TAXONOMIC AND PHARMACOLOGICAL VALORIZATION OF THE MEDICINAL FLORA IN SVRLJIŠKI TIMOK GORGE (EASTERN SERBIA)

This paper presents the results of taxonomic and pharmacological valorization of autochthonous medicinal flora in the Svrljiški Timok gorge in Eastern Serbia. The taxonomic structure of group of medicinal plants in the study area was compared with spectrums of medicinal flora of Serbia and similar geographic objects in the region. Herbal substances are listed and the main effect and safety of use is provided for each substance. After the discussion on threat status for each species, necessity of protection of this gorge, characterized by pronounced species diversity and richness in resources of medicinal plants, was specified. Key words: Pharmacological valorization, medicinal plants, herbal substances

Misidentification of tansy, tanacetum macrophyllum, as yarrow, achillea grandifolia: a health risk or benefit?

Tansy, Tanacetum macrophyllum (Waldst. & Kit.) Sch. Bip., is often misidentified by herb collectors as yarrow, Achillea grand folia Friv. With the former, cases of poisoning induced by its ingestion are well documented, but the latter is widely used for ethnopharmacological purposes. The aim of this study was to estimate, based on the volatile metabolite profiles of the two species, the potential health risk connected with their misidentification. GC and GC-MS analysis of the essential oils hydrodistilled using a Clevenger-type apparatus from A. grandifolia, T macrophyllum, and two plant samples (reputedly of A. grandifolia, but in fact mixtures of A. grand folia and T macrophyllum) obtained from a local market, resulted in the identification of 215 different compounds. The main constituents of A. grandifolia oil were ascaridole (15.5%), alpha-thujone (7.5%), camphor (15.6%), borneol (5.2%) and (Z)-jasmone (6.4%), and of T macrophyllum oil, 1,8-cineole (8.6%), camphor (6.4%), borneol (9.1%), isobornyl acetate (9.5%), copaborneol (4.2%) and gamma-eudesmol (6.2%). The compositions of the oils extracted from the samples obtained from the market were intermediate to those of A. grandifolia and T macrophyllum. Significant differences in the corresponding volatile profiles and the literature data concerning the known activities of the pure constituents of the oils, suggested that the pharmacological action of the investigated species (or their unintentional mixtures) would be notably different. It seems, however, that misidentification of T macrophyllum as A. grandifolia does not represent a health risk and that the absence of the toxic alpha-thujone from T macrophyllum oil may in fact be regarded as a benefit

Chemotaxonomy of the peppergrass Lepidium coronopus (L.) Al-Shehbaz (syn. Coronopus squamatus) based on its volatile glucosinolate autolysis products

The genus Lepidium comprises approximately 175 different plant species commonly referred to as peppergrasses or pepperworts ( Al-Shehbaz, 1997 and Mummenhoff et al., 2001), which occur worldwide apart from the polar regions where they are considered rare in the Arctic and are absent from Antarctica. Lepidium is a comparatively large genus belonging to the mustard family Brassicaceae. Lepidium coronopus (L.) Al-Shehbaz, a representative of the genus, is a herbaceous annual to biennial plant that belongs to the tribe Lepidieae and has previously been described by the following synonymous species: Coronopus squamatus (Forsskal) Ascherson; C. squamatus subsp. conradi (Muschler) Maire; C. squamatus subsp. eu-verrucarius Maire; Coronopus procumbens Cesati & al.; Coronopus ruellii All.; Coronopus verrucarius Muschler & Thell; Lepidospartum squamatum Forsskål; Senebiera coronopus (L.) Poiret; and Cochlearia coronopus L

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of Sclerochloa dura (Poaceae)

The plant Sclerochloa dura is traditionally used in South-East Serbia to treat menstrual disorders characterized by pain and excessive bleeding. According to subjects’ statements, a reduction in bleeding and pain is experienced shortly after oral intake. The focus of this investigation was to determine the inhibitory effects of the plant on the arachidonic acid (AA) cascade alongwith the spectrophotometric determination of antioxidant capacity. The AA release assay was performed using the human fibroblastlike synoviocyte cell line SW982 to determine the AA release and hence phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. The crude extract and subsequent fractions of S. dura inhibit IL-1 induced release of AA in a time- and dose-dependent manner in SW982 cells. The IC50 for the crude extract is 1.5 mg/mL at 4 h and 24 h of stimulation. Treating the cells with 0.22, 0.11 and 0.06 mg/mL of methanolic fraction resulted in 97%, 91%, and 63% inhibition of AA-release, respectively. One milligram of the crude extract contained 34.78 μg pyrocatechol equivalent phenolic content, 22.80 μg quercetin equivalent flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of 70.11 μg α-tocopherol equivalents. Strong inhibitory effects of the S. dura extracts on AA cascade may explain the reported pain- and discomfort relieving effects

Using Cs-137 measurements to estimate soil erosion rates in the Pcinja and South Morava River Basins, southeastern Serbia

The need for reliable assessments of soil erosion rates in Serbia has directed attention to the potential for using Cs-137 measurements to derive estimates of soil redistribution rates. Since, to date, this approach has not been applied in southeastern Serbia, a reconnaissance study was undertaken to confirm its viability. The need to take account of the occurrence of substantial Chernobyl fallout was seen as a potential problem. Samples for Cs-137 measurement were collected from a zone of uncultivated soils in the watersheds of Pcinja and South Morava Rivers, an area with known high soil erosion rates. Two theoretical conversion models, the profile distribution (PD) model and diffusion and migration (D and M) model were used to derive estimates of soil erosion and deposition rates from the Cs-137 measurements. The estimates of soil redistribution rates derived by using the PD and D and M models were found to differ substantially and this difference was ascribed to the assumptions of the simpler PD model that cause it to overestimate rates of soil loss. The results provided by the D and M model were judged to more reliable. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved