BackgroundExtremely low frequency electromagnetic fields aren’t considered as a real carcinogenic agent despite the fact that some studies have showed impairment of the DNA integrity in different cells lines. The aim of this study was evaluation of the late effects of a 100 Hz and 5.6 mT electromagnetic field, applied continuously or discontinuously, on the DNA integrity of Vero cells assessed by alkaline Comet assay and by cell cycle analysis. Normal Vero cells were exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (100 Hz, 5.6 mT) for 45 minutes. The Comet assay and cell cycle analysis were performed 48 hours after the treatment.ResultsExposed samples presented an increase of the number of cells with high damaged DNA as compared with non-exposed cells. Quantitative evaluation of the comet assay showed a significantly (<0.001) increase of the tail lengths, of the quantity of DNA in tail and of Olive tail moments, respectively. Cell cycle analysis showed an increase of the frequency of the cells in S phase, proving the occurrence of single strand breaks. The most probable mechanism of induction of the registered effects is the production of different types of reactive oxygen species.ConclusionsThe analysis of the registered comet indices and of cell cycle showed that extremely low frequency electromagnetic field of 100 Hz and 5.6 mT had a genotoxic impact on Vero cells.

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The paper reports the successful application of membranes processes to obtain the good quality extracts with compounds of high antioxidative activity and therapeutic value. This study provided investigations on the phenolic compounds from two plant species used in Romanian ethno-medicine and evaluated the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Three extracts prepared from Geranium robertianum and Symphytum officinale were concentrated by microfiltration and ultrafiltration. The levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy and HPLC. The freeradical scavenging activity of concentrated extracts was determined by DPPH method. The preliminary tests of cytotoxic activity for the concentrated extracts have been carried out on human epidermoid laryngeal carcinoma cell line (Hep-2p) and normal monkey kidneys cells (RM). The results showed that all concentrated extracts had a very low cytotoxicity against healthy cells, but a significant cytotoxic effect on Hep-2p tumor cells. The concentrated extracts have a high antioxidant activity (% DPPH inhibition > 80%)

Herein we report a feasible study concerning the design, syntheses and in vitro antimicrobial and antitumoral activities of some novel compounds with dihydroxyacetophenone (DA) moiety. An efficient and general method for the preparation of diazine with dihydroxyacetophenone (DDA) skeleton under conventional thermal heating (TH), microwave (MW) and ultrasounds (US) irradiation is presented. Antimicrobial and antitumoral tests prove that some dihydroxyacetophenone compounds (the brominated derivatives BrDA 3) have a significant biological activity. It is also to be pointed out that, basically all the dihydroxyacetophenone derivatives proved to have a powerful antibacterial activity against drug resistant Gram-negative strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Of particular interest could be the excellent antibacterial activity of our dihydroxyacetophenone compounds against drug resistant Gram-negative strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In the category of medicinal plants with remarkable therapeutic properties, lichens are also included. An important representative of this group is the Usnea Adans. genus, with over 650 species spread throughout the globe. Representative species of this genus were also found in Romania, so the studies were conducted on Usnea barbata (L.) F.H.Wigg., harvested from the Calimani Mountains, Suceava County. The objectives of this research are: obtaining the dry extract of the Usneae lichen followed by the identification and determination of the usnic acid content by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method. Usnic acid content determined in dry extract of Usnea barbata (L.) F.H.Wigg. was significant, of 16.53 � 6.53% (mean � RSD), which supports the continuation of the research with the evaluation of biological effects (antibacterial, antioxidant and antitumoral).

In the category of medicinal plants with remarkable therapeutic properties, lichens are also included. An important representative of this group is the Usnea Adans. genus, with over 650 species spread throughout the globe. Representative species of this genus were also found in Romania, so the studies were conducted on Usnea barbata (L.) F.H.Wigg., harvested from the Calimani Mountains, Suceava County. The objectives of this research are: obtaining the dry extract of the Usneae lichen followed by the identification and determination of the usnic acid content by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method. Usnic acid content determined in dry extract of Usnea barbata (L.) F.H.Wigg. was significant, of 16.53 � 6.53% (mean � RSD), which supports the continuation of the research with the evaluation of biological effects (antibacterial, antioxidant and antitumoral).

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