Pharmaceutical-Toxicological and Nutraceutical Analysis. Coordinator: Andrisano

Research themes

Chemical and functional characterization of algal biomass.

The study, funded by Eni S.p.A., aimed to analytically characterize dried algal biomass from commercial and experimental cultivations. The research focused on identifying methods for the compositional analysis of algal biomass with the characteristics of accuracy, precision, and reproducibility, with the aim of providing methodological guidance for evaluating the content of microalgae. Samples of the microalgae Chlorella, Spirulina, and Scenedesmus species were analyzed. A GC-MS method identified significant MUFA and PUFA content, as well as amino acids. UV-Vis and HPLC-DAD methods allowed for detailed characterization of carotenoids and chlorophylls, demonstrating high-value content. A GC-MS method in SIM mode was used to analyze the content of bisphenol A as a contaminant.

Lipidomic study: toxicity of the Aβ1-42 peptide on neuronal cells.

A lipidomic study was conducted to further investigate the toxicity of the Aβ1-42 peptide on neuronal cells. The project aimed to discover new lipid-based biomarkers that could arise from the interaction of the amyloid peptide with the cell membrane and could explain the neurotoxicity of neuroblastoma cells. Cells were treated with increasing concentrations of Aβ1-42 at different times, then lipid extraction was performed using a protein precipitation protocol with 2-propanol-water (90:10 v/v). LC-MS analysis of the samples was performed by an RP-UHPLC system coupled to a quadrupole time-offlight mass spectrometer in data-independent SWATH acquisition mode. Each lipid class profile in SH-SY5Y cells treated with Aβ1-42 was compared to that obtained for untreated cells to identify and relatively quantify some altered species in various lipid classes. This approach proved suitable for highlighting some peculiar lipid alterations that could be related to different Aβ1-42 aggregation species and for exploring the mechanisms of cellular response to toxic stimuli. The in-vitro model presented provided results that coincide with those in the literature obtained from lipidomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of AD patients.

Waste products from the agri-food sector to be valorized in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and packaging industries for a green circular bioeconomy.

Food waste was valorized in terms of bioactive compounds by comparing its polyphenol content and antioxidant activity with commercially available final products, with the aim of exploiting them for the design and production of new nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products.

Lab Members

Vincenza Andrisano, Full Professor 

Francesca Medri, PhD Student

Gabriela Bermudez Leon,  PhD Student

Internship projects

Postgraduate Research Grant. From: 01/04/2026

Title: Pharmacokinetics of opioid painkillers in cachectic and non-cachectic cancer patients.

Aim: Sample preparation and GC-MS analysis of blood samples from cancer patients. Fentanyl is a highly lipid-soluble opioid, suitable for intravenous, spinal, transmucosal, and transdermal administration. The transdermal fentanyl patch (TFP) has been shown to provide effective and sustained relief from chronic cancer-related pain. To date, the use of TFP in patients with cachexia remains controversial. This research is an extension of a study previously conducted in collaboration with the Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori "Dino Amadori" (IRST), Meldola (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114913). The new project proposes a prospective clinical study to examine both the clinical and pharmacokinetic aspects of TFP administration in cachectic patients. The aim is to assess the actual impact of cachexia on TFP response, identify any pharmacokinetic correlations, and understand which phase of the drug's pharmacokinetics might be involved. Two cohorts of patients treated with TFP will be enrolled, differentiated only by the presence or absence of cachexia. Blood samples will be collected at five TFP exposure intervals: 6, 18, 48, and 72 hours after application. The fellow will quantify the serum fentanyl concentration of the enrolled patients. In a first step, fentanyl will be extracted from whole blood samples using a liquid-liquid extraction. The resulting solution will then be analyzed using GC-MS in SIM mode. Two independent LLEs will be performed on each patient's blood sample. Fentanyl concentrations and their respective pharmacokinetic parameters (AUC, Cmax, and Tmax) will then be determined.

Main publications

• Bermudez, Gabriela, Terenzi, Cristina, Medri, Francesca, Andrisano, Vincenza, Montanari, Serena (2025). Comprehensive amino acids profiling of microalgae by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis after pre-column derivatization. JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS, vol. 140, p. 1-11, ISSN: 0889-1575, doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2025.107289
• Terenzi, Cristina, Bermudez, Gabriela, Medri, Francesca, Montanari, Serena, Bucar, Franz, Andrisano, Vincenza (2024). Valorization of Legume By-Products Based on Polyphenols and Protein Contents for Potential Nutraceutical Applications. ANTIOXIDANTS, vol. 13, p. 1-22, ISSN: 2076-3921, doi: 10.3390/antiox13121531
• Terenzi, Cristina, Bermudez, Gabriela, Medri, Francesca, Davani, Lara, Tumiatti, Vincenzo, Andrisano, Vincenza, Montanari, Serena, De Simone, Angela (2024). Phenolic and Antioxidant Characterization of Fruit By-Products for Their Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements Valorization under a Circular Bio-Economy Approach. ANTIOXIDANTS, vol. 13, p. 1-18, ISSN: 2076-3921, doi: 10.3390/antiox13050604.
• Davani, Lara, Terenzi, Cristina, Tumiatti, Vincenzo, De Simone, Angela, Andrisano Vincenza, Montanari, Serena (2022). Integrated analytical approaches for the characterization of Spirulina and Chlorella microalgae. JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ANALYSIS, vol. 219, p. 1-11, ISSN: 0731-7085, doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114943
• Davani Llara, Fu X., De Simone, Angela, Li P., Montanari, Serena, Lammerhofer Michael, Andrisano Vincenza (2022). Aβ1-42 peptide toxicity on neuronal cells: A lipidomic study. JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ANALYSIS, vol. 219, p. 1-9, ISSN: 0731-7085, doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.114876