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Keywords = Maltese mushroom

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16 pages, 1927 KiB  
Review
The Modern Use of an Ancient Plant: Exploring the Antioxidant and Nutraceutical Potential of the Maltese Mushroom (Cynomorium Coccineum L.)
by Paolo Zucca, Sidonie Bellot and Antonio Rescigno
Antioxidants 2019, 8(8), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8080289 - 7 Aug 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6589
Abstract
In the continuous scientific search for new safe and effective drugs, there has recently been a rediscovery of natural substances as a potential reservoir of innovative therapeutic solutions for human health, with the prospect of integrating with and sometimes replacing conventional drugs. Cynomorium [...] Read more.
In the continuous scientific search for new safe and effective drugs, there has recently been a rediscovery of natural substances as a potential reservoir of innovative therapeutic solutions for human health, with the prospect of integrating with and sometimes replacing conventional drugs. Cynomorium coccineum subsp. coccineum is a holoparasitic plant well known in ethnopharmacology, although its current use as a curative remedy is reported only in some ethnic groups of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Often known as ‘Maltese mushroom’ due to its unique appearance and the absence of chlorophyll, C. coccineum is present in almost all of the Mediterranean Basin. It is only recently that a few research groups have begun to look for confirmation of some of its traditional uses to highlight previously unknown biological activities. Here, we review the recent scientific findings on the plant’s phytochemistry and the most significant descriptions of some of its antioxidant and biological activities (antimicrobial, anticancer, pro-erectile, and anti-tyrosinase enzyme) both in vivo and in vitro. Some of these may be promising from the perspective of food and cosmetic formulations. The purpose of this review is to provide an initial impetus to those who, in the foreseeable future, will want to increase the knowledge and possible applications of this plant full of history, charm, and mystery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phenolic Profiling and Antioxidant Capacity in Plants)
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14 pages, 1865 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential Differences between Cynomorium coccineum L. Growing in Italy and in Tunisia: Effect of Environmental Stress
by Imen Ben Attia, Paolo Zucca, Flaminia Cesare Marincola, Alessandra Piras, Antonella Rosa, Mohamed Chaieb and Antonio Rescigno
Diversity 2018, 10(3), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/d10030053 - 3 Jul 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4490
Abstract
Cynomorium coccineum is a parasitic plant that has been known for centuries in ethnopharmacology. However, its biological activities have been scarcely studied, particularly in the case of plant grown in North Africa. Thus, we compared the chemical composition and antioxidant potential of C. [...] Read more.
Cynomorium coccineum is a parasitic plant that has been known for centuries in ethnopharmacology. However, its biological activities have been scarcely studied, particularly in the case of plant grown in North Africa. Thus, we compared the chemical composition and antioxidant potential of C. coccineum taken from two regions characterized by very different climates: the Tataouine region in southeast Tunisia, which lies near the desert, and Sardinia in south Italy, which lies near the coast. The antioxidant potential of freeze-dried specimens from the hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, methanolic, and aqueous extracts was tested using both electron transfer (ET) methods (i.e., TEAC-ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH) and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) assay (ORAC-PYR). The metabolic profiles of both the methanolic and aqueous extracts were further investigated by 1H NMR spectroscopy. We also obtained fixed oils by supercritical fractioned extraction (SFE) with CO2. GC and HPLC were then used combined to determine the fatty acids profile. All extracts showed significantly different antioxidant capacities. 1H NMR spectroscopy showed evidence for the presence of amino acids, organic acids, and carbohydrates. The main fatty acids in the oils were 18:1 n-9, 18:2 n-6, 16:0, and 18:3 n-3. All the results showed a difference in chemical composition that influenced the total antioxidant power and the biological activity, verifying that climate affects the chemical composition of plants. Full article
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16 pages, 436 KiB  
Article
Maltese Mushroom (Cynomorium coccineum L.) as Source of Oil with Potential Anticancer Activity
by Antonella Rosa, Mariella Nieddu, Alessandra Piras, Angela Atzeri, Danilo Putzu and Antonio Rescigno
Nutrients 2015, 7(2), 849-864; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7020849 - 26 Jan 2015
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9384
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the potential anticancer properties of fixed oil obtained from Maltese mushroom (Cynomorium coccineum L.), an edible, non-photosynthetic plant, used in traditional medicine of Mediterranean countries to treat various ailments and as an emergency food during the [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to examine the potential anticancer properties of fixed oil obtained from Maltese mushroom (Cynomorium coccineum L.), an edible, non-photosynthetic plant, used in traditional medicine of Mediterranean countries to treat various ailments and as an emergency food during the famine. We investigated the effect of the oil, obtained from dried stems by supercritical fractioned extraction with CO2, on B16F10 melanoma and colon cancer Caco-2 cell viability and lipid profile. The oil, rich in essential fatty acids (18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6), showed a significant growth inhibitory effect on melanoma and colon cancer cells. The incubation (24 h) with non-toxic oil concentrations (25 and 50 μg/mL) induced in both cancer cell lines a significant accumulation of the fatty acids 18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6 and an increase of the cellular levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) with anticancer activity. Moreover, the oil exhibited the ability to potentiate the growth inhibitory effect of the antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil in Caco-2 cells and to influence the melanin content in B16F10 cells. The results qualify C. coccineum as a resource of oil, with potential benefits in cancer prevention, for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition in Medicine)
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13 pages, 645 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Antioxidant Potential of “Maltese Mushroom” (Cynomorium coccineum) by Means of Multiple Chemical and Biological Assays
by Paolo Zucca, Antonella Rosa, Carlo I. G. Tuberoso, Alessandra Piras, Andrea C. Rinaldi, Enrico Sanjust, Maria A. Dessì and Antonio Rescigno
Nutrients 2013, 5(1), 149-161; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5010149 - 11 Jan 2013
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 12719
Abstract
Cynomorium coccineum is an edible, non-photosynthetic plant widespread along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. The medicinal properties of Maltese mushroom — one of the oldest vernacular names used to identify this species — have been kept in high regard since ancient times [...] Read more.
Cynomorium coccineum is an edible, non-photosynthetic plant widespread along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. The medicinal properties of Maltese mushroom — one of the oldest vernacular names used to identify this species — have been kept in high regard since ancient times to the present day. We evaluated the antioxidant potential of fresh specimens of C. coccineum picked in Sardinia, Italy. Both aqueous and methanolic extracts were tested by using multiple assay systems (DPPH, FRAP, TEAC, ORAC-PYR). Total phenolics and flavonoids were also determined. Gallic acid and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside were identified as the main constituents and measured. Both extracts showed antioxidant capacities; ORAC-PYR assay gave the highest antioxidant value in both cases. The methanolic extract was further investigated with in vitro biological models of lipid oxidation; it showed a significant activity in preventing cholesterol degradation and exerted protection against Cu2+-mediated degradation of the liposomal unsaturated fatty acids. Results of the present study demonstrate that the extracts of C. coccineum show a significant total antioxidant power and also exert an in vitro protective effect in different bio-assays of oxidative stress. Therefore, Maltese mushroom can be considered a valuable source of antioxidants and phytochemicals useful in the preparation of nutraceuticals and functional foods. Full article
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