The effect of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead on the genotoxic activity of Boletaceae family mushrooms present in Serbia.

The aim of this study was to determine accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids which are widely distributed in the environment and in food chain using wild edible mushrooms belonging to the Boletaceae family mushrooms. In addition, methanol extracts of mushrooms were tested for in vitro protective effect by the cytochalasin-B blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay using chromosome aberrations in human peripheral lymphocytes as a model. The genotoxic activity of methanol extracts prepared at 4 different concentrations (1, 2, 3 or 6 µg/ml) was examined using amifostine and mitomycin C as positive controls. Extracts of species B. regius and B. edulis exhibited the greatest reduction in the frequency of micronuclei (MN). Extract of B. regius at concentrations of 2 µg/ml showed the highest decrease in number of MN. In comparison, extract of mushroom B. edulis at a concentration of 3 µg/ml displayed less reduction. However, as heavy metals and metalloids are found in mushrooms, another aim was to examine whether these agents affected genotoxicity. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified clustering differences between control and heavy metals and metalloids groups and might explain the influence of heavy element content and genotoxic activity in mushrooms.

Do other Hypericum species have medical potential as St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)?

Among 484 Hypericum L. (Guttiferae/Hypericaceae) species, widespread in warm temperate areas throughout the world, only H. perforatum is widely used in official medicine. Hypericum perforatum has been reported as an antidepressant, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and a healing agent. The main constituents of the Hypericum species are naphthodianthrones, primarily represented by hypericin and pseudohypericin, phloroglucinol derivatives, especially hyperforin, and flavonoids, such as quercetin, quercitrin, hyperoside and rutin. Hypericin and pseudohypericin have been found to possess antiretroviral activity. Hyperforin may also have an important contribution to the antidepressant activity of Hypericum extracts. The content of the above active constituents in some Hypericum species is higher than in H. perforatum. Also, a number of studies of the biological activities of Hypericum species have shown that the most recognized species of this genus, H. perforatum, was not the most active. Comprehensive analysis of the published research on the chemical composition and biological activity, showed that H. richeri has a similar pharmacological potential as St. Jon's wort. The species, with high content of naphtodianthrones,which might be used against viruses and retroviruses, are: H. androseamum,H. annulatum, H. barbatum, H. boissieri, H. elegans, H. hirsutum, H. hyssopifolium, H. humifusum, H. montanum. H. montbretii, H. triquetrifolium, H. richeri, H. rochelii, H. rumeliacum, H. thasium, andH. patulum. Very few species (e.g. H. inodorum and H. moseranum) contained the similar amounts of hyperforine as H. perforatum. Since hyperforin was recognized as one of the most crucial components for the antidepressive activity, it seems that H. perforatum barely has an alternative for this purpose. Plant species containing considerable amounts of other acylphloroglucinol derivatives have the potential to demonstrate antibacterial and cytotoxic activity. Some of these species are: H. sampsonii, H. ascyron, H. foliosum, H. geminiflorum and H. scabrum. However, only a few studies concerning the activity of extracts and isolated compounds were done in vivo. Also, data on the safe usage of Hypericum constituents as phytotherapeutics are scarce. Since some of Hypericum species are scarcely distributed or endemic as well as some of the secondary metabolites are presented in very small amounts, bio-production, especially endophytes, could represent an abundant and reliable source of pharmacologically active metabolites of Hypericum species for exploitation in pharmaceutical industry.

Wild fire impact on copper, zinc, lead and cadmium distribution in soil and relation with abundance in selected plants of Lamiaceae family from Vidlic Mountain (Serbia).

Fire has been considered as an improving factor in soil quality, but only if it is controlled. Severe wild fire occurred in the summer 2007 on the Vidlic Mountain (Serbia) overspreading a huge area of meadows and forests. Main soil characteristics and content of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn) in different fractions obtained after sequential extraction of soil from post-fire areas and from fire non disturbed areas were studied. In four plant species of Lamiaceae family (Ajuga genevensis L., Lamium galeobdolon (L.) L., Teucrium chamaedrys L., Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench.), that grow in typical habitats of the mountain, distribution of heavy metals in aerial parts and roots was investigated too. For all samples from post-fire area cation exchange capacity and soil organic matter content are increased while rH is decreased. Fire caused slightly increased bioavailability of the observed metals but more significant rise happened in metal amounts bound to oxides and organics. The plants showed variable behavior. T. chamaedrys collected on the post-fire area contained elevated concentrations of all analyzed metals. A. alpinus showed higher phytoaccumulation for Zn and Cd, while the other two plant species for Pb and Cd in the post-fire areas.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Micromeria Bentham species.

Published papers considering antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Micromeria Bentham species were reviewed. Possible relationships between composition and bioactivity were discussed.

Antimicrobial synergism and antagonism of salicylaldehyde in Filipendula vulgaris essential oil.

The leaf essential oil of Filipendula vulgaris, consisting mainly of salicylaldehyde (68.6%), was screened for its antimicrobial activity by the disk diffusion and microdilution broth assays. The essential oil remarkably inhibited the growth of all of the tested bacteria and fungi. It seems that the antimicrobial nature of F. vulgaris essential oil can be attributed to the synergistic interactions of the compounds constituting the oil rather than to the presence of a single inhibitory agent. A synergy in salicylaldehyde/linalool mixtures was observed with a maximum interaction situated in the range between 60:40 and 80:20 (mol ratio). At this concentration range (at a dose of 1.7 microg/disk) no microbial growth was observed while the respective pure compounds, at the corresponding quantities, are shown to be dramatically less active. The MIC value for the 60:40 mixture was determined to be less that 0.009 mg/ml. In addition, an antagonistic relationship between salicylaldehyde and methyl salicylate was established. The maximum (negative) interaction was shown to correspond approximately to the mixture at the 40:60 (methyl salicylate/salicylaldehyde) mol ratio resulting in the complete loss of activity at the investigated dose.

[The importance of changes in the septal Q wave induced by exercise in the detection of ischemic heart disease]. / Vrednost promene septumskog talasa Q izazvane fizickim opterecenjem u otkrivanju ishemijske bolesti srca.

Among the numerous variables measured by the electrocardiogram during exercise little attention has been paid to the "septal" Q wave. We examined changes of the "septal" Q wave amplitude during exercise in 43 patients with chest pain. Coronary arteriography showed significant changes in 23 patients and normal arteries in 20. The Q wave amplitude was measured in leads V4-V6 immediately before and at the peak of submaximal bicycle exercise. The amplitude of "septal" Q wave increased during exercise in 11 (55%) patients, and decreased or was not changed in 9 (45%) of the normal subjects (p greater than 0.05). However, the Q wave amplitude increased in 6 (26%) patients, and decreased or was not changed in 17 (74%) patients with ischaemic heart disease (p less than 0.05). Thus, the sensitivity of Q wave analysis in the detection of coronary disease was 74% (p less than 0.05), but specificity was only 55% (p greater than 0.05).