Phenolic Secondary Metabolites Research Articles

Оценка содержания вторичных метаболитов и антиоксидантной активности экстрактов каллусных культур и микрорастений in vitro Hyssopus officinalis L.

Hyssopus officinalis L. is a valuable medicinal plant. Its extracts have good commercial prospects as biologically active substances. Biotechnological production methods that yield valuable secondary metabolites often involve callus cultures, which differ in qualitative and quantitative content of target substances. This research compared phenolic secondary metabolites, antioxidants, and antimicrobial activities in extracts of three callus cultures in vitro, native plants, micro-plants and a commercial preparation of H. officinalis. The extracts were obtained using 70% ethanol. The content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and tannins was determined by standard methods. The method of high-performance liquid chromatography revealed the content of individual phenolic compounds. The antioxidant activity tests relied on DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS. The antimicrobial and fungicidal activity was assessed by the disc-diffusion method. The Murashige-Skoog medium with 0.2 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine and 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid demonstrated a high growth index of callus crude biomass (11.6 ± 1.4). The same culture was rich in phenolic compounds (35.5 ± 1.2 mg-eq. gallic acid/g solids), hydroxycinnamic acids (82.5 ± 2.6 mg-eq. rosmarinic acid/g solids), tannins (49.6 ± 0.8 mg-eq. gallic acid/g solids), rosmarinic acid (20.25 ± 1.84 mg/g solids), and caffeic acid (1.48 ± 0.08 mg/g solids). Its extracts showed significant antioxidant activity according to DPPH (127.8 ± 5.6 mg-eq. ascorbic acid/g solids) and FRAP (15.9 ± 1.3 mg-eq. ascorbic acid/g solids). However, they had a rather weak antibacterial and fungicidal activity against Bacillus subtilis (7.2 ± 0.2 mm) and Candida albicans (7.0 ± 0.2 mm) at a concentration of 2 mg/disk. The antibacterial and fungicidal activity against Escherichia coli was equally weak at 1 mg/disk (7.0 ± 0.3 mm) and 2 mg/disk (7.3 ± 0.1 mm), respectively. The extracts of H. officinalis callus cultures and micro-plants in vitro produced the best yield of secondary metabolites compared to the native plant extract. Biotechnological methods proved effective in obtaining valuable compounds from cell cultures.

Quality differences in sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) berries of major varieties in China based on key components and antioxidant activity

Sea buckthorn is rich in active ingredients, widespread, and has both medicinal and nutritional value. The present comparative study of wild and cultivated species remains insufficient, which is not conducive to their quality control. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the differences of 21 sea buckthorn samples in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), phenolic components content, secondary metabolites, and antioxidant capacity and the fatty acid, to investigate the quality differences of different varieties. The TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity of wild varieties were higher than those of the cultivated. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed large differences in phenolic content, with higher levels of gallic acid and isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidin in the wild, whereas the cultivated were characterized by narcissin and kaempferol. These findings provided the scientific basis for the improvement of quality evaluation standards for different varieties and offered new insights for the further development of sea buckthorn resources.

Synthesis and characterization of 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-((4-hydroxyphenyl)imino)-4h-chromene-3,5,7-triol: In vitro biological evaluation and computational analysis

Secondary phenolic metabolites like flavonoids, that are found in numerous plant sections and have a range of uses. Quercetin falls under the category of flavonols, belonging to the flavonoids found in various medicinal plants, some common fruits, and vegetables with various applications. However, quercetin, with its various applications, is not well established in the pharmaceutical industry since it is associated with a lot of drawbacks, like instability in the gastrointestinal tract, the first-pass effect, solubility issues, etc. Quercetin-Schiff base derivatives are essential for targeting cancer cells and enhancing biological activities due to the formation of the C=N (imine group), which plays a major role in enhancing biological activities. In this research article, quercetin Schiff base (Q1sb) was synthesised and analysed using spectroscopic techniques like 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HRMS, etc. Biological activities like anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxicity analyses were done on four cancer cell lines, namely A549, HeLa, HepG2, and MCF-7, and molecular docking were done on some of the common targets. The first section explains the characteristics of flavonoid, the therapeutic action and drawbacks of quercetin, and the importance of Schiff base derivatives; the second section explains the synthesis method and characterization; and the third section explains the biological applications and molecular docking studies.

