A Simple Method for Evaluating the Bioactive Phenolic Compounds’ Presence in Brazilian Craft Beers

There are a significant number of analytical methodologies employing different techniques to determine phenolic compounds in beverages. However, these methods employ long sample preparation processes and great time consumption. The aim of this paper was the development of a simple method for evaluating the phenolic compounds’ presence in Brazilian craft beers without a previous extraction step. Catechin, caffeic acid, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, hydrated rutin, trans-ferulic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, and formononetin were analyzed in fifteen different craft beers. The method showed good linearity (R² ≥ 0.9966). The limit of detection ranged from 0.08 to 0.83 mg L⁻¹, and limits of quantification were between 0.27 and 2.78 mg L⁻¹. The method showed a satisfactory precision (RSD ≤ 16.2%). A good accuracy was obtained by the proposed method for all phenolic compounds in craft beer (68.6% ˂ accuracy ˂ 112%). Catechin showed higher concentrations (up to 124.8 mg L⁻¹) in the samples, followed by epicatechin (up to 51.1 mg L⁻¹) and caffeic acid (up to 8.13 mg L⁻¹). Rutin and formononetin were observed in all analyzed samples (0.52 mg L⁻¹ to 2.40 mg L⁻¹), and kaempferol was less present in the samples. The presence of plant origin products was determinant for the occurrence of the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds in Brazilian craft beers.     

Phenolic Profiles of Ten Australian Faba Bean Varieties

Although Australia is the largest exporter of faba bean globally, there is limited information available on the levels of bioactive compounds found in current commercial faba bean varieties grown in this country. This study profiled the phenolic acid and flavonoid composition of 10 Australian faba bean varieties, grown at two different locations. Phenolic profiling by HPLC-DAD revealed the most abundant flavonoid to be catechin, followed by rutin. For the phenolic acids, syringic acid was found in high concentrations (72.4–122.5 mg/kg), while protocatechuic, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, and trans-ferulic acid were all found in low concentrations. The content of most individual phenolics varied significantly with the variety, while some effect of the growing location was also observed. This information could be used by food processors and plant breeders to maximise the potential health benefits of Australian-grown faba bean.     

Characterization of Phenolic Compounds,Vitamin E and Fatty Acids from Monovarietal Virgin Olive Oils of “Picholine marocaine” Cultivar

Olive oil is an important product in the Mediterranean diet, due to its health benefits and sensorial characteristics. Picholine marocaine is the most cultivated variety in Morocco. The present research aims to evaluate the phenolic compounds, vitamin E and fatty acids of commercial Picholine marocaine virgin olive oils (VOOs) from five different North Moroccan provinces (Chefchaouen, Taounate, Errachidia, Beni Mellal and Taza), using HPLC-photodiode array (PDA)/electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS, normal phase (NP)-HPLC/ fluorescence detector (FLD) and GC-flame ionization detector (FID)/MS, respectively. The obtained results showed an average content of 130.0 mg kg⁻¹ of secoiridoids (oleuropein aglycone, 10-hydroxy-oleuropein aglycone and ligstroside aglycone, oleocanthal and oleacein), 108.1 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic alcohols (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), 34.7 mg kg⁻¹ of phenolic acids (caffeic acid, ferulic acid and elenolic acid), and 8.24 mg kg⁻¹ of flavonoids (luteolin, luteolin glucoside, apigenin). With regard to vitamin E, α-tocopherol was the most abundant vitamin E (57.9 mg kg⁻¹), followed by α-tocotrienol (2.5 mg kg⁻¹), γ-tocopherol (4.5 mg kg⁻¹) and β-tocopherol (1.9 mg kg⁻¹), while δ-tocopherol was not detected. Moreover, 14 fatty acids were found and, among them, oleic acid (76.1%), linoleic acid (8.1%) palmitic acid (8.7%) and stearic acid (2.5%) were the major fatty acids detected. Finally, heat map and principal component analysis allowed us to classify the studied provinces in terms of VOO chemical composition: Chefchaouen (tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol), Taounate (oleuropein aglycone), Errachidia (ferulic acid, w-3 and w-6), Beni Mellal (oleocanthal) and Taza (luteolin and oleic acid).     

