Jose Maria Prieto

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• MPharm, PhD (Pharmacology, Valencia), MRSC, FLS
• Senior Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University

In this study, we have analysed the Amazonian variety EETP801 Cacao, grown under sustainable organic conditions, in comparison to CCN51 cacao grown on a neighbouring commercial farm using standard practices and an European commercial cacao powdered beverage. The overall metabolite profile was analysed by high performance TLC analyses (HPTLC), the v...

Sawfly species of the genus Monophadnus are specialised on Ranunculaceae plants from which the larvae can sequester furostanol saponins into the haemolymph, mainly (25R)-26-[(α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]-22α-methoxyfurost-5-en-3β-yl-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-[6-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)]-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (compound 1). In this work, TLC, G...

Background: Neutrophil activation is required for the initiation of the defence mechanisms which include phagocytosis. Paradoxically, neutrophils also represent one of the main mediators of tissue injury in various human diseases. The resolution of inflammation requires getting rid of excess inflammatory cells through natural cell death and phagocy...

Cutaneous melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer with a complex genetic landscape caused by the malignant transformation of melanocytes. This study aimed at providing an in-silico network model based on the systematic profiling of the melanoma-associated genes considering germline mutations, somatic mutations, and genome-wide association stu...

Ferruginol is a promising abietane-type antitumor diterpene able to induce apoptosis in SK-Mel-28 human malignant melanoma. We aim to increase this activity by testing the effect of a small library of ferruginol analogues. After a screening of their antiproliferative activity (SRB staining, 48 h) on SK-Mel-28 cells the analogue 18-aminoferruginol (...

Ferruginol is a promising abietane-type antitumor diterpene able to induce apoptosis in SK-Mel-28 human malignant melanoma. We here aim to increase this activity by testing the effect of a small library of ferruginol analogues. After an screening of their antiproliferative activity (SRB staining) on SK-Mel-28 cells the analogue 18-aminoferruginol (...

“Yerba mate” (YM), an aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis, has antioxidant, diuretic, cardio-protective and hypoglycaemic properties. Since its effect on the pancreatic islets remains unclear, we evaluated insulin sensitivity and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in rats consuming YM or tap water (C) for 21 days. Glucose tolerance, gly...

Medicinal tree supplies are used worldwide in herbal preparations, cosmetics, medicines, teas, supplements and animal health products. There is growing demand for natural therapeutic products and further market opportunities are emerging for domestic cultivation of non-wood forest products including medicinal trees. Here, we focus on temperate wood...

This study aims to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic and anti-migratory effects of Marantodes pumilum Blume Kuntze plant extracts on prostate cancer cells, identify the active compound/s, and characterize their mechanism of action. The crude methanolic extract was partitioned into n-hexane (MPh), chloroform (MPc), and aqueous (MPa) extracts. Antiprol...

Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori (Malvaceae) grows in the Arabian Peninsula and is used for several medicinal purposes. To characterize the dermatological bioactivities of G. tenax in terms of its antimelanoma, antityrosinase and antioxidant activities. Cytotoxicity was assessed by cell proliferation and mitochondrial viability assays. Ability to inhib...

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains both a global health burden and a scientific challenge. We present a review of the molecular targets driving current drug discovery to fight this disease. Moreover, the preventable nature of most PCa cases represents an opportunity for phytochemicals as chemopreventive when adequately integrated into nutritional interv...

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains both a global health burden and a scientific challenge. We present a review of the molecular targets driving current drug discovery to fight this disease. Moreover, the preventable nature of most PCa cases represents an opportunity for phytochemicals as chemopreventive when adequately integrated into nutritional interv...

Background: Herb-drug interactions are nowadays an important decision factor in many healthcare interventions. Patients with cardiovascular risk factors such as hyperlipidemia and hypertension are usually prescribed long-term treatments. We need more informed decision tools to direct future clinical research and decision making to avoid HDI occurr...

Sustainable regeneration and domestication of native flora may present an opportunity to combat ecosystem degradation and food insecurity in a drier and hotter foreseeable future. Yeheb (Cordeauxia edulis) is one of indigenous plant, endemic to the drylands of Ethiopia and Somalia that can be an excellent candidate for mitigation of food insecurity...

