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Advances in Analytical Strategies to Study Bioactive Compounds in Food and Food Waste

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 45148

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via Fabretti, 48, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: analytical chemistry instrumentation; food chemistry; separation science; bioactive compounds; chirality; chromatography; enantiomer separation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via Fabretti 48, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: enantioselective analysis; liquid chromatography; mechanisms of molecular recognition; medicinal chemistry; (bio)pharmaceutica1 analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the study of bioactive compounds in food and food wastes has received great attention from the scientific world. The increasing interest in this topic is strictly related to the well-documented health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds, which justifies the large amount of literature published so far. At the same time, continuous efforts are spent by scientists towards the identification, analysis, and recovery of valuable bioactives from renewable resources. Indeed, food supply chain waste is being revealed as  an unprecedented and valuable resource of precious biomolecules for multiple applications.

Progress in this field is accompanied by the increasing necessity for more robust, efficient, sensitive, and cost-effective analytical methodologies to facilitate easier extraction, purification, and identification of these bioactives from complex matrices. Additionally, the possibility to fully characterize these compounds in terms of safety and quality, in compliance with legislation and consumers’ demands, is also strongly demanded to the operators involved in analytical settings.

Every analytical technique has the potential to be useful and allow deeper insights into the composition and specific characteristics of the sample under investigation.

For these reasons, this Special Issue entitled “Advances in Analytical Strategies to Study Bioactive Compounds in Food and Food Waste” aims to collect novel applications in the field of food chemistry based on advanced methods and strategies enabling to face the new challenges in food and waste handling.

We strongly hope that this Special Issue will provide an analytical perspective and will serve as a useful platform for researchers involved in the field of bioactive compounds.

Dr. Federica Ianni
Prof. Dr. Roccaldo Sardella
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Food analysis
  • Advanced analytical strategies
  • Food and waste processing techniques
  • Food waste valorization
  • Bioactive compounds
  • Health promoting compounds

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3611 KiB  
Article
Effect of Extraction Solvent and Temperature on Polyphenol Profiles, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Red Grape Skin By-Product
by Giovanna Baron, Giulio Ferrario, Cristina Marinello, Marina Carini, Paolo Morazzoni and Giancarlo Aldini
Molecules 2021, 26(18), 5454; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26185454 - 7 Sep 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3493
Abstract
A fully-detailed LC-MS qualitative profiling of red grape skin, extracted with a mixture of ethanol and water (70:30 v:v) has permitted the identification of 65 compounds which can be classified into the following chemical classes: organic and phenolic acids (14 [...] Read more.
A fully-detailed LC-MS qualitative profiling of red grape skin, extracted with a mixture of ethanol and water (70:30 v:v) has permitted the identification of 65 compounds which can be classified into the following chemical classes: organic and phenolic acids (14 compounds), stilbenoids (1 compound), flavanols (21 compounds), flavonols (15 compounds) and anthocyanins (14 compounds). The extraction yield obtained with water at different temperatures (100 °C, 70 °C, room temperature) was then evaluated and the overall polyphenol content indicates that EtOH:H2O solvent is the most efficient and selective for polyphenol extraction. However, by analyzing the recovery yield of each single polyphenol, we found that water extraction under heating conditions is effective (extraction yield similar or even better in respect to the binary solvent) for some polyphenolic classes, such as hydrophilic procyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonol glucosides and stilbenoids. However, according to their lipophilic character, a poor yield was found for the most lipophilic components, such as flavonol aglycones, and in general for anthocyanins. The radical scavenging activity was in accordance with the polyphenol content, and hence, much higher for the extract obtained with the binary solvent in respect to water extraction. All the tested extracts were found to have an anti-inflammatory activity in the R3/1 cell line with NF-kb reporter challenged with 0.01 µg/mL of IL-1α, in a 1 to 250 µg/mL concentration range. An intriguing result was that the EtOH:H2O extract was found to be superimposable with that obtained using water at 100 °C despite the lower polyphenol content. Taken together, the results show the bioactive potentialities of grape skin extracts and the possibility to exploit this rich industrial waste. Water extraction carried out by heating is an easy, low-cost and environmentally friendly extraction method for some polyphenol classes and may have great potential for extracts with anti-inflammatory activities. Full article
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10 pages, 1434 KiB  
Article
Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Fresh Apple Pomace by Different Non-Conventional Techniques
by Luna Pollini, Lina Cossignani, Cristina Juan and Jordi Mañes
Molecules 2021, 26(14), 4272; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144272 - 14 Jul 2021
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 3622
Abstract
Red Delicious apple pomace was produced at laboratory scale with a domestic blender and different non-conventional extraction techniques were performed to isolate phenolic compounds, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), ultraturrax extraction (UTE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and pulsed electric field (PEF) extraction pre-treatment. [...] Read more.
Red Delicious apple pomace was produced at laboratory scale with a domestic blender and different non-conventional extraction techniques were performed to isolate phenolic compounds, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), ultraturrax extraction (UTE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and pulsed electric field (PEF) extraction pre-treatment. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined by Folin–Ciocalteu assay. Phloridzin, the main phenolic compound in apples, was determined by chromatographic analysis Q-TOF-LC/MS. The results obtained with these techniques were compared in order to identify the most efficient method to recover polyphenols. The highest value of TPC (1062.92 ± 59.80 µg GAE/g fresh apple pomace) was obtained when UAE was performed with EtOH:H2O (50:50, v/v), while ASE with EtOH:H2O (30:70, v/v) at 40 °C and 50% of flush was the most efficient technique in the recovery of phloridzin. The concentration of the main phenolic compounds ranged from 385.84 to 650.56 µg/g fresh apple pomace. The obtained results confirm that apple pomace represents an interesti-ng by-product, due to the presence of phenolic compounds. In particular, phloridzin could be considered a biomarker to determine the quality of numerous apple products. Therefore, this research could be a good starting point to develop a value-added product such as a functional food or nutraceutical. Full article
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12 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition, In Vitro Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenolic Compounds from Nutraceutical Fennel Waste Extract
by Luigi Castaldo, Luana Izzo, Stefania De Pascale, Alfonso Narváez, Yelko Rodriguez-Carrasco and Alberto Ritieni
Molecules 2021, 26(7), 1968; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26071968 - 31 Mar 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3408
Abstract
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) waste contains a broad range of bioactive molecules, including polyphenols, which have poor bioaccessibility during gastrointestinal digestion. This work aimed to investigate the bioaccessibility of total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity during simulated gastrointestinal digestion using two [...] Read more.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) waste contains a broad range of bioactive molecules, including polyphenols, which have poor bioaccessibility during gastrointestinal digestion. This work aimed to investigate the bioaccessibility of total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity during simulated gastrointestinal digestion using two nutraceutical formulations based on non-acid-resistant (NAR) and acid-resistant (AR) capsules containing aqueous-based extracts from fennel waste. Moreover, to obtain a comprehensive investigation of the polyphenolic constituents of the fennel waste extract, a high-resolution mass spectrometry (Q-Orbitrap) analysis was performed. Notably, chlorogenic acids, such as 4-caffeoylquinic acid and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, were the most detected compounds found in assayed samples (1.949 and 0.490 mg/g, respectively). After in vitro gastrointestinal digestion, the extract contained in AR capsules displayed higher bioaccessibility in both the duodenal and colonic stages (1.96 and 5.19 mg GAE/g, respectively) than NAR capsules (1.72 and 3.50 mg GAE/g, respectively), suggesting that the acidic gastric conditions negatively affected the polyphenol compounds released from the NAR capsules. Therefore, the aqueous extract of fennel waste could be proposed as an innovative and easily available source of dietary polyphenols. Furthermore, the use of an AR capsule could improve the polyphenol bioaccessibility and can be proposed as a nutraceutical formulation. Full article
20 pages, 2794 KiB  
Article
Flavone-Rich Fractions and Extracts from Oroxylum indicum and Their Antibacterial Activities against Clinically Isolated Zoonotic Bacteria and Free Radical Scavenging Effects
by Patchima Sithisarn, Piyanuch Rojsanga and Pongtip Sithisarn
Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1773; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061773 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2971
Abstract
Oroxylum indicum extracts from the seeds collected from Lampang and Pattani provinces in Thailand, and young fruits and flowers exhibited in vitro display antioxidant and antibacterial activities against clinically isolated zoonotic bacteria including Staphylococcus intermedius, Streptococcus suis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, β [...] Read more.
