Antioxidant and anticancer properties of leaves and seed cones from European yew (Taxus baccata L.)

Plant extracts of the leaves and seed cones of European yew Taxus baccata L. (Taxaceae) were analyzed for total phenolic content, flavonoid concentrations, antioxidant and anticancer properties (cytotoxic and proapoptotic activity). The total phenolic content ranged between 8.23 and 210.01 mg Ga/g, with the IC 50 values for antioxidant activity between 25.24 and 533.66 μg/ml. The MTT test showed that the methanolic extract of leaves had better activity on HCT-116 cells than the extract of seed cones, with IC 50 values of 14.3 for 24 h and 4.59 for 72 h. The MDA-MB-231 cell line displayed significantly lower sensitivity to both extracts as compared to the HCT-116 cell line. Microscopic examination indicated that the extracts induced apoptosis in both cell lines. These results suggest that T. baccata leaves and seed cones are a potential source of phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, as natural antioxidant, cytotoxic and strong proapoptotic substances of high value

Physico-chemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of three different types of honey from Central Serbia

There are many studies dealing with the comparison of the quality and biological characteristics of honey of distinct geographical and botanical origins. However, there is scarce literary data on the physico-chemical and biological properties of different types of honey from the same production regions. Honey samples used in this study were from the following botanical origins: forest honey (honeydew), polyfloral honey and monofloral acacia honey. All samples were provided by a local beekeeper from Šumadija district (Central Serbia) and produced during the flowering season in 2018. Spectrophotometric determination of phenolic compounds in honey samples showed that the forest honey contained the highest total phenolics (806.10 mg GAE/kg) and flavonoids (146.27 mg QU/kg) contents, more than ten times higher than acacia honey (68.48 mg GAE/kg and 18.59 mg QU/kg, respectively). Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH· and ABTS·+ assays. Forest honey showed better antioxidant activity than the other examined honey samples (594.77 mg Trolox/kg for ABTS assay and 260.77 mg Trolox/kg for DPPH assay). The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of honey samples against a panel of eleven bacterial and eight fungal species, along with yeast Candida albicans, showed that forest honey was the most effective in inhibition of their growth. These results suggest that forest honey has the best potential, among studied honey samples, for use in the human diet as food with valuable biological properties.Publishe

Antimikrobna aktivnost i fenolni sastav ekstrakta biljke Salvia Verticillata L.

The aim of this study was to investigatethe total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acids,examine the antimicrobial activity of the methanolic extract of S. verticillata aerial part, and demonstrate the presence of rosmarinic acid. The extract was rich in total phenolic content, especially in the total flavonoids content. Using the thin layer chromatography method, rosmarinic acid was identified in the extract.The extract showed moderate to weak antibacterial activity with MIC values of 1.25 to 20 mg/mL and significantly lower antifungal activity. The obtained results suggest that S. verticillata could be subjected to further studies of its pharmacological potential.Cilj ovog rada je bio određivanje ukupne količine fenolnih jedinjenja, flavonoida i fenolnih kiselina, ispitivanje antimikrobne aktivnosti metanolnog ekstrakta nadzemnog dela biljke S. verticillata, kao i dokazivanje prisustva ruzmarinske kiseline. Ekstrakt je sadržao značajnu količinu ukupnih fenolnih jedinjenja, pri čemu se izdvojio po visokom sadržaju flavonoida.TLC hromatografijom pokazano je prisustvo ruzmarinske kiseline u ovom ekstraktu. Ekstrakt je pokazao umerenu do slabu antibakterijsku aktivnost sa MIK vrednostima od 1,25 do 20 mg/mLi znatno slabiju antifungalnu aktivnost. Dobijeni rezultati sugerišu da se mogu nastaviti dalja ispitivanja farmakološkog potncijala biljkeS. verticillata

VARIJABILNOST SESKVITERPENA ETARSKIH ULJA VRSTE TEUCRIUM MONTANUM L

The aim of this study is to determine the qualitative variability and relative presence of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons in essential oils samples of Teucrium montanum L. collected from two different substrate types. Four samples of essential oils from serpentinite and four from calcareous were obtained by the method of hydrodistillation from aboveground plant parts. Based on the results, it was shown that populations from serpentinite habitats synthesize 2 times more sesquiterpenes than from calcareous ones, while the compound 6-epi-β-cubeben was detected only in populations from calcareous. Edaphic characteristics of habitats affect the qualitative composition and relative presence of sesquiterpenes in essential oils, which has a significant application in biotechnology.Publishe

