The Diterpenoids of the Genus Marrubium (Lamiaceae)

2006

The occurrence and chemical structures of labdane diterpenoids from the genus Marrubium are reviewed and the published 13C NMR spectroscopic data for these compounds is presented. The pharmacological activities and biogenesis of these diterpenoids are also reported.

The Application of the Essential Oils of Thymus vulgaris L. and Crithmum maritimum L. as Biocidal on Two Tholu Bommalu Indian Leather Puppets

2021

The chemical profile of the Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae) essential oil (EO) was investigated in order to evaluate its biological properties against microorganisms affecting two Tholu Bommalu, typical Indian leather puppets stored at the International Puppets Museum “Antonio Pasqualino” of Palermo, Italy. A GC–MS analysis, using both polar and apolar columns, was used to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of the Thymus vulgaris and Crithmum maritimum essential oils in vapor phase to disinfect heritage leather puppets. Pieces of leather artifacts that were affected by different bacterial colonies were e…

Preliminary study on analysis and removal of wax from a Carrara marble statue

2015

This preliminary study has mainly focused on the wax identification by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and removal. Wax is used for many purposes in the field of art as protective coatings on wooden, stone or metal objects. From the comparison of the spectra H NMR and in particular with the correspondence of the resonance peaks of the samples taken from the statue and beeswax and paraffin, we can conclude that the wax applied on the statue surface is beeswax. From our data, it can be concluded that, to remove the beeswax, from any stone support, the more effective solvent is the mixture of cyclohexane/ethyl acetate. The removal percentages ranged from 19 to 99%. Lower percentages of remova…

Essential oil of Foeniculum vulgare subsp. piperitum fruits exerts an anti‑tumor effect in triple‑negative breast cancer cells

2022

At present, the growing spread of tumor cases worldwide renders the research of new promising and selective anticancer drugs urgent. The biological action of extracts of medicinal plants or their essential oils (EOs) is an emerging field of interest, since they could comprise a rich source of phytochemicals that can prove promising. In the present study, the biological activity and mechanism of action of the EO of Foeniculum vulgare subsp. piperitum fruits (FVPEO) were investigated using MTT assays, morphological analyses and western blotting in MDA‑MB231 cells, a triple‑negative breast cancer cell line. The findings revealed that FVPEO could exert strong anticancer effects, causing a dose‑…

Dihydrophenanthrenes from a Sicilian Accession of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge Showed Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antiprolife…

2021

The peculiar aspect that emerges from the study of Orchidaceae is the presence of various molecules, which are particularly interesting for pharmaceutical chemistry due to their wide range of biological resources. The aim of our study was to investigate the properties of two dihydrophenanthrenes, isolated, for the first time, from Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge (Orchidaceae) bulbs and roots. Chemical and spectroscopic study of the bulbs and roots of Himantoglossumrobertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge resulted in the isolation of two known dihydrophenanthrenes—loroglossol and hircinol—never isolated from this plant species. The structures were evaluated based on 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR…

The chemical composition of essential oil from Seseli tortuosum subsp. tortuosum and S. tortuosum subsp. maritimum (Apiaceae) aerial parts growing in…

2022

Seseli L. genus, belonging to the Apiaceae family, includes more than eighty taxa, mainly growing in Europe and Asia. Due to the several biological properties, species of this genus have been largely investigated, showing to be a rich source of coumarins, as well as, of essential oils with anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, cytotoxic, etc. properties. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Sicilian accessions of Seseli tortuosum subsp. tortuosum and S. tortuosum subsp. maritimum were analysed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on the subsp. maritimum. The results showed the presence, in both oils, of large quantity…

Lipase-catalysed preparation of acyl derivatives of the germacranolide cnicin

2009

Several acyl derivatives of cnicin were obtained through lipase-catalysed acylation and alcoholysis reactions. In most reactions lipases showed a regioselective behaviour affording only one product. Longer chain acyl derivatives were prepared at lower temperature than the used in lipase-catalysed reactions, to preclude side products formation. The enzymatic approach let to prepare a family of novel acetyl and fatty acid derivatives of cnicin which are not obtainable following traditional organic synthetic procedures. Fil: Monsalve, Leandro Nicolas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis…

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Bupleurum Fontanesii (Apiaceae) Growing Wild in Sicily and its Activity on Microorganisms Affecting Hist…

2016

Hydrodistillation of the flowers (BpFl) of and fruits (BpFr) of Bupleurum fontanesii Guss. ex Caruel gave two oils that were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The main components were α-elemol (16.7%), caryophyllene oxide (16.4%) and heptacosane (15.9%) in BpFl, and spathulenol (16.8%), caryophylladienol I (13.2%) and α-elemol (12.8%) in BpFr. A good antimicrobial activity against several microorganisms, including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger, all infesting historical art craft, was also determined.

Essential oil compositions of Teucrium fruticans, T. scordium subsp. scordioides and T. siculum growing in Sicily and Malta

2020

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial parts of Teucrium fruticans L. collected in Sicily and Malta, Teucrium scordium subsp. scordioides (Schreb.) Arcang. and Teucrium siculum (Raf.) Guss., collected in Sicily, were evaluated by GC-MS. The main volatile components of both T. fruticans collections were germacrene D (29.4% and 50.0%), (E)-β-caryophyllene (19.6% and 21.9%), and 1-octen-3-ol (19.7% and 7.4%); T. scordium subsp. scordioides essential oil was rich in caryophyllene oxide (25.8%), α-pinene (19.4%) and β-pinene (8.5%); T. siculum essential oil was rich in (E)-β-caryophyllene (30.9%), 1-octen-3-ol (9.0%), α-humulene (8.6%) and germacrene…

Grafting affects yield and phenolic profile of Solanum melongena L. landraces

2016

Abstract The influence of grafting on agronomical and qualitative characteristics of four Sicilian eggplant landraces was investigated. Grafted and ungrafted plants were compared in the open field in the northern coast of Sicily. Solanum torvum seedlings were used as rootstock. Regardless of genotypes tested, grafting significantly increased total fruit production, marketable production, and number of marketable fruits, but did not affect weight of marketable fruits and waste production. Landrace 2 (Sciacca), with black epidermal tissue and pyriform fruit shape, when grafted onto S. torvum not only gave a higher yield performance than ungrafted plants, but also showed a higher phenolic anti…

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of Ammi crinitum Guss. (Apiaceae) endemic of Sicily (Italy)

2022

Ammi L. is a small genus of economically important plants belonging to Apiaceae family that includes only six taxa. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Ammi crinitum Guss., a very rare plant, endemic of Sicily, was analyzed by GC–MS. No previously paper has been published on this species. The results showed the presence of large quantity of monoterpene hydrocarbons with sabinene (63.9%), as the most abundant component. Other metabolites present in good quantity were γ-terpinene (8.0%), and 4-terpineol (3.7%). Based on the composition of the essential oil of all the other Ammi taxa, several considerations have been carried out.

XRF and LIBS integrated analysis to identify the chemical composition and the conservation state of photographic and paper materials

2015

Floral scent in Iris planifolia (Iridaceae) suggests food reward

2018

Iris species can adopt different pollination strategies to attract their pollinators, generalized shelter-mimicking, specialized deceptive sexual-mimicking or food-rewarding. As attractive stimuli, Iris flowers may use their colours, large-size, symmetry, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, relatively few studies in- vestigated Iris floral olfactory cues in the context of plant-visitor/pollinator interactions. In the present study we combined the identification of the floral volatiles of the nectariferous I. planifolia with insects visiting its flowers to gather data on its biology. Floral volatiles were collected in the natural environment by dynamic headspace and analysed by g…

Essential oil of Sicilian Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. and its major component, β−ocimen, affect contractility in rat small and large intestine

2023

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl is an Apiaceae plant, widely used in traditional medicine. Recently, chemical composition and biological activities of its essential oil (Prangroil) have been reported, but there are no studies on possible effects on intestinal contractility. Aims of the study: We investigated the effects of essential oil Sicilian Prangoil on the contractility of rat small (duodenum) and large (colon) intestine and the related action mechanism. Materials and methods: Responses to Prangoil and to its major component β-ocimen in intestinal segments were assessed in vitro as changes in isometric tension. Results: Prangoil, induced in duodenum, depend…

Composition and allelopathic effect of essential oils of two thistles: Cirsium creticum (Lam.) D.�Urv. ssp. triumfetti (Lacaita) Werner and Carduus n…

2007

Abstract Cirsium and Carduus are two of the main genera of true thistles. Different species in these genera share a quantity of secondary metabolites and have interesting ecological properties. The essential oils of two species, Cirsium creticum and Carduus nutans, were analysed, showing the presence as main compounds of 4-ethyl guaiacol (15%), hexadecanoic acid (10.6%), (E)-β-damascenone (7.8%), dihydroactinidiolide (6.0%) and 4-vinyl guaiacol (4.5%) for C. creticum and hexadecanoic acid (18.6%), hexahydrofarnesylacetone (7.8%), heptacosane (5.9%), 4-vinyl guaiacol (5.8%), pentacosane (3.8%) and eugenol (3.6%) for C. nutans. The oils were evaluated at different doses for their effect on ge…

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from aerial parts of Micromeria fruticulosa (Bertol.) Grande (Lamiaceae) growing…

2007

The essential oil of aerial parts of Micromeria fruticulosa (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Southern Italy was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC–MS. Sixty-one compounds, representing 91.3% of the oil, were identified. The major components were γ-terpinene (14.5%), β-caryophyllene (12.6%), p-cymene (8.9%), α-pinene (8.2%) and β-bisabolene (7.2%). The essential oil showed action mainly against Gram-positive bacteria. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Centaurea sicana and C. giardinae growing wild in Sicily

2008

The essential oils of Centaurea sicana (S) and C. giardinae (G) were studied by GC and GC-MS. Thirty constituents for S, representing 81.5% of the total oil, and 24 compounds for G (94.2% of the total) were identified. The oils were rich in sesquiterpenoids (47.9% for S and 54.7% for G) and hydrocarbons (25.9% for S and 31.7% for G). Germacrene D (13.3%), ( E)-β-farnesene (8.3%), nonacosane (7.3%), heptacosane (6.5%) and phytol (6%) were recognized as the main constituents for S, while caryophyllene oxide (17.7%), nonacosane (14.5%), germacrene D (11.5%), caryophyllene (11.2%) and heptacosane (10.3%) were the main compounds for G.

Sesquiterpene lactones of Anthemis alpestris

2002

Extracts deriving from olive mill waste water and their effects on the liver of the goldfish Carassius auratus fed with hypercholesterolemic diet

2014

The present research aims to evaluate the beneficial effects of polyphenols derived from waste water from a olive mill, obtained by non-plastic molecular imprinting device, in a hypercholesterolemic diet on Carassius auratus, commonly known as goldfish that was selected as experimental model. The study was conducted with morphological and histochemical analyses and also the data were supported by immunohistochemical analysis. Results show the beneficial activity of polyphenols with a reduction of the damage in the steatotic group, confirming that they may be suggested in the treatment of diseases by lipid accumulation, and used as any addition in feed for farmed fish, in order to improve th…

Photoinduced functionalization of diterpenes: transformation of the C-20 methyl of atractyligenin into a carbomethoxymethyl or carbamoylmethyl group

2003

Abstract Irradiation of the nor-diterpene atractyligenin 1a and of its methyl ester 1b at λ=254 nm in methanol or in methanol in the presence of nitrogen nucleophiles such as ammonia or methylamine gave, besides the decarboxylation product 2, the ester 3a or the amides 3b, 3c, respectively, providing the transformation of the C-20 angular methyl into a carbomethoxymethyl or carbamoylmethyl group. A photochemical pathway involves formation of C-19/C-20 bond in the excited state, followed by a collapse into a ketene intermediate which will capture the nucleophilic reagent.

Volatile Components from Aerial Parts of Centaurea diffusa and C. micrantha ssp. melanosticta and Their Biocidal Activity on Microorganisms Affecting…

2018

The chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of two taxa of Centaurea belonging to subgenus Acrolophus, Centaurea diffusa Lam. and C. micrantha Hoff. ssp. melanosticta (Lange) Dostàl, respectively collected in Croatia and Spain, were evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of C. diffusa were hexadecanoic acid (31.1%), ( Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (10.7%) and damascenone isomers (6.4%), whereas hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (27.8%), hexadecanoic acid (8.3%) and caryophyllene oxide (6.4%) were the most abundant components of C. micrantha ssp. melanosticta. The oils showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms that infest historica…

Anti-HIV Agents Derived from the ent-Kaurane Diterpenoid Linearol

2002

Twenty-six semisynthetic ent-kaurane derivatives of linearol (1) have been investigated for their anti-HIV effects. Five compounds (4, 7, 11, 25, and 26) showed significant activity against HIV replication in H9 lymphocyte cells with EC(50) values in the range <0.1-3.11 microg/mL. With TI values of 163 and 184, compounds 4 and 25 are especially promising for further development as potential anti-HIV agents.

Advances on the chemistry of furano-diterpenoids from Teucrium genus

2005

This paper updates the previous reviews, reporting the results published in the last six years on the chemistry of these diterpenoids.

Volatile constituents of aerial parts ofCentaurea sibthorpii(Sect. Carduiformes, Asteraceae) from Greece and their biological activity

2008

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Centaurea sibthorpii [Sect. Carduiformes, Asteraceae] collected in Greece were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC-MS. Altogether 63 components were identified. Fatty acids and sesquiterpenoidic compounds were the most abundant components in the oil. A study on the biological activity of the oil showed no action against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Chemical composition of the essential oil from different vegetative parts of Foeniculum vulgare subsp. piperitum (Ucria) Coutinho (Umbelliferae) grow…

2021

In the present study, the chemical compositions of the essential oils from roots, stems, leaves and fruits of Foeniculum vulgare subsp. piperitum collected in Sicily were evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of the roots were terpinolene (33.15%), gamma-terpinene (12.18%) and fenchyl acetate (11.23%). Stems and leaves were very rich in alpha-phellandrene (36.85% and 41.59%, respectively) and beta-phellandrene (19.68% and 25.79%, respectively), whereas the main components of fruits were terpinolene (20.10%) and limonene (17.84%)These results were compared with those of the EOs of the same vegetative parts of Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare, collected in the same station and in th…

Volatile Components from Aerial parts of Centaurea gracilenta and C. ovina ssp. besserana Growing Wild in Bulgaria

2011

The essential oils of Centaurea gracilenta Velen. (CG) and C. ovina Pall. ex Willd. ssp. besserana (DC.) Dostál (COB) growing wild in Bulgaria, were studied by GC and GC-MS. Forty-five compounds for CG, representing the 90.1% of the oil, and 68 compounds for COB, representing the 91.9% of the oil, were identified. The oils were rich in sesquiterpenoids (33.4% for CG and 27.3% for COB), hydrocarbons (28.3% for CG and 10.7% for COB) and carbonylic compounds (12.7% for CG and 13.1% for COB). Fatty acids were abundant only for COB (31.3%). β-Eudesmol (12.8%), nonacosane (11.8%) and p-vinyl guiacol (7.5%) were recognized as the main constituents for CG, while hexadecanoic acid (21.4%), spathule…

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of four Phagnalon species collected in Sicily (Italy) and Greece

2022

The genus Phagnalon Cass., included in the Asteraceae family, has a wide distribution, expanding from Macaronesia in the West to the Himalayas in the East, from South France and Nord Italy to Ethiopia and Arabian Peninsula. Various species of Phagnalon have been used in the popular medicine of several countries as medicinal herbs and food. The extracts and the secondary metabolites, have a varied application spectrum at several biological levels, with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antitumor, etc. properties having been reported. The essential oils of four taxa, Phagnalon rupestre, Phagnalon saxatile var. viride, and Phagnalon rupestre subsp. illyricum var. metlesicsii collected …

The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of Nigella damascena – A review

2022

This review is a systematic scientific work on medicinal and traditional use, on the chemical composition of specialized metabolites, volatile and non-volatile, on aspects related to toxicology and phytotherapy of Nigella damascena L. The genus Nigella (Ranunculaceae) is distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin, extending to northern India, and has been divided into three sections. Nigella damanscena L. is traditionally used as an ingredient in food, for example, as flavouring agents in bread and cheese, but is also known in folk medicine, used to regulate menstruation; for catarrhal affections and amenorrhea; as a diuretic and sternutatory; as an analgesic, anti-oedematous, and antip…

Chemical composition of essential oil from Italian populations of Artemisia alba Turra (Asteraceae).

2012

The use of essential oils as chemotaxonomic markers could be useful for the classification of Artemisia species and to caracterize biodiversity in the different populations. An analysis of the chemical composition of four essential oils from Italian populations of Artemisia alba Turra (collected in Sicily, Marche and Abruzzo) was investigated. In this paper an in depth study of the significant differences observed in the composition of these oils is reported.

