In this study, essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hys) from Italian hemp (Cannabis sativa L. Kompolti cv.) and hop (Humulus Lupulus L., Chinook cv.) supply chains were chemically characterized and tested to investigate their apoptotic potential for the first time. Headspace–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) techniques were performed to describe their volatile chemical profile, highlighting a composition rich in terpene derivatives such as monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes among which β-myrcene, limonene, β-caryophyllene and α-humulene were the main constituents of EOs; in contrast, linalool, cis-p-menth-2,8-dien-1-ol, terpinen-4-ol, α-terpineol, caryophyllene oxide, and τ-cadinol were found in the Hys. The cytotoxicity activity on human leukemia cells (HL60), human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y), human metastatic adenocarcinoma breast cells (MCF7), human adenocarcinoma breast cells (MDA), and normal breast epithelial cell (MCF10A) for the EOs and Hys was studied by MTT assay and cytofluorimetric analysis and scanning and transmission electron microscopy were performed to define ultrastructural changes and the mechanism of cells death for HL 60 cells. An induction of the apoptotic mechanism was evidenced for hemp and hop EOs after treatment with the corresponding EC₅₀ dose. In addition, TEM and SEM investigations revealed typical characteristics induced by the apoptotic pathway. Therefore, thanks to the integration of the applied methodologies with the used techniques, this work provides an overview on the metabolomic profile and the apoptotic potential of hemp and hop EOs and, for the first time, also of Hys. The findings of this preliminary study confirm that the EOs and Hys from Cannabis and Humulus species are sources of bioactive molecules with multiple biological effects yet to be explored.

The preservation of agricultural biodiversity and socioeconomic development are relevant both to enhance domestic production and to support innovation. In the search for new biomolecules, we have focused on the “Carciofo Ortano” landrace, growth in the northern part of the Lazio region. Artichoke cultivation generates substantial by-products, including leaves, stems, and roots, which could serve as valuable sources of biomolecules and prebiotic dietary fiber. To valorize the leaf waste of the “Carciofo Ortano” landrace, a multidisciplinary approach was applied. Chemical analysis using HPLC-DAD identified mono-O- and di-O-caffeoylquinic acids and the sesquiterpene cynaropicrin in all artichoke leaf extracts. SPME-GC/MS analyses detected aliphatic alcohols in the fresh leaf samples. Antiproliferative and cytotoxic studies on cancer (SH-SY5Y, MCF-7, MDA) and normal (MCF-10A) human cell lines revealed that leaf extracts induced a selective dose and time-dependent biological effect. While showing slight activity against environmental bacterial strains, artichoke leaf extracts exhibited significant antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata. Overall, the results highlight the potential of “Carciofo Ortano” cultivation by-products as a rich source of biomolecules with versatile applications in humans, animals, and the environment.

In addition to the immature edible flower heads, the cultivation of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.) Fiori) generates substantial quantities of by-products, including leaves, stems, and roots, which constitute potential sources of bioactive compounds and prebiotic dietary fiber. Preserving agricultural biodiversity and promoting socioeconomic development are essential for enhancing domestic production and fostering innovation. In the search for new biomolecules with antioxidant properties, this research focused on a globe artichoke landrace at risk of genetic erosion, still cultivated in the northern part of the Lazio region, known as the “Carciofo Ortano”. To investigate the antioxidant properties of various globe artichoke tissues from the “Carciofo Ortano” landrace, methanolic extracts were prepared from the immature main and secondary flower heads, stems, and leaves of representative genotypes of this landrace. Additionally, extracts were obtained from the same tissues of four landraces/clones included in the varietal platform of the PGI “Carciofo Romanesco del Lazio”, which served as reference genotypes: Campagnano, Castellammare, C3, and Grato 1. The antioxidant properties of these extracts were assessed using FRAP, ABTS, DPPH assays, and total phenolic content (TPC). The stem and secondary flower head extracts of two representative “Carciofo Ortano” genotypes and the Grato 1 clone, which have higher phenolic content, demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity. These extracts were therefore studied for their chemical profile using HPLC-DAD and SPME-GC/MS analysis. Additionally, the same extracts were investigated in vitro for their antioxidant capacity in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, assessing their effects on ROS levels and the restoration of GSH levels. Furthermore, the in vivo beneficial effects of counteracting oxidative stress were evaluated in high sucrose-fed Drosophila melanogaster, as oxidative stress is a typical hallmark of hyperglycemic status. Overall, the results indicated that the edible immature inflorescences of the “Carciofo Ortano” landrace, along with the byproducts of its cultivation, are sources of raw materials containing biomolecules whose properties can be exploited for further applications in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.

In this work, aerial parts of Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg. produced in Umbria, Italy, were chemically investigated by solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) to describe their volatile profile. The results obtained showed the preponderant presence of monoterpenes, with limonene and 1,8-cineole as the main components. Further analyses by GC/MS after derivatization reaction were performed to characterize the non-volatile fraction highlighting the presence of fatty acids and di- and triterpenic compounds. T. officinale methanol and dichloromethane extracts, first analyzed by HRGC/MS, were investigated to evaluate the antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity, and antiproliferative properties of MDA cells on the breast cancer cell line and MCF 10A normal epithelial cells as well as the antioxidant activity by colorimetric assays. The impact on matrix metalloproteinases MMP-9 and MMP-2 was also explored in 3D cell systems to investigate the extracts’ efficacy in reducing cell invasiveness. The extracts tested showed no cytotoxic activity with EC50 > 250 µg/mL on both cell lines. The DPPH assay revealed higher antioxidant activity in the MeOH extract compared with the DCM extract, while the FRAP assay showed a contrasting result, with the DCM extract exhibiting slightly greater antioxidant capacity. After treatment for 24 h with a non-cytotoxic concentration of 500 µg/mL of the tested extracts, gelatin zymography and Western blot analyses demonstrated that both MeOH and DCM extracts influenced the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in MDA cells within the 3D cell model, leading to a significant decrease in the levels of these gelatinases, which are crucial markers of tumor invasiveness.