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Leaves, flowers, immature fruits and leafy flowered stems of Malva sylvestris: A comparative study of the nutraceutical potential and composition
Abstract
Malva sylvestris is widely used in Mediterranean and European traditional medicine and ethnoveterinary for the treatment of external and internal inflammation, as well as injuries. Moreover, its use is not only limited to therapeutic purposes; but also the species is locally regarded as a food wild herb. Considering that antioxidants and free radical scavengers can exert also an anti-inflammatory effect, the extracts of different parts of the medicinal/edible plant M. sylvestris (leaves, flowers, immature fruits and leafy flowered stems) were compared for their nutraceutical potential (antioxidant properties) and chemical composition. Particularly, mallow leaves revealed very strong antioxidant properties including radical-scavenging activity (EC(50)=0.43 mg/mL), reducing power (0.07 mg/mL) and lipid peroxidation inhibition in lipossomes (0.04 mg/mL) and brain cells homogenates (0.09 mg/mL). This part of the plant is also the richest in nutraceuticals such as powerful antioxidants (phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and tocopherols), unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. alpha-linolenic acid), and minerals measured in ash content.
... The most commonly studied plant family regarding sugars was Lamiaceae with five plants. Regarding fructose, the WEPs that had the highest content were Malva sylvestris (Malvaceae family) and Tamus communis (Dioscoraceae family), with 8.72 and 3.83 g/100 g dw, respectively [32,36]. Malva sylvestris also showed the highest glucose content at 7.35 g/100 g dw [36]. ...
... Regarding fructose, the WEPs that had the highest content were Malva sylvestris (Malvaceae family) and Tamus communis (Dioscoraceae family), with 8.72 and 3.83 g/100 g dw, respectively [32,36]. Malva sylvestris also showed the highest glucose content at 7.35 g/100 g dw [36]. The sucrose concentration in these 22 WEPs was mainly dominated by two plants: Mentha pulegium, which had 4.62 g/100 g dw, and Asparagus acutifolius with a sucrose concentration of 4.27 g/100 g dw [32,37]. ...
... In the references evaluated in this review, instudying up to 115 WEPs (from 47 families), the total phenolic contents (TPC) were provided for 100 plants; for 51 plants, the total flavonoids content (TFC) was also provided (Table 4) [5,30,32,36,39,42,46,54,56,57,67,69,72,80,81]. Regarding TPC and TFC, the most commonly studied families were Asteraceae (17) > Brassicaceae (7) > Fabaceae (6) = Lamiaceae (6). ...
1) Background: Wild Edible Plants (WEPs) are plants that grow without human help, by simply using the available resources. These types of plants are undervalued, because there is a lack of knowledge about their bioactive composition and nutritional/functional potential. (2) Scope and Approach: The main aim of this review is to fully identify the potential uses and importance of WEPs in certain regions based on (i) their sustainability, because they grow with their own resources, (ii) their content of bioactive compounds and consequently nutritional and functional value, (iii) their socioeconomic relevance, and (iv) their ability to be useful in the agri-food industry in the short term. (3) Results: This review found evidence that a consumption of between 100 and 200 g of some of these WEPs can cover up to 50% of the recommended daily intake of proteins and fiber, being also a natural source of macro-and micro-minerals. Regarding their bioactive composition, most of these plants contain phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which determine their antioxidant capacity. (4) Conclusions: These reported results clearly demonstrate the high potential of the WEPs from a nutritional, economic and social point of view; although further studies are needed to gather deeper scientific information about their potential role in the socioeconomic sustainability of specific groups of farmers worldwide.
... 2,3 Secondary plant metabolites are bioactive natural products that can have important benefits for human health. Data on plant extracts, summarized after an overview of numerous studies published in the last two decades, revealed the potent properties of natural products, highlighting the importance of several classes of compounds, such as monoterpenes, 4,5 monoterpene hydroperoxides, bicyclic monoterpenes, diterpens, tetranortriterpenoids, 6 sesquiterpene, 4,5 sesquiterpene coumarins, 7 triterpenoids, 8 polysaccharides, 9 phenolic compounds, [10][11][12] phenolic acids, 12,13 flavonoids, 14,15 flavonoid anthocyanins, 14-17 carotenoids, 5,16,18 tannins, 13,15 coumarins, 15,17,19 ocopherols, 12 steroids, 13,15,17 saponins, 13,15,17 alkylamides, 20 alkaloids, 15,17 tropane alkaloids, 21 isoquinoline alkaloids, pyrazole alkaloids, 22 pyrrolizidine alkaloids, acridone alkaloids, 6 anthraquinone, naphthoquinones, glucopyranoside, naphthalene, xanthones, 23 proteins, resins, fiber, ash, 9 amino acids, 24 Na, Mg, Ca, K, P, Mn, 9 vitamins, 24 and a wide range of phenolic acids, for instance, rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, palmitoleic acids, linoleic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, phydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic, p-coumarin acid, caffeic acid, 25 among others. Numerous available plant species have a potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries for the production of generally used pharmaceutical drugs and foods for human consumption, including capsules, health supplements, energy drinks, energy boosters, food products, nutraceuticals etc. ...
... 2,3 Secondary plant metabolites are bioactive natural products that can have important benefits for human health. Data on plant extracts, summarized after an overview of numerous studies published in the last two decades, revealed the potent properties of natural products, highlighting the importance of several classes of compounds, such as monoterpenes, 4,5 monoterpene hydroperoxides, bicyclic monoterpenes, diterpens, tetranortriterpenoids, 6 sesquiterpene, 4,5 sesquiterpene coumarins, 7 triterpenoids, 8 polysaccharides, 9 phenolic compounds, [10][11][12] phenolic acids, 12,13 flavonoids, 14,15 flavonoid anthocyanins, 14-17 carotenoids, 5,16,18 tannins, 13,15 coumarins, 15,17,19 ocopherols, 12 steroids, 13,15,17 saponins, 13,15,17 alkylamides, 20 alkaloids, 15,17 tropane alkaloids, 21 isoquinoline alkaloids, pyrazole alkaloids, 22 pyrrolizidine alkaloids, acridone alkaloids, 6 anthraquinone, naphthoquinones, glucopyranoside, naphthalene, xanthones, 23 proteins, resins, fiber, ash, 9 amino acids, 24 Na, Mg, Ca, K, P, Mn, 9 vitamins, 24 and a wide range of phenolic acids, for instance, rosmarinic acid, ellagic acid, palmitoleic acids, linoleic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, phydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic, p-coumarin acid, caffeic acid, 25 among others. Numerous available plant species have a potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries for the production of generally used pharmaceutical drugs and foods for human consumption, including capsules, health supplements, energy drinks, energy boosters, food products, nutraceuticals etc. ...
... 218 It has strong antioxidant properties, including radical-scavenging activity, 12,219 as well as lipid peroxidation inhibition in liposomes. It is a good source of natural antioxidant compounds, such as phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, tocopherols; 12 also, sesquiterpene, leucoanthocyanidines, anthocyanidines, coumarins, and anthocyanin have been reported. 220 Malva sylvestris possesses bacteriostatic, antinociceptive, and anticholinesterase activities; it is used in the treatment of inflammation, urinary, digestive, and respiratory disorders. ...
"Medicinal plants have played an important role in the development of human health care and culture, serving as both medicine and food. Herbal drugs have been used for centuries for the treatment of several diseases and many of the new medicines are produced based on recent research on their traditional uses. Medicinal plants of the Middle East are regarded as a rich resource of different valuable bioactive compounds. Such compounds extracted from natural resources maintain many potential health benefits. The application of bioactive compounds is, however, rather limited in food and drug formulations because of their poor bioavailability, fast release and low solubility. Thus, encapsulation can protect the bioactive compounds from environmental stress, improve their physicochemical functionalities, reduce the potent toxicity of drugs, modify the release of encapsulated active materials, reduce dosage, enhance their health-promoting and anti-disease activities. This review discusses the importance of the pharmaceutical properties of thirty-two species of relevant medicinal plants native to the Middle East and their uses in various industrial applications. "
... Young leaves of the plant are often eaten raw in salads, while the shoots and older leaves are typically cooked and used as greens in soups and other dishes. Children, shepherds, and hunters eat immature fruits by sucking or chewing them (Barros et al. 2010;Neves et al. 2009). ...
... The stalkless flowers and leaves of Malva sylvestris are the most frequently used parts of traditional medicine to treat ailments, probably based on their high concentration of biologically active compounds. Tomoda et al. (1989) and Barros et al. (2010) report, respectively, that the active ingredients present in Malva sylvestris include mucilage, tannins, malvyn, malvidin, and the plant leaves are also a good source of nutraceuticals, including antioxidants (tocopherols, flavonoids, phenols, and carotenoids), unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. α-linolenic acid), and minerals. ...
... The plant is a member of Equisetopsida class, Magnoliidae subclass, Rosanae superorder, Malvales order, Malvaceae family and Malva genus (Barros et al. 2010;Vandebroek et al. 2008;Garden 2010). When chewed, the flowers of M. sylvestris have a taste that is similar to that of mucilage, and they have practically no smell. ...
Malva sylvestris is a plant commonly found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The leaves and flowers of this plant have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat various ailments such as cough, cold, diarrhoea, and constipation. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to search for relevant material on the phytochemical profiling and pharmacologic activities of Malva sylvestris. The techniques used in phytochemical profiling and the pharmacologic activity of each compound were extracted from the included studies, including in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The phytochemical analysis of Malva sylvestris revealed that the leaves and flowers are the most commonly used parts of the plant and contain various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, mucilages, terpenoids, phenol derivatives, coumarins, sterols, tannins, saponins, and alkaloids. These phytochemicals are responsible for the many pharmacological activities of Malva sylvestris, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, laxative, antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. This review has presented an overview of the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and the cytotoxic effects of Malva sylvestris on different types of cancer cells. It has also summarised the work on developing copper oxide nanoparticles using Malva sylvestris leaf extract and its potential use in food and medicine. This review aims to highlight the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and safety of Malva sylvestris.
... sylvestris) is one of the medicinal plants commonly recognized as common mallow in Europe, Iran, Pakistan, and India. M. sylvestris is a biennial-perennial herbaceous plant commonly found in North Africa, Europe, and Southwest Asia [1,2]. e plant generally grows in moist areas, for instance, near marshes, ditches, oceans, riverbanks, and meadows [3]. ...
... Also, this plant contains many valuable compounds such as strong antioxidants and carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids. Tannins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and ascorbic acid found in the Malva plant are used to treat most cancers and for wound-healing [2,7,9,17]. ...
... e plant growth status affects the qualitative and quantitative constituents of these materials. Lipids exist separately in the flowering stems, immature fruits, flowers, and leaves [2]. ese include tricosanoic acid, heneicosanoic acid (C20:3n3 + C21:0), lignoceric acid, 14eicosadienoic acid, cis-11, behenic acid, arachidic acid, Figure 3: Some flavonoids of M. sylvestris [7]. ...
The utilization of medicinal plants and their derivatives in treating illnesses is more appropriately recognized as herbal remedy than traditional medicine. For centuries, medicinal herbs have been used for the treatment of diseases in many countries. Malva sylvestris L. is a kind of mallow derived from Malvaceae species and is recognized as common mallow. This amazing plant has antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties and is considered as one of the most promising herbal medicinal species. This plant’s traditional use in treating many diseases and preparing pharmaceutical compounds can show us how to know in depth the plant origin of drugs used to produce antibiotics and other therapeutic agents.
1. Introduction
Malva sylvestris L. (M. sylvestris) is one of the medicinal plants commonly recognized as common mallow in Europe, Iran, Pakistan, and India. M. sylvestris is a biennial-perennial herbaceous plant commonly found in North Africa, Europe, and Southwest Asia [1, 2]. The plant generally grows in moist areas, for instance, near marshes, ditches, oceans, riverbanks, and meadows [3]. Due to the softening properties of this plant, the Romans and ancient Greeks used it as a softener [4, 5]. Traditionally, these medicinal plants have been used to treat several infections and diseases, such as cold, burn, cough, tonsillitis, bronchitis, digestive problems, eczema, and cut wounds under different weather conditions [6]. As a natural product, M. sylvestris leaves and flowers showed various therapeutic effects. Figure 1 shows some of the medicinal applications of this plant.
... Malva sylvestris (Figura 1) é conhecida popularmente como Malva, malva-comum, malvasilvestre, malva-verde, malva-selvagem, pertence à família Malvaceae (BARROS et al., 2010;BOHNEBERGER;MACHADO;DEBIASE, 2019). Pode ser encontrada no continente europeu, africano e americano. ...
... Especialmente, suas flores e folhas são comestíveis, e usadas em saladas e sopas (SPONCHIADO, 2015). De acordo com Barros et al. (2010), as folhas de malva são utilizadas maceradas ou mastigadas, também na forma de infusão, vapor, xarope ou pomadas. ...
