a b s t r a c tEthnopharmacological relevance: The genus Inula comprises more than one hundred species widespread in temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Uses of this genus as herbal medicines have been first recorded by the Greek and Roman ancient physicians. In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, from the 20 Inula spp. distributed in China, three are used as Traditional Chinese medicines, named Tumuxiang, Xuanfuhua and Jinfeicao. These medicines are used as expectorants, antitussives, diaphoretics, antiemetics, and bactericides. Moreover, Inula helenium L. which is mentioned in Minoan, Mycenaean, Egyptian/Assyrian pharmacotherapy and Chilandar Medical Codex, is good to treat neoplasm, wound, freckles and dandruff. Many other Inula spp. are used in Ayurvedic and Tibetan traditional medicinal systems for the treatment of diseases such as bronchitis, diabetes, fever, hypertension and several types of inflammation. This review is a critical evaluation of the published data on the more relevant ethnopharmacological and medicinal uses of Inula spp. and on their metabolites biological activities. This study allows the identification of the ethnopharmacological knowledge of this genus and will provide insight into the emerging pharmacological applications of Inula spp. facilitating the prioritirization of future investigations. The corroboration of the ethnopharmacological applications described in the literature with proved biological activities of Inula spp. secondary metabolites will also be explored. Abbreviations: A-549, human lung carcinoma cell line; ABTS, 2,2 0 -azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid); AGS, human gastric carcinoma cell line; AHR, airway hiper-responsiveness; AKT, serine/threonine-specific protein kinase; AMPK, adenosine 5 0 -monophosphate-activated protein kinase; ATPase, adenosine triphosphatase; B16, murine melanoma cell line; Bcl-2, apoptosis regulator proteins encoded by the BCL2 gene; Capan-2, human pancreas adenocarcinoma cell line; CC 50 , 50% cytotoxic concentration; c-FLIP, cellular FLICE (FADD-like interleukine-1β-converting enzyme) inhibitory protein; COX, cyclooxygenase; COX-1, cyclooxygenase-1; COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; CVB3, coxsackievirus B3 enterovirus; DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; DOX, doxorubicin; DPPH, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical; ED 50 , effective dose to produce effect in 50% of a population; G1, astrocytoma cell line; G2/M, cell cycle checkpoint in eukaryotic organisms; GMK, green monkey kidney cell line; GSTs, glutathione-S-transferase; HCT-116, colon carcinoma cell line; HeLa, human cervix cancer cell line; HepG-2, liver hepatocellular carcinoma cell line; HIV/AIDS, human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HIV-1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1; HL-60, human promyelocytic leukemia cell line; HSP70, heat shock protein 70; HSV-1, herpes Simplex Virus type 1; HT-29, human colon adenocarcinoma grade II cell line; IC 50 , inhibitory concentration for 50% of viability; ICAM-1, intracellular adhesion molecule-1; IKK, IκB kinase; I...

No abstract

Context: Verbascum phlomoides L. (Scrophulariaceae) (mullein) used in the European folk medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and soothing action on the respiratory tract is thoroughly documented in handbooks and scientific literature. Nevertheless, information regarding the influence of the polyphenol content on pharmacological activity is scarce. Objective: This study explored the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of V. phlomoides polyphenol-rich extract. Materials and methods: Dried mullein flowers (200 g) were subjected to water extraction (60 C, 2 h, herb/solvent ratio ¼ 1/10 m/v) and further to n-butanol partition. Total phenolics were spectrophotometrically determined and specific compounds were evaluated by HPLC. The antioxidant activity was assessed by the 2,2-di(4-tert-octylphenyl)-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The anti-inflammatory potential of the extract (50-200 mg/mL) was evaluated in vitro by ELISA measurement of ICAM-1 expression in TNF-a-stimulated endothelial cells and in vivo by the rat paw edema assay. Results: The mullein extract contained 4.18% total polyphenols expressed as gallic acid. The main components identified by HPLC were: rosmarinic acid (14.93 mg/g), caffeic acid (39.96 mg/g), ferulic acid (29.61 mg/g) and quercetin (17.29 mg/g). Acteoside was not detected; aucubin was detected in traces (0.028 mg/g). Depending on concentration, the extract exerted scavenging activity on DPPH radical (EC 50 7.09 mg/mL), significantly inhibited TNF-a-induced ICAM-1 expression by 55-58.8% on human umbilical vein endothelial cells at 100 and 200 mg/mL, but failed to reduce egg-white-induced rat paw edema. Discussion and conclusion: Mullein polyphenols play an important role in exerting the antioxidant effect but have a weak influence on anti-inflammatory activity that is correlated, probably, to a higher content of iridoids and phenylethanoids.

No abstract

The entrepreneurial ecosystem, one of the latest trends for researchers and practitioners, has the potential to increase our understanding of entrepreneurship. Existing research was conducted mostly in developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to bring to light the particularities of entrepreneurial ecosystems in two important city-regions of Romania, which should result in a better understanding of the specific context of this transitional economy. Starting from the models of entrepreneurial ecosystems proposed in the literature, we added an element specific to most post-communist states: political entrepreneurs, underlying the impact of their presence for the evolution and sustainability of entrepreneurial ecosystems. The research design was a qualitative exploratory study. The study focused on a sample of 21 entrepreneurs from two city-regions in Romania: Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. The interviews were based on open-ended questions prompting the respondents to engage in a storytelling approach to describe their experiences as entrepreneurs in a volatile environment, along with their perceptions. The data were analyzed based on a descriptive phenomenological approach using thematic analysis. The main findings, resulting from the qualitative interview data, are that although entrepreneurship, both in results and mentality, is well-established, seemingly over the “point of no return”, the particular context is still making things rough for entrepreneurial activity. The results suggest a strong need for coherent policies at local and national levels.

We use the entrepreneurial ecosystem perspective to study political entrepreneurship as a form of alignment between disruptive and unproductive entrepreneurs with authorities aiming to get privileged access to resources. Political entrepreneurship (PE) has emerged as a phenomenon in transition and developing economies and may compromise the entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) objectives. Combining interview and survey data, this study provides an in-depth assessment of entrepreneurial ecosystems in a transition economy and the role that political entrepreneurs play in moderating the effect of resources on the quality of entrepreneurship. Our findings are generalizable to other transition and developing economies as we demonstrate what various configurations of factors increase stakeholders’ perception about EE and directly affect its quality. Our findings reveal that stakeholders appreciate the evolution trends towards mature and productive entrepreneurship, but the progress is slow, nonlinear, with setbacks, still seriously threatened by corruption, lack of competence, and the interference of the political factor as well as regional differences. This study offers implications on how to adopt a place-based and holistic approach to institutional reforms when policymakers aim at creating productive entrepreneurial ecosystems. This study implications are in the adoption of a place-based and holistic approach to institutional reforms when policymakers aim at creating productive entrepreneurial ecosystems. While political entrepreneurship may significantly distort an ecosystem, this study offers recommendations to managers and policymakers who plan to start a business in an environment with weak institutions and the rule of law.

No abstract

No abstract