Many medicinal plants species from European -such as Artemisia absinthium, Equisetum arvense, Lamium album, Malva sylvestris, Morus nigra, Passiflora incarnata, Frangula purshiana, and Salix alba- as well as Latin American traditions -such as Libidibia ferrea, Bidens pilosa, Casearia sylvestris, Costus spicatus, Monteverdia ilicifolia, Persea ameri...

Objectives Pharmacists are ideal partners for engaging with the needs and expectations of patients. They can play a vital role by providing information and supplying herbal medicines. In some community settings, pharmacists are also the main first point of care. This study explored Jordanian community pharmacists’ perspectives and knowledge of herb...

The relationship between lipid peroxidation and inflammation has been accepted as a paradigm in the field of topical inflammation. The underlying biochemical mechanisms may be summarised as unspecific oxidative damage followed by specific oxidative processes as the physio pathological response in skin tissues. In this experimental review we hypothe...

There have been numerous reports demonstrating that traditional herbal medicines may contain substances that are able to alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) and/or pharmacodynamics (PD) of conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Consequently, the efficacy of the conventional drug could be compromised by its concomitant intake with traditional herbal medicin...

Introduction: natural products are known to be a continuous source of potential anti-cancer agents due to their chemical and biological diversity. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic properties of medicinal plants and their mechanisms of action in human malignant melanoma cells. Methodology: The study investigated the effect of the...

Hydroxyanthraquinones from plants have been used as both medicinal active ingredients and adulterants in slimming food supplements. Although sensible doses of certain natural hydroxyanthraquinones for laxative effects are generally safe in the short term, chronic intake has been related to tumorigenic, carcinogenic, and genotoxic effects. However,...

The constitutive expression or overactivation of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes results in aberrant metabolism of arachidonic acid and poor prognosis in melanoma. Our aim is to compare the in vitro effects of selective COX-1 (acetylsalicylic acid), COX-2 (meloxicam), 5-LOX (MK-886 and AA-861), 12-LOX (baicalein) and 15-LOX (PD-...

Background Current recommendations for the self-management of SARS-Cov-2 disease (COVID-19) include self-isolation, rest, hydration, and the use of NSAID in case of high fever only. It is expected that many patients will add other symptomatic/adjuvant treatments, such as herbal medicines. Aims To provide a benefits/risks assessment of selected her...

Medicinal plants indicated for chronic diseases usually have good safety margins as they are intended for lifelong treatments. We hypothesized that they may provide patients with baseline protection to cancers and multidrug resistance-reversing phytochemicals resulting in successful prevention and/or adjuvant treatment of chemotherapy-resistant can...

Method: The plant selection is primarily based on species 32 listed by the WHO and EMA, but some other herbal remedies are considered due to their widespread use in respiratory conditions. Preclinical and clinical data on their efficacy and safety were collected from authoritative sources. Target population: adults with early flu symptoms without u...

We evaluate how 3-acetylation modulates the in vitro activity of ursolic acid in melanoma cells alone or in combination treatments with quercetin. Anti-proliferative studies on A375 cells and adult human dermal fibroblasts included analyses on cell cycle distribution, caspase activity, phosphatidylserine translocation, cell morphology and Bax/Bcl-2...

The present study evaluated antibacterial, plasmid conjugal transfer inhibition, growth kinetics and bacterial resistance modifying activities of methanol crude extracts from the fruits of Ligustrum lucidum (LLFE) and the leaves of Lobelia inflata (LILE) against a panel of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) expressing active efflux...

The Brazilian Unified Public Health System (SUS) produced a list of 71 plant species of interest (RENISUS), which could be made available to the population in the future. Although their indications, phytochemistry and acute toxicity are known to a certain extent, little is known about their potential effects upon pharmacokinetic predictors. The las...

The rise of diabetes incidence in Nigeria enhances the use of popular remedies that may interact with conventional therapies. The aqueous extracts of 27 popular Nigerian “antidiabetic” plants were tested for their in vitro effects on glutathione levels within HepG2 cells, P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated Rh-123 efflux activity in Caco-2 vincristine-r...

Diterpenes present complex structure and due to their unique carbon skeleton and interesting biological activities, have been the focus of continuous studies for the development of new anticancer agents. Phorbol esters have been known for their activity against skin malignancies since ancient times. Taxol was first studied in melanoma cells, and re...

