An overview of Salicornia genus : the phytochemical and pharmacological profile

Copyright © 2014 Daya Publishing House.Salicornia L. (Chenopodiaceae) is a genus of annual, apparently leafless halophytic herb that have articulated and succulent stems. The Salicornia species comprise the most salttolerant land plant and frequently occur in saline areas. The use of glasswort as food is referred by the forensic palynology as a reality at least from 550 years ago. Nowadays it is much appreciated as a gourmet product in Europe but particularly in Asian countries, where is used in fresh salads and pickles. Some of the Salicornia species display applications on folk medicine (for treatment of bronchitis, hepatitis and diarrhea) and showed important biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and cytotoxic activities. The phythochemical studies on this genus reported the presence of fatty acids, sterols, saponins, chlorogenic acid derivatives, alkaloids, flavonoids and other kind of phenolic compounds.The purpose of this review is to highlight the advances in Salicornia genus knowledge by presenting its biological and medicinal applications, phytochemical studies and the relationship between the isolated compounds with the described biological and/or medicinal properties.Thanks are due to the Universities of Aveiro and Azores and also to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for funding the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2011). The authors also wish to acknowledge generous contribution of José M G Pereira for the original photographs of Salicornia in Aveiro region (Ecomuseu da Troncalhada, 40° 38' 32.32" N, 8° 39' 47.52" W)

Compounds identified on hexane and dichloromethane extracts of Salicornia ramosissima

3rd Portuguese Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry and 1st Portuguese-Spanish-Brazilian Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, Aveiro, 28-30 Novembro 2012.Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods (common purple glasswort) is an annual halophyte, widely distributed in the salt marsh of Ria de Aveiro (Portugal), that belongs to the Salicornia L. genus (Chenopodiaceae).[4] Although phytochemical studies genus on this genus report the presence of compounds which are well-recognized for their biological activities, such as flavonoids, chromones and alkaloids,[3] too little is known about secondary metabolites on purple glasswort. In our previous work we were able to isolate and identify ethyl o-hydroxycinnamate, (E)-fatty alcohol ferulic acid and scopoletin from the dichloromethane extract of S. ramosissima aerial parts. The structure and spectroscopic characterization of some secondary metabolites isolated from dichloromethane crude extract also will be presented and discussed.Thanks are due to the University of Aveiro, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for funding the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2011) and Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN)

Some aromatic compounds from dichloromethane extract of Salicornia ramosissima.

6th Spanish-Portuguese-Japanese Organic Chemistry Symposium, Lisboa, de 18 a 20 de Julho de 2012 (Poster Communication).Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods, is an annual halophyte, confined to saline habitats, widely distributed in the salt marsh of Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) and also present in many salt marshes of the Iberian Peninsula. Our interest in the phytochemical study of this specie, which belongs to the genus Salicornia and family Chenopodiaceae, is based on previous knowledge that plants of this genus presented compounds such as flavonoids, chromones and alkaloids which are well-recognized for their biological activities. Salicornia ramosissima was subject to some studies of growth conditions and salinity, but its phytochemical composition remains unknown. The analysis of the dichloromethane extract from S. ramosissima aerial parts allowed the isolation of some aromatic compounds, from which we present here their unequivocal structure elucidation.Thanks are due to the University of Aveiro, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for funding the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2011) and Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN). The authors also wish to acknowledge generous contribution of José M G Pereira for the original photographs of Salicornia in Aveiro region

Valuable compounds on conifers, macroalgae and halophyte species

XXIII Encontro Nacional da Sociedade Portuguesa de Química, Aveiro 12 a 14 de Junho de 2013.As part of our on-going investigation on bioactive secondary metabolites, we carried out the phytochemical study of the endemic conifer Juniperus brevifolia and the macroalga Cystoseira abies-marine from Azores Islands, and also of the halophyte Salicornia ramosissima from Aveiro lagoon. This communication gives an overview on the isolation, structural characterization and bioactivity of the most interesting secondary metabolites found in these species.University of Aveiro, Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), European Union, QREN, FEDER and COMPETE for funding the QOPNA research unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2011), the Portuguese NMR Network

Salicornia ramosissima: secondary metabolites and testicular protection induced by ethanol extract

XXIII Encontro Nacional da Sociedade Portuguesa de Química. Aveiro, 12-14 de Junho 2013.The structure and spectroscopic characterization of the isolated compounds from etanol and dichloromethane extracts (PUFA omega3 ethylated, sterol and a rare wax) will be presented and discussed. Concerning the effect of ethanolic extract on mice testicular tissue under carbon tetrachloride exposure, it was clearly demonstrated that ethanol extract had a protective effect.University of Aveiro, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for funding the QOPNA, CICECO, CESAM and the Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN)

Activity to Breast Cancer Cell Lines of Different Malignancy and Predicted Interaction with Protein Kinase C Isoforms of Royleanones

