PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS OF CONIFEROUS TREES

The paper discusses the classification, structure and properties of natural phenolic compounds found in conifers wood species of Russia. The reasons for the variety of detected phenolic compounds (more than 2000) are considered, including the type and conditions of plant growth, environmental factors, as well as methods for extraction of substances. Coniferous extractives include monomeric, dimeric and polymeric phenolic compounds in bound and free form, and their content differs significantly for various species and parts of a woody plant. Depending on the polarity of the solvent used (water, petroleum ether, dimethyl ether, ethyl acetate, acetone, etc.), the yield, chemical composition and structure of the extracted phenolic compound change. It was shown that bark extracts of Larch and Fir contain the most phenolic acids and extractive substances than Pine, Cedar and Spruce, while the content of polar substances is higher in needles, and non- polar substances in plant shoots. Phenolic compounds are secondary plant metabolites, exhibiting fungicidal, virucidal and strong antioxidant effects, that make them a valuable basis for the creation of drugs.

Use of organic biostimulant for growing Siberian spruce seedlings

This study aims to assess the possibility of using a biostimulant Verva-spruce based on spruce’s natural phenolic compounds to reduce the time of growing planting material with improved features. The targets were seeds and 1-4-year-old seedlings of Siberian spruce, untreated and treated with the biostimulant. The effect of the biostimulant on seed germination, seedlings growth, and the pigment’s content in needles were studied. Results shown that soaking seeds in biostimulant at a concentration of 0.00025% increased the germination energy and accelerated hypocotyl growth. Moreover, using the biostimulant significantly increased the growth rate of experimental seedlings and heightened the amount of green pigment chlorophyll a up to 2.5 times. In 2020, in order to study the dynamics of the qualitative characteristics of the plants grown using biostimulant, experimental forest plantations of 4-year-old Siberian spruce seedlings were planted in the Altai-Sayan mountain taiga area. The experimental plantation will be monitored at least until the closure of the canopy.

Cacao Pod Husk Extract Phenolic Nanopowder-Impregnated Cellulose Acetate Matrix for Biofouling Control in Membranes

The ultrafiltration membrane process is widely used for fruit juice clarification, yet the occurring of fouling promotes a decline in process efficiency. To reduce the fouling potential in the membrane application in food processing, the use of natural phenolic compounds extracted from cocoa pod husk is investigated. The cocoa pod husk extract (CPHE) was prepared in phenolic nanoparticles form and added into the polymer solution at varying concentrations of 0.5 wt%, 0.75 wt%, and 1.0 wt%, respectively. The composite membrane was made of a cellulose acetate polymer using DMF (dimethylformamide) and DMAc (dimethylacetamide) solvents. The highest permeability of 2.34 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 was achieved by 1.0 wt% CPHE/CA prepared with the DMAc solvent. CPHE was found to reduce the amount of Escherichia coli attached to the membranes by 90.5% and 70.8% for membranes prepared with DMF and DMAc, respectively. It is concluded that CPHE can be used to control biofouling in the membrane for food applications.

Anticoronavirus and Immunomodulatory Phenolic Compounds: Opportunities and Pharmacotherapeutic Perspectives

In 2019, COVID-19 emerged as a severe respiratory disease that is caused by the novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease has been associated with high mortality rate, especially in patients with comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney diseases. This could be attributed to dysregulated immune responses and severe systemic inflammation in COVID-19 patients. The use of effective antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 and modulation of the immune responses could be a potential therapeutic strategy for COVID-19. Studies have shown that natural phenolic compounds have several pharmacological properties, including anticoronavirus and immunomodulatory activities. Therefore, this review discusses the dual action of these natural products from the perspective of applicability at COVID-19.

