Spices are a rich source of vitamins, polyphenols, proteins, dietary fiber, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, all of which play an important role in biological functions. Since ancient times, spices have been used in our kitchen as a food coloring agent. Spices like cinnamon and turmeric allegedly contain various functional ingredients, such as phenolic and volatile compounds. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the nutritional profiles of cinnamon and turmeric, as well as to analyze the clinical studies on their extracts and essential oils in animals and humans. Furthermore, their enrichment applications for food products and animal feed have also been investigated in terms of safety and toxicity. Numerous studies have shown that cinnamon and turmeric have various health benefits, including the reduction of insulin resistance and insulin signaling pathways in diabetic patients, the reduction of inflammatory biomarkers, and the maintenance of gut microflora in both animals and humans. The food and animal feed industries have taken notice of these health benefits and have begun to promote cinnamon and turmeric as healthy foods. This has resulted in the development of new food products and animal feeds that contain cinnamon and turmeric as primary ingredients, which have been deemed an effective means of promoting cinnamon and turmeric's health benefits.

• Klíčová slova
• Cinnamon, enrichment, functional feed, functional food, turmeric,
• MeSH
• Curcuma * chemie   MeSH
• funkční potraviny * MeSH
• inzulinová rezistence MeSH
• koření * analýza   MeSH
• krmivo pro zvířata * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oleje prchavé farmakologie   MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty farmakologie   MeSH
• skořicovník ceylonský * chemie   MeSH
• střevní mikroflóra účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• oleje prchavé MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty MeSH

Infections caused by antibiotic-drug-resistant microorganisms are a major global health concern, and they result in millions of deaths every year. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of such drug-resistant microbial strains, and new and effective antimicrobial agents are desperately needed to combat infections caused by MRSA. In the search for effective anti-MRSA agents, the leaves of Citrus grandis (Rutaceae), also known as C. maxima, were investigated. Implementing a bioassay-guided approach, sinensetin (2), which is a polymethoxyflavone, was isolated as a promising anti-MRSA compound, showing inhibitory activity against three (EMRSA-15, MRSA340802 and MRSA274819; MIC values 128-256 μg/mL) of five MRSA strains tested in the present study. Five other flavonoids 6,7,8,3',4'-pentamethoxyflavone (1), cirsilineol (3), nobiletin (4), 5-desmethylsinensetin (5) and hesperidin (6) were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of this plant. They displayed varied levels of antimicrobial activities against the tested microbial strains, Micrococcus luteus NCTC 7508, Escherichia coli NCTC 12241 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 12903, and a fungal strain, Candida albicans ATCC 90028, but not against Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 12981. Sinensetin (2) also exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against the fungal strain C. albicans with an MIC value of 0.0625 mg/mL. The chemical structures of all isolated compounds were unequivocally elucidated by spectroscopic means (1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESIMS). The present study revealed sinensetin (2) as a potential structural template for generating structural analogues and developing anti-MRSA agents and provided scientific evidence supporting the traditional uses of C. grandis in the treatment of microbial infections.

• Klíčová slova
• Citrus grandis, MRSA, Polymethoxyflavonoids, Rutaceae, Sinensetin, Staphylococcus aureus,
• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   izolace a purifikace   chemie   MeSH
• Candida albicans účinky léků   MeSH
• Citrus * chemie   MeSH
• flavonoidy * farmakologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• fytonutrienty farmakologie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• listy rostlin * chemie   MeSH
• methicilin rezistentní Staphylococcus aureus * účinky léků   MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti * MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• flavonoidy * MeSH
• fytonutrienty MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty MeSH
• sinensetin MeSH Prohlížeč

This study assessed the potential of dried Cayenne pepper (CP; Capsicum annuum L.) as a natural additive to rice bran oil (RBO), grape seed oil (GSO), and virgin olive oil (OO). Key analyses included peroxide and acid values, oxidative stability (Rancimat method), the composition of fatty acids (FAs) (GC-FID method), antioxidant activity (AA; DPPH method), and antimicrobial properties (disc diffusion method). Capsaicin and the dihydrocapsaicin contents in CP were quantified (HPLC-DAD method) as 1499.37 ± 3.64 and 1449.04 ± 5.14 mg/kg DW, respectively. Oleic acid (C18:1cis n9) dominated in OO (69.70%), OO-CP (69.73%), and RBO-CP (38.97%), while linoleic acid (C18:2cis n6) prevailed in RBO (41.34%), GSO (57.93%), and GSO-CP (58.03%). The addition of CP influenced the FA profile, particularly linoleic acid in OO and RBO, and all FAs in GSO. Peroxide and acid values increased significantly in RBO and GSO upon CP addition, but induction times remained unaffected. The strongest AA (77.00 ± 0.13%) was observed in OO-CP. Cayenne pepper significantly enhanced the antioxidant profiles of all oils compared to the counterparts. However, the antimicrobial activity was weak (≤5.0 mm inhibition zones) against tested microorganisms. These findings support CP as a functional additive for enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of gourmet oils, while highlighting the need for further optimization to improve stability and bioactivity.

• Klíčová slova
• Cayenne pepper red, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, fatty acids, health benefits, technological profile, vegetable oils,
• MeSH
• antiinfekční látky farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• antioxidancia * farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• Capsicum * chemie   MeSH
• kapsaicin analogy a deriváty   farmakologie   analýza   MeSH
• mastné kyseliny analýza   MeSH
• oleje rostlin chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• olivový olej chemie   MeSH
• rýžový olej chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antiinfekční látky MeSH
• antioxidancia * MeSH
• dihydrocapsaicin MeSH Prohlížeč
• kapsaicin MeSH
• mastné kyseliny MeSH
• oleje rostlin MeSH
• olivový olej MeSH
• rýžový olej MeSH

The knowledge of chloropropanediols (MCPD) fatty acid esters formation pathways is an important condition for these processing contaminants mitigation. This study aimed to assess the potential of a group of lipophilic environmental contaminants, polychlorinated alkanes, commonly known as chlorinated paraffins (CPs), to contribute to the formation of MCPD esters. Laboratory-scale model systems representing vegetable oils contaminated with both a technical mixture of short-chained CPs and individual short-chained CPs were designed and subjected to heat treatment (230 °C, 2 h) to simulate the deacidification and deodorisation processes. A substantial increase in MCPD content (up to 3.4 times the control levels) was observed in systems spiked with a technical mixture. MCPD formation seems to correlate very well with the concentration of CPs in these systems. Based on the generated data, we can conclude that the processing of vegetable oils contaminated with CPs might contribute to elevated concentrations of MCPD.

• Klíčová slova
• Chlorinated paraffin, Chloropropanediol (MCPD) ester, Polychlorinated alkane, Precursor, SCCP, Vegetable oil, Vegetable oil refining,
• MeSH
• alfa-chlorhydrin * analýza   chemie   MeSH
• chlor chemie   MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky chemie   analýza   MeSH
• kontaminace potravin * analýza   MeSH
• oleje rostlin * chemie   MeSH
• parafín * chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• alfa-chlorhydrin * MeSH
• chlor MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky MeSH
• oleje rostlin * MeSH
• parafín * MeSH

Coriolus versicolor (CV), known in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years, is currently used in China and Japan to reduce chemotherapy or radiotherapy side effects in cancer patients. Despite extensive research, its effects still need improvement. This study aimed to determine if combining CV extract with LY294002, an inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signalling pathway, enhances cancer cell treatment, potentially leading to a novel therapeutic approach. Three human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HeLa, and A549) were treated with CV extract alone or combined with LY294002. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assays. Then, HeLa and MCF-7 cells most sensitive to the co-treatment were used to evaluate colony formation, apoptosis, cell cycle, cell migration and invasion, and phospho-PI3K expression. The results demonstrated that LY294002 enhanced the CV extract's anti-tumour effects by reducing cell viability and colony formation. The combined treatment with CV extract and LY294002 more effectively induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, promoted apoptosis, reduced cell invasion and migration, and inhibited phospho-PI3K expression compared to each agent alone. This study highlights the potent cytotoxic enhancement between CV extract and LY294002 on cancer cells, primarily by inhibiting phospho-PI3K expression. These findings suggest promising avenues for developing novel combination therapies targeting cancer.

• Klíčová slova
• Coriolus versicolor, LY294002, cancer, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase,
• MeSH
• antitumorózní látky farmakologie   MeSH
• apoptóza * účinky léků   MeSH
• buněčný cyklus účinky léků   MeSH
• buňky A549 MeSH
• chromony * farmakologie   MeSH
• fosfatidylinositol-3-kinasy metabolismus   MeSH
• HeLa buňky MeSH
• inhibitory fosfoinositid-3-kinasy * farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• MFC-7 buňky MeSH
• morfoliny * farmakologie   MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• pohyb buněk * účinky léků   MeSH
• proliferace buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• signální transdukce účinky léků   MeSH
• synergismus léků MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one MeSH Prohlížeč
• antitumorózní látky MeSH
• chromony * MeSH
• fosfatidylinositol-3-kinasy MeSH
• inhibitory fosfoinositid-3-kinasy * MeSH
• morfoliny * MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty MeSH

Rosemary - its biologically active compounds and their pharmacological effects Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) has been used since ancient times for medicinal, cultic, and magic purposes. With the stress and diseases, it is increasingly popular today for many uses in both pharmacy and aromatherapy, as a spice in the kitchen and as a preservative. This plant has many interesting compounds (e.g. rosmarinic and carnosic acid, carnosol), which show a considerable amount of positive pharmacological effects.

• Klíčová slova
• rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), biologically active compounds, pharmacological effects,
• MeSH
• diterpeny abietanové farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• rozmarýn * chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• diterpeny abietanové MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty MeSH

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid from Cannabis sativa L., in which there is currently growing interest for medicinal use. Here, we focused on the safety and pharmacokinetics of a CBD-rich (77 %, w/w) full-spectrum hemp extract in male and female rats. A 90-day sub-chronic toxicity assay was conducted with doses of 0.5, 5, 10, and 35 mg CBD extract/kg/day administered orogastrically. No adverse effects or disruption in organ or body weight, behaviour, locomotion, food intake, or impact on morbidity/mortality were observed. Pathomorphological examination showed no gastrointestinal or liver changes. Blood cell analysis showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the number of leukocytes for both sexes, and a significant difference (p < 0.01 or 0.05) between the control and treated animals for mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes, and percentage of neutrophils and monocytes. However, blood cell analysis revealed significant (p < 0.05) sex-dependent differences, such as haematocrit and erythrocyte count. The levels of ions (Ca2+, Na+, K+ and Cl-), alkaline phosphatase activity, and creatinine level in treated animals were also observed for both sexes. Males exhibited decreased alanine transaminase activities, and females exhibited hyperalbuminemia (p < 0.01). CBD was quantified in treated animals in a dose-dependent manner, with statistical significance varying from p < 0.05 to 0.0001. The accumulation of CBD in the individual tissues increased in the order: brain < serum < liver < heart << kidney <<< muscle and skin. The results indicated sex-dependent latent disruption of kidney and liver homeostasis, most likely reversible in nature.

• Klíčová slova
• Biodistribution, CBD hemp extract, Cross-gender study, Organ accumulation, Safety, Sub-chronic toxicity, cannabis,
• MeSH
• Cannabis * chemie   MeSH
• kanabidiol * toxicita   farmakokinetika   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• potkani Sprague-Dawley MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty * toxicita   MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• testy subchronické toxicity MeSH
• vztah mezi dávkou a účinkem léčiva MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kanabidiol * MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty * MeSH

In this study, a functionalized graphene oxide-cerium oxide nanocatalysts (FGCe) with varying graphene oxide (GO) contents were prepared using an in-situ reflux method. The prepared nanocatalysts showcased improvement in the crystallinity and BET surface area values with increasing GO contents. The efficacies of prepared catalysts were investigated towards oxidative pyrolysis of alkali lignin in an ethanol-water system. Among various nanocatalyst samples, the best lignin conversion (93 %) and bio-oil yield (86 %) were achieved using 50 mg FGCe nanocatalyst (0.5 wt% GO) at 423 K and 60 min. GC-MS and 1HNMR analyses were used to identify significant lignin conversion products, including 2-pentanone-4-hydroxy-4-methyl, 2-methoxyphenol, nonylcyclopropane, vanillin, apocynin, homovanollic acid, and benzoic acid. Kinetic studies revealed that the activation energy for lignin conversion was 24.36 kJ/mol at 423 K. Mechanistic investigations by density functional theory analysis revealed that the lignin breakdown occurred at oxygen bonds producing aromatic.

