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Leaves of guava (Psidium guajava L.) have been used in Thai folk medicine without any supporting evidence as a traditional herbal remedy for hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is chronic hair loss caused by effects of androgens in those with a genetic predisposition, resulting in hair follicle miniaturization. Our objectives were to provide the mechanistic assessment of guava leaf extract on gene expressions related to the androgen pathway in well-known in vitro models, hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC), and human prostate cancer cells (DU-145), and to determine its bioactive constituents and antioxidant activities. LC-MS analysis demonstrated that the main components of the ethanolic extract of guava leaves are phenolic substances, specifically catechin, gallic acid, and quercetin, which contribute to its scavenging and metal chelating abilities. The guava leaf extract substantially downregulated SRD5A1, SRD5A2, and SRD5A3 genes in the DU-145 model, suggesting that the extract could minimize hair loss by inhibiting the synthesis of a potent androgen (dihydrotestosterone). SRD5A suppression by gallic acid and quercetin was verified. Our study reveals new perspectives on guava leaf extract’s anti-androgen properties. This extract could be developed as alternative products or therapeutic adjuvants for the treatment of AGA and other androgen-related disorders.

Tot sovint sentim dir que el planeta està malalt, que el canvi climàtic és imparable i que les conseqüències seran, i en alguns indrets ja ho comencen a ser, catastròfiques. Més enllà de la certesa d'aquestes afirmacions, la seva validesa és només qüestió de grau: és tot el planeta que està malalt, o són els ecosistemes tal com els coneixem els que es veuran profundament alterats?; és certament imparable, o estem a temps de reduir-ne l'impacte?; les conseqüències seran catastròfiques en l'àmbit planetari, o només local, la qual cosa exigirà un increment de solidaritat i generositat? Ho sentim a dir tan sovint que a algunes persones els comença a generar habituació. És un fenomen psicològic i cerebral que fa que ens acostumem als estímuls que es mantenen constants o que es produeixen massa sovint, la qual cosa comporta que els deixem de valorar com quelcom important i els acabem, literalment, ignorant. I a altres persones els genera angoixa climàtica, un efecte que ja es comença a notar especialment en alguns joves.

Hairy roots are made after the integration of a small set of genes from Agrobacterium rhizogenes in the plant genome. Little is known about how this small set is linked to their hormone profile, which determines development, morphology, and levels of secondary metabolite production. We used C. asiatica hairy root line cultures to determine the putative links between the rol and aux gene expressions with morphological traits, a hormone profile, and centelloside production. The results obtained after 14 and 28 days of culture were processed via multivariate analysis and machine-learning processes such as random forest, supported vector machines, linear discriminant analysis, and neural networks. This allowed us to obtain models capable of discriminating highly productive root lines from their levels of genetic expression (rol and aux genes) or from their hormone profile. In total, 12 hormones were evaluated, resulting in 10 being satisfactorily detected. Within this set of hormones, abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinin isopentenyl adenosine (IPA) were found to be critical in defining the morphological traits and centelloside content. The results showed that IPA brings more benefits to the biotechnological platform. Additionally, we determined the degree of influence of each of the evaluated genes on the individual hormone profile, finding that aux1 has a significant influence on the IPA profile, while the rol genes are closely linked to the ABA profile. Finally, we effectively verified the gene influence on these two specific hormones through feeding experiments that aimed to reverse the effect on root morphology and centelloside content.

Nettle is a highly valued medicinal plant that is still largely neglected, both in terms of nutrition and use for pharmacological purposes. Tinctures, i.e., alcoholic extracts, are becoming increasingly popular nettle products, mainly because they allow better availability of phytochemicals and their stability over a longer period of time. The production of alcoholic extracts is a chemically demanding process that is still usually carried out using conventional techniques, which have numerous drawbacks. The use of green technologies such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), which is characterized by high efficiency of phytochemical extraction, shorter treatment time, and a much lower environmental footprint, is a suitable and sustainable solution. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the influence of the extraction method, conventional and ultrasound (by varying two ultrasound equipment systems), time and ethanol concentration on the extraction of specialized metabolites from nettle powder. Ultrasonic extraction using a probe system significantly contributed to increase the ascorbic acid yield, polyphenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity of nettle extracts compared to conventional extraction. In addition, when a probe system was used during UAE, significantly less time was required for isolation of individual specialized metabolites compared to ultrasonic extraction in the bath. Ethanol concentration (50 and 80% v/v) also proved to be an important factor in the efficiency of extraction of specialized metabolites, with 80% ethanol being more effective for the isolation of ascorbic acid and pigment compounds (chlorophyll and carotenoids), while 50% v/v for the extraction of polyphenolic compounds. It can be concluded that extraction with the ultrasonic probe system is much more efficient in obtaining higher yields of specialized metabolites from nettle powder in a shorter time (average process duration 5–10 min) both compared to UAE in the bath and classical extraction. However, optimization of the key factors of time, solvent type, and ultrasonic power is necessary to maintain the nutritional quality of the nettle extract in order to obtain a final product with a high specialized metabolites content, antioxidant capacity, and functional value. The future application of alcoholic nettle extracts is based on the fact that these products have significant potential as functional foods and pharmacological preparations for the treatment of a number of but also to strengthen the immune system, mainly due to the rich nutritional composition and high content of various specialized metabolites. The prepared extracts can be safely taken orally by diluting the tinctures with water immediately before ingestion.

In response to the increased popularity of medicinal plants, a number of conservation groups are recommending the investigation on poorly characterized and widely distributed species, as it is the case of camellias. In particular, Camellia japonica L. is a widespread species found in Galicia (NW Spain), where it has been largely exploited with ornamental purposes. Recent findings on its phytochemical characterization showed thousands of bioactive ingredients, mostly represented by phenolic compounds, together with terpenoids, and fatty acids. These molecules present associated biological activities, acting as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agents. This review is aimed at describing the main bioactive compounds of C. japonica, as well as the health-enhancing properties attributed to this medicinal plant. Novel strategies are needed to implement an efficient industrialization process for C. japonica, ranging from small-scale approaches to the establishment of large plantations, thus involving important sectors, such as the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The research leading to these results was supported by MICINN supporting the Ram´on y Cajal grant for M.A. Prieto (RYC-2017-22891) and and the Juan de la Cierva Incorporaci´on Hui Cao (IJC2020-046055- I); by Xunta de Galicia for supporting the pre-doctoral grant of A.G. Pereira (ED481A-2019/0228); by European Union that supports the work of P. Garcia-Perez through the “Margarita Salas” grant from the “NextGenerationEU” program. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Pteridophytes, represented by ferns and allies, are an important phytogenetic bridge between lower and higher plants. Ferns have evolved independently of any other species in the plant kingdom being its secondary metabolism a reservoir of phytochemicals characteristic of this taxon. The study of the potential uses of Polypodium vulgare L. (Polypodiaceae) as medicinal plant has increased in recent years particularly when in 2008 the European Medicines Agency published a monograph about the rhizome of this species. Our objective is to provide scientific knowledge on the polar constituents extracted from the fronds of P. vulgare, one of the main ferns of European distribution, to contribute to the validation of certain traditional uses. Specifically, we have characterized the methanolic extract of P. vulgare fronds (PVM) by HPLC-DAD and investigated its potential cytotoxicity, phototoxicity, ROS production and protective effects against oxidative stress by using in vitro methods. The 3T3, HaCaT, HeLa, HepG2, MCF-7 and A549 were the cell lines used to evaluate the possible cytotoxic behaviour of the PVM. HPLC-DAD was utilized to validate the polyphenolic profile of the extract. H2O2 and UVA were the prooxidant agents to induce oxidative stress by different conditions in 3T3 and HaCaT cell lines. Antioxidant activity of in vitro PVM in 3T3 and HaCaT cell lines was evaluated by ROS assay. Our results demonstrate that PVM contains significant amounts of shikimic acid together with caffeoylquinic acid derivatives and flavonoids such as epicatechin and catechin; PVM is not cytotoxic at physiological concentrations against the different cell lines, showing cytoprotective and cellular repair activity in 3T3 fibroblast cells. This biological activity could be attributed to the high content of polyphenolic compounds. The fronds of the P. vulgare are a source of polyphenolic compounds, which can be responsible for certain traditional uses like wound healing properties. In the present work, fronds of the common polypody are positioned as a candidate for pharmaceutical applications based on traditional medicine uses but also as potential food ingredients due to lack of toxicity at physiological concentrations.