A new ferulol derivative isolated from the aerial parts of Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. growing in Sicily (Italy)

2022

Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. (Apiaceae) is a species occurring in the Balkan-Tyrrhenian area being present in Crete, Greece, Albania, and probably in Macedonia. Although the western disjointed population of Sicily has been classified as an endemic sub-species, F. nodosa subsp. geniculata (Guss.) Troia &amp; Raimondo, it is not officially accepted. From the aerial parts of the Sicilian accession of this species four known metabolites (1–4), and a new ferulol derivative (5), were isolated and characterized. The structure of the new compounds was determined by mean of extensive NMR spectroscopic experiments.

Assigning the C-15 configuration of 15-hydroxy-, 15-methoxy-, 15-ethoxy- hexahydrofurofuran neoclerodane diterpenoids

2004

Bonandiol: A new, irregular, monocyclic diterpene from (L.) Halacsy (umbelliferae)

1984

A new, irregular, monocyclic diterpene, bonandiol (1), has been isolated from Bonannia graeca. The structure of bonandiol has been deduced from spectral data and chemical evidence.

The Essential Oil Compositions of Three Teucrium Taxa Growing Wild in Sicily: HCA and PCA Analyses

2021

The chemical composition and the qualitative and quantitative variability of the essential oils of three taxa belonging to the Teucrium genus were studied. The investigated taxa, that grow wild in Sicily, were Teucrium flavum L. (section Chamaedrys (Mill.) Scheb.), Teucrium montanum and Teucrium capitatum L. of section Polium (Mill.) Scheb. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. In total, 74 compounds were identified. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were found to be the main group for T. flavum (48.3%). T. capitatum consisted essentially of monoterpene hydrocarbons (72.7%), with &alpha

INDAGINE FITOCHIMICA SUGLI OLI DEI SEMI DI PTILOSTEMON GREUTERI (ASTERACEAE)

2012

Guaianolides from the Aerial Parts of Centaurea Hololeuca

2006

Seven guaianolides were isolated from the acetone extract of the aerial parts of Centaurea hololeuca Boiss. The antifeedant activity of the natural compounds (1–7) and of four chloro derivatives (8–11), synthesized from repin (1) and janerin (3) were tested against larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Cebellin J (6) and chlorojanerin (11) showed significant antifeedant activity at 100 ppm, whereas at this concentration cebellin G (4) and 15-deschloro-15-hydroxychlorojanerin (7) stimulated feeding. Cebellin G (4) stimulated larvae of S. littoralis to feed at low concentration, but deterred feeding at high concentrations. The addition of chlorine to repin (1) resulted in an increase in antifeeda…

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Centaurea formanekii and Centaurea orphanidea ssp. thessala, two Centaurea species growing wild in Gree…

2012

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Centaurea formanekii Halacsy and the aerial parts, capitula and roots of C. orphanidea Heldr. &amp; Sart. ex Boiss. ssp. thessala (Hausskn.) Dostál from Greece were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed. The main components in C. formanekii were hexadecanoic acid (13.6%), δ-elemene (9.1%), and spathulenol (6.9%). The main components in C. orphanidea ssp. thessala were γ-elemene (26.1%) and caryophyllene oxide (13.2%) in the aerial parts, hexadecanoic acid (33.5%) and heptacosane (6.3%) in the capitula, and hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (22.0%) and α-chamigrene (14.0%) in the roots. The chemotaxonomic significance with respect to other …

The Diterpenoids of the Genus Elaeoselinum (Apiaceae) and their Biological Properties

2008

The natural kaurane, beyerane and atisane diterpenoids isolated from the genus Elaeoselinum (Apiaceae)and their semi-synthetic derivatives are reviewed. Published 13C NMR spectroscopic data and biological properties of these diterpenes are also reported.

The essential oil compositions of three Sicilian accessions of Viscum album L. growing on three different host trees

2022

Viscum album L., (Common Mistletoe), is a hemiparasitic shrub that lives on a wide range of woody plant species, known since Neolithic period for its ritual and for pharmacological properties. Up to now, no investigation has been reported on the chemical composition of the essential oils of V. album aerial parts in relation with the diverse host trees. Consequently, the essential oils compositions of three Sicilian accession of V. album, growing on Quercus suber L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Olea europaea L. var. europaea cv. 'Santagatese', respectively, were evaluated by GC-MS. The three populations showed quite different profiles indicating that the nature of the host considerably infl…

Anthemis wiedemanniana essential oil prevents LPS-induced production of NO in RAW 264.7 macrophages and exerts antiproliferative and antibacterial ac…

2012

Anthemis wiedemanniana is known in folk medicine for the treatment of microbial infections, cancer and also urinary and pulmonary problems. In this study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from A. wiedemanniana was evaluated and its antibacterial activity was tested against 10 bacterial strains. The oil was also tested for its potentiality to inhibit nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages and for its cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines. A. wiedemanniana oil, rich of oxygenated monoterpenes (25.4%), showed a good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and a good activity against the two Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Proteus vu…

Volatile components of Centaurea eryngiodes Lam. and Centaurea iberica Trev.var. hermonis Bois. Lam.,two Asteraceae growing wild in Lebanon.

2005

The volatile components of the flowerheads of Centaurea eryngioides Lam. and Centaurea iberica Trev. var. hermonis Boiss. Lam. were obtained by hydrodistillation and identified by GC and GC–MS. Altogether 91 components, mostly fatty acids and hydrocarbons, were identified.

Acid-induced rearrangement of epoxygermacra-8,12-olides: synthesis and absolute configuration of guaiane and eudesmane derivatives from artemisiifolin

2010

A study on the acid-induced rearrangement of 4,5-epoxy- and 1,10-epoxygermacra-8,12-olides was carried out. From a 4,5-epoxy derivative, guaianes were obtained, whereas 1,10-epoxy derivatives furnished, depending on the stereochemistry of the C-1/C-10 epoxy ring, trans-5β,10α- or trans-5α,10β-eudesmanolides.

Essential oil composition and antifeedant properties of Bellardia trixago (L.) All. (sin. Bartsia trixago L.) (Scrophulariaceae)

2008

Activity against Microorganisms Affecting Cellulosic Objects of the Volatile Constituents of Leonotis nepetaefolia from Nicaragua

2014

The chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of L. nepetaefolia (L.) R. Br. collected in Nicaragua was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components were ( Z)-phytol (22.8%), caryophyllene oxide (18.9%) and hexahydrofarnesylacetone (9.0%). The antibacterial activity against several Gram + and Gram - bacteria, including Bacillus cereus and B. subtilis, both infesting historical cellulosic material, was also determined. B. cereus, B. subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermis were the most affected by the action of the oil.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Acetonic Extract from Paullinia cupana Mart Seeds

2013

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the acetone extract from Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis Mart. (Sapindaceae) seeds, commonly called guarana, were assessed against selected bacterial and fungal strains. We tested the extract against both standard American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) and clinically isolated (CI) bacterial strains and three fungal strains. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for bacteria and MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration for fungi were determined. The extract showed an activity against the nine bacterial strains tested, both CI and ATCC strains (MIC comprised between 32 and 128 μm/mL and MBC bet…

Lipase-catalysed preparation of acyl derivatives of the germacranolide sesquiterpenoid cnicin

2009

Several acyl derivatives of cnicin were obtained through lipase-catalysed acylation and alcoholysis reactions. In most reactions lipases showed a regioselective behaviour affording only one product. Longer chain acyl derivatives were prepared at lower temperature than the used in lipase-catalysed reactions, to preclude side products formation. The enzymatic approach let to prepare a family of novel acetyl and fatty acid derivatives of cnicin which are not obtainable following traditional organic synthetic procedures.

Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential Oil from Flowers of Eryngium triquetrum (Apiaceae) Collected Wild in Sicily

2016

The chemical composition of the essential oil from flowers of Eringium triquetrum Vahl. collected in Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components were pulegone (50.6%), piperitenone (30.5%) and menthone (7.0%). Comparison of this oil with other studied oils of Eringium species is discussed. The oil showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms that infest historical art works.

Phytochemical analysis ofAchillea ligusticaAll. from Lipari Island (Aeolian Islands)

2016

A complete chemical investigation of Achillea ligustica All. growing at Lipari (Aeolian Island, Sicily) has been carried out. Seventeen metabolites have been isolated and characterised from dichloromethane and methanol extracts of flowers and aerial parts, and GC/MS analyses of petroleum ether extracts was carried out, revealing a composition in sesquiterpenoids similar to those reported for populations from Greece, Sicily and Algeria, showing the presence of (3RS,6RS)-2,6-dimethyl-1,7-octadiene-3,6-diol (1), 2,6-dimethyl-octa-3(E),7-diene-2,6-diol (2), iso-seco-tanapartholide (3) from DCM fraction. In addition from the methanolic extract of the aerial parts, peculiar flavonoid glucuronides…

LC‐ESI / HRMS analysis of glucosinolates, oxylipins and phenols in Italian rocket salad ( Diplotaxis erucoides subsp. erucoides (L.) DC .) and evalua…

2021

BACKGROUND This study investigated the chemical profile and biological activity of Diplotaxis erucoides subsp. erucoides (L.) DC. (Brassicaceae) collected in Sicily (Italy). RESULTS Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/HRMS) analysis of the ethanol extract revealed the presence of 42 compounds - glucosinolates, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, and oxylipins. The extract was tested for its antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. Promising protection from lipid peroxida…

Antiproliferative activity of hexane extract from Tunisian Cistus libanotis, Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus villosus

2013

Abstract Background As a part of our investigation on Tunisian medicinal plants, we have carried out a phytochemical investigation of the hexane extracts from leaves of Cistus libanotis, C. villosus and C. monspeliensis, evualuating also their possible antiproliferative activity in vitro. Results The major compounds of hexane extracts were identified and quantified by GC-MS. The composition of the three species, although belonging to the same genus, is completely different. The antiproliferative activity was evaluated against murine monocyte/macrophages (J774.A1), human melanoma cells (A-375), and human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), showing major activity against the human melanoma cell line…

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Mentha pulegium Growing Wild in Sicily and its Activity on Microorganisms Affecting Historical Art Crafts

2017

The chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Mentha pulegium L. (Linné) collected in Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components were pulegone (50.6%), piperitenone (27.8%) and menthone (6.9%). Comparison of this oil with other studied oils of different populations is discussed. The oil showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms that infest historical art works.

Volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Pulicaria sicula (L.) Moris growing wild in Sicily: Chemotaxonomic volatile markers of the genus Pulicar…

2015

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Pulicaria sicula (L.) Moris was characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The oil was particularly rich in oxygenated terpenoids. Among the oxygenated monoterpenes (content of 44.5%), the most abundant were borneol (23.7%), bornyl acetate (6.5%), and isothymol isobutyrate (6.2%). Caryophyllene oxide (10.2%), caryophylladienol I (4.3%), and caryophylla-3,8(13)-dien-5β-ol (4.4%) were identified as the main constituents among the oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Furthermore, a complete literature review on the composition of the essential oils of all the Pulicaria taxa studied so far was performed and a princi…

Indagini fitochimiche su alcune popolazioni italiane di Artemisia alba (Asteraceae)

2010

Studio dell'attività biocatalitica delle piante del genere Citrus: risultati preliminari

2012

Volatile components from flower-heads of Centaurea nicaeensis All., C. parlatoris Helder and C. solstitialis L. ssp. schouwii (DC.) Dostál growing wi…

2008

The volatile constituents of the flowerheads of Centaurea nicaeensis All., C. parlatoris Helder and C. solstitialis L. ssp. schouwii (DC.) Dostal were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC-MS. Altogether 113 components were identified. Fatty acids and hydrocarbons were the most abundant components in the oils. Caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were the main compounds of the sesquiterpene fraction. The study on the biological activity of the oils shows no significant activity.

PLANT PRODUCTS TO CONTROL BIODETERIORATION OF CULTURAL ASSETS

2017

Fungi and bacteria are known as major biodeteriogens of cultural heritage, able to colonize, altering anddegrading a wide range of materials, such as metals, paints, paper, paperboard, rocks, photos, textiles, leather, plastics, etc. (1, 2). The use of traditional chemical biocides, to control microbial growth on cultural assets, has become a serious threat to public health and environment. The aim of this study has been to develop biocompatible antimicrobial compounds testing on specific taxa, that were isolated from biodeteriorated artifacts (books, papers, stones, woods, canvases) or environmental aerosols (museums, archives, libraries) and characterized by microscopy, in vitro culture a…

ChemInform Abstract: Further Furoclerodanes from Teucrium “maghrebinum”

2010

Two more pairs of C-12 epimeric neoclerodanes were isolated from the aerial parts of Teucrium “maghrebinum” (Teucriumpolium subspecies still unidentified). They are the known teukotschyn 1, the new 12-epi-teukotschyn 2, the new teughrebin 3 and the new 12-epi-teughrebin 4. The structures of the new products were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic methods.

Technological screening and application of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from fermented honey by-products for the sensory improvement of …

2021

“Spiritu re fascitrari” is a Sicilian alcoholic beverage obtained through distillation of a decoction of spontaneously fermented honey by-products (FHP). The production process often leads to sensorial defects due to the unstable alcoholic fermentation. The objective of this work was to select Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from FHP to be used as starter in decoction fermentation. Based on chemical, microbiological and technological data, from a total of 91 strains three S. cerevisae were selected for further testing to produce FHP at laboratory scale level. After FHP distillation, the analysis of volatile organic compounds showed a complex mixture of sensory active molecules, mainly alco…

Neoclerodanes from Teucrium orientale

2004

Abstract Two new neoclerodane diterpenoids, 6-deacetyl-teucrolivin A (5) and 8beta-hydroxy-teucrolivin B (6), were isolated from the aerial parts of Teucrium orientale, along with four already known neoclerodane diterpenoids, teucrolivin A (1), teucrolivin B (2), teucrolivin C (3) and teucrolivin H (4), previously isolated from Teucrium oliverianum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and chemical transformations. Compounds 1-3 were assayed for antifeedant activity against Spodoptera littoralis, S. frugiperda and Heliocoverpa armigera. Teucrolivin A was the most potent of the three compounds tested.

Antioxidant activity of TunisianGeranium robertianumL. (Geraniaceae)

2013

The present investigation focuses on the methanolic extract obtained from Geranium robertianum L. (Geraniaceae) (Herb Robert), a herbal plant used in traditional medicine for the treatment of human and animal diseases. The antioxidant capacities of the extract were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radical, β-carotene/linoleic acid and reducing power and metal chelating activity assays. The amount of total phenolic content, flavonoids and condensed tannins was very high, and the correlation between the antioxidant activity potential and total phenolic level of the extract was pointed out.

Chemical composition of the essential oil from Thapsia garganica L. (Apiaceae) grown wild in Sicily and its antimicrobial activity.

2015

In this study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from flowers and leaves of Thapsia garganica L. collected in Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of T. garganica flower oil (T.f.) were chamazulene (58.3%), humulene oxide II (9.0%), tricosane (8.2%) and pentacosane (8.2%). Also the oil from leaves (T.l.) was characterised by high content of chamazulene (49.2%). Other abundant metabolites were 1,4-dimethylazulene (18.5%), (E)-phytol (6.3%) and neophytadiene (5.1%). The comparison with other studied oils of genus Thapsia is discussed. Antimicrobial activity against several micro-organisms, including some ones infesting historical art craft, was also determined.

Chamazulene-Rich Artemisia arborescens Essential Oils Affect the Cell Growth of Human Melanoma Cells

2020

Artemisia arborescens is an aromatic shrub whose essential oils are considered a potential source of molecules with industrial and pharmaceutical interest. The chemical profile of A. arborescens essential oils (EOs) was shown to be quite variable and various chemotypes have been identified. In this study, we compared the EOs composition of A. arborescens leaves and flowers collected from four different locations in Sicily. The EOs were assayed for their antiproliferative activity against A375 human malignant melanoma cells, also testing cell viability and cell membrane integrity. The evaluation of DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity assay was employed for the detection of apoptosis. Th…

A compound-based proteomic approach discloses 15-ketoatractyligenin methyl ester as a new PPARγ partial agonist with anti-proliferative ability

2017

AbstractProteomics based approaches are emerging as useful tools to identify the targets of bioactive compounds and elucidate their molecular mechanisms of action. Here, we applied a chemical proteomic strategy to identify the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) as a molecular target of the pro-apoptotic agent 15-ketoatractyligenin methyl ester (compound 1). We demonstrated that compound 1 interacts with PPARγ, forms a covalent bond with the thiol group of C285 and occupies the sub-pocket between helix H3 and the β-sheet of the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the receptor by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), mass spectrometry-based studies and docking experiments. 1 displayed…

Fixed oil from seeds of narrow-leaved ash (F. angustifolia subsp. angustifolia): Chemical profile, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

2019

Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia is a plant with an age-old use for the production of manna. However, it is also a valuable source of fixed oil rich-seeds. In the present study we examined the chemical and biological properties of this oil in order to support a possible application in foodstuffs, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Fatty acid composition, volatile and phenolic substances were evaluated. Oleic and linoleic acid represented 45.5% and 50.0%, respectively, of the total fatty acid composition. Among polar phenolic substances identified (secoiridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, phenolic acids and alcohols, flavonoids, coumarins) isoverbascoside is for the first time reported i…

Polymeric micelles as a new generation of anti-oxidant carriers

2017

A promising strategy to immobilize a natural stabilizer in polymeric films is presented. Par-Ticularly, nevadensin (N, a natural basil flavonoid) molecules have been encapsulated in Pluronic F-127 micelles [F127, a triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)] and the obtained nanoparticles have been introduced in poly(ethylene glycol), PEG [otherwise known as poly(ethylene oxide), PEO]. In order to verify the effectiveness of the micelles as anti-oxidant carriers, PEG-based films have been subjected to artificial weathering. The encapsulation of anti-oxidant molecules allows the enhancement of N solubility in PEG, leading to advanced materials with enh…

Guaianolides and lignans from the aerial parts of Centaurea ptosimopappa.

