The research conducted in this study presented for the first time results of physico-chemical properties and in vitro antimicrobial activity of hydroxyapatite plant essential oil against Gram-positive bacteria (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and S. aureus 0364) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922). The samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the morphology and structure of the nanocomposites of hydroxyapatite coated with basil (HAp-B) and lavender (HAp-L) essential oils (EOs). The values of the BET specific surface area (S_BET), total pore volume (V_P) and pore size (D_P) were determined. The results for the physico-chemical properties of HAp-L and HAp-B revealed that lavender EOs were well adsorbed on the surface of hydroxyapatite, whereas basil EOs showed a poor adsorption on the surface of hydroxyapatite. We found that the lavender EOs hydroxyapatite (HAp-L) exhibited a very good inhibitory growth activity. The value of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) related to growth bacteria was 0.039 mg/mL for MRSA, 0.02 mg/mL for S. aureus and 0.039 mg/mL E. coli ATCC 25922. The basil EO hydroxyapatite (HAp-B) showed poor inhibition of bacterial cell growth. The MIC value was 0.625 mg/mL for the HAp-B sample in the presence of the MRSA bacteria, 0.313 mg/mL in the presence of S. aureus and 0.078 mg/mL for E. coli ATCC 25922.

Background Juniperus communis L. represents a multi-purpose crop used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industry. Several studies present the possible medicinal properties of different Juniperus taxa native to specific geographical area. The present study aims to evaluate the genoprotective, antioxidant, antifungal and anti-inflammatory potential of hydroalcoholic extract of wild-growing Juniperus communis L. (Cupressaceae) native to Romanian southern sub-Carpathian hills. Methods The prepared hydroethanolic extract of Juniperus communis L. was characterized by GC-MS, HPLC, UV-Vis spectrometry and phytochemical assays. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using the DPPH assay, the antifungal effect was studied on Aspergillus niger ATCC 15475 and Penicillium hirsutum ATCC 52323, while the genoprotective effect was evaluated using the Allium cepa assay. The anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated in two inflammation experimental models (dextran and kaolin) by plethysmometry. Male Wistar rats were treated by gavage with distilled water (negative control), the microemulsion (positive control), diclofenac sodium aqueous solution (reference) and microemulsions containing juniper extract (experimental group). The initial paw volume and the paw volumes at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 24 h were measured. Results Total terpenoids, phenolics and flavonoids were estimated to be 13.44 ± 0.14 mg linalool equivalent, 19.23 ± 1.32 mg gallic acid equivalent, and 5109.6 ± 21.47 mg rutin equivalent per 100 g of extract, respectively. GC-MS characterization of the juniper extract identified 57 volatile compounds in the sample, while the HPLC analysis revealed the presence of the selected compounds (α-pinene, chlorogenic acid, rutin, apigenin, quercitin). The antioxidant potential of the crude extract was found to be 81.63 ± 0.38% (measured by the DPPH method). The results of the antifungal activity assay (for Aspergillus niger and Penicillium hirsutum) were 21.6 mm, respectively 17.2 mm as inhibition zone. Test results demonstrated the genoprotective potential of J. communis undiluted extract, inhibiting the mitodepressive effect of ethanol. The anti-inflammatory action of the juniper extract, administered as microemulsion in acute-dextran model was increased when compared to kaolin subacute inflammation induced model. Conclusion The hydroalcoholic extract obtained from wild-growing Juniperus communis native to Romanian southern sub-Carpathian hills has genoprotective, antioxidant, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

This study aimed to investigate in vitro the probiotic potential of three yeasts strains (BB06, OBT05, and MT07) isolated from agro-food natural sources. Screening was performed, including several functional, technological, and safety aspects of the yeast strains, in comparison to a reference Saccharomyces boulardii, to identify the ones with suitable probiotic attributes in aquaculture. The yeast strains were identified by 5.8S rDNA-ITS region sequencing as Metschnikowia pulcherrima OBT05, Saccharomyces cerevisiae BB06, and Torulaspora delbrueckii MT07. All yeast strains were tolerant to different temperatures, sodium chloride concentrations, and wide pH ranges. S. cerevisiae BB06 showed a strong and broad antagonistic activity. Moreover, the S. cerevisiae strain exhibited a high auto-aggregation ability (92.08 ± 1.49%) and good surface hydrophobicity to hexane as a solvent (53.43%). All of the yeast strains have excellent antioxidant properties (>55%). The high survival rate in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) can promote yeast isolates as probiotics. All yeast strains presented a resistance pattern to the antibacterial antibiotics. Non-hemolytic activity was detected. Furthermore, freeze-drying with cryoprotective agents maintained a high survival rate of yeast strains, in the range of 74.95–97.85%. According to the results obtained, the S. cerevisiae BB06 strain was found to have valuable probiotic traits.

There is significant research showing that essential oils extracted from the plants have antibacterial effects. The purpose of this study was to develop a biocomposite based on hydroxyapatite coated with Artemisia absinthium essential oil and to highlight its antibacterial activity. Therefore, present studies are aimed at developing new materials combining hydroxyapatite with Artemisia absinthium essential oil, in order to avoid postoperative infections. The purpose of this work is to highlight the antimicrobial properties of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composites obtained by a simple method and at low costs. The structural properties and antimicrobial efficiency of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composite have been studied. The samples based on Artemisia absinthium essential oil analyzed in this study showed that wormwood essential oil presented the highest efficacy against the fungal strain of C. parapsilosis. It has been shown that wormwood essential oil has a strong antimicrobial effect against the microbial strains tested in this study. Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties of the biocomposites based on hydroxyapatite and essential oil are due to the presence of the essential oil in the samples.

Post-modern society is viewed nowadays as a technologized society, where the great solutions to human problems can be solved by the progress of technology in economics from classical industry to communications. In the last years, nanotechnology is called to play an important part in the global food production, food security and food safety in the sense that the use of nanoscale micronutrients conduced to suppressing crop disease and the relationship between nutritional status and plant diseases is investigated. Nanomaterials are capable to penetrate into cells of herbs; they can carry DNA and other chemical compounds in the cells extending the possibility in plant biotechnology to target special gene manipulation. It is important to note that the concentration, plant organ or tissue, exposure rate, elemental form, plant species, and exposure dosage (chronic/acute) affect the plant response and in particular the distinct stress response. The complex process of utilization nanoparticles in agriculture has to be monitored to a level that avoids further environmental contamination. The present and future use of nanoparticles as micronutrients is affected by different risks related to nanotoxicity of micronutrients, a problem to be solved by an appropriate and safe circuit of nanoparticles in soil, water, plants and at last in human organism.

The hydroxyapatite and copper-doped hydroxyapatite coatings (Ca_10−xCu_x(PO₄)₆(OH)₂; x_Cu = 0, 0.03; HAp and 3CuHAp) were obtained by the vacuum deposition technique. Then, both coatings were analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and water contact angle techniques. Information regarding the in vitro antibacterial activity and biological evaluation were obtained. The XRD studies confirmed that the obtained thin films consist of a single phase associated with hydroxyapatite (HAp). The obtained 2D and 3D SEM images did not show cracks or other types of surface defects. The FTIR studies’ results proved the presence of vibrational bands characteristic of the hydroxyapatite structure in the studied coating. Moreover, information regarding the HAp and 3CuHAp surface wettability was obtained by water contact angle measurements. The biocompatibility of the HAp and 3CuHAp coatings was evaluated using the HeLa and MG63 cell lines. The cytotoxicity evaluation of the coatings was performed by assessing the cell viability through the MTT assay after incubation with the HAp and 3CuHAp coatings for 24, 48, and 72 h. The results proved that the 3CuHAp coatings exhibited good biocompatible activity for all the tested intervals. The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 27853 ATCC (P. aeruginosa) cells to adhere to and develop on the surface of the HAp and 3CuHAp coatings was investigated using AFM studies. The AFM studies revealed that the 3CuHAp coatings inhibited the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilms. The AFM data indicated that P. aeruginosa’s attachment and development on the 3CuHAp coatings were significantly inhibited within the first 24 h. Both the 2D and 3D topographies showed a rapid decrease in attached bacterial cells over time, with a significant reduction observed after 72 h of exposure. Our studies suggest that 3CuHAp coatings could be suitable candidates for biomedical uses such as the development of new antimicrobial agents.