Carbon Source Influences Antioxidant, Antiglycemic, and Antilipidemic Activities of Haloferax mediterranei Carotenoid Extracts

Haloarchaeal carotenoids have attracted attention lately due to their potential antioxidant activity. This work studies the effect of different concentrations of carbon sources on cell growth and carotenoid production. Carotenoid extract composition was characterized by HPLC-MS. Antioxidant activity of carotenoid extracts obtained from cell cultures grown under different nutritional conditions was determined by 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Ability Power (FRAP) and β-carotene bleaching assays. The ability of these carotenoid extracts to inhibit α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase enzymes was also assessed to determine if they could be used to reduce blood glucose and lipid absorption. The maximum production of carotenoids (92.2 µg/mL) was observed combining 12.5% inorganic salts and 2.5% of glucose/starch. Antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and antilipidemic studies showed that higher carbon availability in the culture media leads to changes in the extract composition, resulting in more active haloarchaeal carotenoid extracts. Carotenoid extracts obtained from high-carbon-availability cell cultures presented higher proportions of all-trans-bacterioruberin, 5-cis-bacterioruberin, and a double isomeric bacterioruberin, whereas the presence 9-cis-bacterioruberin and 13-cis-bacterioruberin decreased. The production of haloarchaeal carotenoids can be successfully optimized by changing nutritional conditions. Furthermore, carotenoid composition can be altered by modifying carbon source concentration. These natural compounds are very promising in food and nutraceutical industries.This study was funded by Generalitat Valencia (PROMETEO/2021/055), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (RTI2018-099860-B-316 I00), and Universidad de Alicante (VIGROB-309). Generalitat Valenciana Predoctoral fellowship grant (G.N.ACIF/2019/043) and EMBO Short-Term Fellowship (8977) for M.G

In vitro cancer cell growth inhibition and antioxidant activity of Bombax ceiba (Bombacaceae) flower extracts.

The flowers of Bombax ceiba were investigated for their chemical composition, antioxidant effects and antiproliferative activity against seven human cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative responses of diethyl ether (DE) and light petroleum (PE) extracts were evaluated by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay against MCF-7, HeLa, COR-L23, C32, A375, ACHN, and LNCaP cells in comparison with a human normal cell line, 142BR. Moreover, extracts were characterized by GC-MS analysis and tested for their antioxidant properties by different in vitro systems, namely DPPH, Fe-chelating activity and β-carotene bleaching test. Both PE and DE extracts showed the highest antiproliferative activity against human renal adenocarcinoma (ACHN) in a concentration-dependent manner. PE extract showed the highest radical scavenging activity against the DPPH radical, while DE extract was more active in the β-carotene bleaching test. The presence of β-sitosterol and some fatty acids may contribute to the bioactivity of B. ceiba flower extracts

A Comparative Study of Phytochemical Constituents and Bioactivity of n-Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa and J. oxycedrus subsp. Oxycedrus

This study assessed and compared the chemical profile and the antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities of non-polar extracts of Juniperus macrocarpa (Sibth. & Sm.) Ball. and J. oxycedrus L. from Italy. The aerial parts of both Juniperus subspecies were subjected to exhaustive macerations with n-hexane and dichloromethane as solvents. Extracts were investigated for their chemical profile by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Ferric reducing activity power (FRAP), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and β-carotene bleaching assays were applied to study the antioxidant properties. The cytotoxic activity was evaluated using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay against several cancer human cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, A549, and COR-L23 cells). Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes mainly characterized n-hexane extracts while diterpenes and fatty acids were the most abundant identified compounds in dichloromethane extracts. The n-hexane and dichloromethane extracts of J. oxycedrus showed the most promising cytotoxic activity against the COR-L23 cell line with IC50 values of 26.9 and 39.3 µg/mL, respectively. J. macrocarpa revealed great radicals scavenging activity. Overall, the obtained results suggest that both Juniperus species are a good source of potential antioxidants and anti-proliferative compounds

Bioactive and Antioxidant Activity from Citrus bergamia Risso (Bergamot) Juice Collected in Different Areas of Reggio Calabria Province, Italy

The chemical composition and antioxidant activity of juice extracted from seven samples of bergamot (Citrus bergamia Risso) collected in different areas of Reggio Calabria Province were investigated. The ascorbic acid, total polyphenol, and flavonoid contents were determined. Total flavonoids and polyphenols were analyzed by ultraviolet spectra, while flavanone content was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of the fractions was assessed using three representative assays: 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical quenching and β-carotene bleaching test. The main flavanones were naringin, neohesperedin, and neoeriocitrin, and their average content 242.4 ± 1.8, 183.0 ± 0.6, and 247.0 ± 1.4 mg mL–1, respectively. The results showed that bergamot juice possessed a good quality and a valuable source of health promoting constituents. In fact it contained eriocitrin, naringin, neoeriocitrin, and neohesperedin, which may ..

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid profiles of the Senecio cineraria group (Asteraceae).

Alkaloid profiles of five Senecio species (Asteraceae), including S. ambiguus subsp. ambiguus, S. ambiguus subsp. nebrodensis, S. gibbosus subsp. bicolor, S. gibbosus subsp. gibbosus, and S. gibbosus subsp. cineraria, were studied. Eleven pyrrolizidine alkaloids were identified and their content was evaluated by GLC-MS and GLC analysis. Otosenine and florosenine were found to be the major alkaloids in all studied species. It is interesting that only S. ambiguus subsp. nebrodensis was characterized by a high content of the alkaloids jacobine, jacoline, jaconine, and jacozin

Citrus species: Modern functional food and nutraceutical-based product ingredient

Citrus is the most cultivated fruit crop in the world and occupies a place of considerable importance in the country's economy. Almost 33% of the citrus fruits are processed for juice production; however, a great amount of wastes, including peels, segment membranes, and seeds are also produced. Indeed, citrus fruits consist of 45% juice, 26% pulp, 27% peels, and 2% seeds. Pruning, a cultural practice involving the removal of tree branches and limbs, was applied to improve fruit's quality. A large amount of leaves are produced through pruning. These agri-food matrices contain a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals compared to fruits. The present review covers the past 5 years of research carried out in chemistry, health properties, and applications in food and nutraceutical industries of all portions of citrus fruit and its major bioactive compounds. Additionally, patents are also included

Enrichment of Bread with Lycium barbarum (Goji) Puree

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Antibacterial, antioxidant and hypoglycaemic effects of Thymus capitatus (L.) Hoffmanns. et Link leaves' fractions.

The aim of this study was to examine the bioactivity of the methanol fraction (MF) and n-hexane fraction (HF) of Thymus capitatus leaves in relation to their constituents analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The effects of T. capitatus on the growth of pathogenic bacteria associated with respiratory diseases (13 gram-positive and 4 gram-negative) were determined using a microdilution method. The MF was particularly effective on Streptococcus pneumoniae and Moraxella catarrhalis. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid), ferric-reducing antioxidant power and β-carotene bleaching assays. A strong activity using β-carotene bleaching test was observed with the MF (IC50 of 0.7 μg/mL after 30 min of incubation). In the hypoglycaemic test, a selective α-amylase inhibitory activity was detected with the HF begging the most active (IC50 of 422.5 μg/mL). T. capitatus may represent a source of natural bioactive compounds