No abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the effect of the hydroalcoholic extracts from the peel (APE) and pulp (APP) of a traditional apple cultivar from central Italy (Mela Rosa dei Monti Sibillini) on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Phytoconstituents were determined by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis showing an abundance of proanthocyanidins and flavonol derivatives together with the presence of annurcoic acid in APE. Wistar rats received APE/APP (30 mg/kg oral administration) for three days before CCl4 injection (2 mL/kg intraperitoneal once on the third day). Treatment with both APE and APP prior to CCl4 injection significantly decreased the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared to the CCl4 group. Besides, pretreatment with APE reversed the CCl4 effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) levels in liver tissue in rats and reduced tissue damage as shown in hematoxylin and eosin staining. These results showed that this ancient Italian apple is worthy of use in nutraceuticals and dietary supplements to prevent and/or protect against liver disorders.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extracts from the peel and pulp of a traditional apple variety of central Italy on the damage caused by renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

No abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the nutraceutical potential of the Mela Rosa dei Monti Sibillini (MR), an ancient apple variety of the Sibillini Mountains, central Italy. The chemical profile of the apple’s polyphenolic-rich extract (MRE) obtained from first- and second-choice samples using the Amberlite® XAD7HP resin was analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array and Mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS) and 21 phytochemicals were quali–quantitatively determined. For comparative purposes, the polyphenol-rich extract of Annurca (ANE), a southern Italian variety, was analyzed. The antioxidant capacity of MREs was evaluated by Folin–Ciocalteu, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2, 2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The inhibitory capacity of MREs for the enzymes α-glucosidase, lipase, monoamine oxidase A, tyrosinase, and acetylcholinesterase was also determined. The MREs showed higher polyphenolic and triterpene profiles than the ANE. Their radical scavenging activity was higher than that of ANE and comparable to the reference trolox. The MRE from the second-choice apples displayed higher contents of the 21 phytochemicals investigated. Either MRE from second-choice or first-choice samples showed enzymatic inhibition with IC50 values higher than those of reference inhibitors but worthy of nutraceutical consideration. Taken together, these results show the potential of MRE as a source of bioactive compounds to be used for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications has been confirmed.