Oroxylum indicum extracts from the seeds collected from Lampang and Pattani provinces in Thailand, and young fruits and flowers exhibited in vitro display antioxidant and antibacterial activities against clinically isolated zoonotic bacteria including Staphylococcus intermedius, Streptococcus suis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, β-hemolytic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The orange crystals and yellow precipitates were obtained from the preparation processes of the seed extracts. The orange-red crystals from the seeds collected from Lampang province exhibited strong in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging effects (EC50 value = 25.99 ± 3.30 μg/mL) and antibacterial effects on S. intermedius and β-hemolytic E. coli while the yellow precipitate from the same source exhibited only antioxidant activity. Quantitative analysis of phytochemicals in O. indicum samples by spectrophotometric and HPLC techniques showed that they contained different amounts of total phenolic, total flavonoid and three major flavones; baicalin, baicalein and chrysin contents. Young fruit extract, which contained low amounts of flavone contents, still promoted antibacterial effects against the tested bacteria with IC50 values lower than 1 mg/mL and MIC values between 4 to 10 mg/mL in S. intermedius, S. aureus and S suis while higher IC50 and MIC values against P. aeruginosa and β-hemolytic E. coli were found. From scanning electron microscopy, the extract of the young fruit of O. indicum promoted morphological changes in the bacterial cells by disrupting the bacterial cell walls, inducing leakage of the cellular content, and generating the abnormal accumulation of cells. The mechanism of action of the extract for this antibacterial effect may be the disruption of the cell membrane and abnormal cell aggregations. Regression analysis of the results suggests the correlation between total phenolic and total flavonoid contents and antioxidant and antibacterial effects. Baicalin was found to have a high correlation with an inhibitory effect against β-hemolytic E. coli while three unidentified peaks, which could be flavones, showed high correlations with an inhibitory effect against S. intermedius, S. suis, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Full article
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11 pages, 2865 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Dots and Their Application in Ascorbic Acid Detection
by Tengfei Wang, Hui Luo, Xu Jing, Jiali Yang, Meijun Huo and Yu Wang
Molecules 2021, 26(5), 1246; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26051246 - 25 Feb 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 4015
Abstract
Water-soluble fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using citric acid as the carbon source and ethylenediamine as the nitrogen source. The repeated and scale-up synthetic experiments were carried out to explore the feasibility of macroscopic preparation of CDs. The [...] Read more.
Water-soluble fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using citric acid as the carbon source and ethylenediamine as the nitrogen source. The repeated and scale-up synthetic experiments were carried out to explore the feasibility of macroscopic preparation of CDs. The CDs/Fe3+ composite was prepared by the interaction of the CDs solution and Fe3+ solution. The optical properties, pH dependence and stability behavior of CDs or the CDs/Fe3+ composite were studied by ultraviolet spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. Following the principles of fluorescence quenching after the addition of Fe3+ and then the fluorescence recovery after the addition of asorbic acid, the fluorescence intensity of the carbon dots was measured at λex = 360 nm, λem = 460 nm. The content of ascorbic acid was calculated by quantitative analysis of the changing fluorescence intensity. The CDs/Fe3+ composite was applied to the determination of different active molecules, and it was found that the composite had specific recognition of ascorbic acid and showed an excellent linear relationship in 5.0–350.0 μmol·L−1. Moreover, the detection limit was 3.11 μmol·L−1. Satisfactory results were achieved when the method was applied to the ascorbic acid determination in jujube fruit. The fluorescent carbon dots composites prepared in this study may have broad application prospects in a rapid, sensitive and trace determination of ascorbic acid content during food processing. Full article
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20 pages, 3701 KiB  
Article
Computational Analysis of Thermal Adaptation in Extremophilic Chitinases: The Achilles’ Heel in Protein Structure and Industrial Utilization
by Dale L. Ang, Mubasher Zahir Hoque, Md. Abir Hossain, Gea Guerriero, Roberto Berni, Jean-Francois Hausman, Saleem A Bokhari, Wallace J. Bridge and Khawar Sohail Siddiqui
Molecules 2021, 26(3), 707; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030707 - 29 Jan 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3025
Abstract
Understanding protein stability is critical for the application of enzymes in biotechnological processes. The structural basis for the stability of thermally adapted chitinases has not yet been examined. In this study, the amino acid sequences and X-ray structures of psychrophilic, mesophilic, and hyperthermophilic [...] Read more.