The Influence of Ripeness on the Phenolic Content,Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Pumpkins (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne)

Cucurbita moschata Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) is a plant food highly appreciated for the content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and carotenoids, which contribute to its antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. The purpose of this study was to identify phenolic acids and flavonoids of Cucurbita moschata Duchesne using high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS) at different ripening stages (young, mature, ripened) and determine its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. According to the results, phenolic acids and flavonoids were dependent on the maturity stage. The mature fruits contain the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents (97.4 mg GAE. 100 g⁻¹ and 28.6 mg QE. 100 g⁻¹).A total of 33 compounds were identified. Syringic acid was the most abundant compound (37%), followed by cinnamic acid (12%) and protocatechuic acid (11%). Polyphenol extract of the mature fruits showed the highest antioxidant activity when measured by DPPH (0.065 μmol TE/g) and ABTS (0.074 μmol TE/g) assays. In the antimicrobial assay, the second stage of ripening had the highest antibacterial activity. Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain with an inhibition zone of 12 mm and a MIC of 0.75 mg L⁻¹. The lowest inhibition zone was obtained with Salmonella typhimurium (5 mm), and the MIC value was 10 mg L⁻¹.     

Phenolic compounds,essential oil composition,and antioxidant activity of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill

In this study, methanol extracts (MEs) and essential oil (EO) of Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gill obtained from different parts (root, stem, leaf, and seed) were evaluated in terms of antioxidant activity, total phenolics, compositions of phenolic compound, and essential oil with the methods of 2,2-azino-bis(3ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•⁺), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH•) radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), the Folin–Ciocalteu, liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC−MS), respectively. The root extract of A. purpurascens exhibited the highest ABTS•⁺, DPPH•, and FRAP activities (IC₅₀: 0.05 ± 0.0001 mg/mL, IC₅₀: 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/mL, 821.04 ± 15.96 µM TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), respectively). Moreover, EO of A. purpurascens root displayed DPPH• scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 2.95 ± 0.084 mg/mL). The root extract had the highest total phenolic content (438.75 ± 16.39 GAE (gallic acid equivalent), µg/mL)). Twenty compounds were identified by LC−MS/MS. The most abundant phenolics were ferulic acid (244.39 ± 15.64 μg/g extract), benzoic acid (138.18 ± 8.84 μg/g extract), oleuropein (78.04 ± 4.99 μg/g extract), and rutin (31.21 ± 2.00 μg/g extract) in seed, stem, root, and leaf extracts, respectively. According to the GC−MS analysis, the major components were determined as α-bisabolol (22.93%), cubebol (14.39%), α-pinene (11.63%), and α-limonene (9.41%) among 29 compounds. Consequently, the MEs and EO of A. purpurascens can be used as a natural antioxidant source.     

The Purified Siderophore from Streptomyces tricolor HM10 Accelerates Recovery from Iron-Deficiency-Induced Anemia in Rats

Iron-deficiency-induced anemia is associated with poor neurological development, including decreased learning ability, altered motor functions, and numerous pathologies. Siderophores are iron chelators with low molecular weight secreted by microorganisms. The proposed catechol-type pathway was identified based on whole-genome sequences and bioinformatics tools. The intended pathway consists of five genes involved in the biosynthesis process. Therefore, the isolated catechol-type siderophore (Sid) from Streptomyces tricolor HM10 was evaluated through an anemia-induced rat model to study its potential to accelerate recovery from anemia. Rats were subjected to an iron-deficient diet (IDD) for 42 days. Anemic rats (ARs) were then divided into six groups, and normal rats (NRs) fed a standard diet (SD) were used as a positive control group. For the recovery experiment, ARs were treated as a group I; fed an IDD (AR), group II; fed an SD (AR + SD), group III, and IV, fed an SD with an intraperitoneal injection of 1 μg Sid Kg⁻¹ (AR + SD + Sid1) and 5 μg Sid Kg⁻¹ (AR + SD + Sid5) twice per week. Group V and VI were fed an iron-enriched diet (IED) with an intraperitoneal injection of 1 μg Sid Kg⁻¹ (AR + IED + Sid1) and 5 μg Sid Kg⁻¹ (AR + IED + Sid5) twice per week, respectively. Weight gain, food intake, food efficiency ratio, organ weight, liver iron concentration (LIC) and plasma (PIC), and hematological parameters were investigated. The results showed that ~50–60 mg Sid L⁻¹ medium could be producible, providing ~25–30 mg L⁻¹ purified Sid under optimal conditions. Remarkably, the AR group fed an SD with 5 μg Sid Kg⁻¹ showed the highest weight gain. The highest feed efficiency was observed in the AR + SD + Sid5 group, which did not significantly differ from the SD group. Liver, kidneys, and spleen weight indicated that diet and Sid concentration were related to weight recovery in a dose-dependent manner. Liver iron concentration (LIC) in the AR + IED + Sid1 and AR + IED + Sid5 groups was considerably higher than in the AR + SD + Sid1 AR + SD + Sid5 groups or the AR + SD group compared to the AR group. All hematological parameters in the treated groups were significantly closely attenuated to SD groups after 28 days, confirming the efficiency of the anemia recovery treatments. Significant increases were obtained in the AR + SD + Sid5 and AR + IED + Sid5 groups on day 14 and day 28 compared to the values for the AR + SD + Sid1 and AR + IED + Sid1 groups. The transferrin saturation % (TSAT) and ferritin concentration (FC) were significantly increased with time progression in the treated groups associatively with PIC. In comparison, the highest significant increases were noticed in ARs fed IEDs with 5 μg Kg⁻¹ Sid on days 14 and 28. In conclusion, this study indicated that Sid derived from S. tricolor HM10 could be a practical and feasible iron-nutritive fortifier when treating iron-deficiency-induced anemia (IDA). Further investigation focusing on its mechanism and kinetics is needed.     

Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Oxytropis pseudoglandulosa Plant of Mongolian Origin

Oxytropis pseudoglandulosa is used in Mongolian traditional medicine due to its numerous reported health-promoting effects. To date, there are very few scientific reports that describe this species. In this article, its volatile oil composition, lipid extract composition, total phenolic and flavonoid content, antibacterial and allergenic properties are elucidated for the first time. Hexadecanoic acid, fokienol and tricosane were determined as the most notable components of the volatile oil, at 13.13, 11.46 and 5.55%, respectively. Methyl benzoate was shown to be the most abundant component of lipid extract at 40.69, followed by (E)-prop-2-enoic acid, 3-phenyl- and benzenepropanoic acid, at 18.55 and 9.97%. With a TPC of 6.620 mg GAE g⁻¹ and TFC of 10.316 mg QE g⁻¹, the plant extract of O. pseudoglandulosa indicated good antioxidant activity measured by IC₅₀ at 18.761 µg mL⁻¹. Of the 12 tested microorganisms, B. subtilis and S. cerevisiae were the shown to be most susceptible to the plant extract, with MIC at 2.081 and 0.260% (v/v), respectively. Bet v 1—a major birch pollen allergen found in plant-based foods—was determined to be at 192.02 ng g⁻¹ with ELISA. Such a wide spectrum of biological activity indicated by O. pseudoglandulosa lends credence for its application in food industry. Its exerted antioxidant and antimicrobial effects could improve preservation of low-processed food dedicated for consumers afflicted with allergies. Hexadecanoic acid supplemented in foods with dietary plant extracts could add to the potential anti-inflammatory impact. The analysis of lipid makeup suggests O. pseudoglandulosa extract could also be considered as natural pesticide in organic farming.     

Bioactive Components,Volatile Profile and In Vitro Antioxidative Properties of Taxus baccata L. Red Arils

This study aimed at assessing the composition of bioactive compounds, including ascorbic acid, carotenoids and polyphenols, the volatile compound profile and the antioxidant activity of red arils (RAs) of Taxus baccata L. grown in diverse locations in Poland. Among the carotenoids assayed in high quantities (3.3–5.42 μg/g), the lycopene content (2.55–4.1 μg/g) was remarkably higher than that in many cultivated fruits. Samples collected from three sites were distinguished by higher amounts of ascorbic acid (125 mg/100 g, on average) than those found in many cultivated berries. Phenylpropanoids quantitatively dominated among the four groups of phenolic compounds. Chromatographic separation enabled the detection of two phenylpropanoid acids: ferulic and p-coumaric. Irrespectively of the growth site, RAs contained substantial amounts of (-)-epicatechin (1080 μg/100 g, on average). A higher ability to scavenge DPPH^● and ABTS^●+ radicals was found in the hydrophilic fraction of RAs from two sites (Warsaw and Koszalin) compared with the other two sites. The volatile compound profile of RAs was dominated by alcohols, followed by ketones, esters and aldehydes. The presence of some volatiles was exclusively related to the specific growth site, which may be regarded as a valuable indicator. The combination of bioactive and volatile compounds and the fairly good antioxidant potential of RAs render them an attractive source for preparing functional foods.     

Chemical Profile of Lipophilic Fractions of Different Parts of Zizyphus lotus L. by GC-MS and Evaluation of Their Antiproliferative and Antibacterial Activities

Zizyphus lotus L. is a perennial shrub particularly used in Algerian folk medicine, but little is known concerning the lipophilic compounds in the most frequently used parts, namely, root bark, pulp, leaves and seeds, which are associated with health benefits. In this vein, the lipophilic fractions of these morphological parts of Z. lotus from Morocco were studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and their antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. GC–MS analysis allowed the identification and quantification of 99 lipophilic compounds, including fatty acids, long-chain aliphatic alcohols, pentacyclic triterpenic compounds, sterols, monoglycerides, aromatic compounds and other minor components. Lipophilic extracts of pulp, leaves and seeds were revealed to be mainly composed of fatty acids, representing 54.3–88.6% of the total compounds detected. The leaves and seeds were particularly rich in unsaturated fatty acids, namely, (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid (2431 mg kg⁻¹ of dry weight) and (9Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid (6255 mg kg⁻¹ of dry weight). In contrast, root bark contained a high content of pentacyclic triterpenic compounds, particularly betulinic acid, accounting for 9838 mg kg⁻¹ of dry weight. Root bark extract showed promising antiproliferative activity against a triple-negative breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) = 4.23 ± 0.18 µg mL⁻¹ of extract. Leaf extract displayed interesting antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis, presenting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values from 1024 to 2048 µg mL⁻¹ of extract. Our results demonstrate that Zizyphus lotus L. is a source of promising bioactive components, which can be exploited as natural ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Effects of Extraction Methods on Phenolic Content in the Young Bamboo Culm Extracts of Bambusa beecheyana Munro

Nowadays, many studies focus on the potential of bamboo as a source of bioactive compounds and natural antioxidants for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food sources. This study is a pioneering effort to determine the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and free radical scavenging activity, as well as the phenolic identification and quantification of Bambusa beecheyana. The study was conducted by using ethanol, methanol, and water for solvent extraction by applying cold maceration, Soxhlet, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction techniques. The results showed that Soxhlet and ultrasonic-assisted Bambusa beecheyana culm extracts had an increase in the extract’s dry yield (1.13–8.81%) but a constant p-coumaric acid (4) content (0.00035 mg/g) as compared to the extracts from the cold maceration. The ultrasonic-assisted extraction method required only a small amount (250 mL) of solvent to extract the bamboo culms. A significant amount of total phenolics (107.65 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (43.89 ± 0.05 mg QE/g) were found in the Soxhlet methanol culm extract. The extract also possessed the most potent antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ value of 40.43 µg/mL as compared to the positive control, ascorbic acid. The UHPLC–ESI–MS/MS analysis was carried out on the Soxhlet methanol extract, ultrasonic-assisted extract at 40 min, and cold methanol extract. The analysis resulted in the putative identification of a total of five phenolics containing cinnamic acid derivatives. The two cinnamic acid derivatives, p-coumaric acid (4) and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (5), were then used as markers to quantify the concentration of both compounds in all the extracts. Both compounds were not found in the water extracts. These results revealed that the extract from Soxhlet methanol of Bambusa beecheyana could be a potential botanical source of natural antioxidants. This study provides an important chemical composition database for further preclinical research on Bambusa beecheyana.     

Combined microwave-assisted isolation and solid-phase purification procedures prior to the chromatographic determination of phenolic compounds in plant materials

A fast, sensitive and selective procedure employing a combination of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and solid phase extraction (SPE) was applied prior to liquid chromatographic identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in plant materials. MAE has been tested and optimized for the isolation of phenolic acids (gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, chlorogenic, vanilic, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, benzoic, m-coumaric, o-coumaric, rosmarinic, cinnamic acids) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, syringaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and vanillin in various plants. The effects of experimental conditions on MAE efficiency, such as solvent composition, temperature, extraction time, have been studied. The extraction efficiencies were compared with those obtained by computer-controlled, two-step Soxhlet-like extractions. Plant extracts were purified and phenolic compounds were pre-concentrated using SPE on polymeric RP-105 SPE sorbent prior to HPLC analysis. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a Hypersil BDS C₁₈ column using a mobile phase consisted of 0.3% (v/v) acetic acid in water (solvent A) and methanol (solvent B) at flow rate 0.6 ml min⁻¹ and column temperature 30 °C with gradient elution.     

