Complexing the Marine Sesquiterpene Euplotin C by Means of Cyclodextrin-Based Nanosponges: A Preliminary Investigation.

Euplotin C is a sesquiterpene of marine origin endowed with significant anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties. Despite the promising functional profile, its progress as a novel drug candidate has failed so far, due to its scarce solubility and poor stability in aqueous media, such as biological fluids. Therefore, overcoming these limits is an intriguing challenge for the scientific community.

Lavender aromatherapy: A systematic review from essential oil quality and administration methods to cognitive enhancing effects.

Modern society is reviving the practice of aromatherapy, and lavender is reported being the most worldwide purchased plant for essential oil (EO) extraction. Since recent studies reported cognitive enhancing effects of lavender besides the hypno-inducing effects, a literature review is needed. Considering EO quality and diffusion devices, we conducted a systematic review on the effects of lavender EO inhalation on arousal, attention and memory in healthy subjects.

New insights into the anticancer activity of carnosol: p53 reactivation in the U87MG human glioblastoma cell line.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumour with high resistance to radio- and chemotherapy. As such, increasing attention has focused on developing new therapeutic strategies to improve treatment responses. Recently, attention has been shifted to natural compounds that are able to halt tumour development.

Micropropagation of Salvia wagneriana Polak and hairy root cultures with rosmarinic acid production.

Salvia wagneriana Polak is a tropical species native to Central America, well adapted to grow in the Mediterranean basin for garden decoration. Micropropagation has been assessed from axillary shoots of adult plants using a Murashige and Skoog basal medium, with the addition of 1.33-μM 6-benzylaminopurine for shoot proliferation; the subsequent rooting phase occurred in plant growth regulator-free medium.

Production of Curcuminoids in different in vitro organs of Curcuma longa.

Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) is one of the most important spice and safe food additives. Its main constituents, curcuminoids, showed anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant effects.

In vitro production of M. × piperita not containing pulegone and menthofuran.

The essential oils (EOs) and static headspaces (HSs) of in vitro plantlets and callus of Mentha x piperita were characterized by GC-MS analysis. Leaves were used as explants to induce in vitro plant material. The EO yields of the in vitro biomass were much lower (0.

Aromatic profiling of wild and rare species growing in Turkey: Hypericum aviculariifolium Jaub. and Spach subsp. depilatum (Freyn and Bornm.) Robson var. depilatum and Hypericum pruinatum Boiss. and Bal.

The volatile constituents of the rare species of Hypericum, namely Hypericum pruinatum (as one population) and Hypericum aviculariifolium subp. depilatum var. depilatum (endemic, as two populations namely 'Gümüş' and 'Yeniköy') growing wild in the mountainous parts of Northern Turkey were studied for the first time.

Mentha longifolia in vitro cultures as safe source of flavouring ingredients.

In vitro plantlets and callus of M. longifolia were established and their volatile constituents characterized by GC-MS analysis of their headspaces (HSs) and essential oils (EOs). Significant quali-quantitative differences were found in the aromatic fingerprints in comparison with the M.

Pollen aroma fingerprint of two sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genotypes characterized by different pollen colors.

Samples of fresh pollen grains, collected from capitula in full bloom from two genotypes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and characterized by a different color, i.e.

Volatile chemical composition and bioactivity of six essential oils against the stored food insect Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Coleoptera Dryophthoridae).

Essential oils (EOs) of Achillea millefolium, Myrtus communis, Rosmarinus officinalis, Helichrysum italicum, Foeniculum vulgare and Lavandula angustifolia were analysed with GC-FID and GC-MS in order to define their aromatic profiles and then their toxicity and repellent activity against Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Coleoptera Dryophthoridae) with specific bioassays were evaluated. Results from topical applications on insects showed that all EOs had variable and significant insecticidal activity.

Morphogenetic changes in essential oil composition of Hypericum perforatum during the course of ontogenesis.

Context: In the past few years, an increasing interest in the volatile secondary metabolites of Hypericum perforatum L. (Guttiferae) has been arising.

Objective: The present study is a contribution to better understand the relationship between the morphological variations and volatile composition during the phenological cycle.

