Bud-Derivatives, a Novel Source of Polyphenols and How Different Extraction Processes Affect Their Composition

The genus Fraxinus L. (Oleaceae): A review of botany, traditional and modern applications, phytochemistry, and bioactivity

Fraxinus L., a member of the Oleaceae family with approximately 60 species worldwide, is widely distributed in the warm temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. It is not only used as a folk medicine for treating various illnesses but is also documented in medical books. The traditional Chinese medicine "Qin Pi" originated from this genus and is known for its efficacy in treating conditions such as intestinal inflammation, redness and pain in the eyes, abomination of redness and leucorrhoea, and bacterial infections. This paper aims to fill the gap in the existing literature by providing a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the Fraxinus genus plant. The discussion in this paper covers various aspects of the plant, including its botany, traditional and modern applications, phytochemistry, bioactivity, role in ecosystems, phytogenetic evolution, economic benefits, and future challenges. By synthesizing this information, the review aims to offer valuable insights for the advancement, utilization, and further research of the Fraxinus spp.. Phytochemical studies have identified a total of 281 chemical constituents in Fraxinus spp., including secoiridoids, coumarins, and flavonoids. These Fraxinus spp. plants exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Furthermore, this paper delves into potential research directions within the genus and addresses the challenges associated with achieving a comprehensive understanding of Fraxinus spp. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Fraxinus spp., highlighting their bioactivity mechanism and the opportunity to facilitate the advancement of new pharmaceuticals.

The Role of Antioxidant Plant Extracts' Composition and Encapsulation in Dietary Supplements and Gemmo-Derivatives, as Safe Adjuvants in Metabolic and Age-Related Conditions: A Review

Given the current global circumstances, marked by severe environmental pollution-including the contamination of food-along with daily stress and a sedentary lifestyle, many consumers choose to improve their quality of life by using, among others, minimally processed food, food supplements, and gemmo-derivatives. Recent lab and clinical studies have shown the positive impact of specific nutrients with antioxidant capacities in the treatment of several conditions generated by oxidative stress. This paper reviews antioxidant plant extracts utilized as components in various dietary supplements and gemmoderivatives, highlighting their chemical composition and biological properties in preventing diseases caused by oxidative stress. A modern approach to food science brings to the fore the concept of dietary supplements vs. functional food, nutraceuticals, and gemmo-derivatives. The definitions of these terms are not being unanimously regulated in this respect and describe each category of compound and product, also emphasizing the need to implement adequate nutrivigilance. In order to enhance the absorption and bioavailability of dietary supplements and gemmo-derivatives based on antioxidant plant extracts, some encapsulation techniques are outlined.

Are health claims in aging-related functional food packages different from those of general functional foods? Content analysis of food packaging from Taiwan

Given the challenges of aging populations, both in Taiwan and globally, issues related to older consumers need more attention. According to surveys in Taiwan, food is one of the most important consumer products for older adults. In recent years, functional foods have become popular, often using health claims as a promotional tool. Therefore, this study has investigated food product packaging in common retail channels in Taiwan by conducting a content analysis of all items with health claims (160 samples). This study specifically compared products related to aging and those unrelated to aging. The results revealed that more than half the participants with health claims did not provide specific descriptions of their health effects. Furthermore, products related to aging often included health terms and claims to supplement with specific nutrients in their health claims. This study has aimed to offer recommendations for educating older consumers, regulating health claims in food advertising, promoting an age-friendly consumer environment, and consumer protection.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in bud-derived supplements by magnetic molecular imprinted microparticles and GC-MS: D-optimal design for a fast method optimization

Within the world of natural food supplements, organic extracts deriving from young plant meristematic tissue (bud-derivatives) are becoming attractive, thanks to their richness in bioactive molecules. This natural source is scarce, but every year, tons of plant material, including buds, come from city pruning. If this sustainable source is rather promising from a circular economy point of view, the safety of the obtained supplements must be assessed. In fact, anthropic microcontaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), could adsorb onto the urban buds, leading to a possible contamination of the bud-derivatives. In this study, we developed a magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (m-dSPE) based on molecularly imprinted microparticles, combined with GC-MS, to quantify the 16 priority PAHs in such extracts. The D-optimal experimental design was implemented to maximize analytes' recovery with the smallest set of experiments. The optimized method was characterized by great selectivity thanks to the molecular imprinted polymer and ease of use provided by m-dSPE. Moreover, it complies with green principles, thanks to the minimum consumption of organic solvent (1.5 mL of acetone per sample). The recoveries ranged from 76 to 100% and procedural precision was below 10% for most PAHs. Despite the matrix complexity, low quantification limits (0.7-12.6 μg kg-1) were reached. This guaranteed the PAHs' quantitation at levels below those indicated as safe by a European Community regulation on food supplements. None of the analyzed samples, coming from different anthropically impacted areas, showed concerning PAHs levels.

