MICROMEDRONHO - DESIGNER DE MICROCÁPSULAS DE ARBUTUS UNEDO FOLHAS, FRUTOS E FLORES POR SPRAY DRYING PARA SUPLEMENTOS E ALIMENTOS FUNCIONAIS

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Micromedronho: design of microencapsulated arbutus unedo leaves and fruits by spray drying for supplements and functional foods

Publication . Nunes, Ricardo Jorge dos Santos; Carvalho, Isabel Saraiva de

Arbutus unedo is a common tree in the Mediterranean area. Its fruits are consumed fresh or transformed, leaves are rich in antioxidants and not much is known about flowers. In this work we conduct a bibliographic survey utilizing text mining coupled with bibliography management software to expedite the process. We then study the best conditions to extract antioxidants from leaves, fruits and flowers of A. unedo and we compare their antioxidant activity with other plants from Algarve. In this step we found A. unedo to be the best plant. We then investigate the antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of A. unedo and other plants from Algarve and also explore their phenolic profile and zinc contents, where we find A. unedo has antibacterial activity and retards sw480 cell line growth. Next we determine the vitamin E contents and fatty acid profile of the A. unedo extracts and explore their potential use in the treatment of chronic diseases, namely diabetes, Alzheimer and Parkinson, using enzymatic assays. At this step we find that leaves and fruits are rich in vitamin E, mostly α-tocopherol, and have a ω3:ω6 ratio above 1. Additionally, leaf and flower extracts have the best potential to be used in diabetes control, mostly via α-glucosidase inhibition. We also find the extracts show strong potential to be used in Alzheimer’s control but not in Parkinson’s and that they inhibit acetylcholinesterase and butyrilcholinesterase differently and via difference mechanisms. Finally we expose the development and stability to storage of three new products using A. unedo leaves and fruits as basis. These include a beverage with antioxidant and anti-Alzheimer activity, macrocapsules rich in antioxidants and microcapsules obtained using a spray dryer, which even after in-vitro digestion present the potential to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

2017-09-18Doctoral thesis

Open Access

In vitro biological activity screening of arbutus unedo leaves in light of their traditional use

Publication . Nunes, Ricardo; Saraiva De Carvalho, Isabel; Paśko, Paweł; Tyszka – Czochara, Małgorzata; Szewczyk, Agnieszka; Szlósarczyk, Marek; Podolak, Irma; Galanty, Agnieszka

The biological activity of A. unedo leaves, in relation to their traditional medicinal use in treating gastrointestinal and urinary tract diseases was verified. The ethanol extract of the leaves was quantitatively described in terms of flavonoids and phenolic acids (RP-HPLC), and zinc (voltametric analysis) and subjected to cytotoxic (MTT), antioxidant (TPC, TFC, TAA, RP, DPPH, and FRAP), antibacterial (disc diffusion), and antidiabetic assays (enzyme inhibition) in vitro. The extract was highly cytotoxic against prostate cancer cells, with less impact on colon carcinomas, while being nontoxic to normal prostate and kidney cells, and demonstrated antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.

2023-09Journal article

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Antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties and zinc content of five south Portugal herbs

Publication . Nunes, Ricardo; Pasko, Pawel; Tyszka-Czochara, Malgorzata; Szewczyk, Agnieszka; Szlosarczyk, Marek; Saraiva de Carvalho, Isabel

Context: Crataegus monogyna L. (Rosaceae) (CM), Equisetum telmateia L. (Equisataceae) (ET), Geranium purpureum Vil. (Geraniaceae) (GP), Mentha suaveolens Ehrh. (Lamiaceae) (MS), and Lavandula stoechas L. spp. luisieri (Lamiaceae) (LS) are all medicinal. Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant, antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of plant extracts and quantify individual phenolics and zinc. Material and methods: Aerial part extracts were prepared with water (W), ethanol (E) and an 80% mixture (80EW). Antioxidant activity was measured with TAA, FRAP and RP methods. Phenolics were quantified with a HPLC. Zinc was quantified using voltammetry. Antibacterial activity (after 48 h) was tested using Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes. Antiproliferative activity (after 24 h) was tested using HEP G2 cells and fibroblasts. Results: Solvents influenced results; the best were E and 80EW. GP had the highest antioxidant activity (TAA and FRAP of 536.90mg AAE/g dw and 783.48mg TE/g dw, respectively). CM had the highest zinc concentration (37.21 mg/kg) and phenolic variety, with neochlorogenic acid as the most abundant (92.91 mg/100 g dw). LS was rich in rosmarinic acid (301.71 mg/100 g dw). GP and LS inhibited the most microorganisms: B. cereus, E. coli and S. aureus. GP also inhibited E. faecalis. CM had the lowest MIC: 5830 mu g/mL. The antibacterial activity is explained by the phenolics present. LS and CM showed the most significant anti-proliferative activity, which is explained by their zinc content. Conclusion: The most promising plants for further studies are CM, LS and GP.

2017Journal article

Open Access