Anticandidal, antibacterial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of Calendula arvensis flowers

Plant-Derived Polyphenols to Prevent and Treat Oral Mucositis Induced by Chemo- and Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancers Management

Oral Mucositis (OM) is the most common side effect due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which are the conventional treatment options for head and neck cancers. OM is a severe inflammatory condition characterized by multifactorial etiopathogenesis. It further negatively affects patients' quality of life by severe impairment of normal oral functions. Consequently, it is mandatory to identify new effective therapeutic approaches to both prevent and treat OM while also avoiding any recurrence. Polyphenols recently attracted the interest of the scientific community due to their low toxicity and wide range of biological activities making them ideal candidates for several applications in the odontostomatological field, particularly against OM. This review collects the in vivo studies and the clinical trials conducted over the past 13 years evaluating the preventive and curative effects of several polyphenolic compounds towards chemo- and radiotherapy-induced OM, both when administered alone or as a plant-extracted phytocomplex. The literature fully confirms the usefulness of these molecules, thus opening the possibility of their clinical application. However, polyphenol limitations (e.g., unfavourable physicochemical properties and susceptibility to degradation) have emerged. Consequently, the interest of the scientific community should be focused on developing innovative delivery systems able to stabilize polyphenols, thus facilitating topical administration and maximizing their efficacy.

Effects of Essential Oils on Scars and Wound Healing: A Systematic Review

Essential oils (EOs) have been considered as a potential alternative therapy for wound healing and scar reduction. The aim of this article was to provide a comprehensive review examining the effects of EOs on wound healing and scars. PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid, and Embase computerized searches were performed through June 2020. Two independent reviewers conducted data extraction, with search results reviewed by the senior author following the PRISMA protocol. Three manuscripts examining three different EO-containing topical agents were analyzed. Outcomes include healing rate, erythema, pain, pruritus, patient discomfort, physician satisfaction, percent wound reduction, wound/scar surface perimeter area, and qualitative dermatological evaluation. All articles concluded that the EO-containing topical agents resulted in either superior or noninferior outcomes in comparison with controls. Hypericum-Calendula oil obtained lower wound surface perimeter area. Erythema (p = 0.001) was significantly decreased by the peppermint EO-containing topical agent. Physicians also reported greater satisfaction (p < 0.001) in wound appearance with use of the peppermint EO-containing topical agent. A paucity of studies have examined EO use for wound healing and scar reduction. Treatment with EO-containing topical agents resulted in decreased erythema with increased physician satisfaction of wound appearance. Future studies should assess what level of purity is needed for improved results and which EO, or combination of EOs, is most beneficial.

Antimicrobial activity in Asterceae: The selected genera characterization and against multidrug resistance bacteria

Plants from the Asteraceae family are widely used as ethno medicines to treatment parasitic, malaria, hematemesis, pruritus, pyretic, anthelmintic, wound healing. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of Asteraceae plants antimicrobial activity. The most relevant results from the published studies are summarized and discussed. The species in genus of Artemisia, Echinacea, Centaurea, Baccharis, and Calendula showed antimicrobial activity. Most of these species are usually used as ethno medicines to treat infection, inflammation, and parasitics. The effective part or component for antimicrobial was essential oil and crude extract, and essential oil attracted more attention. It was also reported that nanoparticles coated with crude extract were effective against multidrug resistant bacteria. For multidrug resistant bacteria study, the species in Armtemisia were the most investigated, and Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were the most studied multidrug resistant strains. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated mainly based on the results of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Few reports have been reported on minimum bactericide concentration (MBC) and its antibacterial mechanisms. According to the reported study results, some plants in Asteraceae have the potential to be developed as bacteriostatic agents and against multidrug resistant bacteria. However, most studies are still in vitro, further clinical and applied studies are needed.

Current and future outlook of loaded components in hydrogel composites for the treatment of chronic diabetic ulcers

Due to recalcitrant microangiopathy and chronic infection, traditional treatments do not easily produce satisfactory results for chronic diabetic ulcers. In recent years, due to the advantages of high biocompatibility and modifiability, an increasing number of hydrogel materials have been applied to the treatment of chronic wounds in diabetic patients. Research on composite hydrogels has received increasing attention since loading different components can greatly increase the ability of composite hydrogels to treat chronic diabetic wounds. This review summarizes and details a variety of newly loaded components currently used in hydrogel composites for the treatment of chronic diabetic ulcers, such as polymer/polysaccharides/organic chemicals, stem cells/exosomes/progenitor cells, chelating agents/metal ions, plant extracts, proteins (cytokines/peptides/enzymes) and nucleoside products, and medicines/drugs, to help researchers understand the characteristics of these components in the treatment of diabetic chronic wounds. This review also discusses a number of components that have not yet been applied but have the potential to be loaded into hydrogels, all of which play roles in the biomedical field and may become important loading components in the future. This review provides a "loading component shelf" for researchers of composite hydrogels and a theoretical basis for the future construction of "all-in-one" hydrogels.

Traditional Uses, Bioactive Compounds, and Pharmacological Investigations of Calendula arvensis L.: A Comprehensive Review

Calendula arvensis L. (Asteraceae) is a famous ornamental and medicinal plant widely distributed in Mediterranean countries and the southern region of Europe. This reputed species is widely used in traditional medicine in the treatment of many disorders and has various bioactivities, especially anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimutagenic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. The present review was conducted to provide a critical review of the comprehensive and current knowledge regarding C. arvensis species, in particular, its taxonomy and geographical distribution, botanical description, medicinal uses, phytochemical compounds, pharmacological properties, and toxicity investigations. The data collected on C. arvensis were obtained using different scientific research databases such as PubMed, SciFinder, SpringerLink, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Wiley Online, and Scopus. Phytochemical screening of different C. arvensis extracts and essential oils showed their richness in bioactive compounds, particularly in fatty acids, sterols, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, and terpenoid compounds. The findings of this review showed that the pharmacological activities of C. arvensis confirm its importance and diversity as a traditional remedy for many diseases. This plant presents a wide range of bioactivities, namely, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitrypanosomial, antitumoral, antimutagenic, and immunomodulatory activities, as well as hemolytic properties and wound treatment. Nevertheless, pharmacokinetic validation and toxicological examinations are required to detect any possible toxicity for future clinical trials.

LC-HR/MS Analysis of Lipophilic Extracts from Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. Organs: An Unexplored Source in Cosmeceuticals

As part of a project aimed at promoting the use of Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. (field marigold, Asteraceae) phytocomplexes in cosmeceutical formulations, the chemical composition in apolar specialized metabolites is herein elucidated. Furthermore, the screening of the cytotoxicity of the apolar extracts was evaluated in order to underline their safety as functional ingredients for cosmetics. After dissection of Calendula organs (florets, fruits, leaves, bracts, stems, and roots), ultrasound-assisted maceration in n-hexane as an extracting solvent allowed us to obtain oil-like mixtures, whose chemical composition has been highlighted through a UHPLC-ESI-QqTOF-MS/MS approach. Twenty-nine metabolites were tentatively identified; different compounds, among which the well-known poly-unsaturated fatty acids, and oxylipins and phosphatides were detected for the first time in Calendula genus. The screening of the dose-response cytotoxicity of the apolar extracts of C. arvensis highlighted the concentration of 10 μg/mL as the most suitable for the formulation of cosmeceutical preparations. Sera enriched with leaf and fruit apolar extracts turned out to have the best activity, suggesting it can be used as a new source in skin care thanks to their higher content in fatty acids.

Chemical Variability of Hexane Extracts from Five Subspecies of Calendula suffruticosa from Spain

The chemical profile of the hexane extracts of the subspecies carbonellii, greuteri, marginata, trialata, and vejerensis of Calendula suffruticosa growing in Spain, herein described for the first time, were studied to access their value as a chemo taxonomical tool and search for potentially useful compounds. The subsp. greuteri and carbonellii showed higher extract yields. Terpenoids were the most abundant chemical class in subsp. carbonellii, greuteri, trialata, and vejerensis, while alkanes were the most abundant in subsp. marginata. Differences in chemical constituents were identified among the subspecies of C. suffruticosa analysed, which the PCA can prove. The subsp. trialata and greuteri showed more significant phytochemical similarity, which might indicate genetic proximity between these two subspecies. C. suffruticosa subsp. marginata presented the fewest number of compounds and in the smallest quantities, and C. suffruticosa subsp. vejerensis presented the largest number, however, both showed no alcohols. Furthermore, some of the compounds found in significant amounts are known for their pharmacological and nutraceutical properties, denoting potential use.

