Background: Fruit peels are generally underutilized byproducts of the food industry, although they are valuable sources of bioactive compounds. The aim of this study is to evaluate a new application for three Citrus peel EOs as bio-herbicides. Methods: After a micro-morphological evaluation of Citrus peels by SEM analysis, the phytochemical composition of the EOs of Citrus × bergamia Risso & Poit., Citrus × myrtifolia Raf., and Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck was characterized by GC/FID and GC/MS analyses. The in vitro phytotoxicity against germination and initial radical elongation of several crop and weed species was evaluated. Furthermore, the eco-compatibility of these EOs has been assessed by the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality assay. Results: SEM analysis highlighted the morphometric differences of the schizolysigenous pockets among the peels of the three Citrus species. Oxygenated monoterpenes are the main constituents in C. × bergamia (51.09%), whereas monoterpene hydrocarbons represent the most abundant compounds in C. × myrtifolia (82.15%) and C. limon (80.33%) EOs. They showed marked and selective phytotoxic activity in vitro, often at very low concentration (0.1 μg/mL) against all plant species investigated, without showing any toxicity on Artemia salina, opening the perspective of their use as safe bio-herbicides.

Introduction: The risk of new or recurrent cancer in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with a history of cancer treated with immunomodulators (IMMs), including conventional immunosuppressors (ISSs), biologics or small molecules is undefined. The primary aim was to assess the frequency of new or recurrent cancer in IBD patients treated with IMMs after first cancer. The secondary aim was to evaluate risk factors for new/recurrent cancer in the same IBD population. Methods: In a retrospective multicenter study, all IBD patients using any IMM after first (index) cancer were enrolled. Inclusion criteria: Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC), history of any cancer, detailed clinical history, and follow-up after cancer of ≥6 months. Exclusion criteria: IMM use for ≤3 months. Results: In total, 122 IBD patients (84 CD, 38 UC) treated with IMMs after first cancer were enrolled (age 59.5 [26–89] years). Index cancer included (n = [%]) genitourinary tract cancer (18 [14.8]), non-melanotic skin cancer (NMSC) (17 [13.9]), breast cancer (15 [12.3]), thyroid cancer (13 [10.7]), melanoma (14 [11.4]), colorectal cancer (CRC) (11 [9.0]), hematopoietic cancer (9 [7.4]), prostatic cancer (8 [6.6]), neuroendocrine cancer (4 [3.3]), head and neck cancer (3 [2.5]), liver cancer (3 [2.5]), endometrium cancer (2 [1.6]), lung cancer (1 [0.8]) and others (3 [2.5]). ISSs after cancer included (n = [%]) thiopurines (10 [37]), methotrexate (MTX) (14 [51.9]) and others (3 [11.1]) Biologics included (n = [%]) TNF-inhibitors (36 [32.4]), vedolizumab (60 [53.6]), ustekinumab (45 [40.2]), small molecules (9 [7.3]) and others (6 [5.4]). In a median follow-up of 8 [1–45] years after index cancer, 12/122 (9.8%) patients using IMMs after cancer developed new or recurrent cancer. No risk factors for new/recurrent cancer (i.e., age at diagnosis of cancer, smoke, gender, IBD type, IMM use, duration before or after cancer) were identified. Conclusions: In a multicenter study, ISSs or biologics after cancer were not identified as risk factors for new or recurrent cancer in IBD. However, IMMs were used after a long-term interval from index cancer.

Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), show substantial variability in response to biologic therapies. Ustekinumab, which targets the IL-12/23 pathway, is an established treatment for moderate-to-severe IBD; however, a proportion of patients fail to achieve sustained remission or discontinue treatment over time. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and persistence of ustekinumab and to explore the potential role of pharmacogenetic markers in predicting treatment outcomes. Methods: In this observational cohort study, 98 IBD patients treated with ustekinumab, with or without corticosteroid bridge therapy, in routine clinical practice were enrolled. The primary endpoint was steroid-free remission (SFR) at 12 months, defined as clinical remission without concomitant corticosteroid use, whereas treatment discontinuation was evaluated during follow-up. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples, and four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in selected immune-related genes were analyzed: PTPN2 rs7234029, HLA-C rs10484554, IL23R rs11209026, and IL12B rs6887695. Results: Of the 98 patients included, 73 (74.5%) achieved SFR, whereas 25 (25.5%) did not. Carriers of IL12B rs6887695 variant genotypes showed higher odds of achieving SFR than wild-type patients after adjustment for disease type and baseline disease activity (OR = 4.77; 95% CI, 1.60–14.23; p = 0.005). During follow-up, 16 patients (16.3%) discontinued treatment. Carriers of IL12B rs6887695 variant genotypes also showed a significantly lower hazard of ustekinumab discontinuation than wild-type patients (HR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10–0.85; p = 0.024). Conclusions: This study provides real-world evidence supporting the effectiveness and persistence of ustekinumab in IBD patients. IL12B rs6887695 emerged as a potential pharmacogenetic marker associated with favorable ustekinumab outcomes; however, this exploratory and hypothesis-generating finding requires external validation in larger, independent cohorts before clinical application.