Browsing by Author "Figueiredo, Ana"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- The polar lipidome of cultured Emiliania huxleyi: a source of bioactive lipids with relevance for biotechnological applicationsPublication . Aveiro, Susana S.; Melo, Tânia; Figueiredo, Ana; Domingues, Pedro; Pereira, Hugo; Maia, Inês Beatriz; Silva, Joana; Domingues, M. Rosário; Nunes, Cláudia; Moreira, Ana S. P.Polar lipids from microalgae have aroused greater interest as a natural source of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), an alternative to fish, but also as bioactive compounds with multiple applications. The present study aims to characterize the polar lipid profile of cultured microalga Emiliania huxleyi using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS) and fatty acids (FA) analysis by gas chromatography (GC-MS). The lipidome of E. huxleyi revealed the presence of distinct n-3 PUFA (40% of total FA), namely docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) and stearidonic acid (18:4n-3), which give this microalga an increased commercial value as a source of n-3 PUFA present in the form of polar lipids. A total of 134 species of polar lipids were identified and some of these species, particularly glycolipids, have already been reported for their bioactive properties. Among betaine lipids, the diacylglyceryl carboxyhydroxymethylcholine (DGCC) class is the least reported in microalgae. For the first time, monomethylphosphatidylethanolamine (MMPE) has been found in the lipidome of E. huxleyi. Overall, this study highlights the potential of E. huxleyi as a sustainable source of high-value polar lipids that can be exploited for different applications, namely human and animal nutrition, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
- Toxic effects of three essential oils on Ceratitis capitataPublication . Miguel, Maria Graça; Almeida, Lynette; Gonçalves, Maria; Figueiredo, Ana; Barroso, José; Pedro, LuísThe effects of different essential oils, rich in oxygen-containing monoterpenes, isolated from three aromatic plants largely spread in Algarve (southern Portugal) were observed on Ceratitis capitata adults. The isolation of the essential oils were carried out by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The most effective, in terms of mortality rate, was the oil of Mentha pulegium, mainly constituted by menthol, menthone, isomenthone and pulegone. Over 90 % of mortality was achieved after 48 hours of exposure to this essential oil. The remaining oils were not so effective, though always significantly superior to the control. They were mainly constituted by carvacrol (Thymbra capitata) and 1,8-cineole (Thymus albicans). It remains to clarify if the toxicity is due to a fumigant effector oral toxicity of the essential oils of M. pulegium and Thymbra capitata, as soon after the exposure, the Mediterranean fruit fly showed evident signs of loss of motor coordination and difficulty in flying.