Multidirectional biological investigation and phytochemical profile of Rubus sanctus and Rubus ibericus

Highly selective and sensitive molecularly imprinted sensors for the electrochemical assay of quercetin in methanol extracts of Rubus sanctus and Fragaria vesca

Quercetin (QUE) is a powerful antioxidant and one of the common phenolic compounds found in plants, vegetables, and fruits, which has shown many pharmacological activities. The complex nature of the matrix in which QUE is found and its importance and potential uses in diverse applications force the researchers to develop selective and sensitive sensors. In the present work, a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based electrochemical sensor was fabricated for the selective and sensitive determination of the QUE in plant extracts and food supplements. Tryptophan methacrylate (TrpMA) was chosen as the functional monomer, whereas the photopolymerization (PP) method was applied using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Electrochemical and morphological characterizations of the developed sensor (TrpMA@QUE/MIP-GCE) were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The linear range of the developed sensor was determined to be in the range of 1.0-25 pM, while the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 0.235 pM. In conclusion, The TrpMA@QUE/MIP-GCE sensor might be classified as a promising platform for selective and sensitive determination of QUE not only in plant extracts but also in commercial food supplements because of its reliability, reproducibility, repeatability, stability, and fast response time.

Metabolite profiling and bioactivity of Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallr. (Asteraceae, Cichorieae)

Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallr. is a perennial herbaceous plant in the tribe Cichorieae (Lactuceae), Asteraceae family, distributed in the mountainous regions in Europe. In this study, we focused on the metabolite profiling and the bioactivity of C. alpina leaves and flowering heads methanol-aqueous extracts. The antioxidant activity of extracts, as well as inhibitory potential towards selected enzymes, involving in several human diseases, including metabolic syndrome (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase), Alzheimer's disease, (cholinesterases: AChE, BchE), hyperpigmentation (tyrosinase), and cytotoxicity were assessed. The workflow comprised ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). UHPLC-HRMS analysis revealed more than 100 secondary metabolites, including acylquinic, acyltartaric acids, flavonoids, bitter sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), such as lactucin, dihydrolactucin, their derivatives, and coumarins. Leaves showed a stronger antioxidant activity compared to flowering heads, as well as lipase (4.75 ± 0.21 mg OE/g), AchE (1.98 ± 0.02 mg GALAE/g), BchE (0.74 ± 0.06 mg GALAE/g), and tyrosinase (49.87 ± 3.19 mg KAE/g) inhibitory potential. Flowering heads showed the highest activity against α-glucosidase (1.05 ± 0.17 mmol ACAE/g) and α-amylase (0.47 ± 0.03). The obtained results highlighted C. alpina as a rich source of acylquinic, acyltartaric acids, flavonoids, and STLs with significant bioactivity, and therefore the taxon could be considered as a potential candidate for the development of health-promoting applications.

Anticancer, Free Radicals, and Digestive Enzyme Inhibitory Activities of Rubus sanctus Schreb Root Four Solvent Fractions

BACKGROUND

Humankind used herbal products as a source of medicines since they understood their therapeutic benefits from ancient times. Therefore, the current research aimed to determine the anticancer, antioxidant, and metabolic enzyme inhibitory activities of Rubus sanctus (RS) root four solvent fractions for the first time.

METHODS

The antioxidant, antilipase, and anti-α-amylase potentials of (RS) four solvent fractions were evaluated using standard biomedical assays. Moreover, the DNA cell cycle of liver cancer was assessed using a propidium iodide (PI) assay. At the same time, the apoptosis activity was estimated utilizing flow the cytometry method.

