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The Verbesina gender represents the second most diverse group from the Asteraceae family in Mexico; Verbesina sphaerocephala is one of the most distributed species along the Mexican territory. This species has been poorly studied, reporting the presence of some bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibacterial activity. In this study, phenolic and flavonoid contents and composition, antioxidant and antifungal activities of aqueous extracts of the stem of V. sphaerocephala and its fractions were determined. The results showed that the highest antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea was shown by the aqueous extract (IC50: 0.10 mg/mL) and the ethyl acetate fraction (IC50: 14.8 mg/mL). In addition, the aqueous extract and the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest phenolic (21.40 and 21.26 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively) and flavonoid contents (11.53 and 3.71 mg rutin equivalents, respectively) and high antioxidant activity determined by the Total Antioxidant Capacity (20.62 and 40.21 mg ascorbic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively), Ferric Reducing Power (74.76 and 129.57 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry extract, respectively), DPPH (IC50: 12.38 and 7.36 mg/mL, respectively), and ABTS (IC50: 5.60 and 7.76 mg/mL, respectively) methods. Twelve phenolic compounds were detected in the aqueous extract using UPLC-MS analysis, of which the major ones were protocatechuic, vanillic, and hydroxybenzoic acid, while in the ethyl acetate fraction, the presence of 18 phenolic compounds were identified, of which the majority were vanillin, rutin, and hydroxybenzoic acid. The results of this research demonstrate that the aqueous extract of V. sphaerocephala stems has phenolic compounds with antifungal and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. This state may lead to an increase in oxidative stress, which contributes to the development of diabetes complications, including diabetic kidney disease. Potentilla indica is a traditional medicinal herb in Asia, employed in the treatment of several diseases, including DM. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effect of the ethyl acetate extract of Potentilla indica both in vitro and on kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats. Firstly, phytochemicals were identified via UPLC-MS/MS, and their in vitro antioxidant capabilities were evaluated. Subsequently, male Wistar rats were assigned into four groups: normoglycemic control, diabetic control, normoglycemic treated with the extract, and diabetic treated with the extract. At the end of the treatment, fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid were estimated. Furthermore, the kidneys were removed and utilized for the determination of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activities, mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities. The in vitro findings showed that the major phytochemicals present in the extract were phenolic compounds, which exhibited a potent antioxidant activity. Moreover, the administration of the P. indica extract reduced creatinine and BUN levels, ROS production, and lipid peroxidation and improved mitochondrial respiratory chain complex activity and GSH-Px, SODk, and CAT activities when compared to the diabetic control group. In conclusion, our data suggest that the ethyl acetate extract of Potentilla indica possesses renoprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress on the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites such as flavonoids are promising in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is one of the complications of diabetes due to oxidative stress and inflammation. Some plants, such as Eryngium carlinae, have been investigated regarding their medicinal properties in in vitro and in vivo assays, showing favorable results for the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The present study examined the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the phenolic compounds present in an ethyl acetate extract of the inflorescences of Eryngium carlinae on liver homogenates and mitochondria from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by UHPLC-MS. In vitro assays were carried out to discover the antioxidant potential of the extract. Male Wistar rats were administered with a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg/kg) and were given the ethyl acetate extract at a level of 30 mg/kg for 60 days. Phytochemical assays showed that the major constituents of the extract were flavonoids; in addition, the in vitro antioxidant activity was dose dependent with IC50 = 57.97 mg/mL and IC50 = 30.90 mg/mL in the DPPH and FRAP assays, respectively. Moreover, the oral administration of the ethyl acetate extract improved the effects of NAFLD, decreasing serum and liver triacylglycerides (TG) levels and oxidative stress markers and increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. Likewise, it attenuated liver damage by decreasing the expression of NF-κB and iNOS, which lead to inflammation and liver damage. We hypothesize that solvent polarity and consequently chemical composition of the ethyl acetate extract of E. carlinae, exert the beneficial effects due to phenolic compounds. These results suggest that the phenolic compounds of the ethyl acetate extract of E. carlinae have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hepatoprotective activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Leaf traits play an important role in the epiphyll colonization of leaves. Although ferns are common in forest understories, they have been widely ignored as possible host plants. We asked: How does epiphyll colonization (cover, richness, and composition) differ among fern species depending on their leaf longevity and surface wettability? Location: Tropical Biological Station of "Los Tuxtlas", Veracruz (Mexico). Methods: Epiphyll cover was monitored on leaves of six individuals per species after 2, 5, 12, 16.5, and 26 months. Leaf longevity was calculated from leaf turnover rates over 24 months. Leaf wettability was determined through the contact angle technique. Results: All studied fern species had hydrophilic leaf surfaces. Fern species with shorter leaf longevity (14.4–17.8 months) were colonized faster by epiphylls than species with longer leaf life spans (33.9–38.8 months). The area of the oldest leaves was covered to 1.2%–26.1% by foliicolous lichens and to 0.3%–2.2% by green algae. Foliicolous lichens were more species‐rich on Danaea nodosa (27 spp.) than on the other fern species (1–9 lichen spp.). Foliose liverworts thrived on the only riparian fern (3.57%). Only 0.04%–1.1% of the area of plastic substrates was colonized by epiphylls. Conclusions: The hydrophilic leaf surfaces of ferns facilitated the colonization of epiphylls, especially of foliicolous lichens. The speed of epiphyll colonization was faster in ferns with shorter leaf longevity but increased in all species with leaf age. However, the relatively low epiphyll cover on fern leaves and artificial substrates in our study might be related to unfavorable microclimatic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential health benefits of spearmint, orange peel, and baby sage oleoresins extracted using supercritical CO 2 and subsequently emulsified. The oleoresins were incorporated into dark chocolate, and their impact on physicochemical properties was evaluated. Characterization revealed rich sources of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and volatile compounds in these oleoresins. In vitro studies demonstrated anti-obesogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties of the emulsified oleoresins. However, only physicochemical properties were determined for the formulations of dark chocolate with these emulsified oleoresins. Chocolate formulations fortified with these emulsions displayed a softer texture, lower water activity, and solid-like behavior. The findings suggest that these oleoresins could serve as nutraceutical agents for mitigating metabolic syndrome and associated pathologies. Incorporating them into chocolate matrices offers a practical approach to formulating functional foods. Further research is warranted to explore the preventive and therapeutic efficacy in an in vivo model. • Oleoresins were obtained from spearmint, orange peel, and baby sage by SC-CO 2. • Diverse phytochemicals were identified in spearmint, orange, and baby sage oleoresins. • Oleoresins exhibited health-promoting properties in vitro. • Dark chocolate added with oleoresins showed adequate physicochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]