Tiane Finimundy

• PhD in Biotechnology
• PostDoc Position at Polytechnic Institute of Bragança

This study compares the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of extracts obtained using heat-assisted extraction (HAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), both optimized through response surface methodology (RSM), with the primary goal of maximizing the extraction of bioactive compounds from Thymus vulgaris L. Eight phenolic compound...

Background/aim: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infectious agent and, in cases of persistent infection, may cause cancer. This study evaluated the toxicological and antitumor properties of Mentha spicata extract (MSE) in KP14HPV16 mice, which carry HPV16 oncogenes. Materials and methods: Thirty-three female FVB...

The use of acid whey as a biological-based solvent may be an innovative and sustainable strategy to add value to agro-industrial by-products. This study assessed acid whey as a solvent for extracting anthocyanins from discarded red cabbage leaves. Methods such as Heating and Stirring Extraction (HSE), Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE), and Press...

Schematic representation of the action mechanisms and phytochemicals in Tamarindus indica waste for managing diabetes and obesity.

The Asteraceae family has been of significant concern for ethnobotanical studies, thanks to its health‐promoting properties linked to a plethora of bioactive compounds, among which phenolic compounds play a critical role. In this work, a workflow based on computational chemometrics was employed to assess the authenticity and biomarker search of fiv...

Underutilized plant species such as Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) Less., Haloxylon scoparium Pomel, and Ruta chalepensis L. have been historically valued in traditional medicine for their potential health benefits. These species present an untapped source of bioactive compounds with significant applications in the food and pharmaceutical industri...

Background/Objectives: Cork oak forests have been declining due to fungal pathogens such as Diplodia corticola. However, the preventive fungicides against this fungus have restricted use due to the deleterious effects on human health and the environment, prompting the need for sustainable alternatives. Here, we describe the antifungal activity of a...

Effects of hydroponic cultivation with enriched concentrations of magnesium (+Mg), manganese (+Mn), combinations of +Mg and +Mn, or decreased concentrations of these minerals (control) on the chemical/bioactive attributes of basil, were investigated.

Wild edible greens are a key ingredient of the so-called Mediterranean diet and they are commonly used in various local dishes in their raw or processed form. Domestic processing of edible greens may affect their nutritional value and chemical profile. In this work, six wild species (e.g., Cichorium spinosum L. (S1); Centaurea raphanina subsp. mixt...

Purpose Rubus idaeus cultivation has boosted productivity due to its high nutritional value. In consequence, waste production increased. The discarded biomass, including leaves and aerial components, can be transformed into valuable functional ingredients for industrial applications, such as cosmetics. Studying their bioactivity potential is highly...

The Lamiaceae family, which includes several well-known aromatic plants, is scientifically relevant due to its essential oils (EOs). In this work, four EOs from Mediterranean species, namely Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., and Thymus vulgaris L., were evaluated for their volatile profiles and the biological ac...

Cistus ladanifer L., Acacia dealbata L., and Aloysia citrodora Paláu were subject to an optimization procedure for two extraction techniques (heat-assisted extraction (HAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE)). The extracts were then analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS for their phenolic profile (cistus—15 compounds, acacia—21 compounds, and lemon ver...

The Plectranthus genus (Lamiaceae) is known to be rich in abietane diterpenes. The bioactive 6,7-dehydroxyroyleanone (DHR, 1) was previously isolated from Plectranthus madagascariensis var. madagascariensis and var. aliciae. This study aimed to explore the occurrence of DHR, 1, in P. aliciae and the potential bioactivities of new semisynthetic deri...

Purpose: Rubus idaeus cultivation has boosted productivity due to its high nutritional value. In consequence, waste production increased. The discarded biomass, including leaves and aerial components, can be transformed into valuable functional ingredients for industrial applications, such as cosmetics. Studying their bioactivity potential is of hi...

Background: Grape agri-food wastes, such as skin, seeds, and other discarded by-products, contain phytochemical compounds that offer potential health benefits. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the polyphenol composition and bioactivities of different extracts obtained from grape marc and seeds, with the goal of exploring their potential for...

Plant extracts (PEs) are natural substances that perform interesting bioactivities. However, they have some limitations. In this work, PEs from licorice, eucalyptus, sage, and thyme were produced and characterized. These extracts showed good bioactive properties. Alginate-based edible coatings and films incorporated with the extracts were produced...

Fistulina antarctica and Ramaria patagonica are wild edible fungi from Patagonia, which produce mushrooms that have been consumed since ancient times by those in local communities. Both species possess high protein and low fat contents and other bioactive compounds with remarkable antioxidant activity. Drying is a widely and commonly practiced pres...

Consumer demand for natural and healthier products has led to an increasing interest in the bioactive and therapeutic properties of plant extracts. In this study, we evaluated the phenolic compounds profile, bioactivities, and toxicities of plant extracts from eight European flora species, including Calendula officinalis L., Calluna vulgaris (L.) H...

Opportunities for the valorisation of agro-industrial residues of the chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) production chain have been fostered with the production of multifunctional polyphenol-rich extracts with the potential to be introduced as natural additives or active components in several products. Nonetheless, it is crucial to explore the feasib...

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women, and a leading cause of death worldwide. Santolina chamaecyparissus L. is a plant with multiple health benefits, including anticancer and anti-diabetic properties. This study aimed to assess the chemopreventive effects of S. chamaecyparissus aqueous extract (SCE) in an animal model of mammary c...

This work proposes the application of astaxanthin-rich H. pluvialis wet paste (HPW) as a partial substitute for wheat flour in the preparation of filloas, a dish that combines the basic ingredients of industrial bakery. The nutritional and color profile of HPW-enriched samples was evaluated by comparative analysis with a mixture of synthetic food d...

Juniperus communis L. is a species commonly grown in regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and is a good candidate to be cultivated in marginal lands. Plants coming from a pruning performed in a natural population located in Spain were used to assess the yield and quality of different products obtained following the cascade principle. A total of 1050...

Sanguisorba minor Scop. is a wild edible species distributed in the Mediterranean area and present in numerous traditional food recipes. In the present study, the assessment of nutritional value (ash, carbohydrates, fat, proteins, energy, free sugars, organic acids, tocopherols, fatty acid composition, and minerals) of wild and domesticated S. mino...

Grumixama, Eugenia brasiliensis Lam., is a Brazilian berry little explored commercially and scientifically. However, local small producers market this fruit in the form of frozen pulp, which generates bioresidues, composed of seeds and peels. With the view to propose strategies for valuing grumixama, this study aimed to determine the chemical compo...

Due to a lack of innovative valorization strategies, pomegranate processing generates a significant amount of residues with a negative environmental footprint. These by-products are a rich source of bioactive compounds with functional and medicinal benefits. This study reports the valorization of pomegranate leaves as a source of bioactive ingredie...

Plants are rich in bioactive phytochemicals that often display medicinal properties. These can play an important role in the production of health-promoting food additives and the replacement of artificial ones. In this sense, this study aimed to characterise the polyphenolic profile and bioactive properties of the decoctions, infusions and hydroeth...

Terpenes are the largest and most diverse group of naturally occurring compounds found in plants. They can be classified according to the number of isoprene units, the most common being monoterpenes (C10), sesquiterpenes (C15), diterpenes (C20), and triterpenes (C30). Besides being the principal constituents of essential oils and playing fundamenta...

Purpose The interest in using bioresidues produced by the agri-food industry is increasingly intrinsic to the world economy. As such, researchers started to look for new ways to enhance its use, developing innovations to transform these residues into high-value raw materials with industrial application, promoting the circular economy concept. Meth...

The post-harvest stage of crops aims to minimize losses occuring during storage and commercialization. Drying process are some of the most used methods to minimize those losses. This work aimed at studying the drying kinetics of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), subject to two different drying conditions, one of which in an experimental fixed-bed d...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. Santolina chamaecyparissus L. has successfully inhibited the MCF-7 cancer cell line. This study aims to evaluate the chemopreventive effects of S. chamaecyparissus aqueous extract (SCE) on female rats’ physiological parameters with mammary cancer induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). The institu...

Breast cancer is the most often diagnosed cancer worldwide, with the greatest fatality rate among women in 2021. Santolina chamaecyparissus L. has been shown to successfully inhibit cancer cells’ proliferation, especially in the human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell line. This study’s goal was to evaluate the chemopreventive potential of a S. ch...

Pineapple is a tropical fruit consumed fresh or processed into various food products. However, the peel and crown of this fruit are not industrially exploited, thus generating tons of by-products that represent an economic and environmental concern. In order to promote the upcycling of these by-products, this work aimed to characterize the phenolic...

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) have been described as a source of phenolic compounds with potential as antioxidant, antiproliferative and antimicrobial agents. MAP from the Lamiaceae family (Origanum vulgare L., Thymus vulgaris L., Ocimum basilicum L., Salvia officinalis L., Melissa officinalis L., and Matricaria chamomilla L.) were selected t...

Since ancient times plants have been used in natural therapies as a remedy against diseases. However, the use of medicinal plants is growing because they have many compounds of great interest with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties [1]. In particular, Chamaemelum nobile (L) All. belonging to the Asteraceae family is known...

