Bioactivity Profile Research Articles

The importance and use of Amaranthus for crop diversification in the SADC region

Crop diversification is crucial for sustaining food security under current climatic conditions which limits crop productivity. It also provides an opportunity for the introduction of new food products and medicinal plants. Effective exploration of Amaranthus in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region can provide economic and agricultural potential, high nutritional value and medicinal properties that can sustain communities. This review is focused on economic and agricultural potential, nutritional value, chemical composition, and medicinal properties of Amaranthus. Amaranthus is an underutilized, inexpensive vegetable with significant dietary minerals, vitamins, proteins, and bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. An agricultural-based approach of crop diversification has been suggested as a sustainable measure that can address food security, fight poverty and malnutrition under drought and heat stress. Nutritional, chemical composition, and medicinal properties of A. caudatus, A. hypochondriacus, A. cruentus, A. spinosus, A. dubius, A. blitum, A. virdis and A. hybridus, was reviewed. In addition, co-administration of herbal medicine by cancer patients and risk of herb-drug pharmacokinetic interactions was also highlighted. The future tolerance level to environmental stressors; investigation of the effect of processing and cooking methods on the nutrient content, bioactive compounds profile and nutraceutical properties of local species and varieties are also recommended in this review.

Bioactivity Profiling of Infusion, Decoction, and Hydroalcoholic Fraction Obtained from Wild Golden Chanterelle Mushroom, Cantharellus cibarius (Agaricomycetes).

Cantharellus cibarius Fr. is one of the most desirable, popularly known wild edible mushrooms of the genus Cantharellus. Besides having nutritional benefits, this mushroom is reported to harbor significant medicinal potential. In present study, we describe for the first-time bioactive metabolites content and medicinal activities of three different types of extracts including infusion, decoction, and hydroalcoholic fraction from wild Cantharellus cibarius of West Bengal. Bioactive metabolites quantification revealed the phenol and flavonoids present in the range between 0.56-1.46 mg of GAE/g of dried fruit bodies and 0.12-0.29 mg of QE/g of dried fruit bodies, respectively, whereas ascorbic acid contents were also found. Antioxidant activity was assessed using six in vitro systems; decoction displayed better results in all investigated assays with EC50 values ranging between 0.05 and 0.34 mg/ml whereas hydroalcoholic extract showed highest total antioxidant capacity (18 ± 1.61 μg AAE per mg of extract) than other extracts. Moreover, infusion and decoction were found to scavenge highly reactive free radicals like hydroxyl and nitric oxide with their EC50 values ranging between 0.26 and 0.91 mg/ml. Additionally, anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts was evaluated using protein denaturation assay. Hydroalcoholic extract at a concentration range of 0.005-0.1 mg/ml showed comparatively better activity than decoction and infusion, although all the extracts presented dose dependent inhibition of heat induced protein denaturation. Altogether, the present investigation is expected to extend the existing knowledge of this species and recommended its use in pharmaceutical industries as an effective mycomedicine.

Bioactive Compound Profiling and In-vitro Antimicrobial Study of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) Extract against Pneumococcal Bacteria

High morbidity and mortality rate associated with pneumococcal infection globally is of major concern most especially among infant. This burden is equally worsened by multidrug resistance strains due to indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics. Hence, need for constant search for cheap and effective bioactive compounds as alternative antimicrobials for the treatment of pneumococcal infection. Bioactive compound profiling and in-vitro antibacterial activity of ginger methanol extract against two predominant pneumococcal agents; Streptococcus pneumonia and Haemophilus influenza were investigated. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used for the identification and quantification of bioactive compounds in the ginger methanol extract. The antibacterial activity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extract was determined using Agar well diffusion. Twenty-seven (27) matched bioactive compounds were detected in the sample. Zingerone (17.70%), α-zingiberene (13.30%), (6)-shogaol (10.84%), α-Farnesene (6.26%), β-Funebrene (5.61%), 6-gingerol (5.18%), α-curcumene (4.15%) were the major compounds present. All other identified compounds had less than 4% composition by peak area each. The antibacterial activity of the ginger crude methanol extract against S. pneumonia and H. influenza were 2.33 mm and 9.33 mm. MIC of the extract against the isolates was 10%. In conclusion ginger crude methanol extract contain an array of bioactive compounds and the extract exhibited antibacterial activity against predominant pneumococcal agents. Ginger extract can be harnessed for the production of new antimicrobials to combat pneumococcal infection.

