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Dr. Olivia Pereira
Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal

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0 Cosmetics
0 Drug Discovery
0 Functional Foods
0 Natural Products
0 Nutraceuticals

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bioactive compounds
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polyphenols
medicinal plants

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Proceedings
Published: 30 November 2020 in Medical Sciences Forum
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Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) are known worldwide as an essential flavor in the beer in-dustry. Their compounds have shown health benefits in terms of phytochemical, pharmacologi-cal and biological profiles, due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. This study intends to develop a gel formulation incorporating hydroalcoholic extracts of different varieties of Hop such as Cascade, Polaris and spontaneous, from the cones and the vegetative plant parts, in different percentages. The essential oil of Thymus zygis was used as a natural preservative and the analysis of their composition was performed by GC and GC-MS. Additionally, the evaluation of the physical–chemical parameters, stability and capacity to inhibit microbial growth was performed. The pH measurement results of the formulations tend to be adjusted to the natural skin pH. The relative density obtained values of 1 and 0.857. It was found that there were no changes in the phase separation in the centrifugation, vibration, stability and accelerated test. However, changes were observed in the UV-Visible spectra, in texture, consistency and viscosity, and in the color test. In the light test there was phase separa-tion of the samples, which may be related to the manufacturing technique of the formulations. However, anti-aging formulations with phenols from Hop could be developed in order to ob-tain formulations with relevant properties for consumers and the cosmetic industry.

ACS Style

Briolanja dos Santos; Olívia Pereira; Luís Pedro; Maria Sousa. Physical-Chemical Properties of the Phenolic Compounds of Humulus lupulus and Aromatic Plant Terpenes: Potential for Use in a Cosmetic Formulation. Medical Sciences Forum 2020, 2, 6 .

AMA Style

Briolanja dos Santos, Olívia Pereira, Luís Pedro, Maria Sousa. Physical-Chemical Properties of the Phenolic Compounds of Humulus lupulus and Aromatic Plant Terpenes: Potential for Use in a Cosmetic Formulation. Medical Sciences Forum. 2020; 2 (1):6.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Briolanja dos Santos; Olívia Pereira; Luís Pedro; Maria Sousa. 2020. "Physical-Chemical Properties of the Phenolic Compounds of Humulus lupulus and Aromatic Plant Terpenes: Potential for Use in a Cosmetic Formulation." Medical Sciences Forum 2, no. 1: 6.

Review
Published: 01 September 2020 in Antioxidants
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Thymus genus comprises numerous species that are particularly abundant in the West Mediterranean region. A growing body of evidence suggests that many of these species are a rich source of bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds such as rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acids and luteolin glycosides, able to render them potential applications in a range of industrial fields. This review collects the most relevant studies focused on the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer of phenolic-rich extracts from Thymus plants, highlighting correlations made by the authors with respect to the main phenolic players in such activities.

ACS Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Susana M. Cardoso. Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus Phenolic-Rich Extracts: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumoral Properties. Antioxidants 2020, 9, 814 .

AMA Style

Andrea F. Afonso, Olívia R. Pereira, Susana M. Cardoso. Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus Phenolic-Rich Extracts: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumoral Properties. Antioxidants. 2020; 9 (9):814.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Susana M. Cardoso. 2020. "Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus Phenolic-Rich Extracts: Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antitumoral Properties." Antioxidants 9, no. 9: 814.

Journal article
Published: 27 November 2019 in Molecules
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In the present study, aqueous extracts of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ and Savia mexicana origin were screened for their phenolic composition and for antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties. The three aqueous extracts contained distinct phenolic compounds, with S. africana presenting the highest total levels (231.6 ± 7.5 μg/mg). Rosmarinic acid was the dominant phenolic compound in all extracts, yet that of S. africana origin was characterized by the present of yunnaneic acid isomers, which overall accounted for about 40% of total phenolics. In turn, S. officinalis ‘Icterina’ extract presented glycosidic forms of apigenin, luteolin and scuttelarein, and the one obtained from S. mexicana contained several simple caffeic acid derivatives. S. africana aqueous extract exhibited high antioxidant potential in four methods, namely the DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability, iron-reducing power, inhibition of β-carotene bleaching and of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), for which EC50 values were equal or only 1.3–3.1 higher than those of the standard compounds. Moreover, this extract was able to lower the levels of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages (EC50 = 47.8 ± 2.1 μg/mL). In addition, the three sage aqueous extracts showed promising cytotoxic effect towards hepatocellular HepG2, cervical HeLa, and breast carcinoma cells MCF-7. Overall this study highlights the potential of three little-exploited Salvia species, with commercial value for applications in food or pharmaceutical industries.

