0000000001052715
AUTHOR
Bruno Maurizio
Essential Oil Composition of
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…
Investigating the Antiproliferative and Antioxidant Properties of
Pancratium maritimum stems, flowers, bulbs, and fruits extracts were investigated for their antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. Total phenols and total flavonoids were also determined. The in vitro antiproliferative activity was tested against seven cancer cell lines such as C32, HeLa, MDA-MB-231, PC3, A549, MCF-7, and LNCaP by using SRB assay. Interesting results were obtained with stems ethanol extract (ET1) against C32 cells (IC50 of 27.1 μg/mL) and fruits aqueous extract (AQ) against MCF-7 cell line (IC50 of 36.5 μg/mL). To define the antioxidant activity, four tests such as DPPH, ABTS FRAP, and β-carotene bleaching tests were used. The most promising ABTS scavenging capacity …
A study on the essential oil Ferulago campestris. How much does exstraction method influence the oil composition?
The essential oil of different parts of Ferulago campestris (Bess.) collected in Sicily has been extracted by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD) and by classic hydrodistillation (HD). A comparative qualitative- quantitative study on the composition of the oils was carried out. A total of 100 compounds were identified in the oils obtained by MAHD, whereas 88 compounds characterized the HD oils. The most prominent components were, in all different parts of F. campestris and in both extraction methods, 2,4,5- trimethylbenzaldehyde and 2,4,6-trimethylbenzaldehyde isomers; the latter was not previously found. The attempt to evaluate where the oil components are located in all parts of t…
LC-ESI/HRMS analysis of glucosinolates, oxylipins and phenols in Italian rocket salad (Diplotaxis erucoides subsp. erucoides (L.) DC.) and evaluation of its healthy potential
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 peroxi…
The cytotoxic properties of Natural Coumarins Isolated from roots of Ferulago campestris (Apiaceae) and of synthetic ester derivatives aegelinol
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.
The Essential Oil of
Many chemicals used nowadays for the preservation of cultural heritage pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Thus, it is desirable to find new and eco-friendly biocides that can replace the synthetic ones. In this regard, plant essential oils represent effective alternatives to synthetic substances for the preservation of historical monuments. Thymbra capitata (syn. Thymus capitatus) is a medicinal and aromatic plant growing in the Mediterranean area and endowed with important pharmacological properties related to its essential oil. Among them, the antimicrobial ones make the T. capitata essential oil an ideal candidate for industrial applications; for instance, as biocide f…
Acid rearrangment of epoxy-germacranolides and absolute configuration of 1beta, 10alpha-epoxy-salonitenolide
The acid-catalyzed cyclization of mono epoxides of cnicin acetonide (3) was investigated. Several 6,12-eudesmanolides were obtained, and their stereochemistry established by extensive spectroscopic analyses. Chemical correlations also led to the assignment of the absolute configuration of 1beta,10alpha-epoxy-salonitenolide (13), a previously isolated natural product. The cytotoxic activities of some compounds were determined against A549 and MCF-7 tumor cell lines. The esterified germacranolides 2-6 were selectively cytotoxic against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line.