title: Bioactivity, proximate, mineral and volatile profiles along the flowering stages of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.): defining potential applications.
abstract: Opuntia spp. flowers have been traditionally used for medical purposes, mostly because of their diversity in bioactive molecules with health promoting properties. The proximate, mineral and volatile compound profiles, together with the cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties were characterized in O. microdasys flowers at different maturity stages, revealing several statistically significant differences. O. microdasys stood out mainly for its high contents of dietary fiber, potassium and camphor, and its high activities against HCT15 cells, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium funiculosum. The vegetative stage showed the highest cytotoxic and antifungal activities, whilst the full flowering stage was particularly active against bacterial species. The complete dataset has been classified by principal component analysis, achieving clearly identifiable groups for each flowering stage, elucidating also the most distinctive features, and comprehensively profiling each of the assayed stages. The results might be useful to define the best flowering stage considering practical application purposes.
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. jbarreira@ipb.pt iferreira@ipb.pt and Laboratoire de Recherche "Bioressources": Biologie Intégrative & Valorisation, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Avenue Tahar Hadded, BP 74, 5000, Université de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia and Département des Sciences de la Vie. Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hassiba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chahdoura
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. jbarreira@ipb.pt iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors.forename: João C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barreira
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Nutrición y Bromatología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Plaza Ramón y Cajal, s/n. E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Nutrición y Bromatología II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Plaza Ramón y Cajal, s/n. E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. jbarreira@ipb.pt iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors.forename: Ricardo C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Calhelha
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Farmacia, via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy and Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca "Nutraceutica e Alimentazione per la Salute" Nutrafood, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flamini
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soković
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. jbarreira@ipb.pt iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors.forename: Isabel C F R
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche "Bioressources": Biologie Intégrative & Valorisation, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir, Avenue Tahar Hadded, BP 74, 5000, Université de Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Achour
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000187:drug effects; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029747:Opuntia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D008903:Minerals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds