Browsing by Author "Pawelec, Sylwia"

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    Berberis vulgaris L. Root Extract as a Multi-Target Chemopreventive Agent against Colon Cancer Causing Apoptosis in Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines
    (MDPI, 2024-04-27) Och, Anna; Lemieszek, Marta Kinga; Cieśla, Marek; Jędrejek, Dariusz; Kozłowska, Aleksandra; Pawelec, Sylwia; Nowak, Renata
    Berberis vulgaris L. (Berberidaceae) is a shrub that has been widely used in European folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the mechanisms of the hemopreventive action of the plant’s methanolic root extract (BVR) against colon cancer cells. Studies were conducted in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (LS180 and HT-29) and control colon epithelial CCD841 CoN cells. According to the MTT assay, after 48 h of cell exposure, the IC50 values were as follows: 4.3, 46.1, and 50.2 g/mL for the LS180, HT-29, and CCD841 CoN cells, respectively, showing the greater sensitivity of the cancer cells to BVR. The Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS kit demonstrated that BVR induced programmed cell death only against HT-29 cells. Nuclear double staining revealed the great proapoptotic BVR properties in HT-29 cells and subtle effect in LS180 cells. RT-qPCR with the relative quantification method showed significant changes in the expression of genes related to apoptosis in both the LS180 and HT-29 cells. The genes BCL2L1 (126.86–421.43%), BCL2L2 (240–286.02%), CASP3 (177.19–247.83%), and CASP9 (157.99–243.75%) had a significantly elevated expression, while BCL2 (25–52.03%) had a reduced expression compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, in a panel of antioxidant tests, BVR showed positive effects (63.93 0.01, 122.92 0.01, and 220.29 0.02 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g in the DPPH , ABTS +, and ORAC assays, respectively). In the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition test, BVR revealed 62.60 0.87% of enzyme inhibition. The chemical composition of BVR was determined using a UHPLC-UV-CAD-MS/MS analysis and confirmed the presence of several known alkaloids, including berberine, as well as other alkaloids and two derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid (ferulic and sinapic acid hexosides). The results are very promising and encourage the use of BVR as a comprehensive chemopreventive agent (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-apoptotic) in colorectal cancer, and were widely discussed alongside data from the literature.
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    Comprehensive Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Flavonoids in Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Flowers and Food Products
    (ACS Publications, 2024-07-26) Jedrejek, Dariusz; Pawelec, Sylwia
    Taraxacum officinale, a cosmopolitan perennial, is widely used as an edible, fodder, honey, and medicinal plant. Interestingly, detailed LC-QTOF-MS profiling of the flower extract revealed the presence of several flavonoid signals, most likely lacking literature confirmation. Targeted isolation, including extraction based on DoE planning, led to the isolation of 11 flavonoids, three of which were new (16, 18, and 33). Their structures were determined by the NMR technique. Both biflavones (16 and 18) were structured by two luteolin molecules, linked by a C−C bond through IB (C-6′) and IIA (C-6″ or C-8″) rings. Novel flavonolignan (33) was composed of tricin and an unusual carboxyl function containing a lignan moiety. The content of 28 flavonoids (glycosides, aglycones, biflavones, and flavonolignans) was determined by the LC−MS/MS method in raw flowers and dandelion syrups and tincture. Multivariate analyses showed the separation of spring and autumn flowers and a high diversity of food products and helped to identify metabolites correlated with the samples.
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    The Effects of a Cultivar and Production System on the Qualitative and Quantitative Composition of Bioactive Compounds in Spring Wheat (Triticum sp.)
    (MDPI, 2024) Kowalska, Iwona; Pawelec, Sylwia; Pecio, Łukasz; Feledysz-Szewczyk, Beata
    Spelt Triticum aestivum L. subsp. spelta (cv. Wirtas), einkorn Triticum monococcum L. (cv. Samopsza) and emmer Triticum dicoccum Schrank (Schuebl) (cv. Płaskurka biała and Płaskurka ciemna) spring wheat cultivars were analyzed and compared to common wheat Triticum aestivum L. subsp. aestivum (cv. Harenda, Kandela, Mandaryna, Serenada, Goplana, Kamelia, Nimfa, Rusałka, Struna, Zadra) cultivated in an organic production system. Moreover, the performance of four common wheat cultivars (cv. Harenda, Kandela, Mandaryna, Serenada) grown in organic, conventional and integrated production systems were compared. The UHPLC-DAD-MS and TLCDPPH• analyses of specific substances phenolic acids and alkylresorcinols) were evaluated to ascertain the potential of spring wheat cultivars for promoting human health and suitability for cultivation in an organic production system. The highest yield was observed for the T. aestivum L. subsp. aestivum (modern hull-less) cv. Nimfa (4.45 t/ha), which also demonstrated the lowest resistance to Fusarium spp. infection. Among the contemporary hull-less cultivars, cv. Mandaryna and cv. Harenda exhibited the highest resistance to this pathogen (2.4% and 3.7% of grains infected by Fusarium, respectively), while simultaneously displaying the highest organic phenolic acid content (900.92 and 984.55 μg/g of the grain) and the highest antioxidant potential. It is noteworthy that the cereal hulls of T. monococcum L. (old hulled) (cv. Samopsza) exhibited a markedly elevated content of phenolic acids (approximately 4000 μg/g of the grain). This may have contributed to the reduced incidence of Fusarium infection (9.3% of grains infected) observed in the grains of this cultivar. Furthermore, the hulls proved to be a rich source of phenolics with high antioxidant activity, which is beneficial for human and animal health.