Studies suggesting that medicinal plants are not chosen at random are becoming more common. The goal of this work is to shed light on the role of botanical families in ethnobotany, depicting in a molecular phylogenetic frame the relationships between families and medicinal uses of vascular plants in several Catalan-speaking territories. The simple quantitative analyses for ailments categories and the construction of families and disorders matrix were carried out in this study. A Bayesian approach was used to estimate the over- and underused families in the medicinal flora. Phylogenetically informed analyses were carried out to identify lineages in which there is an overrepresentation of families in a given category of use, i.e., hot nodes. The ethnobotanicity index, at a specific level, was calculated and also adapted to the family level. Two diversity indices to measure the richness of reported taxa within each family were calculated. A total of 47,630 use reports were analysed. These uses are grouped in 120 botanical families. The ethnobotanicity index for this area is 14.44% and the ethnobotanicity index at the family level is 68.21%. The most-reported families are Lamiaceae and Asteraceae and the most reported troubles are disorders of the digestive and nutritional system. Based on the meta-analytic results, indicating hot nodes of useful plants at the phylogenetic level, specific ethnopharmacological research may be suggested, including a phytochemical approach of particularly interesting taxa., This research was supported by projects 2017SGR001116 from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government), PRO2017-S02VALLES and PRO2020-S02VALLES from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC, Catalan Academy of Sciences and Humanities), and CSO2014-59704-P and CGL2017-84297-R from the Spanish Government. AG received a predoctoral grant of the Universitat de Barcelona (APIF 2015-2018).

Cet article est un résumé de la thèse de Licence présentée, sous le méme titre, en 1981 à l'Université Autonome de Barcelone. Le cadre spatial de l'étude est l'Alta Garrotxa, pays de montagne en voie de dépeuplement total, où de grandes foréts et d'imposantes falaises conférent au paysage un caractère extrêmement suggestif. En partant de l'hypothèse que la forêt est un des éléments du paysage le plus chargé de symboles on a essayé de reproduire le plus fidèlement possible comment les derniers paysans de l'Alta Garrotxa percoivent, "vivent" et "ressentent" la forêt et, par extension, le reste du paysage. L'analyse a porté sur des aspects aussi divers que les ressources naturelles tirées de la forêt, son estimation, l'idée de "territorialité" et le sentiment d'appartenance à un "lieu" de la part des derniers paysans du pays. Le travail sur le terrain, basé sur les rapports directs avec les gens et "leur" paysage, s'est matérialisé sur des enquêtes ouvertes enregistrées sur bande magnétique afin de recueillir l'extraordinaire richesse du vocabulaire concernant la forêt propre aux paysans du pays, richesse qui est une preuve évidente d'une capacité d'appréhension sensorielle extraordinaire. Une méthodologie pareille a été utilisée dans la deuxième partie du travail pour essayer de saisir le témoignage vivant des dernieres artisans et/ou représentants des métiers forestiers en voie d'extinction. Or dans ce cas on a souligné les péculiarités de leur travail davantage que leur perception de la forêt. Cette étude pourrait s'insérer d'une part dans les nouveaux courants de recherche apparus récemment en France lors des débats sur le thème du paysage et, d'autre part, dans les courants de le Géographie humaniste Anglo-Saxonne des dernieres années, dans sa tendance phénoménologique et existencialiste, sans oublier non plus les contributions de la Géographie de la perception et du comportement. This article is a resumé of the tesis de licenciatura presented in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 1981. The premise of the dissertation it that woodland is one of the elements of the natural environment most replete with symbolism. The study area is Alta Garrotxa, a mountainous zone which contains considerable extensions of woodland and rocky crags, which make the natural environment specially interesting. At present the region is suffering a process of total depopulation, and this study attempts to reflect how the remaining country folk in Alta Garrotxa perceive, "feel" and "vibrate with" the woods in particular, and in fact the entire natural environment. Consequently, a variety of elements are analyzed, ranging from a valuation of natural resources extracted from woodland to an examination of the concept of "territoritality", and the sense of belonging to a place.

Flavanols consist of a great family of bioactive molecules displaying a wide range of health-promoting attributes for humans, including antioxidant, antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects. As a result, botanical species rich in this type of compound are often used to develop nutraceutical products or dietary supplements with recognized healthy attributes. This paper aims at characterizing nutraceutical products using liquid chromatographic fingerprints related to flavanol composition. Catechins and their oligomers were exploited to characterize and authenticate various commercial products prepared with extracts of red berries and medicinal plants. These compounds resulted in interesting descriptors of some fruits and vegetables, thus providing an additional perspective for the study of nutraceuticals. For such a purpose, a new method based on liquid chromatography with UV/Vis detection (HPLC–UV/Vis) with precolumn derivatization with 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde was developed. Results indicated that the separation of flavanols was very complex due to the degradation of procyanidin derivatives. The resulting data sets were analyzed using chemometric methods such as principal component analysis and partial least square–discriminant analysis. Despite the complexity of chromatographic fingerprints, nutraceutical samples could be discriminated according to their main ingredients. In general, catechin and epicatechin were the most abundant compounds in the different samples, and procyanidin A2 was highly specific to cranberry.

This work was financially supported by the Henk and Dorothy Schussheim Fund for Ecological Studies in Mt. Carmel., Background: Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) is one of the most famous medicinal plant in western cultures since Biblical times and throughout written history. In many cultures, mandrake is related to magic and witchcraft, which is said to have a psychosomatic effect (especially when mandrake contains narcotic compounds) in addition to the pharmacological influence, as occurs with other narcotic magical plants. Due to its unique properties and related myths, it is not surprising that this plant has many names in many languages. Methods: This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the historical, ethnobotanical, and folkloristic roots of 292 vernacular names of Mandragora spp. in forty-one languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, philology, myths and legends, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, migration, and history of the plant’s names. Results: The names were classified into the following main categories: Derivatives of mandragora (19 languages), alraun (7) and of yabroukh (5). The salient groups of the plant’s vernacular names are related to: Anthropomorphism (33 names in 13 languages); Similarity to other plants (28/9); Supernatural agents (28/9); Narcotic effects (21/8); Leaves, fruits, and seeds (21/8); Aphrodisiac properties (17/10); Use of a dog (15/9); Gallows (14/5); Black magic, sorcery, witchcraft (13/8), and Medicinal use (11/7). Conclusions: This frequency distribution of the mandrake’s vernacular names reflects its widespread reputation as related to the doctrine of signatures, beliefs in its supernatural, natural, and mythic powers, and to a lesser extent, its uses in magic and medicine. A spatiotemporal analysis of the mandrake’s names supports the old idea that the pulling ceremonies for this plant originated in the Near East and that various other myths related to this plant may have originated in different places and periods., Henk and Dorothy Schussheim Fund for Ecological Studies in Mt. Carmel