• Klíčová slova
• Alkali lignin, Cerium oxide, Density functional theory, Functionalized graphene oxide, Pyrolysis,
• MeSH
• alkálie chemie   MeSH
• biopaliva MeSH
• dusík chemie   MeSH
• grafit * chemie   MeSH
• katalýza MeSH
• kinetika MeSH
• lignin * chemie   MeSH
• nanostruktury chemie   MeSH
• oleje rostlin MeSH
• oxidace-redukce * MeSH
• plynová chromatografie s hmotnostně spektrometrickou detekcí MeSH
• polyfenoly MeSH
• pyrolýza * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• alkálie MeSH
• Bio-Oil MeSH Prohlížeč
• biopaliva MeSH
• dusík MeSH
• grafit * MeSH
• graphene oxide MeSH Prohlížeč
• lignin * MeSH
• oleje rostlin MeSH
• polyfenoly MeSH

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated in vitro antigiardial activity in four Indonesian plants (Archidendron fagifolium, Diospyros sumatrana, Piper betle and Shorea sumatrana) extracted in methanol, methanol-tetrahydrofuran, and water. These plants exhibiting promising anti-parasitic activity were selected on the basis of collected behavioral data and their ability to decrease parasite load in Sumatran orangutans. Extracts of Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant routinely used as a laboratory model in research, were used as a negative control. METHODS: Plant extracts of different concentrations (400, 100, 25 and 6.25 µg/ml) and metronidazole (100 µg/ml), a standard giardicidal drug, were incubated with 25,000 trophozoites per milliliter of growth medium in 12-well tissue culture plates under anaerobic conditions for 72 h. Cultures were counted in a hemocytometer using a light microscope and then statistically evaluated. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was determined by the MTT Cell Viability Assay. RESULTS: We recorded a statistically-significant decrease in giardia trophozoites in two extracts: the methanolic extract of A. fagifolium (Kruskal-Wallis: p = 0.013) and the aqueous extract of P. betle (Kruskal-Wallis: p = 0.002). Effective concentrations of 400 µg/ml and 100 µg/ml, respectively, were revealed. Cytotoxicity was not demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that extracts of A. fagifolium and P. betle have potential as an alternative treatment of G. intestinalis infection. This is the first scientific proof of the biological activity of A. fagifolium, confirming the assumption that orangutans use this plant (as well as P. betle) for self-medication.

• Klíčová slova
• Giardia intestinalis, Antigiardial activity, Drug of choice, Natural antiparasitic, Parasite,
• MeSH
• antiprotozoální látky farmakologie   MeSH
• Giardia lamblia * účinky léků   MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty * farmakologie   MeSH
• trofozoiti účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Indonésie MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antiprotozoální látky MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty * MeSH

Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods, and they are known for their health benefits, such as UV protection, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. This study investigates whether flavonoids, such as quercetin and 2,3-dehydrosilybin, can act as photoactivatable carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules under physiological conditions. CO has been recently recognized as an important signaling molecule. Here, we show that upon direct irradiation, CO was released from both flavonoids in PBS with chemical yields of up to 0.23 equiv, which increased to almost unity by sensitized photooxygenation involving singlet oxygen. Photoreleased CO reduced cellular toxicity caused by high flavonol concentrations, partially restored mitochondrial respiration, reduced superoxide production induced by rotenone and high flavonol levels, and influenced the G0/G1 and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, showing antiproliferative effects. The findings highlight the potential of quercetin and 2,3-dehydrosilybin as CO-photoreleasing molecules with chemopreventive and therapeutic implications in human pathology and suggest their possible roles in plant biology.

• Klíčová slova
• 2,3-dehydrosilybin, carbon monoxide, cell cycle, mitochondrial respiration, oxidative stress, photoCORM, photoinduced release, quercetin,
• MeSH
• buněčný cyklus účinky léků   MeSH
• flavonoidy * chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oxid uhelnatý * metabolismus   chemie   MeSH
• proliferace buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• quercetin farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• rostliny chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• flavonoidy * MeSH
• oxid uhelnatý * MeSH
• quercetin MeSH
• rostlinné extrakty MeSH