Anti-inflammatory Potential of Macamides Isolated from Yellow Tubers of Mashua (Tropaeolum Tuberosum)

AbstractAlthough Tropaeolum tuberosum tubers have been consumed cooked as a folk remedy for the treatment of skin, lungs, liver and kidneys diseases, these uses have very limited scientific basis. Therefore, this article develops a phytochemical analysis of the yellow tubers of T. tuberosum with the objective to assess whether the isolated compounds have anti-inflammatory potential in the CCD-1109Sk, MRC-5 and RWPE-1 cell lines. We performed an extraction of T. tuberosum tubers using different organic solvents, followed by a bioguided chromatographic separation. Four macamides were identified by LC/MS techniques, but only N-benzyllinoleamide (1) and N-benzyloleamide (2) were isolated and elucidated by NMR/MS techniques, given that they were present in a larger proportion in the tubers. The anti-inflammatory potential of macamides was evaluated by the inhibition of NF-κB and STAT3 activation. Both compounds displayed inhibition of NF-κB activation with IC50 values of 2.28±0.54 µM; 3.66±0.34 µM and 4.48±0.29 µM for compound (1) and 6.50±0.75 µM; 7.74±0.19 µM and 8.37 ±0.09 µM for compound (2) in CCD-1109Sk, MRC-5 and RWPE-1 cell lines, respectively. Moreover, both compounds inhibited the STAT3 activation with IC50 of 0.61±0.76 µM; 1.24±0.05 µM and 2.10±0.12 µM for compound (1) and 5.49±0.31 µM; 7.73 ±0.94 µM and 7.79±0.30 µM for compound (2). Therefore, isolated macamides of T. tuberosum tubers showed promising anti-inflammatory effects, suggesting a possible beneficial use to combat inflammatory processes of skin, lung and prostate

Clinopodium tomentosum (Kunth) Govaerts Leaf Extract Influences in vitro Cell Proliferation and Angiogenesis on Primary Cultures of Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells

Clinopodium tomentosum (Kunth) Govaerts is an endemic species in Ecuador, where it is used as an anti-inflammatory plant to treat respiratory and digestive affections. In this work, effects of a Clinopodium tomentosum ethanolic extract (CTEE), prepared from aerial parts of the plant, were investigated on vascular endothelium functions. In particularly, angiogenesis activity was evaluated, using primary cultures of porcine aortic endothelial cells (pAECs). Cells were cultured for 24 h in the presence of CTEE different concentrations (10, 25, 50, and 100 \u3bcg/ml); no viability alterations were found in the 10-50 \u3bcg/ml range, while a slight, but significant, proliferative effect was observed at the highest dose. In addition, treatment with CTEE was able to rescue LPS-induced injury in terms of cell viability. The CTEE ability to affect angiogenesis was evaluated by scratch test analysis and by an in vitro capillary-like network assay. Treatment with 25-50\u3bcg/ml of extract caused a significant increase in pAEC\u2019s migration and tube formation capabilities compared to untreated cells, as results from the increased master junctions\u2019 number. On the other hand, CTEE at 100 \u3bcg/ml did not induce the same effects. Quantitative PCR data demonstrated that FLK-1 mRNA expression significantly increased at a CTEE dose of 25\u3bcg/ml. The CTEE phytochemical composition was assessed through HPLC-DAD; rosmarinic acid among phenolic acids and hesperidin among flavonoids were found as major phenolic components. Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content assays showed that flavonoids are the most abundant class of polyphenols. The CTEE antioxidant activity was also showed by means of the DPPH and ORAC assays. Results indicate that CTEE possesses an angiogenic capacity in a dose-dependent manner; this represents an initial step in elucidating the mechanism of the therapeutic use of the plant

Study of medicinal and food plants as a source of biologically active compounds.

In the last few decades, scientific evidence has pointed out the health-beneficial effects of phenolic compounds in foods, including a decrease in risk of developing degenerative and chronic diseases, known to be caused by oxidative stress. In this frame can be inserted research carried out during my PhD thesis, which concerns the phytochemical investigation of phenolic composition in sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.), apple fruits (Malus domestica L.) and quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). The first project was focused on the investigation of phytochemical profile and nutraceutical value of fruits of new sweet cherry cultivars. Their phenolic profile and antioxidant activity were investigated and compared with those of commonly commercialized cultivars. Their nutraceutical value was evaluated in terms of antioxidant/neuroprotective capacity in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells, in order to investigate their ability to counteract the oxidative stress and/or neurodegeneration process The second project was focused on phytochemical analysis of phenolic compounds in apples of ancient cultivars with the aim of selecting the most diverse cultivars, that will then be assayed for their anti-carcinogenic and anti-proliferative activities against the hepato-biliary and pancreatic tumours. The third project was focused on the analysis of polyphenolic pattern of seeds of two quinoa varieties grown at different latitudes. Analysis of phenolic profile and in vitro antioxidant activity of seed extracts both in their free and soluble-conjugated forms, showed that the accumulation of some classes of flavonoids is strictly regulated by environmental factors, even though the overall antioxidant capacity does not differ in quinoa Regalona grown in Chile and Italy. During the internship period carried out at the Department of Organic Chemistry at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), it was achieved the isolation of two pentacyclic triterpenoids, from an endemic Peruvian plant, Jatropha macrantha Müll. Arg., with bio-guided fractionation technique