Development and Validation of Analytical Standards of Coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) shell based on Pharmacognostic, Phytochemical and Chromatographic Techniques

Background: Cocos nucifera Linn. belongs to the Arecaceae family and is the only accepted species from the genus Cocos. Coconut shell is a usually discarded material from the plant source Cocos nucifera Linn. However, scientifically validated data regarding the chemical and conforming therapeutic profile of Coconut shell is not available till date. It is important to develop analytical standards of Coconut shell using pharmacognostic, phytochemical and chromatographic techniques. Materials and Methods: The present analytical study was designed to determine the organic compounds present in the active fraction of dried ripe Coconut shell and to develop drug standards using powder microscopy, quantitative and qualitative phytochemical analysis and TLC techniques. Results: Powder microscopy and preliminary phytochemical analysis of Cocos nucifera Linn. endocarp indicated the presence of high fibre content in the drug. Further studies revealed the test drug as a rich source of alkaloids, steroids, phenols, flavonoids and tannins. Bioactive chemical profile and analytical standards of the test drug were derived by Thin Layer Chromatographic studies as well. Conclusion: The findings of the current research work ensued in establishing the botanical and analytical standards for Coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) shell.

A Comprehensive Chemical and Nutritional Analysis of New Zealand Yacon Concentrate

Global interest in yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is growing due to its potential as a functional food, attributable to its unique profile of bioactives and high fructooligosaccharide (FOS) content, which vary between cultivars. Our objective was to conduct a comprehensive chemical and nutritional analysis of New Zealand yacon concentrate (NZYC)-a sweet syrup derived from the roots of cultivar 'New Zealand', which was first grown in the 1980s. The major minerals in NZYC were potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. The FOS content ranged from 17.6 to 52.7 g/100g. Total phenolic content ranged from 565 to 785 mg gallic acid equivalents per 100 g; chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were the major phenolic compounds. The major amino acids were L-arginine, L-glutamic acid, L-proline, L-aspartic acid, and asparagine. The major organic acids were citric, malic, quinic, and fumaric acids. Antioxidant activity ranged from 1084.14 to 3085.78 mg Trolox equivalents per 100 g depending on the assay used. The glycaemic index (GI) value was 40 ± 0.22, classifying it as a low-GI food. These results support the classification of NZYC as a nutraceutical food product for future diet therapy applications.

CCSynergy: an integrative deep-learning framework enabling context-aware prediction of anti-cancer drug synergy.

Combination therapy is a promising strategy for confronting the complexity of cancer. However, experimental exploration of the vast space of potential drug combinations is costly and unfeasible. Therefore, computational methods for predicting drug synergy are much needed for narrowing down this space, especially when examining new cellular contexts. Here, we thus introduce CCSynergy, a flexible, context aware and integrative deep-learning framework that we have established to unleash the potential of the Chemical Checker extended drug bioactivity profiles for the purpose of drug synergy prediction. We have shown that CCSynergy enables predictions of superior accuracy, remarkable robustness and improved context generalizability as compared to the state-of-the-art methods in the field. Having established the potential of CCSynergy for generating experimentally validated predictions, we next exhaustively explored the untested drug combination space. This resulted in a compendium of potentially synergistic drug combinations on hundreds of cancer cell lines, which can guide future experimental screens.

