RESUMEN
Monovarietal olive oils, known for their distinct aromatic profiles, face challenges in preserving their initial quality due to variations in stability and susceptibility to oxidative deterioration. This study focused on the storage stability of two Italian cultivars, 'Biancolilla' and 'Cerasuola', from Sicily, chosen for their aromatic complexity and divergent storage stability. Oils, whether filtered or unfiltered, underwent storage at two thermal regimes (18 °C and - 20 °C) over a year. The combination of filtration and low-temperature storage was employed to mitigate oxidative deterioration and hydrolytic processes, as filtration removes suspended particles and emulsified water, while low temperatures slow down enzymatic activities and oxidative reactions, thereby enhancing the overall stability and shelf life of the olive oils. Unfiltered samples at room temperature showed a significant increase in secoiridoid aglycone derivatives (Hydroxytyrosol and Tyrosol) due to hydrolytic processes, along with a decrease in secoiridoid aglycone. Filtration delayed these processes, with a more pronounced effect observed when combined with -20 °C storage. Sensory analysis identified the emergence of the "fusty" defect in the less resilient 'Biancolilla' cultivar after six months, a phenomenon mitigated by filtration and freezing. Consumer tests validated these findings. In summary, the synergistic approach of combining filtration with low-temperature storage emerges as a promising strategy for maintaining high-quality standards, especially for less stable monovarietal extra virgin olive oils. This strategy ensures compliance with EU regulations beyond the conventional 12-month shelf life, offering a practical solution for preserving the nutritional and sensory quality of olive oil.
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The leaves of Rubus idaeus L., a by-product of the fruit food industry, are a known source of bioactive molecules, although the chemical composition has only been partially investigated. The main objective of this study was to examine the biological activities and the chemical composition of the extract of leaves of R. idaeus (RH), obtained by steam distillation (SD). The antioxidant capacity; the total phenolic content (TPC); the cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines; and the antibacterial activity, in addition to the study of the chemical fingerprinting, carried out by Gas/Chromatography-Mass-Spectrometry (GC/MS) and Headspace (HS)-GC/MS, were established. The extract showed a strong antioxidant capacity and a modest antibacterial activity against two bacterial strains, as well as significant cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines (Caco-2 and HL60) and being proliferative on healthy cells. Many of the GC-identified volatile molecules (1,8-cineol, ß-linalool, geraniol, caryophyllene, τ-muurolol, citral, α-terpineol, 3- carene, α-terpinen-7-al, etc.) can explain most of the biological properties exhibited by the extract of R. idaeus L. The high biological activity of the RH and the high compatibility with the various matrices suggest good prospects for this extract, both in the food and cosmetic fields or in dietary supplements for improving human health.
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The aim of this study is to define chemical composition and antiproliferative activity of several compounds isolated from Schinus molle male and female flowers on human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and human leukemia (HL60) cell lines. Three extracts obtained by using solvents with different polarities (petroleum ether, diethyl ether and acetone) were characterized by GC/MS analysis revealing qualitative and quantitative differences in the chemical composition of male and female flowers. Nineteen components were identified and both flower extracts were dominated by the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons fraction, mainly elemol, followed by bicyclic sesquiterpenes and by a smaller amount of monoterpenes. The biological activities of the extracts were evaluated by dose-dependent viability assay on two different cell lines and HL60 cells resulted more sensitive to the treatment. The presence of compounds at low concentration with a well-established cytotoxic activity such as ß-elemene, ß-caryophyllene and γ-eudesmol could exert a synergistic cytotoxic effect.
Asunto(s)
Anacardiaceae/química , Flores/química , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Extractos Vegetales/análisis , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Muerte Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Línea Celular Tumoral , Humanos , Sesquiterpenos/farmacología , Sesquiterpenos de Eudesmano/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Papaver rhoeas plant is common in many regions worldwide and contributes to the landscape with its red flower. In the present study we first carried out morphological investigation by optical and scanning electron microscopy of the ovules within the ovary. After ovules' isolation we prepared extracts to test possible cytotoxic activities on HL60 leukemia human cells and investigated the extracts using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). P. rhoeas ovules showed an elongated, round shape and the presence of ordered sculptures on the ovule surface. The ovule extracts showed cytotoxic activity on HL60 human cells mainly found in some TLC-isolated spots. Compounds consisting of active spots were identified by GC-MS investigations. Our findings on the P. rhoeas ovule compounds open perspectives for further investigations of TLC-isolated spots on other human cancer cell lines.
