Roberta Ascrizzi

Università di Pisa | UNIPI · Department of Pharmacy

The essential oils (EOs) from nine species (Artemisia campestris, A. herba-alba, Juniperus foetidissima, Laurus nobilis, Mentha pulegium, M. spicata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris) of the Algerian flora have been hydrodistilled, analysed, and tested for their antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. A. campest...

The chemical compositions of the essential oils of Pittosporum tobira organs and of the volatile organic compounds emitted were identified. The EOs are extracted by hydrodistillation and the VOCs by head space. The main EOs compounds are α‐neoclovene, β‐caryophyllene and limonene in roots. Viridiflorol in young stems, flowers and young leaves (34.9...

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. commonly known as fenugreek, is an important economic and medicinal plant cultivated in various regions of the world. Fenugreek produces several important active chemical constituents that determine its pharmacological properties. The aim of this research was to analyze the volatile constituents spontaneously emitted by...

As synthetic insecticides cause many adverse effects, plant-based materials, mainly essential oils, are becoming popular as safer alternatives. It is in this context that the current study was included to show for the first time the chemical profiles and the insecticidal efficacy of Ferula tunetana (F. tunetana) leaf (LEO) and stem (SEO) essential...

The concept of Industry 5.0 is novel from many points of view, as it fosters the transition to a sustainable, human-centric, resilient European industry. To reach this ambitious goal, it is necessary to act simultaneously on many fronts, starting from guaranteeing basic human rights (e.g., privacy, independence, and dignity) and paying attention to...

In this work, we investigated aroma volatiles emanated by dry roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of Cardaria draba (L.) Desv. growing wild in Tunisia and its aerial part essential oils (EOs) composition. A total of 37 volatile organic compounds (96.7%–98.9%) were identified; 4 esters, 4 alcohols, 7 hydrocarbons, 12 aldehydes, 5 ketones, 1 la...

The resin essential oil (REO) of Araucaria heterophylla trunk bark was investigated for its chemical composition. Then, it was evaluated for its insecticidal and allelopathic activities. The REO was obtained by hydrodistillation for 9 h (yield of 4.2% w/w). Moreover, fractional hydrodistillation was carried out at 3-hour intervals, resulting in 3 f...

Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Dryophtoridae) represents one of the most important pests of stored products. The adults are considered very effective packaging penetrators, causing serious economic losses. Hence, the development of new food packaging technologies is crucial to prevent its infestations. In this study, Citrus × aurantium L., Ele...

Cutaneous myiasis is a severe worldwide medical and veterinary issue. In this trial the essential oil (EO) of the Andean medicinal plant species Clinopodium nubigenum (Kunth) Kuntze was evaluated for its bioactivity against the myiasis-inducing blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera Calliphoridae) and compared with that of the well-known medici...

Aromatic plant essential oils (EOs) represent a promising alternative to synthetic compounds for humans, food and crop protection from insect pests. However, although many studies have demonstrated the toxic and repellent effect of EOs against harmful insects, some studies indicate that EOs can act, on the contrary, as attractants for harmful insec...

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), being a multiharvest crop, can increase farm profitability and cropping system diversification, including in marginal areas. Since inflorescence essential oil (EO) represents a valuable co-product for cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of pedoclimatic conditions...

Sustainable packaging has been steadily gaining prominence within the food industry, with biobased materials emerging as a promising substitute for conventional petroleum-derived plastics. This review is dedicated to the examination of innovative biobased materials in the context of bread packaging. It aims to furnish a comprehensive survey of rece...

In recent years, essential oils (EOs) have received interest due to their antibacterial properties. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the EOs obtained from seven species of Salvia on three strains of Listeria monocytogenes (two serotyped wild strains and one ATCC strain), a bacterium able to contaminate food p...

Due to the several side effects of synthetic pesticides, including environmental pollution, threats to human health, and the development of pest resistance to insecticides, the use of alternative healthy, available and efficient agents in pest management strategies is necessary. Recently, the use of essential oil obtained from aromatic plants has s...

Consumers’ appreciation of wines is mainly driven by their aroma, which is the most important organoleptic characteristic and key attribute. The volatile bouquet derives from the grape berries and from the processing phases of vinification. In the present study, the volatile emission of six grapevine cultivars has been analysed through four phases...

Meat production has a higher economic and ecological impact than other commodities. The reduction in meat loss and waste throughout the whole supply chain is a demanding challenge. In recent years, the interest in the food-grade polysaccharide chitosan (CH) and essential oils (EOs) employed as allies in meat protection has increased. In this work,...

The Nemo’s Garden® project is an alternative production system for areas with scarce cultivable land but significant presence of water; thus, it is an interesting intervention to address the climate crisis. This work aimed to evaluate the micromorphological, biochemical, and phytochemical characteristics of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni grown...

The emergence of new multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens brought attention to the need for new antimicrobial compounds. One of the advances in addressing the global issue of antibiotic resistance is the discovery that microorganisms residing inside medicinal plants (i.e., the endophytes) may contribute to the production of metabolites of pharmaceut...

Comparative chemical analyses among peel and pulp essential oils (EOs) and methanolic extracts of four Citrus australasica varieties (Red, Collette, Pink Ice, and Yellow Sunshine), and the hybrid Faustrime, were performed using GC-MS and UHPLC-DAD-HR-Orbitrap/ESI-MS. Peel and pulp extracts were also analysed for their in vitro antioxidant activity...

Few studies have investigated at the same time how physicochemical, volatile, and sensory characteristics affect coffee liking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of geographical origin and variety on physicochemical parameters and volatile compounds composition of mono‐origin and mono‐variety coffees. Check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) me...

In line with the actual increasing request of innovative and alternative tools aimed to reduce the use of chemicals in favor of more sustainable agriculture and food systems, natural products, such as essential oils (EOs), represent a valid alternative to pesticides. Essential oils contain antioxidant and antimicrobial constituents able to act agai...

Background: The altitudinal and geographical variability of the Aurès mountains of Algeria favored the existence of some endemic and rare varieties of medicinal plants. The aim of the present work is to determine the chemical composition, antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of the essential oils (EOs) from aerial parts of four medicinal plants...

Background: The genus Achillea is rich in essential oil (EO) with high chemical diversity. In this study, eight EO samples obtained from flowers and leaves of Achillea ligustica All. collected on the Mediterranean mainland and island locations were analyzed to evaluate their possible chemical diversity. Methods: Sixteen samples of EO were analyzed...

Background: The genus Achillea is rich in essential oil (EO) with high chemical diversity. In this study, eight EO samples obtained from flowers and leaves of Achillea ligustica All. collected on the Mediterranean mainland and island locations were analyzed to evaluate their possible chemical diversity. Methods: Sixteen samples of EO were analyz...

The present work is an evaluation of the chemical composition of the aroma and the sen-sorial characters of a beer flavored with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flowers. Moreover, the total polyphe-nol, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents and the antioxidant activity of the plant materials and beers were assessed. A comparison with a liqueur flavored with th...

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the screening of natural active ingredients from Eucalyptus essential oils because of their evident importance in practical utility and their undeniable therapeutic properties. Based on this, the aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical profile of the essential oils of the trunk...

As it mimics olfactory perception, headspace analysis is frequently used for examination of products like chocolate, in which aroma is a key feature. Chemical analysis by itself, however, only provides half the picture, as final consumer’s perception cannot be compared to that of a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) port, but rather to a...

Eliciting plants consists in the application of chemical, physical, and biological factors that induce stressful conditions, and so trigger defense mechanisms and the production of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. In this study, the phenolic and volatile organic compound (VOCs) profiles of sage leaves under a chronic ozone (O3) exposure (120...

Blowflies are vectors of microorganisms and human pathogens, and their maggots cause myiasis in vertebrates and infest and spoil meat and fish products. Essential oils (EOs) from spices were proven to be a safer and more sustainable alternative to synthetic insecticides for the control of blowflies and are suitable for protecting food from such pes...

Cannabis sativa L. is a multi-purpose crop, whose resilience, adaptability and soil-enriching properties make it a low-impact production. In the last years, the cultivation of the “industrial” hemp varieties (THC < 0.2%) has been promoted by many Countries, opening a whole new market of hemp-derived products, such as its essential oil (EO). Its dis...

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual herb cultivated since ancient times for different purposes. While in the past hemp inflorescences were considered crop residues, today they are employed for the extraction of their essential oil (EO), which has gained an increasing interest thanks to its several activities in different fields of application. The aim...

Teucrium chamaedrys L. (Lamiaceae) cultivated at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Lombardy, Northern Italy) was studied through a four-level research approach: 1) micromorphological and 2) histochemical to describe the features of the glandular trichomes on the vegetative and reproductive organs and the chemical nature of their secretory products, by m...

Ferulago campestris is an aromatic plant, distributed in Mediterranean Europe, and a source of essential oils (EOs) regarded as promising alternatives to synthetic herbicides and pesticides. F. campestris EO, hydrodistilled and analyzed, was tested for its antigerminative activity and for its effect on radicle elongation, hydrogen peroxide concentr...