Green Synthesis,Characterization, and Antibacterial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles Obtained by Using Diverse Varieties of Cannabis sativa Leaf Extracts

Cannabis sativa L. (hemp) is a plant used in the textile industry and green building material industry, as well as for the phytoremediation of soil, medical treatments, and supplementary food products. The synergistic effect of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids in hemp extracts may mediate the biogenic synthesis of metal nanoparticles. In this study, the chemical composition of aqueous leaf extracts of three varieties of Romanian hemp (two monoecious, and one dioecious) have been determined by Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-MS). Then, their capability to mediate the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their pottential antibacterial applications were evaluated. The average antioxidant capacity of the extracts had 18.4 ± 3.9% inhibition determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) and 78.2 ± 4.1% determined by 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS™) assays. The total polyphenolic content of the extracts was 1642 ± 32 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) L⁻¹. After this, these extracts were reacted with an aqueous solution of AgNO₃ resulting in AgNPs, which were characterized by UV−VIS spectroscopy, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results demonstrated obtaining spherical, stable AgNPs with a diameter of less than 69 nm and an absorbance peak at 435 nm. The mixture of extracts and AgNPs showed a superior antioxidant capacity of 2.3 ± 0.4% inhibition determined by the DPPH^• assay, 88.5 ± 0.9% inhibition as determined by the ABTS^•+ assay, and a good antibacterial activity against several human pathogens: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Staphylococcus aureus.     

Dynamics of Phloridzin and Related Compounds in Four Cultivars of Apple Trees during the Vegetation Period

Apple trees (Malus domestica Borgh) are a rich source of dihydrochalcones, phenolic acids and flavonoids. Considering the increasing demand for these phytochemicals with health-benefitting properties, the objective of this study was to evaluate the profile of the main bioactive compounds—phloridzin, phloretin, chlorogenic acid and rutin—in apple tree bark, leaves, flower buds and twigs. The variety in the phenolic profiles of four apple tree cultivars was monitored during the vegetation period from March to September using chromatography analysis. Phloridzin, the major glycoside of interest, reached the highest values in the bark of all the tested cultivars in May (up to 91.7 ± 4.4 mg g⁻¹ of the dried weight (DW), cv. ‘Opal’). In the leaves, the highest levels of phloridzin were found in cv. ‘Opal’ in May (82.5 ± 22.0 mg g⁻¹ of DW); in twigs, the highest levels were found in cv. ‘Rozela’ in September (52.4 ± 12.1 mg g⁻¹ of DW). In the flower buds, the content of phloridzin was similar to that in the twigs. Aglycone phloretin was found only in the leaves in relatively low concentrations (max. value 2.8 ± 1.4 mg g⁻¹ of DW). The highest values of rutin were found in the leaves of all the tested cultivars (10.5 ± 2.9 mg g⁻¹ of DW, cv. ‘Opal’ in September); the concentrations in the bark and twigs were much lower. The highest content of chlorogenic acid was found in flower buds (3.3 ± 1.0 mg g⁻¹ of DW, cv. ‘Rozela’). Whole apple fruits harvested in September were rich in chlorogenic acid and phloridzin. The statistical evaluation by Scheffe’s test confirmed the significant difference of cv. ‘Rozela’ from the other tested cultivars. In conclusion, apple tree bark, twigs, and leaves were found to be important renewable resources of bioactive phenolics, especially phloridzin and rutin. The simple availability of waste plant material can therefore be used as a rich source of phenolic compounds for cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and food supplement preparation.     

Characterisation of phenolic compounds of the ethyl acetate fraction from Tabernaemontana catharinensis and its potential antidepressant-like effect

This study evaluates the antidepressant-like effect and analysed the qualitative and quantitative 74 phenolic standards of ethyl acetate fraction from Tabernaemontana catharinensis leaves. Acute administration of fraction in mice reduced the immobility time in forced swimming and tail suspension tests confirming its antidepressant-like activity. The anti-immobility effect elicited by this fraction was prevented by the pretreatment of mice with PCPA (100 mg kg^?1), ketanserin (5 mg kg^?1), SCH 23,390 (0.05 mg kg^?1) or yohimbine (1 mg kg^?1). A sub effective dose of the fraction produced a synergistic effect with fluoxetine (5 mg kg^?1). Chromatographic analysis identified 4-hydroxybenzoic and p-coumaric acids in the ethyl acetate fraction from T. catharinensis. Capillary electrophoresis presented 7.34 ± 0.02 mg g^?1 of p-coumaric acid concentration in the fraction. Therefore, it is possible that antidepressant-like effect elicited by ethyl acetate fraction from T. catharinensis be dependent on the p-coumaric acid.     