... Fonte: a autora.A composição química de óleos essenciais de M. sylvestris é conhecida por apresentar percentual significativo de ácidos graxos e hidrocarbonetos(DELFINE et al., 2017). Frequentemente são encontrados: ácido hexadecanóico(USAMI et al., 2013), ácido linolênico, ácido linoléico e ácido palmítico(BARROS et al., 2010;LOIZZO et al., 2016).Sharifi-Rad et al. (2019) realizaram um levantamento bibliográfico sobre a análise fitoquímica de M. sylvestris e seus achados mostraram alguns trabalhos avaliando a composição dos óleos essenciais. Foram descritas a presença de malvone A, uma naftoquinona, outros monoterpenos conhecidos, compostos aromáticos, e diterpenos acíclicos tetrahidroxilados, além da presença de polissacarídeos, cumarinas, flavonóides, malvidina 3-(6 ″ -malonilglucosídeo) -5 -glicosídeo, malvalina, escopoletina, polifenóis, niacina, ácido fólico, vitaminas A, C e E, e taninos. ...
Determinadas plantas medicinais possuem nomes populares semelhantes entre si. Malva sylvestris e Pelargonium graveolens são espécies conhecidas pelo mesmo nome popular “Malva” e, portanto, comumente confundidas, além de serem usadas para fins medicinais parecidos. O objetivo do trabalho foi executar uma revisão da literatura dos últimos dez anos sobre o desenvolvimento do conhecimento científico de óleos essenciais de M. sylvestris e P. graveolens, com a finalidade de identificar os principais componentes químicos e atividades biológicas. Os resultados descrevem a produção comercial destes óleos essenciais, no qual P. graveolens, que também é conhecido popularmente como gerânio ou malva-cheirosa, possui um forte efeito terapêutico em sua composição. Quanto aos componentes químicos, os ácidos graxos: ácido linolênico, ácido linoléico e ácido palmítico são constituintes majoritários dos óleos de M. Sylvestris. Enquanto P. graveolens é composto principalmente de citronelol, geraniol, formiato de citronelila e mentona. As principais atividades relatadas foram: antimicrobiana, antifúngica, inseticida e antioxidante.
... Generally, it is important to note, that the literature is scarce with regard to nutraceuticals and macromolecule composition of the focal species. Moreover, documented data on the general Malvaceae family may vary depending on the specific species, tested part of the plant and agronomic conditions [18,[43][44][45]. Values of TPC, ascorbic acid and the subsequent antioxidant capacities were generally higher in Malvaceae than in spinach (Figures 3-5). ...
... TPC values of M. nicaeensis and L. cretica found in the present work were similar to those documented for M. sylvestris [46] and M. aegyptiaca [43]. Ascorbic acid contents of our samples were slightly higher than those reported for M. sylvestris [18]. The protein content in wild M. nicaeensis and L. cretica leaves (25-30 g/100 g DW) was higher than that of S. oleracea leaves, but similar to that of S. tetragonia ( Figure 6). ...
... The protein content in wild M. nicaeensis and L. cretica leaves (25-30 g/100 g DW) was higher than that of S. oleracea leaves, but similar to that of S. tetragonia ( Figure 6). This protein level is remarkably high in comparison to M. sylvestris and M. aegyptiaca (~12 and 8 g/100 g DW) [18,43], and may be the result of overestimation due to excessive levels of non-protein nitrogen in nitrophilic plants [35]. Similar levels of protein were found in several edible leafy green plants such as S. oleracea, Vernonia amygdalina, Solanum Africana, and others [43] (Zouari et al., 2011). ...
Diversification of local food production can streamline supply chains, and ultimately increase food security. Research often focuses on improving existing crops by selection and by agro-technology rather than searching for novel crops. Plants that are traditionally eaten are interesting candidates for adaptation to commercialised agriculture. In this research, two Malvaceae species were explored as potential food crops, as the literature suggests Malvaceae exhibits valuable nutritional merits. This work examined Malva nicaeensis and Lavatera cretica, referred to as “Khubeza” (or “Hubeza”) as a generic term. The plants were experimentally cultivated in two different locations, their leaves were collected, and nutritive values compared. Khubeza leaves exhibited similar or better nutritive value to that of spinach, used here as a reference product. Thus, we conclude that “Khubeza” has potential to enhance food security, expand economic implementation, and to overall diversify agriculture, making it more resilient in the face of projected changes.
... Based on previous studies, the dry matter content of mallow leaves is 13.77-17.20% [16] and 23.74% [17], while the total protein content is 16.5─18.7% 1200 g for 5 min. ...
... The protein yield was predicted to be 76.9% by the program at this point. As a result of the validation analyzes, the yield at the optimum point was found to be 77.9 ± 1.2% and it was [16] and the ash content ranged between 13.53% [17] and 13.10-14.85% [16]. ...
The tendency to consume the plant-based protein is gradually increasing with the increase of the world population. Although the leaf proteins are the sustainable protein sources, the protein isolation from them is difficult due to plants structure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mallow leaf as an alternative protein source, to increase the protein efficiency with enzyme assisted extraction and to determine their functional properties for industrial food production. The optimum conditions for the enzymes were found as 5.6 pH value, 52.5 ˚C, 75 min and 7% enzyme concentration for Pectinex UF, 7 pH value, 48 ˚C, 75.5 min and 7% enzyme concentration for Pectinex Ultra SP-L by response surface methodology. The effect of precipitation methods, isoelectric (IP), ammonium sulfate (ASP) and isoelectric-ammonium sulfate (IASP), on efficiency and functional properties of plant proteins was investigated. The protein contents of IP, ASP and IASP were 40, 65.5 and 61.7%, respectively. Despite the lowest protein content, IP (97% at pH 7.5) has the highest solubility than ASP (95% at pH 7.5) and IASP (94.4% at pH 8.5). The highest foaming capacity at pH 6 was determined as 133.3, 90.9 and 80%, respectively, for IP, ASP and IASP. Also, IP has the highest emulsion activity and stability than ASP and IASP. All these evaluations, mallow leaf can be used for protein isolation, but its economic dimension should be investigated through more comprehensive studies.
... Malva sylvestris L. is a medicinal plant that is found in countries in Europe and Asia [32]. It has been reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, among others [33]. ...
... It has been reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, among others [33]. Authors have proven that the flowers are more active in comparison to the leaves [32,34]. The various biological activities of the plant can be attributed to its valuable compounds such as organic acids, vitamins, flavonoids and other heathcontributing compounds [35]. ...
Edible coatings that have a recognized ecological effect are an alternative to retard the processes of moisture evaporation and mold growth in bakery products. The aim of the present research was to study the influence of Malva sylvestris L. (mallow) flowers' extract on the antimicro-bial activity of edible coatings of three types of polysaccharides, pectin/P/, xanthan/X/ and carbox-ymethylcellulose/C/, as well as to analyze their effect on the freshness and microbiological status of coated small loaves during storage. It was found that the presence of a mallow extract had a positive effect on the fungicidal and yeasticidal activities of the X and C coatings. The loaves were evaluated for their physical (moisture, color), textural (firmness and crumb firming kinetics) and microbiolog-ical characteristics. The coatings (P, X and C) with mallow extract had the strongest moisture-retaining effect on the loaves' crumb. The coatings with X and with P (with/without mallow extract) significantly slowed down the crumb firming process, and the value of the rate constant for the crumb firming (k) is the lowest for the X coating-0.1815 day −1. The smallest changes in the crust color were reported when mallow-based coatings were used. They have also been proven to have the lowest microbial load when they are stored for up to three days. This study shows that polysaccharide edible coatings with an active mallow component have significant potential to extend the shelf life of bakery products.
... M. sylvestris ( Figure 1C) belongs to the family Malvaceae and it is commonly known as Mallow [19]. Its therapeutic characteristics have been described as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and having a good effect on gingivitis, abscesses, tooth discomfort, urological illness, insect bites, ulcerous wounds, as well as particular disorders affecting several body systems [20]. ...
... Its therapeutic characteristics have been described as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and having a good effect on gingivitis, abscesses, tooth discomfort, urological illness, insect bites, ulcerous wounds, as well as particular disorders affecting several body systems [20]. Young leaves are consumed raw in salads, while older leaves and shoots are utilized in soups and as boiled vegetables [19]. M. sylvestris has anti-inflammatory qualities due to the presence of compounds such as mucilage, flavonoids, and tannins [21]. ...
Background
One of the primary health concerns for diabetes individuals is wounds. The used drugs have several side effects, urging the need for new natural sources for therapeutics.
Materials and methods
This study was designed to estimate the wound healing potential of the methanolic extract of Globularia arabica and Malva sylvestris leaves and Rhus coriaria fruits. plant extracts were orally administered to the rats to determine their effect on the wound-healing process.
Results
Plant extracts significantly increased the contraction of the wound in non-diabetic and diabetic rats (P < 0.05) and increased the fibroblast's proliferation and migration resulting in a faster healing process. The plant extracts have no cytotoxic effects. The proliferation assay exhibited the lowest cell mortality after treatment with plant extract.
Conclusion
These findings may indicate that the methanolic leaf extract of the above plants can be used as new therapeutics for wound healing in diabetic patients.
... Total energy was calculated according to the following equation (Barros et al., 2010): ...
... The highest ash contents were observed in Malva sylvestris (2.76 g/100g FW), 2.29 g/100g FW in Emex spinosa, and 2.10 g/100g FW in Silene vulgaris. The ash content of Malva sylvestris reported by Barros et al. (2010) was 13.53g/100g of Dry Weight, while that reported by Tabaraki et al., (2012) was 14.85 g/100g of DW. However, these values are lower than those obtained in our study (16.32g/100g of DW = 2.76 g/ 100g of FW). ...
Wild edible plants are used in various traditional dishes in rural areas. The present study aims to determine the nutritional value and chemical composition of six wild edible plants (Nasturtium officinale, Malva sylvestris, Portulaca oleracea, Silene vulgaris, Scolymus hispanicus, and Emex spinosa) commonly consumed in the Al- Haouz region of Morocco. Moisture, proteins, and ashes contents were analyzed according to the official Association of the Official Analytical Chemists Methods (AOAC) and fats content was determined by the Mojonnier method. The results revealed that these wild edible plants are rich sources of carbohydrates and proteins, while they had revealed low amounts of fats. The highest values of total carbohydrates, fat, and ash were found in Emex spinosa, Malva sylvestris, and Silene vulgaris. Finally, these wild edible plants seem to be important nutritional resources that should be valued to promote rural areas and conserve the gene pool that is threatened due to domestication.
... Although there are some works focused on the characterization of edible flowers, from the point of view of their nutritional value (e.g. phytochemicals, phenolic compounds), antioxidant properties, health benefits, and even their associated toxicology (Fernandes, Casal, Pereira, Saraiva, & Ramalhosa, 2017;Lu, Li, & Yin, 2016;Pires, Barros, Santos-Buelga, & Ferreira, 2019;Skrajda-Brdak et al., 2020), there are few publications related to edible flowers present and consumed on Madeira Island, such as mallow blue (Malva sylvestris L.), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.), with the purpose of characterize them in terms of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity (Barros, Carvalho, & Ferreira, 2010;Garzón, Manns, Riedl, Schwartz, & Padilla-Zakour, 2015; Navarro-González, González-Barrio, García-Valverde, Bautista-Ortín, & Periago, 2015;Salib, 2014). Barros et al. (2010) reported a comparative study of the composition in nutraceuticals (e.g., phenolics, flavonoids) and antioxidant properties of different parts of Malva sylvestris (leaves, flowers, immature fruits, and leafy flowered stems), while Navarro-González et al. (2015) established the phenolic profile of Tropaeolum majus in order to assess the relationship between the presence of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity. ...
... phytochemicals, phenolic compounds), antioxidant properties, health benefits, and even their associated toxicology (Fernandes, Casal, Pereira, Saraiva, & Ramalhosa, 2017;Lu, Li, & Yin, 2016;Pires, Barros, Santos-Buelga, & Ferreira, 2019;Skrajda-Brdak et al., 2020), there are few publications related to edible flowers present and consumed on Madeira Island, such as mallow blue (Malva sylvestris L.), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.), with the purpose of characterize them in terms of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity (Barros, Carvalho, & Ferreira, 2010;Garzón, Manns, Riedl, Schwartz, & Padilla-Zakour, 2015; Navarro-González, González-Barrio, García-Valverde, Bautista-Ortín, & Periago, 2015;Salib, 2014). Barros et al. (2010) reported a comparative study of the composition in nutraceuticals (e.g., phenolics, flavonoids) and antioxidant properties of different parts of Malva sylvestris (leaves, flowers, immature fruits, and leafy flowered stems), while Navarro-González et al. (2015) established the phenolic profile of Tropaeolum majus in order to assess the relationship between the presence of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity. The phenolic profile in edible petals of nasturtium flowers (Tropaeolum majus) of three colors was carried out by Garzón et al. (2015) using HPLC-MS/MS being identified several phenolic compounds including hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids (myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol derivatives) and anthocyanins. ...
