Source Of Constituents Research Articles

Source of ore constituents for the hydrothermal barite mineralization in Vempalle Formation, Cuddapah Basin, India: Constraints from petrography, geochemistry and sulphur isotope composition

Source of ore constituents for the hydrothermal barite mineralization in Vempalle Formation, Cuddapah Basin, India: Constraints from petrography, geochemistry and sulphur isotope composition

Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Euphorbia paralias (L.): a bioprospecting study with phytoconstituents analysis.

The phytochemicals in the aerial parts of Euphorbia paralias (also known as Sea Spurge) and their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were investigated. The methanolic extract was characterized using GC-MS and HPLC techniques. The anti-inflammatory feature was estimated through a Human Red Blood Cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization technique, while the antimicrobial feature was evaluated by the disc diffusion agar technique, minimum bactericidal concentration, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) via micro-broth dilution method. The GC/MS results demonstrated the existence of various phytochemicals, such as n-hexadecenoic acid, cis-11-eicosenoic acid, and methyl stearate, recognized for their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial features. The similarity of the phytochemical composition with other Euphorbia species emphasizes the genus-wide similarity. The anti-inflammatory activity exhibited a noteworthy inhibitory effect comparable to the reference drug indomethacin. The extract's antimicrobial potential was tested against a range of microorganisms, demonstrating significant action against Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans. The quantification of total phenolics and flavonoids further supported the therapeutic potential of the extract. The methanolic extract from E. paralias emerges as a successful natural source of important active constituents with potential applications as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents. This research provides a first step to valorize Euphorbia paralias insights as a source of worthwhile phytochemicals that have potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Vaccinium Species-Unexplored Sources of Active Constituents for Cosmeceuticals.

The genus Vaccinium is represented by shrubs growing in a temperate climate that have been used for ages as traditional remedies in the treatment of digestive problems, in diabetes, renal stones or as antiseptics due to the presence of polyphenols (anthocyanins, flavonoids and tannins) in their fruits and leaves. Recent studies confirm their marked potential in the treatment of skin disorders and as skin care cosmetics. The aim of this review is to present the role of Vaccinium spp. as cosmetic products, highlight their potential and prove the biological properties exerted by the extracts from different species that can be useful for the preparation of innovative cosmetics. In the manuscript both skin care and therapeutic applications of the representatives of this gender will be discussed that include the antioxidant, skin lightening, UV-protective, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive properties to shed new light on these underestimated plants.

Phenolic components from carrot (Daucus carota L.) pomace: Optimizing the extraction and assessing its potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activities

Carrot pomace is a significant agricultural byproduct. Obtained during carrot juice processing. This residue is an appropriate reservoir of constituents with bioactive properties that could be investigated in the development of food constituents and nutritional supplements and in improving the quality and safety of foods. For this purpose, the objective of the present investigation was to extract the polyphenols from carrot pomace utilizing maceration and ultrasound-based extraction (UAE) procedures and to evaluate the antioxidant properties of phenolic constituents. To maximize the extraction of carrot pomace, a response surface approach was used. The optimal mixture of extraction time (A, min), ultrasonication power (B, w), and solvent type (C, v/v) for the highest yield of carrot pomace was found using a three-variable composite rotatable design (CRD). In order to assess different functional groups, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to investigate the extract collected under optimal circumstances. The highest polyphenols (26.53 %) were extracted by ethanol 70 % at 10 min with a sonication power of 250 w. The optimized extract also exhibited significant antioxidant and antimicrobial functions. The total phenolic compounds and scavenging of the DPPH radical were 85 mg GAE/gr and EC50: 55 ± 1 μg/mL, respectively. Together with Staphylococcus aureus, the highest zone of inhibition (12 mm) was identified. Our finding revealed that carrot pomace is an appropriate source of bioactive phenolic constituents, exhibiting antioxidant and antibacterial attributes, and could be applied as a natural preserver for promoting safety and quality properties in food products on an industrial scale.