Solvent-Free Determination of Selected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Plant Material Used for Food Supplements Preparation: Optimization of a Solid Phase Microextraction Method

The exploitation of waste and by-products in various applications is becoming a cornerstone of the circular economy. A range of biomasses can be employed to produce food supplements. An example is a particular extract obtained from plant buds (rich in bioactive molecules), which can be easily retrieved from cities' pruning. In order to safely use this material, its possible contamination by organic pollutants needs to be estimated. A green and simple method to detect priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in bud samples by head space solid phase microextraction coupled to GC-MS was developed. This strategy, optimized through experimental design and response surface methodology, requires a minimal sample pre-treatment and negligible solvent consumption. The final method was found to be accurate and sensitive for PAHs with mass up to 228 Da. For these analytes, satisfactory figures of merit were achieved, with detection limits in the range 1-4 ng g-1, good inter-day precision (relative standard deviation in the range 4-11%), and satisfactory accuracy (88-105%), along with specificity guaranteed by the selected ion monitoring detection. The method was applied to bud samples coming from differently polluted areas, thus helping in estimating the safety of their use for the production of food supplements.

In Silico and In Vitro Study of Antioxidant Potential of Urolithins

In this work, quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were performed to predict the antioxidant potential of four bioactive gut microbiota metabolites of the natural polyphenols ellagitannins (ETs) and ellagic acid (EA), also known as urolithins (UROs). In order to evaluate their ability to counter the effect of oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as the hydroperoxyl radical (•OOH), different reaction mechanisms were investigated, considering water and lipid-like environments. Through our in silico results, it emerged that at physiological pH, the scavenging activity of all urolithins, except urolithin B, are higher than that of trolox and other potent antioxidants existing in nature, such as EA, α-mangostin, allicin, caffeine and melatonin. These findings were confirmed by experimental assays.

Withania somnifera L.: Phenolic Compounds Composition and Biological Activity of Commercial Samples and Its Aqueous and Hydromethanolic Extracts

In the present study, the chemical composition and bioactive properties of commercially available Withania somnifera samples were evaluated. The hydromethanolic and aqueous extracts of the tested samples were analyzed in terms of phenolic compound composition, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities. Polyphenols and ascorbic acid content, as well as the antioxidant activity, were higher in the aqueous extracts than in the hydromethanolic extracts. Generally, aqueous extracts presented higher antioxidant activity than the hydromethanolic ones, especially in the case of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Moreover, higher amounts of phenolic acids and flavonoids were found in the hydromethanolic extracts compared to the aqueous ones. Regarding the antibacterial properties, samples 4, 6, and 10 showed the best overall performance with growth-inhibitory activities against all the examined bacteria strains. Finally, the aqueous and hydromethanolic extracts were the most efficient extracts in terms of AChE and BChE inhibitory activities, respectively. In conclusion, our results indicate that W. somnifera possesses important bioactive properties which could be attributed to the high amounts of phenolic compounds. However, a great variability was recorded in commercially available products, suggesting significant differences in the origin of product and the processing method.

Ficus carica (Linn.) Leaf and Bud Extracts and Their Combination Attenuates Type-1 Diabetes and Its Complications via the Inhibition of Oxidative Stress

The current work was designed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and antidiabetic effect of Ficus carica L. extracts. For that, the leaves and buds of Ficus carica L. were analyzed to determine their polyphenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. Diabetes was induced by a single dose of alloxan monohydrate (65 mg/kg body weight), then diabetic rats were treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight of the methanolic extracts of Ficus carica leaves or buds or their combination for 30 days. Throughout the experiment, blood sugar and body weight were measured every 5 and 7 days respectively. At the end of the experiment, serum and urine were collected for analysis of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, urea, proteins, sodium, potassium, and chloride. Pancreas, liver, and kidney were removed to estimate catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione activities; lipid peroxidation products were also determined. The results obtained revealed that alloxan has induced hyperglycemia, increased liver and renal biomarkers levels, reduced antioxidative enzymes, and induced lipid peroxidation. However, the treatment with Ficus carica leaf and bud extracts, especially their combination, has attenuated all pharmacological perturbations induced by alloxan.