Understanding protein stability is critical for the application of enzymes in biotechnological processes. The structural basis for the stability of thermally adapted chitinases has not yet been examined. In this study, the amino acid sequences and X-ray structures of psychrophilic, mesophilic, and hyperthermophilic chitinases were analyzed using computational and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. From the findings, the key features associated with higher stability in mesophilic and thermophilic chitinases were fewer and/or shorter loops, oligomerization, and less flexible surface regions. No consistent trends were observed between stability and amino acid composition, structural features, or electrostatic interactions. Instead, unique elements affecting stability were identified in different chitinases. Notably, hyperthermostable chitinase had a much shorter surface loop compared to psychrophilic and mesophilic homologs, implying that the extended floppy surface region in cold-adapted and mesophilic chitinases may have acted as a “weak link” from where unfolding was initiated. MD simulations confirmed that the prevalence and flexibility of the loops adjacent to the active site were greater in low-temperature-adapted chitinases and may have led to the occlusion of the active site at higher temperatures compared to their thermostable homologs. Following this, loop “hot spots” for stabilizing and destabilizing mutations were also identified. This information is not only useful for the elucidation of the structure–stability relationship, but will be crucial for designing and engineering chitinases to have enhanced thermoactivity and to withstand harsh industrial processing conditions Full article
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16 pages, 2957 KiB  
Article
Identification of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 and α-Amylase Inhibitors from Melicope glabra (Blume) T. G. Hartley (Rutaceae) Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry, In Vitro and In Silico Methods
by Alexandra Quek, Nur Kartinee Kassim, Amin Ismail, Muhammad Alif Mohammad Latif, Khozirah Shaari, Dai Chuan Tan and Pei Cee Lim
Molecules 2021, 26(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26010001 - 22 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3335
Abstract
The present study investigated the antidiabetic properties of the extracts and fractions from leaves and stem bark of M. glabra based on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and α-Amylase inhibitory activity assays. The chloroform extract of the leaves was found to be most active towards [...] Read more.
The present study investigated the antidiabetic properties of the extracts and fractions from leaves and stem bark of M. glabra based on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) and α-Amylase inhibitory activity assays. The chloroform extract of the leaves was found to be most active towards inhibition of DPP-4 and α-Amylase with IC50 of 169.40 μg/mL and 303.64 μg/mL, respectively. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaves’ chloroform extract revealed fraction 4 (CF4) as the most active fraction (DPP-4 IC50: 128.35 μg/mL; α-Amylase IC50: 170.19 μg/mL). LC-MS/MS investigation of CF4 led to the identification of trans-decursidinol (1), swermirin (2), methyl 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate (3), renifolin (4), 4′,5,6,7-tetramethoxy-flavone (5), isorhamnetin (6), quercetagetin-3,4′-dimethyl ether (7), 5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-flavone (8), and 2-methoxy-5-acetoxy-fruranogermacr-1(10)-en-6-one (9) as the major components. The computational study suggested that (8) and (7) were the most potent DPP-4 and α-Amylase inhibitors based on their lower binding affinities and extensive interactions with critical amino acid residues of the respective enzymes. The binding affinity of (8) with DPP-4 (−8.1 kcal/mol) was comparable to that of sitagliptin (−8.6 kcal/mol) while the binding affinity of (7) with α-Amylase (−8.6 kcal/mol) was better than acarbose (−6.9 kcal/mol). These findings highlight the phytochemical profile and potential antidiabetic compounds from M. glabra that may work as an alternative treatment for diabetes. Full article
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17 pages, 1944 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study of the Effects of Light Controlled Germination Conditions on Saponarin Content in Barley Sprouts and Lipid Accumulation Suppression in HepG2 Hepatocyte and 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Cells Using Barley Sprout Extracts
by Jae Sil Kim, Eunseon Jeong, So Min Jo, Joonho Park and Ji Yeon Kim
Molecules 2020, 25(22), 5349; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25225349 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3405
Abstract
Barley sprouts (BS) contain physiologically active substances and promote various positive physiological functions in the human body. The levels of the physiologically active substances in plants depend on their growth conditions. In this study, BS were germinated using differently colored LED lights and [...] Read more.
