Characteristics of Echinacea seed oil

Echinacea biotechnology: advances, commercialization and future considerations

CONTEXT

Plants of the genus Echinacea (Asteraceae) are among the most popular herbal supplements on the market today. Recent studies indicate there are potential new applications and emerging markets for this natural health product (NHP).

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to synthesize recent developments in Echinacea biotechnology and to identify promising applications for these advances in the industry.

METHODS

A comprehensive survey of peer-reviewed publications was carried out, focusing on Echinacea biotechnology and impacts on phytochemistry. This article primarily covers research findings since 2007 and builds on earlier reviews on the biotechnology of Echinacea.

RESULTS

Bioreactors, genetic engineering and controlled biotic or abiotic elicitation have the potential to significantly improve the yield, consistency and overall quality of Echinacea products. Using these technologies, a variety of new applications for Echinacea can be realized, such as the use of seed oil and antimicrobial and immune boosting feed additives for livestock.

CONCLUSIONS

New applications can take advantage of the well-established popularity of Echinacea as a NHP. Echinacea presents a myriad of potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antibiotic activities that have yet to be fully translated into new applications. The distinct chemistry and bioactivity of different Echinacea species and organs, moreover, can lead to interesting and diverse commercial opportunities.

Phytopharmacologic preparations as predictors of plant bioactivity: A particular approach to Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench antioxidant properties

OBJECTIVE

A large body of evidence has confirmed a multitude of health benefits of plant products and their derived formulations. Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a good example, widely used due to its therapeutic properties. In the present study, the chemical composition of the different samples and antioxidant properties of E. purpurea hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts obtained from dry or fresh raw material were evaluated and compared with dietary supplements based on the same plant (tablets and syrup), to determine the most active phytopharmacologic preparation or formulation.

METHODS

Chemical composition of the different samples was assessed through the determination of free sugars, organic acids and tocopherols. The in vitro antioxidant properties were determined using four assays: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging activity, reducing power, inhibition of b-carotene bleaching and inhibition of lipid peroxidation by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Total phenolics and flavonoids were also determined.

RESULTS

Overall, the hydroethanolic extract of fresh plant revealed the highest activity, directly related with its higher contents in phenolic (229.22 ± 4.38 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE]/mL), flavonoids (124.83 ± 7.47 mg GAE/mL), organic acids (8.89 ± 0.10 g/100 g), and tocopherols (4.55 ± 0.02 mg/100 g). Tablets followed by syrup revealed the worst effect, positively correlated with the lowest abundance in bioactive molecules. The weak in vitro antioxidant potential of commercial phytopharmacologic formulations could be related to their chemical composition, including the addition of excipients.

CONCLUSION

Further studies are necessary to deepen knowledge on this area, namely focusing on in vivo experiments, to establish upcoming guidelines to improve the quality and bioavailability of phytopharmacologic formulations.

Identifying commercially relevant Echinacea species by AFLP molecular markers

The rising interest in medicinal plants has brought several species of the genus Echinacea to the attention of many scientists. Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea are the most important for their immunological properties, well known and widely used by the native Americans. The three species are easily distinguishable on the basis of their morphological characteristics, but it would be difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish them in commercial preparations of ground, dry plant parts of E. purpurea (the most valuable species for chemotherapeutic properties) mixed with the other two species. Species-specific molecular markers could be useful to address this issue. In the present work, using fresh material collected from cultivated Echinacea spp., AFLP analysis was used to discriminate the three species and to detect species-specific DNA fragments. By using 14 primer combinations it was possible to detect a total of 994 fragments, of which 565 were polymorphic. Overall, 89 fragments were unique to E. purpurea, 32 to E. angustifolia, and 26 to E. pallida. E+CAC/M+AAT or E+CAC/M+AGC alone provided 13, 9, and 4 or 7, 5, and 5 specific fragments for E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, respectively. A validation trial to confirm the results was carried out on bulked samples of 23 accessions covering most of the genetic diversity of the three species. The results are discussed in terms of practical applications in the field of popular medicine, detecting frauds, and implications for the genus Echinacea.