Development and Evaluation of a Phospholipid-sterol-protein Membrane Resembling System

The development and evaluation of a phospholipid-sterol-protein membrane resembling system containing beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg) has been studied. Liposomes have been successfully employed for the protection, controlled release and site specific delivery of sensitive molecules, such as enzymes and vitamins. beta-Lg (the major whey protein of ruminant species) was selected as model protein due to its ability to bind lipophilic molecules (i.e. phospholipids). Different techniques were used for the encapsulation studies (Differential Scanning Calorimetry, SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy). Quantitation of encapsulation was estimated by Fluorescence spectroscopy. The stability study was carried out by turbidity measurements. The shape and size of the formulations prepared were assessed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Dynamic Light Scattering. The developed system revealed a high encapsulation percentage of beta-Lg, homogeneous and small shape and a very promising stability behavior. The characteristics obtained suggested that it is a very promising delivery system

Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil from the wood of Pinus heldreichii Christ. var. leucodermis

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained by steam distillation from the wood of P. heldreichii, collected from north Greece area was determined by GC and GC/MS for the first time. Forty constituents (corresponding to 96.3% of the total weight) were identified. The main components were: limonene, cembrene, longifolene, α-pinene, methyl chavicol, kaurene and cembrene A. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was evaluated against six Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria and three human pathogenic fungi, using the agar dilution technique. Strong activities against most of the tested microorganisms were exhibited. Moreover, the oil showed a very promising antioxidant activity through Rancimat method. © Springer-Verlag 2012

beta-Lactoglobulin improves liposome's encapsulation properties for vitamin E delivery

Vitamin E (VE) or alpha-tocopherol is the major fat-soluble antioxidant in the human body. It is a sensitive, easily oxidized in the air, molecule, so it must be protected from pro-oxidant elements which could affect its physiological benefits. Encapsulation constitutes a promising approach to maintain VE native properties over time and increase its concentration in aqueous media. Liposomes have been studied as sustained delivery systems, being biodegradable, non-toxic and non-immunogenic. A new liposome/beta-lactoglobulin (beta-Lg) formulation has been developed and characterized as a possible stable delivery system for VE. beta-Lg has been selected due to its property to bind a variety of hydrophobic molecules. The aim of this study was the preparation of beta-Lg-liposome formulation and the determination of VE encapsulation efficiency, in order to develop a new more efficient carrier for VE in aqueous media

Pharmaceutical mushrooms: Ganoderma lucidum

This review is about Ganoderma lucidum, a very important representative of pharmaceutical mushrooms and focuses on its biological activities and therapeutic applications, that have given rise to strong scientific and commercial interest in recent years. This mushroom has been widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than 2000 years and its presence in ancient scripts and various forms of art reflects its significant pharmacological and nutritional value. Ganoderma lucidum contains a wide variety of bioactive components, such as polysaccharides, triterpenes, proteins, fatty acids etc., however, its bioactivity is mainly attributed to polysaccharides and triterpenes. The medicinal and pharmacological activities of the mushroom have been well investigated, using various in vivo and in vitro models, as well as clinical trials. The most important of these activities are: anticancer, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, anti-hypercholisterolemic, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiandrogenic/ estrogenic. Furthermore, the development of G. lucidum monograph in the European Pharmacopoeia, which is already in progress, confirms the pharmaceutical importance of the mushroom in Europe. Finally, its use as biofunctional food, food supplement and cosmetic is popular around the world. However, a number of challenges, such as pharmaceutical interactions and quality standards, needs to be tackled, to ensure that G. lucidum reaches the top of its financial and therapeutic potential. © 2020, Zita Medical Managent. All rights reserved

Chemical analysis of edible aromatic plants growing in Tanzania

The volatiles from the aerial parts of edible plants growing in Tanzania, Leucas glabrata, Plectranthus laxiflorus, Salvia nilotica and Vernonia smithiana, were investigated by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-five compounds were identified from L. glabrata, representing 80.4% of the total oil; forty-three from P. laxiflorus (86.7%); twenty-four from S. nilotica (94.3%); and thirty-nine compounds from V. smithiana (92.9%). Among the identified components, menthone, (p + o)-cymene, trans-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were found as the main ones. Furthermore, the essential oils were investigated for their antimicrobial activity as well as for their antiradical activity, through the DPPH method. Upon antimicrobial assays, the oil of V. smithiana showed very strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, oral pathogens and pathogenic fungi; the oil of P. laxiflorus also exhibited strong activity, mostly against Gram-positive bacteria and especially oral pathogens, while L. glabrata showed strong activity against all assayed bacteria. The essential oil of S. nilotica appeared to have the most antioxidant activity but was almost inactive against all tested microorganisms. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Evaluation of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Origanum dictamnus extracts before and after encapsulation in liposomes

