Vincenzo Lattanzio

• Full Professor
• Professor at University of Foggia

The investigation of the adaptive strategies of wild plant species to extreme environments is a challenging issue, which favors the identification of new traits for plant resilience. We investigated different traits which characterize the root-soil interaction of Parietaria judaica, a wild plant species commonly known as “Pellitory-of-the-wall”. P....

Higher plants synthesize large array of phenolic metabolites. Phenolics are defined as “specialized metabolites” due to the observation that each plant lineage synthesizes a distinct set of specialized metabolites appropriate for its environment. These metabolites provide the plant with specific adaptations to changing environmental conditions, and...

Traditional European medicine has attributed to globe artichoke, as well as to its close relatives cultivated and wild cardoons, many beneficial properties to treat chronic liver diseases, jaundice, hepatitis and arteriosclerosis. Indeed, globe artichoke is a source of bio-active compounds, such as caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid...

Stimulated production of secondary phenolic metabolites and proline was studied by using cell cultures of artichoke [Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek] submitted to nutritional stress. Artichoke cell cultures accumulated phenolic secondary metabolites in a pattern similar to that seen in artichoke leaves and heads (capitula). This pa...

Higher plants synthesize an amazing diversity of phenolic secondary metabolites. Phenolics are defined secondary metabolites or natural products because, originally, they were considered not essential for plant growth and development. Plant phenolics, like other natural compounds, provide the plant with specific adaptations to changing environmenta...

Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites that constitute one of the most common and widespread groups of natural products. They express a large and diverse panel of biological activities including beneficial effects on both plants and humans. Many polyphenols, from their structurally simplest representatives to their oligo/polymeric versions (al...

“Plant phenolics” and “polyphenols” are secondary natural metabolites arising biogenetically from either the shikimate/phenylpropanoid pathway, which directly provides phenylpropanoids, or the “polyketide” acetate/malonate pathway, which can produce simple phenols, or both, thus producing monomeric and polymeric phenols and polyphenols, which fulfi...

Land-adapted plants appeared between about 480 and 360 million years ago in the mid-Palaeozoic era, originating from charophycean green algae. The successful adaptation to land of these prototypes of amphibious plants - when they emerged from an aquatic environment onto the land - was achieved largely by massive formation of “phenolic UV light scre...

A new combination among time, temperature, alkali and alcohol is described for the spectrophotometric determination of small concentrations of phenolics in methanol extracts from plant. It is a variation of the classical Folin–Ciocalteu (F–C) method, but the reaction conditions are optimized in order to eliminate methanol interferences in the assay...

During the Folin Ciocalteu (F-C) micro-assay for the determination of phenolics in the presence of methanol, fine solids can form. In a previous paper, we hypothesized that the interference from alcohol on the F-C re-action can be minimized depending on the particular procedure used to reach the alkalinity condition. In or-der to demonstrate our hy...

Abstract: The plant polyphenols are a very heterogeneous group, some universally and others widely distributed among plants, and often present in surprisingly high concentrations. During the evolutionary adaptation of plants to land, the biosynthesis of different phenolics classes in plants has evolved in response to changes in the external environ...

Olive oil processing industries generate substantial quantities of phenolic-rich byproducts, which could be valuable natural sources of antioxidants. This work is focused on the recovery and structural characterization of antioxidant compounds from olive mill wastewater (OMWW), a polluting byproduct of the olive oil production process. Phenolics we...

Olive mill wastewater (OMWW) is an agricultural waste material produced in high quantities in the Mediterranean basin. OMWW may be an inexpensive source of health promoting phytochemicals with potential economic value including many low molecular weight compounds such as verbascosides. While promising as antioxidants in vitro, little information is...

Flavonoid aglycones were identified from Vicia faba L. seed coats corresponding to eight genetically determined colors. Myricetin predominates over quercetin in beige, black, brown, green, red, and violet seeds. Kaempferol is present in substantial amounts only in spotted seeds. White seeds have only trace amounts of quercetin and kaempferol and ar...

A cationic soluble peroxidase isoenzyme (CysPrx) has been purified and characterized from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus (L.) Hegi) leaves by combination of aqueous two phase extraction, ion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purification fold was 149 and the activity recovery 5.5%. CysPrx was stable from 5 to 45 °C wit...

Olive oil production generates large amounts of recalcitrant compounds, the olive oil mill wastewater (OMWW), which represent one of the most contaminating effluents among those produced by the agrofood industries. Nowadays, this view has changed to one that recognizes the waste as a low-cost starting material rich in bioactive compounds, particula...

Contenido: 1) Los flavonoides visibles o antocianinas: de la investigación a las aplicaciones. 2) Química de flavonoides de las leguminosas. 3) Actualización de pigmentos del vino. 4) Elagitaninos, una clase de polifenoles de las plantas infravalorados: reactividad química de elagitaninos C-glucosidicos en relación a la química del vino y la activi...

