Search Results (227)

In this study, an in vitro co-culture system of Castilleja tenuiflora and its host, Baccharis conferta, was used, and the impact of their interaction on specialized metabolite content was analyzed. After 4 weeks of co-culture, haustoria formation was verified through environmental scanning electron and confocal microscopy, confirming the successful establishment of the plant–plant interaction. Shoot height and biomass of the aerial part of the hemiparasite were not affected significantly by co-culture. However, root biomass increased by 53% compared to individually grown plants. Co-culture significantly reduced the host’s root length without negatively affecting its overall growth or survival. Phytochemical profile alterations were observed in both species. For C. tenuiflora, the lignans sesamin and eudesmin are proposed as differentially accumulated metabolites, while in B. conferta, the caffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and the flavonoid acacetin were expressed differently. The development and chemical profiles of B. conferta and C. tenuiflora change when they grow in a co-culture because of the host–parasite interaction. Here, we report the feasibility of using a hemiparasite–host system to investigate more profound research questions. Future biotechnological applications of this system include elucidating the genetic regulators involved in haustorium formation, as well as optimizing environmental and physiological conditions to enhance its biosynthetic capacity for the production of specialized metabolites with therapeutic value. Full article

The Inula japonica flower is traditionally used to alleviate lung inflammatory symptoms. While the therapeutic effect of the I. japonica flower on lung diseases has been suggested, the efficacy of the I. japonica flower in treating atopic dermatitis (AD) remains unknown. We investigated the effects of a water extract of the I. japonica flower (WEIF) on Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DfE)-induced AD-like inflammation in NC/Nga mice. Histological analysis of the epidermal structure, mast cell infiltration, and barrier protein expression were examined. Serum inflammatory mediator levels were assessed. To elucidate the regulatory pathway of WEIF, the effects of 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQA) and 1-O-acetylbritannilactone (ABL) in WEIF on the JAK/STAT pathway were evaluated in interferon-γ/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated human adult epidermal keratinocytes. WEIF ameliorated DfE-induced skin inflammation by reducing dermatitis scores, mast cell infiltration, skin structural damage, and serum inflammatory mediator levels. Additionally, DCQA and ABL significantly inhibited JAK/STAT activation in interferon-γ/TNF-α-treated keratinocytes. Furthermore, ligand-binding analysis revealed high binding affinities of DCQA and ABL for JAK. These results suggest the pharmacological potential of WEIF to alleviate DfE-induced skin inflammation by inhibiting the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In conclusion, these findings support the development of WEIF as a therapeutic treatment for AD-like skin inflammatory diseases. Full article

Rheum tataricum L.fil., known for its high tolerance to drought, salinity, and nutritional deficiency, is the least studied species of wild rhubarb. Extract of roots and rhizomes of R. tataricum has been traditionally used for the treatment of different diseases such as liver, kidney, womb, and bladder diseases and also relapsing fever. An ethanol extract of the roots of R. tataricum was prepared and further successively fractionated by extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc). The obtained extract fractions were subjected to a series of chromatographic separations on silica gel for the isolation of its individual compounds. A total of 12 individual compounds, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside of R-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol (rhododendrin) 1, gallic acid 2, 2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside of S-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol (epi-rhododendrin) 3, their aglycones (-)-(2R)-rhododendrol 4 and (+)-(2S)-rhododendrol 5, gallotannin β-glucogallin 6, chlorogenic acids (3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid 7 and 5-O-caffeoyl-3-O-(p-coumaroyl) quinic acid 8), 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanon (raspberry ketone) 9 and three stilbenes (rhaponticin 10, desoxyrhaponticin 11 and resveratroloside 12), were isolated and characterized. The structure of desoxyrhaponticin 11 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. The results of in vitro biological assays (the MTT test) showed that ethanol extract Rheum tataricum was non-toxic against the normal epithelial VERO cells. The isolated compounds 1, 4, 11 and 12 exhibited cytotoxicity against a cervical cancer cell line (CaSki), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) and glioblastoma cell line (SNB-19) at low micromolar concentrations. Polyhydroxystilbenes 11 and 12 showed the best potency against adenocarcinoma cells (GI₅₀ = 7–8 μM). The inhibition activity towards cancer cells was comparable to those of the standard drug doxorubicin. The available from R. tataricum secondary metabolites may serve as new leads for the discovery of anticancer drugs. Full article

Cancer remains a major global public health concern, driving the need for innovative therapeutic agents with intensified efficacy and safety. Growth factor receptors (GFRs), often overexpressed in cancer cells and critical in regulating cell proliferation, survival, and tumor progression, represent key targets for cancer therapy. Halophytic plants like Salicornia spp. are known for their diverse bioactive compounds with notable pharmacological properties. This study comprehensively evaluated the anti-cancer potentials of phytochemicals derived from Salicornia herbacea and Salicornia brachiata using molecular docking and ADME-Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) profiling. A total of 37 bioactive compounds from Salicornia spp. were screened against HER1, HER2, and HER4 receptors. Among them, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, myricetin, quercetin, stigmasterol, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, rhamnetin, and hesperitin featured strong predicted binding affinities to the HER1, HER2, and HER4 growth factor receptors, comparable to those of standard anti-cancer drugs such as gefitinib and dovitinib. Further pharmacokinetic assessments, including bioavailability and toxicity analyses, identified compounds with favorable drug-likeness properties and minimal toxicity risks, except for myricetin and quercetin. These findings underscore the potential of Salicornia-derived phytochemicals as promising candidates for the development of safe, novel, and effective anti-cancer agents targeting GFRs, contributing to the advances in precision oncology, pending further validation through in vitro and/or in vivo experiments. Full article

The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus) is a Mediterranean crop valued for its edible capitula and bioactive compounds. Post-harvest residual leaves are among the main by-products of artichoke cultivation and remain largely underutilized. This study reports a comprehensive characterization of the residual leaves of Carciofo di Malegno, an Alpine artichoke landrace. Comparative analysis was conducted against leaves from two commercial cultivars and a commercial herbal tea product. HPLC analysis revealed that Carciofo di Malegno exhibited the lowest levels of secondary metabolites. Cynaropicrin content was 0.52 ± 0.03 mg/g, lower than in the commercial samples, while the phenolic compounds were below the quantification limit. Proximate analysis indicated a distinctive nutritional profile, with significantly higher ash (8.01 ± 0.04%) and crude fiber (35.75 ± 0.29%) contents compared to all reference samples. These findings highlight the potential of Carciofo di Malegno residual leaves as a sustainable source of nutrients for functional food and nutraceutical applications. Their low content of bitter sesquiterpene lactones may enhance palatability, supporting their valorisation within circular economy frameworks. Moreover, their use may contribute to the in situ conservation of this landrace, reinforcing the link between agrobiodiversity preservation and the sustainable exploitation of agricultural by-products. Full article

Forced endive roots (FERs) contain beneficial antioxidant compounds such as chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) and dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs). This study compared the extraction yields of 5-CQA and diCQAs using a biomass pressing method with various pretreatments, including pulsed electric field (PEF) and microwave (MW), against the solid–liquid extraction method (water, 90 °C, 30 min). The results indicated that the MW pretreatment achieved the highest yields, extracting 28 ± 2% of 5-CQA and 13 ± 1% of diCQAs, surpassing the solid–liquid method. Furthermore, the oxidative degradation of CQAs was studied, and it appeared that this reaction was enhanced by PEF pretreatment. An antibrowning solution (ABS) was successfully tested to reduce this oxidation and protect CQAs. An extraction process utilizing MW and PEF pretreatments combined with an ABS solution achieved yields of 65 ± 1% for diCQAs and 80 ± 5% for 5-CQA, significantly outperforming the solid–liquid extraction method. Full article

This study compares the antioxidant properties and phytochemical profiles of three pairs of widely used medicinal plant species to their counterparts from Provence, France: Arnica montana with Pentanema montanum (formerly known as Inula montana), Helichrysum italicum with Helichrysum stoechas, and Satureja hortensis with Satureja montana. Phytochemical composition has been investigated using UHPLC-HRMS/MS and molecular networking, revealing chemical profiles dominated by phenylpropanoids and flavonoids, with lignans, sesquiterpene lactones, or polyketides aside. Well-plate DPPH/ABTS assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of extracts, and post-column assays were used to identify antioxidant compounds. The three Provence species demonstrated comparable or superior antioxidant activities to their counterparts, primarily attributed to phenolic compounds such as mono- and di-caffeoylquinic acids, quercetagetin-7-O-glucoside, and myricetin acetylhexoside. These findings show the potential of Provence species to be substituted for some overharvested medicinal plants. This research supports biodiversity conservation while promoting the integration of these local species into pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Full article