We here aim to provide a detailed protocol to obtain an aged cell culture model, which is conveniently characterised in terms of morphology, metabolism, and key biochemical markers of senescence. Commercial Human Dermal Fibroblasts (HDF) (67-year-old female Asian donor) were cultured over a span of 35 passagesto determine at what passages they expr...

Worldwide, traditional treatments (including herbal medicines) and traditional practitioners are still the primary source of health for many millions of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for the incorporation of traditional medicine in public health services. However, for most of the traditional practices, information about eff...

This study aims to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic and anti-migratory effects of Ficus deltoidea L. on prostate cancer cells, identify the active compound/s and characterize their mechanism of actions. Two farmed varieties were studied, var. angustifolia (FD1) and var. deltoidea (FD2). Their crude methanolic extracts were partitioned into n-hexane...

Diphyllin and its derivatives are well known cytotoxic natural products structurally related to the anti-cancer drug podophyllotoxin. We here study their structure-activity relationship upon human melanoma cells for first time. To this end, human melanoma A375 cells were incubated with Justicidin B and its 4-methoxylated or 4-glycosylated derivativ...

Background. Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori (Tiliaceae) grows in the Arabian peninsula and the Southeast of Asia. In Saudi Arabia is commonly known as Guddaim and its aerial parts are used for several conditions [1]. Objective characterizing the potential cosmetic value of Grewia tenax in terms of its in vitro antityrosinase and antioxidant activities...

Staphylococcus species are among the most common resistant bacteria associated with the major cause of human ailments. The crude methanol extract from Ocimum americanum (OA) leaf was tested alone or in combination with norfloxacin (NOR) against strains of Staphylococcus aureus using the broth microdilution assay. The cytotoxicity of the OA extract...

Complex natural products such as herbal crude extracts, herbal semi purified fractions and Essential oils (EOs) are vastly used as active principles (APIs) of medicinal products in both Clinical and Complementary/Alternative Medicine. In the food industry, they are used to add 'functionality' to many nutraceuticals. However, the intrinsic variabili...

As part of our continuous efforts in screening the bioactivities of Saudi Arabian plants, we here characterize the in vitro cytotoxicity of Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori on the human melanoma A375 cell line with the SRB [1] and Alamar Blue [2] methods, its inhibition of melanogenesis by mushroom tyrosinase enzyme [3] and its free radical scavenging...

Erythrina mulungu Benth. (Fabaceae), Cordia verbenacea A. DC. (Boraginaceae), Solanum paniculatum L. (Solanaceae) and Lippia sidoides Cham. (Verbenaceae) are medicinal plant species native to Brazil shortlisted by the Brazilian National Health System for future clinical use. However, nothing is known about their effects in metabolic and transporter...

It is becoming increasingly evident that patients with diabetes do not rely only on prescription drugs for their disease management. The use of herbal medicines is one of the self-management practices adopted by these patients, often without the knowledge of their healthcare practitioners. This study assessed the potential for pharmacokinetic herb-...

The raise of cancer incidence in Nigeria prompts the search for chemopreventative approaches. The aqueous extracts of 26 popular medicinal plants used in this country were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against a panel of liver (HepG2)1, colon (Caco2)2 and skin (B16F10)1 cancer cells as well as their antimigratory effects using a 2D model3....

Erythrina mulungu Benth. (Fabaceae), Cordia verbenacea A. DC. (Boraginaceae), Solanum pa- niculatum L. (Solanaceae) and Lippia sidoides Cham. (Verbenaceae) are medicinal plants spe- cies native to Brazil and shortlisted by the Brazilian National Health System for future clinical use. However, nothing is known about their pharmacokinetic profile [1]...

The crude methanol extract of Rosa canina (RC) fruit was tested against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus SA1199B, EMRSA16 and XU212 harbouring NorA, PBP2a and TetK resistance mechanisms, respectively, as well as S. aureus ATCC25923, a standard antimicrobial susceptible laboratory str...

Introduction: The rising trend to consume herbal products for the treatment and/or prevention of minor ailments together with their chemical and pharmacological complexity means there is an urgent need to develop new approaches to their quality and stability. Objectives: This work looks at the application of one-dimensional diffusion-edited (1)H...

In South-East Asia herbal medicine plays a central role in traditional medicine (TM), defined here as practices based on local beliefs and experiences. However, the use of herbal drugs in biomedicine has been limited due to the lack of evidence on clinical data on its safety and efficacy, as well as uncertainty in its quality. In recent years ASEAN...

Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. As natural products are an important source of new anti-cancer lead compounds, the aim of this study is to screen selected Saudi medicinal plants for anti-melanoma activity by evaluating their effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle profile and apoptosis induction, as well as to chara...

In SouthEast Asia traditional medicine (TM) along with biomedicine has been used to maintain people's health for a long time. Each country in the region has different traditional medicine system, such as Thai TM, Malay TM, and Jamu. Since 2004, member states of Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have implemented World Health Organizatio...

Essential oils (EOs) are vastly used as natural antibiotics in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Their intrinsic chemical variability and synergisms/antagonisms between its components make difficult to ensure consistent effects through different batches. Our aim is to evaluate the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the predict...

Supplementary Data file contains the composition of the inputs (chemicals), the validation of the ANNs (linear regresions) and the correaltion between real values and predictions. The Excel file contains the raw data with the full composition of the essential oils.

Pomegranate juice and related products have long been used either in traditional medicine or as nutritional supplements claiming beneficial effects. Although there are several studies on this food plant, only few works have been performed with pomegranate juice or marketed products. The aim of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant effects of pom...

Covering: up to 2014 Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and accounts for about 3% of all cases of malignant tumour. Its incidence is increasing worldwide and it is becoming resistant to current therapeutic agents. Natural products continue to provide lead cytotoxic compounds for cancer treatment but less attention has bee...

Acanthus mollis (Acanthaceae), Achillea ligustica, Artemisia arborescens and Inula viscosa (Asteraceae) are used in Southern Italy against psoriasis and other skin diseases that occur with an imbalanced production of eicosanoids. We here assessed their in vitro effects upon 5-, 12-, 15-LOX and COX-1 enzymes as well as NFκB activation in intact cell...

Consumption of herbal medicines has been increasing worldwide. In Brazil, the use of herbal medicines is expanding due to the misconception of the "innocuous nature" of this type of therapy. Herbal medicines, as like any other xenobiotic, may cause pharmacokinetic alterations in the organism, leading to changes in both phase 1 and phase 2 metabolis...

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a highly popular herbal beverage in South America due to its high content of caffeine. Its hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties are of increasing interest in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders and for weight control. In the present study, we show for the first time both the local and systemic anti-inflammato...

A plethora of active compounds found in herbal medicines can serve as substrate for enzymes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics. When a medicinal plant is co-administered with a conventional drug and little or no information is known about the pharmacokinetics of the plant metabolites, there is an increased risk of potential herb-drug interac...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The prevalence of diabetes is on a steady increase worldwide and it is now identified as one of the main threats to human health in the 21st century. In Nigeria, the use of herbal medicine alone or alongside prescription drugs for its management is quite common. We hereby carry out a review of medicinal plants tradi...

The present paper reports the results of the methanol extract of Haplophyllum hispanicum Spach on single or repeated local 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) administration and in the oxazolone-induced contact-delayed hypersensitivity mouse ear edemas. Two topical anti-inflammatory aryl naphthalide lignans were isolated from the active fractio...

This study examined the textural and sensory effects of bread formulated using a Palmaria palmata protein hydrolysate with in vitro renin inhibitory properties. Four formulations were examined; a wheat flour control bread, a control bread containing 4% P. palmata protein hydrolysate, a buckwheat bread consisting of a blend of 70% wheat: 30% buckwhe...

Migraine has a heavy socioeconomic impact in terms of lost productivity and burden on the health care system. The efficacy of current drug regimens in migraine prophylaxis is limited, and therapeutic alternatives are needed. These include a range of herbal medicines based on butterbur, feverfew, St John's wort, and Ginkgo. Of these, Petadolex®, an...

The n-hexane extract of Lovage root was found to significantly inhibit the growth of both Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2) 155 and Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and therefore a bioassay-guided isolation strategy was undertaken. (Z)-Ligustilide, (Z)-3-butylidenephthalide, (E)-3-butylidenephthalide, 3-butylphthalide, α-prethapsenol, falcarindiol, levistolide...

This article gives a general overview of the most common herb-drug interactions, their different mechanisms and an update on the regulatory framework which regulates herbal medicines in the UK. It proposes strategies and information sources to support professional advice and therapeutic choices in everyday prescribing practice.

