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.

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.

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.

The genus Pleurotus (Fr.) P. Kumm (Pleurotaceae, Basidiomycota) comprises a cosmopolitan group of mushrooms highly appreciated for their nutritional value and health-promoting benefits. Despite there being many studies about the phytochemical composition of Pleurotus spp., there are very few reports dealing with the phytochemistry, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of P. columbinus Quél. In this study, a mass spectrometry ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC)-QTOF method, coupled with principal component analysis (PCA), was applied to the P. columbinus metabolome in order to investigate the influence of different agri-food residues as growth substrates for P. columbinus cultivation, on the bioactive chemical profile of fruiting bodies and evaluated their potential as antioxidants and antimicrobials. Additionally, a quantitative HPLC-DAD-MS analysis was conducted on phenolic and flavonoid compounds, that could explain, albeit partially, the observed biological effects of P. columbinus extracts. The qualitative metabolic profile identified 97 metabolites, whereas the quantitative HPLC-DAD-MS analysis confirmed the presence of phenolic and flavonoids, in the mushroom extracts, which also showed intrinsic scavenging/reducing and antimicrobial effects. The antibacterial effects were particularly evident against Escherichia coli, whereas Tricophyton and Aspergillus were the dermatophytes more sensitive to the mushroom extracts. The present study supports more in-depth investigations, aimed at evaluating the influence of growth substrate on P. columbinus antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The extracts from P. columbinus revealed valuable sources of primary and secondary metabolites, thus suggesting potential applications in the formulation of food supplements with biological properties, above all in terms of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

The enormous burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in economic and healthcare terms has cast a shadow on the serious threat of antimicrobial resistance, increasing the inappropriate use of antibiotics and shifting the focus of drug discovery programmes from antibacterial and antifungal fields. Thus, there is a pressing need for new antimicrobials involving innovative modes of action (MoAs) to avoid cross-resistance rise. Thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) stand out due to their easy preparation and polypharmacological application, also in infectious diseases. Recently, we reported a small library of TSCs (1-9) that emerged for their non-cytotoxic behaviour. Inspired by their multifaceted activity, we investigated the antibacterial, antifungal, and antidermatophytal profiles of derivatives 1-9, highlighting a new promising research line. Furthermore, the ability of these compounds to inhibit selected microbial and human carbonic anhydrases (CAs) was assessed, revealing their possible involvement in the MoA and a good selectivity index for some derivatives.

Mentha spicata is one of the most popular species in the genus, and it is of great interest as a gastrointestinal and sedative agent in the folk medicine system. In this study, different M. spicata extracts, obtained by the use of four solvents (hexane, chloroform, acetone and acetone/water) were chemically characterized using HPLC-ESI-MS n, which allowed for identification of 27 phenolic compounds. The extracts' antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties were investigated. In addition, neuroprotective effects were evaluated in hypothalamic HypoE22 cells, and the ability of the extracts to prevent the hydrogen peroxide-induced degradation of dopamine and serotonin was observed. The best antioxidant effect was achieved for all the extraction methods using acetone/water as a solvent. These extracts were the richest in acacetin, eriodictyol, hesperidin, sagerinic acid, naringenin, luteolin, chlorogenic acid, chrysoeriol and apigenin. The intrinsic antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties of the acetone/water extract could also explain, albeit partially, its efficacy in preventing prostaglandin E2 overproduction and dopamine depletion (82.9% turnover reduction) in HypoE22 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Thus, our observations can provide a scientific confirmation of the neuromodulatory and neuroprotective effects of M. spicata.

