Effects of Phytochemically Characterized Extracts From Syringa vulgaris and Isolated Secoiridoids on Mediators of Inflammation in a Human Neutrophil Model

Comparative Analysis of Phytochemical Profiles and Selected Biological Activities of Various Morphological Parts of Ligustrum vulgare

Ligustrum vulgare (LV), widely cultivated in Europe and often used in hedges, has been historically recognized in folk medicine for its potential health benefits. This study focused on exploring the untargeted identification of secondary metabolites in ethanol extracts (70% v/v) from different morphological parts (young shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits) of LV at various stages of plant development, using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Additionally, the selected biological activities (antioxidant activity, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition (COX-2), α-amylase inhibition and cytotoxicity) of the tested extracts were determined. Untargeted metabolomics showed that LV extracts were a rich source of phenylethanoid compounds, flavonoids, iridoids and their derivatives. The flowers of LV had the highest content of oleuropein (33.43 ± 2.48 mg/g d.w.). The lowest antioxidant activity was obtained for ripe and post-seasonal fruits, while in the case of other samples, the activity was at a similar level. All tested extracts showed α-amylase and COX-2 inhibitory activity. In addition, LV extracts showed strong antiproliferative properties in colorectal (HT29) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines. The obtained results show the difference in the content of bioactive compounds in various morphological parts of Ligustrum vulgare. These differences may influence the multifaceted medicinal potential of this plant.

Combination of UHPLC-MS/MS with context-specific network and cheminformatic approaches for identifying bioactivities and active components of propolis

Discovering new bioactivities and identifying active compounds of food materials are major fields of study in food science. However, the process commonly requires extensive experiments and can be technically challenging. In the current study, we employed network biology and cheminformatic approaches to predict new target diseases, active components, and related molecular mechanisms of propolis. Applying UHPLC-MS/MS analysis results of propolis to Context-Oriented Directed Associations (CODA) and Combination-Oriented Natural Product Database with Unified Terminology (COCONUT) systems indicated atopic dermatitis as a novel target disease. Experimental validation using cell- and human tissue-based models confirmed the therapeutic potential of propolis against atopic dermatitis. Moreover, we were able to find the major contributing compounds as well as their combinatorial effects responsible for the bioactivity of propolis. The CODA/COCONUT system also provided compound-associated genes explaining the underlying molecular mechanism of propolis. These results highlight the potential use of big data-driven network biological approaches to aid in analyzing the impact of food constituents at a systematic level.

Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acid Composition of Syringa vulgaris L. Flowers and Infusions

The study aimed to determine the content of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids) and organic acids in dried flowers and water infusions of non-oxidised and oxidised flowers from four lilac cultivars. The diversity in the total phenolic and flavonoid content was in the flowers (18.35-67.14 and 2.03-2.65 mg g^-1 DW, respectively) and infusions (14.72-47.78 and 0.20-1.84 mg per 100 mL infusion, respectively) depending the flower colour and form (oxidised and non-oxidised). Phenolic compounds and organic acids were susceptible to oxidation. Compared to infusions, flowers had more phenolic compounds and organic acids. The highest content of most phenolic compounds was confirmed for non-oxidised purple flowers (up to 7825.9 µg g^-1 DW for chlorogenic acid) while in infusions for non-oxidised white flowers (up to 667.1 µg per 100 mL infusions for vanillic acid). The phenolic profile of the infusions was less diverse than that of flowers. The scavenging ability ranged from 52 to 87%. The highest organic acid content in flowers was for oxidised blue and purple flowers (2528.1 and 2479.0 µg g^-1 DW, respectively) while in infusions the highest organic acid content was for oxidised purple flowers (550.1 µg per 100 mL infusions).

Oleuropein Prevents OVA-Induced Food Allergy in Mice by Enhancing the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier and Remodeling the Intestinal Flora

SCOPE

This study assesses whether oleuropein prevents ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy (FA) and investigates the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A Balb/c FA mouse model is established and maintained for 7 weeks. The subjects are administered OVA by oral gavage to induce FA and supplemented with different oleuropein doses (1.00-20.00 mg kg^-1 per day) to evaluate its preventative efficacy. The results indicate that oleuropein effectively alleviates OVA-induced allergy symptoms and promotes temperature elevation in sensitized mice. The secretion of serology-specific OVA-immunoglobulin (Ig)E, OVA-IgG, and histamine is inhibited in the sensitized mice. Oleuropein dramatically upregulates the expression of intestinal tight junction (TJ) proteins, regenerating gene (Reg) IIIγ, and interleukin (IL)-22, enhancing the physical and biochemical barrier function of the intestinal epithelium. Additionally, oleuropein improves the immune homeostasis of the intestinal epithelium by affecting the function of mucosal mast cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells. The disordered intestinal flora of the sensitized mice also improves after oleuropein administration.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that oleuropein prevents FA by enhancing intestinal epithelial barrier function and improving immune homeostasis and intestinal flora in sensitized mice. Therefore, diets rich in oleuropein should be recommended for people with FA.

