In vitro Antitumour Activity of Tomato-Extracted Carotenoids on Human Colorectal Carcinoma

The aim of this research was to establish whether all-trans lycopene extracted from fresh and frozen tomatoes is able to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of colon cancer cells, to trigger apoptosis by reactive oxygen species modulation and to reveal its influence on NF-kβ signalling, through the p65 transcription factor and expression of two TNF receptors: GITR and CD27. The carotenoid extracts containing all-trans lycopene were obtained from fresh (E1) and frozen/thawed (E2) tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), hybrid ‘Menhir’ F1. DLD-1 and HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines were co-cultivated with the two extracts and cytotoxicity, apoptosis, antioxidant activity, reactive oxygen species as well as modulation of NF-kβ signalling pathway were assessed. Tomato extracts E1 and E2 were able to inhibit colon cancer cell growth in vitro. E2 contained a higher proportion of all-trans lycopene and displayed superior cytotoxicity and a better apoptosis inducing capacity. The two extracts proved antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals and were able to scavenge the reactive oxygen species in the treated tumour cells. This study also showed that lycopene acts mainly through p65 protein and moderately by TNF receptors GITR and CD27 to deactivate the NF-kβ signalling pathway involved in cancer cell proliferation

Optimization of the drying process of autumn fruits rich in antioxidants: A study focusing on rosehip (: Rosa canina L.) and sea buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhamnoides (L.) A. Nelson) and their bioactive properties

Nowadays, it is very important to identify the traditional uses of different plants and to create the context in which new cultural or economic value is given to local resources. In this study, two wild fruits traditionally harvested in autumn in Romania were selected to investigate the effects of drying conditions on the chemical compositions and bioactivities exerted by the extracts and to select the best conditions in terms of air temperature and time of drying. The extracts obtained were assessed in terms of antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory activity, and their main bioactive compounds were identified and quantified. The data presented in this article represent a step forward in applying this process on an industrial-scale. This journal isThis work was supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, CNCS – UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2019-1245, within PNCDI III”. 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); the national funding by FCT, P. I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros, Maria Inês Dias and C. Pereira’s contracts; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P; 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

Criteria to differentiate Veronica officinalis from Veronica chamaedrys

peer reviewedWe have tried to establish some criteria to avoid the substitution of Veronica officinalis L; with anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory activities with other species of the genus Veronica, especially Veronica chamaedrys L. widely spread and without therapeutic use. We have studied the different histological, anatomical and phytochemical characters for the two species. A rapid method for the identification of both species is the TLC for flavonoids and phenylpropanic compounds was described. Moreover HPLC is useful to detect the presence of acteoside only in Veronica chamaedrys, while Veronica officinalis contains isoacteoside

Modulators of the human ABCC2: hope from natural sources?

International audienc

Comparative morphological studies on some species of the genus Fumaria

peer reviewe

PhytoAuthent: Molecular authentication of complex herbal food supplements for safety and efficacy

The PhytoAuthent project was structured to gather, test, develop and apply, in real life case scenarios, molecular techniques, such as biochemical fingerprinting and DNA sequence-based methods, for plant identification of constituents in complex herbal products. The project had a strong focus on applied aspects like protecting consumers from health risks associated with product substitution and contamination of herbal products

BRYONIA ALBA L. AND ECBALLIUM ELATERIUM (L.) A. RICH. - TWO RELATED SPECIES OF THE CUCURBITACEAE FAMILY WITH IMPORTANT PHARMACEUTICAL POTENTIAL

peer reviewedThe importance of the Cucurbitaceae family consists not only in the species that are widely known for various economically important human uses, but also in the species that have proven an important and promising potential concerning their biological activities. Bryonia alba L. and Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. are two species belonging to this family, that are known since ancient times for their homeopathic or traditional use in the treatment of numerous disorders. There is clear evidence that links between the two species are not only related to family morphological characters, but also to a certain degree to the sexual system and, most importantly, to the active principle content or to potential medicinal uses. All these elements helped to include both species in the same tribe and may result in important reasons for heading future studies towards the elucidation of their complete phytochemical composition and mechanisms of the biological activities. The present study aims to review the existing scientific literature on the two species and to offer sufficient evidence in order to justify a most detailed study of their pharmaceutical potential

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF FUMARIA OFFICINALIS L. (FUMARIACEAE)

peer reviewedThe present study describes the investigation of active compounds from several samples of Fumaria officinalis L. (Fumariaceae). The identification of the isoquinoline alkaloids (allocryptopine, chelidonine, protopine, bicuculline, sanguinarine, cheleritrine, stylopine and hydrastine) was performed by comparison with reference standards using an HPLC-DAD method, and their quantification by LC-DAD and spectrophotometric methods. The presence of polyphenolic compounds was simultaneously assessed by HPLC. Protopine and sanguinarine were identified in all extracts. The major alkaloids were protopine and chelidonine (258.3 mg/100 g and respectively 94.13 mg/100 g). The spectrophotometric determinations of alkaloids showed minor differences between commercial samples and those harvested from spontaneous flora. The concentration of isoquinoline alkaloids expressed in chelidonine was between 0.69 and 0.76% in all samples. The pattern of phenol carboxylic acids showed the presence of cynarin, chlorogenic, isochlorogenic and ferulic acids. The flavonoids isovitexin, rutin, isoquercitrin and quercitrin were found in all assessed samples of Fumaria officinalis aerial parts