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Cancer is one of the most demanding domains for innovative, effective, safe, and affordable therapeutically active chemicals. The main aim of this study is to research new phytochemicals with anticancer activity. The current experiment identified and analyzed six compounds for anti-cancer potential supported by molecular simulation studies. The defatted methanolic extract underwent column chromatography, resulting in the isolation of six flavonoids. These include 3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxy-flavanone ( 1 ), naringenin ( 2 ), 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-flavanone ( 3 ), sakuranetin ( 4 ), spinacetin ( 5 ), and patuletin ( 6 ). The isolated compounds ( 1-6 ) were assessed for in vitro anti-cancer activity against various cell lines such as HepG2 (hepatoma G2), A498 (kidney), NCI-H226 (lungs), and MDR2780AD (human ovarian). The maximum antiproliferative effect was against HepG2 and MDR2780AD. When compounds 6 , 5 , and 1 were compared to a standard anti-cancer medicine (paclitaxel) with an IC 50 of 7.32, it was shown that compounds 6 , 5 , and 1 exhibited significant activity against HepG2 with IC 50 values of 14.65, 20.87, and 27.09 µM, respectively. All tested compounds showed an IC 50 of less than 1 µM and had notable effects against MDR2780 AD cell lines. Compound 6 exhibited notable potency against the HepG2, A498, and MDR2780AD cell lines, among the six compounds that were evaluated. In contrast, compound 3 demonstrated the most pronounced impact on the NCI-H226 cell line. Docking investigations were performed using tubulin as the specific target concerning PDB ID 4O2B. The six compounds under investigation interact hydrophobically and hydrophilically with tubulin-binding site amino acid residues., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.)

Flavonoids are considered one of the most diverse phenolic compounds possessing several valuable health benefits. The present study aimed at gathering all correlated reports, in which Sephadex ® LH-20 (SLH) has been utilized as the final step to isolate or purify of flavonoid derivatives among all plant families. Overall, 189 flavonoids have been documented, while the majority were identified from the Asteraceae, Moraceae, and Poaceae families. Application of SLH has led to isolate 79 flavonols, 63 flavones, and 18 flavanones. Homoisoflavanoids, and proanthocyanidins have only been isolated from the Asparagaceae and Lauraceae families, respectively, while the Asteraceae was the richest in flavones possessing 22 derivatives. Six flavones, four flavonols, three homoisoflavonoids, one flavanone, a flavanol, and an isoflavanol have been isolated as the new secondary metabolites. This technique has been able to isolate quercetin from 19 plant species, along with its 31 derivatives. Pure methanol and in combination with water, chloroform, and dichloromethane have generally been used as eluents. This comprehensive review provides significant information regarding to remarkably use of SLH in isolation and purification of flavonoids from all the plant families; thus, it might be considered an appreciable guideline for further phytochemical investigation of these compounds.

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of mortality in women. Flavonoids, among other compounds, are bioactive constituents of propolis. In this comparative study, we investigated the effects of flavonoids apigenin (API), genistein (GEN), hesperidin (HES), naringin (NAR) and quercetin (QUE) on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of two different human cancer cells - MDA-MB-231, estrogen-negative, and MCF-7, estrogen-positive receptor breast carcinoma cells. Many cytotoxic reports of flavonoids were performed by MTT assay. However, it's reported that MTT is reduced in metabolically active cells and yields an insoluble purple formazan, which indicates that obtained cytotoxic results of flavonoids could be inconsistent. Cell viability was measured by NR, neutral red assay, while the percentage of apoptotic cells and cell cycle arrest were determined by flow cytometry and Muse cell cycle assay, respectively. The results showed a high dose-dependent effect in cell viability tests. IC50 values were as follows (MCF-7/MDA-MB-231, for 48 h, in µM): 9.39/50.83 for HES, 25.19/88.17 for API, 40.26/333.51 for NAR, 49.49/47.50 for GEN and 95.12/130.10 for QUE. Flavonoid-induced apoptosis was dose- and time-dependent, for both cancer cell lines, though flavonoids were more active on MCF-7 cells. The flavonoids also induced cell cycle arrest in cancer cells.

