
Francesca BorrelliUniversity of Naples Federico II | UNINA · Department of Pharmacy
Francesca Borrelli
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Publications (160)
Background and Purpose
N‐Acylethanolamine acid amidase (NAAA) is a lysosomal enzyme accountable for the breakdown of N‐acylethanolamines (NAEs) and its pharmacological inhibition has beneficial effects in inflammatory conditions. The knowledge of NAAA in cancer is fragmentary with an unclarified mechanism, whereas its contribution to colorectal can...
Simple Summary
Treatment of colon cancer remains a significant unmet need. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide also present in food sources. PEA exerts intestinal anti-inflammatory effects, but knowledge of its role in colon carcinogenesis is still largely fragmentary. Here, we found that ultramicronized PEA inhibited tumo...
Objective
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is in 70% of cases associated with inflammatory bowel disease. The hypermorphic T108M variant of the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR35 increases risk for PSC and ulcerative colitis (UC), conditions strongly predisposing for inflammation-associated liver and colon cancer. Lack of GPR35 reduces tum...
Experimental and clinical studies evidenced the health effects of moderate consumption of beer, mainly due to the presence of bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, vitamins, or fibers. To exploit the potential beneficial effect on health and in disease prevention of these compounds, a new beverage based on barley malts and hops named Aliophen®...
Fish oil (FO) and phytocannabinoids have received considerable attention for their intestinal anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated whether the combination of FO with cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabidiol (CBD) or a combination of all three treatments results in a more pronounced intestinal antiinflammatory action compared to the effects achieved...
Cannabis sativa is an aromatic annual flowering plant with several botanical varieties, used for different purposes, like the production of fibers, the production of oil from the seeds, and especially for recreational or medical purposes. Phytocannabinoids (terpenophenolic compounds derived from the plant), include the well-known psychoactive canna...
Background:
This review is an update of a previously published review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2009, Issue 3).Tea is one of the most commonly consumed beverages worldwide. Teas from the plant Camellia sinensis can be grouped into green, black and oolong tea, and drinking habits vary cross-culturally. C sinensis contains poly...
Marine-derived fungi are an important source of many valuable compounds with original structures and diverse physico-chemical properties. In this work, the metabolomic profile of a strain of Penicillium brevicompactum, recovered from a snakelocks sea anemone (Anemonia sulcata), was investigated through the parallel application of LC-ESI-HRMS, GC-MS...
The aerial parts of rock hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis subsp. aristatus (Godr.) Nyman), well-known for bearing essential oil-producing glands, are also rich in phenol and polyphenol compounds. These latter, still rarely studied in rock hyssop and other hyssop species, markedly differ based on the plant collection site. In fact, their biosynthesis, m...
The n-butanolic extract, from an Iranian specimen of Nepeta asterotricha Rech. f. (NABE), displayed anti-inflammatory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated J774A.1 macrophages, which reduced nitrites and cytokines production. Bioassay guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of four iridoid glycosides, including a new one k...
Under physiological conditions, the small intestine represents a barrier against harmful antigens and pathogens. Maintaining of the intestinal barrier depends largely on cell–cell interactions (adherent-junctions) and cell–matrix interactions (tight-junctions). Inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by chronic inflammation, which induces a des...
Background:
The clinical efficacy of curcumin-containing nutraceuticals (e.g. turmeric preparations, curcumin, curcuminoids) for a range of conditions has been assessed by several systematic reviews, in some instances with contradictory conclusions. Our aim was to provide an up-to-date and rigorous synthesis of these data and to evaluate the quali...
From the green alga Cladophora sp. collected in Italy, the marine fungal strain A12 of Trichoderma citrinoviride was isolated, identified and characterized. LC-MS qTOF analysis was applied to perform a metabolic profile of the fungal culture. Chromatographic techniques and spectroscopic methods were used to isolate and characterize the major second...
Purpose:
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition that significantly affects quality of life and interpersonal relationships.
Objective:
Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of herbal dietary supplements in the treatment of ED.
Materials and methods:
We searched five databases to id...
In microbial cultures the production of secondary metabolites is affected by experimental conditions,
and the discovery of novel compounds is often prevented by the re-isolation of known metabolites.
To limit this, it is possible to cultivate microorganisms by simulating naturally occurring interactions,
where microbes co-exist in complex communiti...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health problem in Western countries. The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) exerts antiproliferative actions in a number of tumoral cell lines, including CRC cells. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a serine hydrolase that inactivates 2-AG, is highly expressed in aggressive human cancer cells. Here, we i...
One clinical trial addressed the clinical indications of two TAM classic herbal formulas including Danggui Shaoyao powder (tokishakuyakusan) and Guizhi Fuling pill (keishibukuryogan) for patients with dysmenorrhea. The paper titled “The difference between the Two representative Kampo Formulas for Treating Dysmenorrhea: An Observational Study” propo...
Cannabis and cannabinoids are known to affect female reproduction. However, the role of the endocannabinoid system in mouse uterine contractility in the dioestrus and oestrus phases has not been previously investigated. The present study aimed at filling this gap. Endocannabinoid (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol) levels were measured in mouse...
Anecdotal and scientific evidence suggests that Cannabis use may be beneficial in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Here, we have investigated the effect of a standardized Cannabis sativa extract with high content of cannabidiol (CBD), here named CBD BDS for “CBD botanical drug substance,” on mucosal inflammation and hypermotility in mouse...
The biodiversity of the endosymbiont-plant system represents an important source of microorganisms able to produce bioactive compounds that can induce beneficial effects on cultivated plants, and be useful in agriculture. Fungal endophytes were obtained from the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) microbiome. From the
fungus, Talaromyces pinophilus (TP...
Tomatoes are one of the most widely consumed vegetables in the Mediterranean Diet. They are a rich source of antioxidant compoundss and their consumption is linked with a reduction of various types of pathologies. In addition to geographical and seasonal variables, cultivar is an important factor affecting the profile and the concentration of antio...
The aim of the present work was to examine if hydrogen peroxide treatment of sugar beet fibre that aimed at improving its physicochemical properties would impair its antioxidant potential. Three different sugar beet fibres were obtained from sugar beet - non-treated fibre (NTF) from sugar beet cossettes extracted with sulphurous acid, treated fibre...
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an incurable disease which affects millions of people. Garlic (Allium sativum) preparations have been traditionally employed for the treatment of diseases affecting the digestive tract. Here, we have investigated the effect of diallyl sulfide (DAS) and diallyl disulfide (DADS), two garlic-derived sulfur compounds...
The objective of this study was to design and in vitro–in vivo evaluate oral nanocapsules prepared from amphiphilic cyclodextrins (CDs) or poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) for the effective oral delivery of an anticancer agent, camptothecin (CPT). CPT-loaded anionic and Chitosan (CS)-coated cationic nanocapsules were prepared and characterized in vitro. M...
Hypertension is an important public-health challenge worldwide and a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Prevention, detection, treatment, and control of this condition should receive high priority. How about the role of TCM for managing hypertension? One review article “Traditional Chi...
Palmitoylethanolamide is both an endogenous mediator released together with the endocannabinoid anandamide from membrane phospholipids, and a plant-derived compound with analgesic and antinflammatory properties. Here, we verified if the pathophysiology of experimental cystitis involves changes in the levels of palmitoylethanolamide and of some of i...
Cannabigerol (CBG) is a safe non-psychotropic Cannabis-derived cannabinoid which interacts with specific targets involved in carcinogenesis. Specifically, CBG potently blocks transient receptor potential (TRP) M8 (TRPM8), activates TRPA1, TRPV1 and TRPV2 channels, blocks 5-HT1A receptors and inhibits the reuptake of endocannabinoids. Here, we inves...
Recognition of the adverse effects of medicinal herbs is not routine and the reports on such effects are even less frequent in clinical practice. Potential herb-drug interactions are of a major safety concern, especially for drugs with narrow therapeutic indices like warfarin, which can lead to severe adverse reactions that are sometimes life-threa...
Background and purpose:
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) acts via several targets, including cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) ion channels, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR α) and orphan G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GRR55), all involved in the control of intestinal inflamma...
Endocannabinoids are endogenous agonists that activate cannabinoid receptors in mammalian tissues. This chapter describes the pharmacological effects and the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids in gastrointestinal and liver diseases, with a special emphasis on the experimental and clinical pharmacology of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC...
Background and purpose:
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), a naturally occurring acylethanolamide chemically related to the endocannabinoid anandamide, interacts with targets that have been identified in peripheral nerves controlling gastrointestinal motility, such as cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, TRPV1 channels and PPARα. Here, we investigated the...
Colorectal cancer is an important health problem across the world. Here, we investigated the possible antiproliferative/proapoptotic effects of bromelain (from the pineapple stem Ananas comosus L., family Bromeliaceae) in a human colorectal carcinoma cell line and its potential chemopreventive effect in a murine model of colon cancer.
Proliferation...
Flavonoids are widely distributed secondary metabolites and currently consumed in large amounts in the daily diet. In this article, some of the most recent developments in flavonoid - and related polyphenolic compounds - pharmacology are discussed, with particular emphasis on very recent data, most of which are published in Phytotherapy Research, w...
