Publications by authors named "Alexios L Skaltsounis"

Clinical studies have previously established the role of olive products in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, whilst the identification of the responsible constituents for the beneficial effects is still pending. We sought to assess and compare the cardioprotective potential of oleuropein (OL), hydroxytyrosol (HT), oleocanthal (OC) and oleanolic Acid (OA), regarding Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury (IRI) and CVD risk factors alleviation. The scope of the study was to design a potent and safe combinatorial therapy for high-cardiovascular-risk patients on a bench-to-bedside approach.

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Nowadays, olive leaf polyphenols have been at the center of scientific interest due to their beneficial effects on human health. The most abundant polyphenol in olive leaves is oleuropein. The biological properties of oleuropein are mainly due to the hydroxytyrosol moiety, a drastic catechol group, whose biological activity has been mentioned many times in the literature.

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Despite its severe toxicity and negative environmental impact, hexane remain the solvent of choice for the extraction of vegetable oils. This is in contrast with the constantly growing demand for sustainable and green extraction processes. In recent years a variety of alternatives to hexane have been reported, among them 2-methyloxolane (2-MeOx), which has emerged as a promising bio-based alternative.

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Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a natural antioxidant found in olive products and characterized by well-documented beneficial effects on human health. Several research studies are ongoing that aim to investigate its potency and molecular mechanism of action. The present study aimed to investigate the potential effect of HT on human obesity through a randomized double-blind prospective design.

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Objective: In the last few decades, there has been a growing worldwide interest in the use of plant extracts for the prevention of oral diseases. The main focus of this interest lies in the identification and isolation of substances that limit the formation of microbial biofilm which plays a major role in the development of caries, periodontitis, and peri-implantitis. In this clinical ex vivo study, we investigated the antimicrobial effects of Rosmarinus officinalis extract against oral microorganisms within in situ initial oral biofilms.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explores the effectiveness of a plant extract in reducing harmful bacteria in the mouth, as an alternative to commercial mouth rinses containing synthetic compounds like chlorhexidine.
  • - Researchers tested the extract on enamel samples to observe its effects on initial microbial adhesion, finding that a concentration of 30 mg/mL killed 99.99% of bacteria.
  • - Results showed that while lower concentrations (10 and 20 mg/mL) reduced bacteria, they were not as effective; the 30 mg/mL concentration was particularly successful, marking the extract's significant antimicrobial potential in oral biofilms.
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Palmatine (PLT) is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid that belongs to the class of protoberberines and exhibits a wide spectrum of pharmacological and biological properties, including anti-cancer activity. The aim of our study was to isolate PLT from the roots of and investigate its cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects in vitro alone and in combination with doxorubicine (DOX) using human ER/HER2 breast cancer cell lines. The alkaloid was purified by column chromatography filled with silica gel NP and Sephadex LH-20 resin developed in the mixture of methanol: water (50:50 /) that provided high-purity alkaloid for bioactivity studies.

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Skin health is heavily affected by ultraviolet irradiation from the sun. In addition, senile skin is characterized by major changes in the collagen, elastin and in the hyaluronan content. Natural products (NPs) have been shown to delay cellular senescence or in vivo aging by regulating age-related signaling pathways.

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In the current study, by-product seed pastes (VSPs) from , , and , generated during the oil production process, were investigated for their potential exploitation as dermo-cosmetic agent. The extraction pipeline of all the raw materials was developed with emphasis on green methodologies and employed on laboratory scale based on industry-adopted techniques. Two different protocols were applied, Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE); the by-product pastes were defatted with supercritical CO and Hexane, respectively.

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Recent efforts for alternative non-pharmaceutical treatments for postmenopausal osteoporosis are focused on nutritional measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of table olive wastewater extract (OE) administration on bone mineral density (BMD) and biomechanical strength in ovariectomised rats. Thirty mature 9-month-old female Wistar rats were separated into three groups of ten: Control, Ovariectomised (OVX) and OVX + OE.

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Due to increasing antibiotic resistance, the application of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is gaining increasing popularity in dentistry. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of aPDT using visible light (VIS) and water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) in combination with a Hypericum perforatum extract on in situ oral biofilms. The chemical composition of H.

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has been an important dietary source and a traditionally used medicinal plant. Given the promising health-promoting properties of this plant, a comparative toxicological assessment and antioxidant bioevaluation of extracts from different parts of the plant were carried out in relation to their chemical profile. Toxicity was examined at multiple endpoints using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), Comet and the H2AX In-Cell Western Assay, while hyphenated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) analysis was carried out to identify main constituents.

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L. natural compounds have been extensively used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Recent research evidence is now emerging in support of its therapeutic potential for different pathologies including neurodegenerative diseases.

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Aims: Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) link with the mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore (mPTP) in cardioprotection is debated. We investigated the role of GSK3β in ischaemia (I)/reperfusion (R) injury using pharmacological tools.

Methods And Results: Infarct size using the GSK3β inhibitor BIO (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime) and several novel analogues (MLS2776-MLS2779) was determined in anaesthetized rabbits and mice.

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Background: In view of the increasing antibiotic resistance, the introduction of natural anti-infective agents has brought a new era in the treatment of bacterially derived oral diseases.

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial potential of five natural constituents of Olea europaea (oleuropein, maslinic acid, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal, oleacein) and three compounds of Pistacia lentiscus (24Z-isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid, oleanonic aldehyde) against ten representative oral bacterial species and a Candida albicans strain. After the isolation and quality control of natural compounds, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) assay were performed.

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In light of the growing antibiotic resistance, the usage of plant-derived antimicrobial agents could serve as an effective alternative treatment against oral infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of Mediterranean herb extracts against representative oral microorganisms. The extraction procedures and the analysis of the obtained extracts were performed under established experimental conditions.

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Fungal infections constitute an emerging threat and a prevalent health problem due to increasing number of immunocompromised people and pharmacological or other treatments aiming at viral infections, cancer or allergies. Currently used antifungals suffer from inefficiency, toxic side effects and developing drug-resistance. Additionally, over the last two decades no new classes of antifungals have been approved, emphasizing the urgent need for developing a novel generation of antifungals.

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Scope: To assess bioavailability of terpenes in human plasma and their effect on oxidative stress biomarkers.

Methods And Results: In this open-label and single arm postprandial trial, seventeen healthy male volunteers (20-40 years old) follow a low-phytochemical diet for 5 days. Next, after overnight fasting, volunteers consume Mastiha powder (a natural resin rich in terpenes) dispersed in water.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ageratum conyzoides L. is a plant widely used in traditional medicine in tropical and subtropical regions of the world due to its anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antibacterial properties.

Aim Of The Study: To characterize the standardized extract of polymethoxyflavones (SEPAc) from the plant and evaluate its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects.

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Oral diseases such as caries and periodontitis are mainly caused by microbial biofilms. Antibiotic therapy has reached its limits with regard to antimicrobial resistance, and new therapeutic measures utilizing natural phytochemicals are currently a focus of research. Hence, this systematic review provides a critical presentation of the antimicrobial effects of various medicinal herbs against in vitro, ex vivo, and in situ formed multispecies oral biofilms.

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In a previous study, we demonstrated that a grape pomace extract (GPE) exerted antioxidant activity in endothelial (EA.hy926) and muscle (C2C12) cells through an increase in glutathione (GSH) levels. In the present study, in order to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the antioxidant activity of GPE, its effects on the expression of critical antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD)1, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) were assessed in EA.

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Objective: Myocardial infarction remains the major cause of global death due to cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to assess the protective role of oleuropein in attenuating the cardiac remodeling in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats.

Methods And Results: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, control, isoproterenol (Isop) and pretreated animals with oleuropein at two different doses (20 and 40 mg/kg) orally for 7 days and intoxicated with isoproterenol (Isop+Oleu20) and (Isop+Oleu40) groups.

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This study investigated the role of acteoside in the amelioration of mucositis. C57BL/6 mice were gavaged daily with acteoside 600 μg for 5 d prior to induction of mucositis and throughout the experimental period. Mucositis was induced by methotrexate (MTX; 12.

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Nature is an unexplored reservoir of novel phytopharmaceuticals. Since biofilm-related oral diseases often correlate with antibiotic resistance, plant-derived antimicrobial agents could enhance existing treatment options. Therefore, the rationale of the present report was to examine the antimicrobial impact of Mediterranean natural extracts on oral microorganisms.

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