Search Results (18)

Antioxidants from natural sources are essential for the development of new therapeutics to improve human health. The objects of study are the aerial flowering parts of Potentilla argentea, a plant species known in traditional medicine for the astringent, hemostatic, wound-healing, and anti-inflammatory effects of its rhizomes. A Potentillae argenteae herba ethanol dry tincture was chromatographically analyzed (GC/MS, HPLC) and its antioxidant (ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, FRAP assays) and DNA nicking protection potentials were evaluated. The eighteen volatiles were identified by GC/MS, where the predominant components were n-nonacosane (39.38 mg/g dt), squalene (28.88 mg/g dt), n-tricosane (18.36 mg/g dt), ethyl oleate (15.24 mg/g dt), and n-pentacosane (10.60 mg/g dt). A high content of total polyphenols was obtained (440.78 mg GAE/g dt), and HPLC analysis identified two flavonoids and three phenolic acids, of which rosmarinic acid and rutin were above 10 mg/g dt. The tincture exhibited strong antioxidant activity by all four methods, especially CUPRAC assay (8617.54 μM TE/g). DNA protective activity against oxidative damage and microscopic identification of P. argenteae herba powder were established for the first time. Therefore, the tincture could be incorporated into phytopreparations for the treatment of human diseases caused by reactive oxygen species. Full article

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv., commonly known as “plant gold”, is a species of the Eucommiaceae family, native to East Asia and widely utilized in medicine, food, and the chemical industry. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the bark of E. ulmoides plays a special role, used to nourish the liver and kidneys and to strengthen tendons and bones. Due to its extensive pharmacological profile, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, and cardio- and neuroprotective effects, there has been growing interest in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying its biological effects. However, many of these mechanisms remain poorly understood to date. This study analyzed the phytochemical composition of E. ulmoides bark infusions and tinctures and their dominant compounds using the HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method, and evaluated their anti-inflammatory effects in human immune cell models. The analysis identified lignans, iridoids, and caffeic acid derivatives as the dominant constituents of the tested samples. The extracts significantly inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1) in neutrophils, PBMC-derived monocytes/macrophages, and THP-1 cells. The results presented herein offer significant insights into the detailed phytochemical composition of E. ulmoides bark, and contribute to a deeper understanding of its anti-inflammatory mechanisms in human immune cells. Full article

Background: Dandelion (Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum, also referred to as Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wiggers coll.), a collective species of perennial herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family, is commonly considered weed; however, in the traditional societies of Central-Eastern Europe, it is a source of food and medicinal raw materials. The growing interest in the medicinal properties of herbal raw materials of dandelion encouraged us to focus on their use in the traditional folk medicine of Central-Eastern European communities. Aim: The hypothesis of the present study suggests that Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum (dandelion), which is widespread throughout Central-Eastern Europe and easily identifiable, has had notable applications in ethnopharmacology. The study aims to examine the medicinal properties of this species, focusing on its traditional uses in folk medicine across the region. The resulting data may serve as a valuable resource for contemporary pharmacognosy research. Methods: The analysis was based on publications dated from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 21st century, mainly from Poland. In addition, the study includes publications on contemporary Belarus, Ukraine, and European Russia. Results: The research showed that dandelion provided many medicinal raw materials, but the available literature did not mention the use of the herb’s root, a raw material popular in contemporary natural medicine. During the period analysed, an increase in the types of raw materials was observed, and the order in which they appeared in the sources was as follows: latex > root = leaf = inflorescence > herb > herb with flowers. Additionally, a review of the literature indicated that the number of conditions under which they were used increased during the investigation period. The variety of ways to prepare the raw material is noteworthy; fresh and dried raw materials were used to make extracts, tinctures, decoctions, infusions, wrap compresses, syrups, and even wine or coffee substitutes. The mentioned preparations were prepared individually for particular ailments. Conclusions: The vast experience of rural communities in Central-Eastern Europe concerning the medicinal applications of common dandelion has developed through centuries. The experience of rural communities may influence the direction of further phytochemical and pharmacological research. Full article