Essential oil composition and larvicidal activity of six Mediterranean aromatic plants against the mosquito Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Laboratory bioassays on insecticidal activity of essential oils (EOs) extracted from six Mediterranean plants (Achillea millefolium, Lavandula angustifolia, Helichrysum italicum, Foeniculum vulgare, Myrtus communis, and Rosmarinus officinalis) were carried out against the larvae of the Culicidae mosquito Aedes albopictus. The chemical composition of the six EOs was also investigated. Results from applications showed that all tested oils had insecticidal activity, with differences in mortality rates as a function of both oil and dosage.

Essential oil composition and variability of Hypericum perforatum from wild populations of northern Turkey.

Context: Hypericum perforatum L. (Guttiferae) contains many bioactive secondary metabolites including hypericins, hyperforins, and essential oil.

Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the variation in composition of essential oil in H.

Characterization of some Italian ornamental thyme by their aroma.

The aromatic profiles of five commercial thyme cultivars (T. vulgaris 'Silver Poise', T. vulgaris 'Erectus', T.

Antimicrobial activity of Inga fendleriana extracts and isolated flavonoids.

The EtOAc and n-BuOH extracts of Inga fendleriana inhibited Gram-positive, but not Gram-negative bacteria; a narrow spectrum of activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis was detected. The MIC values of the extracts ranged from 125 to 850 microg/mL. Quercetin 3-methylether, myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside and tricetin showed antibacterial activity against the same bacterial strains with MICs in the range from 31 to 250 microg/mL.

Analytical methods for the extraction and identification of secondary metabolite production in 'in vitro' plant cell cultures.

The production of plant secondary metabolites by in vitro culture is one of the most challenging and thrilling field of recent scientific researches. In the few last years, pharmaceutical and food industry demand in phytochemicals has increased steadily. Therefore, the establishment of in vitro plant protocols has to be monitored by phytochemical investigation of their selected extracts in order to supply standardized raw material.

Plant cell cultures: bioreactors for industrial production.

The recent biotechnology boom has triggered increased interest in plant cell cultures, since a number of firms and academic institutions investigated intensively to rise the production of very promising bioactive compounds. In alternative to wild collection or plant cultivation, the production of useful and valuable secondary metabolites in large bioreactors is an attractive proposal; it should contribute significantly to future attempts to preserve global biodiversity and alleviate associated ecological problems. The advantages of such processes include the controlled production according to demand and a reduced man work requirement.

Hairy root cultures for secondary metabolites production.

Hairy roots (HRs) are differentiated cultures of transformed roots generated by the infection of wounded higher plants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. This pathogen causes the HR disease leading to the neoplastic growth of roots that are characterized by high growth rate in hormone free media and genetic stability. HRs produce the same phytochemicals pattern of the corresponding wild type organ.

Licoflavone C attenuates the genotoxicity of cancer drugs in human peripheral lymphocytes.

Flavonoids exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities that can lead to beneficial effects for human health. The search for cytotoxic, genotoxic and/or antimutagenic natural compounds is therefore of great relevance, especially in cancer chemotherapy. In view of this, we screened the potential genotoxicity/antigenotoxicty of licoflavone C (LFLC) - a naturally occurring prenyl-flavone extracted from Genista ephedroides - using the micronucleus (MN) assay on stimulated and cytochalasin B-blocked human lymphocytes.

Bioactive constituent production in St. John's Wort in vitro hairy roots. Regenerated plant lines.

A wild strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes was used to regenerate twelve in vitro plant lines from different hairy roots of H. perforatum (St. John's Wort).

Chemical composition and volatile constituents of Anthyllis barba-jovis.

Six flavonol glycosides were isolated and identified from the aerial parts of Anthyllis barba-jovis L. (Leguminosae), together with two coumarins and D-pinitol, a taxonomic marker of Leguminosae family. The structural elucidation of all compounds was based on their (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectral data and bidimensional experiments.

Chemical and antibacterial evaluation of Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra.

Five extracts and pure compounds from the aerial parts of Hypericum triquetrifolium were tested for their antibacterial activity against 31 gram-positive and gram-negative strains using the agar dilution method (Lorian). The ethyl acetate extract exhibited a weak antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus strains, and pure constituents such as quercetin and I3,II8-biapigenin were the active components of this extract.

Antimicrobial and antifungal activity of crude extracts and isolated saponins from Astragalus verrucosus.

The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of several crude extracts and pure saponins, astraverrucins I-VI, from the aerial parts of Astragalus verrucosus were investigated by the disc diffusion method. Antimycotic activity was observed on more polar extracts, but only one saponin showed an appreciable activity.