In the present study, the chemical profile and bioactive properties of the roots of turnip-rooted parsley (Petroselinum crispum spp. tuberosum) germplasm were evaluated. For this purpose, plants from seventeen parsley cultivars were grown in 6 L pots, and the obtained roots were analyzed in terms of nutritional value, chemical composition (tocopher...

The flowers of Borago officinalis L. (Boraginaceae), commonly known as borage, are widely used as a culinary ingredient. The aim of this study was to assess the potential benefits of fresh borage flower extract related to antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti-aging properties. The extract was obtained by Soxhlet extraction with ethanol as a solvent...

Condiments and culinary supplements are subjected to long-term storage and may undergo physical, chemical, and biological changes that can influence their quality. Thus, the objective of the present study was to analyze the drying kinetics of rose pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) fruits in an oven with forced air circulation at different tem...

Medicinal plants have been traditionally used throughout time as therapeutic treatments. These plants possess different compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of industrial interest. In particular, the plants Achillea millefolium L., Arnica montana L., Calendula of icinalis L., Chamaemelum nobile L. All. and Tara...

The application of bioactive extracts from Cichorium intybus L. and Plantago coronopus L. species were incorporated as a functional ingredient in fresh egg pasta (Fettuccine). In that sense, a pasta making procedure was accessed using different concentrations of the plant extracts (0.25-0.63 mg/g), drying times (20-420 min) and drying temperatures...

Cupressus sempervirens L., Juniperus communis L. and Cistus ladanifer L. are Mediterranean arboreal and shrub species that possess essential oils (EO) in their leaves and branches. This study aimed at characterizing the EOs obtained by steam distillation from the three species collected in different locations from Spain (Almazán, Andévalo, Barrioma...

Haematococcus pluvialis Flotow is a microalga used as a nutraceutical, due to its high content in bioactive compounds, mainly carotenoids, in which astaxanthin stands out [1]. Furthermore, H. pluvialis has shown a high antioxidant potential, and combined with its intense red colour, this microalga could have dual functionality: as a colourant and a...

The equilibrium between reactive species formation and antioxidant defenses (endogenous and exogenous) is essential for normal organism functioning. The oxidation–reduction reactions responsible for this equilibrium are critical to maintaining many cellular processes and cell survival mechanisms. However, under specific biotic and abiotic stresses,...

The family Asteraceae constitutes a plant family that contains a wide range of medicinal plants, especially in Galicia (NW Spain), where some species have been used in traditional medicine. In this work, five Asteraceae species were selected to develop their phenolic profiling and determine their associated bioactivities, namely Achillea millefoliu...

Natural products play a crucial role in new drug and food ingredient development. Amaranthaceae family plants have been used in traditional Asian and middle eastern medicine. This practice and empirical knowledge is a clue to the presence of bioactive constituents in these plants, which can be a promising source of valuable compounds with possible...

Moringa oleifera Lam. is a nutraceutical edible plant used to fight malnutrition in developing countries. This investigation describes the nutritional, chemical and bioactive assets of wild and commercially acquired M. oleifera leaves from Guinea-Bissau. Both samples presented significant differences in the contents of almost all the analysed param...

The present study focused on the biological analysis of five plants: Achillea millefolium, Arnica montana, Calendula officinalis, Chamaemelum nobile and Taraxacum officinale. The results indicated that A. montana extracts showed the highest content of phenolic compounds. Regarding the biological properties, A. millefolium had outstanding antioxidan...

Plants have been widely employed in traditional medicine, known as medicinal plants, and, currently, they play an important role in the design of modern drugs and healthy foods. Numerous studies have reported that the health-enhancing properties of medicinal plants (e.g., antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, etc.) are a consequence of the biosynt...

Medicinal plants have been traditionally used throughout time as therapeutic treatment. These plants possess different compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of great interest at an industrial level. In particular, the plant Calendula officinalis L, belonging to Asteraceae family, have shown relevant applications...

In this work, the chemical and nutritional composition of three Amaranthaceae species (Alternanthera sessilis, Dicliptera chinensis, and Dysphania ambrosioides) was studied. The results showed a differential flavonoid content in the three species: A. sessilis and D. ambrosioides showed similar flavonoid contents (15.1 ± 0.6 and 15.1 ± 0.1 mg/g extr...

Two of the most prevalent diseases around the globe are currently cancer and resistant bacteria-mediated infections. Despite the numerous advances that have been made in recent years against tumoral diseases and in the discovery of antibiotics, these diseases are still leading causes of worldwide deaths. Therefore, the search for compounds with cyt...

