Elisabetta Miraldi

Distribution of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in Datura stramonium.

The production of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in Datura stramonium has been investigated in the different plant parts, at different stages of their life cycle. Maximum contents were found in the stems and leaves of young plants, hyoscyamine being always the predominant component.

Comparison of the essential oils from ten Foeniculum vulgare Miller samples of fruits of different origin

The essential oil contents were determined of 10 samples of dry, ripe fruits of Foeniculum vulgare Miller of different origin; the fruits were collected from wild plants or commercial samples. The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation were analysed by GC–MS; the 16 main constituents of each sample were identified, trans-anethole, estragole, limonene and fenchone being the most abundant. The amounts of trans-anethole and estragole were inversely proportional, so that clear phytochemical differences within the investigated samples were observed. Copyright

New non-alcoholic formulation for hand disinfection

Abstract Hand washing is considered as the single most important strategy to prevent infections. World health organization (WHO) defines hand hygiene as a primary issue of personal care with particular reference to hospital personnel and health facility workers. In this work, we investigated a new combination for hand disinfection as an alternative to alcohol-based and chlorhexidine products. The new combination of 5-pyrrolidone-2-carboxylic acid (PCA) and copper sulphate pentahydrate (CS) was tested upon different bacterial species that normally colonize hands, including Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant S. aureus (MR S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis, multidrug resistant S. epidermidis (MDR S. epidermidis), Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and three clinical isolates: MR S. aureus, MDR S. epidermidis, and an E. coli strain. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices, and fractional bactericidal concentration (FBC) indices were evaluated. Ethanol 70% V/V, isopropanol 60% V/V, and 4% w/V chlorhexidine solution were used as reference hand disinfectants. Copper sulphate pentahydrate was very effective against all tested microorganisms: The MIC and MBC for CS ranged from 781 mg/l against S. pyogenes to 12500 mg/l against E. coli strains and C. albicans. In addition, PCA exhibited a good antimicrobial activity, in particular, against S. pyogenes and S. agalactiae. The combination of CS and PCA showed a strong synergistic effect and all FIC indices were ≤0·500. The combination of CS and PCA were more effective than ethanol 70% V/V and isopropanol 60% V/V. In addition to antimicrobial activity, the new formulation possesses peculiar features such as residual activity and moisturizing effect. This work identifies a new strategy for hand disinfection.

Santonin: a new method of extraction from, and quantitative determination inArtemisia caerulescens ssp.cretacea (fiori) br.-catt. & gubell. by high-performance liquid chromatography

Santonin, a sesquiterpene lactone characteristic of many species of the genus Artemisia, has hitherto been quantitatively determined by long and complicated gravimetric procedures. A new, rapid, simple and accurate extraction and analytical procedure has been established. This high-performance liquid chromatographic method employs a Licrospher 100-RP column and a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water in a gradient programme. Copyright

Herbal products in Italy: the thin line between phytotherapy, nutrition and parapharmaceuticals; a normative overview of the fastest growing market in Europe

The Italian herbal products market is the most prosperous in Europe. The proof is represented by the use of these products in several marketing categories, ranging from medicine to nutrition and cosmetics. Market and legislation in Italy are at the same time cause and consequence of this peculiar situation. In fact, the legislation on botanical food supplements in Italy is very permissive and at the same time the market shows an overall satisfaction of users and strong feedback in terms of consumption, which brings a widening use of medicinal plants, formerly the prerogative of pharmaceuticals, to other fields such as nutrition. This review summarizes the market and normative panorama of herbal products in Italy, highlighting the blurred boundaries of health indications, marketing authorizations and quality controls between herbal medicines and non pharmaceutical products, such as food supplements, cosmetics and other herbal-based “parapharmaceuticals”.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of the Methanol Extract of Sedum telephium ssp. maximum in Lipopolysaccharide- Stimulated Rat Peritoneal Macrophages

Sedum telephium ssp. maximum is a medicinal plant that possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic and keratolytic properties. We investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of its methanolic extract (STME) in rat peritoneal macrophages (MΦs) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella enteritidis. After stimulation with 10 µg/ml of LPS, MΦs were coincubated with different doses of STME (8, 16 and 32 µg/ml) or RPMI medium alone using different times of incubation. STME reduced levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, both mRNA and its protein, and significantly decreased IL-1β and IL-6 production. Moreover, STME inhibited inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and blunted nitrite release and inhibited both extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated MΦs. Data show that STME might be useful as a potential anti-inflammatory agent.

Identification of Volatile Constituents from the Flower Oil of Spartium junceum

Abstract The essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation from fresh flowers of Spartium junceum L., was investigated by GC and GC/MS. The 24 main constituents of the samples were identified; the main components of the oil were kairomonal compounds, tricosane (22.9%), tetracosane (8.9%) and pentacosane (16.1%), constituting altogether almost 48% of total composition. These hydrocarbons constitute an important aspect governing the sensitivity of the insects in plant host selection.

Composition of the oils from Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell. grown in different areas of Italy.

Abstract The essential oil, isolated by hydrodistillation from flowering tops of Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell., was investigated by GC/MS. The analyses were carried out on oils obtained from plants collected in Romagna and in Tuscany (Central Italy) in three different stages of growing cycle. The oil yield was higher from plants collected in Romagna than in those collected in Tuscany. The main components of the Romagna and Tuscan oils were α-thujone (59.6–71.0% and 32.9–39.7%), β-thujone (17.8–18.7% and 10.0–10.8%) and camphor (4.2–6.2% and 35.6–45.3%), respectively.

Essential Oil from Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell.: Analytical Composition and New Constituents

Abstract The essential oil, isolated from the flowering tops of the Tuscan endemic Artemisia coerulescens L. subsp. cretacea (Fiori) Br.-Catt. et Gubell. by hydrodistillation, was investigated by GC/MS. Fifty compounds were identified, constituting altogether 88.6% of total composition; the presence of 25 compounds in A. coerulescensssp. cretacea oil is reported for the first time. The main components of the oil were αthujone (19–0%), β-thujone (7.7%), camphor (10.4%) and borneol (11.5%). If the oil content is compared with those of other Artemisia species, A. coerulescens ssp. cretacea was found to be extremely rich in oil.

Phytotherapy in the Management of Diabetes: A Review

Phytotherapy has long been a source of medicinal products and over the years there have been many attempts to use herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes. Several medicinal plants and their preparations have been demonstrated to act at key points of glucidic metabolism. The most common mechanisms of action found include the inhibition of α-glucosidase and of AGE formation, the increase of GLUT-4 and PPARs expression and antioxidant activity. Despite the large amount of literature available, the actual clinical effectiveness of medicinal plants in controlling diabetes-related symptoms remains controversial and there is a crucial need for stronger evidence-based data. In this review, an overview of the medicinal plants, which use in the management of diabetes is supported by authoritative monographs, is provided. References to some species which are currently under increasing clinical investigation are also reported.