Loading...
15 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 15
- Extraction of phenolic compounds from Juglans regia L. leaves using aqueous solutions of eutectic solventsPublication . Cordova, Isabella Weber; Oludemi, Taofiq; Vieira, Vanessa; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Pinho, Simão; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, OlgaThe leaves of Juglans regia L. (walnut tree) are a rich source of bioactive phenolic compounds, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids, which can be used in cosmetic applications due to their antioxidant properties. Conventionally, these compounds are extracted using volatile organic solvents. This study focuses on a more sustainable approach by designing a heat-assisted extraction process using aqueous solutions of eutectic solvents (ES) composed of cosmetic-compatible ingredients aiming for direct incorporation into cream formulations. In this context, aqueous solutions of the ES betaine + urea and betaine + 1,3-propanediol (PPD) were selected, considering their potential as cosmetic ingredients. The screening process targeted the maximum extraction yield of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids), quantified by HPLC-DAD. The selected variables were water content (25, 50 and 75 % in weight) and the molar proportion of the ES components. For comparison purposes, pure water was used as a reference solvent. The total phenolic content ranged between 5.5 and 14.6 mg/g of dry plant. Betaine:urea (2:1), betaine:PPD (1:2), betaine, and PPD, all with 50 % water mass percentage, were among those resulting in higher extraction yields and were further selected for bioactivity analysis. The system containing betaine presented the best antioxidant capacity, analysed through ferric reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging, and TBARS assays. The extracts obtained with PPD presented the highest antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and yeast. The results show the potential of using binary aqueous mixtures of betaine, or 1,3-propanediol, which are simple ingredients in cosmetics formulations, to efficiently extract phenolic compounds from a natural matrix. Moreover, the bioactivity results, particularly in the antioxidant dimension, support using J. regia leaves as a source of natural antioxidants.
- Characterization of in vitro antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties of plant species from Rosaceae familyPublication . Garcia-Oliveira, Paula; Barral Martínez, Marta; Jarboui, Amira; Oludemi, Taofiq; García-Pérez, Pascual; Pinela, José; Mandim, Filipa; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, LillianSince ancient times, humans have employed different plant species to prepare traditional remedies and treat diseases, due to the health-promoting effects associated with these plants. Among them, several species belonging to the Rosaceae family, namely Agrimonia eupatoria L., Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim. and Rosa canina L., which have been used in different preparations, like infusions, decoctions or tinctures, to treat diverse illnesses and diseases [1]. Nowadays, the search for natural derived ingredients has prompted the study of these traditional plants. The present work aimed to evaluate the biological properties of the above-mentioned Rosaceae species, in order to promote their applications in different sectors. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by different in vitro assays: 2,2-diphenylpycrilhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay for inhibition of lipid peroxidation, OxHLIA assay for inhibition of oxidative hemolysis, and reducing power determination. Antitumor activity was tested against four tumor cell lines: MCF-7, CaCo, AGS and NCI-H460. Finally, anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by the inhibition of inflammation on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 murine macrophages. Considering the results, all plant extracts showed antioxidant effects in the tested assays, especially F. ulmaria. All tested extracts also displayed relevant antitumor effects against the four tested tumor cell lines, mostly F. ulmaria, which exhibited the lowest growth inhibition 50 values (GI50) ranging from 34 to 86 μg/mL of extract, presenting a noteworthy cytotoxic effect. Finally, R. canina showed significant anti-inflammatory effects, with effective concentration 50 values (EC50) of 20 μg/mL of extract. Therefore, the studied plants may be considered as promising natural sources of bioactive compounds with multifunctional biological properties for the development of several biobased applications.
- Genetic information influence on phenolic composition and bioactivities of Ceratonia siliqua L. seedsPublication . Marcelino, Sandra Andreia; Mandim, Filipa; Oludemi, Taofiq; Dias, Maria Inês; Barracosa, Paulo; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, LillianCeratonia siliqua L., commonly known as the carob tree is native to the Mediterranean countries and is widely known and consumed. Due to its chemical constituents, flavoring properties, and nutritional benefits, it has the potential to be of significant importance to the food industry1. The carob bean is made up of 90% pulp and 10% seeds. Those seeds are widely used in the food industry as a thickening agent (E-410). However, knowledge about phenolic composition and its relation to biological properties is scarce. This study used seeds of thirteen carob varieties harvested in Algarve, Portugal. The phenolic composition of the hydroethanolic extracts was analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antibacterial properties of the extracts were also analysed. The phenolic composition was analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS. Cytotoxic activity was evaluated by the colourimetric method of sulforhodamine B. Anti-inflammatory activity was determined by inhibition of NO production in murine macrophages. The antibacterial activity was evaluated through the method of successive microdilutions and the antioxidant activity through the TBARS and CAA assays. Seventeen phenolics compounds were tentatively identified, being (Epi)catechin dimer type dimer and apigenin-O-hexosyl-pentoside the most abundant ones (3.08 – 11.67 mg/mL). All the varieties studied exhibited the capacity to inhibit TBARS formation. The extract obtained from the Gasparinha variety was the only one that inhibited the reactive oxygen species formation in the CAA assay. For the cytotoxic activity only Cavi, Cardeira and Pé Comprido varieties demonstrated the ability to inhibit the proliferation of the tumor cell lines tested, without showing a hepatotoxic effect. All extracts presented a broad-spectrum microbial growth inhibition without an efficient bactericidal power. These findings highlight Carob seed as a rich source of structurally diverse biomolecules with potential application as additives in food formulation development. However, further studies are needed to understand the correlation between phenolic compounds and the bioactive properties associated with carob seed tissues.
- Response surface methodology and artificial neural network modeling as predictive tools for phenolic compounds recovery from olive pomacePublication . Silva, Ana Rita; Ayuso, Manuel; Oludemi, Taofiq; Gonçalves, Alexandre; Melgar Castañeda, Bruno; Barros, LillianThis study optimized the extraction of three major phenolic compounds (oleuropein, tyrosol, and verbascoside) from olive pomace using microwave- and ultrasonic-assisted methods. Screening factorial design (SFD) and central composite design (CCD) were employed, and response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were used for data modeling. The microwave-assisted method in the SFD yielded higher compound amounts, with verbascoside showing a four-fold increase compared to the ultrasonic-assisted method. Factors like vessel diameter, ultrasonic power using UAE, and solvent acidity in both techniques had minimally impacted extractability. CCD-RSM revealed temperaturés significantly affect on oleuropein, but improved tyrosol recovery, with the effect on verbascoside being influenced by the temperature range. RSM and ANN integration enhanced understanding and prediction of factor behavior. Microwave-assisted extraction at 113 ◦C for 26 min, with minimum ramp time of 7.7 min, yielded 67.4, 57, and 5.1 mg of oleuropein, tyrosol, and verbascoside per gram of extract, respectively, with a prediction error ranging from 0.83 to 15.19.
- Bioactive properties and phytochemical assessment of Bacupari-anão (Garcinia brasiliensis Mart.) leaves native to Rondônia, BrazilPublication . Zan, Renato André; Fernandes, Ângela; Jedoz, Stephanie; Oludemi, Taofiq; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Pires, Tânia C.S.; Alves, Maria José; Martins, Roberto Carlos Campos; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.Leaf fractions of Garcinia brasiliensis were evaluated concerning their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti inflammatory and cytotoxic properties, and the most active fraction was then fully characterized regarding its phenolic composition using HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn. The ethyl acetate fraction from partitioning of the methanolic leaf extract revealed a strong antioxidant activity that was comparable to Trolox, the positive control. This fraction was also able to show a significant antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and the fungus Candida albicans. However, the dichloromethane fraction was found to present the highest anti-inflammatory (83 ± 9 µg mL−1) and cytotoxic activities, thus presenting slight toxicity using a non-tumor cell line. Regarding the phenolic profile, the ethyl acetate fraction presented twelve flavonoids, with morelloflavone-7’’-O-glucoside (52.1 ± 0.4 mg g−1) and gardinia biflavonoid 2a glucoside (27.5 ± 0.2 mg g−1) being the major compounds identified. These results indicate that leaves of G. brasiliensis might be a potential source of natural biomolecules for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications.
- Extraction of triterpenoids and phenolic compounds from: Ganoderma lucidum: optimization study using the response surface methodologyPublication . Oludemi, Taofiq; Barros, Lillian; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Barreiro, M.F.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.Chitosan is widely used in the preparation of organic-inorganic composite materials, such as n-HAp/CS composites, which find application for bone regeneration. The methods for their preparation are various, and usually based on the preparation of intermediate n-HAp/CS dispersions, which can greatly influence the final properties of the resulting composites since it is expected that homogenous and stable dispersions lead to composite materials with improved final properties. This work hypothesizes that, additionally to process parameters such as pH, n-HAp/CS weight ratio, mixing conditions and the presence of salts, chitosan itself has a high impact on dispersions stability. Thus, the importance of properly control the preparation of the n-HAp/CS intermediate dispersions is highlighted by doing a systematic study where relevant processing parameters were studied at lab scale using ultrasonication, alone or in the presence of chitosan, namely on particle size and zeta potential. Furthermore, and based on the best laboratorial conditions, the production of n-HAp/CS nanocomposite dispersions in continuous mode was attempted through NETmix® technology, an innovative static mixer and reactor developed at the Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP).
