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Flavonoids are specialized metabolites produced by plants, as free aglycones or as glycosylated derivatives, which are particularly endowed with a variety of beneficial health properties. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, antiviral, anti-Alzheimer’s, anti-obesity, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive effects of flavonoids are now known. These bioactive phytochemicals have been shown to act on different molecular targets in cells including the plasma membrane. Due to their polyhydroxylated structure, lipophilicity, and planar conformation, they can either bind at the bilayer interface or interact with the hydrophobic fatty acid tails of the membrane. The interaction of quercetin, cyanidin, and their O-glucosides with planar lipid membranes (PLMs) similar in composition to those of the intestine was monitored using an electrophysiological approach. The obtained results show that the tested flavonoids interact with PLM and form conductive units. The modality of interaction with the lipids of the bilayer and the alteration of the biophysical parameters of PLMs induced by the tested substances provided information on their location in the membrane, helping to elucidate the mechanism of action which underlies some pharmacological properties of flavonoids. To our knowledge, the interaction of quercetin, cyanidin, and their O-glucosides with PLM surrogates of the intestinal membrane has never been previously monitored.

Achillea erba-rotta subsp. moschata (Wulfen) I.Richardson (syn. A. moschata Wulfen) (Asteraceae) is an alpine endemic plant whose aerial parts are harvested by the locals mainly for the digestive properties. Despite its widespread use, few studies have been conducted to date to verify its bioactivity.The purpose of the work was to meet the tradition confirming with experimental data the popular belief that the consumption of this species offers beneficial effects to the gastrointestinal system.Using Soxhlet apparatus, the dried aerial parts of A. erba-rotta subsp. moschata were successively extracted with petroleum ether (PET), dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH). The essential oil (EO) was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus while infusion (AE) was prepared following the traditional local recipe. Their chemical characterization was performed by various techniques including SPME-GC/MS, GC/MS and HPLC/MS-MS. An in vitro biological screening was carried out. The influence of AE on lipid digestion was monitored by titration of free fatty acids (FFA) during pancreatic lipase activity with the pH-stat method. For all extracts and EO, the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity was assessed by the broth microdilution method, the influence on cell viability was evaluated against NCI-N87, OE21 and Caco-2 cell lines and a preliminary toxicity evaluation was done using Brine Shrimp lethality (BSL) assay. The anti-inflammatory potential was evidenced by interleukin IL-1- induced IL8 expression on Caco-2 cells.AE increased by 15% the FFA releasing compared to the pancreatic lipase alone. PET, DCM and MeOH extracts as well as AE and EO were considered active against the growth of both antimicrobial susceptible and resistant strains of H. pylori with MIC values starting from 16 μg/mL. PET and DCM (ICThe obtained data are encouraging and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of A. erba-rotta subsp. moschata as a digestive agent although they need to be further corroborated by studies involving the investigation of both the in vivo activities and the role of the compounds detected in the extracts.

The characterization of bioactive metabolites and the protective effects against Cadmium (Cd) of the hydroalcoholic extract from Allium cepa var. Tropea (Tropea red onion) in human Caco-2 colon adenocarcinoma cells and in vitro antioxidant effects were investigated. Tropea red onion extract showed high levels of bioactive compounds and a strong activity as radical scavenger and inhibitor of lipid peroxidation. The most abundant specialized metabolites were quercetin derivatives. In addition, the extract inhibited NO release in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure of Cd treated human Caco-2 cells to the Tropea red onion extract resulted in a higher cytoprotection with a significant falloff of cells damage produced by Cd. The effect of Tropea red onion evaluated with the MTT assay and LDH test, was time-dependent and more evident after 24h of treatment. Caco-2 cells treated with the Tropea red onion extract and CdCl

