Recently, much interest has been focused on Moringa oleifera L., a highly versatile and sustainable plant. In addition to its nutritional properties, numerous bioactive compounds have been identified in M. oleifera leaves, for which healthy properties have been reported. In the present research, the impact of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) on the recovery of the bioactive compounds from leaves was investigated. Firstly, an experimental design approach has been used to highlight the influence of some extraction parameters (solvent, solvent/dry leaves ratio, temperature, time) on phenol compound recovery and antioxidant activity. Solvent composition was the most influential factor; in fact, the presence of water in the solvent (50:50, v/v) corresponded to an increase in the extraction performance. The liquid/solid ratio (L/S) also influenced the extraction process; in fact, the total phenol content reached 13.4 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry matter (DM) in the following UAE conditions: 50% water, 60:1 L/S ratio, 60 °C, 60 min. In order to quantify flavonols, hydroalcoholic extracts were analysed by HPLC-DAD (high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector). In the flavonol class, the glycosidic forms of quercetin and kaempferol were mainly detected. Their content ranged from 216.4 µg/g DM of quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside to 293.9 µg/g DM of quercetin 3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-β-D-glucoside. In summary, the leaves of M. oleifera are a potential natural source of bioactive compounds, proving to be very promising for the development of health-promoting food supplements.

The fatty acid composition of human breast milk is relevant for the energy, immunity and eicosanoid production in infants. Additionally, the antioxidant properties of foods are essential for human health. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal diet and fatty acids composition as well as the antioxidant potential of breast milk from donors to human milk bank of Perugia’s hospital, Italy. Results were compared with infant formulas. We observed increased levels of total fatty acids and, in particular, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in milk from mothers fed on a vegetable and fruit-rich diet compared with a Mediterranean diet. In the same milk, a reduced antioxidant potential was found. All infant formulas resulted in richer total fatty acid content than human breast milk. Only some formulas were qualitatively similar to breast milk. Of note, the antioxidant potential of the formulas was higher or lower than the human milk with the exception of one sample. The antioxidant potential of four formulas was very high. Dietary supplementation with antioxidants has been shown to have a teratogenic effect and to increase the formation of metastases in adult. There are no data on the effects of excess antioxidants in the infants, but the possibility that they can be harmful cannot be excluded.

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Nowadays, bioactive compounds from vegetable food and waste are of great interest for their inhibitory potential against digestive enzymes. In the present study, the inhibitory activity of methanolic extract from Lycium barbarum leaves on porcine pancreas α-amylase has been studied. The α-amylase inhibitory activity of the constituent phenolic acids was also investigated. The leaves were extracted by ultrasound-assisted method, one of the most efficient techniques for bioactive extraction from plant materials, and then the phenolic acids were identified by Accurate-Mass Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Q-TOF) Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS). Chlorogenic and salicylic acids were the most abundant phenolic acids in L. barbarum leaf extract. The inhibitory effect against α-amylase, determined for individual compounds by in vitro assay, was higher for chlorogenic, salicylic, and caffeic acids. L. barbarum leaf extract showed an appreciable α-amylase inhibitory effect in a concentration-dependent manner. Docking studies of the considered phenolic acids into the active site of α-amylase suggested a conserved binding mode that is mainly stabilized through H-bonds and π-π stacking interactions.

Hemp seed oil (HSO) has received considerable attention for its health properties, especially due to unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content. In this work, the triacylglycerol (TAG) fraction of Italian and Extra-European HSO was characterized by applying an enzymatic approach, based on the use of pancreatic lipase and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol kinase. This procedure allows determination of the intrapositional FA% composition of TAG. The results of the stereospecific analysis are useful for deepening knowledge on HSO nutritional aspects. The high percentage of UFA (88.3–89.9%), in particular essential FA (74.4–85.9%), of HSO samples in sn-2 position is important for long-term health effects, but also to enhance the use of this oil as a functional ingredient in food, cosmetic and nutraceutical fields. Furthermore, the results of total and intrapositional FA % compositions, subjected to principal component analysis, were able to differentiate HSO Italian samples from Extra-European ones. Based on the obtained results, it can be stated that the stereospecific analysis represents a potent analytical tool providing the fingerprint of TAG fraction, useful to highlight possible chemical descriptors for HSO authenticity and traceability purposes.