Phytoconstituent Profiles Associated with Relevant Antioxidant Potential and Variable Nutritive Effects of the Olive, Sweet Almond, and Black Mulberry Gemmotherapy Extracts

Abstract

The extracts of whole plants or specific organs from different plant species are gaining increasing attention for their phytotherapy applications. Accordingly, we prepared standardized gemmotherapy extracts (GTEs) from young shoots/buds of olive (Olea europaea), sweet almond (Prunus amygdalus), and black mulberry (Morus nigra), and analyzed the corresponding phytonutrient profiles. We identified 42, 103, and 109 phytonutrients in the olive, almond, and black mulberry GTEs, respectively, containing amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, iridoids, carboxylic acids, lignans, terpenoids, and others. In order to assess the physiological effects generated by the GTEs, we developed a translational nutrition model based on Drosophila melanogaster and Cyprinus carpio. The results indicate that GTEs could influence, to a variable extent, viability and ATP synthesis, even though both are dependent on the specific carbohydrate load of the applied diet and the amino acid and polyphenol pools provided by the GTEs. It seems, therefore, likely that the complex chemical composition of the GTEs offers nutritional properties that cannot be separated from the health-promoting mechanisms that ultimately increase viability and survival. Such an approach sets the paves the way for the nutritional genomic descriptions regarding GTE-associated health-promoting effects.

Specific Antimicrobial Activities Revealed by Comparative Evaluation of Selected Gemmotherapy Extracts

“…However, there is a paucity of data in the literature on the antimicrobial activity of plant parts, such as buds and young shoots, despite the fact that they contain many bioactive compounds and could have potent antimicrobial properties. In addition, recent studies have described the phytonutrient profile of some GTEs while also revealing their nutritional, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects [40,48,51]. The phytonutrient composition of these GTEs also suggests that they may have antimicrobial properties, and this article presents relevant research data.…”

“…Taken together, these studies based on olive leaves indicate that the corresponding extracts contain oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, verbascoside and rutin polyphenols [59], all of which could contribute to antimicrobial efficacy [60,61]. It is also interesting that caffeic acid was not identified in the olive GTE [51]. It is, therefore, logical that, based on the specificity of the phytonutrient profiles of the olive leaves extract and GTE, some differences are foreseen with regard to their antimicrobial activities.…”

“…Based on the research conducted by Aleya and colab. (2023), it has been shown that the black mulberry GTE contains mostly flavonoids and polyphenols, followed by amino acids and carboxylic acids [51]. Among the 29 non-flavonoid polyphenols, there were hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric, ferulic) and hydroxybenzoic acids and stilbenes (such as resveratrol).…”

“…Indeed, Aleya and colab. (2023) reported that olive GTE contains flavonoids, iridoids and polyphenols, which might confer some antimicrobial effects [51]. Aliabadi and colab.…”

“…Among the non-flavonoids, there are hydroxycinnamic acids, like chlorogenic acids, caffeic acids, coumaric acids and ferulic acids. The quantitative polyphenol profile showed that the almond GTE contained a high amount of rutoside, hyperoside and chlorogenic acid, and it is likely that these constituents confer some antimicrobial properties [51].…”