Chemical Analysis of Selected Seaweeds and Seagrass from the Adriatic Coast of Montenegro.

Three seaweeds (Halimeda tuna, Codium bursa and Cystoseira barbata) and one seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) were collected from the Coast of Montenegro, Gulf of Boka Kotorska and their chemical analysis was performed. In seagrass C. nodosa, three phenolic compounds were identified (diosmetin 7-sulfate, caftaric and coutaric acid). The content of ß-glucan, fatty acids, sterols and micro- and macro-elements were investigated among all samples. The highest content of ß-glucan was detected in C. nodosa seagrass (13.04±0.42 g/100 g). The highest polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) level was reported in C. barbata, the brown alga (7.157 mg/g), which also had the significant sterol content (fucosterol, 21.76±0.1 µg/g). Green algae, C. bursa and H. tuna, showed the highest level of sterols (ß-sitosterol, 95.21±0.16 µg/g and 73.90±0.08 µg/g, respectively). H. tuna had the highest content of calcium (Ca) in amount of 55125 µg/g. In C. bursa, C. barbata and C. nodosa, the Na/K ratio was low (0.43, 0.46 and 0.69, respectively).

Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities of Cantharellus cibarius Fr. (Cantarellaceae).

Antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of cyclohexane, dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Cantharellus cibarius were tested. Broth microdilution assay was performed against 10 bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus feacalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella abony), with emphasis on Helicobacter pylori. Methanol extract was the most active against H. pylori strains with minimal inhibitory concentration values between 4 and 32 µg/mL. All extracts were active against antibiotic resistant H. pylori. Methanol and aqueous extracts had no cytotoxicity against tested cell lines, whereas cyclohexane and dichloromethane extracts were active against HeLa and N87 cells, but also against healthy MRC-5 cells (IC50 39.26 ± 1.24-134.79 ± 0.01 µg/mL). The tested aqueous extracts have shown 68% of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity in doses of 1.25 mg/mL. Chemical analysis has shown the presence of linoleic, cis-vaccenic, and oleic acids, sterols, ß-glucans, and polyphenolic compounds.

Therapeutic properties of mushrooms in managing adverse effects in the metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a modern medical condition characterized by central obesity, hyperglycaemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension. The beneficial effects of mushrooms in lowering the symptoms of MS were known from both traditional and conventional medicine. Edible mushrooms, their extracts, polysaccharide fractions and isolated compounds possessed hypoglycaemic, cholesterol and triglyceride lowering ability, hypotensive effects, as well as weight managing activity by influencing satiety. The most active compounds are polysaccharides, called ß-glucans, as well as lectines and small compounds such as eritadenin, triterpenes, sterols and phenolic compounds.