Nowadays, interest in natural antioxidants (especially phenolics) for the prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases is increasing due to their fewer side effects and more potent activity than some of their synthetic analogues. New chemical and pharmacological studies of well-known herbal substances are among the current trends in medicinal plant research. Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is a popular herb used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases (including rheumatic-, inflammatory- and tumor-related disease, etc.). The dry tincture of Filipendulae ulmariae herba, collected from the Bulgarian flora, was analyzed using the HPLC method and bioassayed for antioxidant, antiproliferative and DNA-protective activities against oxidative damage. The HPLC phenolic profile showed 12 phenolics, of which salicylic acid (18.84 mg/g dry extract), rutin (9.97 mg/g de), p-coumaric acid (6.80 mg/g de), quercetin (4.47 mg/g de), rosmarinic acid (4.01 mg/g de) and vanillic acid (3.82 mg/g de) were the major components. The high antioxidant potential of the species was confirmed by using four methods, best expressed by the results of the CUPRAC assay (10,605.91 μM TE/g de). The present study reports for the first time the highly protective activities of meadowsweet dry tincture against oxidative DNA damage and its antiproliferative effect against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 cell line). Meadowsweet dry tincture possesses great potential to prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress. Full article

Bee products have a millennia-old tradition in human apitherapy, thanks to their numerous curative properties. The aim of this study was to perform a physicochemical characterization, including the percentage of water content, dry matter, pH, acidity, impurity content, protein, ash, and macro and micro minerals, and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of apiculture products, including apilarnil, royal jelly, and propolis. Samples were collected from our apiary in the Banat region of Romania in 2022 as well as from the market. Apilarnil and royal jelly were analyzed in pure and freeze-dried form, and propolis in pure and tincture form. Our results show that there is a large variability in the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the three bee products studied, depending on the form of presentation and source of origin. In the case of commercial bee products, the best results were obtained in terms of chemical composition, including the content of macro and micro nutrients. All the samples analyzed showed acidity, pH, and impurity content values within the limits allowed by the quality standards. Apilarnil from our own apiary recorded the highest values for antioxidant activity, followed by propolis tincture and fresh propolis from own apiary. Full article

The genus Cetraria s. str. (Parmeliaceae family, Cetrarioid clade) consists of 15 species of mostly erect brown or greenish yellow fruticose or subfoliose thallus. These Cetraria species have a cosmopolitan distribution, being primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere, in North America and in the Eurasia area. Phytochemical analysis has demonstrated the presence of dibenzofuran derivatives (usnic acid), depsidones (fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids) and fatty acids (lichesterinic and protolichesterinic acids). The species of Cetraria, and more particularly Cetraria islandica, has been widely employed in folk medicine for the treatment of digestive and respiratory diseases as decoctions, tinctures, aqueous extract, and infusions. Moreover, Cetraria islandica has had an important nutritional and cosmetic value. These traditional uses have been validated in in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies. Additionally, new therapeutic activities are being investigated, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, cytotoxic, genotoxic and antigenotoxic. Among all Cetraria species, the most investigated by far has been Cetraria islandica, followed by Cetraria pinastri and Cetraria aculeata. The aim of the current review is to update all the knowledge about the genus Cetraria covering aspects that include taxonomy and phylogeny, morphology and distribution, ecological and environmental interest, phytochemistry, traditional uses and pharmacological properties. Full article

