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Schizophrenia (SCH) is a major mental illness that causes impaired cognitive function and long-term disability, so the requirements for reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapy of SCH are essential. The objective of this work was an untargeted lipidomic study of serum samples from a Serbian cohort including 30 schizophrenia (SCH) patients and 31 non-psychiatric control (C) individuals by applying liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and chemometric analyses. Principal component analysis (PCA) of all samples indicated no clear separation between SCH and C groups but indicated clear gender separation in the C group. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA)) of gender-differentiated SCH and C groups established forty-nine differential lipids in the differentiation of male SCH (SCH-M) patients and male controls (C-M), while sixty putative biomarkers were identified in the differentiation of female SCH patients (SCH-F) and female controls (C-F). Lipidomic study of gender-differentiated groups, between SCH-M and C-M and between SCH-F and C-F groups, confirmed that lipids metabolism was altered and the content of the majority of the most affected lipid classes, glycerophospholipids (GP), sphingolipids (SP), glycerolipids (GL) and fatty acids (FA), was decreased compared to controls. From differential lipid metabolites with higher content in both SCH-M and SCH-F patients groups compared to their non-psychiatric controls, there were four common lipid molecules: ceramides Cer 34:2, and Cer 34:1, lysophosphatidylcholine LPC 16:0 and triacylglycerol TG 48:2. Significant alteration of lipids metabolism confirmed the importance of metabolic pathways in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a widely used culinary herb. In this study, ethanol, dichloromethane, and sunflower oil were used separately as solvents with distinct polarities for the extraction of basil aerial parts to simulate the different polarity conditions in domestic food processing. The oil extract (OE) was re-extracted with acetonitrile, and the chemical composition, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial activities of the ethanol (EE), dichloromethane (DCME), and acetonitrile (ACNE) extracts were determined. A total of 109 compounds were tentatively identified in EE, DCME, and ACNE by HPLC–DAD/ESI-ToF-MS. Fatty acids were present in all extracts. Phenolic acids and flavonoids dominated in EE. DCME was characterised by triterpenoid acids, while diterpenoids were mainly found in ACNE. The extracts were analysed for their antioxidant capacity using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay. EE and DCME showed significant radical scavenging potential. Antimicrobial activity was explored in eight bacterial, two yeast, and one fungal species. All extracts exhibited high antifungal activity, comparable to or better than that of the commercial drug nistatin. Antibacterial activities were notable for EE and ACNE, while DCME showed no activity against bacteria in the applied concentration ranges. The different polarities of the solvents led to distinctive phytochemical compositions and bioactivities in the extracts.

Krstač and Žižak are autochthonous grape varieties grown in Montenegro. Although international varieties are more popular, the autochthonous varieties are very important, especially for countries developing tourism. The fermentation aromas produced during alcoholic fermentation contribute significantly to wine quality. The effects of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus) and yeast nutrients (Fermaid E and Fermaid O) on aromatic compounds in wines were investigated. Using GC/FID-MS analysis, aroma compounds in Krstač and Žižak wines were characterized and quantified. Wines produced with the addition of yeast and yeast nutrients had mostly lower total alcohol content than wines obtained by spontaneous fermentation of Krstač and Žižak varieties. The results of this study showed that the concentration of compounds depends on the yeast strains. The yeast S. cerevisiae (ICV) provided a higher content of higher alcohols, while S. bayanus produced a higher concentration of esters and (medium chain) fatty acids. Total ester content ranged from 3.34 to 11.97 mg/l for Krstač wines and 8.51 to 13.68 mg/l for Žižak wines. Among all wines, Krstač and Žižak wines produced with S. bayanus and Fermaid E addition had the highest concentration of total esters. The yeast nutrients Fermaid E and O emphasized different characteristics of the yeasts. They had a statistically significant effect on the content of ethyl and acetate esters. The highest overall scores were obtained for ICVE and BayE Krstač wines (18.1 out of 20 points) and Žižak ICVE wine (18.2 out of 20 points).

