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Details of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) tree (a), branches (b), leaves, and unripe fruits (c) grown in Italy
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Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is a typical plant of the coasts of Mediterranean area, which grows spontaneously as a shrub or a small tree. Myrtle berries, leaves, seeds, and essential oils are natural sources of several nutrients and bioactive compounds with marked health effects. In the ancient medicine, it has been indeed used for treating several...
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... Especially myrtle berries contain more bioactive substances, including flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanin, and triterpenes, endowing it with therapeutic potential for ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, etc (Hennia et al., 2019;Medda et al., 2021;Siracusa et al., 2019). Myrtle berries has two diferent colors, black or white, the black fruit mainly contains polyphenols with high antioxidant activity, and the white fruit contain unsaturated fatty acids such as myrtenyl acetate, linoleic acid, and oleic acid (Giampieri et al., 2020;Gorjian & Khaligh, 2023;Siracusa et al., 2019). In addition to its medicinal properties, it is also rich in nutritional value, such as high protein and sugar content, low fat levels, an array of essential elements, amino acids, and vitamins, rendering it suitable for the production of healthy food (Lai et al., 2015). ...
To fully develop the medicinal and edible value of myrtle and improve the market visibility, myrtle berries and glutinous rice were used as raw materials and co-fermented using rice leaven. Uniform design method was used to determine the optimal fermentation conditions. The co-fermentation product was then underwent post-processing, including blending, grinding and homogenization, to produce a novel myrtle rice beverage, which was analyzed for product characteristics. Results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were a myrtle berries of 24%, a rice leaven of 1%, a water addition amount of 100%, a fermentation temperature of 22°C, a fermentation time of 96 h. The co-fermented product was diluted 1:3 with water, ground, and homogenized with 0.1% agar and 0.2% xanthan gum to produce the final myrtle rice beverage. The beverage boasts a low sugar and alcohol content, along with a moderate level of acidity, making it a healthy beverage with antioxidant properties.
... [3] Previous studies reported that phthalate esters exceed safe levels causing serious health effects as endocrine, [4] liver, kidneys, lungs and heart. [5] Ministry of Health and Food and Drug Authority established rules and warnings for the use of plastic in the packaging of food products and encouraged follow-up analysis to ensure the presence of these harmful substances within safe levels [6] which reduces the incidence of health problems and reflects the economy. In addition, the storage conditions affect the release of these compounds from packing materials as high temperature increased the chance of release versus low temperature. ...
... Myrtle (Myrtus communis L., Myrtaceae) is an aromatic medicinal plant typical of the coastal Mediterranean areas, such as North Africa or Southern Europe, and is also found in South America, Australia, and certain areas of the Himalayas [1]. This small tree or shrub, which grows about 2 m tall, has small aromatic evergreen leaves, fragrant white or rosy flowers, and blue-black fruits rich in seeds which ripen between October and February [2,3]. Myrtle leaves are rich in essential oil components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids most commonly used in the perfume industry, while the fruits contain essential oil, anthocyanins, tannins, and fatty and organic acids [4]. ...
... Myrtle leaves are rich in essential oil components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids most commonly used in the perfume industry, while the fruits contain essential oil, anthocyanins, tannins, and fatty and organic acids [4]. Myrtle fruits are mainly used in the food sector for traditional Italian liqueur production, especially on the island of Sardinia, which has a geographical indication of origin, known as "Mirto di Sardegna" [2], with an annual production of more than three million bottles [5], as well as for flavoring meat and sauces [6]. ...
Background: Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is a coastal Mediterranean aromatic medicinal plant rich in essential oil components, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Studies highlight the potential health benefits of myrtle bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antiproliferative properties. Since limited research exists on myrtle fruit’s lipid fraction, the aim of this study was to apply supercritical CO2 extraction to obtain bioactive compounds from myrtle berries focusing on the fatty acids, sterols, and essential oils. Methods: The optimization of the supercritical CO2 extraction of myrtle fruit using CO2 as solvent was carried out using the response surface methodology with Box–Behnken experimental design. The following conditions were tested: temperature (40, 50, and 60 °C), pressure (200, 300, and 400 bar), and flow rate (20, 30, and 40 g min−1) on the yield of lipid extract as well as on the yield of fatty acids, phytosterols, and volatiles present in the extract and constituting its bioactive potential. Results: In the extracts examined, 36 fatty acids, 7 phytosterols, and 13 volatiles were identified. The average yield of the extract was 5.20%, the most abundant identified fatty acid was essential cis-linolenic acid (76.83%), almost 90% of the total phytosterols were β-sitosterol (12,465 mg kg−1), while myrtenyl acetate (4297 mg kg−1) was the most represented volatile compound. The optimal process conditions obtained allow the formulation of extracts with specific compositions.