Formulations of Yellow Maize-based Ogi flour fortified with Orange-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) flours: Effect on the bioactive constituents, colour and pasting properties

Yellow maize (YM) formulations fortified with orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and African yam bean (AYB) flours for ogi production, namely, YAO1 (100 %YM); YAO2 (70YM:10AYB:20OFSP); YAO3 (70YM:15AYB:15OFSP); and YAO4 (70YM:20AYB:10OFSP), respectively were made in order to determine their bioactive constituents, colour and pasting properties. From the results, YAO2 flour was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in 13-cis-βC (5.7 µg/100 g), 9-cis-βC (0.50 µg/100 g), trans-βC (24.17 µg/100 g), total βC (30.36 µg/100 g), α-carotene (1.54 µg/100 g), total carotenoids (44.34 µg/100 g), total polyphenols (9.45 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids (172.12 mg QCE/g), and ABTS (µmol TE/100 g) than other formulations. On the other hand, YAO4 flour had significantly (p < 0.05) higher FRAP value. With the exception of YM L* (lightness) (92.57), colour parameters a* (redness) (2.36), b* (yellowness) (34.72) and ∆E (colour differences) (31.98) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in YAO2 flour than other formulations. The pasting viscosities of YM exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for peak (288.62 RVU), Trough (168.38 RVU), Breakdown (120.25 RVU), Final (293.04 RVU), Setback (124.67 RVU), and pasting time (4.77 min) than other formulations. This study revealed that YAO2 and YAO3 flours provided the richest sources of bioactive constituents, lowest pasting properties and acceptable flours which will endear them to good quality ogi production and enhanced biological benefits to consumers.

Chemical characterization of the essential oil from the leaves of Eugenia flavescens DC. (Myrtaceae) and its potential in the treatment of pain, inflammation, and ethanol- and ethanol/HCL-induced gastric ulcers in mice.

Eugenia flavescens is a species cultivated in Brazil for food purposes. Given the potential application of essential oils from plants of the genus Eugenia, this study was carried out to investigate the chemical composition, acute toxicity, antioxidant, antinociceptive, gastroprotective activities, and possible mechanisms of action of the essential oil from the leaves of E. flavescens (EOEf). The EOEf was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the chemical composition was obtained using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity was evaluated, as well as the acute toxicity and the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. In addition, the gastroprotective effect was investigated using an acute gastric lesion model, considering possible mechanisms of action. The major components found in the EOEf were guaiol (19.97%), germacrene B (12.53%), bicyclogermacrene (11.11%), and E-caryophyllene (7.53%). The EOEf did not cause signs of toxicity in the acute oral toxicity test and showed in vitro antioxidant activity with IC50 ranging from 247.29 to 472.39µg/mL in the tests ABTS and DPPH. In the nociceptive test, EOEf showed a 72.05% reduction in nociception at a dose of 100mg/kg. In evaluating the anti-inflammatory effect, the essential oil inhibited paw edema by 95.50% and 97.69% at doses of 50 and 100mg/kg. The results showed that EOEf has a gastroprotective effect, acting through the sulfhydryl compounds (-SH), nitric oxide (NO), and synthesis PGE2 pathways. The results suggested that EOEf is a promising source of constituents with antioxidant, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and gastroprotective properties with application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Neuroprotective Effects of Isolated Mangiferin from Swertia chirayita Leaves Regulating Oxidative Pathway on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Neuropathy in Experimental Rats.

Oxidative stress has an important role in the pathogenesis and development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), the most common and debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus. Swertia chirayita is a rich source of phenolic constituents and has hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This study was performed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect in diabetes by enhancing antioxidant defense against oxidative stress, which exhibits a neuroprotective effect in streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats. The objective of this study was to elucidate the therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds of Swertia chirayita for diabetic complications. The present work focused on isolating the bioactive from the leaves of Swertia absinthe for acute toxicity studies, assessing its protective effects against diabetes and diabetic neuropathy as well as its mode of action in STZ-induced Wistar rats. The local area of Moradabad is the place from where the leaves of Swertia chirayita were gathered. Mangiferin was isolated and identified using spectroscopic techniques, such as UV, HPLC, 1H NMR, C13 NMR, MAS, and FTIR. Mangiferin was administered in doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg to test its effect on experimentally induced diabetes. The sciatic nerves of all groups were examined histopathologically. The protective effect of the drug against diabetes and diabetic neuropathy was demonstrated by measures, such as blood glucose level, body weight, food intake, thermal hyperalgesia, grip strength, spontaneous locomotor test, and lipid profile analysis. Sciatic nerve cells of the treated groups showed less inflammation, degeneration, and necrosis. The results of this study confirmed that mangiferin alleviated diabetic neuropathic pain, possibly by reducing inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-1β, and IL-6), strong antioxidant activity, and NGF in sciatic nerves. It may be a therapeutic agent. Our results suggested that active phytochemicals of Swertia chirayita showed preventive and curative effects against STZ-induced diabetic neuropathy in rats, which might be due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.