Introduction: Cannabis sativa L. (C. sativa) is used since ancient times to produce fabrics, baskets, and cords. Later, different ethnic groups used to burn the leaves and flowers of psychotropic cultivars with high Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC) levels, during the religious or propitiatory rites to alter the state of consciousness. To date, it i...

Natural elicitors from macroalgae may affect plant secondary metabolites. Ulvan is a sulfated heteropolysaccharide extracted from green seaweed, acting as both a plant biotic protecting agent, and a plant elicitor, leading to the synthesis of signal molecules. In this work, the aqueous extract of Ulva intestinalis L., mainly composed of ulvan, was...

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual species cultivated since antiquity for different purposes. While, in the past, hemp inflorescences were considered crop residues, at present, they are regarded as valuable raw materials with different applications, among which extraction of the essential oil (EO) has gained increasing interest in many fields. The aim...

This work presents the volatile compounds and phenolic profile investigation of the leaves of Brassica oleracea L. growing in Tunisia, together with antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Volatile constituents were determined by HS-SPME coupled to GC/MS, and the results showed that α-pinene (31.6%) and limonene (16.9%) were the main volatiles. T...

The aim of this work is to analyze the chemical composition of Cymbopogon citratus, Salvia officinalis and Origanum majorana essential oils (EO) and evaluate their repellent effects on economically significant aphid species. The hydrodistillation yields of the plant's aerial parts were 0.45%, 0.32% and 0.25% for O. majorana, S. officinalis and C. c...

Nowadays, plants have become one of the promising sources of chemical compounds that are used in several applications especially in the medicinal. This study aims to illustrate the variability of the chemical composition and the antibacterial activity essential oils of two endemic species in Morocco: Origanum grosii Pau & Font Quer and Origanum elo...

• Within the Open Science project entitled “Botanic Garden, factory of molecules”, a multidisciplinary study approach was applied on Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth., preserved at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Italy). • Micromorphological, histochemical, and phytochemical investigations were conducted on the vegetative and repr...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Albizia lebbeck and Albizia zygia are used in Nigeria, South Africa and other countries for the treatment of flu, fever, pain, epilepsy, and inflammation. Aim of the Study: Application of plant essence for treating ailments is common among local communities. This research was designed to characterize the volatile comp...

In this preliminary study, two non-filtered virgin olive oils (one freshly produced VOO-N; one VOO-O stored for one year) were subjected to moisture removal with mineral clay (raw or activated) and analyses were performed to attest possible effects on the quality of the product. The results demonstrated that the treatment of oil with mineral clay a...

The aim of the present research was to determine the chemical composition and the cytotoxic effects of Tetraclinis articulata trunk bark essential oil (HEE) obtained by steam distillation and five fractions obtained by normal phase silica chromatographic separation. Chemical analysis allowed the identification of 54 known compounds. Relatively high...

Microgreens are the seedlings of herbs and vegetables which are harvested at the development stage of their two cotyledonary leaves, or sometimes at the emergence of their rudimentary first pair of true leaves. They are functional foods, the consumption of which is steadily increasing due to their high nutritional value. The species of the Brassica...

Arabian flora is a rich source of bioactive compounds. In this study, we investigated three aromatic plant species with the aim of finding valuable sources of antimicrobial agents against common pathogenic microorganisms. We focused especially on microorganisms, which cause outbreaks of infectious disease during mass gatherings and pilgrimages seas...

Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is a promising medicinal and aromatic plant for Mediterranean agroecosystems given its positive agronomic attributes and interesting quality features. It has both food and pharmaceutical applications, since its leaves contain sweet-tasting steviol glycosides (SVglys) and bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, flavonoids...

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the variation of the chemical composition of the seeds and stems essential oils of Pituranthos tortuosus (Coss.) Maire collected from three regions of Tunisia (Bousaid (Sfax), Rgeb (Sidi Bouzid) and Majoura (Gafsa)).Method The seeds and the stems were hydrodistillated during 4 h by using a Clevenger-t...

Blowflies play a substantial role as vectors of microorganisms, including human pathogens. The control of these insect pests is an important aspect of the prevention of foodborne diseases, which represent a significant public health threat worldwide. Among aromatic plants, spices essential oils (EOs) are the most suitable to protect food from insec...

A plant can combine physical and chemical tools to interact with other organisms. Some are designed for pollinator attraction (i.e., colors and volatile organic compounds-VOCs); others can act to discourage herbivores (i.e., non-glandular trichomes). Few studies fully address available tools in a single species; notwithstanding, this information ca...

