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Propolis is a natural adhesive resinous compound produced by honeybees to protect hives from bacteria and fungi, being extremely expensive for food industry. During propolis production, a resinous by-product is formed. This resinous waste is currently undervalued and underexploited. Accordingly, in this study the proximate physical and chemical quality, as well as the antioxidant activity, radical scavenging activity and cell viability of this by-product were evaluated and compared with propolis in order to boost new applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. The results revealed that the by-product meets the physical and chemical quality standards expected and showed that the propolis waste contains similar amounts of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) to propolis. Also, a good scavenging activity against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) determined by the assays of superoxide anion radical (O 2 − ), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), hypochlorous acid (HOCl), nitric oxide ( NO) and peroxyl radical (ROO ) were determined. Linear positive correlations were established between the TPC of both samples and the antioxidant activity evaluated by three different methods (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays). The extracts were also screened for cell viability assays in two different intestinal cell lines (HT29-MTX and Caco-2), showing a viability concentration-dependent. Similarly, the Artemia salina assay, used to assess toxicity, demonstrated the concentration influence on results. Finally, the antifungal activity against ATCC species of Candida was demonstrated. These results suggest that propolis by-product can be used as a new rich source of bioactive compounds for different areas, such as food or pharmaceutical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Chestnut shells extract induced in-vivo antioxidant effects in rats. • Metabolic profiling by LC-ESI-TQ-Orbitrap-MS was done for chestnut shell. • 52 phenolic compounds and metabolites were identified in blood serum. • Potential mild hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects were determined. • Histological analysis revealed no structural changes or toxicity signs. Chestnut (Castanea sativa) shells (CSS) are a source of bioactive compounds with well demonstrated in-vitro antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, no in-vivo studies have already evaluated this effect. This study evaluated the effects of the oral daily administration of an eco-friendly CSS extract (50 and 100 mg/kg per body weight (b.w.)) to rats regarding in-vivo antioxidant activity, glucose and lipids levels, and metabolomic profiling of polyphenols by LC-ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS. The results demonstrated the in-vivo antioxidant properties in the animals liver, kidney and blood serum, as well as protective effects against hemolysis and rising of blood glucose and lipids levels. New insights on metabolomic profiling of polyphenols proved their absorption and further biotransformation by phase I (hydrogenation and hydroxylation) and II reactions (glucuronidation, methylation and sulfation). This is the first study that attempted to validate a novel nutraceutical ingredient extracted from CSS by in-vivo assays, corroborating the outcomes screened by in-vitro assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of combined stress events is increasing due to climate change and represents a new threat to olive (Olea europaea) culture. How olive plants modulate their profile of metabolites under multiple stressing agents remains to unveil, although several metabolites affect plants' resilience, and olive production and quality. Young olive plants were exposed to a water deficit (WD) for 30 days and then exposed to a shock of heat and high UVB-radiation (WDHS+UVB treatment) for 2 days. Then, plants were re-watered and grown under optimal conditions (recovery) for 30 days. Leaves were collected after stress and recovery, analysed by liquid and gas chromatography, and the lipophilic and phenolic profiles were characterized. Except for the oleuropein derivatives, the qualitative metabolite profile was similar during stress and recovery. Metabolite increases or decreases in response to stress were stronger when WD was followed by WDHS+UVB treatment. Phenolic compounds (luteolin-7- O -glucoside, quercetin-3- O -rutinoside, apigenin-7- O -glucoside, chrysoeriol-7- O -glucoside, kaempferol derivatives, oleuropein, and lucidumoside C) were the most involved after WD and WDHS+UVB, possibly acting as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. Lipophilic compounds were more relevant during the recovery period. The catabolism of fatty acids and carbohydrates may provide the necessary energy for plant performance reestablishment, and sterols, long-chain alkanes, and terpenes metabolic pathways may be shifted for the production of compounds with a more important stress protection role. This work highlights for the first time that tolerance mechanisms activated by WD in olive plants are related to metabolite changes, that are adjusted when other stressors are overlapped (WDHS+UVB), and also help the plants recover. This