Antioxidant effect of two virgin olive oils depends on the concentration and composition of minor polar compounds

In vitro studies show that some individual minor polar phenolic compounds (MPC) present in virgin olive oil prevent oxidation of human low-density lipoproteins (LDL), but few data are available on the antioxidant effect of whole oil extract. Thus, whole virgin olive extracts were studied to determine whether they maintain the antioxidant activity and whether this last is linked to MPC composition of a single virgin oil. Using HPLC-DAD the MPC content in Taggiasca and Seggianese virgin olive oils was measured. Taggiasca oil was less rich in total MPC (208.5 mg/L) than Seggianese oil (441.9 mg/L). In addition, the major compounds of Taggiasca oil were lignan derivatives, whereas the major compounds in Seggianese oils were secoiridoid derivatives. Moreover, Taggiasca oil was practically free of 5-hydroxytyrosol and 5-hydroxytyrosol derivatives, deacetoxy-oleuropein aglycone and oleuropein aglycone. The antioxidant activity of the oils on human LDL was evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde and conjugate diene generation induced by copper ions. In both tests, the oil extracts dose-dependently reduced malondialdehyde and conjugate diene generation. Moreover, antioxidant potency correlated with total MPC; thus, Seggianese extract was more active. The two oils differed quantitatively and qualitatively, and these differences influenced their biological activities; thus clinical trials focused on studying the effects of olive oils should specify the oils used.     

Enhancing conservation and use of local vegetable landraces: the Almagro eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) case study

We have used the Almagro pickling eggplant landrace as a model for the enhancement of a local vegetable landrace. The programme has included characterization, selection, and breeding activities. Considerable intra-landrace diversity has been found for morphological traits and molecular markers. Characteristic morphological traits have allowed its registration as conservation variety. Also, universal and specific simple sequence repeat markers have been found for the Almagro landrace. The chemical characterization revealed that Almagro eggplant has a high content in bioactive phenolics. Organoleptic tests revealed that pickles produced with Almagro eggplant are superior to those of the related Andalusian landrace. The selection programme has led to the development of a pure line with increased yield and reduced fruit calyx prickliness. A participatory breeding programme, in which selection is made by farmers in their own field, has been initiated to introduce the no-prickles trait from three other varieties in the genetic background of the Almagro eggplant. The results of the programmes show that plants with the Almagro eggplant ideotype and with reduced prickliness can be selected in the backcross generations. As a result of the enhancement programme the acreage and total production of Almagro eggplant has tripled in the last decade.     

Potential food additives from Carex distachya roots: identification and in vitro antioxidant properties

In the present study, the chemical composition and antioxidant properties of root methanol extract of Carex distachya Desf. (Cyperaceae) were assessed to use this plant as sources of food additives and nutraceuticals. The IC50 of the extract (4.2 microg/mL), derived from the DPPH radical scavenging capacity assay, was similar to those of ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, and BHT. These results revealed a strong antioxidant activity because of the presence of an extraordinary quantity of bioactive phytochemicals. The phytochemical study of the root extract led to the isolation and identification of new and known polyphenols, most of them common constituents of plant foods. A total of 16 polyphenols, identified on the basis of spectroscopic data as 7 lignans, 4 phenylethanoids, 3 resveratrol derivatives, a monolignol, and a secoiridoid glucoside, were isolated. The tentative structural elucidation of the new metabolites 5'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-7,9'-epoxylignan-4,8',9-triol and 3,5-bis-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3'-methoxy-trans-stilben-4'-ol have been performed by a combined approach using ESI/TQ/MS techniques and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. All of the compounds have been tested for their antioxidant activity using six different antioxidant and radical scavenging tests. Interestingly, the extract contained high quantities of polyphenols, most of them reported as constituents of edible plants, such as grape and olive, suggesting that the methanol root extract of this plant could be used as a source of natural antioxidants useful as potential food additives.     