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek, (formerly Cynara scolymus L.) represents an important component of the Mediterranean diet, and is a rich source of bioactive phenolic compounds, and also inulin, fibre and minerals. In addition, artichoke leaf extracts have long been used in folk medicine, particularly for liver com...

Secondary metabolism in the interactions between plants and their environmentFunction and use of plant phenolicsNoteReferences

Polyphenols are the second most abundant class of substances in nature, and include tannins and flavonoids, many of which have extremely important antioxidant properties which have now been shown to have a key role in the prevention of cancer in humans. This important book covers polyphenol chemistry, biosynthesis and genetic manipulation, ecology...

Micropropagation of Origanum vulgare L. by shoot buds, as a potential model system for studying carbon skeleton diversion from growth to secondary metabolism as adaptive response to nutrient deficiency, has been performed. In addition, the antioxidant phenolic compounds, produced by shoots under nutritional stress or in response to exogenously adde...

Chemotaxonomic investigations of leaf flavonoids by paper chromatography have shown that the cultigen Vicia faba is very distinct from the wild species V. hyaeniscyamus, V. johannis, V. serratifolia, V. narbonensis, V. galilaea and V. bithynica: the progenitor of V. faba remains unknown. No significant differences in chromatographic profiles were f...

Polyphenols are the second most abundant class of substances in nature, and include tannins and flavonoids, many of which have extremely important antioxidant properties which have now been shown to have a key role in the prevention of cancer in humans. This important book covers polyphenol chemistry, biosynthesis and genetic manipulation, ecology...

Trichoderma harzianum strain T-22 (T22) has the ability of enhancing root growth and plant development. The aim of this research is to explain the biochemical basis of the direct plant-growth-promoting activity of T22. Seven days after the transfer to root-inducing medium, in vitro-cultured shoots of GiSeLa6® (Prunus cerasus × P. canescens), an imp...

Peroxidases are part of a large group of enzymes associated with cell wall biosynthesis, response to injury, disease, resistance and wound repair. Among peroxidase isoenzymes, a soluble cationic peroxidase (ALSP), not yet described, has been partially purified and characterized from artichoke leaves. The enzyme was shown to be a glycoprotein with a...

Samples of 10 varieties of broad bean were analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, amino acids and alkaloid glucosides. The varieties “Korunde” and “Supersimonia” showed the highest protein content; the amino acid composition was similar in all varieties. Sulfur-amino acids were limiting in all tested varieties. The varieties “Gemini” and “Locale d...

ABSTRACTA new method for chromatographic separation and UV spectrophotometric determination of O-diphenol active principles of plants has been developed. The method is based on a technique of gel filtration on Sephadex LH 20. This technique offers selectivity, resolution, and sensibility; minimum detectable 5 μg/ml. Interactions between the gel and...

Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites that encompass several classes structurally diverse of natural products biogenetically arising from the shikimate-phenylpropanoids-flavonoids pathways. Plants need phenolic compounds for pigmentation, growth, reproduction, resistance to pathogens and for many other functions. Therefore, they represent adapt...

In this study the influence of maturity stage on chemical and physical parameters of fresh and processed apricot fruits (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. 'Portici') was investigated. Apricots were harvested at two commercial maturity stages respectively characterised by an average penetrometer reading of 8 and 10. 8 Kg/cm2 and a soluble solids content of 13...

To identify early 'sentinel' molecules involved in the host-pathogen interaction between apricot plants and European Stone Fruit Yellows (ESFY) phytoplasma, three experiments have been performed. Eighteen trees, of eight apricot varieties grafted on Myrobalan, and maintained under insect-proof environment were patch-grafted four years ago with tiss...

Both leaves and heads from artichokes are rich in phenolic compounds belonging to different classes: benzoic and cinnamic derivatives, flavonoids and tannins. There are conditions when these phenolic compounds show antioxidant activities and quench different types of free radicals. Therefore, they can be used as nutrient compounds, because of their...

A wide morphological variation is present in the disparate varieties or ecotypes of cultivated artichoke, for which the propagation is mainly made vegetatively. In order to evaluate the potential of several molecular markers in distinguishing among artichoke varieties and wild relations and also for possibly employing the underutilised germplasm, a...

Seeds of wild species and varieties of Vigna were screened for their tannins and α-amylase inhibitor contents as defensive compounds against cowpea weevil. Seed coats contained condensed tannins that were positively correlated to their colour but not to their resistance against the insect. The α-amylase inhibitors were present in different amount i...

Phenolic compounds are plant secondary metabolites that are natural-ly present in essentially all plant material, including food products of plant origin. They are particularly prominent in fruit and vegetables where they are important in determining colour, appearance, flavour and taste. These compounds form one of the main classes of secon-dary m...