Essential oils (EOs) from lavandin are known for a large spectrum of biological properties but poorly and contrastingly documented for their activity against phytoparasitic nematodes. This study investigated the toxicity of EOs from three different lavandin cultivars, Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens, either to juveniles (J2) and eggs of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and to infective stages of the lesion nematode Pratylenchus vulnus. The suppressive activity of treatments with EOs from the three lavandin cultivars in soil infested by M. incognita was also investigated in a greenhouse experiment on potted tomato. The compositional profiles of tested EOs were also analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Linalool was the major component of all the three EOs, as accounting for about 66%, 48%, and 40% of total EO from cv Rinaldi Cerioni, Sumiens, and Abrialis, respectively. Linalool acetate was the second most abundant compound in the EOs from cv Abrialis (18.3%) and Sumiens (14.9%), while significant amounts of camphor (11.5%) and 1,8-cineole (12.1%) were detected in cv Rinaldi Cerioni and Sumiens EOs, respectively. The mortality of M. incognita&nbsp, J2 peaked 82.0%, 95.8%, and 89.8% after a 24 h treatment with 100 mg·mL−1 solutions of cv Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens EOs, respectively. Infective specimens of P. vulnus were largely more sensitive than M. incognita&nbsp, J2, as there were peak mortality rates of 65.5%, 67.7%, and 75.7% after 4 h of exposure to Abrialis, Rinaldi Cerioni, and Sumiens EO, respectively. All three lavandin EOs significantly affected also M. incognita egg hatchability, which reduced to 43.6% after a 48 h egg mass exposure to a 100 µg·mL−1 solution of cv Rinaldi Cerioni EO. Soil treatments with the three lavandin EOs strongly reduced, according to a dose–effect relationship, density of M. incognita eggs, and J2 both on tomato roots and in soil, as well as significantly reduced gall formation on tomato roots. Finally, almost all soil treatments with the lavandin EOs also resulted in a positive impact on tomato plant growth.

In this study, the relationship between nematicidal activity and chemical composition of ten essential oils (EOs) from different plant species was investigated both in in vitro assays on juveniles (J2) and eggs of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and in experiments on tomato in soil infested by M. incognita. Nematode J2 were exposed for 4, 8 or 24 h to 0.78&ndash, 100 &mu, g mL&minus, 1 concentrations of each EO, whereas 24, 48 or 96 h exposures to 250, 500 and 1000 &mu, 1 solutions were tested on M. incognita egg masses. Treatments with 50, 100 or 200 &mu, g kg soil rates of each EO were applied in the experiment on potted tomato. The highest nematicidal potential resulted for the C. verum EO, as highly toxic to both M. incognitaJ2 and eggs and strongly suppressive on nematode multiplication on tomato roots. The infestation of M. incognita on tomato roots was also strongly reduced by the EOs from E. citriodora and S. aromaticum, both highly toxic to M. incognitaJ2 but less active on nematode eggs. Adversely, R. graveolens EO strongly inhibited the egg hatch but was limitedly toxic to the infective J2. Chemical composition of the EOs was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS. The ten EOs showed a very different chemical composition in terms of major phytochemicals, with one or two dominant components totally amounting up to 85%. The structure&ndash, activity relationship based on the main phytochemicals identified in the assayed EOs and their nematicidal effects on M. incognita was also discussed. Results from this study confirmed that the selection of suitable EO raw materials can lead to the formulation on new effective nematicidal products.

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. is a perennial herb growing wild in the Mediterranean basin. The aim of this work was to assess the fatty acid, terpene, phytosterol, and phenolic composition of the methanolic extract and its sub-fractions using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), High-Performance Liquid Chromathography with Dioide-Array Detector (HPLC-DAD), High-Performance Liquid Chromathography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), and Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The potential health benefits of this plant species have been investigated as well. The antioxidant activity was determined in vitro by means of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and &beta, carotene bleaching tests. The inhibitory potential towards the production of the pro-inflammatory mediator nitric oxide was verified on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line. A remarkable inhibitory activity was observed for the dichloromethane fraction, with an IC50 value equal to 45.86 &plusmn, 1.05 &mu, g/mL, a significant result if compared to indomethacin and the known nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), used as positive controls. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction proved to be effective in inhibiting pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the gastrointestinal digestion of dietary fat, suggesting that this species could potentially be a promising source of useful compounds for the treatment of obesity.

Previous in vitro investigation of the nematotoxic effect of Artemisia annua and its main phytochemicals have indicated that this plant can be a potential source of nematicidal products. Following this previous study, the objective of this work was to assess the nematicidal activity of soil treatments with meal and water extract from dry biomass of Artemisia annua on the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. hapla and on the cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis in experiments on potted tomato and potato, respectively. Meal was applied at 5, 10, 20 or 40 g kg −1 soil rates, whereas soil treatments with 25, 50, 100 and 250 g L −1 water solutions of the extract were applied either in a single application or splitted into four treatments. Gall formation and multiplication of both M. incognita and M. hapla on tomato roots were significantly reduced by all soil treatments with A. annua meals. Both single and splitted application of A. annua water extract effectively reduced M. incognita population on tomato roots and in the soil. In the experiment on potato, almost all rates of A. annua meal and extract significantly reduced soil population density of G. rostochiensis , without any statistical difference among the two applications. The nematicidal activity of A. annua products on root-knot nematodes resulted not statistically different or even higher than that of the nematicide fenamiphos. A significant increase of growth was always recorded on tomato and potato plants as a side effect of treatments with meal or water extract. Data from these experiments seem to indicate that products from A. annua can be potential candidates for the formulation of new nematicides suitable for a sustainable nematode management, though field trials are still needed for an effective demonstration of a commercial exploitation.

Overuse of synthetic pesticides has generated a series of environmental problems and human and animal health concerns which have led to their progressive withdrawn from the European market [1]. The reasons given are related to high toxicity of these type of biocides, their nonbiodegradable properties and the presence of residues in soil, water resources and food crops. As an alternative to synthetic pesticides, the use of phytochemicals is a very promising tool for pest control and for reducing the negative impact on health and environment. Management of soil-borne phytonematodes affecting the yield and quality of important food crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, etc is of economic importance and in the recent years the interest in the application of botanical nematicides has been enormously growing [2]. Groups of plant secondary metabolites most promising in the development of pesticidal formulations are glucosinolates, saponins and terpenoid phytoconstituents. As a continuation of our studies [3,4], we will here describe our latest results on the nematicidal effects of selected plant natural products with particular attention to essential oils (EOs), largely containing terpene components, against the highly crop destructive root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the ectoparasite dagger nematode Xiphinema index. Results obtained from in vitro and in soil experiments suggest that the biocidal activity of the selected EOs mainly depends upon the chemical type and individual concentration of their constituents. Structure-activity relationship based on the main terpenes composing the assayed EOs is also discussed. In conclusion, the present study indicates that specific plant EOs have a high potential for developing new nematicides sustainable to environment and human health. In addition, our results suggest that priority should be given to EOs with a high content of specific active components.

Achillea moschata Wulfen, which grows in the Alps, is extensively used by local people for its medicinal properties. Two studied samples were collected, at the flowering stage, in Val Mustair (Switzerland) and Valchiavenna (Italy), respectively. The aerial parts were defatted with petroleum ether (PET) and successively extracted with dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH). High-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analyses of the methanolic extracts evidenced that flavonoids were the predominant compounds compared to phenolic acids in both samples (89.5 vs. 33.0 μg/mg DW in A. moschata Valchiavenna and 82.5 vs. 40.0 μg/mg DW in A. moschata Val Mustair). Among flavonoid derivatives, luteolin and apigenin were the predominant aglycones, free and glycosilated. The A. moschata Valchiavenna extract was characterized by apigenin as the main compound (60.4 μg/mg DW), while A. moschata Val Mustair was characterized by its derivative apigenin 7-O-glucoside (44.7 μg/mg DW). The antioxidant activity of all the obtained extracts was tested by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-picryl hydrazyl) and ABTS (2,21-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) methods, which showed their increasing scavenger capacity in relation to extract polarity (PET extract Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacterial species using the disc diffusion assay. DMC and PET were the most active extracts (inhibition diameter: ≥12 mm).

