Cornelia Locher

Chemical characteristics and antimicrobial effects of some Eucalyptus kinos.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Eucalyptus kinos are tannin-rich, mostly red-coloured wood exudates. They have played an important role in the traditional medicines of Australian Aboriginal people and were also a valued source of antibacterial and astringent agents for early European settlers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nineteen different Eucalyptus kinos were collected and analysed for their total phenolics and total tannin content as well as their relative amounts of hydrolysable and condensed tannins. They were also classified in accordance with Maidens traditional kino categories. Well plate diffusion assays using three Gram positive and two Gram negative bacteria and a yeast species were carried out to assess antimicrobial properties. RESULTS The investigated kino samples differ strongly in their total phenolics and overall tannin as well as their relative hydrolysable and condensed tannin contents. All but one could be assigned to one of the traditional Maiden kino classes. The samples, in particular those collected from Corymbia maculata and Eucalyptus ficifolia, demonstrated a strong antibacterial activity towards Gram positive bacteria but were inactive against the Gram negative strains and the yeast. No obvious correlation seems to exist between a particular Maiden class and antibacterial activity but there is a positive correlation between total phenolics/tannin content and antibacterial effect although two of the investigated kinos (Eucalyptus flocktoniae and Eucalyptus sargentii) deviated from this trend. The relative amounts of hydrolysable and condensed tannins in a kino sample do not seem to determine the antibacterial effect. CONCLUSION Eucalpytus kinos present an interesting class of natural products which should be investigated further, not only to contribute to the growing field of tannin chemistry but to also learn more about the individual role played by the various hydrolysable and condensed tannins that determine a kinos antibacterial activity and to contribute to a better understanding of the use of some of these kinos in traditional systems of medicine. In particular samples like Eucalyptus flocktoniae kino, which recorded a higher antibacterial activity than predicted based on total tannin content, warrant more detailed chemical and antimicrobial analyses.

The German Spa and Health Resort Industry in the Light of Health Care System Reforms

ABSTRACT The German health care system has been under increasing pressure over the past decades due to escalating health care costs. A number of reforms have been introduced to ensure a fair and sustainable financing of the health care system. These reforms also have had a significant impact on the health and wellness tourism market and pose great challenges and also new opportunities for the industry. Special reference is made to the important senior market for which health and wellness have become key aspects influencing travel behavior. This can be seen as a positive trend, particularly for the traditional spas and health resorts in Germany. However, the situation is far more complex as outlined with the case example of Bad Wörishofen.

Antibacterial compounds from the root of the indigenous Australian medicinal plant Carissa lanceolata R.Br.

The conkerberry, Carissa lanceolata R.Br. (Apocynaceae), is commonly used by many indigenous Australian communities across Northern Australia for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as chest pain, toothache, colds and flu. Indigenous uses of this plant strongly argue for an antibacterial bioactivity. The aim is to identify antibacterial compounds from root material of C. lanceolata, therefore confirming the indigenous use of the plant. Antibacterial activity was examined against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis using a micro broth dilution technique. Three compounds demonstrating considerable activity were isolated. The volatile phenolic compound 2′-hydroxyacetophenone and the lignan carinol both were reported for the first time from C. lanceolata, whereas this is the second account of the occurrence of carissone. All three compounds showed activity, with 2′-hydroxyacetophenone and carinol having a minimum inhibitory concentration of <1.25 mg mL−1 against all four bacteria. Extracts and compounds isolated from C. lanceolata roots were found to possess a significant antibacterial activity, confirming the indigenous use of this plant.

Authentication of honeys of different floral origins via high-performance thin-layer chromatographic fingerprinting

This paper explores the high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) fingerprinting of non-sugar constituents for the authentication of honeys using highly antibacterial Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and Marri (Corymbia calophylla) honeys sourced from Western Australia, different Leptospermum-derived Manuka honeys, and a typical table honey from an undisclosed floral source as test samples. As is demonstrated in this study, using HPTLC fingerprinting, it is possible to define differences in botanical origin as the honey fingerprints exhibit a unique profile of bands (i.e., RF values, color) and peak profiles (i.e., RF and peak intensity values, peak intensity ratios) that differ distinctly from each other. The identification of patterns of common bands among honeys derived from the same floral source as authentication tool is possible. Further, slight differences among honeys from the same botanical origin might be due to age, processing, or regional factors. The HPTLC analysis of two differently aged Jarrah honeys of the same supplier indicates also that future closer investigation of intraspecies differences might assist in developing HPTLC-supported quality control tools.