Phragmites australis is a subcosmopolitan species typical of wetlands being studied in Europe for its disappearance from natural stands, a phenomenon called reed die-back syndrome (RDBS). Although it is conjectured that low genetic variability contributes to RDBS, this aspect remains neglected to this day. Using a molecular fingerprinting approach and a sequence analysis of the trnT-trnL/rbcL-psaI regions of cpDNA, this study aimed to compare the genetic structure of stable vs. RDBS-affected P. australis stands from five wetlands of central Italy. Beforehand, in order to characterize the health condition of reed populations, the occurrence of the main macromorphological descriptors for RDBS was considered on 40 reed stands. Soil samples were also collected to examine the total content of heavy metals. The current study analyzed cpDNA in 19 samples and AFLP profiles in 381 samples to investigate the genetic structure of Phragmites populations. Based on the multinomial-Dirichlet model, an analysis of candidate loci under selective pressure was also performed. The relationships among AFLP data, RDBS descriptors and chemicals were evaluated with the use of Linear Mixed Models. The analysis of the cpDNA shows the occurrence of the haplotypes M (the most widespread), and K here recorded for the first time in Italy. Three new haplotypes were also described. The DNA fingerprinting analysis has produced a total of 322 loci (98% polymorphic) and shows the medium-to-high amount of genetic diversity. The significant genetic differentiation among wetlands (Fst = 0.337) suggests either low gene flow or small effective population size. Moreover, the low amount of outlier loci (only 5; l.5% of the total), seems to indicate the scarce occurrence of selective pressure upon the reed's genome. Genetic diversity increased in relationship to the decrease in diameter and of flowering buds of the reed, two of the trends associated with the die-back. The current study rejects the hypothesis that genetic diversity massively contributed to RDBS. Moreover, significant relationships between genetic diversity and the total concentration of some heavy metals (Cr, Cu, and Zn) were highlighted, indicating possible genotoxic effects on P. australis. The current study represents a fact-finding background useful for the conservation of common reed.

Industrial hemp is a multiuse crop whose phytocomplex includes terpenophenolics and flavonoids. In the present study, the phenolic and terpenophenolic compounds were assayed in the water extract of the hemp variety Futura 75. Protective effects were also investigated in human fibroblast and keratinocytes and isolate mouse skin specimens, which were exposed to hydrogen peroxide and/or to the extract (1-500 µg/mL). The results of phytochemical analysis suggested the cannabidiol, cannabidiolic acid and rutin as the prominent phytocompounds. In the in vitro system represented by human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, the hemp extract was found to be able to protect cells from cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. Moreover, modulatory effects on IL-6, a key mediator in skin proliferation, were found. In isolated rat skin, the extract reduced hydrogen peroxide-induced l-dopa turnover, prostaglandin-E2 production and the ratio kynurenine/tryptpophan, thus corroborating anti-inflammatory/antioxidant effects. The in silico docking studies also highlighted the putative interactions between cannabidiol, cannabidiolic acid and rutin with tyrosinase and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, involved in l-dopa turnover and tryptophan conversion in kynurenine, respectively. In conclusion, the present findings showed the efficacy of hemp water extract as a skin protective agent. This could be partly related to the extract content in cannabidiol, cannabidiolic acid and rutin.

Cydonia oblonga Mill., normally known as the quince fruit, has been widely used in agro-food industries mainly to produce jams and jellies. However, other parts of the plants are still underutilized and not completely assessed for their nutraceutical profile. Therefore, in this work, the polyphenolic profile of C. oblonga was investigated using an untargeted metabolomics approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry. Several compounds were identified in the different parts of the plants, including flavonoids (i.e., anthocyanins, flavones, flavan-3-ols, and flavonols), phenolic acids (both hydroxycinnamics and hydroxybenzoics), low-molecular-weight phenolics (tyrosol equivalents), lignans, and stilbenes. Overall, C. oblonga leaves showed the highest in vitro antioxidant potential, as revealed by 2,2-difenil-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assays, being 189.5, 285.6, 158.9, and 348.8 mg Trolox Equivalent/g, respectively. The enzymes acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterases were both inhibited by the different plant parts of C. oblonga, with stems showing the higher inhibitory potential. Interestingly, the fruit extracts were the only parts inhibiting the α-glucosidase, with a value of 1.36 mmol acarbose equivalents (ACAE)/g. On the other hand, strong tyrosinase inhibition was found for stems and leaves, being 72.11 and 68.32 mg Kojic acid Equivalent/g, respectively. Finally, a high number of significant (0.05 < p < 0.01) correlations were outlined between phenolics (mainly anthocyanins, flava-3-ols, and tyrosol equivalents) and the different biological assays. Taken together, our findings suggest a potential exploitation of C. oblonga leaves and stems for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

