{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T12:53:13Z","timestamp":1770727993116,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,27]],"date-time":"2021-01-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1611705600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The roots of two cultivars of Paeonia, namely Paeonia officinalis \u201cRubra Plena\u201d and Paeonia \u201cPink Hawaiian Coral\u201d, have been extracted with chloroform. The composition of the lipid fraction, analyzed by GC\u2013MS technique, revealed the absence of paeonol and the presence of phenol, benzoic acid, fatty acid\u2014and some sterol\u2014derivatives. The chloroformic extracts have been tested on normal and several cancer cell lines but showed antiproliferative activity only on the ovarian carcinoma and the osteosarcoma. The biological activity of extracts was investigated mainly by confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and quantum phase imaging. The results indicated that the root extracts induced a hyperpolarization of mitochondria and an increase in reactive oxygen species levels, without inducing cell death. These effects are associated to an increased doubling time and a retarded confluence.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26030655","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,27]],"date-time":"2021-01-27T06:10:54Z","timestamp":1611727854000},"page":"655","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Root Extracts of Two Cultivars of Paeonia Species: Lipid Composition and Biological Effects on Different Cell Lines: Preliminary Results"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Natalia","family":"Calonghi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giovanna","family":"Farruggia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Via delle Medaglie D\u2019oro 305, 00136 Roma, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2851-8939","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Boga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Chemistry \u2018Toso Montanari\u2019, Alma Mater Studiorum Universit\u00e0 di Bologna Viale Del Risorgimento 4, 402136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9746-2356","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gabriele","family":"Micheletti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Chemistry \u2018Toso Montanari\u2019, Alma Mater Studiorum Universit\u00e0 di Bologna Viale Del Risorgimento 4, 402136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elena","family":"Fini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Chemistry \u2018Toso Montanari\u2019, Alma Mater Studiorum Universit\u00e0 di Bologna Viale Del Risorgimento 4, 402136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lucia","family":"Romani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Via Riniera 2043, 40024 Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9372-0207","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dario","family":"Telese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Chemistry \u2018Toso Montanari\u2019, Alma Mater Studiorum Universit\u00e0 di Bologna Viale Del Risorgimento 4, 402136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Erika","family":"Faraci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4387-5117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Bergamini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefano","family":"Cerini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Chemistry \u2018Toso Montanari\u2019, Alma Mater Studiorum Universit\u00e0 di Bologna Viale Del Risorgimento 4, 402136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Rizzardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1002\/cbdv.200800148","article-title":"Chemical Constituents and Bioactivities of Plants from the Genus Paeonia","volume":"7","author":"Wu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Chem. Biodiv."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"(2021, January 18). The American Peony Society: Peony Species. Available online: https:\/\/americanpeonysociety.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Peony-Species-Buchite.pdf."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"62","article-title":"Herbaceous Peony (Paeonia): Genetics, physiology and cut flowers profuction","volume":"6","author":"Kamenetsky","year":"2012","journal-title":"Floric. Ornam. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1800589","DOI":"10.1002\/cbdv.201800589","article-title":"Phenotypic Characteristics and Fatty Acid Composition of Seeds from Different Herbaceous Peony Species Native to China","volume":"16","author":"Yan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Chem. Biodivers."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Halda, J.J., and Waddick, J.W. (2004). The Genus Paeonia, Timber Press."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Fisher, C. (2011). Flowers of the Renaissance, J. Paul Getty Museum. [1st ed.]."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"85","article-title":"Medicinal Uses and Phytoconstituents of Paeonia officinalis","volume":"3","author":"Ahmad","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. Res. J. Pharm."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1002\/jccs.200000051","article-title":"Phytochemical and pharmacological studies on Chinese Paeonia species","volume":"47","author":"Ding","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Chin. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpba.2014.10.020","article-title":"Whole transverse section and specific-tissue analysis of secondary metabolites in seven different grades of root of Paeonia lactiflora using laser microdissection and liquid chromatography-quadrupole\/time of flight-mass spectrometry","volume":"103","author":"Wang","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2015.11.006","article-title":"Paeonia japonica root extract protects hepatocytes against oxidative stress through inhibition of AMPK-mediated GSK3\u03b2","volume":"20","author":"Ko","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1016\/S2221-1691(13)60025-8","article-title":"Preliminary phytochemical, acute oral toxicity and antihepatotoxic study of roots of Paeonia officinalis Linn","volume":"3","author":"Ahmad","year":"2013","journal-title":"Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"328","DOI":"10.1007\/s10298-015-0986-3","article-title":"Pivoine Paeonia officinalis L. (Paeoniaceae)","volume":"13","author":"Ghedira","year":"2015","journal-title":"Phytotherapie"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.17660\/eJHS.2018\/83.3.1","article-title":"In vitro shoot multiplication and rooting of wild Paeonia officinalis L., subsp. officinalis","volume":"83","author":"Marino","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. J. Hortic. Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.4236\/cm.2013.44020","article-title":"PEONIES: Comparative study by anatomy and TLC of three traditional chinese medicinal plants","volume":"4","author":"Babii","year":"2013","journal-title":"Chin. Med."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1007\/s11418-014-0857-5","article-title":"Genetic and chemical characterization of white and red peony root derived from Paeonia lactiflora","volume":"69","author":"Zhu","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Nat. Med."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"(2021, January 18). Assessment Report on Paeonia Lactiflora Pallas, Radix (Paeoniae Radix Alba) EMA\/HMPC\/762954\/2015. Available online: https:\/\/www.ema.europa.eu\/en\/documents\/public-statement\/final-public-statement-paeonia-lactiflora-pallas-radix-paeoniae-radix-alba_en.pdf."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"805","DOI":"10.1002\/cbdv.200800341","article-title":"Phytochemical and biological studies of Paeoniaceae","volume":"7","author":"He","year":"2010","journal-title":"Chem. Biodiv."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1445","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.5653","article-title":"A Pharmacological Review of Bioactive Constituents of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and Paeonia veitchii Lynch","volume":"30","author":"Parker","year":"2016","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1173","DOI":"10.1007\/s11101-017-9527-z","article-title":"Neuroprotective effects of paeoniflorin in neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system","volume":"16","author":"Manayi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Phytochem. Rev."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"46","article-title":"Total glucosides of paeony for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials Complement","volume":"34","author":"Luo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ther. Med."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16383","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1211001109","article-title":"Completion of the core beta-oxidative pathway of benzoic acid biosynthesis in plants","volume":"109","author":"Qualley","year":"2012","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molp.2014.12.001","article-title":"A familiar ring to it: Biosynthesis of plant benzoic acids","volume":"8","author":"Widhalm","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mol. Plant"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tiv.2009.03.009","article-title":"Chebulinic acid and tellimagrandin I inhibit DNA strand breaks by hydroquinone\/Cu(II) and H2O2\/Cu(II), but potentiate DNA strand breaks by H2O2\/Fe(II)","volume":"23","author":"Yi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Toxicol. In Vitro"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tiv.2009.01.012","article-title":"Prooxidant action of chebulinic acid and tellimagrandin I: Causing copper-dependent DNA strand breaks","volume":"23","author":"Yi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Toxicol. In Vitro"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"137","article-title":"Composition and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from three Paeonia species","volume":"1","author":"Aquino","year":"2014","journal-title":"Pharmacologyonline"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2116","DOI":"10.1021\/np200359v","article-title":"Triterpenoid Constituents from the Roots of Paeonia rockii ssp","volume":"74","author":"Mencherini","year":"2011","journal-title":"Rockii. J. Nat. Prod."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1007\/s11130-011-0235-3","article-title":"Antioxidant and Antimelanogenic Behaviors of Paeonia suffruticosa","volume":"66","author":"Ding","year":"2011","journal-title":"Plant Foods Hum. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacme.2013.04.001","article-title":"Effect of 70% ethanolic extract of roots of Paeonia officinalis Linn. on hepatotoxicity","volume":"3","author":"Ahmad","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Acute Med."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"652","DOI":"10.1248\/cpb.47.652","article-title":"Glycosides from Paeonia suffrutticosa","volume":"47","author":"Ding","year":"1999","journal-title":"Chem. Pharm. Bull."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"799","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03253163","article-title":"Methanol Extract of Peony Root (Peonia lactiflora) and its Ethyl Acetate Fraction Attenuate Heart and Brain Injury in a Rat Model of Ischemia-Reperfusion","volume":"54","author":"Lim","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Korean Soc. Appl. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"215","article-title":"The genus Paeonia L. in Italy: Taxonomic survey and revision","volume":"59","author":"Passalacqua","year":"2004","journal-title":"Webbia J. Plant Taxon. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.3746\/pnf.2013.18.3.218","article-title":"GC-MS Analysis of the Extracts from Korean Cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis) and Its Seed","volume":"18","author":"Hong","year":"2013","journal-title":"Prev. Nutr. Food Sci."