The request for skin-whitening agents and bioactive principles able to control hyperpigmentation disorders is continuously growing. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is used as a remedy for skin diseases, but little is known about the ability of Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) to act as a skin-whitening agent. With the aim to investigate antioxidant and lightening potential, fresh aerial parts of C. nobile were extracted by maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and solid–liquid dynamic (SLDE-Naviglio) extraction using EtOH/H₂O mixtures. Moreover, 32 metabolites (flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, amides, and polar fatty acids) were identified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis revealed how the extract EtOH/H₂O 50% (Naviglio and long maceration), along with the extract EtOH/H₂O 60% (maceration) were richest in flavonoids. All extracts were tested by TEAC and DPPH assays, and to determine their in vitro antioxidant activity, the DHR 123 probe–intracellular ROS assay in HaCaT cells, for some extracts, was performed. Moreover, their ability to exert a whitening effect was tested by analyzing their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The quantitative determination of apigenin, known as a natural tyrosinase inhibitor, was performed by LC-ESI/QTrap/MS/MS using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. These results are promising for selecting an extraction method to obtain a sustainable product rich in bioactives.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) market has steadily grown due to the increasing demand of health-conscious consumers of products with health-promoting effects. Recently, a growing interest in developing ecological and environmentally friendly extraction methods has led to investigating extraction procedures to obtain a higher extraction yield using a lower amount of solvents and energy. Herein, a new extraction procedure was developed to obtain an enriched pomegranate food supplement by using the peels of pomegranate, cultivar “Dente di Cavallo” and its juice. The extraction was performed through a non-conventional extraction technique like SLDE-Naviglio using ethanol and pomegranate juice as a solvent, and peels as a matrix. The extract was analysed by a combined approach based on LCESI/QExactive/MS/MS and NMR analysis, and its chemical profile was compared with those of pomegranate juice and of the extract obtained from peels by SLDE-Naviglio by using ethanol:H₂O. The LC-MS analysis highlighted the presence of hydrolysable tannins, flavonoids, ellagic acid and phenol glucoside derivatives, while ¹H NMR analysis completed the profile by detecting the primary metabolites. The LC-MS and ¹H NMR analysis indicated that the extract obtained by SLDE-Naviglio using ethanol and pomegranate juice was enriched in the bioactives as confirmed by the highest phenolic, tannin and flavonoid content.

Spinacia oleracea L. cultivar platypus leaves are identified as a functional food due to their nutrient composition which promotes health beyond basic nutrition. Considering the increasing use of food supplements, S. oleracea baby leaves have been extracted by maceration, solid–liquid dynamic extraction (SLDE)-Naviglio, and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using EtOH and EtOH:H₂O mixtures. The analysis of the extracts by using LC-ESI/HRMSMS revealed 42 compounds (flavonoids, polar lipid derivatives, and 20-hydroxyecdysone), along with primary metabolites, detected by NMR analysis. A principal component analysis (PCA) of LC-ESI/HRMS and NMR data was performed, revealing how 20-hydroxyecdysone and flavonoids, the specialized metabolites mainly responsible for the biological activity of S. oleracea leaves, occurred in the highest amount in the EtOH and EtOH:H₂O (70:30, v/v) extracts obtained by SLDE-Naviglio extraction. 20-hydroxyecdysone was also quantified in all the extracts via LC-ESI/QTrap/MS/MS using the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) method. The EtOH extracts obtained by SLDE-Naviglio and maceration showed the highest content (82.16 and 81.27 mg/g extract, respectively). The total phenolic content (118.35–206.60 mg GAE/g), the flavonoid content (10.90–41.05 mg rutin/g), and the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) (1.63–2.05 mM) of the extracts were determined. The EtOH:H₂O (70:30, v/v) extract analyzed by using SLDE-Naviglio showed the highest phenolic and flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity.

The ageing of the world population has led to an increase in the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. In this regard, plants have become an important source of bioactive principles that are able to act on multiple targets. Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All. is a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family, known as Roman chamomile, less studied in the scientific literature than the more common Matricaria chamomilla. Flavonoids and sesquiterpene lactones represent the main secondary metabolites. Among these, nobilin and its derivatives are considered the main components. With the aim of performing a phytochemical investigation, the extract of the fresh aerial parts of C. nobile was firstly analysed by LC-(+)ESI/QExactive/MS/MS, which guided the isolation of 15 compounds (coumarins, glucoside derivatives, flavonoids, and germacrane-type sesquiterpene lactones) characterised by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The presence of a derivative of nobilin, never been reported before, was highlighted. Moreover, for all isolated compounds, acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity were tested by spectrophotometric assays. The results showed that the tested compounds presented interesting tyrosinase (IC₅₀ values: 32.09–412.02 µM) and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ values: 181.58–387.99 µM). In detail, apigenin 7-O-rutinoside (6) showed the highest tyrosinase and AchE inhibitory activity, with IC₅₀ values of 32.09 and 181.58 µM, respectively.