Barley sprouts (BS) contain physiologically active substances and promote various positive physiological functions in the human body. The levels of the physiologically active substances in plants depend on their growth conditions. In this study, BS were germinated using differently colored LED lights and different nutrient supplements. Overall, there were 238 varied BS samples analyzed for their total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the relationship between the germinated samples and their total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, and those with high levels were further analyzed for their saponarin content. Based on the PCA plot, the optimal conditions for metabolite production were blue light with 0.1% boric acid supplementation. In vitro experiments using the ethanol extract from the BS cultured in blue light showed that the extract significantly inhibited the total lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the lipid droplets in HepG2 hepatocytes. These findings suggest that specific and controlled light source and nutrient conditions for BS growth could increase the production of secondary metabolites associated with inhibited fat accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes. Full article
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16 pages, 2408 KiB  
Article
LC-MS and Spectrophotometric Approaches for Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds from Peru Cocoa By-Products for Commercial Applications
by María de la Luz Cádiz-Gurrea, Álvaro Fernández-Ochoa, Francisco Javier Leyva-Jiménez, Noelia Guerrero-Muñoz, María del Carmen Villegas-Aguilar, Sandra Pimentel-Moral, Fernando Ramos-Escudero and Antonio Segura-Carretero
Molecules 2020, 25(14), 3177; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25143177 - 11 Jul 2020
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 4799
Abstract
Peru is one of the main areas where there are large cocoa crops with special relevance to the economy of this country. In fact, cocoa is a major, economically important, international crop which has been linked to several benefits, such as anti-allergenic, anti-atherogenic, [...] Read more.
Peru is one of the main areas where there are large cocoa crops with special relevance to the economy of this country. In fact, cocoa is a major, economically important, international crop which has been linked to several benefits, such as anti-allergenic, anti-atherogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-thrombotic, cardioprotective and vasodilatory properties, relating to its bioactive compound content. However, in cocoa industrial processing, several residues or wastes, which are commonly discarded generating a negative impact on the environment, are produced in large amounts. Some of the cocoa by-products, which go underutilized, could be a good source of bioactive compounds with high utility for the development of innovative products in nutraceutical, medical or pharmaceutical industries. For this reason, the aim of this study is to qualitatively determine the phytochemical composition of husk and bean extracts from different cocoa-growing areas and processes from Peru by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Furthermore, we aim to evaluate their phenolic and flavan-3-ol contents and antioxidant capacities for the purpose of highlighting the potential of cocoa by-products from these cultivars as functional ingredients. In total, 49 chemical compounds were detected in the analyzed extracts. Comparing both husks and beans, bean extracts were characterized by high content in flavonoids whereas husk extracts had a higher content of phenolic acids. The presence of these compounds together with the bioactivity results suggest that these matrices may be further studied for their revaluation in the development of high added-value products in nutraceutical, medical, and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
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15 pages, 1498 KiB  
Article
Pharmacological Evaluation of Artemisia cina Crude CO2 Subcritical Extract after the Removal of Santonin by Means of High Speed Countercurrent Chromatography
by Zuriyadda Sakipova, Thais Biondino Sardella Giorno, Tolkyn Bekezhanova, Nikki Siu Hai Wong, Alma Shukirbekova, Patricia Dias Fernandes and Fabio Boylan
Molecules 2020, 25(12), 2728; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25122728 - 12 Jun 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3402
Abstract
Artemisia species are highly important due to their economic significance as medicines, fodder and food. Artemisia cina is an endemic species to Kazakhstan. In folk medicine, water extract of A. cina was used in the treatment of bronchial asthma while the alcohol extract [...] Read more.
Artemisia species are highly important due to their economic significance as medicines, fodder and food. Artemisia cina is an endemic species to Kazakhstan. In folk medicine, water extract of A. cina was used in the treatment of bronchial asthma while the alcohol extract has larvicidal and antituberculosis activity. The most common and most extensively studied compound from this species is the terpenoid santonin. The toxicity of this compound occurs at the doses of 60 mg for children and 200 mg for adults causing among other issues xanthopsia, leading to blindness. Having this in mind, the main idea of this work was to remove santonin from the crude extract and to check if the santonin-free extract would still be of any pharmacological importance. A CO2 subcritical extract was chromatographed using high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) for the removal of santonin. The santonin-free CO2 subcritical extract (SFCO2E) as well as the isolated compound pectolinarigenin, a flavonoid, were assessed for their pharmacological actions. From the results obtained we can safely suggest that HSCCC is an efficient methodology to completely remove santonin from the CO2 subcritical extract. It was also possible to observe promising antinociceptive and anti–inflammatory activities for both SFCO2E and pectolinarigenin at concentrations that can justify the production of a phytomedicine with this endemic plant from Kazakhstan. Full article
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Review

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26 pages, 16110 KiB  
Review
Towards the Use of Adsorption Methods for the Removal of Purines from Beer
by Catarina Almeida, Márcia C. Neves and Mara G. Freire
Molecules 2021, 26(21), 6460; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26216460 - 26 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4675
Abstract
Beer corresponds to a fermented alcoholic beverage composed of several components, including purine compounds. These molecules, when ingested by humans, can be catabolized into uric acid, contributing to uric acid’s level increase in serum, which may lead to hyperuricemia and gout. To assure [...] Read more.
Beer corresponds to a fermented alcoholic beverage composed of several components, including purine compounds. These molecules, when ingested by humans, can be catabolized into uric acid, contributing to uric acid’s level increase in serum, which may lead to hyperuricemia and gout. To assure a proper management of this disease, physicians recommend restrictive dietary measures, particularly by avoiding the consumption of beer. Therefore, it is of relevance to develop efficient methods to remove purine compounds from alcoholic beverages such as beer. In this review, we provide an introduction on fermented alcoholic beverages, with emphasis on beer, as well as its purine compounds and their role in uric acid metabolism in the human body in relation to hyperuricemia and gout development. The several reported enzymatic, biological and adsorption methods envisaging purine compounds’ removal are then reviewed. Some enzymatic and biological methods present drawbacks, which can be overcome by adsorption methods. Within adsorption methods, adsorbent materials, such as activated carbon or charcoal, have been reported and applied to beer or wort samples, showing an excellent capacity for adsorbing and removing purine compounds. Although the main topic of this review is on the removal of purine compounds from beer, other studies involving other matrices rather than beer or wort that are rich in purines are included, since they provide relevant clues on designing efficient removal processes. By ensuring the selective removal of purine compounds from this beverage, beer can be taken by hyperuricemic and gouty patients, avoiding restrictive dietary measures, while decreasing the related healthcare economic burden. Full article
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22 pages, 1586 KiB  
Review
Recovery of Chlorogenic Acids from Agri-Food Wastes: Updates on Green Extraction Techniques
by Ilaria Frosi, Irene Montagna, Raffaella Colombo, Chiara Milanese and Adele Papetti
Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4515; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26154515 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3928
Abstract
The agri-food sector produces a huge amount of agri-food wastes and by-products, with a consequent great impact on environmental, economic, social, and health aspects. The reuse and recycling of by-products represents a very important issue: for this reason, the development of innovative recovery [...] Read more.
The agri-food sector produces a huge amount of agri-food wastes and by-products, with a consequent great impact on environmental, economic, social, and health aspects. The reuse and recycling of by-products represents a very important issue: for this reason, the development of innovative recovery and extraction methodologies must be mandatory. In this context of a circular economy, the study of green extraction techniques also becomes a priority in substitution of traditional extraction approaches. This review is focused on the recovery of chlorogenic acids from agri-food wastes, as these compounds have an important impact on human health, exhibiting several different and important healthy properties. Novel extraction methodologies, namely microwave and ultrasound-assisted extractions, supercritical fluid extraction, and pressurized-liquid extraction, are discussed here, in comparison with conventional techniques. The great potentialities of these new innovative green and sustainable approaches are pointed out. Further investigations and optimization are mandatory before their application in industrial processes. Full article
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