Biopotential and chemical characterization of extracts and essential oils of species from Juniperus L. genus (Cupressaceae).

Karakterizacija metanolnih ekstrakata i etarskih ulja iglica i šišarki osam vrsta samoniklih kleka (rod Juniperus L.) obuhvatala je fitohemijski skrining i ispitivanje antioksidantne, antiinflamatorne i antimikrobne aktivnosti. Primenom LC-MS/MS i GC-MS tehnike detektovan i odreĎen je sadržaj fenolnih i terpenoidnih sekundarnih biomolekula. Antioksidantna aktivnost ekstrakata i etarskih ulja (sposobnost neutralizacije slobodnih radikala, redukcioni potencijal i inhibicija lipidne peroksidacije) ispitana je primenom spektrofotometrijskih metoda. U cilju odreĎivanja antiinflamatornog potencijala, primenjena je ex vivo metoda za praćenje aktivnosti trombocitne ciklooksigenaze-1 i 12-lipoksigenaze. Antimikrobna aktivnost etarskih ulja odreĎena je na šest odabranih bakterijskih sojeva. Ispitani ekstrakti i etarska ulja pokazali su značajnu biološku aktivnost.Characterization of methanol extracts and essential oils of eight Juniperus L. species included phytochemical screening and evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. The presence and content of phenolics and terpenoids was confirmed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS technique. Antioxidant activity of extracts and essential oils (radical scavenger capacity, reduction potential and inhibition of lipid peroxidation) was examined by spectrophotometric methods. With the intention to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, an ex vivo method was applied to measure activity of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 and 12-lipoxygenase. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated according to six bacterial strains. Examined extracts and essential oils showed noticeable biological activity

Chemical composition of Origanum dictamnus and Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum from Greece

Most of the Origanum species are locally distributed within the Mediterranean region where they grow in the mountainous areas on the islands. Due to this, the rate of endemism is high, as in case of dittany of Crete (O. dictamnus). O. vulgare possesses the largest distribution area and can be found throughout the Mediterranean region, however, the yield and quality of the essential oil is controlled genetically and strongly affected by the environmental influences. Origanum essential oils predominantly containing carvacrol, are generally of superior quality and highly valuable raw material for food as well as in pharmaceutical industry. Essential oil of O. dictimus contains 70.8% of carvacrol, while O. vulgare ssp. hirtum essential oil contains 78.5%. This study indicates the high quality of investigated Origanum species from Greece, and indicates it to be highly valuable raw material for food and in pharmaceutical industry

Therapeutic efficiency of essential oils against Helicobacter pylori infections

Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative bacterium found in the stomach, is the cause of more than 90% of duodenal and 80% of gastric ulcers, and the major risk factor for gastric carcinoma and primary gastric lymphoma. Antibiotic therapy for treating H. pylori infections, the only available in current medical practice, has multiple disadvantages: lack of efficacy, development of resistance, adverse effects, and possible recurrence of the disease. Furthermore, the treatment is often associated with gastrointestinal side effects [1]. Consequently, there is a growing interest in the development of new antimicrobial therapeutic agents, more efficient against H. pylori, preferably of natural origin. Good candidates for that purpose are the volatile compounds present in essential oils. Due to the complexity of their composition, bacteria rarely develop resistance toward them [2]. Here, we reported the results of the efficacy of various essential oils, and their mixtures, against H. pylori. The highest in vitro activity was shown by Satureja hortensis, Origanum vulgare subsp. vulgare and O. vulgare subsp. hirtum essential oils. Furthermore, their binary and ternary mixtures exhibited notably higher antimicrobial activities [3]. The activity of the binary mixture of S. hortensis and O. vulgare subsp. hirtum essential oils (2MIX) was confirmed by an in vivo study in a mouse model, where changes in H. pylori colonization were detected by PCR and histological analyses of gastric samples. Furthermore, 2MIX show neither in vitro nor in vivo toxicity and do not have any immunomodulatory or allergic effect [4]

MEANING OF DETERMINATION OF RETICULOCYTE HEMOGLOBIN EQUIVALENT IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIA

Namen diplomske naloge je bil določitev novega hematološkega parametra RET He (retikulocitni ekvivalent hemoglobina) s pretočno citometrijo pri treh skupinah bolnikov z anemijo: bolnikih z anemijo zaradi pomanjkanja železa, bolnikih z anemijo zaradi pomanjkanja železa, ki so se zdravili s preparati železa in bolnikih z okvaro kostnega mozga (mielodisplastični sindrom), ki so anemični, ker kostni mozeg ne proizvaja dovolj rdečih krvnih celic ali pa so te nefunkcionalne (displastični). Dobljene vrednosti smo primerjali s klasičnimi hematološkimi (Hb, MCH, MCV, MCHC) in biokemijskimi (serumsko železo, feritin) kazalci pomanjkanja železa. Pri bolnikih z anemijo zaradi pomanjkanja železa so rezultati pokazali visoko korelacijo med RET He in hematološkimi parametri (r=0,83-0,92). Med RET He in feritinom je nekoliko nižja (0,73). Najnižja je med RET He in serumskim železom (0,65). Pri bolnikih z MDS je zaradi kompleksnosti bolezni vrednost parametra RET He težje opredeljiva.The purpose of my diploma thesis was to determine the new hematological parameter of RET He (reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent) with the help of the flow cytometry. We determined it at three groups of anemic patients: patients with iron deficiency anemia, patients with iron deficiency anemia who were healed by iron, and the patients who have damaged bone marrow (myelodysplastic syndrome) and are anemic because the bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells or the cells are dysfunctional. Gained values were compared to classical hematological (Hb, MCH, MCV, MCHC) and biochemical (serum iron and feritin) indicators of iron deficiency. Results at patients with iron deficiency anemia showed high correlation between med RET He and hematological parameters (r=0,83-0,92). Correlation between RET He and feritin is lower (0,73). The lowest is between RET He and serum iron (0, 65). At MDS patients the value of the parameter is hard to define because of complexity of the illness

Biopotential and chemical characterization of extracts and essential oils of species from Juniperus L. genus (Cupressaceae).

Karakterizacija metanolnih ekstrakata i etarskih ulja iglica i šišarki osam vrsta samoniklih kleka (rod Juniperus L.) obuhvatala je fitohemijski skrining i ispitivanje antioksidantne, antiinflamatorne i antimikrobne aktivnosti. Primenom LC-MS/MS i GC-MS tehnike detektovan i odreĎen je sadržaj fenolnih i terpenoidnih sekundarnih biomolekula. Antioksidantna aktivnost ekstrakata i etarskih ulja (sposobnost neutralizacije slobodnih radikala, redukcioni potencijal i inhibicija lipidne peroksidacije) ispitana je primenom spektrofotometrijskih metoda. U cilju odreĎivanja antiinflamatornog potencijala, primenjena je ex vivo metoda za praćenje aktivnosti trombocitne ciklooksigenaze-1 i 12-lipoksigenaze. Antimikrobna aktivnost etarskih ulja odreĎena je na šest odabranih bakterijskih sojeva. Ispitani ekstrakti i etarska ulja pokazali su značajnu biološku aktivnost.Characterization of methanol extracts and essential oils of eight Juniperus L. species included phytochemical screening and evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. The presence and content of phenolics and terpenoids was confirmed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS technique. Antioxidant activity of extracts and essential oils (radical scavenger capacity, reduction potential and inhibition of lipid peroxidation) was examined by spectrophotometric methods. With the intention to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, an ex vivo method was applied to measure activity of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 and 12-lipoxygenase. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated according to six bacterial strains. Examined extracts and essential oils showed noticeable biological activity

