Irisin, the soluble secreted form of fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5)-cleaved product, is a recently identified adipo-myokine that has been indicated as a possible link between physical exercise and energetic homeostasis. The co-localization of irisin with neuropeptide Y in hypothalamic sections of paraventricular nucleus, which receives NPY/AgRP projections from the arcuate nucleus, suggests a possible role of irisin in the central regulation of energy balance. In this context, in the present work we studied the effects of intra-hypothalamic irisin (1μl, 50-200nmol/l) administration on feeding and orexigenic [agouti-related peptide (AgRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and orexin-A] and anorexigenic [cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and proopiomelanocortin (POMC)] peptides in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of irisin on hypothalamic dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) concentrations and plasma NE levels. Compared to vehicle, irisin injected rats showed decreased food intake, possibly mediated by stimulated CART and POMC and inhibited DA, NE and orexin-A, in the hypothalamus. We also found increased plasma NE levels, supporting a role for sympathetic nervous system stimulation in mediating increased oxygen consumption by irisin.

Members of the genus Lathyrus are used as food and as traditional medicines. In order to find new sources of biologically-active compounds, chemical and biological profiles of two Lathyrus species (L. czeczottianus and L. nissolia) were investigated. Chemical profiles were evaluated by HPLC-ESI-MSn, as well as by their total phenolic and flavonoid contents. In addition, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, and cytotoxic effects were also investigated. Antioxidant properties were tested by using different assays (DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelation). Cholinesterases (AChE and BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase were used to evaluate enzyme inhibitory effects. Moreover, vitexin (apigenin-8-C-glucoside) and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were further subjected to molecular docking experiments to provide insights about their interactions at molecular level with the tested enzymes. In vitro cytotoxic effects were examined against human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) by using iCELLigence real time cell analysis system. Generally, L. czeczottianus exhibited stronger antioxidant properties than L. nissolia. However, L. nissolia had remarkable enzyme inhibitory effects against cholinesterase, amylase and glucosidase. HPLC-ESI-MSn analysis revealed that flavonoids were major components in these extracts. On the basis of these results, Lathyrus extracts were rich in biologically active components; thus, these species could be utilized to design new phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations.

The endocannabinoid system represents an integrated neuronal network involved in the control of several organisms' functions, such as feeding behavior. A series of hybrids of 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-4-methyl-N-(piperidin-1-yl)-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (mimonabant), a well-known inverse agonist of the type-1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1), once used as an antiobesity drug, and the N-(2S)-substitutes of 1-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]indazole-3-carboxamide with 1-amino-3-methyl-1-oxobutane (AB-Fubinaca), 1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutane (ADB-Fubinaca), and 3-methylbutanoate (AMB-Fubinaca), endowed with potent agonistic activity towards cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 were in solution as C-terminal amides, acids, methyl esters and N-methyl amides. These compounds have been studied by binding assays to cannabinoid receptors and by functional receptor assays, using rat brain membranes in vitro. The most active among them as an agonist, (S)-1-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-N-(3,3-dimethyl-1-(methylamino)-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (LONI11), and an antagonist, (S)-2-(1-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3-methylbutanoic acid (LONI4), were tested in vivo in mic, to evaluate their ability to stimulate or suppress feeding behavior after intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration. For a LONI11 formalin test and a tail flick test after an administration by the subcutaneous (s.c.) and intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) routes, respectively, were also carried out in vivo in mice to investigate the antinociceptive property at the central and peripheral levesl. We observed a significant orexant effect for LONI11 and an intense anorexant effect for (S)-methyl 2-(1-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (LONI2) and LONI4. In zymosan-induced edema and hyperalgesia, LONI11 reduced the percent of paw volume increase and paw latency after s.c. administration, also suggesting a possible peripheral anti-inflammatory activity.