Leishmaniasis may occur in three different clinical forms, namely, visceral, mucocutaneous and cutaneous, which are caused by different species of trypanosomatid protozoans of the genus Leishmania. Pentavalent antimonials are the leading treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis despite the hepatic, renal, and cardiac toxicity. In addition, the response of some Leishmania species to pentavalent antimonials is increasingly poorer, and therefore new and more potent therapeutic alternatives are needed. Arnica montana L., Asteraceae, is a traditional medicinal plant of Europe and preparations of its flowers are commonly used externally to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system as well as superficial inflammatory conditions. Previous studies have shown that Arnica tincture (AT), an ethanolic extract prepared from the flowerheads of Arnica montana as well as isolated Arnica sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) have antileishmanial activity in vitro against L. donovani and L. infantum, as well as in vivo against L. braziliensis. In this work, we studied the in vitro cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity of AT and STLs against both L. braziliensis and L. tropica. The in vivo therapeutic effect of AT was studied in hamsters with cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) caused by experimental infection with L. braziliensis and L. tropica. Furthermore, various semisolid Arnica preparations were also evaluated against L. braziliensis. The STLs and the AT possess a very high in vitro activity against both Leishmania species with median effective concentrations (EC₅₀) ranging from 1.9 to 5.9 μg/mL. The AT was not cytotoxic for human tissue macrophages, skin fibroblasts, and hepatic cells. The therapeutic response of hamsters infected with L. braziliensis to the topical treatment with AT was 87.5% at a dose of 19.2 μg STL/2× day/60 d, 72.7% at doses of 19.2 μg STL/1× d/60 d and 67% at a dose of 38.4 μg STL/2× d/60 d. In turn, the therapeutic response in hamsters infected with L. tropica was 100% when treated at a dose of 19.2 μg STL/2× day/60 d and 71% at a dose of 38.4 μg STL/2× d/60 d. On the other hand, the effectiveness of treatment with glucantime administered intralesionally at a dose of 200 mg/every three days for 30 days was 62.5% for L. braziliensis and 37.5% for L. tropica infection. These results are promising and encourage the implementation of clinical trials with AT in CL patients as a first step to using AT as a drug against CL. Full article

Arnica montana L. has been recognized for centuries as an herbal remedy to treat wounds and promote healing. It also has a long tradition of use in homeopathy. Depending on its medicinal utilization, standardization regulations allow different manufacturing processes, implying different raw materials, such as the whole arnica plant in its fresh or dried state. In this study, an untargeted metabolomics approach with UHPLC-HRMS/MS was used to cross-compare the phytochemical composition of mother tinctures of A. montana that were prepared from either fresh whole plant (fMT) matter or from oven-dried whole plant (dMT) matter. The multivariate data analysis showed significant differences between fMT and dMT. The dereplication of the HRMS and MS/MS spectra of the more discriminant compounds led to annotated quinic acid, dicaffeoyl quinic acids, ethyl caffeate, thymol derivatives and dehydrophytosphingosine, which were increased in fMT, while Amadori rearrangement products (ARP) and methoxyoxaloyl-dicaffeoyl quinic acid esters were enhanced in dMT. Neither sesquiterpene lactones nor flavonoids were affected by the drying process. This is the first time that a sphingosine, ethyl caffeate and ARP are described in A. montana. Moreover, putative new natural products were detected as 10-hydroxy-8,9-epoxy-thymolisobutyrate and an oxidized proline fructose conjugate, for which isolation and full structure elucidation will be necessary to verify this finding. Full article

Arnica tincture is a traditional herbal medicine used to treat blunt injuries, e.g., bruises and squeezes. In addition, a potential new use in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis is currently under investigation. Therefore, detailed information about the dermal absorption of the tincture and especially its bioactive constituents, sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) of the helenalin- and 11α,13-dihydrohelenalin type, is mandatory. Consequently, this article reports on dermal absorption studies of Arnica tincture using diffusion cells and porcine skin as well as two human skin samples with different permeability. The amounts of STLs on the skin surfaces, in skin extracts and in the receptor fluids were quantified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). It was found that Arnica STLs permeated into the receptor fluid already 4 h after the application, but the amount was rather low. Within 48 h, a maximum of 8.4%, 14.6% and 36.4% of STLs permeated through porcine skin, human skin A (trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) = 11.518 g·m⁻²·h⁻¹) and the more permeable human skin B (TEWL = 17.271 g·m⁻²·h⁻¹), respectively. The majority of STLs was absorbed (penetrated into the skin; 97.6%, 97.8% and 99.3%) after 48 h but a huge portion could not be extracted from skin and is expected to be irreversibly bound to skin proteins. To better visualize the analytes in different skin layers, a fluorescence-labeled STL, helenalin 3,4-dimethoxycinnamate, was synthesized. Fluorescence microscopic images depict an accumulation of the fluorescent derivative in the epidermis. For the treatment of local, cutaneous complaints, an enrichment of the bioactive substances in the skin may be considered beneficial. Full article