Because of the need to source biologically active products from plants, this paper reports the chemical compounds, anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of essential oils hydrodistilled from the leaves and stem bark of Turnera diffusa Wild (Passifloraceae). The essential oils were separately isolated using hydrodistillation of the pulve...

This study presented a micromorphological and phytochemical survey on Lavandula dentata L. cultivated at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Italy). The morphological investigation revealed the presence of peltate, short- and medium-stalked capitate trichomes. The histochemical survey showed terpenes production by peltates and mediu...

Within an Open Science project, a research was carried out to describe to the public of the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (BS, Lombardy, Italy), the invisible features of plants. This work is dedicated to Scutellaria altissima L. (Lamiaceae). Micromorphological, histochemical and phytochemical investigations were conducted on the vegetative and reproduct...

The essential oils extracted from mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) fruits, and from tea tree (Maleleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betche) Cheel) leaves have been chemically analyzed and tested for their bioactivity against D. suzukii. Besides, to estimate consumers’ acceptability of the essential oil (EO) treatments, we evaluated their impact on...

Myrtle-leaved orange, or chinotto, is a Chinese lesser-known citrus, nowadays cultivated in all the Mediterranean area of Italy. Its fruits are traditionally used in the confectionary and beverage industries: the former mainly uses the unripe fruits, while the juice of the ripe ones is the core ingredient of the well-known Italian soft drink “Chino...

Essential oils (EOs) extracted from the aromatic plants Artemisia annua, Artemisia verlotiorum, Cinnamomum verum, and Citrus reticulata were investigated as repellents against the honey bees parasitic mite Varroa destructor. In laboratory tests, all EOs except C. reticulata exerted significant repellent activity against the mite after 24 h exposure...

Essential oils have been widely used for their antimicrobial and antifungal properties, but their instability to light and high volatility limit their clinical use. Useful strategies to improve their biopharmaceutical properties are vesicular drug delivery systems, particularly liposomes. The aim of the present study was to extract, characterize, a...

In the context of a wide research project, a micromorphological and phytochemical characterization was performed on the vegetative and reproductive organs of Scutellaria caucasica A. Ham. (Lamiaceae), cultivated at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Lombardy, Italy). The morphological survey revealed the presence of both non-glandu...

The essential oil was obtained by separate hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of Carduncellus pinnatus (Desf.) DC. (Asteraceae) and was analyzed by means of gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Hundred and four compounds were detected, accounting for 95.29 % of the total oil, which is characterized by a hig...

The insurgence of antibiotic resistance and emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens prioritize research to discover new antimicrobials. In this context, medicinal plants produce bioactive compounds of pharmacological interest: some extracts have antimicrobial properties that can contrast different pathogens. For such a purpose, Origanum vu...

A micromorphological and phytochemical survey was performed on Scutellaria brevibracteata subsp. subvelutina cultivated in Italy. The indumentum of the vegetative and reproductive organs was investigated: peltate, short-, medium-and long-stalked capitates were described. Histochemistry evidenced similar results for pel-tates and long-stalked capita...

“Aglione della Valdichiana” is listed among the Traditional Agronomic and Edible Products of Italy, as it is a typical product of the Chiana Valley (Tuscany, Italy). It is also known as “elephant garlic”, due to the dimension of its cloves, and, other than in the Italian Mediterranean area, its presence is also reported in North Africa and Southwes...

Cannabis sativa L. is a multi-purpose crop, traditionally used for fibre and seed production, whose cultivation is permitted in Europe for varieties complying with the Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol 0.2% threshold. To face the need for a more sustainable agriculture system, the circularization of the crop industries is of the utmost importance. For hemp,...

Iris lutescens is a rhizomatous species of the Iridaceae family, generally found in the dry areas of the Mediterranean basin. It is characterised by large flowers, exhibiting a colour polymorphism in two varieties (yellow and purple). Even though it can grow on calcareous soils, it is reported as a serpentine-preferential taxon. In this work, the v...

In this study, the essential oils (EOs) of six Algerian plants (Artemisia campestris L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Juniperus phoenicea L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Mentha pulegium L. and Lavandula officinalis Chaix) were obtained by hydrodistillation, and their compositions determined by GC-MS and GC-FID. The antioxidant activity of the EOS was eva...

Among the hundreds of reported Achillea species, A. membranacea (Labill.) DC. is one of the six that grow in Jordan. Many species of this genus are used in folk medicine to treat a variety of ailments and several biological and pharmacological activities have been ascribed to their essential oil (EO). For this study, the EO obtained from a specimen...