The effects of fatty acid-based dietary interventions on circulating bioactive lipid levels as intermediate biomarkers of health, cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Dietary fatty acids (FAs), primarily n-3 polyunsaturated FAs, have been associated with enrichment of the circulating bioactive lipidome and changes in the enzymatic precursor lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) mass; however, the magnitude of this effect remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of different dietary FAs on the bioactive lipid profile of healthy participants and those with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors. PubMed, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant articles published between October 2010 and May 2022. Data were screened for relevance and then retrieved in full and evaluated for eligibility by 2 reviewers independently. The net difference in the bioactive lipid mean values between the endpoint and the baseline, and the corresponding SDs or SEs, were used for the qualitative synthesis. For the meta-analysis, a fixed-effects model was used. Twenty-seven randomized clinical trials (representing >2560 participants) were included. Over 78% of the enrolled participants had ≥1 associated CVD risk factor, whereas <22% were healthy. In the meta-analysis, marine n-3 supplements (dose range, 0.37-1.9 g/d) significantly increased pro-inflammatory lysophosphatidylcholines (lyso-PCs; for lyso-PC(16:0): mean, +0.52 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.02-1.01] µM; for lyso-PC(18:0): mean, +0.58 [95%CI, 0.09-1.08] µM) in obese participants. Additionally, n-3 supplementation (1-5.56 g/d) decreased plasma Lp-PLA2 mass, a well-known inflammation marker, in healthy (-0.35 [95%CI, -0.59 to -0.10] ng/mL), dyslipidemic (-0.36 [95%CI, -0.47 to -0.25] ng/mL), and stable coronary artery disease participants (-0.52 [95%CI, -0.91 to -0.12] ng/mL). Daily n-3 provided as EPA+DHA supplements and consumed from 1 to 6 months reduced plasma Lp-PLA2 mass in healthy participants and those with CVD and CVD risk factors, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the saturated lyso-PC response to n-3 was impaired in obese participants. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021218335.

Bioactive Compounds Profile of Solok Arabica Coffee Analyzed by GC-MS Method

The type of coffee affects the compounds in it, the environment, and the soil. One of the areas in West Sumatera where a Coffee Producer is Solok Regency. The kind of coffee that is cultivated in Solok is Arabica coffee. The height of the planting point has an influence on the taste, so Solok Arabica coffee has a different taste from the flavors of other Arabica coffees that are widely spread throughout Indonesia. This study aims to determine the compounds contained in Solok Arabica coffee, which was roasted at 200oC for 10 minutes. The compound detection in Solok Arabica coffee was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results of GC-MS analysis detected 25 compounds in Solok Arabica coffee at 200oC for 10 minutes, and 4 of them were detected in large quantities, namely pyridine, caffeine, n-hexadecanoic acid, and butyl 9,12-octadecadienoate with amounts between 70-97 m / z. Pyridine is a benzene derivative by replacing CH groups with N atoms, which are toxic to humans because they can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, and irritation when in contact with the skin. Caffeine is the main bioactive component of the purine ring system in coffee. The sensory test method used to determine the typical Arabica Coffee of “Ranah Minang” is cupping to assess the taste of the coffee. n-hexadecanoic acid is a saturated fatty acid with antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, nematicide, anti-androgenic, hemolytic, pesticide, lubricant, 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, antipsychotic, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Bioactive Profile of Distilled Solid By-Products of Rosemary, Greek Sage and Spearmint as Affected by Distillation Methods.

By-products of essential oils (EOs) in the industry represent an exploitable material for natural and safe antioxidant production. One representative group of such by-products is distilled solid residues, whose composition is properly modulated by the distillation method applied for the recovery of EOs. Recently, in terms of Green Chemistry principles, conventional extraction and distillation processes are considered outdated and tend to be replaced by more environmentally friendly ones. In the present study, microwave-assisted hydro-distillation (MAHD) was employed as a novel and green method for the recovery of EOs from three aromatic plants (rosemary, Greek sage and spearmint). The method was compared to conventional ones, hydro-distillation (HD) and steam-distillation (SD), in terms of phytochemical composition of distilled solid residues, which was estimated by spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP) results highlighted the distilled solid residues as good sources of antioxidants. Moreover, higher antioxidant activity was achieved for MAHD extracts of solid residues in comparison to HD and SD extracts. A metabolomics approach was carried out on the methanolic extracts of solid residues obtained by different distillation methods using LC-MS analysis followed by multivariate data analysis. A total of 29 specialized metabolites were detected, and 26 of them were identified and quantified, presenting a similar phenolic profile among different treatments, whereas differences were observed among different species. Rosmarinic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound in all extracts, being higher in MAHD extracts. In rosemary and Greek sage extracts, carnosol and carnosic acid were quantified in significant amounts, while trimers and tetramers of caffeic acid (salvianolic acids isomers) were identified and quantified in spearmint extracts, being higher in MAHD extracts. The obtained results pointed out that MAHD extracts of distilled solid by-products could be a good source of bioactives with potential application in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, contributing to the circular economy.