THE DIALECT OF THE VILLAGE SV. JERNEJ NAD MUTO

Magistrsko delo zajema teoretično in empirično analizo govora hribovite obmejne vasi Sv. Jernej nad Muto, ki vključuje opis vokalizma, konzonantizma, oblikoslovja, skladnje, besedotvorja in besedoslovja, dopolnjuje pa jo obsežno gradivo (besede in frazemi) za narečni slovar. Besede in stalne besedne zveze so bile zbrane z intervjuvanjem informatorjev, z večletnim aktivnim usmerjenim poslušanjem govora in zapisovanjem ter z lastno kompetenco rojenega govorca. V magistrskem delu je prikazano tudi, koliko in katere besede iz govora so se pojavile že v rokopisnem slovarju Ivana Antona Apostla iz leta 1760. Govor Sv. Jerneja nad Muto spada v koroško narečno skupino, v vzhodno podjunsko narečje. Sem ga lahko uvrstimo predvsem zaradi ohranjenih koroških glasovnih pojavov (švapanje, štekanje, naglasni pomiki tipa babíca – mis\u27li:li„, de\u27lo:li„), ki so v remšniškem podnarečju pod vplivom štajerskih govorov (zlasti kozjaškega govora) že opuščeni. Z besedoslovnega in deloma skladenjskega vidika je za govor značilen predvsem velik vpliv nemškega jezika, na ravni glasoslovja in oblikoslovja pa je govor ostal zvest slovenskemu jezikovnemu razvoju. V magistrski nalogi je nakazano, kako se starejše narečne oblike ohranjajo in razvijajo pri mlajših govorcih. Nalogi so dodani tudi zapisi govora Sv. Primoža nad Muto ter sosednjih avstrijskih vasic Laaken in Rothwein, ki jih dopolnjuje kratka primerjava govorov.This master’s degree thesis gathers theoretical and empirical analysis of a dialect spoken by people from a hilly border village Sv. Jernej nad Muto. It includes the description of vocalism, consonantism, morphology, syntax, word formation and lexicology and it is also completed by extensive material (words and idioms) for dialectal dictionary. I gathered words and collocations through interviews with informants, through actively oriented listening and writing the dialect which took place several years and also through personal competence as a native speaker. I have also checked how many and which words from the dialect have already been mentioned in a manuscript dictionary by Ivan Anton Apostel from year 1760. The dialect of Sv. Jernej nad Muto belongs to the Carinthia’s dialect group, moreover to Eastern Podjuna dialect. This classification can be made mostly because of the Carinthia’s vocal occurrences which are still preserved (švapanje, štekanje, move of the diacritical mark type babíca – mis\u27li:li„, de\u27lo:li„) but which are in Remšnik’s sub-dialect under the influence of Styria dialect (especially Kozjak dialect), already disused. In case of lexicology and partially syntax it is typical that German language has hugely influenced the dialect but in case of phonetics and morphology it stayed loyal to Slovenian linguistic development. In this master’s degree thesis we can see how older dialect forms are preserved and developed with younger speakers. Written dialect of Sv. Primož nad Muto is also added to this thesis as well as the written dialects of neighboring Austrian villages Laaken and Rothwein which are completed with short dialect comparison

Role of Dietary Flavonoids in Iron Homeostasis

Balancing systemic iron levels within narrow limits is critical for human health, as both iron deficiency and overload lead to serious disorders. There are no known physiologically controlled pathways to eliminate iron from the body and therefore iron homeostasis is maintained by modifying dietary iron absorption. Several dietary factors, such as flavonoids, are known to greatly affect iron absorption. Recent evidence suggests that flavonoids can affect iron status by regulating expression and activity of proteins involved the systemic regulation of iron metabolism and iron absorption. We provide an overview of the links between different dietary flavonoids and iron homeostasis together with the mechanism of flavonoids effect on iron metabolism. In addition, we also discuss the clinical relevance of state-of-the-art knowledge regarding therapeutic potential that flavonoids may have for conditions that are low in iron such as anaemia or iron overload diseases