Extraction of bioactive compounds from Curcuma longa L. using deep eutectic solvents: In vitro and in vivo biological activities

Andean blueberries are wild berries grown and consumed in Ecuador which contain high values of bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins, with powerful antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile and contents of (poly)phenols and carotenoids in Andean blueberry by HPLC-DAD-MSn and determine a wide range of its biological activities. The antioxidant capacity of this fruit was evaluated in vitro by three different methods and in vivo using the zebrafish animal model, also the toxicity effect was determined by the zebrafish embryogenesis test. Besides, the antimicrobial activity and the capacity of Andean blueberry to produce hemagglutination in blood cells were evaluated. Finally, the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols and related antioxidant capacity were determined in the different phases of an in vitro digestion. The global results indicated no toxicity of Andean blueberry, weakly bacteriostatic activity, and high contents of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity, which were partially bioaccesible in vitro (~ 50 % at the final intestinal step), contributing to the knowledge of its health benefits for consumers and its potential use in the food and pharmaceutical industry as functional ingredient.

Download Full-text

Therapeutic Applications of Solid Dispersions for Drugs and New Molecules: In Vitro and In Vivo Activities

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics12100933 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 933

Author(s):

Verônica da Silva Oliveira ◽

Amanda Silva de Almeida ◽

Ingrid da Silva Albuquerque ◽

Fernanda Ílary Costa Duarte ◽

Bárbara Cristina Silva Holanda Queiroz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physicochemical Properties ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Solid Dispersions ◽

Polymeric Matrices ◽

Therapeutic Applications ◽

Biological Potential ◽

New Applications

This review aims to provide an overview of studies that address the use, in therapeutic applications, of solid dispersions (SDs) with biological activities in vitro and/or in vivo mainly made up of polymeric matrices, as well as to evaluate the bioactive activity of their constituents. This bibliographic survey shows that the development of solid dispersions provides benefits in the physicochemical properties of bioactive compounds, which lead to an increase in their biological potential. However, despite the reports found on solid dispersions, there is still a need for biological assay-based studies, mainly in vivo, to assist in the investigation and to devise new applications. Therefore, studies based on such an approach are of great importance to enhance and extend the use of solid dispersions in the most diverse therapeutic applications.

Download Full-text

Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Natural Sources and Agricultural By-Products

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11114897 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 4897

Author(s):

Bárbara Socas-Rodríguez ◽

M. Vanessa Torres-Cornejo ◽

Gerardo Álvarez-Rivera ◽

Jose A. Mendiola

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

Extraction Methods ◽

In Vitro Cytotoxicity ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Natural Sources ◽

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽

By Products

In this work, a review about the applicability of eutectic solvents, mainly deep eutectic solvents (DES) and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), for the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural products has been carried out. These alternative solvents have shown not only to have high extraction yields but also to be environmentally friendly, exhibiting very low or almost no toxicity, compared to conventional organic solvents. The last trends and main extraction methods that have been most widely used in studies using these emerging solvents have been reviewed, as well as the varied natural sources in which they have been used, including agro-food by-products. Besides the toxicity, biodegradability of these solvents is reviewed. Likewise, different reported bioactivity tests have been included, in which extracts obtained with these ecological solvents have been tested from antioxidant activity analysis to in vivo studies with rats, through in vitro cytotoxicity tests.

Download Full-text

Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Properties of Thymus satureioides Coss.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/6673838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Naoufal El Hachlafi ◽

Abderrahim Chebat ◽

Kawtar Fikri-Benbrahim

Keyword(s):

Essential Oils ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Chemical Characterization ◽

Pharmacokinetic Studies ◽

Pharmacological Studies ◽

Thymus Satureioides

Thymus satureioides Coss. (Lamiaceae) is a Moroccan medicinal plant locally known as “Azkouni” or “Zaitra.” It is widely used in traditional medicine to treat various ailments, including hypertension, diabetes, cold, fever, dermatological and circulatory disorders, immune problems, bronchitis, nociception, cooling, pharyngitis, cough, and influenza. The current review aims to critically summarize the literature on ethnopharmacological uses, chemical profile, and pharmacological investigations of T. satureioides in order to provide data support and scientific evidences for further investigations. Electronic databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, SciFinder, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Medline were used to gather data on T. satureioides. Chemical characterization of T. satureioides essential oils (EOs) and extracts allowed to identify a total of 139 bioactive compounds, mainly belonging to the terpenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids classes. T. satureioides especially its essential oils exhibited numerous biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, antiparasitic, and hypolipedemic activities. In light of these findings, further studies to transmute the traditional application of T. satureioides into scientific-based information are strongly required. Additional in vivo pharmacological studies are recommended to validate the results of the in vitro studies. Moreover, comprehensive preclinical and clinical trials on the pharmacological mechanisms of action of this plant and its bioactive compounds on molecular targets should be performed. Finally, more efforts must be focused on toxicological assessments and pharmacokinetic studies, in order to ensure the safety and the efficiency of T. satureioides.

Download Full-text

Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Salvia verbenaca L. : A Review

Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry ◽

10.33263/briac122.14371469 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 1437-1469

Keyword(s):

Essential Oils ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Traditional Use ◽

Toxicological Effects ◽

Stomach Pain ◽

Toxicological Investigation ◽

Phytochemical Compounds

Salvia verbenaca L. is a Mediterranean medicinal plant used traditionally to treat several diseases such as burns, ocular wounds, contusion, stomach pain, eye diseases, dermal inflammation. This review highlighted previous reports, including the botanical, taxonomical, geographical distribution, traditional use, phytochemical, biological, and toxicological effects of S. verbenaca. The data were gathered from scientific databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink. The presented data on S. verbenaca were organized according to ethnomedicinal use, bioactive compounds, pharmacology, and toxicological investigation. Ethnobotanical studies reported that many folk medicines use S. verbenaca, especially against wounds, burns, and cicatrization. The phytochemical compounds in different parts of S. verbenaca belonged to different classes of chemical compounds, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, phenolic diterpenoids, and fatty acids. The extracts and essential oils from S. verbenaca have a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities, i.e., antioxidant, antifungal, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antihemolytic, antihypertensive, antileishmanial, and immunomodulatory activities. This research suggests that the biological activities of S. verbenaca prove its traditional uses. However, in-depth investigations are required, such as pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicological experiments, to prove the efficacy and safety of S. verbenaca extracts and essential oils and their bioactive compounds.

Download Full-text

Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities of Sorghum Grains

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10112868 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2868

Author(s):

Zhenhua Li ◽

Xiaoyan Zhao ◽

Xiaowei Zhang ◽

Hongkai Liu

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Phenolic Compounds ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Detection Technology ◽

Sorghum Grains ◽

Bound Phenolics

Sorghum is the fifth most commonly used cereal worldwide and is a rich source of many bioactive compounds. We summarized phenolic compounds and carotenoids, vitamin E, amines, and phytosterols in sorghum grains. Recently, with the development of detection technology, new bioactive compounds such as formononetin, glycitein, and ononin have been detected. In addition, multiple in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that sorghum grains have extensive bio-logical activities, such as antioxidative, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, and antiobesity properties. Finally, with the establishment of sorghum phenolic compounds database, the bound phenolics and their biological activities and the mechanisms of biological activities of sorghum bioactive compounds using clinical trials may be researched.

Download Full-text

Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Effects of Ishige okamurae

Marine Drugs ◽

10.3390/md17040202 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 202 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hye-Won Yang ◽

K.H.N. Fernando ◽

Jae-Young Oh ◽

Xining Li ◽

You-Jin Jeon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Cellular Mechanisms ◽

Ishige Okamurae ◽

Obesity And Diabetes ◽

Health Complications ◽

Nutritional Benefits

Obesity is associated with several health complications and can lead to the development of metabolic syndrome. Some of its deleterious consequences are related to insulin resistance, which adversely affects blood glucose regulation. At present, there is a growing concern regarding healthy food consumption, owing to awareness about obesity. Seaweeds are well-known for their nutritional benefits. The brown alga Ishige okamurae (IO) has been studied as a dietary supplement and exhibits various biological activities in vitro and in vivo. The bioactive compounds isolated from IO extract are known to possess anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties, elicited via the regulation of lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. This review focuses on IO extract and its bioactive compounds that exhibit therapeutic effects through several cellular mechanisms in obesity and diabetes. The information discussed in the present review may provide evidence to develop nutraceuticals from IO.

Download Full-text

Curcuma longa and its derivative curcumin on Aspergillus infections: A systematic review

Anti-Infective Agents ◽

10.2174/2211352518666200228111442 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 ◽

Author(s):

Kourosh Cheraghipour ◽

Hossein Mahmoudvand ◽

Pegah Shakib ◽

Ali Sheikhian ◽

Vahid Malekara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Activities ◽

Curcuma Longa ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Study Data ◽

Antifungal Effect ◽

Main Compound ◽

Different Strains ◽

Study Inclusion

Background and Purpose: Curcuma longa is one of the most important medicinal plants used in traditional medicine. Its main compound, curcumin, has been widely reported for its biological properties. Materials and Methods: In this review article, its antifungal properties with a focus on the different strains of Aspergillus are discussed. The study data were obtained from various databases, including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar, which were published by December 2019. The main criterion for entering data into the survey data was access to the English abstract at the search stage. The keywords used in the search included C. longa, curcumin, antifungal effect and Aspergillus. Of the 2,500 studies in the initial search, only 15 were qualified for study inclusion, which 9 of them (60%) had performed on the effect of curcumin against Aspergillus spp. The other 6 studies (40%) had focused on the antifungal effect of C. longa. Moreover, 9 studies (60%) were performed in vitro, 4 studies (27%) in vivo and 2 studies (13%) both in vivo and in vitro. Results: Studies have shown that C. longa has a significant effect on the development of the majority of microorganisms. Its predominant metabolite, curcumin, plays a major role in C. longa's biological activities. Conclusion: Due to increased drug resistance, particularly antifungal, curcumin and its derivatives may be an appropriate option for the treatment of aspergillosis infections.

Download Full-text

Peganum spp.: A Comprehensive Review on Bioactivities and Health-Enhancing Effects and Their Potential for the Formulation of Functional Foods and Pharmaceutical Drugs

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2021/5900422 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Javad Sharifi-Rad ◽

Cristina Quispe ◽

Jesús Herrera-Bravo ◽

Prabhakar Semwal ◽

Sakshi Painuli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Functional Foods ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Potential Candidate ◽

Pharmaceutical Drugs ◽

Phytochemical Profile ◽

The Mediterranean

The genus Peganum includes four species widely distributed in warm temperate to subtropical regions from the Mediterranean to Mongolia as well as certain regions in America. Among these species, Peganum harmala L., distributed from the Mediterranean region to Central Asia, has been studied and its phytochemical profile, traditional folk use, and application in pharmacological and clinical trials are well known. The review is aimed at presenting an insight into the botanical features and geographical distribution of Peganum spp. along with traditional folk uses. This manuscript also reviews the phytochemical profile of Peganum spp. and its correlation with biological activities evidenced by the in vitro and in vivo investigations. Moreover, this review gives us an understanding of the bioactive compounds from Peganum as health promoters followed by the safety and adverse effects on human health. In relation to their multipurpose therapeutic properties, various parts of this plant such as seeds, bark, and roots present bioactive compounds promoting health benefits. An updated search (until December 2020) was carried out in databases such as PubMed and ScienceDirect. Chemical studies have presented beta-carboline alkaloids as the most active constituents, with harmalol, harmaline, and harmine being the latest and most studied among these naturally occurring alkaloids. The Peganum spp. extracts have shown neuroprotective, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects. The extracts are also found effective in improving respiratory disorders (asthma and cough conditions), dermatoses, and knee osteoarthritis. Bioactivities and health-enhancing effects of Peganum spp. make it a potential candidate for the formulation of functional foods and pharmaceutical drugs. Nevertheless, adverse effects of this plant have also been described, and therefore new bioproducts need to be studied in depth. In fact, the design of new formulations and nanoformulations to control the release of active compounds will be necessary to achieve successful pharmacological and therapeutic treatments.

Download Full-text

Progress in the Medicinal Value, Bioactive Compounds, and Pharmacological Activities of Gynostemma pentaphyllum

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26206249 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (20) ◽

pp. 6249

Author(s):

Chao Su ◽

Nan Li ◽

Ruru Ren ◽

Yingli Wang ◽

Xiaojuan Su ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Chemical Constituents ◽

Research Progress ◽

In Vitro Tests ◽

Pharmacological Activities ◽

Gynostemma Pentaphyllum ◽

Parkinson’S Diseases

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (GP), also named Jiaogulan in Chinese, was known to people for its function in both health care and disease treatment. Initially and traditionally, GP was a kind of tea consumed by people for its pleasant taste and weight loss efficacy. With the passing of the centuries, GP became well known as more than just a tea. Until now, numbers of bioactive compounds, including saponins (also named gypenosides, GPS), polysaccharides (GPP), flavonoids, and phytosterols were isolated and identified in GP, which implied the great medicinal worth of this unusual tea. Both in vivo and in vitro tests, ranging from different cell lines to animals, indicated that GP possessed various biological activities including anti-cancer, anti-atherogenic, anti-dementia, and anti-Parkinson’s diseases, and it also had lipid-regulating effects as well as neuroprotection, hepatoprotective, and hypoglycemic properties. With the further development and utilization of GP, the research on the chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of GP were deepening day by day and had made great progress. In this review, the recent research progress in the bioactive compounds, especially gypenosides, and the pharmacological activities of GP were summarized, which will be quite useful for practical applications of GP in the treatment of human diseases.

Download Full-text