scholarly journals Infusions of Herbal Blends as Promising Sources of Phenolic Compounds and Bioactive Properties

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 2151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiane C. Finimundy ◽  
Carla Pereira ◽  
Maria Inês Dias ◽  
Cristina Caleja ◽  
Ricardo C. Calhelha ◽  
...  

Several plants have been used for medicinal applications and have been traditionally consumed as decoctions and infusions. Although some herbs are used alone as a beverage, they are often blended in mixtures to maximize their effects. Herein, the nutritional characterization of six infusions from herbal blends was evaluated using the official methods of analysis (AOAC international). A further characterization of the individual phenolic profile was also performed by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn, and finally bioactive potential was determined by evaluating the antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of each blend. The wide variety of plants in each sample led to variability in the results for all analyzed parameters. However, blends containing 15% Laurus nobilis L. and 15% Juglan regia L. in their composition showed higher sugar content and energy contribution; higher concentration of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids); greater antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory capacity; and also better antimicrobial effects against all the tested bacterial and fungal strains. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the real synergistic effects that these two species show in the presence of other plants, and to evaluate their potential for application in various food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical products as infusion preparations.

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sílvia Afonso ◽  
Ivo Vaz Oliveira ◽  
Anne S. Meyer ◽  
Alfredo Aires ◽  
Maria José Saavedra ◽  
...  

Every year, large quantities of stems and pits are generated during sweet cherry processing, without any substantial use. Although stems are widely recognized by traditional medicine, detailed and feasible information about their bioactive composition or biological value is still scarce, as well as the characterization of kernels. Therefore, we conducted a study in which bioactivity potential of extracts from stems and kernels of four sweet cherry cultivars (Early Bigi (grown under net cover (C) and without net cover (NC)), Burlat, Lapins, and Van) were examined. The assays included antioxidant (by 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching assays), and antibacterial activities against important Gram negative and Gram positive bacterial human isolates. Profile and individual phenolic composition of each extract were determined by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Extracts from stems of cv. Lapins and kernels of Early Bigi NC presented high levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, ortho-diphenols and saponins. Excepting for cv. Early Bigi NC, major phenolic compounds identified in stems and kernels were sakuranetin and catechin, respectively. In cv. Early Bigi NC the most abundant compounds were ellagic acid for stems and protocatechuic acid for kernels. In all extracts, antioxidant activities showed a positive correlation with the increments in phenolic compounds. Antimicrobial activity assays showed that only stem’s extracts were capable of inhibiting the growth of Gram positive isolates. This new data is intended to provide new possibilities of valorization of these by-products and their valuable properties.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natércia Teixeira ◽  
Paula Nabais ◽  
Victor de Freitas ◽  
João A. Lopes ◽  
Maria J. Melo

AbstractIron-gall ink is one of the most important inks in the history of western civilization. The deep black colour results from Fe3+ complexes with phenolic compounds available in gall extracts. Unfortunately, it induces the degradation of both ink and support over time. Furthermore, our knowledge of these complex molecular structures is limited. This work aims to overcome this gap, revealing essential information about the complex structures of these pigments and dyes that will create a breakthrough in the next generation of conservation treatments. It presents the first in-depth phenolic identification and quantification of extracts and inks, prepared with and without gum arabic (an essential additive in medieval recipes). Five representative Iberian recipes were selected and prepared. Their phenolic profile was analysed by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–ESI–MS, which revealed that the phenolic compounds present in higher concentration, in the gall extracts, are pentagalloylglucose and hexagalloylglucose (0.15 ± 0.01–32 ± 3 mg/mL), except for one recipe, in which gallic acid is the main phenolic. The influence of the ingredients is also discussed by deconstructing the recipes: extracts of additives as pomegranate peel and solvents used in the extraction of the galls (vinegar and white wine) were characterized.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
M.C. Nino ◽  
L. Reddivari ◽  
C. Osorio ◽  
I. Kaplan ◽  
A.M. Liceaga

The use of insects in traditional medicine and unveiling the chemical structure of the bright pigments in butterfly wings led to the discovery of bioactive phenolic compounds in the insect bodies. These metabolites have been found not only due to the insect absorption and metabolisation of the plant-derived phenolic present in their diet, but also from the ability of insects to synthesise phenolic compounds de novo through the sclerotisation process. Plant phenolics are secondary metabolites involved in the protection of tissues against UV radiation, herbivores, and pathogens, as well as pigmentation of fruits and flowers. These bioactive compounds exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities, demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo studies. This bioactive potential is thought to occur due to their chemical characteristics that allow them to stabilise reactive oxygen species (ROS), chelate prooxidant metal ions, interact with key enzymes and signal cascades involved in biological pathways. Bioactivity of plant phenolics and both in vitro, in vivo studies, suggest that the dietary compounds absorbed by the insect maintain their chemical and bioactive properties. Further characterisation of the phenolic composition in edible insects and evaluation of their bioactive capacity as well as their bioavailability, could result in discovering additional health benefits of entomophagy apart from macro-nutritional (e.g. protein) content.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 8276
Author(s):  
Oscar Vidal-Casanella ◽  
Oscar Núñez ◽  
Mercè Granados ◽  
Javier Saurina ◽  
Sonia Sentellas

Phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and stilbenes comprise an enormous family of bioactive molecules with a range of positive properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, or anti-inflammatory effects. As a result, plant extracts are often purified to recover phenolic compound-enriched fractions to be used to develop nutraceutical products or dietary supplements. In this article, we review the properties of some remarkable plant-based nutraceuticals in which the active molecules are mainly polyphenols and related compounds. Methods for the characterization of these extracts, the chemical determination of the bioactivities of key molecules, and the principal applications of the resulting products are discussed in detail.


Author(s):  
Peter K. Njenga ◽  
Samuel M. Mugo ◽  
Ting Zhou

Aim: The study aimed to characterize phenolic acids, flavonoids, and determine their antimicrobial activities in fruits of Vangueria madagascariensis (Tamarind of Indies). Study Design: The design of the study included picking of Vangueria madagascariensis fruits from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) botanical garden and analysis for their antimicrobial activities at the Botany department research laboratory, JKUAT. Characterization of phenolic acids and flavonoids were conducted at MacEwan University Canada. Place and Duration: JKUAT, Kenya and MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta Canada between June 2013 and June 2016. Methodology: Phenolic acids and flavonoids from Tamarind of Indies were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSN). The antimicrobial assay was determined using the disk diffusion method. Results: Based on the retention time, the UV spectrum, and the tandem MS behavior, the results revealed a profile composed of 25 phenolic compounds. Some of the identified phenolic compounds included: 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-feruloyl quinic acid, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, quercetin, 3,4-di-caffeoylquinic acid, 4, 5-di-caffeoylquinic acid, kaempferol, diosmetin, caffeic acid, epicatechin, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside. The fruit extracts had a probable presence of quercetin 3-O-6’-malonylglucoside, ikarisoside C, epimedin C, unknown epigallocatechin-3-gallate and quercetin conjugate derivatives. Furthermore, the fruit extracts from Vangueria madagascariensis showed appreciable antimicrobial properties against human pathogen strains. Strong antimicrobial activity was observed for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. The Vangueria madagascariensis was found to be highly potent against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis even at low concentrations of 0.1 mg/mL. Conclusion: The research findings may suggest value of the use of Vangueria madagascariensis fruits as a rich source of antioxidants with therapeutic and nutraceutical value.


2020 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 111050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Li ◽  
Shi-Ying Huang ◽  
Qianying Deng ◽  
Guiling Li ◽  
Guocheng Su ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (S1) ◽  
pp. S65-S73 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sima-Obiang ◽  
R.L. Ngoua-Meye-Misso ◽  
G.R. Ndong-Atome ◽  
J. Privat Ondo ◽  
L.C. Obame-Engonga ◽  
...  

The goal of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties, the phenolic compounds content, and antimicrobial potential of water–acetone, water–ethanol, and water extracts of Pachylobus balsamifera. The phenolic compounds content was evaluated to estimate their effect on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial potential of the plant. Antioxidant activities were examined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis) assays. Antiinflammatory activity was determined by the proteins denaturation inhibition method. All plant extracts were evaluated against six reference strains, eleven clinical isolates, and two fungal strains. Phenols content was highest in the water–acetone and water–ethanol extracts. The water extract showed strong anti-inflammatory effect. The water–acetone extract presented a strong antioxidant property and the highest antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella Sp., and Neisseria meningitidis. The tested microorganisms showed sensitivity to all extracts of the plant with the exception of Escherichia coli 105182 CIP, Listeria innocua LMG 135668 BHI, Salmonella enterica, Salmonella typhi, and Neisseria gonorrhea. Our results suggest that Pachylobus balsamifera extracts contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.


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