RESULTS

The methanol and acetone (RS) fractions showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 0.078 ± 0.22 and 0.67 ± 0.25 μg/ml, respectively, compared with Trolox, which has an antioxidant IC50 value of 2.039 ± 0.52 μg/ml. Moreover, the methanol (RS) fraction has the highest anti-α-amylase activity with an IC50 value of 20.12 ± 0.34 μg/ml compared with acarbose, which has an IC50 value of 6.565 ± 0.3 μg/ml. Also, the acetone (RS) fraction revealed the highest antilipase activity with an IC50 value of 6.03 ± 1.23 μg/ml compared with the positive control orlistat which has an IC50 value of 0.39 ± 0.45 μg/ml. The aqueous, methanol, acetone, and hexane fractions of the (RS) roots decreased the secretion of the α-fetoprotein in the liver cancer cells. The acetone fraction was the most potent α-fetoprotein inhibitor with an average of 237 ± 12.5% compared with the average of the untreated cells, which was 4066.6 ± 202%. The hexane fraction was the most effective in diminishing apoptosis with an average of 14.5 ± 1.6%, compared with 49% ± 2 untreated cells' average. In inhibiting cell cycle progression, it was recognized that methanol fraction seems to be the most powerful amplifier of the (RS) effect, as it increased the proportion of the cells with an average of 24.5 ± 2.2%, compared with 7.4 ± 1.8% in the doxorubicin (DOX). Data indicated a decrease in cell proliferation rate by prolonging the G2-M phase and thus slowing cancer progression. Our results suggest that (RS) roots four solvent fractions have potential anticancer activity.

CONCLUSION

The (RS) roots four solvent fractions have potential anticancer, antioxidant, antilipase, and α-amylase inhibitory activities. It could be a promising source for applications in the functional food, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical industries.

A link between chemical structure and biological activity in triterpenoids

BACKGROUND

Plants with triterpenoid compounds in nature have various biological activities and are reported in many scientific works of literature. Triterpenoids are compounds that draw the attention of scientists because of their wide source, wide variety, high medicinal value, and anti-tumor properties. However, a lack of approach to understand their chemical structures has limited the fundamental comprehension of these compounds in cancer cell therapy.

OBJECTIVE

To seek anti-cancer activity of the structures of triterpenoid compounds and their derivatives, we summarized a number of plants and their derivatives that are a source of potential novel therapeutic anti-cancer agents.

METHODS

This work focuses on relevant 1036 patents and references that detail the structure of organic compounds and derivatives for the treatment of tumors.

RESULT

Compared to tetracyclic triterpenoid, pentacyclic triterpenoid has contributed more to improve the autophagic signaling pathways of cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

The heterogenous skeleton structure of triterpenoids impaired the programmed cell death signaling pathway in various cancers.

Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Potential Food Preserving Properties of Rubus Discolor (Rosaceae) Fruit Extracts

The presented study was aimed at exploring the bioactive properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial and food preserving) and chemical composition of R. discolor fruits collected from 2 geographically distinct wild-growing populations and extracted by using different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone and water). The total phenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and anthocyanin (TAC) content varied from 52.7 to 186.8 mg GAE/g, 3.5 to 7.0 mg QE/g and 11.1 to 28.2 mg/g dry weight (dw), respectively. HPLC-DAD analysis identified cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy-3-Glu) as the dominant anthocyanin that ranged in concentration from 18.4 to 32.2 mg/g dw. The acetone extract revealed the highest antioxidant activity through the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total reducing power (TRC) and ß-carotene bleaching in vitro methods. The examined extracts showed antimicrobial activity, being more effective against Gram-positive (G+) than Gram-negative (G-) bacteria. Furthermore, Candida glabrata was the most susceptible among the pathogenic yeasts. The ethanol fruit extract was the most active against Listeria monocytogenes and thus chosen for incorporation in yoghurt and further analyses regarding its food preserving properties, which confirmed its efficacy towards this food-borne pathogen. Additionally, panelists gave high marks to the novel product regarding color, taste, texture flavor and overall acceptance. The obtained results indicated that R. discolor fruit extracts exhibits notable bioactivity and might therefore be considered as a good platform for the development of new preparations to be used in the food industry.