Chemotaxonomic Markers for the Leaf Buds of Common Finnish Trees and Shrubs: A Rapid UHPLC MS Fingerprinting Tool for Species Identification

In this study, a chemotaxonomic tool was created on the basis of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) for the identification of 13 common Finnish deciduous trees and shrubs from their leaf bud metabolites. The bud extracts were screened with UHPLC-ESI-QqQ-MS and UHPLC-ESI-Q-Orbitrap-MS to discover suitable markers for each species. Two approaches were tested in the marker selection: (1) unique species-specific markers to obtain selective fingerprints per species and (2) major markers to maximise the sensitivity of the fingerprints. The markers were used to create two selected ion-recording-based fingerprinting tools with UHPLC-ESI-QqQ-MS. The methods were evaluated for their selectivity, repeatability, and robustness in plant species identification by analysing leaf buds from several replicates of each species. The created chemotaxonomic tools were shown to provide unique chromatographic profiles for the studied species in less than 6 min. A variety of plant metabolites, such as flavonoids, triterpenoids, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, were found to serve as good chemotaxonomic markers for the studied species. In 10 out of 13 cases, species-specific markers were superior in creating selective and repeatable fingerprints.

Extraction Techniques and Analytical Methods for Isolation and Characterization of Lignans

Lignans are a group of natural polyphenols present in medicinal plants and in plants which are a part of the human diet for which more and more pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and cytoprotective, are being reported. However, it is their cytotoxic activities that are best understood and which have shed light on this group. Two anticancer drugs, etoposide, and teniposide, were derived from a potent cytotoxic agent—podophyllotoxin from the roots of Podophyllum peltatum. The evidence from clinical and observational studies suggests that human microbiota metabolites (enterolactone, enterodiol) of dietary lignans (secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, lariciresinol, matairesinol, syringaresinol, medioresinol, and sesamin) are associated with a reduced risk of some hormone-dependent cancers. The biological in vitro, pharmacological in vivo investigations, and clinical studies demand significant amounts of pure compounds, as well as the use of well-defined and standardized extracts. That is why proper extract preparation, optimization of lignan extraction, and identification are crucial steps in the development of lignan use in medicine. This review focuses on lignan extraction, purification, fractionation, separation, and isolation methods, as well as on chromatographic, spectrometric, and spectroscopic techniques for their qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Flavonoids: Classification, Function, and Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Bone Remodelling

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds spotted in various fruits, vegetables, barks, tea plants, and stems and many more natural commodities. They have a multitude of applications through their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-carcinogenic properties, along with the ability to assist in the stimulation of bone formation. Bone, a rigid connective body tissue made up of cells embedded in a mineralised matrix is maintained by an assemblage of pathways assisting osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. These have a significant impact on a plethora of bone diseases. The homeostasis between osteoblast and osteoclast formation decides the integrity and structure of the bone. The flavonoids discussed here are quercetin, kaempferol, icariin, myricetin, naringin, daidzein, luteolin, genistein, hesperidin, apigenin and several other flavonoids. The effects these flavonoids have on the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa β (NF-kβ), Wnt/β-catenin and bone morphogenetic protein 2/SMAD (BMP2/SMAD) signalling pathways, and apoptotic pathways lead to impacts on bone remodelling. In addition, these polyphenols regulate angiogenesis, decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines and play a crucial role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Considering these important effects of flavonoids, they may be regarded as a promising agent in treating bone-related ailments in the future.