Cataract is the leading reason of blindness worldwide and is defined by the presence of any lens opacities or loss of transparency. The most common symptoms of cataract are impaired vision, decreased contrast sensitivity, color disturbance, and glare. Oxidative stress is among the main mechanisms involved in the development of age-related cataract. Surgery through phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation is the most effective method for cataract treatment, however, there are chances of serious complications and irreversible loss of vision associated with the surgery. Natural compounds consisting of antioxidant or anti-inflammatory secondary metabolites can serve as potential leads for anticataract agents. In this review, we tried to document medicinal plants and plant-based natural products used for cataract treatment worldwide, which are gathered from available ethnopharmacological/ethnobotanical data. We have extensively explored a number of recognized databases like Scifinder, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Scopus by using keywords and phrases such as "cataract", "blindness", "traditional medicine", "ethnopharmacology", "ethnobotany", "herbs", "medicinal plants", or other relevant terms, and summarized the plants/phytoconstituents that are evaluated in different models of cataract and also tabulated 44 plants that are traditionally used in cataract in various folklore medical practices. Moreover, we also categorized the plants according to scientific studies carried out in different cataract models with their mechanisms of action.

Anogeissus leiocarpus (DC.) Guill. & Perr. (Combretaceae) has a long history of use by folk populations for the management of multiple human ailments. Based on the published literature, there has been no attempt to conduct a comparative assessment of the biological activity and the phytochemical profiles of the leaves and stem bark of A. leiocarpus extracted using methanol, ethyl acetate, and water. By high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-ESI-MSn) analysis, quinic, shikimic, gallic, and protocatechuic acids were tentatively identified from all the extracts, while chlorogenic, caffeic, ferulic, and dodecanedioic acids were only characterised from the leaves extracts. Additionally, a pharmacological study was carried out to evaluate potential protective effects that are induced by the extracts in rat colon and colon cancer HCT116 cell line. In general, the methanol and water extracts of A. leiocarpus leaves and stem bark showed potent radical scavenging and reducing properties. It was noted that the stem bark extracts were more potent antioxidants as compared to the leaves extracts. The methanol extract of A. leiocarpus leaves showed the highest acetyl (4.68 mg galantamine equivalent/g) and butyryl (4.0 mg galantamine equivalent/g) cholinesterase inhibition. Among ethyl acetate extracts, the pharmacological investigation suggested stem bark ethyl acetate extracts to be the most promising. This extract revealed ability to protect rat colon from lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress, without exerting promoting effects on HCT116 cell line viability and migration. As a conclusion, A. leiocarpus represents a potential source of bioactive compounds in the development of novel therapeutic agents.

The aim of the present work is to develop nanoemulsions (NEs), nanosized emulsions, manufactured for improving the delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients. In particular, nanoemulsions composed of Neem seed oil, contain rich bioactive components, and Tween 20 as nonionic surfactant were prepared. A mean droplet size ranging from 10 to 100 nm was obtained by modulating the oil/surfactant ratio. Physicochemical characterisation was carried out evaluating size, ζ-potential, microviscosity, polarity and turbidity of the external shell and morphology, along with stability in simulated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), activity of Neem oil alone and in NEs, HEp-2 cell interaction and cytotoxicity studies. This study confirms the formation of NEs by Tween 20 and Neem oil at different weight ratios with small and homogenous dimensions. The antioxidant activity of Neem oil alone and in NEs was comparable, whereas its cytotoxicity was strongly reduced when loaded in NEs after interaction with HEp-2 cells.

The compositions of volatile components in the aerial parts of six Astragalus species, namely A. campylotrichus (Aca), A. chiwensis (Ach), A. lehmannianus (Ale), A. macronyx (Ama), A. mucidus (Amu) and A. sieversianus (Asi), were investigated using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Ninety-seven metabolites were identified, accounting for 73.28, 87.03, 74.38, 87.93, 85.83, and 91.39% of Aca, Ach, Ale, Ama, Amu and Asi whole oils, respectively. Sylvestrene was the most predominant component in Asi, Amu and Ama, with highest concentration in Asi (64.64%). In addition, (E)-2-hexenal was present in a high percentage in both Ale and Ach (9.97 and 10.1%, respectively). GC-MS based metabolites were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA) to explore the correlations between the six species. The PCA score plot displayed clear differentiation of all Astragalus species and a high correlation between the Amu and Ama species. The antioxidant activity was evaluated in vitro using various assays, phosphomolybdenum (PM), 2,2 diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH), 2,2-azino bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing power (FRAP) and ferrous ion chelation (FIC) assays. In addition, the potential for the volatile samples to inhibit both acetyl/butyrylcholinesterases (AChE, BChE), α- amylase, α-glucosidase and tyrosinase was assessed. Most of the species showed considerable antioxidant potential in the performed assays. In the DPPH assay, Ama exhibited the maximum activity (24.12 ± 2.24 mg TE/g sample), and the volatiles from Amu exhibited the highest activity (91.54 mgTE/g oil) in the ABTS radical scavenging assay. The effect was more evident in both CUPRAC and FRAP assays, where both Ale and Ama showed the strongest activity in comparison with the other tested species (84.06, 80.28 mgTE/g oil for CUPRAC and 49.47, 49.02 mgTE/g oil for FRAP, respectively). Asi demonstrated the strongest AChE (4.55 mg GALAE/g oil) and BChE (3.61 mg GALAE/g oil) inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the best tyrosinase inhibitory potential was observed for Ale (138.42 mg KAE/g). Accordingly, Astragalus species can be utilized as promising natural sources for many medicinally important components that could be tested as drug candidates for treating illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress-related diseases.