Polyphenols make a numerous and diverse group of plant secondary metabolites exhibiting remarkable anticancer activities, often attributed to their G-quadruplex binding properties. Therefore, there is a need to develop a high–throughput screening assay which would permit the evaluation of polyphenols’ binding properties toward G-quadruplex. As deoxyguanosine and guanosine are essential and key building blocks of G-quadruplexes, the stabilities of their adducts with polyphenols may reflect the stabilities of polyphenols–G-quadruplex adducts. In this study, deoxyguanosine/guanosine post-column addition experiments have been performed during HPLC-MS analysis of Achyrocline satureioides extract. The stabilities of the deoxyguanosine/guanosine adducts with 3-O-methylquercetin-7-O-glucoside, 4′-hydroxydehydrokawain-4′-O-glucoside, and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid—compounds identified in the Achyrocline satureioides extract—have been tested by using collision-induced dissociation ‘in-source’. The obtained results show that the identified compounds form more stable adducts with deoxyguanosine and guanosine than the standards used for comparison, namely isoquercitrin and rutin. The performed molecular docking provided some insight into the structure of the adducts and revealed that multiple interactions are of key importance for their stabilities. Full article

The seeds of Cichorium glandulosum Boiss. et Huet. (CS) are known for various effects. However, the research on the establishment of quality evaluation standards for CS is currently limited. Therefore, this study employed Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to analyze the components of CS. Forty-nine compounds were identified through manual analysis and database comparison. The components were then verified using HPLC and standards. Additionally, 19 batches were collected to establish the fingerprint chromatogram. Five major chemical components were selected for subsequent analysis. MIR, combined with three variable selection algorithms and three preprocessing methods, was used to build prediction models. For the three indexes of Chlorogenic Acid, 1,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid, and 1,5-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid, the R² values for both the training set and test set were above 0.9, the RPD values were all greater than 2.5, and the RER values were greater than 10. This indicated that the combination of mid-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics had excellent model applicability and prediction performance for these three indexes. A quality evaluation system has been initially established, laying a foundation for research on quality evaluation of CS. Full article

The progression of type 2 diabetes is associated with multiple complications, one of which is diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed at investigating the nephroprotective potential of two doses 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg of Tanacetum balsamita leaf extract (ETB) on metabolic-induced renal injury (MIRI) in rats. Markers of renal oxidative stress and antioxidant defense, histopathology, serum biochemistry, and urinalysis were measured. Blood glucose level and arterial blood pressure were assessed weekly for the experimental period of eight weeks. ETB at a high dose significantly decreased the blood glucose levels and mildly lowered systolic pressure in diabetic rats. In the kidney, ETB restored the antioxidant marker malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, and markedly increased enzymatic activity related to GSH turnover by 46% (GPx), 22% (GR), 32% (GST), and 96% (SOD). ETB reduced elevated urea and creatinine levels and alleviated the proteinuria along with other urinalysis parameters. Histopathological examination of the kidney supported the observed protective effects. Both doses of the ETB ameliorated most of the investigated parameters similarly to positive controls enalapril and acarbose. ETB benefits on MIRI-induced damages could be associated with high levels of mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acids together with a series of methoxylated flavones and flavonols, which may hold significance for its antidiabetic and nephroprotective activity. Full article

Artemisia alba Turra is a plant used in folk medicine. Due to its significant polymorphism, there are different chemotypes. This study aimed to characterize the specific chemotypes and evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative potential of an ethanol extract of A. alba Turra aerial parts prepared from plants harvested from the “Alexandru Borza” Botanical Garden, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The extract phytochemical analysis performed by measuring total polyphenol content (3.4 ± 0.21 mgGAE/g d.w.), total polyphenolic flavonoids (147.12 ± 10.09 mg QE/100 g d.w.), and HPLC-ESI MS polyphenol profiles indicated that in the A. alba Tura extract from the hydroxycinnamic acids chlorogenic acid, caffeoyl tartaric acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid had and from the flavonols, isorhamnetin-rutinoside and rutin had the highest concentration. The extract exhibited good in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activity by reducing oxidants without significant effects on antioxidants. The anti-inflammatory effect tested on rat turpentine oil-induced inflammation was indicated by the reduction in NLRP3 inflammasome markers, NfkB-p65, IL-1β, IL-18, caspase-1, and gasdermin D. The extract had in vitro antiproliferative activity against ovarian tumor cell lines at concentrations from 12.5 to 50 μg/mL, and this mechanism was linked to MDR and NF-κB modulation. A. alba Turra had no liver toxicity and reduced kidney injury associated with inflammation. These findings indicated that this specific Romanian chemotype of A. alba Turra has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties with potential applications as tumor microenvironment-targeted therapy. Full article