Plants have been used for centuries to treat several illnesses. The Plectranthus genus has a vast variety of species that has allowed the isolation of cytotoxic compounds with notable activities. The abietane diterpenes 6, 7-dehydroroyleanone (DeRoy, 1), 7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone (Roy, 2), and Parvifloron D (ParvD, 3) were obtained from Plectranthus spp. and showed promising biological activities, such as cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of the different natural abietanes (1-3) were compared in MFC7, SkBr3, and SUM159 cell lines, as well as SUM159 grown in cancer stem cell-inducing conditions. Based on the royleanones’ bioactivity, the derivatives RoyBz (4), RoyBzCl (5), RoyPr2 (6), and DihydroxyRoy (7), previously obtained from 2, were selected for further studies. Protein kinases C (PKCs) are involved in several carcinogenic processes. Thus, PKCs are potential targets for cancer therapy. To date, the portfolio of available PKC modulators remains very limited due to the difficulty of designing isozyme-selective PKC modulators. As such, molecular docking was used to evaluate royleanones 1-6 as predicted isozyme-selective PKC binders. Subtle changes in the binding site of each PKC isoform change the predicted interaction profiles of the ligands. Subtle changes in royleanone substitution patterns, such as a double substitution only with non-substituted phenyls, or hydroxybenzoate at position four that flips the binding mode of ParvD (3), can increase the predicted interactions in certain PKC subtype

New class of protein kinase C modulators: from ethnopharmacological to nanoparticles

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Protein kinase C (PKC) are a class of enzymes often linked to carcinogenesis. Additionally, the development of multidrug resistance (MDR), mainly associated with P-glycoprotein (P gp) is the major cause of failure in traditional cancer chemotherapy. Plectranthus spp. have been used in traditional medicine for various ailments, including cancer, and its bioactive components have been investigated for their potential anticancer effects. In particular, the compound 7α-acetoxy-6β hydroxyroyleanone (Roy, 1) displayed promising antiproliferative activity against several cancer cell lines. This study embarks on an exploration of Roy 1, as a lead compound for the development of novel drugs. The acetonic ultrasound-assisted extraction optimization of Roy 1 (55.2 μg.mg-1 ) from P. grandidentatus was reported. Moreover, the reactivity of Roy 1 was explored to prepare new bioactive esters. Consequently, a new ester derivative and four known compounds were prepared, pointing to the most reactive hydroxyl group at position C12. Moreover, Roy 1 and its selected derivatives 20 and 21, aqueous stability was evidenced. Furthermore, a prediction molecular docking study was done to select the potential royleanone derivatives to modulate PKC. The synthesis of 30 derivatives was building upon molecular docking predictions, and the reactivity findings from Chapter II, including 23 new ester derivatives. Likewise, the synthesis of Roy 1 gold NPs was done, as a preliminary study to improve the low water solubility of these compounds. All derivatives were tested in cancer cells, pointing to the selection of four derivatives (52, 53, 64, and 66) to test in a PKC yeast-based assay, and finally one hit derivative (53) was assessed in PKC enzymatic assay. Notably, promising cytotoxic effects were observed in several derivatives, including 20 (as a PKC-δ activator), 21, and 22 (functioning as P-gp inhibitors), as well as 52, 53, 64, and 66 (in breast cancer cell lines). The analog 53 exhibited remarkable PKC-α activation. The findings described contribute to the expansion of more potent and selective antitumoral agents

Charting the course of Physiology within the post‐Bologna European higher education area: Insights from Portugal

Abstract The future of physiology has been a recurrent concern for physiologists and Physiological Societies within post‐Bologna Europe and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Our paper provides an overview of Physiology teaching and research in Portugal, an EU member state and part of the EHEA. A descriptive study was designed to analyze data publicly available from the National Higher Education Directorate agency (DGES) from September to November 2022 to find all Portuguese syllabi containing at least one discipline related to human Physiology. A detailed database was established, including teaching staff, with a total of 365 courses/degrees and 764 Physiology disciplines. A bibliometric analysis of the identifiable lecturers' scientific production between 2017 and 2022 was made using Web of Science and PUBMED databases. Physiology is part of all health‐related professions. However, universities and technical colleges differ greatly in programs, staff backgrounds, and scientific profiles. Medical schools were found to provide the most complete formation. Noteworthy, the profession of Physiologist has practically no expression within the EHEA, compared with the USA‐UK realities. A better knowledge and understanding of these Physiology modalities in teaching and research within the EHEA will be instrumental to defining a stronger identity for European Physiology in the near future

Salicornia ramosissima an edible halophyte with nutritional value and a source of a unique natural compound

2nd International Symposium on Profiling, 21-24 September 2015, Lisbon, Portugal.PURPOSE: Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods aerial parts are considered, in the Iberian Peninsula and France, a gourmet product mainly because of its salty taste. Nevertheless, its metabolomic profile is still unknown. As a part of our continuing search for structurally interesting natural products from plants, the aerial parts of S. ramosissima were phytochemically investigated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio