No abstract

In this study, we examined the composition regarding secondary metabolites of P. mugo Turra ssp. mugo growing in the protected area of Majella National Park, which is the southernmost station of the habitat of this species. Both the nonpolar and polar fractions were considered. In particular, the essential-oil composition showed a high variety of compounds, and 109 compounds were detected, and 101 were identified, among which abietane-type compounds have a taxonomic relevance. Abietanes were also isolated from the polar fraction, together with an acylated flavonol and a remarkably high amount of shikimic acid.

Context: There is a need for the discovery of novel natural remedies to prevent and treat metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia, type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Several Achillea species have been utilized for centuries all around the world and are generally considered effective as hypoglycemic. Objective: Considering the ethnobotanical uses of Achillea genus, we evaluated the in vitro inhibitory activity of Achillea tenorii Grande (Asteraceae) extract on a-glucosidase, which is a valuable target to prevent and treat metabolic disorders. We also tested its antioxidant activity. Moreover, the phytochemical profile was discussed from a chemotaxonomic point of view. Materials and methods: In vitro a-glucosidase inhibition of crude ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts was assayed as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP-FZ tests) was measured. The extract was characterized from a phytochemical point of view by means of spectroscopic analysis. Results: The extract results endowed with a-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC 50 32 mg/mL) with a particular mechanism of action definable as un-competitive, which differed from the mechanism observed for the best-known a-glucosidase inhibitor (acarbose and miglitol). In addition, a considerable antioxidant potential has been found for A. tenorii extract, which resulted mainly constituted by phenolic compounds such as caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids. Discussion and conclusions: These results suggest the potential of A. tenorii as a possible natural remedy to prevent and treat metabolic disorders of carbohydrates.

In this study, a phytochemical analysis was performed, for the first time, on Iris marsica I. Ricci e Colas. In particular, the attention was focused on the constituents of the roots. Twenty-one compounds were isolated by column chromatography and were analyzed/identified by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. They all own chemotaxonomic, ethno-pharmacological and nutraceutical relevance which allowed us to provide a phytochemical rationale, for the correct botanical classification of this species, for the employment of its roots in folk medicine like for all the other species belonging to the Iris genus and, lastly, for their further uses as food with important healthy benefits. All of these parts were broadly discussed about within the text.

a università degli studi roma tre facoltà di scienza matematiche fisiche e naturali, roma, italy; b Department of earth and environmental sciences, università degli studi di Pavia, Pavia, italy; c università di camerino, Barisciano, italy; d università del salento, lecce, italy; e ente Parco nazionale d'abruzzo lazio e molise, Pescasseroli, italy; f università degli studi di sassari, sassari, italy; g università degli studi di Palermo, Palermo, italy; h Dip. scienze della Vita, siena, italy; i scienze della terra e dell'ambiente -sez. ecologia del territorio, Pavia university, Pavia, italy; j Department of Botanical sciences, university of cagliari, cagliari, italy; k museo di storia naturale di milano, sezione di Botanica, milano, italy; l università degli studi di siena, siena, italy; m università degli studi di roma la sapienza, roma, italy; n guardie giurate ecologiche Volontarie, reggio emilia, italy; o università degli studi di ferrara, ferrara, italy; p università degli studi dell'insubria, Varese, italy; q Department of Biological, geological and environmental sciences, university of Bologna, Bologna, italy; r museo orto Botanico, università degli studi di Bari "aldo moro", Bari, italy; s università degli studi di Pisa, Pisa, italy; t DBsf, università degli studi dell'insubria, Varese, italy; u native flora centre of the lombardy region, galbiate, lecco, italy; v Parco nazionale della majella, sulmona, italy; w Dipartimento di scienze dell'ambiente e del territorio e di scienze della terra, università degli studi di milano -Bicocca, milano, italy; x comunità montana alta Valtellina, Bormio, sondrio, italy; y centro conservazione Biodiversità (ccB), Dipartimento di scienze Botaniche, università degli studi di cagliari, cagliari, italy; z oliena, nuoro, italy; aa centro ricerche floristiche dell'appennino, università di camerino -Parco nazionale del gran sasso e monti della laga), Barisciano, l'aquila, italy; ab isPra-istituto superiore per la protezione e la ricerca ambientale, Dip. Bio, roma, italy; ac Dipartimento di scienze Botaniche, università degli studi di cagliari, cagliari, italy; ad università di Pisa, Pisa, italy; ae università degli studi di modena e reggio emilia, modena, italy; af liceo scientifico statale "g. ferraris", Varese, italy; ag agenzia forestas, cagliari, italy; ah tuscia germplasm Bank, tuscia university, Viterbo, italy; ai majella national Park, sulmona, italy; aj ente Parco nazionale della majella, sulmona, l'aquila, italy; ak giardino Botanico gole del sagittario, anversa degli abruzzi, l'aquila, italy; al università di Palermo Diiaa, Palermo, italy; am agricultural, food and forest sciences, university of Palermo, Palermo, italy; an Dipartimento di Biologia vegetale, sapienza università di roma, rome, italy; ao Dipartimento di scienze Botaniche, ecologiche e geologiche, università degli studi di sassari, sassari, italy; ap Veneto agricoltura, legnaro, italy; aq evolutionary Biology -laboratories of Botany, university of florence, florence, italy; ar Dipartimento di Biologia, u...