The marine algal ecosystem is characterized by a rich ecological biodiversity and can be considered as an unexploited resource for the discovery and isolation of novel bioactive compounds. In recent years, marine macroalgae have begun to be explored for their valuable composition in bioactive compounds and opportunity to obtain different nutraceuticals. In comparison with their terrestrial counterparts, Black Sea macroalgae are potentially good sources of bioactive compounds with specific and unique biological activities, insufficiently used. Macroalgae present in different marine environments contain several biologically active metabolites, including polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, sterols, proteins polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, and minerals. As a result, they have received huge interest given their promising potentialities in supporting antitumoral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiangiogenic, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective properties. An additional advantage of ulvans, fucoidans and carrageenans is the biocompatibility and limited or no toxicity. This therapeutic potential is a great natural treasure to be exploited for the development of novel drug delivery systems in both preventive and therapeutic approaches. This overview aims to provide an insight into current knowledge focused on specific bioactive compounds, which represent each class of macroalgae e.g., ulvans, fucoidans and carrageenans, respectively, as valuable potential players in the development of innovative drug delivery systems.

Lonicera caerulaea L. and Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot fruits are frequently used for their health benefits as they are rich in bioactive compounds. They are recognized as a source of natural and valuable phytonutrients, which makes them a superfood. L. caerulea presents antioxidant activity three to five times higher than other berries which are more commonly consumed, such as blackberries or strawberries. In addition, their ascorbic acid level is the highest among fruits. The species A. melanocarpa is considered one of the richest known sources of antioxidants, surpassing currants, cranberries, blueberries, elderberries, and gooseberries, and contains one of the highest amounts of sorbitol. The non-edible leaves of genus Aronia became more extensively analyzed as a byproduct or waste material due to their high polyphenol, flavonoid, and phenolic acid content, along with a small amount of anthocyanins, which are used as ingredients in nutraceuticals, herbal teas, bio-cosmetics, cosmeceuticals, food and by the pharmaceutical industry. These plants are a rich source of vitamins, tocopherols, folic acid, and carotenoids. However, they remain outside of mainstream fruit consumption, being well known only to a small audience. This review aims to shed light on L. caerulaea and A. melanocarpa and their bioactive compounds as healthy superfoods with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimicrobial, and anti-diabetic effects, and hepato-, cardio-, and neuro-protective potential. In this view, we hope to promote their cultivation and processing, increase their commercial availability, and also highlight the ability of these species to be used as potential nutraceutical sources, helpful for human health.

Two white tea types, Pai Mu Tan and Fujian blend and three popular non-tea infusions, yerba mate, rooibos and hibiscus tea were studied for determining the concentrations of chlorophyll, carotenoid, total phenolic and polyphenolic compounds and essential oil contents in raw plant material and pH of the resulting infusions.White teas had the highest average amount of chlorophylls (746 mg/kg Fujian, 1,164 mg/kg Pai Mu Tan), the same being valid for carotenoids (218-226 mg/kg). Among non-tea beverages, rooibos had the highest amounts of both chlorophylls and carotenoids.Total phenolic compounds also had the highest concentrations in white teas (43,617 mg/kg Pai Mu Tan, 47,522 mg/kg Fujian) followed by yerba mate (29,146 mg/kg). Total essential oils were much more variable, even among white teas (1,200-10,800 mg/kg), with high amounts in yerba mate and hibiscus tea.pH values were similar, mildly acidic, except for the highly acidic (1.31) hibiscus tea.

His scientific interests are in the areas of: bacteria-based biosensors, hydrogen metabolism in phototrophic bacteria, biology of magnetotactic bacteria and their relevance for bionanotechnology and terraformation.

The chromium bioaccumulation potential in Sinapis alba L. was studied in experimental hydroponic conditions. Mustard seedlings were grown in nutrient solution containing 50, 100, 250 and 500 ppm Cr. After 10 days, seedlings were analyzed for shoot length, biomass, leaf pigment (chlorophylls and carotenoids) and tissular Cr concentration. The Biological Accumulation Coefficients (BAC) were also determined. Cr content in S. alba dry mass reached 415-2,064 ppm, depending on ambient Cr concentration. BAC ranged between 8.30 to 4.13, with a peak at 100 ppm and lowest values at higher concentrations. Shoot length, biomass and pigment concentration values showed an average decrease at high Cr concentrations (mostly, at 500 ppm), without a definite statistical significance. Results indicate that S. alba is tolerant to high Cr levels and has hyperaccumulative abilities.