Photosystems functioning, the content of chemical elements, flavonoids and brassinosteroids in leaves of chimera Cornus controversa

he formation of chimera is a well-known phenomenon in variegated ornamental and wild plants, but the biochemical peculiarities of this phenomenon are not well studied. The purpose of this work was to conduct a comparative study of the photosynthetic apparatus functioning, the content of macro-, microelements, flavonoids and brassinosteroids in the variegated and green leaves of the periclinal chimera Cornus controversa plant grown in the collection of M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine. Sampling was made during the period from June to October 2022. The content of photosynthetic pigments and brassinosteroids was measured spectrophotometrically, autofluorescence of leaf tissues was studied using an inverted microscope with a multi-channel fluorescence imaging system, Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) – using GreenSeeker devices and fluorimeter, the level of macro- and microelements – using plasma emission spectrometer. Phenolic secondary metabolites were separated by HPTLC. To assess the protective capacity of flavonoids, a bioassay on the germination of radish seeds Raphanus in the presence of AlCl3 was used. It was shown that green leaves of C. controversa chimera, compared to variegated ones, had a twice as high NDVI index, maintained photosynthetic function longer in autumn, and had higher content of macronutrients (Mg, Ca and S) but lower concentration of toxic metals (Al, Cu, Fe, Zn, Ti). Instead, variegated leaves accumulated more brassinosteroids and phenolic metabolites, which were found not only to reduce the toxic effect of aluminum but also to have a growth-stimulating effect on the roots of radish seedlings. Such specialization of green and variegated leaves may contribute to better plant chimeras adaptation to environmental pollution. Keywords: brassinosteroids, Cornus controversa, macroelements, microelements, NDVI index, periclinal chimera, phenolic metabolites, photosynthetic pigments, tissue autofluorescence

Comparative analysis of phytochemical properties of extracts obtained from flowers and leaves of Astragalus angustifolius collected from different locations

Plants containing phenolic secondary metabolites such as tannins and flavonoids are of great interest due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial effects on health. Many species belonging to the Astragalus genus possess promising bioactive phyto-compounds and are used in folk medicine worldwide. In this study, extracts were obtained using two different solvents (ethanol and methanol) from the flowers and leaves of Astragalus angustifolius collected from two different locations in Kahramanmaraş. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of these extracts were compared, along with their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Additionally, the fixed oil content of the extracts was examined using GC-MS analysis, revealing 8 different fatty acid components. The main fatty acid components of the plant extracts were found to be linoleic, oleic, and gamma-linolenic acids in high abundance at both locations. In the methanol extracts of A. angustifolius, total phenolic content ranged from 14.82 to 15.47 mg GAE/g dw in leaves and from 4.38 to 5.30 mg GAE/g dw in flowers. Similarly, flavonoid content ranged from 8.14 to 9.26 mg QE/g dw in leaves and from 5.08 to 5.20 mg QE/g dw in flowers. Leaves exhibited higher phenol and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity compared to flowers. Moreover, methanol was observed to be more successful than ethanol in retrieving the bioactive content of the plant material. This conclusion was confirmed by both antioxidant capacity tests such as FRAP and IC50 values, and the difference in phenol and flavonoid levels between leaves and flowers. Antimicrobial activity determination using the well-diffusion method showed that A. angustifolius leaf extracts had a broad spectrum of effects on test microorganisms.

Calafate (Berberis microphylla G. Forst) Populations from Chilean Patagonia Exhibit Similar Structuring at the Genetic and Metabolic Levels

Berberis microphylla, commonly known as calafate, is one of the most promising species of Chilean Patagonia to be domesticated, due to its anthocyanin-rich berries. The main aim of this study was to understand the genetic structure of the wild populations of B. microphylla in the main regions where it grows and its relationship with phenolic secondary metabolite profiles. Ripe berry samples and leaves were collected from the Aysén and Magallanes regions. Genetic analyses were carried out using 18 microsatellite markers. Phenolic compounds were extracted from the ripe fruits and were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their antioxidant capacity was determined according to the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. Total phenols were measured as their absorbance at a wavelength of 280 nm. Both the genetic and chemometric data were explored using unsupervised and supervised methods. The genetic markers suggest the existence of three groups, two of them corresponding to the Aysén and Magallanes samples, and the third corresponding to Chile Chico (a district in Aysén), which was the most divergent of the three. Similar results were observed in the phenolic profile obtained with chemometric analysis, with the same samples forming a separate third group. The differentiation achieved using the genetic and chemical data may be the result of intrinsic genetic differences, environmental effects on fruit maturity, or the sum of both factors. These are all points to consider in the domestication of this valuable species by selecting individuals with desirable traits and contrasting phenotypes.

