species are known for their use in traditional medicine. Here, we report the phenolic composition and bioactivity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of
DC. leaves. The phenolic profiling and the ...quantitation of the main compounds were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometry detections. The most abundant compounds in both extracts were caffeoylquinic acids (chlorogenic acid, particularly, with a concentration of 90.1-101.3 mg g
dried extract), followed by caffeoylglucaric acids and quercetin glycosides. Antioxidant and radical scavenging assays (phosphomolybdenum, DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, metal chelating activity), as well as enzyme inhibitory assays (acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase, glucosidase, and lipase), were carried out to evaluate the potential bioactivity of
. The methanolic extract presented the highest antioxidant and radical scavenging values, in agreement with its higher phenolic content. Regarding enzyme inhibitory potential, the methanolic extract was also more potent than the aqueous one. Hence,
leaves represent a suitable candidate for the preparation of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical products.
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common and recurring diseases and the second leading cause of death in women. Despite prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutic options such as radiation therapy ...and chemotherapy, the number of occurrences increases every year. Therefore, novel therapeutic drugs targeting specifically different checkpoints should be developed against breast cancer. Among drugs that can be developed to treat breast cancer, natural products, such as plant-derived compounds, showed significant anti-breast cancer properties. These substances belong to different chemical classes such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, and alkaloids. They exert their in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic activities against breast cancer cell lines via different mechanisms, including the inhibition of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, the arrest of the cell cycle, and the activation of autophagy. Moreover, they also exhibit anti-angiogenesis and antimetastatic action. Moreover, chemoprevention effects of these bioactive compounds were signaled only for certain drugs. Therefore, the aim of this review is to highlight the pharmacological actions of medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds on breast cancer. Moreover, the role of these substances in breast cancer chemoprevention was also discussed.
It has recently been proven that epigenetic dysregulation is importantly involved in cell transformation and therefore induces cancerous diseases. The development of molecules called epidrugs, which ...target specifically different epigenetic modifications to restore cellular memory and therefore the treatment, became a real challenge currently. Currently, bioactive compounds of medicinal plants as epidrugs have been can identified and explored in cancer therapy. Indeed, these molecules can target specifically different epigenetic modulators including DNMT, HDAC, HAT, and HMT. Moreover, some compounds exhibit stochastic epigenetic actions on different pathways regulating cell memory. In this work, pharmacodynamic actions of natural epidrugs belonging to cannabinoids, carotenoids, chalcones, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, tanshinones, and other chemical classes we reported and highlighted. In this review, the effects of several natural bioactive compounds of epigenetic medications on cancerous diseases were highlighted. Numerous active molecules belonging to different chemical classes such as cannabinoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, and tanshinones are discussed in this review.
Strawberries, belonging to cultivar Clery (
×
Duchesne ex Weston) and to a graft obtained by crossing Clery and
L., were chosen for a study on their health potential, with regard to the prevention of ...chronic and degenerative diseases. Selected samples, coming from fresh and defrosted berries, submitted to different homogenization techniques combined with thermal and microwave treatments, had been previously analyzed in their polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity. In the present work, these homogenates were evaluated in relation to their enzymatic inhibition activity towards acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase and tyrosinase. All these enzymes, involved in the onset of diabetes, and neurodegenerative and other chronic diseases, were modulated by the tested samples. The inhibitory effect on tyrosinase and cholinesterase was the most valuable. Antifungal activity against
, recently shown to play a crucial role in human gut diseases as well as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease, was also shown in vitro and confirmed by the in vivo text on
. Overall, the obtained results confirm once again the health potential of strawberries; however, the efficacy is dependent on high quality products submitted to correct processing flow charts.
Dried juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.) as a source of nutritionally valuable essential oil (EOs) were used for their isolation by conventional hydrodistillation (HD) and modern technique - ...microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MWHD). The chemical composition, and biological and microbiological potential of the isolated EOs, prepared by using different microwave energy power and microwave treatment time, were investigated. The essential oil kinetic release curves were mathematically modeled. Results of the research indicate that MWHD was a more favorable technique for EO isolation with higher biological activity than HD, where lower power of microwave radiation was more suitable for realizing a higher antioxidant activity. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the composition of essential oils obtained by different distillation techniques. Reduction of the isolation time of MWHD contributes to obtaining EOs with a very pronounced ability to inhibit excessive enzyme activity, while the production of EOs with strong microbiological activity requires a long isolation time. The EO of juniper berries obtained by MWHD could be characterized as a powerful natural product for the creation and formulation of new, as well as improving the quality of already existing food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.
•Conventional and modern processes isolated juniper berry essential oil.•Mathematical modeling of isolation kinetics was done.•Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the juniper berry oils were investigated.•Modern process was more favorable for oil isolation with higher biological activity.•Long-term isolation was mandatory for the antimicrobial activity of oils.
, also named "ironwort," "mountain tea," or "shepherd's tea," is a genus of flowering plants used as herbal medicine in traditional Mediterranean-area medicine systems, and these plants are generally ...consumed as a herbal tea. Its use as herbal tea and in traditional herbal medicine is quite popular. There are currently few studies on
L., and only one reports the use of a liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-ESI-MS
) profile and the content of phenolic compounds without considering a possible correlation with its biological activities. This paper aims to investigate the antioxidant activities by means of several different biological/biochemical assays (radical scavenging, reducing power, ferrous ion chelating, and total antioxidant by phosphomolybdenum and β-carotene bleaching methods) as well as analyze the enzyme inhibitory activities (against AChE (acetylcholinesterase), BChE (butyrylcholinesterase), tyrosinase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase) as well as the total phenolics, flavonoids, and condensed tannins. The reported results on
highlighted that methanol and water extracts generally showed higher radical scavenging and reducing power activities. A similar trend could be observed for phosphomolybdenum and ferrous ion chelating activities. Methanol extracts showed lower activity only for the β-carotene bleaching assay.