Treballs Finals de Grau de Farmàcia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, 2020. Tutor/a: Xixons Prat, Núria, [eng] Folk medicine comprises the transmission of traditional knowledge over time, across cultures, and historically related territories. This thesis contributes to this knowledge by analyzing data on traditional medicine uses in two countries of the Mediterranean (Jordan and Spain) and on the plant medicine in the book of Ibn al- Baytar The Compendium of Simple Medicaments and Foods (13th century CE). Objectives: This study discusses the prevalence of popular knowledge of folk medicine in Spain and Jordan and the influence of the Andalusi period on them. Materials and methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to find different ethnobotanical papers of both nations investigating the possible historical connection of the shared uses by the review of Ibn al-Baytar's Compendium. Results: Ethnobotanical information for 336 species with vast medicinal uses was found. The coincidences in use between both countries were a total of 24 species whom 75% were also found Ibn al-Baytar's work. Furthermore, Arabic etymological references were found in 6 species out of 24 of Spanish local plants analyzed. Conclusions: The coincidence of the current ethnobotanical knowledge in the two territories is high. Probably the shared historical background, information flow, and the influence of the historical herbal texts have influenced this coincidence. Moreover, there is a high correlation between Ibn al-Baytar's book and traditional medicine in both countries, 18 species were included in this book and are related to Andalusi period, indicating the extent legacy of this time. The study confirms that this ancient codex constitutes an important bibliographical source for linking ancient and modern applications of plants., [spa] Contexto: La Medicina tradicional comprende la transmisión de conocimiento tradicional a lo largo del tiempo a través de culturas y territorios históricamente relacionados. Este trabajo final de grado contribuye a este campo analizando los usos de la medicina tradicional en dos países mediterráneos (España y Jordania) y la medicina basada en plantas comprendidas en el libro de Ibn al-Baytar Colección de nombres de alimentos y medicamentos simples (Siglo 13 d.C.) Objetivos: Este estudio discute la prevalencia del conocimiento popular en la medicina tradicional española y jordana, y la influencia del periodo andalusí en ellas. Materiales y métodos: Se ha realizado una revisión bibliográfica para encontrar diferentes artículos etnobotánicos en ambos territorios. Se han investigado las posibles conexiones históricas acerca de los usos compartidos a través de la revisión del Compendio de Ibn Al-Baytar. Resultados: Se ha encontrado información etnobotánica de 336 especies con múltiples usos medicinales. Del total, 24 especies comparten los mismos usos en ambos países, y el 75% han sido halladas también en el trabajo de Ibn Al-Baytar. En cuanto a los nombres populares de estas plantas en España, 6 plantas de 24 analizadas provienen del árabe. Conclusiones: La coincidencia de conocimiento en etnobotánica en ambos países es alta. Probablemente debido al contexto histórico compartido, la transmisión de información y la influencia de textos históricos. Se ha encontrado una alta correlación entre el libro de Ibn Al-Baytar y ambos territorios, 18 especies están incluidas en el Compendio y están relacionadas con este periodo de la medicina islámica, indicando un alto nivel de preservación. El estudio confirma que este antiguo códice constituye una fuente bibliográfica importante para establecer puentes entre los usos tradicionales de las plantas y sus usos modernos.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is a medicinal plant traditionally employed for the treatment of urinary tract infections due to high contents of arbutin (hydroquinone &beta, D-glucoside), which is now mainly used as a natural skin-whitening agent in cosmetics. Bearberry has also been proposed as a natural antioxidant additive due to the high contents of phenolic compounds in leaves. We studied the variation on phenolic compounds in 42 wild populations of bearberry, aiming to elucidate if intrinsic biological, climatic, and/or geographic factors affect phenolic contents across its natural distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. Bearberry leaves were collected during autumn over a three-year period (2014&ndash, 2016) in populations across a latitude and altitude gradient. Methanolic extracts showed a wide range of variation in total phenols content, and different phenolic profiles regarding arbutin (levels of this major constituent varied from 87 to 232 mg/g dr wt), but also catechin and myricetin contents, which were affected by geographic and climatic factors. Moderate levels of variation on genome size&mdash, assessed by flow cytometry&mdash, and on two plastid DNA regions were also detected among populations. Genetic and cytogenetic differentiation of populations was weakly but significantly associated to phytochemical diversity. Elite bearberry genotypes with higher antioxidant capacity were subsequently identified.

