The phytotoxiticky of ozone is due to its high oxidant capacity and to its ability to generate toxic molecular species. It is well known that intracellular peroxidases play an important role in eliminating toxic forms of oxygen but little evidence has been reported on the role of peroxidases in the apoplastic compartment. The detoxification systems located in the foliar extracellular matrix and in the intracellular fluid of sensitive pumpkin plants (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Ambassador) exposed to ozone (150 ppb. 5 days. 5 h day‐1) in a fumigation chamber, were analyzed. The analyses were carried out on both young and mature leaves. Ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) was found in the extracellular matrix of the pumpkin tissues. Its activity increased in both young and mature leaves as a consequence of the treatment, while at intraeellular levels its effect was most prominent in mature leaves. Analysis of the ascorbie‐dehydroascorbic acid system revealed an enhancement of the pool content in the extracellular matrix of both kinds of leaves as a consequence of fumigation, while at the intracelluiar level small variations were found. Very little variation was observed in the glutathione pool as a consequence of fumigation. The analysis of a lipid peroxidation marker, malondi‐aldehyde. showed the significant effect of ozone on membrane lipids. Following fumigation, the free phenols in the extracellular matrix decreased in both young and mature leaves, while the free and glycoside‐bound phenols of the intracellular fluid showed little increase. The results support the hypothesis that ozone stimulates the an‐tioxidant systems mainly in the apoplast and that ascorbic peroxidase activity, ascorbic acid levels and cell wall stiffening are the most influenced parameters.

Symphytum officinale , commonly known as comfrey, constitutes a traditional medicinal plant with a long-standing therapeutic history, and preparations thereof have been widely used for the treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints, wound and bone healing, and inflammation. Today, its topical use is based on its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, which have been substantiated by modern clinical trials. However, the molecular basis of its action remained elusive. Here, we show that a hydroalcoholic extract of comfrey root impairs the development of a pro-inflammatory scenario in primary human endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The extract, and especially its mucilage-depleted fraction, impair the interleukin-1 (IL-1) induced expression of pro-inflammatory markers including E-selectin, VCAM1, ICAM1, and COX-2. Both preparations inhibit the activation of NF-κB, a transcription factor of central importance for the expression of these and other pro-inflammatory genes. Furthermore, our biochemical studies provide evidence that comfrey inhibits NF-κB signaling at two stages: it dampens not only the activation of IKK1/2 and the subsequent IκBα degradation, but also interferes with NF-κB p65 nucleo-cytoplasmatic shuttling and transactivation. These results provide a first mechanistic insight into the mode of action of a century-old popular herbal medicine.

This work proposes for the first time a model for reusing almond (Prunus dulcis cv. Casteltermini from Sicily, Southern Italy) skin to formulate a new functional blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius Schott) jam. For this purpose, blackberries were analysed fresh and as jam, traditionally prepared with a minimum fruit amount of 80%. Different percentages of almond skin (20, 15, and 10% w/w) were added to jam. The phytochemical profile of enriched jam was investigated by LC-ESI/LTQOrbitrap/MS analyses. Anthocyanins, hydrolysable tannins, and triterpenoids were identified in a blackberry extract, while proanthocyanidins, flavonoids, and oxylipins were identified in an almond extract. The n-hexane extract of P. dulcis skin, investigated by GC–MS, evidenced linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids as the main abundant compounds. Samples were investigated for their antioxidant activity using DPPH, ABTS, β-carotene, and FRAP tests. The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects were studied by α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase inhibitory assays. In order to evaluate the effect of thermal process on enriched jam bioactivity, pasteurisation was applied. An increase in activities for all samples was observed, in particular for jam enriched with 20% w/w of almond skin. Based on obtained data, and supported by sensory analysis, we propose enriched jam as a promising source of compounds useful for preventing diseases associated with oxidative stress.

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