Antimikrobna aktivnost odabranih biljnih vrsta rodova Arbutus L., Bruckenthalia rchb., Calluna salisb. i Erica L. (Ericaceae)

Uvae ursi folium (Arctostaphylos uva ursi, Ericaceae) is the best known and most widely used herbal urinary antiseptic. In traditional medicine, other Ericaceae species are also used for the treatment of urinary tract infections. The present study investigates antimicrobial activity of five species of Ericaceae family native to the Balkan Peninsula: Arbutus unedo, Bruckenthalia spiculifolia, Calluna vulgaris, Erica arborea and Erica carnea. Ethanolic extracts were tested against 10 different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria by the disc diffusion technique, where standard tetracycline, streptomycin and penicillin discs and discs containing crystal violet (1 mg/ml) and solvent (70.0% v/v ethanol) were used as controls. The most prominent antibacterial effect was achieved on Staphylococcus aureus with extracts of Calluna vulgaris and Erica carnea. Tested samples showed no activity against the gram-negative strains Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Inhibitory effects on the growth of gram-positive bacteria were more potent. The exception is Arbutus unedo ethanol extract which exhibited certain activity against a laboratory strain of wild Escherichia coli. Antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extracts against 10 tested strains of bacteria in disc diffusion assay was generally weak, even for sample in which HPLC determination confirmed the presence of arbutin (secondary metabolite responsible for most of the antibacterial activity of Uvaeursi folium).Najpoznatiji i najviše korišćeni biljni uroantiseptik je list uve, Uvaeursi folium (Arctostaphylos uva ursi, Ericaceae). U tradicionalnoj medicini često se i druge vrste familije Ericaceae spominju u lečenju urinarnih infekcija. Provera antimikrobne aktivnosti izvršena je za sledeće biljne vrste ove familije koje samostalno rastu u flori Balkanskog poluostrva: Arbutus unedo, Bruckentalia spiculifolia, Calluna vulgaris, Erica arborea i Erica carnea. Antimikrobna aktivnost etanolnih ekstrakata listova ispitivana je diskdifuzionom metodom, korišćenjem 10 sojeva gram pozitivnih i gram negativnih bakterija, pri čemu su kao kontrole korišćeni standardni diskovi tetraciklina, streptomicina i penicilina, kao i diskovi sa rastvorom kristalvioleta (1 mg/ml) i rastvarača (70.0% v/v etanol). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli i Klebsiella pneumoniae nisu osetljive ni na jedan od ispitivanih ekstrakata. Kao najbolji rezultati mogu se izdvojiti aktivnosti ekstrakta Calluna vulgaris i Erica carnea na bakterijski soj Staphylococcus aureus. Testirani uzorci uglavnom ispoljavaju antimikrobnu aktivnost prema gram pozitivnim sojevima. Izuzetak je etanolni ekstrakt vrste Arbutus unedo, koji ispoljava određenu antimikrobnu aktivnost prema laboratorijskom soju Escherichia coli. Antimikrobna aktivnost etanolnih ekstrakata prema 10 testiranih bakterijskih sojeva u diskdifuzionoj metodi je veoma slaba, čak i za uzorak za koji je HPLC analizom utvrđeno prisustvo arbutina (sekundarni metabolit odgovoran za uroantiseptično dejstvo lista uve)

Evaluation of in vivo effects on surfactant-irritated human skin, antioxidant properties and phenolic composition of five Ericaceae species extracts

Arbutus unedo, Bruckentalia spiculifolia, Calluna vulgaris, Erica arborea and Erica carnea possess strong antioxidant activity and they are traditionally used for the treatment of various skin diseases. The present study investigated the total phenylpropanoid content, antioxidant properties and phenolic composition of dry leaf ethanol extracts of these species. Furthermore, the in vivo effects of gels, each containing 2% of a single extract were tested on the artificially irritated human skin using the objective methods of skin biophysical measurements (erythema index (EI), pH of the skin and electrical capacitance (EC) as a measure of skin hydration level were assessed). In total, 13 components were identified by RP-HPLC coupled with DAD detection; quercitrin, quercetin 3-O-glucoside and gallic acid were detected in all investigated samples while chlorogenic acid and quercetin were present in 4 samples. Regarding the in vivo study, all investigated gels significantly decreased the skin irritation level and reversed the pH of the skin disturbed by preirritation, while results were contradictory regarding skin hydration measurements. In conclusion, the assessed in vivo topical effects of investigated extracts matched well with their phenylpropanoid content as well as with assessed antioxidant activities

Attitudes, Behaviour and Knowledge on Sexuality among Female Adolescents in Zagreb, Croatia

