Taking into account the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, actual research focused on plant extracts is vital. The aim of our study was to investigate leaf and stem ethanolic extracts of Artemisia absinthium L. and Artemisia annua L. in order to explore their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Total phenolic content (TPC) was evaluated spectrophotometrically. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH and ABTS. The antibacterial activity of wormwood extracts was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) in Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enteritidis cultures, and by zone of inhibition in Klebsiella carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Escherichia coli extended-spectrum β-lactamases cultures (ESBL). The Artemisia annua L. leaf extract (AnL) exhibited the highest TPC (518.09 mg/mL) and the highest expression of sinapic acid (285.69 ± 0.002 µg/mL). Nevertheless, the highest antioxidant capacity (1360.51 ± 0.04 µM Trolox/g DW by ABTS and 735.77 ± 0.02 µM Trolox/g DW by DPPH) was found in Artemisia absinthium L. leaf from the second year of vegetation (AbL2). AnL extract exhibited the lowest MIC and MBC for all tested bacteria and the maximal zone of inhibition for Klebsiella CRE and Escherichia coli ESBL. Our study revealed that AbL2 exhibited the best antioxidant potential, while AnL extract had the strongest antibacterial effect.

Elderberry growth phases represent an irreversible process involving a series of biochemical changes that have an extremely important impact on nutritional characteristics. The aim was to assess the impact of genotype and maturity stage on phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and mineral profile in Sambucus plants harvested during different growth phases, from green elder flower buds to purple-black elderberries, including pollen, peduncles and seeds. Growth phases proved to have a greater influence compared to varieties. The green buds and flowers of both varieties had a high concentration of quercetin 3-rutinoside, also termed the key compound of the study. It was found that antioxidant activity varied in the following order: blooming elder flower pollen > white elder flower buds > blooming elder flowers. Based on these findings, several novel food ingredients and supplements could be obtained in order to develop innovative health-promoting products.

Aromatic and spicy plants are an important factor that contributes not only to improving the taste of meat, meat products, and meat analogues, but also to increasing the nutritional value of the products to which they are added. The aim of this paper is to present the latest information on the bioactive antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the most commonly used herbs and spices (parsley, dill, basil, oregano, sage, coriander, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, bay, thyme, and mint) used in the meat and meat analogues industry, or proposed to be used for meat analogues.

The use of gentamicin (GM) is limited due to its nephrotoxicity mediated by oxidative stress. This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of a flavonoid-rich extract of Sambucus nigra L. elderflower (SN) to inhibit lipoperoxidation in GM-induced nephrotoxicity. The HPLC analysis of the SN extract recorded high contents of rutin (463.2 ± 0.0 mg mL⁻¹), epicatechin (9.0 ± 1.1 µg mL⁻¹), and ferulic (1.5 ± 0.3 µg mL⁻¹) and caffeic acid (3.6 ± 0.1 µg mL⁻¹). Thirty-two Wistar male rats were randomized into four groups: a control group (C) (no treatment), GM group (100 mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹ GM), GM+SN group (100 mg kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹ GM and 1 mL SN extract day⁻¹), and SN group (1 mL SN extract day⁻¹). Lipid peroxidation, evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidant enzymes activity—superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX)—were recorded in renal tissue after ten days of experimental treatment. The MDA level was significantly higher in the GM group compared to the control group (p < 0.0001), and was significantly reduced by SN in the GM+SN group compared to the GM group (p = 0.021). SN extract failed to improve SOD, CAT, and GPX activity in the GM+SN group compared to the GM group (p > 0.05), and its action was most probably due to the ability of flavonoids (rutin, epicatechin) and ferulic and caffeic acids to inhibit synthesis and neutralize reactive species, to reduce the redox-active iron pool, and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. In this study, we propose an innovative method for counteracting GM nephrotoxicity with a high efficiency and low cost, but with the disadvantage of the multifactorial environmental variability of the content of SN extracts.

Over the last decades, the consumption of mushrooms has significantly increased due to the scientific evidence of their ability to help the organism in the combat and prevention of several diseases (Kalac, 2009). Fruiting bodies of mushrooms are consumed as a delicacy for their texture and flavour, but also for their nutritional properties that makes them even more attractable (Heleno S. 2015). In this paper data were collected from several scientific studies with the aim to characterize the chemical composition and content of bioactive compounds of various mushrooms species: Agaricus bisporus, Boletus edulis, Cantharellus cibarius, Pleurotus ostreatus, Lactarius piperatus. The chemical composition of 5 wild edible studied mushrooms, including moisture, ash, total carbohydrates, total sugars, crude fat, crude protein and energy were determined according to AOAC procedures.

Introduction: All plant parts of elderberry (leaves, berries, inflorescences, roots, shoots, bark) have a long history of use in herbal remedy or lots of culinary uses, widespread in almost every continent of the world (1). Pro-health properties indicated a role of elderberry products intake in the prevention of cancer and diabetes.Aims: This paper presents an overview of the evaluation of biochemical compounds (sugars, organic acids, total phenolics, antioxidative activity, flavonoids, flavor and volatile compounds), found in flowers, berries and leaves of Sambucus nigra L.Materials and Methods: Chromatographic profiling, spectrophotometric evaluation, DPPH antioxidant assay, ABTS radical scavenging activity.Results: The variability of concentration compounds are found by uniform maturity of each phenophase of elderberry, hence the need varieties improve the quantity and quality of its yield. Elderberry has food industry properties associated with the presence of increased nutritive and decreased caloric value at fruits best correlated with the content of sugars and organic acids of flower, organic acids as a important metabolic pathway of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates. Several studies have confirmed that Sambucus nigra L. is a valuable raw material with many nutrients and bioactive substances, being extraordinarily rich in antioxidants, and the leaves are remarked as easily available source of antioxidant preparations in different domains (food products, pharmaceutics, or cosmetics).Conclusion: A bush of Sambucus nigra L. in the garden is our true handy pharmacy, a food market like as functional ingredient, a spot of color with unmistakable smell.