In this study, volatile compounds were analyzed in five samples of home-made spirit beverage made by the distillation of fermented fruits of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.). The major volatile compounds, besides ethanol, identified and quantified were: methanol, acetaldehyde, 1-propanol, ethyl acetate, 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-butanol, amyl alcohols, 1-hexanol and 2-phenylethanol. The minor volatiles were submitted to liquid-liquid extraction with dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/ /mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A total of 84 compounds were identified. The most abundant compounds were straight-chain free fatty acids, ethyl esters of C6-C18 acids, limonene, 2-phenylethanol and 4-ethylphenol. Most of the compounds found in the 'Drenja' spirits investigated in this study are similar to those present in other alcoholic beverages.

A study of secondary metabolites from the bark of Alnus glutinosa led to the isolation of fourteen diarylheptanoids: oregonin (1), platyphylloside (2), rubranoside A (3), rubranoside B (4), hirsutanonol (5), hirsutenone (6), hirsutanonol-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), platyphyllonol-5-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (8), aceroside VII (9), alnuside A (10), alnuside B (11), 1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydoxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-heptane-3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (12), (5S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-heptan-3-one (13), and (5S)-1,7-bis-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-O-β-D-[6-(3,4-dimethoxycinnamoylglucopyranosyl)]-heptan-3-one (14). All of the diarylheptanoids, except 1 and 5, were found in A. glutinosa for the first time, while 13 and 14 were new compounds. The structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques: 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, FTIR, UV, and CD. All isolated compounds were analyzed for an in vitro protective effect on chromosome aberrations in peripheral human lymphocytes using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. The majority of them, including the new compounds 13 and 14, exerted a pronounced effect in decreasing DNA damage in human lymphocytes. Diarylheptanoids 1, 2, 5, 13, and 14 at a concentration of 1 µg/mL decreased the frequency of micronuclei by 52.8 %, 43.8 %, 63.6 %, 44.4 %, and 56.0 %, respectively, exerting a much stronger effect than the synthetic protector amifostine (17.2 %, c = 1 µg/mL).

The distribution of polyphenolic compounds in a grape (Vitis vinifera) seed extract (GSE) was determined using LC/ESI-TOF MS, HPLC/DAD, and ¹³C-NMR. The 17 identified compounds comprised gallic and protocatechuic acid, catetchin and epicatechin monomers, procyanidin oligomers, and procyanidin gallates. This study addresses the in vitro effects of grape seed extract (GSE) on the frequency of micronuclei with reference to the antioxidant status in human lymphocytes. To establish the most effective protective support, we used four different concentrations of GSE, in the range 1 - 6 μg/mL. Treatment of lymphocytes with GSE at a concentration of 2.5 μg/mL induced a significant decrease in the frequency of micronuclei by 40 %, reduction of malonyldialdehyde production by 30 %, while a concentration of 5 μg/mL increased catalase and glutathione S-transferase activity by 10 % and 15 %, respectively. These results demonstrate that GSE may be effective in the prevention of oxidative lymphocyte damage by ROS.