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The need for a healthy diet and a renewed interest towards the rediscovery of old culinary traditions has determined a new attention to alimurgic plants. The aim of this work was to evaluate chemical and biological variability in relation to harvest time and site of collection of three wild edible Cichorioideae (Asteraceae) belonging to Calabrian folk tradition: Cichorium intybus L., Sonchus asper L. and Picris hieracioides L. Twelve hydroalcoholic extracts were prepared and evaluated for their total phenolic and flavonoid content. In vitro biological activity was assessed by means of DPPH and β-carotene bleaching test. The abundance of phenolics was significantly affected by the month of collection, being samples collected on November richer in phenolic compounds, and by the site of collection, as samples from lower altitude showed the highest content. The same samples showed also the highest radical scavenging activity. Also the ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation was influenced, being samples collected at lower altitude in November the most active ones. Within the framework of a valorisation of wild edible plant species, this work evidenced that harvest time and site of collection significantly affected phytochemical content and biological activity of investigated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades, different natural compounds have been demonstrated to modulate inflammatory pathways. In this study, methanolic extract ofEchinophora tenuifoliaL. inflorescences was investigated for its chemical composition andin vitroantioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Phytochemical profile was investigated by means of high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses. Myristic acid and palmitic acid were found to be the major constituents. Six terpenes were identified: α-phellandrene, o-cymene, dihydroactinidiolide, neophytadiene, phytol and β-amyrin, and two phenolic compounds: carvacrol and ferulic acid. HPTLC analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction highlighted the presence of the flavonoid glycosides rutin and quercitrin. This sample showed the best diphenylpicrylhydrazyl scavenging capacity, with an IC50value equal to 40.39 μg/ml, and the strongest capacity to protect linoleic acid from peroxidation, as assessed by the β-carotene bleaching test (IC50 = 16.31 μg/ml). All samples inhibited nitric oxide production in cell supernatants in a dose-dependent manner, being the two apolar fractions (n-hexane and dichloromethane) even more active than the positive control indomethacin. A relevant biological activity was observed for dichloromethane fraction (IC50value equal to 39.97 μg/ml). Obtained results indicate that this sample could be an excellent candidate for further investigations aimed at the development of new antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study reports on the α-amylase inhibitory and antimicrobial activities of Senecio leucanthemifolius Poiret. Extracts of S. leucanthemifolius were tested for their antimicrobial and antifungal activities against seven different pathogenic microorganisms using the microdilution technique. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited a strong antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus with a MIC value of 31.25 µg mL-1, while the n-hexane extract showed a significant activity against dermatophytic fungi. S. leucanthemifolius extracts were tested also for their potential hypoglycemic activity through the in vitro inhibition of α-amylase. The dichloromethane extract inhibited α-amylase with a value of 56.6% at 0.05 mg mL-1 and the n-butanol extract showed a value of 89.2% at 1 mg mL-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biovariability of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) Don grown wild in Calabria and Sardinia (Italy) was reported. This species has been characterized through the detection, isolation and quantitative evaluation of chemical markers (a-terpinolene, trans -cariophyllene and neryl acetate) by GC and GC-MS. Antioxidant activity of the methanolic H. italicum extracts using DPPH and ß-carotene bleaching test showed that the Calabrian samples were more active than those from Sardinia. The antibacterial activity of all extracts evidenced the best performance on the Gram positive bacteria particularly on Micrococcus luteus . Moreover, antifungal activity of all extracts was also tested evidencing important results particularly on the phytopathogene fungus Pythium ultimum . In general, as regards the antifungal activity, the extracts from Sardinia were more active than those from Calabria. The phytochemical analysis and the biological activity data suggested a possible use of these plant matrices in alimentary, cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]