Collection of plant genetic resources in Italy, 1987

Summary After finishing a six years' program for exploring and collecting plant genetic resources in South Italy in 1986, these activities were extended to central parts of the country in September 1987 jointly by staff members of the Istituto del Germoplasma, Bari, and the Zentralinstitut für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, Gatersleben. A major part of the Abruzzi area has been covered. 165 samples, mainly of cereals, grain legumes and vegetables, could be collected. This material represents variable land-races. Two accessions ofTriticum dicoccon are especially worth mentioning.

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Sammlung pflanzlicher genetischer Ressourcen in Italien 1987

Zusammenfassung Nach Beendigung eines sechsjährigen Programms zum Studium und zur Sammlung pflanzlicher genetischer Ressourcen in Süditalien im Jahre 1986, wurden diese Aktivitäten im September 1987 gemeinsam von Mitarbeitern des Istituto del Germoplasma, Bari, und des Zentralinstitus für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, Gatersleben, in mittleren Landesteilen fortgesetzt. Ein großer Teil des Abruzzi-Gebietes wurde erfaßt. 165 Proben, vor allem von Getreiden, Körnerleguminosen und Gemüsen, konnten gesammelt werden. Dieses Material setzt sich aus variablen Landsorten zusammen. Zwei Proben vonTriticum dicoccon sind besonders erwähnenswert.

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1987

1986 , . . 165 , , — , . . Triticum dicoccon .

     

New data on the Zygentoma (Insecta, Apterygota) from Italy

The fauna of Zygentoma from Italy is reviewed and extended by new data. Ctenolepisma guadianica and Allacrotelsa kraepelini are new to Italy (the second one is also a new genus for this country). Neoasterolepisma crassipes is new to continental Italy and Atelura formicaria is new to Sicily. Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica (Grassi & Rovelli, 1890) n. comb., is redescribed.The Zygentoma fauna of Italy is composed of 24 species, 2 of Ateluridae (Atelura formicaria and Proatelurina pseudolepisma), 16 of Lepismatidae (Allacrotelsa kraepelini, Ctenolepisma algharbica, C. ciliata, C. guadianica, C. lineata, C. longicaudata, C. targionii, Lepisma chlorosoma, L. saccharina, Neoasterolepisma angustothoracica, N. balcanica, N. crassipes, N. wasmanni, Thermobia domestica, Tricholepisma aurea and T. gyriniformis) and 6 of Nicoletiidae (Coletinia maggi, C. setosula, C. subterranea, Coletinia sp. III, Lepidospora sp. and Nicoletia phytophila). A key to the identification of all these species is given.     

Isolation, identification, and quantification of roasted coffee antibacterial compounds

Coffee brew is a widely consumed beverage with multiple biological activities due both to naturally occurring components and to the hundreds of chemicals that are formed during the roasting process. Roasted coffee extract possesses antibacterial activity against a wide range of microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans, whereas green coffee extract exhibits no such activity. The naturally occurring coffee compounds, such as chlorogenic acids and caffeine, cannot therefore be responsible for the significant antibacterial activity exerted by coffee beverages against both bacteria. The very low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) found for standard glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and diacetyl compounds formed during the roasting process points to these alpha-dicarbonyl compounds as the main agents responsible for the antibacterial activity of brewed coffee against Sa. aureus and St. mutans. However, their low concentrations determined in the beverage account for only 50% of its antibacterial activity. The addition of caffeine, which has weak intrinsic antibacterial activity, to a mixture of alpha-dicarbonyl compounds at the concentrations found in coffee demonstrated that caffeine synergistically enhances the antibacterial activity of alpha-dicarbonyl compounds and that glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and diacetyl in the presence of caffeine account for the whole antibacterial activity of roasted coffee.     

Antibacterial activity of red and white wine against oral streptococci

Wine contains a number of biologically active compounds with beneficial effects on human health. The antibacterial action of commercial red and white wines against oral streptococci responsible for caries development and against S. pyogenes responsible for pharyngitis was studied. Its postcontact effect against S. mutans was also studied. Both wines displayed activity. The compounds responsible for such activities were succinic, malic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and acetic acid. The synthetic mixtures of the organic acids tested at the concentrations found in wine had greater antibacterial activity than the beverages, indicating that in wine they are inhibited by other components. Wine polyphenols displayed no activity against oral streptococci or S. pyogenes. Findings show that wine is active against oral streptococci and S. pyogenes and suggest that it enhances oral health.     

Carbon balance and soil carbon input in a poplar short rotation coppice plantation as affected by nitrogen and wood ash application

New Forests - The increasing importance of short rotation coppice (SRC) plantations for bioenergy production makes it crucial to evaluate their carbon (C) sink potential and to understand which...     

Deep-Sea Coral Garden Invertebrates and Their Associated Fungi Are Genetic Resources for Chronic Disease Drug Discovery

Chronic diseases characterized by bone and cartilage loss are associated with a reduced ability of progenitor cells to regenerate new tissues in an inflammatory environment. A promising strategy to treat such diseases is based on tissue repair mediated by human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), but therapeutic outcomes are hindered by the absence of small molecules to efficiently modulate cell behaviour. Here, we applied a high-throughput drug screening technology to bioprospect a large library of extracts from Irish deep-sea organisms to induce hMSC differentiation toward musculoskeletal lineages and reduce inflammation of activated macrophages. The library included extracts from deep-sea corals, sponges and filamentous fungi representing a novel source of compounds for the targeted bioactivity. A validated hit rate of 3.4% was recorded from the invertebrate library, with cold water sea pens (octocoral order Pennatulacea), such as Kophobelemnon sp. and Anthoptilum sp., showing the most promising results in influencing stem cell differentiation toward osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. Extracts obtained from deep-sea fungi showed no effects on stem cell differentiation, but a 6.8% hit rate in reducing the inflammation of activated macrophages. Our results demonstrate the potential of deep-sea organisms to synthetize pro-differentiation and immunomodulatory compounds that may represent potential drug development candidates to treat chronic musculoskeletal diseases.     

Report on a travel to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1981 for the collection of indigenous taxa of cultivated plants

Zusammenfassung Die Sammelreise wurde im Juni 1981 innerhalb des Mediterranean Programme des IBPGR mit Teilnehmern aus der Sozialistischen Libyschen Arabischen Volksjamahiriya (Landwirtschaftliches Forschungszentrum Tarbulus), dem Istituto del Germoplasma, Bari, und dem Zentralinstitut für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, Gatersleben, durchgeführt. Zeitlicher Ablauf, Sammelliste und erste Ergebnisse dieser Reise zur Sammlung von Getreiden und ihrer wildwachsenden Verwandten in das Jabal Akhdar (Cyrenaika) Gebiet werden behandelt. 78 Saatgutproben, überwiegend von Hart- und Weichweizen sowie Gerste, wurden gesammelt. Im Sammelgebiet sind die variablen Landsorten meist durch neue Sorten verdrängt worden. Aber in den mehr oder weniger weit verbreiteten noch kultivierten Landsorten, oder sogar als Beimischung in neuen Sorten, konnten variable Bestandteile alter Landsorten gefunden werden, die für die Züchtung, besonders auf Stresstoleranz, nützlich sein können.

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Report on a travel to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1981 for the collection of indigenous taxa of cultivated plants

Summary The mission was carried out within the Mediterranean Programme of the IBPGR in June 1981, participants came from the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Agricultural Research Centre Tarbulus), the Istituto del Germoplasma, Bari, and the Zentralinstitut für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, Gatersleben. Chronology, collecting list and first results of this mission to the Jabal Akhdar (Cirenaica) area for the collection of cereals and their wild relatives are presented. 78 seed samples have been collected, mainly of durum wheat, bread wheat and barley. In the collecting area variable land-races have been mostly replaced by new varieties. But in the more or less widespread few cultivated land-races and even as admixtures in new varieties variable constituents of older land-races could be found which are probably useful for breeding, especially for stress tolerance breeding.

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1981 .

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. H.Stubbe aus Anlaß der 80. Wiederkehr seines Geburtstages gewidmet.