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Medicinal plants have widely been used as a natural source of remedies for treating several diseases, including colorectal cancer. Ocimum minimum L. is a very important dietary plant used in traditional and modern medicine, due to its health beneficial effect realized by cytotoxic, proapoptotic, antioxidant/prooxidant, antiviral and antimicrobial activity. The biological activity of O. minimum flowers has been evaluated in HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells through antiproliferative activity by MTT assay, pro-apoptotic activity by AO/EB and concentrations of redox status parameters (O2∙ and lipid peroxidation) by colorimetric methods. The protein expression of iNOS was analyzed by immunocytochemistry, while the antimigratory effect was measured by xCELLigence system. The treatment with O. minimum shows the antiproliferative, proapoptotic, impact on redox status parameters and antimigratory effect on HCT-116 cells. Based on obtained results, the pharmacological effect of O. minimum is evident against HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma cells, suggesting that this plant may be good start material for future anticancer therapy investigation.

Asbestos is widely mined and used around the globe posing a great risk to environment and human health. The main objective of this study was to determine allelopathic potential of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle growing on the asbestos deposits at abandoned mine “Stragari” in central Serbia. The pH, content of carbon, nitrogen, calcium carbonate, available phosphorous and potassium, content of Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn, and phenolics were analyzed in the control asbestos (zones without vegetation cover) and plant rhizospheric asbestos. Allelopathic activity of plant species was assessed by “rhizosphere soil method”, and Trifolium pratense L. and Medicago sativa L. were used as the indicator species. A. altissima showed higher allelopathic potential compared to R. pseudoacacia for T. pratense and M. sativa due to greater content of phenolics. Alleopathic activity of phenolics in rhizospheric asbestos was highly correlated with pH, content of carbon and nitrogen, available phosphate and potassium, and content of Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb and Mn. A. altissima increased phenolics content in rhizospheric asbestos inhibiting the plant growth. This woody plant in spite of high allelopathic potential is suitable for revegetation of distrurbed ecosystems because it initiates pedogenesis and affects the asbestos chemistry. [Projects of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III41010 and Grant no. OI173018]

Phytoremediation as a technique for cleaning soil contaminated with potentially toxic metals uses plants that can absorb them, and then translocate and accumulate them in above-ground parts. Its effectiveness depends on the selection of adequate plants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential of three wild herbaceous plant species (Holcus lanatus L., Agrostis alba L., and Eupatorium cannabinum L.) growing on mine tailings for phytoremediation applications. The content of selected metals in soil and plant samples was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The research results indicate that the content of Pb and Cu in the soil of the rhizosphere of the studied species was higher than their remediation values, after the exploitation of polymetallic ore (lead-zinc-copper), which made the tailings an ecological hazard. The species H. lanatus proved to be a good candidate for the phytoaccumulation of Cr, and the species A. alba of Ca, while the species E. cannabinum proved to be phytoaccumulator of all tested metals in the researched mine tailings. Potential for phytoextraction applications were shown by the species H. lanatus for Cd, Cu, Mg and Ni, and A. alba for Cd and Zn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]