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Chocolate antioxidant properties are often claimed; however, they are frequently different from the parent natural sources due to the industry or artisan transformation. In particular, antioxidant property of chocolate and cocoa are not adequately taken into consideration by consumers who normally make use of this food just for its flavor and taste properties. In this study, we have investigated the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content of cocoa nibs, cocoa masses, and corresponding chocolate bars with different percentages of cocoa from different origins. The antioxidant capacity of the different samples was measured by two different assays [1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant of potency (FRAP) tests]. The Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was used to assess the total phenolic content. The masses showed a higher antioxidant power than the nibs, and this has been attributed to the fact that in the nibs is still present the lipid part, which will form the cocoa butter. The influence of milk, whey, and soy proteins was also investigated. Our results showed that the extra dark cocoa bar, 100% cocoa chocolate, is the best in terms of total polyphenol content and in terms of antioxidant capacity according to the DPPH and FRAP tests. In addition, the bars of organic dark chocolate 80%, dark Tanzania 80%, and Trinidad 80% products are well performing in all respects. As highlighted by us, the antiradical properties of cocoa products are higher than many antioxidant supplements in tablets.

Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is caused by deficient expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin involved in the formation of iron-sulphur complexes and by consequent oxidative stress. We analysed low-dose tocotrienol supplementation effects on the expression of the three splice variant isoforms (FXN-1,FXN-2, andFXN-3) in mononuclear blood cells of FRDA patients and healthy subjects. In FRDA patients, tocotrienol leads to a specific and significant increase ofFXN-3expression while not affectingFXN-1andFXN-2expression. Since no structural and functional details were available for FNX-2 and FXN-3, 3D models were built. FXN-1, the canonical isoform, was then docked on the human iron-sulphur complex, and functional interactions were computed; when FXN-1 was replaced by FXN-2 or FNX-3, we found that the interactions were maintained, thus suggesting a possible biological role for both isoforms in human cells. Finally, in order to evaluate whether tocotrienol enhancement ofFXN-3was mediated by an increase in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ(PPARG),PPARGexpression was evaluated. At a low dose of tocotrienol, the increase ofFXN-3expression appeared to be independent ofPPARGexpression. Our data show that it is possible to modulate the mRNA expression of the minor frataxin isoforms and that they may have a functional role.

In this work, we investigated white blood cell gene expression of SOD-1, SOD-2, catalase, GPX-1, GSR and GSTM-1; plasma content of GSH and GSSG; plasma Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity; amount of plasma carbonylated proteins; urinary levels of Hexanoyl-Lysine adduct; lipid composition of erythrocyte membranes. Oxidative stress is always associated with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) also accompained by impaired mitochondrial functions. Patients are currently treated with idebenone, a CoQ10 analogue, believed effective in view of its ability to counteract free radical damages. Vit. E is known to be effective on oxidative stress related pathologies, taking into account our esperience in the field of the class of natural vitamin E “tocotrienol” we have started the present investigation in order to develop a model useful to investigate the efficacy of a tocotrienol based approaches on oxidative stress damage protection. A mixture (OXI-3 internal reference name) of enantiomerically pure tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) has been selected and tested in patients monitoring the above reported different biochemical parameters. The pilot investigation was conducted on five young FRDA patients who assumed OXI-3 (equivalent to 5 mg/kg/day), for two months. The wide array of different markers consistently pointed to the presence of oxidative stress in FRDA patients, despite the fact that the idebenone therapy had not been discontinued. However, even a two month low-dose tocotrienol supplementation led to the decrease of oxidative stress indexes and to parameter values that approached those of healthy controls. Moreover, there are evidences that a longer tocotrienol treatment may be more effective in reducing oxidative stress.

Multi-target strategies are directed toward targets that are unrelated (or distantly related) and can create opportunities to address different pathologies. The antidermatophytic activities of nine natural skin lighteners: α-bisabolol, kojic acid, β-arbutin, azelaic acid, hydroquinone, nicotinamide, glycine, glutathione and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, were evaluated, in comparison with the known antifungal drug fluconazole, on nine dermatophytes responsible for the most common dermatomycoses: Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton violaceum, Nannizzia cajetani, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, Arthroderma gypseum, Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton tonsurans. α-Bisabolol showed the best antifungal activity against all fungi and in particular, against M. gypseum. Further investigations were conducted on this fungus to evaluate the inhibition of spore germination and morphological changes induced by α-bisabolol by TEM.

Following the recent output of scientific publications in the matter of synergic activity between different antioxidants, we have undertaken the present study with the aim to synthesize new molecules with radical-scavengers activity based on the conjugation of bioactive portions (i.e. phenols, cysteine, methionine or tyrosine), characterized by different structures and mechanisms of action, to promote the simultaneous quenching of different radical species in the site of the oxidative damage. In this context, derivatives of phenolic acid, aminoacids and dopamine have been also prepared. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro applying specific and complementary antioxidant test such as DPPH assay and ORAC test. As emerged from the evaluation, prerequisites for the activity of the synthesized molecules were: i) the maintenance of at least two hydroxylic groups on the aromatic moiety of phenolic portion, ii) the presence of a spacer between the aromatic moiety and the carbonilic group.