Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları

  • MakaleAçık Erişim2024Scopus SJRQ1
    Comprehensive metabolite and biological profile of “Sulmona Red Garlic” ecotype's aerial bulbils

    Chiavaroli, Annalisa; Masciulli, Fabrizio; Ingallina, Cinzia; Mannina, Luisa; Maria Loreta, Libero; Di Simone, Simonetta Cristina; Acquaviva, Alessandra; Nilofar; Recinella, Lucia; Leone, Sheila

    “Sulmona Red Garlic” is a well-known Italian traditional product. Bulbs, used for culinary purposes, have been largely investigated for their medicinal properties whereas aerial bulbils are usually removed as waste material. Here, for the first time, chemical composition and biological properties of the hydroalcoholic extract from aerial bulbils were investigated. Complementary information on metabolite composition were obtained using both NMR based untargeted and HPLC-DAD targeted methodologies. The NMR analysis revealed the presence of sugars, organic acids, amino acids, organosulphur compounds (methiin, alliin, allicin and cycloalliin), and other secondary metabolites. In particular, methiin and alliin were identified for the first time in the NMR spectra of aerial bulbil garlic extracts. Polyphenol content was determined by HPLC-DAD analysis: catechin, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid turned out to be the most abundant phenolics. Hydroalcoholic extract blocked cell proliferation of colon cancer cell line HCT116 with an IC50 of 352.07 µg/mL, while it was non-toxic to myoblast cell line C2C12. In addition, it caused seedling germination reduction of two edible and herbaceous dicotyledon species, namely Cichorium intybus and C. endivia. Moreover, the same extract reduced the gene expression of TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor), HIF1-α (hypoxia-inducible factor), VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor), and transient receptor potential (TRP) M8 (TRPM8) indicating the ability to contrast cancer development through the angiogenic pathway. Final, in silico experiments were also carried out supporting the biological effects of organosulphur compounds, particularly alliin, which may directly interact with TRPM8. The results here reported suggest the potential use of garlic aerial bulbils often considered a waste product as a source in phytotherapeutic remedies.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
    AtıfScopus12OpenAlex13
    ScopusWeb of SciencePubMedİncele
  • MakaleYalnız künye2023Scopus SJRQ2
    Chemical Characterization of Different Extracts from Artemisia annua and Their Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory and Anti-Inflammatory Properties

    Acquaviva, Alessandra; Nilofar; Bouyahya, Abdelhakim; Zengin, Gokhan; Di Simone, Simonetta Cristina; Recinella, Lucia; Leone, Sheila; Brunetti, Luigi; Uba, Abdullahi Ibrahim; Cakilcioğlu, Ugur

    Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae Family) is an important plant in Asia that has been used for treating different diseases, including fever due to malaria, wounds, tubercolisis, scabues, pain, convulsions, diabetes, and inflammation. In this study we aimed to evaluate the effects of different polarity extracts (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70 %) and water) from A. annua against the burden of inflammation and oxidative stress occurring in colon tissue exposed to LPS. In parallel, chemical composition, antiradical, and enzyme inhibition effects against α-amylase, α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, and cholinesterases were evaluated. The water extract contained the highest content of the total phenolic with 34.59 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, while the hexane had the highest content of the total flavonoid (20.06 mg rutin equivalent (RE)/g extract). In antioxidant assays, the polar extracts (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) exhibited stronger radical scavenging and reducing power abilities when compared to non-polar extracts. The hexane extract showed the best AChE, tyrosinase and glucosidase inhibitory effects. All extracts revealed effective anti-inflammatory agents, as demonstrated by the blunting effects on COX-2 and TNFα gene expression. These effects seemed to be not related to the only phenolic content. However, it is worthy of interest to highlight how the higher potency against LPS-induced gene expression was shown by the water extract; thus suggesting a potential phytotherapy application in the management of clinical symptoms related to inflammatory colon diseases, although future in vivo studies are needed to confirm such in vitro and ex vivo observations.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
    AtıfScopus45OpenAlex43
    ScopusWeb of SciencePubMedİncele
  • MakaleAçık Erişim2023Scopus SJRQ1
    Adding New Scientific Evidences on the Pharmaceutical Properties of Pelargonium quercetorum Agnew Extracts by Using In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

    Chiavaroli, Annalisa; Libero, Maria Loreta; Di Simone, Simonetta Cristina; Acquaviva, Alessandra; Nilofar; Recinella, Lucia; Leone, Sheila; Brunetti, Luigi; Cicia, Donatella; Izzo, Angelo Antonio

    Pelargonium quercetorum is a medicinal plant traditionally used for treating intestinal worms. In the present study, the chemical composition and bio-pharmacological properties of P. quercetorum extracts were investigated. Enzyme inhibition and scavenging/reducing properties of water, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts were assayed. The extracts were also studied in an ex vivo experimental model of colon inflammation, and in this context the gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were assayed. Additionally, in colon cancer HCT116 cells, the gene expression of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M (melastatin) member 8 (TRPM8), possibly involved in colon carcinogenesis, was conducted as well. The extracts showed a different qualitative and quantitative content of phytochemicals, with water and methanol extracts being richer in total phenols and flavonoids, among which are flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acids. This could explain, at least in part, the higher antioxidant effects shown by methanol and water extracts, compared with ethyl acetate extract. By contrast, the ethyl acetate was more effective as cytotoxic agent against colon cancer cells, and this could be related, albeit partially, to the content of thymol and to its putative ability to downregulate TRPM8 gene expression. Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract was effective in inhibiting the gene expression of COX-2 and TNFα in isolated colon tissue exposed to LPS. Overall, the present results support future studies for investigating protective effects against gut inflammatory diseases.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
    AtıfScopus35OpenAlex35
    ScopusWeb of SciencePubMedİncele
  • MakaleAçık Erişim2023Scopus SJRQ1
    Screening for Chemical Characterization and Pharmacological Properties of Different Extracts from Nepeta italica

    Acquaviva, Alessandra; Di Simone, Simonetta Cristina; Nilofar; Bouyahya, Abdelhakim; Zengin, Gokhan; Recinella, Lucia; Leone, Sheila; Brunetti, Luigi; Uba, Abdullahi Ibrahim; Guler, Osman

    Plants from the Nepeta genus have been proved to possess different pharmacological properties, among which are antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and cytotoxic effects. Nepeta italica is a medicinal plant traditionally used for its analgesic effects, and in the present study, the phytochemical composition and biological effects of hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), ethanol, ethanol-water, and water extracts of the aerial parts were investigated for determining phenolic composition, antioxidant effects, and anti-inflammatory effects in isolated mouse colon specimens exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Polar extracts were the richest in terms of phenolic compounds, especially rosmarinic acid. In parallel, ethanol, ethanol-water, and water extracts were also the most effective as scavenging/reducing and enzyme inhibition agents, especially towards cholinesterases and α-glucosidase, and in inhibiting the LPS-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) gene expression in mouse colon. This poses the basis for future in vivo investigations for confirming the protective effects of polar extracts of N. italica against inflammatory bowel diseases.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
    AtıfScopus31OpenAlex31
    ScopusWeb of SciencePubMedİncele