In this work, the phytochemical profile and the biological properties of Colchicum triphyllum (an unexplored Turkish cultivar belonging to Colchicaceae) have been comprehensively investigated for the first time. Herein, we focused on the evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effects of flower, tuber, and leaf extracts, obtained using different extraction methods, namely maceration (both aqueous and methanolic), infusion, and Soxhlet. Besides, the complete phenolic and alkaloid untargeted metabolomic profiling of the different extracts was investigated. In this regard, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) allowed us to putatively annotate 285 compounds when considering the different matrix extracts, including mainly alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, phenolic acids, and tyrosol equivalents. The most abundant polyphenols were flavonoids (119 compounds), while colchicine, demecolcine, and lumicolchicine isomers were some of the most widespread alkaloids in each extract analyzed. In addition, our findings showed that C. triphyllum tuber extracts were a superior source of both total alkaloids and total polyphenols, being on average 2.89 and 10.41 mg/g, respectively. Multivariate statistics following metabolomics allowed for the detection of those compounds most affected by the different extraction methods. Overall, C. triphyllum leaf extracts showed a strong in vitro antioxidant capacity, in terms of cupric reducing antioxidant power (CUPRAC; on average 96.45 mg Trolox Equivalents (TE)/g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) reducing power (on average 66.86 mg TE/g). Interestingly, each C. triphyllum methanolic extract analyzed (i.e., from tuber, leaf, and flower) was active against the tyrosinase in terms of inhibition, recording the higher values for methanolic macerated leaves (i.e., 125.78 mg kojic acid equivalent (KAE)/g). On the other hand, moderate inhibitory activities were observed against AChE and α-amylase. Strong correlations (p < 0.01) were also observed between the phytochemical profiles and the biological activities determined. Therefore, our findings highlighted, for the first time, the potential of C. triphhyllum extracts in food and pharmaceutical applications.

In this study, the methanolic and infusion extracts of two species, Thymbra capitata and Thymus sipyleus subsp. rosulans, were tested for their chemical composition and biological abilities (antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effects). The extracts yielded total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the range of 83.43-127.52 mg GAE/g and 9.41-46.34 mg RE/g, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed rosmarinic acid to be a major component of the studied extracts (15.85-26.43%). The best ABTS radical scavenging ability was observed in the methanol extract of T. capitata with 379.11 mg TE/g, followed by in the methanol extract of T. sipylus (360.93 mg TE/g). In the CUPRAC assay, the highest reducing ability was also found in the methanol extract of T. capitata with 802.22 mg TE/g. The phosphomolybdenum ability ranged from 2.39 to 3.61 mmol TE/g. In terms of tyrosinase inhibitory effects, the tested methanol extracts (83.18-89.66 mg KAE/g) were higher than the tested water extracts (18.74-19.11 mg KAE/g). Regarding the BChE inhibitory effects, the methanol extracts were active on the enzyme while the water extracts showed no inhibitory effect on it. Overall, the methanolic extracts showed better enzyme inhibition compared to the infusion extracts. Molecular docking also showed the selected exhibited potential binding affinities with all enzymes, with a preference for cholinesterases. Additionally, the extracts were effective in attenuating the LPS-induced increase in COX-2 and IL-6 gene expression in isolated colon, thus indicating promising anti-inflammatory effects. The preliminary results of this study suggest that these species are good natural sources of antioxidants and also provide some scope as enzyme inhibitors, most likely due to their bioactive contents such as phenolic acids, and thus can be exploited for different applications related to health promotion and disease prevention.

The quest for sustainable strategies aimed at increasing the bioactive properties of plant-based foods has grown quickly. In this work, we investigated the impact of exogenously applied phenolics, i.e., chlorogenic acid (CGA), hesperidin (HES), and their combinations (HES + CGA), on Lactuca sativa L. grown under normal- and mild-salinity conditions. To this aim, the phenolic profile, antioxidant properties, and enzyme inhibitory activity were determined. The untargeted metabolomics profiling revealed that lettuce treated with CGA under non-stressed conditions exhibited the highest total phenolic content (35.98 mg Eq./g). Lettuce samples grown under salt stress showed lower phenolic contents, except for lettuce treated with HES or HES + CGA, when comparing the same treatment between the two conditions. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity was investigated through DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate)), and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays, coupled with metal-chelating activity and phosphomolybdenum capacity. An exciting increase in radical scavenging capacity was observed in lettuce treated with exogenous phenolics, in both stress and non-stress conditions. The inhibitory activity of the samples was evaluated against target health-related enzymes, namely cholinesterases (acetylcholinesterase; AChE; butyryl cholinesterase; BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase. Lettuce treated with HES + CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the strongest inhibition against AChE and BChE, while the same treatment under salinity conditions resulted in the highest inhibition capacity against α-amylase. Additionally, CGA under non-stress conditions exhibited the best inhibitory effect against tyrosinase. All the functional traits investigated were significantly modulated by exogenous phenolics, salinity, and their combination. In more detail, flavonoids, lignans, and stilbenes were the most affected phenolics, whereas glycosidase enzymes and tyrosinase activity were the most affected among enzyme assays. In conclusion, the exogenous application of phenolics to lettuce represents an effective and green strategy to effectively modulate the phenolic profile, antioxidant activity, and enzyme inhibitory effects in lettuce, deserving future application to produce functional plant-based foods in a sustainable way.

