Agricultural by-products represent one of the biggest pollutants for the environment, therefore, investigating new sources for the extraction of bioactive compounds is a topic of great interest for the entire scientific community. This work is aimed at studying the chemical composition (pigments, phenolics, volatile compounds) and biological activities (antioxidant and antimicrobial properties) of young and mature leaves of five eggplant cultivars (Solanum melongena L.) grown in Tunisia (Tizona, A1014, Nawel, A336, and Mirval). Pigment analysis showed no statistical variations between the two types of leaves, whereas higher levels of anthocyanins were recorded in young leaves of three out of five cultivars (24.7-52.8 mg 100 g À 1). Total phenolic compounds (966.5-2072.6 mg 100 g À 1) and o-diphenols (343.9-741.2 mg 100 g À 1) contents varied significantly according to leaf age and cultivar. However, no statistically significant variation between young and mature leaves was found in flavonols and tannins content. As for volatile profiles, 62 constituents were characterized with non-terpene derivatives (52.0-61.6 %) and apocarotenes (19.9-35.6 %) as major chemical classes. Regarding the antioxidant activity, methanol extracts of Tizona cultivar mature leaves displayed important antiradical properties using DPPH, ABTS, and phosphomolybdenum assays (IC 50 0.1, 0.2 and 0.01 mg mL À 1 , respectively). With regards to reducing power determination, the most active extract was obtained from mature A1014 leaves. Further, young Mirval leaves proved to be significantly active from a bactericidal point of view against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus of 3.1 mg mL À 1 and 0.2 mg mL À 1 MBC, respectively. In conclusion, eggplant leaves are a noteworthy source of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds with potential use in the pharmaceutical, the cosmetics and the food industries.

Background: Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women, and its incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide. In this regard, plant-derived natural compounds have been shown to be effective as chemotherapeutic and preventative agents. Apricot kernels are a rich source of nutrients including proteins, lipids, fibers, and phenolic compounds and contain the aromatic cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin that has been shown to exert a cytotoxic effect on cancer cells by affecting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and regulating the immune function. Methods: Here, we describe a previously unexplored proapoptotic mechanism of action of amygdalin in breast cancer (MCF7) cells that involves the modulation of intracellular proteolysis. For comparative purposes, the same investigations were also conducted upon cell treatment with two apricot kernel aqueous extracts from Prunus armeniaca L. Results: We observed that both the 20S and 26S proteasome activities were downregulated in the MCF7 cells upon 24 h treatments. Simultaneously, the autophagy cascade resulted in being impaired due to cathepsin B and L inhibition that also contributed to a reduction in cancer cell migration. The inhibition of these proteolytic systems finally promoted the activation of apoptotic events in the MCF7 cells. Conclusion: Collectively, our data unveil a novel mechanism of the anticancer activity of amygdalin, prompting further investigations for potential application in cancer preventative strategies.

We have fabricated an implantable dressing material able to reduce antipressure ulcer disease. This biomaterial is based on electrospun poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibers (NFs) containing the hydroethanolic extract (HE) of T. ramosissimum. Optimized synthesis conditions (17-PLA/HE NFs) resulted in homogeneous and nonwoven mat structures formed by polymeric NFs. We have included a kinetic release assay where the chemical structures of the main released compounds were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance. The identified compounds include molecules from the family of flavonoids, monoterpenoids, hydroxycinnamic derivatives, and phenolic acids. Interestingly, the terpenoid teuhircoside has been identified in Teucrium ramosissimum for the first time. We have also performed in vivo woundhealing investigations, examining the process of healing of induced pressure ulcers in mice, once applying different dressing materials generated in this work. In these in vivo assays, we were able to demonstrate that the implantable 17-PLA/HE NF material improves wound-healing capabilities, reduces the injury area, and provides a high wound closure percentage from the first days of application. Finally, histological assays showed complete reepithelialization with 17-PLA/HE NFs. This investigation offers the possibility to fabricate implantable materials containing only the here-determined released compounds.