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Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) pod is a characteristic fruit from the Mediterranean regions. It is composed by seeds, the valuable part due to the extraction of locust bean gum, and the pulp, considered a by-product of the fruit processing industry. Carob pulp is a mixture of macro- and micronutrients, such as carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and secondary metabolites with functional properties. In the last few years, numerous studies on the chemical and biological characteristics of the pulp have been performed to encourage its commercial use. Its potential applications as a nutraceutical ingredient in many recipes for food and beverage elaborations have been extensively evaluated. Another aspect highlighted in this work is the use of alternative processes or conditions to mitigate furanic production, recognized for its toxicity. Furthermore, carob pulp’s similar sensorial, chemical and biological properties to cocoa, the absence of the stimulating alkaloids theobromine and caffeine, as well as its low-fat content, make it a healthier potential substitute for cocoa. This paper reviews the nutritional and functional values of carob pulp-based products in order to provide information on the proclaimed health-promoting properties of this interesting by-product.
Raquel Rodríguez-Solana; Anabela Romano; José Moreno-Rojas. Carob Pulp: A Nutritional and Functional By-Product Worldwide Spread in the Formulation of Different Food Products and Beverages. A Review. Processes 2021, 9, 1146 .
AMA StyleRaquel Rodríguez-Solana, Anabela Romano, José Moreno-Rojas. Carob Pulp: A Nutritional and Functional By-Product Worldwide Spread in the Formulation of Different Food Products and Beverages. A Review. Processes. 2021; 9 (7):1146.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRaquel Rodríguez-Solana; Anabela Romano; José Moreno-Rojas. 2021. "Carob Pulp: A Nutritional and Functional By-Product Worldwide Spread in the Formulation of Different Food Products and Beverages. A Review." Processes 9, no. 7: 1146.
In vitro culture is an important biotechnological tool in plant research and an appropriate culture media is a key for a successful plant development under in vitro conditions. The use of natural compounds to improve culture media has been growing and biopolymers are interesting alternatives to synthetic compounds due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, renewability, and availability. In the present study, different culture media containing one biopolymer (chitosan, gum arabic) or a biopolymer derivative [hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)], at 100 or 1000 mg L−1, were tested regarding their influence on the growth and physiological responses of Thymus lotocephalus in vitro culture. Cellulose-based biopolymers (HEC and CMC) and gum arabic were used for the first time in plant culture media. The results showed that CMC at 100 mg L−1 significantly improved shoot elongation while chitosan, at the highest concentration, was detrimental to T. lotocephalus. Concerning only the evaluated physiological parameters, all tested biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives are safe to plants as there was no evidence of stress-induced changes on T. lotocephalus. The rheological and microstructural features of the culture media were assessed to understand how the biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives added to the culture medium could influence shoot growth. As expected, all media presented a gel-like behaviour with minor differences in the complex viscosity at the beginning of the culture period. Most media showed increased viscosity overtime. The surface area increased with the addition of biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives to the culture media and the average pore size was considerably lower for CMC at 100 mg L−1. The smaller pores of this medium might be related to a more efficient nutrients and water uptake by T. lotocephalus shoots, leading to a significant improvement in shoot elongation. In short, this study demonstrated that the different types of biopolymers and biopolymer derivatives added to culture medium can modify their microstructure and at the right concentrations, are harmless to T. lotocephalus shoots growing in vitro, and that CMC improves shoot length.
Natacha Coelho; Alexandra Filipe; Bruno Medronho; Solange Magalhães; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. Rheological and Microstructural Features of Plant Culture Media Doped with Biopolymers: Influence on the Growth and Physiological Responses of In Vitro-Grown Shoots of Thymus lotocephalus. Polysaccharides 2021, 2, 538 -553.
AMA StyleNatacha Coelho, Alexandra Filipe, Bruno Medronho, Solange Magalhães, Carla Vitorino, Luís Alves, Sandra Gonçalves, Anabela Romano. Rheological and Microstructural Features of Plant Culture Media Doped with Biopolymers: Influence on the Growth and Physiological Responses of In Vitro-Grown Shoots of Thymus lotocephalus. Polysaccharides. 2021; 2 (2):538-553.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNatacha Coelho; Alexandra Filipe; Bruno Medronho; Solange Magalhães; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. 2021. "Rheological and Microstructural Features of Plant Culture Media Doped with Biopolymers: Influence on the Growth and Physiological Responses of In Vitro-Grown Shoots of Thymus lotocephalus." Polysaccharides 2, no. 2: 538-553.