Renin is the initial rate limiting step in the renin angiotensinogen system (RAS). To combat hypertension, various stages of the RAS can be positively affected. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize renin inhibitory peptides from the red seaweed P. palmata for use in functional foods. Palmaria palmata protein was extracted and hydro...

The use of herbal medicines alongside conventional drugs for the therapeutic management of diseases is common practice particularly in chronic conditions. A recent field study carried out in Nigeria showed that more than 50% of diabetic patients co-administer herbal preparations with their prescription medicines, thereby raising the risks of herb-d...

Decoctions of the aerial parts of either Bupleurum rigidum or B. fruticescens are equally used in certain parts of Spain for the treatment of topical and musculoskeletal inflammations. In the present paper, their phytochemical profile and pharmacological value has been compared. After chromatographic and spectral analyses we could establish the pre...

The genus Haplophyllum (Rutaceae) comprises about 70 species with rich phytochemistry. The characteristic classes of secondary metabolites present throughout this genus include flavonols, coumarins, lignans and alkaloids, many of them endowed with remarkable bioactivities including antiinflammatory, antiparasitary, anticancer and antiviral effects....

The plant steroid 20-hydroxyecdysterone (20E) and 20E-containing extracts from Leuzea carthamoides (Willd.) DC are sold with claims of anabolic and immunomodulatory effects. Yet their effect on the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a key player in immune response and cell fate, and their influence on the NF-κB-inhibiting activity of ste...

This study explores historical iatrosophia texts from Cyprus from a botanical and medico-pharmacological point of view focusing on remedies containing resins and gums. The iatrosophia are a genre of Greek medical literature of Byzantine origin and can be described as medicine handbooks which serve as therapeutic repositories containing recipes or a...

The aim of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the antibacterial activity and MurE inhibition of a set of N-methyl-2-alkenyl-4-quinolones found to inhibit the growth of fast-growing mycobacteria. Using the spot culture growth inhibition assay, MICs were determined for Mycobacterium tuberculosis H(37)Rv, Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Mycobacter...

In continuation of our search for bioactive natural products from Thai medicinal plants as potential anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant agents [1], Gynura pseudochina (L.) var. hispida Thv. (GPH) (Asteraceae) was studied for potential NF-kB inhibitory compounds. Traditionally the fresh leaves and rhizomes have been used externally to tre...

The iatrosophia is a genre of historical medical Greek texts rooted in the Byzantine Empire [1]. Here we use a diachronic approach based on the medicinal knowledge contained in six iatrosophia related to Cyprus from the 17th to 20th century mostly written by monks [2]. We juxtapose this ancient knowledge with modern knowledge collected in an ethnob...

In order to assess traditional Thai claims about the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants and to select plants for future phytochemical research, nine plant species with anti-inflammatory uses were selected from Thai textbooks and assessed for their in vitro anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. Nuclear factor-kappaB...

IntroductionThe antioxidant properties of essential oils (EOs) have been on the centre of intensive research for their potential use as preservatives or nutraceuticals by the food industry. The enormous amount of information already generated on this subject provides a rich field for data-miners as it is conceivable, with suitable computational tec...

Our objective was to compare the antioxidant properties and cardiovascular effects in ischemia–reperfusion of leaves aqueous extracts of Ilex brasiliensis (B) and Ilex paraguariensis (P). In vitro systems were used to assess the antioxidant properties of the extracts. Isolated rat hearts were treated with both extracts before ischemia and myocardia...

For centuries, in the Eastern Mediterranean region, medicinal plant use has been widely accepted as a treatment method for both minor and major diseases. Although some knowledge exists on the use of such medicinal plants within the Greek Cypriot culture and considerable information is available on various regions in Turkey, no detailed ethnopharmac...

Tinctures are widely used liquid pharmaceutical preparations traditionally obtained by maceration of one or more medicinal plants in ethanol-water solutions. Such a process results in the extraction of virtually hundreds of structurally diverse compounds with different polarities. Owing to the large chemical diversity of the constituents present in...

Nine plant species with anti-inflammatory effects were selected from Thai textbooks. It is expected that long history of their uses might offer opportunities for the discovery of novel anti-inflammatory and/or anticancer agents. In this study, anti-inflammatory NF-κB inhibitory activities were determined by luciferase assay and effects on LPS-induc...