Combretum micranthum G. Don (kinkeliba) is a medicinal plant traditionally employed in West Africa for its diuretic and gastrointestinal therapeutic properties. Despite its extensive ethnomedicinal use, comprehensive toxicological assessments are still lacking. This study aimed to characterize the phenolic composition of C. micranthum ethanolic leaf extract using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS and evaluate its acute and subacute oral toxicity in BALB/c mice, per OECD Guideline 420. Female mice received oral doses of 50, 300, and 2000 mg/kg of extract for acute toxicity assessment for 14 days. In the subacute study, both sexes were administered daily doses at the same concentrations over 28 days. Clinical signs, body weight, and food and water consumption were regularly monitored throughout both protocols. At the end of each study, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters were analyzed. Phenolic profiling revealed nine major compounds with a total of 293.54 mg/g extract. No mortality or significant clinical manifestations were observed at any dose. However, significant variations in platelet counts and amylase activity were noted in the acute phase. In the subacute model, slight, non-critical alterations in hepatic and renal biomarkers were observed, without signs of systemic toxicity. Histopathological examination revealed similar lesions in both acute and subacute phases, including multifocal inflammatory infiltrates (lymphocytes and neutrophils) in the periportal area of the liver, minimal bacterial overgrowth in the superficial layer of the gastric mucosa, minimal medullary mineralization and inflammatory infiltrates with lymphocytes in the kidneys, and minimal to moderate vacuolization in the pancreatic acini. These results indicate that C. micranthum ethanolic extract is relatively safe at the tested doses, reinforcing its traditional use and supporting further research into its pharmacological potential.

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) are a group of retroviruses that cause multisystem chronic diseases in goats and sheep and lead to production losses in these animals, negatively affecting animal health and welfare. Although molecular characterization of SRLV field isolates has been performed in many countries, there is currently no information on SRLV genotypes circulating in sheep and goats in Romania. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to conduct a molecular and phylogenetic analysis of SRLVs from Romania and determine the degree of genetic relatedness of the obtained sequences to other known SRLV reference strains. A total of 81 sheep lung tissue samples and 41 sheep lung lymph node samples were tested using nested real-time PCR, and samples positive for real-time PCR were used to amplify an 800 bp gag-pol fragment and an overlapping 625 bp fragment of the gag gene. Pairwise DNA distance and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Romanian SRLV strains were closely related to the A2 and A3 strains based on gag-pol sequences and to the A3 and A17 subtypes based on gag sequences. No recombination events were found. Our results revealed that the Romanian sequences have similar epitope patterns to other existing subtypes, although E/K and R/K mutations in epitope 3 were found only in the Romanian sequences, which may have potential value in serological diagnosis. This study is the first report on the genetic characterization of SRLV strains circulating in Romania and provides new information on SRLV heterogeneity. Further detailed studies should be conducted to better understand the divergence of SRLV Romanian strains.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and current therapies are limited by adverse side effects. Combretum micranthum G. Don (kinkeliba), a medicinal plant traditionally used in West Africa, has been reported to possess pharmacological activities and a favorable safety profile. In this study, an ethanolic extract of Combretum micranthum (EECM) was characterized using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS to identify its phenolic constituents. Acute colitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice using 3% DSS, while EECM (100 and 200 mg/kg) was administered orally for seven days. Disease Activity Index was monitored daily, and colonic injuries were evaluated through macroscopic and histological analyses, as well as hematological and biochemical assessments. In vitro, EECM contained 293.54 mg/g of total phenolic compounds and showed strong antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Furthermore, the extract exhibited antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, and Streptococcus pyogenes at various concentrations. In contrast, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were not affected at the tested concentrations. No antifungal activity was detected against the filamentous fungus Aspergillus brasiliensis and the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida albicans. In vivo, EECM alleviated the clinical signs of colitis, reduced histological damage, and modulated hematological and biochemical parameters. Overall, EECM exhibited significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and may represent a promising natural candidate for IBD management. Further investigations into chronic experimental models are necessary to establish their therapeutic relevance.

Microplastic pollution has become a critical environmental issue, affecting terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. These pollutants, originating from plastic degradation and primary sources, can act as carriers for harmful substances such as heavy metals and organic contaminants. While mitigation efforts are still in development, biological systems, particularly Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL), have shown promise in organic waste management and pollutant bioaccumulation. Recent research explores the potential of BSFL to interact with and degrade microplastic particles, although the mechanisms remain underexplored. The role of microbial communities in facilitating microplastic degradation is of growing interest, as well as the impact of microplastic ingestion on the larvae’s efficiency in organic waste breakdown. However, experimental inconsistencies and environmental variations continue to delay progress, underscoring the need for further study to optimize bioremediation strategies and assess long-term ecological effects. This systematic review aims to explore the interactions between microplastics and BSFL, focusing on their potential as a bioremediation agent. It investigates the larvae’s ability to reduce microplastic pollution through bioaccumulation and degradation processes.

Digestive pathologies are commonly encountered in both human and veterinary medicine, frequently requiring antibiotic intervention. However, their extensive use has contributed to the global increase in antimicrobial resistance, posing a major public health challenge. With the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, alternative antimicrobial strategies are urgently needed. This study assessed the total polyphenolic content and in vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts from Origanum majorana, Salvia officinalis, and Ribes nigrum fruits against six digestive bacterial pathogens: Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter cloacae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecalis. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. The total polyphenolic content of the extracts was 8509.457 μg/g for Salvia officinalis, 8140.996 μg/g for Origanum majorana, and 5776.616 μg/g for Ribes nigrum. R. nigrum showed the strongest antimicrobial effect (MIC 0.002 μg/μL; MBC 0.001 μg/μL) against Y. enterocolitica. S. officinalis had the highest efficacy against E. faecalis, while O. majorana was effective against both Y. enterocolitica and E. faecalis. All extracts showed bactericidal activity with MIC index values between 0.5 and 4. These findings suggest that these polyphenol-rich plant extracts may serve as promising natural antimicrobials or as adjuvants to conventional antibiotics.

Microplastic pollution is a pressing global concern, yet its immunotoxicological impacts on invertebrates remain poorly understood. The Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larva has gained attention for its role in waste management and potential bioremediation, making it essential to evaluate its interactions with microplastics. In this study, fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene microbeads were directly injected into the hemocoel of larvae to bypass gut-associated variables and investigate systemic immune responses. Experimental groups were analyzed at multiple time points (1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 7 days) using histopathology, cytology, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results confirmed the persistence and systemic distribution of microplastics in hemolymph and tissues, with hemocytes exhibiting active phagocytosis of particles. Microplastics were retained within tissues for up to seven days, indicating long-term sequestration. Histological observations further highlighted their close association with metabolically active organs such as the fat body and Malpighian tubules, suggesting possible effects on detoxification and metabolism. These findings demonstrate that microplastics elicit measurable immune responses and are subject to cellular uptake and retention in insect larvae. The study provides novel insights into the immunological and histopathological consequences of microplastic contamination in H. illucens larvae, with implications for their safe use in bioconversion and bioremediation applications.