Plant Extracts as Antimicrobial Agents in Sustainable Conservation of (Fabaceae) Historical Trees.

Microbial colonization plays a relevant role in the biodegradation and biodeterioration of cultural and natural heritage, representing a revealing problem in conservation strategy. In this study, the essential oil (EO) and hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of L. (Lamiaceae), an aromatic perennial plant, representative of the Mediterranean basin, growing spontaneously and cultivated all over the world, were analysed.

Biological Investigation and Chemical Study of subsp. (Brassicaeae) Leaves.

subsp. (Caruel) Raimondo & Mazzola, belonging to the complex, is a wild edible plant endemic to western Sicily and a relative of modern cultivated crops. In this study, the antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory activities, enzymatic inhibition, and cytotoxicity in cancer cells of subsp.

Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Antiproliferative Compounds from (L.) Dumort.

(L.) Dumort (Asteraceae) -hexane extract displayed high cell proliferation inhibitory activity against acute myeloid leukaemia cells (OCI-AML3) and was therefore subjected to a bioassay-guided multistep separation procedure. Two thymol derivatives, namely 10-acetoxy-8,9-epoxythymol tiglate () and 10-acetoxy-9-chloro-8,9-dehydrothymol (), were isolated and identified by means of NMR spectroscopy.

(Baker) I. Verd Essential Oil: An Antifungal Agent against Phytopathogenic Fungi.

Rutaceae are widely used in ethnomedicine to treat infectious diseases in humans and plants. In this study, the antifungal activity of the leaf essential oil (VEO) and its main components, citral and citronellol, was evaluated against six phytopathogenic fungi. In addition, the possible action of VEO on the synthesis of mycotoxins was evaluated as well.

Oxidative stress and antioxidant responses to increasing concentrations of trivalent chromium in the Andean crop species Chenopodium quinoa Willd.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), an ancient Andean seed crop, exhibits exceptional nutritional properties and resistance to abiotic stress. The species' tolerance to heavy metals has, however, not yet been investigated nor its ability to take up and translocate chromium (Cr). This study aimed to investigate the metabolic adjustments occurring upon exposure of quinoa to several concentrations (0.

Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation and In Vitro Tumorigenesis by a New Red Apple Cultivar.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative activity in breast cancer cells and the inhibition of tumorigenesis in pre-neoplastic cells of a new apple cultivar with reddish pulp, called the Pelingo apple.

Methods: The antiproliferative activity was evaluated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. The inhibition of tumorigenesis was performed in JB6 promotion-sensitive (P+) cells.

Antioxidant and antifungal activity of different extracts obtained from aerial parts of Inula crithmoides L.

The total phenolic content, antioxidant and antifungal activities of three Inula crithmoides extracts (n-hexane, methylene chloride and MeOH) were investigated. The methanolic extract showed the highest total phenolic content. In the DPPH assay, the methanolic and hexane extracts exhibited the highest DPPH-radical scavenging activity; in the 5-lipoxygenase assay, the hexane extract showed greater inhibitory effect with an IC50 similar to that of Trolox and ascorbic acid.

Polyphenols profile and antioxidant activity of skin and pulp of a rare apple from Marche region (Italy).

Background: Apples are an important source of polyphenols in the human diet and the consumption of this fruit has been linked to the prevention of degenerative diseases.

Results: CATECHINS, PROCYANIDINS, HYDROXYCINNAMIC ACIDS, FLAVONOL GLYCOSIDES, DIHYDROCHALCONE GLYCOSIDES AND ONE ANTHOCYANIN: cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, were identified both in the peel and pulp. Procyanidins, catechins and flavonols represent the main constituents of peel.

Total polyphenol content, in vitro antifungal and antioxidant activities of callus cultures from Inula crithmoides.

This is the first report on the antioxidant and antifungal activities of callus cultures from Inula crithmoides L. (Asteraceae). Callus cultures were initiated from leaf sections, on initial culture MS basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), NAA (1-naphthaleneacetic acid) and IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) and a 72% survival was achieved.

Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Salvia spp. exudates.

