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Phytochemical screening of four commercial products containing Salvia officinalis was carried out. Total phenolic content was estimated spectrophotometrically through the use of the Folin–Ciocalteau method, flavonoid content was measured through the use of aluminum chloride and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine colorimetric assays, and isoflavones and α/β-thujones were analyzed through the use of high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) and the gas chromatographic method. The analyses revealed the absence of thujones and isoflavones (i.e., genistin, genistein, and daidzein) in all four different extracts. The content of polyphenolic compounds varied among the samples, with the extract T being richer in both polyphenols and flavonoids than the other products by 1.8–3.2 and 1.4–4.0 times, respectively (p-value < 0.05). These results highlight the importance of quality control in salvia-based products since a thujone-free extract rich in polyphenols and flavonoids could be a good candidate for further preclinical and clinical studies to identify an effective herbal approach suitable for the long-term therapy of menopausal symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The use of doped silk fibroin (SF) films and substrates from Bombyx mori cocoons for green nanotechnology and biomedical applications has been recently highlighted. Cocoons from coloured strains of B. mori, such as Golden-Yellow, contain high levels of pigments that could have a huge potential for the fabrication of SF based biomaterials targeted to photonics, optoelectronics and neuroregenerative medicine. However, the features of extracted and regenerated SF from cocoons of B. mori Golden-Yellow strain have never been reported. Here we provide a chemophysical characterization of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) fibers, solution, and films obtained from cocoons of a Golden-Yellow strain of B. mori, by SEM, 1H-NMR, HPLC, FT-IR, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy. We found that the extracted solution and films from B. mori Golden-Yellow fibroin displayed typical Raman spectroscopic and optical features of carotenoids. HPLC-analyses revealed that lutein was the carotenoid contained in the fiber and RSF biopolymer from yellow cocoons. Notably, primary neurons cultured on yellow SF displayed a threefold higher neurite length than those grown of white SF films. The results we report pave the way to expand the potential use of yellow SF in the field of neuroregenerative medicine and provide green chemistry approaches in biomedicine. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 105: 287-299, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape quality for winemaking depends on sugar accumulation and metabolism in berries. Abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellins (GAs) have been reported to control sugar allocation in economically important crops, although the mechanisms involved are still unknown. The present study tested if ABA and gibberellin A3 (GA3) enhance carbon allocation in fruits of grapevines by modifying phloem loading, phloem area and expression of sugar transporters in leaves and berries. Pot-grown Vitis vinifera cv. Malbec plants were sprayed with ABA and GA3 solutions. The amount of soluble sugars in leaves and berries related to photosynthesis were examined at three points of berry growth: pre-veraison, full veraison and post-veraison. Starch levels and amylase activity in leaves, gene expression of sugar transporters in leaves and berries and phloem anatomy were examined at full veraison. Accumulation of glucose and fructose in berries was hastened in ABA-treated plants at the stage of full veraison, which was correlated with enhancement of Vitis vinifera HEXOSE TRANSPORTER 2 (VvHT2) and Vitis vinifera HEXOSE TRANSPORTER 6 (VvHT6) gene expression, increases of phloem area and sucrose content in leaves. On the other hand, GA3 increased the quantity of photoassimilates delivered to the stem thus increasing xylem growth. In conclusion, stimulation of sugar transport by ABA and GA3 to berries and stems, respectively, was due to build-up of non-structural carbohydrates in leaves, modifications in phloem tissue and modulation in gene expression of sugar transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]