title: Assessment of antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of spinach plants grown under low oxygen availability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the human diet, the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is important in maintaining good health and in preventing chronic diseases. It is known that plant-derived food is a powerful source of chemopreventive molecules, i.e. antioxidants, and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L., Chenopodiaceae) possesses a wide range of metabolites with such biological activity. Plant stress response could lead to the production of metabolites with high value for human health and this could be a tool to enhance the production of molecules with antioxidant activity in plants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data reported in this paper confirm the antioxidant properties of spinach plants, and show a strong antiproliferative activity of leaf extract on HT-29 human cell line. Besides, the hypoxic stress seems to affect the pool of antioxidant molecules present in spinach leaves, as verified by means of HPLC-MS/MS analysis and the aluminium chloride and ABTS assays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings represent a basis for improving the biological and pharmacological properties of spinach plants, including the use of different growth conditions to modulate the phytocomplex profile of spinach.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Research Centre Biogest-Siteia, via Amendola 2, 42122, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fornaciari
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mussi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinto-Sanchez
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forti
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buschini
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arru
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C002502:2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: HT-29 cancer cell line; antioxidant; antiproliferative; human health; hypoxia; spinach