The effect of a mucilage extracted from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill (OFI) cladodes was tested in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells, through a combined in vitro-in silico approach. The OFI mucilage was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSolanine (SOL) and chaconine (CHA) are glycoalkaloids (GAs) produced mainly by Solanum plants. These plant secondary metabolites affect insect metabolism; thus, they have the potential to be applied as natural plant protection products. However, it is not known which GA concentration induces physiological changes in animals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElectrospinning is an advanced manufacturing strategy used to create innovative medical devices from continuous nanoscale fibers that is endowed with tunable biological, chemical, and physical properties. Innovative medical patches manufactured entirely by electrospinning are discussed in this paper, using a specific plant-derived formulation "1 Primary Wound Dressing©" (1-PWD) as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). 1-PWD is composed of neem oil (Azadirachta indica A.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlycosaminoglycans are complex carbohydrates used as nutraceuticals for diverse applications. We studied the potential of the glycosaminoglycan dermatan sulfate (DS) to counteract the development of diet-induced obesity (DIO) using obesity-prone mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) as a model. Oral DS supplementation protected the animals against HFD-induced increases in whole-body adiposity, visceral fat mass, adipocyte size, blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, and pro-inflammatory lipids levels in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the liver, where it largely counteracted the HFD-induced changes in the nonpolar metabolome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSimultaneous genome editing of the two homeologous LCYe and ZEP genes of Nicotiana benthamiana results in plants in which all xanthophylls are replaced by zeaxanthin. Plant carotenoids act both as photoreceptors and photoprotectants in photosynthesis and as precursors of apocarotenoids, which include signaling molecules such as abscisic acid (ABA). As dietary components, the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin have photoprotective functions in the human macula.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNicotiana benthamiana is an invaluable model plant and biotechnology platform with a ~3 Gb allotetraploid genome. To further improve its usefulness and versatility, we have produced high-quality chromosome-level genome assemblies, coupled with transcriptome, epigenome, microRNA and transposable element datasets, for the ubiquitously used LAB strain and a related wild accession, QLD. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism maps have been produced for a further two laboratory strains and four wild accessions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCrocins are glycosylated apocarotenoids with strong coloring power and anti-oxidant, anticancer, and neuro-protective properties. We previously dissected the saffron crocin biosynthesis pathway, and demonstrated that the CsCCD2 enzyme, catalyzing the carotenoid cleavage step, shows a strong preference for the xanthophyll zeaxanthin in vitro and in bacterio. In order to investigate substrate specificity in planta and to establish a plant-based bio-factory system for crocin production, we compared wild-type plants, accumulating various xanthophylls together with α- and β-carotene, with genome-edited lines, in which all the xanthophylls normally accumulated in leaves were replaced by a single xanthophyll, zeaxanthin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGrapevine ( L.) seeds are rich in polyphenols including proanthocyanidins, molecules with a variety of biological effects including anticancer action. We have previously reported that the grape seed semi-polar extract of Aglianico cultivar (AGS) was able to induce apoptosis and decrease cancer properties in different mesothelioma cell lines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Mediterranean basin countries are considered secondary centres of tomato diversification. However, information on phenotypic and allelic variation of local tomato materials is still limited. Here we report on the evaluation of the largest traditional tomato collection, which includes 1499 accessions from Southern Europe.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA comprehensive collection of 1254 tomato accessions, corresponding to European traditional and modern varieties, early domesticated varieties, and wild relatives, was analyzed by genotyping by sequencing. A continuous genetic gradient between the traditional and modern varieties was observed. European traditional tomatoes displayed very low genetic diversity, with only 298 polymorphic loci (95% threshold) out of 64 943 total variants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNumerous studies have revealed the remarkable health-promoting activities of citrus fruits, all of them related to the accumulation of bioactive compounds, including vitamins and phytonutrients. Anthocyanins are characteristic flavonoids present in blood orange, which require low-temperature for their production. Storage at low-temperature of blood oranges has been proven to be a feasible postharvest strategy to increase anthocyanins in those countries with warm climates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnnatto (Bixa orellana) is a perennial shrub native to the Americas, and bixin, derived from its seeds, is a methoxylated apocarotenoid used as a food and cosmetic colorant. Two previous reports claimed to have isolated the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) responsible for the production of the putative precursor of bixin, the C24 apocarotenal bixin dialdehyde. We re-assessed the activity of six Bixa CCDs and found that none of them produced substantial amounts of bixin dialdehyde in Escherichia coli.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEggplant ( L.) represents the third most important crop of the Solanaceae family and is an important component of our daily diet. A population of 164 F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from two eggplant lines differing with respect to several key agronomic traits, "305E40" and "67/3," was grown to the commercial maturation stage, and fruits were harvested, separated into peel and flesh, and subjected to liquid chromatography Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCryptochromes are flavin-containing blue/UVA light photoreceptors that regulate various plant light-induced physiological processes. In Arabidopsis (), cryptochromes mediate de-etiolation, photoperiodic control of flowering, entrainment of the circadian clock, cotyledon opening and expansion, anthocyanin accumulation, and root growth. In tomato (), cryptochromes are encoded by a multigene family, comprising , , , and We have previously reported the phenotypes of tomato mutants and overexpressing plants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlycoalkaloids are toxic compounds that are synthesized by many Solanum species. Glycoalkaloid biosynthesis is influenced by plant genetic and environmental conditions. Although many studies have shown that light is an important factor affecting glycoalkaloid biosynthesis, the specific mechanism is currently unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfter wheat and rice, potato is the third most important staple food worldwide. A collection of ten tetraploid (Solanum tuberosum) and diploid (S. phureja and S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Pharm Educ
December 2006
Self-care is an important component of the doctor of pharmacy curriculum due to the expanding nonprescription medication market and the high percentage of pharmacists practicing in community pharmacy. It can be incorporated as a freestanding course or integrated throughout the curriculum. This article presents the experiences of 2 junior faculty members at 2 different pharmacy schools who were charged with coordinating self-care instruction at their institutions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Pharm Assoc (2003)
August 2006