Nanotechnological exploitation of the antioxidant potential of Humulus lupulus L. extract

Malus pumila Mill. cv Annurca apple extract might be therapeutically useful against oxidative stress and patterned hair loss

Patterned hair loss (PHL) or androgenetic alopecia is a condition affecting about 50% of people worldwide. Several pharmacological medications have been developed over the years, but few studies have investigated their effectiveness. Therefore, new, safer and more effective strategies are required. Recent investigations showed that Annurca apple extract application could induce keratin production and promote hair growth thanks to the high amount of procyanidin B2 contained in. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the role of an Annurca apple extract in preventing PHL by testing it on human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) for the first time. Treatment of HFDPCs with Annurca apple extract counteracted intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase 2 and catalase. Furthermore, treatment with Annurca apple extract increased β-catenin and fibroblast growth factor 2, which are involved in hair growth stimulation. These data suggest that Annurca apple extract may be a potential therapeutically useful nutraceutical product for preventing or treating hair loss by reducing oxidative stress and inducing the expression of hair growth-related factors.

Metabolomic Approach Based on Analytical Techniques for the Detection of Secondary Metabolites from Humulus lupulus L. Dried Leaves

Currently, the leaves of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus L.) are an unexploited and still little-investigated agricultural by-product. In our study, with the aim of exploring the metabolome of dried hop leaves (Chinook cultivar), a metabolomic approach was applied using multiple analytical tools such as SPME/GC-MS, GC-MS, PTR-ToF-MS, and NMR to identify the secondary metabolites. The obtained results showed the presence of a high number of components belonging to different chemical classes. In fact, thanks to the multi-methodological approach, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with low molecular weight, terpenic compounds, fatty acids, sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and alcohols have been detected and identified. Among the revealed terpenes in the untreated matrix, the sesquiterpenes α-humulene, β-caryophyllene, and α-copaene were the most abundant. Among the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, palmitic and linolenic acids, respectively, were those with the highest relative percentages. Particularly relevant was the sugar content, where sucrose was the main exponent while glutamate and asparagine were the principal detected amino acids. Conversely, alcohols and organic acids were the least abundant compound classes, and xanthohumol was also identified in the methanolic extract.

Extraction of hops pelletized (Humulus lupulus) with subcritical CO2 and hydrodistillation: Chemical composition identification, kinetic model, and evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity

Hop essential oil and hop extract using carbon dioxide (CO₂) are products with high added value because they have bioactive and sensory properties. In this context, the objective of this study was to obtain and characterize essential oil and extracts from pelleted hops of El Dorado, Polaris, Hallertau Blanc and Callista varieties using hydrodistillation and subcritical CO₂ extraction methods. Extraction yield ranged from 0.38 % to 1.97 % (m/m) for essential oils and from 8.76 % to 15.35 % (m/m) for extracts using subcritical CO₂. The chemical compositions of the essential oils were mainly monoterpene (18.14 % to 29.91 %) and sesquiterpene (46.01 % to 59.03 %) hydrocarbons and for the extracts were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (33.05 % to 71.90 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (14.80 % to 34.89 %). The extracts showed better antioxidant activity than essential oils due to the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Hop extracts showed some antimicrobial activity, but essential oils did not demonstrate antimicrobial potential. Hop extracts obtained with subCO₂ have the potential to be used in the brewing industry as a flavoring and as natural antioxidants.

Polymeric Systems for the Controlled Release of Flavonoids

Flavonoids are natural compounds that are attracting great interest in the biomedical field thanks to the wide spectrum of their biological properties. Their employment as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic drugs, as well as for many other pharmacological applications, is extensively investigated. One of the most successful ways to increase their therapeutic efficacy is to encapsulate them into a polymeric matrix in order to control their concentration in the physiological fluids for a prolonged time. The aim of this article is to provide an updated overview of scientific literature on the polymeric systems developed so far for the controlled release of flavonoids. The different classes of flavonoids are described together with the polymers most commonly employed for drug delivery applications. Representative drug delivery systems are discussed, highlighting the most common techniques for their preparation. The flavonoids investigated for polymer system encapsulation are then presented with their main source of extraction and biological properties. Relevant literature on their employment in this context is reviewed in relationship to the targeted pharmacological and biomedical applications.

