Carmine Negro

Betalains, Phenols and Antioxidant Capacity in Cactus Pear [Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] Fruits from Apulia (South Italy) Genotypes

Betacyanin (betanin), total phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity (by Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays) were investigated in two differently colored cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) genotypes, one with purple fruit and the other with orange fruit, from the Salento area, in Apulia (South Italy). In order to quantitate betanin in cactus pear fruit extracts (which is difficult by HPLC because of the presence of two isomers, betanin and isobetanin, and the lack of commercial standard with high purity), betanin was purified from Amaranthus retroflexus inflorescence, characterized by the presence of a single isomer. The purple cactus pear variety showed very high betanin content, with higher levels of phenolics, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity (TEAC) than the orange variety. These findings confirm the potential for exploiting the autochthonous biodiversity of cactus pear fruits. In particular, the purple variety could be an interesting source of colored bioactive compounds which not only have coloring potential, but are also an excellent source of dietary antioxidant components which may have beneficial effects on consumers’ health.

Polyphenols, resveratrol, antioxidant activity and ochratoxin a contamination in red table wines, controlled denomination of origin (DOC) wines and wines obtained from organic farming

In this work, 15 red wines (five table wines, four Apulian Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wines and six wines obtained from organic farming) were assayed in relation to their content of polyphenolic compounds (total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyans, non-anthocyan flavonoids and orthodiphenols), resveratrol, antioxidant activity and ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination. The results showed that the quantity of the various classes of polyphenolic substances and the antioxidant activity was on average higher in wines obtained from organic farming and DOC wines; the contamination by OTA, present in all wines, proved to be lower in those obtained from organic farming, which averaged 0.14 μg l−1.

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils from aromatic plants grown in the Mediterranean area.

Abstract The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils isolated from four Lamiaceae [Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav., Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw., Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Satureja cuneifolia Ten.] harvested at three different vegetative stages, spontaneously growing in the South of Puglia, towards Gram-(+)ve and Gram-(-)ve bacteria and pathogenic yeasts were evaluated. The four oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS, and exhibited similarities and differences with respect to data reported in the literature. Specifically, T. capitata and O. vulgare subsp. hirtum oils were found to be rich in thymol (60.9–67.5% and 29.8–56.8%, respectively) and R. officinalis oil had large amounts of 1,8-cineole (8.0–51.3%) and α-pinene (3.9–31.4%). The composition of the oil of S. cuneifolia varied most of all, its main constituents being linalool (9.6–32.7%), borneol (12.9–24.0%) and α-pinene (9.5–11.7%). Each of the oils was found to possess some antimicrobial properties using the agar diffusion method. The effectiveness and behavioral specificity varied from one species to another, and within each species, in relation to the vegetative period and the microorganism tested. The most effective oils were those of O. vulgare subsp. hirtum and T. capitata. The latter was also biologically active towards P. aeruginosa which was not sensitive to either R. officinalis or S. cuneifolia oils.

Influence of Environmental Factors on Essential Oil Variability in Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. Growing Wild in Southern Puglia (Italy)

Abstract The composition of officinal plants in terms of active principles exhibits high intraspecific variability which is determined not only genetically but also by environmental conditions, growth area and harvesting time. This study analyzed the essential oil variability in Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. in specimens growing wild in 23 places in Southern Puglia (Italy). The results show high chemical polymorphism in the oil content of T. capitata. Application of the spatial autocorrelation index to the principal components highlighted a relationship between thermal parameters and the composition in terms of active principles. The carvacrol chemotype was only present under the hottest and driest conditions. These results show that not only is the biosynthetic pathway of phenolic monoterpenes in T. capitata favored in high-temperature environments, as reported in other Lamiaceae, but also that carvacrol is present only in markedly “Mediterranean-like” environments.

Intraspecific variability of the essential oil of Calamintha nepeta subsp. nepeta from Southern Italy (Apulia)

The essential oil of 46 spontaneous plants of Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi subsp. nepeta growing wild in Sud, Italy (Salento, Apulia), were investigated by GC/MS. Fifty-seven components were identified in the oil representing over the 98% of the total oil composition. Four chemotypes were identified: piperitone oxide, piperitenone oxide, piperitone-menthone and pulegone.