Determination of intraspecific genetic diversity is an important first step for the utilization of genetic resources and canprovide useful information on crop evolution. A living collection of Italian and foreign artichoke varieties and ecotypes is maintained at the Germplasm Institute, Bari, Italy. A total of 32 accessions of cultivated (Cynara ca...

The content of chlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, phloretin glycosides, and quercetin glycosides in fresh and stored Golden Delicious apples (Malus domestica Borkh) was determined. The relative amount of phenolics in the peel, with the exception of chlorogenic acid and (−)-epicatechin, was higher than that in the flesh. In addition, q...

Cultivated and wild species of the genus Vigna were screened for their flavonoid content. Flavonoid HPLC analyses clearly showed that cultivated lines of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) are very similar from a qualitative point of view, always showing three flavonoid aglycons: quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. In addition, a positive rel...

The effect of ultraviolet-C light (u.v.-C) at low doses on postharvest decay of strawberries caused by Botrytis cinerea and other pathogens was investigated. Pheny-lalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and ethylene production, as influenced by ultraviolet-C irradiation, were also determined. Strawberries (cv. 'Pajaro') from plants that had been tre...

Storage rot due to Botrytis cinerea is the major cause of postharvest losses in kiwifruit. Curing for 48 h at 15°C with high RH before storage at 0°C markedly improved the resistance of kiwifruits to Botrytis infections. The aim of this study was to investigate on the resistance mechanisms involved. In cured fruits, histological observations reveal...

2,5-Dimethoxybenzoic (DMB) acid was tested as an antifungal compound to control the postharvest decay pathogens of strawberry fruits. The compound completely inhibited in vitro spore germination and mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer at a concen-tration of 5 × 10 -3 M. The effect of DMB acid treatments on the decay of straw...

Flavonoid chemical markers together with other biochemical markers and/or morphological data can provide useful characters for defining species in Vigna genus. In this paper flavonid HPLC fingerprints have been utilized to assess taxonomic relationships amongst species and accessions of Vigna. Within the taxa analysed there is evidence of both infr...

, ISBN:

Data concerning phenolics and polyphenol oxidase in artichoke heads are presented. Biochemical changes at different physiological stages and after mechanical damage or chilling injuries, together with the characteristics of ironiphenolic complexes and the subcellular localization of polyphenol oxidase, are considered. Results lead to a proposed mec...

During the processing and storage of fruits and vegetables the reactivity of phenolic compounds, often coupled with the activity of polyphenol oxi­ dase, is responsible for some phe­ nomena affecting the colour, taste and nutritional value of the plant products. In addition, this reactivity can affect the resistance characteris­ tics of fruits and...

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was purified from hearts of artichoke. Starting with a crude 20 mm acetate buffer pH 5·7 extract obtained from an acetone powder originating from the plant material, the enzyme was purified 65-fold (overall yield 9%) by means of hydrophobic followed by gel filtration chromatography. The purified artichoke polyphenol oxidase...

Independent of the plant growing season artichoke heads stored at low temperature in closed polyethylene bags showed, with time, an increase in phenolics, especially caffeic acid. After 2 or 4 weeks, dependent on the storage temperature, the phenolic content decreased again while the pattern of changes in the phenolic level proved to be dependent o...

The flavonoids rutin, quercitrin, hyperoside, quercetin-3-arabinoside, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, and robinin were identified in leaves of six Vicia species of section Faba. Flavonoid glycosidic pattern was utilized to draw taxonomical relationships amongst the six species. The four botanical varieties of Vicia faba were found to be distinct from the...

The phenolic components of both fresh and stored artichoke heads have been studied. In fresh marketable heads only traces of free apigenin and luteolin were identified, while in badly injured heads measurable amounts of the above flavonoids, as well as of free caffeic acid, were found to occur. In addition to the latter phenolics, vanillic-, syring...

Fresh and dry mature seeds of fifteen cultivars or lines of faba bean were compared with respect to their mono- and oligosaccharide contents, in an attempt to determine the possibilities for selection in a breeding programme on the basis of some chemical characteristics. The raffinose content of the whole dry seed ranged from 0·12% to 0·29%, the st...

Summary A HPLC assay for L-Dopa, convicine, and vicine in broad-bean extracts has been developed. The distribution of these compounds in the different organs of the plant has been studied, especially in the seeds, where their presence may cause favism if the beans are used as food.

It i s well known that poiyphenols are important in the physiology of the growth and development of plants1. Since phenolic substituents usually improve the solubility characteristics of compounds and can interact with specific receptor groups by hydrogen bonding andlor by more stable covafent bonds, phenols are expected to influence a broad range...

The variations undergone by chlorogenic acid, cynarine, cynazoside and scolymoside during the biological cycle of the artichoke plant were studied. Furthermore, the differences in the composition of the orthodiphenolic fraction between different organs of the plant were studied.