Data processing and data extraction are the first, and most often crucial, steps in metabolomics and multivariate data analysis in general. There are several software solutions for these purposes in GC-MS metabolomics. It becomes unclear which platform offers what kind of data and how that information influences the analysis’s conclusions. In this study, selected analytical platforms for GC-MS metabolomics profiling, SpectConnect and XCMS as well as MestReNova software, were used to process the results of the HS-SPME/GC-MS aroma analyses of several blackberry varieties. In addition, a detailed analysis of the identification of the individual components of the blackberry aroma club varieties was performed. In total, 72 components were detected in the XCMS platform, 119 in SpectConnect, and 87 and 167 in MestReNova, with automatic integral and manual correction, respectively, as well as 219 aroma components after manual analysis of GC-MS chromatograms. The obtained datasets were fed, for multivariate data analysis, to SIMCA software, and underwent the creation of PCA, OPLS, and OPLS-DA models. The results of the validation tests and VIP-pred. scores were analyzed in detail.

Euphorbia seguieriana ssp. seguieriana Necker (ES) and Euphorbia cyparissias (EC) with a habitat in the Deliblato Sands were the subject of this examination. The latexes of these so far insufficiently investigated species of the Euphorbia genus are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds and warts on the skin. To determine their chemical composition, non-targeted screening of the latexes’ chloroform extracts was performed using liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry employing an electrospray ionization source (LC-ESI QTOF MS). The analysis of the obtained results showed that the latexes of ES and EC represent rich sources of diterpenes, tentatively identified as jatrophanes, ingenanes, tiglianes, myrsinanes, premyrsinanes, and others. Examination of the anticancer activity of the ES and EC latex extracts showed that both extracts significantly inhibited the growth of the non-small cell lung carcinoma NCI-H460 and glioblastoma U87 cell lines as well as of their corresponding multi-drug resistant (MDR) cell lines, NCI-H460/R and U87-TxR. The obtained results also revealed that the ES and EC extracts inhibited the function of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in MDR cancer cells, whose overexpression is one of the main mechanisms underlying MDR.

As byproducts of essential oil distillation, hydrolates are used in natural cosmetics/biomedicine due to their beneficial skin effects. However, data on their safety with relevant biological targets, such as human skin cells, are scarce. Therefore, we have tested nine hydrolates from the Lamiaceae family with skin fibroblasts that are responsible for extracellular collagenous matrix builds. Thyme, oregano, and winter savoury hydrolates showed several times higher total phenolics, which correlated strongly with their radical scavenging and antioxidative capacity; there was no correlation between their viability profiles and the reducing sugar levels. No proteins/peptides were detected. All hydrolates appeared safe for prolonged skin exposure except for 10-fold diluted lavender, which showed cytotoxicity (~20%), as well as rosemary and lavandin (~10%) using viability, DNA synthesis, and cell count testing. Clary sage, oregano, lemon balm, and thyme hydrolates (10-fold diluted) increased fibroblast viability and/or proliferation by 10–30% compared with the control, while their viability remained unaffected by Mentha and winter savoury. In line with the STITCH database, increased viability could be attributed to thymol presence in oregano and thyme hydrolates in lemon balm, which is most likely attributable to neral and geranial. The proliferative effect of clary sage could be supported by alpha-terpineol, not linalool. The major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with cytotoxic effects on fibroblasts were borneol, 1,8-cineole, and terpinene-4-ol. Further research with pure compounds is warranted to confirm the roles of VOCs in the observed effects that are relevant to cosmetic and wound healing aspects.

The Lipidomic profiles of serum samples from patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (C) were explored and compared. The sample cohort included 31 BD patients and 31 control individuals. An untargeted lipidomics study applying liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was conducted to achieve the lipid profiles. Multivariate statistical analyses (principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis) were performed, and fifty-six differential lipids were confirmed in BD and controls. Our results pointed to alterations in lipid metabolism, including pathways of glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, glycerolipids, and sterol lipids, in BD patient sera. This study emphasized the role of lipid pathways in BD, and comprehensive research using the LC-HRMS platform is necessary for future application in the diagnosis and improvement of BD treatments.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a brain disorder that causes changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. It has a prevalence of 60 million people worldwide, and it is among the top 20 diseases with the highest global burden. The complexity of this disease, including diverse genetic, environmental, and biochemical factors, and diagnoses based on the subjective recognition of symptoms without any clinical test of biomarker identification create significant difficulties in understanding and diagnosing BD. A 1H-NMR-based metabolomic study applying chemometrics of serum samples of Serbian patients with BD (33) and healthy controls (39) was explored, providing the identification of 22 metabolites for this disease. A biomarker set including threonine, aspartate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, serine, and mannose was established for the first time in BD serum samples by an NMR-based metabolomics study. Six identified metabolites (3-hydroxybutyric acid, arginine, lysine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and glycerol) are in agreement with the previously determined NMR-based sets of serum biomarkers in Brazilian and/or Chinese patient samples. The same established metabolites (lactate, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, glutamine, glutamate, glucose, and choline) in three different ethnic and geographic origins (Serbia, Brazil, and China) might have a crucial role in the realization of a universal set of NMR biomarkers for BD.

In this study, we estimated the usage of Cabernet Sauvignon in microvinifications, obtaining wines with increased phenolic compound content. Kinetic extraction of phenolic compounds during alcoholic fermentation was affected by maceration time (3, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days) and the addition and kinetics of enzyme preparations (EP). The highest extraction rates were observed for catechin (EXV EP – EXV enzyme preparation and CP EP – Color plus enzyme preparation) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (Car EP - Caractere enzyme preparation). According to extraction time of the analyzed phenolic compounds, maximal values (ellagic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, naringenin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-coumaric acid, protocatechuic acid, trans-resveratrol, syringic acid, vanillin, and vanillic acid) were obtained on day 15 of maceration with addition of CP EP, with exceptions of gallic acid, catechin, and myricetin. Prolonged maceration times, up to 21 days, showed the most potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity with Car EP and the highest Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) values with CP EP.

Chemotaxonomy presents various challenges that need to be overcome in order to obtain valid and reliable results. Individual genetic and environmental variations can give a false picture and lead to wrong conclusions. Applying a holistic approach, based on multivariate data analysis, these challenges can be overcome. Thus, a metabolomics approach has to be optimized depending on the subject of research. We used 1H NMR-based metabolomics as a potential chemotaxonomic tool on the selected Euphorbia species growing wild in Serbia. Principal components analysis (PCA), soft independent modeling by class analogy (SIMCA) and Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to analyze obtained NMR data in order to reveal chemotaxonomic biomarkers. The standard protocol for plant metabolomics was optimized aiming to extract more specific metabolites, which are characteristic for the Euphorbia genus. The obtained models were validated, which revealed that variables unique for each species were associated with certain classes of molecules according to literature data. In E. salicifolia, acacetin-7-O-glycoside (not found before in the species) was detected, and the structure of the aglycone part was solved based on 2D NMR data. In the presented paper, we have shown that metabolomics can be successfully used in Euphorbia chemotaxonomy.

The aim of this research was to verify the authenticity of monofloral honeys from the territory of the Republic of Serbia on the basis of physicochemical parameters routinely measured in honey quality control using multivariate analysis. Seventeen samples of monofloral honey (11 samples of acacia honey and 6 samples of sunflower honey) from the territory of the Republic of Serbia were analyzed. Physicochemical analysis of the samples included the examination of basic quality parameters and qualitative and quantitative analyses of phenolic compounds. In the samples tested, a total of 93 phenolic compounds were tentatively identified, and 19 of them were quantified. The obtained physicochemical analysis of the data served as input for the multivariate analysis. The hеаt map, which is useful for visualizing numerical data, was used for this purpose. The obtained results showed that the applied data can serve to clearly separate acacia and sunflower honeys.

Schizophrenia is a widespread mental disorder that leads to significant functional impairments and premature death. The state of the art indicates gaps in the understanding and diagnosis of this disease, but also the need for personalized and precise approaches to patients through customized medical treatment and reliable monitoring of treatment response. In order to fulfill existing gaps, the establishment of a universal set of disorder biomarkers is a necessary step. Metabolomic investigations of serum samples of Serbian patients with schizophrenia (51) and healthy controls (39), based on NMR analyses associated with chemometrics, led to the identification of 26 metabolites/biomarkers for this disorder. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) models with prediction accuracies of 0.9718 and higher were accomplished during chemometric analysis. The established biomarker set includes aspartate/aspartic acid, lysine, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, and acylglycerols, which are identified for the first time in schizophrenia serum samples by NMR experiments. The other 22 identified metabolites in the Serbian samples are in accordance with the previously established NMR-based serum biomarker sets of Brazilian and/or Chinese patient samples. Thirteen metabolites (lactate/lactic acid, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine, asparagine, alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, choline, glucose, glycine and tyrosine) that are common for three different ethnic and geographic origins (Serbia, Brazil and China) could be a good start point for the setup of a universal NMR serum biomarker set for schizophrenia.

Lavandula sp. essential oil and hydrolate are commercially valuable in various industry branches with the potential for wide-ranging applications. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of these products obtained from L. x intermedia cv. ‘Budrovka’ for the first time cultivated on Fruška Gora Mt. (Serbia) during three successive seasons (2019, 2020, and 2021). Essential oil extraction was obtained by steam distillation, and the composition and influence of weather conditions were also assessed, using flowering tops. The obtained essential oils and hydrolates were analysed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A linear regression model was developed to predict L. x intermedia cv. ‘Budrovka’ essential oil volatile compound content and hydrolate composition during three years, according to temperature and precipitation data, and the appropriate regression coefficients were calculated, while the correlation analysis was employed to analyse the correlations in hydrolate and essential oil compounds. To completely describe the structure of the research data that would present a better insight into the similarities and differences among the diverse L. x intermedia cv. ‘Budrovka’ samples, the PCA was used. The most dominant in L. intermedia cv. ‘Budrovka’ essential oil and hydrolate were oxygenated monoterpenes: linalool, 1,8-cineole, borneol, linalyl acetate, and terpinene-4-ol. It is established that the temperature was positively correlated with all essential oil and hydrolate compounds. The precipitations were positively correlated with the main compounds (linalool, 1,8-cineole, and borneol), while the other compounds’ content negatively correlated to precipitation. The results indicated that Fruška Gora Mt. has suitable agro-ecological requirements for cultivating Lavandula sp. and providing satisfactory essential oil and hydrolate.

Background and Purpose: Poplar clones grown in Serbia are fast growing tree species important for many different purposes in forestry and industry. In this study chemical content of the surface resins of three poplar clones grown in Serbia - M1, B229 and PE 19/66 was analyzed, aiming at their potential usage as a source of natural products important for pharmacy and chemotaxonomy. Materials and Methods: Using HPLC/MS-TOF we gained the first information on chemical compounds which comprise of resins on terminal twigs cuttings of commonly grown poplar clones. Provided from the nursery of the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment (Serbia), terminal twigs cuttings with leaves of different development stage from two year old seedlings of M1 poplar clone (Populus euramericana L.), PE 19/66 clone and B229 clone (both belonging to Populus deltoides) were sampled. The washing of the surface resins from terminal twigs cuttings of every sample was done with methylene-chloride until the samples were prepared for HPLC/MS-TOF analysis. Results: Out of 38 different compounds which were identified, M1 clone qualitatively differed for 14 compounds as compared to two other clones. Generally, the results showed that the composition of the resins consisted of different phenolic acids, phenolic esters, flavonoids and other contents. Conclusion: These three poplar clones are potent producers of pharmacologically and chemotaxonomically potent compounds in forest ecosystems, especially M1 clone.

In this study, we compared the compositions, antimicrobial and potential antioxidant activities of essential oils of two Thymus endemic, wild-growing species – T. malyi Ronninger and T. lykae Degen et Jav. No information about its composition and biological activities of oils has been reported to the present day. Forty three compounds were identified from T. malyi and major component was α-pinene (26.4%). In the case of T. lykae, forty four compounds were identified, with geranyl acetate (35.1%) as the main component. Antioxidant activities of the oils were evaluated using DPPH assay. The antimicrobial effect of essential oils were tested against Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria, and two fungi. Results indicated higher antibacterial activity of the essential oils of T. lykae in comparison with T. malyi, while for antifungal activity, it was reverse. The essential oils from T. malyi and T. lykae possess antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and could be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants for the food industry.

