- Andrea Maxia graduated from the University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, completing a combined B.S. and M.S. degree i... moreAndrea Maxia graduated from the University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, completing a combined B.S. and M.S. degree in natural sciences, awarded with distinction, specializing in nature conservation and natural resources management. In 2015, Maxia was appointed as an Associate Professor in pharmaceutical botany at the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy. In 2006, after completing his Ph.D. degree in pharmacology of medicinal plants at the University of Cagliari, which was funded by the same university, he joined the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy as a Researcher in pharmaceutical botany and as a Lecturer on plant biology, plant systematics, and pharmaceutical botany. In 2001, Dr. Maxia won a scholarship at the Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Cagliari, for the MAPs project (Medicinal(Andrea Maxia graduated from the University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy, completing a combined B.S. and M.S. degree in natural sciences, awarded with distinction, specializing in nature conservation and natural resources management. In 2015, Maxia was appointed as an Associate Professor in pharmaceutical botany at the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy. In 2006, after completing his Ph.D. degree in pharmacology of medicinal plants at the University of Cagliari, which was funded by the same university, he joined the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy as a Researcher in pharmaceutical botany and as a Lecturer on plant biology, plant systematics, and pharmaceutical botany. In 2001, Dr. Maxia won a scholarship at the Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Cagliari, for the MAPs project (Medicinal)edit
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The essential oils and supercritical CO₂ extracts of wild Smyrnium olusatrum L. growing in Sardinia (Italy) and in Portugal were investigated. For the study, oils were isolated from total plant aerial part (umbels containing seeds). The... more
The essential oils and supercritical CO₂ extracts of wild Smyrnium olusatrum L. growing in Sardinia (Italy) and in Portugal were investigated. For the study, oils were isolated from total plant aerial part (umbels containing seeds). The content of β-phellandrene (67.3% vs. 42.7%) and α-pinene (31.9% vs. 1.2%), respectively, the main components of Portuguese and Italian essential oils, declined during the maturation stage of the umbels. Contrarily, some other important components, particularly curzerene, germacrene B, germacrone, alexandrofuran, 1-β-acetoxyfurano-4(15)-eudesmene and 1-β-acetoxyfurano-3-eudesmene, increased in fruiting umbels. The chemical composition of the Sardinian oil is rather different from those of other origin. The composition of the supercritical extracts and the essential oils is markedly different, particularly due to the high amount of furanosesquiterpenoids in the supercritical fluid extraction. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal lethal concentration were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the oils against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida guillermondii, Candida parapsilosis, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Epidermophyton floccosum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. The oils were particularly active against dermatophyte strains and C. neoformans, with MIC values in the range of 0.32-0.64 µL mL⁻¹.
Research Interests: Biology, Fungi, Italy, Essential Oil, Cryptococcus Neoformans, and 15 moreCandida albicans, Antifungal Activity, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Apiaceae, Candida parapsilosis, Antifungal Agents, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Candida Krusei, Chemical Composition, Epidermophyton floccosum, minimal inhibitory concentration, Microsporum canis, and Microsporum gypseum(Candida albicans, Antifungal Activity, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Apiaceae, Candida parapsilosis, Antifungal Agents, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Candida Krusei, Chemical Composition, Epidermophyton floccosum, minimal inhibitory concentration, Microsporum canis, and Microsporum gypseum)
(Candida albicans, Antifungal Activity, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Apiaceae, Candida parapsilosis, Antifungal Agents, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Candida Krusei, Chemical Composition, Epidermophyton floccosum, minimal inhibitory concentration, Microsporum canis, and Microsporum gypseum)
Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction allowed to obtain the volatile oil of different aerial parts of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris. Extraction conditions were as follows: pressure, 90 bar; temperature, 50 degrees C and carbon dioxide... more
Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction allowed to obtain the volatile oil of different aerial parts of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris. Extraction conditions were as follows: pressure, 90 bar; temperature, 50 degrees C and carbon dioxide flow, Phi = 1.0 kg h(-1). Waxes were entrapped in the first separator set at 90 bar and -10 degrees C. The oil was recovered in the second separator working at 15 bar and 10 degrees C. The main components of the flower oil were alpha-phellandrene (19.4%), terpinolene (20.5%), piperitenone oxide (11.6%), beta-phellandrene (8.2%), (Z)-beta-ocimene (7.8%), myristicin (7.5%) and p-cymene (4.4%). The comparison with the hydrodistilled (HD) oil reveal that the significative difference was the content of sesquiterpenes which are higher in the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) products. Collection of samples at different extraction times during supercritical extraction, allowed to monitor the change of the oil composition. Lighter compounds, as hydrocarbon monoterpenes, were extracted in shorter times than the heavier hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpenes. The oil from the steams was characterized by a high content of alpha-phellandrene (12.9%), terpinolene (11.6%), myristicin (11.0%), p-cymene (9.9%), beta-phellandrene (8.2%) and (Z)-beta-ocimene (6.0%) while the main components of the fruits were found to be myristicin (70.8%), piperitenone oxide (19.9%) and dill apiole (4.2%).
