Identification of Resveratrol as Bioactive Compound of Propolis from Western Romania and Characterization of Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extracts.

The present study aimed to assess the phenolic content of eight ethanolic propolis samples (P1-P8) harvested from different regions of Western Romania and their antioxidant activity. The mean value of total phenolic content was 214 ± 48 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g propolis. All extracts contained kaempferol (514.02 ± 114.80 µg/mL), quercetin (124.64 ± 95.86 µg/mL), rosmarinic acid (58.03 ± 20.08 µg/mL), and resveratrol (48.59 ± 59.52 µg/mL) assessed by LC-MS. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 2 methods: (i) DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay using ascorbic acid as standard antioxidant and (ii) FOX (Ferrous iron xylenol orange OXidation) assay using catalase as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenger. The DPPH radical scavenging activity was determined for all samples applied in 6 concentrations (10, 5, 3, 1.5, 0.5 and 0.3 mg/mL). IC50 varied from 0.0700 to 0.9320 mg/mL (IC50 of ascorbic acid = 0.0757 mg/mL). The % of H2O2 inhibition in FOX assay was assessed for P1, P2, P3, P4 and P8 applied in 2 concentrations (5 and 0.5 mg/mL). A significant H2O2% inhibition was obtained for these samples for the lowest concentration. We firstly report the presence of resveratrol as bioactive compound in Western Romanian propolis. The principal component analysis revealed clustering of the propolis samples according to the polyphenolic profile similarity.

Transient Hyperthyroidism following the ingestion of complementary medications containing kelp seaweed: A case-report.

RATIONALE: The prevalence of obesity has increased over the past few years, becoming a public health problem. Generally, the primary therapeutic remedies are diet, physical exercise, medication, and bariatric surgery. However, an increased number of obese and overweight people are using complementary and herbal slimming supplements. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 70-years-old Caucasian woman presented to the outpatient clinic with tachycardia (>100 bpm), insomnia, anxiety, and recent weight loss (6 kilos in 3 months). She had no previous thyroid disease, but she presented transient hyperthyroidism at 3 months after ingestion of tablets containing kelp seaweeds. DIAGNOSES: Hypertensive and obese patient, without previous thyroid disease, presented with transient hyperthyroidism at 3 months following ingestion of tablets containing kelp seaweed. INTERVENTIONS: The kelp-containing tablets were discontinued, and antithyroid therapy with Methimazole was initiated as follows: Methimazole at 15 mg/day for 1 month, at 10 mg/day in the second month, and 5 mg/day for the third month. OUTCOMES: After 3 months of antithyroid therapy and without the consumption of kelp - containing tablets, normal thyroid function was regained. Further analysis revealed normal thyroid function, so the hyperthyroidism reversed completely. LESSONS: Adults who consume complementary medication based on kelp seaweed should be informed of the risk of developing thyroid dysfunction also in the absence of any pre-existing thyroid disease. Due to the high iodine content, supplements containing kelp should be taken with the supervision of a physician and with monitoring of thyroid function.

Intensive care antibiotic consumption and resistance patterns: a cross-correlation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Over recent decades, a dramatic increase in infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens has been observed worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between local resistance bacterial patterns and antibiotic consumption in an intensive care unit in a Romanian university hospital. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2013. Data covering the consumption of antibacterial drugs and the incidence density for the main resistance phenotypes was collected on a monthly basis, and this data was aggregated quarterly. The relationship between the antibiotic consumption and resistance was investigated using cross-correlation, and four regression models were constructed, using the SPSS version 20.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL) and the R version 3.2.3 packages. RESULTS: During the period studied, the incidence of combined-resistant and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains increased significantly [(gradient = 0.78, R2 = 0.707, p = 0.009) (gradient = 0.74, R2 = 0.666, p = 0.013) respectively], mirroring the increase in consumption of ß-lactam antibiotics with ß-lactamase inhibitors (piperacillin/tazobactam) and carbapenems (meropenem) [(gradient = 10.91, R2 = 0.698, p = 0.010) and (gradient = 14.63, R2 = 0.753, p = 0.005) respectively]. The highest cross-correlation coefficients for zero time lags were found between combined-resistant vs. penicillins consumption and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains vs. carbapenems consumption (0.876 and 0.928, respectively). The best model describing the relation between combined-resistant P. aeruginosa strains and penicillins consumption during a given quarter incorporates both the consumption and the incidence of combined-resistant strains in the hospital department during the previous quarter (multiple R2 = 0.953, p = 0.017). The best model for explaining the carbapenem resistance of P. aeruginosa strains based on meropenem consumption during a given quarter proved to be the adjusted model which takes into consideration both previous consumption and incidence density of strains during the previous quarter (Multiple R2 = 0.921, p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: The cross-correlation coefficients and the fitted regression models provide additional evidence that resistance during the a given quarter depends not only on the consumption of antibacterial chemotherapeutic drugs in both that quarter and the previous one, but also on the incidence of resistant strains circulating during the previous quarter.