Evidence available from nutritional epidemiology has indicated an inverse association between regular consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of developing certain types of cancer. In turn, preclinical studies have attributed the health-promoting effects of plant foods to some groups of phytochemicals, by virtue of their many biological activities. In this survey, we briefly examine the chemopreventive potential of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods in human oral carcinogenesis. Despite the paucity of data from clinical trials and epidemiological studies, in comparison to in vitro/in vivo investigations, a high level of evidence has been reported for epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and anthocyanins. These flavonoids, abundant in green tea and black raspberries, respectively, represent promising chemopreventive agents in human oral cancer.

The vacuolar and epicuticular flavonoids and the volatiles of the leaves and parts of flower of P. spectabilis Tratt., an endemic species in the Italian Oriental Alps, were investigated. From a MeOH extract of the leaves two flavone glycosides, 8-C-β-glucopyranosylluteolin 7-O-α-arabinofuranoside (1) and 6-C-α-arabinofuranosylapigenin (2) were isolated, in addition to a flavone and three flavonols already known from species of Primula. From an EtOH extract of leaf exudates, 7,3',4'-tri-O-methylquercetin was obtained. The structures were elucidated on the basis of their 1D ¹H- and ¹³C NMR data and 2D NMR techniques, as well as of HPLC-MS. The volatiles emitted by the leaves were mainly constituted by non-terpene derivatives, followed by comparable proportions of hemiterpens, oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. In flowers, monoterpene hydrocarbons were the most represented chemical class followed by non-terpene derivatives. Different proportions of compounds were found when individual parts of flowers were examined separately; calyx produced a greater proportion (approx. 49.5%) of non-terpenes as its volatile metabolites. P. spectabilis has glandular trichomes in the hyaline margins of the epidermal depressions, distributed on the adaxial leaf blade. Glandular hairs were also present on the corolla. Correlations of phytochemical data with the morphological features of leaf, flower and glandular hair are discussed, and a hypothesis is proposed on the ecological roles of the flavonoids and volatile compounds on the general fitness of the species and cross-pollination strategies., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) products, grape and grape juice, represent a valuable source of bioactive phytochemicals, synthesized by three secondary metabolic pathways (phenylpropanoid, isoprenoid and alkaloid biosynthetic routes) and stored in different plant tissues. In the last decades, compelling evidence suggested that regular consumption of these products may contribute to reducing the incidence of chronic illnesses, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, ischemic stroke, neurodegenerative disorders and aging, in a context of the Mediterranean dietary tradition. The health benefits arising from grape product intake can be ascribed to the potpourri of biologically active chemicals occurring in grapes. Among them, the recently discovered presence of melatonin adds a new element to the already complex grape chemistry. Melatonin, and its possible synergistic action with the great variety of polyphenols, contributes to further explaining the observed health benefits associated with regular grape product consumption.

Polyphenolic grapevine components involved in plant resistance against pathogens possess various pharmacological properties that include nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilation and anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities, which may explain the protective effect of moderate red wine consumption against cardiovascular disease. The aim of this work was (a) to verify the possibility that preharvest treatments of grapevine with a plant activator, benzo-(1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH), could lead to an enriched nutraceutical potential of wine and (b) to characterize the profile of metabolites responsible for pharmacological activity. Plant spraying at the end of veraison, with a water suspension of BTH (0.3 mM), led to increased whole anthocyanin content as confirmed by HPLC comparative analysis. Extracts from berry skins of BTH-treated grapevines caused NO-dependent vasorelaxation, with a concentration-response curve that was significantly shifted to the left of the control non-BTH-treated curve. Moreover, 1:1000 dilutions of berry extracts from BTH-treated plants significantly increased basal production of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) in human vascular endothelial cells when compared to the corresponding extracts of untreated plants. These results show that BTH treatment increases anthocyanin content of grape extracts, as well as their ability to induce NO-mediated vasoprotection. No increase of anthocyanin content was observed in the wine extracts from BTH-treated vines. It is concluded that BTH treatment could be exploited to increase the nutraceutical potential of grapes.