•The various biological and pharmacological properties of elderberry extracts were estimated.•Extracts of conventional dried elder fruits achieved the strongest antioxidant potential.•Ethanol extract ...of lyophilized fruits obtained by MAE extraction showed the greatest inhibitory action against tyrosinase and amylase enzymes.•Chlorogenic acid and rutin were the most abundant compounds in water and ethanol lyophilized extracts obtained by MAE and MAC extractions.•Sambucus nigra could be considered in the improvement of food and pharmaceuticals formulations.
The influence of drying and extraction processes on the phytochemical composition and biopotential of elderberry is challenging for the food industry. For this reason in this research two drying techniques (lyophilization and natural convection) and three extraction techniques (ultrasound (UAE), microwave (MAE), and conventional (maceration (MAC)) was applied using two”green” solvents (water and 50 % ethanol). Results of the research showed that lyophilization was a better way of drying than natural convection, while MAE extraction was the most efficient technique for the isolation of secondary metabolites. The most abundant phenolic compounds established by LC-MS/MS analysis, were chlorogenic acid and rutin, identified in extracts of lyophilized elderberries. Elderberry extracts achieved great antioxidant (CUPRAC: 2.30–5.13 mg TE/mL) and enzyme inhibitor potential (α-amylase: 0.51–8.34 mg ACAE/mL). The results suggest that elderberry is a rich natural source of bioactive compounds and could be used for the future development of dietary supplements and functional foods.
The present study is focused on the phytochemical analysis of the aerial parts of Symphytum anatolicum and Cynoglottis barrelieri (Boraginaceae). Their methanol extracts were subjected to qualitative ...LC-MS analysis, sixteen secondary metabolites have been identified from S. anatolicum and eighteen from C. barrelieri, respectively. Sixteen among all are phenolic derivatives (phenolic acids and flavonoids) and six belong to pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in the form of bases and/or N-oxides (PANOs). The observed chemical profiles are discussed chemotaxonomically as both species share the same tribe Boragineae. Caffeic acid and its derivatives together with quercetin- and kaempferol-glucosides were among the common metabolites, as they were identified in both studied plant species. Furthermore, their total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated by different chemical assays, together with their in vitro enzyme inhibitory properties towards cholinesterases (AChE and BChE), α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The results showed that C. barrelieri exhibited strong antioxidant activity, while S. anatolicum displayed good enzyme inhibitory effects contributing to a very interesting profile for further applications.
•Chemical profile of the aerial parts of S. anatolicum and C. barrelieri.•Phenolic acids, flavonoids & pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been identified.•Chemotaxonomic significance of rosmarinic acid among studied species and Boraginaceae.•S. anatolicum and C. barrelieri could be sources of potential bioactive molecules.
Abstract
Stroke is the most common cause of death among neurological diseases. The protective effects of
Potentilla reptans
L. include antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects. In ...this study, the brain protection and beta‐amyloid effects of
P. reptans
root extract were investigated in the rat brain ischemia/reperfusion (IR) model. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups (
n
= 8), including IR, sham, and three groups receiving
P. reptans
with concentrations of 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 (g/kg/b.w.), which were injected daily for 7 days. For the IR model, the common carotid artery was occluded bilaterally for 8 min. All injections were intraperitoneal (IP). The shuttle box test was used to measure passive avoidance memory. Then the brain tissue was extracted for the histological examination of neuron counts and β‐amyloid plaques using a morphometric technique, and finally, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Pretreatment with
P. reptans
improved memory impairment. Also, by examining the tissues of the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus areas of the hippocampus, it was observed that the number of plaques in the groups receiving
P. reptans
extract was reduced compared to the IR group, especially at the concentration of 0.05 g/kg/b.w. Also,
P. reptans
improved the number of neurons at all concentrations, in which the concentration of 0.05 g/kg/b.w. showed more effective therapeutic results. Taken together, we found that
P. reptans
root extract has beneficial effects on memory impairment, neuronal loss, and β‐amyloid accumulation.
Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) are
terpenophenols. Although CBD's effectiveness against neurological diseases has already been demonstrated, nothing is known about CBG. Therefore, a ...comparison of the effects of these compounds was performed in two experimental models mimicking the oxidative stress and neurotoxicity occurring in neurological diseases. Rat astrocytes were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and cell viability, reactive oxygen species production and apoptosis occurrence were investigated. Cortexes were exposed to K
60 mM depolarizing stimulus and serotonin (5-HT) turnover, 3-hydroxykinurenine and kynurenic acid levels were measured. A proteomic analysis and bioinformatics and docking studies were performed. Both compounds exerted antioxidant effects in astrocytes and restored the cortex level of 5-HT depleted by neurotoxic stimuli, whereas sole CBD restored the basal levels of 3-hydroxykinurenine and kynurenic acid. CBG was less effective than CBD in restoring the levels of proteins involved in neurotransmitter exocytosis. Docking analyses predicted the inhibitory effects of these compounds towards the neurokinin B receptor.
The results in the in vitro system suggest brain non-neuronal cells as a target in the treatment of oxidative conditions, whereas findings in the ex vivo system and docking analyses imply the potential roles of CBD and CBG as neuroprotective agents.
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