Mallow blue (Malva sylvestris L.), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.), are common edible flowers rich in bioactive secondary metabolites (BASMs) whose use in sophisticated gastronomy present currently as increasing trend. In this study the BASMs profile of these edible flowers was established using an emerging green extraction technique, μQuEChERS followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a photodiode array detection system (UHPLC-PDA). After validation the μQuEChERS/UPLC-PDA methodology allow to identify that apigenin and epigallocatechin gallate are the most abundant BASMs in mallow blue flowers, while catechin and dicaffeoylquinic acid are predominant in hibiscus flowers, and myricitrin and dicaffeoylquinic acid in nasturtium flowers. Total polyphenol content is the highest in the extract of hibiscus. Nasturtium shows the greatest radical scavenging activity. The results revealed that these flowers constitute a potential source of BASMs with different bioactive properties suggesting its use in design of new functional foods.
... M. sylvestris ( Figure 1C) belongs to the family Malvaceae and it is commonly known as Mallow [19]. Its therapeutic characteristics have been described as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and having a good effect on gingivitis, abscesses, tooth discomfort, urological illness, insect bites, ulcerous wounds, as well as particular disorders affecting several body systems [20]. ...
... Its therapeutic characteristics have been described as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and having a good effect on gingivitis, abscesses, tooth discomfort, urological illness, insect bites, ulcerous wounds, as well as particular disorders affecting several body systems [20]. Young leaves are consumed raw in salads, while older leaves and shoots are utilized in soups and as boiled vegetables [19]. M. sylvestris has anti-inflammatory qualities due to the presence of compounds such as mucilage, flavonoids, and tannins [21]. ...
... Different parts of Malva sylvestris (leaves, flowers, immature fruits, and leafy flowered stems) were compared for their chemical composition [200]. Leaves methanolic extract revealed the highest content of phenolics (386.45 mg/g of extract), flavonoids (210.81 mg/g), and carotenoids (0.19 mg/g), while the flowers revealed the highest amount of ascorbic acid (1.11 mg/g of extract). ...
... Authors quantified α,β,γ,δ-tocopherols that reached the highest level in the leaves. Regarding the fatty acids fraction, the major compounds found in all samples were linolenic, linoleic, and palmitic acid [200]. The major flavonoids identified in mallow leaves are gossypin and hypolaetin 3 -sulphate, whereas flowers have as major flavonoids malvin, malonylmalvin, oenin, malvidin, delphinidin, genistein, myricetin, apigenin derivatives, quercetin, kaempferol, 5,7-dimeth-oxycoumarin, and scopoletin [201][202][203][204]. Terpenoids identified from fresh leaves were linalool, 3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-1,6,10-trien-3,8,14,15-tetraol, and blumenol A [205]. ...
Anxiety and insomnia are among the most common mental health disorders and are a
major cause of disability around the world. Traditional herbal medicines are receiving significant attention in global health debates. Several Italian regions maintain rural traditions and are among the most extensively studied areas of Europe regarding medicinal plant uses. The present overview aims to highlight the use of wild and cultivated plants, specifically as sedatives and for insomnia treatment in Italy, and to collect, analyze, and summarize the available literature about their pharmacological
activity as well as clinical and pre-clinical studies concerning the most cited plants. In total, 106 wild taxa are used in Italy for sedative purposes. The plant species belong to 76 genera and 32 families, of which the most cited are Asteraceae (24.2%) and Lamiaceae (21.1%). Leaves (29%) and flowers (27%) are the plant parts mostly used as infusion (70%) and decoction (25%). Out of 106 taxa documented, only the most cited are analyzed in this overview (A. arvensis L., C. nepeta L., C. monogyna Jacq., H. lupulus L., L. nobilis L., L. angustifolia Mill., M. sylvestris L., M. chamomilla L., M. officinalis L., O.
basilicum L., P. rhoeas L., P. somniferum L., R. officinalis L., T. platyphyllus Scop., and V. officinalis L.). Among the fifteen species selected, only seven have been studied for their pharmacological activity as hypnotic-sedatives. Future pre-clinical and clinical studies are needed to better clarify the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds and confirm the potential of these alternative therapies.
... Malva sylvestris has been employed as medicinal herb since ancient times for the treatment of skin care, acne as an emollient and antiseptic [136][137][138]. Plant has also been used for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potential for the mitigation of cut, burns and wound healings [139][140][141]. ...
Wound healing is a process through which skin maintains itself. Once a wound occurs, the inflammatory and proliferative stages are instigated in reaction to injury. It is established that wound restorative comprises four stages including haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The amelioration of wound healing is very challenging as tumors can develop at the site of chronic injury. There are numerous plants, plant extracts and plant based natural products were widely used by tribal communities from ancient times for the treatment of cuts, burns, scars, burns and wounds. The therapeutic potential of these plants is recognized due to the presence of phytomolecules such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, triterpenoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids and glycosides. The plant used for the treatments of wound healing includes Achillea millefolium, Andrographis paniculata, Boswellia sacra, Calendula officinalis, Crocus sativus, Curcuma longa, Ehretia laevis, Ehretia microphylla, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Malva sylvestris, Rosmarinus officinalis and Salvia officinalis. This assemblage comprises the structures of phytomolecules isolated from the different extracts of these plants, mechanistic insights and important key findings responsible for wound healing. The mechanistic insights involved in wound healing are similar to cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents such as ROS generation, DNA fragmentation and western blotting. This review article is an effort to bridge the gaps in the prevailing literature and thus offers gigantic scope for researchers and academicians betrothed in validation of the customary claims and development of safer and efficient and worldwide recognized natural potential candidates as drugs for healing of wounds, burns and cuts.
... [49,53,54] Table 1 shows the contents of non-phenolic compounds in edible flowers. Tocopherols (α, β, γ, and δ) have been determined in Malva sylvestris, [55] using butylhydroxytoluene solution in hexane, which is a non-polar extractant, because tocopherols are non-polar substances. Tocopherols show antioxidant activity, especially in lipid peroxidation, due to their character. ...
Traditionally, edible flowers have been used in alternative medicine by several cultures around the world. Recently, they have gained in popularity as a new trend in worldwide gastronomy because they have been added as ingredients in food and beverages since they have important organoleptic properties and beneficial health effects. In fact, edible flower consumption has increased in the last years, and many works have demonstrated that they are essential sources of macronutrients, vitamins, and antioxidant compounds, which give benefits like prevention against illness associated with oxidative stress, some cardiovascular illness, and cancers, among others. Nowadays, the main studies about edible flowers are focused on their nutritional, functional, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review summarizes relevant information about the properties and bioactive compounds content of edible flowers, likewise, the acceptance and security risks of their consumption, highlighting the importance of their incorporation in human nutrition and the main biological activities. According to the revision process, the consumer acceptability of edible flowers and their inclusion in the human diet have been increased due to their positive health effects.
... as compared to 10.4% for raw mallow leaves, so this implies that Jew's mallow and mallow leaves are good mineral sources. The ash level (10.47%) in raw mallow was higher than (0.0871%) that reported previously by Farhan et al. (2012) and it was comparable (13.53%)with that reported by Barros et al. (2010). While the ash level obtained in this study for raw Jew's mallow (16.13%) was higher than (2.4%) that cited by Osman (2005), but was comparable(11.97%) with that published by Yekeen et al. (2013). ...
Article information In this study the total phenolics content expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) was higher in raw mallow leaves (459 mg GAE/100g DW) than in raw Jew's mallow leaves (339 mg GAE/100g DW). Results showed that, the concentration of total flavonoids in Jew's mallow was: 189, 163, 156 in raw, cooked and aqueous extract respectively. Whereas were in mallow as following: 188 in raw mallow, 174 in cooked mallow and 165 in aqueous extract. The antioxidant activity of raw and cooked Jew's mallow and mallow leaves and their aqueous phenolic extracts were: 2.947±0.09, 3.315±0.05, 9.4±0.04, 2.076±0.09, 2.440±0.02, 5.9±0.03, respectively. Phenolic compounds in raw and cooked Jew's mallow and mallow leaves (mg/ 100g on dry weight basis) were: 2.2376 in raw Jew's mallow, 1.9918 in cooked Jew's mallow, 9.563 in raw mallow, 6.9432 in cooked mallow.
... The sensory quality attributes of bio-frozen yoghourt samples with CPP as a are declared in table (7). The results revealed that adding with CPP up to 10% enhanced the sensory attributes of bio-frozen yoghourt samples. ...
... 31 These findings corroborate previous research demonstrating that a methanolic extract of M. sylvestris decreased burn wound area and histopathologic severity, increased the level of collagen, decreased inflammatory cells, and enhanced epithelization of burn wound injury. 32,33 Histopathological Study of Wounds Healing Tissues After Topical Treatment in the Rats ...
This study aimed to see how effective Globulari. arabica and Malva. slyvestries-based cream formulations were at healing scald burn wounds in rats. Depending on ointment preparations of 1%, 5%, and 10% w/w were created. For comparison, an ointment base and a regular burn cream composed soframycine were utilized. Rats introduced a burn by solidifying equipment at 100°C on a 14 mm 2 shaved dorsal region. A deep second-degree burn was created, and the percentage of wound contraction was measured over the next 15 days. The rats were euthanized on days 8 and 15, and histological slides were prepared using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Compared to the control group, a substantial increase in wound contraction and a significant decrease in the duration of epithelialization in the based ointment-treated groups. However, as paralleled to Globularia arabica, significant (P < 0.05) results were observed with 10% Globularia. arabica cream, whereas Malva. slyverstries indicate minimal healing. Soframycine causes a substantial increase in wound contraction (P <0.05). Soframycine cream with 10% Globularia arabica therapy resulted in practically complete re-epithelialization and re-structuring of wound tissue on histological examination, whereas Malva slyversries treatment resulted in low epithelization during treatment days. The findings suggest that Globularia arabica-based cream has the wound-healing capability.
... The chemical composition of each by-product beverage and pumpkin pulp, such as protein, fat, ash, fiber, dry matter, and minerals including (K, Mg, Fe, Cu, P, and Zn) were assessed using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists recommendations (AOAC 2012), and β-Carotene (Barros and Ferreira 2010). Furthermore, pH was determined with a pH meter (Hanna, Italy). ...
The dairy industry has huge amounts of by-products, and the indiscriminate disposal can lead to significant environmental pollution. However, it contains many valuable nutritional compounds that can be recycled. Pumpkin pulp is a plant with good functional properties due to its high content of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other active ingredients that can boost immunity and enhance human health. The study aims to create new functional beverages prepared from some by-products such as sweet buttermilk, sweet whey, and milk permeate enhanced with pumpkin pulp (Cucurbita maxima L.). The natural by-product was prepared by flavoring the different by-products with 50 % pumpkin pulp, 4 % sugar, and 0.2 % carboxymethyl cellulose and stored at 4±1ºC for 30 days. Chemical analysis, sensory evaluation, antioxidant activity, and microbiological assessment were determined. The findings revealed that the by-products supplemented with pumpkin pulp had a significant level of total carbohydrates, fibers, total phenolic components, antioxidant activity, vitamins C, and mineral content. The bacterial total count was reduced. Sensory evaluation indicated that functional beverages containing pumpkin pulp demonstrated superior sensory properties when compared to control treatments. We recommend fortifying the by-products with pumpkin pulp due to its high nutritional value and sensory properties.
... The use of Malva sylvestris, a species of the mallow genus Malva in the family, has been documented since long ago. M. sylvestris is recommended for acne and skincare, as an antiseptic and emollient [192][193][194], and as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent for burn and cut wound healing [195][196][197]. The healing capabilities of this plant relate to the mucilage and flavonoids found in the leaves and flowers [198]. ...
Wound healing is a complicated process, and the effective management of wounds is a major challenge. Natural herbal remedies have now become fundamental for the management of skin disorders and the treatment of skin infections due to the side effects of modern medicine and lower price for herbal products. The aim of the present study is to summarize the most recent in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies on major herbal preparations, their phytochemical constituents, and new formulations for wound management. Research reveals that several herbal medicaments have marked activity in the management of wounds and that this activity is ascribed to flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and phenolic compounds. These phytochemicals can act at different stages of the process by means of various mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, collagen synthesis stimulating, cell proliferation, and angiogenic effects. The application of natural compounds using nanotechnology systems may provide significant improvement in the efficacy of wound treatments. Increasing the clinical use of these therapies would require safety assessment in clinical trials.