Anxiety and Metabolic Disorders: The Role of Botanicals

Anxiety and anxiety-related disorders are becoming more evident every day, affecting an increasing number of people around the world. Metabolic disorders are often associated with anxiety. Furthermore, anxiety branches into metabolic disorders by playing multiple roles as a cofactor, symptom, and comorbidity. Taken together, these considerations open the possibility of integrating the therapy of metabolic disorders with specific drugs for anxiety control. However, anxiolytic compounds often cause disabling effects in patients. The main goal could be to combine therapeutic protocols with compounds capable of reducing side effects while performing multiple beneficial effects. In this article we propose a group of bioactive ingredients called botanicals as a healthy supplement for the treatment of metabolic disorders related to anxiety.

A Scoping Review on the Therapeutic Potential of Resin From the Species Larix decidua Mill. [Pinaceae] to Treat Ulcerating Wounds

Malignant ulcerating wounds or neoplastic lesions are a considerable burden for patients suffering from advanced cancer. These wounds have no effective treatment and are very difficult to manage. The present review summarizes evidence in support of a hypothesis put forward in anthroposophic medicine, which suggests a beneficial role of resin from the species Larix decidua Mill. [Pinaceae] for treating such wounds. A systematic search strategy was performed using the databases PubMed, EMBASE and SciFinder. The included publications described the chemical composition of this species, as well as in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo experiments using plant extracts and isolated compounds. The results show that among the phytochemical classes, terpenoids were the major components of this species, especially in the resin. The summarized biological experiments revealed antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, with promising potential for the extracts and isolated compounds. However, the molecular mechanisms and toxicological effects are as of yet not conclusively evaluated. From the data of our study, we can conclude that L. decidua might indeed have a promising potential for the treatment of malignant wounds, but definitive information that can prove its effectiveness is still lacking. We therefore suggest that future efforts should be dedicated to the evaluation of L. decidua resin's therapeutic use considering its antiseptic action and proposed wound healing properties.

A Preliminary Color Study of Different Basil-Based Semi-Finished Products during Their Storage

Basil-based semi-finished products, which are mainly used as an intermediate to produce the typical pesto sauce, are prepared and exported all over the world. Color is a fundamental organoleptic requirement for the acceptability of these semi-finished products by the manufacturers of the pesto sauce. Some alternative formulations, which adjust the typical industrial recipe by both changing the preservative agent (ascorbic acid, citric acid, or a mixture of both) and introducing a preliminary thermic treatment (blast chilling), were evaluated. In this work, a fast and non-destructive spectrophotometric analysis, to monitor the color variations in these food products during their shelf-life, was proposed. The raw diffuse reflectance spectra (380-900 nm) obtained by a UV-visible spectrophotometer, endowed with an integrating sphere, together with the CIELab parameters (L*, a*, b*) automatically obtained from these, were considered, and elaborated using multivariate statistical analysis (principal component analysis). From this preliminary study, blast chilling, together with the use of ascorbic acid, proved to be the best solution to better preserve the color of these products during their shelf-life.

The Study of Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Properties of Poplar-Type Polish Propolis Considering Local Flora Diversity in Relation to Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Nine samples of ethanolic extracts of poplar-type propolis (EEP) originated from South-Eastern Poland were analyzed in terms of the diversity of the flora around the apiary. The mineral composition, antioxidant properties, polyphenolic profile (HPTLC), and main polyphenolic constituents (HPLC-DAD) were determined. Only minor differences in chemical composition and antioxidant capacity between tested EEPs were found regardless of their botanical origin. However, the biological activity of the EEPs was more diversified. The tested EEPs showed stronger antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) compared to Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Staphylococci biofilm inhibition occurred as a result of exposure to the action of four out of nine EEPs (P1–P4). Due to the various compositions of individual EEPs, a different MCF-7 cellular response was observed according to inhibition of cells migration and proliferation. Almost every sample inhibited the migration of breast cancer cells at a low concentration (0.04 µg/mL) of propolis. Even at the lowest concentration (0.02 µg/mL), each EEP inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, however, the level of inhibition varied between samples.

