L. Extract and Arbutin Expand Mature Double TNF-α/IFN-γ Neutrophils in Murine Bone Marrow Pool.

Plants from the genus are used across the world as traditional remedies. In the present study, extracts from the aerial part of the scarcely investigated L., collected from two habitats in Bulgaria-the Balkan Mountains (Vau-1) and the Rhodopi Mountains (Vau-2), were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

New -tocotrienol derivatives from Colombian propolis.

Two new -tocotrienol derivatives with oxidized terminal chain: 5,6-dioxo-garcinoic acid (-13'-carboxy-5,6-dioxo-tocotrienol) () and 5-hydroxy-8b-oxo garcinoic acid (-13'-carboxy-5-hydroxy-8b-oxo-tocotrienol) (), together with one known derivative garcinoic acid (-13'-carboxy--tocotrienol) () were isolated from a Colombian propolis. Garcinoic acid was found as a propolis constituent for the first time. The isolated compounds and crude ethanolic extract demonstrated high antimicrobial activity against and (MICs range: 10-39 μg/ml) as well as promising antioxidant potential in DPPH assay.

New iridoids from Verbascum nobile and their effect on lectin-induced T cell activation and proliferation.

The Verbascum species are widely used traditional herb remedies against respiratory, inflammatory conditions and disorders. In the present study methanol extract of the aerial parts of the endemic Verbascum nobile Velen, was investigated and two novel iridoid glycosides 1 and 2, together with nine known constituents: iridoids, phenylethanoids, and saponins characteristic of Verbascum genus were identified. Further, the biological activity of the extract and selected isolated compounds on concanavalin (Con A)-induced T cell proliferation and activation of human Jurkat T cell line and splenic murine CD3 T cells was evaluated.

The effect of Apium Nodiflorum in experimental osteoporosis.

Treatment of osteoporosis remains a therapeutic challenge. The effect of Apium Nodiflorum extract on development of experimental osteoporosis, pain thresholds and carrageenan-induced inflammation has been studied in ovariectomized osteoporotic Wistar rats. After osteoporosis verification rats were randomized and received vehicle only, HPLC-standardized Apium extract (equal to 2.

GC-MS profiling of diterpene compounds in Mediterranean propolis from Greece.

The objective of this work is to analyze and identify the diterpene compounds in Mediterranean propolis samples from different Greek regions by GC-MS. The chemical composition of six propolis samples was established using previously isolated diterpenes from Cretan propolis as authentic standards for identification, based on mass spectral fragmentation of the TMS derivatives and retention index. More than 30 diterpenes, among which were new propolis constituents, were identified and characterized by means of authentic standards and interpretation of MS fragmentation as well.

Terpenes with antimicrobial activity from Cretan propolis.

Five terpenes, the diterpenes: 14,15-dinor-13-oxo-8(17)-labden-19-oic acid and a mixture of labda-8(17),13E-dien-19-carboxy-15-yl oleate and palmitate as well as the triterpenes, 3,4-seco-cycloart-12-hydroxy-4(28),24-dien-3-oic acid and cycloart-3,7-dihydroxy-24-en-28-oic acid were isolated from Cretan propolis. Moreover, 18 known compounds were also isolated, seven of them for the first time as propolis components. All structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.