... All pictures are downloaded from www.flickr.com ( Barros et al., 2010;Cutillo et al., 2006;Loizzo et al., 2016) Borago (Fernandes et al., 2017;Gupta & Singh, 2010;Horrobin, 1992;Jaffel et al., 2011;Salem et al., 2014;Zhao et al., 2019) (Continues) (Blanco et al., 1999;Karadag et al., 2019;Loizzo et al., 2016) Cichorium intybus Asteraceae (Akbar, 2020;Jang et al., 2008;Sulejman, 2007;Srivastava et al., 2010;Weidner et al., 2013) (Continues) For heart and nervous system as tonic and for smoothing menstruation. ...
The Mediterranean diet is acknowledged to be the healthiest dietary pattern around the world, mainly based on plant foods from the rich Mediterranean flora. It is also known to increase longevity and have positive effects on chronic diseases. This review aimed to investigate the knowledge about the use and consumption of edible flowers as part of the Mediterranean cuisine, based on ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies especially from the last 10 years, and highlight their uses as a nutritious and functional food. In this review, a total of 32 edible flower species used in the Mediterranean diet were listed with their phytochemical composition, edible applications, bioactive properties, and dose, highlighting their nutritional contribution to the Mediterranean diet as well as their health effects. Edible flowers are consumed and widely contribute to the health‐promoting properties of the Mediterranean diet through being good sources of macro and micronutrients that enhance the nutritive value of Mediterranean dishes and foods, as well as providing more phytonutrients. Based on this, Mediterranean dishes have the remarkable characteristics of being conducive to mitochondrial health and anti‐metabolic diseases. The functional components in edible flowers are clarified here, which might be considered as a new factor for rational diet, natural product development, and medical improvement. This review aimed to investigate the knowledge about the use and consumption of edible flowers as part of the Mediterranean cuisine, based on ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies especially from the last 10 years, and highlight their uses as a nutritious and functional food. In this review, a total of 32 edible flower species used in the Mediterranean diet were listed with their phytochemical composition, edible applications, bioactive properties, and dose, highlighting their nutritional contribution to the Mediterranean diet as well as their health effects.
... For the estimation of ascorbic acid contents in the tomato fruits, a previously described method was employed [22]. A double beam spectrometer was used for the measurement of absorbance at 515 nm (Spectrophotometer Analytika, Jena, Germany). ...
The aim of the study was to investigate the variation in nutritional composition, antioxidant,
and antibacterial activities of tomatoes grown in fly ash blended soils, i.e.,T1 (soil 100% + 0% fly ash),
T2 (soil 75%+ 25% fly ash), and T3 (soil 50% + 50% fly ash) soils. The tomato samples were harvested
and screened for their proximate analysis, mineral composition, vitamin C contents, phenolic profile,
and antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Results showed that T3 soil crop has high proximate
composition, vitamin C, and phenolic contents as compared with T2 and T1 soil crops. Furthermore,
significant variation in the elements analysis was observed in the crops grown in T1, T2, and T3
soils. T3 soil crop exhibited better antioxidant activity in term of total phenolic contents (TPC),
total flavonoids contents (TFC), DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and ferric reducing potential as
compared with T2 and T1 soil crops. Similarly, maximum inhibition zones were observed for T3 soil
crop when tested for Staphylococcus aureus isolate 1 and 3 and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). In conclusion, the crop grown in T3 blended soil had high antioxidant and antibacterial
potentials and better nutritional composition
... DellaGreca et al. [29] have reported 24% of radical scavenging capacity in mallow leaves. Barros et al. [30] have fond the highest antioxidant activity in mallow leaves when compared to fruits. Gasparetto et al. [28] have found total phenolic contents of 386.5 mg/g, 317.0 mg/g, 258.7 mg/g and 56.8 mg/g in mallow leaves, flowered stems, flower and immature fruits. ...
Scopoletin is a phytochemical of coumarins distributed in some plants. The aim of this study was the evaluation of scopoletin content and antioxidant activity of nettle, mallow, purslane, knot-grass, dill and coriander encountered in Black Sea regions. Analyses were conducted on the leaves and stems of these plants, except knot-grass. The lowest scopoletin content was found in nettle leaves (11.48 mg/kg) and the highest amount was found in knot-grass (6708.37 mg/kg). Scopoletin was not detected in stems of mallow, purslane and dill plants. The lowest total phenolic content was found in mallow stem (0.86 mg GAE/g) and the highest value was in knot-grass (67.74 mg GAE/g). The lowest ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was ascertained in purslane stem (1571.58 µmol Fe 2+ /g) and the highest value in coriander leaves (64905.90 µmol Fe 2+ /g). The mallow stem displayed the lowest DPPH radical scavenging activity of 48.63 µmol TE/g, while knot-grass provided the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity of 5261.56 µmol TE/g. These results revealed that knot-grass was the richest source of scopoletin and antioxidants. The studied plants exhibited a high interest in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
... PA was the most common fatty acid found in the leaf blades and petioles. This agrees with previous studies, which reported PA as one of the most common saturated fatty acids found in the green tissues of plants [37]. In our study, all borage increased the amount of PA in their leaf blades between harvest dates (18.9% to 25.6% on average). ...
Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a traditional vegetable grown and consumed in some Spanish regions. The objective of this study was to determine the variability and evolution of fatty acid composition in a borage germplasm collection formed by wild types, breeding lines, commercial varieties, and landraces. Fatty acids were analysed in petioles, the commonly edible part of the leaves, and the leaf blades, the by-product of the borage industry, in two growth stages: at the optimal harvest period (120 days after sowing) and at the end of the harvest period (150 days after sowing). The results showed that for each of the eight fatty acids identified, there were significant differences among the twelve borage genotypes depending on the developmental plant stage at sampling date and the part of the leaf analysed, the interaction effect also being statistically significant. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids identified were: linoleic acid (18:2 n6, LA), α-linolenic acid (18:3 n3, ALA), γ-linolenic acid (18:3 n6, GLA), and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4, n-3), account for approximately 70% of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Blue-flowered genotypes differ from white-flowered genotypes by their high content of ALA and SDA, which can be exploited in borage breeding programs. Petioles from young plants present higher n6 fatty acids, while older plants produce a great amount of n3 fatty acids. Besides, the higher content of ALA in the leaf blades gives them a good dietary potential. All these fatty acids, with multiple health benefits, support the nutraceutical interest of borage leaves (both petioles and leaf blades) for human consumption, animal feeding, medicine, and pharmacy.
... Flavonoids and alkaloids which are usually found in medicinal plants have been accounted to have high antioxidant activity as well as multiple biological effects [6] . Ingestion of several synthetic antioxidants such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole has been reported toxic to man [7] . Therefore, the use of natural antioxidant has gained much attention from consumers because they are considered safer than synthetic antioxidants. ...
... Ascorbic acid contents in tomato fruits were determined using the method reported by Barros et al. [25]. Absorbance of the sample was recorded at 515 nm, using double beam spectrophotometer (Spectrophotometer Analytik Jena, Germany). ...
The aim of the study was to compare the physicochemical parameters, sugar, vitamin C, and phenolic profiles in five genotypes of local indeterminate tunnel tomato hybrid (LITTH) (LITTH-778, LITTH-784, LITTH-786, LITTH-788, and LITTH-790) of natural parthenocarpic tomato (NPT) and normal seeded tomato (NST). Samples were collected from the experimental fields of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Physical parameters (fruit shape, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, number of seeds per fruit, and shelf-life) and chemical composition (moisture, ash, crude fat, crude fiber, total carbohydrate, crude protein, and vitamin C) of NPT and NST were analyzed by reported methods. The methanolic extracts of tomato pulp were prepared by shaking and extracts were assayed for antioxidant activity. Sugar contents and phenolic profile of NPT and NST were estimated using HPLC method. Weight and size of NPT were less and smaller than the NST. Moreover, NPT were seedless with longer shelf-life and had more phenolic and flavonoid contents than the NST. HPLC analysis revealed that chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and p-coumaric acid were major phenolics in methanol (polar solvent) extracts of NST, and caffeic acid, gallic acid, and p-coumaric acid in NPT extract. NPT contained higher concentration of sugar contents, but lower concentration of vitamin C than NST. In 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, NPT fruit extracts showed high scavenging activity with the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 22.56 μg/mL compared to NST fruit extracts having IC50 29.49 μg/mL. This study provided useful information for farmers and nutritionists.
... Currently, more than 11 million people are infected around the world, with the true number exceeding 11 million due to asymptomatic cases that cause pandemic. The disease symptoms include sputum production, fatigue, cough, fever, breath shortness, vomiting, sore throat, diarrhea, headache and pneumonia [3,4]. The ongoing situation may result in significant economic deficits all over the world, even though people who are not infected with the virus. ...
The Covid-19 pandemics caused by SARS-CoV-19, and the inadequacy of targeted medications, compelled scientists to seek new antiviral drugs. We present our current understanding of plant extracts containing polyphenols that inhibit Covid-19. Natural phytochemicals (polyphenols) derived from plants have the potential to establish research using extracts and/or individual compounds in the treatment and prevention of coronavirus. The polyphenolic drugs (antivirus) capable of inhibiting the coronavirus protein, that are vital for
infection and virus replication. The benefit of phytochemicals is that they promote patient well-being while causing minimal side effects. To understand the antiviral behavior of isolated phytochemicals 1-6, various molecular descriptors, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and frontier molecular orbitals (FMO) were investigated. A systematic analysis of isolated phytochemicals was accomplished then molecular descriptors, docking score, active sites, and FMOs energies were compared to the commonly used drugs recently to treat COVID19, namely favipiravir, remdesivir dexamethasone and hydroxychloroquine. Using a molecular docking technique, we demonstrate for the first time that these plant phytochemicals can be inhibited by the core protease (6LU7) protein of COVID19.
... Edible flowers' relevance in the diet is due to their bioactive compounds, which have effects on the human body and modify its function. Many of these compounds are secondary metabolites that are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against herbivores; these compounds include alkaloids, terpenes, flavonoids, glycoside, saponins, among others (Barros et al. 2010, Wongwattanasathien et al. 2010, Kaisoon et al. 2011, Lu et al. 2016, Zheng et al. 2018. Flowers also contain high contents of pigments such as carotenoids and anthocyanins, which are responsible for their colors and have the function of attracting pollinators. ...
Background:
Edible flowers are important food resources due to their high content of nutrients and bioactive compounds. In Mexico these resources have been part of the diet of indigenous and mestizo, and are also important sources of income for the families that cultivate, gather and sell them.
Questions:
What are the species of edible flower commercialized in local markets in Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo, Mexico? How are they prepared? What are their nutritional contents and conservation risk categories according to literature?
Studied species:
Agave salmiana, A. mapisaga, Aloe vera, Arbutus xalapensis, Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae, Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo, C. moschata, Dasylirion acrotrichum, Erythrina americana, Euphorbia radians, Myrtillocactus geometrizans, Phaseolus coccineus, Yucca filamentosa.
Study site and dates:
Local markets of Pachuca de Soto, Hidalgo, Mexico. January 2019 to March 2020.
Methods:
Interview-purchase with sellers and direct observations in markets. Bibliographic review of the nutritional contents of the recorded species and their conservation status.
Results:
We recorded 13 species of edible flowers and eight preparation methods. Five species are cultivated, five are gathered from the pine-oak forest or xerophilous scrub ecosystems and three are obtained from crops and natural ecosystems. The gualumbos (Agave salmiana and A. mapisaga) are the most commercialized flowers and had the most forms of preparation (six). Seven of the species traded are placed in a conservation risk category.
Conclusions:
The diversity of edible flowers used, and their preparation methods exemplify the traditional knowledge of the groups that handle them and their importance as food and economic sustenance.
... Among the tested subextracts, water subextract showed the radical scavenging activity (60% inhibition) at the dose of 198 µg/ml. [18]. In a study conducted in Jordan, the ABTS radical scavenging effect of MeOH and water extracts of 51 plant species, including M. nicaeensis, were investigated -the antioxidant activity of the water and methanol extract of M. nicaeensis was found as 21.8 and 24.4 μmol TE/g, respectively [19]. ...
... ): Proximate chemical composition of mallow green parts (dry weight)Barros et al. (2010) found that mallow leaves contain 76.30% moisture, 12.15% protein, 2.76% fat, 13.53% ash and 71.46% carbohydrates (on dry weight basis). Tabaraki et al.(2012) found that moisture content of Malva sylvestries leaves ranged from 82.8 to 86.23%, protein content ranged from 2.4 to 3.2 %, ash content ranged from 13.1 to 14.8 %, crude fibre content ranged from 2.9 to 5% and fat content ranged from 0.16 to 0.3%. ...
... Malva sylvestris belongs to genus Malva that contains 100 species and distributed in Europe, North Africa and South-west Asia. It has traditionally been used to treat a variety of ailments such as laxative, toothbrush, cut wound healing, cough, cold and burn [13][14][15][16][17]. The plant extract showed anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials [18][19][20]. ...
