Biochemical composition of different onion landraces from Greece

Onion (Allium cepa L.), an important vegetable crop, is widely cosumed not only for culinary but also for medicinal purposes due to its various biological properties, which are linked to the bioactive substances it contains.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for A.F. and L.B. Contractsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical composition and bioactive properties of the wild edible plant Raphanus raphanistrum L.

Recently, there has been an interest regarding the consumption of wild edible plants in modern diets. However, there is still scarce information about several wild vegetables traditionally consumed. Therefore, this work aims on documenting the nutritional and chemical composition of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.), as well as its bioactive potential. Results showed that wild radish is a potential source of beneficial compounds, including vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acid (particularly α-linolenic acid) and different phenolic compounds, in which fourteen phenolics were identified, with kaempferol-3,7-O-di-rhamnoside being the most abundant. The bioactive potential was exploited using hydroethanolic and decoction extracts. Both proved to inhibit several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and revealed antioxidant activity, while cytotoxicity against nontumor cell was not observed. In general, results evidence the interest in recovering the use of this wild vegetable as part of a varied diet, which can bring several health benefits.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Portuguese Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire: Preliminary Validation Studies of the Middle Version among Municipal and Healthcare Workers

A third version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) was developed internationally aiming to respond to new trends in working conditions, theoretical concepts, and international experience. This article aims to present the preliminary validation studies for the Portuguese middle version of COPSOQ III. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study viewing the cross-cultural adaption of COPSOQ III to Portugal, ensuring the contents and face validity and performing field-testing in order to reduce the number of items and to obtain insight into the data structure, through classic test theory and item response theory approaches. The qualitative study encompassed 29 participants and the quantitative one 659 participants from municipalities and healthcare settings. Content analysis suggested that minor re-wording could improve the face validity of items, while a reduced version, with 85 items, shows psychometric stability, achieving good internal consistency in all subscales. The COPSOQ III Portuguese middle version proved to be a valid preliminary version for future validation studies with various populations, able to be used in correlational studies with other dimensions

Neonatal screening for cystic fibrosis in São Paulo State, Brazil : a pilot study

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common autosomal recessive hereditary diseases in the Caucasian population, with an incidence of 1:2000 to 1:3500 liveborns. More than 1000 mutations have been described with the most common being F508del. It has a prevalence of 23-55% within the Brazilian population. The lack of population-based studies evaluating the incidence of cystic fibrosis in São Paulo State, Brazil, and an analysis concerning the costs of implantation of a screening program motivated the present study. A total of 60,000 dried blood samples from Guthrie cards obtained from April 2005 to January 2006 for neonatal screening at 4 reference centers in São Paulo State were analyzed. The immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT)/IRT protocol was used with the cut-off value being 70 ng/mL. A total of 532 children (0.9%) showed IRT >70 ng/mL and a 2nd sample was collected from 418 (80.3%) of these patients. Four affected children were detected at two centers, corresponding to an incidence of 1:8403. The average age at diagnosis was 69 days, and 3 of the children already showed severe symptoms of the disease. The rate of false-positive results was 95.2% and the positive predictive value for the test was 8%. The cost of detecting an affected subject was approximately US$8,000.00 when this cystic fibrosis program was added to an existing neonatal screening program. The present study clearly shows the difficulties involved in cystic fibrosis screening using the IRT/IRT protocol, particularly in a population with no long-term tradition of neonatal screening421

Phenolic compounds and bioactive properties of Ruscus aculeatus L. (asparagaceae): the pharmacological potential of an underexploited subshrub

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a subshrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. According to reported folk knowledge, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground organs are used for the treatment of disorders of the urinary system and as a laxative. In this work, the aerial part and the roots and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were chemically characterized with regard to the content of phenolic compounds and bioactive properties. Aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations and hydroethanolic extracts from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Nine phenolic compounds were detected in all the extracts. Apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II was the major compound in aqueous extracts and, in the hydroethanolic extract was quercetin-O-deoxyhexoside-hexoside followed by apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II. All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria; aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects on a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provides suggestions of the biological potential associated with the empirical uses and knowledge of this species, in particular its bioactivities.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through the national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, M.I. Dias, C. Pereira, and R.C. Calhelha. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal program for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P and to European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Norte-01-0145-FEDER- 000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactive properties of Ruscus aculeatus L.: na underexploited subshrub

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a sub-shrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula[1]. Traditionally, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground parts are used for the treatment of urinary tract diseases and as a laxative[2]. In the present work, the aerial part, roots, and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were characterized regarding their bioactive properties in order to contribute to the knowledge of the chemical composition of this unexplored species. The plant material of R. aculeatus was harvested in April 2019 inside woodlands and hedgerows, in Valpaços, Portugal. Two distinct parts were gathered: the aerial part (cladodes or laminar stems and lateral branches) and the underground organs (rhizomes with roots). Hydroethanolic extracts and aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Multi-resistant clinical bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganela morganii, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were used to screen the antimicrobial activity and the antioxidant activity was evaluated through two different in vitro assays: inhibition of lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidative hemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The cytotoxic activity was assayed using MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) human tumor cell lines, and also a non-tumor cell line (porcine liver primary cells, PLP2). All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assessed bacteria; except for the infusion of the aerial part (for the lines MCF7 and HepG2) and decoction extracts (line MCF7), all the remaining extracts presented effective results in the inhibition of the tested cell lines; the aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects in a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provided innovative and interesting results in relation to the bioactive properties of this little-studied and explored wild plant.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, C. Pereira and R.C. Calhelha´s contract. The authors are grateful to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity and colouring capacity of two Hylocereus spp. Epicarps

