Papers by Konstantinos Kasiotis
Molecules
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Molecules
Chemical composition of propolis depends on the plant source and thus on the geographic and clima... more Chemical composition of propolis depends on the plant source and thus on the geographic and climatic characteristics of the site of collection. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical profile of Greek and Chinese propolis extracts from different regions and suggest similarities and differences between them. Untargeted ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) method was developed and 22 and 23 propolis samples from Greece and China, respectively, were analyzed. The experimental data led to the observation that there is considerable variability in terms of quality of the distinctive propolis samples. Partial least squares - discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models were constructed and allowed the identification of significant features for sample discrimination, adding relevant information for the identification of class-determining met...
Agriculture
Soil constitutes a central environmental compartment that, due to natural and anthropogenic activ... more Soil constitutes a central environmental compartment that, due to natural and anthropogenic activities, is a recipient of several contaminants. Among them, organochlorine pesticides are of major concern, even though they have been banned decades ago in the European Union, due to their persistence and the health effects they can elicit. In the presented work, a gas chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric (GC-MS/MS) developed method was applied to soil samples after the suspected and potential use of formulations containing organochlorine active substance. One soil sample was positive to dieldrin at 0.018 mg kg−1. Predicted environmental concentration in soil (PECsoil) considering a single application of this active substance potentially attributed the finding in its past use. The subsequent health risk assessment showed negligible non-carcinogenic risk and tolerable carcinogenic risk. The latter signifies that repetitive and prolonged sampling can unveil the pragmatic projection of...
Applied Sciences
Dermal transfer of pesticide residues to human skin due to contact with treated crops, treated su... more Dermal transfer of pesticide residues to human skin due to contact with treated crops, treated surfaces, or contaminated surfaces is an important route of exposure for operators, workers and possibly for bystanders and residents. However, information on dermal transfer data is limited and mainly available for workers. The aim of the present study has been to generate both dermal exposure and transfer data related for operators involved in sequential tasks of mixing/loading and application of pesticides in a southern EU zone greenhouse. Exposure measurements were based on the principles of the whole-body dosimetry (WBD) method involving the use of cotton coveralls and gloves as dosimeters. Six field trials were conducted in three tomato greenhouses, on the island of Crete, Greece. The study results showed that the contribution of existing pesticide deposits on the treated crops, i.e., from an application conducted earlier the same day, was in the range of 8–16% for the application ta...
PLOS ONE, 2017
Propolis is a bee product that has been extensively used in alternative medicine and recently has... more Propolis is a bee product that has been extensively used in alternative medicine and recently has gained interest on a global scale as an essential ingredient of healthy foods and cosmetics. Propolis is also considered to improve human health and to prevent diseases such as inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. However, the claimed effects are anticipated to be correlated to its chemical composition. Since propolis is a natural product, its composition is consequently expected to be variable depending on the local flora alignment. In this work, we present the development of a novel HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS targeted method, used to identify and quantify 59 phenolic compounds in Greek propolis hydroalcoholic extracts. Amongst them, nine phenolic compounds are herein reported for the first time in Greek propolis. Alongside GC-MS complementary analysis was employed, unveiling eight additional newly reported compounds. The antioxidant activity study of the propolis samples verified the potential of these extracts to effectively scavenge radicals, with the extract of Imathia region exhibiting comparable antioxidant activity to that of quercetin.
Hygeia:journal for drugs and medicines, 2014
Plan: This study includes the characteristics and variation of non volatile constituents in propo... more Plan: This study includes the characteristics and variation of non volatile constituents in propolis samples collected from different regions of the world. The review covers the research activities after 2010 on propolis constituents. Outcome: Propolis constitutes a complex resinous material collected by honeybees serving as a defense system for their hives. Apart from this evident natural use, propolis is marketed by the pharmaceutical industry due to its claimed beneficial effects on human health such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anticancer activities. These properties are attributed to the chemical compounds that are found in propolis mainly phenolic compounds and terpenes. In this review article the analysis of non-volatile compounds of propolis performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with various detectors, will be presented. Future trends and further insights are quoted and commented.
Environmental Chemistry Letters, 2015
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are broad environmental contaminants, which, due to their ... more Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are broad environmental contaminants, which, due to their lipophilic profile, tend to be absorbed on particles and finally accumulate in marine environments. Due to their cumulative power of adsorption, bivalves are major bioindicators of PAH pollution. Substantial research has been performed on the effects of PAH pollution on marine bivalves. Here we review PAH analysis using bivalves and effects of PAH on bivalves. Specific focus is given on: (1) PAH analytical methodologies and their performance, (2) levels of marine PAH as measured through bivalves within the last decade; current pollution status and (3) health effects of PAH on bivalves.
Synthesis, 2006
The preparation of three novel classes of pyrazolo[4,3c]quinoline derivatives is reported. The ea... more The preparation of three novel classes of pyrazolo[4,3c]quinoline derivatives is reported. The easily accessible 2,3-dihydro-1H-quinolin-4-ones were used as the starting materials and were functionalized with three different acylating agents affording their respective constrained core substrates. The latter by condensation with phenyl(or 4-methoxyphenyl)hydrazines and subsequent debenzylation or demethylation provided the desired pyrazole derivatives. Some interesting features emerged with respect to the regioselectivity and mechanism of these reactions.
Frontiers in Chemistry, 2014
Angiogenesis is a mulit-step process by which new blood vessels are formed from preexisting vascu... more Angiogenesis is a mulit-step process by which new blood vessels are formed from preexisting vasculature. It is a key rate limiting factor in tumor growth since new blood vessels are necessary to increase tumor size. In this context it has been shown that anti-angiogenic factors can be used in cancer therapy. Among the plethora of heterocyclic compounds administered as anti-angiogenesis agents, pyrazoles constitute one of the bottlenecks of this category. Currently, several pyrazole based compounds are administered or are in Phase II and III trials and new targets emerge. It is highly possible that the advent of the next two decades will lead to the discovery and use of additional pyrazoles whose anti-angiogenic profile will position them in the forefront of the battle of various malignancies. The present review is an attempt to focus on those pyrazoles that arise as anti-angiogenesis agents commenting both on the chemistry and bioactivity that these exhibit aiming to contribute to the perspectives that they hold for future research.
Chemosphere, 2015
Persistent chemicals and emerging pollutants are continuously detected in marine waters and biota... more Persistent chemicals and emerging pollutants are continuously detected in marine waters and biota. Out of these, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) are significant contaminants with decades of presence in the marine environment. The Mediterranean Sea is an ecosystem directly affected by a variety of anthropogenic activities including industry, municipal, touristic, commercial and agricultural. The Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is a filter feeder, which presents wide distribution. In this regard, the specific organism was used as a biological indicator for the monitoring and evaluation of pollution in the studied areas with focus on the mentioned chemical groups. Pristine Turkish sites with minimum effect from anthropogenic activities, in contrast with Greek sites which were subjected to heavy industrial and shipping activity, were selected. A gas chromatographic tandem mass spectrometric method (GC-MS/MS) was developed and validated to monitor 34 compounds (16 EPA priority PAHs and 18 OCs). Analyses of mussel samples in 2011 from sites with the limited anthropogenic pollution shores have shown the occurrence of 11 pollutants (6 PAHs, 5 OCs), while in the samples from sites with intensive activity and expected pollution, 12 PAHs and 6 OCs were detected. Biochemical and biological responses studied only in mussels samples from the sites with the highest contamination showed a situation that was under strong seasonal influence. The intensity of the response was also influenced by deployment duration. Noteworthy correlations were detected among biochemical/biological effects and between mussel body burden and these effects. Continuous monitoring of priority pollutants of East Mediterranean Sea is vital both for ecological and human risk assessment purposes.
Molecules, 2007
Novel tetrasubstituted pyrazole derivatives bearing a nitro substituent on their A-phenol ring we... more Novel tetrasubstituted pyrazole derivatives bearing a nitro substituent on their A-phenol ring were synthesized and their binding affinity towards the estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes ERα and ERβ was determined. Among compounds tested, the 2-nitrophenol derivative 5c was found to bind satisfactorily to both estrogen receptor subtypes (RBAα=5.17 and RBAβ=3.27). In general, the introduction of a nitro group into the A ring of these compounds was found to benefit their ERβ binding abilities.
Frontiers in Chemistry
Honey represents a valuable food commodity, known since ancient times for its delicate taste and ... more Honey represents a valuable food commodity, known since ancient times for its delicate taste and health benefits due to its specific compositional characteristics, mainly the phenolic compound content. “Anama” honey is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of Erica manipuliflora plant, a heather bush of the Greek island of Ikaria, one of the Mediterranean’s longevity regions. “Anama” is characterized by a unique aroma and taste, with a growing demand for consumption and the potential to be included in the list of products with a protected designation of origin. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical and botanical profile of authentic Anama honey samples and find similarities and differences with honey samples of a different botanical origin from the same geographical area. Untargeted Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) metabolomics study was conducted on authentic heather, pine, and ...
Open Chemistry, 2021
A human intoxication incident attributed to pesticide abuse was investigated using cutting-edge a... more A human intoxication incident attributed to pesticide abuse was investigated using cutting-edge analytical methodologies. An LC-ESI-MS/MS method, based on a hybrid solid-phase extraction protocol (hybrid-SPE), was applied for the detection and quantification of several pesticides and metabolites in human biological fluids. Concomitantly, an UHPLC-HRMS method was applied to investigate potential metabolites, assisted by a complementary GC-MS method to elucidate the presence of plausible pesticides co-formulants. The LC-ESI-MS/MS method exhibited acceptable mean recoveries at the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) and three additional levels, varying from 85 to 106% for all analytes and matrices. In serum, urine, and gastric fluid samples, the suspect compounds, namely chlorpyrifos and myclobutanil, predominated. Gastric fluid samples contained the highest concentrations of chlorpyrifos (39,800 ng/mL) and myclobutanil (18,800 ng/mL), while the neonicotinoid imidacloprid was also quantified, below 30 ng/mL. Notwithstanding, the UHPLC-HRMS analysis unveiled several metabolites of chlorpyrifos and myclobutanil. In parallel, GC-MS analysis, corroborated the presence of several co-formulants in gastric fluid samples, exemplified by mand o-xylene, and cyclohexanone. Overall, three analytical methods were implemented to elucidate the chemical causality of a human intoxication incident. The presence of suspected active substances, one additional, and several metabolites and co-formulants were documented.
Farmer to pharmacist: curcumin as an anti-invasive and
Julius-Kühn-Archiv, 2020
s: Poster 134 Julius-Kühn-Archiv, 465, 2020 Section 5Monitoring 5.1.P Pesticide Residues and Tran... more s: Poster 134 Julius-Kühn-Archiv, 465, 2020 Section 5Monitoring 5.1.P Pesticide Residues and Transformation Products in Honeybees: A 2018 mid2019 Appraisal Konstantinos M. Kasiotis, Effrosyni Zafeiraki, Pelagia Anastasiadou, Electra Manea-Karga, Kyriaki Machera Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Laboratory of Pesticides’ Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Athens, Kifissia 14561, Greece E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] DOI 10.5073/jka.2020.465.061
Julius-Kühn-Archiv, 2012
Declines of managed honey bee colonies and also of some wild bee species have been reported by ma... more Declines of managed honey bee colonies and also of some wild bee species have been reported by many countries, leading to intensive work and actions in the areas of research and regulations. Declines in pollinating insect numbers can have significant adverse effects ecologically on the diversity of plant species and economically in the productivity of crops. However, up until now, the status and relative importance of the stress factors that may affect bee populations have been relatively unclear and, in many instances, widely disputed. In this context, OPERA1, has undertaken to produce an updated review on the issue of honey bees and pollinators in Europe, with some highlights to other continents, which would cover ecological and economical aspects related to these species in relation to agriculture. The expert invited have gathered the latest information available on the factors influencing the health of both managed honeybees and populations of native wild bees, including solitar...
In the period between 2014 mid-2017, more than 200 samples of honeybees were sent by authorities ... more In the period between 2014 mid-2017, more than 200 samples of honeybees were sent by authorities and individuals in Benaki Phytopathological Institute after incidents of unexpected deaths of bees in various parts of Greece. The samples were analyzed for pesticides and breakdown products, by two multi-residue methods based on an expanded HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and a newly developed GC-MS/MS method. Sample preparation was optimized and based on modified QuEChERS using for clean-up C18 and PSA.
Plants
Legumes crops are important for sustainable agriculture and global food security. Among them whit... more Legumes crops are important for sustainable agriculture and global food security. Among them white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), is characterized by exceptional protein content of high nutritional value, competitive to that of soybean (Glycine max) and is well adapted to rainfed agriculture. However, its high seed-quinolizidine alkaloid (QA) content impedes its direct integration to human diet and animal feed. Additionally, its cultivation is not yet intensive, remains confined to local communities and marginal lands in Mediterranean agriculture, while adaptation to local microclimates restrains its cultivation from expanding globally. Hence, modern white lupin breeding aims to exploit genetic resources for the development of “sweet” elite cultivars, resilient to biotic adversities and well adapted for cultivation on a global level. Towards this aim, we evaluated white lupin local landrace germplasm from Greece, since the country is considered a center of white lupin diversity, along wi...
Agronomy
Natural pesticides are in the forefront of interest as ecofriendly alternatives to their syntheti... more Natural pesticides are in the forefront of interest as ecofriendly alternatives to their synthetic ancestors. In the present study, we evaluated the nematicidal activity of seven Greek Lamiaceae species and discerned among principal components for activity according to GC-MS analysis. Care was taken that all botanicals used were easily prepared without employing elaborate procedures and toxic solvents. We established the in vitro EC50 values of the hydrosols of Origanum vulgare L., Mentha piperita L., and Melissa officinalis L. and the water extracts of Origanum vulgare, Τhymus vulgaris L., Thymus citriodorus (Schreb), Rosmarinus officinalis (Spenn), and Ocimum basilicum L. against Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) and Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White). Furthermore, we amended nematode-infested soil with powdered leaves and flowers of O. vulgare to assess for efficacy. According to in vitro studies, the most active botanical preparations against both nematode species was O. vulgare,...
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Papers by Konstantinos Kasiotis