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Artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) are valuable foods, thanks to their health benefits, but they generate significant waste during their production, harvesting, and processing, which poses sustainability issues. This study applied an agroprospecting approach to convert Tema artichoke biowaste (TB) into valuable resources, starting from a global perspective of the production chain to the targeted applications based on chemical and biological analysis. The major TB was identified in the outer bracts of the immature flower heads, which were collected throughout the harvesting season, extracted, and analyzed. The most abundant compounds were phenolic acids including chlorogenic acid and caffeoylquinic derivatives. Among flavonoids, cynaroside was the most abundant compound. Multivariate analysis distinguished batches by collection period, explaining 77.7% of the variance, with most compounds increasing in concentration later in the harvest season. Subsequently, TB extracts were analyzed for their potential in wound healing and anti-aging properties. Fibroblasts were used to assess the effect of selected extracts on cell migration through a scratch wound assay and on cellular senescence induced by etoposide. The results show a significant decrease in senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, γH2AX nuclear accumulation, and both p53 and p21 protein levels. Overall, this study ascribes relevant anti-skin aging effects to TB, thus increasing its industrial value in cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acacia saligna (Labill.) Wendl. is native of southwestern Australia, but has been planted extensively in many areas of the world, including the Mediterranean region, becoming highly invasive especially in coastal habitats. The aim of this study was to test whether the indigenous Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil (EO), loaded in liposomes, can inhibit the seed germination of the invasive alien Acacia saligna. Variability in seed germination requirements and responses among populations were evaluated. Germination tests under light, at constant temperatures and three concentrations of rosemary EO were carried out. Among the examined factors, only the EO amount and temperature had a highly significant effect on seed germination. The lowest EO quantity did not show differences compared with the control, while the highest amount inhibited significantly seed germination of all populations at all the tested temperatures. No seed recovered the ability to germinate after the EO treatment with either of the two washing methods. Our results allowed us to identify the minimum amount of rosemary EO capable of inhibiting the seed germination of the invasive Acacia saligna. These results could be useful for the control of this invasive alien species, thus allowing the conservation of indigenous Mediterranean plant species and habitats. Keywords: essential oil, invasive alien species, liposomes, Rosmarinus officinalis, seed germination. Acacia saligna (Labill.) Wendl. est indigene dans le sud-ouest de l'Australie, mais elle a ete largement plantee dans plusieurs regions dans le monde, y compris dans la region mediterraneenne, devenant hautement envahissante, specialement dans les habitats cotiers. L'objectif de cette etude consistait a tester si l'huile essentielle (HE) de Rosmarinus officinalis L. indigene, chargee dans des liposomes, peut inhiber la germination des graines de l'espece exotique envahissante Acacia saligna. La variabilite des besoins pour la germination des graines et les reponses des populations ont ete evaluees. Des tests de germination sous la lumiere, a des temperatures constantes et en presence de trois concentrations d'HE de romarin ont ete realises. Parmi les facteurs examines, seules la quantite d'HE et la temperature exercaient un effet hautement significatif sur la germination des graines. La quantite d'HE la plus faible n'etait pas differente du controle, alors que les quantites les plus elevees inhibaient significativement la germination des graines de toutes les populations a toutes les temperatures examinees. Aucune des graines ne recuperait la capacite de germer apres un traitement a l'HE, quelle que soit la methode de lavage utilisee parmi les deux qui ont ete testees. Les resultats ont permis aux auteurs d'identifier une quantite minimale d'HE de romarin capable d'inhiber la germination des graines de l'espece envahissante Acacia saligna. Ces resultats pourraient etre utiles pour controler cette espece exotique envahissante, permettant ainsi la conservation des especes indigenes mediterraneennes et de leurs habitats. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : huile essentielle, espece exotique envahissante, liposomes, Rosmarinus officinalis; germination des grains., Introduction Invasive alien species (IAS) are considered, after habitat loss and fragmentation, as one of the greatest threats to the conservation of indigenous species and habitats worldwide (Crisostomo et al. [...]

