Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anticholinesterase Activities and Phytochemical Profile of Azorella glabra Wedd

Andean medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites: Connections between Aymara traditional medicine and modern pharmacology

This review examines Aymara traditional medicine, which is deeply rooted in cultural perceptions of health and disease, and its utilization of medicinal plants rich in secondary metabolites-such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins-to support immune function, emphasizing the synergy between ancestral knowledge and modern scientific research. Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this review incorporates empirical studies from 2013 to 2024 on secondary metabolites and Aymara medicine, with a focus on the immunomodulatory effects of plants, while excluding non-indexed or irrelevant studies. Potential limitations include publication bias and reliance on secondary data. Three key plant genera-Azorella, Centaurium, and Amaranthus-were identified for their traditional medicinal uses, highlighting their pharmacological benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects. Specifically, xanthones, a class of secondary metabolites found in Centaurium, exhibit notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, and cardioprotective properties, which support their traditional use in treating hypertension and related ailments. Centaurium spp. is characterized by its bioactive compounds (secoiridoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and xanthones), offering valuable immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, digestive, and antimicrobial properties recognized in both scientific and traditional Aymara medicine for treating diseases and maintaining physical and spiritual balance. Overall, the study of secondary metabolites in Andean medicinal plants like Azorella, Centaurium, and Amaranthus underscores their diverse bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties, highlighting the Aymara community's integration of traditional and modern medicine through holistic practices that promote health, balance, and resilience against disease, while emphasizing the potential of these practices to enhance contemporary healthcare.

Urban parks biowaste as a sustainable source of new antidiabetics

Biowaste produced in urban parks is composed of large masses of organic matter that is only occasionally used economically. In this work, extracts of six plants widely distributed in urban parks in Central Europe (Achillea millefolium, Cichorium intybus, Malva sylvestris, Medicago sativa, Plantago lanceolata, and Trifolium pratense), prepared using 10 % and 50 % ethanol, were screened for their antidiabetic and related properties. HPLC and UV-Vis analysis revealed the presence of caffeic acid, quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin derivatives. The extracts were active in DPPH antiradical, .-carotene-linoleic acid, ORAC, and reducing power assay. They inhibited lipoxygenase, collagenase, as well as heat-induced ovalbumin coagulation. They were also able to hinder carbohydrate degradation. For example, IC 50 of anti-α-amylase activity of 10 % and 50 % ethanol extract of M. sativa extracts (204.10 ± 2.11 µg mL-1 and 78.27 ± 0.99 µg mL-1, respectively) did not statistically differ from the activity of the positive control, acarbose (284.74 ± 3.81 µg mL-1). Similar results were observed for their anti-.-glucosidase activity. In most assays, the use of 50 % ethanol was shown to be better suited for the extraction of active metabolites. The results indicate that the biowaste obtained from urban parks represents a potential source of plant material for the preparation of high-value antidiabetic products.

Advances in Cholinesterase Inhibitor Research-An Overview of Preclinical Studies of Selected Organoruthenium(II) Complexes

Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors are crucial therapeutic agents for the symptomatic treatment of certain chronic neurodegenerative diseases linked to functional disorders of the cholinergic system. Significant research efforts have been made to develop novel derivatives of classical ChE inhibitors and ChE inhibitors with novel scaffolds. Over the past decade, ruthenium complexes have emerged as promising novel therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Our research group has investigated a number of newly synthesized organoruthenium(II) complexes for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Three complexes (C1a, C1-C, and C1) inhibit ChE in a pharmacologically relevant range. C1a reversibly inhibits AChE and BChE without undesirable peripheral effects, making it a promising candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. C1-Cl complex reversibly and competitively inhibits ChEs, particularly AChE. It inhibits nerve-evoked skeletal muscle twitch and tetanic contraction in a concentration-dependent manner with no effect on directly elicited twitch and tetanic contraction and is promising for further preclinical studies as a competitive neuromuscular blocking agent. C1 is a selective, competitive, and reversible inhibitor of BChE that inhibits horse serum BChE (hsBChE) without significant effect on the peripheral neuromuscular system and is a highly species-specific inhibitor of hsBChE that could serve as a species-specific drug target. This research contributes to the expanding knowledge of ChE inhibitors based on ruthenium complexes and highlights their potential as promising therapeutic candidates for chronic neurodegenerative diseases.