Research Interests: Chemistry, Carbon Dioxide, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Essential Oil, and 14 moreNatural Product, Comparative Analysis, Terpenes, Sesquiterpenes, Apiaceae, Supercritical carbon dioxide, Plant extracts, Supercritical Fluid Extraction, Gas Chromatography/mass Spectrometry, Supercritical Fluid Chromatography, Monoterpenes, Alkenes, Supercritical Fluid, and Pyrogallol
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Vinca sardoa (Stearn) Pignatti, known as Sardinian periwinkle, is widely diffused in Sardinia (Italy). This species contains indole alkaloids, which are known to have a great variety of biological activities. This study investigated the... more
Vinca sardoa (Stearn) Pignatti, known as Sardinian periwinkle, is widely diffused in Sardinia (Italy). This species contains indole alkaloids, which are known to have a great variety of biological activities. This study investigated the antileukemic activity against a B lymphoblast cell line (SUP-B15) of V. sardoa alkaloid-rich extracts obtained from plants grown in Italy, in Iglesias (Sardinia) and Rome (Latium). All the extracts showed a good capacity to induce reductions in cell proliferation of up to 50% at the tested concentrations (1–15 µg/mL). Moreover, none of the extracts showed cytotoxicity on normal cells at all the studied concentrations.
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The Salvia L. genus (Lamiaceae) is largely used in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Several species of biological relevance are extensively employed in traditional medicine, including Salvia aurea L. (syn. S. africana-lutea L.),... more
The Salvia L. genus (Lamiaceae) is largely used in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Several species of biological relevance are extensively employed in traditional medicine, including Salvia aurea L. (syn. S. africana-lutea L.), which is used as a traditional skin disinfectant and in wounds as a healing remedy; nevertheless, these properties have not been validated yet. The aim of the present study is to characterise S. aurea essential oil (EO), unveiling its chemical composition and validating its biological properties. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and subsequently analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Different biological activities were assessed: the antifungal effect on dermatophytes and yeasts and the anti-inflammatory potential by evaluating nitric oxide (NO) production and COX-2 and iNOS protein levels. Wound-healing properties were assessed using the scratch-healing test, and the anti-aging capacity was estimated through the senescence-associated beta-galactosidase ...
Research Interests: Traditional Medicine, Essential Oil, Lamiaceae, Phytochemical, Plants, and 2 moreAntifungal and Camphor(Antifungal and Camphor)
(Antifungal and Camphor)
Salvia is widely recognized for its therapeutic potential. However, the biological relevance of some species remains unknown, namely Salvia cacaliifolia Benth. Therefore, the aim of this study is to unveil the chemical composition and... more
Salvia is widely recognized for its therapeutic potential. However, the biological relevance of some species remains unknown, namely Salvia cacaliifolia Benth. Therefore, the aim of this study is to unveil the chemical composition and relevant properties to its essential oil (EO). The EO was characterized by GC and GC-MS and its antifungal effect was evaluated according to the CLSI guidelines on dermatophytes and yeasts. The anti-inflammatory potential was assessed on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages, by assessing the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the effect on the protein levels of two key pro-inflammatory enzymes, iNOS and COX-2 by western blot analysis. Wound healing capacity was determined using the scratch wound healing assay, and the anti-aging potential was assessed by evaluating the senescence marker β-galactosidase. The EO was mainly characterized by γ-curcumene, β-bisabolene, bicyclogermacrene and curzerenone. It is effective in inhibiting the growth of derm...
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Salinibacter ruber is an extremophilic bacterium able to grow in high-salts environments, such as saltern crystallizer ponds. This halophilic bacterium is red-pigmented due to the production of several carotenoids and their derivatives.... more
Salinibacter ruber is an extremophilic bacterium able to grow in high-salts environments, such as saltern crystallizer ponds. This halophilic bacterium is red-pigmented due to the production of several carotenoids and their derivatives. Two of these pigment molecules, salinixanthin and retinal, are reported to be essential cofactors of the xanthorhodopsin, a light-driven proton pump unique to this bacterium. Here, we isolate and characterize an outer membrane porin-like protein that retains salinixanthin. The characterization by mass spectrometry identified an unknown protein whose structure, predicted by AlphaFold, consists of a 8 strands beta-barrel transmembrane organization typical of porins. The protein is found to be part of a functional network clearly involved in the outer membrane trafficking. Cryo-EM micrographs showed the shape and dimensions of a particle comparable with the ones of the predicted structure. Functional implications, with respect to the high representativi...
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Human populations in various regions across the world exploit the medicinal properties of plants to treat a wide variety of diseases. Areas with both high rates of endemic taxa and persisting traditional uses of the local botanical... more
Human populations in various regions across the world exploit the medicinal properties of plants to treat a wide variety of diseases. Areas with both high rates of endemic taxa and persisting traditional uses of the local botanical resources are key sites for the investigation of Traditional Botanical Knowledge (TBK). Commonly, in these areas, information regarding the medicinal properties of native plants has been transmitted orally from generation to generation, however, a rapid decline in this knowledge has been observed, which can be attributed to socio-economic changes in recent years. The Mediterranean basin is one such site, where human history is intimately entwined with nature. The unique geographical situation and unrivaled environmental heterogeneity of the area, have allowed both the development of diverse civilizations as well as providing the basis for the evolution of extraordinary biodiversity. The Mediterranean basin can therefore be considered a global hotspot of e...
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La guaianolide 11,13-dehydrogrilactone (2) a ete decrite comme un potentiel marqueur chimiotaxonomique de l'espece endemique Corso-Sarde Ferula arrigonii Bocchieri. Dans le present travail, la presence de ce constituant n'a pas pu... more
La guaianolide 11,13-dehydrogrilactone (2) a ete decrite comme un potentiel marqueur chimiotaxonomique de l'espece endemique Corso-Sarde Ferula arrigonii Bocchieri. Dans le present travail, la presence de ce constituant n'a pas pu etre confirmee dans des extraits obtenus a partir de plantes recoltees en Corse et en Sardaigne ainsi que de materiels vegetaux issus des herbiers de reference. Le profil chimique de l'ensemble des echantillons s'est revele relativement homogene avec une composition caracterisee par les ethers de sesquiterpene-coumarines. Nos resultats suggerent que l'etude anterieure a probablement ete realisee a partir d'un materiel vegetal issu d'un chemotype atypique rare ou bien d'une identification botanique erronee.
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The topical anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil of Myrtus communis L. was studied using croton oil induced ear edema and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in mice, and cotton pellet induced granuloma, and serum tumor necrosis... more
The topical anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil of Myrtus communis L. was studied using croton oil induced ear edema and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in mice, and cotton pellet induced granuloma, and serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rats. On topical application, the oil exhibited a significant decrease in the ear edema as well as MPO activity. The oil also inhibited cotton pellet-induced granuloma and serum TNF-α and IL-6. It can be concluded that the essential oil of Myrtus communis reduces leukocyte migration to the damaged tissue and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity.
