Frusciante Luisa, Nyong'a Collins Nyaberi, Trezza Alfonso, Shabab Behnaz, Olmastroni Tommaso, Barletta Roberta, Mastroeni Pierfrancesco, Visibelli Anna, Orlandini Maurizio, Raucci Luisa, Geminiani Michela, Santucci Annalisa
Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 53100 Siena, Italy.
SienabioACTIVE, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Foods. 2025 Apr 26;14(9):1523. doi: 10.3390/foods14091523.
This study presents an innovative approach to the sustainable valorization of industrial sweet cherry ( L.) waste from the Vignola Region, Italy, transforming what is typically discarded into a high-value bioactive resource. Unlike conventional extractions, our hydroethanolic extract (VCE) was obtained from the entire cherry waste, including the pericarp, pulp, and stone, as generated by industrial processing. This full-fruit extraction strategy represents a novel and efficient use of agricultural by-products, aligning with circular bioeconomy principles. Sweet cherries are known for their phenolic richness, and spectrophotometric assays (TPC, TFC, reducing power, DPPH, and ABTS) confirmed the extract's antioxidant capacity. In vitro studies using RAW 264.7 macrophages revealed no cytotoxic effects (MTT assay), along with significant anti-inflammatory activity, evidenced by reduced ROS and NO production and downregulation of iNOS and COX-2. Western blotting showed inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation and MAPK pathway signaling. Additionally, agarose gel electrophoresis showed protection against oxidative DNA damage. UPLC-MS/MS analysis identified sakuranetin, aequinetin, and dihydrowogonin as the most representative compounds in VCE. Molecular docking simulations revealed strong and specific binding affinities of these compounds to NF-κB p65 and key MAPK targets. These findings highlight whole sweet cherry waste-including the pit-as a potent and sustainable source of bioactive compounds with promising nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.
本研究提出了一种创新方法，用于对意大利维尼奥拉地区的工业甜樱桃废弃物进行可持续增值利用，将通常被丢弃的东西转化为高价值的生物活性资源。与传统提取方法不同，我们的水乙醇提取物（VCE）是从工业加工产生的整个樱桃废弃物中获得的，包括果皮、果肉和果核。这种全果提取策略代表了对农业副产品的一种新颖而高效的利用方式，符合循环生物经济原则。甜樱桃以其丰富的酚类物质而闻名，分光光度法测定（总酚含量、总黄酮含量、还原能力、DPPH和ABTS）证实了该提取物的抗氧化能力。使用RAW 264.7巨噬细胞进行的体外研究显示没有细胞毒性作用（MTT法），同时具有显著的抗炎活性，表现为活性氧和一氧化氮生成减少以及诱导型一氧化氮合酶和环氧化酶-2的下调。蛋白质印迹法显示对核因子κB核转位和丝裂原活化蛋白激酶途径信号传导有抑制作用。此外，琼脂糖凝胶电泳显示对氧化DNA损伤有保护作用。超高效液相色谱-串联质谱分析确定了樱花素、水芹素和二氢汉黄芩素为VCE中最具代表性的化合物。分子对接模拟揭示了这些化合物与核因子κB p65和关键丝裂原活化蛋白激酶靶点具有强而特异性的结合亲和力。这些发现突出了整个甜樱桃废弃物——包括果核——作为一种具有潜在营养保健和制药应用前景的生物活性化合物的强大且可持续来源。
