Old Plant, New Possibilities: Wild Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L., Ericaceae) in Topical Skin Preparation

Vaccinium uliginosum and Vaccinium myrtillus-Two Species-One Used as a Functional Food

Vaccinium uliginosum L. (commonly known as bog bilberry) and Vaccinium myrtillus L. (commonly known as bilberry) are species of the genus Vaccinium (family Ericaceae). The red-purple-blue coloration of blueberries is attributed largely to the anthocyanins found in bilberries. Anthocyanins, known for their potent biological activity as antioxidants, have a significant involvement in the prophylaxis of cancer or other diseases, including those of metabolic origin. Bilberry is the most important economically wild berry in Northern Europe, and it is also extensively used in juice and food production. A review of the latest literature was performed to assess the composition and biological activity of V. uliginosum and V. myrtillus. Clinical studies confirm the benefits of V. uliginosum and V. myrtillus supplementation as part of a healthy diet. Because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and apoptosis-reducing activity, both bog bilberries and bilberries can be used interchangeably as a dietary supplement with anti-free radical actions in the prevention of cancer diseases and cataracts, or as a component of sunscreen preparations.

Medicinal Plants of the Flora of Kazakhstan Used in the Treatment of Skin Diseases

The skin shows the physiological condition of the body's organs and systems that prevent infections and physical damage. Throughout the ages, in folk medicine, phytotherapy was considered a primary form of treatment in all countries, including Kazakhstan, due to the abundance and availability of plant-based remedies. This paper discusses several medicinal plants that are traditionally used in the treatment of skin diseases in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The chemical composition of these plants was analyzed, with a particular focus on the biologically active basic compounds responsible for their therapeutic efficiency in treating skin ailments.

Establishment of a Sonotrode Extraction Method and Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anticancer Potential of an Optimized Vaccinium myrtillus L. Leaves Extract as Functional Ingredient

Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry) leaves are an important by-product of berry production that may be used as a source of phenolic compounds which have a positive effect on human health. Therefore, an ultrasound-assisted extraction via sonotrode has been used for the first time to recover bioactive compounds from bilberry leaves. The extraction has been optimized using a Box-Behnken design. The influence of ethanol:water ratio (v/v), time of extraction (min) and amplitude (%) were evaluated considering total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP assays) as dependent variables in a response surface methodology (RSM). Optimum values for the independent factors were 30:70 ethanol/water (v/v), 5 min of extraction and 55% amplitude. The empirical values of the independent variables using the optimized conditions were 217.03 ± 4.92 mg GAE/g d.w. (TPC), 271.13 ± 5.84 mg TE/g d.w. (DPPH) and 312.21 ± 9.30 mg TE/g d.w. (FRAP). The validity of the experimental design was confirmed using ANOVA and the optimal extract was characterized using HPLC-MS. A total of 53 compounds were tentatively identified, of which 22 were found in bilberry leaves for the first time. Among them, chlorogenic acid was the most abundant molecule, representing 53% of the total phenolic compounds identified. Additionally, the antimicrobial and anticancer activities of the optimum extract were tested. Gram-positive bacteria demonstrated high sensitivity to bilberry leaves extract in vitro, with MBC values of 6.25 mg/mL for Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria innocua and Enterococcus faecalis, and 0.8 mg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. Furthermore, bilberry leaves extract exerted in vitro antiproliferative activity against HT-29, T-84 and SW-837 colon tumor cells with IC₅₀ values of 213.2 ± 2.5, 1140.3 ± 5.2 and 936.5 ± 4.6 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, this rapid ultrasound-assisted extraction method has demonstrated to be an efficient technique to obtain bilberry leaves extract with in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer capacities that may be useful for the food industry as natural preservative or even for the production of functional foods or nutraceuticals.