Humulus lupulus L. Extract Protects against Senior Osteoporosis through Inhibiting Amyloid β Deposition and Oxidative Stress in APP/PS1 Mutated Transgenic Mice and Osteoblasts

As aging progresses, β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and the resulting oxidative damage are key causes of aging diseases such as senior osteoporosis (SOP). Humulus lupulus L. (hops) is an important medicinal plant widely used in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries due to its strong antioxidant ability. In this study, APP/PS1 mutated transgenic mice and Aβ-injured osteoblasts were used to evaluate the protective effects of hops extracts (HLE) on SOP. Mice learning and memory levels were assessed by the Morris water maze. Mice femurs were prepared for bone micro-structures and immunohistochemistry experiments. The deposition of Aβ in the hippocampus, cortex and femurs were determined by Congo red staining. Moreover, protein expressions related to antioxidant pathways were evaluated by Western blotting. It was found that HLE markedly improved learning abilities and ameliorated memory impairment of APP/PS1 mice, as well as regulated antioxidant enzymes and bone metabolism proteins in mice serum. Micro-CT tests indicated that HLE enhanced BMD and improved micro-architectural parameters of mice femur. More importantly, it was discovered that HLE significantly reduced Aβ deposition both in the brain and femur. Further in vitro results showed HLE increased the bone mineralization nodule and reduced the ROS level of Aβ-injured osteoblasts. Additionally, HLE increased the expression of antioxidant related proteins Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, FoxO1 and SOD-2. These results indicated that Humulus lupulus L. extract could protect against senior osteoporosis through inhibiting Aβ deposition and oxidative stress, which provides a reference for the clinical application of hops in the prevention and treatment of SOP.

Neuromodulatory and Protective Effects Induced by the Association of Herbal Extracts from Valeriana officinalis, Ziziphus jujuba, and Humulus lupulus with Melatonin: An Innovative Formulation for Counteracting Sleep Disorders

Background: The use of herbal extracts could represent an advantageous approach for treating sleeping disorders, especially in mild-to-moderate conditions, before the onset of a specific therapy with first-line drugs. Specifically, the focus was posed about the use of extracts from Valeriana officinalis, Ziziphus jujuba, and Humulus lupulus. Multiple studies demonstrated the efficacy of these medicinal plants to positively manage insomnia symptoms. Additionally, their efficacy in the treatment of sleeping disorders could also be improved by their pharmacological association. In the present study, extracts from Valeriana officinalis, Ziziphus jujuba, Humulus lupulus, melatonin, and their pharmacological association, Vagonotte® MEL, were studied for potential application in the treatment of insomnia. Methods: The extracts and melatonin were tested on hypothalamic neurons and tissue for evaluating biocompatibility and protective and neuromodulatory effects. The neuromodulatory effects were evaluated as orexin A gene expression and serotonin steady state level, in the hypothalamus. Results: The extracts and melatonin, although with evident differences, were effective as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents; additionally, they were also able to reduce the hypothalamic gene expression of orexin A and the steady state level of serotonin, playing master roles in wakefulness. It is noteworthy that the formulation displayed all the effects of the single ingredients, without any sign of toxicity and pharmacological interference in the hypothalamus. Conclusions: Concluding, the present study explored the biological effects of melatonin and herbal extracts with phytotherapy interest in V. officinalis, Z. jujuba, and H. lupulus. The study demonstrated their intrinsic scavenging/reducing activity, together with protective and neuromodulatory effects in the hypothalamus, with a significant reduction of both orexin A gene expression and serotonin steady state level. Additionally, the study also considered their pharmacological association, which displayed an overall pharmacological spectrum mirroring, including all the effects of the single ingredients, without showing any sign of toxicity in the brain and interference between the extracts and melatonin.