Correlation analysis of secondary metabolites and disease resistance activity of different varieties of Congou black tea based on LC-MS/MS and TCMSP

To investigate the correlation between the difference of secondary metabolites and the disease-resistance activity of different varieties of Congou black tea. Among a total of 657 secondary metabolites identified, 183 metabolites had anti-disease activity, 113 were key active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), 73.22% had multiple anti-disease activities, and all were mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids. The main enriched metabolic pathways were phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, flavonoid biosynthesis, and metabolic pathways. Flavonoid and phenolic acid secondary metabolites were more correlated with anti-disease activity and key active TCM ingredients. Conclusion: The types of JGY and Q601 Congou black tea of the relative contents show large differences in secondary metabolites. Flavonoid and phenolic acid secondary metabolites were identified as the primary factors contributing to the variation in secondary metabolites among different varieties of Congou black tea. These compounds also exhibited a stronger correlation with disease resistance activity.

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential of Capsicum annuum (L.) Dry Hydro-Ethanolic Extract.

Capsicum annuum (L.) is one of the essential spices most frequently used in our daily routine and has remarkable ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties. Its fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and numerous other phenolic metabolites with a well-known antioxidant activity. Regular consumption of chili fruits may have a positive influence on human health. Therefore, we investigated a commercially available chili fruit powder in the present study, extracting it with 50% ethanol. The dried hydro-ethanolic extract (CAE) was thoroughly analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS), and 79 bioactive phenolic constituents were identified. Then, we quantified the main phenolic compounds and found a polyphenol content of 4.725 ± 1.361 mg Eq tannic acid/100 g extract and a flavonoid amount of 1.154 ± 0.044 mg Eq rutin/100 g extract. Phenolic secondary metabolites are known for their dual redox behavior as antioxidants/pro-oxidants, underlying their numerous benefits in health and disease. Thus, the antioxidant potential of CAE was evaluated using three methods; our results could explain the protective effects of chili fruits: IC50DPPH = 1.669 mg/mL, IC50ABTS = 0.200 mg/mL, and EC50FRAP = 0.561 mg/mL. The pro-oxidant potential of phenolic compounds could be a basis for CAE cytotoxicity, investigated in vitro on tumor cell lines and in vivo on Daphnia sp. Results demonstrated the dose- and time-dependent CAE's cytotoxic activity; the highest antiproliferative activity was recorded on colon (LoVo) and breast (MDA-MB-231) cancer cell lines after 48 h of exposure (IC50 values < 200 µg/mL). In vivo testing on Daphnia sp. reported a potent CAE cytotoxicity after 48 h and embryonic developmental delays. Extensive data analyses support our results, showing a significant correlation between the CAE's concentration, phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity, exposure time, and the viability rate of different tested cell lines.

Natural- and in vitro-grown Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim: evaluation of pharmaceutical potential (antibacterial, antioxidant and toxicity) and phenolic profiles