The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of 6 Salvia spp. exudates were measured to find new potential sources of natural antioxidants. Total phenolic content was assessed by a modified Prussian blue method, and the antioxidant activity by two methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity assay and lipoxygenase inhibitory assay.

Protective effects of Commiphora erythraea resin constituents against cellular oxidative damage.

By bioguided fractionation of the hexane extract of Commiphora erythraea resin we isolated four furanosesquiterpenoids that were tested for their protective activity against oxidative stress. Furanodienone and 1,10(15)-furanogermacra-dien-6-ones showed to be potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation (IC(50) of -0.087 μM), being more active than the methoxylated analogues.

In vitro plant regeneration from callus of Citrus x monstruosa (Pompia), an endemic citrus of Sardinia.

A regeneration protocol was developed from callus obtained from various explants taken from in vitro cultured seedlings (root, leaf and stem internodes) of Citrus x monstruosa. The best treatment in terms of response frequency and mean number of shoots for explants was 35.0 microM BA with 5.

Composition and antioxidant activity of Inula crithmoides essential oil grown in central Italy (Marche region).

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Inula crithmoides L. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and 22 components were identified, the major ones being p-cymene (30.1%), 1-methylethyl-trimethylbenzene (18.

Prunus spinosa fresh fruit juice: antioxidant activity in cell-free and cellular systems.

The antioxidant activity was assessed of fresh juice from Prunus spinosa L. fruit (Rosaceae) growing wild in Urbino (central Italy) by using different cell-free in vitro analytical methods: 5-lipoxygenase test, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Trolox was used as the reference antioxidant compound.

Essential oil composition and antimicrobial activity of Ballota nigra L. ssp foetida.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Ballota nigra L. ssp foetida obtained from the flowering aerial parts was analyzed by GC/MS. From the 37 identified constituents of the oil, beta-caryophyllene (20.

RNA as a new target for toxic and protective agents.

In contrast to damage of genomic DNA and despite its potential to affect cell physiology, RNA damage is a poorly examined field in biomedical research. Potential triggers of RNA damage as well as its pathophysiological implications remain largely unknown. While less lethal than mutations in genome, such non-acutely lethal insults to cells have been recently associated with underlying mechanisms of several human chronic diseases.

Melatonin antagonizes apoptosis via receptor interaction in U937 monocytic cells.

Among the non-neurological functions of melatonin, much attention is being directed to the ability of melatonin to modulate the immune system, whose cells possess melatonin-specific receptors and biosynthetic enzymes. Melatonin controls cell behaviour by eliciting specific signal transduction actions after its interaction with plasma membrane receptors (MT(1), MT(2)); additionally, melatonin potently neutralizes free radicals. Melatonin regulates immune cell loss by antagonizing apoptosis.

Essential oil composition and antioxidant activity of aerial parts of Grindelia robusta from Central Italy.

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Grindelia robusta aerial parts from central Italy was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and 45 components were identified. Borneol (15.2%), alpha pinene (10.

Cytoprotective effect of preparations from various parts of Punica granatum L. fruits in oxidatively injured mammalian cells in comparison with their antioxidant capacity in cell free systems.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) juice (PJ) is being increasingly proposed as a nutritional supplement to prevent atherosclerosis in humans. This therapeutically valuable potential has been attributed to PJ antioxidant capacity which has been mostly tested by means of cell-free assays: indeed, to the best of our knowledge, no study has focused on the direct antioxidant capacity of PJ in cultured cells.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of Teucrium marum (Lamiaceae).

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Teucrium marum subsp. marum (Lamiaceae) was analysed by GC/MS and 30 components were identified. Isocaryophyllene (20.

Antioxidant activity of Citrus paradisi seeds glyceric extract.

The antioxidant activity of Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) seeds glyceric extract dissolved in ethanol and in aqueous media was evaluated using three different methods: evaluation by DPPH assay, by 5-lipoxygenase assay and by luminol/xanthine/xanthine oxidase chemiluminescence assay. The total phenolic content was determined by the Prussian Blue method opportunely modified. The grapefruit seeds glyceric extract utilized as aqueous solutions demonstrated antioxidant properties better than those displayed by alcoholic solutions.