ACS Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ângela Fernandes; Ricardo C. Calhelha; Artur M. S. Silva; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira; Susana M. Cardoso. Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Effects of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ and Salvia mexicana Aqueous Extracts. Molecules 2019, 24, 4327 .

AMA Style

Andrea F. Afonso, Olívia R. Pereira, Ângela Fernandes, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Artur M. S. Silva, Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira, Susana M. Cardoso. Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Effects of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ and Salvia mexicana Aqueous Extracts. Molecules. 2019; 24 (23):4327.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ângela Fernandes; Ricardo C. Calhelha; Artur M. S. Silva; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira; Susana M. Cardoso. 2019. "Phytochemical Composition and Bioactive Effects of Salvia africana, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ and Salvia mexicana Aqueous Extracts." Molecules 24, no. 23: 4327.

Journal article
Published: 02 August 2019 in Antioxidants
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The phenolic composition of hydroethanolic extracts of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L., obtained from plants grown under organic cultivation, was determined and their hepatoprotective effects were investigated in vitro. L. cardiaca extract was rich in phenylethenoid glycosides, especially lavandolifolioside (254 ± 36 μg/mg), whereas rosmarinic acid and eriodictyol-O-rutinoside were the major phenolic compounds of L. dentata and M. aquatica extracts, accounting for 68 ± 7 μg/mg and 145 ± 22 μg/mg, respectively. These differential phenolic components presumably account for their dissimilar antioxidant properties. While L. cardiaca extract showed moderate biological effects, M. aquatica extract displayed high antioxidant activity in chemical models, and that of L. dentata was effective in counteracting potassium dichromate-induced ROS generation in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Moreover, M. aquatica extract (50 μg/mL) and its mixture (50%/50%) with L. dentata extract displayed an effective cytoprotective effect.

ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Rocio I. R. Macias; Maria R. M. Domingues; Jose J. G. Marin; Susana M. Cardoso. Hepatoprotection of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 267 .

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira, Rocio I. R. Macias, Maria R. M. Domingues, Jose J. G. Marin, Susana M. Cardoso. Hepatoprotection of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L. Antioxidants. 2019; 8 (8):267.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Rocio I. R. Macias; Maria R. M. Domingues; Jose J. G. Marin; Susana M. Cardoso. 2019. "Hepatoprotection of Mentha aquatica L., Lavandula dentata L. and Leonurus cardiaca L." Antioxidants 8, no. 8: 267.

Journal article
Published: 25 July 2019 in Antioxidants
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Salvia apiana and Salvia farinacea var. Victoria Blue decoctions were screened for diverse bioactivities, including the ability to counteract oxidative and inflammatory events, as well as to act as cytotoxic and antimicrobial agents. Both extracts showed good activities and that of S. apiana origin was particularly effective regarding the ability to prevent lipid peroxidation and to prevent nitric oxide (NO●) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line (EC50 = 50 μg/mL). Moreover, it displayed high cytotoxic capacity against hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2, cervical carcinoma HeLa, and breast carcinoma cells MCF-7, but comparatively low effects in porcine liver primary cells, which highlights its selectivity (GI50 = 41-60 μg/mL vs. 362 μg/mL, respectively). Further, it exhibited inhibitory and lethal potential against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is possible that the bioactive properties of the two Salvia extracts are associated to their phenolic components and, in the particular case of S. apiana, to its richness in phenolic terpenes, namely in rosmanol, hydroxycarnosic acid and a derivative of sageone, which were found in the extract.

ACS Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ângela S. F. Fernandes; Ricardo C. Calhelha; Artur M. S. Silva; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira; Susana M. Cardoso. The Health-Benefits and Phytochemical Profile of Salvia apiana and Salvia farinacea var. Victoria Blue Decoctions. Antioxidants 2019, 8, 241 .

