Libyan Thymus capitatus essential oil: antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and colon pathogen adhesion-inhibition properties.

AIMS: In the present work, the Libyan wild-growing Thymus capitatus essential oil (EO) was evaluated for its biological properties. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carvacrol (68.19%) and thymol (12.29%) were found to be the main compounds of the oil. Antioxidant properties, determined by 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, revealed that IC50 values were 119, 403 and 105 µg ml(-1) for oil, thymol and carvacrol respectively. Microdilution method showed strong antibacterial and especially antifungal potential. Tetrazolium (MTT) colorimetric assay indicated moderate cytotoxicity towards human cell lines MRC-5, HCT 116 and HT-29 (IC50 = 30-150 µg ml(-1)). In adhesion-inhibition assay oil and main compounds reduced adhesion of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes on colon cells HT-29 (51 and 39% of inhibition against L. monocytogenes and E. coli respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Essential oil of Th. capitatus showed moderate cytotoxic activity, together with excellent antimicrobial effect, in particular against fungi, and significant potential to reduce pathogen colonization in colon. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first report that EO of Th. capitatus could protect against colonization of pathogens to colon epithelium. Thymus capitatus from Libya should be recognized as possible new source of natural antioxidants, antimicrobials as well as possible source of new chemotherapeutics.

Kinetics of ultrasonic extraction of extractive substances from garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage.

The kinetics of ultrasonic extraction of extractive substances (ES) from dry herbs of garden (Salvia officinalis L.) and glutinous (Salvia glutinosa L.) sage using petroleum ether, 70% ethanol or water at 40 degrees C, as well as the composition of dry extracts, were studied. The mechanism of ultrasonic extraction is confirmed to occur in two steps: first, dissolution of the ES near the particle surface (washing) and, second, diffusion from the solid particles to the bulk of the liquid extract (slow extraction). The process is described mathematically using three concepts of the unsteady diffusion through plant material, the film theory and the empirical equation of Ponomaryov. The yield of ES increases with increasing solvent polarity, and nearly the maximum concentration of ES in liquid extracts is achieved for about 20 min. The composition of extracts depends on both the extraction conditions applied and the plant material.

Brain lipids in rat after chronic diazepam treatment.

Male Wistar rats with an initial weight of 170g were maintained on a nutritionally adequate diet, and diazepam was administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg/d. Control animals were pair-fed an adequate diet. The feeding was continued for 180 d, and the effects on brain lipid contents were studied. It was found that the contents of the phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine, the monogalactosyl glycolipids, hydroxy and nonhydroxy fatty acyl galactocerebroside, sulfoglycolipids, and the gangliosides, GM1, GD1a, GD1b, and GT1b, were significantly reduced in the brain of diazepam-treated rats. There was a significantly increased content of phosphatidylinositol after 180 d of diazepam treatment. The results suggest that changes in brain lipid content may mediate the adaptive changes that occur upon prolonged exposure to diazepam.

Some effects of chronic experimental protein malnutrition and ethanol intake on the ganglioside composition of rat brain during adulthood.

Four groups of rats were used in a nutritionally-controlled study of experimental protein malnutrition and ethanol intake on brain ganglioside composition (GM3, GM2, GM1, GD1a, GD1b, GT1b and GQ1). Male Wistar rats chronically consuming ethanol were fed isoenergetic diets containing 22% (SC-22) or 6% protein (SPD-6), from 60 to 240 days of age. Protein malnutrition initiated at 60 days of age affected monosialoganglioside GM1 composition by 240 days of age. Among the effects of ethanol was an increase of the relative proportion of N-acetylneuraminic acid in the trisialoganglioside GT1b, while there was decrease of the disialoganglioside GD1a. Effects of low protein diet generally did not interfere with ethanol effects except for GD1a and GT1b gangliosides. These changes may be adaptive responses to the fluidizing effect of ethanol on brain membranes.

Influence of high-protein diets on brain phospholipid, ganglioside and monogalactosyl glycolipid content previously altered by long-term low-protein and ethanol administration.

A previous study was undertaken to determine the influence of the combined effects of ethanol consumption and a low-protein diet on brain membrane (phospholipids and gangliosides) and myelin (monogalactosyl glycolipids) lipids. Male Wistar rats chronically consuming ethanol were fed isoenergetic diets containing 22% protein (controls) or 6% protein (protein-deprived) from 60 to 240 days of age. Protein malnutrition initiated at 60 days of age affected phosphatidylglycerol, sphingophospholipid, monosialoganglioside GM1 and cerebroside containing nervonic fatty acid by 240 days of age. Among the effects of ethanol was an increase of the relative proportion of lipid galactose in monogalactosyl glycolipids and of N-acetylneuraminic acid in the trisialoganglioside GT1b, while there was decrease of the lipid phosphorus in the investigated phospholipids and of the disialoganglioside GD1a. The low-protein diet generally interfered with ethanol effects except for monosialo GM3, GM2 and GM1 gangliosides. The present study was carried out to investigate whether the ethanol-induced effect on these brain lipids could be elevated when we switched these animals to diets with 21 or 34% protein during the following 90 days. It was found that increasing protein intake and cessation of drinking ethanol returned the investigated brain phospholipids, monogalactosyl glycolipids and gangliosides to control values.

Cerebellar hemangioblastoma with erythropoietin in cerebrospinal fluid.

A patient with cerebellar hemangioblastoma and secondary erythrocytosis is presented. Erythropoietin, indirectly determined by measuring 59Fe incorporation in polycythemic mouse bioassay, was not detected in serum and urine, but was found in cerebrospinal fluid. The significance of erythropoietin determination in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with cerebellar hemangioblastoma is stressed.

Chronic alcohol intake and some monogalactosyl glycolipids of the rat brain.

The effect on monogalactosyl glycolipid complement (cerebrosides with hydroxy and non-hydroxy fatty acids, sulphatides and monogalactosyldiglyceride) after 38 weeks of feeding 25% sucrose-32% ethyl alcohol have been studied. Chronic alcohol intake produced a statistically significant increase of cerebrosides with hydroxy and non-hydroxy fatty acids and monogalactosyldiglycerides as well as decrease of sulphatides in male Wistar rats brain.

[Various quantities of sunflower seed oil in the diet, long-term administration of hydrocortisone and liver tissue lipids in rats]. / Razlicite kolicine suncokretovog ulja u ishrani, dugotrajna primena hidrokoritzona i lipidi tkiva jetre pacova.

The influence of different quantities of vegetable oil/sunflower oil/and the long-term ingestion of hydrocortisone on the total lipid content of the liver in rats and cholesterol was studied. The rats were of Wistar strain, males, 2 months old at the beginning of the experiment. The sunflower oil comprised 5 g%/diet A/ and 20 g%/diet B/ in the diet of rats. Two groups of animals were on diet A or B and took as much water as required. Another two experimental groups were on similar diets A or B, with an additional ingestion of 0.5 mg/kg of hydrocortisone natrium-succinate over the whole period of experiment. The experiment lasted 6 months. The study showed that the major participation of the sunflower oil/20 g%/ induced the increase of the total lipid content of the liver, with significant increase of cholesterol. Long-term ingestion of glucocorticosteroids/hydrocortisone natrium-succinate/induced the significant increase of the content of total lipids and cholesterol in the liver tissue in rats, independent of ingestion of sunflower oil in diet.