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Background: Propolis is a bioactive natural product collected by honeybees (Apis mellifera) from plant sources.Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine the effect of propolis extracts from arid region of Argentina, on the activity/expression of pro-inflammatory enzymes, and as potential free radical scavenger, antifungal and anthelmintic agent as well as to get a first insight into the polyphenolic profile of the active fractions.Study Design/methods: Two propolis samples were collected in different time from hives located in Tucumán, Argentina. They are representative of the collection time of the raw material for phytotherapeutical purposes. Ethanolic extracts from both propolis were obtained. The PEEs were analyzed for total polyphenol (TP), non-flavonoid phenols (NFP) and flavonoid (FP) content followed by HPLC-DAD analysis and identification of components by HPLC-MS/MS(n). The potentiality as anti-inflammatory (LOX, COX, iNOS enzymes), antioxidant, antifungal and nematicidal was determined.Results: PEEs contain high levels of TP, NFP and FP, including cinnamic acid, caffeic acid prenyl ester, caffeoyl dihydrocaffeate and caffeic acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenethyl ester, liquiritigenin, 2',4'-dihydroxychalcone and 2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-methoxychalcone. The PEEs in vitro reduced the activity of LOX and COX-2. Pretreatment of RAW 264.7 cells with PEEs before the induction of inflammatory state, inhibited NO overproduction and the iNOS protein expression was significantly decreased. The PEEs exhibited antioxidant, antifungal (Candida sp.) and nematicidal effect (C. elegans).Conclusion: These findings show the potential use of characterized PEEs from arid regions of Argentina as phytomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydroxychalcones as well as other metabolites synthesized via the phenylpropanoid pathway have a wide range of biological activities. Although this class of phenolic compounds is found in very large amounts in some tissues, their physiological significance remains unclear. This approach focused on the chemical analysis of Zuccagnia punctata leaf rinse extract in which dihydroxychalcones (99.25 μg 2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone/cm 2 and 73.38 μg 2′,4′-dihydroxy-3′-methoxychalcone/cm 2 ) are the main constituents. Histochemical analysis (fluorescence microscope and emission scanning electron microscope coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer) revealed a high flavonoid concentration on the foliar surface. The high accumulation of phenolic compounds, flavonoids or chalcones in the cuticle of Z. punctata leaves would act as defense mechanisms against UV radiation for the protection of photosynthetic tissues against oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the content of total free and bound phenolics, free and bound flavonoids, anthocyanins, and alkaloids and the profile of polyphenols of edible ripe pods of Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra . P. alba flour showed significantly higher total (sum of Free- and Bound) phenolic content and total flavonoid compounds than P. nigra ( p < 0.05) while P. nigra had higher concentrations of anthocyanins than P. alba ( p < 0.05). The P. nigra flour shows a pattern characterized by the occurrence of anthocyanins as well as 14 flavonoid glycosides, with higher chemical diversity than P. alba , which shows 8 flavonoid glycosides as relevant constituents. The main compounds were quercetin O -glycosides and apigenin-based C -glycosides. The phenolic composition of two South American algarrobo pod flour is presented for the first time. P. nigra pods having higher content of anthocyanins are darker (purple) than those of P. alba (light brown). Furthermore, the sugar-free polyphenolic extracts of P. nigra and P. alba as well as anthocyanins enriched extracts from P. nigra showed antioxidant activity. P. nigra and P. alba polyphenolic extracts showed activity against a pro-inflammatory enzyme. In conclusion, algarrobo pods meal contained biologically active polyphenols, with a positive impact on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Prosopis alba flours are traditional food resources of Argentina. • Flour particle size affects botanical, chemical and functional properties. • All flours showed antioxidant activity. • Prosopis flours may be suitable as functional ingredient or nutraceutical. Abstract Prosopis alba (algarrobo) flours are traditional food resources from Argentina. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of particle sizes of Prosopis flour on its chemical composition and functional properties. Flours were obtained by mechanical methods (F1 to F4, >840, 840 to 500, 500 to 149 and <149 µm, respectively). F1 and F2 contain 40% mesocarp while F3 and F4 show 80 and 90%, respectively. Mesocarp reserve parenchyma is rich in free and bound phenolic compounds, carbohydrates and fibers of the vascular system, CaCO 3 crystals, and minerals (Fe, Ca, Mg, K). Apigenin C-glycosides and phenylpropanoids acids were identified in all fractions whereas F4 showed the highest level. All fractions showed functional properties. F3 and F4 showed the highest activity as H 2 O 2 and HO• scavenger. F1 and F2 showed the highest activity as reductor agents and lipoperoxidation inhibitors. Flours with different granulometry may be suitable as functional ingredient or nutraceutical whereas flours with a smaller particle size (F3 and F4) are more interesting as functional ingredients because of their high content of bound phenolic compounds and particle homogeneity and could be used either alone or together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fruits such as Prosopis pod have been food sources (patay, arrope, chicha or aloja) of inhabitants of arid and semi-arid lands in South America. The aims of the present study were determine some nutritional and functional properties as well as genotoxicity of flour obtained from Prosopis ripe pods that were submitted to different processing. Sucrose constituted the main sugar for flours obtained from Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra. Decoctions and macerations showed around 2.9% and 1.4% of soluble proteins, respectively. The highest free phenolics, flavonoids and condensed tannins contents were observed in aqueous extractions with heating. None of the samples presented phytic acid levels high enough to constitute a nutritional problem. Antioxidant activity (AA) was evaluated by DPPH, ABTS and β-carotene bleaching assays. Results showed that the antioxidant potential was significantly higher in flour obtained from P. nigra pods than in that from P. alba pods, and it was also higher in aqueous extracts than in alcoholic ones. Data obtained suggests that compounds responsible for AA are thermostable; therefore, Prosopis flour might be capable of retaining a significant amount of antioxidant capacity after heating. Prosopis extracts did not show any mutagenic effect with and without metabolic activation. Prosopis flour proved to be a non conventional, novel and rich source of antioxidant compounds that could help to prevent pathologies associated with oxidative stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

B. boliviensis and B. tola are used in traditional medicine in the Argentine Puna to treat skin and soft tissue infections and inflammatory processes in humans and animals. To assess the potential of phytotherapeutic preparations of Baccharis species as antifungal agents against clinically relevant fungi and to determine the chemical composition of the extracts. Phytotherapeutic preparations of B. boliviensis and B. tola collected in Argentine Puna were evaluated as an antifungal agent against clinically relevant fungi (yeast, non-dermatophytes, and dermatophytes) isolated of patients from a local Hospital, and reference strains, using macrodilution and microdilution assays. The bioactivity was supported by UHPLC-OT-MS metabolome fingerprinting. The results revealed that the plant preparations were active against most of evaluated fungal strains; B. boliviensis was more active than B. tola. Dermatophyte fungi strains were the most sensitive isolates. The phytotherapeutic preparation showed Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values between 25 and 400 μg GAE/mL and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) values between 50 and 400 μg GAE/mL. Regarding the phytochemical analysis, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of hydroalcoholic preparation of B. boliviensis were greater than those of the B. tola extract. Both Baccharis species showed similar chromatographic patterns, fifty-two compounds were identified based on UHPLC-OT-MS including several terpenoids, flavonoids and phenolic acids that have been identified in this two endemic South American Baccharis species for the first time. Several identified compounds present antifungal properties, the presence of these compounds support the bioactivity of the Baccharis extracts. In this work the traditional use of both Baccharis species as an antimicrobial against commercial products resistant fungal strains was validate, principally against dermatophytes fungi such as T. rubrum , T. mentagrophytes , M. canis, and M. gypseum. These results indicate that the hydroalcoholic preparations could be used for the treatment of fungal infectious. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]