Plum brandy (Slivovitz (en); Šljivovica(sr)) is an alcoholic beverage that is increasingly consumed all over the world. Its quality assessment has become of great importance. In our study, the main volatiles and aroma compounds of 108 non-aged plum brandies originating from three plum cultivars, and fermented using different conditions, were investigated. The chemical profiles obtained after two-step GC-FID-MS analysis were subjected to multivariate data analysis to reveal the peculiarity in different cultivars and fermentation process. Correlation of plum brandy chemical composition with its sensory characteristics obtained by expert commission was also performed. The utilization of PCA and OPLS-DA multivariate analysis methods on GC-FID-MS, enabled discrimination of brandy samples based on differences in plum varieties, pH of plum mash, and addition of selected yeast or enzymes during fermentation. The correlation of brandy GC-FID-MS profiles with their sensory properties was achieved by OPLS multivariate analysis. Proposed workflow confirmed the potential of GC-FID-MS in combination with multivariate data analysis that can be applied to assess the plum brandy quality.

Flower strips of French Marigold are commonly used pest repellents in potato fields. However, the effect of French Marigold volatiles on potato metabolism, physiology and induced defense is unknown. Thus, a microarray transcriptome analysis was performed to study the effects of French Marigold essential oil (EO) on laboratory-grown potato. After 8 h of exposure to EO, with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-detected terpinolene and limonene as dominant compounds, 2796 transcripts were differentially expressed with fold change >2 compared to expression in controls. A slightly higher number of transcripts had suppressed expression (1493 down- vs. 1303 up-regulated). Since transcripts, annotated to different photosynthesis-related processes, were mostly down-regulated, we selected a set of 10 genes involved in the leaf starch metabolism pathway, and validated microarray patterns using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Except for decreased synthesis and induced decomposition of starch granule in leaves, 8 h long EO exposure slightly elevated the accumulation of sucrose compared to glucose and fructose in subjected potato plants. An in vitro feeding bioassay with Colorado potato beetle showed that EO-induced alternations on transcriptional level and in the sugars’ metabolism caused the enhancement of feeding behavior and overall development of the tested larvae. Results of comprehensive analysis of transcriptional responses in potato exposed to French Marigold EO provide a basis for further elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying eco-physiological interactions in companion planting cropping systems.

The present study evaluates natural composition of Serbian roasted hazelnut skins (HS) with potential role in application as functional nutrient of various food products. Total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids contents (TFC) in HS extracts obtained with different ethanol concentrations (10%—I, 50%—II and 96%—III) and their antioxidant activities were investigated. The highest total phenols content (706.0 ± 9.7 mgGAE/gextract) was observed in 96% ethanol HS extract. Ethanol HS extracts showed very high antioxidant activity with effective concentrations (EC50) ranged between 0.052 and 0.066 mg/mL. The phenol and flavonoid content of roasted HS extracts I–III was determined by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analyses. Contents of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, metals, and C, H, N, S elements in roasted HS were also determined. Relatively high C/N, C/P and C/N/P ratios, rich metal contents and fatty acids composition indicated that hazelnut skin might be a good candidate for use as either human or fungal functional nutrient. In addition, possible application of phenolic HS extracts as UV booster was studied by recording UV spectra (220–440 nm) of 10 mg/L of HS extracts I–III combined with 10 mg/L of chemical sunscreen agent benzophenone-3 and in vitro sun protection factor (SPF) was calculated.

Helichrysum plicatum DC. is widely used in folk medicine in treating a variety of health disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of different extraction solvents on the chemical composition, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial activities of H. plicatum. Aerial parts were separately extracted with ethanol, dichloromethane, and sunflower oil. The oil extract (OE) was re-extracted with acetonitrile. A total of 142 compounds were tentatively identified in ethanolic (EE), dichloromethane (DCME), and acetonitrile (ACNE) extracts using HPLC-DAD/ESI-ToF-MS. The dominant compound class in all extracts were α-pyrones, alongside flavonoids in EE, terpenoids in DCME and ACNE, and phloroglucinols in DCME. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay. EE and DCME possessed the most potent radical scavenging capacity. Antimicrobial activity was investigated on eight bacterial, two yeast, and one fungal species. All extracts exhibited high antifungal and notable antibacterial activities compared to control substances, with DCME being the most potent. DCME exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa than the standard chloramphenicol.