In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of African Plants: A Review

In African countries, cancer not only is a growing problem, but also a challenge because available funding and resources are limited. Therefore, African medicinal plants play a significant role in folk medicine and some of them are traditionally used for the treatment of cancer. The high mortality rate and adverse effects associated with cancer treatments have encouraged the search for novel plant-based drugs, thus, some African plants have been studied in recent years as a source of molecules with proven cytotoxicity. This review aims to discuss the cytotoxic activity, in vitro, of African plant crude extracts against cancer cell lines. For the period covered by this review (2017−2021) twenty-three articles were found and analyzed, which included a total of 105 plants, where the main cell lines used were those of breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MBA-231) and colorectal cancer (HCT-116 and Caco-2), which are among the most prevalent cancers in Africa. In these studies, the plant crude extracts were obtained using different solvents, such as ethanol, methanol, or water, with variable results and IC50 values ranging from <20 µg/mL to >200 µg/mL. Water is the preferred solvent for most healers in African countries, however, in some studies, the aqueous extracts were the least potent. Apoptosis and the induction of cell cycle arrest may explain the cytotoxic activity seen in many of the plant extracts studied. Considering that the criteria of cytotoxicity activity for the crude extracts, as established by the American National Cancer Institute (NCI), is an IC50 < 30 μg/mL, we conclude that many extracts from the African flora could be a promising source of cytotoxic agents.

Developmental and phytochemical changes in pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) using exogenous application of polyamines

Polyamines (PAs) are natural active compounds having more than two amino groups that play important roles in many physiological and developmental processes in plants. The purpose of this research was to see how foliar polyamine spray affected growth and photosynthetic indices, as well as secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity of the aqueous and methanolic extracts of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.). The experiment lasted for three months and was arranged in a randomized complete design with four replications. Three separate concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2.5 mM) of spermine (SPM), spermidine (SPD), and putrescine (PUT) were sprayed at four/five fully expanded leaf stage and some physiochemical attributes were evaluated. The treatments caused a significant increase in morphological and photosynthetic parameters and total oil. There were also significant variations in total phenolic and flavonoid content. Compared to other polyamines, 1 mM SPD foliar spraying showed the greatest effect. Furthermore, the highest antioxidant capacity (DPPH* scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and β-carotene bleaching activity) was observed in the 1 mM SPD treatment. The results showed that the calendula essential oils (EOs) were rich in sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (55.92-95.94%), with c-Cadinene and d-Cadinene as the major sesquiterpenes in the EOs. Also, the flowers were rich sources of carotenoids (lutein, flavoxanthin and luteoxanthin) following polyamines application. Hence, it can be inferred that polyamines specially spermidine would find a wide range of application in pharmaceutical industries due to its impact on antioxidant properties of phenolic and flavonoid compounds.

Antioxidant and Anti-Urolithiatic Activity of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts from Saussurea costus (Falc) Lispich Using Scanning Electron Microscopy

The plant Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch has many biological activities and a strong curative and preventive power against a variety of diseases including cancer, diabetes, and hemorrhoids. In the current study, phytochemical screening was carried out as well as an investigation of the antilithiatic and antioxidant activities of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of this plant. The results showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts were effective in reducing cystine stone mass and that the aqueous extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch had the highest percentage of dissolution (6.756 ± 1.024) (p < 0.05). A turbidimetric method and a crystallization test were used to evaluate the antilithiatic activity of an aqueous and ethanolic extract of this plant on calcium oxalate crystallization. The results of these methods revealed that the ethanolic extract of this plant has a significant inhibitory effect on calcium oxalate crystallization, with a percentage inhibition of (91.017 ± 0.299) (p < 0.05) for a concentration of 2 mg mL−1. The DPPH method revealed that the ethanolic extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch with a concentration of (IC50 = 0.12325 mg mL−1) had the highest IC50, whereas the FRAP method revealed that the aqueous extract of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch with a concentration of 300 µg mL−1 has the most significant reducing power with (OD = 0.56 ± 0.05). These findings indicate that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch had a significant effect on whewellite and weddellite and a greater free radical scavenging effect but had no effect on cystine dissolution.

Cancer and Traditional Plant Knowledge, an Interesting Field to Explore: Data from the Catalan Linguistic Area

Cancer is the second cause of death in the world and is foreseen to be responsible for about 16 million deaths in 2040. Approximately, 60% of the drugs used to treat cancer are of natural origin. Besides the extensive use of some of these drugs in therapies, such as those derived from the genus Taxus, a significant number of plants have revealed themselves as useful against cancer in recent years. The field of ethnobotany focuses on documenting traditional knowledge associated with plants, constituting a starting point to uncover the potential of new plant-based drugs to treat or prevent, in this case, tumour diseases and side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. From a series of extensive ethnobotanical prospections across the Catalan linguistic area (CLA), we have recorded uses for 41 taxa with antitumour effects. The two most quoted botanical families are Asteraceae and Ranunculaceae, and the most frequently reported species is Ranunculus parnassifolius, a high-mountain species, which is widely collected for this purpose. The reported species have been used to treat an important number of cancer types, focusing on preventive, palliative, and curative uses, as well as to deal with the side effects of conventional treatments. Comparing our results in CLA with previous data available in the most comprehensive databases of pharmacology and a review of cytotoxicity assays revealed that for the several species reported here, there was no previous evidence of traditional uses against cancer. Despite the need for further analyses to experimentally validate the information presented here, combining traditional uses and phylogenetically-informed strategies to phytochemical and pharmacological research would represent new avenues to establish more integrative approaches, hence improving the ability to select new candidate taxa in cancer research.

Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L.: A Systematic Plant Analysis of the Polar Extracts from Its Organs by UHPLC-HRMS

Calendula arvensis (Vaill.) L. (field marigold, Asteraceae) is an alimurgic plant, whose flowers and leaves are a common part of local food dishes. The diversity in polar specialized metabolites is herein unraveled, with the aim to further promote and valorize the food use of the plant. To this purpose, following the plant dissection of its organs (florets, fruits, leaves, bracts, stems, and roots), ultrasound assisted maceration has been employed in order to recover phenols and polyphenols. Through an untargeted UHPLC-HR MS (Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry) approach, and deeper investigation of the fragmentation patterns of each compound by tandem mass spectrometry, the florets’ constitution in triterpene saponins and flavonol glycosides has been highlighted, whereas hydroxycinnamoyl compounds are mainly in bracts and fruits. The antiradical and reducing capabilities of the organs’ extracts have been assessed, and data acquired have been analyzed by cluster analysis, which allowed bracts and fruits to be observed, despite their negligible food use, as the most active extracts. Chemical and antioxidant data on the diverse organs of field marigold suggest new investigative food and nutraceutical scenarios of this plant, also revalorizing and preserving its traditional uses.

Inter-Individual versus Inter-Population Variability of Calendula suffruticosa subsp. algarbiensis Hexane Extracts

Calendula suffruticosa subsp. algarbiensis (Boiss.) Nyman is very common on the Portuguese coast, but it has only recently begun to be studied chemically and belongs to a genus of difficult taxonomic classification. To improve the knowledge on the chemical variability of this taxon and evaluate the possible use of this tool for taxonomical purposes, the aim of this work was to determine the extent of chemical variation between individuals collected in the same geographic region, and to compare with samples mixing fragments of several individuals each (populations) from different local environments. Overall, hexane extract analysis by GC/MS allowed to identify 42 compounds, eight fatty acids, 24 terpenoids, three alcohols, five alkanes, and two pollutants. Greater chemical differences were found between individuals, grown in the same region, than were found between population samples from different regions. Additionally, 25 phytochemicals were identified for this taxon for the first time and may be used for taxonomic classification, even to distinguish between subspecies of C. suffruticosa. Furthermore, plants collected near urban areas accumulated pollutants, indicating the importance of controlling local environmental conditions when C. suffruticosa cultivation is for human consumption.

Edible Flowers: Antioxidant Compounds and Their Functional Properties

Edible flowers have been widely consumed for ages until now. The attractive colors and shapes, exotic aroma, and delightful taste make edible flowers very easy to attain. Moreover, they also provide health benefits for consumers due to the unique composition and concentration of antioxidant compounds in the matrices. Knowing the bioactive compounds and their functional properties from edible flowers is necessary to diversify the usage and reach broader consumers. Therefore, this reported review could be useful for functional product development, engaging the discussed edible flowers. We present a comprehensive review of edible flower composition and the functional properties of their antioxidant compounds, mainly phenolics.

Infusions of Herbal Blends as Promising Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Bioactive Properties

Several plants have been used for medicinal applications and have been traditionally consumed as decoctions and infusions. Although some herbs are used alone as a beverage, they are often blended in mixtures to maximize their effects. Herein, the nutritional characterization of six infusions from herbal blends was evaluated using the official methods of analysis (AOAC international). A further characterization of the individual phenolic profile was also performed by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn, and finally bioactive potential was determined by evaluating the antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of each blend. The wide variety of plants in each sample led to variability in the results for all analyzed parameters. However, blends containing 15% Laurus nobilis L. and 15% Juglan regia L. in their composition showed higher sugar content and energy contribution; higher concentration of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids); greater antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory capacity; and also better antimicrobial effects against all the tested bacterial and fungal strains. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the real synergistic effects that these two species show in the presence of other plants, and to evaluate their potential for application in various food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical products as infusion preparations.