<i>Aspergillus flavus</i> as a Model System to Test the Biological Activity of Botanicals: An Example on <i>Citrullus colocynthis</i> L. Schrad. Organic Extracts
Francesca Degola,
Belsem Marzouk,
Antonella Gori,
Cecilia Brunetti,
Lucia Dramis,
Stefania Gelati,
Annamaria Buschini,
Francesco M. Restivo
Affiliations
Francesca Degola
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Belsem Marzouk
Laboratory of Chemical, Galenic and Pharmacological Development of Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia
Antonella Gori
Tree and Timber Institute (IVALSA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
Cecilia Brunetti
Tree and Timber Institute (IVALSA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
Lucia Dramis
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Stefania Gelati
Department of Packaging, Experimental Station for the Food Preserving Industry (SSICA), Viale Tanara 31/A, 43121 Parma, Italy
Annamaria Buschini
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Francesco M. Restivo
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Citrullus colocynthis L. Schrader is an annual plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, widely distributed in the desert areas of the Mediterranean basin. Many pharmacological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, analgesic, anti-epileptic) are ascribed to different organs of this plant; extracts and derivatives of C. colocynthis are used in folk Berber medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases—such as rheumatism arthritis, hypertension bronchitis, mastitis, and even cancer. Clinical studies aimed at confirming the chemical and biological bases of pharmacological activity assigned to many plant/herb extracts used in folk medicine often rely on results obtained from laboratory preliminary tests. We investigated the biological activity of some C. colocynthis stem, leaf, and root extracts on the mycotoxigenic and phytopathogenic fungus Aspergillus flavus, testing a possible correlation between the inhibitory effect on aflatoxin biosynthesis, the phytochemical composition of extracts, and their in vitro antioxidant capacities.
