The subject of this study was the examination of the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of peppermint oil (Menthae piperitae L.), that was produced from the plant collected from the plantation in the city of Banja Luka. To examine the chemical composition of the Mentha piperita essential oil we used the GC-FID method. On it’s chromatogram it was clearly shown that the main components of the oil were menthole with the content of 43.66%, menthone 20.02%, iso-menthone 7.73%, following by 1,8-cineole with a percentage of 6.49% and menthil-acetate with 3.31%. The content of the previously mentioned components were all in accordance with the suggestions made by Ph.Eur 8.0. For the purpose of examination antimicrobial activity of the peppermint oil we used agar diffusion method. The results have shown that etheric oil of Menthae piperitae reflects very good antimicrobial activity on all bacterial cultures that we used in this study. The inhibiton zones moved from 12 mm for Pseudomonas aeruginosa to 37.66 mm for Staphylococcus aureus. Such an outcome of our study, and many others from all around the world, indicates the future potential use of peppermint oil in the treatment of bacterial infections, maybe even lowering the use of antibiotics.

Amaranth belongs to the pseudocereal group. This pseudocereal does not contain gluten, and is suitable for a gluten-free diet. This paper aimed to examine how the partial replacement of wheat flour with amaranth in muffins at different ratios and with different storage times affects gluten proteins. Gluten protein separation was performed by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Based on the obtained results, the greatest total quantity of gliadin protein was obtained from muffin samples made from 100% wheat flour and stored for 4 weeks (Xav = 20.33), and the least from muffins made from 50% wheat flour and 50% amaranth and stored for 0 weeks (Xav = 12.00). The greatest total quantity of glutenin protein was obtained from muffin samples made from 100% wheat flour and stored for 4 weeks (Xav = 26.67), and the least from 25% wheat flour and 75% amaranth and stored for 0 weeks (Xav = 17.33).

Lavandula angustifolia essential oil (LEO) was obtained by hydrodistillation of air-dried flowers collected in the Mostar region (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Its chemical composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, revealing a camphor content of 16.96%, substantially higher than the maximum value specified in the European Pharmacopoeia. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using quantitative suspension tests according to EN 1276 and EN 1650 under simulated “dirty” conditions with organic load (bovine albumin, 3 g/L) and a 5 min contact time. High-concentration LEO (80% w/v) exhibited strong bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, and yeasticidal activity against Candida albicans ATCC 10231 (>5 log₁₀ CFU/mL reduction for bacteria, >4 log₁₀ CFU/mL reduction for yeast), but was ineffective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 and Enterococcus hirae ATCC 10541. Lower concentrations (1.0% and 0.1% w/v) showed no bactericidal and yeasticidal activity, highlighting LEO’s efficacy limits. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH radical scavenging, was dose- and time-dependent. Molecular docking provided insight into the interaction of major constituents with selected microbial and antioxidant-related targets. These findings highlight both the potential and limitations of LEO as a renewable bio-based resource for sustainable disinfectant formulations while emphasizing the importance of chemical composition and regulatory compliance.