The Potential Neuroprotective Effect of Cyperus esculentus L. Extract in Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impairment in Rats: Extensive Biological and Metabolomics Approaches

The aim of the present study is to investigate the phytochemical composition of tiger nut (TN) (Cyperus esculentus L.) and its neuroprotective potential in scopolamine (Scop)-induced cognitive impairment in rats. The UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis enabled the putative annotation of 88 metabolites, such as saccharides, amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Treatment with TN extract restored Scop-induced learning and memory impairments. In parallel, TN extract succeeded in lowering amyloid beta, -secretase protein expression and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity in the hippocampus of rats. TN extract decreased malondialdehyde levels, restored antioxidant levels and reduced proinflammatory cytokines as well as the Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Histopathological analysis demonstrated marked neuroprotection in TN-treated groups. In conclusion, the present study reveals that TN extract attenuates Scop-induced memory impairments by diminishing amyloid beta aggregates, as well as its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-AChE activities.Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN) Spanish Government FJC2020-044298-

The role of high-resolution analytical techniques in the development of functional foods

The approaches based on high-resolution analytical techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance or mass spectrometry coupled to chromatographic techniques, have a determining role in several of the stages necessary for the development of functional foods. The analyses of botanical extracts rich in bioactive compounds is one of the fundamental steps in order to identify and quantify their phytochemical composition. However, the compounds characterized in the extracts are not always responsible for the bioactive properties because they generally undergo metabolic reactions before reaching the therapeutic targets. For this reason, analytical techniques are also applied to analyze biological samples to know the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and/or metabolism of the compounds ingested by animal or human models in nutritional intervention studies. In addition, these studies have also been applied to determine changes of endogenous metabolites caused by prolonged intake of compounds with bioactive potential. This review aims to describe the main types and modes of application of high-resolution analytical techniques in all these steps for functional food development

Diet Supplementation with Polyphenol-Rich Salicornia ramosissima Extracts Protects against Tissue Damage in Experimental Models of Cerebral Ischemia

Salicornia; Ischemia; NeuroprotectionSalicornia; Isquemia; NeuroprotecciónSalicornia; Isquèmia; NeuroproteccióStrokes are the second most common cause of death worldwide and a leading cause of disability. Regular consumption of polyphenols has been shown to reduce the risk of suffering a cardiovascular event. For this reason, we have investigated the protective effect of Salicornia ramosissima, a seasonal halophyte that synthetizes high amounts of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, in response to environmental stress. Aqueous, hydroalcoholic, and ethanolic extracts were prepared to investigate if dietary supplementation prior to ischemic challenge can prevent subsequent damage using two animal models. First, we screened the protective effect against hypoxia–reoxygenation in Drosophila melanogaster and observed that both ethanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts protected flies from the deleterious effects of hypoxia. Second, we confirmed the protective effect of S. ramosissima ethanolic extract against brain ischemia using the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion mice model. Four weeks of oral supplementation with the ethanolic extract before artery occlusion reduced infarct volume and lowered the plasma levels of the DNA peroxidant product 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. Phytochemical profiling of S. ramosissima ethanolic extract revealed 50 compounds. Thus, it represents a valuable source of bioactive compounds that show promising disease-modifying activities and could be further developed as an effective food supplement for the prevention or treatment of neurovascular disorders.The authors received financial support from “CSF-Proyectos estratégicos de I+D+i. Proyectos cofinanciados en un 80% por fondos del Programa Operativo FEDER de Andalucía 2014–2020”, grant number PE-0527-2019. This research was partially funded by “Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades (CTEICU) y 80% cofinanciados por la UE, PO FEDER Andalucía 2014-2020”, grant number [PY20_01351]. C.d.R. received financial support from the Sara Borrell program funded by ISCIII, grant number [CD21/00148]

Application of Response Surface Methodologies to Optimize High-Added Value Products Developments: Cosmetic Formulations as an Example

In recent years, green and advanced extraction technologies have gained great interest to revalue several food by-products. This by-product revaluation is currently allowing the development of high value-added products, such as functional foods, nutraceuticals, or cosmeceuticals. Among the high valued-added products, cosmeceuticals are innovative cosmetic formulations which have incorporated bioactive natural ingredients providing multiple benefits on skin health. In this context, the extraction techniques are an important step during the elaboration of cosmetic ingredients since they represent the beginning of the formulation process and have a great influence on the quality of the final product. Indeed, these technologies are claimed as efficient methods to retrieve bioactive compounds from natural sources in terms of resource utilization, environmental impact, and costs. This review offers a summary of the most-used green and advanced methodologies to obtain cosmetic ingredients with the maximum performance of these extraction techniques. Response surface methodologies may be applied to enhance the optimization processes, providing a simple way to understand the extraction process as well as to reach the optimum conditions to increase the extraction efficiency. The combination of both assumes an economic improvement to attain high value products that may be applied to develop functional ingredients for cosmetics purposes