Bioactivity and phenolics profile of aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction.

The aim of the study was to investigate the biological activity and chemical composition of Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. LC-PDA/MS analyses for the aqueous extracts (A1-stem, leaves and flowers, A2-leaves and flowers) and ethyl-acetate extracts (E1-stem, leaves and flowers, E2-leaves and flowers) obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction enabled the identification of thirty-four compounds. Quantitative analysis revealed that the aqueous extract obtained from leaves and flowers was the richest in total phenolic acids (65.36mg/g) and flavonoids (21.17mg/g). The total polyphenol content was the highest in the aqueous extract obtained from leaves and flowers (274 ± 2.4mg Gallic Acid equivalents/g). The best antioxidant activity was observed for the same extract using the DPPH (SC50 20 ± 10µg/mL), ABTS (2.834 ± 0.02mg Ascorbic Acid/g), FRAP (1.922 ± 0.03mmol Fe2+/mg), and total reducing power tests (16.4 ± 1.0mg Ascorbic Acid/g). Both ethyl acetate extracts were the most active against strains of Bacillus cereus and Micrococcus flavus (MIC 1.70-1.99mg/mL and 1.99-3.41mg/mL, respectively). They were more efficient against Aspergillus ochraceus (MFC 0.86mg/mL) and towards HeLa cell lines. All the obtained results implied the good potential of the investigated extracts to be used as effective preservatives and functional ingredients in food products and dietary supplements.

Improving flavor, bioactivity, and changing metabolic profiles of goji juice by selected lactic acid bacteria fermentation

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have exhibited strain/species specificity for different food matrices. We investigated the impact of LAB fermentation on the flavor, chemical profile, and bioactivity of goji juice. The colony counts of five selected strains reached above 8.5 log CFU/mL. The fermentation increased the organic acids, decreased the sugars, and improved the sensory quality of goji juice. The majority of the strains had increased acetic acid, heptanoic acid, ethyl phenylacetate, and linalool levels. Specific strains suppressed α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase activities and increased the antioxidant activities of fermented goji juice. Based on non-targeted metabolomics and activities, 23 important differential metabolites were screened among 453 metabolites. The quantification results showed that isoquercitrin and m-coumaric content varied among strains, reflecting the strain specificity in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. These findings will provide useful information for fermented goji juice biochemistry research.

Bioactivity Profiling of In Silico Predicted Linear Toxins from the Ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis.

The venoms of ants (Formicidae) are a promising source of novel bioactive molecules with potential for clinical and agricultural applications. However, despite the rich diversity of ant species, only a fraction of this vast resource has been thoroughly examined in bioprospecting programs. Previous studies focusing on the venom of Central European ants (subfamily Myrmicinae) identified a number of short linear decapeptides and nonapeptides resembling antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here, we describe the in silico approach and bioactivity profiling of 10 novel AMP-like peptides from the fellow Central European myrmicine ants Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis. Using the sequences of known ant venom peptides as queries, we screened the venom gland transcriptomes of both species. We found transcripts of nine novel decapeptides and one novel nonapeptide. The corresponding peptides were synthesized for bioactivity profiling in a broad panel of assays consisting of tests for cytotoxicity as well as antiviral, insecticidal, and antimicrobial activity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a showed moderately potent antimicrobial effects against several bacteria, including clinically relevant pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, but high concentrations showed negligible cytotoxicity. U-MYRTX-Mrug5a is, therefore, a probable lead for the development of novel peptide-based antibiotics.

Crinum L. species as a potential source of alkaloids: Extraction methods and relevance for medicinal and pharmacological applications

The present review seeks to associate the bioactive profile, forms of extraction, and possible applications of the compounds present in non-endemic species of Crinum L. (Amaryllidaceae) found in Brazil. This genus is well-known for its isoquinoline alkaloids with variable biological activities and chemical structures. In this work, a bibliometric analysis was carried out with a literature review in the SCOPUS database to highlight and correlate research on the selected Crinum species: C. ornatum (Aiton) Herb., C. americanum L., C. x powellii hort. ex Baker, C. jagus ( J.Thomps ) Dandy., C. erubescens L.f. ex Aiton. To date, only 43 studies have been published on these species. These works reveal that these plants are rich mainly in alkaloids and other bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, alcohols, fatty acids, etc. The alkaloids present in these plants are mainly responsible for their biological properties with cytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-diabetic potential, and as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. In addition, different solvents, extraction, and separation methods have been reported to obtain these biomolecules. The bioactives found in these plants can supply the search for compounds for applications in the medical and pharmaceutical industries, being, therefore, potential sources to be used in the promotion of human health. Thus, this review contributes to the valorization of these species and instigates new research in multidisciplinary areas. • This review examined the research progress, trends, and updates about 5 Crinum species. • Last 52 years, 43 articles were published on the properties of these species. • Literature focused mainly on the pharmacological activity of alkaloids. • Data on other compounds need to be further developed. • These species have an excellent technological potential to be used.

Broccoli sprouts as a novel food ingredient: Nutritional, functional and sensory aspects of sprouts enriched pasta

The presented study aimed to investigate the suitability of using broccoli sprouts powder (BsP) as novel food ingredient for improvement of nutritional and bioactive profile of conventional pasta while maintaining desirable cooking, textural and sensory properties. Three spaghetti formulations containing 5, 10, and 15g/100 g of BsP were produced (labelled as: 5BS, 10BS, and 15BS) and analysed. The content of protein, lipids and mineral increased with increasing level of BsP in pasta formulation, while carbohydrates were reduced. BsP also increased the content of glucosinolates, synapic acid derivatives, total phenolics and antioxidant activity in uncooked pasta. Although cooking slightly decreased sinapic acid derivatives and total phenolic content, their content were significantly higher in enriched pasta samples. For glucosinolates there was observed a significant loss (p < 0.05) during pasta cooking, which resulted in their total loss. Textural analysis showed that uncooked enriched pasta was less flexible with lower breaking strength, while after cooking was less firm in comparison to the control. Incorporation of BsP increased pasta bitterness, however no significant differences were observed in overall pasta quality or in overall liking. Results suggest that BsP is promising food ingredient that can be used for production of functional pasta without compromising its acceptance.

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Bioactivity Profiling and Assessment of Photocatalytic Dye Degradation Activity in Punica granatum Juice

Abstract: The textile businesses, particularly dyeing industry is the major polluter in the globe, since the dye manufacturing necessitates a huge quantity of water. Plant mediated nanomaterials has the potential to dramatically accelerate the green revolution in the nanomaterial sectors where environmental contamination is a major problem. In the present study, Punica granatum fruit juice was used as plant source to carry out the green synthesis of AgNPs, reported for the first time. The Punica granatum is rich in polyphenols and flavonoids, responsible in the reduction of Ag+ ions to form AgNPs. The synthesized Punica granatum AgNPs were investigated using UV-vis spectrophotometry, where they had exhibited a visible color change and the maximum absorption peak at 421nm, confirming the formation Punica granatum AgNPs. The SEM analysis had revealed the particles morphology and confirmed the rectangular, spherical and rod structure of the particles. The FTIR analysis had shown the presence of different functional group responsible in the reduction and formation of AgNPs. Further, the dynamic light scattering has depicted the average size to be 228.3nm of the formed AgNPs and the size distribution of the particles in the colloidal solution. The photocatalytic degradation MB dye was carried out using the biosynthesized AgNPs and NaBH4, resulting in 99.4% degradation activity, with an increased concentration of the colloidal Punica granatum AgNPs. The quantitative detection of heavy metal salt solution was performed, with the use of Punica granatum AgNPs as a biosensor, showed its sensitivity towards mercury. The antibacterial activity performed against the following bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Proteus sp., which had resulted in the formation of a clear zone of inhibition. Punica granatum AgNPs had also showed maximum of 80.94% of DPPH scavenging activity.

Biochemical, nutraceutical and phytochemical characterization of chia and basil seeds: A comparative study

ABSTRACT Chia and basil seeds have comparable nutritional profiles, bioactive components, and phytochemistry, which make it difficult for consumers and researchers to choose between the two. Thus, an in-depth study was conducted to compare the physiochemical, nutritional and bioactive profile of these seeds in order to obtain complete database regarding nutritional and phytochemical profiling of both seeds. The wonder seeds were analyzed for physico-chemical composition, fatty acid constituents, amino-acid profile and phytochemical screening. Fatty acid constituents were determined using GC-MS, while amino acids profile and identification and quantification of phytochemicals were performed using HPLC procedure. Physico-chemical evaluation of basil and chia seed revealed that basil was found superior to chia in terms of dietary fiber (40.85 g/100 g), fat content (33.10 g/100 g), vitamin A (1583 µg/100 g) and E (779 µg/100 g) while chia seed was rich in protein (21.54 g/100 g), iron (7.7mg/100 g), magnesium (335 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (860 mg/100 g). Amino acid profiling revealed the presence of high-quality protein in chia seeds comprising of almost all essential and non-essential amino acids in significant (p < .05) amounts as compared to basil seeds. Furthermore, higher proportion of α-linoleic acid (ALA) was detected in basil seeds (24.4g/100 g) as compared to chia seeds (5.25 g/100 g) as determined by GC-MS. Phytochemical screening showed that basil contained significantly (p < .05) higher amounts of total phenolic (17.66mgGAE/g of dry sample) and flavonoid content (0.57mgQE/100 g of dry sample) in comparison to chia seeds, which contributed to its higher anti-oxidant activity. Phenolic characterization revealed that basil seeds contained higher concentration of caffeic acid (4780.01 µg/g) followed by gallic acid (2330 µg/g). The inference drawn from the study concludes that both seeds can be put forth for enrichment of various food items or can be directly consumed as functional foods.

Assessing Physicochemical Parameters, Bioactive Profile and Antioxidant Status of Different Fruit Parts of Greek Eggplant Germplasm

Eggplant is an economically important vegetable with a potential for functional food production, mainly due to its high fruit antioxidant capacity. The goal of the present study was to investigate the main physicochemical and antioxidant parameters, and assess the bioactive profiles, of 19 eggplant genotypes of diverse origin, including Greek commercial varieties and hybrids, landraces and the related species S. macrocarpon. For that reason, the physicochemical traits (dry matter, pH, total soluble solids and total acidity) were assessed in the eggplant fruit and some important bioactive compounds (total phenols (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), total monomeric anthocyanin (TAC), chlorogenic acid (CA) and its isomers neo- and crypto-CA) were assessed both in fruit pulp and peel. In addition, the antioxidant capacity was assessed according to ABTS•+, DPPH• and FRAP assays. The results revealed significant differences between the studied genotypes for all the evaluated traits, for both fruit parts. Solanum macrocarpon showed a distinct bioactive profile and was superior for most of the pulp traits (TFC, neo-CA, crypto-CA, ABTS•+, DPPH• and FRAP). Among the eggplant materials, the landrace ‘KD054/07’ had very high values for pH and some pulp traits (TPC, CA, ABTS•+ and FRAP), while the commercial F1 hybrid ‘Nilo’ was superior for dry matter and most of the peel traits (TPC, TFC, ABTS•+ and FRAP). The Greek commercial variety ‘Langada’ performed well for TAC and peel CA, ABTS•+ and FRAP, while ‘Tsakoniki’ had very high anthocyanin and pulp TPC content. These results constitute a source of information for a subset of the Greek eggplant germplasm and could contribute both to the promotion of Greek varieties of high bioactive and antioxidant value, as well as to the targeted selection of parents in breeding programs.

