The total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), phenolic compounds, and antifungal activity of olive (Olea europaea var. sylvestris) and juniper (Juniperus foetidissima) sapwood and heartwood extractives were examined. The extractives were obtained using methanol solvents. The different compounds in extractives were identified and quantified. The antifungal activities of different parts of the olive and juniper wood extractives were determined in vitro. Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium was used for the antifungal activity experiment. Extractive compounds obtained from olive and juniper woods were found to be effective, natural antifungal agents.

Through a cyclization reaction of 2‐phenylbutyric acid with N‐phenylthiosemicarbazide and POCl3, novel 1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives were synthesized. Their structures were confirmed using IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. The antibacterial activities of the obtained 1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives were tested against Gram‐negative bacteria (Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella infantis, Salmonella kentucky, and Escherichia coli) and Gram‐positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus durans) using a disk diffusion method. Moreover, an antifungal activity experiment was performed against Candida albicans using the disk diffusion method. It was observed that the synthesized 1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives exhibited effective antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. Based on these results, the 1,3,4‐thiadiazole derivatives can be considered as a source of bioactive agents for pharmacological and medicinal applications.

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This work investigated some mechanical, physical and free formaldehyde emission properties of heat-treated MDF. For this purpose, MDF panels were subjected to varying heat treatment temperatures (155°C, 165°C and 175°C), durations (2.5 h., 3.5 h. and 4.5 h.) and waiting times after hot pressing (30 min., 120 min. and 600 min). Thickness swelling (TS), water absorption (WA), free formaldehyde emission (FFE), bending strength (BS), modulus of elasticity (MOE), tensile strength perpendicular to fibers (TSPF) for treated and untreated samples were tested and evaluated statistically. Consequently, after the heat treatment values of tensile strength, bending strength and modulus of elasticity were almost negatively affected relatively, but the thickness swelling and water absorption and quantities of free formaldehyde were improved positively of MDF samples.

In this study, DNA protective, antioxidant, antibacterial and enzyme inhibiting properties of methanol extracts obtained from juniper and olive heartwood and sapwood were determined. These extracts were tested by five antioxidant methods (DPPH scavenging, FRAP, CUPRAC, metal chelating and phosphomolybdenum). Generally, heartwood extracts of both species are more efficient for DPPH radical scavenging activity, cupric ion reducing activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power and metal chelating activity than sapwood extracts. When compared to heartwood extracts, sapwood extracts have larger inhibition zone in disk diffusion test. In addition, all extracts showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. DNA protection of both extracts had a capacity to inhibit the DNA damage arisen from Fenton's reagent. The highest DNA protective activity was observed in juniper sapwood extract with 84%. Furthermore, other extracts also indicated more than 60% of DNA protective activity. Olive wood extracts displayed the strongest enzyme inhibition activities against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Although juniper heartwood extracts showed highest anti-amylase, anti-glucosidase and anti-tyrosinase effects, they had no ability for inhibition BChE.The methanol extracts of olive samples demonstrated the most antioxidant activity (DPPH, CUPRAC and FRAP). In addition, juniper samples showed the highest anti-amylase, anti-tyrosinase, metal chelating and DNA protective activity. According to these results, the extracts of juniper and olive wood can be considered as a source of natural bio active agents for dietary, pharmacological and medicinal applications. This research will also serve as a base for future studies about biological activities of wood extracts.