In continuation of our research program on Mediterranean dietary plants, a bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts from several accessions of Capparis sicula subsp. sicula and Capparis orientalis aerial parts was carried out. Antilipidemic activity of samples was assayed using inhibition of pancreatic lipase. To study the metabolic variability in Capparis species, HPTLC analyses were performed in order to characterize the species through the detection, isolation, and quantitative evaluation of rutin taken as significant chemical marker. The best activity was exerted by C. orientalis accession no. C10 and C. sicula subsp. sicula accession no. C6. The bioactivity evaluation of specific chemical markers, rutin and glucocapparin, led to the identification of a potent antilipidemic compound rutin. The HPTLC analysis showed large variation among the different analyzed samples with respect to rutin concentration. The chemical investigation showed a different composition between the species and between the collection zones. The variations showed by the studied accessions of caper could be attributed to exogenous factors. Capparis species contained predominantly quercetin rutinoside (rutin), accompanied by other constituents such as the glucosinolate glucocapparin. These rutin-rich extracts exhibited pronounced dose-dependent enzyme inhibitory activities toward pancreatic lipase.

The saponin composition of leaves and roots from Medicago marina L., sea medic, was investigated by a combination of chromatographic, spectroscopic and spectrometric (GC, LC, ESI-MS/MS, NMR) methods. Several compounds were detected and quantified by HPLC using the external standard method. Saponins from this plant species consist of a mixture of high molecular weight bidesmosidic derivatives of medicagenic and zanhic acid, containing up to six sugars in the molecules. Six of the detected saponins were previously isolated and reported as constituents of other Medicago spp.; one saponin was previously described in other plant species; four saponins are undescribed compounds in Medicago and never reported before in other plant species. These are: 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-glucopyranosylzanhic acid 28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester; 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosylmedicagenic acid 28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-[α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 → 3)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester. The specific saponins synthesized by M. marina may have a role in its tolerance to environment, representing a reservoir of osmolytic sugars.

Pancreatic lipase, a key enzyme for lipid absorption, is one of the most important targets for the treatment of obesity, while natural compounds have recently attracted much interest as potential inhibitors of this enzyme. Here, in an attempt to find new effective agents, the methanolic extract from Moricandia arvensis (L.) DC. and its sub-extracts were investigated for their potential inhibitory activity. The ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase was verified through the in vitro evaluation of the prevention of p-nitrophenyl caprylate hydrolysis. The antioxidant activity was also verified by means of DPPH and &beta, carotene bleaching tests. Compositional profiling revealed that flavonoid glycosides were the main specialized metabolites present in the methanolic extract from the aerial parts of the plant with kaempferol and quercetin representing the two O-glycosylated aglycones. Kaempferol-3-O-&beta, (2&Prime, O-glucosyl)-rutinoside and kaempferol-3-O-a-arabinosyl-7-O-rhamnoside were the most abundant flavonols. The crude methanolic extract and the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate sub-extracts showed a strong lipase inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 2.06 &plusmn, 0.02, 1.52 &plusmn, 0.02 and 1.31 &plusmn, 0.02 mg/mL, respectively. The best capacity to scavenge DPPH radical was detected for the ethyl acetate sub-extract (IC50 = 171.9 &plusmn, 1.0 &micro, g/mL), which was also effective in protecting linoleic acid from peroxidation (IC50 = 35.69 &plusmn, 2.30 &micro, g/mL). Obtained results support the hypothesis that M. arvensis can be a source of bioactive phytochemicals for the pharmacological inhibition of dietary lipids absorption.

This study was aimed to investigate the activity of the Asteraceae species Taraxacum officinale against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Leaf and root extracts of T. officinale were tested in vitro at a range of 62.5-1000 and 250-1000 ?g mL-1 concentrations on nematode juveniles and eggs, respectively, whereas treatments with 10-40 g kg-1 soil rates of dry leaf and root T. officinale biomass were applied to soil infested by M. incognita in greenhouse experiments on potted tomato. Peak 36 and 50% juvenile mortality and 14.8 and 23.8% egg hatchability reduction were recorded at the maximum concentration of leaf and root extracts, respectively. Soil treatments with T. officinale leaf and root material strongly suppressed nematode multiplication and gall formation on tomato roots and significantly increased plant growth. Chicoric acid and 3-O- and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid were found to be the main components of leaf and root extract, respectively, and proved, as the total hydroalcoholic extracts from T. officinale leaf and root material, for an antioxidant activity. Data from this study indicate the suitability of plant materials from T. officinale for a potential formulation of nematicidal products to include in sustainable nematode management strategies.

Soilless cultivation systems (SCS) are increasingly used to produce high quality baby-leaf arugula, appreciated by consumers for its pungent taste, due to the content of glucosinolates (GLS). Given all of the health benefits attributed to GLSs, there is great interest in understanding whether and how soilless growing systems may affect the GLS profile of arugula. For this purpose, a study was conducted to compare the GLS profile of Diplotaxis erucoides, D. tenuifolia, and Eruca sativa grown side-by-side under protected environment in a conventional soil-system (CSS) and in a SCS. Genotype and growing-system resulted in a significant effect on GLS content, while the resulting qualitative GLS profile was species-specific. Despite the growing-system, six different GLSs were identified from plants of D. tenuifolia and E. sativa, while only sinigrin was detected in plants of D. erucoides. Total GLS content was on average 9.85, 8.23, and 7.96 mg g−1 of dry weight in D. erucoides, D. tenuifolia, and E. sativa, grown in CSS, respectively. The same three species grown in SCS synthesized 36%, 51%, and 41% more GLSs than plants grown in CSS, respectively. Soilless cultivation may be adopted to increase the GLS content and enhance the nutritional quality of brassicas leafy vegetables.

Nematotoxic effect of an aqueous extract of Artemisia annua and its components caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-CQA), artemisinin and the related semi-synthetic artesunate, was investigated on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis and on the virus-vector dagger nematode Xiphinema index. Juveniles of M. incognita and G. rostochiensis and females of X. index were exposed to 500, 250 and 125 mu l ml-1 solutions of the A. annua aqueous extract, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and artesunate and to 50 mu l ml-1 solution of artemisinin for 2, 4, 8 and 24 h. Egg masses of M. incognita and cysts of G. rostochiensis were exposed for 24, 48, 96 h and 1 or 2 weeks only to the extract solutions. Aqueous extract was highly effective on G. rostochiensis juveniles, whereas M. incognita juveniles were affected only at long exposure times. Adversely, egg hatch inhibition was strong on M. incognita and poor or minimal on G. rostochiensis. Females of X. index were sensitive only to long exposures to the highest extract concentration. Both caffeic and chlorogenic acid did not affect juveniles of M. incognita but were highly active on G. rostochiensis juveniles and X. index females even at the lowest concentration. Artesunate toxicity was almost zero on M. incognita and low on X. index females, but high on G. rostochiensis juveniles. Artemisinin solution was lethal to more than 50 % of G. rostochiensis juveniles within 24 h, but did not affect M. incognita juveniles and X. index females. Results suggest different roles of the tested compounds in the biocidal activity on each target nematode species. The extract of A. annua and its main phytochemicals seem to have a potential to be developed into new nematicidal formulates, though their activity should be validated in the soil.

The genus Lavandula includes about thirty species plus a number of intraspecific taxa and hybrids, which are distributed in the Mediterranean area. The traditional use of lavender both as perfume or medicinal plant is known since antiquity. Nowadays several species are extensively cultivated for the extraction of their essential oils (EOs) which are used in manufactured products like cosmetics and perfumes or in phytotherapy. Lavandula pinnata L. f. (syn L. pinnata Lundmark) is a rare species native to the Canary Islands used in folk medicine as relaxant and also a valuable remedy against bites. To the best of our knowledge, EOs from L. pinnata have been very little studied. The present paper reports on the quali- and quantitative compositional profile of the EOs distilled (by a Spring type apparatus) from the aerial parts (flowers and leaves) of this species cultivated in soilless conditions. Chemical analyses by means of GC and GC-MS techniques have indicated that oxygenated monoterpenes are the main constituents of both the flowers (68.30%) and the leaves (83.65%). Carvacrol is the main compound which characterizes the EOs of this species. In addition, discrete amounts of spathulenol (12.22%) and caryophyllene oxide (14.62%) have been detected in flowers EOs, while leaves EOs contained small amounts of carvacrol methyl ether (2.52%).

