- Email: [email protected]
Phytochemical Society of Europe – APIVITA Award 2012
Phytochemistry 86 (2013) 218–219
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
Phytochemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/phytochem
Announcement
Phytochemical Society of Europe – APIVITA Award 2012 Dr. Francesco Epifano University Gabriele D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
Dr. Francesco Epifano has been given the Phytochemical Society of Europe – APIVITA Award 2012 in recognition of his contributions to the field of phytochemistry. The award was presented during the Society’s conference held in Chiclana de La Frontera, Cadiz, Spain in September 2012. Francesco Epifano is currently Research Associate of Plant Biology and Phytochemistry at the Department of Pharmacy of the University ‘‘Gabriele D’Annunzio’’ Chieti-Pescara, Chieti Scalo, Italy, where he has worked since 2006. He studied Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Perugia, where he graduated cum laude in November 1993. After having spent 1 year as a post-graduate researcher at the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the same University, he moved to the University of Perugia, where he obtained his PhD in Agricultural Entomology in 1998. From the beginning of 1999 until the end of 2005 he worked as a postdoctoral Fellow at the Section of Organic Chemistry of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology of the University of Perugia, funded by a grant that he obtained. During his PhD and postdoctoral studies he worked in the field of phytochemistry on the extraction, structural characterization, pharmacological activity, analytical studies, and synthesis of secondary metabolites from plants, fungi, and bacteria. In February 2006 he was appointed as a Research Associate at the University ‘‘Gabriele D’Annunzio’’ Chieti-Pescara. Here, he continues to develop his research in phytochemistry within the
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2012.10.018
context of international research projects and in collaboration with Universities and Institutes in Europe, North and South America, and Japan. His continuing research on new bioactive compounds is carried out mainly through the study of a rare class of secondary metabolites, the prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and the prenyloxypolyketides. The choice for this class of natural products was driven by the paucity of phytochemical and pharmacological data on these interesting metabolites. Dr. Epifano has synthesized a large number of prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and polyketides belonging to different subclasses of these natural products (e.g. cinnamic and benzoic acids, benzaldehydes, cinnamaldehydes, cinnamyl alcohols, coumarins, chalcones, acetophenones, anthraquinones and quinones). These synthesized chemicals show a wide diversity of structure and have all been investigated for their cancer chemopreventive, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-microbial activities using different pharmacological in vitro and in vivo models. Notable discoveries within this context include: (a) the dietary feeding colon cancer chemopreventive properties of auraptene, a geranyloxycoumarin widespread in the genus Citrus, and 4’-geranyloxyferulic acid, from the Australian shrub Acronychia baueri Schott (Rutaceae); (b) the in vivo Helicobacter pylori growth-inhibitory properties of boropinic acid, boropinol, and boropinal from Boronia pinnata Sm. (Rutaceae); (c) the involvement of auraptene in the regulation of the metabolism and homeostasis of cholesterol and its interaction with the estrogen b-receptor; and (d) the assessment of many prenyloxyphenylpropanoids as active agents in the management of oral diseases. HPLC analytical studies were performed with the aim of revealing the presence of biologically active prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and polyketides in edible and medicinal plants, providing evidence for and emphasizing the potential of the chemopreventive role of diet. A further relevant finding was the discovery of oxyprenylated emodine derivatives in the genus Rhamnus. In the nearly 20 years of his scientific activity, Francesco Epifano has published more than 130 scientific papers in high-IF peerreviewed journals, 4 book chapters, and has presented more than 80 oral and poster communications at national and international congress. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the book "Current Trends in Phytochemistry" published by Research Signpost (Trivandrum, India). He also serves as referee for many international journals in the fields of phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and the chemistry of natural compounds. He is currently a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the
Announcement / Phytochemistry 86 (2013) 218–219
journals Current Drug Targets, Anti-inflammatory and Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, and Drugs and Therapy Studies. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Botanics: Targets and Therapy. From January 2011 he was Regional Editor for Europe of The Natural Products Journal and, since April 2012, is the Editor in Chief. Dr. Epifano can be contacted at [email protected] Notable publications include: Bruyere, C.; Genovese, S.; Lallemand, B.; Ionescu-Motatu, A.; Curini, M.; Kiss, R.; Epifano, F. Growth Inhibitory Activities of Oxyprenylated and Non-prenylated Naturally Occurring Phenylpropanoids in Cancer Cell Lines, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2011, 21, 4173–4178. De Medina, P.; Genovese, S.; Paillasse, M.; Mazaheri, M.; Caze-Subra, S.; Bystricky, K.; Curini, M.; Silvente-Poirot, S.; Epifano, F.;
219
Poirot, M. Auraptene is an Inhibitor of Cholesterol Esterification and a Modulator of Estrogen Receptor, Mol. Pharmacol. 2010, 78, 827–836. Epifano, F.; Genovese, S.; Menghini, L.; Curini, M. Chemistry and Pharmacology of Oxyprenylated Secondary Plant Metabolites, Phytochemistry 2007, 68, 939–953. Genovese, S.; Curini, M.; Epifano, F. Chemistry and Biological Activity of Azoprenylated Secondary Metabolites, Phytochemistry 2009, 70, 1082–1091. Tanaka, T.; de Azevedo M.B.; Durán, N.; Alderete, J.B.; Epifano, F.; Genovese, S.; Tanaka, M.; Tanaka, T.; Curini, M. Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention by 2b-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compounds of Auraptene and 4’-Geranyloxyferulic Acid, Int. J. Cancer 2010, 126, 830–840.