... Myrtucommulone (MC), semimyrtucommulone (S-MC), and nonprenylated acylphloroglucinols in the leaves of M. communis were found to potently suppress eicosanoid biosynthesis by directly inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase in vitro and in vivo [85]. However, in another report, myrtle was believed to inhibit the cell-free mPGES-1-mediated conversion of prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) to PGE2 [86]. Seed extract (50 mg.kg −1 for 2 months) decreased the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, and IL-1β as well as erythrocyte concentration, ROS level, and lipid peroxidation, and fortified the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes [87]. ...
Compounds derived from natural sources continue to serve as chemical scaffolds for designing prophylactic/therapeutic options for human healthcare. In this study, we aimed to systematically unravel the chemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of myrtle methanolic extract (MMEx) using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. High levels of TPC (415.85 ± 15.52 mg GAE/g) and TFC (285.80 ± 1.64 mg QE/g) were observed. Mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 1,8-cineole (33.80%), α-pinene (10.06%), linalool (4.83%), p-dimethylaminobenzophenone (4.21%), thunbergol (4%), terpineol (3.60%), cis-geranyl acetate (3.25%), and totarol (3.30%) as major compounds. MMEx induced pronounced dose-dependent inhibition in all assays, and the best antioxidant activity was found with H2O2, with an IC50 of 17.81 ± 3.67 µg.mL−1. MMEx showed a good anti-inflammatory effect in vivo by limiting the development of carrageenan-induced paw edema. The pharmacokinetic profiles of the active molecules were determined using the SwissADME website, followed by virtual screening against anti-inflammatory targets including phospholipase A2 (PLA-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and NF-κB. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that the molecules have good absorption, distribution, and metabolism profiles, with negative organ toxicity. Among the compounds identified by GC-MS analysis, pinostrobin chalcone, cinnamyl cinnamate, hedycaryol, totarol, and p-dimethylaminobenzophenone were observed to have good binding scores, thus appreciable anti-inflammatory potential. Our study reveals that MMEx from Algerian Myrtus communis L. can be considered to be a promising candidate for alleviating many health complaints associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.
... Myrtucommulone (MC), semimyrtucommulone (S-MC), and nonprenylated acylphloroglucinols in the leaves of M. communis were found to potently suppress eicosanoid biosynthesis by directly inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase in vitro and in vivo [85]. However, in another report, myrtle was believed to inhibit the cell-free mPGES-1-mediated conversion of prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) to PGE2 [86]. Seed extract (50 mg.kg −1 for 2 months) decreased the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, and IL-1β as well as erythrocyte concentration, ROS level, and lipid peroxidation, and fortified the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes [87]. ...
Citation: Belahcene, S.; Kebsa, W.; Akingbade, T.V.; Umar, H.I.; Omoboyowa, D.A.; Alshihri, A.A.; Abo Mansour, A.; Alhasaniah, A.H.; Oraig, M.A.; Bakkour, Y.; et al. Abstract: Compounds derived from natural sources continue to serve as chemical scaffolds for designing prophylactic/therapeutic options for human healthcare. In this study, we aimed to systematically unravel the chemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of myrtle methanolic extract (MMEx) using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. High levels of TPC (415.85 ± 15.52 mg GAE/g) and TFC (285.80 ± 1.64 mg QE/g) were observed. Mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 1,8-cineole (33.80%), α-pinene (10.06%), linalool (4.83%), p-dimethylaminobenzophenone (4.21%), thunbergol (4%), terpineol (3.60%), cis-geranyl acetate (3.25%), and totarol (3.30%) as major compounds. MMEx induced pronounced dose-dependent inhibition in all assays, and the best antioxidant activity was found with H 2 O 2 , with an IC 50 of 17.81 ± 3.67 µg.mL −1. MMEx showed a good anti-inflammatory effect in vivo by limiting the development of carrageenan-induced paw edema. The pharmacokinetic profiles of the active molecules were determined using the SwissADME website, followed by virtual screening against anti-inflammatory targets including phospholipase A2 (PLA-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and NF-κB. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that the molecules have good absorption, distribution, and metabolism profiles, with negative organ toxicity. Among the compounds identified by GC-MS analysis, pinostrobin chalcone, cinnamyl cinnamate, hedycaryol, totarol, and p-dimethylaminobenzophenone were observed to have good binding scores, thus appreciable anti-inflammatory potential. Our study reveals that MMEx from Algerian Myrtus communis L. can be considered to be a promising candidate for alleviating many health complaints associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.