[eng] Quality control of herbals has its roots in the study of morphoanatomic and organoleptic characters. Nevertheless, in the last century, with the evolution of analytical chemistry, the quality control rapidly evolved from elementary tests to the use of sophisticated instruments combined with software for data management. In the current days, many authorities and organizations recommend a suite of tests, featuring many of these instruments, to evaluate quality of herbal products. HPTLC offers a comprehensive set of data that can be used not only for identification but also to evaluate the purity and content of herbal drugs, herbal preparations, and herbal products. The objective of this doctoral thesis was to explore in-depth the capacities of HPTLC and develop applications for quality control of herbals, far beyond simple identification of the herbal drugs, preparations, and products. For that, five studies were developed. In the first study, the quality of herbal drugs, preparations, and products from milk thistle fruit, coneflower root and aerial parts and black cohosh root, regulated under food supplements or medicines were evaluated with existing HPTLC methods. The suitability of these methods, using the entire fingerprint and several detection modes, as a tool for detecting quality problems, mainly adulterations, was confirmed. In the second study, the comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting concept was developed with the goal of simplifying the quality control process. This concept combines the qualitative and quantitative information of HPTLC images, obtained in a single analysis, to evaluate the identity, purity and content of herbals. The possibilities of applying it to identify an herbal drug, detect mixtures with re¬lated species (purity), and develop a minimum content test of an analytical marker were demonstrated in Angelica gigas root. In the third study, the application of comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting aimed to go one step beyond in the test for adulterants and to evaluate the use of the HPTLC for purity limit tests. This approach was evaluated with sam¬ples of ginkgo leaf and extracts, commercialized as food supplements in different countries. This study demonstrated that the information contained in the HPTLC finger¬prints was suitable for verifying levels of rutin and quercetin, providing results similar to that of the HPLC limit test. It was also useful for detecting mixtures of ginkgo products not only with rutin and quercetin but also with buckwheat herb and sophora (flower bud or fruit). In the fourth study, it was evaluated the use of comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting as an alternative method to the current HPLC assay of markers of TCM drugs in the Ph. Eur. The goal of this project was to simplify the determination of content and thus reducing the number of tests to be performed during quality control. For this evaluation, two TCM herbal drugs were chosen by the experts of the TCM working party of the Ph. Eur.: Fritillaria thunbergii bulbs and corydalis rhizome. In both cases, comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting was proven useful for identification and minimum content testing in one single analysis. The fifth study goes one step beyond in the content determination. While the previous studies focused in the quantification of single markers, this study aimed to apply comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting to quantify a group of constituents in an herbal drug, as an example of a more holistic assessment of quality. This determination was combined with the tests for purity and identity. To illustrate this concept, Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body was chosen. In this work, HPTLC proved to be a useful technique for routine quality control of herbal drugs, preparations and products. As demonstrated, it can simplify this process by applying the concept of comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting. A detailed guideline of how to develop, validate and apply comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting methods for routine quality control of herbals has been elaborated and is also included in the thesis., [cat] El control de qualitat dels productes a base de plantes té les seves arrels en l'estudi dels caràcters morfoanatòmics i organolèptics. No obstant això, al segle passat, amb l'evolució de la química analítica, el control de qualitat va evolucionar ràpidament des de proves elementals a l'ús d'instruments sofisticats combinats amb programari per a la gestió de dades. Actualment, moltes autoritats i organitzacions recomanen un conjunt de proves, amb molts d'aquests instruments, per avaluar la qualitat dels productes a base de plantes. La HPTLC ofereix un conjunt complet de dades que poden usar-se no només per a la identificació, sinó també per avaluar la puresa i el contingut de drogues i preparats vegetals i productes a base de plantes. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi doctoral va ser explorar en profunditat les capacitats de la HPTLC i desenvolupar aplicacions per al control de qualitat dels productes de plantes medicinals, molt més enllà de la simple identificació de drogues i preparats vegetals i productes acabats comercialitzats. Per això, es van desenvolupar cinc estudis. En el primer estudi, es va avaluar la qualitat de les drogues vegetals, preparats vegetals i productes a base de plantes del fruit de card marià, l'arrel i la part aèria de equinàcia i l'arrel de cimicífuga, regulats com complements alimentosos o medicaments, amb els mètodes existents de HPTLC. Es va confirmar la idoneïtat d'aquests mètodes, utilitzant l'empremta dactilar completa i diversos formes de detecció, com una eina per a detectar problemes de qualitat, principalment adulteracions. En el segon estudi, es va desenvolupar el concepte d'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC (comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting) amb l'objectiu de simplificar el procés de control de qualitat. Aquest concepte combina la informació qualitativa i quantitativa de les imatges d’HPTLC, obtingudes en una única anàlisi, per avaluar la identitat, la puresa i el contingut dels productes a base de plantes. La seva aplicabilitat per identificar una droga vegetal, detectar mescles amb espècies relacionades (puresa) i desenvolupar un assaig de contingut mínim d'un marcador analític es van demostrar en l'arrel d'Angelica gigas. En el tercer estudi, l'aplicació de l'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC va tenir com a objectiu anar un pas més enllà en l'assaig de adulterants i avaluar l'ús de l’HPTLC per a l'assaig límit de puresa. Aquest enfocament es va avaluar amb mostres de fulla i extracte de ginkgo, comercialitzats com a complements alimentosos en diferents països. Aquest estudi va demostrar que la informació continguda en les empremtes dactilars per HPTLC era adequada per verificar els nivells de rutina i quercetina, proporcionant resultats similars als de l'assaig límit per HPLC. També va ser útil per detectar mescles de productes de ginkgo no només amb rutina i quercetina, sinó també amb part aèria de blat sarraí i sòfora (botó floral i fruit). En el quart estudi, es va avaluar l'ús de l'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC com un mètode alternatiu a l'actual valoració de marcadors per HPLC en drogues vegetals de la medicina tradicional xinesa (MTC) a la Ph. Eur. L'objectiu d'aquest projecte era simplificar la determinació del contingut i, per tant, reduir el nombre de proves a realitzar durant el control de qualitat. Per a aquesta avaluació, dues drogues vegetals de la MTC van ser elegides pels experts del grup de treball TCM de la Ph. Eur.: bulb de Fritillaria thunbergii i rizoma de coridalis. En tots dos casos, es va demostrar que l'empremta dactilar completa per HPTLC era útil per a la identificació i l'assaig de contingut mínim en una sola anàlisi. El cinquè estudi va un pas més enllà en la determinació del contingut. Si bé els estudis anteriors es van centrar en la quantificació de marcadors individuals, aquest estudi va tenir com a objectiu aplicar l'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC a la quantificació d'un grup de components en una droga vegetal, com un exemple d'una avaluació més holística de la qualitat. Aquesta determinació es va combinar amb els assajos d'identitat i puresa. Per il·lustrar aquest concepte, es va triar el carpòfor de Ganoderma lucidum. En aquest treball, s'ha demostrat que la HPTLC és una tècnica útil per al control de qualitat rutinari de drogues i preparats vegetals i productes a base de plantes, i que es pot simplificar aquest procés aplicant el concepte d'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC. S'ha elaborat una guia detallada (inclosa a la tesi) sobre com desenvolupar, validar i aplicar mètodes d'anàlisi integral de l'empremta dactilar per HPTLC per al control de qualitat rutinari de productes a base de plantes., [spa] El control de calidad de los productos a base de plantas tiene sus raíces en el estudio de los caracteres morfoanatómicos y organolépticos. Sin embargo, en el siglo pasado, con la evolución de la química analítica, el control de calidad evolucionó rápidamente de las pruebas elementales al uso de instrumentos sofisticados combinados con software para la gestión de datos. Actualmente, muchas autoridades y organizaciones recomiendan un conjunto de pruebas, con muchos de estos instrumentos, para evaluar la calidad de los productos a base de plantas. La HPTLC ofrece un conjunto completo de datos que pueden usarse no sólo para la identificación, sino también para evaluar la pureza y el contenido de drogas y preparados vegetales y productos a base de plantas. El objetivo de esta tesis doctoral fue explorar en profundidad las capacidades de HPTLC y desarrollar aplicaciones para el control de calidad de los productos de plantas medicinales, mucho más allá de la simple identificación de drogas vegetales, preparados vegetales y productos finales comercializados. Para eso, se desarrollaron cinco estudios. En el primer estudio, se evaluó la calidad de las drogas vegetales, preparados vegetales y productos a base de plantas del fruto del cardo mariano, la raíz y la parte aérea de equinácea y la raíz de cimicífuga, regulados como complementos alimenticios o medicamentos, con los métodos existentes de HPTLC. Se confirmó la idoneidad de estos métodos, utilizando la huella digital completa y varios modos de detección, como una herramienta para detectar problemas de calidad, principalmente adulteraciones. En el segundo estudio, se desarrolló el concepto de análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC (comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting) con el objetivo de simplificar el proceso de control de calidad. Este concepto combina la información cualitativa y cuantitativa de las imágenes de HPTLC, obtenidas en un único análisis, para evaluar la identidad, la pureza y el contenido de los productos a base de plantas. Su aplicabilidad para identificar una droga vegetal, detectar mezclas con especies relacionadas (pureza) y desarrollar un ensayo de contenido mínimo de un marcador analítico se demostraron en la raíz de Angelica gigas. En el tercer estudio, la aplicación del análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC tuvo como objetivo ir un paso más allá en el ensayo de adulterantes y evaluar el uso de la HPTLC para el ensayo límite de pureza. Este enfoque se evaluó con muestras de hoja y extracto de ginkgo, comercializados como complementos alimenticios en diferentes países. Este estudio demostró que la información contenida en las huellas dactilares por HPTLC era adecuada para verificar los niveles de rutina y quercetina, proporcionando resultados similares a los del ensayo límite por HPLC. También fue útil para detectar mezclas de productos de ginkgo no sólo con rutina y quercetina, sino también con parte aérea de trigo sarraceno y sófora (botón floral y fruto). En el cuarto estudio, se evaluó el uso del análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC como un método alternativo a la actual valoración de marcadores por HPLC en drogas vegetales de la medicina tradicional china (MTC) en la Ph. Eur. El objetivo de este proyecto era simplificar la determinación del contenido y, por lo tanto, reducir el número de pruebas a realizar durante el control de calidad. Para esta evaluación, dos drogas vegetales de la MTC fueron elegidas por los expertos del grupo de trabajo TCM de la Ph. Eur.: bulbo de Fritillaria thunbergii y rizoma coridalis. En ambos casos, se demostró que la huella digital completa de HPTLC era útil para la identificación y el ensayo de contenido mínimo en un solo análisis. El quinto estudio va un paso más allá en la determinación del contenido. Si bien los estudios anteriores se centraron en la cuantificación de marcadores individuales, este estudio tuvo como objetivo aplicar el análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC a la cuantificación de un grupo de componentes en una droga vegetal, como un ejemplo de una evaluación más holística de la calidad. Esta determinación se combinó con los ensayos de identidad y pureza. Para ilustrar este concepto, se eligió el carpóforo de Ganoderma lucidum. En este trabajo, se ha demostrado que la HPTLC es una técnica útil para el control de calidad rutinario de drogas y preparados vegetales y productos a base de plantas, y que se puede simplificar este proceso aplicando el concepto de análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC. Se ha elaborado una guía detallada (incluida en la tesis) sobre cómo desarrollar, validar y aplicar métodos de análisis integral de la huella dactilar por HPTLC para el control de calidad rutinario de productos a base de plantas.

Oily skin from overactive sebaceous glands affects self-confidence and personality. There is report of an association between steroid 5-alpha reductase gene (SRD5A) expression and facial sebum production. There is no study of the effect of Asparagus racemosus Willd. root extract on the regulation of SRD5A mRNA expression and anti-sebum efficacy. This study extracted A. racemosus using the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid technique with ethanol and investigated its biological compounds and activities. The A. racemosus root extract had a high content of polyphenolic compounds, including quercetin, naringenin, and p-coumaric acid, and DPPH scavenging activity comparable to that of the standard L-ascorbic acid. A. racemosus root extract showed not only a significant reduction in SRD5A1 and SRD5A2 mRNA expression by about 45.45% and 90.86%, respectively, but also a reduction in the in vivo anti-sebum efficacy in male volunteers, with significantly superior percentage changes in facial sebum production and a reduction in the percentages of pore area after 15 and 30 days of treatment. It can be concluded that A. racemosus root extract with a high content of polyphenol compounds, great antioxidant effects, promising downregulation of SRD5A1 and SRD5A2, and predominant facial sebum reduction and pore-minimizing efficacy could be a candidate for an anti-sebum and pore-minimizing active ingredient to serve in functional cosmetic applications.

