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Results for “phytochemistry”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

[The contribution of German professors to pharmaceutical chemistry and phytochemistry in the 19th and 20th centuries. 40. The history of pharmaceutical science].

The aim of this article is to trace some features of the historical development of phytochemistry. In the period from 1870 to 1920 pharmacy at universities attempted a new phase, the emancipation as an independent science. The article analyses the contributions to phytochemistry by the professors E. Schmidt (1845-1921), H. Thomas (1859-1931), H. Beckurts (1855-1929) and their research schools as well as those of K. Polstorff (1846-1911) and m. Scholtz (1861-1919).

Botany↗
PubMed2026

Sechium edule: Phytochemistry, Biological Activities, Potential Health Effects, Food-Industry Applications, and Future Perspectives.

Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. (chayote), a neglected and underutilized Cucurbitaceae crop widely cultivated across tropical and subtropical regions, has drawn growing interest as a source of health-promoting food components. This review critically synthesizes studies published between 2000 and 2026 on its botanical features, genome characterization, nutritional value, phytochemistry, bioactivities, safety, and food-industry applications, based on literature retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library. Different plant parts (fruits, leaves, seeds, tuberous roots, and peels) contain diverse bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, cucurbitacins, pectin polysaccharides, and carotenoids. Reported bioactivities include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, cardioprotective, antiproliferative, and geroprotective effects, mediated in part through Nrf2-mediated antioxidant signaling and sirtuin (SIRT1/3/5/6) upregulation. Notably, a systematic meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in serum glucose (MD = -20.56; 95% CI: -29.35 to -11.77) and HbA1c following three months of chayote intake in patients with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Industrially, chayote has been developed into fermented products, starch- and peel-derived bioactive films, ultrasound-extracted pectin, α-amylase inhibitory seed protein isolates, and probiotic encapsulation systems. Recent genomic work has further revealed a chromosome-level genome assembly, whole-genome duplication events, and a domestication history tracing to Mexico's Oaxaca region. Collectively, this evidence positions chayote as a promising underutilized resource for food, nutraceutical, and biomedical use, while highlighting key gaps: the need for standardized clinical trials, bioavailability studies, and comprehensive safety evaluation.

Sechium edule↗
PubMed2026

The science of Arabic coffee (Qahwa): from phytochemistry and nutritional profile to health benefits and safety evaluation.

Arabic coffee (Qahwa), a traditional beverage widely consumed in the Middle East, has attracted increasing scientific attention due to its distinctive phytochemical composition and associated health effects. This review provides an integrated analysis of Qahwa's nutritional profile, focusing on its key bioactive constituents, including chlorogenic acids, caffeine, diterpenes (cafestol and kahweol), and phenolic compounds. These constituents contribute to a range of biological activities, notably antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and metabolic regulatory effects. The influence of technological variables, including roasting degree, brewing method, and bean origin, on the chemical composition and functional properties is critically examined. Safety concerns, particularly acrylamide formation and mycotoxin contamination, are also discussed. Although emerging data support Qahwa's potential as a functional beverage, further research is required to clarify dose-response relationships, synergistic interactions, and long-term health outcomes. This work highlights Qahwa as a promising candidate for food and nutraceutical applications, warranting standardized compositional profiling and toxicological evaluation.

Humans↗
PubMed2026

Bioactivity and developmental toxicity of Raphanus raphanistrum: integrating phytochemistry, in vitro assays, and zebrafish model.

Raphanus raphanistrum L. (wild radish), a member of the Brassicaceae family, is an edible herb widely utilized in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, enzyme inhibitory potential, and cytotoxic activity of extracts derived from its aerial parts. Among the tested extracts, the 70% ethanol extract contained the highest total phenolic content. A total of 38 compounds, mainly phenolic acids and flavonoids, were identified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. The aqueous extract contained the highest levels of individual phenolic compounds, particularly ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid. The 70% ethanol extract showed the strongest antioxidant activity in all assays. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the highest acetylcholinesterase and α-amylase inhibitory activities. Cytotoxicity assays revealed that the 70% ethanol extract was active against A549 lung cancer cells with an IC50 value of 56.77 µg mL-1 and a selectivity index of 1.6. In vivo zebrafish developmental toxicity assays demonstrated dose-dependent embryotoxic effects. Early exposure (0 hpf) caused increased mortality, reduced hatching, and morphological abnormalities, such as axial curvature and pericardial edema, whereas exposure at 72 hpf showed markedly reduced sensitivity. Overall, the findings suggest that R. raphanistrum is a promising natural source of bioactive compounds that could be used in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1985

Metabolic pathways as enzyme complexes: evidence for the synthesis of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids on membrane associated enzyme complexes.

In earlier studies [G. Hrazdina, G. J. Wagner, and H. W. Siegelman (1978) Phytochemistry 17, 53-56; G. J. Wagner and G. Hrazdina (1984) Plant Physiol. 74, 901-906], evidence was obtained suggesting that the endoplasmic reticulum was a site for phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism in petal tissue, and that (a) multienzyme complex(es) might be involved in this metabolism. Now, the possible role of membrane-bound multienzyme complexes in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism in three tissues has been investigated by (1) correlating enzyme induction kinetics and rates, (2) examining the molecular weight of putative complexes, (3) channeling of substrates, (4) determining the susceptibility of bound activities to trypsin digestion, and (5) investigating the structurally linked latency of bound activities. Results suggest that at least a part--and possibly the entire pathway--from phenylalanine to flavonoids is membrane (endoplasmic reticulum) associated, and that this metabolism is facilitated by a multienzyme complex. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase, the first enzyme of the biosynthetic sequence, and a flavonoid glucosyltransferase, the last, appear to be located in the lumen of the membranes. Cinnamate 4-hydroxylase is membrane embedded, while other enzyme activities appear to be weakly associated with the cytoplasmic face of endoplasmic reticulum membranes.

Anthocyanins↗
PubMed1975

The occurrence of dihydrophytyl wax esters in bovine rumen liquor.

The purpose of this study was to examine the bovine rumen liquor wax esters and compare them with those of the dietary white clover leaf and stem tissues (Body, D.R. (1974) Phytochemistry 13, 1527-1530). The major fatty acid composition of the total bovine rumen liquor wax esters was made up of saturated fatty acids (62.1%) including palmitic (20.4%), stearic (16.2%) and other acids over the n-C19-n-C30 range (20.5%). However, 13.2% phytanic acid was also present. Of the two major fatty alcohol components, dihydrophytol (33.4%) and triacontanol (20.2%) were the principal contributors. Approximately 30% of the total intact rumen liquor wax esters was a series of dihydrophytyl wax esters. These represented 0.6% of the total rumen liquor lipid extract. Individually they were comprised of dihydrophytyl palmitate (0.05%), dihydrophytyl phytanate (0.10%) and dihydrophytyl n-C18 fatty acids (0.45%). The appearance of saturated isoprenoid moieties was the most striking difference between the composition of rumen liquor and dietary white clover wax esters.

Animals↗