Triterpenoids isolated from Jatropha macrantha (Müll. Arg.) inhibit the NF-κB and HIF-1α pathways in tumour cells

“This is an Accepted Manuscript version of the following article, accepted for publication in Natural Product Research. Natural Product Research 35.24 (2021): 5843-5847. It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way”Activity-guided fractionations of Jatropha macrantha Müll. Arg. led to the isolation of pomolic acid (1) and euscaphic acid (2). The potential for inhibition against NF-κB and HIF-1α production of these two compounds was tested in different tumour cell lines. Compounds 1 and 2 showed an inhibitory activity of HIF-1α in the SK-MEL-28 (IC50=3.01 ± 0.02 μM and 3.78 ± 0.02 μM), A549 (IC50=9.97 ± 0.01 μM and 10.25 ± 0.01 μM) and U-373 MG (IC50=6.34 ± 0.02 μM and 8.85 ± 0.02 μM) cell lines. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 showed an inhibitory activity on NF-κB in SK-MEL-28 (IC50=1.05 ± 0.02 μM and 2.71 ± 0.01 μM), A549 (IC50=3.63 ± 0.01 μM and 3.73 ± 0.02 μM) and U-373 MG (IC50=2.55 ± 0.02 μM and 3.39 ± 0.01 μM) cell lines. This is the first report that isolates these compounds from J. macrantha and tests their antitumor potentia

Free and Conjugated Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity in Quinoa Seeds and Their Relationship with Genotype and Environment

The nutraceutical interest in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) seeds is associated with the presence of macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and polyphenols. In particular, polyphenols contribute to the health-promoting effects of this food crop, and their levels are influenced by environmental conditions. Production of quinoa is recently being explored in temperate climate areas, including Italy. The aim of this research was to assess the profile of bioactive compounds in seeds of two quinoa varieties, Regalona-Baer and Titicaca, grown in northern Italy, compared to that of seeds of those varieties grown in Chile and Denmark, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis of phenolic acid and flavonoid profiles, both in their free and soluble conjugated forms, showed that the main differences between Regalona grown in Chile and Italy were for the free vanillic acid and daidzein contents, while the two Titicaca samples mainly differed in quercetin derivative levels. The total phenolic index was comparable in Titicaca and Regalona, and only a slight decrease in this parameter was found in seeds of the two varieties grown in Italy. The in vitro antioxidant activity of seed extracts, evaluated by means of three different assays, indicated that it correlated with flavonol (quercetin derivative) levels. In conclusion, the results indicate that, although environmental conditions alter the polyphenolic profile and biological activities, it is possible to grow good-quality quinoa in northern Italy

STUDY OF THE PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF NEW SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS IN NEURON-LIKE SH-SY5Y CELLS

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, are caused by the progressive death of neurons in different regions of the nervous system. Their etiology is multifactorial with oxidative stress as one of the most impacting factors. The brain, due to its high oxygen consumption and high lipid content, is highly vulnerable to the effects of reactive oxygen species. The increase in the generation of free radicals damages the cellular biomolecules and induces necrosis or apoptosis. Sweet cherry fruits are a nutritionally dense food rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and carotenoids. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of different sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.), obtained through a natural breeding program at the University of Bologna, in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with retinoic acid. The phytochemical pattern of five different cherry extracts has been characterized by HPLC-DAD/FL analysis. To study the protective effects of the extracts, SH-SY5Y cells were treated with different concentrations of the extracts for 24 h before H2O2 exposure. All the extracts, except one, were able to significantly increase cell viability and decrease ROS levels in respect to cells exposed to H2O2 as measured by MTT and DCFH-DA assays, respectively. Three of the five extracts significantly increased GSH levels in respect to H2O2 exposed cells as measured by monochlorobimane assay. The same extracts that significantly reduced ROS production were also able to up-regulate some important phase II antioxidant enzymes, such as GR and NQO1, as measured by RT-PCR. Our findings support the idea that these new sweet cherries can be considered a new functional food with a high antioxidant and neuroprotective effect and these effects seem to be related to the specific phenolic pattern of the different cherry extracts

STUDY OF THE PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF NEW SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS IN NEURON-LIKE SH-SY5Y CELLS

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s diseases, are caused by the progressive death of neurons in different regions of the nervous system. Their etiology is multifactorial with oxidative stress as one of the most impacting factors. The brain, due to its high oxygen consumption and high lipid content, is highly vulnerable to the effects of reactive oxygen species. The increase in the generation of free radicals damages the cellular biomolecules and induces necrosis or apoptosis. Sweet cherry fruits are a nutritionally dense food rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and carotenoids. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of different sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.), obtained through a natural breeding program at the University of Bologna, in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with retinoic acid. The phytochemical pattern of five different cherry extracts has been characterized by HPLC-DAD/FL analysis. To study the protective effects of the extracts, SH-SY5Y cells were treated with different concentrations of the extracts for 24 h before H2O2 exposure. All the extracts, except one, were able to significantly increase cell viability and decrease ROS levels in respect to cells exposed to H2O2 as measured by MTT and DCFH-DA assays, respectively. Three of the five extracts significantly increased GSH levels in respect to H2O2 exposed cells as measured by monochlorobimane assay. The same extracts that significantly reduced ROS production were also able to up-regulate some important phase II antioxidant enzymes, such as GR and NQO1, as measured by RT-PCR. Our findings support the idea that these new sweet cherries can be considered a new functional food with a high antioxidant and neuroprotective effect and these effects seem to be related to the specific phenolic pattern of the different cherry extracts. This work was supported by MIUR-PRIN 2015 (No. 20152HKF3Z)

NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF NEW “UNIBO” SWEET CHERRY CULTIVARS

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), are characterized by a multifactorial etiology and one of the most impacting factors is represented by oxidative stress, a biochemical process that is given by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endogenous antioxidant defenses. Cherries, and in particular sweet cherries, are a nutritionally dense food rich in anthocyanins, quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and melatonin. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant activity of different Sweet Unibo cherries (Prunus avium L.), obtained through a natural breeding program at the University of Bologna, in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with Retinoic Acid (RA). Five different cherry extracts were characterized by HPLC-DAD/FL analysis. Cells were treated with the different cherry extracts for 24 h before H2O2 exposure. All the extracts, except one, were able to significantly increase cell viability, measured by MTT assay, in respect to cells exposed to H2O2. Moreover, the same four extracts reduced ROS production as measured by the dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay meanwhile only three of five extracts significantly increased GSH levels in respect to H2O2 exposed cells as measured by monochloro bimane assay. The same extracts that significantly reduced ROS production were also able to up-regulate phase II antioxidant enzymes glutathione reductase and NQO1 as measured by RT-PCR. Our findings support the idea that cherries can have a beneficial health effect in counteracting oxidative stress in neurons and these effects seem to be related to the specific phenolic pattern of the different cherry extracts

FoodE Project. Pulsed light for indoor-grown lettuce

This data set contains the underlying data of the scientific publication: Carotti, L., Potente, G., Pennisi, G., Ruiz, K.B., Biondi, S., Crepaldi, A., Orsini, F., Gianquinto, G., Antognoni, F. (2020). Pulsed LED Light: Exploring the balance between energy use and nutraceutical. Agronomy 2021, 11(6), 1106; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061106 Data from morphological measurement and gene expression study are reported. Treatments are: high sf, low sf and fluorescent light (FL). The variables analyzed are: leaf fresh weight (LFW), leaf dry weight (LDW), leaf dry matter (LDM), root fresh weight (RFW), root dry weight (RDW), leaf number (LN), leaf area (LA), water use (WU), water use efficiency (WUE), energy use efficiency (EUE), gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), gene expression of chalcone synthase (CHS), gene expression of flavonol synthase (FLS), gene expression of the 4-coumaric acid 3-hydroxylase (4C3H), gene expression of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), gene expression of catalase (CAT), gene expression of glutathione s-transferase (GST)

Pulsed LED Light: Exploring the Balance between Energy Use and Nutraceutical Properties in Indoor-Grown Lettuce

In indoor vertical farms, energy consumption represents a bottleneck for both a system’s affordability and environmental footprint. Although switching frequency (sf) represents a crucial factor in determining the efficacy of light emitting diodes (LED) lighting systems in converting electricity into light, the impact of sf is still underexplored. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of LEDs sf on the productive and qualitative responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), also considering the resource use efficiency. Plants were grown for 14 days under red and blue LEDs (215 μmol m−2 s−1 and 16/8 h light/dark, with a red:blue ratio of 3) characterized by two different sf for the blue diode, namely high sf (850 kHz) and low sf (293 kHz). A fluorescent light (same light intensity and photoperiod) was included. LED sf did not alter plant morphological parameters, including fresh or dry biomass, leaf number, leaf area, or water use efficiency. A low sf increased the energy use efficiency (EUE) by 40% as compared to high sf. The latter enhanced the leaf antioxidant capacity, as a consequence of increased concentrations of caftaric and chicoric acids, isoquercetin, and luteolin, consistent with the upregulation of a few genes related to the biosynthetic pathway of phenolic compounds (4C3H and DFR). The study highlights that different sf may significantly affect the EUE as well as crop nutritional properties