Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) is an aromatic medicinal plant whose use is limited by the presence of toxic thujone. This research aimed to evaluate the morphological and chemical properties of tansy plants growing in various natural habitats. The research determined the content and chemical composition of the essential oil, the contents of flavonoids and phenolic acids, and the antioxidant activity levels of methanol extracts from tansy inflorescences. The highest amount of essential oil (1.05 mL·kg−1) was found in the raw material collected from the reclaimed area (R). Forty-seven compounds were identified in tansy oil, among which camphor (31.21–1.27%) and trans-chrysanthenyl acetate (76.09–0.09%) dominated, while the concentration of trans-thujone was low (2.67% on average). The highest amounts of flavonoids (0.52%) were found in the raw material collected from the ruderal (W) and reclaimed (R) sites, while the highest amount of phenolic acids (2.42%) was found in the raw material from the ruderal site (W). Tansy inflorescence extracts showed high antioxidant potential (88.41%). The reasons for the variability of the chemical composition of tansy were environmental and genetic variability factors.

The herbal material of Coriandrum sativum is the fruit. Fresh herb is also used as an aromatic spice. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the content and chemical composition of coriander herb obtained at different plant growth stages. Coriander plants were grown in a glasshouse, the herb was harvested at the initial stage of flowering and from regrowing shoots. Essential oil extraction from the herb was performed by the hydrodistillation method, whereas the assessment of the chemical composition – using GC-MS method. The examined material contained 0.17–0.29 ml × 100g^-1 of essential oil, depending on the stage of plant development when the harvest was done. 61 (generative phase) and 65 (vegetative phase) compounds were found in the examined coriander oil. The essential oil from the coriander herb contained the highest amount of aliphatic aldehydes, among which was decanal, E-2-dodecanol and E-2-decenol had the highest percentages. The contents of most aliphatic aldehydes decreased with each subsequent harvest of the herb. In addition to the above-mentioned aliphatic aldehydes, the presence of linalool, phytol, and oleic acid was found in the essential oil extracted from the coriander herb

Currently, the potential utilization of fruits and vegetable waste as a source of micronutrients and antioxidants has increased. The present study, therefore, aimed to determine the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of Citrus nobilis peel extract. A modified solvent evaporation technique was employed for peel extract preparation. For effective utilization of the natural product, quantitative analysis of phenolic compounds was carried out using liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy technique. Phenolic and flavonoids were present in high amounts, while β-carotene and lycopene were present in vestigial amounts. The antimicrobial efficiency of peel extract was evaluated against four bacterial strains including Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 3160), Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC 3384), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 2295), and Salmonella typhimurium (MTCC 1254), and one fungal strain Candida albicans (MTCC 183), and zone of inhibition was comparable to the positive control streptomycin and amphotericin B, respectively. The extract of Citrus nobilis peels showed effective anti-inflammatory activity during human red blood cell membrane stabilization (HRBC) and albumin denaturation assay. The extracts also exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity ranging from 53.46 to 81.13%. Therefore, the obtained results suggest that Citrus nobilis peel could be used as an excellent source of polyphenols and transformed into value-added products.

The present study investigated changes in the content and chemical composition of the essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation from air-dried Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) leaves in the first and second year of plant growth. The lemon balm oil was analysed by GC-MS and GC-FID. The presence of 106 compounds, representing 100% of the oil constituents, was determined in the oil. The predominant components were geranial (45.2% and 45.1%) and neral (32.8% and 33.8%); their proportions in the examined samples of the oil obtained from one-and two-year-old plants were comparable. However, the age of lemon balm plants affected the concentration of other constituents and the proportions of the following compounds were subject to especially high fluctuations: citronellal (8.7% and 0.4%), geraniol (trace amounts and 0.6%), and geranyl acetate (0.5% and 3.0%), as well as, among others, isogeranial, E-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, germacrene D, and carvacrol. The essential oil of two-year-old plants was characterized by a richer chemical composition than the oil from younger plants.

Phenolic compounds (PCs) are widespread secondary metabolites with potent biological activity. Their sources are mainly plants from cultivated and natural states, providing valuable protective and health-promoting extracts. The wide biological activity of PCs (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, antiallergic, prebiotic, antimutagenic) means that new sources of PCs are constantly being sought, as exemplified by extracting these compounds from tissue culture or agricultural by-products. Plant phenols show marked qualitative and quantitative variation not only at different genetic levels (between and within species and clones) but also between different physiological and developmental stages. Assessing genetic and seasonal variations in phenolic content and activity allows for selecting the best time to harvest the plant. Learning about the causes of PCs’ variability and putting this knowledge into practice can significantly increase PCs’ yields and extract the most valuable compounds. The health-promoting properties resulting from consuming products rich in plant PCs are undeniable, so it is worth promoting high-phenolic products as a regular diet. This paper presents an overview of different sources of PCs for use as potential therapeutic alternatives. Additionally, factors of variation in the phenolic complex at the genome and ontogeny levels, relevant in practical terms and as a basis for further scientific research, are presented.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are highly utilized commodities by health-conscious consumers and represent a prominent segment in the functional and nutritional food sector. However, food processing is causing significant loss of nutritional components, and the generation of waste is creating serious economic and environmental problems. Fruit and vegetables encompass husk, peels, pods, pomace, seeds, and stems, which are usually discarded, despite being known to contain potentially beneficial compounds, such as carotenoids, dietary fibers, enzymes, and polyphenols. The emerging interest in the food industry in the nutritional and biofunctional constituents of polyphenols has prompted the utilization of fruit and vegetable waste for developing enriched and functional foods, with applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the utilization of waste for developing diverse and crucial bioactive commodities is a fundamental step in sustainable development. Furthermore, it provides evidence regarding the applicability of fruit and vegetable waste in different food formulations especially bakery, jam, and meat based products.

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A b s t r a c tThe aromatic and curative properties of basil are connected with the presence of essential oil, mainly in the leaves and flowers. Herb yield and the quality of basil oil are related to the effect of genetic, ontogenetic and environmental factors. In the studies conducted in the years 2008-2009, the effect of basil cultivar and foliar feeding upon selected flowering features was examined. In an unheated plastic tunnel, plants of Kasia, Wala, Genua Star and Opal cultivars were grown. Foliar feeding was done by the application of 0.5% urea solution or by spraying the plants with water. During harvest the characteristic features of flowering were determined, i.e. the number and length of inflorescences, as well as the number of verticils and flowers per inflorescence. A vast differentiation was demonstrated in flowering of sweet basil plants of the examined cultivars. The most inflorescences were formed by the plants of the Polish cultivar Kasia, compared to the remaining ones. The longest inflorescences with the highest number of flowers in the main inflorescence were found in 'Genua Star'. Foliar feeding of the plants with nitrogen caused a significant increase of inflorescence number, but it did not significantly affect the remaining features of basil flowering.