... Myrtucommulone (MC), semimyrtucommulone (S-MC), and nonprenylated acylphloroglucinols in the leaves of M. communis were found to potently suppress eicosanoid biosynthesis by directly inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1 and 5-lipoxygenase in vitro and in vivo [85]. However, in another report, myrtle was believed to inhibit the cell-free mPGES-1-mediated conversion of prostaglandin H2 (PGH2) to PGE2 [86]. Seed extract (50 mg.kg −1 for 2 months) decreased the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, and IL-1β as well as erythrocyte concentration, ROS level, and lipid peroxidation, and fortified the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes [87]. ...
Citation: Belahcene, S.; Kebsa, W.; Akingbade, T.V.; Umar, H.I.; Omoboyowa, D.A.; Alshihri, A.A.; Abo Mansour, A.; Alhasaniah, A.H.; Oraig, M.A.; Bakkour, Y.; et al. Abstract: Compounds derived from natural sources continue to serve as chemical scaffolds for designing prophylactic/therapeutic options for human healthcare. In this study, we aimed to systematically unravel the chemical profile and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of myrtle methanolic extract (MMEx) using in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches. High levels of TPC (415.85 ± 15.52 mg GAE/g) and TFC (285.80 ± 1.64 mg QE/g) were observed. Mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 1,8-cineole (33.80%), α-pinene (10.06%), linalool (4.83%), p-dimethylaminobenzophenone (4.21%), thunbergol (4%), terpineol (3.60%), cis-geranyl acetate (3.25%), and totarol (3.30%) as major compounds. MMEx induced pronounced dose-dependent inhibition in all assays, and the best antioxidant activity was found with H 2 O 2 , with an IC 50 of 17.81 ± 3.67 µg.mL −1. MMEx showed a good anti-inflammatory effect in vivo by limiting the development of carrageenan-induced paw edema. The pharmacokinetic profiles of the active molecules were determined using the SwissADME website, followed by virtual screening against anti-inflammatory targets including phospholipase A2 (PLA-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and NF-κB. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that the molecules have good absorption, distribution, and metabolism profiles, with negative organ toxicity. Among the compounds identified by GC-MS analysis, pinostrobin chalcone, cinnamyl cinnamate, hedycaryol, totarol, and p-dimethylaminobenzophenone were observed to have good binding scores, thus appreciable anti-inflammatory potential. Our study reveals that MMEx from Algerian Myrtus communis L. can be considered to be a promising candidate for alleviating many health complaints associated with oxidative stress and inflammation.
... Nowadays, non-pharmacological treatment options have proven to be of great support to traditional therapy, effectively managing the symptoms of various gastrointestinal disorders (Alecci et al., 2016). For instance, myrtle seeds protect the stomach mucosa by acting as an antiulcer agent, reducing morphological and histological damage, lowering oxidative stress, and enhancing the antioxidant defense system (Giampieri et al., 2020). Similarly, aloe vera is well-known for its healing properties in treating mucosal injury and revealed to be a valuable therapeutic agent in GERD (Panahi et al., 2015). ...
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common foregut disease, affecting about 20% of the adult population. Esophageal epithelial barrier plays a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of GERD; however, pharmacological therapies mainly aim to reduce the acidity of the gastroesophageal environment rather than to protect esophageal tissue integrity. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an oral solution containing xyloglucan and pea proteins (XP) in reestablishing gastroesophageal tissue integrity and biochemical markers. To induce GERD, C57BL/6 mice were alternatively overfed and fasted for 56 days and then treated with XP, sodium alginate, omeprazole, or omeprazole+XP twice daily for 7 days. Gastric pain and inflammatory markers were evaluated after 3 and 7 days of treatment. After sacrifice, the esophagi and stomachs were surgically removed for macroscopic and histological examination. Gastric pain was significantly reduced at days 3 and 7 by XP, omeprazole, and omeprazole+XP, while alginates were ineffective at day 3. XP was able to diminish gastric macroscopic damage and demonstrated the same efficacy as omeprazole in reducing esophageal damage. XP significantly reduced histological damage, with an efficacy comparable to that of omeprazole, but superior to alginates. Inflammatory markers were significantly reduced by XP, with superior efficacy compared with alginates at day 7. Interestingly, XP was also able to significantly increase gastric pH. This study demonstrated that XP restored gastric homeostasis, improved esophageal integrity, and decreased inflammation and pain with a similar efficacy to omeprazole and greater than alginates.
