mushroom at minimal process cost and high purity percentage to be utilized as bio-based ingredient to reduce vitamin D deficiency as well as present other health promoting benefits.
•The potential of irradiated mushrooms as vitamin D2 sources was reviewed.•Agaricus, Pleurotus and Lentinula are the most widely studied genus.•UVB is the most widely used irradiation source.•Irradiated mushrooms contribute to serum levels of Vitamin D.•Some shortcomings of the research and future strategies were highlighted.
In Russian traditional medicine, an extract from the mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pil´at is used as an anti-tumor medicine and diuretic. It has been reported that Inonotus obliquus has ...therapeutic effects, such as anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory and hepatoprotective effects. This study was designed to investigate the chemical composition and biological properties of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Inonotus obliquus from Finland, Russia, and Thailand. Their antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antiquorum properties were tested as well as the cytotoxicity on various tumor cell lines.
The tested extract was subjected to conventional chemical study to identified organic acids and phenolic compounds. Antioxidative activity was measured by several different assays. Antimicrobial potential of extracts was tested by microdilution method, and antiquorum sensing activity and antibiofilm formation of Inonotus obliquus extracts was tested on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cytotoxicity of the extracts was tested on tumor cells (MCF-7, NCI-H460, HeLa and HepG2) and non-tumor liver cells primary cultures.
Oxalic acid was found as the main organic acid, with the highest amount in the aqueous extract from Russia. Gallic, protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were detected in all samples. Inonotus obliquus extracts showed high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Extracts were tested at subMIC for anti-quorum sensing (AQS) activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and all extracts showed definite AQS activity. The assays were done using twitching and swarming of bacterial cultures, and the amount of produced pyocyanin as QS parameters. All the extracts demonstrated cytotoxic effect on four tumor cell lines and not on primary porcine liver cells PLP2.
As the Inonotus obliquus presence in Chaga conks is limited, further purification is necessary to draw quantitative conclusions. The presence of AQS activity in medicinal mushrooms suggests a broader anti-infectious disease protection than only immunomodulatory effects.
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•Cichorium spinosum L. is a wild edible green with high nutritional value.•Cichorium spinosum L. chemical composition was evaluated under saline conditions.•Salinity increase resulted in significant ...changes of macro and micro-nutrients.•Phenolic compounds content was not significantly affected.•Chicoric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the most abundant phenolic acids.
Soil salinization is an increasing problem for many areas throughout the world that renders prohibitive vegetables and crop production in general. In the present study, Cichorium spinosum L. plants were grown under saline conditions in order to evaluate chemical composition and bioactive compounds content of their leaves. Salinity increase resulted in significant changes of macro and micro-nutrients content (nutritional value, sugars, fatty acids, minerals, ascorbic acid and tocopherols), whereas the concentration of phenolic compounds was not significantly affected. Chicoric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the most abundant phenolic acids. In contrast, antioxidant activity and mineral composition were beneficially affected by mid-to-high and high salinity levels. In conclusion, C. spinosum can be cultivated under saline conditions without compromising the quality of the final product, especially in semi-arid areas where irrigation water is scarce and/or of low quality due to high content of NaCl (coastal areas or areas where underground water is saline).
To scientifically validate their traditional use, phytochemical and bioactivity evaluation of Thymus serpyllum, Thymus algeriensis and Thymus vulgaris essential oils were done.
•Chemical composition ...and in vitro biological activity of Thymus essential oils (EO) were examined.•The main component of EOs was thymol (38.50–56.02%).•EOs exhibited strong antimicrobial, antioxidant/antiradical and antitumor activity.•This study succeeds in creating comparable and quantitative data for usage of Thymus oils against oral microorganisms.
Aromatic plant species of genus Thymus are important medicinal plants, highly recommended due to a range of therapeutic properties of their essential oils, commonly known as thyme oil: antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, cardiac, carminative, diuretic and expectorant. The oil is also beneficial in boosting the immune system and helps to fight colds, flu, infectious diseases and chills. It is proved to be a urinary antiseptic, being very helpful for cystitis and urethritis. Scientific validation of traditional uses, and phytochemical and bioactivity evaluation of essential oils from Thymus serpyllum, Thymus algeriensis and Thymus vulgaris were performed.
GC/MS analysis revealed thymol as a major component of T. algeriensis, T. vulgaris and T. serpyllum, with its contribution to the oil 56.0%, 48.9% and 38.5%, respectively. All three essential oils (EOs) exhibited a significant antimicrobial activity against all tested strains, the T. serpyllum oil being the most potent one (MIC 2.5–5μg/mL, MBC 5–10μg/mL; MIC 1–2μg/mL, MFC 2–4μg/mL). In addition, the T. serpyllum oil revealed the highest antioxidant activity in all conducted assays and it was the most effective one against all tested cell lines, presenting GI50 values of 7.02–52.69μg/mL. Moreover, none of the EOs showed toxicity at tested concentrations (>400μg/mL) for porcine liver primary cell culture. In addition to their well-known traditional use in food and cosmetics, the great potential of tested Thymus essential oils for application in oral diseases and anticancer treatments, encourage further investigation.
This review aims to gather available information on the medicinal, nutritional, and bioactive profiles of Annonaceae species in the African continent, sponsoring their use worldwide and mainly in ...African communities, where access to food and medicines for basic health care is scarce. >60 medicinal taxa were compiled, belonging to 22 genera, namely Annickia, Annona, Anonidium, Artabotrys, Cleistochlamys, Cleistopholis, Dennettia, Duguetia, Greenwayodendron, Hexalobus, Isolona, Lettowianthus, Monanthotaxis, Monodora, Neostenanthera, Polyceratocarpus, Sphaerocoryne, Uvaria, Uvariastrum, Uvariodendron, Uvariopsis and Xylopia; the most diverse and economically important genera were the genera Annona, Uvaria and Xylopia with 7 species each. Annonaceae species hold a valuable nutritional profile, rich in proteins, fibers, and minerals, being also good sources of a wide range of bioactive compounds of high biological relevance. These compounds are especially important in developing countries, where most of these species are available for direct use as food and/or medicines by the most deprived populations.
•The nutritional and bioactive profiles of Annonaceae species in the African continent were investigated.•Approximately 50 taxa were compiled, belonging to 17 genera.•The nutritional profile differs substantially among species.•Valuable amounts of minerals were detected in the pulp of Annona muricata.•Annonaceae species have a valuable nutritional profile, rich in proteins, fibers, and minerals.
•Changes in glycosylation controls tumor progression and metastasis formation.•Aberrant glycosylation affects cell signaling, adhesion and migration.•Glycans are modulators of cell-cell adhesion and ...microenvironment interaction.•Cancer cell glycome and glycan binding proteins regulate the immune response.•Glycan-based biomarkers are useful tools in cancer clinical management.
Tumour metastasis is the main cause of cancer related deaths. Metastasis is an intricate multi-step process that requires the acquisition of several cancer cell features, including the modulation of tumour cell migration, adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion. Changes in the cellular glycosylation are associated with malignant transformation of cancer cells, tumour progression and ultimately, metastasis formation. Glycans have major impact on cellular signalling and on the regulation of tumour cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix interaction. Glycans drive the interplay between the cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the roles of glycan alterations in tumour progression, such as acquisition of oncogenic features due to modulation of receptor tyrosine kinases, proteoglycans, cadherins and integrins. We also highlight the importance of key glycan binding proteins such as selectins, siglecs and galectins, which are pivotal in the modulation of immune response. An overview on glycans as cancer biomarkers is also presented.
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