Research Interests: Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Plant Biology, Inflammation, Medicine, and 15 moreEssential Oil, Peroxidase, Mice, Animals, Croton Oil, Rats, Topical Drug Administration, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Myeloperoxidase, Plant Oils, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant Leaves, Interleukin, Myrtus, and Myrtus communis
<div><p><i>Candida</i> species belong to the normal microbiota of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. The increasing incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and the toxicity of the antifungal... more
<div><p><i>Candida</i> species belong to the normal microbiota of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. The increasing incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and the toxicity of the antifungal compounds have drawn the attention towards the antimicrobial activity of natural products, an inexpensive alternative. The aim of this work was to evaluate the adhesion activity, the biofilm formation and the action of the <i>Myrtus communis</i> L. essential oil (EO) on the biofilm formation towards three species isolated from clinical samples: <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> albicans</i>, <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> parapsilosis</i> and <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> tropicalis</i>. Furthermore, we evaluated the antimycotic activity of the EO towards the three species, and the results were compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration of six antimycotics. The activity of the EO against <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. parapsilosis</i> was better than that obtained against <i>C. tropicalis</i>; moreover, the strains used in the assay were adhesive and biofilm producer, and the effect of myrtle EO on the biofilm formation yielded encouraging results.</p></div
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Acacia saligna (Labill.) Wendl. is native of southwestern Australia, but has been planted extensively in many areas of the world, including the Mediterranean region, becoming highly invasive especially in coastal habitats. The aim of this... more
Acacia saligna (Labill.) Wendl. is native of southwestern Australia, but has been planted extensively in many areas of the world, including the Mediterranean region, becoming highly invasive especially in coastal habitats. The aim of this study was to test whether the indigenous Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil (EO), loaded in liposomes, can inhibit the seed germination of the invasive alien Acacia saligna. Variability in seed germination requirements and responses among populations were evaluated. Germination tests under light, at constant temperatures and three concentrations of rosemary EO were carried out. Among the examined factors, only the EO amount and temperature had a highly significant effect on seed germination. The lowest EO quantity did not show differences compared with the control, while the highest amount inhibited significantly seed germination of all populations at all the tested temperatures. No seed recovered the ability to germinate after the EO treatmen...
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The hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the seeds of Casimiroa edulis cultivated in Sardinia (Italy) have been assayed on the two enzymatic-associated activities of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase... more
The hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the seeds of Casimiroa edulis cultivated in Sardinia (Italy) have been assayed on the two enzymatic-associated activities of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RDDP) and the ribonuclease H. In biochemical assays, the extract inhibited both activities in a dose-dependent manner, showing a 10-fold more potent inhibition of the HIV-1 RT RDDP activity. Furthermore, the extract was cytotoxic on K562 cell replication.
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The correct development of seeds is a pivotal requirement for species preservation. This process depends on the balance between sensing the environmental stimuli/stressors and hormone-mediated transduction, which results in physiological... more
The correct development of seeds is a pivotal requirement for species preservation. This process depends on the balance between sensing the environmental stimuli/stressors and hormone-mediated transduction, which results in physiological responses. The red and blue regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are known to influence seed dormancy and germination. Here, we report on the effects induced by the blue (peak at 430 nm) and red (peak at 650 nm) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum on seeds from photo- and skotomorphogenetic capsules developed under white, blue, or red light. Regardless of exposure, seeds from skotomorphogenetic capsules showed an almost absent dormancy in association with altered germination kinetics. Conversely, in seeds from photomorphogenetic capsules, the exposure to the blue region induced skotomorphogenetic-like effects, while the exposure to the whole visible range (350–750 nm), as well as to only the red region, showed a dose-related trend. The observ...
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as a cause of immunoallergic respiratory manifestations
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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... 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...
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Abstract Using essential oils (EOs) to suppress unwanted species at the seedling stage is a promising way to decrease the use of synthetic herbicides and thus protect native plant diversity. We verified the effects of rosemary (Salvia... more
Abstract Using essential oils (EOs) to suppress unwanted species at the seedling stage is a promising way to decrease the use of synthetic herbicides and thus protect native plant diversity. We verified the effects of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) EOs at different concentrations on the growth and mortality of seedlings of the invasive alien species Acacia saligna derived from seeds collected at four wild populations in Sardinia and Sicily (Italy), by monitoring their survival, dry weight, shoot and root length during their early development. Six different spray solutions were applied to A. saligna seedlings: one with only distilled water; one with a solution of distilled water, ethanol and Tween 20; three with a rosemary EO concentration of 3.9, 7.8 and 15.6 mL/L; and one with the commercial herbicide DICOTEX© RTU. The seedling survival and growth decreased with the increase of EO concentrations; the patterns were similar for all populations. The highest rosemary EO concentration tested (15.6 mL/L) strongly inhibited shoot and root length, dry weight and survival of A. saligna seedlings and its effect was significantly different compared to the other EO and control treatments, except for the control with commercial herbicide, that was the more effective compared to all other treatments. Our results suggest that the rosemary EO concentration at 15.6 mL/L is a valid tool for the biological control of A. saligna. This treatment is promising because it could be applied primarily to reduce the seedlings’ emergence/development and establishment while ensuring the conservation of native plant diversity and the preservation of the Mediterranean habitats.