Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Ballota nigra L. ssp foetida.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Ballota nigra L. ssp foetida obtained from the flowering aerial parts was analyzed by GC/MS. From the 37 identified constituents of the oil, β-caryophyllene (20.0%), germacrene D (18.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (15.0%) were the major components. The oil was active against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as against three Candida species

Cocomerina pear: an old and rare fruit with red pulp. Analysis of phenolic content and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory capacity

ABSTRACTThe study evaluated the phenolic content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH, and 5ʹ-lipoxygenase assay, respectively), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), in Cocomerina pear, an old and rare variety of Pyrus communis. There are two cultivars of this pear that ripen in August and October, both of which are nowadays cultivated only in a small area of central Italy. Significant differences in polyphenolic content were observed between these cultivars, with a 30–40% increase in the late ripening cultivar relative to the early ripening one. Anthocyanin concentration was also strongly affected by the period and stage of maturation. In particular, it was 126-fold higher in fruits that ripen in October as compared to those that ripen in August. Ripe fruits of the late cultivar also exhibited higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. These findings suggest that this ancient pear variety should be recovered and considered in the framework o..

Fresh juice of cocomerina pear an ancient and rare fruit with red pulp: a new source of polyphenols for human health

The aim of this study was to focus our attention on two ecotypes of an ancient variety of Pyrus communis recently rediscovered whose main feature is the reddish and/or red color pulp. There are two ecotypes of this pear that ripen in August and October, both of which are nowadays cultivated only in a small area of central Italy. Since it is known that the juices obtained by cold pressing maintain unaltered nutritional properties and are easy to prepare, it seemed interesting to examine, in both the ecotypes, the polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins content. A greater concentration of these secondary metabolites in late type pear juice correlated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity evaluated by DPPH, ORAC and 5I-Lipoxygenase assay, respectively, was shown. We can confirm that the fruits of cocomerina pear can be considered a new source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. In fact, even the fresh juices, when compared to the extracts studied in our previous work, have shown antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. The results obtained allow us, therefore, to assume that the introduction of fresh juices obtained from this rediscovered variety of pear, may have positive implications for population health benefit

In vitro Plant Regeneration from Callus of Citrus x monstruosa (Pompia), an Endemic Citrus of Sardinia

A regeneration protocol was developed from callus obtained from various explants taken from in vitro cultured seedlings (root, leaf and stem internodes) of Citrus x monstruosa. The best treatment in terms of response frequency and mean number of shoots for explants was 35.0 μM BA with 5.5 uM NAA. The best shoot regeneration was obtained with internodal stem segments cut longitudinally with the cut surface in contact with the culture medium and pre-treatment of 21 days of these explants in darkness. The best rooting of explants was obtained on half-strength MS basal medium supplemented with either NAA or IBA at 5.4 μM and 2.5 μM, respectively. Hardening of Citrus x monstruosa was accomplished in 40 days, with 95% survival rate

Prunus spinosa fresh fruit juice: antioxidant activity in cell-free and cellular systems.

The antioxidant activity was assessed of fresh juice from Prunus spinosa L. fruit (Rosaceae) growing wild in Urbino (central Italy) by using different cell-free in vitro analytical methods: 5-lipoxygenase test, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Trolox was used as the reference antioxidant compound. In the 5-lipoxygenase and DPPH tests the fresh fruit juice of P. spinosa showed good antioxidant activity when compared with Trolox, while the ORAC value was 36.0 μmol eq. Trolox /g of fruit. These values are in accord with data reported in the literature for small fruits such as Vaccinium, Rubus and Ribes. The antioxidant capacity in cell-free systems of P. spinosa juice has been compared with its cytoprotective – bona fide antioxidant activity in cultured human promonocytes (U937 cells) exposed to hydrogen peroxide. The antioxidant activity of red berries has been correlated with their anthocyanin content. The results of this study indicate that the three most representative anthocyanins in P.spinosa fruit juice (cyanidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside) are likely to play an important role in its antioxidant properties

Antioxidant Activity of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Extracts in Cell-free and Cell culture Systems

Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae) fruits have been widely used in folk medicine; a number of therapeutic properties of pomegranate preparations has been reported (Duke and Ayensu, 1985), including vermifugal, taenicidal, astringent, antispasmodic, antihysteric, diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue and antiinflammatory. More recently, De Nigris et al. (2005) reported that pomegranate juice may exert a preventive role in atherosclerotic disease. These actions have been ascribed to the presence of anthocyanins, cyanidin, ellagitannins, punicalagin and vitamin C. It has been reported (Gil et al., 2000) that industrial pomegranate juice (obtained from both arils and rinds) displays antioxidant activity against reactive oxygen species; this activity has been found to be higher than that of red wine and green tea; arils-only juice seems to be less active than whole fruit juice. Further studies, including one from our group (Ricci et al., in press), dealt with the antioxidant activity of whole, arils or rinds pomegranate juices/extracts: however, these research works have been carried out exclusively in cell-free systems

Phytotoxic activity of Salvia x jamensis.

A study has been carried out on the surface exudate of Salvia x jamensis, which showed a significant phytotoxic activity against Papaver rhoeas L. and Avena sativa L.. Bioguided separation of the exudate yielded active fractions from which 3β-hydroxy-isopimaric acid (1), hautriwaic acid (2), betulinic acid (3), 7,8β-dihydrosalviacoccin (4), isopimaric acid (5), 14α-hydroxy-isopimaric acid (7), 15,16-epoxy-7α,10β-dihydroxy-clerod-3,13(16),14-trien-17,12;18,19-diolide (8), cirsiliol (5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavone, 9) and two new neoclerodane diterpenes (6 and 10) were isolated. The structures of 6 and 10 were identified as 15,16-epoxy-10β-hydroxy-clerod-3,13(16),14-trien-17,12;18,19-diolide and 15,16-epoxy-7α,10-dihydroxy-clerod-2,13(16),14-trien-17,12;18,19-diolide respectively on the basis of spectroscopic data analysis. All compounds, but 7, 8 and 10, were active in inhibiting the germination of the tested species

Phase- and Stage-Related Proportions of T Cells Bearing the Transcription Factor FOXP3 Infiltrate Primary Melanoma

Although tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) of primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM) include cytolytic T cells able to exert anti-PCM immunity, progression of PCM most frequently occurs, raising the hypothesis that the PCM microenvironment may also exert suppressive forces, for example, possibly developed by regulatory T (TREG) lymphocytes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TILs of PCMs include lymphocytes bearing the transcription factor forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3), which is the TREG lineage specification molecule in mice, and is debated to have a similar role in humans. Fourteen patients with PCM were selected, of which four had radial growth phase (RGP) stage I melanoma, five had vertical growth phase (VGP) stage I melanoma, and five had VGP stage III–IV melanoma. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were utilized for immunohistochemical single and double stainings. TILs of PCMs included FOXP3-bearing lymphocytes, which predominantly were CD20- and CD8-negative, but CD3-, CD4-, and CD25-positive, thus consistent with the standard immunophenotypical characteristics of “natural” TREG cells. Further, the proportions of FOXP3-bearing lymphocytes were higher in vertical than in RGP (P=0.001), as well as in late than in early melanoma stages (P<0.001). Should these FOXP3-bearing lymphocytes actually exert regulatory capabilities within the PCM microenvironment, they may suppress “in vivo” the local anti-PCM immune response, thus favoring melanoma progression

Ancient pathogen-driven adaptation triggers increased susceptibility to non-celiac wheat sensitivity in present-day European populations

Details of sequence profiles for each NCWS subject. (XLSX 47 kb