A critical overview of current approaches to the development of starch-containing packaging, integrating the principles of green chemistry (GC), green technology (GT) and green nanotechnology (GN) with those of green packaging (GP) to produce materials important for both us and the planet is given. First, as a relationship between GP and GC, the benefits of natural bioactive compounds are analyzed and the state-of-the-art is updated in terms of the starch packaging incorporating green chemicals that normally help us to maintain health, are environmentally friendly and are obtained via GC. Newer approaches are identified, such as the incorporation of vitamins or minerals into films and coatings. Second, the relationship between GP and GT is assessed by analyzing the influence on starch films of green physical treatments such as UV, electron beam or gamma irradiation, and plasma; emerging research areas are proposed, such as the use of cold atmospheric plasma for the production of films. Thirdly, the approaches on how GN can be used successfully to improve the mechanical properties and bioactivity of packaging are summarized; current trends are identified, such as a green synthesis of bionanocomposites containing phytosynthesized metal nanoparticles. Last but not least, bioinspiration ideas for the design of the future green packaging containing starch are presented.

The aim of this study was to determine the variability of several chemical compounds and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of eight types of berries harvested from two different geographical regions in the same year. The analyses were performed on bilberry, black currant, gooseberry, red currant, raspberry, sea buckthorn, strawberry and sour cherry, which were handpicked during the summer of 2019, in the same periods when they are typically harvested for consumer purposes. Total anthocyanins content (TAC), total flavonoids content (TFC), total polyphenolic compounds (TPC), determination of the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), determination of the DPPH free radical scavenging assay (RSA), determination of nine phenolic compounds by HPLC-UV assay and antimicrobial activity were determined for undiluted hydroalcoholic extracts of all the studied berries. The results showed that the berries from Romania were richer in antioxidant compounds than the berries from Russia. The TPC content varied between 4.13–22.2 mg GAE/g d.w., TFC between 3.33–8.87 mg QE/g d.w. and TAC between 0.13–3.94 mg/g d.w. The highest variability was determined for TPC. Regarding the antioxidant activity assessed by FRAP assay, values were between 6.02–57.23 µmols TE/g d.w. and values for the RSA method between 18.44–83.81%. From the eight types of berries analyzed, bilberries and raspberries had the highest antioxidant activity considering both regions and both determination methods. Not only the type, but also the environmental and cultivation conditions in which the berries grow, can lead to variations in their chemical composition. The extracted polyphenolic compounds from the studied berries showed antibacterial properties on pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphyloccocus aureus. The inhibitory action on Salmonella typhi and fungi Candida albicans and Aspegillus niger was absent to very low. The antimicrobial activity of the hydroalcoholic extracts was dependent on the provenance of the berries, too.

Grape pomace and berries represent natural sources of phytochemicals that can increase the quality of life of consumers by contributing to the prevention of chronic diseases; thus, the development of a dietary supplement was necessary. The raw material (r.m.) used for the development of the dietary supplement consisted of dried and powdered bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), red currants (Ribes rubrum L.), and red fermented pomaces (Vitis vinifera L.) from Feteasca Neagra and Cabernet Sauvignon cultivars. The particle size distribution, powder flow, total phenolic content (TPC), HPLC-DAD phenolic profile assessment, and radical scavenging assay (RSA) were employed for the analysis of the raw material. After encapsulation, the average mass and uniformity of mass, the disintegration, and the uniformity of content for the obtained capsules were performed to obtain a high-quality dietary supplement. All the assays performed complied to the compendial requirements and the TPC was determined at 9.07 ± 0.25 mg gallic acid equivalents/g r.m. and RSA at 48.32 ± 0.74%. The highest quantities of phenolic compounds determined were 333.7 ± 0.50 µg/g r.m. for chlorogenic acid, followed by rutin, ferulic acid, and (+)-catechin with 198.9 ± 1.60 µg/g r.m., 179.8 ± 0.90 µg/g r.m. and 118.7 ± 0.75 µg/g r.m., respectively. The results of this study can be used for the manufacturing and assessing of pilot scale-up capsule batches and thinking of quality assurance, we recommend that the industrial batch extracts should be standardized in polyphenols, and the manufacturing process should be validated.

Melissa officinalis L. called in popular language lemon balm is a medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant contains a variety of bioactive compounds among which volatile oils, flavonoids and phenolic acids. These are responsible for a lot of beneficial effects in disease relief. Lemon balm has antioxidant, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anxiolytic, spasmolytic and other effects. Important for its antioxidant activity are flavonoids and phenolic acids which are well known for their ability to scavenge the free radicals. Due to this effect, lemon balm protects against the development of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dermatological disorders. In this study we extracted and determined the content of the volatile oil and flavonoids from Melissa officinalis L. and we investigated the antioxidant activity of an extract obtained from dried aerial parts of lemon balm. The results showed that the volatile oil content was low (0.17 mL/100 g vegetal material). The total flavonoid content was 0.965 g rutoside/100 g of vegetal product and the antioxidant activity was 90.40 %. From this study, we concluded that Melissa officinalis L. is a potential source of antioxidant compounds with a lot of other benefits for human health.

Lung cancer is the second cause of death in the world, being the most common type of cancer. Conventional therapies are not always recommended due to the particularities of patients. Thus, there is a need to develop new anticancer therapeutic agents. Medicinal plants constitute a source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential in lung cancer. The purpose of our narrative review is to evaluate and summarize the main studies on the cytotoxic effects of ten medicinal plants and their extracts, volatile oils, and bioactive compounds. We have also included studies that reported protective effects of these natural products against chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Studies were identified by assessing five databases using specific keywords. The investigated natural products possess cytotoxic effects on lung cancer cell cultures. Several mechanisms of action have been proposed including cell death by apoptosis, necrosis or autophagy, cell cycle arrest, the modulation of signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt and MAPK), the inhibition of migration, invasion and metastasis, antiangiogenesis, and targeting inflammation. Different bioactive compounds exhibit protective effects against chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Studies have shown promising results. To develop new therapeutic agents useful in treating lung cancer, the plants included in this review should be more deeply investigated to reveal their molecular mechanisms of action.

Background: Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) is a medicinal plant native to the spontaneous Romanian flora. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenolic profile, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity (AC) of two L. salicaria L. extracts, a hydro-methanolic extract (LSmet-1) and a hydro-ethanolic extract (LSeth-2), and their putative toxicity, as well as the effect on eye pigment content in the case of Drosophila melanogaster of an extract derived from LSmet-1 (LSmet-3). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the influence of L. salicaria L. extracts on cytotoxicity and the expression of genes as determined by eye pigment levels, using a D. melanogaster-based model system. Methods: High-performance liquid chromatography was carried out to investigate the chemical composition of the extracts. Spectrophotometric methods were used to estimate their TPC and AC. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using an in vivo D. melanogaster diet-dependent viability assay and eye pigments of w^m4h males, suitable for position-effect variegation studies, which were quantified by a spectrophotometric method. Results: The results indicated that the main phenolic compounds were gallic acid, resveratrol, and rutin in LSmet-1, whereas in LSeth-2, gallic acid and quercetin were the most relevant. LSmet-1 had a higher TPC compared to LSeth-2. Both extracts exhibited notable efficacy in the applied in vitro antioxidant tests. The viability of flies on normal media increased in a concentration-dependent manner at lower concentrations, with the extract being toxic at higher concentrations. On a high-sugar diet, even lower concentrations were toxic. All tested concentrations influenced the eye pigment content. Conclusions: Our study brings new findings on L. salicaria L. extracts, suggesting the need for further investigation before introducing them in therapy.