The incorporation of artichoke bracts, a by-product of artichoke processing, into pasta formulations represents an innovative approach to enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of this staple food while promoting environmental sustainability. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of artichoke powder (AP) enrichment (10% w/w replacement of semolina) on the technological, nutritional, antioxidant, and sensory properties of pasta. The enriched pasta (P-AP) was compared to control pasta (P-CTR) through comprehensive physicochemical analyses, including cooking performance, polyphenol characterization, and in vitro digestion. Polyphenol analysis revealed that chlorogenic acid, dicaffeoylquinic acids, and flavonoids accounted for 87% of total identified phenolic compounds in P-AP. Despite a 42% reduction in free polyphenols due to cooking, in vitro digestion revealed a 47% increase in total identified polyphenols, attributed to the release of bound polyphenols. Antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP) confirmed a significantly higher antioxidant capacity in P-AP compared to P-CTR. Additionally, P-AP exhibited a lower predicted glycemic index (pGI = 56.67) than the control (pGI = 58.41), a beneficial feature for blood glucose regulation. Sensory analysis highlighted distinct differences between samples, with P-AP showing stronger vegetal, artichoke, and legume-like notes, as well as higher intensity in bitterness and astringency. While panelists rated P-CTR higher in overall liking, enriched pasta maintained acceptable sensory characteristics. These findings support the valorization of artichoke by-products in pasta production, demonstrating their potential to enhance nutritional quality and functional properties while contributing to a circular economy. Full article

Holoparasitic plants of the genus Cuscuta are generally considered prominent agricultural pests. In addition to their negative economic effect on agriculture and their impact on natural plant societies, they have also been long known in East Asian as medicinal plants with beneficial properties. This underlines the fact that Cuscuta spp. are particularly rich in specialized metabolites, flavonoids, alkaloids, and cumarines, among others. In addition to several well-characterized species, most of the species variety within the genus remains largely unstudied. In the present study we aimed to compare the flavonoid profiles of natural populations of two of the most abundant Cuscuta species in Bulgaria—the native C. epithymum, and the naturalized C. campestris. Based on HPLC-MS/MS analysis, a total of 13 polyphenolics compounds were annotated, with hyperoside and isoquercitrin being some of the most abundant. Some notable differences were found, like the complete absence of dicaffeoylquinic acid in C. campestris, and kaempferol-3,7-O-diglucoside and kaempferol 3-O-β-(6′′-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)-glucopyranoside in C. epithymum. The population of the two species clustered separately from each other, with some variations, but with no clear pattern of dependence on the locality or host species. Based on the results it can be concluded that flavonoids may be used as chemotaxonomical markers within the genus, showing that even in different climatic conditions and different host ranges, the two studied species clearly differed from each other. Also, their rich content emphasizes the potential of these parasites as a source of bioactive compounds. Full article

Fennel waste is rich in compounds that may have beneficial effects on human health. For this reason, the most abundant metabolites in fennel were isolated as the following: quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quinic acid, 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide. After inducing inflammation in human bronchial epithelial cells by stimulating them with IL-1β, the cells were treated with the specialized Foeniculum vulgare metabolites at different concentrations to assess their anti-inflammatory effect. Eicosanoids, fatty acids, and sphingolipids were extracted from the cell medium and quantified by UPLC-ESI-QTRAP-MS/MS analysis. The anti-inflammatory activity of the metabolites isolated from fennel waste was demonstrated. They were able to alleviate the inflammatory state in human bronchial epithelium by modulating the metabolic expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids, fatty acids, and sphingolipids. These findings suggest the potential use of fennel waste in the production of dietary supplements to alleviate the symptoms of chronic inflammatory diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), where the continuous use of antiphlogistics may have significant side effects. Full article

This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate analysis to investigate tissue-specific metabolic profiles in the peel, pulp, and seeds of black wax gourd (Benincasa hispida). A total of 1020 metabolites were identified, including 520 primary metabolites (e.g., amino acids, lipids, and organic acids) and 500 secondary metabolites (e.g., phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids). Significant metabolic divergence was observed across tissues: 658, 674, and 433 differential metabolites were identified between the peel and the pulp, the peel and the seeds, and the pulp and the seeds, respectively. Unique metabolites such as methyl 5-glucosyloxy-2-hydroxybenzoate and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid were exclusive to the peel, while 4-O-(6′-O-glucosyl-imino)-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and fertaric acid were specific to the seeds. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed distinct metabolic priorities: flavonoids and phenolic acids dominated in the peel, amino acids and phenylpropanoids in the pulp, and nucleotides and lipids in the seeds. The peel exhibited the highest secondary metabolite abundance (14.27%), whereas the seeds accumulated the most primary metabolites (26.62%), including essential amino acids like L-tryptophan and functional lipids such as linoleic acid. These findings underscore the nutritional and bioactive potential of underutilized by-products (peel and seeds), providing a biochemical foundation for valorizing wax gourd tissues in the food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. Full article