Hypericum sp.: essential oil composition and biological activities

Phytochemical composition of Hypericum genus has been investigated for many years. In the recent past, studies on the essential oils (EO) of this genus have been progressing and many of them have reported interesting biological activities. Variations in the EO composition of Hypericum species influenced by seasonal variation, geographic distribution, phenological cycle and type of the organ in which EO are produced and/or accumulated have also been reported. Although many reviews attributed to the characterization as well as biological activities of H. perforatum crude extracts have been published, no review has been published on the EO composition and biological activities of Hypericum species until recently (Crockett in Nat Prod Commun 5(9):1493–1506, 2010; Bertoli et al. in Global Sci Books 5:29–47, 2011). In this article, we summarize and update information regarding the composition and biological activities of Hypericum species EO. Based on experimental work carried out in our laboratory we also mention possible biotechnology approaches envisaging EO improvement of some species of the genus.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - project PTDC/AGR AAM/70418/2006, SFRH/BD/ 13283/2003

Evaluation of Silybum marianum seed extract and vitamin B6 derivatives on methylglyoxal and sugar-induced oxidative DNA damage

Reducing sugars are known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly by means of the glycation reaction. The hydroxyl radical, a prominent entity of ROS, is known to alter cellular DNA and induces damage to DNA, and plays a role in diseases such as diabetes mellitus. In this study, the oxidative damage of DNA induced by the lysine/Fe 3+ /MG reaction was investigated. Silybum marianum seeds extract ( Sly E), standard silymarin (Sly), and vitamin B6 derivatives, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP), pyridoxamine (PM), and pyridoxine (P) in reversing glycation-induced damage in DNA were evaluated. In addition, different sugars and sugar phosphates were incubated with plasmid pBR 322 DNA to control and compare their harmful effects. Our results revealed that Sly E protected lysine/Fe 3+ /MG induced oxidative DNA damage more effectively than Sly. Vitamins, on the other hand, prevented this DNA damage in the order of PLP>P>PM. The DNA altering and damaging intensity of sugars and sugar phosphates tested increased considerably in the following order: Ribose-5-phosphate > fructose-6-phosphate > ribose > fructose > fructose-1,6 biphosphate > glucose-6 phosphate > glucose. The results show that the lysine/Fe 3+ /MG glycation reaction can cause oxidative damage of DNA through a mechanism involving hydroxyl radicals. It also provides evidence that ribose-5-phosphate and fructose and its phosphate metabolites can alter DNA more rapidly in vitro than glucose and its phosphate metabolites

The effect of vitamin E treatment during preovulatory period on reproductive performance of goats following estrous synchronization using intravaginal sponges

The objectives of this study were to investigate whether the use of intravaginal sponge for estrous synchronization of goats causes oxidative stress, and to examine the effect of administering vitamin E during preovulatory period on reproductive performance of estrous synchronized goats. Estrus was synchronized in 36 nonlactating adult does using intravaginal sponges containing 30mg of fluorogestane acetate (FGA) for 14 days. All females received 500 IU of eCG at the sponge withdrawal. The goats were allocated at random to two groups balanced for breed, age and body weight. Treatment group (n = 18) received 200mg of vitamin E i.m. at the time of sponge removal and again at the time of second artificial insemination. The other 18 goats (control) were administered 1 ml of physiological saline instead of vitamin E on each of these two occasions. All does in estrus was intracervically inseminated at 12 and 24 h after the onset of estrus. Blood samples were collected every 72 h during the experimental period for evaluation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E concentrations. Serum MDA level increased and vitamin E concentration decreased during the period of vaginal sponge application. Following the sponge removal, MDA level declined rapidly to below basal level in the treatment group but remained high in the control group. Conversely, vitamin E concentration increased in the treatment group after the sponge withdrawal and remained at a low level in the control group. No statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed between groups in terms of estrous response, conception rate, gestation length or kidding rate.However, thenumber of multiple births (70.0% versus 50.0%) and prolificacy rate (2.40±0.37 versus 1.63±0.26 kids per kidding) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for the treatment group than those of the control group. The results indicate that the use of intravaginal sponges for estrous synchronization of goats causes an increase in level of oxidative stress. However, the vitamin E treatment during preovulatory period can prevent the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and it may improve the multiple birth rates and the number of kids born in estrous synchronized goats

Synthesis of novel polymers containing Schiff base as potential antimutagenic and antimicrobial agents

In this research study, two novel polymers including Schiff base were prepared by condensation reaction of polystyrene-A-NH2 with 5-nitro-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde/or 5-(2-nitrophenyl)-2-furancarboxaldehyde. The synthesized polymers were evaluated using the elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTA). In addition, the antimicrobial and antimutagenic study of the polymers were reported. The antibacterial and antifungal activity were investigated using the diffusion method against pathogenic bacterial strains. PA-TC and PA-FC polymers exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against the S. typhi H. and P. vulgaris, respectively. PA-FC polymer revealed the highest antifungal activity against C. albicans. The antimutagenic effects were evaluated using the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) methods against the sodium azide (NaN3) in human lymphocyte cells. The results demonstrated that the PA-FC polymer have strong antimutagenic properties, especially in the concentration of 20 µg/mL. © 2020 by SPC (Sami Publishing Company)2-s2.0-8510636860

Verbal fluency deficits in patients with schizophrenia, psychotic bipolar disorder and their unaffected relatives

27th Congress of the European-College-of-Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) -- OCT 18-21, 2014 -- Berlin, GERMANYBastug, Gulbahar/0000-0002-8317-7711; Bastug, Gulbahar/0000-0002-8317-7711; OZEL-KIZIL, ERGUVAN TUGBA/0000-0001-9657-1382WOS: 000362851700203…European Coll Neuropsychopharmaco

Determination of Phytochemical Contents of Avena sativa (oat) and Its Impact on Debaryomyces hansenii.

In the present study fatty acids, vitamins, phytosterol, flavonoid and resveratrol contents and antimicrobial activities of Avena sativa (oat) extracts treated with Debaryomyces hansenii were determined and compared. Avena sativa is consumed as the fibrous food worldwide. It was shown that total fatty acids and vitamin contents increased significantly in A. sativa extracts prepared with D. hansenii. However, the flavonoid contents decreased at different rates. It was also observed that quercetin and flavonoids were present in the extracts that contained D. hansenii. It was noted that A. sativa had changing rates of antioxidants and antimicrobial activities. Thus, it was concluded that A. sativa has an important place in a healthy lifestyle and oats have positive effect on the development of D. hansenii which is also accepted as a probiotic microorganism. This yeast developed in extracts obtained from this fibrous plant and affected the bioactive compounds at changing rates.FUBAP190