The exploration of natural sources of antioxidant phytochemicals for human use with little toxicity gained worldwide attention. The preliminary screening of Malva sylvestris extracts revealed that its phytochemicals such as polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins, have high therapeutic potential. The total phenolic/flavonoids compounds of Malva sylvestris were extracted and isolated using bioassay guidelines, as well as in-silico studies. The extracts radical scavenging activity was further investigated using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) radical bioassays. The antioxidant potentials of various fractions were compared to standard antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and quercetin. The dichloromethane extracts of Malva sylvestris exhibited the antiradical activity against DPPH and NO with radical scavenging activities (RSA) of 88.52 and 91.05 % with IC50 values 22.11 and 19.01 µg/mL respectively. Bio guided isolation form the dichloromethane sub fractions that afforded twelve phytochemicals. Furthermore, the frontier molecular orbitals (FMO), several molecular descriptors, electron affinity, ionization potential and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) have been discussed to probe the active sites of various phytochemicals. A systematic study of isolated drugs was conducted, as well as docking, frontier molecular orbitals energies, active sites and molecular descriptors were compared with drugs currently used against COVID19 namely, dexamethasone, hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir and remdesivir. For the first time, through molecular docking approach, the inhibitions of these plant phytochemicals with NADPH were recorded to show antioxidant behavior and to explore anti-SARS-CoV-2 using core protease (6LU7) protein.
... Malva sylvestris is a plant known for several medical applications such as a medicine for liver cleaning tonic, dry cough, heartburn, and antibiotics for gastric ulcers. Besides, Malva sylvestris can be found in various geographical climates such as Europe, North Africa, and Asia regarding the natural ability to grow in different weather and soil conditions [31][32][33][34][35]. The diversity of organic components, including vitamins, proteins, terpenoids, sterols, flavonoids, phenol derivatives, mucilages, fatty acids, enzymes, and amino acids, have been supplied several anticancer, and antioxidant functionality [36]. ...
A novel green corrosion protective film was generated on the mild steel utilizing Malva sylvestris (MS) extract and characterized by Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and grazing incidence X-Ray diffraction (GIXRD) methods. The generation film provided an inhibition efficiency of 91% in the saline media. The formation of the protective film with the total resistance of 12, 14, and 16 KΩ.cm² was attained at the concentrations of 1000, 1500, and 2000 ppm, respectively. In addition, the potentiodynamic polarization analysis demonstrated that the anodic reaction is greatly suppressed in the presence of MS. The outstanding corrosion resistance of the separate application of MS, along with excellent protection stability (120 hours), can be a new horizon in the organic inhibitors as a practical environmental substitution for the synergistic organic/inorganic inhibitors. Theoretical studies based on quantum chemistry/molecular modelings were performed to confirm the Malva sylvestris molecules adsorption on the metal surface through their reactive sites.
... [3][4][5][6][7][8] It is traditionally used in skin conditions, in injuries and internal or external inflammation, as antimicrobial agents for burns. [9][10][11][12] It has als0 been shown to have mucolytic, hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic properties. [13][14][15] Preparation of extracts Ethanol extracts of the plant material (20 g of plant sample/100 mL of 80% hydroalcoholic mixture) was prepared by the maceration method with sporadic stirring, for seven days at room temperature (30 ± 2°C). ...
Curly mallow (Malva verticillata L.) is a promising species for cultivation to obtain valuable compounds for the application in medicine, and this species can be used in the bioenergy system to provide industry with alternative energy sources. For the highest economic efficiency, the practical use of this species requires the development of complex measures related to both agrotechnologies and selective breeding. Such measures require resources and there is an urgent problem of assessing the prospects of such investments taking into account the global climate change. Therefore, the problem that we aimed to solve was the assessment of how the global climate change would impact the curly mallow in general in the global context, as well as in the conditions of Ukraine in the next 50–70 years. The database of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) contains 2,104 records of curly-leaved mallow. This species is found on all the continents except Antarctica. Asia accounts for 39.1% of the species’ range, Europe – 53.3%, Africa – 3.6%, North America – 3.2%, South America – 0.1%, Australia – 0.8%. The modelling of M. verticillata response to the climatic factors showed that the best response models were V (in 31.6% of cases) and VII (in 36.8% of cases). Model V characterizes unimodal bell-shaped asymmetric response, and model VII – bimodal asymmetric response. The species response to the mean annual temperature is asymmetric bell-shaped with a shift to the right. The optimal average annual temperature for this species is 9.1 °C. Comparing the distribution of available resources and their use is the basis for identifying the features of the ecological niche of the species. The MaxEnt approach indicates that Southeast Asia and Europe have the most favourable conditions for the existence of this species. Changes in the climatic conditions over the next 50–70 years will make the conditions for the life of M. verticillata in the southern hemisphere unfavourable, and the favourable conditions for it in the northern hemisphere will shift significantly to the north. At the same time, conditions in the autochthonous range of the species will become unfavourable. Obviously, if not for the significant potential of the species to disperse, it would have died out as a result of the significant climate change. The area where favourable conditions for the species will remain unchanged is Central Europe. Conditions in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, will moderately improve. The results indicate the perspective of the cultivation of curly mallow in Ukraine in the future.
Aim and Background: Microorganisms play an important role in causing human diseases. Many deaths caused by these factors have always led mankind to look for ways to deal with microorganisms. Today, the use of medicinal plants is increasing; because medicinal plants have less side effects than chemical drugs. Medicinal plants, having many secondary metabolites, are the primary active ingredients of many drugs. As a result, these plants can be considered as one of the most important medicinal sources with new antibacterial and antifungal effects. These plants are used in the treatment of many diseases through stimulating the immune system, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, increasing the digestion and absorption of food and antibacterial, antifungal and anti-parasitic activities. Due to its diverse climate and large area, Iran has a large variety of medicinal plants that form the basis of the country's traditional medicine. Malva sylvestris is a plant rich in medicinal properties. The properties of Malva sylvestris are very important for the treatment of some diseases. The leaves and flowers of Malva sylvestris are used to prepare herbal medicine. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antibacterial properties of Malva sylvestris ethanol extract on standard pathogenic bacteria. Material and methods: Fresh Malva sylvestris plant (leaf) was collected from the outskirts of Gorgan and washed after identification and confirmation by a botanist. Then the used parts were spread separately on paper and dried at 35 degrees for three days. The dried samples were powdered using a mortar and an electric mixer. The soxhlet method was used for extraction. 5% DMSO was used to prepare extract dilutions. The microorganisms tested included B. cereus (ATCC: 1247), S. aureus (ATCC: 25923), P. aeruginosa (ATCC: 27853) and E. coli (ATCC: 25922) prepared from the microbial collection of the University of Tehran. In this study, the antimicrobial effect of ethanolic extract was investigated by two methods, Agar Well Diffusion and Dilution Test .
A variety of medicinal plants have been a source of healing in local communities around the world for thousands of years. It is still used as a primary health care method for 85% of the world's population. Also, these plants are a source for drug discovery and most of all synthetic drugs originate from them. Since the cultivation of medicinal plants are natural products, they will be free of side effects, relatively safe, environmentally friendly and available. All kinds of medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years and were used in traditional medicine. However, even today, they are an essential part of modern medicine. Many synthetic drugs were made from plant extracts. The therapeutic effects of medicinal plants are related to their chemical properties. As distinct from other plants, medicinal plants synthesize and accumulate natural physiologically active substances with specific physiological activities. A variety of medicinal plants contain a variety of chemical compounds that may be beneficial to the host plant. These compounds may protect the plant from herbivores, attract pollinators, or prevent competitive germination in the plant's growing space. More than 5,000 identified alkaloids are organic compounds with alkaline properties found in the flowering plant family, including caffeine, nicotine, morphine, and quinine. In contrast, glycosides are chemical compounds with one or more sugar molecules in plants such as ginseng and almonds are found. Herbs are also rich in useful mineral elements. Most of the types of medicinal plants contain useful elements such as calcium, sodium, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, potassium, iron, etc. and sometimes contain harmful compounds such as arsenic, mercury, and lead in a much lower amount than the dangerous level. Traditional medicine treats diseases by identifying useful elements and benefiting from the knowledge of medicinal plants. Other chemical compounds found in medicines that can be used in traditional medicine and modern medicine.
Abstract
Background and objectives: Metabolites present in medicinal plants are used to improve the energy efficiency of the rumen and also in animal productivity. Malva sylverstris is a plant whose cultivation yield in a quarterly period is estimated at 10 tons per hectare. M. sylverstris leaves and flowers contain tannins, calcium oxalate, pectic substances, mucilage, and anthocyanins. It is also rich in vitamins, and due to the presence of vitamin C and flavonoids, many uses have been mentioned for this plant. In some studies, the use of herbs had an increasing effect on milk production performance. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of M. sylverstris nutrition on milk production and composition, liver enzymes, nutrient digestibility, and blood biochemical parameters of dairy buffaloes.
Materials and methods: Eight khuzestani dairy buffaloes, 4-5 parities, average weight 600±12 kg in the early lactation (forth months), average milk production 6 liters, were used. Buffaloes were randomly fed with a diet without M. sylverstris and a diet containing 500 g M. sylverstri/ dry matter plant for a period of one month. Animals were kept in individual stables and adaption to the diet was performed for one week. Sufficient and clean water was provided to the buffaloes. At the end of the experiment, feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk production, quality, and microbial load of milk were measured. Buffalo blood parameters such as glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, and liver enzymes were determined. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design and the means were compared with the Tukey test at the significance level of 5%.
Results: The results showed that milk fat, protein, and lactose of milk did not change in the experimental treatments, but dry matter intake and milk production of buffaloes increased. According to the results, the milk microbial load of buffaloes fed M. sylverstris decreased (P<0.05). Blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the M. sylverstris treatment were lower than in the control treatment (P<0.05). Blood urea and liver enzymes were not affected by the treatments. Dry matter, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities increased in buffaloes fed the M. sylverstris (P<0.05).
Conclusion: According to the result of the present study, not only the use of M. sylverstris did not have any negative effects on the production performance when fed to the dairy buffaloes, but also increased milk production and reduced the microbial load of milk. Therefore, it can be used as an appropriate supplement in dairy buffaloes' diets.
Keywords: Buffalo, Digestibility, Malva sylverstris, Milk quality.
Introduction: Phytotherapy is based on the use of medicinal plants and their plant derivatives for the treatment or symptomatic relief of numerous diseases, being a widely disseminated practice in the world. The skin, as the largest organ in the body, benefits from this therapeutic system in an important way. Thus, this review aimed to prospect the possible mechanisms of action of 12 medicinal plants that have cutaneous applications. Methods: The Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) and Google Scholar/Google Scholar databases were used, where plants were searched by their scientific names (Aesculus hippocastanum; Aloe vera/Aloe vera barbadensis; Arnica montana; Libidibia férrea/Caesalpinia ferrea; Calendula officinalis; Cordia verbenacea/Cordia curassavica; Equinacea purpurea; Equisetum arvense; Lippia sidoides Cham./Lippia origanoides kunth; Malva sylvestris; Matricaria chamomilla L./Matricaria recutita L. e Stryphnodendron adstringens. Results: The mechanisms of action found establish a relationship with the presence of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids; terpenes, tannins, saponins, coumarins, quinones, acids and phenolic compounds, glycosides, carotenoids, mucilages, polysaccharides, conferring anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antioxidant and healing properties. Conclusion: The popular use of medicinal plants is aligned with the literature mechanism of action. However, each plant has it own action pathway and active principles, requiring specific studies to understand their molecules and function in other to validate and produce new medicines.
Edible flowers (EFs), besides their traditional use, have been popularizing and taking increasing attention in food fashion in many countries. In this study, the optimum extraction conditions of crude phenolics from 3 EFs (jasmine (Jasminum officinale), mallow (Malva sylvestris) and cowslip (Primula veris)) were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Extraction temperature (X1, 45–75 °C) and time (X2, 25–50 min) were selected as independent variables for maximization of the responses, namely extraction yield and total phenolic content (TPC). A 20:80 ratio of ethanol:water were used as a solvent. The predicted extraction conditions for the maximum yield were 75 °C, 50 min; 74.40 °C, 26.39 min and 75 °C, 25 min for jasmine (29.79%), mallow (27.30%) and cowslip (15.78%), respectively. Furthermore, the optimal conditions for the highest TPC were 61.43 °C for 50 min for jasmine (50.6811 mg GAE/g), 67.94 °C for 41 min for mallow (91.5834 mg GAE/g), and 61.41 °C for 49.98 min for cowslip (86.8096 mg GAE/g). Under the optimized conditions, TPC values, total flavonoid contents (TFC), antioxidant activities (DPPH, CUPRAC and FRAP) and phenolic acid profiles were also analyzed. In line with the findings, TPC values of jasmine, mallow and cowslip were 49.50 mg GAE/g, 90.20 mg GAE/g and 86.33 mg GAE/g, respectively, whereas jasmine extract had the highest TPC (16.56 mg CAE/g), followed by mallow (13.52 mg CAE/g) and cowslip (9.25 mg CAE/g). Based on the antioxidant activity findings, jasmine showed the best antioxidant activity among the EFs. The most abundant phenolic compounds in jasmine, mallow and cowslip were protocatechuic acid (1086.00 μg/g), gallic acid (924.50 μg/g), and rutin (269 μg/g), respectively. In conclusion, the results confirmed that the selected EFs were good sources of natural antioxidants, which reveals their potential in food and pharmaceutical applications, thereby their commercial cultivation could be enhanced greater.