Like other members of the Colchicum genus, C. szovitsii subsp. szovitsii is also of medicinal importance in Turkish traditional medicine. However, its biological properties have not been fully investigated. Herein, we focused on the evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects of flower, root and leaf extracts, obtained using different extraction methods. In addition, a comprehensive (poly)-phenolic and alkaloid profiling of the different extracts was undertaken. In this regard, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) allowed us to putatively annotate 195 polyphenols and 87 alkaloids. The most abundant polyphenols were flavonoids (83 compounds), whilst colchicine and 2-demethylcolchicine were some of the most widespread alkaloids in each extract analyzed. However, our findings showed that C. szovitsii leaf extracts were a superior source of both total polyphenols and total alkaloids (being, on average 24.00 and 2.50 mg/g, respectively). Overall, methanolic leaf extracts showed the highest (p < 0.05) ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) reducing power (on average 109.52 mgTE/g) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging (on average 90.98 mgTE/g). Interestingly, each C. szovitsii methanolic extract was more active than the water extracts when considering enzymatic inhibition such as against tyrosinase, glucosidase, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Strong correlations (p < 0.01) were also observed between polyphenols/alkaloids and the biological activities determined. Multivariate statistics based on supervised orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) allowed for the detection of those compounds most affected by the different extraction methods. Therefore, this is the first detailed evidence showing that C. szovitsii subsp. szovitsii might provide beneficial effects against oxidative stress and the associated chronic diseases. Nevertheless, the detailed mechanisms of action need to be further investigated.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) is traditionally cultivated as a valuable source of fibers and nutrients. Multiple studies also demonstrated antimicrobial, anti-proliferative, phytotoxic and insecticide effects of the essential oil from hemp female inflorescences. On the other side, only a few studies explored the potential pharmacological application of polar extracts from inflorescences. In the present study, we investigated the water extract from inflorescences of industrial hemp Futura 75 variety, from phytochemical and pharmacological point of view. The water extract was assayed for phenolic compound content, radical scavenger/reducing, chelating and anti-tyrosinase effects. Through an ex vivo model of toxicity induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on isolated rat colon and liver, we explored the extract effects on serotonin, dopamine and kynurenine pathways and the production of prostaglandin (PG)E2. Anti-proliferative effects were also evaluated against human colon cancer HCT116 cell line. Additionally, antimycotic effects were investigated against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, Microsporum gypseum. Finally, in silico studies, including bioinformatics, network pharmacology and docking approaches were conducted in order to predict the putative targets underlying the observed pharmacological and microbiological effects. Futura 75 water extract was able to blunt LPS-induced reduction of serotonin and increase of dopamine and kynurenine turnover, in rat colon. Additionally, the reduction of PGE2 levels was observed in both colon and liver specimens, as well. The extract inhibited the HCT116 cell viability, the growth of T. rubrum and T. interdigitale and the activity of tyrosinase, in vitro, whereas in silico studies highlighting the inhibitions of cyclooxygenase-1 (induced by carvacrol), carbonic anhydrase IX (induced by chlorogenic acid and gallic acid) and lanosterol 14-α-demethylase (induced by rutin) further support the observed pharmacological and antimycotic effects. The present findings suggest female inflorescences from industrial hemp as high quality by-products, thus representing promising sources of nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals against inflammatory and infectious diseases.

