Cinzia Sanna | University of Cagliari (original) (raw)

Papers by Cinzia Sanna

Plants, 2020

The last decades have recorded an increase of plant-based drug discovery processes. Indeed, natur... more The last decades have recorded an increase of plant-based drug discovery processes. Indeed, natural products possess a superior chemical diversity as compared to synthetic ones, leading to a renewal in searching for new therapeutic agents from the plant kingdom. In particular, since the structural variety of natural compounds reflects the biodiversity of their source organisms, regions of the world with high biodiversity and endemism deserve particular interest. In this context, Sardinia Island (Italy), with 290 endemic taxa (12% of the total flora), is expected to provide unique and structurally diverse phytochemicals for drug development. Several research groups built up a large program dedicated to the analysis of Sardinian endemic species, highlighting their peculiar features, both in respect of phytochemical and biological profiles. On this basis, the aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview on ethnobotanical uses, biological properties and phyt...

Industrial Crops and Products, 2015

The chemical composition and antifungal activity of volatile extracts of Tanaceutum audibertii (R... more The chemical composition and antifungal activity of volatile extracts of Tanaceutum audibertii (Req.) DC., an endemic species of Sardinia and Corsica islands, were investigated. The extract and the essential oil, obtained respectively by supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (SFE) at pressures of 90 bar and temperature of 40 °C and by hydrodistillation (HD), were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS. Artemisia ketone, trans-linalyl oxide acetate and 1,8-cineole were the main components. The HD oil was evaluated against yeasts and dermatophyte strains, being more active against Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC and MLC values of 0.64 μL/mL. Moreover, the oil revealed an important inhibitory effect on germ tube formation in C. albicans at sub-inhibitory concentrations. At the concentration of 1/16 MIC the inhibition of filamentation was more than 70% in comparison to untreated control cells.

22 Ethnopharmacological relevance: Thistles species (Family: Compositae) are traditionally 23 use... more 22 Ethnopharmacological relevance: Thistles species (Family: Compositae) are traditionally 23 used in the Mediterranean area, particularly in Sardinia. They are usually gathered from the 24 wild and used for both food and therapeutic purposes, including gastrointestinal disorders. 25 Aim of the study: This work aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of eight wild 26 thistles from Sardinia, in an in vitro model of gastric inflammation, and to identify the 27 major active compounds in the extracts. 28 Materials and methods: The hydro-alcoholic extract of the aerial part of each species was 29 prepared. After the induction of inflammation by the addition of tumor necrosis factor-α 30 (TNFα) (10 ng/ml), AGS cells were treated with extracts/pure compounds under study. The 31 inhibition of interleukin-8 (IL-8) release, IL-8 and NF-κB promoter activities and NF-κB 32 nuclear translocation was evaluated. Extracts main components were identified by 33

Molecules, 2021

Plants are the everlasting source of a wide spectrum of specialized metabolites, characterized by... more Plants are the everlasting source of a wide spectrum of specialized metabolites, characterized by wide variability in term of chemical structures and different biological properties such antiviral activity. In the search for novel antiviral agents against Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) from plants, the phytochemical investigation of Scrophularia trifoliata L. led us to isolate and characterize four flavonols glycosides along with nine iridoid glycosides, two of them, 5 and 13, described for the first time. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, the contents of a methanol extract of S. trifoliata leaves, in order to explore the potential antiviral activity against HIV-1. The antiviral activity was evaluated in biochemical assays for the inhibition of HIV-1Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-associated Ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity and HIV-1 Integrase (IN). Three isolated flavonoids, rutin, kaempferol-7-O-rhamnosyl-3-O-glucopyranoside, and kaempferol-3-O-gl...

Planta Medica, 2020

Zika virus, an arthropod-borne flavivirus, is an emerging healthcare threat worldwide. Zika virus... more Zika virus, an arthropod-borne flavivirus, is an emerging healthcare threat worldwide. Zika virus is responsible for severe neurological effects, such as paralytic Guillain-Barrè syndrome, in adults, and also congenital malformations, especially microcephaly. No specific antiviral drugs and vaccines are currently available, and treatments are palliative, but medicinal plants show great potential as natural sources of anti-Zika phytochemicals. This study deals with the investigation of the composition, cytotoxicity, and anti-Zika activity of Punica granatum leaf ethanolic extract, fractions, and phytoconstituents. P. granatum leaves were collected from different areas in Italy and Greece in different seasons. Crude extracts were analyzed and fractionated, and the pure compounds were isolated. The phytochemical and biomolecular fingerprint of the pomegranate leaves was determined. The antiviral activities of the leaf extract, fractions, and compounds were investigated against the MR76...

Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2019

A complex network of symbiotic events between plants and bacteria allows the biosphere to exploit... more A complex network of symbiotic events between plants and bacteria allows the biosphere to exploit the atmospheric reservoir of molecular nitrogen. In seeds, a series of presymbiotic steps are already identified during imbibition, while interactions between the host and its symbiont begin in the early stages of germination. In the present study, a detailed analysis of the substances' complex delivered by Cicer arietinum seeds during imbibition showed a relevant presence of proteins and amino acids, which, except for cysteine, occurred with the whole proteinogenic pool. The imbibing solution was found to provide essential probiotic properties able to sustain the growth of the specific chickpea symbiont Mesorhizobium ciceri. Moreover, the imbibing solution, behaving as a complete medium, was found to be critically important for the symbiont's attraction, a fact this that is strictly related to the presence of the amino acids glycine, serine, and threonine. Here, the presence of these amino acids is constantly supported by the presence of the enzymes serine hydroxymethyltransferase and formyltetrahydrofolate deformylase, which are both involved in their biosynthesis. The reported findings are discussed in the light of the pivotal role played by the imbibing solution in attracting and sustaining symbiosis between the host and its symbiont.

Phytochemistry, 2019

Ptilostemon casabonae (L.) Greuter is a Mediterranean endemism traditionally used for its health-... more Ptilostemon casabonae (L.) Greuter is a Mediterranean endemism traditionally used for its health-giving properties. Little is known about this species, therefore this study provides additional information about the phytochemical and biomolecular patterns of this plant, to have a combined fingerprint as a taxonomic tool. Several P. casabonae specimens were therefore collected from three different sites, two from Sardinia (Italy) and one from Corsica and the hydroalcoholic extracts of their aerial parts were investigated through HPLC-PDA-MS/MS analysis to study the phenolic composition. Quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, apigenin and diosmetin O-glycosides, and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were found as main components. Samples from the three sites showed similar phenolic profiles, although statistical analyses highlighted some quantitative differences for several compounds. The biomolecular analysis included amplification and sequencing of ITS, 5S-rRNA-NTS and psbA regions. No difference was found in the nucleotides among the P. casabonae samples from different geographical origins; however, a comparison with other Ptilostemon species sequences from Genbank, revealed an interspecific variability of ITS and psbA regions. The combination of the results of the phytochemical and biomolecular studies provide information on P. casabonae useful to depict this little-known plant, which can also be applied for future investigations and to obtain a fingerprint of it. Moreover, the stability of the phenolic profile within the species affords to identify a set of specialised metabolites useful for its chemotaxonomic characterization. At the same time, the stability of the biomolecular profile of P. casabonae, and the identification of sequences specific for this species, enables to identify useful biomolecular markers to distinguish it unequivocally.

Industrial Crops and Products, 2018

Abstract In search for natural products of cosmetic interest, a hundred plant extracts were in vi... more Abstract In search for natural products of cosmetic interest, a hundred plant extracts were in vitro tested against elastase and tyrosinase. The inhibitors of these enzymes find application as skin whitening, anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle agents as well as in the treatment of dermatological disorders. Among the tested samples, seventeen extracts resulted strongly active. In particular, eleven out of them were capable to inhibit both enzymes, five showed a strong activity only against tyrosinase and one only against elastase. The IC50 values of the selected samples ranged from 7 to 100 μg/mL and from 20 to 100 μg/mL against elastase and tyrosinase, respectively. Leaves extract of Pistacia lentiscus emerged as the most potent elastase inhibitor and, together with Cytinus hypocistis (aerial parts) and Limonium morisianum (aerial parts), it showed also the lowest IC50 of tyrosinase inhibition. The tested plants were collected in India, Africa and Mediterranean area. Interestingly, among the most active ones, two are endemic and exclusive of Sardinia Island (Italy), namely: Limonium morisianum and Hypericum scruglii, moreover, the latter resulted the only plant which hydroalcoholic extract was capable to inhibit elastase selectively. Moreover, a positive correlation was established among the potency of enzymatic inhibitions and the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the samples. The presence of these aromatic compounds in the most active plants confers them a potential additional value as skin protectors from oxidative damage.

Chemistry & biodiversity, Jan 22, 2018

A comprehensive phytochemical study of Juniperus turbinata (Cupressaceae) collected from La Madda... more A comprehensive phytochemical study of Juniperus turbinata (Cupressaceae) collected from La Maddalena Archipelago (Sardinia, Italy) is reported. Both the essential oil and the ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts were analyzed. The essential oil appears to belong to a new chemotype compared to other Mediterranean juniper accessions, as it was favored by geographic isolation of the isles. It showed a low content of monoterpene hydrocarbons and α-terpineol, ent-manoyl oxide, 1,10-di-epi-cubenol as the major constituents. The ethanolic fraction contained mainly diterpenoids. Among these, 15-formyloxyimbricatolic acid (7) is a new natural product since it has hitherto been obtained only by synthetic route. The phenolic fraction contained biflavonoids: cupressuflavone (9), followed by minor amounts of amentoflavone (10) and hinokiflavone (11). The essential oil and six purified compounds (1 - 4, 8 and 9) were assessed for biological activities, namely antioxidant (assessed by...

PloS one, 2018

In a search for new potential multitarget anti-HIV compounds from natural products, we have ident... more In a search for new potential multitarget anti-HIV compounds from natural products, we have identified in Hypericum scruglii, an endemic and exclusive species of Sardinia (Italy), a potent plant lead. The phytochemical study of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from its leaves led to the isolation of its most abundant secondary metabolites, belonging to different chemical classes. In particular, three phloroglucinols derivatives were identified, confirming their significance as chemotaxonomic markers of the Hypericum genus. Among them, the 3-(13-hydroxygeranyl)-1-(2'-methylbutanoyl)phloroglucinol was reported here for the first time. All six isolated compounds have been evaluated firstly for the inhibition of both Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-associated DNA Polymerase (RDDP) and Ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities, for the inhibition of HIV-1 integrase (IN) in biochemical assays, and also for their effect on viral replication. Among th...

Natural product research, Jan 4, 2018

During our search for potential templates of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) ... more During our search for potential templates of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) dual inhibitors, the methanolic extract obtained from aerial parts of Limonium morisianum was investigated. Repeated bioassay-guided chromatographic purifications led to the isolation of the following secondary metabolites: myricetin, myricetin 3-O-rutinoside, myricetin-3-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside, (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate, tryptamine, ferulic and phloretic acids. The isolated compounds were tested on both HIV-1 RT-associated RNase H and IN activities. Interestingly, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate and myricetin-3-O-(6″-O-galloyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside potently inhibited both enzyme activities with ICvalues ranging from 0.21 to 10.9 μM. Differently, tryptamine and ferulic acid exhibited a significant inhibition only on the IN strand transfer reaction, showing a selectivity for this viral enzyme. Taken together these results strongly support the potential of this pla...

Experimental gerontology, Jan 21, 2017

To analyse body composition of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using total body and lo... more To analyse body composition of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) using total body and localized specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (specific BIVA). 127 patients (50 men, 78.2±6.3years; 77 women, 81.4±6.8years) with mild to moderate stages of AD were selected from the Geriatric Division, SS. Trinità Hospital of Cagliari (Italy). A sample of 135 healthy age-matched individuals (74 men, 77.4±5.3years; 61 women, 80.4±5.5years) was chosen as control group. Anthropometric measurements were taken and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Bioelectrical measurements were taken on the right side of the body for both the whole-body and the arm, using a BIA 101 analyser (Akern). Body composition was assessed by means of specific bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (specific BIVA). The comparison between patients and the control group was performed by two-factor analysis of variance and Hotelling's T2 test. In comparison with the control group, patients with AD sho...

Food Research International, 2017

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2018

Chemistry & biodiversity, Jan 9, 2017

The phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract obtained from D. oleoides collected from Sard... more The phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract obtained from D. oleoides collected from Sardinia Island allowed the isolation of several new constituents for the species (3, 8 and 9) together with two new coumarinyl ethers (1 and 2) besides the chemotaxonomic markers of the Daphne genus (4 - 7 and 10) which are also known to possess interesting biological activities. The structure of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses. The identification of these compounds gives an experimental evidence of the variability in the secondary metabolites pattern owned by populations growing in restricted area in respect to populations not confined by geographical barrier. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PloS one, 2017

Salvia desoleana Atzei & V. Picci is an indigenous species in Sardinia island used in folk medici... more Salvia desoleana Atzei & V. Picci is an indigenous species in Sardinia island used in folk medicine to treat menstrual, digestive and central nervous system diseases. Nowadays, it is widely cultivated for the pleasant smell of its essential oil (EO), whose antimicrobial and antifungal activities have already been screened. This study evaluated the in vitro anti-Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2) activity of S. desoleana EO, fractions and main components: linalyl acetate, alpha terpinyl acetate, and germacrene D. Phytochemical composition of S. desoleana EO was studied by GC-FID/MS analysis and the active fraction(s) and/or compounds in S. desoleana EO were identified with a bioassay-guided fractionation procedure through in vitro assays on cell viability and HSV-2 and RSV inhibition. S. desoleana EO inhibits both acyclovir sensitive and acyclovir resistant HSV-2 strains with EC50 values of 23.72 μg/ml for the former and 28.57 μg/ml for the latter. Moreover, a significant suppression of ...