27 p., tablas, gráficos, ilustraciones -- El artículo tiene 2 apéndices comprimidos en un archivo WinRAR. -- Postprint del artículo publicado en Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Versión revisada y corregida. -- Este es un artículo distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 3.0 España (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 ES), Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ethnobotany takes into account past uses to be projected into the present and future. Most current ethnobotanical research is focused, especially in industrialised countries, on obtaining information of plant uses from elderly people. Historical ethnobotany is less cultivated, although papers have demonstrated its interest. Particularly poor, but potentially very relevant, is the attention paid to historical herbaria as a source of data on useful plants., Aims of the study: Bearing this in mind, we studied the herbarium of the Catalan pharmacist and naturalist Francesc Bolòs (1773–1844), which contains information on medicinal uses and folk names, with the aim of establishing a catalogue of plants and uses and tracing them through old and contemporary literature., Methodology: The ca. 6000 plant specimens of this herbarium were investigated to assess those including plant uses and names. These taxa have been thoroughly revised. The data have been tabulated, their biogeographic profile, possible endemic or threatened status, or invasive behaviour have been assessed, and the content regarding medicinal uses, as well as folk names, has been studied. The medicinal terms used have been interpreted as per current days’ medicine. The popular names and uses have been compared with those appearing in a certain number of works published from 11th to 20th centuries in the territories covered by the herbarium and with all the data collected in 20th and 21st centuries in an extensive database on Catalan ethnobotany., Results: A total of 385 plant specimens (381 taxa) have been detected bearing medicinal use and folk names information. We collected data on 1107 reports of plant medicinal properties (in Latin), 32 indications of toxicity, nine reports of food use, and 123, 302 and 318 popular plant names in Catalan, Spanish and French, respectively. The most quoted systems are digestive, skin and subcutaneous tissue (plus traumatic troubles) and genitourinary. Relatively high degrees of coincidence of plant names and uses in the herbarium and the literature comparison set have been found. Of the taxa contained in this medicinal herbarium, 294 were native to the Iberian Peninsula, and 86 were alien. Neither endemic nor threatened taxa have been detected, whereas a considerable portion of the alien taxa shows invasive behaviour at present., Conclusions: Our analyses indicate a certain degree of consistency between the medicinal uses of plants recorded in this 18th and 19th century herbarium and the records found in the literature and in recent ethnobotanical datasets, accounting for the robustness of pharmaceutical ethnobotanical knowledge in the area considered. Data appearing on the specimen labels are numerous, pointing out the herbarium as a relevant source of ethnopharmacological information. Special attention should be paid to some original uses contained in the herbarium's labels for further investigation on plant properties and drug design., This research was supported by projects 2014SGR00514 from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) and CSO2014-59704-P from the Spanish government.

Producción Científica, Introduction: Salvia hispanica L., Nigella sativa L. and Papaver somniferum L. are involved in opiate-dependent behavior. It is known that the seeds of these three herbs contain high amounts of antioxidants, which are helpful in disease prevention, but further research is needed on some of their other phytochemical components (terpene alkaloids, benzoquinones and others), which are claimed to affect human opioid receptors. Methods: Seeds from the three afore mentioned plants have been studied by ATR-FTIR vibrational spectroscopy and thermo analytical techniques (TG/DTG, DTA and DSC). Results: The infrared spectrum has confirmed the presence of the ester carbonyl of terpenoid alkaloids (such as nigellamine) and the fully conjugated cyclic dione structure of quinones (e.g., thymoquinone). As regards the thermal stability of these seeds, small differences have been observed in their thermal profiles (endothermic effects at around 333ºC for chia, 268ºC for black cumin and 319ºC for poppy seeds), which can be ascribed to their different content in carbohydrates. Conclusions: The functional groups of the main active constituents and the thermal behavior of these three seeds have been elucidated.

This study consists in the analysis of the marketing and sales potential for the commercialization of the so called green cosmetics coming from moringa oil. Up to now, several industries have taken profit from moringa, which can be consumed almost completely, producing different waste at the end of their procedures. For this reason, this study intends to propose alternative disposals of these waste produced during the processing of the moringa tree, using this subproduct as raw material for the production of green cosmetics, in order to reduce the environmental impact associated to this activity and its resource and energy consumption. • First of all, this study includes a research of the state of the art for the collecting of moringa oil. • Subsequently, a description of alternative waste disposal as part of a green cosmetic supply chain is performed. • Afterwards, the environmental impact reduction is evaluated by means of the carbon footprint. • Finally, it is studied the feasibility and affordability for the commercialization of moringa cosmetics.

[Background] The western Gironès is a district located in NE Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula). This area comprising 186.55 km2 and 10,659 inhabitants is composed of 5 municipalities encompassing 29 villages, located in the hydrographic basins of the Ter and Llémena rivers., [Methods] Following the methodology based on the semi-structured interviews, we carried out 40 interviews with 57 informants, 31 were women and the remaining 26 were men, with an average age of 78.6 years., [Results] In the present study, data from 316 taxa (301 angiosperms, 8 gymnosperms, and 7 pteridophytes) belonging to 89 botanical families were collected. The interviewed informants referred 3776 UR of 298 taxa, 1933 (51.19%) of them corresponding to the food category, 949 (25.13%) to the medicinal ones, and 894 (23.68%) to other uses. In addition, 581 vernacular names for 306 species, subspecies, and varieties have also been collected., [Conclusions] These results reveal the validity of traditional knowledge in the studied area, which can be seriously threatened by the loss of its rural condition and its proximity to industrialized areas., This research was supported by projects 2014SGR00514 and 2017SGR1116 from Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) and PRO2017-S02-VALLES from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans. AG benefited from a predoctoral grant of the Universitat de Barcelona (APIF 2015-2018) and a predoctoral contract of project CGL2017-84297-R of the Spanish government. Finally, we acknowledge support of the publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).

Plant cell and organ cultures of Helianthella quinquenervis, a medicinal plant whose roots are used by the Tarahumara Indians of Chihuahua, Mexico, to relieve several ailments, were established to identify and quantify some chromenes with biological activity, such as encecalin, and to evaluate their potential for biotechnological production. Gas chromatography&ndash, mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis corroborated the presence of quantifiable amounts of encecalin in H. quinquenervis cell cultures (callus and cell suspensions). In addition, hairy roots were obtained through three transformation protocols (prick, 45-s sonication and co-culture), using wild type Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4. After three months, cocultivation achieved the highest percentage of transformation (66%), and a comparable production (FW) of encecalin (110 &mu, g/g) than the sonication assay (120 &mu, g/g), both giving far higher yields than the prick assay (19 &mu, g/g). Stable integration of rolC and aux1 genes in the transformed roots was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Hairy roots from cocultivation (six months-old) accumulated as much as 1086 &mu, g/g (FW) of encecalin, over three times higher than the cell suspension cultures. The production of encecalin varied with growth kinetics, being higher at the stationary phase. This is the first report of encecalin production in hairy roots of H. quinquenervis, demonstrating the potential for a future biotechnological production of chromenes.

© 2020 by the authors., Phytochemicals from Lippia citriodora leaves were extracted by applying an innovative technology based on the use of microwaves, which represents an alternative method to extract bioactive substances. The obtained extract was incorporated into phospholipid vesicles in order to promote the antioxidant effect of the bioactive molecules present in L. citriodora extract. The extract was analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometer by electrospray (HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS) and different phytochemicals were detected and quantified. The whole extract was incorporated in liposomes, glycerosomes (liposomes modified with glycerol) and propylene glycol-containing vesicles (PG-PEVs). Moreover, a biopolymer obtained from fish by-product, that is Thunnus albacares skin, was added to improve the bioactivity of the formulations. The in vitro biocompatibility and the antioxidant efficacy of the extract in solution or loaded in the vesicles were tested in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (3T3). The results showed the superior bioactivity of the vesicle formulations over the aqueous solution of the extract, which points to an interesting strategy for the treatment of skin disorders., This work was funded by projects AGL2015-67995-C3-2-R (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation), P11-CTS-7625 (Andalusian Regional Government Council of Innovation and Science) and RTI2018-096724-B-C22 (Ministry of science, Innovation and Universities). The author Leyva-Jimenez gratefully acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) for the FPI grant BES-2016-076618 given to develop this work.

