The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease is increasing all over the world, especially in industrialized countries. The aim of the present work was to verify the anti-inflammatory activity of metabolites. In particular, cell-free supernatants of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus reuteri, and Saccharomyces boulardii have been investigated. Metabolites produced by these probiotics were able to downregulate the expression of PGE-2 and IL-8 in human colon epithelial HT-29 cells. Moreover, probiotic supernatants can differently modulate IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 production by human macrophages, suggesting a peculiar anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, supernatants showed a significant dose-dependent radical scavenging activity. This study suggests one of the mechanisms by which probiotics exert their anti-inflammatory activity affecting directly the intestinal epithelial cells and the underlying macrophages. This study provides a further evidence to support the possible use of probiotic metabolites in preventing and downregulating intestinal inflammation as adjuvant in anti-inflammatory therapy.

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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common biofilm-forming bacterial pathogen implicated in lung, skin, and systemic infections. Biofilms are majorly associated with chronic lung infection, which is the most severe complication in cystic fibrosis patients characterized by drug-resistant biofilms in the bronchial mucus with zones, where reactive oxygen species concentration is increased mainly due to neutrophil activity. Aim of this work is to verify the anti-Pseudomonas property of propolis or bud poplar resins extracts. The antimicrobial activity of propolis and bud poplar resins extracts was determined by MIC and biofilm quantification. Moreover, we tested the antioxidant activity by DPPH and neutrophil oxidative burst assays. In the end, both propolis and bud poplar resins extracts were able to inhibit P. aeruginosa biofilm formation and to influence both swimming and swarming motility. Moreover, the extracts could inhibit proinflammatory cytokine production by human PBMC and showed both direct and indirect antioxidant activity. This work is the first to demonstrate that propolis and bud poplar resins extracts can influence biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa contrasting the inflammation and the oxidation state typical of chronic infection suggesting that propolis or bud poplar resins can be used along with antibiotic as adjuvant in the therapy against P. aeruginosa infections related to biofilm.

Four new acyclic diterpene glycosides named capsianosides (1-4), together with 12 known compounds, were isolated from the fresh sweet pepper fruits of Capsicum annuum L., a plant used as a vegetable food, spice, and external medicine. The chemical structures of new natural compounds, as well as their absolute configurations, were established by means of spectroscopic data including infrared, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and by chemical derivatization. The known capsidiol (11) showed bacteriostatic properties in vitro against Helicobacter pylori with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 200 microg/mL when compared with the commercial drug metronidazole (MIC, 250 microg/mL). Some purified components were also tested for their antioxidant activities.