A Descriptive Chemical Composition of Concentrated Bud Macerates through an Optimized SPE-HPLC-UV-MS2 Method-Application to Alnus glutinosa, Ribes nigrum, Rosa canina, Rosmarinus officinalis and Tilia tomentosa

Concentrated bud macerates (CBMs) are obtained from meristematic tissues such as buds and young shoots by maceration in a solvent composed of glycerin, water and ethanol (1/1/1/, v/v). Their traditional utilization in gemmotherapy has gained interest in the past years, and the knowledge of their chemical characterization can provide commercial arguments, particularly to secure their quality control. Therefore, an optimized method for phytochemical analysis including glycerol removal by a preliminary solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by compound identification using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-violet and tandem mass detectors (HPLC-UV-MS²) was developed. This method was applied on 5 CBMs obtained from Alnus glutinosa, Ribesnigrum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rosa canina and Tilia tomentosa in order to determinate their chemical composition. Their antioxidant effects were also investigated by radical scavenging activity assays (DPPH and ORAC). Glycerol removal improved the resolution of HPLC chemical profiles and allowed us to perform TLC antioxidant screening. Our approach permitted the identification of 57 compounds distributed in eight major classes, three of them being common to all macerates including nucleosides, phenolic acids and glycosylated flavonoids. Quantification of the later class as a rutin equivalent (RE) showed a great disparity between Rosa canina macerate (809 mg RE/L), and the other ones (from 175 to 470 mg RE/L). DPPH and ORAC assays confirmed the great activity of Rosa canina (4857 and 6479 μmol TE/g of dry matter, respectively). Finally, phytochemical and antioxidant analysis of CBMs strengthened their phytomedicinal interest in the gemmotherapy field.

Vitis vinifera L. Pruning Waste for Bud-Preparations as Source of Phenolic Compounds–Traditional and Innovative Extraction Techniques to Produce New Natural Products

Herbal products are now considered among the most important sources of phenolic compounds: the FINNOVER project aimed at the creation and development of sustainable supply chains to extract and use natural biologically active agents. Vitis vinifera is one of the most utilised herbal products derived from buds and sprouts as polyphenolic food supplements for its homeostatic and astringent properties. This research was aimed to describe the antioxidant capacity and the phytochemical composition of V. vinifera herbal products by the application of spectroscopic and chromatographic fingerprints considering phenolics as potential markers to significantly differentiate traditional preparations (macerates) from innovative extracts obtained by an ultrasound extraction from V. vinifera buds. Two different commercial products were also considered. Flavonols were the most abundant class in ultrasound extracts (45%), while phenolic acids were the most important class in traditional macerates (49%) and commercial bud-preparations (about 50%). This study may support the potential use of V. vinifera bud-products (starting from pruning byproducts) as food supplements to integrate human diet with good amounts of phenolics. Finally, the use of different extraction methods on the same plant material could be an important development to produce innovative herbal products with a phytochemical composition similar to traditional preparations.

A Study of the Interaction, Morphology, and Structure in Trypsin-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Complexes

Understanding the interaction between proteins and polyphenols is of significance to food industries. The aim of this research was to investigate the mode of aggregation for trypsin-EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) complexes. For this, the complex was characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, small-angel X-ray scattering (SAXS), and atomic force microscope (AFM) techniques. The results showed that the fluorescence intensity of trypsin-EGCG complexes decreased with increasing the concentration of EGCG, indicating that the interaction between trypsin and EGCG resulted in changes in the microenvironment around fluorescent amino acid residues. The results of CD analysis showed conformational changes in trypsin after binding with EGCG. The results from SAXS analysis showed that the addition of EGCG results in the formation of aggregates of trypsin-EGCG complexes, and increasing the concentration of EGCG resulted in larger aggregates. AFM images showed that the trypsin-EGCG complex formed aggregates of irregular ellipsoidal shapes with the size of about 200 × 400 × 200 nm, with EGCG interconnecting the trypsin particles. Overall, according to these results, it was concluded that the large aggregates of trypsin-EGCG complexes are formed from several small aggregates that are interconnected. The results of this study shed some light on the interaction between digestive enzymes and EGCG.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Miller, Cultivar Rosa) Solid By-Products Remaining after the Distillation of the Essential Oil