2006

The genus Centaurea L. (Asteraceae, tribe Cardueae, subtribe Centaureinae) comprises ca. 600 species distributed in Asia, Europa, North Africa and America (Hickey and King, 1981; Heywood, 1979). Turkish flora numbers 187 species, 114 of which being endemic (Davis, 1975; Davis et al., 1988; Wagenitz et al., 1988; Guner et al., 2000; Duran and Duman, 2000; Turkoglu et al., 2003). Centaurea ptosimopappa Hayek is an endemic species distributed in the Mediterranean and South-Eastern Anatolian regions of Turkey; widespread and locally frequent in the Amanos and Casus mountains (Davis, 1975; Reeves and Adiguzel, 2004). Aerial parts of C. ptosimopappa were collected in Hatay, the Amanos Mountain ab…

Cytotoxic activity of some natural and syntetic sesquiterpene lactones

2006

Several natural and synthetic sesquiterpene lactones with different skeletons were tested and found to be active against nine cancer cell lines. Elemane (4), heliangolane (5) and their hydroxy analogues 9 and 10, all containing an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde substituent, were the most potent compounds.

Neoclerodane Diterpenoids from Scutellaria pontica

1997

Seven novel neoclerodane diterpenoids, scupontins A-G, have been isolated from the Me2CO extract of the aerial parts of Scutellaria pontica (1-7), together with the known neoclerodanes scutalbin A and scutalpin M. Structures 1-7 were established by exhaustive NMR spectroscopic studies and chemical transformations. Scupontins A-D(1-4, respectively) and scupontins E (5)andF(6) possess unusual [(3¢S,3¢¢S)-3¢-[(3¢¢-acetoxybutyryl)oxy]butyryloxy and [(3¢S,3¢¢S,3¢¢¢S)- 3¢-[[3¢¢-[(3¢¢¢-hydroxybutyryl)oxy]butyryl]oxy]butyryl]oxy substituents, respectively, attached to the C-19 position of the neoclerodane framework. In the case of the 6R,7â-dibenzoate derivative 7 (scupontin G) its absolute config…

Inhibition of Cor-Ten steel corrosion by “green” extracts of Brassica campestris

2018

Abstract Extract of Brassica campestris was tested as potential corrosion inhibitor for Cor-Ten steel in NaCl and acidic solutions, simulating a marine and an urban-industrial environment, respectively. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed both in absence and in presence of the extract at room temperature. The surface chemical analysis was investigated by X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), before and after corrosion. Electrochemical results demonstrated that a very small concentration of Brassica campestris extracts can inhibit Cor-Ten corrosion in NaCl solution (inhibition efficiency of 80–84%) better than in acidic solutions. Su…

Graphene oxide-silica nanohybrids as fillers for PA6 based nanocomposites

2014

Graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by oxidation of graphite flakes by a mixture of H2SO4/H3PO4 and KMnO4 based on Marcano's method. Two different masterbatches containing GO (33.3%) and polyamide-6 (PA6) (66.7%) were prepared both via solvent casting in formic acid and by melt mixing in a mini-extruder (Haake). The two masterbatches were then used to prepare PA6-based nanocomposites with a content of 2% in GO. For comparison, a nanocomposite by direct mixing of PA6 and GO (2%) and PA6/graphite nanocomposites were prepared, too. The oxidation of graphite into GO was assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Micro-Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrosco…

Composition and allelopathic effect of the essential oils of two thistles: Cirsium creticum (Lam.) D.’Urv. ssp. triumfetti (Lacaita) Werner and Cardu…

2007

Comparison of essential oil components and in vitro anticancer activity in wild and cultivated Salvia verbenaca.

2015

The objectives of our research were to study the chemical composition and the in vitro anticancer effect of the essential oil of Salvia verbenaca growing in natural sites in comparison with those of cultivated (Sc) plants. The oil from wild (Sw) S. verbenaca presented hexadecanoic acid (23.1%) as the main constituent, while the oil from Sc plants contained high quantities of hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (9.7%), scarce in the natural oil (0.7%). The growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects of the essential oils from Sw and Sc S. verbenaca were evaluated in the human melanoma cell line M14, testing cell vitality, cell membrane integrity, genomic DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity. Both t…

Ferulago nodosa Subsp. geniculata (Guss.) Troia &amp; Raimondo from Sicily (Italy): Isolation of Essential Oil and Evaluation of Its Bioactivity

2020

Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. (Apiaceae) is a species occurring in the Balkan-Tyrrhenian area. The object of the present study is Sicilian F. nodosa subsp. geniculata (Guss.) Troia & Raimondo, classified as an endemic F. nodosa subspecies. Aerial parts of this plant species were subjected to hydrodistillation to obtain an essential oil. A total of 93 compounds were identified with 2,3,6-trimethyl benzaldehyde (19.0%), spathulenol (9.0%), (E)-caryophyllene (5.4%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.4%) as the main components. The biological activities of F. nodosa essential oil were also investigated. This oil showed an interesting antioxidant potential in a 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sul…

Fetid odors in Caralluma europaea (Guss.) N.E.Br. (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae): a chemical characterization

2008

Volatile Components of Centaurea Bracteata and C. Pannonica subsp. Pannonica growing wild in Croatia

2010

This paper reports on the volatile components of oils from the aerial parts (CBA) and roots (CBR) of Centaurea bracteata Scop. and aerial parts of C. pannonica (Heuffel) Simonkai subsp. pannonica (CPA), two Asteraceae growing wild in Croatia. The volatile components, obtained by hydrodistillation, were determined by GC-MS analysis. The yields (w/w) of the dried oils were 0.10% (CBA), 0.22% (CBR) and 0.09% (CPA), respectively. A total of 91 compounds were identified accounting for 91.1%, 93.3% and 87.9% of the total oil for CBA, CBR and CPA, respectively. All the samples were characterized mainly by hydrocarbons (7.1-34.1%), fatty acids (9.7-45.9%), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (15.2-16.6%…

Neoclerodane Diterpenoids from Teucrium maghrebinum

2000

Eight neoclerodane diterpenoids were identified in the extract of the aerial parts of Teucrium maghrebinum. Three of these, 12-epi-teucjaponin A (1), 12-epi-montanin D (2), and 12-epi-montanin B (3), are new natural products, whereas five, teucjaponin A, montanin D, 19-deacetylteuscorodol, teusalvin C (4), and montanin B, are already known. These eight compounds form four pairs of epimers at carbon C-12.

Volatile compounds of flowers and leaves of Sideritis italica (Miller)Greuter et Burdet (Lamiaceae), a plant used as mountain tea

2010

Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet (Lamiaceae), widely used in ethnopharmacological medicine, occurs in Southern Italy and Sicily. The phytochemical composition of the essential oils of S. italica flowers and leaves, harvested in Piano Battaglia (Sicily), was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Of the 51 compounds, 43 in the oil from flowers and 29 in the oil from leaves were identified. Kaur-15-ene (20.0%) was recognised as the main constituent of the oil from flowers, together with beta-cubebene (12.1%), beta-pinene (8.5%), (Z)-nuciferol (6.5%), tricyclene (4.5%) and alpha-bisabolol (4.0%). In the oil from leaves, p-methoxyacetophenone (26.0%) prevailed, as did hexadecanoic acid (21.3%), …

ChemInform Abstract: Photoinduced Functionalization of the C-20 Methyl Group of the Nor-diterpene Atractyligenin.

2010

Abstract Irradiation of the nor-diterpene atractyligenin at λ =254 nm in methanol gave, on one hand, the decarboxylation product, and provided, on the other hand, the transformation of the C-20 angular methyl into a methylene-carbomethoxy group. A photochemical pathway involving formation of C-19/C-20 bond is suggested.

Involvement of Bax and Bcl-2 in induction of apoptosis by essential oils of three Lebanese Salvia species in human prostate cancer cells

2018

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men, and research to find more effective and less toxic drugs has become necessary. In the frame of our ongoing program on traditionally used Salvia species from the Mediterranean Area, here we report the biological activities of Salvia aurea, S. judaica and S. viscosa essential oils against human prostate cancer cells (DU-145). The cell viability was measured by 3(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was used to quantify necrosis cell death. Genomic DNA, caspase-3 activity, expression of cleaved caspase-9, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X (Ba…

Studio della reazione di Grignard su derivati dell'acido ursolico

2014

Chemical Composition and Broad-Spectrum Insecticidal Activity of the Flower Essential Oil from an Ancient Sicilian Food Plant, Ridolfia segetum

2021

Several species of the family Apiaceae are aromatic herbs that produce essential oils usable on an industrial scale for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food purposes. In particular, some essential oils, such as green insecticides for example, may replace synthetic insecticides, keeping most of their efficacy and avoiding environmental pollution or human poisoning. In the present study, we explored the insecticidal potential of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris essential oil (EO) against three different pests: Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Musca domestica L., and Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval). For this purpose, the EO was obtained by hydrodistillation of flowers and its composition was achieved by…

Interdonato lemon from Nizza di Sicilia (Italy): chemical composition of hexane extract of lemon peel and histochemical investigation

2015

Considering that the determination of authenticity and of the geographical origin of food is a very challenging issue, in this study we studied by means of histological and histochemical analyses the famous Sicilian lemon known as ‘Interdonato Lemon of Messina PGI’. Since the protected geographical indication Interdonato lemon of Messina possesses high organoleptic properties, the composition of the hexane extract of lemon peel was determined by HRGC and HRGC–MS analyses and compared with that of lemon of different cultivars. The results obtained are informative of the oil’s quality and explain the variation of the lemon essential oil composition. Given the fundamental economic implications…

NMR-based quantification of rosmarinic and carnosic acids, GC-MS profile and bioactivity relevant to neurodegenerative disorders of Rosmarinus offici…

2013

Abstract A comparative study of phytochemicals content and biological properties of eight Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) populations (RO1–RO8) collected in different areas of Tunisia was carried out. Two of the main rosemary constituents, rosmarinic and carnosic acids, were quantified by an NMR technique. Carnosic acid content was higher than that of rosmarinic acid. The non-polar constituents were examined by GC and GC–MS. Total phenols and flavonoids content were also determined in order to discuss the possible correlation between these phytochemicals and bioactivity. Antioxidant activity was investigated through different in vitro assays. Sample RO3 from a sub-humid area showed the hi…

A novel approach to prevent graphene oxide re-aggregation during the melt compounding with polymers

2015

Abstract The technology for the preparation of polymer-GO nanocomposites was investigated by studying the structure-properties relationships of two different systems, based on PA6 and EVA, fabricated by using different preparation methods, i.e. melt mixing, wet phase inversion, and the combination of the two. The morphology of nanocomposites resulted dramatically influenced by the technique adopted and showed to be the critical variable affecting the physical properties of the materials. Finally, the mechanical and dynamic-mechanical of the nanocomposites were improved by using the hybrid technique combining the two procedures.

Almond (Prunus dulcis cv. Casteltermini) Skin Confectionery By-Products: New Opportunity for the Development of a Functional Blackberry (Rubus ulmifo…

2021

This work proposes for the first time a model for reusing almond (Prunus dulcis cv. Casteltermini from Sicily, Southern Italy) skin to formulate a new functional blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius Schott) jam. For this purpose, blackberries were analysed fresh and as jam, traditionally prepared with a minimum fruit amount of 80%. Different percentages of almond skin (20, 15, and 10% w/w) were added to jam. The phytochemical profile of enriched jam was investigated by LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS analyses. Anthocyanins, hydrolysable tannins, and triterpenoids were identified in a blackberry extract, while proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and oxylipins were identified in an almond extract. The n-hexane extr…

Sintesi di lattoni sesquiterpenici e loro attività citotossica

2004

The C-12 and C-20 configurations of some neo-clerodane diterpenoids isolated from Teucrium species

1986

Abstract A convenient and conclusive method for determining the C-12 stereochemistry of neo-clerodan-20,12-olide derivatives, even when only one epimer is available, is by 1H NMR NOE measurements. The C-12 configuration of 26 neo-clerodane diterpenoids isolated from Teucrium species has been re-examined by using this type of experiment. The results indicated that all the previous assignments were correct, except for teupyreinin, where the previously assigned C-12(S) configuration must be amended to C-12(R). This was confirmed by chemical transformations and additional 1H and 13C NMR studies. Furthermore, the NOE experiments allowed the assignment of a C-20(S) configuration for teuflavin, th…

Solid state 13C-NMR methodology for the cellulose composition studies of the shells of Prunus dulcis and their derived cellulosic materials.

2020

Lignocellulosic fibers and microcellulose have been obtained by simple alkaline treatment from softwood al- mond shells. In particular, the Prunus dulcis Miller (D.A.) Webb. was considered as a agro industrial waste largely available in southern Italy. The materials before and after purification have been characterized by 13C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy methodology. A proper data analysis provided the relative composition of lignin and holo- cellulose at each purification step and the results were compared with thermogravimetric analysis and FT-IR. To value the possibility of using this material in a circular economy framework, the fibrous cellulosic material was used to manufacture a handmade c…

Dyes of a Shadow Theatre: Investigating Tholu Bommalu Indian Puppets through a Highly Sensitive Multi-Spectroscopic Approach

2021

Tholu Bommalu are typical leather puppets of the traditional Indian shadow theatre. Two of these objects are part of a collection in the International Puppets Museum “Antonio Pasqualino” (Palermo, Sicily, Italy), which can count on one hundred-seventy-three of artifacts. These Indian puppets were investigated to obtain information related to the use of dyes for their manufacturing through a multi-technical approach exploiting the combination of highly sensitive spectroscopic techniques. Wet cotton stubbons were used to entrap small particles of dyes on the fibers from the art objects for the consequent analyses. Visible Light Micro-Reflectance spectroscopy was employed for the preliminary i…

Indagini fitochimiche sul galbano di Sicilia

2009

Labdane Diterpenoids from Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum

2006

From the aerial parts of Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum, seven labdane diterpenoids were isolated. Three of them are new natural products [(13R)-9alpha,13alpha-epoxylabda-6beta(19),16(15)-diol dilactone (2), deacetylvitexilactone (7), marrulanic acid (8)], whereas the other four, namely, (13S)-9alpha,13alpha-epoxylabda-6beta(19),16(15)-diol dilactone (1), cyllenin A (3), 15-epi-cyllenin A (4), and marrulibanoside, are previously known compounds. The structures of 2, 7, and 8 were determined by spectroscopic and chemical methods.