Larvicidal efficacy of Verbascum spp. methanol extracts against Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Verbascum species (fam. Scrophulariaceae) contain a high concentration of rotenone and verbascoside and traditionally have long been used as insecticides. This study is aimed to investigate the larvicidal efficacy of Verbascum thapsus L. and V. phlomoides L. methanolic extracts in the suppression of the Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813), under laboratory conditions. The experiment was set up in two separate blocks (for two different extracts), each as 3˟3˟3 factorial trial: three concentrations of extracts (1, 2 and 5%) were tested against the three larval age groups (14, 14-28 and 28 days old) and each treatment was repeated three times. Mortality was recorded after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Both tested extracts were the most effective 96 h after the exposure in 5% concentration applied on the youngest larvae. Extract of V. thapsus caused the mortality of 64.00%, while in treatment with V. phlomoides extract mortality was 48.00%. Tested Verbascum extracts have shown moderate potential for application as botanical larvicides.Publishe

Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and flavonoid concentrations of different plant parts of Teucrium polium L. subsp. polium

Total phenolic content, concentration of flavonoids and in vitro antioxidant activity of twenty different extracts from the whole plant and plant parts (leaves, flowers and stems) of Teucrium polium were determined. The total phenolic contents ranged between 14.57 to 157.84 mg of GaA/g of extract. The concentrations of flavonoids varied from 6.48 to 139.87 mg of Ru/g of extract. Antioxidant activity was determined in vitro using DPPH reagent and expressed as concentration of each extract required to inhibit radical by 50% (IC50) values that ranged from 26.30 to 2190.75 µg/ml. The methanolic leaves extract contain the greatest concentration of phenolic compounds (157.84 mg of GaA/g) and showed strong antioxidant activity (IC50 = 26.30 µg/ml). Ginkgo and Green tea extracts were analyzed for comparison, and the results indicated that some extracts of T. polium were equal in activity with Ginkgo or Green tea and some appeared to have greater activity. The obtained results suggest strong antioxidant activity and large contribution of separate analysis for the maximum exploitation of active phenolic compounds from T. polium. Based on this information, plant parts of this plant are natural sources of antioxidant substances of high importance

Studies on the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the essential oils and alcoholic extracts of Gentiana asclepiadea L.

The present paper describes the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils, methanolic and n-butanolic extracts of the Gentiana asclepiadea L., collected in Serbia. The essential oils were obtained from underground parts (root and rhizome) and aerial parts (stem, leaves and flowers) of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The major compounds in the oil from underground part were caryophyllene oxide (7.32%), -damascenone (6.98%) and -ionone (2.79%). The main constituents identified in the aerial part oil of G. asclepiadea were toluene (3.79%), tetradecanoic acid (3.37%), linalool (3.17%) and caryophyllene oxide (2.97%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils and plant extracts against several pathogenic bacteria and fungi was studied by minimum inhibitory concentration procedures. Klebsiella pneumoniae was very sensitive against oil from roots with MIC of 0.62 µl/ml, while the oil from aerial part exhibited maximum activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Candida albicans with MIC values of 2.5 µl/ml. The methanolic extract of aerial part showed antimicrobial activities on all microorganisms tested at concentrations ranging from 50 to 1600 µg/ml while the n-butanolic fraction of methanolic extract of underground part was found to be less effective (MIC values: 312.5 to 2500 µg/ml).Publishe

Alcohol consumption among the elderly citizens in Hungary and Serbia: comparative assessment

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Exercise Attenuates Anabolic Steroids-Induced Anxiety via Hippocampal NPY and MC4 Receptor in Rats

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of chronic administration of nandrolone-decanoate (ND) or testosterone-enanthate (TE) in supraphysiological doses and a prolonged swimming protocol, alone and in combination with ND or TE, on anxiety-like behavior in rats. We investigated the immunohistochemical alterations of the hippocampal neuropeptide Y (NPY) and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) neurons, as a possible underlying mechanism in a modulation of anxiety-like behavior in rats. Both applied anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs) induced anxiogenic effect accompanied with decreased serum and hippocampal NPY. The exercise-induced anxiolytic effect was associated with increased hippocampal NPY expression. ND and TE increased the number of MC4R, while the swimming protocol was followed by the reduction of MC4R in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. However, NPY/MC4R ratio in hippocampus was lowered by AASs and elevated by exercise in all hippocampal regions. An augmentation of this ratio strongly and positively correlated to increased time in open arms of elevated plus maze, in the context that indicates anxiolytic effect. Our findings support the conclusion that alterations in both hippocampal NPY and MC4R expression are involved in anxiety level changes in rats, while their quantitative relationship (NPY/MC4R ratio) is even more valuable in the estimation of anxiety regulation than individual alterations for both NPY and MC4R expression in the hippocampus