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.9734\/arrb\/2020\/v35i930269","article-title":"Repellent activity of Piper spp. leaves extracts on rice ear bugs (Leptocorisa oratorius Fabricius) and the characters of its volatile compounds","volume":"35","author":"Nugroho","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann. Res. Rev. Biol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2369","DOI":"10.1038\/srep02369","article-title":"Ptychography\u2014A label free, high-contrast imaging technique for live cells using quantitative phase information","volume":"3","author":"Marrison","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocel.2017.01.004","article-title":"Characterising live cell behaviour: Traditional label-free and quantitative phase imaging approaches","volume":"84","author":"Kasprowicz","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"896","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1440-1681.2004.04100.x","article-title":"Quantitative phase microscopy: A new tool for investigating the structure and function of unstained live cells","volume":"12","author":"Curl","year":"2004","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"366","DOI":"10.1038\/169366b0","article-title":"Interference microscopy and mass determination","volume":"169","author":"Barer","year":"1952","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1221","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.3175","article-title":"Live-cell mass profiling: An emerging approach in quantitative biophysics","volume":"12","author":"Zangle","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nat. Methods"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.2174\/13862073113166660062","article-title":"Digital Holographic Microscopy: A Quantitative Label-Free Microscopy Technique for Phenotypic Screening","volume":"17","author":"Rappaz","year":"2014","journal-title":"Combinat. Chem. High Throughput Screen."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4103","DOI":"10.1042\/BCJ20160647","article-title":"Being right on Q: Shaping eukaryotic evolution","volume":"473","author":"Speijer","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biochem. J."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"787","DOI":"10.1038\/35008121","article-title":"Normalizing mitochondrial superoxide production blocks three pathways of hyperglycaemic damage","volume":"404","author":"Nishikawa","year":"2000","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11409","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9258(19)38410-8","article-title":"The protonmotive Q cycle: Energy transduction by coupling of proton translocation to electron transfer by the cyto-chrome bc1 complex","volume":"265","author":"Trumpower","year":"1990","journal-title":"J. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ab.2017.07.009","article-title":"Mitochondrial membrane potential","volume":"552","author":"Zorova","year":"2018","journal-title":"Anal. Biochem."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbabio.2006.04.029","article-title":"Mitochondrial ROS-induced ROS release: An update and review","volume":"1757","author":"Zorov","year":"2006","journal-title":"Biochim. Biophys. Acta"},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"2767","article-title":"Oxidate unsaturated fatty acids induce apoptotic cell death in cultured cells","volume":"19","author":"Iuchi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mol. Med. Rep."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Parker, L., Traber, M.G., and Xin, W.J. (1996). Co-existence of \u201creactive oxygen species\u201d with Q-cycle and proton cycle in respiratory chain of mitochondria. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Natural Antioxidants: Molecular Mechanisms and Health Effects, AOCS."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1016\/S0014-5793(97)01159-9","article-title":"High protonic potential actuates a mechanism of production of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria","volume":"416","author":"Korshunov","year":"1997","journal-title":"FEBS Lett."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1101","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1471-4159.2003.01908.x","article-title":"Regulation of brain mitochondrial H2O2 production by membrane potential and NAD(P)H redox state","volume":"86","author":"Starkov","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Neurochem."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"(2021, January 18). The American Peony Society: Pink Hawaiian Coral. Available online: https:\/\/americanpeonysociety.org\/cultivars\/peony-registry\/pink-hawaiian-coral\/."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Micheletti, G., Calonghi, N., Farruggia, G., Strocchi, E., Palmacci, V., Telese, D., Bordoni, S., Frisco, G., and Boga, C. (2020). Synthesis of novel structural hybrids between aza-heterocycles and azelaic acid moiety with a specific activity on osteosarcoma cells. Molecules, 25.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules25020404"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bergamini, C., Moruzzi, N., Sblendido, A., Lenaz, G., and Fato, R. (2012). A water soluble CoQ10 formulation improves intracellular distribution and promotes mitochondrial respiration in cultured cells. PLoS ONE, 7.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0033712"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9051542","DOI":"10.1155\/2019\/9051542","article-title":"ROS-Mediated Cancer Cell Killing through Dietary Phytochemicals","volume":"2019","author":"NavaneethaKrishnan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Oxid. Med. Cell Longev."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"168","DOI":"10.1016\/j.canlet.2019.03.022","article-title":"Dietary phytochemicals with anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant activities: A double-edged sword in relation to adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy?","volume":"452","author":"Fernando","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cancer Lett."}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/26\/3\/655\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T05:16:01Z","timestamp":1760159761000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/26\/3\/655"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,27]]},"references-count":53,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules26030655"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules26030655","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,27]]}}}