Phenolics Profiling of Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br. and Insights into Molecular Dynamics of Their Significance in Type 2 Diabetes Therapy and Its Retinopathy Complication

Adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs in diabetes therapy has prompted the search for novel natural lead compounds with little or no side effects. Effects of phenolic compounds from Carpobrotus edulis on carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes through in vitro and in silico methods were assessed. Based on the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀), the phenolic extract of the plant had significant (p < 0.05) in vitro inhibitory effect on the specific activity of alpha-amylase (0.51 mg/mL), alpha-glucosidase (0.062 mg/mL) and aldose reductase (0.75 mg/mL), compared with the reference standards (0.55, 0.72 and 7.05 mg/mL, respectively). Molecular interactions established between the 11 phenolic compounds identifiable from the HPLC chromatogram of the extract and active site residues of the enzymes revealed higher binding affinity and more structural compactness with procyanidin (−69.834 ± 6.574 kcal/mol) and 1,3-dicaffeoxyl quinic acid (−42.630 ± 4.076 kcal/mol) as potential inhibitors of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, respectively, while isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside (−45.398 ± 4.568 kcal/mol) and luteolin-7-O-beta-d-glucoside (−45.102 ± 4.024 kcal/mol) for aldose reductase relative to respective reference standards. Put together, the findings are suggestive of the compounds as potential constituents of C. edulis phenolic extract responsible for the significant hypoglycemic effect in vitro; hence, they could be exploited in the development of novel therapeutic agents for type-2 diabetes and its retinopathy complication.     

Content of Phenolic Compounds in Meadow Vegetation and Soil Depending on the Isolation Method

The aim of this paper was to determine the effect of the hydrolysis method on the amounts of phenolic compounds in the plant material in soil and, as a consequence, on the parameters to determine the degree of lignins transformation in soils. The study included the plant material (hay, sward, and roots) and soil—Albic Brunic Arenosol (horizon A, AE, and Bsv) samples. Phenolic compounds were isolated at two stages by applying acid hydrolysis followed by alkaline re-hydrolysis. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of phenolic compounds was performed with high-performance liquid chromatography with a DAD. The content of phenolic compounds in the extracts depended on the hydrolysis method and it was determined by the type of the research material. The amounts of phenolic compounds contained in the alkaline hydrolysates accounted for 55.7% (soil, horizon Bsv)—454% (roots) of their content in acid hydrolysates. In the extracts from acid hydrolysates, chlorogenic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids were dominant. In the alkaline extracts from the plant material, the highest content was recorded for p-coumaric and ferulic acids, and in the extracts from soil, ferulic and chlorogenic acids. A combination of acid and alkaline hydrolysis ensures the best extraction efficiency of insoluble-bound forms of polyphenols from plant and soil material.     

Phytochemical Investigation,Antioxidant Properties and In Vivo Evaluation of the Toxic Effects of Parthenium hysterophorus

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a poisonous Asteraceae weed. The phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), and cytotoxicity of Parthenium hysterophorus L. flower extract were evaluated in this study, and the toxic effects were assessed in rabbits. The HPLC-DAD system was used for phytochemical analysis. The hemolytic and DPPH assays were performed. The effects of orally administering the flower crude extract to rabbits (n = 5) at four different doses (10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) for ten days on hematological and biochemical parameters were investigated. The crude extract of the flower contained phenolic compounds such as Gallic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Ellagic acid, and P Coumaric acid, which were detected at different retention times, according to the HPLC results. With a sample peak of 4667.475 %, chlorogenic acid was abundant. At concentrations of 80 µg, the methanolic extract of flowers had total phenolic contents (89.364 ± 4.715 g GAE/g) and total flavonoid contents (65.022 ± 2.694 g QE/g). In the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, 80 µg of extract had the highest cell inhibition of 76.90% with an IC50 value of 54.278 µg/µL, while in the hemolytic assay 200 µg of extract had the highest cell inhibition of 76.90% with an IC50 > 500. The biochemical and hematological parameters were altered in the flower extract-fed groups as compared to the control (p < 0.05). The toxic effects on the blood, liver, and kidneys were confirmed. The findings also confirmed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid content in the flower extract, both of which contribute to the plant’s antioxidant potential.     

Bioprospecting of Coralline Red Alga Amphiroa rigida J.V. Lamouroux: Volatiles,Fatty Acids and Pigments

Due to the lack of phytochemical composition data, the major goals of the present study on Amphiroa rigida J.V. Lamouroux were to: (a) investigate and compare volatilome profiles of fresh and air-dried samples obtained by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis; (b) determine fatty acids profile by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID); (c) obtain the pigment profiles of semipurified extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and (d) evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of its less polar fractions. The comparison of headspace of fresh (FrAr) and air-dried (DrAr) samples revealed many similarities regarding the presence and abundance of the major (heptadecane and pentadecane) and minor compounds. The hydrodistillate (HD) of DrAr profile was quite different in comparison to HD-FrAr. The predominant compound in HD-FrAr was (E)-phytol. In HD-DrAr, its percentage was approximately one-half reduced, but the abundance of its degradation product phytone and of unsaturated and oxygenated compounds increased indicating more intense fatty acid decomposition and oxidation during drying. The fatty acid determination revealed that the most dominant was palmitic acid (42.86%) followed by eicosapentaenoic acid (19.14%) and stearic acid (11.65%). Among the pigments, A. rigida contained fucoxanthin (0.63 mg g⁻¹ of dry fraction), lutein (5.83 mg g⁻¹), β-carotene (6.18 mg g⁻¹) and chlorophyll a (13.65 mg g⁻¹). The analyzed less polar fractions of A. rigida exhibited antioxidant scavenging activity with diammonium salt of 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazolin-6-yl) sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay up to 3.87 mg g⁻¹ trolox equivalents (TE), and with the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay up to 825.63 μmol g⁻¹ TE (with carotenoids as the major contributors).     

Phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of propolis from various regions of Poland

The aim of this work was to determine phenolic acid and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant properties of propolis from different regions of Poland. Total phenolic content of propolis samples ranged from 150.05 to 197.14 mg/g GAE, while total flavonoid content was 35.64–62.04 mg/g QE. The dominant phenolic acid was p-coumaric acid, the content of which was from 37.54 to 116.95 mg/g. The samples also contained much ferulic acid. Among the flavonoids, chrysine and galangine were dominant, and for two samples, naringine was dominant. The propolis samples exhibited various antiradical activity measured towards DPPH^√ (1.92–2.69 mM TE/g) and ABTS^√+ (3.96–4.98 mM TE/g) and reducing power was determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power method (6.23–9.19 mM Fe(II)/g). The significant linear correlations between total phenolic content and antiradical activity and between total phenolic content and reducing power were observed. Moreover, the total flavonoids content significantly correlated with antiradical activity and reducing power.     

Solid-phase/supercritical-fluid extraction for liquid chromatography of phenolic compounds in freshwater microalgae and selected cyanobacterial species

In the present paper a new extraction technique based on the combination of solid-phase/supercritical-fluid extraction (SPE/SFE) with subsequent reversed-phase HPLC is described. The SPE/SFE extractor was originally constructed from SPE-cartridge incorporated into the SFE extraction cell. Selected groups of benzoic acid derivatives (p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, gallic, vanillic and syringic acid), hydroxybenzaldehydes (4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde) and cinnamic acid derivatives (o-coumaric, p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, sinapic and chlorogenic acid) were extracted. Cyclic addition of binary extraction solvent system based on methanol:water (1:1, v/v) and methanol/ammonia aqueous solution was used for extraction at 40 MPa and 80 °C. The p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, vanillic, syringic, caffeic and chlorogenic acid; 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde were identified by HPLC-electrospray mass spectrometry in SPE/SFE extracts of acid hydrolyzates of microalga (Spongiochloris spongiosa) and cyanobacterial strains (Spirulina platensis, Anabaena doliolum, Nostoc sp., and Cylindrospermum sp.). For the identification and quantification of the compounds the quasi-molecular ions [M−H]⁻ and specific fragments were analysed by quadrupole mass spectrometry analyzer. Our analysis showed that the microalgae and cyanobacteria usually contained phenolic acids or aldehydes at μg levels per gram of lyophilized sample. The proposed SPE/SFE extraction method would be useful for the analysis of different plant species containing trace amount of polar fraction of phenols.