Achillea millefolium L. is the most representative plant of the genus Achillea due to its long-standing use. Previous investigations have allowed for the identification of many chemical compounds including phenols, flavonoids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and their derivatives. However, only a few reports have considered flower color in relation to A. millefolium composition. In this work, the phytochemical analysis on the volatile content of fresh samples of three morphotypes—white, pink and deep pink—collected in different points of the Italian Alpine area, was performed by the SPME-GC-MS technique. The obtained data highlighted a high content of terpenic compounds in all of the investigated morphotypes with a general predominance of monoterpenes over sesquiterpenes with the exception of the white morphotype at collection point A (Saint Marcel, Valle d'Aosta). An in-depth statistical investigation was also carried out to better interpret the distribution of the various components both in relation to the morphotype and collection point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, selections of seven international hop varieties and three craft beers obtained from them were analyzed by SPME-GC/MS techniques with the aim to describe their volatile chemical profile. The brewing process was also reported. Furthermore, the hop extracts and beers were investigated to determine their flavonoid and polyphenol content and to evaluate their antioxidant power by DPPH and ABTS assays. The findings showed the presence of compounds belonging to different chemical classes such as monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, alcohols, esters and fatty acids. In particular, sesquiterpenes were the main compounds with β-caryophyllene (from 1.7 to 16.2%) and humulene (from 10.8 to 43.9%) as the major components in all varieties of dried hop cones investigated. On the contrary, with the exception for the Pacific sample, monoterpenes were the class of compounds that were more abundant in the hop extracts and, among these, β-myrcene appeared to be the predominant constituent (from 31.8 to 71.4%). Regarding the craft beers obtained by adding these hop varieties, some differences in the qualitative and quantitative volatile composition have been found. All hop samples showed a high scavenging potential against both radicals. In the case of DPPH, the obtained IC50 values ranged from 0.027 to 0.047 mg/mL while they varied between 0.023 and 0.134 mg/mL by the ABTS assay. A positive correlation was found with polyphenol and flavonoid contents. Among beer samples, ACD was the richest one in polyphenols (292.0 mg GAE/100 mL beer) and flavonoids (5.8 mg QE/100 mL beer) and the most powerful against DPPH• and ABTS•+ radicals with IC50 values equal to 4.969 and 0.198 v/v%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional medicines implicate consumption of plant crude extracts, which may consist of extensive phytochemical diversity. Overall, the most biologically active extract of Peganum harmala (seeds) exhibited significant cytotoxic activity on Artemia salina with LC 50 value of 61.547 µg/mL, while P. harmala (roots) [LC 50 = 124.229 µg/mL] and M. azedarach (fruits) [LC 50 = 147.813 µg/mL] showed moderate cytotoxic potential. P. harmala (seeds) extract also showed the maximum antitumor potential with 52.278 µg/mL LC 50. Branches of P. harmala and Morus alba were not active in both bioassays. These outcomes were further reinforced by the levels of phenolics and flavonoids checked against gallic acid and quercetin equivalents, respectively, by standard curves. Current study aims to isolate, structurally characterize and analyze the bioactive compound from plant extracts by using chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Bioactivity guided isolation of extracts led to the isolation of PH-HM-16 from ethyl acetate fraction P. harmala seeds. Chemical structure of PH-HM-16 was elucidated by ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HSQC and IR spectrum. The results demonstrated significant positive anticancer activities against six human cancer cell lines assessed through MTT cancer cell growth inhibition assay. PH-HM-16 was most effective against prostate cancer cell lines [IC 50 = 17.63 µg/mL] followed by breast cancer cell line MCF7 [IC 50 value of 41.81 µg/mL]. IC 50 value of PH-HM-16 against human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 and human colorectal tumor cells HCT-116 was observed as 68.77 µg/mL and 71.54 µg/mL respectively. The IC 50 value of PH-HM-16 compound was not significant against human gastric cancer SGC-7901 (111.89 µg/mL) and human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549 (176.04 µg/mL). Isolated bioactive metabolite PH-HM-16 possesses significant antitumor potential so this could be the first step to develop an effective anticancer agent. Hence, this compound represents a promising potential to be chemically standardized or developed into pharmaceuticals for the chemoprevention and/or the treatment of certain types of cancer, especially as adjuvant phytotherapeutics in conventional chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils and solvent extracts of Cymbopogon jwarancusa subsp. olivieri (Boiss.) Soenarko plants harvested during two different seasons were investigated in terms of chemical composition and biological activities. Piperitone was the major constituent of essential oil extracted from plants harvested in spring and winter (49.1 and 54.1 %, respectively). The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were measured in ethanol extract obtained from spring plants (31.72±0.08 mg gallic acid equivalents/g and 40.93±1.12 mg quercetin equivalents/g, respectively), and in acetone extract from plants collected in winter (31.24±0.17 mg GAE/g and 38.32±0.74 mg QE/g, respectively). Amongst the various extracts and essential oils, the highest DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity was recorded in ethanol extract (IC50 = 40.51±3.89 ppm) from plants collected in spring, in comparison with butylated hydroxytoluene (IC50 = 5.85±1.84 ppm) and ascorbic acid (IC50 = 1.28±0.06 ppm) as controls. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of all samples were tested by disc-diffusion, MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration), MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) and MFC (minimum fungicidal concentration) tests. Diethyl ether extract from winter plants exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (inhibition zone diameter, IZD = 19.28±1.51 mm), compared with gentamicin and penicillin (IZD = 19.87±0.37 and IZD = 13.61±1.84, respectively). Overall, the results showed that the essential oil of C. jwarancusa subsp. olivieri could be considered as a source of piperitone, whereas the diethyl ether extract of the plant could be developed as a promising antibacterial agent in food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of flavonoids luteolin (L) and quercetin + luteolin (Q + L) in combination with commonly used antibacterial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates and S. aureus (ATCC 43300). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of L and Q + L, as well as the MICs of flavonoids in combination with antibiotics were determined and results showed an increased activity of flavonoids with antibiotics. The synergistic, additive, or antagonistic relationships between flavonoids (L and Q + L) and antibiotics were also evaluated, and additive and synergistic effects were observed for some antibiotic + flavonoid combinations. In addition, some combinations were also found to damage the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, as assessed through potassium leakage assay. The effects of flavonoids and flavonoids + antibiotics on mecA gene mutations were also tested, and no functional variation was detected in the coding region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerial parts of Achillea moschata Wulfen (Asteraceae) growing wild in the Italian Rhaetian Alps were investigated to describe, for the first time, their phenolic content, as well as to characterize the essential oil. Inspection of the metabolic profile combining HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS/MS data showed that the methanol extract contained glycosylated flavonoids with luteolin and apigenin as the main aglycones. Among them, the major compound was 7-O-glucosyl apigenin. Caffeoyl derivates were other phenolics identified. The essential oil obtained by steam distillation and investigated by GC/FID and GC/MS showed camphor, 1,8-cineole, and bornylacetate as the main constituents. The antioxidant capacity of three different extracts with increasing polarity and of the essential oil was evaluated by employing ABTS∙ + and DPPH∙ radical scavenging assays. The methanolic extract was the only significantly effective sample against both synthetic radicals. All samples were also tested against Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial species using the disk diffusion assay. The non-polar extracts (dichloromethane and petroleum ether) and the essential oil possessed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity expressed according to inhibition zone diameter (8--24 mm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus secondary metabolites, such as terpene compounds, are very important for human health due to their bioactivity including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant effects. In this work, for the first time, the volatile chemical composition of peels and juices from four different Citrus species (C. junos, Citrus × aurantium, C. aurantium 'Bizzarria' and C. medica 'Florentina', commonly known as Yuzu jeune, Oni Yuzu, Bizzarria