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Antineoplásicos Fitogénicos/farmacología , Papaver/química , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Antineoplásicos Fitogénicos/química , Antineoplásicos Fitogénicos/aislamiento & purificación , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Fraccionamiento Químico , Cromatografía en Capa Delgada , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Células HL-60 , Humanos , Óvulo Vegetal/química , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/aislamiento & purificaciónRESUMEN
Schinus molle (L.) is a dioecious plant of the Anacardiaceae family, originating in South America and currently widespread in many regions throughout the world. In this work leaf extracts and derived low-pressure column chromatography (LPCC) fractions of S. molle L. male and female plants were investigated for the antimicrobial activity. Leaf extracts were tested on microbes Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Bacillus subtilis. Furthermore, the extracts showing antimicrobial activity were fractionated by LPCC and the obtained fractions tested on the same microorganism strains. Positive fractions were investigated by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were seen to be rich in sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpenoids and other terpens. The obtained effects highlighted the antimicrobial properties of S. molle (L.) leaf compounds and revealed their importance as a source of bioactive molecules of potential pharmaceutical interest. To our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting investigations on the chemical composition of the extracts and derived positive fractions from Schinus molle (L.) plants grown in central Italy.
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Anacardiaceae/química , Fraccionamiento Químico , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/aislamiento & purificación , Hojas de la Planta/química , Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Antiinfecciosos/química , Antiinfecciosos/farmacología , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Extractos Vegetales/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Recent scientific investigations have reported a number of essential oils to interfere with intracellular signalling pathways and to induce apoptosis in different cancer cell types. In this paper, Lavandin Essential Oil (LEO), a natural sterile hybrid obtained by cross-breeding L. angustifolia × L. latifolia, was tested on human leukaemia cells (HL60). Based on the MTT results, the reduced cell viability of HL60 cells was further investigated to determine whether cell death was related to the apoptotic process. HL60 cells treated for 24 h with LEO were processed by flow cytometry, and the presence of Annexin V was measured. The activation of caspases-3 was evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence techniques. Treated cells were also examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy to establish the possible occurrence of morphological alterations during the apoptotic process. LEO main compounds, such as linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, and terpinen-4-ol, were also investigated by MTT and flow cytometry analysis. The set of obtained results showed that LEO treatments induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent, but not time-dependent, manner on HL60 cells, while among LEO main compounds, both terpinen-4-ol and linalyl acetate were able to induce apoptosis.
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Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Lavandula/química , Aceites Volátiles/farmacología , Aceites de Plantas/farmacología , Caspasa 3/genética , Caspasa 3/metabolismo , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Citometría de Flujo , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Células HL-60 , Humanos , Aceites Volátiles/química , Aceites de Plantas/químicaRESUMEN
The pepper tree Schinus molle L. is an evergreen ornamental plant belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, native to South America and widespread throughout the world. It has biological activities and is used in folk medicine. This paper aims to contribute to a deeper knowledge of its chemical composition and biological properties. S. molle leaf extracts were obtained by sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities and subsequently tested on the HL-60 human leukaemia cell line to define a possible cytotoxic activity. Among the investigated extracts, the petroleum ether extract revealed a high cytotoxic activity, and its chemical composition was further investigated. By a silica column chromatography, eight fractions were obtained, and their compositions were determined by GC-MS analysis. Compounds and relative abundance differed widely among the fractions; sesquiterpenes resulted the main component and alcoholic sesquiterpenes the most abundant.
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Essential oils from Lavandula genus and the obtained hybrids are widely used for different purposes such as perfume production in the cosmetic field and for its biological properties. This is the first study on the liquid and vapour phase of Lavandula × intermedia "Grosso" essential oil grown in the Lazio Region, Italy, investigated using headspace coupled to gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS). The results showed the most abundant components were linalool and linalyl acetate, followed by 1,8-cineole and terpinen-4-ol, while lavandulyl acetate and borneol were identified as minor compounds, maintaining the same proportion in both the liquid and vapour phase. Furthermore, we tested lavandin liquid and vapour phase essential oil on gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter bohemicus, and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Kocuria marina).
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Lavandula/química , Aceites Volátiles/química , Aceites Volátiles/farmacología , Transición de Fase , Extractos Vegetales/química , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Antiinfecciosos/química , Antiinfecciosos/farmacología , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Fitoquímicos/química , Fitoquímicos/farmacologíaRESUMEN
The pepper-tree Schinus molle is an evergreen ornamental plant with various and diversified list of medical uses. In this article we analysed the chemical composition of male and female leaves of this plant during the off-flowering and flowering seasons. The leaf extracts were obtained by using a sequential extraction with solvents of different polarities and the chemical composition was investigated by GC-MS. The results showed a total of twenty-three components, in which elemol is the most abundant constituent followed by bicyclogermacrene, γ-eudesmol, α-eudesmol, ß-eudesmol and isocalamendiol. The petroleum ether and diethyl ether extracts from male and female flowering and off-flowering leaves consisted of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as a major constituent followed by monoterpene hydrocarbons, while the acetone extracts showed a different composition. The obtained results show differences in the chemical composition between male and female and flowering and not flowering.