Pomegranate is receiving renewed commercial and scientific interest, therefore a deeper knowledge of the chemical composition of the fruits of less studied varieties is required. In this work, juices from arils and decoctions from mesocarp plus exocarp were prepared from fifteen varieties. Samples were submitted to High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector-Mass Spectrometry, spectrophotometric and colorimetric CIEL*a*b* analyses. Antioxidant, antiradical and metal chelating properties, inhibitory activity against tyrosinase and α-amylase enzymes were also evaluated. All varieties presented the same main phenols; anthocyanins and ellagitannins were widely variable among varieties, with the richest anthocyanin content in the juices from the Wonderful and Soft Seed Maule varieties (approx. 660 mg/L) and the highest ellagitannin content in the peel of the Black variety (approx. 133 mg/g dry matter). A good correlation was shown between the colour hue and the delphinidin/cyanidin ratio in juices (R2 = 0.885). Total polysaccharide yield ranged from 3% to 12% of the peels' dry weight, with the highest content in the Black variety. Decoctions (24.44-118.50 mg KAE/g) showed better in vitro antioxidant properties and higher inhibitory capacity against tyrosinase than juices (not active-16.56 mg KAE/g); the inhibitory capacity against α-amylase was similar and quite potent for juices and decoctions. Knowledge about the chemical composition of different pomegranate varieties will allow for a more aware use of the different parts of the fruit.

In the present study, we investigated the water extract of Harpagophytum procumbens DC. ex Meisn. in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Additionally, a microbiological investigation was carried out to discriminate the efficacy against bacterial and fungal strains involved in IBDs. Finally, an untargeted proteomic analysis was conducted on more than one hundred colon proteins involved in tissue morphology and metabolism. The extract was effective in blunting the production of oxidative stress and inflammation, including serotonin, prostaglandins, cytokines, and transcription factors. Additionally, the extract inhibited the growth of Candida albicans and C. tropicalis. The extract was also able to exert a pro-homeostatic effect on the levels of a wide plethora of colon proteins, thus corroborating a protective effect. Conversely, the supraphysiological downregulation of cytoskeletal-related proteins involved in tissue morphology and antimicrobial barrier function suggests a warning in the use of food supplements containing H. procumbens extracts.

The genus Hypericum is one of the most popular genera in both traditional medicine and scientific platform. This study is designed to provide conceptual insights on the biological potential and chemical characterization of H. salsugineum, which is endemic to Turkey. The qualitative and quantitative phenolic content of the extracts was characterized by HPLC-ESI-MSn. Biological efficiency was investigated by enzyme inhibitory assays (cholinesterases, tyrosinase, amylase, and glucosidase) and anti-cancer efficacy tests (anti-proliferative activities with the iCELLigence technology, colony formation and wound healing scratch assays). Phenolic acids (3-O-caffeoylquinic, 5-O-caffeoylquinic, and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acids) were the predominant group in the studied extracts, although several flavonoids were also detected and quantified. The extracts exhibited good inhibitory effects on tyrosinase and glucosidase, while they had weak ability against cholinesterases and amylase. Computational studies were also performed to explain the interactions between the major phenolics and these enzymes. The extracts displayed significant anti-cancer effects on breast carcinoma cell lines. Our findings suggest that Hypericum salsugineum could be valued as a potential source of biologically-active compounds for designing novel products.

Even though Salvia genus is one of the most known and studied taxa of Lamiaceae family, the knowledge regarding the chemical composition and health-related benefits of some locally used Salvia species (mostly endemic) is still scarce. In this regard, the present work aims to evaluate the chemical profile and potential bioactivities of 70% (v/v) ethanolic extracts obtained from the less-studied S. transsylvanica and S. glutinosa in comparison with S. officinalis. HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the presence of rutin and catechin as the main compounds in the extracts of the three studied species (using the employed HPLC method), whereas the presence of naringenin was highlighted only in S. glutinosa extract. Chlorogenic acid, rutin and quercetin were identified and quantified for the first time in S. transsylvanica extracts. The in vitro antioxidant capacity of each extract was tested through complementary methods (phosphomolybdenum assay, DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC and FRAP assays), and correlated with the presence of phenolics (especially flavonoids) in high amounts. The neuroprotective and antidiabetic abilities of S. officinalis (the most active as AChE, BChE and α-glucosidase inhibitor), S. glutinosa (the most active as α-amylase inhibitor) and S. transsylvanica were also studied. For each extract it was determined the antimicrobial, antifungal and cytotoxic effects using in vitro assays. The obtained results confirm the potential of S. transsylvanica and S. glutinosa as promising sources of bioactive compounds and as a starting point for further analyses.