orange and Florence cedar, respectively) was investigated by Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) technique and the antiradical activity was also examined. The results showed that limonene and γ-terpinene were the main volatile substances detected both in the juices and in the peels, followed by other minority compounds responsible for the phyto-complex of the unique aromas which characterize each individual analyzed Citrus species. Principal component analysis (PCA), performed on volatile compounds, showed both some correlation as well as a clear separation between the juice and the peel of each species. Among them, Oni Yuzu juice was found to be the richest in total polyphenols and flavonoids while its capacity to scavenge ABTS•+ and DPPH• radicals was similar to that of Yuzu Jeune and Bizzarria orange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the morbidity remains at a high level due to the resistance of SCC cells to chemotherapeutics. This study aimed to determine and compare the magnitude of the flavonoids' effectiveness in activating apoptosis and migration arrest in HNSCC cells in vitro. Methods: Head and neck SCC cells of the Detroit 562 line were exposed to a range of concentrations (5–100 μM) of quercetin (Que), hesperidin (Hes) and rutin (Rut) for 24 and 48 h. The SCC cell viability and migration rate were investigated using cytotoxicity and migration inhibition assays. Muse Cell Analyzer flow cytometry was utilized to quantitatively assess the apoptosis rate of Detroit 562 cells exposed to Que, Hes and Rut. The morphology of the SCC cells was evaluated via hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results: The viability diminishment of the Detroit 562-line cells treated with Que, Hes and Rut for 48 h revealed a significant dose-dependent trend, relatively equal for three substances, whereas the most noticeable cytotoxic effect observed for Hes. Exposure to Hes and Rut exhibited a dose-dependent increased proportion of apoptotic SCC cells, at either necrosis or late apoptosis stage. Detroit 562 SCC migration rate and cells motility were halted for the 100 µM dose of Hes and Que. The comparative results elucidated that Hesperidin and Quercetin achieved a more potent reduction of Detroit 562 migration at 24 h. Conclusions: Hesperidin, rutin and quercetin are capable of inducing apoptosis and migration arrest in the Detroit 562 cell line to various extents, resulting in proapoptotic attenuating effects at different magnitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galega officinalis L. has been known for centuries as an herbal medicine used to alleviate the symptoms of diabetes, but its comprehensive chemical composition and pharmacological activity are still insufficiently known. The current study involved the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis and in vitro evaluation of the antioxidative and methylglyoxal (MGO) trapping properties of galega herb. Ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with both the electrospray ionization mass spectrometer and diode-array detector (UHPLC-ESI-MS and UHPLC-DAD) were used to investigate the composition and evaluate the anti-MGO capability of extracts and their components. Hot water and aqueous methanol extracts, as well as individual compounds representing phytochemical groups, were also assessed for antioxidant activity using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. Quercetin and metformin were used as a positive control. We confirmed the presence of tricyclic quinazoline alkaloids, guanidines, flavonoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids (HCAs) in galega extracts. The polyphenolic fraction was dominated by mono-, di-, and triglycosylated flavonols, as well as monocaffeoylhexaric acids. The in vitro tests indicated which G. officinalis components exhibit beneficial antioxidative and MGO trapping effects. For galega extracts, flavonols, and HCAs, a potent antiradical activity was observed. The ability to trap MGO was noted for guanidines and flavonoids, whereas HCA esters and quinazoline alkaloids were ineffective. The formation of mono-MGO adducts of galegine, hydroxygalegine, and rutin in the examined water infusion was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-promoting effects of plant foods have been emphasized in the last few decades and ascribed to the bioactive phytochemicals present therein—in particular, phenylpropanoids. The latter have been investigated for a number of preclinical biological activities, including their antioxidant power. Due to the paucity of human studies, in this randomized intervention trial, we investigated whether the acute intake of pigmented rice could increase the plasma bioactive levels and antiradical power in twenty healthy subjects. A crossover randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 19 volunteers. Artemide and Venere black rice cultivars were tested, while brown rice Carnaroli was used as a control. Each patient received randomly one serving (100 g) of rice on three different experimental days, separated by a 7-day washout period. After baseline blood withdrawal, time-course changes of plasma polyphenols, flavonoids and radical-scavenging capacity were determined at 30, 60, 120 and 180 min post rice intake. Compared to Carnaroli rice, the two black rice cultivars significantly increased the plasma levels of polyphenols and flavonoids at 60 and 120 min and, correspondingly, the plasma antiradical power at 60 min after consumption. Pigmented rice consumption can contribute to diet-related health benefits in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are considered one of the most diverse phenolic compounds possessing several valuable health benefits. The present study aimed at gathering all correlated reports, in which Sephadex® LH-20 (SLH) has been utilized as the final step to isolate or purify of flavonoid derivatives among all plant families. Overall, 189 flavonoids have been documented, while the majority were identified from the Asteraceae, Moraceae, and Poaceae families. Application of SLH has led to isolate 79 flavonols, 63 flavones, and 18 flavanones. Homoisoflavanoids, and proanthocyanidins have only been isolated from the Asparagaceae and Lauraceae families, respectively, while the Asteraceae was the richest in flavones possessing 22 derivatives. Six flavones, four flavonols, three homoisoflavonoids, one flavanone, a flavanol, and an isoflavanol have been isolated as the new secondary metabolites. This technique has been able to isolate quercetin from 19 plant species, along with its 31 derivatives. Pure methanol and in combination with water, chloroform, and dichloromethane have generally been used as eluents. This comprehensive review provides significant information regarding to remarkably use of SLH in isolation and purification of flavonoids from all the plant families; thus, it might be considered an appreciable guideline for further phytochemical investigation of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigmented rice cultivars, namely Venere and Artemide, are a source of bioactive molecules, in particular phenolics, including anthocyanins, exerting a positive effect on cardiovascular systems thanks also to their antioxidant capacity. This study aimed to determine the total phenol index (TPI), total flavonoids (TF), total anthocyanins (TA) and in vitro antioxidant capacity in 12 batches of Venere cultivar and two batches of Artemide cultivar. The rice was cooked using different methods (boiling, microwave, pressure cooker, water bath, rice cooker) with the purpose to individuate the procedure limiting the loss of bioactive compounds. TPI, TF and TA were spectrophotometrically determined in both raw and cooked rice samples. Rice samples of Artemide cultivars were richer in TPI (17.7–18.8 vs. 8.2–11.9 g gallic acid/kg in Venere rice), TF (13.1 vs. 5.0–7.1 g catechin/kg rice for Venere rice) and TA (3.2–3.4 vs. 1.8–2.9 g Cy-3glc/kg for Venere rice) in comparison to those of Venere cultivar; as well, they showed higher antioxidant capacity (46.6–47.8 vs. 14.4–31.9 mM Trolox/kg for Venere rice). Among the investigated cooking methods, the rice cooker and the water bath led to lower and comparable losses of phenolics. Interestingly, the cooking water remaining after cooking with the rice cooker was rich in phenolics. The consumption of a portion of rice (100 g) cooked with the rice cooker with its own cooking water can supply 240 mg catechin and 711 mg cyanidin 3-O-glucoside for Venere rice and 545 mg catechin and 614 mg cyanidin 3-O-glucoside for Artemide rice, with a potential positive effect on health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the fluctuation of secondary metabolites in Arabian lilac during a year, aerial parts of the plant were harvested in the middle of each month. The essential oils content from fresh and dried plant materials was analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), individually. Phytochemical contents, along with antiradical scavenging potential of the related methanol extracts were separately assessed. The spring and autumn samples (fresh and dried) yielded more essential oil than the other samples. Forty-one compounds were identified totally in the oils and the major constituents characterized were β-caryophyllene, sabinene, and caryophyllene oxide. The extracts obtained from winter and summer plants possessed the highest total phenolics. The maximum amount of total flavonoid content was measured in winter (December and January), whereas the minimum one was observed in spring (March). The summer and winter samples showed the highest and lowest content of flavones and flavanols, respectively, whereas the anthocyanin content was higher in winter than in summer. Moreover, antiradical activity of the extracts in summer and winter samples was higher than in other seasons. Overall, this study can provide useful information regarding the best harvest period of Arabian lilac to yield the desired compounds for application in phytopharmaceutical and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are a class of important secondary metabolites with a broad spectrum of pharmacological functions. Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a broad diversity of flavonoids. However, flavonoid biosynthetic enzyme genes have not been systematically and comprehensively analyzed in S. miltiorrhiza. Through genome-wide prediction and molecular cloning, twenty six flavonoid biosynthesis-related gene candidates were identified, of which twenty are novel. They belong to nine families potentially encoding chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), flavone synthase (FNS), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H), flavonol synthase (FLS), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), and anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), respectively. Analysis of intron/exon structures, features of deduced proteins and phylogenetic relationships revealed the conservation and divergence of S. miltiorrhiza flavonoid biosynthesis-related proteins and their homologs from other plant species. These genes showed tissue-specific expression patterns and differentially responded to MeJA treatment. Through comprehensive and systematic analysis, fourteen genes most likely to encode flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes were identified. The results provide valuable information for understanding the biosynthetic pathway of flavonoids in medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pomegranates are healthy fruits rich in bioactive phytochemicals and widely consumed in the human diet. This study was designed to assess their physico-chemical properties and total polyphenolic compounds, along with antioxidant and ascorbic acid concentrations of the skin and juice of seven unstudied pomegranate cultivars grown in Iran. Materials and methods. Ten fruits of each of seven selected cultivars were picked. Methanolic extracts from the fruit skins as well as juices were subjected to an evaluation of their physico-chemical properties and phenolic content. Results. From the pomegranate cultivars studied, the highest juice concentration was measured in 'Zagh- -e-Zabol' (72.9 ±2.55%). The highest total soluble solids (18.79 ±1.06 oBrix) of juice, as well as the highest ascorbic acid (16.54 ±2.09 mg/100 g) and total anthocyanin content of skin [11.20 ±2.4 mg CyE (cyanidin- -3-glucoside equivalent)/L] were measured in 'Bajestan'. Total flavonoids were more concentrated in the skin of 'Siah-e-Zabol' [930 ±16 mg QuE (quercetin equivalent)/L]. In the juice of 'Rabab-e-Pust Ghermez' and 'Malas-e-Saveh' the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds were recorded [1082 ±12.8 mg GaE (gallic acid equivalent)/L] and tannins [6.55 ±0.5 mg TaE (tannic acid equivalent)/L], respectively. Conclusion. Significant differences were assessed between the skin and juice of the cultivars in terms of their physico-chemical properties and polyphenolic contents. The results showed higher levels of total tannins, phenolics and antioxidant activity in juice of pomegranate, whereas the skins possessed higher total flavonoid, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content. Further phytochemical analysis are therefore needed to identify the most representative phenylpropanoids by LC-MS (liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry) and to develop novel and promising dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to investigate the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, β-glucuronidase inhibitory and anticancer activities of Trillium govanianum rhizome. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of steroidal glycosides, saponins, sterols, flavonoids and carbohydrates. GC/MS analyses of n-hexane fraction identified 12 compounds, including 70% unsaturated and 30% saturated fatty acids. Higher free radical scavenging capacity was observed in n-hexane and chloroform fraction compared with the other fractions. Based on IC50 (µg/mL) values, antiproliferative activity on HeLa cells was observed for chloroform (0.8 ± 0.2), ethyl acetate (1.4 ± 0.1) and butanol (1.6 ± 0.3) fractions by comparison to anticancer drug doxorubicin (0.3 ± 0.0). Similarly, all fractions exhibited cytotoxicity on PC-3 cells. Moreover, the methanol extract (IC50: 140.8 ± 3.8) and butanol fraction (196.2 ± 1.9) exhibited a moderate level of β-glucuronidase inhibitory activity. These findings may validate the folkloric uses of T. govanianum rhizome in cancer management, and can be a promising candidate as an anticancer agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]