Helichrysum italicum is a medicinal plant from the Mediterranean area, widely used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties and for its preventive effects on microcirculation diseases. Due to these properties, it finds large applications in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical fields. Additionally, hydroalcoholic extracts and mother tinctures based on H. italicum represent products with a high commercial value, widely distributed not only in drug stores but also on on-line markets. The different extraction procedures used can greatly affect the fingerprints of the extracts, resulting in a different qualitative or quantitative profile of the chemical constituents responsible for biological activity. The aim of the present study was to characterize the composition of bioactive compounds present in water-ethanol and glycerol extracts of H. italicum derived food supplements. Metabolite profiles of the extracts were obtained by ¹H NMR experiments and data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis to highlight differences in the extracts and to evidence the extracts with the highest concentrations of bioactive metabolites. In detail, this work highlights how derived food supplements of H. italicum obtained using ethanol-water mixtures ranging from 45% to 20% of ethanol represent the products with the highest amount of both primary (amino acids) and secondary metabolites including 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (9), chlorogenic acid (10), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (11), and kaempferol 3-O-glucopyranoside (12). Moreover, it is evident that the use of an ethanol-water mixture 20:80 is the most suitable method to afford the highest number of phenolic compounds, while food-derived supplements obtained by glycerol extraction are characterized by a high amount of β-glucose and α-glucose and a low content of phenolic compounds. Full article

The growing interest of consumers in regional and traditional products drew our attention to innovative products manufactured at home and using craft methods, which include, among others, alcohol tinctures of edible flowers. The aim of this paper is to present selected tinctures of edible flowers from home and craft production, their phenol content, antioxidant properties and colour. Novel alcoholic beverages obtained from edible flowers are characterized. The tinctures from wild rose flowers, elderberry, marigold and cornflower were studied. The content of phenolic compounds, the antioxidant properties and the colour of tinctures in the CIE L*a*b* system were analysed. The study showed that edible flower tinctures are characterized by an intense colour, which is not adversely affected by the maceration process. The determined parameters were influenced by the form of flowers (fresh or dried). The total content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in the studied tinctures were lower than in the fresh flowers. Edible flower tinctures can be an interesting alternative for both consumers looking for product innovations and alcohol connoisseurs. Full article

Marine halophytes are an outstanding reservoir of natural products and several species have anti-infectious traditional uses. However, reports about their potential use against neglected tropical ailments, such as Chagas disease, are scarce. This work evaluated for the first time the in vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of extracts from the aromatic and medicinal species Helichrysum italicum subsp. picardii (Boiss. & Reut.) Franco (Asteraceae, everlasting) and Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae, sea fennel). For that purpose, decoctions, tinctures, and essential oils from everlasting’s flowers and sea fennel’s stems, leaves, and flowers were tested against intracellular amastigotes of two T. cruzi strains. The extract from the sea fennel flower decoction displayed significant anti-trypanosomal activity and no toxicity towards the host cell (EC₅₀ = 17.7 µg/mL, selectivity index > 5.65). Subsequent fractionation of this extract afforded 5 fractions that were re-tested in the same model of anti-parasitic activity. Fraction 1 was the most active and selective (EC₅₀ = 0.47 μg/mL, selectivity index = 59.6) and was submitted to preparative thin-layer chromatography. One major compound was identified, falcarindiol, which was likely the one responsible for the observed anti-trypanosomal activity. This was confirmed using a commercially sourced molecule. Target-fishing studies showed falcarindiol as a ligand of T. cruzi spermidine synthase, pointing to a potential enzyme-inhibiting anti-trypanosomal mechanism of action. Overall, this work shows that sea fennel can provide effective anti-parasitic molecule(s) with potential pharmacological applications in the treatment of CD. Full article