LC-MS metabolomics and molecular docking approaches to identify antihyperglycemic and antioxidant compounds from Melastoma malabathricum L. Leaf

The dried leaves of Melastoma malabathricum L., locally named Karamunting or Senduduk, is traditionally consumed in many regions in Indonesia as herbal tea to cure different illnesses, including diabetes. To date, information on the compounds responsible for their antidiabetic activity is still very rare. The study aimed to identify bioactive compounds of M. malabathricum L. leaves using LC-MS based metabolomics and molecular docking approaches. The leaves brewed with different methods were subjected to LC-MS measurements and several bioactivity tests (in vivo and in vitro antihyperglycemic, and in vitro antioxidant). LC-MS data were linked to the activity data using multivariate data analysis. Molecular docking using alpha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase, and insulin receptor as protein targets was used to verify the results and study the interaction between the identified compound and protein targets. As results, isoquercetin and myricitrin were identified as compounds strongly associated with alpha-amylase inhibitors, while rutin and epicatechin were identified as alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Quercitrin, citric acid, quercetin, epicatechin, isoquercitrin, and 7-hydroxycoumarine were strongly correlated with both antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activities. The results of metabolomics were confirmed with molecular docking studies, which showed that some of these compounds acted as competitive inhibitors, while others acted as non-competitive ones. Possible synergism between epicatechin and citric acid in their interaction with IR was detected. Metabolomics combined with molecular docking efficiently identified and confirmed several antihyperglycemic and antioxidant compounds from M. malabathricum L., leaf. This study provides scientific evidence for the traditional use of M. malabathricum L. as an antidiabetic herbal.

Identification of natural diterpenes isolated from Azorella species targeting dispersin B using in silico approaches

CONTEXT

A bacterial biofilm is a cluster of bacterial cells embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances such as DNA, proteins, and polysaccharides. Several diseases have been reported to cause by bacterial biofilms, and difficulties in treating these infections are of concern. This work aimed to identify the inhibitor with the highest binding affinity for the receptor protein by screening various inhibitors obtained from Azorella species for a potential target to inhibit dispersin B. This work shows that azorellolide has the highest binding affinity (- 8.2 kcal/mol) among the compounds tested, followed by dyhydroazorellolide, mulinone A, and 7-acetoxy-mulin-9,12-diene which all had a binding affinity of - 8.0 kcal/mol. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate and contrast several diterpene compounds as antibacterial biofilm chemicals.

METHODS

Here, molecular modelling techniques tested 49 diterpene compounds of Azorella and six FDA-approved antibiotics medicines for antibiofilm activity. Since protein-like interactions are crucial in drug discovery, AutoDock Vina was initially employed to carry out structure-based virtual screening. The drug-likeness and ADMET properties of the chosen compounds were examined to assess the antibiofilm activity further. Lipinski's rule of five was then applied to determine the antibiofilm activity. Then, molecular electrostatic potential was used to determine the relative polarity of a molecule using the Gaussian 09 package and GaussView 5.08. Following three replica molecular dynamic simulations (using the Schrodinger program, Desmond 2019-4 package) that each lasted 100 ns on the promising candidates, binding free energy was estimated using MM-GBSA. Structural visualisation was used to test the binding affinity of each compound to the crystal structure of dispersin B protein (PDB: 1YHT), a well-known antibiofilm compound.

The healing bitterness of Gentiana lutea L., phytochemistry and biological activities: A systematic review

Over many years, natural products have been a source of healing agents and have exhibited beneficial uses for treating human diseases. The Gentiana genus is the biggest genus in the Gentianaceae, with over 400 species distributed mainly in alpine zones of temperate countries around the world. Plants in the Gentiana genus have historically been used to treat a wide range of diseases. Still, only in the last years has particular attention been paid to the biological activities of Gentiana lutea Linn., also known as yellow Gentian or bitterwort. Several in vitro/vivo investigations and human interventional trials have demonstrated the promising activity of G. lutea extracts against oxidative stress, microbial infections, inflammation, obesity, atherosclerosis, etc.. A systematic approach was performed using Pubmed and Scopus databases to update G. lutea chemistry and activity. Specifically, this systematic review synthesized the major specialized bitter metabolites and the biological activity data obtained from different cell lines, animal models, and human interventional trials. This review aims to the exaltation of G. lutea as a source of bioactive compounds that can prevent and treat several human illnesses.

New Insight on the Bioactivity of Solanum aethiopicum Linn. Growing in Basilicata Region (Italy): Phytochemical Characterization, Liposomal Incorporation, and Antioxidant Effects

Food extract’s biological effect and its improvement using nanotechnologies is one of the challenges of the last and the future decades; for this reason, the antioxidant effect of scarlet eggplant extract liposomal incorporation was investigated. Scarlet eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) is a member of the Solanaceae family, and it is one of the most consumed vegetables in tropical Africa and south of Italy. This study investigated the antioxidant activity and the phytochemical composition of S. aethiopicum grown in the Basilicata Region for the first time. The whole fruit, peel, and pulp were subjected to ethanolic exhaustive maceration extraction, and all extracts were investigated. The HPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of ten phenolic compounds, including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavanones, flavanols, and four carotenoids (one xanthophyll and three carotenes). The peel extract was the most promising, active, and the richest in specialized metabolites; hence, it was tested on HepG2 cell lines and incorporated into liposomes. The nanoincorporation enhanced the peel extract’s antioxidant activity, resulting in a reduction of the concentration used. Furthermore, the extract improved the expression of endogenous antioxidants, such as ABCG2, CAT, and NQO1, presumably through the Nrf2 pathway.

Insights into the leaves of Ceriscoides campanulata: Natural proanthocyanidins alleviate diabetes, inflammation, and esophageal squamous cell cancer via in vitro and in silico models

Fourteen flavones (1-14) including twelve polymethoxylated flavones, two A-type proanthocyanidins (oligomeric flavonoids) (15, 16), one benzoyl glucoside (17), one triterpenoid (18), and one phenylpropanoid (19) were isolated from the leaves of the South Asian medicinal plant Ceriscoides campanulata (Roxb.) Tirveng (Rubiaceae). The structures of the compounds were identified based on their spectroscopic and spectrometric data and in comparison with literature data. Isolated compounds were tested in vitro against inflammatory enzymes (COX-2, iNOS), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α), esophageal squamous carcinoma cell line (TE13), and carbohydrate digestion enzymes (α-amylase, α-glucosidase). Proanthocyanidins 15 and 16 significantly attenuated the LPS-induced inflammatory response of COX-2, iNOS, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α in RAW 264.7 cells. Proanthocyanidins also satisfactorily inhibited the regrowth (64%), migration (51%), and formation of tumor-sphere (48%) in ESCC cell line TE13 at 50% toxic concentration. Compounds 15 and 16 showed the most potent effect against mammalian α-amylase (IC₅₀ 8.4 ± 0.3 μM and 3.5 ± 0.02 μM, respectively) compared to reference standard acarbose (IC₅₀ 5.9 ± 0.1 μM). As yeast α-glucosidase inhibitors, compounds 15 and 16 also displayed significant activities (IC₅₀ 6.2 ± 0.3 and 4.7 ± 0.1 μM, respectively), while compounds 1-6 displayed weaker α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, ranging from 49 to 142 μM, compared to acarbose (IC₅₀ 665 ± 42 μM). In an anticholinesterase assay, compounds 1, 2, 6 (IC₅₀ 51 ± 2, 53 ± 7, 64 ± 5 μM, respectively), and 4 (IC₅₀ 44 ± 1 μM) showed moderate inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, respectively. Furthermore, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation analyses of compounds 15 and 16 were performed against human pancreatic α-amylase and human lysosomal acid α-glucosidase to elucidate the interactions of these compounds in the respective enzymes' active sites.

Quercetin derivatives: Drug design, development, and biological activities, a review

More studies are needed to develop new drugs for problems associated with drug resistance and unfavorable side effects. The natural flavonoid of quercetin revealed a wide range of biological activities by the modulation of various targets and signaling pathways. However, quercetin's low solubility and poor bioavailability have restricted its applicability; as a result, researchers have attempted to design and synthesize numerous novel quercetin derivatives using various methodologies in order to modify quercetin's constraints; the physico-chemical properties of quercetin's molecular scaffold make it appealing for drug development; low molecular mass and chemical groups are two of these characteristics. Therefore, the biological activities of quercetin derivatives, as well as the relationship between activity and chemical structure and their mechanism of action, were investigated. These quercetin-based molecules could be valuable in the creation and discovery of medications for a number of diseases.

Chronic Stress and Oxidative Stress as Common Factors of the Pathogenesis of Depression and Alzheimer's Disease: The Role of Antioxidants in Prevention and Treatment

There is a growing body of scientific research showing the link between depression and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The chronic stress contributes to the formation of oxidative stress in the parts of the brain involved in the development of depression and AD. The scientific literature reports the significant role of antioxidants, which are highly effective in treating these diseases. In this review, we have summarized the relationship between chronic stress, oxidative stress, and the changes in the brain they cause occurring in the brain. Among all the compounds showing antioxidant properties, the most promising results in AD treatment were observed for Vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), melatonin, polyphenols, curcumin, and selenium. In case of depression treatment, the greatest potential was observed in curcumin, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and saffron.

Bioactive Abietane-Type Diterpenoid Glycosides from Leaves of Clerodendrum infortunatum (Lamiaceae)

In this study, two previously undescribed diterpenoids, (5R,10S,16R)-11,16,19-trihydroxy-12-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-17(15→16),18(4→3)-diabeo-3,8,11,13-abietatetraene-7-one (1) and (5R,10S,16R)-11,16-dihydroxy-12-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-17(15→16),18(4→3)-diabeo-4-carboxy-3,8,11,13-abietatetraene-7-one (2), and one known compound, the C13-nor-isoprenoid glycoside byzantionoside B (3), were isolated from the leaves of Clerodendrum infortunatum L. (Lamiaceae). Structures were established based on spectroscopic and spectrometric data and by comparison with literature data. The three terpenoids, along with five phenylpropanoids: 6'-O-caffeoyl-12-glucopyranosyloxyjasmonic acid (4), jionoside C (5), jionoside D (6), brachynoside (7), and incanoside C (8), previously isolated from the same source, were tested for their in vitro antidiabetic (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), anticancer (Hs578T and MDA-MB-231), and anticholinesterase activities. In an in vitro test against carbohydrate digestion enzymes, compound 6 showed the most potent effect against mammalian α-amylase (IC50 3.4 ± 0.2 μM) compared to the reference standard acarbose (IC50 5.9 ± 0.1 μM). As yeast α-glucosidase inhibitors, compounds 1, 2, 5, and 6 displayed moderate inhibitory activities, ranging from 24.6 to 96.0 μM, compared to acarbose (IC50 665 ± 42 μM). All of the tested compounds demonstrated negligible anticholinesterase effects. In an anticancer test, compounds 3 and 5 exhibited moderate antiproliferative properties with IC50 of 94.7 ± 1.3 and 85.3 ± 2.4 μM, respectively, against Hs578T cell, while the rest of the compounds did not show significant activity (IC50 > 100 μM).