Resveratrol: A Vital Therapeutic Agent with Multiple Health Benefits

Resveratrol (RSV), the most effective stilbene phytoalexin synthesized naturally or induced in plants as part of their defense mechanism, is a key component of natural phenolic compounds and is being considered as a treatment option for a variety of diseases. RSV was discovered in the skin of red grapes, mulberries, peanuts, pines, and Polygonum cuspidatum weed root extracts. It was first extracted from white hellebore (Veratrum grandiflorum O. Loes) roots in 1940, then from Polygonum cuspidatum roots in 1963. However, RSV’s use as a drug is limited due to its initial conformational strength and poor stability. The research focused on a set of RSV biological activity data. RSV has been the subject of growing concern, despite its wide range of biological and therapeutic applications. According to the literature, RSV has antioxidant, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti- inflammatory, anti-microbial, immunomodulatory, and radioprotective properties. The current analysis summarized biological applications of RSV, their mechanisms of action, and recent scientific development in the area of their delivery. It is possible to infer that RSV has many effects on infected cells’ cellular functions.

Phenolic compounds and biological activities of phenolic extract of olive oil mill wastewater issue from the cold extraction of olive oil from Khenchela (Algeria)

This study aimed to the determination of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant activities of phenolic compounds present in olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) issue from the cold extraction of olive oil from Khenchela eastern of Algeria.After polyphenols extraction, a quantity and quality analysis by LC-MS was made. The LC-MS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry)results were revealed the presence of 20 phenolic compounds in theextract of OMW which were: (quinic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, transfrolic acid, hyperoside (quercetin-3-o-galactoside), luteolin-7-o-glucoside, naringin, 4.5-di-caffeoyquinic acid, quercetrin(quercetin-3-o-rhamonosid), apegenin-7-o-glucoside, salviolinic acid, kampherol, quercetin, naringenin, apegenin,cirsiliol, and cirsilineol). The results of antioxidant activity with DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS+ (2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and FRAP (ferric reducing ability of plasma)showed that the IC50(half-maximal inhibitory concentration) were(9.62 ± 0.28µg/mL, 7.10 ± 0.11µg/mL and 3.59 ± 0.24µg/mL)respectively. The extract of OMW was found to exhibit the highestinhibitory effectanti-inflammatory activity usinginhibition of protein denaturation(IPD) and membrane stabilizing potential (MSP) tests (80.46 ± 3.81; 87.43 ± 0.66 µg/mL) more than the standard used. In addition, the extract had the best anticoagulation activity in the endogenous and exogenous pathways (44.77 ± 0.25s; 15.84 ± 0.12s). Based on these results, it is right to conclude that OMW is an important source of natural phenolic compounds that have important antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant activities.

Natural Phenolic Compounds Targeting The AMPK Activation For Metabolic Health

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a cellular energy sensor which plays a crucial role in regulation of whole-body energy homeostasis. Activation of AMPK signaling results in favorable effects on mitochondrial function, autophagy, glucose/lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, making it an important therapeutic target in treatment/prevention of metabolic disorders and cancer. Recently, pharmacological studies of natural phenolic compounds indicated that the benefits on metabolic health of these phytochemicals are not only related to their protogenic antioxidant property but also to their AMPK-activating potential. Due to their diverse structures, identification of phenolic compound molecules which have potential to target the AMPK activation for beneficial metabolic effects may be promising in order to develop novel therapeutics in the prevention and/or treatment of metabolic disorders. In this minireview, we summarize beneficial metabolic outcomes of AMPK activation and discuss the capability of natural polyphenols to activate the AMPK pathway focusing on the phenolic acids as potential lead compounds.

Efficient Monofluoroalkylation of Thiophenols or Phenols with α-Bromo-α-Fluoroketones under Mild Conditions

An efficient nucleophilic substitution reaction between α-bromo-α-fluoroketones and thiophenols or phenols is reported for the synthesis of α-fluoro-β-ketosulfides or α-fluoro-β-ketone ethers in yields ranging from 78–93%. This method exhibits good functional group tolerance and a broad scope of nucleophilic substrates, including natural phenolic compounds.