The stilbene derivative resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-stilbene; RESV) has become the subject of interest of many researchers and the pharmaceutical industries due to its well-acclaimed beneficial biological activities. Although earlier research tended to focus on the effects of RESV on cardiovascular disorders, many other studies have described the beneficial effects of RESV in the areas of cancer chemoprevention and inflammation and interest of researchers on this compound is still increasing. It is now well accepted that the effect of RESV is not just due to its so called "antioxidant" activity but mainly (if not only) because of the ability of this compound to trigger cell signaling pathways and gene expression involved in cellular defense systems. Many "in vitro" studies on RESV did not take into account that although its oral absorption is about 75% it undergoes rapid metabolism and the concentration in the blood stream is almost undetectable. For this reason interest in the topical usage of RESV by cosmeceutical skin care brands has exponentially increased in the last decade reporting in general very promising results on its beneficial effect in protecting the skin from outdoor insults, but there is still some controversy on its topical usage mainly surrounding the concentration used. Therefore, more basic research on the topical application of RESV should be performed to better understand the way it prevents cutaneous damage and whether it could be recommended as a preventive skin aging agent for all skin insults.

Viscum album L. is a medicinal plants used for many years as a remedy in the traditional medicine and in complementary cancer therapies. We investigated the influence of some host trees: Acer campestre (VAA), Fraxinus excelsior (VAF), Populus nigra (VAP), Malus domestica (VAM), and Robinia pseudoacacia (VAR), on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of leaves and stems from V. album, as well the influence of the solvent (water and ethanol) used for extraction on biological activity. HPLC with photodiode array detector analysis of bioactive compounds from leaves and stems of mistletoes (V. album) hosted by five differents trees was performed. Antioxidant activities, determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), (Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) methods were compared with the quantification of total phenolics using the Folin -Ciocalteu reagent. V. album hosted by Fraxinus excelsior (VAF), recorded the highest level of total phenolic acids (108.64 µg/g dry matter) while the mistletoe hosted by Malus domestica (VAM) had the lowest level of total polyphenols (39.37 µg/g dry matter). In general, higher antioxidant activity was detected in the alcoholic than in the aqueous extracts. The values obtained for total phenolics in both, aqueous and ethanol extracts, decreased in the order: VAR > VAF > VAP > VAA > VAM. The mistletoe stem extracts contained lower levels of phenolics, as compared to leaves, in both solvents. Our results suggest that mistletoe extracts possess significant antioxidant activities that may be due to their bioactive compounds content, suggesting that this plant may be an important source of natural products with chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activities.

A green chemistry approach to synthesize biocompatible selenium nanoparticles is proposed in this work, using hydrogen selenite (NaHSeO3) as selenium precursor and lactose as reducing agent. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by dynamic light Scattering, revealing a gaussian size distribution, the maximum percentage being in the range of 20-40 nm. Zeta potential measurement indicates a negative charge -38.2 mV, the stability of selenium colloidal sol being also confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy. TEM and AFM revealed the homogeneous, spherical shape, confirming the size of nanoparticles in the range of 20-40 nm. Structural investigations of powder selenium nanoparticles by FTIR spectroscopy and XRD patterns emphasise the presence of stretching and bending vibrations of Se-O bonds, respectively the amorphous structure of the synthesized selenium. The proposed method is suitable for biological applications such drug release, functional food or nutritional supplements.

In recent years, mulberry has acquired a special importance due to its phytochemical composition and its beneficial effects on human health, including antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic and immunomodulatory effects. Botanical parts of Morus sp. (fruits, leaves, twigs, roots) are considered a rich source of secondary metabolites. The aim of our study was to highlight the phytochemical profile of each of the botanical parts of Morus tree, their health benefits and applications in food industry with an updated review of literature. Black and white mulberries are characterized in terms of predominant phenolic compounds in correlation with their medical applications. In addition to anthocyanins (mainly cyanidin-3-O-glucoside), black mulberry fruits also contain flavonols and phenolic acids. The leaves are a rich source of flavonols, including quercetin and kaempferol in the glycosylated forms and chlorogenic acid as predominant phenolic acids. Mulberry bark roots and twigs are a source of prenylated flavonoids, predominantly morusin. In this context, the exploitation of mulberry in food industry is reviewed in this paper, in terms of developing novel, functional food with multiple health-promoting effects.

The genus Viscum includes many species that are mainly distributed in Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Australia. Viscum extracts or their various preparations are widely used as complementary and alternative medicines in the treatment of various ailments. In the present review, articles related to the phytochemical composition of mistletoe were selected, depending on the host tree on which it grows, as well as articles in which its beneficial effects were highlighted. Viscum contains different active ingredients, including lectins, viscotoxins along with phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides. Based on its composition, mistletoe extract is associated with multiple bioactivities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular disease, attenuating the side effects of chemotherapy and enhancing immunity. The purpose of this review was to highlight the link between the host tree and the bioactive components of mistletoe such as lectin and viscotoxin, with a focus on phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. The potential therapeutic effects of mistletoe are summarized by subspecies and host trees. Numerous mistletoe-based patents with various applications have been developed and presented in this review. Mistletoe is a medicinal plant with great biological potential that is worth exploring for various targeted treatments.