A Machine Learning Approach to Evaluating the Impact of Natural Oils on Alzheimer’s Disease Progression

Alzheimer’s Disease is among the major chronic neurodegenerative diseases that affects more than 50 million people worldwide. This disease irreversibly destroys memory, cognition, and the overall daily activities which occur mainly among the elderly. Few drugs are approved for Alzheimer’s Disease management despite its high prevalence. To date, the available drugs in the market cannot reverse the damage of neurons caused by the disease leading to the exacerbation of symptoms and possibly death. Medicinal plants are considered a rich source of chemical constituents and have been contributing to modern drug discovery in many therapeutic areas including cancer, infectious, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases. Moreover, essential oils that are extracted from plant organs have been reported for a wide array of biological activities, and their roles as antioxidants, antiaging, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibitory activities. This article highlights the promising potential of plants’ essential oils in the discovery of novel therapeutic options for Alzheimer’s Disease and halting its progression. In this article, 428 compounds were reported from the essential oils isolated from 21 plants. A comparative study is carried out by employing a variety of machine learning techniques, validation, and evaluation metrics, to predict essential oils’ efficacy against Alzheimer’s Disease progression. Extensive experiments on essential oil data suggest that a prediction accuracy of up to 82% can be achieved given the proper data preprocessing, feature selection, and model configuration steps. This study underscores the potential of integrating machine learning with natural product research to prioritize and expedite the identification of bioactive essential oils that could lead to effective therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer’s Disease. Further exploration and optimization of machine learning techniques could provide a robust platform for drug discovery and development, facilitating faster and more efficient screening of potential treatments.

Potential Benefit of Spices for Glycemic Control

The prevalence of hyperglycemia is increasing worldwide in large part due to the escalating prevalence of obesity. It can occur along with other disorders and diseases, contributing to escalating health costs and accumulating disabilities. Besides dietary approaches and availability of antidiabetic medications, other complementary approaches and adjunct therapies using biologically active botanical phytochemicals have received growing attention for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Spices are one source of these bioactive plant constituents, and considerable preclinical studies have investigated their possible health benefits. There also are an increasing number of human clinical trials assessing the ability of spices and their individual plant constituents to improve glucose homeostasis in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus and other dysglycemic conditions. This narrative review provides a summary of the human studies evaluating the effects of select spices on glucose homeostasis and highlights areas for future research.

Insights into bioactive constituents of onion (Allium cepa L.) waste: a comparative metabolomics study enhanced by chemometric tools

BackgroundOnion waste was reported to be a valuable source of bioactive constituents with potential health-promoting benefits. This sparked a surge of interest among scientists for its valorization. This study aims to investigate the chemical profiles of peel and root extracts of four onion cultivars (red, copper-yellow, golden yellow and white onions) and evaluate their erectogenic and anti-inflammatory potentials.MethodsUPLC-QqQ-MS/MS analysis and chemometric tools were utilized to determine the chemical profiles of onion peel and root extracts. The erectogenic potential of the extracts was evaluated using the PDE-5 inhibitory assay, while their anti-inflammatory activity was determined by identifying their downregulating effect on the gene expression of IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated WBCs.ResultsA total of 103 metabolites of diverse chemical classes were identified, with the most abundant being flavonoids. The organ’s influence on the chemical profiles of the samples outweighed the influence of the cultivar, as evidenced by the close clustering of samples from the same organ compared to the distinct separation of root and peel samples from the same cultivar. Furthermore, the tested extracts demonstrated promising PDE-5 and anti-inflammatory potentials and effectively suppressed the upregulation of pro-inflammatory markers in LPS-stimulated WBCs. The anti-inflammatory activities exerted by peel samples surpassed those of root samples, highlighting the importance of selecting the appropriate organ to maximize activity. The main metabolites correlated with PDE-5 inhibition were cyanidin 3-O-(malonyl-acetyl)-glucoside and quercetin dimer hexoside, while those correlated with IL-1β inhibition were γ-glutamyl-methionine sulfoxide, γ-glutamyl glutamine, sativanone, and stearic acid. Taxifolin, 3’-hydroxymelanettin, and oleic acid were highly correlated with IL-6 downregulation, while quercetin 4’-O-glucoside, isorhamnetin 4’-O-glucoside, and p-coumaroyl glycolic acid showed the highest correlation to IFN-γ and TNF-α inhibition.ConclusionThis study provides a fresh perspective on onion waste as a valuable source of bioactive constituents that could serve as the cornerstone for developing new, effective anti-PDE-5 and anti-inflammatory drug candidates.