Valerianaceae, the sub-family of Caprifoliaceae, contains more than 300 species of annual and perennial herbs, worldwide distributed. Several species are used for their biological properties while some are used as food. Species from the genus Valeriana have been used for their antispasmodic, relaxing, and sedative properties, which have been mainly attributed to the presence of valepotriates, borneol derivatives, and isovalerenic acid. Among this genus, the most common and employed species is Valeriana officinalis. Although valerian has been traditionally used as a mild sedative, research results are still controversial regarding the role of the different active compounds, the herbal preparations, and the dosage used. The present review is designed to summarize and critically describe the current knowledge on the different plant species belonging to Valerianaceae, their phytochemicals, their uses in the treatment of different diseases with particular emphasis on the effects on the central nervous system. The available information on this sub-family was collected from scientific databases up until year 2020. The following electronic databases were used: PubMed, Scopus, Sci Finder, Web of Science, Science Direct, NCBI, and Google Scholar. The search terms used for this review included Valerianaceae, Valeriana, Centranthus, Fedia, Patrinia, Nardostachys, Plectritis, and Valerianella, phytochemical composition, in vivo studies, Central Nervous System, neuroprotective, antidepressant, antinociceptive, anxiolytic, anxiety, preclinical and clinical studies.
Gitishree Das; Han-Seung Shin; Rosa Tundis; Sandra Gonçalves; Ourlad Tantengco; Maria Campos; Rosaria Acquaviva; Giuseppe Malfa; Anabela Romano; Joyce Robles; Mariel Clores; Jayanta-Kumar Patra. Plant Species of Sub-Family Valerianaceae—A Review on Its Effect on the Central Nervous System. Plants 2021, 10, 846 .
AMA StyleGitishree Das, Han-Seung Shin, Rosa Tundis, Sandra Gonçalves, Ourlad Tantengco, Maria Campos, Rosaria Acquaviva, Giuseppe Malfa, Anabela Romano, Joyce Robles, Mariel Clores, Jayanta-Kumar Patra. Plant Species of Sub-Family Valerianaceae—A Review on Its Effect on the Central Nervous System. Plants. 2021; 10 (5):846.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGitishree Das; Han-Seung Shin; Rosa Tundis; Sandra Gonçalves; Ourlad Tantengco; Maria Campos; Rosaria Acquaviva; Giuseppe Malfa; Anabela Romano; Joyce Robles; Mariel Clores; Jayanta-Kumar Patra. 2021. "Plant Species of Sub-Family Valerianaceae—A Review on Its Effect on the Central Nervous System." Plants 10, no. 5: 846.
The present study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of different natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) on the extraction of phenolic compounds from Lavandula pedunculata subsp. lusitanica (Chaytor) Franco, on the antioxidant activity, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and tyrosinase (Tyr) inhibitory capacities. Ten different NADES were used in this research and compared with conventional solvents. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for 60 min proved to be the best extraction condition, and proline:lactic acid (1:1) and choline chloride:urea (1:2) extracts showed the highest total phenolic contents (56.00 ± 0.77 mgGAE/gdw) and antioxidant activity [64.35 ± 1.74 mgTE/gdw and 72.13 ± 0.97 mgTE/gdw in 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2.2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods, respectively]. These extracts also exhibited enzymes inhibitory capacity particularly against Tyr and AChE. Even so, organic acid-based NADES showed to be the best extractants producing extracts with considerable ability to inhibit enzymes. Twenty-four phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC-HRMS, being rosmarinic acid, ferulic acid and salvianolic acid B the major compounds. The results confirmed that the combination of UAE and NADES provide an excellent alternative to organic solvents for sustainable and green extraction, and have huge potential for use in industrial applications involving the extraction of bioactive compounds from plants.
Inês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; Raquel Rodríguez-Solana; José Ordóñez-Díaz; José Moreno-Rojas; Anabela Romano. Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents Combination: A Green Strategy to Improve the Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Lavandula pedunculata subsp. lusitanica (Chaytor) Franco. Antioxidants 2021, 10, 582 .
AMA StyleInês Mansinhos, Sandra Gonçalves, Raquel Rodríguez-Solana, José Ordóñez-Díaz, José Moreno-Rojas, Anabela Romano. Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents Combination: A Green Strategy to Improve the Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Lavandula pedunculata subsp. lusitanica (Chaytor) Franco. Antioxidants. 2021; 10 (4):582.
Chicago/Turabian StyleInês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; Raquel Rodríguez-Solana; José Ordóñez-Díaz; José Moreno-Rojas; Anabela Romano. 2021. "Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents Combination: A Green Strategy to Improve the Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Lavandula pedunculata subsp. lusitanica (Chaytor) Franco." Antioxidants 10, no. 4: 582.
Lignocellulosic biomass fractionation is typically performed using methods that are somehow harsh to the environment, such as in the case of kraft pulping. In recent years, the development of new sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives has grown significantly. Among the developed systems, bio-based solvents emerge as promising alternatives for biomass processing. Therefore, in the present work, the bio-based and renewable chemicals, levulinic acid (LA) and formic acid (FA), were combined to fractionate lignocellulosic waste (i.e., maritime pine sawdust) and isolate lignin. Different parameters, such as LA:FA ratio, temperature, and extraction time, were optimized to boost the yield and purity of extracted lignin. The LA:FA ratio was found to be crucial regarding the superior lignin extraction from the waste biomass. Moreover, the increase in temperature and extraction time enhances the amount of extracted residue but compromises the lignin purity and reduces its molecular weight. The electron microscopy images revealed that biomass samples suffer significant structural and morphological changes, which further suggests the suitability of the newly developed bio-fractionation process. The same was concluded by the FTIR analysis, in which no remaining lignin was detected in the cellulose-rich fraction. Overall, the novel combination of bio-sourced FA and LA has shown to be a very promising system for lignin extraction with high purity from biomass waste, thus contributing to extend the opportunities of lignin manipulation and valorization into novel added-value biomaterials.
Solange Magalhães; Alexandra Filipe; Elodie Melro; Catarina Fernandes; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Anabela Romano; Maria Rasteiro; Bruno Medronho. Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System. Polymers 2021, 13, 1090 .
AMA StyleSolange Magalhães, Alexandra Filipe, Elodie Melro, Catarina Fernandes, Carla Vitorino, Luís Alves, Anabela Romano, Maria Rasteiro, Bruno Medronho. Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System. Polymers. 2021; 13 (7):1090.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSolange Magalhães; Alexandra Filipe; Elodie Melro; Catarina Fernandes; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Anabela Romano; Maria Rasteiro; Bruno Medronho. 2021. "Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System." Polymers 13, no. 7: 1090.
The dissolution and extraction of lignin from biomass represents a great challenge due to the complex structure of this natural phenolic biopolymer. In this work, several surfactants (i.e., non-ionic, anionic, and cationic) were used as additives to enhance the dissolution efficiency of model lignin (kraft) and to boost lignin extraction from pine sawdust residues. To the best of our knowledge, cationic surfactants have never been systematically used for lignin dissolution. It was found that ca. 20 wt.% of kraft lignin is completely solubilized using 1 mol L−1 octyltrimethylammonium bromide aqueous solution. A remarkable dissolution efficiency was also obtained using 0.5 mol L−1 polysorbate 20. Furthermore, all surfactants used increased the lignin extraction with formic acid, even at low concentrations, such as 0.01 and 0.1 mol L−1. Higher concentrations of cationic surfactants improve the extraction yield but the purity of extracted lignin decreases.
Elodie Melro; Artur Valente; Filipe Antunes; Anabela Romano; Bruno Medronho. Enhancing Lignin Dissolution and Extraction: The Effect of Surfactants. Polymers 2021, 13, 714 .
AMA StyleElodie Melro, Artur Valente, Filipe Antunes, Anabela Romano, Bruno Medronho. Enhancing Lignin Dissolution and Extraction: The Effect of Surfactants. Polymers. 2021; 13 (5):714.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElodie Melro; Artur Valente; Filipe Antunes; Anabela Romano; Bruno Medronho. 2021. "Enhancing Lignin Dissolution and Extraction: The Effect of Surfactants." Polymers 13, no. 5: 714.
Lignocellulosic biomass fractionation is typically performed using methods that are somehow harsh to the environment, such as in the case of the kraft pulping. In recent years, the development of new sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives has grown significantly. Among the developed systems, bio-based solvents emerge as promising alternatives for biomass processing. Therefore, in the present work, the bio-based and renewable chemicals, levulinic acid (LA) and formic acid (FA), were combined to fractionate lignocellulosic waste (i.e., Maritime pine sawdust) and isolate lignin. Different parameters, such as LA/FA ratio, temperature, and extraction time, were optimized to boost the yield and purity of extracted lignin. The LA/FA ratio was found to be crucial regarding the superior lignin extraction from the waste biomass. Moreover, the increase in temperature and extraction time enhances the amount of extracted residue but compromises the lignin purity and reduces its molecular weight. The electron microscopy images revealed that biomass samples suffer significant structural and morphological changes, which further suggests the suitability of the new developed bio-fractionation process. Same was concluded by the FTIR analysis, in which no remaining lignin was detected in the cellulose-rich fraction. Overall, the novel combination of bio-sourced FA and LA has shown to be a very promising system for lignin extraction of high purity from biomass waste, thus contributing to extend the opportunities of lignin manipulation and valorisation into novel added-value biomaterials.