Phenolics are among the most studied compounds due to their beneficial implications in human health. The conventional methods applied in the extraction of these compounds include maceration, distillation, Soxhlet, among others, and the extraction capacity depends on several factors, such as the extraction solvent and respective concentration, time, and temperature. The incorporation of green chemistry in the development of more sustainable products and processes has promoted the use of new solvents that would replace conventional ones and the application of more eco-sustainable technologies (e.g., supercritical fluids, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasounds). Green solvents, coupled with conventional extraction methods, present excellent stability for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries because they are non-toxic, non-volatile, recyclable, biodegradable, and imply lower energy cost of synthesis. In this chapter, traditional and eco-sustainable methods based on solid–liquid extraction will be revised, as well as safety issues, life-cycle assessment, and economic aspects.
Malva sylvestris (MS) is a medicinal herb known worldwide for its beneficial effects due to the several active molecules present in its leaves and flowers. These compounds have shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and thus can be helpful in treatments of burns and chronic wounds, characterized mainly by high levels of free radicals and impairments of the inflammatory response. In this work, we propose bilayer films as wound dressings, based on poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and sodium alginate loaded with M. sylvestris extracts from leaves and flowers and fabricated by combining solvent-casting and rod-coating methods. The top layer is produced in two different PVP/alginate ratios and loaded with the MS flowers’ extract, while the bottom layer is composed of PVP and MS leaves’ extract. The bilayers were characterized morphologically, chemically, and mechanically, while they showed superior self-adhesive properties on human skin compared to a commercial skin patch. The materials showed antioxidant activity, release of the bioactive compounds, and water uptake property. Moreover, the anthocyanin content of the flower extract provided the films with the ability to change color when immersed in buffers of different pH levels. In vitro tests using primary keratinocytes demonstrated the biocompatibility of the MS bilayer materials and their capacity to enhance the proliferation of the cells in a wound scratch model. Finally, the best performing MS bilayer sample with a PVP/alginate ratio of 70:30 was evaluated in mice models, showing suitable resorption properties and the capacity to reduce the level of inflammatory mediators in UVB-induced burns when applied to an open wound. These outcomes suggest that the fabricated bilayer films loaded with M. sylvestris extracts are promising formulations as active and multifunctional dressings for treating skin disorders.
The case of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) embodies the conservation paradox of the twenty-first century, as it is on the rise in introduced places and populations are in decline in its endemic locations. Recently, wild rabbits have been considered endangered in Mediterranean European countries, and European wild rabbit has been defined as a keystone species. The loss of keystone species is critical to ecosystem structure and functioning, and their reintroduction constitutes a critical point in the ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems. Some studies have related the influence of high food quality to wild rabbit density, demonstrating in some areas that an increase in food availability (protein) is a good management technique. In this work, we review the effects of ecosystem management (using native plants and applying protein as a limiting factor) as a tool to increase the density of this keystone species and, in turn, the resilience of the Mediterranean ecosystem. Knowledge of the nutritional requirements and evaluation of the plants that conform rabbit diet are necessary. We summarise the ecosystem management and protein requirements of the animals. In addition, we compile the nutritional assessments of the main plants that make up the wild rabbit’s diet, aiming to detect the best candidate plants. In conclusion, we propose the following species for further study and consideration in future conservation programmes: Malva hispanica, Cistus ladanifer, Dactylis glomerata, Cynosurus echinatus, Trifolium subterraneum and Lupinus spp.
Pectin is a polysaccharide attached to carbohydrates. These are substances exclusively of plant origin. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the laxative effects of orange peel pectin extract (OPPE) against constipation induced by loperamide (LOP) in rats. Rats were equally divided into six groups and treated daily 1 week as follows: Control, LOP (3 mg/kg, body weight [b.w.], Per Os [p.o.]), LOP+yohimbine (2 mg/kg, b.w., i.p.), and LOP+OPPE (6.25, 12.5, and 25 mg/kg, b.w., p.o.). At the end of the experiment, the effects of OPPE were assessed by fecal parameters (numbers, weight, and water content), gastrointestinal transit, gastric emptying, serum metabolic parameter changes, intestinal and colon mucosa oxidative stress, and the histological examination. The defecation test showed that administration of LOP (3 mg/kg, b.w., p.o.) leads to the production of remarkable constipation. Indeed, the number and water content of stools decreased (25.50 [n/24 h] and 29.86%) significantly (P < .05). Acute pretreatment with OPPE significantly and dose dependently accelerated the stool moistening and allowed an increase of stool weight (2.85, 3.61, 3.93 [g/24 h/rat]) as well as the frequency of defecation (47.36, 54.54, and 56.26 [n/24 h]). OPPE also significantly (P < .05) and dose dependently increased the intestinal motility (70.78%, 73.33%, and 75.01%) and gastric emptying. LOP-induced reduction (P < .05) of intestinal secretion was accompanied by a colonic and small bowel oxidative stress status and histological changes, which was attenuated by OPPE treatment. The findings of this study indicate that OPPE possesses an important role in the gastrointestinal motility regulation, and thus lend pharmacological credence to the suggested use of the natural pectin for the treatment, management, and/or control of constipation.
Flowers are associated with human life since time immemorial. Beside aesthetic beauty, several flowers are used for edible purpose viz., rose, marigold, calendula, hibiscus, hollyhock, carnation, chrysanthemum, nasturtium, lotus, cosmos and pansies etc. These flowers have medicinal as well as nutritional values and are rich source of vitamins, antioxidants and mineral elements. The flowers are enriched with various pigments viz., chlorophyll, flavonoids, xanthophylls, carotenoids, betalains and anthocyanin that are generally used in coloring food, beverage, and textile and paper industries. Edible flowers have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial and antimutagenic properties too. The flowers are used as vegetables and other purpose since time immemorial, however, flowers for supplementary health products is comparatively a new concept and therefore needs further research to utilize flowers as nutraceuticals.
This study proposes a review on hyaluronic acid (HA) known as hyaluronan or hyaluronate and its derivates and their application in cosmetic formulations. HA is a glycosaminoglycan constituted from two disaccharides (N-acetylglucosamine and D-glucuronic acid), isolated initially from the vitreous humour of the eye, and subsequently discovered in different tissues or fluids (especially in the articular cartilage and the synovial fluid). It is ubiquitous in vertebrates, including humans, and it is involved in diverse biological processes, such as cell differentiation, embryological development, inflammation, wound healing, etc. HA has many qualities that recommend it over other substances used in skin regeneration, with moisturizing and anti-ageing effects. HA molecular weight influences its penetration into the skin and its biological activity. Considering that, nowadays, hyaluronic acid has a wide use and a multitude of applications (in ophthalmology, arthrology, pneumology, rhinology, aesthetic medicine, oncology, nutrition, and cosmetics), the present study describes the main aspects related to its use in cosmetology. The biological effect of HA on the skin level and its potential adverse effects are discussed. Some available cosmetic products containing HA have been identified from the brand portfolio of most known manufacturers and their composition was evaluated. Further, additional biological effects due to the other active ingredients (plant extracts, vitamins, amino acids, peptides, proteins, saccharides, probiotics, etc.) are presented, as well as a description of their possible toxic effects.
The use of enzymes such as cellulase and pectinase to aid in the fruit and vegetable juice extraction is a common practice. However, this practice is very limited in the production of juice or extract from green leaves. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of commercial cellulase enzyme on the volume yield recovery, total chlorophyll and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity of the Clinacanthus nutans leaves and stem. Leaves extract showed higher volume yield recovery, total chlorophyll content and DPPH scavenging activities (0.72±0.02 mL, 50.10±3.96 mg/L and 70% respectively) compared to the stem extract (0.60 ± 0.1 mL, 39.70 ± 4.73 mg/L and 25% respectively). It was also found that the cellulase enzyme concentrations were proportional to the volume yield recovery, and DPPH scavenging activity of the C. nutans extract over time. However, there was no significant effect of enzyme concentration on the total chlorophyll content. The results obtained can be considered very satisfactory and cellulase enzyme can be considered to be used in the aqueous extraction of C. nutans to aid the extraction process in order to increase the volume yield recovery, total chlorophyll content and DPPH scavenging activities.
Floriculture and horticulture have always been two parallel and very distinct agronomic realities. Floriculture is concerned with meeting the ornamental needs of our urban ecosystems, while horticulture is based on meeting food requirements. These two activities have now converged toward a food chain where flowers are conceived of as a sort of “new vegetable” and one of the most promising novelties to satisfy the growing need for food innovation both in terms of an organoleptic and nutraceutical profile. This novelty has rapidly evolved, especially following the growing scientific evidence of the human health benefits of flowers used as food. The typically high pigment concentration of the corollas (especially flavonoids and carotenoids), which have evolved to chromatically attract pollinators, indicates a marked nutraceutical activity especially in terms of antioxidant power. In this review, we first attempted to explore which species are most promising and which should be avoided due to real or suspected toxicity problems. The nutraceutical virtues were therefore highlighted trying to focus attention on those “functional phytochemicals” capable of counteracting some specific human pathologies. Furthermore, the organoleptic profile of edible flowers was investigated since this is one of the least known aspects. The cropping systems suitable for their cultivation were therefore hypothesized and finally the criticalities of edible flowers were addressed in terms of shelf life and marketing opportunities.
An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Arrabida Natural Park, a Portuguese Protected Area in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, with an area of 10 820 ha. Working with 72 local people, data on medicinal uses of 156 taxa, belonging to 56 botanical families, were obtained and presented, of which 214 uses corresponding to 81 taxa were previously unreported.
Italy and Tunisia (Africa for the Romans), facing each other on the opposite sides of the Mediterranean Sea, have been historically linked since the ancient times. Over the centuries both countries were mutually dominated so the vestiges and traces of a mutual influence are still present. The aim of the present study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the medicinal species present in the respective Floras in order to explore potential analogies and differences in popular phytotherapy that have come out from those reciprocal exchanges having taken place over the centuries
The comparative analysis based on the respective floras of both countries takes into consideration the bulk of medicinal species mutually present in Italy and Tunisia, but it focuses on the species growing in areas which are similar in climate. The medicinal uses of these species are considered in accordance with the ethnobotanical literature.
A list of 153 medicinal species belonging to 60 families, present in both floras and used in traditional medicine, was drawn. A considerable convergence in therapeutic uses of many species emerged from these data.
This comparative analysis strengthens the firm belief that ethno-botanical findings represent not only an important shared heritage, developed over the centuries, but also a considerable mass of data that should be exploited in order to provide new and useful knowledge.
In order to preserve the ancestral knowledge, an ethnopharmacological study has been carried out in two councils belonging to Trás-os-Montes region a small area located in the northern of Portugal. In that area, medicinal plants, most of the species wild, are still in use among farmers, shepherds and other people who live far from villages and built-up areas.
Among the 46 people that were interviewed (mean age of 66 years old), 88 species belonging to 42 families of vascular plants were identified for treatment of various human ailments. An ethnopharmacological report is made consisting of species names, vernacular names, popular uses of the plants and their pharmacological properties.
The most dominant family is Lamiaceae (18%) and the most frequently part of the plant used for the treatment of diseases are leaves (37.9%). The largest number of taxa is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders (73.9%).
Conjugated dienoic derivative of linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term which refers to a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid. It is a naturally occurring substance in food and is present at higher concentrations in products from animal sources. The present study reports that synthetically prepared CLA is an effective agent in inhibiting the development of mammary tumors induced by dimethylbenz(a)anthracene. Rats were fed either the AIN-76A basal diet or the same diet supplemented with 0.5, 1, or 1.5% CLA by weight. These diets were started 2 weeks before carcinogen administration and continued until the end of the experiment. The total number of mammary adenocarcinomas in the 0.5, 1, and 1.5% CLA groups was reduced by 32, 56, and 60%, respectively. The final tumor incidence and cumulative tumor weight were similarly diminished in rats fed the CLA-containing diets. In general, there appeared to be a dose-dependent protection at levels of 1% CLA and below, but no further beneficial effect was evident at levels above 1%. Chronic feeding of up to 1.5% CLA produced no adverse consequences in the animals. Analysis of the phospholipid fraction from liver and mammary tumor extracts showed that only the c9,t11 isomer of CLA was incorporated and that the level of incorporation increased with dietary intake. An interesting property of CLA is its ability to suppress peroxide formation from unsaturated fatty acid in a test-tube model (Cancer Res., Ha et al. 50: 1097-1101, 1990). In view of this information, the amount of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (lipid peroxidation products) present endogenously in liver and mammary gland was quantitated. The feeding of CLA (for either 1 or 6 months) resulted in a decrease in the extent of lipid peroxidation in the mammary gland, but such a suppressive effect was not detected in the liver. It should be noted that maximal antioxidant activity was observed with only 0.25% CLA in the diet, whereas maximal tumor inhibition was achieved at about 1% CLA. Hence there is a discrepancy between the antioxidant efficacy of CLA and its anticarcinogenic potency, suggesting that some other mechanisms might be involved in cancer protection. Unlike the stimulatory effect of linoleic acid in carcinogenesis (Cancer Res., Ip et al., 45: 1997-2001, 1985), the reaction of CLA in cancer prevention is specific, and CLA is more powerful than any other fatty acid in modulating tumor development.