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of knowledge about sexuality, attitudes and sexual behaviour of female adolescents. The study included 194 female students, 117 from Medical High School (MHS) and 77 from General High School (GHS) in Zagreb. Data was collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. In addition to items on personal data (age, parental education etc.), the participants were asked to define terms about sexuality (e.g. menstruation, puberty) the definitions of which are found in biology textbooks for the fifth and eighth grade of primary school. The aim of the third part of the survey was to collect information about attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents. The results showed a low level of knowledge in students of both schools. General High School students showed a higher level of knowledge than their Medical High School peers. One fifth of General High School students and 1/3 of Medical High School students were unable to define the term »menstruation«. The majority of adolescents talk about sexuality with their friends, 92.1% of General High School and 81.2% of Medical High School students. Almost 50% of students of both schools would like to talk about sexuality with their school doctor. 6.9% of Medical High School students had at least one sexual intercourse while none of the General High School students had been sexually active at the time of the survey. As the majority of students were not sexually active and results showed a rather low level of knowledge, this seems to be the ideal period for the implementation of educational programs aimed at increasing the level of knowledge, and thus preventing unwanted consequences (STD, pregnancy, abortion, infertility)

New localities of the subendemic species Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica in the Dinaric Alps

New localities of three subendemic species (Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica) have been found in the Dinaric Alps. Berberis croatica was found at ten new locations, nine of them in Croatia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teucrium arduini was found on Mt Učka, Mt Velebit, Mt Biokovo and Mt Sniježnica, at nine new locations while Micromeria croatica was found at four new locations, only on Mt Velebit

Procena faktora rizika ranih komplikacija urgentnih hirurških intervencija na gastrointestinalnom traktu kod bolesnika starijeg životnog doba

Introduction: The study covers the frequency and the most important risk factors related to early postoperative complications experienced by elderly patients who underwent an emergency gastrointestinal surgery. This does not include laparoscopic treatment and traumas. Despite the improved surgical techniques, anesthesiology procedures and postoperative care and reanimation, surgeons do not like to operate on such patients due to the increased risk from both surgical and non-surgical procedures, with the increase of both intra-operative and postoperative mortality rate. The increase of the number of older people in developed countries and the screening program usage for early detection of illnesses leads to an increased number of surgical procedures carried out those who are older than 65. Methods: The research was undertaken on General Surgery Clinic of Nis Clinical Center in the period between 1 September 2015 and 30 August 2017. The research included the patients who were 65 or youger (test group) and the patients who were younger than 65. (control group). The patients in both groups underwent gastrointestinal surgical procedures (stomach, small intestine and colon). Gender and age structure were analyzed for all the patients, American Anasthesiologists’ Classification, Physiologic Severity Score and Operative Severity Score, biochemical parameters (CRP procalcitonin, creatinine, urea, proteins etc.), underlying chronical deseases (cardiac, respiratory, kidney etc). BMI, as the measure of the overal obesity degree was determined. The type of surgical intervention was monitored in relation with the type of lesions (benign/malignant desease) and the localization (stomach, small intestine or colon), the length of surgical intervention and the amount of lost blood. In the post-operative procedure the application of medicament therapy was monitored as well as the application of of blood and blood derivate components. The frequnecy of surgical complications was aslo monitored and compared (laparotomy dechicence, dechicence of anastomosis, bleeding, ileus) and also of non-surgical complications (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular insult, deep vein thrombosis, respiratory and kidney insufficiency etc.) 30 days after the surgical intervention, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for data normality assessment and T-test for the comparison of two groups of data if normal distribution is satisfied. If the arithmetic means and standard deviations, medians and interquartal differences or data distribution were not normal, Mann-Whitney U test was used. For the comparison of three or more groups of data, if the normal distribution was satisfied, ANOVA was used. If normal distribution was not satisfied during the comparison of three or more groups, Kruskal-Wallis test was used. Cox regression analysis was used to determine hazard ratio for each of the tested biochemical parameters. Statistical data processing was carried out in SPSS 16.0 program package (SPSS Inc, Chicago Il, USA). Results: The following distribution of early postoperative complications was determined: dehiscence of anastomosis and intestinal fistula with 20 (41.7%) patients, (multivariate analysis pointed out a higher ASA score and stomach surgeries as the most important risk factors for dehiscence of anastomosis and gastrointestinal fistula), intra-abdominal abscess with 9 (18,8%) patients, septicaemia with 9 (18,8%) patients, deep wound infections with 7 (14,6%) patients and 3 (6,3%) patients with intra-abdominal bleeding. Thre were no gender differences in the experiencing of the complications while the complications were more common after the operation of the pathological processes on stomach. Multivariate analysis highlighted the duration of the procedure, a higher ASA score and diabetis melitus as the most important risk factors for septic complications (sepsis, intra-abdominal abscess and deep wound infections). Conclusion: The research has shown that age is not a risk factor for postoperative complications with emergency gastrointestinal surgeries

Procena faktora rizika ranih komplikacija urgentnih hirurških intervencija na gastrointestinalnom traktu kod bolesnika starijeg životnog doba

Introduction: The study covers the frequency and the most important risk factors related to early postoperative complications experienced by elderly patients who underwent an emergency gastrointestinal surgery. This does not include laparoscopic treatment and traumas. Despite the improved surgical techniques, anesthesiology procedures and postoperative care and reanimation, surgeons do not like to operate on such patients due to the increased risk from both surgical and non-surgical procedures, with the increase of both intra-operative and postoperative mortality rate. The increase of the number of older people in developed countries and the screening program usage for early detection of illnesses leads to an increased number of surgical procedures carried out those who are older than 65. Methods: The research was undertaken on General Surgery Clinic of Nis Clinical Center in the period between 1 September 2015 and 30 August 2017. The research included the patients who were 65 or youger (test group) and the patients who were younger than 65. (control group). The patients in both groups underwent gastrointestinal surgical procedures (stomach, small intestine and colon). Gender and age structure were analyzed for all the patients, American Anasthesiologists’ Classification, Physiologic Severity Score and Operative Severity Score, biochemical parameters (CRP procalcitonin, creatinine, urea, proteins etc.), underlying chronical deseases (cardiac, respiratory, kidney etc). BMI, as the measure of the overal obesity degree was determined. The type of surgical intervention was monitored in relation with the type of lesions (benign/malignant desease) and the localization (stomach, small intestine or colon), the length of surgical intervention and the amount of lost blood. In the post-operative procedure the application of medicament therapy was monitored as well as the application of of blood and blood derivate components. The frequnecy of surgical complications was aslo monitored and compared (laparotomy dechicence, dechicence of anastomosis, bleeding, ileus) and also of non-surgical complications (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular insult, deep vein thrombosis, respiratory and kidney insufficiency etc.) 30 days after the surgical intervention, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used for data normality assessment and T-test for the comparison of two groups of data if normal distribution is satisfied. If the arithmetic means and standard deviations, medians and interquartal differences or data distribution were not normal, Mann-Whitney U test was used. For the comparison of three or more groups of data, if the normal distribution was satisfied, ANOVA was used. If normal distribution was not satisfied during the comparison of three or more groups, Kruskal-Wallis test was used. Cox regression analysis was used to determine hazard ratio for each of the tested biochemical parameters. Statistical data processing was carried out in SPSS 16.0 program package (SPSS Inc, Chicago Il, USA). Results: The following distribution of early postoperative complications was determined: dehiscence of anastomosis and intestinal fistula with 20 (41.7%) patients, (multivariate analysis pointed out a higher ASA score and stomach surgeries as the most important risk factors for dehiscence of anastomosis and gastrointestinal fistula), intra-abdominal abscess with 9 (18,8%) patients, septicaemia with 9 (18,8%) patients, deep wound infections with 7 (14,6%) patients and 3 (6,3%) patients with intra-abdominal bleeding. Thre were no gender differences in the experiencing of the complications while the complications were more common after the operation of the pathological processes on stomach. Multivariate analysis highlighted the duration of the procedure, a higher ASA score and diabetis melitus as the most important risk factors for septic complications (sepsis, intra-abdominal abscess and deep wound infections). Conclusion: The research has shown that age is not a risk factor for postoperative complications with emergency gastrointestinal surgeries

Arbutin content and antioxidant activity of some Ericaceae species

Quantitative analyses and investigation of antioxidant activity of herb and dry ethanolic extracts of five species from Ericaceae family (Arbutus unedo L., Bruckentalia spiculifolia Rchb., Calluna vulgaris Salisb., Erica arborea L. and Erica carnea L.) were performed. Total polyphenols, tannins and flavonoids were determined spectrophotometrically and arbutin content was measured both spectrophotometrically and by HPLC coupled with DAD detection Antioxidative properites of the ethanolic extracts were tested by means of FRAP (total antioxidant capacity), lipid peroxidation and DPPH free radical scavenging activity. A significant amount of arbutin was detected only in Arbutus unedo. All samples investigated showed excellent antioxidant activity. The best inhibition of lipid peroxidation has been shown by Bruckentalia spiculifolia herb extract (62.5 mu g/ml; more than 95%), which contained the highest amount of flavonoids (11.79%). The highest scavenging activity was obtained with leave extract of Arbutus unedd (IC(50) = 7.14 mu g/ml). The leaves of A. unedd contained a small amount of flavonoids but high content of non-tannins polyphenols