Solange Magalhães; Alexandra Filipe; Elodie Melro; Catarina Fernandes; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Anabela Romano; Maria Graça Rasteiro; Bruno Medronho. Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System. 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleSolange Magalhães, Alexandra Filipe, Elodie Melro, Catarina Fernandes, Carla Vitorino, Luís Alves, Anabela Romano, Maria Graça Rasteiro, Bruno Medronho. Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System. . 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSolange Magalhães; Alexandra Filipe; Elodie Melro; Catarina Fernandes; Carla Vitorino; Luís Alves; Anabela Romano; Maria Graça Rasteiro; Bruno Medronho. 2021. "Lignin Extraction from Waste Pine Sawdust Using a Biomass Derived Binary Solvent System." , no. : 1.
BACKGROUND Mentha pulegium is an aromatic and medicinal plant used in different Mediterranean herb‐based liqueurs, whose phytochemical composition depends on the elaboration technique used. The aim of this work was to investigate differences in the sensory, chemical, and biological characteristics of pennyroyal liqueurs elaborated by hydro‐alcoholic (HI) and aqueous (AI) infusions, percolation (P), maceration (M), and distillation (D) techniques, and by the mixture of spirit with pennyroyal essential oil (EO). The volatile composition determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection (GC–FID), the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, the antioxidant (AC), and enzyme (α‐glucosidase, tyrosinase, and acetylcholinesterase) inhibitory capacities, and the sensory analysis by napping, were evaluated in the liqueurs obtained. RESULTS Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the main volatiles present in liqueurs. The M, P, HI, and AI liqueurs showed the highest TPC, TFC, and AC values; and pulegone, the main hepatotoxic chemotype, was found in concentrations that gave rise to concern. The D and EO liqueurs stand out for their acceptable pulegone content and greater tyrosinase inhibition. Similar liqueur classifications were achieved by sensory analyses, and physico‐chemical and biological analyses using multiple factor and principal component analyses, respectively. CONCLUSION These results are an important contribution to the identification of the most appropriate elaboration conditions for herbal liqueurs with the healthiest chemical composition and functional properties. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
Raquel Rodríguez‐Solana; Eduardo Esteves; Inês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; Efrén Pérez‐Santín; Ludovina Galego; Anabela Romano. Influence of elaboration process on chemical, biological, and sensory characteristics of E uropean pennyroyal liqueurs. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2020, 101, 4076 -4089.
AMA StyleRaquel Rodríguez‐Solana, Eduardo Esteves, Inês Mansinhos, Sandra Gonçalves, Efrén Pérez‐Santín, Ludovina Galego, Anabela Romano. Influence of elaboration process on chemical, biological, and sensory characteristics of E uropean pennyroyal liqueurs. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2020; 101 (10):4076-4089.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRaquel Rodríguez‐Solana; Eduardo Esteves; Inês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; Efrén Pérez‐Santín; Ludovina Galego; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Influence of elaboration process on chemical, biological, and sensory characteristics of E uropean pennyroyal liqueurs." Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 101, no. 10: 4076-4089.
Natural products are a tremendous source of bioactive molecules with pharmacological applications. The global change context resulting from the environmental and health concerns introduce the Green Chemistry concept. This involves the use of more efficient and ecologically friendly extraction strategies (e.g., reducing the use of hazardous solvents, long extraction periods, energy consumption, and waste production) to obtain a safe and quality extract safeguarding the environment and consumers’ security. The aim of this chapter is to present an overview of the main strategies investigated in the past years to extract compounds with pharmaceutical applications from natural sources, particularly from plants and marine organisms, employing green approaches. The most important advanced extraction techniques and green solvents, employed as alternatives to replace conventional extraction approaches, their characteristics and main advantages/drawbacks, are herein discussed.
Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. Green approaches for the extraction of bioactives from natural sources for pharmaceutical applications. Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science 2020, 249 -267.
AMA StyleSandra Gonçalves, Anabela Romano. Green approaches for the extraction of bioactives from natural sources for pharmaceutical applications. Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science. 2020; ():249-267.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Green approaches for the extraction of bioactives from natural sources for pharmaceutical applications." Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science , no. : 249-267.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the digestive process (gastric and intestinal phases) on the stability of the individual and total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, antioxidant activity and enzymes inhibitory potential of extracts from date fruits (pulp) and seeds from eight Algerian cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). The obtained results showed a considerable increase in the TPC for both samples when exposed to digestion conditions. The TFC was higher after gastric digestion compared to intestinal digestion. Along the digestion process, the release of individual phenolics (phenolic acids and flavonoids) analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) showed different behavior in seed and fruit extracts. The digestion increased the scavenging of 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and peroxyl (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, ORAC) radicals in both samples. However, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity were reduced in date seed extracts, while the fruit extracts showed an increase at the end of digestion process. The enzymes inhibitory potential of date seeds extracts decreased after digestion and was maintained or enhanced in fruit extracts. Thus, it seems that the date fruit extracts had more bioaccessible components compared to seed extracts.