Medicinal plants have been widely used in traditional medicine due to their therapeutic properties. Although they are mostly used as herbal infusion and tincture, employment as ingredients of food supplements is increasing. However, fraud and adulteration are widespread issues. In our study, we aimed at evaluating DNA metabarcoding as a tool to identify product composition. In order to accomplish this, we analyzed fifteen commercial products with DNA metabarcoding, using two barcode regions: psbA-trnH and ITS2. Results showed that on average, 70% (44–100) of the declared ingredients have been identified. The ITS2 marker appears to identify more species (n = 60) than psbA-trnH (n = 35), with an ingredients’ identification rate of 52% versus 45%, respectively. Some species are identified only by one marker rather than the other. Additionally, in order to evaluate the quantitative ability of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to compare the plant component to the corresponding assigned sequences, in the laboratory, we created six mock mixtures of plants starting both from biomass and gDNA. Our analysis also supports the application of DNA metabarcoding for a relative quantitative analysis. These results move towards the application of HTS analysis for studying the composition of herbal teas for medicinal plants’ traceability and quality control. Full article

Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) is used in traditional and conventional medicine. However, there is lack of data on the biological activities of primary plant metabolite lectins. The aim of our experiment was to find out how lectin LysM (lysine motif), which was previously purified, affects the immune response in vivo. Eight-week-old BALB/c male mice (n = 15) received four weekly 250 μg/kg peritonial injections of purified Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) roots’ LysM lectin. The control animal group (n = 15) received 50 μL peritoneal injections of fresh Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench) root tincture, and the negative control animal group (n = 15) received 50 μL peritoneal injections of physiological solution. At the fifth experimental week, the animals were sedated with carbon dioxide, and later euthanized by cervical dislocation, and then their blood and spleen samples were collected. The leukocytes’ formula and lymphocytes’ count was estimated in blood samples, the T lymphocytes’ density was evaluated in spleen zones. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference between each group was observed in the leukocytes’ formula (monocytes’ percentage, also little, medium and giant size lymphocytes). The purple coneflower fresh roots’ tincture significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the T lymphocytes’ quantity in peritoneal lymphoid sheaths (PALS) compared with the physiological solution injection’s group (p < 0.05) and the lectin injection’s group (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, lectin injections caused a significant (p < 0.01) increase in the T lymphocytes in a spleen PALS zone, compared with the physiological solution and tincture injection’s group. Our data suggests that LysM lectin acts as an immunostimulant, while fresh purple coneflower tincture causes immunosuppression. Full article

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) is one of the nutritional foods widely planted in many countries. Dried burdock root (BR) is available as a herbal tincture and tea in many Asian countries with good flavor and taste. In this study, the volatile components in dried BR were identified and the effects of different drying methods on the volatile components were investigated by HS-GC-MS method. A total of 49 compounds were identified. Different drying methods including hot-air drying (HD, at 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C), vacuum drying (VD, at 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C), sunlight drying (SD), natural drying (ND), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD) were evaluated by HS-GC-MS-based metabolomics method. Results showed that different drying methods produced different effects on the volatile compounds. It was observed that 2,3-pentanedione, 1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-ethanone, furfural, and heptanal were detected at higher concentrations in HD 80 and VD 70. The traditional HD and SD methods produced more flavor substances than VFD. The BR treated by the VFD method could maintain the shape of the fresh BR pieces while HD50 and VD80 methods could maintain the color of fresh BR pieces. These findings could help better understand the flavor of the corresponding processed BR and provide a guide for the drying and processing of BR tea. Full article