Browsing by Author "Martorell, Miquel"

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Artemisia spp.: An Update on Its Chemical Composition, Pharmacological and Toxicological Profiles
(Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2022-09) Sharifi-Rad, Javad; Herrera-Bravo, Jesús; Semwal, Prabhakar; Painuli, Sakshi; Badoni, Himani; Ezzat, Shahira M; Farid, Mai M; Merghany, Rana M; Aborehab, Nora M; Salem, Mohamed A; Sen, Surjit; Acharya, Krishnendu; Lapava, Natallia; Martorell, Miquel; Tynybekov, Bekzat; Calina, Daniela; Cho, William C
Artemisia plants are traditional and ethnopharmacologically used to treat several diseases and in addition in food, spices, and beverages. The genus is widely distributed in all continents except the Antarctica, and traditional medicine has been used as antimalarial, antioxidant, anticancer, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral agents. This review is aimed at systematizing scientific data on the geographical distribution, chemical composition, and pharmacological and toxicological profiles of the Artemisia genus. Data from the literature on Artemisia plants were taken using electronic databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Selected papers for this updated study included data about phytochemicals, preclinical pharmacological experimental studies with molecular mechanisms included, clinical studies, and toxicological and safety data. In addition, ancient texts and books were consulted. The essential oils and phytochemicals of the Artemisia genus have reported important biological activities, among them the artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone, with antimalarial activity. Artemisia absinthium L. is one of the most famous Artemisia spp. due to its use in the production of the absinthe drink which is restricted in most countries because of neurotoxicity. The analyzed studies confirmed that Artemisia plants have many traditional and pharmacological applications. However, scientific data are limited to clinical and toxicological research. Therefore, further research is needed on these aspects to understand the full therapeutic potential and molecular pharmacological mechanisms of this medicinal species.
Mushrooms-Rich Preparations on Wound Healing: From Nutritional to Medicinal Attributes
(Frontier, 2020-09) Javad, Sharifi-Rad; BUTNARIU, Monica; Ezzat, Shahira M; Adetunji, Charles Oluwaseun; Imran, Muhammad; Sobhani, Seyyed Reza; Tufail, Tabussam; Hosseinabadi, Tahereh; Alarcó, Karina Ramírez-; Martorell, Miquel; Maroyi, Allfred; Martins, Natália
Mushrooms have a significant role in human diet as functional food and as a nutraceutical resource. The combination of its umami flavor, protein, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates has meant that mushrooms could be considered a cheap food source for a long time in many countries. Moreover, mushrooms contain an excellent variety of bioactive metabolites that can be successful in both prevention and treatment of various human health hazards. In addition, extracts from medicinal mushrooms and their metabolites have been verified for wound treating with contribution to different mechanisms of the healing process. This review summarizes the nutritional value and composition of mushrooms, ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology, and wound healing potentia.
The Pharmacological Activities of Crocus sativus L.: A Review Based on the Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities of its Phytoconstituent
(Hindawi, 14/02/2022) Butnariu, Monica; Quispe, Cristina; Herrera-Bravo, Jesús; Sharifi-Rad, Javad; Singh, Laxman; Aborehab, Nora M; Bouyahya, Abdelhakim; Venditti, Alessandro; Sen, Surjit; Acharya, Krishnendu; Bashiry, Moein; Ezzat, Shahira M; Setzer, William N; Martorell, Miquel; Mileski, Ksenija S; Bagiu, Iulia-Cristina; Docea, Anca Oana; Calina, Daniela; Cho, William C
Crocus species are mainly distributed in North Africa, Southern and Central Europe, and Western Asia, used in gardens and parks as ornamental plants, while Crocus sativus L. (saffron) is the only species that is cultivated for edible purpose. The use of saffron is very ancient; besides the use as a spice, saffron has long been known also for its medical and coloring qualities. Due to its distinctive flavor and color, it is used as a spice, which imparts food preservative activity owing to its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. This updated review discusses the biological properties of Crocus sativus L. and its phytoconstituents, their pharmacological activities, signaling pathways, and molecular targets, therefore highlighting it as a potential herbal medicine. Clinical studies regarding its pharmacologic potential in clinical therapeutics and toxicity studies were also reviewed. For this updated review, a search was performed in the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases using keywords related to Crocus sativus L. and the biological properties of its phytoconstituents. From this search, only the relevant works were selected. The phytochemistry of the most important bioactive compounds in Crocus sativus L. such as crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal and also dozens of other compounds was studied and identified by various physicochemical methods. Isolated compounds and various extracts have proven their pharmacological efficacy at the molecular level and signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, toxicity studies and clinical trials were analyzed. The research results highlighted the various pharmacological potentials such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antidepressant, hypolipidemic, and antihyperglycemic properties and protector of retinal lesions. Due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, saffron has proven effective as a natural food preservative. Starting from the traditional uses for the treatment of several diseases, the bioactive compounds of Crocus sativus L. have proven their effectiveness in modern pharmacological research. However, pharmacological studies are needed in the future to identify new mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic studies, new pharmaceutical formulations for target transport, and possible interaction with allopathic drugs.
Supercharging metabolic health with Lycium barbarum L.: A review of the therapeutic potential of this functional food for managing metabolic syndrome
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2024-01) Sharifi-Rad, Javad; Quetglas-Llabrés, Maria Magdalena; Sureda, Antoni; Mardones, Lorena; Villagran, Marcelo; Gürer, Eda Sönmez; Živković, Jelena; Ezzat, Shahira M; Zayed, Ahmed; Gümü¸sok, Safa; Kılıç, Ceyda Sibel; Fasipe, Babatunde; Laher, Ismail; Martorell, Miquel
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common disorder involving a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, such as abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and atherogenic profile. MetS is characterized by an increase in oxidative stress and a chronic proinflammatory state, which are directly related to the development and progression of this pathology. It has been seen how a healthy lifestyle and good dietary practices are key to improving the different metabolic parameters and, therefore, play a fundamental role in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the therapeutic properties of Lycium barbarum L. in MetS gathered in the last years. Several preclinical studies suggest that L. barbarum extracts are a good dietary supplement for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in people with MetS. This compound has been used for years in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of atrophic gastritis, problems related to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and as a supplement for eye health. In addition, different in vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out that support the properties attributed to metabolites derived from L. barbarum, such as polysaccharides that have been shown diverse biological activities. In conclusion, L. barbarum extracts have multiple benefits to increase general well-being and immune function. However, there are a limited number of studies related to effect of L. barbarum in MetS, but they demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2, and prevention of diabetes mellitus type 2 complication. © 2024 The Authors. Food Frontiers published by Nanchang University, Northwest University, Jiangsu University, Zhejiang University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.