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- Analysis of behaviours and attitudes of antibiotics use in Algarve's populationPublication . F. Marques, C.; Amado, A.; Ramalhinho, I. R.Background and objective: In the past years, the antimicrobial resistance has been increasing, partly due to its misuse, and this has been considered as a threat for the public health by WHO. The aim of this study was to evaluate behaviours and attitudes of antibiotics use among adults in the south region of Portugal, Algarve, particularly self-medication and knowledge about these drugs.
- Searching for new sources of innovative products for the food industry within halophyte aromatic plants: In vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions of Crithmum maritimum L.Publication . Pereira, Catarina Guerreiro; Barreira, Luísa; Neng, Nuno da Rosa; Florencio Nogueira, Jose Manuel; Marques, Catia; Santos, Tamara; Varela, J.; Custódio, LuísaAromatic halophyte plants are an outstanding source of bioactive compounds and natural products with potential use in the food industry. This work reports the in vitro antioxidant activity, toxicity, poly phenolic profile and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions from stems, leaves and flowers of Crithmum maritimum L, an aromatic and edible maritime halophyte (sea fennel). Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) Dahlg. (rooibos) herbal tea was used as a reference. Sea fennel's tisanes, particularly from leaves, were rich in phenolic compounds and five of them (p-hydroxybenzoic and ferulic acids, epicatechin, pyrocatechol and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) were here described in C maritimum for the first time. Chlorogenic acid was the dominant phenolic determined. Na was the most abundant mineral in all tisanes followed by Ca and Mg in leaves' tisanes and K in flowers. Sea fennel's samples had a similar antioxidant activity than those from A. linearis, and had no significant toxicity towards four different mammalian cell lines. Altogether, our results suggest that sea fennel can be a source of products and/or molecules for the food industry with antioxidant properties and minerals in the form, for example, of innovative health-promoting herbal beverages.
- Synthesis and anti-cancer activity of chiral tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a] pyridine-fused steroidsPublication . Lopes, Susana M. M.; Sousa, Emanuel P.; Barreira, Luísa; F. Marques, C.; Rodrigues, Maria João; Pinho e Melo, Teresa M. V. D.Regio-and stereoselective synthesis of novel chiral 4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo [1,5-a]pyridine fused steroids via [8 pi + 2 pi] cycloaddition of diazafulvenium methides with steroidal scaffolds is reported. The biological evaluation of the new family of hexacyclic steroids as anti-cancer agents was also carried out. Hexacyclic steroids bearing a benzyl group at C-22, derived from 16-dehydropregnenolone and 16-dehydroprogesterone, show considerable cytotoxicity against EL4 (murine T-lymphoma) in contrast with the corresponding C-22-unsubstituted derivatives showing low cytotoxicity. Thus, results indicate that the presence of the benzyl group is important to ensure cytotoxicity.
- Hetero-Diels-Alder approach to Bis(indolyl)methanesPublication . Grosso, Carla; Cardoso, Ana L.; Rodrigues, Maria Joao; Marques, Catia; Barreira, Luísa; Lemos, Americo; Pinho e Melo, Teresa M. D. V.A novel synthetic approach to bis(indolyl)methanes has been established. Our one-pot synthetic strategy based on two consecutive hetero-Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions of electrophilic conjugated nitrosoalkenes with indoles was extended to a range of new 1-hydroxyiminomethyl-bis(indolyl) methanes. Furthermore, a similar and broad range approach was applied to the synthesis of previously unknown 1-hydrazonomethyl-bis(indolyl)methanes. The biological evaluation of the new bis(indolyl) methanes as anti-cancer agents was investigated. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Health promoting potential of herbal teas and tinctures from Artemisia campestris subsp maritima: from traditional remedies to prospective productsPublication . Pereira, Catarina; Barreira, Luísa; Bijttebier, Sebastiaan; Pieters, Luc; Marques, Catia; Santos, Tamara; Rodrigues, Maria Joao; Varela, João; Custodio, LuisaThis work explored the biotechnological potential of the medicinal halophyte Artemisia campestris subsp. maritima (dune wormwood) as a source of health promoting commodities. For that purpose, infusions, decoctions and tinctures were prepared from roots and aerial-organs and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic and tyrosinase-inhibitory potential, and also for polyphenolic and mineral contents and toxicity. The dune wormwood extracts had high polyphenolic content and several phenolics were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-mass-spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-MS). The main compounds were quinic, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, coumarin sulfates and dicaffeoylquinic acids; several of the identified phytoconstituents are here firstly reported in this A. campestris subspecies. Results obtained with this plant's extracts point to nutritional applications as mineral supplementary source, safe for human consumption, as suggested by the moderate to low toxicity of the extracts towards mammalian cell lines. The dune wormwood extracts had in general high antioxidant activity and also the capacity to inhibit a-glucosidase and tyrosinase. In summary, dune wormwood extracts are a significant source of polyphenolic and mineral constituents, antioxidants and a-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors, and thus, relevant for different commercial segments like the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and/or food industries.