... The total concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids varies due to the specific variety of myrtle and the extraction and analysis methodologies employed (Jabri et al., 2016(Jabri et al., , 2018Giampieri et al., 2020). Utilizing ANOVA analysis, a distinct and statistically significant differentiation (p < 0.001) was observed in the concentrations of phenolic substances, which encompass total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins, in myrtle fruits both pre-and post-encapsulation (Fig. 2). ...
This study investigated the effects of microencapsulating Myrtus communis fruit extracts within intact and plasmolysed Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells on the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Spectroscopic techniques were employed to quantify polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins, while UPLC-ESI-MS-MS analysis was utilized to identify and quantify phenolic compounds before and after microencapsulation. Molecular docking was conducted to assess the interaction between yeast cell components and the major identified compounds. Microencapsulation was found to result in a diminished content of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. Phenolic compounds showed higher polyphenol content when encapsulated in plasmolysed cells compared to non-plasmolysed yeast cell. Three major compounds were detected in the microcapsules: myricetin, chlorogenic acid, and coumaric acid, with myricetin exhibiting the highest level of interaction with target proteins. FTIR analysis revealed the interaction between phenolic compounds and yeast cell components, while SEM showed aggregation of microcapsules within plasmolysed microcapsules. Encapsulation of myrtle extract in yeast cells preserved cell wall integrity and microcapsule morphology, with superior thermal stability of encapsulated extracts compared to their non-encapsulated counterparts as demonstrated by TGA–DSC analysis. An enhancement in antioxidant activity after encapsulation was also observed, with the highest activity in plasmolysed yeast cell microcapsules.
... In this study, we assessed for the first time the perception of odor/taste sensory characteristics and acceptance of the bitter herbal myrtle liqueur Mirtamaro in subjects with hyposmia and with hypogeusia compared to healthy controls. Myrtle leaves, berries, seeds, and essential oils are amply used for the food aromatization and cosmetic/pharmaceutical applications due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities [26,28,30,41]. Taking into consideration the growing popularity of the bitter taste among consumers [25][26][27][28][29], Mirtoamaro was prepared by the maceration of myrtle leaves and berries together to a complex secret blend of aromatic and bitter Mediterranean plants/herbs [26,28]. ...
Spices and herbs improve sensory perception and acceptance of foods in subjects with chemosensory deficits. Our study demonstrated that aromatic spices/herbs greatly influenced the sensory perception of an aromatic myrtle bitter liqueur (Mirtamaro) in consumers with olfactory and gustatory deficits. Mirtamaro was obtained by infusion of myrtle leaves/berries and a blend of Mediterranean herbs/plants. We initially evaluated differences in gustatory and olfactory perception of pure stimuli in controls (n = 158), subjects with hyposmia (n = 111 participants), and hypogeusia (n = 34). Subjects with hyposmia and hypogeusia showed a marked reduction in odor threshold, discrimination, and identification, while a noticeable compromise in the perception of basic taste modalities (bitter, salty, sour, and sweet) was detected in participants with hypogeusia. Then, in a subpopulation (n = 111) we evaluated differences in the perception of odor and taste pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity of Mirtoamaro. No significant differences emerged, by a labeled hedonic Likert-type scale, in the perception of Mirtamaro odor and taste in subjects with hyposmia and hypogeusia compared to controls. All groups described similar bitter liqueur sensory attributes, qualifying the use of aromatic herbs/plants as a strategy to enhance sensory perception and acceptance of foods in subjects with chemosensory deficits.
... It is a common plant that develops as a small tree or shrub and grows widely in the Middle East, Mediterranean region countries (Algeria, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey) and the Himalayan Northwest 13 . It was indeed utilized for treating various common ailments in ancient medicine, including urinary, gastrointestinal and skin issues and it is now widely used in the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical sectors 14 . Myrtus communis possess several medical, pharmacologic and biological activities such as antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-hemorrhagic, antimutagenic, hepatoprotective, wound healing and anti-hyperglycemic activities 15 . ...
