Los microplásticos (MPs) se han convertido en un desafío importante para las ciencias ambientales, química analítica y toxicología ambiental en los últimos años. Estos han atraído la atención mundial en su categoría de contaminantes emergentes debido a sus interacciones y persistencia en el medioambiente, además de su origen a partir de una deficiente gestión en el tratamiento de los residuos de centros urbanos, además de malas prácticas industriales y su uso indiscriminado. Los MPs actualmente están dispersos por todas partes del planeta, desde los océanos hasta los ríos, sedimentos, suelo, aire, organismos vivos e incluso en los recursos alimenticios y zonas remotas del planeta como el ártico y glaciares montañosos. Por lo tanto, esta revisión tiene como objetivo el informar acerca de la formación, tipos, fuentes, interacción con contaminantes y posibles consecuencias en la salud por los MPs presentes en el medioambiente. Buscamos concientizar de que en la actualidad se está viviendo junto a los MPs sin darnos cuenta. Además, esta revisión también incluye un breve recorrido por los últimos estudios que se han realizado en Sudamérica, conceptualizando la realidad local y regional con respecto a este problema de carácter global

The antioxidant activity of nine lichen substances, including methylatrarate (1), methyl haematommate (2), lobaric acid (3), fumarprotocetraric acid (4), sphaerophorin (5), subsphaeric acid (6), diffractaic acid (7), barbatolic acid (8) and salazinic acid (9) has been determined through cyclic voltammetry. The compounds 1-4 presented slopes close to the Nernst constant of 0.059 V, indicating a 2H⁺/2e^- relation between protons and electrons, as long as the compounds 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 present slopes between 0.037 V and 0.032 V, indicating a 1H⁺/2e^- relation between protons and electrons. These results show a high free radical scavenging activity by means of the release of H⁺, suggesting an important antioxidant capacity of these molecules. Theoretical calculations of hydrogen bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE), proton affinities (PA), and Proton Transfer (PT) mechanisms, at M06-2x/6-311+G(d,p) level complement the experimental results. Computations support that the best antioxidant activity is obtained for the molecules (3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8), that have a carboxylic acid group close to a phenolic hydroxyl group, through hydrogen atomic transfer (HAT) and sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET) mechanisms. Additional computations were performed for modelling binding affinity of the lichen substances with CYPs enzymes, mainly CYP1A2, CYP51, and CYP2C9*2 isoforms, showing strong affinity for all the compounds described in this study.

Salvia rosmarinus (Lamiaceae), previously known as Rosmarinus officinalis, is a plant cultivated worldwide, native to the Mediterranean region. Its leaves are traditionally used for cooking. This species possesses numerous biological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties. These biological properties are due to the presence of phenolic compounds, including rosmarinic acid and phenolic diterpenoids, such as carnosic acid and carnosol. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition of a green extract obtained by maceration with ethyl lactate for the first time. Seventy-five compounds were tentatively identified by UHPLC–ESI–MS/MS, including six organic acids, six cinnamic acid derivatives, five fatty acids, eighteen flavonoids, and thirty-eight terpenoids. Thus, abietane-type diterpenoids from the ethyl lactate extract were the predominant diterpenoids in the Chilean S. rosmarinus species, in contrast to the Chinese species, in which labdane and isopimarane-type diterpenoids were found for the first time. Finally, our study confirms that the extraction of S. rosmarinus with green ethyl lactate as a solvent is efficient and sustainable for the identification of flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids from leaves.

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains represents an important challenge for global health, underscoring the critical need for innovative strategies to confront this threat. Natural products and their derivatives have emerged as a promising reservoir for drug discovery. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a potent model organism in this effort. Employing this invertebrate model, we introduce a novel perspective to investigate natural plant extracts in search of molecules with potential antivirulence activity. Our work established an easy-scalable developmental assay targeting a virulent strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, with Helenium aromaticum as the representative plant. The main objective was to identify tentative compounds from the Helenium aromaticum extract that attenuate the virulence of K. pneumoniae virulence without inducing cytotoxic effects on amoeba cells. Notably, the methanolic root extract of H. aromaticum fulfilled these prerequisites compared to the dichloromethane extract. Using UHPLC Q/Orbitrap/ESI/MS/MS, 63 compounds were tentatively identified in both extracts, 47 in the methanolic and 29 in the dichloromethane, with 13 compounds in common. This research underscores the potential of employing D. discoideum-assisted pharmacognosy to discover new antivirulence agents against multidrug-resistant pathogens.

The tubers of Tropaeolum tuberosum, locally known as Isaño and native to the Andean region of South America, have been known since ancient times for their multiple uses in the Bolivian population. They are used both as food in various preparations and in traditional medicine. In this investigation, we report the study of three Isaño cultivars currently consumed in Bolivia. We determined their proximal composition, characterized carotenoids, determined antioxidant capacity, measured total phenols and total flavonoids, and quantified the major polyphenols. The results show that, apart from being a source of important nutrients such as proteins, Bolivian Isaño is a source of antioxidants and has a higher concentration of flavonoids and anthocyanidins, particularly in the purple cultivar. Additionally, we identified the presence of three carotenoids in this food for the first time: Lutein, Neoxanthin, and β-carotene. Through these types of studies, we aim to revalue this food, which is little known both in Bolivia and outside the Andean region of South America. Considering its nutritional properties, we seek to increase its consumption.

In this study, isolation and purification of lichen substances from Usnea cornuta were performed using conventional solvents, green solvents and green technologies. In addition, several lichen compounds were tentatively identified by UHPLC/ESI/MS/MS and usnic acid, diffractaic and galbinic acids were quantified as well. Limonene, ethyl lactate and methanol, were compared regarding their extraction properties and antioxidant capacities, determined by DPPH, ORAC, and FRAP assays. In the ethyl lactate, methanol and limonene extracts, 28 compounds in all, were detected for the first time by high resolution UHPLC-MS/MS fingerprinting. Untargeted metabolomics tentatively identified 14 compounds from the methanolic extract, 4 from limonene extract, and 20 metabolites from ethyl lactate extract. The green extract of ethyl lactate showed a similar antioxidant capacity to toxic methanol extract, except at ORAC assay where it was higher. Therefore, ethyl lactate can replace methanol, to provide more sustainable green chemistry methods. Graphical Abstract