Salicornia ramosissima: A New Green Cosmetic Ingredient with Promising Skin Effects

This study aims to validate a new cosmetic ingredient from Salicornia ramosissima S J. Woods through in vitro and ex vivo assays. The halophyte extracts were obtained by subcritical water extraction (SWE) at different temperatures (110, 120, 140, 160 and 180 °C). The antioxidant/radical scavenging activities and the phenolic profile were screened for all extracts. The optimal extract was assessed in keratinocytes and fibroblasts, while permeation assays were performed in Franz cells. The inhibitory activity of hyaluronidase and elastase was also evaluated. The sample extracted at 180 °C presented the highest phenolic content (1739.28 mg/100 g of dry weight (dw)). Despite not being efficient in the sequestration of ABTS•+, this extract scavenged the DPPH• (IC50 = 824.57 µg/mL). The scavenging capacity of superoxide (O2•−) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) was also considerable (respectively, IC50 = 158.87 µg/mL and IC50 = 5.80 µg/mL). The cell viability assays confirmed the absence of negative effects on keratinocytes, while the fibroblasts’ viability slightly decreased. The ex vivo permeation of rutin, quercetin and syringic acid after 24 h was, respectively, 11, 20 and 11%. Additionally, the extract showed a good elastase and hyaluronidase inhibitory activity. The results obtained support the S. ramosissima bioactivity as a cosmetic ingredient.This research was funded by projects UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020 through national funds. This work also received financial support from project 5537 DRI, Sérvia 2020/21 from Portuguese-Serbia Bilateral Cooperation—Development of functional foods incorporating a chestnut shells extract obtained by subcritical water. M.d.l.L.C.-G. This work was also funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 7747845: Development of water remediation green technologies with in situ process monitoring (GreenNanoCatalyze). The authors are thankful to Riafresh for the samples and all availability during this work. A.M.S. is thankful for the Ph.D. grant (SFRH/BD/144994/2019) financed by POPHQREN and subsidized by the European Science Foundation and Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior. M.M.M. (CEECIND/02702/2017) and F.R. (CEECIND/01886/2020) is thankful for their contracts financed by FCT/MCTES—CEEC Individual Program Contract. J.Š.-G. and T.B.B. are grateful to the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia (Grant No. 7747845, In situ pollutants removal from waters by sustainable green nanotechnologies—CleanNanoCatalyze), and to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant No 451-03-68/2020–14/200134).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The impact of polyphenols on chondrocyte growth and survival: a preliminary report

Background: Imbalances in the functional binding of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) to their receptors (FGFRs) have consequences for cell proliferation and differentiation that in chondrocytes may lead to degraded cartilage. The toxic, proinflammatory, and oxidative response of cytokines and FGFs can be mitigated by dietary polyphenols. Objective: We explored the possible effects of polyphenols in the management of osteoarticular diseases using a model based on the transduction of a mutated human FGFR3 (G380R) in murine chondrocytes. This mutation is present in most cases of skeletal dysplasia and is responsible for the overexpression of FGFR3 that, in the presence of its ligand, FGF9, results in toxic effects leading to altered cellular growth. Design: Different combinations of dietary polyphenols derived from plant extracts were assayed in FGFR3 (G380R) mutated murine chondrocytes, exploring cell survival, chloride efflux, extracellular matrix (ECM) generation, and grade of activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Results: Bioactive compounds from Hibiscus sabdariffa reversed the toxic effects of FGF9 and restored normal growth, suggesting a probable translation to clinical requests in humans. Indeed, these compounds activated the intracellular chloride efflux, increased ECM generation, and stimulated cell proliferation. The inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation was interpreted as the main mechanism governing these beneficial effects. Conclusions: These findings support the rationale behind the encouragement of the development of drugs that repress the overexpression of FGFRs and suggest the dietary incorporation of supplementary nutrients in the management of degraded cartilage.The authors are grateful for the constant support provided by the Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Salvador Fernández-Arroyo is the recipient of a Sara Borrell grant (CD12/00672) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. The authors also thank the Andalusian Regional Government Council of Innovation and Science for the Excellence Project P11-CTS-7625 and Generalitat Valenciana for the project PROMETEO/2012/007. This work was also supported by projects of the Fundación Areces and the Fundación MAGAR

Comprehensive identification of plant polyphenols by LC-MS

The study of plant phenolic compounds has increased during the last decades due to their bioactive properties as well as their structural variability. This advance has been possible thanks to the development of advanced analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry, chromatographic techniques, and nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition, the development of software and databases has played a fundamental role in advancing the chemical characterization of these compounds. In this chapter, we present a protocol for the comprehensive identification of phenolic compounds based on liquid chromatography (reverse-phase mode) coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry, which has been the most widely used technique to study this type of compounds. Furthermore, a data processing methodology based on open software and databases is detailed in this protocol