Ouarda Djaoudene; Inês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; M. José Jara-Palacios; Mostapha Bachir Bey; Anabela Romano. Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory capacities of fruit and seed extracts from different Algerian cultivars of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) were affected by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. South African Journal of Botany 2020, 137, 133 -148.
AMA StyleOuarda Djaoudene, Inês Mansinhos, Sandra Gonçalves, M. José Jara-Palacios, Mostapha Bachir Bey, Anabela Romano. Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory capacities of fruit and seed extracts from different Algerian cultivars of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) were affected by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. South African Journal of Botany. 2020; 137 ():133-148.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOuarda Djaoudene; Inês Mansinhos; Sandra Gonçalves; M. José Jara-Palacios; Mostapha Bachir Bey; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory capacities of fruit and seed extracts from different Algerian cultivars of date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) were affected by in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion." South African Journal of Botany 137, no. : 133-148.
Cellulose can be dissolved in concentrated acidic aqueous solvents forming extremely viscous solutions, and, in some cases, liquid crystalline phases. In this work, the concentrated phosphoric acid aqueous solvent is revisited implementing a set of advanced techniques, such as cryo-transmission electronic microscopy (cryo-TEM), polarization transfer solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (PTssNMR), and diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS). Cryo-TEM images confirm that this solvent system is capable to efficiently dissolve cellulose. No cellulose particles, fibrils, or aggregates are visible. Conversely, PTssNMR revealed a dominant CP signal at 25 °C, characteristic of C-H bond reorientation with correlation time longer than 100 ns and/or order parameter above 0.5, which was ascribed to a transient gel-like network or an anisotropic liquid crystalline phase. Increasing the temperature leads to a gradual transition from CP to INEPT-dominant signal and a loss of birefringence in optical microscopy, suggesting an anisotropic-to-isotropic phase transition. Finally, an excellent agreement between optical microrheology and conventional mechanical rheometry was also obtained.
Luís Alves; Bruno Medronho; Alexandra Filipe; Anabela Romano; Maria G. Rasteiro; Björn Lindman; Daniel Topgaard; Irina Davidovich; Yeshayahu Talmon. Revisiting the dissolution of cellulose in H3PO4(aq) through cryo-TEM, PTssNMR and DWS. Carbohydrate Polymers 2020, 252, 117122 .
AMA StyleLuís Alves, Bruno Medronho, Alexandra Filipe, Anabela Romano, Maria G. Rasteiro, Björn Lindman, Daniel Topgaard, Irina Davidovich, Yeshayahu Talmon. Revisiting the dissolution of cellulose in H3PO4(aq) through cryo-TEM, PTssNMR and DWS. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2020; 252 ():117122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuís Alves; Bruno Medronho; Alexandra Filipe; Anabela Romano; Maria G. Rasteiro; Björn Lindman; Daniel Topgaard; Irina Davidovich; Yeshayahu Talmon. 2020. "Revisiting the dissolution of cellulose in H3PO4(aq) through cryo-TEM, PTssNMR and DWS." Carbohydrate Polymers 252, no. : 117122.
Cellulose-based oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions were studied by diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) regarding the effect of the cellulose concentration and mixing rate on the average droplet size, microrheological features and stability. Furthermore, the microstructure of these emulsions was imaged by cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). The micrographs showed that cellulose was effectively adsorbed at the oil-water interface, resembling a film-like shell that protected the oil droplets from coalescing. The non-adsorbed cellulose that was observed in the continuous aqueous medium, contributed to the enhancement of the viscosity of the medium, leading then to an improvement in the stability of the overall system. Generally, the higher the cellulose concentration and mixing rate, the smaller the droplets formed in the emulsions, and the higher was the emulsions stability. The combination of both techniques, DWS and cryo-SEM, revealed a very appealing and robust methodology for the characterization and design of novel emulsion-based formulations.
Carolina Costa; Pedro Rosa; Alexandra Filipe; Bruno Medronho; Anabela Romano; Lucy Liberman; Yeshayahu Talmon; Magnus Norgren. Cellulose-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions: Structural features, microrheology, and stability. Carbohydrate Polymers 2020, 252, 117092 .
AMA StyleCarolina Costa, Pedro Rosa, Alexandra Filipe, Bruno Medronho, Anabela Romano, Lucy Liberman, Yeshayahu Talmon, Magnus Norgren. Cellulose-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions: Structural features, microrheology, and stability. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2020; 252 ():117092.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCarolina Costa; Pedro Rosa; Alexandra Filipe; Bruno Medronho; Anabela Romano; Lucy Liberman; Yeshayahu Talmon; Magnus Norgren. 2020. "Cellulose-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions: Structural features, microrheology, and stability." Carbohydrate Polymers 252, no. : 117092.
Plastics are widely used due to their excellent properties, inexpensiveness and versatility leading to an exponential consumption growth during the last decades. However, most plastic does not biodegrade in any meaningful sense; it can exist for hundreds of years. Only a small percentage of plastic waste is recycled, the rest being dumped in landfills, incinerated or simply not collected. Waste-water treatment plants can only minimize the problem by trapping plastic particles of larger size and some smaller ones remain within oxidation ponds or sewage sludge, but a large amount of microplastics still contaminate water streams and marine systems. Thus, it is clear that in order to tackle this potential ecological disaster, new strategies are necessary. This review aims at briefly introducing the microplastics threat and critically discusses emerging technologies, which are capable to efficiently clean aqueous media. Special focus is given to novel greener approaches based on lignocellulose flocculants and other biomaterials. In the final part of the present review, it was given a proof of concept, using a bioflocculant to remove micronized plastic from aqueous medium. The obtained results demonstrate the huge potential of these biopolymers to clean waters from the microplastics threat, using flocculants with appropriate structure.
Solange Magalhães; Luís Alves; Bruno Medronho; Anabela Romano; Maria Da Graça Rasteiro. Microplastics in Ecosystems: From Current Trends to Bio-Based Removal Strategies. Molecules 2020, 25, 3954 .
AMA StyleSolange Magalhães, Luís Alves, Bruno Medronho, Anabela Romano, Maria Da Graça Rasteiro. Microplastics in Ecosystems: From Current Trends to Bio-Based Removal Strategies. Molecules. 2020; 25 (17):3954.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSolange Magalhães; Luís Alves; Bruno Medronho; Anabela Romano; Maria Da Graça Rasteiro. 2020. "Microplastics in Ecosystems: From Current Trends to Bio-Based Removal Strategies." Molecules 25, no. 17: 3954.
Extraction solvent is a very important factor in the recovery of antioxidants from natural matrices. In this study, the effect of three solvents (ethanol, ethanol/water and water) on the phenolic composition, antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and electrochemical behaviour of four winemaking byproducts (seeds, skins, stems, and pomace) was evaluated. Phenolic composition was determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), antioxidant activity by the capacity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl radicals, anti-cholinesterase activity by the Ellman’s method, and electrochemical behaviour by cyclic voltammetry. Eight phenolic compounds were quantified with higher content in water/ethanol extracts (e.g., epicatechin in pomace: 17 mg/100 g vs. 7 and 6 mg/100 g in ethanol and water extracts, respectively), although there were some exceptions (e.g., gallic acid in seeds was most abundant in water extracts). Moreover, the highest total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity were found in ethanol/water extracts (between 2 and 30-fold the values of the other extracts). Overall, the most active extracts in inhibiting both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes were ethanol/water and ethanol extracts from seeds (between 31.11 and 53.90%). The electrochemical behaviour allowed for differentiating the extracts depending on the solvent and the byproduct. Our findings indicate that winemaking byproducts represent a source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-cholinesterase activities and suggest that cyclic voltammetry is a promising technique to evaluate the phenolic extraction process from these byproducts.
María José Jara-Palacios; Sandra Gonçalves; Francisco J. Heredia; Dolores Hernanz; Anabela Romano. Extraction of Antioxidants from Winemaking Byproducts: Effect of the Solvent on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Cholinesterase Activities, and Electrochemical Behaviour. Antioxidants 2020, 9, 675 .
AMA StyleMaría José Jara-Palacios, Sandra Gonçalves, Francisco J. Heredia, Dolores Hernanz, Anabela Romano. Extraction of Antioxidants from Winemaking Byproducts: Effect of the Solvent on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Cholinesterase Activities, and Electrochemical Behaviour. Antioxidants. 2020; 9 (8):675.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaría José Jara-Palacios; Sandra Gonçalves; Francisco J. Heredia; Dolores Hernanz; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Extraction of Antioxidants from Winemaking Byproducts: Effect of the Solvent on Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Anti-Cholinesterase Activities, and Electrochemical Behaviour." Antioxidants 9, no. 8: 675.
There are increasing evidences that essential oils and phenolic compounds, the main bioactive compounds produced by aromatic plants, display a multitude of biological properties and health-promoting effects. There has been a resurgence of interest in these plants nowadays because they are considered a healthier way of complementing the human diet. Furthermore, these plants have great potential for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications. In this chapter, we present an overview of the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of aromatic plant compounds. Overall, data hitherto reported that these plants, particularly Mediterranean species from the Lamiaceae and Apiaceae families (e.g., Coriandrum sativum L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Origanum vulgare L., Mentha sp., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia sp., Thymus sp.), have attractive sources of compounds with preventive and/or therapeutic effects against several neurological conditions, namely anxiety, depression, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease, due to their capability to modulate various cellular processes of the central nervous system.
Sandra Gonçalves; Inês Mansinhos; Anabela Romano. Aromatic plants: A source of compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants in Neurological Diseases 2020, 155 -173.
AMA StyleSandra Gonçalves, Inês Mansinhos, Anabela Romano. Aromatic plants: A source of compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants in Neurological Diseases. 2020; ():155-173.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSandra Gonçalves; Inês Mansinhos; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Aromatic plants: A source of compounds with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects." Oxidative Stress and Dietary Antioxidants in Neurological Diseases , no. : 155-173.
Central nervous system diseases, particularly neurodegenerative maladies like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases are the major public health concerns worldwide, since their prevalence has been increasing, and they are associated with social and financial problems. Owing the limited effectiveness and side effects of pharmacological treatments that are currently available and the fact that several factors are implicated in these diseases, novel treatments acting on multiple molecular targets are required. This chapter focuses on the beneficial effects of plant compounds against neurodegenerative diseases, specifically on the main groups of compounds, their sources, and mode of action. Reviewed results showed that there are different plant compounds with the aptitude to target simultaneously several pathological pathways and to affect the activity of numerous enzymes or genes involved in neurological diseases. Nevertheless, the key ability of the reviewed compounds is their capacity to counteract oxidative stress damages and neuronal inflammations. The available results encourage more investigations and clinical trials aimed to develop new treatments for neurodegenerative disorders based on plant compounds.
Sandra Gonçalves; Inês Mansinhos; Anabela Romano. Neuroprotective Compounds from Plant Sources and their Modes of Action: An Update. Plant-derived Bioactives 2020, 417 -440.
AMA StyleSandra Gonçalves, Inês Mansinhos, Anabela Romano. Neuroprotective Compounds from Plant Sources and their Modes of Action: An Update. Plant-derived Bioactives. 2020; ():417-440.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSandra Gonçalves; Inês Mansinhos; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Neuroprotective Compounds from Plant Sources and their Modes of Action: An Update." Plant-derived Bioactives , no. : 417-440.
Galangal is highly appreciated for its potential applications in food and medicine. In spite of its usage in food and herbal medicine in countries like Indonesia and Thailand, very limited data is accessible about its potential applications in therapeutics and pharmacology. It has been reported to be utilized in herbal medicines for treatment against diseases like hemorrhoids, abnormal menstruation, abdominal discomfort, and inflammation, among others. The widespread use of galangal in food and traditional medicine has fascinated researchers all over the world looking for its enhanced medicinal capabilities, new bioactive compounds with nutraceutical potentials, and probable uses in medicine and pharmacology. A number of literature search methods like searching the related contents with the keywords such as Alpinia sp., galangal, antiviral, cardiovascular, neuroprotective, bioactive compounds, phytochemicals etc. in the web search engines’ such as the Google search, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed etc. were implemented. Conversely, there is no recent structured and ample review that summarizes the available data on these issues. In the current review, these topics are addressed in detail along with the investigation of scientific evidence supporting the vast applications of galangal in food and its medicinal properties, such as antiviral, cardiovascular and neuroprotective properties, together with the preclinical and clinical studies with galangal bioactive compounds.
Gitishree Das; Jayanta Kumar Patra; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano; Erick P. Gutiérrez-Grijalva; J. Basilio Heredia; Anupam Das Talukdar; Soumitra Shome; Han-Seung Shin. Galangal, the multipotent super spices: A comprehensive review. Trends in Food Science & Technology 2020, 101, 50 -62.
AMA StyleGitishree Das, Jayanta Kumar Patra, Sandra Gonçalves, Anabela Romano, Erick P. Gutiérrez-Grijalva, J. Basilio Heredia, Anupam Das Talukdar, Soumitra Shome, Han-Seung Shin. Galangal, the multipotent super spices: A comprehensive review. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2020; 101 ():50-62.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGitishree Das; Jayanta Kumar Patra; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano; Erick P. Gutiérrez-Grijalva; J. Basilio Heredia; Anupam Das Talukdar; Soumitra Shome; Han-Seung Shin. 2020. "Galangal, the multipotent super spices: A comprehensive review." Trends in Food Science & Technology 101, no. : 50-62.
Endemic plant species are usually more vulnerable to anthropogenic threats and natural changes and, therefore, hold a higher extinction risk. The preservation of these species is a major concern on a worldwide context and in situ protection alone will not guarantee their conservation. Ex situ conservation measures must be undertaken to support the conservation of these species, and seed banking is the more efficient and cost-effective method. However, when seed banking is not an option, alternative approaches should be considered. Biotechnological tools provide new and complementary options for plant conservation including short-, medium-, and long-term strategies, and their application for plant species conservation has increased considerably in the last years. This review provides information about the status of the use biotechnology-based techniques for the conservation of endemic plant species. Particular attention is given to cryopreservation, since is the only long-term ex situ conservation strategy that can complement and support the other conservation measures. The cryopreservation of plant genetic resources is, however, more focused on crop or economically important species and few studies are available for endemic plant species. The plant material used, the cryopreservation methods employed, and the assessment of cryogenic effects are reviewed. The reasons to explain the difficulties in cryopreserving these species are discussed and new strategies are proposed to facilitate and increase the interest on this matter. We expect that further studies on the conservation of endemic plant species will increase in a near future, thus contributing to maintain these valuable genetic resources.
Natacha Coelho; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. Endemic Plant Species Conservation: Biotechnological Approaches. Plants 2020, 9, 345 .
AMA StyleNatacha Coelho, Sandra Gonçalves, Anabela Romano. Endemic Plant Species Conservation: Biotechnological Approaches. Plants. 2020; 9 (3):345.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNatacha Coelho; Sandra Gonçalves; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Endemic Plant Species Conservation: Biotechnological Approaches." Plants 9, no. 3: 345.
Raquel Rodríguez Solana; Anabela Romano. Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Ficus carica L. Fruits, Leaves, and Derivatives (Wine, Spirit, and Liqueur). Modern Fruit Industry 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleRaquel Rodríguez Solana, Anabela Romano. Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Ficus carica L. Fruits, Leaves, and Derivatives (Wine, Spirit, and Liqueur). Modern Fruit Industry. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRaquel Rodríguez Solana; Anabela Romano. 2020. "Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Ficus carica L. Fruits, Leaves, and Derivatives (Wine, Spirit, and Liqueur)." Modern Fruit Industry , no. : 1.
Lignins are among the most abundant renewable resources on the planet. However, their application is limited by the lack of efficient dissolution and extraction methodologies. In this work, a systematic and quantitative analysis of the dissolution efficiency of different alkaline-based aqueous systems (i.e. lithium hydroxide, LiOH; sodium hydroxide, NaOH; potassium hydroxide, KOH; cuprammonium hydroxide, CuAOH; tetrapropylammonium hydroxide, TPAOH and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, TBAOH) is reported, for the first time, for kraft lignin. Phase maps were determined for all systems and lignin solubility was found to decrease in the following order: LiOH > NaOH > KOH > CuAOH > TPAOH > TBAOH, thus suggesting that the size of the cation plays an important role on its solubility. The π∗ parameter has an opposite trend to the solubility, supporting the idea that cations of smaller size favor lignin solubility. Dissolution was observed to increase exponentially above pH 9–10 being the LiOH system the most efficient. The soluble and insoluble fractions of lignin in 0.1 M NaOH were collected and analyzed by several techniques. Overall, data suggests a greater amount of simple aromatic compounds, preferentially containing sulfur, in the soluble fraction while the insoluble fraction is very similar to the native kraft lignin.
Elodie Melro; Alexandra Filipe; Dora Sousa; Artur J.M. Valente; Anabela Romano; Filipe E. Antunes; Bruno Medronho. Dissolution of kraft lignin in alkaline solutions. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 2020, 148, 688 -695.
AMA StyleElodie Melro, Alexandra Filipe, Dora Sousa, Artur J.M. Valente, Anabela Romano, Filipe E. Antunes, Bruno Medronho. Dissolution of kraft lignin in alkaline solutions. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2020; 148 ():688-695.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElodie Melro; Alexandra Filipe; Dora Sousa; Artur J.M. Valente; Anabela Romano; Filipe E. Antunes; Bruno Medronho. 2020. "Dissolution of kraft lignin in alkaline solutions." International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 148, no. : 688-695.