DOI: 10.15835/nsb13110875 Silene thymifolia (Caryophyllaceae) is considered a rare, near-threatened species in Romania, growing only on Black Sea coastal dunes.  Anatomical aspects of the root, stem and leaf of this species are presented in this study. Root, stem and leaves were analysed by brightfield microscopy, with specific staining. The root in cross section exhibited a secondary structure, generated by the activity of phellogen, and vascular cambium, with thick cork, continuous secondary xylem rings. no pith rays, but with cortical air lacunes. The stem had a primary structure with a number of collateral vascular bundles arranged on a single circle, with thick cortical schlerenchymal layers and oxalate crystals in pith cells. The epidermis showed stomata and glandular hairs. The leaf was amphystomatic leaf, with a heterogeneous mesophyll (equifacial type) and embedded vascular bundles, with a rounded mid rib surrounded by a parenchyma sheath. The spongy tissue has some large intercellular air spaces with druses. The mechanical tissue is well developed in the root and stem and poorly developed, represented by few collenchyma elements in the mesophyll, being represented by a continuous schlerenchyma fibers band present in root and stem and collenchyma in the leaf. The secretory histological elements were represented by epidermal glandular hairs and oxaliferous cells (druses) present in stem and leaf.

Aluminium toxicity is one of the major factors that limit plant growth and development in many acid soils, by multiple, and still poorly understood mechanisms. In this paper, the aluminium content determinations were done through atomic absorption spectrometry method, on seedlings of three culture plants, Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower), Sinapis alba L. (white mustard) and Triticum aestivum L. (wheat), grown in hydroponic conditions with different aluminium concentrations (50, 100 and 250 mg/kg) expose. AAS data were correlated with biometrical determinations (shoot length and dry biomass) and leaf pigments concentration assessment. Results emphasize that none of the selected species accumulates aluminium in aboveground organs such as shoots and leaves, indicating that root exclusion and/or sequestration are the strategies employed by all three species for limiting aluminium toxicity. In all three studied species, both average shoot length and dry biomass tended to be lower at higher aluminium concentration. Due to high variations among seedlings grown at the same aluminium concentration expose, these differences are not statistically significant. In sunflower seedlings, chlorophyll a and carotenoids had maximum values at the highest aluminium concentration (250 mg/kg), while chlorophyll b was more abundant at 100 mg/kg. In mustard, all pigments had their maximum concentrations at 100 mg/kg, while in wheat, an aluminium concentration increase progressively lead to a drop in pigments concentration.

Willofleaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.) is a low, prostrate shrub, grown in Romania as an ornamental plant. Its fruits are small, ovoid pomes. Fruit tissues were analyzed for total carotenoid content (through acetone extraction and spectrophotometry), flavonoid content (methanol extraction and spectrophotometry) and total concentration of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds (methanol extraction and spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocâlteu method). C. salicifolius fruits analyzed contained an average of 311.50 mg/kg DW carotenoids (heat-dried fruits – only 100.25 mg/kg). Average flavonoid concentration was 9,777.62 mg/kg in fresh frozen fruits and 4,574 mg/kg in dried ones. 25,056.09 mg/kg GAE was the average concentration of total phenolics in fresh fruits, while dry fruit powder contained 5,271 mg/kg GAE. These concentrations of bioactive compounds are comparable, or even have a higher than in pomes belonging to related species, including domestic cultivars of rowanberry (Sorbus sp.), wild Sorbus species, firethorns (Pyracantha sp.), or other studied cotoneasters. This shows a significant potential for these pomes, requiring further investigation. However, heat-drying was found to be an unsuitable processing method for these fruits, since it led to a 53.22-78.94 percent decrease in bioactive compounds concentrations.