Chemophenetic Significance of Anomalocalyx uleanus Metabolites are Revealed by Dereplication Using Molecular Networking Tools

Plant leaf proanthocyanidins: from agricultural production by-products to potential bioactive molecules

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are a class of polymers composed of flavan-3-ol units that have a variety of bioactivities, and could be applied as natural biologics in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. PAs are widely found in fruit and vegetables (F&Vegs) and are generally extracted from their flesh and peel. To reduce the cost of extraction and increase the number of commercially viable sources of PAs, it is possible to exploit the by-products of plants. Leaves are major by-products of agricultural production of F&Vegs, and although their share has not been accurately quantified. They make up no less than 20% of the plant and leaves might be an interesting resource at different stages during production and processing. The specific structural PAs in the leaves of various plants are easily overlooked and are notably characterized by their stable content and degree of polymerization. This review examines the existing data on the effects of various factors (e.g. processing conditions, and environment, climate, species, and maturity) on the content and structure of leaf PAs, and highlights their bioactivity (e.g. antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-obesity activity), as well as their interactions with gut microbiota and other biomolecules (e.g. polysaccharides and proteins). Future research is also needed to focus on their precise extraction, bioactivity of high-polymer native or modified PAs and better application type.

Phytochemical characterization and toxicological activity attributed to the acetonic extract of South American Vassobia breviflora

The particular plant species found in southern Brazil, Vassobia breviflora (Solanaceae) has only a few apparent studies examining its biological effect. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the activity of the acetone extract fraction derived from V. breviflora. Four compounds were identified by ESI-qTOF-MS: eucalrobusone R, aplanoic acid B, pheophorbide A, and pheophytin A. In addition, 5 compounds were identified by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS: all-trans-lutein, 15-cis-lutein, all-trans-β-carotene, 5,8-epoxy-β-carotene, and cis-β-carotene. Cell lines A549 (lung cancer), A375 (melanoma cancer) and HeLa (cervical cancer) were incubated with different concentrations of each studied extract using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and 2'-7'dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) assays. The acetonic extract exhibited cytotoxic activity at a concentration of 0.03 mg/ml in the HeLa strain and 0.1 mg/ml in the others. In addition to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antibacterial activity was assessed utilizing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) in 9 ATCCs strains and 7 clinical isolates, as well as determination of biofilm production. Data demonstrated that MIC and MBC were approximately 256 mg/ml in most of the strains tested and antibiofilm effect at S. aureus, S. epidermidis, A. baumannii, and E. faecalis, concentrations below the MIC. Genotoxic activity on plasmid DNA did not produce significant elevated levels in breaks in the isolated genetic material.