Componenti volatili di Centaurea eryngioides Lam. e Centaurea iberica Trev. var. hermonis Boiss. Lam., due Asteracee raccolte in Libano

2004

Sesquiterpene lactones and other constituents of three Cardueae from Cyprus

2001

Production and extraction of astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma and its biological effect on alcohol-induced renal hypoxia in Carassius auratus

2015

The effect of astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-s-carotene-4,4′-dione) on alcohol-induced morphological changes in Carassius auratus, as an experimental model, was determined. The yeast Phaffia rhodozyma was used as a source of astaxanthin. The animals were divided into three groups for 30 days: one group was treated with ethanol at a dose of 1.5% mixed in water, the second one with EtOH 1.5% and food enriched with astaxanthin from P. rhodozyma, and the third was a control group. After a sufficient experimental period, the samples were processed using light microscopy and evaluated by histomorphological and histochemical staining, and the data were supported by immunohistochemical analysis, using…

Furostanol saponins and ecdysones with cytotoxic activity from Helleborus bocconei ssp. intermedius

2009

Two furostanol saponins helleboroside A (1) and helleboroside B (2) were isolated from the methanol extract of Helleborus bocconei Ten. subsp. intermedius (Guss.) Greuter and Burdet, along with the furospirostanol saponin 4 and two ecdysones: ecdysterone (5) and polypodyne B (6). Compound 2 was enzymatically hydrolysed to give product 3. The biological activity of all compounds was tested against rat C6 glioma cells showing a significant cytotoxicity for compounds 3, 4 and 6. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of different yeast strains, nutrients and glutathione-rich inactivated yeast addition on the aroma characteristics of Catarratto wines

2021

Catarratto is one of the most common non-aromatic white grape varieties cultivated in Sicily (Southern Italy). In order to improve the aromatic expression of Catarratto wines a trial was undertaken to investigate the effect of yeast strain, nutrition and reduced glutathione. Variables included two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, an oenological strain (GR1) and one isolated from honey by-products (SPF52), three different nutrition regimes (Stimula Sauvignon Blanc™ (SS), Stimula Chardonnay™ (SC) and classic nutrition practice), and a specific inactivated yeast rich in reduced glutathione to prevent oxidative processes [Glutastar™ (GIY)] ensuing in ten treatments (T1-T10). Microbiological an…

Adsorption isotherms and thermal behavior of hybrids based on quercetin and inorganic fillers

2019

We investigated the adsorption process of quercetin onto several inorganic fillers, such as kaolinite, calcium carbonate and alumina. Firstly, we performed equilibrium adsorption studies in order to determine the quercetin/filler adsorption isotherms, which were successfully fitted through the Langmuir model. Based on the adsorption data analysis, we estimated the maximum adsorption capacity of each filler as well as the Langmuir constant, which is related to the affinity between quercetin and the surfaces of the inorganic particles. Then, we prepared hybrids formed by fillers saturated with quercetin. The obtained composites were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis with the aim of …

Cytotoxic geranylflavonoids from Bonannia graeca

2011

The analysis of the aerial parts of Bonannia graeca led to the isolation and characterization of two new polar geranylated flavonoids (6 and 7). The structure elucidation was performed by extensive spectroscopic methods (1D and 2D NMR) and comparison with literature data. All natural flavonoids isolated from B. graeca (1–7) and some synthetic derivatives (8–11) were tested for cytotoxic activity against four human tumor cell lines. Preliminary structure-activity relationship correlations are discussed.

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass. (Asteraceae) growing wild in Southern Italy

2005

Abstract The essential oil from aerial parts of Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass. (Asteraceae) was obtained by hydrodistillation. The oil content was 0.15% (v/w), on a dry weight basis. The oil composition was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Altogether 66 compounds were identified accounting for 93.2% of the oil. Sesquiterpenes represent the 23.9% of the oil. In the oil were also present fatty acids (21.8%) and waxes (19.3%). The oil shows no antibacterial activity.

Chemical Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils from two species of Thimus growing wild in southern Italy

2009

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of two samples of Thymus longicaulis C. Presl, collected in Campania and in Sicily, and two samples of Thymus pulegioides L. from the same regions, were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed. Considering the four oils together, seventy-eight different compounds were identified: 57 for Thymus longicaulis from Sicily (91.1% of the total oil), 40 for Thymus longicaulis from Campania (91.5% of the oil), 39 for Thymus pulegioides from Sicily (92.5% of the oil) and 29 for Thymus pulegioides from Campania (90.1% of the oil). The composition of the oils is different, although the most abundant components are identical in T. pulegioides. The essent…

Chemistry and functional properties in prevention of neurodegenerative disorders of five Cistus species essential oils.

2013

The chemical composition of Cistus creticus, Cistus salvifolius, Cistus libanotis, Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus villosus essential oils has been examined by GC and GC–MS analysis. Height-nine constituents were identified in C. salvifolius oil, sixty in C. creticus, fifty-six in C. libanotis, fifty-four in C. villosus, forty-five in C. monspeliensis. Although the five species belong to the same genus, the composition showed interesting differences. Essential oils were screened also for their potential antioxidant effects (by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and b-carotene bleaching test) and their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity, useful for prevention and …

Phytochemical and pharmacological studies of an acetonic extract of Marrubium globosum Montbr. et Auch. ex Bent. ssp. libanoticum Boiss . (Lamiaceae)

2004

Composition of the essential oil ofPallenis spinosa (L.) Cass. (Asteraceae)

2003

The essential oil of Pallenis spinosa (L.) Cass. was obtained by hydrodistillation. In total 38 components were identified by GC and GC–MS. Oxygenated sesquiterpenoids amounted to 60.2% of the oil. The main components were germacra-1(10),5-dien-3,4-diol (18.4%), α-cadinol (14.1%), 3-acetoxygermacra-1(10),5-dien-4-ol (13.0%), T-cadinol (8.2%) and δ-cadinene (5.8%). The oil does not show antimicrobial activity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Citrus peels as biocatalyst for deacetylation reactions

2014

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Cyanus adscendens (Bartl.) Soják and C. orbelicus (Velen.) Soják growing wild in Bulgaria, and PCA analy…

2022

Cyanus Mill. genus, belonging to the Asteraceae family, includes more than 50 taxa, mainly growing in Central and Southern Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus. Previous investigations on Cyanus taxa have shown that they are rich source of flavonoids and phenolic compounds but, differently from species of genus Centaurea, almost devoid of sesquiterpene lactones. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Cyanus adscendens (CA) and C. orbelicus (CO), collected in Bulgaria, and not previously investigated, was evaluated by GC-MS. The main components of CA were α-bergamotene (31.3%), (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrien-1-ol (14.5%) and cal…

The first example of natural cyclic carbonate in terpenoids

2006

Abstract The first natural occurring cyclic carbonate terpenoid, the guaianolide hololeucin ( 1 ), was isolated from the aerial part of Centaurea hololeuca . Its structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive proton, 13 C and two-dimensional NMR experiments, as well as by transformation in its diacetyl derivative.

Biological activity of metabolites extracted from Citrus spp. on Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

2012

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is one of the most injurious pest at global level. During the last years, several electrophysiological and behavioural studies have been carried out in order to investigate plant volatile compound-insect interactions with the aim to use this knowledge in sustainable control techniques. It has been observed that lemons are not attacked by medfly, probably because of the peel oil, that is toxic to other fruit flies. In the present paper electrophysiological recordings were conducted to evaluate the insect sensitivity to peel extract and peel oil of two Sicilian cultivars (Interdonato and Lunario) of C…

Dammarane triterpenes of Salvia hierosolymitana

1990

Abstract Salvilymitone and salvilymitol, two new triterpenoids isolated from Salvia hierosolymitana , have been shown to be 7β,25-dihydroxy-(20 S ,24 R )-epoxydammaran-3-one and (20 S ,24 R )-epoxydammaran-3β,7α,25-triol, respectively. The absolute stereochemistry of these triterpenoids has been established by an X-ray diffraction analysis of a 25,26,27-trinor derivative obtained by degradation of both compounds. In addition, four previously known triterpenoids were isolated from the same source.

Kaurane diterpenoids from three Sideritis species

2005

Some kaurane diterpenoids were isolated from 3 species of the genus Sideritis (Lamiaceae) growing in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Sideritis libanotica subsp. libanotica contained siderol 2 and sideridiol 3. Sideritis erythrantha var. erythrantha yielded sideridiol 3. Sideritis perfoliata gave siderol 2, sideridiol 3 and sideritriol 4. The products are known as they occur in another species of Sideritis growing in Italy and in other species growing also in Turkey. The products are isolated for the first time from these 3 species. The taxonomic significance of these results is discussed.

Phytochemical investigation of the needles of Aabies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

2019

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species living in a very small population only in a confined area of Sicily. In this study, the dichloromethane extract of the leaves was analyzed. Apart from three already known metabolites namely dehydroabietic acid; maltol; and rheosmin, previously detected in other species of Abies, a lanostane derivative was isolated. Its chemical structure was elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic methods.

Guaianolides from the aerial parts of Centaurea hololeuca

2006

Seven guaianolides were isolated from the acetone extract of the aerial parts of Centaurea hololeuca Boiss. The antifeedant activity of the natural compounds (1-7) and of four chloro derivatives (8-11), synthesized from repin (1) and janerin (3) were tested against larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Cebellin J (6) and chlorojanerin (11) showed significant antifeedant activity at 100 ppm, whereas at this concentration cebellin G (4) and 15-deschloro-15- hydroxychlorojanerin (7) stimulated feeding. Cebellin G (4) stimulated larvae of S. littoralis to feed at low concentration, but deterred feeding at high concentrations. The addition of chlorine to repin (1) resulted in an increase in antifeeda…

Volatile constituents of aerial parts of three endemicCentaureaspecies from Turkey:Centaurea amanicolaHub.-Mor.,CentaureaconsanguineaDC. andCentaurea…

2008

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Centaurea amanicola Hub.-Mor., Centaurea consanguinea DC. and Centaurea ptosimopappa Hayek were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC–MS. Altogether 94 components were identified. Sesquiterpenoids, fatty acids and carbonylic compounds were the most abundant components in the oils. Hexadecanoic acid and (Z,Z )-9,12-octadecadienoic acid were the main fatty acids in all the examined samples, that showed different patterns of composition. The study on the biological activity of the oils showed an action mainly against the Gram-positive pathogens.

Chemical Composition and Evaluation of Insecticidal Activity of Calendula incana subsp. maritima and Laserpitium siler subsp. siculum Essential Oils …

2022

The problems of the environment and human health related to the use of synthetic and broad-spectrum insecticides have increasingly motivated scientific research on different alternatives and among these, the use of green systems, such as essential oils, have been explored. Several species of the Apiaceae and Asteraceae families, aromatic herbs rich in secondary bioactive metabolites, are used in the industrial field for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food purposes. Different essential oils extracted from some species of these families have shown acute toxicity and attractive and/or repellent effects towards different insects. In our work, we investigated the toxic potential of Calendula inca…

Antibacterial and anticoagulant activities of coumarins isolated from the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC (Apiaceae)

2007

The phytochemical investigation of the acetone and methanol extracts of the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC afforded six known coumarins as well as (+)-meranzin hydrate (7), not previously reported as a natural product. The antibacterial activity of umbelliprenin (1), osthol (2), imperatorin (3), citropten (4) and (+)-meranzin hydrate (7) was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. All coumarins (1-7) isolated in this study inhibited growth of all bacterial strains tested (MIC between 16 and 256 μg/mL), the most active being imperatorin (3) (MICs between 32 and 128 μg/mL) and citropten (4) (MICs between 16 and 256 μg/mL). The anticoagulant activity of compounds 1-…

Minor diterpenoids from Scutellaria polyodon.

2000

Four minor neoclerodane diterpene constituents were isolated from the aerial parts of Scutellaria polyodon. These compounds were characterized as the new scupolins J (1) and K (2) and the previously known scutalpin O (3) and scutalsin.

The cytotoxic activity of natural and semisynthetic sesquiterpene lactones

2004

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Achillea falcata L. (Asteraceae).

2005

The composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Achillea falcata L. (Asteraceae) growing wild in Lebanon was analysed by GC and GC–MS; 58 compounds, representing 94.4% of the oil, were identified. Isomers of the cyclobutane ethanol, 1-methyl-2-(1-methylethenyl), grandisol (21.4%) and fragranol (16.8%) were the main components of the oil. Also abundant were artemisia ketone (5.2%), terpinen-4-ol (4.5%) and 1,8-cineole (4.0%). The essential oil shows inhibitory activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria.

Composition of the essential oil from flowerheads of Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (Asteraceae) wild growing in Southern Italy

2004

The essential oils from the aerial parts of Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (Asteraceae) growing wild in two different localities of Southern Italy, Lascari (L) and Palinuro (P), were obtained by hydrodistillation in a 0.13–0.16% yield. The oils were analysed by GC and GC–MS; 68 constituents, amounting to 89.0% of the oil (L), and 43 constituents, amounting to 91.6% of the oil (P), were identified. The trans‐spiroketal–enol ether 2‐(2,4‐hexadiynylidene)‐1,6‐dioxaspiro[4,4]non‐3‐ene (trans‐tonghaosu) with chrysanthenyl and lyratyl esters and camphor were the main components of the oils.

Monoterpene derivatives from the flowers of Ferulago campestris, (Apiaceae).

2013

Ferulago campestris (Besser) Grec., (Ferula galbanifera (Mill) Kock. = F. campestris), finocchiazzo, is an annual or perennial herb of the Mediterranean area. In this paper the phytochemical studies of the CH2Cl2 and MeOH extracts of the flowers are described. Several ferulol derivatives and a new 10-hydroxy-verbenone ester (7) were isolated. The structure of the new compound was established by extensive NMR analysis, including HMBC and HSQC pulse sequences.

Conformational analysis and DFT calculations of 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide derivatives

2005

The Systematic Conformational Search Analysis (SCSA) code was employed to study the conformational properties of the 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide isomers. This procedure was extended to the trans,cis- and trans,trans-1(10),4-isomers of 8α,15-dihydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olides and 8α-hydroxy-15-oxo-germacradiene-6,12-olides, to investigate structural and energetic analogies between these and the 8α-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide species. The calculated 13C NMR spectra, at the hybrid DFT mPW1PW91 level, showed a sound correlation with the corresponding experimental spectra, providing a valid support to the reliability of the calculated structures and to the consistence of our confor…

A new irregular diterpenoid of biogenetic interest from the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC. (Apiaceae)

2007

A new irregular acyclic diterpene, magytomol acetate (2), has been isolated from the light petroleum extract of the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC. (Apiaceae) and its structure has been elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic experiments. The new compound can be considered the acetyl derivative of the biogenetic precursor of other irregular diterpenes isolated from other species belonging to the family Apiaceae.

Cytotoxic properties of Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum and its bioactive components

2013

Marrubium globosum Montbr. et Auch. ex Benth. ssp. libanoticum Boiss. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant used in Lebanon for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, asthma, coughs and other pulmonary and urinary problems. The goal of our study was to assess the biological activity of M. globosum by testing different extracts of the aerial parts for their antiproliferative activity against human melanoma cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The chloroform fraction showed the greatest activity. The compounds isolated from the extracts were also tested: the mixture of (13 S)-9α,13α-epoxylabda-6β(19),16(15)-diol dilactone and (13 R)-9α,13α-epo…

The chemical composition of essential oil from Seseli bocconei (Apiaceae) aerial parts growing in Sicily (Italy)

2022

Seseli is a large genus of aromatic and economically important herbs of the Apiaceae family that includes eighty-seven taxa, mainly distributed in Europe and Asia. Several species of this genus are extensively used in various popular medicines and based on their traditional uses, much research concerning biological activities have been carried out. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Seseli bocconei Guss., a rare plant endemic of Sicily, was analysed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on the essential oil of this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons wher…

Chemical composition of the essential oils of Centaurea tomentella Hand.-Mazz. and C. haussknechtii Boiss. (Asteraceae) collected wild in Turkey and …

2018

In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Centaurea tomentella Hand.-Mazz. and C. haussknechtii Boiss. collected in Turkey was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of C. tomentella L. were hexadecanoic acid (19.7%), caryophyllene oxide (6.6%) and spathulenol (4.8%) whereas C. haussknechtii was rich in hexadecanoic acid (26.2%), (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid (19.3%), heptacosane (5.3%) and nonacosane (5.1%). Antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms infesting historical art craft, were also determined.

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of Lonas annua (L.) Vines &amp; Druce (Asteraceae)

2022

Lonas annua (L.) Vines &amp; Druce (Asteraceae), commonly known as African Daisy or Yellow Ageratum is a rare therophyte native to northwestern Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia) and Italy (Sicily and Sardinia). In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Lonas annua was analyzed by GC-MS. No one report has been previously published on the essential oil of this species. The results showed the presence of large quantity of two unusual metabolites 2,3-dihydrofarnesol (41.64%), and acenaphthene (36.18%). Chemotaxonomic considerations were carried out in order to confirm the phylogenetic reconstructions of Anthemideae.

Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) leaf extract: chemical composition, antioxidant and hypoglicaemic activities.

2017

Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) leaf extract was investigated for its chemical profile and antioxidant and hypoglycaemic properties. The antioxidant effects were investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Chi-carotene bleaching, and metal chelating activity assays. The carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes inhibition assay was used to test the hypoglycaemic potential. R. chalepensis showed a high content of hesperidin and rutin with values of 591.9 and 266.7 mg/g dry extract, respectively. The extract exhibited a promising protection of lipid peroxidation (IC50 value of 16.9 mu g/mL) and inhibited both alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes in a concentration-dependent manner. The…

Sesquiterpene lactones from Anthemis plutonia.

1998

Abstract Aerial parts of Anthemis plutonia furnished three guaianolides, one of them new.

Antifeedant activity of neo-clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium fruticans and derivatives of fruticolone

1999

The antifeedant activity of three neo-clerodane diterpenoids, fruticolone, isofruticolone and fruticolide from Teucrium fruticans was assessed using larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Isofruticolone was one of the most potent of the Teucrium derived neo-clerodanes. Chemical modification of functional groups on fruticolone showed that its activity could be enhanced.