AMA Style

Andrea F. Afonso, Olívia R. Pereira, Ângela S. F. Fernandes, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Artur M. S. Silva, Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira, Susana M. Cardoso. The Health-Benefits and Phytochemical Profile of Salvia apiana and Salvia farinacea var. Victoria Blue Decoctions. Antioxidants. 2019; 8 (8):241.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ângela S. F. Fernandes; Ricardo C. Calhelha; Artur M. S. Silva; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira; Susana M. Cardoso. 2019. "The Health-Benefits and Phytochemical Profile of Salvia apiana and Salvia farinacea var. Victoria Blue Decoctions." Antioxidants 8, no. 8: 241.

Dissertation
Published: 24 July 2019
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ACS Style

Olívia Rodrigues Pereira. Characterization of Phenolic constituents of medicinal plants and evaluation of pharmacological activities: focus in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 2019, 1 .

AMA Style

Olívia Rodrigues Pereira. Characterization of Phenolic constituents of medicinal plants and evaluation of pharmacological activities: focus in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. . 2019; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia Rodrigues Pereira. 2019. "Characterization of Phenolic constituents of medicinal plants and evaluation of pharmacological activities: focus in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 23 January 2019 in Food Research International
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There is a growing interest in wild edible species that represent a source of several health-promoting compounds, providing a potential strategy to diversify and enrich the daily diet. The aim of the present work was to characterize the nutritional and chemical composition of Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits. Furthermore, their antimicrobial activity, non-anthocyanin and anthocyanin phenolic profile were also determined. According to the obtained results, R. ulmifolius fruits exhibited a high concentration in carbohydrates and a low fat content, in comparison with the other nutrients and non-nutrients detected in this sample. The colour parameters demonstrated differences in a* and b* parameters after lyophilisation process. Glucose and fructose were the most abundant free sugars detected and quinic acid showed the highest content compared to the other five organic acids identified. The fatty acids profile revealed 25 compounds, being mostly represented by polyunsaturated fatty acids and evidencing linolenic and α-linolenic acid as the most abundant. All tocopherol isoforms were detected, revealing γ-tocopherol with highest amount. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, ellagic acid pentoside, ellagic acid glucuronide and sanguiin H-10 were the main phenolic compounds present, which could be related to the antimicrobial activity (MIC values ranging between 5 and 20 mg/mL) revealed by R. ulmifolius fruits. These results showed that this fruit is a good source of nutrients as also non-nutrient compounds, with human health benefits.

ACS Style

Liliana Primo da Silva; Eliana Pereira; Tânia C.S.P. Pires; Maria José Alves; Olívia R. Pereira; Lillian Barros; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira. Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits: A detailed study of its nutritional, chemical and bioactive properties. Food Research International 2019, 119, 34 -43.

AMA Style

Liliana Primo da Silva, Eliana Pereira, Tânia C.S.P. Pires, Maria José Alves, Olívia R. Pereira, Lillian Barros, Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira. Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits: A detailed study of its nutritional, chemical and bioactive properties. Food Research International. 2019; 119 ():34-43.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liliana Primo da Silva; Eliana Pereira; Tânia C.S.P. Pires; Maria José Alves; Olívia R. Pereira; Lillian Barros; Isabel C.F.R. Ferreira. 2019. "Rubus ulmifolius Schott fruits: A detailed study of its nutritional, chemical and bioactive properties." Food Research International 119, no. : 34-43.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2018 in Molecules
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Salvia elegans Vahl., Salvia greggii A. Gray, and Salvia officinalis L. decoctions were investigated for their health-benefit properties, in particular with respect to antioxidant activity and inhibitory ability towards key enzymes with impact in diabetes and obesity (α-glucosidase, α-amylase and pancreatic lipase). Additionally, the phenolic profiles of the three decoctions were determined and correlated with the beneficial properties. The S. elegans decoction was the most promising in regard to the antioxidant effects, namely in the scavenging capacity of the free radicals DPPH•, NO• and O2•–, and the ability to reduce Fe3+, as well as the most effective inhibitor of α-glucosidase (EC50 = 36.0 ± 2.7 μg/mL vs. EC50 = 345.3 ± 6.4 μg/mL and 71.2 ± 5.0 μg/mL for S. greggii and S. officinalis, respectively). This superior activity of the S. elegans decoction over those of S. greggii and S. officinalis was, overall, highly correlated with its richness in caffeic acid and derivatives. In turn, the S. officinalis decoction exhibited good inhibitory capacity against xanthine oxidase activity, a fact that could be associated with its high content of flavones, in particular the glycosidic forms of apigenin, scutellarein and luteolin.

ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Marcelo D. Catarino; Andrea F. Afonso; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. Salvia elegans, Salvia greggii and Salvia officinalis Decoctions: Antioxidant Activities and Inhibition of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolic Enzymes. Molecules 2018, 23, 3169 .

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira, Marcelo D. Catarino, Andrea F. Afonso, Artur M. S. Silva, Susana M. Cardoso. Salvia elegans, Salvia greggii and Salvia officinalis Decoctions: Antioxidant Activities and Inhibition of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolic Enzymes. Molecules. 2018; 23 (12):3169.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Marcelo D. Catarino; Andrea F. Afonso; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. 2018. "Salvia elegans, Salvia greggii and Salvia officinalis Decoctions: Antioxidant Activities and Inhibition of Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolic Enzymes." Molecules 23, no. 12: 3169.

Journal article
Published: 22 June 2018 in Molecules
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Thymus plants are marketed for diverse usages because of their pleasant odor, as well as high nutritional value and wealth of health-promoting phytochemicals. In this study, Thymuszygis, Thymuspulegioides, and Thymusfragrantissimus grown under organic cultivation regime were characterized regarding nutrients and phenolic compounds. In addition, the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of these species were screened. The plants were particularly notable for their high K/Na ratio, polyunsaturated fatty acids content and low omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratios, which are valuable features of a healthy diet. Caffeic acid and/or its derivatives, mainly rosmarinic acid and caffeoyl rosmarinic acid, represented the majority of the phenolic constituents of these plants, although they were less representative in T. pulegioides, which in turn was the richest in flavones. The latter species also exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (DPPH● EC50 of 9.50 ± 1.98 μg/mL and reducing power EC50 of 30.73 ± 1.48 μg/mL), while T. zygis was the most active towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Overall, the results suggest that the three thyme plants grown in organic farming are endowed with valuable metabolites that give them high commercial value for applications in different industries.

ACS Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Mónica Válega; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. Metabolites and Biological Activities of Thymus zygis, Thymus pulegioides, and Thymus fragrantissimus Grown under Organic Cultivation. Molecules 2018, 23, 1514 .

AMA Style

Andrea F. Afonso, Olívia R. Pereira, Mónica Válega, Artur M. S. Silva, Susana M. Cardoso. Metabolites and Biological Activities of Thymus zygis, Thymus pulegioides, and Thymus fragrantissimus Grown under Organic Cultivation. Molecules. 2018; 23 (7):1514.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Mónica Válega; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. 2018. "Metabolites and Biological Activities of Thymus zygis, Thymus pulegioides, and Thymus fragrantissimus Grown under Organic Cultivation." Molecules 23, no. 7: 1514.

Journal article
Published: 31 August 2017 in International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius decoctions were screened for their phenolic constituents, along with their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. The total phenolic compounds in the extracts of the three plants ranged from 236.0 ± 26.6 mgGAE/g (T. caespititus) to 293.0 ± 30.5 mgGAE/g of extract (T. pseudolanuginosus), being particularly rich in caffeic acid derivatives, namely rosmarinic acid and its structural isomers, as well as flavones, such as luteolin-O-glucuronide. The T. pseudolanuginosus extract presented the best DPPH radical scavenging ability (EC50 = 10.9 ± 0.7 µg/mL), a high reducing power (EC50 = 32.2 ± 8.2 µg/mL), and effectively inhibited the oxidation of β-carotene (EC50 = 2.4 ± 0.2 µg/mL). The extracts also showed NO● scavenging activity close to that of ascorbic acid, and thus might be useful as anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, they exhibited antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus strains were the most sensitive bacteria to thyme extracts, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values in the range of 0.6–3.5 mg/mL. Overall, this work is an important contribution for the phytochemical characterization and the potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of these three Thymus species, which have been poorly explored.

ACS Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Rodrigo T. Neto; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius Decoctions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2017, 18, 1879 .

AMA Style

Andrea F. Afonso, Olívia R. Pereira, Rodrigo T. Neto, Artur M. S. Silva, Susana M. Cardoso. Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius Decoctions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017; 18 (9):1879.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea F. Afonso; Olívia R. Pereira; Rodrigo T. Neto; Artur M. S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. 2017. "Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius Decoctions." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18, no. 9: 1879.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2017 in Alternative & Integrative Medicine
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ACS Style

Dias Paula; Pedro Luís; Olivia Rodrigues Pereira; Sousa Maria Joao. Aromatherapy in the Control of Stress and Anxiety. Alternative & Integrative Medicine 2017, 6, 1 -5.

AMA Style

Dias Paula, Pedro Luís, Olivia Rodrigues Pereira, Sousa Maria Joao. Aromatherapy in the Control of Stress and Anxiety. Alternative & Integrative Medicine. 2017; 6 (4):1-5.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dias Paula; Pedro Luís; Olivia Rodrigues Pereira; Sousa Maria Joao. 2017. "Aromatherapy in the Control of Stress and Anxiety." Alternative & Integrative Medicine 6, no. 4: 1-5.

Review
Published: 12 November 2015 in Marine Drugs
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Being naturally enriched in key nutrients and in various health-promoting compounds, seaweeds represent promising candidates for the design of functional foods. Soluble dietary fibers, peptides, phlorotannins, lipids and minerals are macroalgae’s major compounds that can hold potential in high-value food products derived from macroalgae, including those directed to the cardiovascular-health promotion. This manuscript revises available reported data focusing the role of diet supplementation of macroalgae, or extracts enriched in bioactive compounds from macroalgae origin, in targeting modifiable markers of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), like dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, hypertension, hypercoagulability and activation of the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems, among others. At last, the review also describes several products that have been formulated with the use of whole macroalgae or extracts, along with their claimed cardiovascular-associated benefits.

ACS Style

Susana M. Cardoso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ana M. L. Seca; Diana C. G. A. Pinto; Artur M. S. Silva. Seaweeds as Preventive Agents for Cardiovascular Diseases: From Nutrients to Functional Foods. Marine Drugs 2015, 13, 6838 -6865.

AMA Style

Susana M. Cardoso, Olívia R. Pereira, Ana M. L. Seca, Diana C. G. A. Pinto, Artur M. S. Silva. Seaweeds as Preventive Agents for Cardiovascular Diseases: From Nutrients to Functional Foods. Marine Drugs. 2015; 13 (11):6838-6865.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana M. Cardoso; Olívia R. Pereira; Ana M. L. Seca; Diana C. G. A. Pinto; Artur M. S. Silva. 2015. "Seaweeds as Preventive Agents for Cardiovascular Diseases: From Nutrients to Functional Foods." Marine Drugs 13, no. 11: 6838-6865.

Review
Published: 25 January 2015 in Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
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Flavonoids, a group of secondary metabolites widely distributed in the plant kingdom, have been acknowledged for their interesting medicinal properties. Among them, natural flavones, as well as some of their synthetic derivatives, have been shown to exhibit several biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anti-allergic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective and antimicrobial. The antioxidant properties of flavones allow them to demonstrate potential application as preventive and attenuating agents in oxidative stress, i.e., a biological condition that is closely associated to aging process and several diseases. Some flavones interfere in distinct oxidative-stress related events by directly reducing the levels of intracellular free radicals (hydroxyl, superoxide and nitric oxide) and/or of reactive species (e.g. hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite and hypochlorous acid) thus preventing their amplification and the consequent damage of other biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and DNA. Flavones can also hinder the activity of central free radical-producing enzymes, such as xanthine oxidase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH-oxidase) or inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and can even modulate the intracellular levels of pro-oxidant and/or antioxidant enzymes. The evaluation of flavones antioxidant ability has been extensively determined in chemical or biological in vitro models, but in vivo therapy with individual flavones or with flavones-enriched extracts has also been reported. The present manuscript revises relevant studies focusing the preventive effects of flavones on stress-related diseases, namely the neurological and cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes and its associated complications.

ACS Style

Marcelo Dias Catarino; Jorge Miguel Alves-Silva; Olívia R. Pereira; Susana M Cardoso. Antioxidant Capacities of Flavones and Benefits in Oxidative-Stress Related Diseases. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2015, 15, 105 -119.

AMA Style

Marcelo Dias Catarino, Jorge Miguel Alves-Silva, Olívia R. Pereira, Susana M Cardoso. Antioxidant Capacities of Flavones and Benefits in Oxidative-Stress Related Diseases. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 2015; 15 (2):105-119.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marcelo Dias Catarino; Jorge Miguel Alves-Silva; Olívia R. Pereira; Susana M Cardoso. 2015. "Antioxidant Capacities of Flavones and Benefits in Oxidative-Stress Related Diseases." Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 15, no. 2: 105-119.

Book of abstracts
Published: 30 October 2014 in Planta Medica
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Thymus is an important genus in the West Mediterranean region, where many species are cultivated for confection of several dishes, including salads, soups, stews and sauces. Many Thymus, including T. zygis and T. pulegioides are also commonly used in traditional medicine [1]. Whist phenolic compounds are commonly associated to health-beneficial properties of Thymus, the specific phenolic composition of T. zygis and T. pulegioides is presently unknown [2]. The extracts of the aerial parts of T. zygis and T. pulegioides species were prepared with hot water as previously described [3]. Total phenolic contents were determined according to the adapted Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method [4] and the identification of the phenolic compounds was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD). The extracts of T. zygis and T. pulegioides contained 319 ± 44 and 391 ± 3 µg GAE/mg, respectively. Likewise other Thymus species [2], both extracts were enriched in caffeic acid derivatives, showing characteristic UV spectra maxima at 290 and 328nm. The latter included rosmarinic acid (MW 360) and 3′-O-(8″-Z-caffeoyl)rosmarinic acid (MW 538) [2]. The two extracts also contained moderate amounts of the flavone luteolin-7-O-glucoside (MW 448) that has been previously described in others Thymus species [2]. Yet, T. zygis and T. pulegioides phenolic profiles could be clearly distinguished: while the first had high levels of the phenolic acid salvianolic acid K (MW 556; UV spectra maxima at 288, 322), the extract of T. pulegioides was enriched in eriodictyol-O-hexoside and derivatives, with typical UV spectra maxima at 283nm. Note that salvianolic acid K has been previously described in T. vulgaris while eriodictyol-O-hexoside derivatives were previously found in T. vulgaris and T. serpyllum [2]. The phenolic compounds of T. zygis and T. pulegioides are here described for the first time. Acknowledgements: Financial support of FCT to CERNAS (PEst-OE/AGR/UI0681/2014). Keywords: Thymus zygis, Thymus pulegioides, phenolic compounds, phytochemical characterization References: [1] Zarzuelo, A. and Crespo, E. 2002, The medicinal and non-medicinal uses of Thyme. In: Stahl-Biskup, E. and Sáez, F., editors. Thyme, the genus Thymus, London: Taylor and Francis. [2] Pereira, O.R. and Cardoso, S.M. (2013) Cur Anal Chem 9:382 – 396. [3] Ferreira, F.M. et al. (2012) Cyta-J Food 10:92 – 102. [4] Guyot, S. et al. (1998)J Agric Food Chem 46:1698 – 1705.

ACS Style

Or Pereira; Af Afonso; V Domingues; Sm Cardoso. Thymus zygis and Thymus pulegioides as a source of phenolic compounds. Planta Medica 2014, 80, P2P22 .

AMA Style

Or Pereira, Af Afonso, V Domingues, Sm Cardoso. Thymus zygis and Thymus pulegioides as a source of phenolic compounds. Planta Medica. 2014; 80 (16):P2P22.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Or Pereira; Af Afonso; V Domingues; Sm Cardoso. 2014. "Thymus zygis and Thymus pulegioides as a source of phenolic compounds." Planta Medica 80, no. 16: P2P22.

Review
Published: 31 May 2014 in Current Organic Chemistry
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Susana M. Cardoso; Loic Carvalho; Paulo Silva; Mara Rodrigues; Olivia Pereira; Leonel Pereira. Bioproducts from Seaweeds: A Review with Special Focus on the Iberian Peninsula. Current Organic Chemistry 2014, 18, 896 -917.

AMA Style

Susana M. Cardoso, Loic Carvalho, Paulo Silva, Mara Rodrigues, Olivia Pereira, Leonel Pereira. Bioproducts from Seaweeds: A Review with Special Focus on the Iberian Peninsula. Current Organic Chemistry. 2014; 18 (7):896-917.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Susana M. Cardoso; Loic Carvalho; Paulo Silva; Mara Rodrigues; Olivia Pereira; Leonel Pereira. 2014. "Bioproducts from Seaweeds: A Review with Special Focus on the Iberian Peninsula." Current Organic Chemistry 18, no. 7: 896-917.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2013 in Food Research International
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ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira; António Peres; Artur Silva; Maria Rosario Domingues; Susana M. Cardoso. Simultaneous characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds in Thymus x citriodorus using a validated HPLC–UV and ESI–MS combined method. Food Research International 2013, 54, 1773 -1780.

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira, António Peres, Artur Silva, Maria Rosario Domingues, Susana M. Cardoso. Simultaneous characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds in Thymus x citriodorus using a validated HPLC–UV and ESI–MS combined method. Food Research International. 2013; 54 (2):1773-1780.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira; António Peres; Artur Silva; Maria Rosario Domingues; Susana M. Cardoso. 2013. "Simultaneous characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds in Thymus x citriodorus using a validated HPLC–UV and ESI–MS combined method." Food Research International 54, no. 2: 1773-1780.

Journal article
Published: 01 July 2013 in Journal of Functional Foods
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ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Rocio Macias; María J. Perez; Jose Marin; Susana M. Cardoso. Protective effects of phenolic constituents from Cytisus multiflorus, Lamium album L. and Thymus citriodorus on liver cells. Journal of Functional Foods 2013, 5, 1170 -1179.

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira, Rocio Macias, María J. Perez, Jose Marin, Susana M. Cardoso. Protective effects of phenolic constituents from Cytisus multiflorus, Lamium album L. and Thymus citriodorus on liver cells. Journal of Functional Foods. 2013; 5 (3):1170-1179.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Rocio Macias; María J. Perez; Jose Marin; Susana M. Cardoso. 2013. "Protective effects of phenolic constituents from Cytisus multiflorus, Lamium album L. and Thymus citriodorus on liver cells." Journal of Functional Foods 5, no. 3: 1170-1179.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2013 in Current Analytical Chemistry
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Mentha and Thymus are important genera of the Lamiaceae family widely distributed in the entire World and commonly used in traditional medicine. Indeed, many species of the two genera have been credited with a large list of health-benefit effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, neuroprotective and anticarcinogenic. In turn, these properties have been associated to the polyphenolic composition of the plants. The present review summarizes the phenolic constituents found in Mentha and Thymus genera, as well as the main methods applied in their extraction, purification and identification. Reported species of Mentha and Thymus usually comprise derivatives of caffeic acid and distinct glycosidic forms of the flavonoids luteolin, apigenin, eriodictyol and naringenin. At present, the phenolic composition of many relevant plants of Mentha and Thymus is still unknown and thus, more studies are required for the adequate phenolic characterization of these two genera. In this context, the present implementation of faster and reliable analytical methodologies, as e.g. the chromatographic techniques hyphenated with mass spectrometry, will surely be an enormous tool in the upgrading of the missing information.

ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira. Overview on Mentha and Thymus Polyphenols. Current Analytical Chemistry 2013, 9, 382 -396.

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira. Overview on Mentha and Thymus Polyphenols. Current Analytical Chemistry. 2013; 9 (3):382-396.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira. 2013. "Overview on Mentha and Thymus Polyphenols." Current Analytical Chemistry 9, no. 3: 382-396.