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of methanol or dichloromethane extracts of O. dictamnus, produced from wild and organic cultivated specimens, were determined. The Rancimat and malondialdehyde (MDA) by HPLC methods were used to measure the antioxidant action, in comparison with that of the common commercial antioxidants butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and α-tocopherol. The extracts that presented high antioxidant activity were encapsulated in liposomes and their antioxidant action was again estimated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thermal-oxidative decomposition of the samples (pure liposomes and encapsulated extracts) and the modification of the main transition temperature for the lipid mixture and the splitting of the calorimetric peak in the presence of the antioxidants were also studied by the DSC method. All extracts showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Their action proved superior to α-tocopherol. The methanol extract of organic cultivated O. dictamnus (240 ppm) showed higher activity than butylated hydroxytoluene. After encapsulation in liposomes the antioxidant as well as antimicrobial activities proved to be higher than those of the same extracts in pure form. © 2007 by MDPI

Nutritional Composition and Biological Properties of Sixteen Edible Mushroom Species

Mushrooms are considered to be functional foods with high nutritional, culinary, and pharmacological values, and there has been an increase in their consumption, both through the diet and in the form of dietary supplements. The present study aimed to briefly review the nutritional composition and biological properties of sixteen mushroom species, as well as to compare the mushrooms’ proximate composition to the analyses conducted at the University of Thessaly, Greece, in cooperation with the Natural History Museum of Meteora and Mushroom Museum. The macronutrient profile of each mushroom was analyzed according to the methods described in the Association of Official Analytical Chemists International, at the School of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Thessaly. The protein content of the mushrooms was found to range between 13.8 g/100 g and 38.5 g/100 g, carbohydrate content ranged between 32 g/100 g and 61.4 g/100 g, and fat content ranged between 0.4 g/100 g and 5.9 g/100 g. Additionally, a serving of 100 g of most species of mushrooms covers 15 to 30% of the daily recommendation of vitamins and trace elements. Based on their compositions, mushrooms were shown to constitute excellent food sources from a nutritional point of view, containing high amounts of dietary fiber and protein, low fat, and reasonable sources of phosphorus, although they were shown to be poor in vitamin C. © 2022 by the authors

Reevaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Thymus and spp. extracts before and after encapsulation in liposomes

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of four Thymus species (boissieri, longicaulis, leucospermus, and ocheus) extracts were determined. Two methods (Rancimat and malondialdehyde by high-performance liquid chromatography) were used to measure the antioxidant action in comparison with common commercial antioxidants, including butylated hydroxy-toluene and α-tocopherol. The extracts that presented high antioxidant activity were encapsulated in liposomes and their antioxidant action was again estimated. Thermal-oxidative decomposition of the samples (pure liposomes and encapsulating extracts) was studied using the differential scanning calorimetry method. The modification of the main transition temperature for the lipid mixture and the splitting of the calorimetric peak in the presence of the antioxidants were also demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry. All extracts showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Some extracts showed superior or equal antioxidant activity to α-tocopherol. When the extracts were encapsulated in liposomes, their antioxidant as well as antimicrobial activities proved to be superior from the same extracts in pure form. Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection

Characterization and biological evaluation of selected Mediterranean propolis samples. Is it a new type?

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of thirty two (32) selected Mediterranean propolis extracts from mainland Greece, Greek islands, Cyprus, Croatia, and Algeria were determined. Chemo-geographical patterns within Mediterranean propolis were further analyzed by chemometrics. Knowledge of propolis composition, which depends on the geographical and climatic origin and its biological properties from different geographic regions samples, is extremely valuable with respect to the problem of propolis standardization. This work concluded that the Greek propolis samples share characteristics that differentiate them from typical European propolis, like the presence of diterpenes in significant amounts and the relatively low quantity of phenolic acid esters and besides their potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical value, they are also attractive candidates for use as natural antioxidant and microbicidal additives in food systems. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd