This study reports for the first time in the chemical composition of acetone, ether, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of Hypogymnia tubulosa determined by HPLC-UV, GC-FID and GC-MS as well as effect of H. tubulosa acetone extract on micronucleus distribution on human lymphocytes and on cholinesterase activity. Additionally, antioxidant (estimated via DPPH, ABTS, TRP, CUPRAC and TPC assays) and antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria were also determined. The HPLC-UV analysis revealed the presence of depsidones, 3-hydroxyphysodic, 4-O-methyl physodic acid, physodic and physodalic acid together with two depsides, atranorin and chloroatranorin. GC-FID and GC-MS analyses enabled the identification of atranol, chloroatranol, atraric acid, olivetol, olivetonide and 3-hydroxyolivetonide as the main components. The results of present study show that H. tubulosa acetone extract is a promising candidate for in vivo experiments considering antioxidant activity.

In this study, we considered some pesticides as active substances within formulations for the protection of plant-based food in the Republic of Serbia in silico, because these pesticides have not often been investigated in this way previously, and in an analytical way, because there are not very many available fast, cheap, and easy methods for their determination in real agricultural samples. Seven pesticides were detected in selected agricultural products (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and grapes) using the QuEChERS methodology and HPLC-DAD. Standard curves for the investigated pesticides (chlorantraniliprole, methomyl, metalaxyl, thiacloprid, acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, and cymoxanil) show good linearity, with R² values from 0.9785 to 0.9996. The HPLC-DAD method is fast, and these pesticides can be determined in real spiked samples in less than 15 min. We further characterized the pesticides we found in food based on physicochemical properties and molecular descriptors to predict the absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, and toxicity (ADMET) of the compounds. We summarized the data supporting their effects on humans using various computational tools to determine their potential adverse effects. The results of our prediction study show that all of the selected pesticides considered in this study have good oral bioavailability, and those with high toxicity, therefore, could be harmful to human health. Chlorantraniliprole was shown in a molecular docking study as a good starting point for a new Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate.

This paper reports for the first time the effect of an acetone extract of Umbilicaria crustulosa on the micronucleus distribution of human lymphocytes, and on the cholinesterase activity and antioxidant activity by the cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) method. Additionally, the total phenolic compounds (TPC) and the antioxidant properties were estimated via DPPH, ABTS and TRP assays. Moreover, the antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria were determined. Acetone extract of U. crustulosa at concentration of 1 and 2 ?g mL-1 decreased a frequency of micronuclei (MN) by 10.8 and 16.8 %, respectively, acting more or slightly less than the synthetic protector amifostine (AMF, WR-2721, 11.4 %, at concentration of 1 ?g mL-1). The tested extract did not inhibit cholinesterase activity nor did it exhibit activity toward the examined bacteria. The extract reduced the concentration of DPPH and ABTS radicals by 88.7 and 96.2 %, respectively. Values for total reducing power (TRP) and cupric reducing capacity (CUPRAC) were 0.6197?0.0166 ?g ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE) per mg of dry extract, and 19.7641?1.6546 ?g trolox equivalents (TE) per mg of dry extract, respectively. The total phenol content was 350.4188 ?14.587 ?g gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per mg of dry extract. The results of the present study showed that U. crustulosa acetone extract is a promising candidate for in vivo experiments considering its antioxidant activity and protective effect on human lymphocytes.

This study presents chemical profiles, antimicrobial and toxicological evaluation of the essential oils (EOs) of five Achillea species native to the flora of Serbia (A. coarctata, A. chrysocoma, A. clypeolata, A. pseudopectinata and A. ageratifolia). The chemical compositions of the EOs were investigated by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography/Flame Ionization Detector analyses. The microdilution method was used for antimicrobial and Artemia salina acute toxicity bioassay for toxicological evaluation of the EOs. Oxygenated monoterpenes have shown dominance in four out of five tested EOs (A. ageratifolia, A. pseudopectinata, A. chrysocoma and A. clypeolata) where 1,8-cineole and camphor were the most common dominant compounds. Conversely, A. coarctata EO was characterized by dominance of oxygenated sesquiterpenes with viridiflorol and cis-cadin-4-en-7-ol as the major compounds. Antimicrobial testing showed that studied EOs are characterized by broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which was not notably selective in relation to the Gram-staining properties of the tested microorganisms. Furthermore, all five EOs have shown high toxicity in A. salina lethality bioassay, suggesting that they may possess a certain level of pesticidal and/or antitumor properties. Achillea chrysocoma EO demonstrated the most prominent antimicrobial activity, but it was the fourth active in view of toxicity against A. salina. Contrary, A. coarctata EO was the most potent toxic agent toward A. salina, but it was only the fourth of the five regarding the antimicrobial potential. Presented results confirmed that highly toxic EOs could demonstrate moderate activity against the pathogenic microorganisms as the effects of the EOs diverge in pro- and eukaryotic cells.