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The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of pomegranate peel (PP) extract on different human cancer cell lines. MTT was performed to estimate cytotoxic effects of PP extract against HTB140, HTB177, MCF7, HCT116 human cancer cell lines and MRC-5 normal fibroblasts. Clonogenic assay was used to reveal cell survival after the treatment with PP extract. Cell cycle analysis was done using flow cytometry. Wound healing assay was applied to estimate inhibitory effects of PP extract on migration of cancer cells. The results showed that PP extract expressed selective cytotoxicity for cancer cells compared to normal cell line. Analyzed cancer cell lines displayed individual variations in sensitivity to PP extract reflected through changes in clonogenic survival, cell cycle distribution and migration, which may be due to the specific nature of each tested cell line. In conclusion, PP extract exhibits good inhibitory effects on tested cancer cell lines.

Perennial plant Gentiana lutea L. is used worldwide for the preparation of pharmaceutical and food products. Health benefits of G. lutea roots are associated with the presence of major bitter-tasting secoiridoid gentiopicroside and xanthone isogentisin. The aim was to optimize the heat-assisted extraction of gentipicroside (GP), isogentisin (ISG) and total phenolics (TP) from G. lutea roots and develop models with high accuracy and prediction capacity by response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN). Extracts were prepared according to central composite design. Significant independent variables which were previously identified by Plackett-Burman screening design were varied at five levels - temperature (20−80 °C), time (8−180 min), solid-to-solvent ratio (1:10−1:50) and ethanol concentration (10–70 %). Contents of GP, ISG (by HPLC-DAD) and TP (by Folin–Ciocalteu method) were analyzed. The optimal conditions for the extraction were temperature of 65 °C, time of 129.08 min, solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:40, and ethanol concentration 49.33 %. Under these conditions, experimentally obtained results for GP (18.03 mg/g dw), ISG (8.15 mg/g dw) and TP (17.46 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g dw) content were in agreement with the values predicted by RSM and ANN. Comparison of models through the coefficient of determination (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) showed that ANN approach was superior to RSM in predicting and modelling GP, ISG and TP content, simultaneously. Effective heat-assisted extraction method for the extraction of GP, ISG and TP from the roots of G. lutea was designed, and models with high accuracy and good prediction capacity were developed.

Aim: Microencapsulation of chokeberry extracts was performed in order to improve functionality, stability, and bioavailability of extracted polyphenols. Methods: Chokeberry fruits and juice by-product (waste) extracts were spray-dried by using two carriers, maltodextrin and skimmed milk. Morphological and physicochemical characteristics of the obtained powders were analysed. In vitro simulated digestion model was used as an indicator of polyphenolics bioavailability. Results: The moisture content varied between 3.39 and 4.61%, zeta potential had negative values (35-39 mV), maltodetrin powders were smaller (4.27-5.12 mu m) compared to skimmed ones (8.50-11.01 mu m). All microparticles exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of total polyphenols and anthocyanins (73-97% and 63-96%, respectively). For both extract types, maltodextrin powders released higher phenolics content compared to skimmed milk. During in vitro digestion, maltodextrin exhibited a higher protective effect on both active compounds. Conclusion: Taking into account the obtained results, chokeberry polyphenols stability might be improved using spray drying technique, and maltodextrin showed better properties.