Ioanna Chinou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
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Publication
Featured researches published by Ioanna Chinou.
British Journal of Nutrition | 2008
Zoi Papoutsi; Eva Kassi; Ioanna Chinou; Maria Halabalaki; Leandros Skaltsounis; Paraskevi Moutsatsou
Epidemiological studies suggest that the incidence of CVD and postmenopausal osteoporosis is low in the Mediterranean area, where herbs and nuts, among others, play an important role in nutrition. In the present study, we sought a role of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) in endothelial and bone-cell function. As the endothelial cell expression of adhesion molecules has been recognised as an early step in inflammation and atherogenesis, we examined the effect of walnut methanolic extract and ellagic acid, one of its major polyphenolic components (as shown by HPLC analysis), on the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in human aortic endothelial cells. After incubating the cells with TNF-alpha (1 ng/ml) in the absence and in the presence of walnut extract (10-200 microg/ml) or ellagic acid (10- 7-10- 5 m), the VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression was quantified by cell-ELISA. We further evaluated the effect of walnut extract (10-50 microg/ml), in comparison with ellagic acid (10- 9-10- 6m), on nodule formation in the osteoblastic cell line KS483. Walnut extract and ellagic acid decreased significantly the TNF-alpha-induced endothelial expression of both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 (P < 0.01; P < 0.001). Both walnut extract (at 10-25 microg/ml) and ellagic acid (at 10- 9-10- 8 m) induced nodule formation in KS483 osteoblasts. The present results suggest that the walnut extract has a high anti-atherogenic potential and a remarkable osteoblastic activity, an effect mediated, at least in part, by its major component ellagic acid. Such findings implicate the beneficial effect of a walnut-enriched diet on cardioprotection and bone loss.
Experimental Gerontology | 2010
Niki Chondrogianni; Suzanne Kapeta; Ioanna Chinou; Katerina Vassilatou; Issidora S. Papassideri; Efstathios S. Gonos
Homeostasis is a key feature of the cellular lifespan. Its maintenance influences the rate of ageing and it is determined by several factors, including efficient proteolysis. The proteasome is the major cellular proteolytic machinery responsible for the degradation of both normal and damaged proteins. Alterations of proteasome function have been recorded in various biological phenomena including ageing and replicative senescence. Proteasome activities and function are decreased upon replicative senescence, whereas proteasome activation confers enhanced survival against oxidative stress, lifespan extension and maintenance of the young morphology longer in human primary fibroblasts. Several natural compounds possess anti-ageing/anti-oxidant properties. In this study, we have identified quercetin (QUER) and its derivative, namely quercetin caprylate (QU-CAP) as a proteasome activator with anti-oxidant properties that consequently influence cellular lifespan, survival and viability of HFL-1 primary human fibroblasts. Moreover, when these compounds are supplemented to already senescent fibroblasts, a rejuvenating effect is observed. Finally, we show that these compounds promote physiological alterations when applied to cells (i.e. whitening effect). In summary, these data demonstrate the existence of naturally occurring anti-ageing products that can be effectively used through topical application.
Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C | 2002
Prokopios Magiatis; Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis; Ioanna Chinou; Serkos A. Haroutounian
The chemical composition of the essential oils of Achillea holosericea, Achillea taygetea, Achillea fraasii was determined by GC/MS analysis. Among the ninety-five assayed constituents, camphor, borneol and 1,8-cineol were found to be the major components. The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of these essential oils was evaluated against six bacteria indicating that the first is totally inactive, while the other two possess moderate to strong activities mainly against the Gram negative strains. The essential oil of A. fraasii was also active against the tested pathogenic fungi
Phytochemistry | 2009
Milena Popova; Ioanna Chinou; Ilko Marekov; Vassya Bankova
Five terpenes, the diterpenes: 14,15-dinor-13-oxo-8(17)-labden-19-oic acid and a mixture of labda-8(17),13E-dien-19-carboxy-15-yl oleate and palmitate as well as the triterpenes, 3,4-seco-cycloart-12-hydroxy-4(28),24-dien-3-oic acid and cycloart-3,7-dihydroxy-24-en-28-oic acid were isolated from Cretan propolis. Moreover, 18 known compounds were also isolated, seven of them for the first time as propolis components. All structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence. All isolated compounds were tested for antimicrobial activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as against some human pathogenic fungi showing a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.
Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C | 2004
Christos Bougatsos; Olipa Ngassapa; Deborah K. B. Runyoro; Ioanna Chinou
The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from the aerial parts of Helichrysum cymosum and H. fulgidum, from Tanzania, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. A total of sixty-five compounds, representing 92.4% and 88.2% of the two oils, respectively, were identified. trans-Caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, β-pinene, p-cymene, spathulenol and β- bourbonene were found to be the main components. Furthermore, the oils were tested against six gram (±) bacteria and three pathogenic fungi. It was found that the oil of H. fulgidum exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, while the oil of H. cymosum was not active at all.
Biochemical Systematics and Ecology | 2000
Vassilios Roussis; Maria Tsoukatou; Panos V. Petrakis; Ioanna Chinou; Melpomeni Skoula; Jeffrey B. Harborne
Abstract The essential oils obtained by steam distillation from the aerial parts of 38 populations of four Helichrysum species were analysed by GC-MS. The oil of Helichrysum orientale notably contained four linear hydrocarbons, including nonacosane (11.1%), and also caryophyllene epoxide (4.4%), while the oil of H. heldreichii was dominated by E-caryophyllene (38.5%). By contrast, the oil of H. italicum ssp microphyllum was characterised by β-selinene (17.2%) and γ-curcumene (13.7%), while that of H. doerfleri had a mixture of four eudesmol isomers (31.4%). Analysis of oils before and after anthesis showed some significant quantitative differences. In H. doerfleri carvacrol increased noticeably, while in H. italicum ssp microphyllum the content of α-pinene reduced from 8.2% to a trace. Besides showing species-specific patterns in volatile oils, these four Mediterranean species differed from other Helichrysum analysed in the dominance of sesquiterpenes over monoterpenes. Furthermore, two of the four species contained aliphatic hydrocarbons not previously recorded in the genus.
Phytochemistry | 2001
Andreas Giamakis; Ourania Kretsi; Ioanna Chinou; Caroline G. Spyropoulos
Calli of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn were induced, for the first time, from immature flowers and stamens and established in the presence of 2,4-D and BA, under dark and light conditions. Immature flowers, of the same type used for callus induction, were submitted to hydrodistillation while the induced calli were extracted with n-pentane. The constituents of the n-pentane extracts and of the hydrodistillate were identified by GC-MS. The main constituents of the hydrodistillate from immature flowers were 1,8-cineole (34.7%), beta-pinene (7.7%), and spathulenol (9.5%). The n-pentane extract from calli developed from stamens consisted only of alkanes, alkenes and alcohols, while that of calli developed from immature flowers consisted mainly of monoterpenes (92.08-96.56%). The main monoterpenes produced in these calli, cultured in darkness and under light conditions, were 1,8-cineole, 62.70 and 69.26% as well as beta-pinene, 27.09 and the 25.31%, respectively.
Molecules | 2009
Jarosław Widelski; Milena Popova; Konstantia Graikou; Kazimierz Głowniak; Ioanna Chinou
The first phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Angelica lucida has led to the isolation and characterization of five known coumarins (imperatorin, isoimperatorin, heraclenol, oxypeucedanin hydrate and heraclenin). All isolated compounds were identified by means of spectral and literature data. The extracts and the isolated constituents from A. lucida have been also evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against six Gram positive and negative bacteria, two oral pathogens and three human pathogenic fungi, exhibiting an interesting antimicrobial profile.
Molecules | 2009
Dimitroula Tsiri; Konstantia Graikou; Loretta Pobłocka-Olech; Mirosława Krauze-Baranowska; Caroline G. Spyropoulos; Ioanna Chinou
In the framework of the correlation between chemotaxonomy and chemical analysis studies, the chemical composition of the essential oils of four varieties of Thuja species cultivated in Poland − T. occidentalis ‘globosa’, T. occidentalis ‘aurea’, T. plicata and T. plicata ‘gracialis’ − were investigated by GC and GC-MS. Thirty-one compounds were identified from T. occidentalis ‘globosa’, representing 96.92% of the total oil; twenty-seven from T. occidentalis ‘aurea’ (94.34%); thirty-one from T. plicata (94.75%); and thirty compounds from T. plicata ‘gracialis’ (96.36%). The main constituents in all samples were the monoterpene ketones α- and β-thujone, fenchone and sabinene, as well as the diterpenes beyerene and rimuene. The chemosystematic value of the total ketone content of all samples (which varied from 54.30–69.18%) has been discussed and investigated. The constituents, beyerene and the mixture of α- and β-thujone, were isolated from the oils and tested against six Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and three pathogenic fungi. The oils of the two T. plicata species exhibited significant antimicrobial activity, while the mixture of α- and β-thujone showed very strong activity as well.
Journal of Food Protection | 2006
Olga Gortzi; Stavros Lalas; Ioanna Chinou; John Tsaknis
The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of four Thymus species (boissieri, longicaulis, leucospermus, and ocheus) extracts were determined. Two methods (Rancimat and malondialdehyde by high-performance liquid chromatography) were used to measure the antioxidant action in comparison with common commercial antioxidants, including butylated hydroxytoluene and alpha-tocopherol. The extracts that presented high antioxidant activity were encapsulated in liposomes and their antioxidant action was again estimated. Thermal-oxidative decomposition of the samples (pure liposomes and encapsulating extracts) was studied using the differential scanning calorimetry method. The modification of the main transition temperature for the lipid mixture and the splitting of the calorimetric peak in the presence of the antioxidants were also demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry. All extracts showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Some extracts showed superior or equal antioxidant activity to alpha-tocopherol. When the extracts were encapsulated in liposomes, their antioxidant as well as antimicrobial activities proved to be superior from the same extracts in pure form.