Screening of in vitro and in silico α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase inhibitory activity of oxyprenylated natural compounds and semisynthetic derivatives

Metabolic syndrome has several characteristic manifestations, including insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia, that demand therapeutic approaches, such as the inhibition of enzymes involved in nutrient absorption and digestion.This study aimed to evaluate the potential pharmacological use of natural compounds widespread in the plant kingdom and their semisynthetic compounds against target enzymes. Twenty-three oxyprenylated natural compoundswere investigated for their ability to inhibit α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase enzymes by in vitro assays. Moreover, in silico molecular docking was performed to analyse their binding capabilities into 3D structures. Farnesyloxyferulic acid, geranyloxyvanillic acid, nelumal A, and geranyloxyferulic acid showed the highest inhibition activity in all three in vitro enzyme assays. Moreover, in silico molecular docking of these four compounds was used to analyse their possible binding in 3D structures of the investigated enzymes. The results indicate that these compounds have considerable therapeutic potential for the treatment of metabolic syndrome, and further studies are warranted for their pharmacological development.

Anticholinesterase Activity of Eight Medicinal Plant Species: In Vitro and In Silico Studies in the Search for Therapeutic Agents against Alzheimer's Disease

Many Bangladeshi medicinal plants have been used to treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, the anticholinesterase effects of eight selected Bangladeshi medicinal plant species were investigated. Species were selected based on the traditional uses against CNS-related diseases. Extracts were prepared using a gentle cold extraction method. In vitro cholinesterase inhibitory effects were measured by Ellman's method in 96-well microplates. Blumea lacera (Compositae) and Cyclea barbata (Menispermaceae) were found to have the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (IC_50, 150 ± 11 and 176 ± 14 µg/mL, respectively) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory effect (IC₅₀, 297 ± 13 and 124 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively). Cyclea barbata demonstrated competitive inhibition, where Blumea lacera showed an uncompetitive inhibition mode for acetylcholinesterase. Smilax guianensis (Smilacaceae) and Byttneria pilosa (Malvaceae) were also found to show moderate AChE inhibition (IC_50, 205 ± 31 and 221 ± 2 µg/mL, respectively), although no significant BChE inhibitory effect was observed for extracts from these plant species. Among others, Thunbergia grandiflora (Acanthaceae) and Mikania micrantha (Compositae) were found to display noticeable AChE (IC₅₀, 252 ± 22 µg/mL) and BChE (IC₅₀, 314 ± 15 µg/mL) inhibitory effects, respectively. Molecular docking experiment suggested that compounds 5-hydroxy-3,6,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (BL4) and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1⟶6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (BL5) from Blumea lacera bound stably to the binding groove of the AChE and BChE by hydrogen-bond interactions, respectively. Therefore, these compounds could be candidates for cholinesterase inhibitors. The present findings demonstrated that Blumea lacera and Cyclea barbata are interesting objects for further studies aiming at future therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.

Anticholinesterase Activities of Different Solvent Extracts of Brewer's Spent Grain

Cholinesterases, involved in acetylcholine catabolism in the central and peripheral nervous system, have been strongly linked with neurodegenerative diseases. Current therapeutic approaches using synthetic drugs present several side effects. Hence, there is an increasing research interest in naturally-occurring dietary polyphenols, which are also considered efficacious. Food processing by-products such as brewer’s spent grain (BSG) would be a potential bio-source of polyphenols. In this study, polyphenol-rich BSG extracts using 60% acetone and 0.75% NaOH solutions were generated, which were further subjected to liquid–liquid partitioning using various organic solvents. The water-partitioned fractions of the saponified extracts had the highest total polyphenol content (6.2 ± 2.8 mgGAE/g dw) as determined by Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, while the LC-MS/MS showed ethyl acetate fraction with the highest phenolics (2.9 ± 0.3 mg/g BSG dw). The best inhibitions of acetyl- (37.9 ± 2.9%) and butyryl- (53.6 ± 7.7%) cholinesterases were shown by the diethyl ether fraction of the saponified extract. This fraction contained the highest sum of quantified phenolics (99 ± 21.2 µg/mg of extract), and with significant (p < 0.01) inhibitory contribution of decarboxylated-diferulic acid. Amongst the standards, caffeic acid presented the highest inhibition for both cholinesterases, 25.5 ± 0.2% for acetyl- and 52.3 ± 0.8% for butyryl-cholinesterase, respectively, whilst the blends insignificantly inhibited both cholinesterases. The results showed that polyphenol-rich BSG fractions have potentials as natural anti-cholinesterase agents.

The Promising Ability of Humulus lupulus L. Iso-α-acids vs. Diabetes, Inflammation, and Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review

For centuries, natural medicines have represented the only option for treating human diseases and, nowadays, plant phytochemicals are considered as promising compounds to treat or prevent chronic conditions. Among them, hop flowers (Humulus lupulus L.), typically used in brewing industries to give the typical aroma and flavor to beer, have attracted particular attention for their health promoting properties. Several in vivo/vitro studies and human interventional trials have demonstrated the beneficial effects of these molecules on weight gain, lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivities, and inflammation by acting on different targets. All these activities suggest a possible role of bitter hop acid in preventing metabolic syndrome and its related diseases. A systematic quest on PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to identify pre-clinical and clinical studies focusing on this topic. This systematic review summarizes the results obtained by different cell lines, animal models, and human interventional trials to propose iso-α-acids as medical nutrition therapy to treat or prevent metabolic syndrome and its related disorders as diabetes, dislipidemia inflammation, etc.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase-Inhibiting Activity of Aqueous and Hydroethanolic Extracts of Traditional Antidiabetics from Croatian Ethnomedicine

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease with a growing prevalence worldwide. In addition to the conventional therapy, many T2D patients use phytotherapeutic preparations. In the present study, chemical composition, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibiting activity of traditional antidiabetics from Croatian ethnomedicine (Achillea millefolium, Artemisia absinthium, Centaurium erythraea, Morusalba, Phaseolus vulgaris, Sambucus nigra, and Salvia officinalis) were assessed. The efficacy of water and 80% ethanol as extraction solvents for bioactive constituents was compared. HPLC analysis revealed that the prepared extracts were rich in phenols, especially rutin, ferulic, and chlorogenic acid. Antiradical (against DPPH and ABTS radicals), reducing (towards Mo6+ and Fe3+ ions), and enzyme inhibiting properties were in linear correlation with the content of phenolic constituents. Ethanolic extracts, richer in phenolic substances, showed dominant efficacy in those assays. Aqueous extracts, on the other hand, were better Fe2+ ion chelators and more active in the β-carotene linoleic acid assay. Extracts from S. officinalis and A. millefolium were particularly active antioxidants and α-glucosidase inhibitors. A. absinthium, another potent α-glucosidase inhibitor, contained chromium, a mineral that promotes insulin action. The investigated plants contained significant amounts of minerals useful in management of T2D, with negligible amounts of heavy metals deeming them safe for human use.

Advances in Azorella glabra Wedd. Extract Research: In Vitro Antioxidant Activity, Antiproliferative Effects on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Bioactive Compound Characterization

Azorella glabra Wedd. (AG) is traditionally used to treat gonorrhea or kidney’s problems. The antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase and in vitro antitumor activities of AG extracts were recently reported. The aim of this work was to investigate anti-leukemic properties of AG chloroform fraction (AG CHCl₃) and of its ten sub-fractions (I-X) and to identify their possible bioactive compounds. We determined their in vitro antioxidant activity using 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion (SO) assays, and their phytochemical profile by spectrophotometric and LC-MS/MS techniques. I-X action on two acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines viability, apoptosis and cell cycle were evaluated by MTS, western blotting and cytofluorimetric assays. Different polyphenol, flavonoid and terpenoid amount, and antioxidant activity were found among all samples. Most of I-X induced a dose/time dependent reduction of cell viability higher than parent extract. IV and VI sub-fractions showed highest cytotoxic activity and, of note, a negligible reduction of healthy cell viability. They activated intrinsic apoptotic pathway, induced a G₀/G₁ block in leukemic cells and, interestingly, led to apoptosis in patient AML cells. These activities could be due to mulinic acid or azorellane terpenoids and their derivatives, tentatively identified in both IV and VI. In conclusion, our data suggest AG plant as a source of potential anti-AML agents.

The Effect of Degree of Milling on the Nutraceutical Content in Ecofriendly and Conventional Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

We investigated the effects of the type of rice and degree of milling (DOM) on the nutraceutical content and antioxidant activity of rice (Oryza sativa L.). The fatty acid (FA), vitamin E homolog, and phenolic contents in organic (OR), pesticide-free (PFR), and conventional rice (CR) decreased significantly with an increase in the DOM of rice grains, particularly for a DOM of 7 and 9 (p < 0.05). The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity also decreased with the DOM; particularly, this activity decreased significantly, by approximately 60%, in rice grains with a DOM between 7 and 11, as compared to that of brown rice (p < 0.05). α-Tocopherol (r = 0.854) and p-coumaric acid (r = 0.501) showed the strongest correlation with DPPH activity in each chemical group. Stepwise discriminant analysis enabled the correct original and cross-validated classification of 87.0% and 81.5% of rice types, respectively. Additionally, the original and cross-validated classification of rice DOM levels showed that, overall, 93.8% and 92.6% of rice samples were correctly classified. Our findings reveal variations in the nutraceutical levels and antioxidant activities in rice grains based on the rice type and DOM, which can help improve the nutritional evaluation of human-health-promoting rice grains.

Antioxidant and enzymes inhibitory properties of Amaranth leaf protein hydrolyzates and ultrafiltration peptide fractions

Amaranth leaf protein isolate (ALI) was hydrolyzed using four different proteases (alcalase, trypsin, pepsin, and chymotrypsin) followed by fractionation of the pepsin hydrolyzate (PH) into different sizes using ultrafiltration membrane. Gel permeation chromatography showed that all the hydrolyzates had smaller size peptides (<7 kDa) than the protein isolate (>32 kDa). The chymotrypsin hydrolyzate had higher contents of hydrophobic amino acid (44.95%) compared to alcalase (42.72%), pepsin (43.93%), and trypsin (40.95%) hydrolyzates. The PH had stronger DPPH, hydroxyl radical, and superoxide radical scavenging activities than the other protein hydrolyzates but weaker Ferric reducing antioxidant power and metal chelating activities when compared to the peptide fractions. The <1 kDa peptide fraction exhibited stronger DPPH, hydroxyl, and superoxide radicals scavenging activities than the higher molecular weight (>1 kDa) fractions. Fractionation of PH also resulted in enhanced inhibition of α-amylase and ACE activities but weaker α-glucosidase inhibition. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: ALI was hydrolyzed using four proteases to produce protein hydrolyzates. The most active of the hydrolyzate was then fractionated to produce fractions of different molecular sizes. The results of the analyses showed that the hydrolyzates and the fractions showed good antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities such as the inhibition of ACE, α-amylase, and glucosidase enzymes. The results suggest that the enzymatic hydrolyzates and peptide fractions could be used as ingredients in the nutraceutical and functional food industries to scavenge free radicals and inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme activity.

The Potential of Natural Diterpenes Against Tuberculosis: An Updated Review

Every year, 10 million people are affected by tuberculosis (TB). Despite being a preventable and curable disease, 1.5 million people die from TB each year, making it the world's top infectious disease. Many of the frontline antibiotics cause painful and disagreeable side effects. To mitigate the side effects from the use of chemically synthesized or clinical anti-tubercular drugs, there are many research studies focussed on natural products as a source of potential anti-tuberculosis drugs. Among different phytoconstituents, several classes of diterpenoids exert significant antimicrobial effects. This review explores diterpenoids as potential anti-tubercular drugs from natural sources. A total of 204 diterpenoids isolated from medicinal plants and marine species are discussed that inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The literature from 1994-2018 is reviewed, and 158 diterpenoids from medicinal plants, as well as 40 diterpenoids from marines, are alluded to have antituberculosis properties. The antitubercular activities discussed in the review indicate that the type of diterpenoids, the Mtb strains, substituents attached to diterpenoids and their position in the diterpenoids general skeleton can change the compounds antimycobacterial inhibitory effects.

Phytochemical Profile of Capsicum annuum L. cv Senise, Incorporation into Liposomes, and Evaluation of Cellular Antioxidant Activity

Overproduction of oxidants in the human body is responsible for oxidative stress, which is associated with several diseases. High intake of vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, as they are sources of bioactive compounds capable of contrasting the free radical effects involved in cancer, obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Capsicum annuum L. cv Senise is a sweet pepper that is grown in the Basilicata region (Italy). It is an important source of polyphenols, carotenoids, and capsinoids and can play a key role in human health. In this study, an ethanol extract was obtained from C. annuum dried peppers and the analysis of the phytochemical composition was performed by LC-ESI/LTQ Orbitrap/MS. The extract was incorporated into liposomes, which showed small size (~80 nm), good homogeneity, negative surface charge, and good stability in storage. The biological activity of the extract was evaluated in the human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line, used as model cells. The extract showed no cytotoxic activity and reduced the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in stressed cells. The antioxidant activity was further improved when the extract was loaded into liposomes. Moreover, the extract promoted the expression of endogenous antioxidants, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase through the Nrf-2 pathway evaluated by RT-PCR.

Chemical Profiling of Astragalus membranaceus Roots (Fish.) Bunge Herbal Preparation and Evaluation of Its Bioactivity

Astragalus membranaceus (Fish.) Bunge is a perennial herb distributed in the northern part of China, and its roots, namely, Hang qi, are included as a natural ingredient in dietary supplement formulations commonly used to treat different disorders such as respiratory infections, diabetes, and heart failure. The availability of a simple method for the determination of the quality of Astragalus herbal preparations could be a challenging issue for commercial purposes. In this study, a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)/MS based approach was used to characterize specialized metabolite recovery of 3 commercial hydroalcoholic extracts of A. membranaceus (AMG1, AMG2, AMG3) in addition to a hydroalcoholic extract of A. membranaceus root (AST). The hypoglycemic effect, cholinesterase inhibition, and antioxidant activities were also evaluated. Thirty-one compounds, of which 19 polyphenols and 12 saponins, were identified. The extracts were also quantified by using a sensitive and selective Q-Trap system for their content in flavonoids and astragalosides, selecting astragaloside I and IV as chemical markers. From our results, AMG3 preparation (Axtragyl) was the most abundant in terms of both specialized classes of metabolites, showing a fingerprint similar to that of AST. Interestingly, tested enzyme inhibition ability of flavonoids, daidzein (11) and formononetin (19), reported a higher α-glucosidase inhibition in comparison with that of acarbose used as positive control. The in silico study clarified the interactions among the molecules and the importance of having a free hydroxy group. Moreover, Axtragyl was able to exert protective effects in Caco-2 cells treated with hydrogen peroxide, confirming its ability as a potential protective agent in intestinal injury.

Phytochemicals of Minthostachys diffusa Epling and Their Health-Promoting Bioactivities

The genus Minthostachys belonging to the Lamiaceae family, and is an important South American mint genus used commonly in folk medicine as an aroma in cooking. The phytochemical-rich samples of the aerial parts of Minthostachys diffusa Epling. were tested for pharmacological and health-promoting bioactivities using in vitro chemical and enzymatic assays. A range of radical scavenging activities of the samples against biological radicals such as nitric oxide and superoxide anion and against synthetic 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals, the ferric reducing antioxidant power and the lipid peroxidation inhibition were determined and ranked using the ‘relative antioxidant capacity index’ (RACI). The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest RACI of +1.12. Analysis of the various fractions’ inhibitory ability against enzymes involved in diabetes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and against enzymes associated with Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) also suggested that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction showed more than 30 polyphenolic compounds, including triterpenes. The inhibitory cholinesterase effects of the triterpenes identified from M. diffusa were further analysed by in silico docking of these compounds into 3D-structures of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. This is the first study on pharmacological activities and phytochemical profiling of the aerial parts of M. diffusa, showing that this plant, normally used as food in South America, is also rich in health-promoting phytochemicals.