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim) is Rosaceae family perennial herb. Traditional uses of F. ulmaria include inflammatory problems like rheumatism, arthrosis, and arthritis), gastrointestinal disorders, liver malfunction, and gout. The pharmaceutical industry has been very interested in this plant because of its health benefits. The presence of phenolic secondary metabolites is thought to be the primary cause of meadowsweet's biological activity and therapeutic efficacy. This study was intended to compare and evaluate the biological activities (antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor and toxicity) and phenolic profiles (total phenol-flavonoid content and individual phenolic constituents) of F. ulmaria aerial parts obtained from two different sources (naturally- and in vitro-grown). Antibacterial activity was evaluated using 17 different bacteria (10 human and 7 fish pathogens) with disc diffusion method. Methanolic extracts of in vitro-grown parts showed higher antibacterial effect than naturally-grown parts with all tested bacterial pathogens (human and fish). On the other hand, other extracts (aqueous, ethanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate) demonstrated higher antibacterial potential with field-grown parts. The highest sensitivity was observed with Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus and Enterobacter cloacae to aqueous extract of field-grown plants. The potent antibacterial activity of F. ulmaria extracts rendered the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-induced potato disc tumor assay inapplicable. Toxicity assay (brine shrimp) showed that aqueous extract of both sources had the lowest toxicity. Methanolic extract of both parts had a strong antioxidant potential (DPPH radical scavenging activty) having IC50 values as 205.65 µg/mL and 206.74 µg/mL, respectively, and similar level of overall total phenol-flavonoid contents. Individual phenolic analysis with HPLC-DAD showed that the most prevalent phenol was rutin in both sources. While the quantities of chlorogenic acid in both aerial parts were similar, the parts that were grown naturally had higher levels of salicylic acid and rutin. These findings demonstrated the effective antibacterial and antioxidant properties, high phenolic content, and low toxicity of both F. ulmaria sources, indicating that they can be utilized in nutraceutical industry due to their high health promoting potential.

The Effect of External Treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana with Plant-Derived Stilbene Compounds on Plant Resistance to Abiotic Stresses.

Stilbenes are a group of plant phenolic secondary metabolites, with trans-resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) being recognized as the most prominent and studied member. Stilbenes have a great potential for use in agriculture and medicine, as they have significant activities against plant pathogens and have valuable beneficial effects on human health. In this study, we analyzed the effects of direct application of stilbenes, stilbene precursor, and stilbene-rich extract solutions to the plant foliar surface for increasing the resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to various abiotic stresses (heat, cold, drought, and soil salinity). Exogenous treatment of A. thaliana with stilbenes (trans-resveratrol, piceid, and spruce bark extract) and phenolic precursor (p-coumaric acid or CA) during germination resulted in considerable growth retardation of A. thaliana plants: a strong delay in the root and stem length of 1-week-old seedlings (in 1.3-4.5 fold) and rosette diameter of 1-month-old plants (in 1.2-1.8 fold), while the 2-month-old treated plants were not significantly different in size from the control. Plant treatments with stilbenes and CA increased the resistance of A. thaliana to heat and, to a lesser extent, to soil salinity (only t-resveratrol and spruce extract) to drought (only CA), while cold resistance was not affected. Plant treatments with stilbenes and CA resulted in a significant increase in plant resistance and survival rates under heat, with plants showing 1.5-2.3 times higher survival rates compared to untreated plants. Thus, exogenous stilbenes and a CA are able to improve plant survival under certain abiotic stresses via specific activation of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of auxins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, and some stress-related genes. The present work provides new insights into the application of stilbenes to improve plant stress tolerance.

Phytochemical Screening, Identification of Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity Test of Sirsak Extract (Annona muricata, L.) Leaf Grown in North Sumatra, Indonesia

The research is to identify and analyze the secondary metabolite content of sirsak (Annona muricata, L.) leaves, which are extracted with ethanol and water solvents, and determine their potential activity as antioxidants. Extraction using ethanol (Merck) and water as solvent; phytochemical screening uses standard reagents: FeCl3 5% in water, FeCl3 1%, Dragendrof, Mayer, Wagner, Mg ribbon, HCl (concentrated), Liberman-Buchard. Analysis of secondary metabolite compound components from the extract using GC-MS Shimadzu (QP-2010S Shimadzu, Japan) and determination of potential antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. Phytochemical screening of the ethanol extract of A. muricata leaf contains phenolic secondary metabolites, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, and triterpenoids. According to phytochemical screening, A. muricata leaf water extract contains phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and steroids. The results of ethanol extract analysis using GC-MS obtained 24 types of secondary metabolite compounds with the three highest secondary metabolite compounds, namely dodecanoic acid, 1,2,3-propanetriyl ester (16.76%), dodecanoic acid, 1,2,3-propanetriyl esters (16.52%), and glycerol trilaurate (15.07%); A. muricata leaf water extract contains 15 metabolite compound components with the three highest secondary metabolite compounds, namely n-hexadecoic acid (37.40%), 9-Hexadecenoic acid (16.59%), and benzeneethanol, 4-hydroxy (6.76%). The antioxidant activity value extracted with water solvent has an IC50 of 99.96 ppm, and that extracted with ethanol has an IC50 of 264.51 ppm. A. muricata extract leaf contains various secondary metabolites, and samples extracted with water show better antioxidant activity compared to samples extracted with ethanol.

Plants of the family Lamiaceae as a source of therapeutic agents against Acanthamoeba infections.

Acanthamoebae are causative agents of severe and complicated human infections without a standard effective therapy to date. Therefore, the research is focused on the development of new amoebicidal drugs based on the natural products. Plants of the family Lamiaceae are typical with several phenolic secondary metabolites that make them interesting in medical point of view. In this review, we concentrate on anti-Acanthamoeba activities of plant extracts, essential oils, and phytochemicals of Lamiaceae in the published literature. A total of 13 articles in the research field were found. Totally, 16 plant species belonging to family Lamiaceae were studied against trophozoites and cysts of Acanthamoeba in in vitro conditions. Low toxicity of the Lamiaceae plant extracts to tissue cultures enhances their possible potential for clinical use. The research demonstrated promising trophocidal and cysticidal effects against acanthamoebae. Further research is needed with inclusion of more clinical isolates and in vivo studies. Reviewing the related literature highlights the promising amoebicidal activities of plant extracts, essential oils and bioactive compounds of family Lamiaceae. Identifying the active components could lead to production new effective and well-tolerated drugs for the Acanthamoeba infections treatment.

Quality Breeding in Leafy Vegetables

Vegetables are commonly known as "protective foods" in the human diet owing to their quantity of vitamins, essential fatty acids, minerals, amino acids, and dietary fiber, as well as a range of critical bioactive compounds. These include health-promoting phenolic chemicals and secondary plant metabolites that are high in antioxidants. Greens are the best and most economical sources of protein. This is because of their ability to use the abundant amounts of nitrogen, sunlight, water, and oxygen in the environment to synthesize and accumulate amino acids. It has long been recognized that green leafy vegetables are a great source of dietary fiber. The WHO states that in order to effectively combat general malnutrition, it is now necessary to consider the micronutrient status of the diet. Breeding green vegetables with high nutritional content can help solve this problem.

Analysis of Softwood Lignans by Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography.

Lignans constitute a large group of phenolic plant secondary metabolites possessing high bioactivity. Their accurate determination in plant extracts with a complex chemical composition is challenging and requires advanced separation techniques. In the present study, a new approach to the determination of lignans in coniferous knotwood extracts as the promising industrial-scale source of such compounds based on comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation and UV spectrophotometric detection is proposed. First and second-dimension column screening showed that the best results can be obtained using a combination of non-polar and polar hydroxy group embedded octadecyl stationary phases with moderate (~40%) "orthogonality". The optimization of LC × LC separation conditions allowed for the development of a new method for the quantification of the five lignans (secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol, pinoresinol, 7-hydroxymatairesinol, and nortrachelogenin) in knotwood extracts with limits of quantification in the range of 0.27-0.95 mg L-1 and a linear concentration range covering at least two orders of magnitude. Testing the developed method on coniferous (larch, fir, spruce, and pine) knotwood extracts demonstrated the high selectivity of the analysis and the advantages of LC × LC in the separation and accurate quantification of the compounds co-eluting in one-dimensional HPLC.

A Perusal of Phenolics Within Polar Peel Fractions of Malus domestica var Maharaji via Hyphenated Techniques Cum Anti-microbial with REMA and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Potential thereof