Morphological and phenological characteristic, oil yield, quality and economics of Lemon bee balm (Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex-Lag) at diverse environment condition, India

Lemon bee balm (Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex-Lag) is a noble industrial medicinal and aromatic plant species, which is used as digestive, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and menstrual irregularity remedies in traditional medicine. It is a common source of thymol and other active constituents with recognized antimicrobial properties. A multilocation field trial was performed to evaluate essential oil (EO) yield stability, secondary metabolites and economic returns in eight diverse geographical environment conditions (GEC) in India. The secondary metabolites viz., essential oil content and oil yield were found to be highest in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The essential oil content was found to be higher in inflorescence part at all the experimental sites and found to be highest (0.85±0.21%) at BR-JALAUN. The highest EO yield (130.25±3.25 kg ha−1), net return (Rs. 1,22,125.00±245.21 ha−1) and benefit cost (B:C) ratio (2.67±0.17) was recorded at FFDC-KANNAUJ. The thymol content percentage was found to be highest on physiological maturity (>95% flowering) [PM] and on 75% flowering [FS-II] and it began to decline on seed formation stage at all the experimental sites. The significantly highest thymol content percentage was found on PM (86.65±3.91%) and on FS-II (84.21±3.78%) at TBR-JHANSI. On the basis of the gas chromatography and mass spectrophotometry analysis, twenty constituents were isolated. The inflorescence EO contains more thymol than the EO from leaves with stem which in turn was characterized by a higher content of p-cymene, γ-terpinene, carvacrol, α-phellandrene, α-pinene, myrcene, α-terpinene, citral and β-caryophyllene.

Under the Strong Influence of Human Activities: The Patterns and Controlling Factors of River Water Chemistry Changes—A Case Study of the Lower Yellow River

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the hydrochemical characteristics and their controlling factors in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Through water quality sampling and analysis over two hydrological periods within a year, combined with hydrochemical methods and machine learning techniques, the study reveals the joint impact of natural factors and human activities on the spatiotemporal variations in hydrochemical constituents. The findings indicate that the water in the lower reaches of the Yellow River exhibits weak alkalinity (the pH is between 7 and 8), with the primary hydrochemical type being HCO3·SO4—Ca·Na·Mg. The temporal variation in the hydrochemical constituents is mainly influenced by rainfall, where nitrate levels are higher during the flood season due to the flushing effect of rainfall, whereas other hydrochemical constituents show an opposite temporal pattern due to the dilution effect of rainfall. The spatial variation in the Yellow River’s hydrochemistry is primarily controlled by a combination of human activities and rainfall. Using Gibbs diagram analysis, it is identified that rock weathering is the main source of ionic constituents, while agricultural fertilization, industrial emissions, and domestic wastewater discharge have significant impacts on the hydrochemical constituents. Compared to other rivers worldwide, the concentration of hydrochemical constituents in the lower reaches of the Yellow River is relatively high, especially nitrate and sulfate, which is closely related to the geological characteristics of the Yellow River basin and intense human activities in the middle and lower reaches. Principal component analysis reveals that the main controlling factors for hydrochemical constituents during the dry season in the lower reaches of the Yellow River are rock weathering dissolution and industrial activities, followed by domestic wastewater; during the flood season, the main controlling factors are rock weathering dissolution and industrial activities, followed by agricultural activities and domestic wastewater. The research findings provide theoretical support for water resource management and water quality protection in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.