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
Phytochemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/phytochem
Announcement
Phytochemical Society of Europe – APIVITA Award 2012 Dr. Francesco Epifano University Gabriele D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy
Dr. Francesco Epifano has been given the Phytochemical Society of Europe – APIVITA Award 2012 in recognition of his contributions to the field of phytochemistry. The award was presented during the Society’s conference held in Chiclana de La Frontera, Cadiz, Spain in September 2012. Francesco Epifano is currently Research Associate of Plant Biology and Phytochemistry at the Department of Pharmacy of the University ‘‘Gabriele D’Annunzio’’ Chieti-Pescara, Chieti Scalo, Italy, where he has worked since 2006. He studied Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Perugia, where he graduated cum laude in November 1993. After having spent 1 year as a post-graduate researcher at the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the same University, he moved to the University of Perugia, where he obtained his PhD in Agricultural Entomology in 1998. From the beginning of 1999 until the end of 2005 he worked as a postdoctoral Fellow at the Section of Organic Chemistry of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology of the University of Perugia, funded by a grant that he obtained. During his PhD and postdoctoral studies he worked in the field of phytochemistry on the extraction, structural characterization, pharmacological activity, analytical studies, and synthesis of secondary metabolites from plants, fungi, and bacteria. In February 2006 he was appointed as a Research Associate at the University ‘‘Gabriele D’Annunzio’’ Chieti-Pescara. Here, he continues to develop his research in phytochemistry within the
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2012.10.018
context of international research projects and in collaboration with Universities and Institutes in Europe, North and South America, and Japan. His continuing research on new bioactive compounds is carried out mainly through the study of a rare class of secondary metabolites, the prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and the prenyloxypolyketides. The choice for this class of natural products was driven by the paucity of phytochemical and pharmacological data on these interesting metabolites. Dr. Epifano has synthesized a large number of prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and polyketides belonging to different subclasses of these natural products (e.g. cinnamic and benzoic acids, benzaldehydes, cinnamaldehydes, cinnamyl alcohols, coumarins, chalcones, acetophenones, anthraquinones and quinones). These synthesized chemicals show a wide diversity of structure and have all been investigated for their cancer chemopreventive, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-microbial activities using different pharmacological in vitro and in vivo models. Notable discoveries within this context include: (a) the dietary feeding colon cancer chemopreventive properties of auraptene, a geranyloxycoumarin widespread in the genus Citrus, and 4’-geranyloxyferulic acid, from the Australian shrub Acronychia baueri Schott (Rutaceae); (b) the in vivo Helicobacter pylori growth-inhibitory properties of boropinic acid, boropinol, and boropinal from Boronia pinnata Sm. (Rutaceae); (c) the involvement of auraptene in the regulation of the metabolism and homeostasis of cholesterol and its interaction with the estrogen b-receptor; and (d) the assessment of many prenyloxyphenylpropanoids as active agents in the management of oral diseases. HPLC analytical studies were performed with the aim of revealing the presence of biologically active prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and polyketides in edible and medicinal plants, providing evidence for and emphasizing the potential of the chemopreventive role of diet. A further relevant finding was the discovery of oxyprenylated emodine derivatives in the genus Rhamnus. In the nearly 20 years of his scientific activity, Francesco Epifano has published more than 130 scientific papers in high-IF peerreviewed journals, 4 book chapters, and has presented more than 80 oral and poster communications at national and international congress. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the book "Current Trends in Phytochemistry" published by Research Signpost (Trivandrum, India). He also serves as referee for many international journals in the fields of phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and the chemistry of natural compounds. He is currently a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the
Announcement / Phytochemistry 86 (2013) 218–219
journals Current Drug Targets, Anti-inflammatory and Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, and Drugs and Therapy Studies. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Botanics: Targets and Therapy. From January 2011 he was Regional Editor for Europe of The Natural Products Journal and, since April 2012, is the Editor in Chief. Dr. Epifano can be contacted at [email protected] Notable publications include: Bruyere, C.; Genovese, S.; Lallemand, B.; Ionescu-Motatu, A.; Curini, M.; Kiss, R.; Epifano, F. Growth Inhibitory Activities of Oxyprenylated and Non-prenylated Naturally Occurring Phenylpropanoids in Cancer Cell Lines, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2011, 21, 4173–4178. De Medina, P.; Genovese, S.; Paillasse, M.; Mazaheri, M.; Caze-Subra, S.; Bystricky, K.; Curini, M.; Silvente-Poirot, S.; Epifano, F.;
219
Poirot, M. Auraptene is an Inhibitor of Cholesterol Esterification and a Modulator of Estrogen Receptor, Mol. Pharmacol. 2010, 78, 827–836. Epifano, F.; Genovese, S.; Menghini, L.; Curini, M. Chemistry and Pharmacology of Oxyprenylated Secondary Plant Metabolites, Phytochemistry 2007, 68, 939–953. Genovese, S.; Curini, M.; Epifano, F. Chemistry and Biological Activity of Azoprenylated Secondary Metabolites, Phytochemistry 2009, 70, 1082–1091. Tanaka, T.; de Azevedo M.B.; Durán, N.; Alderete, J.B.; Epifano, F.; Genovese, S.; Tanaka, M.; Tanaka, T.; Curini, M. Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention by 2b-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compounds of Auraptene and 4’-Geranyloxyferulic Acid, Int. J. Cancer 2010, 126, 830–840.