ABSTRACT
Saffron samples from Italy and Iran were analyzed for their content in aroma and bioactive compounds with different analytical techniques. HPLC was used for the identification and quantification of crocins, picrocrocin, safranal and flavonoids content, while the novel proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer was employed for the aroma compounds analysis. Italian saffron turned out to be richer in total crocins and safranal contents. Sample characterization was performed with an unsupervised statistical approach; tests involving different numbers of parameters deriving from the two analytical techniques were performed. The results achieved showed that the best samples classification was obtained by joining the information acquired from both techniques; following such an approach, a sharper separation between Iranian and Italian samples was achieved. Finally, among the variables that most contribute to the description of variability, isophorone, safranal and picrocrocin were identified to be the most significant.
Subject(s)
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Crocus/chemistry , Mass Spectrometry/methods , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Volatile Organic Compounds/chemistry , Iran , Italy , Plant Extracts/analysisABSTRACT
As part of screening aimed at the selection of novel antimycotic compounds of vegetable origin, leaf extracts of Camellia sinensis L., Cupressus sempervirens L. and Pistacia lentiscus L. and the seed extract of Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc. were tested against yeast and yeast-like species implicated in human mycoses. Of the extracts only those of C. sinensis (obtained from a commercial preparation of green tea) exhibited broad activity towards Candida glabrata, Clavispora lusitatiae, Cryptococcus laurentii, Filobasidiella neoformans, Issatchenkia orientalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Prototheca wickerhamii strains. MICs ranging from 300 to 4800 microg extract/mL (corresponding to 130-2010 microg/mL total polyphenols) were observed. Concentrations of the C. sinensis extract over 25 000 microg/mL caused a rapid decrease of viable cells of Fil. neoformans and its activity was dose-dependent. Tests carried out using the pure polyphenols present in C. sinensis extract composition, showed that only epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) possess antimycotic activity.
Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Mitosporic Fungi/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Plants, Medicinal , Prototheca/drug effects , Antifungal Agents/administration & dosage , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Camellia sinensis , Cupressus , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Pistacia , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant Leaves , SeedsABSTRACT
From extracts of olive (Olea europaea L., Oleaceae) leaves showing anti-complementary activity, the flavonoids apigenin, apigenin-4'-O-rhamnosylglucoside, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin, luteolin-4'-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, chrysoeriol, chrysoeriol-7-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside were isolated. Major isolated constituents strongly inhibited the classical pathway of the complement system.
Subject(s)
Complement Inactivator Proteins/pharmacology , Flavonoids/pharmacology , Plant Leaves/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Complement Pathway, Alternative/drug effects , Complement Pathway, Classical/drug effects , Hemolysis/drug effects , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment , Spectrophotometry, UltravioletABSTRACT
The chromatographic characteristics of 33 amino acids have been studied using soap thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The influence of the type of detergent, the organic solvent and the acid concentration in the eluent on the chromatographic behaviour of the amino acids was investigated. Many interesting separations that cannot be effected by ion-exchange TLC have been performed.