In a last few decades mushrooms are increasingly attracting attention as functional food and sources of biologically active compounds. Several Trametes species have been used for centuries in traditional medicine of East Asia cultures, but only T. versicolor was studied sufficiently while there are less substantial data about medicinal properties of other species. Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta and T. gibbosa were the species tested for biological activities. Antifungal potentials of extracts were assessed for clinical strains of selected Candida and Aspergillus species. ABTS and FRAP assays were used to evaluate antioxidant capacities of studied extracts. Cytotoxic activity was determined against human cervix and lung adenocarcinoma and colon carcinoma cell lines. Antineurodegenerative activity was assessed by determining the rate of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase activity. The presence of metabolites in extracts of mycelia and basidiocarps of studied Trametes species was analyzed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Studied extracts showed low antifungal potential in comparison with ketoconazole. Basidiocarp extracts were more effective ABTS+ scavengers and Fe2+ reducers than mycelium ones but less effective in comparison with L-ascorbic acid. Results showed that mycelium extracts had stronger cytotoxic effects against three cancer cell lines than basidiocarp ones, and that cervix adenocarcinoma cells were the most sensitive to the extracts and commercial cytostatics. T. versicolor mycelium extract was the most effective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase activity but double weaker than galantamine, and T. gibbosa mycelium extract was significantly better inhibitor of tyrosinase activity than kojic acid for 40.9%. Chemical analysis indicated strong synergistic action of triterpenes, sugars and polyphenols in applied assays. The results suggest that tested Trametes species have significant medicinal potentials which could be attributed to antioxidative and cytotoxic activity. Additionally both, basidiocarps and mycelia extracts can strongly inhibit activity of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase.

The growth inhibition of stictic acid, a secondary metabolite isolated from the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. (Lobariaceae), was evaluated in vitro on three human cell lines for the first time. The cell lines HT-29 and MCF-7 were utilized for measuring the activity of stictic acid against cancer cells, while the cell line MRC-5 was selected for estimation of its effect on normal cells. The results suggest a moderate anticancer activity (IC50 value for the cell line HT-29 was 29.29 μg/ml) and a low growth inhibition on nonmalignant cells (IC50 value for the cell line MRC-5 was 2478.40 μg/ml) of stictic acid. This natural product can be considered as a promising lead compound for the design of novel human colon adenocarcinoma drugs.

Tetradenia riparia (Hochstetter) Codd belongs to the Lamiaceae family and it was introduced in Brazil as an exotic ornamental plant. A previous study showed its antimicrobial, acaricidal and analgesic activities. Two compounds were isolated from essential oil of T. riparia leaves and identified as 9β,13β-epoxy-7-abietene (1), a new one, and 6,7-dehydroroyleanone (2), already reported for another plant. The structure of these compounds was determined by spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with literature data. The cytotoxic activities of the essential oil and compounds 1 and 2 were determined by a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and by tumor cells MDA-MB-435 (human breast carcinoma), HCT-8 (human colon), SF-295 (human nervous system) and HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia). The essential oil and compound 1 showed high cytotoxic potential of the cell lines SF-295 (78.06% and 94.80%, respectively), HCT-8 (85.00% and 86.54%, respectively) and MDA-MB-435 (59.48% and 45.43%, respectively). Compound 2 had no cytotoxic activity. The antioxidant activity was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), β-carotene-linoleic acid system and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The inhibitory concentration (IC50 in µg mL−1) for essential oil and compound 2 was, respectively 15.63 and 0.01 for DPPH; 130.1 and 109.6 for β-carotene-linoleic acid and 1524 and 1024 for ABTS. Compound 1 had no antioxidant activity. By fractioning the oil, it was possible to identify two unpublished compounds: 1 with high cytotoxic potential and 2 with high antioxidant potential.

The chemical and sensorial characteristics of cherry brandy produced from five cherry varieties (Oblacinska, Celery’s 16, Rexle, Heiman’s Ruby and Heiman’s Conserve) grown in Serbia were studied. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of these distillates led to the identification of 32 components, including 20 esters, benzaldehyde, 6 terpenes and 5 acids. The ethyl esters of C8–C18 acids were the most abundant in all samples. The benzaldehyde content was quantified by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The average benzaldehyde concentration in the samples ranged between 2.1 and 24.1 mg L-1. The total sensory scores of the cherry brandies ranged between 17.30 to 18.05, with the cherry brandy produced from the Celery’s 16 variety receiving the highest score (18.05).

Moss species of the family Brachytheciaceae, Kindbergia praelonga (Hedw.) Ochyra and Kindbergia stokesii (Turn.) Ochyra, were preliminarily analysed for their fatty acid composition with the aim of studying the chemical relationship of these two entities. Fatty acid methyl esters were examined by GC and GC–MS in their methanol extracts. Thirteen fatty acids were identified. It is likely that the mosses are chemically distinguishable and should be treated as separate entities. However, additional chemical constituents of various moss samples, such as phenolic acids, their derivatives and flavonoids, must be also analyzed in order to support the re-examination of the relationship between these two species.

Seed extracts from eight grape cultivars (Vitis vinifera) growing in Serbia were screened for their polyphenolic composition by means of HPLC/PDA/ESI/MS analysis. The study revealed 34 phenolic compounds belonging to the following groups: flavan-3-ol monomers, proanthocyanidins, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acid and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives. The quantities of the main constituents were determined using PDA/HPLC. Qualitative and quantitative differences among the cultivars were observed.

This is the first report of n-alkanes in needle epicuticular waxes of the variety Bosnian pine, Pinus heldreichii var. pančići. n-Hexane extracts of needle samples, originating from seven isolated localities in Serbia, were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The results evidenced n-alkanes ranging from C18 to C33 in epicuticular waxes. The most abundant alkanes were C27, C23, C25 and C29 (12.53 %, 12.46 %, 12.00 % and 10.38 % on average, respectively). The carbon preference index (CPItotal) of Pinus heldreichii var. pančići ranged from 1.1 to 2.1 (1.6 on average), while the average chain length (ACLtotal) ranged from 25.0 to 25.8 (25.3 on average). A high level of individual quantitative variation in all of these hydrocarbon parameters was also found. The obtained results were compared with the bibliographic references for Pinus heldreichii var. leucodermis and other species of the Pinus genus.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of fresh young needles with twigs of Douglas fir (Pseudosuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Ten compounds, accounting for 94.26 % of the oil, were identified. The main compounds found were bornyl acetate (34.65 %), camphene (29.82 %), a-pinene (11.65 %) and santene (5.45 %). The antifungal activity of the essential oil was tested against various fungal species. The minimum inhibitory concentration of Douglas fir essential oil ranged from 1.5 to 4 µg mL-1. The fungi most sensitive to the tested oil were Phomopsis helianthi, while Penicillium species, along with Microsporum canis, were the most resistant. Compared to the commercial fungicidal agent bifonazole, the studied essential oil demonstrated higher antifungal activity.

In this study, volatile compounds were analyzed in five samples of home-made spirit beverage made by the distillation of fermented fruits of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.). The major volatile compounds, besides ethanol, identified and quantified were: methanol, acetaldehyde, 1-propanol, ethyl acetate, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-butanol, amyl alcohols, 1-hexanol and 2-phenylethanol. The minor volatiles were submitted to liquid–liquid extraction with dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/ /mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 84 compounds were identified. The most abundant compounds were straight-chain free fatty acids, ethyl esters of C6–C18 acids, limonene, 2-phenylethanol and 4-ethylphenol. Most of the compounds found in the “Drenja” spirits investigated in this study are similar to those present in other alcoholic beverages.

Gas chromatography and GC/MS methods were used to detect volatile components of three home-made natural old plum brandy samples and one sample of industrially-produced plum brandy. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of this extracts led to the identification of 99 components, including 46 esters, 7 hydrocarbons (alkanes and alkenes), 3 aldehydes, 9 alcohols, 1 lactone, 1 ketone, 8 acetals, 14 terpenes, 8 acids and 2 phenols. Ethyl esters of C8–C18 acids were the most abundant in all samples. In addition, the content of methanol, ethanol and higher alcohols C3–C5 was determined.