Industrial hemp is a multiuse crop that has been widely cultivated to produce fibers and nutrients. The capability of the essential oil (EO) from inflorescences as antimicrobial agent has been reported. However, literature data are still lacking about the hemp EO antiprotozoal efficacy in vivo. The present study aims to unravel this concern through the evaluation of the efficacy of hemp EOs (2.5 mL/kg, intraperitoneally) of three different cultivars, namely Futura 75, Carmagnola selezionata and Eletta campana, in mice intraperitoneally infected with Leishmania tropica. A detailed description of EO composition and targets-components analysis is reported. Myrcene, α-pinene and E-caryophyllene were the main components of the EOs, as indicated by the gas-chromatographic analysis. However, a prominent position in the scenario of the theoretical interactions underlying the bio-pharmacological activity was also occupied by selina-3,7(11)-diene, which displayed affinities in the micromolar range (5.4-28.9) towards proliferator-activated receptor α, cannabinoid CB2 receptor and acetylcholinesterase. The content of this compound was higher in Futura 75 and Eletta campana, in accordance with their higher scavenging/reducing properties and efficacy against the tissue wound, induced by L. tropica. Overall, the present study recommends hemp female inflorescences, as sources of biomolecules with potential pharmacological applications, especially towards infective diseases.

Industrial hemp is characterized by a huge amount of by-products, such as inflorescences, that may represent high-quality sources of biomolecules with pharmaceutical interest. In the present study, we have evaluated the phytochemical profile, including terpene and terpenophenolic compounds, of the essential oils (EOs) of Futura 75, Carmagnola selezionata and Eletta campana hemp varieties. The EOs were also tested for antifungal properties toward Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, Arthroderma crocatum, Arthroderma quadrifidum, Arthroderma gypseum, Arthroderma curreyi, and Arthroderma insingulare. In parallel, we investigated the inhibitory effects of the EOs against tyrosinase, and the production of prostaglandin E2 in isolated mouse skin exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In human H1299 lung adenocarcinoma cells, we also evaluated the influence of the EOs on the gene expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), which are involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry in human host. E-caryophyllene and α-pinene were the prominent terpenes in the EOs, whereas the cannabidiolic acid was the terpenophenol present at higher concentration. The EOs inhibited the growth of all tested dermatophytes species. In isolated skin specimens, EOs prevented the hydrogen-peroxide-induced synthesis of prostaglandin E2, consistent with the intrinsic antityrosinase activity. Finally, in H1299 cells, all tested EOs reduced the gene expression of ACE-2 and TMPRSS2, as well. Therefore, the present findings highlight the rationale for the use of the present EOs against infectious diseases.

Piper spices represent an inexhaustible reservoir of bioactive compounds that may act as drug leads in natural product research. The aim of this study was to investigate a series of methanolic fruit extracts obtained from P. nigrum (black, green, white and red), P. longum and P. retrofractum in comparative phytochemical and multi-directional biological (antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-enzymatic and anti-melanogenic) assays. The metabolite profiling revealed the presence of 17 piperamides, with a total content of 247.75-591.42 mg piperine equivalents/g. Among the 22 tested microorganism strains, Piper spices were significantly active (MIC < 0.1 mg/mL) against the anaerobes Actinomyces israelii and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The antioxidant and anti-enzymatic activities were evidenced in DPPH (10.64-82.44 mg TE/g) and ABTS (14.20-77.60 mg TE/g) radical scavenging, CUPRAC (39.94-140.52 mg TE/g), FRAP (16.05-77.00 mg TE/g), chelating (0-34.80 mg EDTAE/g), anti-acetylcholinesterase (0-2.27 mg GALAE/g), anti-butyrylcholinesterase (0.60-3.11 mg GALAE/g), anti-amylase (0.62-1.11 mmol ACAE/g) and anti-glucosidase (0-1.22 mmol ACAE/g) assays. Several Piper extracts (10 μg/mL) inhibited both melanin synthesis (to 32.05-60.65% of αMSH+ cells) and release (38.06-45.78% of αMSH+ cells) in αMSH-stimulated B16F10 cells, partly explained by their tyrosinase inhibitory properties. Our study uncovers differences between Piper spices and sheds light on their potential use as nutraceuticals or cosmeceuticals for the management of different diseases linked to bacterial infections, Alzheimer's dementia, type 2 diabetes mellitus or hyperpigmentation.

Shigellosis accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide and is the second most common cause of moderate and severe diarrhoea in children.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) represents one of the most famous foods with antiobesity activity showing a significant efficacy against fat accumulation, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia. In this work, two Italian varieties of common bean, i.e., Tondino del Tavo and Cannellino Bio, from the centre of Italy were studied to characterise their phenolic profile by HPLC-PDA in relation to different fractions after a straightforward extraction procedure. Antioxidant property and enzymatic inhibition power were also evaluated in order to delineate a possible biological profile. Results show a considerable phenolic content (0.79 and 1.1 µg/mg of 3-hydroxybenzoic acid for hexane extract of Tondino del Tavo and Cannellino Bio, respectively; 0.30 µg/mg p-coumaric acid for n-hexane extract of Tondino del Tavo) for both varieties, and a strong antioxidant activity according to the major phenolic concentration of the extracts. The anti-inflammatory activity of the decoction extracts was also investigated through a zymosan-induced edema formation assay, revealing a moderate ability for both of them. These preliminary data prompt us to further explore the nutrient components of these two varieties in the future.

Asteraceae species Tanacetum balsamita L. (costmary) is renowned for its traditional usage as an aromatic, carminative and tonic plant. This work aimed at in-depth study of the phytochemical and in vitro biological profilings of methanol−aqueous extracts from the costmary leaves, flower heads and roots. An UHPLC-HRMS analysis revealed more than 100 secondary metabolites including 24 acylquinic acids, 43 flavonoid glycosides, aglycones and methoxylated derivatives together with 15 phenolic acids glycosides. For the first time, 91 compounds are reported in the costmary. The flower heads extract possessing the highest content of total phenolics and flavonoids, actively scavenged DPPH (84.54 ± 3.35 mgTE/g) and ABTS radicals (96.35 ± 2.22 mgTE/g), and showed the highest reducing potential (151.20 and 93.22 mg TE/g for CUPRAC and FRAP, respectively). The leaves extract exhibited the highest inhibition towards acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (2.11 and 2.43 mg GALAE/g, respectively) and tyrosinase (54.65 mg KAE/g). The root extract inhibited α-glucosidase (0.71 ± 0.07 mmol ACAE/g), α-amylase (0.43 ± 0.02 mmol ACAE/g) and lipase (8.15 ± 1.00 mg OE/g). At a concentration >2 µg/mL, a significant dose dependent reduction of cell viability towards THP-1 monocyte leukemic cells was observed. Costmary could be recommended for raw material production with antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties.

This study was designed to investigate the impact of different extraction solvent systems on the chemical composition and biological activities of Allium scorodoprasum L. (Amaryllidaceae)-the medicinal plant that was traditionally used as a remedy in the medieval period in the Balkans. Targeted chemical analysis of nine different extracts was performed by UHPLC(-)HESI-QqQ-MS/MS. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of the extracts were investigated on sixteen clinical isolates of bacteria, yeasts and dermatomycetes, all isolated from infected human skin and corneal formations. Cytotoxicity and wound-healing properties were tested on human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT cell line). Antioxidant activity was assessed by six different assays, while beneficial potential against certain neurodegenerative diseases and type 2 diabetes was determined in selected enzyme inhibition assays coupled with molecular modeling. The results showed that the obtained extracts were rich in phenolic compounds, especially flavonoid glycosides such as rutin and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside. All of the extracts showed antimicrobial, wound-healing, antioxidant and anti-enzymatic properties. This study is the first of its kind, linking the medieval medicinal use of wild-growing flowers of A. scorodoprasum with contemporary in vitro scientific approaches.