Influence of extraction solvents on the chemical constituents and biological activities of Astragalus aduncusfrom Turkey flora: In vitro and in silico insights.

The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70% ethanol), and water extracts of Astragalus aduncus aerial parts were investigated for their antioxidant potential, enzyme inhibition activity (anti-acetylcholinesterase [AChE], anti-butyrylcholinesterase [BChE],antityrosinase, antiamylase, and antiglucosidase) and antiproliferative effect (against colon adenocarcinoma cell line[HT-29], gastric cancer cell line[HGC-27], prostate carcinoma cell line[DU-145], breast adenocarcinoma cell line[MDA-MB-231],and cervix adenocarcinoma cell line [HeLa]). In addition, the phytochemical profile of the extracts was evaluated using validated spectrophotometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectroscopymethods. Generally, the 70% ethanol extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant properties, and it was the richest source of total phenolic constituents. Our findings indicated that the ethyl acetate extract was the most potent BChE inhibitor (11.44 mg galantamine equivalents [GALAE]/g) followed by the ethanol extract (8.51 mg GALAE/g), while the ethanol extract was the most promising AChE inhibitor (3.42 mg GALAE/g) followed by the ethanol/water extract (3.17 mg GALAE/g).Excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity (66.25 mg kojic acid equivalent/g) was observed in ethanol/water extracts of the aerial part of A. aduncus. Тhese results showed that the most cytotoxic effects were exhibited by the ethyl acetate extract against HGC-27 cells (IC50: 36.76 µg/mL), the ethanol extract against HT-29 cells (IC50: 30.79 µg/mL), and the water extract against DU-145 cells (IC50: 37.01 µg/mL). A strong correlation was observed between the highest total flavonoid content and the highest content of individual compounds in the ethanol extract, including rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside (delphinidin-3,5-O-diglucoside), and kaempferol-3-glucoside (kaempferol-3-O-glucoside). In the present study, the A. aduncus plant was considered a new source of antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors, and anticancer agents and could be used as a future health-benefit natural product.

Does Daucus carota L. leaf provide a high potential as a source of bioactive constituents: A case study about the influences of process/storage conditions.

The current study focused on the valorization of carrot leaves, Daucus carota L. because of their high amount of ascorbic acid (AA), phenolic compounds, and the related antioxidant activity. In this study, the changes in carrot leaves caused by different drying techniques (freeze, vacuum, microwave-assisted infrared, oven) and different storage conditions (room temperature and refrigerator) were investigated. AA contents of fresh, dried, and stored carrot leaf samples were chromatographically determined. Additionally, analysis of TPA (total phenolic content), TAC (total antioxidant capacity), total chlorophyll, carotenoid, and color were carried out. Additionally, fresh leaves were analyzed to compare their results with the corresponding values of processed or stored samples. TPA, TAC, AA, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid values of the samples stored in the refrigerator were 889 ± 63 mg/100 g d.b., 504 mg/100 g d.b., 269 A.A./100 g d.b., 253 mg/100 g d.b., and 2497 mg/100 g d.b., respectively, while the values of the samples dried at room temperature 620 ± 35 mg/100 g d.b., 303 ± 15 mg/100 g d.b., 110 ± 21 mg A.A./100 g d.b., 44 ± 3 mg/100 g d.b., 641 ± 16 mg/100 g d.b., respectively. Consequently, fresh carrot leaves have a higher vitamin C content than many leafy vegetables and even its own family, parsley. Fresh samples stored at room temperature and in the refrigerator for 7 days provided high ascorbic acid retention. Dried leaves with the MW + IR combined system provided better protection than others in terms of bioactive components. However, OD treatment at 40°C provided better protection and was one step ahead in terms of AA content.

