Search

Maintaining the health of the human body and increasing the quality of life have become central elements of interest in current research. Modern medicine emphasizes the fact that the health of the body and the increase in longevity are closely related to nutrition during the individual's life. Thus, the kombucha drink represents one of the functional foods extremely rich in active bio-compounds and microorganisms that have proven to be beneficial for health. In this review, the method of obtaining the drink, its composition, and the present compounds are described in an easy-tounderstand approach. The emphasis is on highlighting the multiple biological activities of this drink in distinct medical spheres, such as oxidative stress, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, dermatological diseases, antimicrobial anti-inflammatory capacity. Also described are the elements that make up this miraculous drink (substrate type, SCOBY, and added carbon source), respectively innovative elements from recent literature with reference to the replacement of the classic substrate. Finally, there are some aspects related to the contraindications of kombucha consumption; the paper ends with the conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scarce Large Blue (Phengaris teleius) is a threatened butterfly throughout Europe due to its special life cycle and habitat loss. P. teleius butterflies tend to be very sedentary and move only a few hundred meters a day and rarely leave their home patches. In this paper, details are presented regarding the first mention of P. teleius in the region of Săcădat locality, Bihor County, Romania. This location meets all the environmental requirements of P. teleius (host plants for larvae and ants of the genus Myrmica). The area researched was about 3.16 ha, with about 25000 individuals of Sanguisorba officinalis L. flowers, on which we found an approximate number of 94 P. teleius butterflies. We hope that our initial study of P. teleius could have a positive impact on the conservation of this species in this new location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Stellaria media plant, which is part of the Caryophyllaceae family, is highlighted from the point of view of its chemical composition through qualitative and quantitative methods such as Folin-Ciocalteu and HPLC-DAD_ESI for highlighting the total phenols. The biomedical properties were also tested, such as the antioxidant capacity through the DPPH and TEAC methods, the antimicrobial capacity compared to different antibiotics on E. coli and S. aureus, but also the cicatrizing capacity in vitro on normal human dermal fibroblast-type cells of the plant extract under two forms of application (extract 1 mg/ml respectively its liposomal form) compared to the positive control (liposomes without extract included and 50 mg/ml alanine) and negative control (untreated in vitro simulated wound). To be able to apply the liposomal formula with included extract on NHDF cells, liposomes were formulated using cholesterol and phosphatidylserine in a ratio of 2:3 by the lipid film hydration method (with phosphate buffer pH 7.6). The liposomal formula was characterized by microscopy, DLS analysis, and Extract Inclusion Efficiency (EE%). Last but not least, the samples applied to highlight the cicatrizing effect were tested by the MTS method regarding their toxicity on fibroblast cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most widespread Sanguisorba species are Sanguisorba officinalis L. and Sanguisorba minor Scop. which are also found in the Romanian flora and classified as medicinal plants because of hemostatic, antibacterial, antitumor, antioxidant and antiviral activities. This study aimed to characterize and compare Sanguisorba species in order to highlight which species is more valuable according to phenolic profile and antimicrobial activity. Based on high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry (electrospray ionization) (HPLC–DAD-MS (ESI+)) analysis, it was evident that the ethanol extract obtained from the leaves of S. minor Scop. contains the highest content of phenolic compounds at 160.96 mg/g p.s., followed by the flower and root extract (131.56 mg/g dw and 121.36 mg/g dw, respectively). While in S. officinalis, the highest amount of phenols was recorded in the root extract (127.06 mg/g), followed by the flower and leaves extract (102.31 mg/g and 81.09 mg/g dw, respectively). Our results show that among the two species, S. minor Scop. is richer in phenolic compounds compared with the S. officinalis L. sample. In addition, the antimicrobial potential of each plant organ of Sanguisorba species was investigated. The ethanol extract of S. minor Scop. leaves exhibited better antibacterial activity against all of the bacteria tested, especially on Staphylococcus aureus, with an inhibition zone of 15.33 ± 0.83 mm. Due to the chemical composition and antimicrobial effect, the Sanguisorba species can be used as food supplements with beneficial effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections with Candida species represent a large percentage of the total number of fungal infections in the vaginal mucosa. Conventional treatments with antifungal medicinal substances have proven to be low in efficiency, so we are currently looking for alternative products based on plant extracts (these being more effective according to existing studies but also non-toxic). Our study aimed to obtain the oil of Origanum vulgare L. and its characterization from the point of view of antimicrobial activity, known for its rich composition in active principles such as carvacrol (a compound with proven antifungal activity). Also, the plant Origanum vulgare L. was characterized from a macro- and microscopic point of view. The oregano oil obtained was included in the liposomal formula and characterized from the point of view of appearance, surface electric charge, and size, respectively. The liposomal oil was also included in the formula for the preparation of vaginal suppositories. These were characterized organoleptically and from the point of view of the release of active principles. The future perspectives are to test the formulated pharmaceutical forms in vitro and then in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to highlight the importance of phytochemical-based formulations in the treatment of wounds with different etiologies, avoiding the possible side effects generated by conventional treatments. We present the preparation method of novel topical formulations (cream, ointment, and hydrogel) based on mixed extracts of Ocimum basilicum and Tifolium pratense along with evidence of their antimicrobial and antioxidant effect in vitro. The anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of the new formulations were evaluated against different chronic inflammatory processes by presenting three clinical cases of chronic skin diseases. The clinical cases presented in our study revealed good outcomes of the cream formulation in the case of dyshidrotic eczema, ointment formulation in the case of hypertrophic scar, and hydrogel formulation in the case of psoriasis lesions. The best effect was noticed after 6 days of topical application of hydrogel on psoriatic plaques, resulting in a significant reduction of erythematous plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by abnormal adipose tissue distribution, insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hypertension, chronic inflammation and procoagulant milieu. Metabolic syndrome comprises independent cardiovascular risk factors and simultaneously represents a risk factor for cardiovascular events and diabetes in the general population. In the absence of specific diagnostic criteria in pregnancy, the present study aims to analyze the role of Metabolic Syndrome Severity Score in pregnant women. The value of the MetS severity score in pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy can be used to predict the development of maternal and fetal complications. The MetS severity score showed an increased predictive power for the development of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, macrosomia and for the need for child admission in neonatal intensive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the interest in the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has increased a lot because these systems are suitable to be used in distinct fields such as medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, environmental protection, etc. Their synthesis can be done using different agents such as bacteria, fungi, and yeasts or using plant extracts and fresh plants. This paper aims to synthesize metallic silver (AgNPs) and selenium (SeNPs) nanoparticles using the fresh plant Stellaria media (L.) Vill (SM). Also, the synthesis of the metal nanoparticles is demonstrated by using the spectrophotometric method, then being characterized in terms of their size and distribution by DLS. Thus, it was demonstrated that the obtained AgNPs are smaller than SeNPs with dimensions between 28 nm and 255 nm from which 81.56% presented a diameter lower than 100 nm. In this paper, the total content of polyphenols was determined by using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the DPPH and FRAP methods demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of the SM plant. The obtained results were correlated with other results from the specialized literature and thus it was demonstrated that the SM plant acted as a reducing agent having an essential role in reducing the metal from the two salts (AgNO3 and Na2SeO3), thus taking place the synthesis of the metal nanoparticles. The antimicrobial effect of the SM plant extract has also been demonstrated, so in the future, we want to test in vitro the antimicrobial and repairing effect on the skin of the synthesized AgNPs and SeNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with chronic pancreatitis can suffer from a range of intense pain, as well as problems related to the functioning of the digestive organs, the evaluation of the quality of life can provide valuable information about the level of physical and emotional discomfort felt by the patients after the surgical intervention. Methods: A prospective study was carried out in the period 2014-2020 in which 113 patients with benign pancreatic pathology treated surgically admitted to the CF2 Clinical Hospital in Bucharest were included. For this study, the statistical method of simple linear regression was applied. Results: Patients' quality of life can also be influenced by the level of social support and medical care they receive. A strong support network, which can provide emotional and practical support, as well as access to appropriate and specialist medical care, can play an important role in managing symptoms and improving patients' quality of life. Conclusions: Although patients in this study experienced significant improvement in symptoms and ability to perform daily activities, it is important to pay attention to and manage persistent symptoms and postoperative complications to ensure the best possible quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]