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Pistacia lentiscus L., commonly known as the mastic tree or lentisk, is a woody Mediterranean plant revered for its ecological relevance as well as for its extensive ethnobotanical heritage. Historically, the fruits and the resin of P. lentiscus have been widely utilized in traditional medicine, underscoring its important role in local healing practices. Given these properties, this study explored an innovative approach to efficiently extract anthocyanins and flavonols from P. lentiscus oilcakes utilizing ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) as an alternative to conventional solvent extraction. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) were used to identify and quantify the anthocyanins and flavonols, revealing the successful extraction of eight distinct anthocyanins and twenty flavonols. A Fractional Factorial Design (FFD) followed by a Box–Behnken design (BBD) were applied to optimize the yield of anthocyanins and flavonols. The optimal extraction conditions found were to be an extraction time of 15 min with 70% ethanol as the solvent and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 0.012 L g−1, which resulted in a maximum extraction yield of 19.78 mg g−1 dry extract for the Total Flavonol Content and over 25.4 mg g−1 dry extract for the Total Flavonol and Anthocyanin Content. By elucidating the optimal conditions for extracting anthocyanins and flavonol glycosides, this study opens promising avenues for utilizing P. lentiscus oilcake by-products, supporting sustainable practices, and advancing the valorization of Mediterranean bio-resources for health-promoting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Setaria viridis (green foxtail) is an invasive weed species in various agricultural systems, prompting the search for effective compounds to control its germination. The species has primary and secondary dormancy depending on the time elapsed since post-harvesting, making management strategies more difficult. Several weed plants, such as Lantana camara L., can be a source of allelochemicals with herbicidal effects, being a potential candidate for the control of S. viridis. We investigated the effects of L. camara extracts on the germination and initial growth of S. viridis seeds with different degrees of dormancy and revealed a dose-dependent bioherbicide effect. Aqueous extracts of L. camara were analyzed by HPLC-DAD and applied (0.1 to 5.0 mg/mL) to 12- and 110-day post-harvest S. viridis seeds. Seeds were evaluated daily and germination percentage (GP), speed germination index (SGI), and radicle length (RL) were calculated. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were major components of the extract. Lower concentrations (0.1 and 0.5 mg/mL) stimulated and accelerated the germination of S. viridis, breaking its dormancy. Both 1.0 and 5.0 mg/mL concentrations hindered germination, especially in 12 dph seeds. The 1.0 mg/mL concentration resulted in longer roots, whereas 5.0 mg/mL inhibited root development. Lantana camara extracts potentially stimulate germination and radicle growth of S. viridis at low concentrations while inhibiting these parameters at higher doses. These results may open new possibilities for using L. camara in weed-control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Whey, a nutrient‐rich byproduct of the dairy sector, possesses high potential for creating novel nutraceutical products. The present study investigates a potential new functional food by incorporating polyphenolic extracts from Myrtus communis and Arbutus unedo fruits into whey in both liquid (LA) and powder (PA) addition forms. Chemical, microbiological, physical stability and antioxidant activity were monitored for 60 days (from T0 to T60).Both LA and PA of fruit extracts remained chemically stable for the whole period, except for A. unedo PA, which showed a decline in polyphenols after T45. Enriched whey samples showed higher antioxidant activity than pure whey. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of lactic acid bacteria, indicating potential prebiotic effects. However, the high tannin concentration of A. unedo extracts partially modified the casein micelle structure.Whey enriched with Mediterranean fruit extracts shows great potential as a functional food, combining the benefits of plant antioxidants, probiotic bacteria and good stability. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots of the European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), i.e. one of the most economically important nut species, form symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, including truffles. Although physical interactions only occur in roots, the presence of mycorrhizal fungi can lead to metabolic changes at a systemic level, i.e. in leaves. However, how root colonization by ECM fungi modifies these processes in the host plant has so far not been widely studied. This work aimed to investigate the response in two C. avellana genotypes, focusing on leaves from plants inoculated with the black truffle Tuber melanosporum Vittad. Transcriptomic profiles of leaves of colonized plants were compared with those of non-colonized plants, as well as sugar and polyphenolic content. Results suggested that T. melanosporum has the potential to support plants in stressed conditions, leading to the systemic regulation of several genes involved in signaling and defense responses. Although further confirmation is needed, our results open new perspectives for future research aimed to highlight novel aspects in ECM symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata are used worldwide for healing skin wounds. This study aimed to develop and compare two creams containing a leaf aqueous extract of K. pinnata (KP; 6%) and its major flavonoid [quercetin 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside] (0.15%). Both creams were topically evaluated in a rat excision model for 15 days. On the 12th day, groups treated with KP leaf-extract and KP major flavonoid creams exhibited 95.3 ± 1.2% and 97.5 ± 0.8% of healing, respectively (positive control = 96.7 ± 0.8%; negative control = 76.1 ± 3.8%). Both resulted in better re-epithelialization and denser collagen fibres. Flavonol glycosides are the main phenolics in KP leaf-extract according to HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. KP major flavonoid plays a fundamental role in the wound healing. The similar results found for both creams indicate that the use of KP crude extract should be more profitable than the isolated compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kalanchoe pinnata (Lamarck) Persoon (Crassulaceae) (air plant, miracle leaf) is popularly used to treat gastrointestinal disorders and wounds. Recently, the species was tested to treat cutaneous leishmaniasis with successful results. This medicinal activity was associated with the phenolic fraction of the plant. Blue light induces biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and many changes in anatomical characteristics. We studied the effects of supplementary blue light on the leaf morphology of in vitro K. pinnata. Plants cultured under white light (W plants) only and white light plus blue light (WB plants) show petioles with plain-convex section, amphistomatic leaf blades with simple epidermis, homogeneous mesophyll with densely packed cells, and a single collateral vascular bundle in the midrib. W plants have longer branches, a larger number of nodes per branch, and smaller leaves, whereas WB plant leaves have a thicker upper epidermis and mesophyll. Leaf fresh weight and leaf dry weight were similar in both treatments. Phenolic idioblasts were observed in the plants supplemented with blue light, suggesting that blue light plays an important role in the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds in K. pinnata.