Worldwide, marine algae are known to produce a wide variety of bioactive secondary metabolites and several compounds have been derived from them for the prospective development of novel drugs by the pharmaceutical industry. In this context, Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha intestinales, and Cladophora vagabunda, isolated from Black Sea coastal waters of Romania, were evaluated for their potential for bioactivity. Extracts of the algae selected for the study were prepared using ethanol. The study presents original results concerning the total phenolic content (TPC), determined by the spectrometric method (Folin-Ciocalteu method) and the individual phenols from each species of seaweed studied were identified by HPLC-DAD techniques. Total antioxidant activity (ACL) was studied by photochemiluminescence method, and antibacterial activity was studied on two strains of bacteria, Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 - gram-negative and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P - gram-positive. Results indicated that the highest total phenolic content was obtained for Cladophora vagabunda (325.8 mg/100 g f.w.), followed by Ulva lactuca (285.5 mg/100 g f.w.) and the lowest rate was registered by Enteromorpha intestinalis (268.8 mg/100 g f.w.). Through HPLC-DAD techniques, 6 individual phenolic compounds were identified in all analyzed seaweeds. In addition, two other phenolic compounds were identified in lower concentrations in Ulva lactuca, but only one phenolic compound in Enteromorpha intestinalis. The results of this study show that there is a strong correlation between antioxidant activity (ACL), antibacterial activity and total phenolic content (TPC). Antioxidant activity shows the same order as total phenolic content (TPC): Cladophora vagabunda (64.15 nmol/g sample) followed by Ulva lactuca (22.8 nmol/g sample) and Enteromorpha intestinalis (10.4 nmol/g sample). The antibacterial activity recorded in all green seaweeds shows that the inhibition sites are higher on Escherichia coli compared to Staphylococcus aureus.

In the last years, health care professionals faced with an increasing number of patients suffering from wounds, burns and bedsores difficult to treat and heal. During the wound healing process, the dressing protects the injured area and contributes to the recovery of dermal and epidermal tissues. Because their biocompatibility, biodegradability and similarity to macromolecules recognized by the human body, some natural polymers such as polysaccharides (alginates, chitin, chitosan), proteoglycans and proteins (collagen, gelatin, fibrin) are extensively are used in wounds and burns management. The study presents a research of new semi-solid formulations of bio-composites based on chitosan extracted from the stone crab Pachygrapsus Mormoratus found on the Black Sea shores. The bio-composites were obtained from natural polymeric compounds, Chitosan (CT), hyaluronic acid (HA) and lanolin(L), to which silver sulfadiazine (S), was added. Several semi-solid formulations have been performed for which the antimicrobial activity on gram-positive and gram-negative germ cultures and the rheological behavior was studied. The bio-composites that were obtained provide an optimal micro-environment for cell proliferation, migration and differentiation, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, peculiar structure and good antimicrobial activity.

Collagen hydrolysers are three-dimensional polymeric materials with limited cross-linking and high hydrophilicity, having multiple medical applications. The most used collagen is the one extracted from bovine skin, which is now the industrial source of collagen. Due to the outbreak of some threatening diseases such as BSE, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, foot-and-mouth disease, researchers have sought a safer alternative to collagen. This was the marine resource, which offered multiple opportunities to capitalize on clean sea-water raw material. This paper presents a comparative study of the physico-chemical properties of collagen hydrogels derived from collagen obtained from calf and skin from the Black Sea. Physico-chemical and spectrophotometric analyzes were performed to determine the structure. Studies have been conducted to analyze rheological behavior, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity. The total antioxidant capacity (ACL) is higher for collagen mixtures with 40% ethyl alcohol and shows higher values for fish collagen compared to calf collagen. Antimicrobial analysis shows that all collagen hydrogels show antimicrobial activity, both gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 10536), which increases with increasing collagen concentrations.

The paper presents original results concerning phenolic and mineral composition of different parts of wild chicory grown in Romania (flowers, leaves, stems and roots). Total and some individual phenols concentrations were determined using molecular absorption spectrometry (modified Folin Ciocalteu method) and HPLC-DAD. Metals concentrations were measured by FAAS. The highest total phenolic compounds concentration was founded in flowers (1531.2 mg GAE/100g d.w.), followed by leaves (1180.3 mg GAE/100g d.w.), roots (167.86 mg GAE/100g d.w.) and stems (142.36 mg GAE/100g d.w.). HPLC-DAD analysis revealed the presence of seven phenolic acids in the range of 30-50% from total phenols concentration. The main determined phenolic compounds are: in flowers methyl gallic acid (301.55 mg/100g d.w.) in leaves, roots and stems ellagic acid (389.68 mg/100g d.w., 67.93 mg/100g d.w. respectively 22.97 mg/100g d.w.). Metals analyses by FAAS indicate that Cd, Cr, K, Ni and Pb are in concentrations under the detection limits. Except iron and sodium, all others metals are in higher concentration in leaves. Rank for the metal concentration from chicory was Ca]Mg]Zn]Na]Cu]Fe]Mn.

The study presents original results concerning analytical characterization of alcoholic extracts of four wild berries (blueberries, blackberries, red currants and raspberries) and two cultivated berries (black cherries and strawberries). Total and some individual phenols concentrations were determined using molecular absorption spectrometry (modified Folin Ciocalteu method) and HPLC-DAD technique. The measurement of lipid-soluble antioxidant capacity (ACL) was done by photochemiluminescence method using trolox as standard.The highest total phenolic content was registered in blueberries (543.5 mg/100g f.w.), while the lowest was found in raspberries (344.5 mg/100g f.w.).HPLC � DAD analysis indicated the presence of six individual polyphenolic compounds in different concentrations: gallic acid (62.664 - 178.821 mg/100 g f.w); chlorogenic acid (30.152 - 243.923 mg/100g f.w.); 3-O-methyl-gallic acid (2.035 - 4.907 mg/100 g f.w.); caffeic acid (0.401 - 5.664 mg/100 g f.w.); p-coumaric acid (4.252 - 10.806 mg/100 g f.w.) and cinnamic acid (0.665-0.958 mg/100 g f.w.). ACL results showed values between 54.00 and 1152 �mols trolox/100 g f.w.