Aloe preparations have maintaining their popularity over the of course time. Aloe latex is used for its laxative effects; aloe gel is used topically for skin ailments and internally for variety of disturbances; aloe extract is potentially useful for cancer.
Background and purpose:
The non-psychotropic cannabinoid cannabichromene is known to activate the transient receptor potential ankyrin-type1 (TRPA1) and to inhibit endocannabinoid inactivation, both of which are involved in inflammatory processes. We examined here the effects of this phytocannabinoid on peritoneal macrophages and its efficacy in a...
Cannabichromene (CBC) is a major non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid that inhibits endocannabinoid inactivation and activates the transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1). Both endocannabinoids and TRPA1 may modulate gastrointestinal motility. Here, we investigated the effect of CBC on mouse intestinal motility in physiological and pathological...
Colon cancer affects millions of individuals in Western countries. Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of Cannabis sativa, exerts pharmacological actions (antioxidant and intestinal antinflammatory) and mechanisms (inhibition of endocannabinoid enzymatic degradation) potentially beneficial for colon carcinogenesis. Thus, we investig...
Background Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a highly prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterized by alterations in gastric motility. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L., Fam Asteraceae) preparations are traditional remedies used to treat dyspeptic complaints. Herein, we investigated the effect of a standardized dry water extract obtained from A. mill...
Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC, mustard oil), a constituent of many common cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae), activates transient receptor potential of ankyrin type-1 (TRPA1) channels, claimed to regulate gastrointestinal contractility. In this study, we have investigated the effect of AITC on intestinal motility.
Effects of AITC were investigated...
Bromelain (BR) is a cysteine protease with inhibitory effects on intestinal secretion and inflammation. However, its effects on intestinal motility are largely unexplored. Thus, we investigated the effect of this plant-derived compound on intestinal contractility and transit in mice.
Contractility in vitro was evaluated by stimulating the mouse iso...
Free radicals are implicated in the aetiology of some gastrointestinal disorders such as gastric ulcer, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. In the present study we investigated the antioxidant and genoprotective activity of some rotenoids (i.e. boeravinones) isolated from the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa, a plant used in the Ayurvedic...
The hallucinogenic compound, salvinorin A, is a potent κ-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. However, other target(s) than the KOR, such as the cannabinoid CB1 receptor, have been proposed to explain its multiple pharmacological actions. Here, we have evaluated the effect of salvinorin A in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages as well as in m...
Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activity of glaucine was studied in rats and mice, and compared with indomethacin.Glaucine (10–100 mg kg−1) was effective in suppressing carrageenan-induced paw oedema and lipopolysaccharide-induced fever in rats, and acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction in mice. Similar results were obtained with...
The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among menopausal women has increased in the last years. This review examines the evidence from systematic reviews, RCTs and epidemiological studies of CAM in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Some evidence exists in favour of phytosterols and phytostanols for diminishing LDL and total chol...
In recent years, the use of anthraquinone laxatives, in particular senna, has been associated with damage to the intestinal epithelial layer and an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of rhein, the active metabolite of senna, on human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) and its effect on cell...
Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) exerts pharmacological actions (e.g. anti-inflammatory, chemopreventive) which are relevant for potential clinical application in the digestive tract. However, no study has been published on its possible effects on intestinal motility, to date. In the present study, we investigated the effect of this plant-derive...
Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol binds cannabinoid (CB(1) and CB(2)) receptors, which are activated by endogenous compounds (endocannabinoids) and are involved in a wide range of physiopathological processes (e.g. modulation of neurotransmitter release, regulation of pain perception, and of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and liver functions). The we...
Garlic (Allium sativum L. fam. Alliaceae) is one of the best-researched, best-selling herbal remedies and is also commonly used as a food and a spice. Garlic constituents include enzymes (for example, alliinase) and sulfur-containing compounds, including alliin, and compounds produced enzymatically from alliin (for example, allicin). Traditionally,...
Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol binds cannabinoid (CB(1) and CB(2)) receptors, which are activated by endogenous compounds (endocannabinoids) and are involved in a wide range of physiopathological processes (e.g. modulation of neurotransmitter release, regulation of pain perception, and of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and liver functions). The we...
St John's wort (SJW) extracts, prepared from the aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum, contain numerous pharmacologically active ingredients, including naphthodianthrones (e.g., hypericin and its derivatives), phloroglucinols derivatives (e.g., hyperforin, which inhibits the reuptake of a number of neurotransmitters, including serotonin), and flavo...
The selective CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) was shown to perform a number of biological effects in several pathological conditions. Emerging findings demonstrate that rimonabant exerts antitumor action in thyroid tumors and breast cancer cells. In our study, human colorectal cancer cells (DLD-1, CaCo-2 and SW620) were treated with r...
Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum is a medicinal plant used in Lebanon to reduce pain and smooth muscle spasms. A chloroform extract obtained from M. globosum aerial parts reduced acetylcholine-induced contractions in the isolated mouse ileum. The purification of this extract identified, among 12 isolated labdane diterpenoids, four new compounds,...
Inflammatory bowel disease affects millions of individuals; nevertheless, pharmacological treatment is disappointingly unsatisfactory. Cannabidiol, a safe and non-psychotropic ingredient of marijuana, exerts pharmacological effects (e.g., antioxidant) and mechanisms (e.g., inhibition of endocannabinoids enzymatic degradation) potentially beneficial...
Endocannabinoids in tissues controlling energy homeostasis are altered in obesity, thus contributing to metabolic disorders. Here we evaluate endocannabinoid dysregulation in the small intestine of mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and in peripheral tissues of Zucker and lean rats following food deprivation and re-feeding.
Intestinal transit, ev...
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE: Celastrus paniculatus Willd. (Celastraceae) is an Ayurvedic remedy used for the treatment of a number of diseases, including bowel spasms.
To investigate the mode of the relaxing action of a methanolic extract prepared from the seeds of Celastrus paniculatus (CPE, 0.0001-10 microg/mL) in the rat ileum and to try to...
Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged to have important health benefits for infants and mothers. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum fruits) has been recently proposed to be used by nursing mothers for stimulating milk production; however, the mode of action of this herbal drug is still unknown. In this paper, we have evaluated the effect of a micronized...
Acylethanolamides (AEs) are a group of lipids occurring in both plants and animals. The best-studied AEs are the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), the anti-inflammatory compound palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), and the potent anorexigenic molecule oleoylethanolamide (OEA). AEs are biosynthesized in the gastrointestinal tract, and their levels may chang...
The effect of quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid traditionally used to treat airway diseases such as bronchial asthma, on the contractile response elicited by electrical field stimulation or carbachol in rat isolated trachea was investigated.
Isolated tracheal tissue was subjected to contractions by an electrical field stimulation of 5 Hz f...
Background:
Tea is one of the most commonly consumed beverages worldwide. Teas from the plant Camellia sinensis can be grouped into green, black and oolong tea. Cross-culturally tea drinking habits vary. Camellia sinensis contains the active ingredient polyphenol, which has a subgroup known as catechins. Catechins are powerful antioxidants. It has...
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is used most often to treat symptoms that can occur during menopause. However, in the last years, several concerns regarding its safety have been voiced. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical evidence for or against the safety of black cohosh. Systematic literature searches were conducted...
Salvinorin A, the active component of the hallucinogenic herb Salvia divinorum, inhibits intestinal motility through activation of kappa-opioid receptors (KORs). However, this compound may have target(s) other than the KORs in the inflamed gut. Because intestinal inflammation upregulates cannabinoid receptors and endogenous cannabinoids, in the pre...
Cannabidiol is a Cannabis-derived non-psychotropic compound that exerts a plethora of pharmacological actions, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antitumour effects, with potential therapeutic interest. However, the actions of cannabidiol in the digestive tract are largely unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the effect o...
Since conventional hormone replacement therapy has fallen out of favour, alternatives are being sought by many women. These therapies include herbal preparations such as black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa). The purpose of this update of a previous systematic review is to evaluate the clinical evidence for or against the efficacy of black cohosh in a...
Gastric emptying regulates food intake. Oleoylethanolamide (OEA), an endogenous acylethanolamide chemically related to the endocannabinoid anandamide, inhibits food intake, but its effect on gastric emptying is unknown. Here, we investigated the effect and the role of OEA on gastric emptying in mice fed either a standard (STD) or a high-fat diet (H...
Endocannabinoids (via cannabinoid CB(1) receptor activation) are physiological regulators of intestinal motility and food intake. However, their role in the regulation of gastric emptying is largely unexplored. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of gastric emptying in...
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a highly popular and effective herbal antidepressant that clinically interacts with a number of conventional drugs. Because alterations in gastric emptying can cause pharmacokinetic interactions, in the present study we evaluated the effect of a standardized extract prepared from the flowering tops of Hyper...
The hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum has been used for medical treatments of gastrointestinal disorders. Here, we evaluated the effect of a standardized extract from the leaves of Salvia divinorum (SDE) and of its active ingredient salvinorin A on motility in vivo, both in physiological states and during croton oil-induced intestinal inflammat...
Colorectal cancer is an increasingly important cause of death in Western countries. Endocannabinoids inhibit colorectal carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro. In this paper, we investigated the involvement of endocannabinoids on the formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF, earliest preneoplastic lesions) in the colon mouse in vivo. ACF were induced b...