Effects of Processing on the Proximate Composition, Mineral Content and the Phytochemical Analysis of Groundnut Seeds (Arachis hypogeae)

Effect of processing on the nutritional composition of groundnut seeds were carried out using standard analytical methods. Raw, boiled and fried groundnut seeds were analyzed for proximate composition, mineral contents, and phytochemical screening. The result reported that the raw, boiled, and fried contains (5.357±0.190%, 4.545±0.050% and 3.896±0.015%, moisture contents), (2.401±0.011%, 3.225±0.004% and 2.816±0.001%, ash contents), (46.591±0.001%, 25.333±0.003% and 48.012±0.953%, crude fat), (4.126±0.887%, 15.001±0.030% and 7.692±0.002%, crude fibre), (19.520±0.040%, 21.580±0.040% and 23.540±0.000%, crude protein), (22.005±0.587%, 30.316±0.056% and 14.044±0.939%, carbohydrate) respectively. A significant difference was observed. Processing has significant effects on the mineral components of the seeds. The results revealed that raw, boiled and fried contains (56.900mg/100g, 48.400mg/100g and 35.00mg/100g Sodium), (0.215mg/100g, 0.185mg/100g and 0.540mg/100g Zinc), (65.500mg/100g, 42.700mg/100g and 25.500mg/100g Magnesium), (0.218mg/100g, 0.230mg/100g and 0.230mg/100g Iron), (0.250mg/100g, 0.110mg/100g and 0.100mg/100g Manganese). The phytochemical screening shows the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates and proteins in all the samples and the result reveals that processing does not really have effect on phytochemical constituents. The investigation shows that fresh groundnut is a good source of mineral content, while raw and processed groundnut is a good source of some phytochemical constituents and processed groundnut is a good source of protein, fat, and carbohydrate with high nutritional value.

Oregano and thyme by-products of olive oil aromatization process with microwave assisted extraction as a rich source of bio-active constituents.

Processing of Medicinal Aromatic Plants (MAPs) results in the production of a significant amount of by-products, which are not commercially exploitable. Towards this direction, we studied extensively the by-products of oregano and thyme, remaining after the aromatization of olive oils with microwave assisted extraction (MAE). The purpose of the study was the exploitation of the "wastes" of these two economically significant herbs of Greece, for the potential development of innovative bioactive products. Hence, superior and inferior quality plant material from Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum and Thymus vulgaris, were extracted with extra virgin olive oil using MAE. For the evaluation of raw plant material, beside the characterization of the essential oils (EOs), the hydroalcoholic extracts of superior and inferior plant material were afforded by ultrasound assistant extraction (UAE). In addition, the remaining plant material after the flavoring of olive oil by MAE, was extracted with c-Hex, MeOH, H2O:MeOH using UAE. All the extracts were evaluated for their DPPH free radical scavenging activity and total phenolic content (TPC) as well as their chemical profile was investigated by HPTLC. In parallel, the EOs, the olive oils and the c-Hex extracts were analyzed by GC-MS and Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME)-GC-MS. The results showed that the composition of the EOs and the volatile fraction of the olive oil extracts were similar for the superior quality material whereas for the inferior the composition of the volatile fraction of olive oil extracts was not analogous to the respective EOs. GC-MS analyses of oregano and thyme by-products revealed the presence of carvacrol, thymol, γ-terpinene and p-cymene among the major constituents. Moreover, the hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the plant material remaining after olive oil flavoring with MAE showed similar phenolic content and scavenging activity with the hydroalcoholic extracts of the corresponding raw plant materials underlying their potent use in the preparation of high-added value products such as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals as well as enriched animal nutrition products.

Six new polyphenolic metabolites isolated from the Suillus granulatus and their cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells.

Edible mushrooms are an important source of nutraceuticals and for the discovery of bioactive metabolites as pharmaceuticals. In this work, six new polyphenolic metabolites suillusol A-D (1-4), suillusinoic acid (5), ethyl suillusinoate (6), were isolated from the Suillus granulatus. The structures of new compounds were elucidated using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance data, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. As far as we know, compound 1 represents an unprecedented type of natural product and compound 3 represents a new type of polyphenol fungal pigment, which may be biosynthetically related to thelephoric acid. The cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells of the new compounds were also evaluated. Compound 2 demonstrate significant inhibitory activity against HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 10.85 μM, surpassing that of positive control cisplatin. Moreover, compound 1 and 3 also exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity with their IC50 values measured at 35.60 and 32.62 μM, respectively. Our results indicate that S. granulatus is a rich source of chemical constituents that may provide new lead compounds for the development of anticancer agents.