- Comprehensive HPLC-DAD-(ESI-)MS/MS characterization and comparison of bioactive molecules from different parts of Ganoderma lucidum sporocarpsPublication . Rodrigues, Daniele Bobrowski; Oludemi, Taofiq; Petros, Peter; Barros, LillianGanoderma lucidum is a well-known medicinal mushroom, both historically and currently. Driven by the ethnopharmacological prospect and the crescent body of scientific evidence that associates G. lucidum intake with health, the interest in its secondary metabolites has been further fostered. Whereas most research on medicinal mushrooms has focused on the comprehensive identification and yields of metabolites throughout their different growth phases, the distribution of those compounds along the sporocarps (fruiting bodies) in the poorly investigated. This study aimed to directly compare the chemical composition of the exterior skin and interior flesh of G. lucidum sporocarps. Dried samples provided by Käapa Biotech (Finland) were homogenised and subjected to ultrasound-assisted extraction with ethanol:H2O (80:20, v/v) at an amplitude of 47% for 15 min. Extracts were analysed in an HPLC-DAD-(ESI-)MS/MS system. Sixtytwo compounds were tentatively identified in both extracts and comprised primarily lanostane-type triterpenes, besides six phenolic compounds. Among the triterpenes, 20 lucidenic and 16 ganoderic acids were found, with Lucidenic acid F and Ganoderic acid D being the major compounds in the flesh and skin. The overall chemical profile was the same regardless of the sporocarp part analysed, but the proportion among the compounds was considerably different. Interestingly, whereas the total triterpene content of the outer part exceeded 3 times that of the inner part, both presented equivalent amounts of total polyphenols. Our results indicate a similar profile but a higher concentration of compounds in the skin when compared to the interior biomass of fruiting bodies. This is the first time a study has examined the variations of triterpenic components between different parts of G. lucidum sporocarps.
- Mushrooms bio-residues valorisation: Optimisation of ergosterol extraction using response surface methodologyPublication . Silva, Ana Rita; Oludemi, Taofiq; Costa, Cristina; Barros, Joana; Ferreira, Inês; Nunes, João; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.The bio-residues of Pleurotus ostreatus, Agrocybe cylindracea, and Pleurotus eryingii were stud-ied as sustainable sources of ergosterol. Its extraction was performed by a heat-assistedextraction technique and optimised using response surface methodology. The responseswere: extraction yield of the residual material (R) from the mushroom bio-residues driedweight (%), the quantification of ergosterol in the M dw (mg E/100 g M dw), and in the R (mgE/g R). The most feasible responses for industrial transference were obtained for P. ostreatusbio-residues, at the optimal conditions of 65.6 min at 30◦C and 43.7 min at 90◦C producing43.72 mg E/g R and 290.90 mg E/100 g M dw, respectively. The model satisfactorily fitted theexperimental data for all responses, thus implying a good agreement between the experi-mental values and those predicted by the model. The study proposes a simple and efficientmethod to produce an ergosterol rich extract from mushroom bio-residues.
- Untargeted metabolomics and in vitro functional analysis unravel the intraspecific bioactive potential of flowers from underexplored Camellia japonica cultivars facing their industrial applicationPublication . Pereira, Antia Gonzalez; Cassani, Lucia; Oludemi, Taofiq; Chamorro, Franklin; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, Lillian; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Lucini, Luigi; Garcia-Perez, PascualThe Camellia genus comprises a vast array of underexplored medicinal plants that merit a systematic valorization to exploit their potential as natural sources of phytochemicals with associated health-promoting properties. In this work, flower extracts from eight poorly characterized Camellia japonica L. cultivars were subjected to polyphenol profiling through untargeted metabolomics combined with in vitro functional analysis. Anthocyanins, mostly represented by cyanidin 3-O-glycosides, flavones, and flavonols, were found as the major constituents of C. japonica flowers, together with hydroxycinnamic acids, tyrosols, alkylphenols, and stilbenes, which were detected for the first time in this species. The application of multivariate statistics revealed a flower colordependent fingerprint of C. japonica cultivars, featuring anthocyanins and other flavonoids as metabolite markers associated with color-flowered cultivars with respect to white-flowered ones. The accumulation of anthocyanins, especially reported in ‘Eugenia de Montijo’ flowers, was highly correlated with the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory properties of the derived extracts, including AGS, Caco-2, and MCF7 cancer cell lines. Moreover, the flavones accumulation reported in ‘Carolyn Tuttle’ extracts was also associated with high rates of free-radical scavenging activity, as well as a potent cytotoxicity against the Caco-2 cell line. In general, C. japonica anthocyanin-enriched flower extracts were revealed as promising candidates for the industrial production of polyphenols with associated biological activities of high interest for critical sectors in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
- Ergosterol rich-extracts from Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm: a comparative study between mushroom and its bio-residuesPublication . Oludemi, Taofiq; Silva, Ana Rita; Costa, Cristina; Prieto Lage, Miguel A.; Barros, Joana; Ferreira, Inês; Nunes, João; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.Edible, medicinal, and wild mushrooms are the three major components of the global mushroom industry, recently accounted for US$ 38.13 billion, and expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% from 2018 to 2026 [1]. Depending on the mushroom industry size, a large amount of bio-residues is generated and often discarded (20 to 35% in weight of fresh mushrooms), even though their content in biomolecules is not necessarily compromised [2]. Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm is one of the most produced edible mushrooms worldwide due to its ability to colonize and degrade a large variety of lignocellulosic substrates [3]. In the present work, P. ostreatus bio-residues (POR) and intact mushrooms (POG) were compared for their ergosterol content. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied using heat-assisted extraction methodology. The combined effect of time (10-150 min) and temperature (30-90°C) was performed using a circumscribed central composite design (CCCD), and the response criteria determined using the HPLC-UV were ergosterol content in mg/g (ergosterol purity) and mg/100g dw (ergosterol extraction yield)