Walnut septa, traditionally discarded as waste in walnut processing because they primarily serve a structural function in the walnut fruit, have recently gained attention for their potential abundance of phenolic compounds, suggesting their overlooked value. This study aimed to optimise extraction parameters to maximise the extraction yield of bioactive compounds and explore regional variations in antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Juglans regia L. septa. The experimental variables included extraction methods (maceration, dynamic maceration, ultrasound processing, and reflux extraction), temperature, solvent type (methanol, acetone, and ethanol), and the percentage of water in the solvent. The optimal conditions were determined based on the total phenolic content—reflux extraction using 60% ethanol as a solvent for a duration of 60 min. Samples from 12 different regions in Lithuania, Armenia, and Ukraine were analysed for their phenolic and proanthocyanidin content and antioxidant activity using the CUPRAC method. The total phenolic content ranged from 131.55 to 530.92 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g of dry weight of plant material (mg GAE/g dw), while the proanthocyanidin content varied from 1.14 to 7.65 mg of (–)-epicatechin equivalents per g dry weight of plant material (mg EE/g dw). Among all the regions studied, the Šiauliai sample demonstrated the highest concentrations of phenolic compounds, proanthocyanidins, and antioxidant activity, with statistically significant differences compared to the other samples (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that walnut septa are a valuable source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants, with significant potential for developing natural nutraceuticals and antioxidant products.

There are a few new researches on the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical application of Cirsium vulgare, but they do not reflect the full potential use of this plant. For the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted so far to determine the impact of extraction methods and conditions on the extraction yields of phenolic compounds from Cirsium vulgare. We aimed to investigate a simple and sensitive HPLC-PDA method to determine phenolic compounds in Cirsium vulgare extracts. Three extraction techniques as maceration (ME), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and heat-reflux extraction (HRE) were applied and compared for sample preparation to obtain a high recovery of the phenolic compounds. The developed HPLC-PDA method can be used for the preparations of extracts with a high content of bioactive compounds for both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Moreover, it was validated and used for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of phenolic compounds. A simple extraction procedure for phenolic compounds from Cirsium vulgare leaves was optimized in this work through the use of the heatreflux extraction method with 50% ethanol and extraction time of 1.5 h.

Хроматографічний аналіз 6-гінерголу та 6-шогаолу, з використанням методів ТШХ та ВЕРХ

Amino acids are one of the main particles in a living organism. They perform many different functions, such as structural, receptor, energetic and enzymatic functions [1]. The aim of the investigation was to identify and evaluate the qualitative composition of free amino acids in samples of Cirsium vulgare material using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our objectives were to apply the gas chromatography– mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for free amino acids from Cirsium vulgare raw materials grown in Lithuania and determine the qualitative composition of free amino acids from extracts of Cirsium vulgare raw materials: roots, leaves, flowers and seeds. MTBSTFA (N-methyl-N-(tertbutyldimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide) was selected for derivatisation in free amino acid analysis. Applying gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with compound derivatisation and based on the mass spectral database free amino acids were identified in bull thistle raw material: L-alanine, glycine, L-valine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-proline, L-serine, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, L-lysine, L-tyrosine, L-aspartic acid and L-glutamic acid. Studies have shown that the qualitative composition of free amino acids depends on the plant vegetation phase and plant parts.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the most significant threats to medical science, necessitating the exploration of new antimicrobial agents. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can lead to various severe conditions such as endocarditis, meningitis, abscesses, and sepsis, and conventional antibiotics such as beta-lactams are ineffective for treating these diseases. Therefore, it is imperative to search for novel chemical substances with antimicrobial effects against MRSA. This study aimed to investigate the bioactive chemical compound extracts isolated from Euphorbia helioscopia L. plant material against clinical samples of MRSA collected from the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics. Methodology: Bioactive compounds from the aboveground parts of Euphorbia helioscopia L. were isolated using methanol extraction of herbal material followed by lyophilization. The total phenolic compound concentration was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant power was assessed through the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, chemical composition was analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and antimicrobial activity against MRSA was evaluated using the disc diffusion method. Results: The lyophilized extract of Euphorbia helioscopia L. exhibited antimicrobial activity against two out of five strains of MRSA. Seven phenolic compounds were identified, three of which were not previously reported as constituents of Euphorbia helioscopia L. More than a third of the isolated compounds were phenolic compounds. Conclusion: Euphorbia helioscopia L. exhibits antimicrobial properties effective against certain strains of MRSA.