Essential oil, ethanolic extract and decoction of 10 plant species from interior Portugal were analyzed for their activity towards acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme and their antioxidant activity. Of these, Melissa officinalis, Paronychia argentea, Sanguisorba minor, Hypericum undulatum and Malva silvestris are used in herbal medicine, Laurus nobilis and Mentha suaveolens as condiments, and Salvia officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula pedunculata also as aromatics. Melissa officinalis and Mentha suaveolens showed AChE inhibitory capacity higher then 50% in the essential oil fraction. Laurus nobilis, Hypericum undulatum, and Sanguisorba minor showed a high inhibition value of AChE in the ethanolic fraction, 64% (1 mg ml(-1)) 68% (0.5 mg ml(-1)), and 78% (1 mg ml(-1)), respectively. Higher values of AChE inhibitory activity were found using decoctions of Lavandula pedunculata, Mentha suaveolens and Hypericum undulatum, 68, 69 and 82% (at a concentration of 5mg dry plant ml(-1) of assay), respectively. The free radical scavenger activity was higher for the polar extracts. In the water extracts most of the plants showed values around 90%. When antioxidant activity was measured with the beta-carotene-linoleic acid assay high activity (65-95%) was also found in the water extracts. Hypericum undulatum, Melissa officinalis and Laurus nobilis showed both high AChE inhibitory capacity and antioxidant activity.
The present paper is a brief survey on the ethnobotanical works published by the Authors since 1981, concerning the research carried out in some southern and central Italian regions. Before Roman domination these territories were first inhabited by local people, while the southern areas were colonized by the Greeks. These different cultural contributions left certain traces, both in the toponyms and in the vernacular names of the plants and, more generally, in the culture as a whole.
Field data were collected through open interviews, mainly of farmers, shepherds and elderly people, born or living in these areas for a long time. Voucher specimens of collected plants are preserved in the respective herbaria of the Authors and in the herbarium of "Roma Tre" University. Important contributions have been made by several students native to the areas under consideration. A comparative analysis with local specific ethnobotanical literature was carried out.
The paper reports several examples concerning human and veterinary popular medicine and in addition some anti-parasitic, nutraceutic, dye and miscellaneous uses are also described. Moreover vernacular names and toponyms are cited. Eight regions of central and southern Italy (particularly Latium, Abruzzo, Marche and Basilicata) were investigated and the data obtained are presented in 32 papers. Most of the species of ethnobotanical interest have been listed in Latium (368 species), Marche (274) and Abruzzo (203). The paper also highlights particularly interesting aspects or uses not previously described in the specific ethnobotanical literature.
Phyto-therapy in central and southern Italy is nowadays practised by a few elderly people who resort to medicinal plants only for mild complaints (on the contrary food uses are still commonly practised). Nowadays therapeutic uses, unlike in the past, are less closely or not at all linked to ritual aspects. Several plants deserve to be taken into consideration not only from the anthropological or cultural point of view, but also for further phyto-chemical investigation. Our studies, as well as those of other authors, try to provide an original picture of the local ethno-biodiversity.
Dermatological remedies make up at least one-third of the traditional pharmacopoeia in southern Italy. The identification of folk remedies for the skin is important both for the preservation of traditional medical knowledge and in the search for novel antimicrobial agents in the treatment of skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Our goal is to document traditional remedies from botanical, animal, mineral and industrial sources for the topical treatment of skin ailments. In addition to SSTI remedies for humans, we also discuss certain ethnoveterinary applications.
Field research was conducted in ten communities in the Vulture-Alto Bradano area of the Basilicata province, southern Italy. We randomly sampled 112 interviewees, stratified by age and gender. After obtaining prior informed consent, we collected data through semi-structured interviews, participant-observation, and small focus groups techniques. Voucher specimens of all cited botanic species were deposited at FTG and HLUC herbaria located in the US and Italy.
We report the preparation and topical application of 116 remedies derived from 38 plant species. Remedies are used to treat laceration, burn wound, wart, inflammation, rash, dental abscess, furuncle, dermatitis, and other conditions. The pharmacopoeia also includes 49 animal remedies derived from sources such as pigs, slugs, and humans. Ethnoveterinary medicine, which incorporates both animal and plant derived remedies, is addressed. We also examine the recent decline in knowledge regarding the dermatological pharmacopoeia.
The traditional dermatological pharmacopoeia of Vulture-Alto Bradano is based on a dynamic folk medical construct of natural and spiritual illness and healing. Remedies are used to treat more than 45 skin and soft tissue conditions of both humans and animals. Of the total 165 remedies reported, 110 have never before been published in the mainland southern Italian ethnomedical literature.
The contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid in tomato fruits have been analyzed respectively by different methods in a conventional way. We studied simple method for simultaneous determination of the pigments in tomato. All pigments in sample were extracted with acetone-hexane (4:6) at once, then optical density of the supernatant were measured at 663nm, 645nm, 505nm and 453 nm by spectrophotometer at the same time. From these values, the content of chlorophyll a, b, lycopene and β-carotene could be estimated using our proposed equations. Tomatoes of different ripening stage were analyzed by our method. Also the same samples were analyzed by conventional methods. The results by our method were similar to those of chlorophyll contents by MACKINNEY'S method and of lycopene contents by KIMURA'S method. It confirmed the availability of our method.
1. Oxygen is a toxic gas - an introductionto oxygen toxicity and reactive species 2. The chemistry of free radicals and related 'reactive species' 3. Antioxidant defences Endogenous and Diet Derived 4. Cellular responses to oxidative stress: adaptation, damage, repair, senescence and death 5. Measurement of reactive species 6. Reactive species can pose special problems needing special solutions. Some examples. 7. Reactive species can be useful some more examples 8. Reactive species can be poisonous: their role in toxicology 9. Reactive species and disease: fact, fiction or filibuster? 10. Ageing, nutrition, disease, and therapy: A role for antioxidants?
Suspension cell cultures of Helianthus annuus L. were previously established for the production of the most active component of vitamin E, αα-tocopherol, by optimizing medium composition and culture conditions. In the present work, the possibility of enhancing αα-tocopherol production by the addition of jasmonic acid to the culture medium was investigated both in sunflower and Arabidopsis cell cultures. A considerable increase (49% and 66%, respectively) of αα-tocopherol production was obtained in both, after a 72-h treatment with 5 μM jasmonic acid. The modulation of αα-tocopherol levels in plant cell cultures can provide useful hints for a regulatory impact on tocopherol metabolism.
Reduced ascorbic acid (RAA) and Vitamin A (carotenoid) contents of six vegetables obtained from six cities in the United States at two seasons of the year were determined. Mean RAA content (mg/100g) of cabbage was 45.2, carrots 7.8, celery 6.0, corn 6.5, onions 8.4, and tomatoes 15.3. Vitamin C in cooked cabbage was 22.1, corn 6.2, and onions 5.7 mg/100g. Mean vitamin A activity (I.U.) of carrots was 15,228, cabbage 114, celery 133, corn 219, and tomatoes 750. In cooked cabbage and corn, vitamin A content was 89 and 217 I.U., respectively. The RAA and vitamin A content of vegetables from the six geographical areas varied significantly. Vitamin concentrations were generally lower than tabulated values. Retention of RAA in cooked cabbage was 52%; in onions, 58%; and in corn, 98%. Vitamin A retention in cooked cabbage was 82%, and in cooked corn was 98%.
The effect of dietary intake of high palmitic acid levels in combination with other fatty acids in normal subjects was assessed. Palmitic acid (10% of energy) was fed in conjunction with decreasing levels of linoleic acid to determine if a threshold level of linoleic acid prevented palmitic acid from being hypercholesterolaemic. Healthy subjects received each of the diet treatments for 21 days, followed by washout periods of 7 days. In a second experiment, the effect of exchanging palmitic acid for trans fatty acids on plasma lipoprotein cholesterol levels and on rates for endogenous synthesis of cholesterol in normal subjects was investigated. Diet treatment lasted for 30 days. On day 30 of each diet treatment, a priming dose of deuterium was consumed, followed by a subsequent blood sample at 24 h. Blood cholesterol fractions were isolated and analysed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry to measure cholesterol fractional synthetic rates. In the first experiment, total plasma cholesterol levels increased as the percentage of linoleic acid decreased. The data indicated that high levels of palmitic acid were not hypercholesterolaemic if intake of linoleic acid was greater than 4.5% of energy. When the diet contained trans fatty acids plasma total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased and cholesterol synthesis increased with a decrease in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
Flavonoid content of mulberry leaves of 19 varieties of species, determined spectrophotometrically in terms of rutin equivalent, varied from 11.7 to 26.6 mg g−1 in spring leaves and 9.84 to 29.6 mg g−1 in autumn leaves. Fresh leaves gave more extract than air-dried or oven-dried ones. HPLC showed that mulberry leaves contain at least four flavonoids, two of which are rutin and quercetin. The percentage superoxide ion scavenged by extracts of mulberry leaves, mulberry tender leaves, mulberry branches and mulberry bark were 46.5, 55.5, 67.5 and 85·5%, respectively, at a concentration of 5 μg ml−1. The scavenging effects of most mulberry extracts were greater than those of rutin (52.0%).
The present work aims at contributing to the documentation of the nutritional composition of wild mushrooms. Fatty acid and sugar profiles of 10 different Portuguese wild mushrooms were obtained by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC/FID) and high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a refraction index detector (HPLC/RID), respectively, the latter methodology being then completely validated. The macronutrient profile in general revealed that the wild mushrooms were rich sources of protein (24.32–76.63 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (10.35–55.48 g/100 g), and had low amounts of fat (0.36–2.63 g/100 g). The highest energetic contribution was guaranteed by Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca. The analysis of fatty acid composition allowed the quantification of 25 fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids and, in particular, oleic and linoleic acids, were predominant (17–61% and 20–54%, respectively). In the analysis of free sugars, all the compounds were separated in a period of time of 10 min; the method used proved to be sensitive, reproducible and accurate. Arabinose (1.53–7.66 g/100 g), mannitol (0.38–18.41 g/100 g) and trehalose (0.21–18.66 g/100 g) were the most abundant sugars.
In the past 2 decades, views about dietary n-3 fatty acids have moved from speculation about their functions to solid evidence that they are not only essential nutrients but also may favorably modulate many diseases. Docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3), which is a vital component of the phospholipids of cellular membranes, especially in the brain and retina, is necessary for their proper functioning. n-3 Fatty acids favorably affect atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, inflammatory disease, and perhaps even behavioral disorders. The 38 articles in this supplement document the importance of n-3 fatty acids in both health and disease.
Tocopherols, collectively known as vitamin E, are lipophilic antioxidants, essential dietary components for mammals and exclusively synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. Of the four forms (alpha, beta, gamma and delta), alpha-tocopherol is the major vitamin E form present in green plant tissues, and has the highest vitamin E activity. Synthetic alpha-tocopherol, being a racemic mixture of eight different stereoisomers, always results less effective than the natural form (R,R,R) alpha-tocopherol. This raises interest in obtaining this molecule from natural sources, such as plant cell cultures. Plant cell and tissue cultures are able to produce and accumulate valuable metabolites that can be used as food additives, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. Sunflower cell cultures, growing under heterotrophic conditions, were exploited to establish a suitable in vitro production system of natural alpha-tocopherol. Optimization of culture conditions, precursor feeding and elicitor application were used to improve the tocopherol yields of these cultures. Furthermore, these cell cultures were useful to investigate the relationship between alpha-tocopherol biosynthesis and photomixotrophic culture conditions, revealing the possibility to enhance tocopherol production by favouring sunflower cell photosynthetic properties. The modulation of alpha-tocopherol levels in plant cell cultures can provide useful hints for a regulatory impact on tocopherol metabolism.
Antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extract of Malva sylvestris was measured by its ability to scavenge the DPPH and superoxide anion radicals and to induce the formation of a phosphomolybdenum complex. Analysis of the extract, carried out by different chromatographic techniques, led to the isolation of eleven compounds: 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, ferulic acid, methyl 2-hydroxydihydrocinnamate, scopoletin, N-trans-feruloyl tyramine, a sesquiterpene, (3R,7E)-3-hydroxy-5,7-megastigmadien-9-one, and (10E,15Z)-9,12,13-trihydroxyoctadeca-10,15-dienoic acid. The antioxidant activities of all these compounds are reported.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) is a widespread perennial umbeliferous (Apiaceae) herb, traditionally used for medicinal purposes and human consumption. It is highly recommended for diabetes, bronchitis and chronic coughs, and for the treatment of kidney stones; some of those chronic diseases are related to the production of radical species involved in the oxidative stress. Therefore, the antioxidant potential of this herb might explain some of their empirical uses in folk medicine. This is the first time that a systematic study on different parts of fennel is performed, in order to understand differences in the antioxidant potential of shoots, leaves, steams, and inflorescences, particularly related to their composition in antioxidant compounds such as vitamins (ascorbic acid and tocopherols) and phenolics. The shoots seems to have the highest radical-scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (EC(50) values<1.4 mg/ml), which is in agreement with the highest content in phenolics (65.85+/-0.74 mg/g) and ascorbic acid (570.89+/-0.01 microg/g) found in this part. The shoots also revealed high concentration of tocopherols (34.54+/-1.28 microg/g) and were the only part with flavonoids.
alpha-Tocopherol has near optimal activity as a chain-breaking antioxidant. Inherent antioxidant activity plays an important part in determining overall biological activity but the phytyl tail also exerts a very important influence. The new deuterated alpha-tocopherol/GC-MS technique is providing unprecedented insight into the importance of the stereochemistry of the phytyl tail in determining bioavailability, as well as helping to discover how rapidly and effectively absorption, transport, uptake, and loss occur. Measurements of rate of turnover in tissues indicate that differences exist between different types of animals. It is possible that these tissue differences may explain the diverse range of vitamin E deficiency symptoms observed across a wide variety of animals. It is not known what is responsible for the differences in biokinetic behavior.
Linoleic acid is the main dietary essential fatty acid (EFA). To be fully utilized by the body, it must be metabolized to a range of other substances. The first step in this pathway is delta-6-desaturation to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This step is slow and rate-limiting, particularly in humans. If delta-6-desaturation is impaired for any reason, the supply of further metabolites may be inadequate for normal function. If the consumption of further metabolites is excessive, then a normal rate of delta-6-desaturation may be inadequate. In these circumstances the direct supply of GLA or further metabolites may be of value. This concept is illustrated by atopic eczema and diabetes, which may represent inherited and acquired examples of inadequate delta-6-desaturation.
The effect of dietary intake of high palmitic acid levels in combination with other fatty acids in normal subjects was assessed. Palmitic acid (10% of energy) was fed in conjunction with decreasing levels of linoleic acid to determine if a threshold level of linoleic acid prevented palmitic acid from being hypercholesterolaemic. Healthy subjects received each of the diet treatments for 21 days, followed by washout periods of 7 days. In a second experiment, the effect of exchanging palmitic acid for trans fatty acids on plasma lipoprotein cholesterol levels and on rates for endogenous synthesis of cholesterol in normal subjects was investigated. Diet treatment lasted for 30 days. On day 30 of each diet treatment, a priming dose of deuterium was consumed, followed by a subsequent blood sample at 24 h. Blood cholesterol fractions were isolated and analysed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry to measure cholesterol fractional synthetic rates. In the first experiment, total plasma cholesterol levels increased as the percentage of linoleic acid decreased. The data indicated that high levels of palmitic acid were not hypercholesterolaemic if intake of linoleic acid was greater than 4.5% of energy. When the diet contained trans fatty acids plasma total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol increased and cholesterol synthesis increased with a decrease in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been shown to be effective in the prevention of chronic diseases. These benefits are often attributed to the high antioxidant content of some plant foods. Apples are commonly eaten and are large contributors of phenolic compounds in European and North American diets. The peels of apples, in particular, are high in phenolics. During applesauce and canned apple manufacture, the antioxidant-rich peels of apples are discarded. To determine if a useful source of antioxidants is being wasted, the phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of the peels of four varieties of apples (Rome Beauty, Idared, Cortland, and Golden Delicious) commonly used in applesauce production in New York state were investigated. The values of the peels were compared to those of the flesh and flesh + peel components of the apples. Within each variety, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were highest in the peels, followed by the flesh + peel and the flesh. Idared and Rome Beauty apple peels had the highest total phenolic contents (588.9 +/- 83.2 and 500.2 +/- 13.7 mg of gallic acid equivalents/100 g of peels, respectively). Rome Beauty and Idared peels were also highest in flavonoids (306.1 +/- 6.7 and 303.2 +/- 41.5 mg of catechin equivalents/100 g of peels, respectively). Of the four varieties, Idared apple peels had the most anthocyanins, with 26.8 +/- 6.5 mg of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g of peels. The peels all had significantly higher total antioxidant activities than the flesh + peel and flesh of the apple varieties examined. Idared peels had the greatest antioxidant activity (312.2 +/- 9.8 micromol of vitamin C equivalents/g of peels). Apple peels were also shown to more effectively inhibit the growth of HepG(2) human liver cancer cells than the other apple components. Rome Beauty apple peels showed the most bioactivity, inhibiting cell proliferation by 50% at the low concentration of 12.4 +/- 0.4 mg of peels/mL. The high content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of apple peels indicate that they may impart health benefits when consumed and should be regarded as a valuable source of antioxidants.
This paper reports an ethnobotanical study conducted in the year 2000 in the Natural Park of "Serra de São Mamede" (Portugal). Informal interviews involving 45 informants provided data about 165 useful plants, 150 of which had medicinal and/or aromatic use. Two hundred and twenty-four popular names were noted, 98 of which had not been documented before. The most relevant plants are mentioned in this paper, along with their local names, the parts of them used, popular uses (or troubles treated), preparation and administration processes, and citation frequency. This is the first study of medicinal and aromatic plants in Portugal to use ethnobotanical methodology.
This study aimed at evaluating the antioxidative activity of nine different families of greens. Raphanus raphanistrum (wild radish), Anchusa azurea (bugloss), Daucus carota (wild carrot), Sonchus oleraceus (sowthistle), Papaver rhoeas (corn poppy), Malva sylvestris (blue mallow), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Cichorium intybus (chicory) and Salicornia europaea (jointed glasswort) are native to the Mediterranean and are commonly consumed as a salad or an ingredient in some recipes. The antioxidative activities, including the radical scavenging effects, inhibition of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), and Fe(2+)-chelating activity, were studied. All samples showed antioxidant activity as a radical scavenger in the experiment using the DPPH* radical. The ratio between the slopes of the kinetic model was used to compare antioxidant efficiency of different greens. Greens also possessed antioxidative activity toward H(2)O(2). Especially, greens exhibited a marked scavenging effect on H(2)O(2) at 0.2 g/ml concentration. The Fe(2+) ion-chelating activities of the samples except jointed glasswort were greater than 70%. The antioxidant activity of samples with different methods based on the inhibition of different reactions could not be compared. The current dietary guidelines include recommendations for an increase in the consumption of plant foods. Greens should provide an optimal supply of antioxidant substances in the diet.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found mainly in plant sources, including flaxseed oil, canola oil, and walnuts. Although substantial evidence indicates that consumption of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from seafood reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), the effect of ALA intake on CHD risk is less well-established. ALA may reduce cardiovascular risk through a variety of biologic mechanisms, including platelet function, inflammation, endothelial cell function, arterial compliance, and arrhythmia. Although clinical benefits have not been seen consistently in all studies, most prospective observational studies suggest that ALA intake reduces the incidence of CHD, and two randomized trials have demonstrated that a dietary pattern that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts or legumes, and ALA-rich foods substantially reduces the recurrence of CHD events. Additional observational and clinical studies will help establish the effects of ALA on CHD risk and determine whether such effects vary based on gender, duration of intake, background dietary intake of seafood, or other factors. Presently, the weight of the evidence favors recommendations for modest dietary consumption of ALA (2 to 3 g per day) for the primary and secondary prevention of CHD.
Oxidants play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a number of disorders such as inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and contact dermatitis leading to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress may be defined as an imbalance between cellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defense mechanisms. ROS (e.g., superoxide radical, peroxynitryl, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide) are constantly produced as a result of metabolic reactions in living systems. The aim of this review is to describe recent developments in the study of antioxidants and their role in preventing the formation of ROS. The processes associated with inflammatory responses are complex and often involve ROS. There are many mediators, which initiate and amplify the inflammatory response such as histamine, serotonin, pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1B (IL-1b) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), inflammatory cells (leukotrienes, macrophages), metabolic products of arachidonic acid (thomboxane A(2), prostaglandins and leukotrienes). The first part of this review focuses on the role of ROS in inflammation. The second part concerns synthetic antioxidants with antiinflammatory activity, and the third part addresses naturally occurring antioxidants with antiinflammatory activity.
An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the territory of Montecorvino Rovella (MR), inland Campania, Italy. Information on traditional uses of 95 botanical taxa was collected; more than half of which are used to treat a wide range of diseases, ranging from pains of different origins, to skin problems, and diseases of the respiratory system. For each medicinal species, data were collected including the vernacular names, preparation, plant part, and therapeutic use. Twenty-four out of the 57 medicinal plants listed have a therapeutic use not previously reported in Campania and neighbouring regions. Plant uses by Montecorvino inhabitants are compared with those described in medical and botanical literature by Campanian authors from the last three centuries.
From a consideration of ethnobotanical and taxonomic information, seeds of 45 Scottish plant species encompassing 23 different families were obtained from authentic seed suppliers. The n-hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) extracts were assessed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, for free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay. The MeOH extracts of 37 species exhibited low to high levels of free radical scavenging activity (RC50 values ranging from 2.00 to 4.7 x 10(-4) mg/mL), and Alliaria petiolata, Prunus padus and Prunus spinosa were the most potent antioxidant extracts. The DCM extracts of 17 species showed similar levels of activity, and among those, Prunus padus and Prunus spinosa extracts were the most active with RC50 values of 2.5 x 10(-4) and 5.0 x 10(-4) mg/mL, respectively. The n-hexane extracts were much less active than the MeOH and DCM extracts, and 17 species, with the exception of Glechoma hederacea (RC50 = 1.94 x 10(-4)) displayed low to moderate levels of free radical scavenging property (RC50 values ranging from 2.00 to 8.7 x 10(-3) mg/mL).
Five hydroalcoholic extracts of edible plants from Calabria region (Italy) used in local traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases were evaluated for their in vivo topical anti-inflammatory activity (inhibition of croton oil-induced ear oedema in mice) and in vitro antioxidant and antiradical properties (inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation and bovine brain liposomes peroxidation, DPPH radical scavenging). All the extracts showed an anti-inflammatory effect: 300 microg/cm(2) provoked oedema reductions ranging from 21 to 27%. All the extracts exerted also radical scavenging and/or antioxidant properties, the most active plant being Mentha aquatica L. (Lamiaceae) which contained the highest amount of phenolics (337 mg/g) and of flavonoids (15.75 mg/g). Moreover, the content and the composition of sterols were assessed by GC-MS in the examined plants Borago officinalis L. (Boraginaceae) contained the highest number of sterols.
The chemical composition and biological properties of Portuguese wild mushrooms ( Cantharellus cibarius, Hypholoma fasciculare, Lepista nuda, Lycoperdon molle, Lycoperdon perlatum, Ramaria botrytis, Tricholoma acerbum) were evaluated in order to assess these products as sources of nutrients and nutraceuticals. The analyzed mushrooms contain very useful phytochemicals such as phenolics, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids. All of the species proved to have antioxidant activity (measured by four different methods), being more significant for R. botrytis (EC 50 values < 1 mg/mL). Lycoperdon species were resistant to all of the tested microorganisms, and the other samples revealed antimicrobial activity selectively against Gram-positive bacteria, with very low minimal inhibitory concentration, in some cases, even lower than the standard. The combination of bioactive compounds and rich nutritional composition (high contents in protein and carbohydrates, low content in fat with the precious contribution of unsaturated fatty acids and the absence of trans fatty acids) in the mushroom makes it a very special food.
A series of research projects on wild plants used in Central Italy (Marche, Latium and Abruzzo) as food medicine and for minor nourishment was carried out in the years 1979-2000. This study reports a summary of the data personally collected in the field. Minor nourishment appears to be still consistently utilised: wild plants are consumed preferably in salads, boiled or in omelettes. Some therapeutic properties are attributed by people to the alimentary plants, often documented by the scientific literature. In this study, folk alimentary and/or therapeutic food uses of 126 entities distributed among 39 families are described. Particular folk uses concerning cultivated plants are also reported. In this paper, for the first time pharmacobotanical properties are systematically emphasised for the folk food species of Central Italy. References to analogous alimentary uses in Central Italy are documented. Comparisons among different food traditions are also discussed.