This study aims to scrutinize the phenolic secondary metabolites in the polar peel decocture of Malus domestica var Maharaji via hyphenated techniques along with the study of the antibacterial, anti-candida, and tyrosinase inhibitory potential of bioactive compound-rich fractions. Preliminary phenolics go over was performed together with thin layer chromatography before the polar decocture was subjected to hyphenated techniques. FTIR investigation revealed the C-O bonds as in phenols, O-H bond stretch, and vibrations of alcohols and carboxylic acids as well as portrayed the C-H and &gt;C=O stretches among other functional groups all of which are representative of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds. GC-MS perusal demonstrated the presence of bioactive compounds like Quercetin (13.04%), Ascorbic acid (6.48%), p-Coumaric acid (6.17%), Caffeic acid (5.69 %), Mallic acid (5.44%), Apigenin (5.28%), Citric acid (5.15%), Gallic acid (4.38%), Cyanidin (3.52%), and Ferulic acid (3.51%). Kirby-Bauer method followed by the resazurin microtiter assay technique (REMA) for MIC/MBC against six MTCC bacterial strains and one yeast, all producing stubborn opportunistic infection in humans, was used to assess the antibacterial property of all the bioactive rich fractions. Some fractions comparatively revealed a good activity index (AI) against tested microbes. MIC concentrations for bacteria ranged from 15-24 mg/ml while a lower MBC value recorded was 18 mg/ml. Methanol fraction revealed significant tyrosinase inhibitory activity by revealing IC50 of 980.98 µg/ml when L-Tyrosine was substrate and IC50 of 830.68 µg/ml when L-DOPA was substrate when juxtaposed to standard kojic acid that revealed IC50 of 128.822 µg/ml when L-Tyrosine was substrate and IC50 of 149.43 µg/ml when L-DOPA was substrate. The bioactive compounds possessed by the fractions, may be synergistically, turned out to be more effective in the diphenolase reaction and kojic acid acts more effectively in the monophenolase one. It was inferred that peel phenolics of this malus variety have a lot of therapeutic potential in the context of bacterial infections and pigmentation disorders.

Profile and potential bioactivity of the miRNome and metabolome expressed in Malva sylvestris L. leaf and flower

Malva sylvestris L. (common mallow) is a plant species widely used in phytotherapy and ethnobotanical practices since time immemorial. Characterizing the components of this herb might promote a better comprehension of its biological effects on the human body but also favour the identification of the molecular processes that occur in the plant tissues. Thus, in the present contribution, the scientific knowledge about the metabolomic profile of the common mallow was expanded. In particular, the phytocomplex of leaves and flowers from this botanical species and the extraction capacity of different concentrations of ethanol (i.e., 95%, 70%, 50%, and 0%; v/v in ddH2O) for it were investigated by spectrophotometric and chromatographic approaches. In detail, 95% ethanol extracts showed the worst capacity in isolating total phenols and flavonoids, while all the hydroalcoholic samples revealed a specific ability in purifying the anthocyanins. HPLC–DAD system detected and quantified 20 phenolic secondary metabolites, whose concentration in the several extracts depended on their own chemical nature and the percentage of ethanol used in the preparation. In addition, the stability of the purified phytochemicals after resuspension in pure ddH2O was also proved, considering a potential employment of them in biological/medical studies which include in vitro and in vivo experiments on mammalian models. Here, for the first time, the expressed miRNome in M. sylvestris was also defined by Next Generation Sequencing, revealing the presence of 33 microRNAs (miRNAs), 10 typical for leaves and 2 for flowers. Then, both plant and human putative mRNA targets for the detected miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics analyses, with the aim to clarify the possible role of these small nucleic acids in the common mallow plant tissues and to try to understand if they could exert a potential cross-kingdom regulatory activity on the human health. Surprisingly, our investigations revealed that 19 miRNAs out of 33 were putatively able to modulate, in the plant cells, the expression of various chromosome scaffold proteins. In parallel, we found, in the human transcriptome, a total of 383 mRNAs involved in 5 fundamental mammalian cellular processes (i.e., apoptosis, senescence, cell-cycle, oxidative stress, and invasiveness) that theoretically could be bound and regulated by M. sylvestris miRNAs. The evidence collected in this work would suggest that the beneficial properties of the use of M. sylvestris, documented by the folk medicine, are probably linked to their content of miRNAs and not only to the action of phytochemicals (e.g., anthocyanins). This would open new perspectives about the possibility to develop gene therapies based on miRNAs isolated from medicinal plants, including M. sylvestris.

