A common test for the presence of toxic organic substances in plant tissues, and therefore of the potential role of antibiosis (specifically allelopathy) in native plant cozmmunities, has been to apply a water extract of the tissues in germination tests of cultivated annuals. The observed osmotic pressure of the extracts can be high, and sucrose solutions of similar osmotic pressure result in a...

The glycogenic effect of propionic acid (1, 2) results from the conversion of propionate carbon into carbohydrate (3, 4) and not from an indirect stimulation of carbohydrate production from other sources. The finding (5,6) that extracts of mitochondria can convert propionate and bicarbonate to an organic acid identified as succinic acid (6) provided an explanation for this glycogenic effect. Th...

In this improved method for rapid enzymatic determination of total cholesterol, the lipid extracts from tissues are dissolved in an equal volume of peroxide-free dioxane/isopropanol (50/50 by vol) solution, and are reacted directly with the aqueous enzymatic reagent, without further treatment. The presence of organic solvents, such as dioxane and isopropanol, does not interfere with enzymatic a...

Various organic and aqueous extracts of aerial part of Boenninghausenia albiflora (Rutaceae) obtained by infusion and maceration were screened for their antimicrobial activity against eight animal and plant pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Erwinia chrysanthemi, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Xanthomonas phaseoli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Xanthomonas campe...

The aim of the present research was to make a comparison between two Bulgarian commercial forms of Rosa canina L. for herbal preparations in terms of the possible benefits by oral intake. The plant samples were investigated for their antioxidant activity and the bioactive substances. The total phenolic content of the extracts was evaluated as well. Four reliable methods (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CU...

Objective: Our objective of this research work was to investigate antimicrobial activity of five species of traditionally used medicinal plants namely Adhatoda vasica, Artemisia annua, Cordia oblique, Croton bonplandianum and Euphorbia milli against different strains of bacteria and fungi which are known to cause various types of infectious diseases. Methods: Organic extracts of these plants le...

Phenolic and organic acid profiles of aqueous extracts from Pieris brassicae material and the host kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) leaves were determined by HPLC/UV-DAD/MS(n)-ESI and HPLC-UV, respectively. The identified phenolics included acylated and nonacylated flavonoid glycosides, hydroxycinnamic acyl gentiobiosides, and sulphate phenolics. Kale exhibited the highest content (11g...

Air pollution toxic effects are mainly attributed to small inhalable particulates with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µ m (PM 2.5). Our objective was to investigate mutagenic and clastogenic activity in PM samples collected in Rio de Janeiro. Samples were collected using a high-volume sampler at three sites: with low traffic and (2) and (3) with a heavy traffic. Six polycyclic aromati...

Dictyopteris membranacea, a species of Mediterranean brown algae, is believed to have potential pharmacological and nutritional applications. However, such potentials only make sense when devoid of any adverse health consequences. The present study should be seen in this context. It aimed at evaluating the genotoxicity and cytoxicity of its organic extract (F0) and semi purified fractions (F4, ...