Journal article
Published: 11 May 2012 in Food Research International
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Lamium album L. is an edible plant which is consumed raw or cooked, in particular in the Mediterranean and surrounding areas. It is also consumed as tea infusions and as a main component of food supplements, because of its pharmacological effects. Despite being consumed by humans for centuries, the chemical composition of L. album L. is far from being understood. In this study, a purified ethanolic extract (PEEL) was prepared and further analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and electrospray mass spectrometry. Overall, verbascoside accounted for approximately half of the phenolic content of the extract, but this also contained other bioactive phenolic compounds herein detected for the first time in the genus, namely isoscutellarein derivatives. The latter included isoscutellarein-7-O-allosyl(1 → 2)glucoside, its O-methyl derivative, three acetyl derivatives of isoscutellarein-O-allosyl glucoside and one acetylated form of O-methylisoscutellarein-7-O-allosyl(1 → 2)glucoside. From those, the main isoscutellarein derivative was assigned to isoscutellarein-7-O-(6-O-acetyl-β-allosyl)(1 → 2)-β-glucoside, as confirmed by NMR. Altogether, isoscutellarein derivatives accounted for almost 30% of PEEL phenolics. Since verbascoside and isoscutellarein derivatives are main components of L. album L. ethanolic extract, their possible association to the health benefits of the plant is discussed.

ACS Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Maria R.M. Domingues; Artur M.S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. Phenolic constituents of Lamium album: Focus on isoscutellarein derivatives. Food Research International 2012, 48, 330 -335.

AMA Style

Olívia R. Pereira, Maria R.M. Domingues, Artur M.S. Silva, Susana M. Cardoso. Phenolic constituents of Lamium album: Focus on isoscutellarein derivatives. Food Research International. 2012; 48 (1):330-335.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Olívia R. Pereira; Maria R.M. Domingues; Artur M.S. Silva; Susana M. Cardoso. 2012. "Phenolic constituents of Lamium album: Focus on isoscutellarein derivatives." Food Research International 48, no. 1: 330-335.

Articles
Published: 15 February 2012 in CyTA - Journal of Food
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Pterospartum tridentatum Willk. (prickled broom) is an autochthonous plant, common in Portuguese territory. The yellow flowers are used in traditional medicine, as a potential cure for all body illnesses, mainly to treat throat irritations or for diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia therapy. Despite its traditional use, no toxicological assessment has been performed to our knowledge. A high antioxidant activity of P. tridentatum flower water extract was found, in good agreement with its electrospray ionisation-mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) spectrum which revealed the presence of several flavonoids, such as luteolin-O-(O-acetyl)-glucuronide, luteolin-O-glucuronide or isorhamnetin-O-hexoside. Mitocondrial respiratory rates (state 4, state 3 and FCCP-stimulated respiration) and respiratory indexes (respiratory control and P/O ratios) showed no consistent decrease of respiratory and phosphorylative efficiencies for the concentrations tested (up to 500 μg.mL−1). Cytotoxicity evaluation, using MTT assay, was in agreement with the previous results. In conclusion, for the concentration range commonly used, P. tridentatum flower usage can be regarded as harmless and credible.

ACS Style

Fernanda M. Ferreira; Lia Dinis; Pedro Azedo; Cristina Galhano; Anabela Simões; Susana M. Cardoso; M. Rosário; Maria Rosario Domingues; Olívia R. Pereira; Carlos Palmeira; Francisco Peixoto. Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts. CyTA - Journal of Food 2012, 10, 92 -102.

AMA Style

Fernanda M. Ferreira, Lia Dinis, Pedro Azedo, Cristina Galhano, Anabela Simões, Susana M. Cardoso, M. Rosário, Maria Rosario Domingues, Olívia R. Pereira, Carlos Palmeira, Francisco Peixoto. Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts. CyTA - Journal of Food. 2012; 10 (2):92-102.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fernanda M. Ferreira; Lia Dinis; Pedro Azedo; Cristina Galhano; Anabela Simões; Susana M. Cardoso; M. Rosário; Maria Rosario Domingues; Olívia R. Pereira; Carlos Palmeira; Francisco Peixoto. 2012. "Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation ofPterospartum tridentatumflower extracts." CyTA - Journal of Food 10, no. 2: 92-102.