Antioxidant activity of Buglossoides purpureocaerulea (L.) I.M. Johnst. extracts

Buglossoides purpureocaerulea is a little-known plant used in the folk tradition for the preparation of a decoction in Sud, Italy, where it is appreciated for its beneficial effects on liver diseases. These properties may be due to the presence of antioxidant compounds. This study presents the phenolic characterisation and the antioxidant activity (AA) of B. purpureocaerulea extracts obtained by decoction, ethanol infusion and ethanol and methanol macerations. Total phenols ranged between 69 and 100 mg g−1 dry weight (DW). The main compounds were: rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, lithospermic acid and salvianolic acid C. The extracts showed a good AA, particularly high for the decoction (142–283 µmol TE g−1 DW; TE, Trolox equivalent) and ethanol maceration extract (214–364 µmol TE g−1 DW) when determined by DPPH and ferric reducing antioxidant power test, respectively.

Essential Oil Variability of Satureja cuneifolia Ten. Growing Wild in Southern Puglia (Italy)

Abstract Satureja cuneifolia Ten. spontaneously growing in 12 sites in Southern Puglia (Italy), was characterized on the basis of its essential oil composition. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of steam-distilled oil were performed by GC and GC/MS. Cluster analysis made it possible to identify four different chemotypes: linalool, borneol, α-pinene, and borneol/α-pinene. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted the relations existing between the compounds that constitute the essential oils. Moreover, spatial autocorrelation, evaluated in the space described by the principal components, was used to analyse the relationships between chemical polymorphism and certain large-scale environmental conditions proper to sampling sites. Specifically, the arrangement of values in relation to Yearly Rainfall (YR) was found not to be random: the findings showed that increased water availability in the soil causes an arise in the presence of the borneol chemotype. In contrast, reduced water availability is directly correlated with the presence of the linalool and α-pinene chemotypes.

Essential Oil of Melissa romana (Miller) Grown in Southern Apulia (Italy)

Abstract The composition of the essential oil obtained from flowering tops of Melissa romana Miller wild grown in Southern Apulia (Italy) was investigated by GC and GC/MS. More than 90% of the compounds were characterized. β-Caryophyllene (15.8%), cumene (14.0%), β-pinene (12.0%) and citral (neral + geranial, 12.0%) were the major constituents of the oil.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Pistacia lentiscus essential oil from Southern Italy (Apulia)

The essential oil extracted from twenty-one plants of Pistacia lentiscus L. growing wild in southern Italy (Salento, Apulia), were investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Thirty-eight components, representing more than 75% of the total oil constituents, were identified. The main compounds (with >5% on average) were α-pinene, terpinen-4-ol, δ-cadinene and β-caryophyllene. Four chemotypes were identified: terpinen-4-ol/α-pinene, β-caryophyllene/δ-cadinene/α-pinene, β-myrcene/δ-cadinene and α-pinene. Essential oils showed a radical scavenging activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DPPH test) ranging between about 21% and 35%.

Salvia clandestina L.: unexploited source of danshensu

Abstract We report the characterisation of Salvia clandestina L. shoots and roots aqueous extract using HPLC-ESI/MS-TOF. Among the 29 compounds detected, we observed the presence of danshensu (3-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl) 2-hydroxy-propinic acid), a powerful antioxidant and a cardio-protective agent. The danshensu content found in the shoots of S. clandestina was considerable (4.96 mg g−1 DW) if compared with previous studies on S. miltiorrhiza Bunge, the main source of this compound. We also determined the total phenolic concentration and we evaluated their antioxidant activity by ABTS, FRAP and Superoxide anion scavenging methods. All the three assays confirmed a greater antioxidant activity for the shoots in comparison to roots. S. clandestina shoots may represent a valuable and natural unexploited source of danshensu and other phenolic compounds, so that it may be useful for future applications in functional foods and pharmaceutical industries.