Potential Phytopharmacy and Food Applications of Capsicum spp.: A Comprehensive Review

Capsicum genus (Solanaceae) is native to the Americas. Today, it is an important agricultural crop cultivated around the world, not only due to its economic importance, but also for the nutritional value of the fruits. Among their phytochemical constituents, capsaicinoids are characteristic and responsible of the pungency of sharp-tasting cultivars. Moreover, Capsicum and capsaicinoids (mainly, capsaicin) have been largely studied because of their health benefits. Thus, this study reviews the scientific knowledge about Capsicum spp. and their phytochemicals against cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, pain, and metabolic syndrome, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. These bioactivities can be the basis of the formulation of functional ingredients and natural preservatives containing Capsicum extracts or isolated compounds

COMPARISON OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE BETWEEN ECOLOGICAL AND CONVENTIONAL BREEDING IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE GENERA ISOLATED FROM MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS

Abstract HLEBA, L., KAČÁNIOVÁ, M., KLUZ, M., MELLEN, M.: Comparison of antibiotic resistance between ecological and conventional breeding in Enterobacteriaceae genera isolated from milk and milk products. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun., 2011, LIX, No. 1, pp. 129-136 The aim of this study was to determine and compare antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae genera isolated from milk and milk products like cheese, bryndza, srvátka and parenica from ecological and conventional breeding from diff erent regions of Slovakia. Distance between breedings was about 20 km. In the both breeding were not used antibiotics. The Enterobacteriaceae isolates were tested for susceptibility to three antibiotics ampicillin (AMP), nalixid acid (NA 30) and chloramphenicol (C 30). In our study, we determined that the highest resistance of Enterobacteriaceae strains was to ampicillin (100 %) in conventional breeding. The higher resistance in conventional breeding is probably due to greater anthropogenic infl uences. In ecological breeding we determined 84.61% resistance to ampicillin. The highest susceptibility was to chloramphenicol and nalixid acid (100 %) in conventional breeding. In the ecological breeding resistance to chloramphenicol was 15.38 % and resistance to nalixid acid 7.69 % from all tested isolates. Conversely, higher resistance to chloramphenicol and nalixid acid in the ecological breeding may be due to the persistence of resistant genes in environment. The lowest resistance to chloramphenicol and nalixid acid in conventional breeding may be due to the prohibition of the use of antibiotics as growth promoters. From this genera, we identifi ed Klebsiella oxytoca, Serratia odorifera bv.1, Serratia odorifera bv. 2, Citrobacter braakii and Escherichia coli from conventional breeding which were resistant to ampicillin and isolated from cheese, bryndza and parenica. In the ecological breeding we identifi ed this strains: Raoultella ornithinolytica resistant to ampicillin, Serratia rubidaea, which was resistant to all of used antibiotics and this strains were isolated from milk samples and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca which were resistant to ampicillin and were isolated from cheese samples. The results show that the bacteria can transfer resistance genes to others bacteria, for example to pathogens too. Also that resistant bacteria and their resistant genes survive in the environment and transfer to others animals and products thereof. antibiotic resistance, Enterobacteriaceae, milk and milk products, ecological and conventional breedin

Fatty Acid Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Oryza Sativa L. (Japônica Subspecies) Marketed in Italy and Brazil: A Comparison

Rice stands out as the most consumed cereal in the world because it is a source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, bioactive compounds, and unsaturated fatty acids. Based on this assumption, the objective of this work was to qualify and quantify fatty acids, in samples consisting of raw, integral, parboiled, and white rice marketed in southern Brazil (Vale do Itajai) and the Vale do Po region in northern Italy. The results of this work demonstrate that 95% of the total lipid content, in the respective rice typologies of both countries, is represented by palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acid. These results indicate that the technological processes influence the nutritional and functional quality of the rice grain in these countries. Regarding the content of total polyphenols, the maximum average value obtained was 477 g Eq g-1 for rice from both countries and the best results for antioxidant activity, using the Photoquem® method with methanolic extract, was 3.43 pM Eq Trolox g-1 for the Italian rice samples. These results indicate that the technological processes influence the nutritional and functional quality of rice grain from these countries

Antifungal activity of essential oils against selected terverticillate penicillia

The aim of this study was to screen 15 essential oils of selected plant species, viz. Lavandula angustifolia, Carum carvi, Pinus mungo var. pulmilio, Mentha piperita, Chamomilla recutita L., Pinus sylvestris, Satureia hortensis L., Origanum vulgare L., Pimpinella anisum, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., Abietis albia etheroleum, Chamomilla recutita, L. Rausch, Thymus vulgaris L., Origanum vulgare L. for antifungal activity against five Penicillium species: Penicillium brevicompactum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium crustosum, Penicillium expansum and Penicillium griseofulvum. The method used for screening included the disc diffusion method. The study points out the wide spectrum of antifungal activity of essential oils against Penicillium fungi. There were five essential oils of the 15 mentioned above which showed a hopeful antifungal activity: Pimpinella anisum, Chamomilla recutita L., Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare L. The most hopeful antifungal activity and killing effect against all tested penicillia was found to be Origanum vulgare L. and Pimpinella anisum. The lowest level of antifungal activity was demonstrated by the oils Pinus mungo var. pulmilio, Salvia officinalis L., Abietis albia etheroleum, Chamomilla recutita L. Rausch, Rosmarinus officinalis

Palynological origin, chemical composition, lipid peroxidation and fatty acid profile of organic Tuscanian bee-pollen

The aim of this work is to characterize fresh bee-pollen in order to define the main nutritional properties of this apiary product for future legislation. Organic bee-pollen (n = 5) harvested from Lucca (Tuscany, Italy) was studied for palynological analysis, nutritional content (dry matter, crude protein, lipid, ash and carbohydrate contents), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content and fatty acids (FA) profile. The chemical composition analyses showed an average of 849 g/kg for dry matter, 253 g/kg for proteins, 12.9 g/kg for lipids, 24.7 g/kg for ash, and 561 g/kg for carbohydrates. The average value of TBARS content was 0.96 mg malondialdehyde/kg. Concerning FA composition, results showed differences among organic Tuscanian bee-pollen species. All the investigated pollen species had linoleic acid with a mean value of 55.4 g/kg of total FAs and, α-linolenic acid, with a mean value of 147 g/kg of total FAs. An average n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-6/n-3 PUFA) ratio of 1.70 was found. Considering that the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio and linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid ratio are considered important for the prevention of human diseases, the Tuscanian organic bee-pollen may be of nutraceutical relevance. © 2017 International Bee Research Association