Comparative Study on Phenolic Profile and Biological Activities of the Aerial Parts of Sinapis pubescens L. subsp. pubescens (Brassicaceae) Wild from Sicily (Italy)

This work aimed to investigate Sinapis pubescens subsp. pubescens spontaneously grown in Sicily (Italy) as new potential source of active metabolites; specifically, a comparative study on leaf, flower, and stem hydroalcoholic extracts was performed. Polyphenols were quantitatively determined by spectrophotometric methods and characterized by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS; a total of 55 polyphenolic compounds were identified, highlighting considerably different qualitative-quantitative profiles. The extracts showed antioxidant activity, evaluated by in vitro assays; particularly, the leaf extract displayed the best radical scavenging activity (DPPH test) and reducing power, while the flower extract showed the greatest chelating activity. The antimicrobial properties of the extracts were investigated against bacteria and yeasts by standard methods; no antimicrobial activity was found against the strains tested. The extracts resulted to be non-toxic after preliminary toxicity evaluation by the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. The aerial parts of S. pubescens subsp. pubescens proved to be valuable sources of antioxidants for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications

Phytochemical constituents, antioxidant activity, and toxicity assessment of the aerial part extracts from the infraspecific taxa of Matthiola fruticulosa (Brassicaceae) endemic to Sicily

In a project designed to investigate the specific and infraspecific taxa of Matthiola endemic to Sicily (Italy) as new potential sources of bioactive compounds in this work, the infraspecific taxa of Matthiola fruticulosa were studied, namely, subsp. fruticulosa and subsp. coronopifolia. HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS and SPME-GC/MS analyses of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the aerial parts of the two subspecies led to the detection of 51 phenolics and 61 volatile components, highlighting a quite different qualitative-quantitative profile. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were explored through in vitro methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays. The results of the antioxidant tests showed that the extracts possess a different antioxidant ability: Particularly, the extract of M. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa exhibited higher radical scavenging activity than that of subsp. coronopifolia (IC50 = 1.25 ± 0.02 mg/mL and 2.86 ± 0.05 mg/mL), which in turn displayed better chelating properties (IC50 = 1.49 ± 0.01 mg/mL and 0.63 ± 0.01 mg/mL). Lastly, Artemia salina lethality bioassay was performed for toxicity assessment. The results of the bioassay showed lack of toxicity against brine shrimp larvae for both extracts. The data presented indicate the infraspecific taxa of M. fruticulosa as new and safe sources of antioxidant compounds

Antiinflammatory and antioxidant activity of hypericum rumeliacum Boiss. subsp. apollinis (Boiss. & Heldr.) Robson & Strid methanol extract

Plants of the genus Hypericum are widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of gastric ailments (including pectic ulcers), burns, swelling, inflammation, anxiety, as well as for bacterial and viral infections. The aerial parts of Hypericum rumeliacum Boiss. subsp. apollinis (Boiss. & Heldr.) Robson & Strid (Guttiferae), a perennial herb growing wild in Greece, were subjected to biological and photochemical studies. The H. rumeliacum methanol extract showed, on the DPPH test, antioxidant activity (IC50 = 23.61 μg/mL). The antiinflammatory activity of the extract (70 mg/kg, i.p.), in the carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rat, was studied. In this experimental model an inhibition of paw oedema, significant from the first to third hour, was observed. The histological examination confirmed resolution of the inflammatory process observed in vivo. Through HPLC analysis of the H. rumeliacum methanol extract, the naphthodianthrones hypericin, pseudo-hypericin and some polyphenol compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, rutin and isoquercitrin, were identified and quantified. The antioxidant activity of H. rumeliacum could be chiefly related to polyphenol compounds that are well known as the main contributors to the free radical-scavenging effects. The antiinflammatory effect of the methanol extract of the aerial parts could be due to the synergic action both of hypericin and polyphenol compounds. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Phytochemical characterization and antioxidant activity of the aerial part extracts from two species of Matthiola wild in Sicily: Matthiola sinuata and M. tricuspidata (Brassicaceae)

As part of a project aimed at investigating the specific and intraspecific taxa of Matthiola which grow spontaneously in Sicily (Italy), in this work our research has been focused on Matthiola tricuspidata and Matthiola sinuata. The phenolic and volatile compounds of the hydroalcoholic extracts from the aerial parts of the selected species have been characterized by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS and SPME-GC/MS analyses. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity in vitro (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH), reducing power and Fe2+ chelating activity assays) and the toxicity (Artemia salina lethality bioassay) of the extracts were investigated. The phytochemical analyses highlighted quite different phenolic and volatile profiles in the two species. Concerning the antioxidant properties, M. tricuspidata extract resulted the most active both in the DPPH and in the reducing power tests (IC50 = 1.20 ± 0.01 mg/mL and ASE/mL = 11.25 ± 0.97), whereas M. sinuata extract showed better secondary antioxidant properties (IC50 = 1.32±0.02mg/mL). The extracts resulted non-toxic in the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. Our findings indicate that both M. tricuspidata and M. sinuata represent new safe sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential

Cross-Cultural Encounters: identity, gender, representation

La variet\ue0 dei temi e approcci che caratterizza i saggi presenti nel volume evidenzia da un lato l'interrelazione tra i diversi campi del sapere e dall'altro sottolinea come gli studi culturali dialoghino costantamente con la linguistica e la letteratura, costituendo un fertile luogo di incontro e di scambio