Betalains are a group of secondary metabolites named chromoalkaloids that are synthesized from tyrosine. These compounds have gained some attention in the last few years mainly due to their interesting bioactive potential, namely antioxidant, antimicrobial, and other bioactive properties [1]. Their strong and vibrant colours are also one of the characteristics by which these compounds have gained visibility in the food and pharmaceutical industries [2]. Betalains can be divided in two groups regarding the colour range: betaxanthins in the orange to yellow range, and betacyanins in the purple to pink range. Thereby, these compounds can be used as natural colouring agents, providing alternatives to the massively used artificial counterparts [3]. Although there are already some natural options in the market, these are not enough to meet the needs of the food industry, due to the growing concern of consumers regarding what they eat.To FCT and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019); C. Lobo Roriz (SFRH/BD/117995/2016) and T.C.S. Pires (SFRH/BD/129551/2017) grants and National funding by FCT- Foundation for Science and Technology, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros contract. This work is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479:ValorNatural®.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorization of cereal by-products from the milling industry as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds to boost resource-use efficiency

Cereal by-products (wheat germ, maize bran–germ mixture, rye bran, and wheat bran) from the flour milling industry were characterized for their nutritional value and chemical composition, as well as for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Carbohydrates (including sucrose) were the major nutritional constituents (56.35–78.12 g/100 g dw), followed by proteins (11.2–30.0 g/100 g dw). The higher energy value (432.3 kcal/100 g dw) was presented by the wheat germ. This by-product also presented the highest citric acid content (0.857 g/100 g dw), the most abundant organic acid detected. Unsaturated fatty acids predominated in all samples given the high content of linoleic (53.9–57.1%) and oleic (13.4–29.0%) acids. Wheat germ had the highest levels of tocopherols (22.8 mg/100 g dw) and phenolic compounds (5.7 mg/g extract, with a high apigenin-C-pentoside-C-hexoside content). In turn, while the wheat bran extract was particularly effective in inhibiting the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the rye bran extract was the only sample capable of protecting erythrocytes from oxidative hemolysis. Regarding antibacterial properties, in general, the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations were observed against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. These results highlight the characterized by-products as sustainable ingredients for the development of novel bakery and functional food products and contribute to a better bioresource-use efficiency and circularity.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, M.I. Dias, and C. Pereira and through the individual scientific employment program-contract for J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018) and M. Carocho (CEECIND/00831/2018). To FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal program for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical and bioactive characterization of the aromatic plant Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch: a comprehensive study

Aromatic plants have been used since antiquity as seasoning ingredients to impart unique flavours to foods, and also as folk medicines, and are currently used as a source of several compounds of interest for different industries. Lovage (Levisticum officinale W.J.D. Koch) is an aromatic plant from the Apiaceae family with a strong flavour that has long been used in culinary products, in traditional medicine and by the food industry. Despite its significance and relevance, apart from its composition in volatile compounds, there is a scarcity of information about this plant species. To the best of our knowledge, this study documents for the first time the nutritional value and composition in fatty acids, organic acids and tocopherols of the edible aerial part of lovage, evidencing a low caloric value, a predominance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly α-linolenic acid, oxalic acid as the most abundant organic acid and α-tocopherol as the most abundant vitamin E isoform. The essential oil was mainly characterised by the presence of monoterpenes, showing also a high abundance of phthalides. In addition, a total of 7 phenolic compounds were identified in the decoction and hydroethanolic extracts, which showed interesting antioxidant properties and bacteriostatic activity, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria. Only the decoction showed cytotoxicity against a tumoral cell line (HepG2).The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019). A. Fernandes, L. Barros and R. C. Calhelha contracts were provided by National funding by FCT, P. I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract and C. Pereira contract through the celebration of program-contract foreseen in No. 4, 5 and 6 of article 23° of Decree-Law No. 57/ 2016, of 29th August, amended by Law No. 57/2017, of 19th July. This work was also funded by the FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactive properties and phytochemical assessment of Bacupari-anão (Garcinia brasiliensis Mart.) leaves native to Rondônia, Brazil

Leaf fractions of Garcinia brasiliensis were evaluated concerning their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti inflammatory and cytotoxic properties, and the most active fraction was then fully characterized regarding its phenolic composition using HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn. The ethyl acetate fraction from partitioning of the methanolic leaf extract revealed a strong antioxidant activity that was comparable to Trolox, the positive control. This fraction was also able to show a significant antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the fungus Candida albicans. However, the dichloromethane fraction was found to present the highest anti-inflammatory (83 ± 9 µg mL−1) and cytotoxic activities, thus presenting slight toxicity using a non-tumor cell line. Regarding the phenolic profile, the ethyl acetate fraction presented twelve flavonoids, with morelloflavone-7’’-O-glucoside (52.1 ± 0.4 mg g−1) and gardinia biflavonoid 2a glucoside (27.5 ± 0.2 mg g−1) being the major compounds identified. These results indicate that leaves of G. brasiliensis might be a potential source of natural biomolecules for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and L. Barros’s contract; to the FEDER-Interreg España- Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio