Victor Lopez

• MPharm PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Universidad San Jorge

Apples (Malus domestica Borkh) are one of the most consumed fruits around the world with high production of peels as wastes and by-products. In this work, peels from different commercial...

This study provides a comprehensive characterization of Physalis peruviana L., covering the nutritional composition of the fruit and the phytochemical profiles and in vitro bioactive properties of berry and calyx extracts. The fresh fruit stood out as a source of dietary fiber (5.16 g/100 g) and is low in fat (0.49 g/100 g). A 100-g serving also co...

Black mulberries have been traditionally used as antidiabetic agents and are a source of nutrients and phenolic compounds, particularly anthocyanins. The objective of this work is to determine if Morus nigra berries could prevent metabolic and obesity-related disorders using in vitro systems and in vivo alternative models such as C. elegans. An aqu...

BACKGROUND Tagetes erecta L., commonly known as American marigold, serves as a food plant used for the extraction of carotenoids such as lutein, employed both as culinary ingredient in certain dishes and for its ornamental and medicinal applications. Two extraction techniques, Soxhlet and ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE), were used on two culti...

Background/Objectives: Cannabis sativa L. is a plant that has been used for thousands of years for its industrial and medicinal properties. In recent years, there has been a rise in the study of this plant due to its bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical applications. Particularly, cannabidiol has demonstrated analgesic and non-psychoactive proper...

A diet rich in polyphenols and other types of phytonutrients can reduce the occurrence of chronic diseases. However, a well-established cause—and—effect association has not been clearly demonstrated and several other issues will need to be fully understood before general recommendations will be carried out In the present review, some of the future...

The increasing presence of Anisakis spp. in fish is having significant implications for public health due to a rise in cases of anisakiasis. Given this situation, there is a critical need to develop new strategies to fight this parasite. Satureja montana L., commonly known as savory, is a plant recognized in folk medicine for its therapeutic activi...

Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) is a common edible fruit from the Moraceae family with a wide variety of nutritional and medicinal applications, mainly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this work was to investigate the cytoprotective and neuroprotective capacity of a hydrophilic black mulberry solvent-free extr...

Date fruit is a highly important crop cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, known for its nutritional value and health benefits. Dates' benefits extend beyond their edible portion and include seeds, which are a by-product of different industries, often considered waste, and have untapped potential. This work aimed to optimize the extraction con...

Introduction: Despite the increasing number of essential oils being reported on their potential therapeutic effects, some remain relatively unknown on their biological properties. That is the case of the essential oils obtained from copaiba (Copaifera officinalis L.), wintergreen (Gaultheria fragrantissima Wall.), everlasting (Helichrysum italicum...

Life expectancy has increased considerably in the last decades, clearing the way for preventive medicine. The ingestion of healthy foods or ingredients to improve health is gaining attention and edible flowers entail a promising source of bioactive compounds. The aim of this work was to study the anti-ageing and anti-obesity properties of an extrac...

The prevalence of obesity is steadily rising, making safe and more efficient anti-obesity treatments an urgent medical need. Growing evidence correlates obesity and comorbidities, including anxiety and depression, with the development of a low-grade inflammation in peripheral and central tissues. We hypothesized that attenuating neuroinflammation m...

Simple Summary Apples are one of the most important fruits worldwide. In addition to their interesting nutritional value, they are a source of bioactive compounds with health-promoting effects. The composition may differ in different genotypes so it is important to investigate whether local varieties may differ in terms of total phenolic content, a...

This study examined the phytochemical profiles (mainly phenolics, carotenoids, and organosulfur compounds) and biological effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Allium flavum (AF), a species of the Allium genus commonly known as small yellow onion. Unsupervised and supervised statistical approaches revealed clear differences between extracts prepare...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by a high blood sugar level that can cause severe complications to the organism or even death when not treated. However, certain dietary habits and foods may have beneficial effects on this condition. A polyphenolic-rich extract (containing hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercetin, ellagic aci...

Allium cepa L., commonly known as onion, is one of the most-consumed vegetables. The benefits of the intake of its bulb are well studied and are related to its high polyphenol content. The flowers of onions are also edible; however, there are no studies about their biological properties. Our aim was to determine the polyphenolic profile and assess...

This chapter summarizes and reviews the main chemical, biological, and pharmacological aspects of fungal benzo-, naphtho-, and anthraquinones, with a particular emphasis in their potential applications. These compounds represent a class of natural metabolites present in fungi but also in certain groups of plants, lichens, and other microorganisms....

Wild thyme aerial parts (Serpylli herba) are recognized as a valuable herbal product with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. Although pharmacopoeial regulations allow its collection exclusively from Thymus serpyllum, substitution with other species is frequent in current practice. This study analyzed the phenolic composition...

A sedentary lifestyle has evoked a high risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease, diabetes, and obesity, all of them with high morbimortality rates and with a common denominator, hypertension. Numerous pharmacological drugs have been used for the treatment of hypertension. However, the side effects associated with the use of existing pharmacological the...

Background The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled “International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce” (INPST) was established in 2018, to bring...

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most revalent type of cancer in the world and the second most common cause of cancer death (about 1 million per year). Historically, natural compounds and their structural analogues have contributed to the development of new drugs useful in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Essential oils are...

Functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGID) are worldwide prevalent conditions. Pharmacological treatments can be ineffective, leading the population to turn to herbal or traditional remedies. Helichrysum stoechas (L.) Moench is a medicinal plant traditionally used in the Iberian Peninsula to treat digestive disorders, but its effects on gastrointe...

Background: The development of digital technologies and the evolution of open innovation approaches have enabled the creation of diverse virtual organizations and enterprises coordinating their activities primarily online. The open innovation platform titled "International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce" (INPST) was established in 2018, to brin...

Context Brassica incana Ten. (Brassicaceae) is an edible plant with very limited available information. Previous studies have demonstrated the polyphenolic profile and the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of the leaf and flowering top hydroalcoholic extracts. Objective The volatile composition and the antidiabetic and anti-obesity potential of...

Cannabis sativa L. is a plant that contains numerous chemically active compounds including cannabinoids such as trans-Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and flavone derivatives, such as luteolin-7-O-glucuronide and apigenin glucuronide. In particular, the polar fraction of hemp including many phenolic compounds has been overlo...

The forest ecosystem is a source of material resources used since ancient times by mankind. Ferns are part of different oriental systems of traditional medicine due to the phytochemical variety of their fronds, which have allowed their traditional use to be validated through ethnopharmacological studies. In Europe, different cultures have used the...

Ferns can be a source of polyphenolic compounds, with the fronds being the main parts described in ethnopharmacological studies. The present study screened polyphenolic phytochemicals and evaluated in vitro activities of a methanolic extract of Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L. fronds (AAM), an Aspleniaceae fern collected from the Prades mountains (Tarr...

Thymoquinone (TQ) is a secondary metabolite found in abundance in very few plant species including Nigella sativa L., Monarda fistulosa L., Thymus vulgaris L. and Satureja montana L. Preclinical pharmacological studies have shown that TQ has many biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer. Both in vivo and in vitro...

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...

Helichrysum stoechas (L.) Moench (H. stoechas) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in the Iberian Peninsula to treat different disorders such as arterial hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the vascular effects of a polyphenolic methanolic extract of H. stoechas, which has high antioxidant activity, and its mechanism of actio...

BACKGROUND Solvent‐free microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) is a green extraction method capable of boosting the yield and quality profile of hemp essential oil when compared with other conventional extraction techniques. During this process, two by‐products are produced, namely the aqueous residue containing bioactive phenolics and the residual de...

Ethnopharmacological relevance Ylang-ylang essential oil (YEO), obtained from the flowers of the tropical tree Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson (family Annonaceae), has been largely used in the traditional medicine with many uses, including anxiety and altered neuronal states. Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition with a high incide...

Black mulberry, Morus nigra L. (family: Moraceae), is a healthy food and medicinal plant. Microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) is one of the most innovative applications of solvent-free microwave extraction. The aim of this study was to optimize for the first time the MHG solvent-free extraction of polyphenols and sugars from M. nigra fruits....

South African rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea is globally consumed for its health benefits and caffeine free nature, but no information is available on the neuroprotective capacity of (unfermented) green rooibos....

Pteridophytes, represented by ferns and allies, are an important phytogenetic bridge between lower and higher plants. Ferns have evolved independently of any other species in the plant kingdom being its secondary metabolism a reservoir of phytochemicals characteristic of this taxon. The study of the potential uses of Polypodium vulgare L. (Polypodi...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, where social and communication deficits and repetitive behaviors are present. Plant-derived bioactives have shown promising results in the treatment of autism. In this sense, this review is aimed at providing a careful view on the use of plant-derived bioactive molecules for the treat...

Nature is an inexhaustible source of bioactive compounds and products with interesting medicinal properties and technological applications [...]

Simple Summary Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC or rock tea (RT) is a plant traditionally used to treat different pathologies. In this study the neuroprotective potential of an ethanolic extract of RT is analyzed. Caenorhabditis elegans model and in vitro assays with relevant central nervous system enzymes were used. The results showed antioxidant and neu...

Pteridophytes, represented by ferns and allies, are an important phytogenetic bridge between lower and higher plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms). Ferns have evolved independently of any other species in the plant kingdom being its secondary metabolism a reservoir of phytoconstituents characteristic of this taxon. The study of the possible medicin...

The genus Cinnamomum includes a number of plant species largely used as food, food additives and spices for a long time. Different traditional healing systems have used these plants as herbal remedies to cure diverse ailments. The aim of this comprehensive and updated review is to summarize the biodiversity of the genus Cinnamomum, its bioactive co...

The myrrh-like furanosesquiterpene isofuranodiene (IFD) is the main constituent of wild celery (Smyrnium olusatrum L., Apiaceae), an overlooked vegetable that was cultivated during the Roman Empire. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of IFD pre-treatment against oxidative stress and inflammatory response in an animal model...

Chalcones are among the leading bioactive flavonoids with a therapeutic potential implicated to an array of bioactivities investigated by a series of preclinical and clinical studies. In this article, different scientific databases were searched to retrieve studies depicting the biological activities of chalcones and their derivatives. This review...

The long-term use of anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs can cause a plethora of side effects and the use of complementary and alternative medicine, which is generally considered safer than conventional medicine, is consistently increasing. Helichrysum stoechas (L.) Moench methanolic extract (HSE) has shown MAO-A inhibitory properties in previous s...

Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., known as rock tea (RT), is traditionally used in Spain as a digestive due to its beneficial properties in bowel disorders. The pharmacological nature of these properties has not been established yet. The aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic utility of RT in experimental colitis and to identify chemical consti...

Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., also known in Spain as “té de roca” (rock tea, RT), is an endemic plant species of the Iberian Peninsula and Southern France. Traditionally, it is used in infusions, prepared with the flowering aerial parts, as a digestive and anti-inflammatory herbal tea. Despite the traditional knowledge of this plant as a digestive af...

Rosmarinus officinalis L., commonly known as rosemary, has been largely studied for its wide use as food ingredient and medicinal plant; less attention has been given to its edible flowers, being necessary to evaluate their potential as functional foods or nutraceuticals. To achieve that, the phenolic profile of the ethanolic extract of R. officina...

Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br. (Brassicaceae) is widely cultivated for ornamental purposes and utilized as a medicinal plant. In the present work, the hydroalcoholic extract from the aerial parts of this species has been evaluated in different bioassays in order to detect potential pharmacological applications. The cytotoxic capacity against the huma...

The phytochemical profile of the methanolic extracts (pulp and peel) obtained from two dehydration methods (drying and freeze-lyophilization) of the traditional Italian apple Mela Rosa dei Monti Sibillini, as well as their inhibitory properties against some biological enzymes (α-glucosidase, lipase, monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase and acetylcholine...

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose concentration. Nowadays, type 2 diabetes or insulin resistant diabetes is the most common diabetes, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle. Healthy habits like appropriate nutritional approaches or the consumption of certain natural products or food supplements have bee...

Urolithin A is a metabolite generated from ellagic acid and ellagitannins by the intestinal microbiota after consumption of fruits such as pomegranates or strawberries. The objective of this study was to determine the cytoprotective capacity of this polyphenol in Neuro-2a cells subjected to oxidative stress, as well as its direct radical scavenging...

Anthocyanins are plant pigments present in flowers, leaves or fruits with polyphenolic structure belonging to the group of flavonoids. From a nutritional approach, they are the most abundant flavonoids in dietary sources responsible for the antioxidant properties of those foods. In addition, the food and pharma industry has used anthocyanins as foo...

This study was undertaken to evaluate the nutraceutical potential of the Mela Rosa dei Monti Sibillini (MR), an ancient apple variety of the Sibillini Mountains, central Italy. The chemical profile of the apple's polyphenolic-rich extract (MRE) obtained from first- and second-choice samples using the Amberlite® XAD7HP resin was analyzed by High Per...

Una sociedad inclusiva asegura a todas las personas las oportunidades y recursos necesarios para participar plenamente en la vida económica, social, política y cultural. Una persona vulnerable es aquella que padece una debilidad (familiar, relacional, socio-económica…) que hace que se encuentre en una situación de riesgo de exclusión social. Las pe...

Date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) seeds are a valuable and abundant by-product with various potential food applications and source of functional and bioactive ingredients. In this study, date seeds from eight cultivars (Ourous “OUR”, Tazizaout “TAZ”, Tazarzeit “TAR”, Tazoughart “TAG”, Ouaouchet “OUC”, Oukasaba “OUK”, Delat “DEL” and Tamezwertn’telet “T...

Developing effective and eco-friendly antiparasitic drugs and insecticides is an issue of high importance nowadays. In this study, we evaluated the anthelminthic and insecticidal potential of the leaf essential oil obtained from Origanum syriacum against the L3 larvae of the parasitic nematode Anisakis simplex and larvae and adults of the mosquito...

Arctium species are known for a variety of pharmacological effects due to their diverse volatile and non-volatile secondary metabolites. Representatives of Arctium species contain non-volatile compounds including lignans, fatty acids, acetylenic compounds, phytosterols, polysaccharides, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, flavonoids, terpenes/terpenoi...

Different Viola species are known for their traditional use as analgesic, antitussive, febrifuge, hipnotic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory medicinal agents. Additionally, they are considered edible flowers in certain cultures. Thus, the aim of this work was to characterize the phenolic composition and to assess the neuroprotective properties of Vi...

Low treatment efficacy represents an important unmet need in neuropathic pain patients and there is an urgent need to develop a more effective pharmacotherapy. An increasing number of patients choose complementary medicine to relieve pain. Lavender essential oil (LEO) is approved by the European Medicines Agency as herbal medicine to relieve anxiet...

Studies in animal models of diabetes and obesity have shown that resveratrol mitigates complications of metabolic diseases, beyond those resulting from oxidative stress. Furthermore, results obtained with cultured preadipocytes have also revealed that prolonged resveratrol treatment impairs adipogenesis. Considering the role of adipocytes in the hy...

The juices of berries or red fruits are appreciated as a source of antioxidants with potential health effects. However, they are rich in carbohydrates, an aspect that could be considered negative in view of diabetes and obesity epidemics. Indeed, it is the high polyphenol content of these beverages that is beneficial. When drinking such natural bev...

The epithelial intermediate-conductance calcium/calmodulin-regulated KCa3.1 channel is considered to be a regulator of intestine function by controlling chloride secretion and water/salt balance. Yet, little is known about the functional importance of KCa3.1 in the intestinal epithelium in vivo. Our objective was to determine the impact of epitheli...

Ferns are poorly explored species from a pharmaceutical perspective compared to other terrestrial plants. In this work, the antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts, together with total polyphenol content, were evaluated in order to explore the potential cosmetic applications of four Spanish ferns coll...

Cyanidin and chlorogenic acid are polyphenols from plant origin that are present in many common fruits, particularly in berries. To corroborate the protective or detrimental effects of both compounds from a neuro-inflammatory perspective, in vitro experiments were carried out in human astrocytes (U-373). Astrocytes were pre-treated with a range of...

Tagetes erecta L. has long been consumed for culinary and medicinal purposes in different countries. The aim of this study was to explore the potential benefits from two cultivars of T. erecta related to its polyphenolic profile as well as antioxidant and anti-aging properties. The phenolic composition was analyzed by LC-DAD-ESI/MSn. Folin-Ciocalte...

Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, also known as kuromanin, is one of the most important anthocyanins in nature. The scope of this paper is to discuss the potential role of this anthocyanin as therapeutic agent to prevent or treat chronic diseases in which oxidative stress may be involved through a modulation of certain enzymes. The inhibitory potential of cy...

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) juice is a relevant source of polyphenols and antioxidants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective effects and mechanism of action of sour cherry juice under oxidative stress conditions using hydrogen peroxide as neurotoxic agent in the SH-SY5Y cell line. Cells were pre-treated with the juice for 24...

Blueberry and cranberry are fruits with high polyphenol content, particularly anthocyanins. As cyanidin derivatives have been identified as one of the most representative polyphenols in berry juices, cyanidin has been designated for a better comparison and understanding of the potential neuroprotection of juices obtained from two Vaccinium species....

The article Green drugs in the fight against Anisakis simplex—larvicidal activity and acetylcholinesterase inhibition of Origanum compactum essential oil, written by Víctor López, María Cascella, Giovanni Benelli, Filippo Maggi, Carlota Gómez-Rincón.