Comprehensive Analysis of Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Properties of Morus nigra L

The framework of this study was a comprehensive investigation of Morus nigra L. extracts, with the aim to establish the correlation between chemical composition and antioxidant/hepatoprotective activity of a series of black mulberry extracts obtained from aerial parts of the plant. Black mulberry leaf (MLEE), bark (MBEE), juice (MJ) and fresh fruit (MFEE) extracts were obtained using the conventional Soxhlet extraction, while the supercritical CO₂ extraction procedure was employed for preparation of the seed oil (MSO). Analysis of the chemical composition was performed using spectrophotometric, HPLC and GC methods. For the evaluation of antioxidant activity, in vitro FRAP and DPPH assays were applied. In Haan strain NMRI mice with streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress, in vivo antioxidant activity and liver tissue integrity were examined. The content of polyphenolic compounds was the highest in MBEE (68.3 ± 0.7 mgGAE/g) with the most abundant compounds being polyphenolic acids, followed by MLEE (23.4 ± 0.5 mgGAE/g) with the flavonoids isoquercetin and rutin being present in a significant amount. An analysis of MSO revealed a high content of γ-linoleic acid. The highest antioxidant activity in vitro (FRAP and DPPH) was observed for MLEE, MBEE and MSO. Beneficial effects were confirmed in vivo, with lower values of hepatosomatic index, potentiation of the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, a lower rate of lipid peroxidation and reduced positivity for the P450 enzyme in animals treated with MLEE, MBEE and MSO. Black mulberry leaf and bark extracts as well as seed oil exhibited significant antioxidant activity. Apart from the confirmed biological properties of the fruit and leaf extracts, the observed activities of black mulberry seed oil and bark extract imply its importance as a sustainable source of phytochemicals.

Towards a modern approach to traditional use of Helichrysum italicum in dermatological conditions: In vivo testing supercritical extract on artificially irritated skin

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Helichrysum italicum has been widely used in traditional medicine to treat allergies, colds, cough, skin, liver and gallbladder disorders, inflammation, infections, and sleeplessness. Furthermore, it possesses considerable wound healing and skin protective properties, documented by several in vivo studies performed on animals. However, there is a lack of experimental evidence supporting its potential as a topical agent tested by human clinical trials.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to investigate the skin protective activity of cotton gauze and polypropylene non-woven fabric, impregnated with H. italicum extract by the integrated supercritical CO₂ extraction-supercritical solvent impregnation process.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The integrated process of supercritical CO₂ extraction of H. italicum and the impregnation of cotton gauze and polypropylene non-woven fabric was performed under 350 bar and 40 °C with and without the addition of ethanol as a cosolvent. Impregnated textile materials were tested in vivo for their bioactivity on irritated human skin. Randomized in vivo studies performed involved assays of both safety and efficacy of the impregnated textiles. The effects were evaluated using the in vivo non-invasive biophysical measurements of the following skin parameters: electrical capacitance, transepidermal water loss, melanin index, erythema index, and skin pH.

RESULTS

Both cotton gauze and polypropylene non-woven fabric were impregnated with H. italicum extracts under supercritical conditions with considerable values of the impregnation yield (1.97%-4.25%). The addition of ethanol as a cosolvent during the process caused significant changes in the incorporated extracts' impregnation yield and chemical profile. Both impregnated textile materials were safe, evaluated by their testing on the human skin with no cause of any irritation and redness. However, efficacy studies revealed that polypropylene non-woven fabric impregnated with H. italicum extract with ethanol as a cosolvent, possessed significantly greater potential for skin protection than the other investigated samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrated the feasibility of the combined supercritical extraction and impregnation process in developing materials for topical application based on H. italicum extract. The results of in vivo studies performed on human volunteers confirmed the suitability of H. italicum active components to be a part of human skin protective preparations because of their ability to maintain the skin unimpaired. Traditionally claimed applications as a medicinal plant capable of regenerating skin have been scientifically proven, in addition to employing green technology in obtaining the impregnated materials with a broad spectrum of utilization.

An Updated Systematic Review of Vaccinium myrtillus Leaves: Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Bilberry leaves are used in many countries in traditional medicine for treating a wide variety of diseases. Due to the high therapeutic potential of Vaccinium myrtillus (VM) leaves, this review aims to present the latest knowledge on the phytochemical profile, as well as the therapeutic effects of this herbal drug. The review was conducted according to the Prisma guidelines, and the scientific databases were searched using combinations of the following keywords: "Vaccinium myrtillus", "leaves", "bilberry". Recent research was focused on the influence of abiotic factors on the phytochemical composition, and it seems that there are significant differences between the herbal drugs collected from different countries. The phytochemical composition is correlated with the broad spectrum of pharmacological effects. The paper outlines the potent antimicrobial activity of VM extracts against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains, and also the pathways that are modulated by the unique "cocktail" of phytoconstituents in different metabolic alterations. Reviewing the research articles published in the last 10 years, it seems that bilberry leaves have been slightly forgotten, although their phytochemical and pharmacological characteristics are unique.