FINNOVER is an EU Interreg-Alcotra project that aims to bring new perspectives to floriculture enterprises by recovering useful bioproducts from the waste produced during processing of several aromatic species. In this study, a new operation strategy to recover lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) solid by-products remaining after the extraction of the essential oil was developed. Pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction was employed as a sustainable and eco-compatible technology to extract, in a very short time (10 min), this agricultural waste using a food-grade solvent (a mixture of ethanol/water). All the extracts obtained from both flower and leaf waste and flower-only residues, exhibit a promising total phenolic content (38–40 mg gallic acid/g of dry waste), radical scavenging activity (107–110 mg Trolox/g of dry waste) and total flavonoid content (0.11–0.13 mg quercetin/g of dry waste). Moreover, the chromatographic analysis of these extracts has shown that this overlooked agriculture waste can represent a valuable source of multifunctional compounds. Particularly, they exhibit a content of polyphenols and flavonoids up to 200 times higher than the corresponding leachate, and they are a valuable source of gentisic acid (1.4–13 mg/g dry waste) representing a new low-cost ingredient usable in different fields (i.e., cosmetic).

Comparative Evaluation of Four Extraction Methods of Antioxidant Compounds from Decatropis bicolor in Aqueous Medium Applying Response Surface Design

The objective of this paper is to compare conventional, ultrasound, microwave, and French press methods for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from Decatropis bicolor in an aqueous medium. This plant is widely used in Mexican traditional medicine for breast cancer treatment. Despite that, there are few studies on D. bicolor. Two response surface designs were applied to establish the best conditions of the liberation of antioxidants from D. bicolor, which were determined by DPPH• and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) techniques. The total phenolic content was evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The results showed that D. bicolor is a source of antioxidants (669–2128 mg ET/100 g and 553–1920 mg EFe²⁺/100 g, respectively) and phenolic compounds (2232–9929 mg EGA/100 g). Among the physical factors that were analyzed, the temperature was the determinant factor to liberate the compounds of interest by using low concentrations of the sample and short times of extraction. The French press was the most efficient method, obtaining values of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds even higher than those reported by using extraction methods with solvents such as methanol.

Comparative Polyphenol Composition, Antioxidant and Anticorrosion Properties in Various Parts of Panax ginseng Extracted in Different Solvents

Panax ginseng C.A. (P. ginseng) Meyer has been in use since ancient times for its therapeutic activities. Although several studies have investigated the roles of phytoconstituents in human and animal health, no comparative studies have been conducted to test the efficacy of P.ginseng leaf, fruit and root. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the antioxidant and anticorrosion activities of ginseng prepared using five different solvents. The methanolic fruit extract showed comparatively good activity in all assays. The total phenolic content (TPC) was higher in fruit (95.21 mg/g), followed by leaf (39.21 mg/g) extracted in methanol solvent compared other solvents. The total flavonoid content (TFC) of fruit methanolic extract was 50.21 mg/g, which was followed by fruit extracted in ethanol (41.33 mg/g). The same phenomenon was observed in all antioxidant studies. Through Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC), the presence of 23 phenolic components categorized as hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids and a few other groups that play a vital role in antioxidation was identified. Phenols such as chlorogenic acid (1002.2 μg/g), gentisic acid (854.21 μg/g) and rutin (165.32 μg/g) were found in higher amounts in fruit whereas leaf showed significant amounts of m-coumaric acid (185.32 μg/g) and p-coumaric acid (125.24 μg/g). The anti-corrosive property of the fruit extract of the ginseng with methanol as a solvent was analyzed for a copper specimen exposed to 1 M HCl medium and found to have 96% corrosion inhibition efficiency at a 1000-ppm concentration. The smooth surface of the specimen exposed to corrosive media shown in a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) image confirms that the specimen was protected from corrosion, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectra show that the loss of Cu is reduced in inhibited metal surface. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and surface roughness factor also validate the corrosion inhibition characteristic of ginseng plant extract.

Functional Foods and Food Supplements

This Special Issue aims to provide new findings and information with respect to healthy foods and biologically active food ingredients. Studies on the chemical, technological, and nutritional characteristics of healthy food ingredients will be taken into consideration as well as analytical methods for monitoring their quality. New findings on the bioavailability and the mechanism of action of food bioactive compounds will be considered. Moreover, studies on the rational design of potential new formulations, both of functional foods and of food supplements, have been taken into account.

The Benefits of Plant Extracts for Human Health

Nature has always been, and still is, a source of foods and ingredients that are beneficial to human health [...].