Co-extraction of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and dried coconut shreds by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE): Chemical and bioactivity profile

This work emphasized on the co-extraction of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) and dried coconut shreds (Cocos nucifera L.) by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), a green extraction technique, vis-à-vis the conventional solvent extraction using n-hexane. The optimized parameters of co-extraction using SFE through central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) were found to be 350 bar/65 °C/20 min having a yield of 45 mg/g, and a total curcuminoid (curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin) content of 723 μg/g. The yield of co-extract after 16 h of conventional soxhlet extraction using n-hexane was 42 mg/g and total curcuminoids in the co-extract were 339 μg/g. The SFE co-extracts showed 345 μg AAE/mg sample DPPH radical scavenging activity, 394 μg AAE/mg sample ABTS radical scavenging activity, 210 μM FeSO4 7H2O/mg sample ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 89% anti-inflammatory activity as compared to the standard drug, and bactericidal effects against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi. The SFE co-extracts showed promising in vitro anti-cancerous activities in MCF7 (breast cancer) and CaCO2 cell lines.

Phytochemical profiling of volatile and bioactive compounds in yellow mustard (Sinapis alba) and oriental mustard (Brassica juncea) seed flour and bran

The objective was to study the phytochemical profile of yellow (Sinapis alba) and oriental mustard (Brassica juncea) flour and bran fractions. The HS-SPME-GC/MS technique was used to determine the volatile profile. Up to 53 volatiles, including isothiocyanates, alkanes, alcohols, ketones and esters were identified in the mustard powders. In addition, the free and bound bioactive fraction was studied and the determination was performed by UHPLC-MS/MS. A total of 26 compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids and glucosinolates) were identified in the mustard samples. Sinapis alba, including the bran fraction, was richer in p-hydroxybenzoic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids compared to Brassica juncea. In addition, the volatile profile in yellow mustard seeds, as analysed by HS-SPME-GC/MS, has been described for the first time in this work. The study of the principal components showed that according to the bioactive compounds profile it is possible to differentiate between the two mustard species analysed. Moreover, the bran fraction, as a by-product of the seed processing, is a matrix rich in bioactive compounds and could be applied for the recovery of polyphenols for agro-industrial or pharmaceutical application.

Phenolic Fingerprinting and Bioactivity Profiling of Extracts and Isolated Compounds from Gypothamnium pinifolium Phil.

Gypothamnium pinifolium Phil. (Asteraceae) is a small shrub that grows in the Paposo Valley of the II Antofagasta Region of Chile. This initial study is of the high-resolution phenolic fingerprinting, antioxidant activity, the relaxation effects in rat aorta, the inhibitory enzyme potential, plus the antiproliferative activity of the ethyl acetate and n-hexane extract from G. pinifolium and its two major isolated secondary metabolites (one coumarin: 2-nor-1,2-secolycoserone, and one diterpene: ent-labda-8,13-E-diene-15-ol). The study involves using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography todiode array detection coupled with Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-PDA-Orbi-trap-MS), in which various compounds were identified, including specific coumarins. The n-hexane extract showed total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 517.4 ± 12.5 mg GAE/100 g extract and 72.3 ± 3.7 mg QE/100 g extract, respectively. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the n-hexane extract was assessed using in-vitro assays such as bleaching of DPPH and ABTS (IC50: 14.3 ± 0.52 and 2.51 ± 0.43 µg extract/mL, respectively), FRAP (347.12 ± 1.15 μmol Trolox equivalent/g extract), and ORAC (287.3 ± 1.54 μmol Trolox equivalents/g extract). Furthermore, the inhibition against cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) 4.58 ± 0.04 µg/mL, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) IC50: 23.44 ± 0.03 µg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC50: 9.25 ± 0.15 µg/mL) enzymes of the n-hexane extract, and main compounds (IC50: 1.21 ± 0.03 µg/mL, 11.23 ± 0.02 µg/mL, 3.23 ± 0.12 µg/mL, and 103.43 ± 16.86 µg/mL, correspondingly for the most active coumarin 1) were measured. The antiproliferative potential of the extracts and the two principal compounds against several solid human cancer cells was investigated. All of them showed good activity against cancer cells. Label-free live-cell imaging studies on HeLa cells exposed to the isolated coumarin and the diterpene enabled the observation of cell death and several apoptotic hallmarks. Our results indicate that G. pinifolium Phil. is a valuable source of secondary metabolites with potential activity against noncommunicable diseases.