Inter- and intraspecific diversity of Salix bark phenolic profiles – A resource for the pharmaceutical industry

Due to their content of phenolic compounds, willow bark preparations are used as an herbal remedy. The large diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites in Salix still provides a resource for the identification of bioactive compounds in particular species, including species not yet in focus from a phytopharmaceutical perspective. The present study describes the bark phenolic profile of 13 Salix species analyzed by HPLC-MS: Salix alba, Salix babylonica, Salix daphnoides, Salix fragilis, Salix hastata, Salix myrsinifolia, Salix pentandra, Salix purpurea, Salix repens (including subspecies S. repens ssp. arenaria and S. repens ssp. repens), Salix rosmarinifolia, Salix sachalinensis, Salix triandra and Salix viminalis. The analyzed profiles comprised the chemical groups of salicylates, flavonoids, procyanidins, phenolic acid derivatives, and some unclassified phenolics. Particular compounds were detected in species where they have not been previously reported. Apart from interspecific diversity, qualitative variability within species was observed as certain components were detected only in some of the analyzed genotypes. The knowledge on specific phenolic profiles of species and genotypes is the basis for the selection of suitable willow bark material with certain desired bioactive properties. Furthermore, the high inter- and intraspecific variability points out the necessity for product standardization of willow bark raw material.

Influence of the content of biologically active phenolic compounds in the fruits of Malus Mill. on their quality indicators

The article presents the results of an analytical review of Russian and foreign literature sources devoted to the study of the influence of the composition and functions of phenolic compounds in apple fruits on their quality indicators (appearance, pulp density, nutritional value). Studies of the biochemical composition of apple fruits are currently relevant and are being carried out with the aim of in-depth study of the assortment of fruit crops and assessment of its potential use in breeding to increase the content of biologically active compounds. The prospects of the search for plants that accumulate phenolic compounds in tissues, which have a protective antioxidant function and nutritional value, have been confirmed. The issue of the role of accumulation, the dynamics of the content of individual phenolic compounds and the total content of phenolic compounds in various metabolic processes that determine the properties of apple fruits is considered. Analysis of the results of thematic scientific works on changes in the composition and content of phenolic compounds will allow targeted research leading to the use of fruits as a potential source of phenolic compounds, as well as identifying sources of accumulation of biologically active substances for practical use in breeding. The creation of new varieties of apple trees is necessary to obtain useful secondary phenolic metabolites contained in fruits, while the range of use of fruits includes the production of processed products. The expediency of carrying out breeding work aimed at increasing the content of phenolic compounds in fruits is confirmed by a number of recent publications by Russian and foreign scientists.

Screening in silico the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2inhibitory effect of isoflavones by molecular docking method for their potential use in breast cancer

Isoflavones are secondary phenolic metabolites found in most legumes. These compounds have important pharmacological significance such as anti-osteoporosis, anti-aging, and anti-cancer properties. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is an important target in breast cancer treatment. In this study, we evaluated the ability of sixty isoflavones compounds to inhibit the HER2 enzyme for their potential use in breast cancer treatments by the molecular docking method. Molecular docking was done by Autodock vina software. Lipinski 5 rule is used to compare compounds with drug-like and non-drug-like properties. Pharmacokinetic parameters of potential compounds were evaluated using the pkCSM tool. Our results showed that 35 compounds inhibited HER2 stronger than the positive control. Next, we analysed the drug-likeness according to Lipinski’s rule of five and predicted pharmacokinetic-toxicological parameters of these 35 compounds. We obtained two compounds, genistein and biochanin A, which could become promising drugs for breast cancer treatment. However, in vitro and in vivo studies on the inhibition of the HER2 enzyme need to be conducted.

Volatile Oil Yield and Composition, Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Activity and Secondary Metabolite Content of Collected Thymus praecox Species in Rize.

In this study, the volatile oil yield (Clevenger), volatile oil (VO) composition (Gas Chromatography), phenolic contents (UV-VIS Spectrophotometer), antioxidant activities (UV-VIS Spectrophotometer) and secondary metabolite content (High Pressure Liquid Chromatography) of 11 Thymus praecox subspecies were evaluated. The most detected chemical class were oxygenated monoterpenes (55.18-86.1 %) in investigated samples. In the present study rosmarinic acid, isoquercitrin, gallocatechin and thymol could be detected in high amounts. The min. and max. content values of Flora/Field Samples were 1543.241 and 890.3-1425.3 for rosmarinic acid, 139.44-287.894 and 129.9-312.2 for thymol, 38.619-121.424 and 26.3-112.9 for gallocatechin as mg/g DW. Principal Component Analysis was used to differentiate Thymus praecox species regarding volatile oil composition and secondary metabolite content. The results demonstrated that T. praecox collected from the Rize flora and cultivated afterwards showed variability based on investigated characteristics. Finally, the Thymus praecox samples displaying high bioactive compounds present useful information for further investigations and applications.