Unravelling the Biological Potential of Pinus pinaster Bark Extracts.

Pedro Ferreira-Santos,José A Teixeira,Joana Santos,Cristina M.R Rocha,Zlatina Genisheva,Cláudia Botelho,Carla Ramos

doi:10.3390/antiox9040334

Abstract

Natural compounds from agro-food by-products have fostered interest in food industries. The aim of this study was to unravel potential uses for Pinus pinaster bark extracts (PBE). As functional features of this type of extracts are usually attributed to phenolic compounds, the extraction process was studied. Different PBEs were achieved, with high content in phenolic compounds, using different water/ethanol combinations as a solvent. These PBEs were chemically characterized, and their bioactivity and in vitro cell viability were evaluated. Extracts obtained with hydroethanolic solvents had higher content in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. All the PBEs presented high antioxidant, antibacterial and antihyperglycemic activities. Moreover, PBEs have low cytotoxicity and a selective activity against cancer cells as these were negatively affected. These features may allow the extracts to be used in food formulation and processing (as preservatives, antioxidants or bioactive ingredients), but they showed also potential for the pharmaceutical or nutraceutical sectors.

Highlights

Natural compounds, such as phenolics, flavonoids, proteins, carotenoids, among others, have fostered interest in different industries including paints, fertilizers, surfactants, textiles, rubbers, pharmaceuticals, etc. [1]
The monomeric composition of polysaccharides, which correspond to an average of approximately 30% of pine bark, shows a predominance of the cellulose fraction (17.4% of glucose content)
Our results show that the pine bark (PB) extracts have a high content of phenolic compounds

Summary

Introduction

Natural compounds, such as phenolics, flavonoids, proteins, carotenoids, among others, have fostered interest in different industries including paints, fertilizers, surfactants, textiles, rubbers, pharmaceuticals, etc. [1]. The extracts of Pinus pinaster (a conifer plant found in some Mediterranean countries and used in afforestation of Africa, New Zealand and Australia), are rich in phenolic acids, flavanols and flavonoids (e.g., cinnamic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, quercetin and taxifolin) with a potent antioxidant activity [5,8]. These extracts have demonstrated beneficial effects for the treatment of several diseases, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, etc.

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