[Ethnopharmacological relevance] Most ethnobotanical research bases its analyses on individual taxa catalogues and their uses, rather than on mixtures. However, mixtures constitute an important chapter of our different lines of research and they represent a large volume of information. The relevance of these data in folk medicine could be explained as a response to the cure of multicausal etiology diseases or by a possible polyvalent effect of the mixture as opposed to the effect of each taxon alone., [Aims of the study] The main goals are: i) to perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of these mixtures; ii) to carry out a comparison among the mixtures in two Catalan territories and their floristic composition; iii) to assess the worth of families association; and, iv) to evaluate whether the plants claimed to be used in mixtures have contraindications or possible negative interactions according to phytopharmaceutical literature. The ultimate goal is to test a protocol that can be implemented in similar studies., [Materials and methods] We have used data on medicinal plant mixtures obtained from two extensive ethnobotanical field studies carried out in two Catalan districts, Alt Empordà and Ripollès. The quantitative analyses by means of descriptive statistics were carried out with Excel. New contributions like the implementation of the Shannon index to quantify the diversity of families in plant combinations, the creation of a new index to calculate the taxon importance in mixtures, or the use of a social network analysis to study the connection between botanical families have been employed in this work., [Results] In total, a set of 484 mixtures from Alt Empordà and Ripollès (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula) have been analysed: 462 for human use and 22 for veterinary. Thymus vulgaris and Rosmarinus officinalis are among the most commonly used species in mixtures. The aerial part of the plant is the most used, and the anticatarrhal usage is the most frequent in both territories. A wide diversity of families has been observed in mixtures and reflects a strong bond between the number of taxa and the number of families in each mixture, being almost equal to one. The Shannon diversity index applied to mixtures has the maximum value at 0.86. No exclusive plants are used in mixtures, as reflected on the index of taxon usefulness in mixtures (ITUM), proposed in the present work. The association of families is strong between Lamiaceae (12.12%) and Asteraceae with Lamiaceae (11.69%). Finally, the informant consensus factor (0.85) reflects the strong consistency of data reported by the interviewees., [Conclusions] The present analysis has confirmed that it is possible to study the data of plants in mixtures as thoroughly as when they are considered in isolation in an ethnofloristic catalogue, and maybe this kind of ethnobotanical investigation could be a first step for future pharmacological studies that may result in a relevant complement to the current phytotherapy market., This research was supported by projects 2014SGR00514 from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government), PRO2017-S02-VALLES from the Institut d’Estudis Catalans (IEC, Catalan Academy of Sciences and Humanities), and CSO2014-59704-P from the Spanish Government. A. Gras received a predoctoral grant of the Universitat de Barcelona (APIF 2015-2018).

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/128014, The introduction of high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for quality control of herbal products, using standardised methodology and system suitability tests for the qualification of the plates, has improved reproducibility. The use of intensity markers implemented by the Ph. Eur. improved the description and interpretation of the chromatograms. Quantitative information can be retrieved from the electronic images of the chromatograms and used for comprehensive HPTLC fingerprinting: a single HPTLC analysis gives information on identity, purity and content of an herbal drug/preparation/product, simplifying the quality control.

II Congreso de Alimentación, Nutrición y Dietética. Avances en Nutrición y Dietética Clínica: Prevención, Tratamiento y Gestión - Rol del Dietista-Nutricionista

El Lluçanès (Catalunya central) és un territori que ha mantingut viva la tradició d’usar remeis populars per a curar determinades malalties. Des de fa uns anys s’hi està duent a terme una recerca etnològica i etnobotànica que permet constatar la vigència d’aquests usos i a la vegada completar altres recerques fetes anteriorment. En aquest article expliquem els aspectes metodològics en què es basa aquesta investigació i alguns dels resultats obtinguts.

The medicinal plant Ajuga bracteosa is a rich source of biologically active and metabolism-enhancing phytoecdysteroids. Transgenic hairy roots from A. bracteosa were obtained by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains A4, LBA-9402 and ARqua1. The 59 selectively established and rolC-positive hairy root lines increased in size up to 6.6-fold (L42) after one month of in vitro culturing and produced a phytoecdysteroid content ranging from 69.3 to 4449 μg g−1 (L3 and A2, respectively). The clones of these transgenic roots were maintained for successive subcultures on hormone-free medium to obtain a stabilized morphology. Hairy roots displayed four different morphologies: typical hairy root (THR) (59%), callus-like (CM) (17%), thick (TK) (14%) and thin (TN) (10%). The growth rate of the transgenic hairy root lines varied according to their morphology, with CM showing the highest rate (3.93-fold per month). However, THR exhibited the highest phytoecdysteroid content (1538.5 μg g−1). Considering the hairy root morphology in relation to the pRi TR-DNA genes, 100% of the hairy root lines harbored the mas1 and ags genes and 90% of CM lines the aux1 gene. Strikingly, the clones with TK morphology were all positive for the TL- and TR-DNA genes. In contrast, 0% of TN clones harbored the aux1 and ags genes, and only 16.7% the mas1 gene. All CM and TK hairy roots were positive for the ags gene, while mas1 was present in all hairy root types except TN. As expected, all the root lines considered in this work were positive for the rol C gene. Eleven hairy root lines displaying a high growth rate and phytoecdysteroid content were elicited with methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and coronatine (Cor). MeJ doubled the phytoecdysteroid content after 14 days of elicitation (8356 μg g−1 in L2) compared with unelicited control hairy roots, and in in vitro-grown untransformed roots the increase was 5.6-fold.

In Valencia Region (Spain), some wild and cultivated sages are used for medicinal purposes. Among them, Salvia officinalis subsp. lavandulifolia (SL) is widely employed and known for production of Spanish sage oil and herbal products. Nevertheless, it shares the market with S. blancoana subsp. mariolensis (SB) and, to a lesser extent, with their hybrid S. x hegelmaieri (SH). The knowledge on these two species is far low and confusion between them is possible. The aim of the present paper is to improve the ethnopharmacological, morphological and chemical knowledge of these sages, and to contribute to setting up quality specifications for improving identification and distinction from other Salvia species, such as, S. officinalis subsp. officinalis, S. x auriculata and S. microphylla var. microphylla. Samples were collected in Valencia Region and surrounding mountain areas during the ethnopharmacological field work. Twenty-nine medicinal uses were reported for SL, 13 of them being also recorded for SB. Of particular interest is a homemade liquor, used as digestive and known as “salvieta,” which is mainly prepared with SB. The macro- and microscopic characters are insufficient for identification of cut, crushed or powdered material. The study of the essential oil and a HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) fingerprint of their extracts could help to distinguish SB from the other sages. The essential oil from dried aerial parts of SB (content: 1.8–4.5%) was characterized by GC-FID (Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry) showing a composition close to that currently accepted for Spanish sage essential oil in the European Pharmacopoeia, ISO (International Standard Organization) and UNE (Una Norma Española) standards, with 1,8-cineole (13.7–45.7%) and camphor (12.1–28.6%) as major constituents. HPTLC methods, based on the analysis of hydroalcoholic and dichloromethane extracts, allowed to distinguish SB from other Salvia taxa currently found in Valencia region, except from its hybrid SH. This interdisciplinary study, that combines popular knowledge with botany and chemistry, allows to identify the raw herbal material from SB and to distinguish it from other Salvia species, ensuring a proper commercialization as herbal teas or for the preparation of spirits. This work had the financial support through the Borsa d'Estudi Països Catalans of the Institute for Catalan Studies to VM, and the financial support from an ERASMUS Internship (FsTRASBO48) to EH.

Editors: Diego Muñoz-Torrero, Montserrat Riu and Carles Feliu., Ethnobotanical studies have focused with particular intensity -especially in industrialized countries- on food and medicinal plant properties and management claimed by informants. Nevertheless, the uses on the interface between both areas have not been addressed to the same proportion, although they have a very important place both in ethnological and in health issues. We present in this paper the results of ethnobotanical prospections carried out in Catalonia regarding folk functional foods and nutraceuticals. A total amount of 1,888 use reports from 195 taxa, belonging to 64 botanical families, corresponding to this category have been collected and analyzed. The most quoted taxa are Thymus vulgaris, Allium sativum, Ruta chalepensis and Sambucus nigra, the most cited families are Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asteraceae and Apiaceae. Aerial parts of the plants are by an ample margin the most used, and alcoholic beverages are the most common way of preparation of the products, closely followed by the direct ingestion of raw materials. The results obtained in ethnobotanical prospections related to the folk functional food (FFF) concept are numerous and robust enough to appear as promising for new commercial nutraceutical products development., This work was supported by the Catalan government (projects 2005ACOM00024, 2009ACOM00012, 2009ACOM00013, 2009SGR439, 2014SGR514), and the Spanish government (project CSO2014-59704-P).

Linum album is an herbaceous plant with medical interest due to its content of podophyllotoxin (PTOX), an aryltetralin lignan with cytotoxic activity. The study of biotechnological alternatives has generated big interest. Organ and cell in vitro cultures offer the possibility of suppling aryltetralin lignans in accordance with a sustainable and rational utilization of biodiversity, however they need to be improved. Thus, in this work we analyzed the lignan accumulation patterns in four biotechnological systems of L.album in order to find alternatives of bioproduction. The four biotechnological platforms were established with wild type and transformed cell suspension cultures, adventitious roots isolated from in vitro plants, and hairy roots. The predominant lignan produced by wild type and transformed cells was PTOX. The main lignan produced by adventitious and hairy roots was 6- MPTOX, adventitious roots showed to be more productive, and we can infer that the transformation did not change the lignan patterns. In addition, we have studied the response to the elicitor coronatine in these systems. Transformed cells were the most sensitive after elicitation and showed an arrest of biomass growth in relation to other systems. In general, the elicitation increased the lignan content, but the more elicited route in each system resulted to be the less productive. Transcript profiling changed in elicited conditions, specially for the PLR gene in transformed cells. The analysis of morphogenesis development in the production of podophyllotoxin derivatives in callus cultures of Linum album showed that, the absence of plant growth regulators are a predominant factor, to induce the organogenic and the bioproduction as well. Finally, approaches aiming at increasing podophyllotoxin content require multiple enzymatic steps that facilitate the metabolic flow to the final products, most of them forming multiprotein complexes. Based on this, the Yeast two hibrid system allowed to identify CTB5 as a potential interactor of the PLR protein of Linum album, and evidences in other species indicate that CTB5 participates in the phenylpropanoid pathway., Linum album es una planta herbácea con interés farmacológico debido a su alto contenido de podofilotoxina (PTOX), el cual es un lignano de característica ariltetralin con actividad citotóxica. El estudio de las alternativas biotecnológicas ha generado gran interés. Los cultivos in vitro de órganos y células ofrecen la posibilidad de suministrar aryltetralin lignanos en acuerdo con una utilización sostenible y racional de la biodiversidad, sin embargo necesitan ser mejorados. Por tanto, en este trabajo se analizaron los patrones de acumulación de lignanos en cuatro sistemas biotecnológicos de L.album con el fin de encontrar alternativas en la bioproducción. Se establecieron cuatro plataformas biotecnológicas con cultivos en suspensión celular de tipo salvaje y transformados, raíces adventicias aisladas de plantas in vitro y raíces en cabellera. La PTOX fue el lignano predominante producido por células de tipo salvaje y transformadas. El principal lignano producido por las raíces adventicias y raíces transgénicas fue la metoxipodofilotoxina (MPTOX), en general las raíces adventicias fueron las más productivas, por lo cual podemos inferir que la transformación no afecto los patrones de bioproducción. Además, hemos estudiado la respuesta a la coronatina como elicitor en estos sistemas, donde las células transformadas fueron las más suceptibles a la elicitación mostrando una disminución en la biomasa en relación con los otros sistemas. En general, la elicitación aumentó el contenido de lignanos, aunque la ruta principal fue las menos favorecida en cada sistema. El perfil de expresión genética elicitadas, especialmente para el gen PLR en las células transformadas. El análisis del desarrollo de la morfogénesis en la producción de derivados de podofilotoxina en cultivos de callos del Linum álbum mostró que la ausencia de reguladores del crecimiento es un factor predominante para inducir la respuesta organogénica y la bioproducción. Finalmente, las aproximaciones que apuntan a aumentar el contenido de podofilotoxina requieren múltiples pasos enzimáticos que faciliten el flujo metabólico hacia los productos finales, la mayoría de ellos formando complejos multiproteicos. Basado en lo anterior, la técnica del doble hibrido en levadura nos permitió identificar la CTB5 como un potencial interactor de la proteína PLR del Linum álbum, hallada en otras especies como interactor en la ruta metabolica de los fenilpropanoides.

Araujia sericifera is a native perennial, climbing laticiferous shrub from South America that is currently naturalized in many other countries. Previous data describe promising properties for A. sericifera, but no systematic study of its bioactive compounds and possible medicinal applications has been conducted to date. In the present study, aerial parts of A. sericifera (leaves, stems, and fruits) were explored by combining GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy analysis for both nonpolar (hexane) and polar (methanol) extracts. The hexanic extracts contained high amounts of pentacyclic triterpenes including two new metabolites, 3-tigloyl germanicol (18) and 3-tigloyl lupeol (19). The methanolic extracts revealed the presence of luteolin-7-glucoside (24), trigonelline (22), and conduritol F (23) as the main constituents. A multivariate study of a meaningful number of extracts allowed us to determine the distribution of compounds inside the plant. A cytotoxic evaluation in vitro showed that both leaf and fruit hexanic extracts presented a moderate activity against human breast carcinoma cell lines (MDA-MB-453 and MCF-7) and human colon carcinoma cell line (HCT-116) by the MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] assay.

Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpene found in a variety of natural sources, ranging from herbal remedies used in traditional Asian medicine to edible vegetables and fruits present in the Mediterranean diet. In recent years, several studies have proved that maslinic acid exerts a wide range of biological activities, i.e. antitumor, antidiabetic, antioxidant, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antiparasitic and growth-stimulating. Experimental models used for the assessment of maslinic acid effects include established cell lines, which have been often used to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action, and also animal models of different disorders, which have confirmed the effects of the triterpene in vivo. Overall, and supported by the lack of adverse effects in mice, the results provide evidence of the potential of maslinic acid as a nutraceutical, not only for health promotion, but also as a therapeutic adjuvant in the treatment of several disorders.

Molecules derived from plants make up a sizeable proportion of the drugs currently available on the market. These include a number of secondary metabolite compounds the monetary value of which is very high. New pharmaceuticals often originate in nature. Approximately 50% of new drug entities against cancer or microbial infections are derived from plants or micro-organisms. However, these compounds are structurally often too complex to be economically manufactured by chemical synthesis, and frequently isolation from naturally grown or cultivated plants is not a sustainable option. Therefore the biotechnological production of high-value plant secondary metabolites in cultivated cells is potentially an attractive alternative. Compared to microbial systems eukaryotic organisms such as plants are far more complex, and our understanding of the metabolic pathways in plants and their regulation at the systems level has been rather poor until recently. However, metabolic engineering including advanced multigene transformation techniques and state-of-art metabolomics platforms has given us entirely new tools to exploit plants as Green Factories. Single step engineering may be successful on occasion but in complex pathways, intermediate gene interventions most often do not affect the end product accumulation. In this review we discuss recent developments towards elucidation of complex plant biosynthetic pathways and the production of a number of highvalue pharmaceuticals including paclitaxel, tropane, morphine and terpenoid indole alkaloids in plants and cell cultures. VTT and UdL gratefully acknowledge support from European Union Framework 7 Program Integrated Project 222716 SmartCell; European Union Framework 7 European Research Council IDEAS Advanced Grant (to PC) Program-BIOFORCE; COST Actions FA0804 Molecular farming: plants as a production platform for high value proteins and FA1006 Plant Metabolic Engineering for High Value Products.