Chemical Profile, Cytotoxic Activity and Oxidative Stress Reduction of Different Syringa vulgaris L. Extracts

Syringa vulgaris L. (common lilac) is one of the most popular ornamental species, but also a promising not comprehensively studied source of bioactive compounds with important therapeutic potential. Our study was designed to characterize the chemical composition and to assess the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of ethanolic extracts obtained from S. vulgaris L. flowers, leaves, bark, and fruit. The chemical profile of the ethanolic extracts was investigated using chromatographic (HPLC-DAD-ESI⁺, GC-MS) and spectral (UV-Vis, FT-IR) methods, while the protective effect against free radicals was evaluated in vitro by different chemical assays (DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC). The cytotoxic activity was tested on two tumoral cell lines, HeLa, B16F10, using the MTT assay. Significant amounts of free or glycosylated chemical components belonging to various therapeutically important structural classes, such as phenyl-propanoids (syringin, acteoside, echinacoside), flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol derivatives) and secoiridoids (secologanoside, oleuropein, 10-hydroxy oleuropein, demethyloleuropein, syringalactone A, nuzhenide, lingstroside) were obtained for the flowers, leaves and bark extracts, respectively. Furthermore, MTT tests pointed out a significant cytotoxic potential expressed in a non-dose-dependent manner toward the tumoral lines. The performed methods underlined that S. vulgaris extracts, in particular belonging to flowers and leaves, represent valuable sources of compounds with antioxidant and antitumoral potential.

Methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts of Tragia involucrata L. leaves exhibit anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic activity in Swiss albino mice

INTRODUCTION

Tragia involucrata L. have been utilized as traditional medicine in Indian subcontinent for the treatment of numerous illnesses such as inflammation, pain and skin infection. In this current study we sought to assess the anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic activity of Tragia involucrata L. leaves extract.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We first performed a phytochemical screening test of the leaves extracts following standard phytochemical screening protocols. We next examined the anxiolytic and sedative activity of crude methanol (TIME), ethyl acetate (TIEAE) and n-Hexane (TIHE) extract of Tragia involucrata L. leaves using mouse behavioral models such as elevated plus-maze test and pentobarbital-induced sleeping time test, respectively. Likewise, we evaluated the analgesic activity using acetic acid induced writhing test and formalin induced paw licking test. Additionally, we performed a quantitative analysis of heavy metals content of Tragia involucrata L. leaves by overnight digestion in concentrated nitric acid (HNO3).

RESULTS

Phytochemical screening demonstrated that TIME, TIEAE and TIHE contain flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, terpenoids and sterols. Administration of these extracts resulted in higher number of open arm entry, lower number of close arm entry and higher time spent in open arm compared to control treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, these treatments decreased the onset of sleep time and increased the duration of sleep compared to control treated mice (all p < 0.05). Likewise, extracts treated mice exhibited decreased number of writhing as well as lower acute phase and late phase duration compared to control treatment (all p < 0.05). The average level of As and Fe in Tragia involucrata L. leaves was 5.16 ± 0.012 ppm and 2.76 ± 0.015 ppm, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study support that Tragia involucrata L. leaves extracts exhibit an anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic activity in mice.

Effect of polyphenols from Syringa vulgaris on blood stasis syndrome

In this study, we employed a previously developed in vivo assay system to determine whether the flowers and leaves of Syringa vulgaris (S. vulgaris; commonly known as "lilac") can prevent blood stasis syndrome, known as oketsu in Japanese. This syndrome is considered an important pathology in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, and is related to diseases such as peripheral vascular disorders, blood vessel inflammation, and platelet aggregation, whose severities are augmented owing to lipid peroxidation, free radicals, and oxidative stress. The assay system employed in this study monitored the blood flow decrease in the tail vein of mice subjected to sensitization with hen egg white lysozyme. Through bioassay-guided fractionation of different S. vulgaris extracts, five polyphenols were isolated and identified. Among them, quercetine 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-rutinoside, and acteoside were identified as active compounds, as they significantly mitigated blood flow reduction. These findings indicate that the polyphenols obtained from S. vulgaris could be useful for preventing oketsu and improve the quality of life of individuals with disorders and diseases such as gynecopathy, cold sensitivity, poor circulation, allergy, and lifestyle-related diseases.

Effect of polyphenols from Syringa vulgaris on blood stasis syndrome

In this study, we employed a previously developed in vivo assay system to determine whether the flowers and leaves of Syringa vulgaris (S. vulgaris; commonly known as "lilac") can prevent blood stasis syndrome, known as oketsu in Japanese. This syndrome is considered an important pathology in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, and is related to diseases such as peripheral vascular disorders, blood vessel inflammation, and platelet aggregation, whose severities are augmented owing to lipid peroxidation, free radicals, and oxidative stress. The assay system employed in this study monitored the blood flow decrease in the tail vein of mice subjected to sensitization with hen egg white lysozyme. Through bioassay-guided fractionation of different S. vulgaris extracts, five polyphenols were isolated and identified. Among them, quercetine 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-rutinoside, and acteoside were identified as active compounds, as they significantly mitigated blood flow reduction. These findings indicate that the polyphenols obtained from S. vulgaris could be useful for preventing oketsu and improve the quality of life of individuals with disorders and diseases such as gynecopathy, cold sensitivity, poor circulation, allergy, and lifestyle-related diseases.

UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and HPTLC profiling of ash leaf samples from different commercial and natural sources and their in vitro effects on mediators of inflammation

INTRODUCTION

In European traditional medicine, common ash leaf infusion is recommended by European Medicines Agency to treat minor articular pain and to increase the amount of urine for flushing minor urinary complaints. However, a comprehensive ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) analysis of this pharmacopeial plant material has never been performed. Moreover, the number of biological and pharmacological investigations proving the usefulness of this plant material in recommended traditional uses is surprisingly small.

OBJECTIVE

Phytochemical profiling of ash leaf samples from different commercial and natural sources and the determination of the in vitro effects on inflammatory mediators in a model of human neutrophils.

METHODS

Ash leaf samples were characterised by total hydroxycinnamic acid content and by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS methods. The effects of leaf infusions on reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 8 (IL-8), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) production by neutrophils were measured using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

In ash leaf samples 64 compounds were identified or partly identified together with four unknown compounds. The major compounds detected belong to different structural groups, including phenolic acid derivatives, phenylethanoids, flavonoids, iridoids, secoiridoids and lignans. The major compounds detected in ash samples were chlorogenic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, verbascoside, oleuropein and ligstroside. However, one sample contained coumarin derivatives. This finding suggested adulteration with other Fraxinus species and/or plant parts. All infusions were able to inhibit ROS, cytokine and chemokine production.

CONCLUSIONS

The performed phytochemical and biological analyses contribute to the knowledge about this pharmacopeial plant material and supports its traditional use to treat minor inflammatory complaints.

The effect of purine-type cytokinin on the proliferation and production of phenolic compounds in transformed shoots of Dracocephalum forrestii

Dracocephalum forrestii is a perennial, endemic to China plant with a number of pharmaceutical properties. Transformed shoots of the species spontaneously regenerated from hairy roots induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The transgenic nature of the shoots was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The shoot culture was multiplied on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 0.2 mg/l IAA and 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 5.0 mg/l purine-type cytokinins (mT, BAR, BPA or BAP). The highest multiplication rate (about thirteen shoot or buds per explant) was obtained on MS medium with 0.2 mg/l mT after four weeks of culture. The phenolic compounds present in the hydromethanolic extracts from the D. forrestii transgenic shoots were characterized using UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS. The shoots were found to biosynthesize three phenolic acids and five flavonoid glycosides. UHPLC analysis of the hydromethanolic extracts found the predominant phenolic acid to be rosmarinic acid, with its highest content observed in shoots cultivated with 5.0 mg/l BPA. In contrast, the greatest production of flavonoid derivatives (especially acacetin derivatives) was observed in the medium supplemented with 2 mg/l BPA.

Evaluation of the effect of oleuropein on alveolar bone loss, inflammation, and apoptosis in experimental periodontitis

THE OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of oleuropein on ligature-induced alveolar bone loss. In this respect, osteoblastic activity, osteoclastic activity, inflammatory markers, and apoptosis were evaluated.

BACKGROUND

Oleuropein is a flavonoid, which has potent anti-inflammatory and bone-protective effects.

METHODS

Thirty-two Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups as following: control (C, n = 8) group; periodontitis (P, n = 8) group; periodontitis and low-dose oleuropein group (12 mg/kg/day oleuropein, LDO group, n = 8); and periodontitis and high-dose oleuropein group (24 mg/kg/day oleuropein, HDO group, n = 8). Periodontitis was induced via ligatures. Study period was 14 days, and animals were sacrificed at end of this period. Mandibles were examined via a stereomicroscope and underwent histological procedures. Osteoblast, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclast, and inflammatory cell counts were determined in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), bone morphogenetic protein-4, the cluster of differentiation (CD)-68, cysteine-aspartic proteases-3 (Caspase 3), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expressions were evaluated via immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Periodontitis group had highest alveolar bone loss, and these levels significantly decreased in LDO and HDO groups. Both 12 and 24 mg/kg oleuropein groups significantly increased osteoblast cell counts and decreased TRAP-positive osteoclast and inflammatory cell counts. BMP-4 and bcl-2 expressions were elevated in oleuropein groups while caspase-3 expressions decreased. iNOS and CD68 were higher in periodontitis group compared to control group, but there was no significant difference between other groups.

CONCLUSION

Oleuropein successfully decreased alveolar bone loss as a result of decreased osteoclastic activity, inflammation, and apoptosis and increased osteoblastic activity.