Phenolic compounds in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) and their health‐promoting activities: a review

SummarySea buckthorn (SB) is used in cuisines and herbal remedies due to its remarkable nutritional composition and health‐enhancing properties. The phenolic compounds present in SB plant include phenolic acids (gallic, p‐coumaric, protocatechuic and ferulic acids), flavonols (isorhamnetin, quercetin and kaempferol), flavan‐3‐ols and polymeric procyanidins. The highest content of these compounds was reported in branches and leaves than corresponding edible parts of the plant. The antioxidant properties of SB are related to content and composition of phenolic compounds in different plant parts. The studies reported SB flavonoids (isorhamnetin and quercetin) as main phenolic compounds with medicinal potential and health‐promoting effects. The present review summarises information available in recent studies on phenolic composition, phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and health‐promoting activities (anti‐oxidant, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐diabetic and obesity management) of SB that can be used in curtailing various acute and chronic maladies. SB can be projected as a promising source of bioactive constituents with the potential to be used in healthy foods for beneficial effects on human health.

Biological effects and phytochemical study of the underground part of Iris scariosa Willd. ex Link extract: A new source of bioactive constituents

The expected toxicity and resistance of chemotherapeutic agents necessitate and encourage for the use of natural chemotherapeutic sources of plant origin in the clinical stage of cancer therapy. Plants of the genus Iris (Iridaceae) used by local populations for the treatment of cancer, bacterial and viral infections. In this study, an ethanol extract of rhizomes of I. scariosa was prepared and tested for the cytotoxicity using the MTT assay. The extract exhibited the most potent cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell line MCF7 (IC50 = 9.28 ± 0.49 μg/ml, selectively index ˃5), and induced apoptosis in MCF7 lines. Notably, the extract significantly inhibited the colony formation of MCF7 and HepG2 cancer cells at a concentration range from 10.6 to 85.0 μg/ml, including non-toxic concentrations for HepG2 cells. The ethanol extract was analyzed by HPLC, revealed the identification of 5 secondary metabolites (quercetin, rutin, myricetin, apigenin, artemisetin), the content of which was shown to reach around 15% of the extract. The petroleum ether (PE) part of the extract (yield 2.62%) was analyzed by GC–MS. The composition of tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) part of the extract (yield 23.72%) was studied. Total of 15 individual compounds: two benzophenones, eight isoflavones, four flavones and a (2R)-flavanone were isolated. The pentamethoxyflavone artemisetin and flavanone pinocembrin were isolated for the first from Iris sp. The readily available isoflavones from the TBME part of extract (irilone, iriflogenin, irigenin and tectorigenin) may serve as new leads for the discovery of anticancer drugs.

Biochemical analysis of Justicia carnea leaves used as a hematinic

Justicia carnea is the largest genus of Acanthaceae and is a medicinal plant used widely in Nigeria, reported to have diverse functions, including blood-boosting potential. The phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, amino acid and proximate compositions of the leaf extract of Justicia carnea were determined using standard methods. Results of the quantitative phytochemical analyses on the leaves of Justicia carnea recorded appreciable presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, oxalate, and phytate using GC-FID. Ribalinidine with 42.08±0.03 mg/kg was the highest alkaloid, Flavan -3-ol was 21.18±0.02 mg/kg, presented the highest amount of flavonoids, and phytate with 25.69±0.07 mg/kg as the highest antinutrient. Analysis of Justicia carnea leaves recorded iron (8.61mg/kg) as the major elemental content followed by potassium (5.29±0.11mg/kg). The concentrations of vitamins in Justicia carnea leaves showed vitamin C, with the highest value of (232.32±12.26 mg/100g) followed by Vitamin A (22.16±2.12 mg/kg). The results of proximate composition on Justicia carnea leaves showed a high concentration of carbohydrate (60.35±3.05%) and appreciable amounts of ash (15.02±1.01%), fibre (9.29±0.93%), protein (8.40±0.41%), and low amount of lipid (1.50±0.09%). The amino acid results showed the presence of both essential and non-essential amino acids with their concentrations in increasing and decreasing orders. These results obtained showed that leaves of Justicia carnea may serve as rich source of natural antioxidants, this may be attributed to its rich phytochemicals, nutrients and vitamin compositions and could be recommended as a potential source of useful bioactive constituents as vegetable supplement and has no toxic effect and as an effective hematinic supplement when prepared adequately.