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-migratory potential of the essential oil of Teucrium scordium subsp. scordioides (Schreb.) Arcang, a plant widely used in traditional medicine in Sardinia. The oil was rich in germacrene D (25.1%), δ-cadinene (12.9%) and alloaromadendrene (11.3%). The yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and the dermatophytes Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale and Epidermophyton floccosum were the most susceptible fungi to the action of the oil. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, the oil was able to decrease nitric oxide production by ca. 30% at 1.25 μL/mL, without affecting cell viability. In the scratch wound assay, it allowed for ca. 36% of wound closure after 18 h, thus showing anti-migratory properties. Overall, this study highlights the potential of this species to mitigate fungal infections associated with an inflammatory response. Furthermore, we also reported for the first time its anti-migratory capacity, thus suggesting anticancer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the chemical composition and the nutritional properties of fixed oils extracted from seeds and pericarps of the medicinal plant Whitania somnifera. W. somnifera wild germplasm was collected in Sardinia (Italy) and cultivated in Campidano subregion (Southern Sardinia). The main fatty acids of seed oil were 18:2 n-6 (53%, 73.6 mg/g of dry weight), 18:1 n-9 (21%, 29.3 mg/g of dry weight), 16:0 (19%), and 18:0 (4%). Trilinolein and dilinolein derivatives represented the main seed oil triacylglycerols. Linoleic (40%, 67.7 mg/g of dry weight), oleic (29%, 48.7 mg/g of dry weight), palmitic (22%), stearic (4%) and α-linolenic (3%), were the main fatty acids in pericarp oil, with higher total level of monounsaturated fatty acids than seed oil, while monolinolein and dilinolein derivatives represented the main triacylglycerols. The results of this study qualify Sardinian W. somnifera berries as an interesting source of oils with nutritional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Santolina insularis is a Sardinian endemism that is widely used in traditional medicine. The essential oil was obtained with a yield of 2.7% and is mainly characterized by β-phellandrene (22.6%), myrcene (11.4%) and artemisia ketone (7.6%). The oil significantly reduced NO production without affecting macrophages viability. In addition, it substantially inhibited the expression of two key pro-inflammatory enzymes, iNOS and COX-2 (71% and 25% at 0.54 mg/mL). Furthermore, the oil had a promising antifungal activity being Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC = 0.13 mg/mL) and the majority of dermatophytes (MIC = 0.13 mg/mL) the most susceptible fungi. Moreover, it significantly decreased the yeast-to-hypha transition (80% inhibition at 0.13 mg/mL) on C. albicans long before showing inhibitory effects. Overall, these results show that S. insularis could be applied in the treatment of fungal infections and associated inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of two populations of Teucrium capitatum L. one from the coastline and the other one from the mountainous area of Sardinia (Italy) was assessed. Two chemotypes were identified: limonene/α-pinene/(E)-nerolidol chemotype predominant in the coastline, and limonene/α-pinene/α-trans-bergamotene/humulene epoxide II chemotype common in plants growing in the mountainous area. In addition, our results showed that the sample growing in the coastline had a more promising antifungal activity. Furthermore, this sample was highly effective in inhibiting C. albicans germ tube formation, at doses well below its MIC. Overall, this study shows that the edaphoclimatic characteristics play an important role on the essential oil composition and biological activity of Teucrium capitatum L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the results and the comparison concerning the chemical and biomolecular analyses and the antifungal activity of three wild Pistacia species (Anacardiaceae) from Sardinia. Volatile oils from leaves and twigs of Pistacia x saportae, Pistacia lentiscus and Pistacia terebinthus were characterised using GC-FID and GC-MS techniques and tested against some fungal strains. Two DNA nuclear regions (ITS and 5S-rRNA-NTS) were amplified through PCR technique and sequenced. The three **Pistacia have similar chemical profile, although there are some important quantitative differences. The analysis of ITS and 5S-rRNA-NTS regions, reveals a species-specific nucleotide variation among the three **taxa. This method could emerge as a powerful tool for the species identification, especially because the discrimination of these three **taxa appears difficult for non-expert botanists. Concerning the antifungal activity, P. lentiscus and P. x saportae show the highest activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, with a MIC value of 0.32 μL/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This report describes activity against Meloidogyne spp. and chemical characterisation of the essential oil and methanol extract of Petroselinum crispum aerial parts. The study was based on the hypothesis that P. crispum could be used as an intercrop and soil amendment in tomato culture for nematode control. RESULTS: The methanol extract and the essential oil exhibited significant nematicidal activity against M. incognita, M. hapla and M. arenaria, the first being the most sensitive species, with EC50/72 h values of 140±15 and 795±125 mg L-1 for the extractandoil respectively. The most abundant furanocoumarin compounds in the methanolic extract were xanthotoxin, psoralen, bergapten and oxypeucedanin; levels ranged from 1.77 to 46.04 mg kg-1 wet weight. The EC50/24h values of xanthotoxol, psoralen and xanthotoxin against M. incognita were 68±33, 147±88 and 200±21 mg L-1 respectively. The addition of fresh parsley paste to soil reduced the number of M. incognita females and plant galls on tomato roots; EC50 values were 24.79 and 28.07 mg g-1 respectively. Moreover, parsley paste enhanced tomato growth in a dose-response manner. CONCLUSIONS: Parsley exhibits promising nematicidal activity as an organic amendment and as a source of nematotoxic furanocoumarins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents Helichrysum italicum, an iconic plant of the Mediterranean area and outlines its ethnopharmacology given the modern molecular investigations of its constituents and their pharmacological targets. H. italicum is known and valued for its scent, referred to as rosy, exotic and spicy reminiscent of the perfume of licorice, Indian curry and roses. The plant has culinary uses and is the source of an expensive and highly sought-after European honeys, miele di spiaggia.

Candida species belong to the normal microbiota of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. The increasing incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and the toxicity of the antifungal compounds have drawn the attention towards the antimicrobial activity of natural products, an inexpensive alternative. The aim of this work was to evaluate the adhesion activity, the biofilm formation and the action of the Myrtus communis L. essential oil (EO) on the biofilm formation towards three species isolated from clinical samples: Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis. Furthermore, we evaluated the antimycotic activity of the EO towards the three species, and the results were compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration of six antimycotics. The activity of the EO against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis was better than that obtained against C. tropicalis; moreover, the strains used in the assay were adhesive and biofilm producer, and the effect of myrtle EO on the biofilm formation yielded encouraging results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the results concerning the qualitative and quantitative composition of the volatile oil obtained from the aerial parts of Tanacetum vulgare, collected in Lithuania, by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 at 90 bar and 40 °C and by hydrodistillation (HD). GC-MS and GC-FID analysis revealed that the oils mainly consisted of 1,8-cineole, trans-thujone, cis-chrysanthenol, borneol and myrtenol. Oils obtained by HD displayed, with respect to the SFE volatile oil, a higher amount of hydrocarbon monoterpenes. The hydrodistilled oil was particularly active against dermatophyte strains and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values in the range of 0.16–0.64 μL/mL. The oil revealed a significant inhibitory effect on germ tube formation in Candida albicans at sub-inhibitory concentrations. At the concentration of 1/16 MIC, the inhibition of filamentation was more than 80% in comparison to untreated control cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]