Dehydrodiisoeugenol (DHIE) is a neolignan found in more than 17 plant species, including herbs, fruit, and root. DHIE was, for the first time, isolated from Myristica fragrans bark in 1973. Since then, many methodologies have been used for the obtention of DHIE, including classical chemistry synthesis using metal catalysts and biocatalytic synthesis; employing horseradish peroxidase; peroxidase from Cocos nucifera; laccase; culture cells of plants; and microorganisms. Increasing evidence has indicated that DHIE has a wide range of biological activities: anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancerogenic, and anti-microbial properties. However, evidence in vivo and in human beings is still lacking to support the usefulness potential of DHIE as a therapeutic agent. This study’s review was created by searching for relevant DHIE material on websites such as Google Scholar, PubMed, SciFinder, Scholar, Science Direct, and others. This reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the different synthetical routes and biological applications of DHIE.

Five terpenoids were tested by the macrodilution broth method to determine their inhibition activity on cariogenic bacterial growth. In general, α-, β-amyrin and α-amyrin phenylacetate proved to be active, reducing the bacterial viability to less than 20%.

The secondary metabolites of clerodane diterpenoids have been found in several plant species from various families and in other organisms. In this review, we included articles on clerodanes and neo-clerodanes with cytotoxic or anti-inflammatory activity from 2015 to February 2023. A search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct, using the keywords clerodanes or neo-clerodanes with cytotoxicity or anti-inflammatory activity. In this work, we present studies on these diterpenes with anti-inflammatory effects from 18 species belonging to 7 families and those with cytotoxic activity from 25 species belonging to 9 families. These plants are mostly from the Lamiaceae, Salicaceae, Menispermaceae and Euphorbiaceae families. In summary, clerodane diterpenes have activity against different cell cancer lines. Specific antiproliferative mechanisms related to the wide range of clerodanes known today have been described, since many of these compounds have been identified, some of which we barely know their properties. It is very possible that there are even more compounds than those described today, in such a way that makes it an open field to discover. Furthermore, some diterpenes presented in this review have already-known therapeutic targets, and therefore, their potential adverse effects can be predicted in some way.

Citrus paradisi species belong to the Rutaceae family, and it is commonly known as grapefruit. Grapefruit consumption involves a large amount of waste that goes to landfills and produces significant pollution affecting the human health. To examine this phenomenon, we designed an efficient chemical method that recovers naringin-rich flavonoid extracts from the fresh waste of grapefruits, by using the solvent impregnation resin method (SIR) with XAD-4 amberlite and either methanol or water as elution systems. Additionally, we focused on evaluating these extracts’ anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in behavioral predictive paradigms in mice. According to direct Principal Component Analysis (PCA) by NMR, and Direct Injection Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (DIESI-MS), methanol extracts obtained after resin treatment were free of coumarin compounds and evinced had a high content of naringin. Poncirin, phenylalanine, chrysin 5,7-dimethyl ether, 5,7-dimethoxy-4′-hydroxyflavanone, 2,3-dihydro-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetramethoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, tetrahydrocurcumin, corchoionoside C, 6′-coumaroyl-1′-O-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) ethyl]-β-D-glucopyranoside were also detected. Naringin-rich methanol extract caused a clear anxiolytic-like effect in the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and the Hole-Board (HBT) Tests, increasing oral doses of this extract did not produce a sedative effect. A single oral dose caused an antidepressant-like effect in the Tail Suspension Test (TST), while repeated administrations of the methanol extract elicited a robust antidepressant effect in the Forced Swimming Test (FST) in mice. Our evidence highlights the importance of bioprospecting studies of organic waste with therapeutic potentials, such as anxiety and depression disorders.

Healing persistent wounds is a current challenge for healthcare systems. Addressing this type of problem requires new and improved materials that activate regenerative processes without side effects. In this sense, in this study, C-phycocyanin (CPC), a bioactive pigment obtained from Arthrospira platensis , and nopal mucilage (MUC), a traditional Mexican element of ancestral medicine, were incorporated into gelatin (GEL)-based hydrogels and chemically crosslinked. These materials, referred to as HGEL-CPC-MUC, were prepared with varying concentrations of CPC-MUC (0-1 μg/μL of hydrogel), and their structural, physicochemical, rheological and in vitro biocompatibility properties were systematically evaluated. The main findings revealed that the incorporation of CPC-MUC into GEL-based hydrogels, significantly improves their physicochemical, mechanical and biological properties. These hydrogels exhibited a chemical crosslinking, achieving 93% crosslinking efficiency, high swelling behavior (∼1250%), rough porous surfaces, sustained degradation at physiological pH, and high thermal stability. Their rheological behavior showed an improvement in G′ (226%) under thermal stress (40 °C), along with high damping capacity under constant load with the addition of CPC-MUC. Notably, the presence of CPC-MUC imparted a hemoprotective effect, with hemolysis percentages decreasing proportionally to the CPC-MUC content and none of the hydrogels interfered with coagulation pathways. Furthermore, all hydrogels demonstrated excellent in vitro biocompatibility with dermal fibroblasts, showing no cytotoxic effects. These features become important in the context of a moist and refractory wounds such as foot ulcers and extensive burns, were moisture control, exceptional hemocompatibility and support for dermal fibroblasts viability are required, as well as the porous structure for nutrients and waste exchange. HGEL-CPC-MUC hydrogels represent a highly promising biocompatible and multifunctional scaffold for advanced wound care and regenerative medicine applications.