Recent studies in the agronomic field indicate that the exogenous application of polyphenols can provide tolerance against various stresses in plants. However, the molecular processes underlying stress mitigation remain unclear, and little is known about the impact of exogenously applied phenolics, especially in combination with salinity. In this work, the impacts of exogenously applied chlorogenic acid (CA), hesperidin (HES), and their combination (HES + CA) have been investigated in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through untargeted metabolomics to evaluate mitigation effects against salinity. Growth parameters, physiological measurements, leaf relative water content, and osmotic potential as well as gas exchange parameters were also measured. As expected, salinity produced a significant decline in the physiological and biochemical parameters of lettuce. However, the treatments with exogenous phenolics, particularly HES and HES + CA, allowed lettuce to cope with salt stress condition. Interestingly, the treatments triggered a broad metabolic reprogramming that involved secondary metabolism and small molecules such as electron carriers, enzyme cofactors, and vitamins. Under salinity conditions, CA and HES + CA distinctively elicited secondary metabolism, nitrogen-containing compounds, osmoprotectants, and polyamines.

To avail the possible pharmacological actions of Brideliaferruginea Benth., the present investigation was designed to quantitatively analyze the total flavonoid and phenolic contents and assess the various antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties of leaf and stem bark extracts (ethyl acetate, water and methanolic) of B. ferruginea. Anti-proliferative effect was also investigated against human colon cancer cells (HCT116) as well as the antimicrobial potential against multiple bacterial and fungal (yeasts and dermatophytes) strains. The methanolic and water extracts of the stem bark demonstrated the highest phenolic content (193.58 ± 0.98 and 187.84 ± 1.88 mg/g, respectively), while the leaf extracts showed comparatively higher flavonoid contents (24.37-42.31 mg/g). Overall, the methanolic extracts were found to possess the most significant antioxidant potency. Compared to the other extracts, methanolic extracts of the B. ferruginea were revealed to be most potent inhibitors of acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterases, tyrosinase α-amylase, except α-glucosidase. Only the ethyl acetate extracts were found to inhibit glucosidase. Additionally, the stem bark methanolic extract also showed potent inhibitory activity against E. coli and gram-positive bacteria (MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration): 2.48-62.99 µg/mL), as well as all the tested fungi (MIC: 4.96-62.99 µg/mL). In conclusion, B. ferruginea can be regarded as a promising source of bioactive compounds displaying multifunctional pharmacological activities and thus is a potential candidate for further investigations in the endeavor to develop botanical formulations for pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.

Pleurotus species isolated in vitro were studied to determine the effect of different media on their production of secondary metabolites, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity. The different metabolites among Pleurotus samples covered a total of 58 pathways. Comparisons were made between the metabolic profiles of Pleurotus spp. mycelia grown in two substrates: Potato-dextrose-agar-PDA, used as control (S1), and PDA enriched with 0.5 % of wheat straw (S2). The main finding was that the metabolic pathways are strongly influenced by the chemical composition of the growth substrate. The antibacterial effects were particularly evident against Escherichia coli, whereas Arthroderma curreyi (CCF 5207) and Trichophyton rubrum (CCF 4933) were the dermatophytes more sensitive to the mushroom extracts. The present study supports more in-depth investigations, aimed at evaluating the influence of growth substrate on Pleurotus spp. antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

In the present study, the methanolic, hydro-methanolic, dichloromethane, hexane and aqueous extracts of Salvia ceratophylla L. (Family: Lamiaceae), a lemon-scented herb, were tested for total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activities were evaluated using a battery of assays (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (phosphomolybdenum) and metal chelating). Enzyme inhibitory effects were investigated using acetyl- (AChE), butyryl-cholinesterase (BChE), tyrosinase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase as target enzymes. Regarding the cytotoxic abilities, HepG2, B164A5 and S17 cell lines were used. The phytochemical profile was conducted using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Our data showed that the methanolic aerial extracts possessed the highest phenolic (72.50 ± 0.63 mg gallic acid equivalent per g) and flavonoid (43.77 ± 1.09 mg rutin equivalent per g) contents. The hydro-methanolic aerial extract showed significant DPPH radical scavenging activity (193.40 ± 0.27 mg TE per g) and the highest reducing potential against CUPRAC (377.93 ± 2.38 mg TE per g). The best tyrosinase activity was observed with dichloromethane root extract (125.45 ± 1.41 mg kojic acid equivalent per g). Among the tested extracts, hexane root extract exerted the highest antimicrobial potential with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 0.048 mg mL-1. Methanolic root extract showed the lowest cytotoxicity (28%) against HepG2 cells. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of important polyphenolic compounds including luteolin, gallic acid, rosmarinic acid, to name a few. This research can be used as one methodological starting point for further investigations on this lemon-scented herb.

Hypericum triquetrifolium and H. neurocalycinum were evaluated for their phytochemical content and in vitro bioactivity. NMR analyses were performed on the methanol extract of the aerial parts of H. triquetrifolium to establish the main classes of phytoconstituents. Then, LC-DAD-MSn analyses were performed in order to compare the composition of aerial parts and roots extracts of both Hypericum species, obtained using either methanol or water as solvents. Results, processed using multivariate data analysis, showed a significantly higher phenolic content of methanol extracts compared to water extracts, while minor qualitative differences were observed between the two. Distinctive flavonoid and PAC patterns were observed for H. triquetrifolium and H. neurocalycinum, and specific compounds were exclusively detected in one or the other species. Specifically, the phloroglucinols 7-epiclusianone, hyperfirin and hyperforin were present only in H. neurocalycinum, while hyperforin was detected only in H. triquetrifolium. Extracts were assayed using different in vitro tests to evaluate their antioxidant properties and their inhibitory activity against several enzymes, showing significant antioxidant and metal chelating activities. Furthermore, inhibitory properties against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase and tyrosinase were observed. Multivariate approaches were used to correlate biological data with the phytochemical composition of the different extracts. The results, showing positive correlations between specific chemical constituents and the measured bioactivities, represent preliminary data that could guide future studies aimed at isolating bioactive constituents from H. neurocalycinum and H. triquetrifolium for further pharmacological evaluations.

Studies on age-related differences in clinical and laboratory features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are limited. We aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, laboratory findings of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children younger than 6 months old and compare them with older children.

Epilobium hirsutum is extensively used as a traditional remedy in folk medicine, especially against prostate inflammation. Therefore, we evaluated the chemical profiles and biopharmaceutical potentials of different extracts of E. hirsutum aerial parts and roots. Metabolomic, antioxidant, and enzyme inhibitory profiles were investigated. Human prostate cancer PC3 cells were exposed to the extracts to evaluate antiproliferative effects. Gene expression and bioinformatics analyses were performed to investigate anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Oenothein B and myricetin were prominent compounds in the extracts. In scavenging/reducing assays, the methanol, infusion, and methanol/water extracts exhibited similar activities. We also observed the reduction of PC3 viability occurring following exposure to methanol and methanol/water extracts. According to bioinformatics analysis, myricetin was predicted to interact with COX-2 and TNFα. The interaction between TNFα and oxo-dihydroxy-octadecenoic acid was predicted as well. Intriguingly, the gene expression of COX-2 and TNFα was reduced in PC3 cells after exposure to methanol and methanol/water extracts. These effects were paralleled by the decreased gene expression of IL-8 and NFkB and the inhibition of PGE2 release. Therefore, the present findings suggest the potential use of E. hirsutum for the management of the burden of inflammation and oxidative stress occurring in lower urinary tract diseases, including prostatitis.