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    Phytochemical Characterization and In Vitro Biological Activities of Macleania rupestris or Ericaceae: Insights into Nutraceutical Potential
    (MDPI AG, 2025-10-31)
    Arianna Mayorga-Ramos
    ;
    Rebeca Gonzalez-Pastor
    ;
    Juan A. Puente-Pineda
    ;
    Carlos Barba-Ostria
    ;
    Eduardo Tejera
    The Ericaceae family encompasses several berries with recognized health-promoting properties; however, Macleania rupestris, a neotropical species endemic to the Andean region, remains poorly characterized. Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify the chemical composition of M. rupestris ethanolic extracts and evaluate their biological activities, including antitumoral, hemolytic, anti-inflammatory, and leishmanicidal effects. Methods: The M. rupestris ethanolic extracts were obtained from lyophilized fruits and analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS for phytochemical profiling. Bioactivities were assessed in vitro using tumor and non-tumor cell lines (MTT assay), erythrocyte hemolysis assays, RAW 264.7 macrophage inflammation models, and Leishmania mexicana promastigotes. Results: The chemical analysis revealed anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, malvidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-arabinoside), flavonols (quercetin and myricetin derivatives), and coumaroyl iridoids. The extract showed modest antiproliferative activity (IC50 10.4–22.5 mg/mL) across tumor cell lines with low therapeutic indices, indicating limited selectivity. In contrast, hemolytic activity was negligible (<5% at all tested concentrations), suggesting high biocompatibility. Anti-inflammatory assays indicated a dose-dependent reduction in nitric oxide (NO) production, while no significant leishmanicidal activity was detected. Conclusions: This study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the previously listed M. rupestris bioactivities. While its antitumoral effects appear limited, its strong hemocompatibility and presence of antioxidant metabolites highlight its potential for biomedical and nutraceutical applications where biocompatibility is critical. Further studies are needed to optimize bioactivity and explore potential synergistic effects.
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    Exploring the Multifaceted Biological Activities of Anthocyanins Isolated from Two Andean Berries
    (MDPI AG, 2024-08-21)
    Carlos Barba-Ostria
    ;
    Saskya E. Carrera-Pacheco
    ;
    ; ;
    Natural pigments extracted from plant species are used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This study evaluates the comprehensive biological activities of anthocyanins isolated from Andean blueberry (Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) and Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth), focusing on their antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, and hemolytic properties. Chemical characterization revealed significant anthocyanin content with complex mass spectrometric profiles indicating diverse glycosylation patterns that may influence their bioactivity. The antimicrobial assays showed that the extracts were particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as low as 1 mg/mL for Rubus glaucus, indicating strong potential for therapeutic use. The antioxidant capacity of the berries was substantial, albeit slightly lower than that of ascorbic acid. The extracts also exhibited notable antitumoral activity in various cancer cell lines, showing promise as adjunctive or preventive treatments. The anti-inflammatory effects were confirmed by inhibiting nitric oxide production in macrophage cells, highlighting their potential in managing inflammatory diseases. In terms of hemolytic activity, Rubus glaucus exhibited dose-dependent effects, potentially attributable to anthocyanins and phenolics, while Vaccinium floribundum demonstrated no significant hemolytic activity, underscoring its safety. These findings suggest that anthocyanins from Andean berries possess potent biological activities, which could be leveraged for health benefits in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Further studies are needed to isolate specific bioactive compounds and investigate their synergistic effects in clinical and real-world contexts.
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    Eco-alternative treatments for Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae biofilms from shrimp industry through Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and Guava (Psidium guajava) extracts: A road for an Ecuadorian sustainable economy
    (Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2024-08-13)
    Nicolás Renato Jara-Medina
    ;
    Dario Fernando Cueva
    ;
    Ariana Cecibel Cedeño-Pinargote
    ;
    Arleth Gualle
    ;
    Daniel Aguilera-Pesantes
    Understanding how environmental variables influence biofilm formation becomes relevant for managing Vibrio biofilm-related infections in shrimp production. There fore, we evaluated the impact of temperature, time, and initial inoculum in the biofilm development of these two Vibrio species using a multifactorial experimental design. Planktonic growth inhibition and inhibition/eradication of Vibrio biofilms, more exactly V. parahaemolyticus (VP87 and VP275) and V. cholerae (VC112) isolated from shrimp farms were evaluated by Eucalyptus and Guava aqueous leaf extracts and compared to tetracycline and ceftriaxone. Preliminary results showed that the best growth conditions of biofilm development for V. parahaemolyticus were 24 h and 24̊C (p <0.001), while V. cholerae biofilms were 72 h and 30̊C (p <0.001). Multivariate linear regression ANOVA was applied using colony-forming unit (CFU) counting assays as a reference, and R-squared values were applied as goodness-of-fit measurements for biofilm analysis. Then, both plant extracts were analyzed with HPLC using double online detection by diode array detector (DAD) and mass spectrometry (MS) for the evaluation of their chemical composition, where the main identified compounds for Eucalyptus extract were cypellogin A, cypellogin B, and cypellocarpin C, while guavinoside A, B, and C compounds were the main compounds for Guava extract. For planktonic growth inhibition, Eucalyptus extract showed its maximum effect at 200 μg/mL with an inhibition of 75% (p < 0.0001) against all Vibrio strains, while Guava extract exhibited its maximum inhibition at 1600 μg/mL with an inhibition of 70% (p < 0.0001). Both biofilm inhibition and eradication assays were performed by the two conditions (24 h at 24̊C and 72 h at 30̊C) on Vibrio strains according to desirability analysis. Regarding 24 h at 24̊C, differences were observed in the CFU counting between antibiotics and plant extracts, where both plant extracts demonstrated a higher reduction of viable cells when compared with both antibiotics at 8x, 16x, and 32x MIC values (Eucalyptus extract: 1600, 3200, and 6400 μg/mL; while Guava extract: 12800, 25600, and 52000 μg/mL). Concerning 72 h at 30̊C, results showed a less notorious biomass inhibition by Guava leaf extract and tetracycline. However, Eucalyptus extract significantly reduced the total number of viable cells within Vibrio biofilms from 2x to 32x MIC values (400–6400 μg/mL) when compared to the same MIC values of ceftriaxone (5–80 μg/mL), which was not able to reduce viable cells. Eucalyptus extract demonstrated similar results at both growth conditions, showing an average inhibition of approximately 80% at 400 μg/mL concentration for all Vibrio isolates (p < 0.0001). Moreover, eradication biofilm assays demonstrated significant eradication against all Vibrio strains at both growth conditions, but biofilm eradication values were substantially lower. Both extract plants demonstrated a higher reduction of viable cells when compared with both antibiotics at 8x, 16x, and 32x MIC values at both growth sets, where Eucalyptus extract at 800 μg/mL reduced 70% of biomass and 90% of viable cells for all Vibrio strains (p < 0.0001). Overall results suggested a viable alternative against vibriosis in the shrimp industry in Ecuador.