Essential oil variability in a collection of Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) cultivars.

2016

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant of great tradition in the Mediterranean area. Its economic importance is growing up determining an expansion of cultivation. This paper evaluated the morphological traits, the chemical profiles, and antibacterial activity of 21 cultivars of basil belonging to Ê»Genoveseʼ, Ê»Napoletanoʼ, and Ê»Purple basilʼ types. The cultivars were characterized by different growth rate and morphological traits. The chemical composition of the oils analyzed by GC and GC/MS analysis, supported by the PCA analysis, underlined the strong influence of chemotype. It is noteworthy that estragole, never present in Genovese and purple basil types, occurred in …

Acaricidal Activity of Bufadienolides Isolated from Drimia pancration against Tetranychus urticae, and Structural Elucidation of Arenobufagin-3-O-α-L…

2022

Chemical characterization of the bulbs of Drimia pancration was conducted to isolate four steroidal saponins (1&ndash;4). Earlier, we focused on the structural elucidation of compounds 1&ndash;3. Herein, by means of 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, Nuclear Overhauser Effects (NOE), and 2D-NMR spectra, the full stereochemical structure of 4 is reported, and all the 1H and 13C signals are assigned. Compounds 1&ndash;4 were tested for their acaricidal properties against the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae. Our results showed excellent activity of compound 1, with an LD50 (&micro;g/cm2) of 0.29 and a LD90 (&micro;g/cm2) of 0.96, whereas compounds 2, 3, and 4 showed moderate activity. Furthermore, t…

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Ptilostemon gnaphaloides subsp. pseudofruticosus (Asteraceae) growing in Kythira Island, Greece

2021

Ptilostemon is a small genus of the subtribe Carduinae (Asteraceae) that includes 15 species as annual or perennial herbs or small shrubs, spread in the Mediterranean arch, from Crimea and Turkey to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. Several species of this genus have been studied for the content of non-volatile metabolites whereas few investigations have been carried out on their essential oils. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Ptilostemon gnaphaloides subsp. pseudofruticosus, belonging to Section Ptilostemon, endemic of South Greece and Turkey, and collected in the island of Kythira, was analyzed by GC-MS. The result showed the presen…

Cytotoxic Activity of Some Natural and Synthetic ent-Kauranes

2007

Atractyligenin (1) and several synthetic derivatives were tested and found to be active against tumor cell replication. Compound 1 was readily converted to the 2,15-diketo (3) or 15-keto (4) derivatives, which contain an alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone. Compounds 3 and 4 showed significant cytotoxic activity against all six tested cancer cell lines and were most potent against 1A9 ovarian cancer cells with EC50 values of 0.2 and 0.3 microM, respectively. These two 1-analogues are promising lead compounds for further investigation.

Conformational analysis and DFT calculations of 8 alpha-hydroxy-germacradiene-6,12-olide derivatives

2005

The Diterpenoids from the Genus Hyptis (Lamiaceae)

2009

The genus Hyptis (family Lamiaceae) is known mainly for the essential oils isolated from the aerial parts of several species. Less known are the diterpenoids, extracted from a limited number of species. In consideration of the interest for the structures of this class of compounds, largely occurring in the whole Lamiaceae family, the present paper means to review and update their chemistry. Also the use of many species of Hyptis in folk-medicine is reported.

Chemical Characterization and Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activity Evaluation of the Ethanol Extract from the Bulbs of Pancratium maritimun Collected i…

2023

P. maritimum L., belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, is a species that grows on beaches and coastal sand dunes mainly on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, the Middle East, and up to the Caucasus region. It has been largely investigated due to its several interesting biological properties. With the aim of providing new insights into the phytochemistry and pharmacology of this species, the ethanolic extract of the bulbs from a local accession, not previously studied, growing in Sicily (Italy), was investigated. This chemical analysis, performed by mono- and bi-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, as well as LC-DAD-MSn, allowed to identify several alkaloids, three of which were n…

Larvicidal Activity of Essential Oils of Five Apiaceae Taxa and Some of Their Main Constituents Against Culex quinquefasciatus.

2018

Apiaceae are aromatic herbs producing essential oils which are used on an industrial scale for various purposes. Notably, Apiaceae essential oils may replace synthetic insecticides keeping most of their efficacy and avoiding environmental pollution and human poisoning. In the present work, we explored the insecticidal potential of the essential oils from five Apiaceae taxa, namely Sison amomum, Echinophora spinosa, Heracleum sphondylium subsp. sphondylium, Heracleum sphondylium subsp. ternatum, and Trachyspemum ammi, as well as their major constituents (sabinene, p-cymene, terpinolene, myristicin, and thymol), against the filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus. For the purpose, the essent…

The Cytotoxic Properties of Natural Coumarins Isolated from Roots ofFerulago campestris(Apiaceae) and of Synthetic Ester Derivatives of Aegelinol

2009

Grandivittin (1), agasyllin (2), aegelinol benzoate (3) and felamidin (20), four natural coumarins isolated from Ferulago campestris, and several synthetic ester derivatives of aegelinol (4) were tested against four tumor cell lines. Some of them were shown to be marginally cytotoxic against the A549 lung cancer cell line.

Statistical characterisation of heavy metal contents inParacentrotus lividusfrom Mediterranean Sea

2014

This work focuses on the estimation of Hg, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, V, Cd and Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 135 adult specimens of Paracentrotus lividus collected in different coastal areas of Sicily (Gela, Punta Secca, Ragusa (RG), Siracusa, Priolo, Catania, Messina, Milazzo, Brolo and Filicudi), in order to monitor the Mediterranean marine ecosystem by use of sea urchin as bioindicator. Moreover, the paper deals with the statistical classification of the tested samples according to the sampling area based on metal concentrations. The descriptive statistics findings were obtained and, a starting multivariate matrix was built. Data-sets were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis test t…

Metabolites from the Aerial Parts of the Sicilian Population of Artemisia alba

2013

Phytochemical investigation of the CH2Cl2 extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia alba Turra afforded one new irregular sesquiterpenoid, artemiric acid, and five known metabolites: hydroxydavanone, the coumarins isofraxidin and scopoletin, (6 S*,7 S*,10 R*)–6,10-dimethyl-7,10-epoxyocta-11-enoic acid and artalbic acid. From the MeOH extract three flavonoids were identified: chrysoeriol, quercetin and isorhamnetin. The possible biogenetic pathways of artemiric and artalbic acids are discussed.

Volatile constituents of Scutellaria rubicunda Hornem subsp. linnaeana (Caruel) Rech. (Lamiaceae) endemic in Sicily

2006

PLANT EXTRACTS AS GREEN POTENTIAL STRATEGIES TO CONTROL THE BIODETERIORATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

2016

The biodeterioration of historic-artistic manufacts is related to several biological systems, including fungi and bacteria, whose metabolic activities and vegetative development have a direct consequence on the conservation of cultural assets. Generally, different chemical compounds are utilized as biocides in order to control biodeteriogens growth, but recently the attention has been focused on potential risks of their use towards human health (operators, visitors) and the environment. In order to develop alternative methods, various natural products have been tested, particularly to control the colonization by fungi and bacteria. In this study, antimicrobial activity of three different pl…

Rearranged abietane diterpenoids from the root of two Teucrium species

1992

Abstract From the root of Teucrium fruticans , two new rearranged abietane diterpenoids, teuvincenones F and G, have been isolated together with the known diterpene teuvincenone E. The acetone extract of the root of T. polium subsp. expansum yielded three previously known compounds (ferruginol and teuvincenones A and B) and two new 17(15 → 16)- abeo -abietane derivatives (teuvincenones H and I). The structures of the new diterpenoids [12,16-epoxy-11,14-dihydroxy-17(15 → 16), 18(4 → 3)- diabeo -abieta-3,5,8,11,13,15-hexaene-2,7-dione (teuvincenone F), (16 S )-12,16-epoxy-11,14-dihydroxy-17(15 → 16)- abeo -abieta-8,11,13-triene-3,7-dione (teuvincenone G), 12,16-epoxy-6,11,14-trihydroxy-17(15 …

Influence of indigenous Hanseniaspora uvarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae from sugar-rich substrates on the aromatic composition of loquat beer

2022

The demand for unique and exclusive food products and beverages is constantly on the increase. One of the products that mostly evolved to encounter market dynamics in the last decade is craft beer. For a long time, craft breweries have included fruit in beer production to enrich flavour and aroma profile of different beer styles. In this study, for the first time, the use of Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast strains isolated from high -sugar matrices (manna and fermented honey by-products) were investigated to diversify fruit craft beer pro-duction, in order to improve the fermentation process and highlight the complexity of aroma profiles generated during alcoholic fermentation. Tw…

Improving the Aromatic Profiles of Catarratto Wines: Impact of Metschnikowia pulcherrima and Glutathione-Rich Inactivated Yeasts

2023

Catarratto is one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in Sicily. It is an indigenous non-aromatic white grape variety. Despite its widespread use in winemaking, knowledge of the aroma and chemical and microbiological properties of Catarratto wines is quite limited. The influence of Metschnikowia pulcherrima combined with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the aromatic expression of Catarratto wines was investigated with and without the addition of glutathione-rich inactivated yeast. The substance is a natural specific inactivated yeast with a guaranteed glutathione level used to limit oxidative processes. The aromatic profiles of the final wines were determined through analysis of the vo…

Characterization and antimicrobial activity of the volatile components of the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC. collected in Sicily and Alge…

2014

The essential oils of the flowers of Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) DC. (Apiaceae) collected in Sicily (MSi) and Algeria (MAl), respectively, were obtained by hydrodistillation, and their compositions were analysed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 23 components in MSi and 60 compounds in MAl, respectively, showing a very different profile in the composition of the two populations. The main components of MSi were cembrene (28.2%), α-springene (17.5%) and β-springene (14.8%), also present in MAl but in lesser amount (0.4%, 1.8% and 0.9%, respectively), whereas the principal constituents of MAl were (E)-nerolidol (35.4%), α-costol (13.3%) and β-costol (6.8%). Both MS…

Essential Oils as Natural Biocides in Conservation of Cultural Heritage

2020

Essential oils (EOs) have been known for a long time, and they are used in several fields such as medicine and aromatherapy, as well as in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In the last decade, EOs have also been applied to contrast the biodeterioration of cultural heritage, representing a powerful resource in green conservation strategies. In this study, an integrated approach based on microscopic observation, in vitro culture, and molecular investigation was preliminarily employed to identify biological systems colonizing wooden artworks. In order to contrast the biodeterioration processes induced by fungal colonization (Aspergillus flavus) or insect infestation (Anobium punctatum), …

Reuse of Food Waste: The Chemical Composition and Health Properties of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) Cultivar Essential Oils

2022

The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition, and hypolipidemic effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Sicilian Citrus maxima (pomelo) flavedo. Using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) we analysed the Eos of five cultivars of C. maxima, namely, &lsquo;Chadock&rsquo;, &lsquo;Maxima&rsquo;, &lsquo;Pyriformis&rsquo;, &lsquo;Terracciani&rsquo;, and &lsquo;Todarii&rsquo;, and their blends. The antioxidant activity was performed by using a multi-target approach using 2,2&prime;-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reduc…

Rapid and eco-friendly synthesis of graphene oxide-silica nanohybrids

2014

Chemical Constituents and Biological Properties of Genus Doronicum (Asteraceae)

2021

The genus Doronicum, belonging to tribe Senecioneae (Fam. Asteraceae), is found mainly in the Asia, Europe and North Africa. This genus of plant has always been used in traditional medicinal treatments due to the many biological properties shown such as killing parasitic worms and for relieving constipation, as well as to improve heart health, to alleviate pain and inflammation, to treat insect bites, etc. According to the World Flora the genus Doronicum contains 39 subordinate taxa.[1-3] The purpose of this article, which covers data published from 1970 to 2021 with more than 110 articles, aims to carry out a complete and critical review of the Doronicum genus, examining traditional uses a…

Contribution to a Taxonomic Revision of the Sicilian Helichrysum Taxa by PCA Analysis of Their Essential-Oil Compositions

2016

The chemical profile of the essential oils in ten populations of the genus Helichrysum Mill. (Asteraceae), collected in the loci classici of the nomenclatural types of the taxa endemic to Sicily, were analyzed. Our results confirm that the analysis of secondary metabolites can be used to fingerprint wild populations of Helichrysum, the chemical profiles being coherent with the systematic arrangement of the investigated populations in three main clusters, referring to the aggregates of H. stoechas, H. rupestre, and H. italicum, all belonging to the section Stoechadina. The correct nomenclatural designation of the investigated populations is discussed and the following two new combinations ar…

Essential oil composition of the fruits of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Apocynaceae – Periplocoideae)

2011

The essential oil of the fruits of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island was obtained by hydrodistillation and its composition was analysed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 64 volatile compounds belonging to different classes. The most abundant compounds were nonacosane, heptacosane, hentriacontane and δ-cadinene. Among the volatile compounds identified in the fruits of P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia, 31 are present in other taxa of Apocynaceae, 19 have antimicrobial activity and four are pheromones for the butterfly Danaus chrysippus. The possible ecological role of the volatile compounds found i…

Nuovi flavonoidi da Bonannia graeca (L.) Halácsy e loro attività biologica

2006

Hand-made paper obtained by green procedure of cladode waste of Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. from Sicily

2019

Cellulosic fibres have been obtained by green procedures from the cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill., constituting a large agro industrial waste in our territory. The materials have been analysed for its relative composition, applying, IR and TG methodologies and it was characterised by the absence of lignin. The fibrous material allowed the manufacture of a handmade paper obtaining an ecological material suitable for packaging purposes. The authors evidenced that the simple protocol based on hot water treatment was able to decrease the amount of hemicellulose in the final material.

Sesquiterpene lactones from Centaurea sphaerocephala ssp. sphaerocephala

1994

Abstract Aerial parts of Centaurea sphaerocephala ssp. sphaerocephala furnished sesquiterpene lactones commonly found in Centaurea species as well as a new germacranolide and a new elemadienolide.

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Teucrium flavum ssp. flavum from Zakyanthos Greece

2012

Spasmolitic activity of Phagnalon saxatile (L.) Cass. on the isolated rat ileum.

2007

Chemical composition and biological activity of volatiles from flowerheads of Centaurea polymorpha Lag. (Asteraceae)

2005

Effect of bioclimatic area on the composition and bioactivity of Tunisian Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils

2014

The chemical composition of eight Tunisian Rosmarinus officinalis L. populations (A-H) from different bioclimatic areas has been examined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. The essential oils are characterised by high amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes (58.2-71.7%) followed by monoterpene hydrocabons (15.1-26.7%). 1,8-Cineole, camphor, α-pinene and borneol are the main representative components. The antioxidant activity was investigated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), ferric reducing ability power assay and β-carotene bleaching test. Samples showed antiradical activity by inhibiting DPPH radical with IC50 values ranging from 375.3 to 592.8 μg mL(- 1) for s…

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Elaeoselinum asclepium (L.) Bertol subsp. meoides (Desf.) Fiori (Umbelliferae) collected wild in Central…

2020

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from flowers and leaves of Elaeoselinum asclepium(L.) Bertol subsp. meoides(Desf.) Fiori collected in Central Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main volatile components of the flowers were alpha-phellandrene (42.5%), terpinolene (15.7%), p-cymene (11.6%) and beta-phellandrene (10.2%), whereas the ones of the leaves were p-cymene (44.0%), alpha-pinene (13.2%), alpha-phellandrene (11.0%), beta-phellandrene (10.2%) and beta-pinene (9.2%). Furthermore, the antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms infesting historical art craft were determined. The essential oil from leaves (EL) showed to be p…

Effects of air pollution on production of essential oil in Feijoa Sellowiana Berg. grown in the "Italian triangle of death"

2010

The composition of the essential oils of fruits from Feijoa sellowiana grown in the district of Acerra is compared with those collected from unpolluted sites. Essential oils from the fruits of F. sellowiana were analysed by GC/MS. Sixty compounds, representing 96.6% and 97.8% (unpolluted site and Acerra site, respectively) of the oils, were identified. The major constituents were β-caryophyllene (12.4% and 16.8%), ledene (9.6% and 11.1%), α-humulene (6.3% and 8.2%), β-elemene (4.9% and 5.3%) and δ-cadinene (4.7% and 5.2%) in the control site and Acerra site, respectively. The antioxidant components were increased in response to polluted condition. The acetonic extracts of F. sellowiana from…

The Nonvolatile and Volatile Metabolites of Prangos ferulacea and Their Biological Properties

2019

Abstract Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. (Fam. Apiaceae), an orophilous species of eastern Mediterranean and western Asia, possesses a number of biological properties that are worthy of exploitation in different fields. Phytochemical investigations revealed the presence of coumarins, prenyl-coumarins, and furano-coumarins as the main constituents of this species, as well as several flavonoids. Among prenyl-coumarins, osthol is a promising apoptotic agent quite selective toward cancer cells. In addition, the essential oils have been extensively investigated, and several chemotypes have been identified. This work reviews the literature on this species published between 1965 and 2018, describes …

A Review of the Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses, and Biological Activities of the Genus Ballota and Otostegia

2019

AbstractThe 2 genera Ballota and Otostegia, belonging to the Lamiaceae family, are closely related taxonomically and found mainly in the Mediterranean area, Middle East, and North Africa. Since ancient times, they have been largely employed in traditional medicine for their biological properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, insecticidal, anti-malaria, etc. Phytochemical investigations of Ballota and Otostegia species have revealed that diterpenoids are the main constituents of the genera. A large number of flavonoids and other metabolites were also identified. This review, covering literature from 1911 up to 2018, includes traditional uses, chemical profiles (bot…

Studio dell'attività biologica di metaboliti di Citrus spp. su Ceratitis capitata

2011

La mosca mediterranea della frutta, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera Tephritidae) è uno degli insetti maggiormente dannosi a livello mondiale. In anni recenti sono state condotte numerose ricerche sui semiochimici coinvolti nelle interazioni insetto-pianta ospite, avvalendosi di studi elettrofisiologici e comportamentali, con lo scopo di utilizzare le sostanze biologicamente attive eventualmente identificate in strategie di controllo innovative e sostenibili. È noto che i limoni non sono attaccati da C. capitata, molto probabilmente a causa degli oli essenziali dell’epicarpo, tossici per altre mosche della frutta. Nel presente lavoro sono state effettuate registrazioni elettrofisiolo…

A diterpenoid with antifeedant activity from Scutellaria rubicunda

1999

Abstract Two diterpenoids have been isolated from Scutellaria rubicunda subsp. linneana : (11 S ,13 S ,15 R and S , 16 R ,19 S )-6 α -acetoxy-19-tigloyloxy-2 α ,19;4 α ,18;11,16;15,16-tetraepoxy-neo-clerodan-15-ol (scutecyprol B) and (11 S ,13 S ,15 R and S , 16 R ,19 S )-6 α -acetoxy-2 α ,19;4 α ,18;11,16;15,16-tetra-epoxy-neo-cleroda-15,19,diol (scutalbin C). Both compounds were tested for antifeedant activity against larvae of some species of Lepidoptera. Scutecyprol B shows potent activity at 100 ppm.

Volatile constituents of aerial parts of two Mediterranean species of Inula: Inula crithmoides L. and I. verbascifolia (Willd.) Hausskn. (Asteraceae)

2014

Inula crithmoides L. grows along the Mediterranean coasts and is used as an edible vegetable as the young leaves or shoots are eaten raw, cooked or pickled. Inula verbascifolia (Willd.) Hausskn. is a quite localised species growing mainly along the Adriatic Sea coasts. In this study the volatile components of the aerial part of both species are described. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 41 components in I. crithmoides and 75 compounds in I. verbascifolia, respectively, and a very different profile in the composition of the two species. The chemotaxonomy of I. crithmoides, by comparison with other data reported in the literature, is…

Ceiba speciosa (A. St.-Hil.) Seeds Oil: Fatty Acids Profiling by GC-MS and NMR and Bioactivity

2020

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analyses, the antioxidant activities evaluated by different in vitro assays namely 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2&prime

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of S. spreitzenhoferi Heldr. (Lamiaceae) growing in Kythira island (Greece)

2022

Stachys is a large genus of economically important plants belonging to Lamiaceae family that includes about 300 species as annual or perennial herbs. Several species of this genus are extensively used in various traditional medicines. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Stachys spreitzenhoferi Heldr., a very rare plant, belonging to Section Candidae, endemic of South Greece and collected in the island of Kythira, was analysed by GC-MS. No one reports have been previously published on this species. The result showed the presence of large quantity of diterpenoids with manoyl oxide (22.1%), as the most abundant component. Other metabolites pr…

Essential oils composition of two Sicilian cultivars of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae) fruits (prickly pear).

2013

The essential oils composition of the skin, pulp and seeds from fruits of two Sicilian cultivars of Opuntia ficus-indica (cv. Sanguigna and cv. Surfarina) has been obtained by hydrodistillation and the possible antioxidant, antimicrobial and semiochemical roles have been investigated comparing the data with those reported in the literature. The presence of antioxidants and antimicrobials found in this study increases the spectrum of compounds that have beneficial properties in O. ficus-indica. In addition, several compounds identified in this study have been reported to influence the behaviour of Ceratitis capitata, a phytophagous pest which causes severe damages to several crops including …

Essential Oil Composition of Tanacetum vulgare Subsp. Siculum (Guss.) Raimondo et Spadaro (Asteraceae) from Sicily

2009

Ninety-four components of the essential oils from aerial parts and capitula of Tanacetum vulgare subsp. siculum (Guss.) Raimondo et Spadaro were detected. α-Thujone, β-thujone and 1,8-cineole were the main constituents of the oils. The analysis allows the assignment of this Tanacetum species to the thujone chemotype.

Apoptosis induction of essential oils from Artemisia arborescens L. in human prostate cancer cells

2023

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Prostate cancer originates from cells inside a gland, which begin to grow out of control. In the world, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the male population. New therapeutic strategies are needed for this tumor which still has a high mortality. A. arborescens leaves and aerial parts have various ethnopharmacological uses such as anti-spasmodic, and their decoctions were used to resolve urticaria, neuralgia and several lung diseases. Often this species has been also used to treat different inflammatory-related diseases such as cancer. Aim of the study: In a continuation of our research on essential oils from medicinal plants, we have selected, two …

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Jacobaea maritima (L.) PelserMeijden and Jacobaea maritima subsp. bicolor (Willd.) B. Nord.Greuter (Aste…

2015

In this study, the chemical compositions of the essential oils from aerial parts (JmA) and radices (JmR) of Jacobaea maritima (L.) Pelser & Meijden, collected in Croatia, and of Jacobaea maritima subsp. bicolor (Willd.) B. Nord. & Greuter, collected in Sicily, were evaluated by using gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The main components of the essential oil from J. maritima, both in JmA and JmR, were pentacosane (15.7%), heptacosane (13.1%) and nonacosane (8.1%) whereas the essential oil from J. maritima subsp. bicolor was characterised by the presence of hexadecanoic acid (14.6%), caryophyllene oxide (9.3%) and hexahydrofarnesylacetone (6.5%). The comparison of t…

Efficacy of sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L., Apiaceae) essential oils against Culex quinquefasciatus Say and Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)

2017

The effective management of insect pests and vectors still represents a major challenge in current entomology. Culex quinquefasciatus Say is a key vector of lymphatic filariasis, Rift Valley fever, West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis and Western equine encephalitis virus. Recently, the importance of the eco-friendly control of C. quinquefasciatus larval population using plant-borne biopesticides, including essential oils (EOs), has been stressed. Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) also known as tobacco cutworm, is one of the most destructive moth agricultural pests in tropic and sub-tropic regions. Despite the fact that sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L., Apiaceae) is considered as a promising bio…

Artalbic acid, a sesquiterpene with an unusual skeleton from Artemisia alba (Asteraceae) from Sicily

2011

Abstract From the aerial parts of Artemisia alba (Asteraceae) artalbic acid ( 1 ), a sesquiterpene with an unusual skeleton, was isolated. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive proton, 13 C and two-dimensional NMR experiments, as well as by transformation in its methyl ester derivative.

A new multi analytical approach for the identification of synthetic and natural dyes mixtures. The case of orcein-mauveine mixture in a historical dr…

2017

In this paper, the application of a multi-analytical approach for the characterisation of synthetic and natural dyes in a historical textile is presented. The work is focused on a historical dress of a Sicilian noblewoman, dating from about 1865–1870. Firstly, SERS on fibre was performed, in order to individuate the classes of dyes employed. The SERS spectra suggested the presence of two main dyes: mauveine and orcein. In order to confirm these preliminary results, two different extraction protocols were applied. The extracts obtained were analysed by ESI-MS, MALDI-ToF and UHPCL-MS analyses, confirming the SERS results. In particular, the application of the ammonia mild extraction technique…

CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ANCIENT LITURGICAL VESTMENT (CHASUBLE) BY ICP-OES

2016

PBAT Based Composites Reinforced with Microcrystalline Cellulose Obtained from Softwood Almond Shells

2021

This study explores the processability, mechanical, and thermal properties of biocompostable composites based on poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) as polymer matrix and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) derived from softwood almond (Prunus dulcis) shells (as-MCC) as filler at two different weight concentration, i.e., 10 wt% and 20 wt%. The materials were processed by melt mixing and a commercial MCC (c-MCC) was used as filler comparison. The fibrillar shape of as-MCC particles was found to change the rheological behavior of PBAT, particularly at the highest concentration. The melt mixing processing allowed obtaining a uniform dispersion of both kinds of fillers, slightly reduci…

Antioxidant activity and chemical composition of three Tunisian Cistus: Cistus monspeliensis Cistus villosus and Cistus libanotis

2015

The chemical composition of three rockrose Cistus species, Cistus monspeliensis, Cistus libanotis and Cistus villosus, collected in Tunisia, was studied by HPTLC, focusing on the terpenes and phenols constituents. Diterpenes of Cistus are important as the main constituents of the leaf sticky aromatic resin, known as labdanum, which are highly appreciated in perfumery. Polyphenols in the methanolic extracts of each species were identified, quantified as total and as flavonoids and tannins, and tested for antioxidant activity. Diterpenes were evident in C. libanotis and C. monspeliensis, whereas they were practically absent in C. villosus; C. libanotis had higher phenolic amount, whereas anti…

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Moluccella spinosa L. (Lamiaceae) collected wild in Sicily and its activity on microorganisms affecting …

2015

In this study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Moluccella spinosa L. collected in Sicily was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of M. spinosa L. were α-pinene (26.6%), caryophyllene oxide (16.8%) and β-caryophyllene (8.6%). A comparison with other studied oils of genus Moluccella is made. Antibacterial and antifungal activities against some microorganisms infesting historical textiles were also determined.

Flavonoids in Subtribe Centaureinae (Cass.) Dumort. (Tribe Cardueae, Asteraceae): Distribution and 13C-NMR Spectral Data

2012

Abstract This review reports the occurrence of flavonoids in subtribe Centaureinae of Asteraceae family. It extensively covers the literature up to 2010 and collects all available (13)C-NMR data.

Use of sequentially inoculation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Hanseniaspora uvarum strains isolated from honey by-products to improve and stabilize…

2022

Mead is a beverage produced by alcoholic fermentation of honey-must. The starter yeasts that are commonly used for the alcoholic fermentation of honey-must are oenological Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. The objective of the present work was, for the first time, to apply yeasts of honey by-products origin to evaluate the influences the taste-olfactory attributes of mead. For this purpose, three experimental productions were set up, which included: (i) single inoculation of S. cerevisiae; (ii) single inoculation of Hanseniaspora uvarum; (iii) sequential inoculation of H. uvarum/S. cerevisiae. Two control trials were performed, using a commercial strain of S. cerevisiae of oenological origi…

Neo-clerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium sandrasicum

1997

WOS: A1997XM24100019

Guaianolides from Centaurea babylonica

2005

Further Furoclerodanes fromTeucrium “maghrebinum”

2001

Two more pairs of C-12 epimeric neoclerodanes were isolated from the aerial parts of Teucrium “maghrebinum” (Teucriumpolium subspecies still unidentified). They are the known teukotschyn 1, the new 12-epi-teukotschyn 2, the new teughrebin 3 and the new 12-epi-teughrebin 4. The structures of the new products were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic methods.

Functional investigation and applications of the acetylesterase activity of the Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck peel

2020

The hydrolysis of acetyl moieties on a set of commercially relevant substrates was performed by employing the whole tissue of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck peel as an efficient biocatalyst in mild reaction conditions with high degree of regioselectivity. The reaction is done in aqueous media and the product is easily recovered. Optimal reaction conditions were deduced and two practical applications were investigated: the elaboration of acetylglicerols and the preparation of vitamin K1 precursor. Peel waste (flavedo and albedo) from orange juice manufacturing was successfully employed as a biocatalyst.

Bioactive Constituents of Juniperus turbinata Guss. from La Maddalena Archipelago.

2018

A comprehensive phytochemical study of Juniperus turbinata (Cupressaceae) collected from La Maddalena Archipelago (Sardinia, Italy) is reported. Both the essential oil and the ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts were analyzed. The essential oil appears to belong to a new chemotype compared to other Mediterranean juniper accessions, as it was favored by geographic isolation of the isles. It showed a low content of monoterpene hydrocarbons and -terpineol, ent-manoyl oxide, 1,10-di-epi-cubenol as the major constituents. The ethanolic fraction contained mainly diterpenoids. Among these, 15-formyloxyimbricatolic acid (7) is a new natural product since it has hitherto been obtained o…

Neoclerodane Diterpenoids from Scutellaria polyodon

1997

Nine new neoclerodane diterpenoids, scupolins A−I, have been isolated from an Me2CO extract of the aerial parts of Scutellaria polyodon (3−11), together with the known neoclerodanes jodrellin B (1) and scutecolumnin A (2). Structures 3−11 were established by spectroscopic means and by comparison with closely related compounds.

Effect of Marrubium globosum ssp libanoticum on intestinal motility

2007

Analisi chimiche su un’antica veste infantile del XVII secolo

2012

Phytochemical investigation and antitumor activity of coumarins from Sicilian accession of Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. roots

2023

Ferulago nodosa (L.) Boiss. (Apiaceae) is a species occurring in the Balkan-Tyrrhenian area being present in Crete, Greece, Albania, and probably in Macedonia. From the roots of this accession of species, not previously investigated, four coumarins, grandivittin, aegelinol benzoate, felamidin and aegelinol, and two terpenoids, (2E)-3-methyl-4-[(3-methyl-1-oxo-2-buten-1yl)oxy]-2-butenoic acid and pressafonin-A, were isolated and spectroscopically characterized. The last one was never detected in Ferulago species. The evaluation of the anti-tumor effects of F. nodosa coumarins on colon cancer HCT116 cells showed only a modest effect on reduction of tumor cell viability. For aegelinol, the red…

Volatile constituents of Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill.

2012

Daucus carota subsp. maximus (Desf.) Ball from Pantelleria, Sicily (Italy): isolation of essential oils and evaluation of their bioactivity

2021

Daucus is a genus of economically important plants belonging to Apiaceae family spread in temperate regions. Species of this genus are used as food and several biological properties have reported. The chemical composition of the essential oils from different organs (roots, stems and flowers) of Daucus carota subsp. maximus, a species not previously investigated, was analyzed by GC-MS. Our results showed the presence of β-phellandrene as the most abundant component of stems and flowers and of γ-terpinene as a major compound of the oil from the roots. Flower essential oil caused a greater increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) i…

Comparative chemical composition and bioactivity of leaves essential oils from nine Sicilian accessions of Myrtus communis L.

2019

In this study, the essential oils obtained from the leaves of Myrtus communis L. stored in a collection orchard located at the experimental station ‘Orleans’ of the Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences of the University of Palermo (Italy) were investigated. The essential oils, analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, revealed the presence of α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, linalool, limonene and myrtenyl acetate as dominant constituents. The neuroprotective effects of M. communis essential oils were investigated by analysing the antioxidant properties and cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase, AChE, and butyrylcholinesterase, BChE) inhibitory activity. Essential oils from Scopello…

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Three Species of the Apiaceae Family Growing Wild in Sicily: Bonannia graeca, Eryngium maritimum and Op…

2013

n the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Bonannia graeca (L.) Halácsy and Opopanax chironium (L.) Kock, and from aerial parts and roots of Eryngium maritimum L. was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. α-Pinene (15.2%) and β-pinene were recognized as the main constituents of B. graeca, whereas the aerial parts of O. chironium contained mainly the diterpene cembrene and the coumarin angelicin. In both aerial parts and roots of E. maritimum germacrene D (10.4% and 15.9%, respectively) and 2,4,5-trimethylbenzaldehyde (8.3% and 6.7%) were the most abundant components

Essential Oil Composition of Alluaudia procera and in Vitro Biological Activity on Two Drug-Resistant Models

2019

Drug resistance is a major obstacle in antibiotic and antitumor chemotherapy. In response to the necessity to find new therapeutic strategies, plant secondary metabolites including essential oils (EOs) may represent one of the best sources. EOs in plants act as constitutive defenses against biotic and abiotic stress, and they play an important role in the pharmacology for their low toxicity, good pharmacokinetic and multitarget activity. In this context, natural products such as EOs are one of the most important sources of drugs used in pharmaceutical therapeutics. The aim of this paper was to identify the chemical composition of the essential oil of Alluaudia procera leaves, obtained by hy…

Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, and Antioxidant Properties of Essential Oil of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Leaves

2022

Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae) is an aromatic fennel with important practices in medicinal and traditional fields, used in the treatment of digestive complications, and gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. Its leaves and stems, tender and fresh, are used in the production of pasta dressing and main courses, while its seeds, with a strong smell of anise, are excellent flavoring for baked goods, meat dishes, fish, and alcoholic beverages. The aim of this work is concerning the extraction of essential oil (EO) from the leaves of F. vulgare subsp. vulgare var. vulgare, investigating antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antioxidant efficacy. In particular, GC-MS analysis showed how the chemical…

Phytochemical investigation of the needles of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

2019

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species living in a very small population only in a confined area of Sicily. In this study, the dichloromethane extract of the leaves was analyzed. Apart from three already known metabolites namely dehydroabietic acid; maltol; and rheosmin, previously detected in other species of Abies, a lanostane derivative was isolated. Its chemical structure was elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic methods.

Chemical composition of volatile and fixed oils from of Salvia argentea L. (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Sicily.

2015

The chemical compositions of the essential oil and of the non-polar extracts (petroleum ether, dichloromethane) of the aerial parts (flowers, leaves and stems) of Salvia argentea L. were determined by GC-FID and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. 14-Hydroxy-α-humulene (40.1%) was recognised as the main constituents of the essential oil of S. argentea, together with 1,3,8-p-menthatriene (12.1%), globulol (7.4%) and β-sesquiphellandrene (5.8%). Tritriacontane (9.9% and 14.1%), heptacosane (8.4% and 10.5%), hentriacontane (8.3% and 10.9%), tetradecanal (8.4% and 10.2%) and methyldotriacontane (7.9% and 7.6%) were recognised as the main constituents of the extracts in petroleum …

Chemical composition and anticancer activity of essential oils of Mediterranean sage (Salvia officinalis L.) grown in different environmental conditi…

2013

Salvia officinalis L. can be found worldwide and its leaves are commonly used as ingredient in food industry. Sage essential oil is applied in the treatment of a range of diseases and has been shown to possess different biological activities. The objectives of our research were to study the effects of environment on crop, chemical composition and anticancer activity on S. officinalis essential oil. Sage was cultivated at eighteen experimental sites in south-central Italy (Molise) in different growing environments. The essential oils (S1-S18), extracted by hydrodistillation, were analyzed by GC and CG/MS. Results show that the main components were α-thujone, camphor, borneol, γ-muurolene and…

Chemodiversity of the essential oil from leaves of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

2016

As activities of the project "Preservation of Abies nebrodensis and restore of Geraci Siculo peatlands", the chemical composition of essential oils, obtained from leaves of Madonie fir, was compared with the ones of essential oils derived from Eurasian species studied up to now

Composition and biological activities of the essential oil from a Sicilian accession of Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl

2019

Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. (Fam. Apiaceae), is an orophilous species of eastern Mediterranean and western Asia which possesses several biological properties, which are worthy of exploitation in different fields. With the aim to provide new insights into the phytochemistry and pharmacology of this species, a local accession growing in Sicily (South Italy) was investigated as well. Notably, the P. ferulacea essential oil chemical composition and the antioxidant, anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cytotoxic activities have been studied. This analysis allowed to identify a new chemotype and to report good biological results for this oil. © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor &amp; F…

Potential allelopathic activity ofSideritis italica(Miller) Greuter et Burdet essential oil

2011

Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet is a widespread Mediterranean Lamiacea. Essential oils from S. italica flowerheads and leaves were extracted by hydrodistillation and then tested for their potential allelopathic activity against Raphanus sativus L. (Magnoliophyta) and the moss Tortula muralis (Hedw.) (Bryophyta), two organisms already tested for allelopathy, and against two bryophytes growing in the same environment as S. italica: the moss Bryum capillare Hedw. and the liverwort Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dum. For R. sativus, we considered seed germination and root and epicotyl growth. For the mosses, we used spore germination and protonemata development, while for the liverwort, w…

Phytochemical study of Cistus libanotis L.

2015

n continuation of our ongoing study on Mediterranean Flora, we focused the attention on Cistus genus. These plants possess interesting secondary metabolites and are used in many fields, principally in perfumery and more recently as raw material for food supplements (botanicals). n this article, we report the phytochemical analysis of Cistus libanotis L. from Tunisia. Among the diterpenes, labdane compounds resulted absent, in favour of two clerodanes, one of that never reported in Cistus sp. The main representative compounds were found to be several flavonoids with various grades of O-methylation. Other interesting components were two cinnamic esters of borneol, reported here for the first …

Volatile compounds of flowers and leale of Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet used as mountain tea

2010

Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet (Lamiaceae), widely used in ethnopharmacological medicine, occurs in Southern Italy and Sicily. The phytochemical composition of the essential oils of S. italica flowers and leaves, harvested in Piano Battaglia (Sicily), was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Of the 51 compounds, 43 in the oil from flowers and 29 in the oil from leaves were identified. Kaur-15-ene (20.0%) was recognised as the main constituent of the oil from flowers, together with -cubebene (12.1%), -pinene (8.5%), (Z)-nuciferol (6.5%), tricyclene (4.5%) and -bisabolol (4.0%). In the oil from leaves, p-methoxyacetophenone (26.0%) prevailed, as did hexadecanoic acid (21.3%), followed by n…

Diterpenoids in the essential oils from the genus Stachys

2009

The occurrence of diterpenoids in the essential oils of the species of the genus Stachys (Lamiaceae, Labiatae) is reviewed.

Phenolic compounds of Marrubium globosum ssp.libanoticum from Lebanon

2006

A New Bloody Pulp Selection of Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.): Pomological Traits, Chemical Composition, and Nutraceutical Properties

2023

A new accession of myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.) from Sicily (Italy) was studied for the first time for its chemical and nutraceutical properties. A description of the main morphological and pomological traits was created as a tool for characterization for consumers. For this purpose, three different extracts of fresh myrobalan fruits were subjected to different analyses, including the evaluation of total phenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), and anthocyanin (TAC) contents. The extracts exhibited a TPC in the range 34.52&ndash;97.63 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW), a TFC of 0.23&ndash;0.96 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/100 g FW, and a TAC of 20.24&ndash;55.33 cyanidine-3-…

Volatile constituents of Dianthus rupicola Biv. from Sicily: activity against microorganisms affecting cellulosic objects.

2014

Dianthus rupicola Biv. (cliffs carnation) is a camephytic, suffruticous, perennial plant growing up to 40 cm high. The plant is widespread in Sicily and neighbouring islands (Egadi, Lampedusa, Lipari) and in some areas of southern Italy. GC and GC-MS analyses of the essential oil distilled from the flowers showed the presence of 66 components. Its composition is characterised by the high content of thymol and carvacrol derivatives. A good antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus and Bacillussubtilis, both infesting cellulosic historical material, was shown, whereas the antioxidant capacity was determined to be quite poor.

Essential oil composition and antibacterial activity of Anthemis mixta L. and Anthemis tomentosa L. (Asteraceae)

2012

In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts and roots of Anthemis mixta L. and A. tomentosa L. was evaluated by GC and GC-MS, and their antibacterial activity tested against ten bacterial species. Hexadecanoic acid (15.2%) was recognized as the main constituent of A. mixta, together with τ-cadinol (6.7%), while in both aerial parts and roots of A. tomentosa nonacosane (21.9% and 20.7%), heptacosane (8.1% and 6.0%), hexadecanoic acid (8.1% and 27.1%) and hexahydrofarnesylacetone (6.8% and 5.5%) prevailed. The oils from aerial parts of both species showed a good activity against Gram-positive bacteria. These results suggest that the plants could be po…

Essential Oils and Pure Volatile Compounds as Potential Drugs in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy: An Updated Review of the Literature

2016

Background: The use of aromatic plants to relief different illness is not a new therapy. Actually aromatic plants have been used for many centuries by different cultures around the world. Pharmacological studies provide scientific support to the traditional use of aromatic medicinal plants and aromatherapy; nevertheless, more clinical trials are required regarding to their effectiveness in order to establish a guidance for their use in routine healthcare. Moreover, modern medicine in studies about olfactory function has attained great achievements and got Nobel Prize in 2004. These new searches have obviously fueled interest in the essential oils and volatile compounds of natural origin. Se…

Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Extracts of Helleborus bocconei Ten. subsp. intermedius

2007

Helleborus bocconei Ten. subsp. intermedius (Ranunculaceae) is a Sicilian medicinal plant used for the treatment of pneumonia affecting cows and horses and for the removal of human decayed molars. The goal of our study was to assess the biological activity of Helleborus bocconei subsp. intermedius by testing its extracts for their activity against bacteria known to cause respiratory diseases. The two more active extracts (light petroleum from roots and aerial parts), as well as the dichloromethane extracts, were analyzed by GC/MS and their composition is reported.

GC and GC-–MS Analysis of Volatile Compounds From Ballota nigra subsp. uncinata Collected in Aeolian Islands, Sicily (Southern Italy)

2020

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Ballota nigra subsp. uncinata (Bég.) Patzak collected in Sicily was evaluated by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry. The main components of the oil were ( E)-phytol (20.0%), α-pinene (9.0%), hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (5.7%), and α-selinene (5.1%). Cluster analysis of the essential oil compositions of all the taxa belonging to B. nigra s.l. group was performed.

Sicilian Populations of Capparis spinosa L. and Capparis orientalis Duhamel as Source of the Bioactive Flavonol Quercetin

2023

The genus Capparis is a taxon of difficult delimitation that has several species and ecotypes due to its wide heterogeneity, its extreme phenotypic diversity, and the presence of intermediate forms linked to hybridization phenomena. The Sicilian territory hosts numerous wild and cultivated populations of two spp. Capparis spinosa L. and Capparis orientalis Duhamel, which are ecologically and morphologically distinct. The caper has considerable interest and economic value for its medicinal properties, culinary uses, and cultivation characteristics. It is one of the foods with the highest quercetin content. Quercetin is a flavonol with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulant prope…

The cytotoxic activity of natural and semisynthetic guaianolides

2004

The chemical composition of the aerial parts essential oil of Acinos alpinus subsp. nebrodensis (Lamiaceae) growing in Sicily (Italy)

2021

Acinos is a small genus of economically important plants belonging to Lamiaceae family whose botanical collocation is quite problematic due to the disagreement among the botanists and the presence in literature of several names and synonyms from different sources. In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of Acinos alpinus subsp. nebrodensis (Strobl) Brullo &amp; Brullo collected in Central Sicily was analyzed by GC-MS. The result showed the presence of large quantity of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons with germacrene D (37.9%) as the most abundant component followed by (E)-β-caryophyllene (5.1%). Among the oxygenated monoterpenes thymol (8.3%) was the …

Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oils from Pimpinellatragium Vill. subsp. glauca (C. Presl.) C. BrulloBr…

2013

The essential oils from flowers, leaves and stems hydrodistilled from Pimpinella tragium Vill, subsp. glauca were characterised by GC and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The C-12 nor-sesquiterpenes are the principal class of metabolites (56.6-70.6%) among which geijerene (28.9÷49.3%) and pregeijerene (10÷19.1%) predominate. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentration values indicate that oil obtained from the stems is the most active for antimicrobial activities and the sample with the biggest antioxidant capacity is the flower oil.

Phytochemical profile of three Ballota species essential oils and evaluation of the effects on human cancer cells

2017

Three Ballota species, Ballota undulata, Ballota saxatilis and Ballota nigra ssp. foetida, were investigated for their cytotoxicity against two human cancer cells, hepatoma HepG2 cell line and breast cancer MCF-7 cell line, and for their antioxidant activity. The chemical composition of essential oils was studied by GC and GC–MS. Sesquiterpenes were the main constituents. The most antiproliferative essential oil against HepG2 cells was B. undulata with a percentage of inhibition of 81.36 ± 3.54 at a concentration of 100 μg/mL, while against MCF-7 cells essential oil from B. saxatilis was the most active with a percentage of inhibition of 24.18 ± 1.13 at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. The ant…

Volatile components of Centaurea bracteata and C. pannonica subsp. pannonica growing wild in Croatia.

2010

This paper reports on the volatile components of oils from the aerial parts (CBA) and roots (CBR) of Centaurea bracteata Scop. and aerial parts of C. pannonica (Heuffel) Simonkai subsp. pannonica (CPA), two Asteraceae growing wild in Croatia. The volatile components, obtained by hydrodistillation, were determined by GC-MS analysis. The yields (w/w) of the dried oils were 0.10% (CBA), 0.22% (CBR) and 0.09% (CPA), respectively. A total of 91 compounds were identified accounting for 91.1%, 93.3% and 87.9% of the total oil for CBA, CBR and CPA, respectively. All the samples were characterized mainly by hydrocarbons (7.1-34.1%), fatty acids (9.7-45.9%), and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (15.2-16.6%)…

Phytochemical Profile and Apoptotic Activity of Onopordum cynarocephalum.

2012

A phytochemical investigation of acetone and chloroform extracts of the aerial parts of Onopordum cynarocephalum Boiss. et Blanche was carried out. It led to the isolation of two new sesquiterpenes, the elemane aldehyde (2) and the eudesmane (11), together with 15 known compounds: two lignans (1 and 15) and 13 sesquiterpenes (3–10, 12–14, 16, 17). The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, especially 1D and 2D NMR spectra. The anti-growth effect against three human melanoma cell lines, M14, A375, and A2058, of the different extracts and compounds of O. cynarocephalum was also investigated. Among them, the chloroform extract exhibited the strongest biological activity, while t…

Essential oils composition of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Apocynaceae – Periplocoideae)

2012

The essential oil of roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island has been obtained by hydrodistillation and its composition analysed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 86 volatile compounds. Branches showed the higher diversity with 57 compounds followed by fruits with 33, roots with 23, flowers with 16 and leaves with six compounds, respectively. In the matrices examined three constituents, heneicosane, docosane and tricosane are in common, although with different percentages. At least the most abundant compounds found in the matrices have been reported to have several biologica…

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Prangos ferulacea Essential Oils

2022

Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl, which belongs to the Apiaceae family, is a species that mainly grows in the eastern Mediterranean region and in western Asia. It has been largely used in traditional medicine in several countries and it has been shown to possess several interesting biological properties. With the aim to provide new insights into the phytochemistry and pharmacology of this species, the essential oils of flowers and leaves from a local accession that grows in Sicily (Italy) and has not yet been previously studied were investigated. The chemical composition of both oils, obtained by hydrodistillation from the leaves and flowers, was evaluated by GC-MS. This analysis allowed us to …

Chemical composition and microencapsulation suitability of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) fruit extract

2021

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.), a spice obtained by grinding whole sumac berries, is a complex natural product with a plethora of biological activities that can be favorably explored in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields. Sicilian sumac is herein chemically investigated by means of a combined NMR/HR MS-based profiling. A hydroalcoholic extract was prepared and its complexity unraveled following fractionation in an alcoholic and an aqueous fraction. The 1H-NMR spectrum of this latter fraction was dominated by the signals of gallic acid and its derivatives, whereas HR MS and HR MS/MS analyses highlighted the diversity in malic acid derivatives. Gallotannins and galloyl flavonol glycosides with…

Chemical Composition and Evaluation of Insecticidal Activity of Seseli bocconei Essential Oils against Stored Products Pests

2022

In this study, the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) obtained from different aerial parts (flowers, leaves, and stems) of Seseli bocconei Guss., a wild species endemic of Sicily, was investigated. Furthermore, the EOs&rsquo; biocidal effects towards two pests of stored products, Sitophilus oryzae and Callosobruchus maculates, were evaluated. This activity was evaluated in Petri dish bioassays to establish the survival rate of adults treated with the EOs comparing them with solvent and a commonly used insecticide (pyrethrum). The data obtained from the toxicity bioassay evidenced that stems&rsquo; EOs and leaves&rsquo; EOs have a contact/fumigation effect towards the two insec…

Antibacterial activity and chemical characterization of almond (Prunus dulcis L.) peel extract

2022

In this study, almond skin of Prunus dulcis L. variety Casteltermini was characterised for its chemical composition and for the inhibitory activity towards food associated microorganisms belonging to pathogenic (Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytgenes), spoilage (Pseudomonas poae and Brochotrix thermospacta) and useful (Levilactobacillus brevis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) groups. The n-hexane extract of P. dulcis skin, investigated by GC–MS, evidenced linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids as the main abundant compounds. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33862 growth was strongly limited by n-hexane extract and the minimum inhibition concentration (…

The ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and biological properties of genus Phagnalon (Asteraceae): a review

2022

The genus Phagnalon Cass., included within the Asteraceae family, has a wide distribution, expanding from Macaronesia in the West to the Himalayas in the East, from S. France and N. Italy to Ethiopia and Arabian Peninsula. Various species of Phagnalon have been used in the popular medicine of several countries as medicinal herbs and food. This literature review, the first one of the Phagnalon genus, includes publications with the word ‘Phagnalon’, and considers the extracts and the single metabolites identified, characterized, and tested to evaluate their biological potential. The extracts and the secondary metabolites, have a varied application spectrum at a biological level, with antimicr…

Pluronic nanoparticles as anti-oxidant carriers for polymers

2016

Abstract The immobilization of anti-oxidant stabilizers for polymers, particularly naturally occurring systems, can be considered a valuable route for preventing their migration, volatilization, thermo-degradation and decomposition at typical high processing temperatures, as well as for enhance their solubility in polymers. In this work, an innovative approach for the immobilization of naturally occurring stabilizer, through the encapsulation in copolymer nanoparticles, is proposed. Pluronic nanoparticles (PNPs), based on PEO-PPO-PEO, (PEO: poly (ethylene oxide); PPO: poly(propylene oxide)), without and with quercetin, Q, have been successfully formulated and the critical micellar condition…

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Centaurea grinensis Reuter and Centaurea apiculata Ledeb: Growing wild in Croatia and Bulgaria, respecti…

2016

AbstractIn the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts of Centaurea grinensis Reuter (K) collected at Žuta Lova, near Senj (Croatia), and aerial parts (L1) and flowers (L2) of C. apiculata Ledeb. collected near Rebro village, near Breznik town, Znepole Region (Bulgaria), both belonging to subgenus Lopholoma (Cass.) Dobrocz, was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. The main components of K were 4-vinyl guaiacol (21.5%), hexadecanoic acid (16.2%), acetophenone (12.5%). Caryophyllene oxide (15.8%) together with sphathulenol (14.5%) and humulene epoxide II (9.4%) were recognized as the main constituent of both the aerial part (L1) and flowers (L2) of C. apiculata. …

Restoration of a polymateric sculpture of the immaculate conception

2016

This study focuses on the intervention methodologies applied on a polymateric polychrome sculpture of the Immaculate Conception (18th century), located inside the chapel of the Oratorio dei Falegnami in Palermo. The peculiarity of this artefact is the employment of two different supports, upon which both the ground and paint layers are laid: a wooden one, carved and prepared, for the execution of the anatomical parts, and a textile one, sewn, pinned on and stiffened with glue, for the garments. The damage found was mainly attributed to: reaction of the artwork’s materials to the environment, lack of ordinary maintenance, and previous interventions. On the textile support, cleaning was hinde…

Chemical Composition, In Vitro Antitumor and Pro-Oxidant Activities of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Boraginaceae) Essential Oil

2018

The biological properties of essential oils have been demonstrated in the treatment of several diseases and to enhance the bioavailability of other drugs. In natural habitats the essential oils compounds may play important roles in the protection of the plants as antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals, insecticides and also against herbivores by reducing their appetite for such plants or by repelling undesirable others. We analyzed by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry the chemical composition of the essential oil of aerial parts of Glandora rosmarinifolia (Ten.) D.C. Thomas obtained by hydrodistillation and verified some biological activities on a panel of hepatocellular carcinoma cell …

Metabolites from the aerial parts of the Sicilian population of Artemisia alba Turra

2013

Phytochemical investigation of the CH2Cl2 extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia alba Turra afforded one new irregular sesquiterpenoid, artemiric acid, and five known metabolites: hydroxydavanone, the coumarins isofraxidin and scopoletin, (6S*,7S*,10R*)-6,10-dimethyl-7,10-epoxyocta-11-enoic acid and artalbic acid. From the MeOH extract three flavonoids were identified: chrysoeriol, quercetin and isorhamnetin. The possible biogenetic pathways of artemiric and artalbic acids are discussed.

Cytotoxic Activity and Composition of Petroleum Ether Extract from Magydaris tomentosa (Desf.) W. D. J. Koch (Apiaceae)

2015

The petroleum ether extract of Magydaris tomentosa flowers (Desf.) W. D. J. Koch has been analyzed by GC-MS. It is mainly constituted by furanocoumarins such as xanthotoxin, xanthotoxol, isopimpinellin, and bergaptene. Other coumarins such as 7-methoxy-8-(2-formyl-2-methylpropyl) coumarin and osthole also occurred. The antiproliferative activity of Magydaris tomentosa flower extract has been evaluated in vitro on murine monocye/macrophages (J774A.1), human melanoma (A375) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) tumor cell lines, showing a major activity against the latter.

Sintesi e attività antitumorale di derivati dell'acido ursolico

2014

The essential oil composition of Centaurea immanuelis-loewii Degen growing wild in Bulgaria and chemotaxonomy of section Acrocentron

2021

In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of the Balkan endemic, Centaurea immanuelis-loewii Degen (sect. Acrocentron, Asteraceae), collected in Bulgaria was evaluated by GC-MS. The main components of the oil were β-caryophyllene (23.2%), germacrene D (13.7%) and caryophyllene oxide (12.4%). Furthermore, a complete literature review on the composition of the essential oils of all the other taxa of Centaurea, belonging to section Acrocentron, studied so far, was performed and the chemotaxonomical variations in the composition of the essential oils is discussed.

Comparative Chemical Composition and Bioactivity of Opuntia ficus‐indica Sanguigna and Surfarina Seed Oils Obtained by Traditional and Ultrasound‐Ass…

2018

This study investigates the seed oils obtained from two different varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica (Sanguigna and Surfarina) growing in Sicily, Italy. Soxhlet and ultrasound-assisted extraction procedures are used to obtain the seed oils. The fatty acid profile, γ-tocopherols, carotenoid content, and the bioactivity in terms of the antioxidant effects (using ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and β-carotene bleaching tests), and carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibitory activity (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) are determined. The extraction procedure does not significantly affect the fatty acid composition of the oil, but it does affect the tocopherol and carotenoid contents, as well as the antioxidant and …

Secondary metabolites from Pinus mugo Turra subsp. mugo growing in the Majella National Park (Central Apennines, Italy).

2013

In this study, we examined the composition regarding secondary metabolites of P. mugo Turra ssp. mugo growing in the protected area of Majella National Park, which is the southernmost station of the habitat of this species. Both the nonpolar and polar fractions were considered. In particular, the essential-oil composition showed a high variety of compounds, and 109 compounds were detected, and 101 were identified, among which abietane-type compounds have a taxonomic relevance. Abietanes were also isolated from the polar fraction, together with an acylated flavonol and a remarkably high amount of shikimic acid.

Production and extraction of astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma and its biological effect on alcohol-induced renal hypoxia in Carassius auratus

2015

The effect of astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-s-carotene-4,4′-dione) on alcohol-induced morphological changes in Carassius auratus, as an experimental model, was determined. The yeast Phaffia rhodozyma was used as a source of astaxanthin. The animals were divided into three groups for 30 days: one group was treated with ethanol at a dose of 1.5% mixed in water, the second one with EtOH 1.5% and food enriched with astaxanthin from P. rhodozyma, and the third was a control group. After a sufficient experimental period, the samples were processed using light microscopy and evaluated by histomorphological and histochemical staining, and the data were supported by immunohistochemical analysis, u…

Volatile constituents of aerial parts of Lasiopogon muscoides

2009

Phytochemical profile and insecticidal activity of Drimia pancration (Asparagaceae) against adults of Stegobium paniceum (Anobiidae)

2020

Chemical and spectroscopic investigation of the bulbs of Drimia pancration resulted in the isolation of one known flavonol (1), never isolated from this plant species, and of three previously described steroidal saponins (2–4), but whose configuration at their stereogenic centres was not clearly determined. By mean of 1H NMR, 13C NMR, nuclear overhauser effects (NOE) and two-dimensional NMR spectra the full stereochemical structures of compounds 2–4 were proved and all the 1H and 13C signals were assigned. Furthermore, the methanol and butanol extracts of D. pancration were tested against adults of Stegobium paniceum beetles. Despite the non-significant results regarding the repellent activ…

New oxidative derivatives of atractyligenin and their cytotoxic activity

2006

ent-Kauranes are naturally occurring diterpenoids isolated from several families, such as Asteraceae and Lamiaceae. These compounds have attracted interest because of their structures and their biological activities as anti-tumorals, anti-HIV and anti-bacterials [1]. Extensive chemical work [2] was carried out on the structure of atractyligenin, the nor-diterpene aglycone of the glucoside atractyloside, occurring, together with its diterpene homologous carboxy-atractyloside, in the root of Atractylis gummifera L. (Compositae). The interest for these compounds was stimulated by the high toxicity [3] of both glucosides, responsible of many deadly poisoning in past time. Due to the 15-hydroxyl…

The diterpenoids from the genus Sideritis

2006

ABSTRACT: The genus Sideritis consists of 100-150 or more species, growing mainly in the countries around the Mediterranean area. The genus is particularly rich in diterpenoids, occurring in almost all the species, and shows many different carbon skeleta. Several species are still used in traditional medicine. Recent studies indicated the occurrence of interesting biological activities, like anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-HIV replication, antifeedant, antiulcerogenic, analgesic, and antihypoglycaemic.

Synthesis of Rosmarinic Acid Amides as Antioxidative and Hypoglycemic Agents

2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an important metabolic disorder for which there is an urgent need for new antidiabetic drugs. α-Glucosidase inhibition is an established protocol for T2DM therapy. Because hyperglycemia causes oxidative tissue damage, the development of agents with both α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant activity from natural or natural-derived polyphenols such derivatives of rosmarinic acid (RA) represents an attractive therapeutic option. We report a study on amides 1-10 derived from RA and their evaluation for yeast α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ORAC tests). All amides showed higher inhibitory activity than that of RA, were by far mor…

Effects of solvent-free microwave extraction on the chemical composition of essential oil of Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi compared with the convention…

2008

The essential oil of Calamintha nepeta has been obtained by solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and by classical hydrodistillation (HD). A comparative qualitative-quantitative study on the composition of the oils was carried out. A total of 38 compounds, constituting 97.6% of the oil, were identified in the oil obtained by SFME, whereas 46 compounds, representing 95.4% of the oil, were characterized in the HD oil. SFME-distilled oil is richer in lightly oxygenated monoterpenes (LOM) than HD oil. It also has a higher amount of sesquiterpenes and a lower quantity of hydrocarbon monoterpenes. HD oil seems to be affected by chemical changes more than SFME oil.

Chemical composition and anticancer activity of essential oil of Mediterranean sage (Salvia officinalis L.)

2013

Two New Flavonoids fromBonannia graeca: a DFT-NMR Combined Approach in Solving Structures

2007

Two new cyclized C-geranylated flavonoids, the dihydroflavonol bonanniol C (4a) and the flavanone bonannione B (6a), were isolated as minor compounds from the aerial parts of Bonannia graeca (Umbelliferae). Their structures were elucidated by a combined approach of extensive spectroscopic means and quantum mechanical methods. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE ESSENTIAL OIL OF CLADANTHUS SCARIOSUS(ASTERACEAE) WILD GROWN IN MOROCCO

2014

Cladanthus Cass. [Syn. Ormenis (Cass.) Cass.] is a genus of the family Asteraceae, endemic to the Mediterranean region and related to the tribe Anthemideae (1). It comprises 15 species including C. scariosus (Ball) Oberpr. & Vogt [Bas. Santolina scariosa; Syn. Ormenis scariosa Litard. & Maire] from Morocco where is concentrates 1/3 of the species of the genus (2). Some of these are perennial, suffruticose and strongly aromatic plants. C. mixta (L.) Chev. is used in Morocco as chamomile and this is commonly called Moroccan chamomile. In the same country, C scariosus is fairly common in open places, on sandstone substrates (3) and is characterized by a strong aromatic character, this has moti…

Lignans and an unusual steroids from the seeds of Centaurea sclerolepis Boiss

2005

Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil ofAnisochilus carnosus (Linn. ?l.) Benth., a Tamil plant acclimatized in Sicily

2003

The essential oil from aerial parts of Anisochilus carnosus (Linn. fil.) Benth. (Lamiaceae) was obtained by hydrodistillation. The oil content was 0.13% (v/w), on a fresh weight basis. The oil composition was analysed by GC and GC–MS and 28 compounds were identified, accounting for 94.3% of the oil. Carvacrol (27.9%), camphor (14.1%) and α-cis-bergamotene (10.2%) were the most abundant components. The oil is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ChemInform Abstract: Natural and Hemisynthetic Neoclerodane Diterpenoids from Scutellaria and Their Antifeedant Activity

2010

Covering: Up to June 2001. Previous review: on the clerodanes, Nat. Prod. Rep., 1992, 9, 243.

Structure and Biological Activity of the Furan-Diterpenoids from the Genera Leonotis and Leonurus

2007

The present review, covering the literature up to 2006, reports the chemistry and the biological activities of the diterpenoids occurring in the aerial parts of species belonging to the genera Leonotis and Leonurus, family Lamiaceae.

Volatile components from flowers of Centaurea nicaeensis All., C. parlatoris Helder, C. solstitialis L., ssp. schouwii (DC.) Dostàl wild growing in S…

2008

The volatile constituents of the flowerheads of Centaurea nicaeensis All., C. parlatoris Helder and C. solstitialis L. ssp. schouwii (DC.) Dostal were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC and GC-MS. Altogether 113 components were identified. Fatty acids and hydrocarbons were the most abundant components in the oils. Caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide were the main compounds of the sesquiterpene fraction. The study on the biological activity of the oils shows no significant activity.

Flexible mats as promising antimicrobial systems via integration of Thymus capitatus (L.) essential oil into PLA

2020

Aim: To develop electrospun mats loaded with Thymus capitatus (L.) essential oil ( ThymEO) and to study their morpho-mechanical and antimicrobial properties. Materials &amp; methods: Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) mats containing ThymEO were prepared by electrospinning. The effect of ThymEO on the morpho-mechanical properties of fibers was assayed by scanning electron microscopy and dynamometer measurements. The antimicrobial activity of ThymEO delivered either in liquid or vapor phase was assessed through killing curves and invert Petri dishes method. The cytotoxicity was also investigated. Results: The mechanical properties were enhanced by integrating ThymEO into PLA. Both liquid and vapors of…

Volatile constituents of the aerial parts of white salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius L., Asteraceae).

2010

Tragopogon porrifolius L. grows as a vegetable in southern Italy and all parts of it are edible. In the present study the volatile components of the aerial part are described. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed the presence of 38 components in all. On the whole, the volatile fraction was constituted mainly by carbonylic compounds (24.6%), phenols (21.5%) and fatty acids and esters (19.7%). The most abundant compounds were 4-vinyl guaiacol (19.0%), hexadecanoic acid (17.9%), hexahydrofarnesylacetone (15.8%) and hentriacontane (10.7%).

Antispasmodic Effects and Structure−Activity Relationships of Labdane Diterpenoids from Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum

2009

Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum is a medicinal plant used in Lebanon to reduce pain and smooth muscle spasms. A chloroform extract obtained from M. globosum aerial parts reduced acetylcholine-induced contractions in the isolated mouse ileum. The purification of this extract identified, among 12 isolated labdane diterpenoids, four new compounds, named 13-epicyllenin A (4), 13,15-diepicyllenin A (5), marrulibacetal (9), and marrulactone (11). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. Compound 9, which exerted antispasmodic activity, is likely the active ingredient of the extract. Preliminary structure-activity relationships for this class of compounds are suggested.

Attività citotossica di derivati ent-kauranici.

2006

Chemical composition, antioxidant and anticholinesterase activity of the essential oil of algerian cachrys sicula L

2021

In this work, in order to explore a new Algerian medicinal plant used in traditional medicine, the essential oil of the leaves of Cachrys sicula L. (Apiaceae) collected from Algeria, obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by GC/MS. Thirty-two compounds were identified accounting for 98.6% of the total oil, which is characterized by a high content of monoterpene hydrocarbons (74.8%). The main constituents of the essential oil were β-pinene (17.9%), sabinene (17.8%), myrcene (12%), and α-pinene (11.4%). In vitro antioxidant activity of the essential oil was assayed by three methods, namely ABTS•+, metal chelating, and DPPH• assays. The antioxidant activity of the oil was higher in the AB…

Characterization of foxing stains in early twentieth century photographic and paper materials

2016

The subject of this present work is a group of nine historical pictures shot in Palermo by the Sicilian photographer E. Interguglielmi in 1912. They are nine matte-collodion prints mounted on the original cardboard supports and all of them show foxing stains affecting the paper surface. In order to characterise the chemical composition of the supports and investigate foxing spots, non-destructive and micro-destructive analysis were carried out. X-rays fluorescence (XRF) analysis was used to characterise the elemental composition of all the mounting boards, allowing a comparison between the foxing spots and non-affected areas. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy was used to investigate the …