Biostimulants are a novel and eco-friendly agronomic tool with practical applications in alleviating negative effects of environmental stressors. The present work studied the effects of three biostimulant products (Nomoren (N), Twin-Antistress (TW), and X-Stress (XS)) under normal irrigation (W+) and water deficit irrigation conditions (W−) on the...

Currently, medicinal plants have had a great relevance due to their beneficial healthy properties. Many studies reflect that these biological properties, such as antioxidant, antitumor, antimicrobial activities are related to different bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds. Although some of their mechanisms of action are unknown, in man...

Recent studies have dealt about the phenolic compounds and the nutraceutical properties of Sanguisorba minor Scop and about the possibility of their domestication to standardise the plant production. However, it is also known that the storage conditions can affect the bioactive compounds present in plants. Thus, wild (W) and domesticated (F1, F2, F...

The application of natural compounds extracted from seaweeds is a promising eco-friendly alternative solution for harmful algae control in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the anti-cyanobacterial activity of three Moroccan marine macroalgae essential oils (EOs) was tested and evaluated on unicellular Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacterium....

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of partially replacing two types of wheat flour (low ash content [type 55] and high ash content [type 65]) with Prosopis pallida (mesquite) pod flour (0, 5, 10, 15%) on the nutritional quality and staling of composite breads. Mesquite flour (MF) enhanced the nutritional quality by increasing th...

Lovage (Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch) is an aromatic plant from the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family used as a condiment in several regions of Europe and also described to have medicinal properties. While the aerial parts are used as foods, the roots are generally discarded. In the past, lovage roots were used in folk medicine for their diuretic...

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is widely known for its medicinal properties, being one of the most used medicinal plants for its immunostimulant properties. Nevertheless, there is still scarce information on its cytotoxic activity. Thus, this study aims at evaluating the cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity of several aqueous and organic extract...

In this study, the chemical characterization and bioactive properties of S. minor cultivated under different fertilization rates (control, half rate and full rate) were evaluated. Twenty-two phenolic compounds were identified, including five phenolic acids, seven flavonoids and ten tannins. Hydrolysable tannins were prevalent, namely Sanguiin H-10,...

Although the nutritional profile, bioactivities, and uses of mesquite pod flour from various Prosopis species have been studied, limited research has been conducted on Prosopis pallida (Humb, & Bonpl. Ex Willd.) Kunth mesquite flour. This study aimed to characterize the nutritional quality and bioactive properties of P. pallida pod flour and to ass...

Several plants have been used for medicinal applications and have been traditionally consumed as decoctions and infusions. Although some herbs are used alone as a beverage, they are often blended in mixtures to maximize their effects. Herein, the nutritional characterization of six infusions from herbal blends was evaluated using the official metho...

In order to characterize and study the bioactivities of individual plant species and to determine how these characteristics are modified when preparing blends, five different plant species were selected: Erica australis L., Genista tridentata L., Melissa officinalis, L., Mentha spicata L., and Prunella vulgaris L.. Infusions prepared from each plan...

Pleurotus sajor-caju (PSC) is an edible mushroom used in food supplements, presenting antitumor properties through induction of cell death pathways. The PSC potential against colorectal cancer was analyzed by exposing HCT116wt cells to different PSC extracts. The PSC n-hexane extract (PSC-hex) showed the highest cytotoxicity effect (IC50 value 0.05...

Cumulative evidence from research studies has shown that the shiitake culinary-medicinal mushroom, Lentinus edodes, is an excellent source of natural antitumor agents and is capable of inhibiting cancer cell growth. However, the cell signaling pathway that leads tumor cells to apoptosis is not well understood because many chemical compounds may be...

A study with Pleurotus sajor-caju was conducted to: evaluate the nutritional and chemical composition of the fruiting bodies; optimize the preparation of bioactive phenolic extracts; and characterize the optimized extract in terms of bioactive compounds and properties. P. sajor-caju revealed an equilibrated nutritional composition with the presence...

Lentinula edodes is a macrofungus with great potential for therapeutic applications and serves as a model for investigating functional fungi properties and isolating pure compounds for pharmaceu-tical use. Mushrooms have a great nutritional value and present medicinal molecules including polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols and lipids, that partici...

Cancer is the second major cause of mortality worldwide, losing only to cardiovascular disease. Nowadays, around 50% of antineoplastic drugs were discovered and isolated by indications of plants in folk medicine. In Brazilian flora there are many species of plants which have great therapeutic importance, highlighting the Mikania laevigata (Asterace...