Caucasian Blueberry: Comparative Study of Phenolic Compounds and Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Potential of Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium arctostaphylos Leaves

(1) Background: Two Caucasian blueberries Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Vaccinium arctostaphylos L. are famous berry bushes growing in the Caucasus region and used to treat neurological diseases, but the chemistry and bioactivity of leaf extracts are still poorly studied. (2) Methods: Phenolic compounds of V. myrtillus and V. arctostaphylos leaf extracts were profiled and quantified by HPLC-PDA-ESI-tQ-MS. The neurotropic potential of Vaccinium extracts was studied using the model of middle cerebral artery permanent occlusion to determine cerebral blood flow, the area of the brain tissue necrosis, and antioxidant enzyme activity (including superoxide dismutase, succinate dehydrogenase, and cytochrome C oxidase), as well as the concentration of TBARS. (3) Results: Hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids were identified in the leaves of V. myrtillus and V. arctostaphylos, and the dominant metabolite of both extracts was 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in the amount of 105-226 mg/g. The studied extracts enhanced the cerebral hemodynamics and decreased the frequency of necrotic and lipooxidative processes in the brain tissue, accompanied by an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The positive effect of V. arctostaphylos was stronger and exceeded the effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba standardized extract. (4) Conclusion: The leaf extracts of Caucasian blueberries V. myrtillus and V. arctostaphylos as a new source of hydroxycinnamates demonstrated a protective effect of the brain ischemia pathology and can be used as therapeutic agents to treat neurological diseases.

Conventional vs. Green Extraction Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents—Differences in the Composition of Soluble Unbound Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of green solvents, natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES), in comparison with conventional solvents on the extraction of free unbound phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of extracts of dried bilberry fruit, bilberry leaves and green tea leaves. After preparation of the extracts via ultrasound-assisted extraction using NaDES and conventional solvents (water and ethanol), spectrophotometric determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content, HPLC analysis of extracted polyphenols and antioxidant determination using FRAP, DPPH and ABTS assays were conducted. The results showed that NaDES have a great potential as agents for the extraction of phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant activity; the highest values of phenolic content and antioxidant activity were detected in the samples obtained by extraction using the NaDES combination betaine + urea. The bilberry leaves exhibited the highest flavonoid content among all extracts and turned out to be more active than bilberry fruits, to which they are often just a by-product during processing. The most active extract of all was the betaine-urea green tea leaves extract. Further research into the most active NaDES extracts should be performed.

Bilberries: Curative and Miraculous – A Review on Bioactive Constituents and Clinical Research

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits are an important part of local diets in many countries and are used as a medicinal herb to treat various disorders. Extracts from fruits are often a part of eye health-promoting supplements, whereas extracts from leaves are advertised for type 2 diabetes mellitus and glycemic control. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the phytochemical contents of bilberry fruits and leaves and their bioactivities, critically summarizes origins of the health claims and the outcome of clinical trials, with special attention towards those published in the past 10 years. Overall, the three most referenced indications, which are type 2 diabetes mellitus, vision disorders and circulatory diseases, all include contradictory results with no clear conclusion as to the benefits and recommended dosages. Moreover, the indications for vision disorders and diabetes originate from unproven or false claims that have been repeated in research since the 20th century without consistent fact-checking. Beneficial clinical results have been attested for the treatment of dyslipidemia and chronic inflammatory disorders when applied as dietary supplementation of fresh bilberries or as anthocyanin-rich bilberry fruit extracts. However, there is a general lack of double-blinded controlled research with larger sample sizes.

Intensification Technologies to Efficiently Extract Antioxidants from Agro-Food Residues

As is well known, there is an increasing interest in recovering phytochemicals from agricultural, forestry, and food industry residues, aiming to reduce their environmental impact and improve sustainable economic growth in the bioeconomy scheme [...].