Publications by authors named "Michalak Monika"

Article Synopsis
  • Feverfew, a medicinal plant from the Asteraceae family, was analyzed for its phytochemical properties and potential applications in treating skin diseases.
  • The study utilized hydrodistillation and advanced methods like GC-MS and HPLC to identify key compounds, revealing high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and antimicrobial properties in its extracts.
  • Results indicated that feverfew extracts showed strong antioxidant potential and protective effects on skin cells, highlighting its promising applications in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
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New active ingredients, including those of plant origin, which could protect the skin against various harmful factors, such as UV radiation and free radicals responsible for skin ageing, are still being sought. The present study was focused on the antioxidant activity of L. and L.

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Introduction: The available literature indicates that and are raw materials with great potential for use in prevention and therapy. Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess the phytochemical profile and antioxidant and cytoprotective properties of extracts prepared using various solvents, additionally taking into account different methods of drying the plant material.

Methods: Hydrodistilled oil was analysed by GC-MS.

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(Lamiaceae) is a plant which has long been known and used in traditional medicine for various purposes. However, few recent studies have documented its chemical composition and biological properties. The present study investigated the phytochemical composition of horehound, as well as its protective, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential.

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α-Pinene, α-terpineol, and 1,8-cineole are compounds naturally present in essential oils, although their amounts vary from oil to oil. Although several studies have reported their antibacterial and antioxidant effects, there are few reports on the synergistic or antagonistic effects of their combinations. The objective of this study was to investigate the combined antibacterial effect of these three compounds.

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The prevalence of intervertebral disc degeneration in the lumbar region resulting in low back pain is high. One of the treatment options is neurosurgery. Previous studies and systematic reviews demonstrate the need to identify factors that affect the health-related quality of life of patients undergoing surgery.

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Article Synopsis
  • Natural ingredients have a long history in skin treatment, and their use is gaining popularity due to safety and effectiveness in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
  • The review discusses various beneficial effects of plant materials on skin health, such as moisturizing, anti-aging, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, regenerative, wound healing, photoprotective, and anti-tyrosinase activities.
  • Plants also serve as excipients in cosmetics, providing coloring, protective, and aromatic properties.
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Meat and meat products are susceptible to various types of natural processes such as oxidative degradation due to their high content of protein and essential amino acids. However, finding solutions to maintain the nutritional and sensory quality of meat and meat products is unavoidable. Hence, there is a pressing need to investigate alternatives to synthetic preservatives, focusing on active biomolecules of natural provenance.

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In this study, methanol and water-methanol extracts of borage () herb dried using various methods were analysed for their phenolic profile and biological activity. Twelve compounds, including flavonoids (astragalin, kaempferol 4-glucoside, rutoside, and vitexin) and phenolic acids (caffeic, chlorogenic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, ferulic, -hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, rosmarinic, and syringic), were determined qualitatively and quantitatively in extracts by the HPLC-DAD method. The highest total flavonoid content was confirmed for the methanol extract from the hot-air-dried herb, while the methanol extract from the air-dried herb was most abundant in phenolic acids.

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Halophytes are plant species widely distributed in saline habitats, such as beaches, postindustrial wastelands, irrigated lands, salt flats, and others. Excessive salt level, known to limit plant growth, is not harmful to halophytes, which have developed a variety of defense mechanisms allowing them to colonize harsh environments. Plants under stress are known to respond with several morpho-anatomical adaptations, but also to enhance the production of secondary metabolites to better cope with difficult conditions.

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New plant oils as a potential natural source of nutraceutical compounds are still being sought. The main components of eight cultivars ('Koral', 'Lucyna', 'Montmorency', 'Naumburger', 'Wanda', 'Wigor', 'Wołyńska', and 'Wróble') of sour cherry ( L.) grown in Poland, including crude fat, protein, and oil content, were evaluated.

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Natural substances have traditionally been used in skin care for centuries. There is now an ongoing search for new natural bioactives that not only promote skin health but also protect the skin against various harmful factors, including ultraviolet radiation and free radicals. Free radicals, by disrupting defence and restoration mechanisms, significantly contribute to skin damage and accelerate ageing.

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Human skin is continually changing. The condition of the skin largely depends on the individual's overall state of health. A balanced diet plays an important role in the proper functioning of the human body, including the skin.

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Article Synopsis
  • Lemongrass, a perennial plant from semi-tropical Asia, was studied for its chemical properties in Poland's temperate climate, focusing on essential oils and nutritional content in different plant parts.
  • The essential oil from leaves contained high percentages of neral and geranial, while the underground part uniquely featured a significant elemol concentration.
  • Analysis revealed that lemongrass leaves are rich in pigments and polyphenols, making them suitable for infusions, while near-ground parts are more beneficial as culinary ingredients due to their higher macroelement content.
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Contemporary cosmetology, apart from beautifying and caring for the human body, deals also with prevention aimed at maintaining health and physical fitness as long as possible. The profession of a cosmetologist so understood is closely related to the modern concept of health promotion, the part of which is health education. The objective of this review was to evaluate whether a cosmetologist may be a health promoter, and whether a beauty salon mayserve as a place for conducting educational programs.

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Oils from five cultivars of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) grown in Poland were analysed for characteristics of chemical and biological activity. The extracted oils had an average iodine value (g of I/100 g of oil) of 99.

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Vegetable oils, which are a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, vitamins and antioxidants, have a significant effect on the functioning and development of the body and contribute to health maintenance. They can be obtained from seeds, fruit stones, fruit, nuts or sprouts. This study discusses various species of plants that are sources of nut oils consumed in the daily diet and also used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

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As the staple food for 35% of the world's population, wheat is one of the most important crop species. To date, sequence-based tools to accelerate wheat improvement are lacking. As part of the international effort to sequence the 17-billion-base-pair hexaploid bread wheat genome (2n = 6x = 42 chromosomes), we constructed a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based integrated physical map of the largest chromosome, 3B, that alone is 995 megabases.

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