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The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of the Balkan endemic species Seseli rigidum Waldst. & Kit. (Apiaceae) was investigated. The monoterpene a-pinene was predominant in the volatile oil from aerial parts (57.4%) and fruit (23.3%). In the essential oil of the aerial parts limonene (6.7%), camphene (5.8%) and sabinene (5.5%) were also present in high amounts, and in the fruit oil, p-phellandrene (17.4%) and sabinene (12.9%). On the contrary, the root essential oil was composed almost entirely of the polyacetylene falcarinol (88.8%). The antimicrobial activity of the root essential oil was significant against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus and Enterococcus faecalis (MICs 6.25-25.00 mu g/mL). Volatile constituents from he root strongly inhibited the growth of methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MICs 6.25-50.00 mu g/mL). Anti-staphylococcal activity can be attributed to the main volatile constituent of S. rigidum root, falcarinol.

This overview summarizes the application of enzymes in the manufacture and design of biofuel cells and biosensors. The emphasis will be put on the protein engineering techniques used for improoving the properties of enzymes such as nanobiocatalysts, e.g. immobilization orientation, stability, activity and efficiency of electron transfer between immobilized enzymes and electrodes. Some possible applications in the military and some future designs of these electric devices will be discussed as well.

The essential-oil composition of six Anthemis taxa from several populations in Serbia and Montenegro, Anthemis triumfetti (L.) DC., A. tinctoria L., A. austriaca JACQ., A. ruthenica BIEB., A. cotula L., and A. cretica ssp. carpatica (WILLD.) GRIERSON were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main constituents have been identified as follows: camphor (13.8-15.4%), a-pinene (5.2-9.3%), β-pinene (4.9-7.8%), and (E)-caryophyllene (7.3-9.8%) in three populations, and cis-chrysanthenol (27.0%) and 1,8-cineole (8.4%) in one population of A. triumfetti; 1,8-cineole (9.0-25.8%) in the oils of five populations, and borneol (16.0%) and spatulenol (16.0%) in the oil of one population of A. tinctoria; cischrysanthenyl acetate (17.5-22.0%), β-pinene (8.6-13.2%), and 1,8-cineole (7.2-10.4%) in the oils of A. austriaca; germacrene D (8.3-11.3%) and terpinen-4-ol (6.3-7.3%) in A. ruthenica oils; β-cedrene (10.3-19.0%), (E)-β-farnesene (7.8-13.5%), and germacrene D (5.2-9.1%) in the oils of A. cotula; cisthujone (39.0%), trans-thujone (13.5%), and yomogi alcohol (7.1%) in the oil of A. cretica ssp. carpatica. The essential oil of A. austriaca was studied for the first time. A cluster analysis based on the relative percentages of all components of the essential oils was used to determine the distances between taxa and populations. © 2010 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG.

The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from aerial parts of five Valeriana species, growing wild in Serbia and Montenegro, Valeriana officinalis L., V. pancicii Halácsy et Bald., V. bertiscea Pancic, V. montana L. and V. braunii-blanquetii Lakusic were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major compounds were found to be α-kessyl acetate (15.4%) and bornyl acetate (14.2%) in V. officinalis oil, patchouli alcohol (36.8%) in V. pancicii oil, isovaleric acid (13.2–39.0%) and 3-methylvaleric acid (10.0–30.8%) in the oils of V. bertiscea, V. montana and V. braunii-blanquetii. © 2007, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

The aporphine alkaloid magnoflorine, known as a constituent of Asian Epimedium species, was isolated for the first time from the wild growing European species, Epimedium alpinum L. Identification was done by comparison with literature data. The HPLC method was applied for the determination of the content of the alkaloid in methanolic extracts of plant material. The underground part of E. alpinum contains 1-2 % of magnoflorine, while its content in methanolic extracts was 9.2-11.8 %. The aerial part of the plant contains less alkaloid (0.06-0.12 %), while the magnoflorine content in methanolic extracts of the aerial part was 0.4-0.8 %. Probably, the high content of magnoflorine in the methanolic extracts of underground parts of E. alpinum influences its dose-dependent cytotoxic activity (300 μg/ml; 39 % survival of cells in an experimental K562 cell culture). Aporfinski alkaloid magnoflorin, poznat kao sastojak drugih vrsta roda Epimedium, po prvi put je izolovan iz evropske vrste Epimedium alpinum L. i identifikovan pore|ewem sa literaturnim podacima. Ovo jediwewe je kori{}eno kao standard u HPLC analizi metanolnih ekstrakata E. alpinum. Sadr`aj magnoflorina je znatno vi- {i u ekstraktima podzemnih organa (9,2–11,8 %, {to odgovara sadr`aju od 1–2 % magnoflorina u biqnom materijalu), nego u ekstraktima nadzemnih organa prevolca (0,4–0,8 %, {to odgovara sadr`aju od 0,06–0,12 % magnoflorina u biqnom materijalu). Sasvim je verovatno da je potvr|ena citotoksi~na aktivnost metanolnog ekstrakta podzemnih organa (300 g/ml; 39 % pre`ivelih }elija K562 kulture maligno-transformisanih }elija), kao i imunomodulatorna aktivnost, povezana sa visokom koncentracijom ovog alkaloida u ispitivanom ekstraktu.

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from leaves of Sanicula europaea L. originating from two different localities in Serbia and Montenegro was analyzed using GC and GC-MS. The oils were characterized by a high content of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (59.5-63.8%). The major compounds were found to be β-selinene (40.4-44.2%), caryophyllene oxide (17.9-19.2%) and α-selinene (3.7-4.0 %). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The essential oil of the aerial parts of Anthemis triumfetti (Asteraceae), obtained by hydrodistillation, was analysed by GC and GC-MS; 64 compounds were identified, representing 98.3% of the oil. The major constituents were β-pinene (16.9%), camphor (15.0%), α-pinene (14.4%) and 1,8-cineole (5.8%). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A RP-HPLC method for quantification of allantoin in silk of fifteen maize hybrids (Zea mays L., Poaceae) was described. Following extraction of the plant material with an acetone-water (7:3, V/V) mixture, filtration and dilution, the extracts were analyzed without previous chemical derivatization. Separation and quantification were achieved using an Alltech Econosil C18 column under isocratic conditions at 40 degreesC. The mobile phase flow (20% methanol -80% water with 5 mM sodium laurylsulfate added at pH 2.5, adjusted with 85% orthophosphoric acid; pH of water phase was finally adjusted at 6.0 by addition of triethylamine) was maintained at 1.0 mL/min. Column effluent was monitored at 235 nm. This simple procedure afforded efficient separation and quantification of allantoin in plant material, without interference of polyphenols or other plant constituents of medium to high polarity, or similar UV absorption. Our study revealed that the silk of all investigated maize hybrids could be considered relatively rich in allantoin, covering the concentration range between 215 and 289 mg per 100 g of dry plant material.