Therapeutic targets for phenolic compounds from agro-industrial by-products against obesity

BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered a global epidemic. This disorder is associated with several health effects, such as metabolic disturbances that need both prevention and treatment actions. In this sense, bioactive secondary metabolites can be obtained from cheap sources such as agro-industrial waste, providing a sustainable alternative against obesity. Among these secondary metabolites, phenolic compounds present a common chemical structure core with different substitutions that provide them with biological properties such as antioxidant, inflammatory, and anti-aging capacities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to compile anti-obesity therapeutic targets for phenolic compounds from agro-industrial by-products. METHOD: Scientific information has been obtained from different databases, such as Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar, in order to select the available full-text studies conducted in the last few years. RESULTS: This review shows that peel, seed, pomace and other by-products from agro-industry have different effects inhibiting enzymes related to lipid or glucose metabolism and modulating biomarkers, genes and gut microbiota in animal models. CONCLUSION: Revalorizing actions of agro-industrial byproducts in the prevention or treatment of obesity or associated disorders can be considered to develop new high value products that act on lipid, glucose and energy metabolisms, oxidative stress, inflammation, adipose tissue or gut microbiota. However, further human studies are needed in order to establish the optimal administration parameters

A prospective of multiple biopharmaceutical activities of procyanidins‐rich Uapaca togoensis pax extracts: HPLC‐ESI‐TOF‐MS coupled with bioinformatics analysis

The article reports the chemical composition, antioxidant, six key enzymes inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of two solvent extracts (water and methanol) of leaves and stem bark of Uapaca togoensis. For chemical composition, methanol extract of stem bark exhibited significant higher total phenolic (129.86 mg GAE/g) and flavanol (10.44 mg CE/g) contents. Methanol extract of leaves and water extract of stem bark showed high flavonoids (20.94 mg RE/g) and phenolic acid (90.40 mg CAE/g) content, respectively. In addition, HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS analysis revealed that U. togoensis was rich in procyanidins. The methanol and water extracts of stem bark had overall superior antioxidant activity; however, only methanol extract of stem bark showed higher inhibition of cholinesterase (AChE: 2.57 mg GALAE/g; BChE: 4.69 mg GALAE/g), tyrosinase (69.53 mg KAE/g) and elastase (2.73 mmol CE/g). Potent metal chelating ability was showed by water extract of leaves (18.94 mg EDTAE/g), higher inhibition of amylase was detected for water extracts of leaves (0.94 mmol ACAE/g) and stem bark (0.92 mmol ACAE/g). The tested extracts have shown wide-spectrum antibacterial properties and these effects have shown to be more effective against Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium funiculosum, Trichoderma viride, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results revealed that the antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and antimicrobial activities depended on the extraction solvents and the parts of plant. Bioinformatics analysis on the 17 major compounds showed modulation of pathway associated with cancer. In brief, U. togoensis might be valuable as potential source of natural agents for therapeutic application

New insights on Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir. leaves and stem bark extracts: UPLC-ESI-TOF-MS profiles, and biopharmaceutical and in silico analysis

In this paper, the methanol and water extracts of Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir. leaves and stem bark parts were considered as the source of bioactive constituents; thus, chemical analysis and bioactivity assays were performed. UPLC-ESI-QTOF/MS analysis allowed the identification of phytoconstituents in the various extracts, including 19 phenolic acids, 27 flavonoids, 20 tannins and 4 iridoids. The methanol extract of stem bark presented a higher antioxidant activity (DPPH: 3.04 mmol TE g(−1); ABTS: 4.72 mmol TE g(−1); CUPRAC: 3.61 mmol TE g(−1) and FRAP: 1.64 mmol TE g(−1)) compared with other extracts. The highest inhibitory effects (AChE: 2.56 mg GALAE g(−1); tyrosinase: 76.25 mg KAE g(−1); amylase: 0.71 mmol ACAE g(−1); glucosidase: 0.98 mmol ACAE g(−1) and elastase: 2.64 mg CE g(−1)) were also recorded by the methanol extract of stem bark. The bacteriostatic (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) effects of the extracts obtained from different plant parts and using different solvents were evaluated using clinically relevant microorganisms and the measured values were in the range of the activity measured for the reference compounds streptomycin and ampicillin. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the potential toxicity of the identified compounds as well as potential targets of bioactivity. Five of the major compounds, erythrin, gardenoside, phlorizin, sesamoside and veracylglucan B, were identified as possible modulators of necroptosis pathways. Besides, particular attention must be paid to some identified compounds (i.e. icariin, isomyricitrin, methylmyricetin rhamnoside-gallate, rhapontin, silybin, xyloccensin R, vanilloylajugol) because of their probable immunotoxicity predicted properties. Our results could provide a great scientific starting point on the way from the bench to functional applications through the use of P. reticulatus, namely novel nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and cosmeceuticals