Our results demonstrate, for the first time, a distinct tumour-suppressive effect of oregano in the breast cancer model.

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A synthesis of novel pyrazolopyridine, benzopyranopyrazolopyridine, and oxygen-bridged pyrazolo-, tetrazolo-, benzimidazo-, and thiazolopyrimidines via Hantzsch- and Biginelli-like condensations has been developed. The ability of these compounds to inhibit Eg5 activity has been examined. The results indicate that synthetic manipulations in the monastrol thiourea moiety are inefficient.

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Lycopus europaeus L. leaves water extract (LEL) was subjected to phytochemical analysis, and evaluated for its antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Antibacterial activity testing was performed on Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains from catheter-related and skin infections by broth microdilution test. LEL showed bactericidal activity at concentrations from 2500 to 5000 μg/mL against all, including methicillin resistant and polyresistant nosocomial, strains. Antioxidant activity was examined using DPPH and ABTS (11.3 and 9.8 μg/mL, respectively) and by ferric reducing ability of the plasma method (891 μmol AAE/g dry extract). Phytochemical analysis of LEL was performed by LC-DAD-MS/MS. Ten phenolic compounds were identified; two minor compounds (glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid and sagerinig acid) have not been described in Lycopus yet. The major compounds, considered to be responsible for biological activities detected in the study, were determined as rosmarinic acid (76 mg/g) and luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (23 mg/g). L. europaeus arises from our study as a promising source of antibacterial agent for topical usage.

The present study illustrates the possibilities of capillary isotachophoresis (CITP) online coupled with capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and hyphenated with fiber-based spectrophotometric diode array detection (DAD) for the direct, highly reliable, and ultrasensitive determination of quinine (QUI) in real multicomponent ionic matrices (beverages). Here, the CITP provided an effective online sample pretreatment (preseparation and preconcentration) prior to the CZE separation. Due to the CITP sample preconcentration, a simple UV-visible absorbance spectrophotometric detection was sufficient for obtaining very low concentration limits of detection (~2.3 ng/mL). Enhanced separation selectivity due to the combination of different separation mechanisms (CITP vs. CZE) enabled to obtain a pure analyte zone, suitable for its detection and quantitation in the directly injected real samples. The spectrophotometric DAD, unlike single wavelength UV detection, enabled to characterize the purity (i.e. spectral homogeneity) of the analyte zone and preliminary data indicate structurally related compounds via characteristic spectra recorded in the interval of 200-600 nm. The proposed CITP-CZE-DAD method was characterized by favorable performance parameters (sensitivity, linearity, precision, recovery, accuracy, robustness, and selectivity) and successfully applied to the control of QUI and potential QUI impurities in commercial beverages. This method is proposed as a routine automatized method for the highly reliable quality food control.

Qualitative analysis of the water extract of Mentha x villosa Huds. leaves was performed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and quantitative analysis was made by reverse-phase liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection (LC-DAD). Sixteen phenolic compounds were identified and quantified consisting of 8 phenolic acids/derivatives and 8 flavonoid glycosides (quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumaroyl-hexoside, caffeic acid, coumaroylquinic acid, lithospermic acid, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid A, luteolin-7- O-glucuronide, luteolin-7- O-glucoside, luteolin-7- O-rutinoside, eriodictyol-7- O-rutinoside, apigenin-7- O-glucuronide, kaempferol-3- O-glucuronide, chrysoeriol-7- O-rutinoside, and hesperetin-7- O-rutinoside). Luteolin-7- O-rutinoside (25.6 ± 0.7 mg/g dry extract) and rosmarinic acid (17.9 ± 0.4 mg/g dry extract) were the most abundant. High antioxidant activity of this phenolic-rich water extract was confirmed in vitro by DPPH and ABTS tests and ex vivo in the ischemia-reperfusion injured rat superior mesenteric artery. Thus, the water extract of M. x villosa leaves seems to be a promising agent in prevention of tissue injury caused by oxidative stress.

The possibilities of a column coupling two-dimensional capillary electrophoresis (2D CE) combined with fiber-based diode array detection (DAD) for the direct, highly reliable and ultrasensitive quantitative determination of quinine in real multicomponent ionic matrices (human urine) are demonstrated in this work. The capillary isotachophoresis (CITP) stage provided an on-line sample pretreatment (elimination of interfering matrix constituents, preseparation and preconcentration of the analyte) before the capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) separation. Due to the large volume (30 µL) sample injection and CITP sample preconcentration, a simple absorbance photometric detection was sufficient for obtaining very low concentration limits of detection (∼8.6 ng/mL). The combination of the different separation mechanisms (CITP and CZE) resulted in enhanced separation selectivity. This enabled us to obtain a pure analyte zone in the directly injected real samples suitable for qualitative and quantitative evaluation. The spectral DAD allowed (i) characterization of the purity (i.e., spectral homogeneity) of the analyte zone; and (ii) preliminary indication of structurally related compounds (i.e., potential biodegradation products of quinine), via characteristic spectra recorded in intervals of 200-800 nm. The CITP-CZE-DAD method was characterized by favorable performance parameters that are suitable for its routine biomedical use. One of the primary benefits of the CITP-CZE-DAD method is the possibility of performing direct injections of real biological samples while avoiding external sample preparation procedures and, therefore, enhancing the reliability and applicability of analyses and the potential for method automatization and miniaturization.