Identification of bioactive compounds from Rhaponticoides iconiensis extracts and their bioactivities: An endemic plant to Turkey flora

Rhaponticoides iconiensis (Hub.-Mor.) M.V.Agab. & Greuter. (Asteraceae) is an endemic species spread in several small populations in the province of Konya (Turkey). It is critically endangered with an extremely high risk of extinction. Recently, based on the molecular phylogenetic and eco geographical studies on Cardueae-Centaureinae, the genus Rhaponticoides Vaill. was separated from Centaurea L. Antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibition, as well as the phenolic and flavonoid contents, of the methanol (Soxhlet extraction and maceration) and water (infusion) extracts of R. iconiensis leaves, roots, and flower heads were determined. The methanol extracts of R. iconiensis leaves contained the highest amount of phenolic (52.37 and 54.37 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and flavonoids (74.13 and 80.75 mg rutin equivalent/g). Accordingly, the leaves methanol extracts showed the highest antioxidant potential. Interestingly, the roots methanol extracts were the most potent acetylcholinesterase (4.75 mg galantamine equivalent/g) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors (5.26 and 5.14 mg galantamine equivalent/g). The leaves and roots methanol extracts exhibited high α-glucosidase (2.48-3.08 mmol acarbose equivalent/g) and α-amylase (0.17-0.70 mmol acarbose equivalent/g) inhibition. The highest tyrosinase inhibition was recorded for leaves methanol extracts (138.79 and 140.34 mg kojic acid equivalent/g). 87 natural products (including hydroxybenzoic, hydroxycinnamic and acylquinic acids, flavones, flavonols, flavanones and anthocyanins) were unambiguously identified or tentatively annotated in the studied extracts. Findings presented in the present study appraise the bioactivity of R. iconiensis, an understudied species.

Comparative and Correlational Evaluation of the Phytochemical Constituents and Antioxidant Activity of Musa sinensis L. and Musa paradisiaca L. Fruit Compartments (Musaceae)

Secondary metabolites and their biological activity have pharmacological relevance in the prevention and therapeutic management of disease, including the facilitation of normal physiological processes through biochemical mechanisms. In this study, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activity were evaluated quantitatively on the acetone, ethanol, and aqueous extracts of the flesh, and peel, as well as the boiled peel extract compartments of Musa sinensis L. and Musa paradisiaca L. fruits. Total phenol, proanthocyanidin, and flavonoid contents were estimated and measured spectrophotometrically. The free radical scavenging antioxidant capacity of the extracts was tested on DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl ethanol), ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay models. Correlation between phytoconstituents and antioxidant activity was analysed using Pearson's coefficient. The results showed varying amounts of phytochemicals in the solvent extracts of the flesh and peel, including the boiled peel extract of M. sinensis and M. paradisiaca. All acetone extracts of M. sinensis flesh, M. paradisiaca flesh, and M. paradisiaca peel had the highest phytochemical contents, with the exception of the ethanol extract of M. sinensis peel which had the highest phenol content; just as on the overall scale, the peel compartments had generally higher phytochemical profiles than the soft flesh in both fruits. The boiled peel extracts of M. sinensis and M. paradisiaca had the highest ABTS (0.03 mg/mL) and DPPH (0.03 mg/mL) activity. Ferric reducing power (FRAP) was the highest in the ethanol extracts of M. sinensis flesh and peel, and M. paradisiaca flesh, while it was the highest in the acetone extract of M. paradisiaca at the peak concentration used (0.1 mg/mL). There was a significant negative correlation between the total phenol and flavonoid contents of M. sinensis flesh with its DPPH radical scavenging activity and proanthocyanidin content of M. paradisiaca flesh with its DPPH radical scavenging activity. The correlation outcomes indicate that none of the phytochemical constituents solely affected antioxidant activity; instead, a combination of the polyphenolic constituents contributed to antioxidant activity. This study shows the therapeutic potentials of the flesh and, importantly, the peel of M. sinensis and M. paradisiaca fruits on the basis of the polyphenolic constitution against free radicals and oxidative stress.