Convenient preparation of some N-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines lacking electron-donating substituents

N,N-Bis(benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)-β-phenylethylamines 3 are cyclised intramolecularly in conc. H2SO4 to the corresponding N-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines 4. The remaining benzotriazolyl-moiety can be replaced by nucleophiles, leading to N-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines 5–8.

Accuracy of tablet splitting and liquid measurements: an examination of who, what and how

To examine factors that might affect the ability of patients to accurately halve tablets or measure a 5‐ml liquid dose.

The legacy of Sebastian Kneipp: linking wellness, naturopathic, and allopathic medicine.

Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) is seen as a vital link between the European nature cure movement of the 19th century and American naturopathy. He promoted a holistic treatment concept founded on five pillars: hydro- and phytotherapy, exercise, balanced nutrition, and regulative therapy. Kneipp attempted to bridge the gap with allopathic medicine, and many modern treatments that are based on his methods indeed blend wellness elements with naturopathic medicine and biomedicine. Because Kneipps approach to health and healing today are mainly covered in German literature, this paper aims to provide a broader international audience with insights into his life and his treatment methods and to highlight the profound influence Kneipp has had to this day on natural and preventive medicine. The paper emphasizes in particular the continued popularity of Kneipps holistic approach to health and well-being, which is evident in the many national and international Kneipp Associations, the globally operating Kneipp Werke, postgraduate qualifications in his treatment methods, and the existence of more than 60 accredited Kneipp spas and health resorts in Germany alone.

High-performance thin-layer chromatography profiling of Jarrah and Manuka honeys

This article presents the findings of an in-depth study on high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) profiling of Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and Manuka (Leptospermum spp.) honeys following a simple one-step solvent extraction process. The study demonstrates that different HPTLC fingerprints are obtained from honeys from varying floral sources and that honeys of the same floral origin present a consistent reproducible HPTLC profile. In addition, the linearity and reproducibility of this technique as well as its ability to detect (accidental or deliberate) contaminations with honeys of different floral sources are demonstrated. The study thus illustrates the usefulness of HPTLC profiling as a potential quality control tool that might complement other analytical techniques used in the authentication of monofloral honeys.

Medizintourismus im Spannungsfeld der Gesundheitspolitik – Das Fallbeispiel Australien

Dieses Kapitel stellt die prinzipiellen Charakteristika des australischen Medizintourismus vor und zeigt die neuesten Entwicklungen und Trends in diesem Sektor im Gesamtkontext des australischen Gesundheitssystems auf. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird argumentiert, dass die Gesundheitspolitik Australiens Auswirkungen auf die Angebotsstruktur und auch die Nachfrage nach medizintouristischen Produkten und Serviceleistungen hat. Damit wird anhand des Beispiels des Medizintourismus in Australien vor Augen gefuhrt, wie touristische Dynamiken und gesellschaftliche Entwicklungen aufs Engste miteinander verbunden sind.

Synthesis of some N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines by Friedel–Crafts cyclisation using benzotriazole auxiliary

1-Hydroxymethylbenzotriazole reacts with phenylethylamines to give the respective N,N-bis(benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)phenylethylamines, which are then subject to an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts cyclisation at room temperature to yield N-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines. These crystalline UV- and oxygen-stable products can be reduced at room temperature to the corresponding N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines using NaBH4. The method offers an elegant approach to a wide range of N-methylated 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines since it can be applied not only for the synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines with electron-donating substituents on the aromatic moiety, but also for deactivated derivatives. All steps involved work under very mild conditions in high to excellent yields.