Projectes Finals dels màsters i postgraus, Institut de Formació Continuada (IL3), Universitat de Barcelona, any: 2011, Tutor: Abel Mariné Font, Mª Carmen Vidal Carou, Diversas plantas son consideradas desde tiempos inmemorables como plantas medicinales y a su vez alimentarias. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron recoger los saberes populares a cerca de las plantas alimentarias con propiedades medicinales que vienen utilizando los pobladores del Concello de Arteixo (A Coruña, Galicia, España) y comparar los usos asignados a estas plantas con los usos recogidos por organismos que utilizan una metodología de evaluación científica (Comisión E del Ministerio de Sanidad alemán, ESCOP, OMS, SEFIT, etc.). Se exponen, por orden alfabético de familia y luego de especie, los aspectos más relevantes (principales constituyentes, acción farmacológica, indicaciones,...) que puedan explicar las propiedades citadas para cada planta. Se entrevistó a 124 personas (106 mujeres y 18 hombres). Se recabó información sobre 49 especies y 8 productos derivados. Destacan como usos medicinales en orden decreciente: tratamiento de afecciones del tracto gastrointestinal (44 %), dolencias del sistema genito-urinario (20,3 %), problemas broncorespiratorios (14 %), enfermedades del sistema cardiovascular (11,7 %), alteraciones el sistema sanguíneo (3,9%), afecciones reumáticas (3,1%), refuerzo del sistema nervioso (2,3%), efectos fortificantes (0,78 %). Las partes de la planta más utilizadas fueron los frutos (38,5 %), seguidos de las hojas (17,3 %) y las semillas (11,5 %). Las formas más habituales de preparación y administración de las plantas en su uso medicinal en orden decreciente fueron: cocción en agua y posterior ingesta del agua de cocción; comer en crudo sin ninguna preparación; cocción y posterior consumo de los fragmentos de la planta cocidos.

Pòster

Local medical systems are key elements of social-ecological systems as they provide culturally appropriate and locally accessible health care options, especially for populations with scarce access to biomedicine. The adaptive capacity of local medical systems generally rests on two pillars: species diversity and a robust local knowledge system, both threatened by local and global environmental change. We first present a conceptual framework to guide the assessment of knowledge diversity and redundancy in local medicinal knowledge systems through a gender lens. Then, we apply this conceptual framework to our research on the local medicinal plant knowledge of the Tsimane’ Amerindians. Our results suggest that Tsimane’ medicinal plant knowledge is gendered and that the frequency of reported ailments and the redundancy of knowledge used to treat them are positively associated. We discuss the implications of knowledge diversity and redundancy for local knowledge systems’ adaptive capacity, resilience, and health sovereignty. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-016-0826-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A día de hoy, la sociedad busca cada vez más, diferentes alternativas a la medicina a base de fármacos. El uso de plantas como remedio medicinal natural data de millones de años atrás. Son muchas las plantas cuyas partes o extractos son utilizadas para el tratamiento de ciertas afecciones o enfermedades tanto del hombre como de animales. En el presente proyecto se han estudiado los extractos de once plantas medicinales de América del Sur, tales como: Bixa orellana (BO), Caesalpinia spinosa (CS), Dracotium loretense (DL), Equisetum arvense L (EA), Maytenus macrocarpa (MM), Myrciaria dubia (MD), Phyllanthus niruri (PN), Physalis peruviana L (PP), Schinus molle (SM), Tabebuia impetignosa (TI), Uncaria tormentosa L (UT). No todas las partes de una planta, arbusto o árbol tienen las mismas propiedades y es por esto que en algún caso se ha trabajado con diferentes extractos de una misma planta. Estos extractos, en su origen fueron preparados como extractos etanólicos. En este PFC estos extractos fueron secados en baño María, luego fueron resuspendidos en una disolución de Cloroformo-Acetona (2:1, v/v), y posteriormente fueron filtrados y añadidos a la disolución de ácido poliláctico (PLA) al 8 %-w/v para su electrohilado o electrospinning. Finalmente, mediante el electrospinning aplicando parámetros operacionales optimizados (distancia, velocidad del flujo y voltaje) se obtuvieron matrices de nanofibras de PLA cargadas con extractos de plantas medicinales. Las nanofibras obtenidas fueron caracterizadas morfológicamente mediante el uso de técnicas microscópicas (como la microscopía óptica y microscopía electrónica de barrido o SEM), y estructuralmente mediante espectrometría infrarroja (FTIR), difracción de Rayos-X, y análisis termogravimétrico (TGA). La liberación de los extractos cargados fue estudiada en función del tiempo y del medio de liberación (buffer fosfato salino o PBS, y PBS-EtOH, respectivamente) usando espectroscopia UV-Vis. Finalmente, la actividad biológica de los extractos cargados en las nanofibras fue estudiada mediante su actividad antimicrobiana contra bacterias Gram-negativas y Gram-positivas (tales como Escherichia coli y Staphylococcus aureus, respectivamente), y mediante la inhibición del crecimiento in-vitro de las líneas de células VERO, MCF-7, COS-1, MRC-5, PNT-2 y PC-3. Por último, se ha efectuado un estudio sobre la sostenibilidad ambiental, el impacto social y económico de este proyecto.

Withania somnifera, commonly known as Ashwagandha, is an important medicinal plant that has been used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine for over 3,000 years. In view of its varied therapeutic potential, it has also been the subject of considerable modern scientific attention. The major chemical constituents of the Withania genus, the withanolides, are a group of naturally occurring C28-steroidal lactone triterpenoids built on an intact or rearranged ergostane framework, in which C-22 and C-26 are appropriately oxidized to form a six-membered lactone ring. In recent years, numerous pharmacological investigations have been carried out into the components of W. somnifera extracts. We present here an overview of the chemical structures of triterpenoid components and their biological activity, focusing on two novel activities, tumor inhibition and antiangiogenic properties of withaferin A and the effects of withanolide A on Alzheimer's disease. The most recent attempts in biotechnological production of withanolides are also discussed.

Se estudiaron las fases de enraizamiento in vitro y aclimatización de Gentiana lutea, L. En los ensayos de enraizamiento el medio de cultivo empleado fue el MS (Murashige y Skoog, 1962) adicionado con auxinas IBA (ácido indolbutírico) y NAA (ácido naftanelacético) en diferentes concentraciones (10, 20 y 40 μM en IBA y 5 y 10 μM en NAA). También se diferenciaron los microbrotes por su tamaño (grande, mediano y pequeño) según ensayo. El material vegetal fue subcultivado en una cámara de incubación a una temperatura de unos 22ºC ± 2ºC y un fotoperiodo de 16 h de luz y 8 h de oscuridad entre 4 y 7 semanas según ensayo. En la fase de aclimatización, los microbrotes fueron trasplantados en bandejas alveolares con diferentes substratos - S1: turba rubia (sphagnum) tamizada y perlita en proporción 2:1 (v/v), S2: turba encalada y S3: turba encalada y tierra natural de genciana en proporción 3:1 (v/v) - y permanecieron bajo condiciones de doble túnel en invernadero o cámara de incubación. Los resultados obtenidos indican que la presencia de IBA en los medios de enraizamiento favorecieron la posterior aclimatización de los microbrotes. La supervivencia del material vegetal en la fase de aclimatización es elevada durante las primeras 5 – 6 semanas. La mejor combinación tamaño microbrote-substrato, en relación a la supervivencia, fue la que combinó tamaño grande y turba, no obstante, el mejor porcentaje de microbrotes aclimatados (enraizados y vivos) se obtuvo en el substrato que contenía tierra natural y con un tamaño de microbrotes pequeño. Sin embargo, los microbrotes aclimatados en turba presentaron un mayor número de hojas, más altura y mayores pesos aéreos, mientras que el substrato que contenía tierra permitió obtener mayor número de raíces.