metabolites' plasticity represents an essential contribution to understanding how dry-farming olive orchards may deal with drought combined with high UV-B or heat. [Display omitted] • WD and WDHS+UVB activate the same metabolite responses. • WDHS+UVB induce a stronger metabolite quantity change. • Polyphenols are the most involved to counteract the stress negative effects. • Lipophilic metabolites are more involved in physiological reestablishment after stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimization of chestnut shells extraction using response surface methodology. • Subcritical water extraction is a clean method for antioxidants extraction. • Optimum extraction conditions: temperature 220 °C and extraction time 30 min. • Caffeoylquinic acid isomers were the main phenolic compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the optimal Subcritical Water Extraction (SWE) conditions of antioxidants and polyphenols from chestnut shells using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A central composite design (CCD) was conducted to analyse the time (6–30 min) and temperature (51–249 °C) effects in antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP) and Total Phenolic Compounds (TPC). TPC ranged from 315.21 to 496.80 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g DW; the DPPH from 549.23 to 1125.68 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DW; ABTS varied between 631.16 and 965.45 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g DW and FRAP from 2793.95 to 11393.97 mg ferrous sulphate equivalents (FSE)/g DW. The optimal extraction conditions were 30 min/220 °C, revealing excelling scavenging efficiencies against HOCl (IC 50 = 0.79 µg/mL) and O 2 − (IC 50 = 12.92 µg/mL) without toxicity on intestinal cells (0.1 µg/mL). The phenolic composition revealed high amounts of pyrogallol and protocatechuic acid. SWE can be a useful extraction technique for the recovery of polyphenolics from chestnut shells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Actinidia arguta is a source of bioactive compounds for food industry. • Bioactive compounds from A. arguta are reviewed. • A. arguta has high nutritional, functional and economic value. • Health promoting effects of A. arguta have been confirmed in vitro and in vivo. • A. arguta can be used in the prevention/treatment of chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes). Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta) is a climbing, perennial and dioecious vine from Actinidiaceae family, native from Asia and valued as ornamental and traditional medicine. In the last decade, the growing interest as fruit-bearing plant encourage the expanding cultivation of A. arguta mainly to fruits production, particularly in Europe and North America. A. arguta plants have an extensive range of bioactive compounds that can be obtained from different botanical structures, such as fruits, leaves, flowers and stems. These bioactive molecules, with well-recognized health-promoting properties, include phenolic compounds, minerals, carbohydrates or even volatile substances, with a great potential to be used in several formulations of food products. Phytochemical studies on this plant reported hypoglycemic effects as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, among others. The traditional uses of A. arguta have been experimentally proved by in vitro and in vivo studies, in which its bioactivities were associated to its phytochemical composition. This review aims to assess and summarize the phytochemical and healthy properties of the different botanical parts of A. arguta , describing their bioactive composition and exploring it potential functional properties on foodstuffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cobrançosa olives are richer in organic acids, esters and carbohydrates. • C.Serpa olives present higher levels of phenolic compounds. • Stress modulates olives' phenolic/lipophilic contents in a cultivar-dependent way. • C.Serpa olives have higher stress susceptibility than Cobrançosa and C.C.Branco. • Olives can be enriched in bioactive compounds in response to environmental stresses. The awareness of the functional and nutraceutical properties of olives and olive oil bioactive constituents contributed to oliviculture recent increase. Olives' metabolism and nutritional quality are determined by how the olive-tree is coping to climate change-related episodes, which increasingly occur in the Mediterranean. We characterize the most relevant lipophilic and phenolic compounds of olives from Olea europaea cultivars [Cobrançosa, Cordovil de Castelo Branco and Cordovil de Serpa (C.Serpa)] exposed to drought + heat. Olives from the three cultivars presented a similar qualitative profile but differed in their relative richness. Cobrançosa olives are richer in organic acids, esters and carbohydrates, while C.Serpa olives have higher levels of phenolic compounds, particularly under control conditions. Drought + heat changed the quantitative profile of olives, in a way dependent on the cultivar, and C.Serpa olives showed the highest stress susceptibility. Climate change-related conditions stimulate the accumulation of relevant bioactive compounds in olives, contributing to increasing its nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]