Glucosinolates (GLSs) from a variety of Brassica oleracea, known locally as "mugnolo" and widely distributed in southern Italy, were studied. It was found that "mugnolo" inflorescences are charac- terized by the presence of the aliphatic GLSs glu- coraphanin (1.79µmol/g), glucoiberin, glucoeru- cin, and sinigrin, of the aromatic GLSs glucobar- berin (0.56µmol/g) and gluconasturtin, and of the indole GLSs glucobrassicin (3.51µmol/g), neo- glucobrassicin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, and 4- hydroxyglucobrassicin. Indole GLSs were pre- dominant, while aliphatic and aromatic GLS were found in lower quantities. The metabolic profile of "mugnolo" leaves was also studied. It was found that 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin (0.13µmol/g) and glucoraphanin (0.11 µmol/g) are the predominant GLSs. Vegetables of the Brassicaceae family are seldom consumed raw; therefore we also ana- lyzed the GLS profile of "mugnolo" after cooking in water. The results showed variations in the GLSs content with a fall in concentration of 50%. " Brassica oleracea l " Brassicaceae l " glucosinolates

The nematicidal activity of saponins from Medicago arborea (tops), M. arabica (tops and roots) and M. sativa (tops and roots) against the plant-parasitic nematode Xiphinema index was investigated. Nematicidal activity of related prosapogenins and sapogenins on X. index is also described. Saponins from Medicago spp. at different concentrations were all nematicidal, those from M. arborea tops being the less effective. In general, saponins induced 100% mortality at 500 µg ml-1 between 8 and 48 h, while prosapogenins resulted in toxicity starting at 125 µg ml-1. Differences in the effects on X. index induced by prosapogenins and sapogenins were less pronounced, although prosapogenins displayed a larger range of activity. Assays with purified sapogenins demonstrated the relationship of the observed nematicidal activity of M. sativa and M. arborea to the content of the main aglycones (medicagenic acid and hederagenin, respectively) in the saponin extracts. Hederagenin displayed the highest bioactivity, giving 38% mortality after 1 h at 125 µg ml-1.

Eighteen triterpene saponins (1-18) from Medicago arborea leaves have been isolated and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic, spectrometric (1D and 2D NMR, FAB-MS, ESI-MS/MS), and chemical methods. They have been identified as glycosides of medicagenic, zanhic, and 2beta-hydroxyoleanolic acids, soyasapogenol B, bayogenin, and 2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid. Twelve of them, identified as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1--3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside] zanhic acid (3), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside] zanhic acid (4), 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1--2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-2beta-hydroxyoleanolic acid (5), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]medicagenic acid (6), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]bayogenin (9), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]-2beta,3beta-dihydroxyolean-12-en-23-al-28-oic acid (10), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (12), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranoside(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyrano-syl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (13), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyrano-syl(1--4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (14), 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1--2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1--2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[beta-D-apiofurano-syl(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (16), 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyrano-syl(1--2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamno-pyranosyl (1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside]zanhic acid (17), and 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1--4)-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1--3)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1--2)-alpha-L-arabinopyrano-side]medicagenic acid (18), are reported as new natural compounds. The presence of the aldehydic group on the sapogenin moiety of saponin 10 is discussed in the framework of a possible elucidation of the biosynthesis of these metabolites.

Strategies to control diffusion of malaria needs to account for the increase of resistance of the parasite to the conventional antimalarial drugs. It has been proposed that a traditional aqueous preparation from Artemisia annua, with a low content of the active compound, artemisinin, may reduce the risk of resistance of the protozoa and be relatively more effective in the treatment of the disease. The solubility properties of the molecule have been the matter of concern about the therapeutic usefulness of herbal teas from A. annua. The present study aimed at analysing the chemical profile of a tea infusion from A. annua. Tea from A. annua was prepared through infusion of the plant aerial parts in water for 1, 24 and 48 h. Content of artemisinin was determined by HPLC-ELSD. Overall chemical characterization of the extracts was carried out by a combination of metabolomic techniques. The artemisinin content varied only slightly in the three different extracts (about 0.12%). A series of mono-caffeoyl- and mono-feruloyl-quinic acids, di-caffeoyl- and di-feruloyl-quinic acids was identified as main components of the tea infusion, together with some flavonoids. Reconstitution of the same extracts in less polar or apolar solvents resulted in a different composition with no phenolics and a much lower concentration of artemisinin.

Objectives The paper describes the flavonoid composition of the aerial parts (young leaves, YL; adult leaves, AL; stems, ST) of Passiflora loefgrenii Vitta, a rare species native to Brazil, where it is traditionally used as food. Antioxidant potential has also been evaluated. To the best of our knowledge, no phytochemical and biological study on this species has been reported previously. Methods Compositional data have been acquired combining HPLC-diode array detector (DAD) and Electrospary ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) analyses. Antioxidant activity has been evaluated by the 2,2′-di-phenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method. Key findings Glycosylated flavones, with luteolin as the main aglycone, can be regarded as biomarkers for this drug. Qualitative composition of the extracts from YL, AL and ST was similar. The bulk of the constituents was made up by 8-C-ß-glucosyl luteolin (orientin), 7-O-α-rhamnosyl-6-C-ß-glucosyl luteolin and 6-C-α-rhamnosyl luteolin, which totally amounted to 16.57 (73%), 10.77 (74%) and 5.07 (77%) μg/mg in YL, AL and ST, respectively. P. loefgrenii showed a good antioxidant activity (IC50 of 350 μg/ml), higher than generally reported for other passifloras. Conclusions P. loefgrenii, rich in luteolin glycosides, can be regarded as a good candidate to be explored for therapeutic properties other than the sedative one since it represents a rich source of valuable flavonoids with antioxidant potential.

The genus Lavandula includes about thirty species plus a number of intraspecific taxa and hybrids, which are distributed in the Mediterranean area. The traditional use of lavender both as perfume or medicinal plant is known since antiquity. Nowadays several species are extensively cultivated for the extraction of their essential oils (EOs) which are used in manufactured products like cosmetics and perfumes or in phytotherapy. Lavandula pinnata L. f. (syn L. pinnata Lundmark) is a rare species native to the Canary Islands used in folk medicine as relaxant and also a valuable remedy against bites. To the best of our knowledge, EOs from L. pinnata have been very little studied. The present paper reports on the quali- and quantitative compositional profile of the EOs distilled (by a Spring type apparatus) from the aerial parts (flowers and leaves) of this species cultivated in soilless conditions. Chemical analyses by means of GC and GC-MS techniques have indicated that oxygenated monoterpenes are the main constituents of both the flowers (68.30%) and the leaves (83.65%). Carvacrol is the main compound which characterizes the EOs of this species. In addition, discrete amounts of spathulenol (12.22%) and caryophyllene oxide (14.62%) have been detected in flowers EOs, while leaves EOs contained small amounts of carvacrol methyl ether (2.52%).

In this study we investigated a synergistic effect between the essential oils Origanum vulgare, Pelargonium graveolens and Melaleuca alternifolia and the antifungal compound Nystatin. Nystatin is considered a drug of choice in the treatment of fungal infections, but it can cause some considerable problems through its side effects, such as renal damage. Finding a new product that can reduce the Nystatin dose via combination is very important. Our findings showed an experimental occurrence of a synergistic interaction between two of these essential oils and Nystatin. The essential oil O. vulgare appeared to be the most effective, inhibiting all the Candida species evaluated in this study. Some combinations of Nystatin and P. graveolens essential oil did not have any synergistic interactions for some of the strains considered. Associations of Nystatin with M. alternifolia essential oil had only an additive effect.