Browsing by Author "Rolo, Joana"
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- Effect of plant extracts in sperm viabilityPublication . Dias, Sandra D.F.; Andrade, L.P.; Rolo, Joana; Delgado, F.M.G.; Oliveira, Ana Palmeira de; Gaspar, Carlos; Ruivo, Patrícia Gomes; APH - Associação Portuguesa de HorticulturaMedicinal plants have been used since the earliest documented history around the world, as an available and inexpensive therapeutic resource. Plant based bioactive elements play eminent biological roles as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative agents. It is proved that naturally occurring antioxidants in ethnomedicinal plants are effective in treating various types of diseases. However, herbal medicine, without any knowledge of their toxicological profile, target organ, and safe dose, is one of the biggest problems of recent health care systems. Any drug or herbal formula which is intended to be used in humans must first be tested in suitable experimental in vitro or animal models in order to evaluate its safety. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the toxicity of plant extracts to enhance their value for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Six extracts of plants produced/endogenous in Portugal: Cistus ladanifer, Thymbra capitata, Helichrysum italicum, Cupressus lusitanica, Ocimum basilicum and Matricaria chamomilla were used in order to assess their reproductive toxicity by evaluating the viability of sperm when in contact with the extracts. Hydrolates for each plant were obtained by hydrodistillation of aerial parts. The chemical composition of the hydrolates was determined by GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry). Reproductive toxicity was assessed by exposing cryopreserved bovine semen to six different concentrations of each hydrolate (0.2%-0.002% v/v). Methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) was used (0.22nM) as positive control of sperm toxicity. After incubation, sperm viability was determined for each concentration by staining with eosinnigrosin and counting the number of viable and dead spermatozoa (spz) in a total of 200 spz. The results show that the hydrolates in test do not compromise sperm viability for all tested concentrations (>25%) when compared with negative control (34%) and in fact, M. chamomilla seems to promote sperm viability (39%) at the highest tested concentration. These results indicate that the extracts at the concentrations used do not seem to have a toxic effect on this evaluated target.
- Humulus lupulus aqueous extract and hydrolate as a potential ingredient for cosmetics : chemical characterization and in vitro antimicrobial, cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory assessmentPublication . Valente, João Vasco; Oliveira, Rita Palmeira de; Guiomar, Liliana; Vaz, Cátia; Rolo, Joana; Gaspar, Carlos; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Caramelo, Débora; Breitenfeld, Luísa; Gonçalves, José Carlos; Delgado, F.M.G.; Oliveira, José Martinez; Oliveira, Ana Palmeira deHumulus lupulus extracts have in their composition different molecules, such aspolyphenols, α-acids, β -acids, and hydrocarbons, which contribute to the plant’s medicinal properties. These molecules are associated with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti - inflammatory activities. OBJECTIVE This work focuses on the evaluation of H. lupulus biological activities, with the aim of evaluating its potential for inclusion in cosmetic formulations. METHODS Two distinct aqueous extracts and two hydrolates obtained via hydrodistillation were evaluated. These include the flower parts (FE, FH) and the mix of aboveground parts (ME, MH). The chemical profiles for both aqueous extracts and hydrolates were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC chromatography -mass spectrometry (GC -MS ). Antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity , and anti-inflammatory activity were tested in vitro using standard methods. RESULTS Rutin was the major compound found in FE (40.041 µg mg -1 of extract) and ME (2.909 µg mg -1 of extract), while humulenol II and was the most abundant compound in hydrolates (FH:20.83%; MH: 46.80%). Furthermore, FE was able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis with MIC values of 50% and 25% (v/v), respectively. FH showed the same effect Staphylococcus aureus (50% v/v). FH evidenced poor antioxidant potential in DPPH scavenging test, it demonstrated significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by reducing (***p<0.001) intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), NO (nitric oxide) levels (***p<0.001) and cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) protein expression (***p<0.001) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -stimulated macrophages. Nevertheless, it is important to note that FH exhibited cytotoxicity at high concentrations in 3T3 fibroblasts and RAW macrophages. CONCLUSION The studied H. lupulus aqueous extracts and hydrolates revealed that FH stands out as the most promising bioactive source for cosmetic formulations. However, future research addressing antimicrobial activity is necessary to confirm its potential incorporation into dermatological and cosmetic formulations.
- Reproductive toxicity assessment of four portuguese plant hydrolates: Effects on oocyte maturation and sperm viabilityPublication . Dias, Sandra D.F.; Andrade, L.P.; Rolo, Joana; Gaspar, Carlos; Ruivo, Patrícia Gomes; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Ferreira, Sandra Saraiva; Oliveira, Rita Palmeira; Oliveira, José Martinez de; Gonçalves, José Carlos; Delgado, F.M.G.; Oliveira, Ana Palmeira deExtracts of aromatic medicinal plants have been extensively studied regarding their numerous bioactivities. However, despite being highly used by humans, studies on the safety of these extracts for animal use are scarce. In this study, we aim to contribute to the determination of the safety profile of plant extracts by focusing on the reproductive toxicity of hydrolates (a by-product of essential oils production) of four endogenous Portuguese plants—Cistus ladanifer, Cupressus lusitanica, Helychrisium italicum, and Thymbra capitata—by studying their effects on bovine oocytes and spermatozoa. To achieve our aims,we determined the oocyte maturation and viability rate in the bovine in vitro maturation test (bIVM) and the bovine sperm viability using the eosin–nigrosin test, in the presence of five concentrations of each hydrolate at half-log intervals (% v/v of culture media). We found that hydrolates did not affect oocyte maturation or viability (maximum concentration tested: 0.2%, v/v). Regarding the sperm viability test, we found that T. capitata and C. ladanifer hydrolates impaired sperm viability (p < 0.05) (maximum concentration tested: 0.2%, v/v), in comparison with the negative control. In summary, we found that H. italicum and C. lusitanica hydrolates were safe regarding oocyte maturation, oocyte viability, and sperm viability, being candidates to be included in bovine husbandry as feeding additives.