Slobodan Milosavljević

Ethnobotanical study on traditional uses of wild medicinal plants in Prokletije Mountains (Montenegro)

AIM OF THE STUDY The main objectives were to collect information on the use of wild growing medicinal plants by local people living in high mountain region of Montenegro and conduct local botanical and ecological surveys. Active ingredients of plant species officinal in European Pharmacopoeia 6.0 (Ph. Eur. 6.0) were studied and we assessed possibilities for commercial exploitation for local economic development. MATERIALS AND METHODS The 75 people that were interviewed (40-82 years old) identified 94 species for treatment of various human ailments. For each named species, the following elements are provided: botanical name, family, part(s) used, medicinal use and perceived property, listing in published pharmacopoeias, the relative abundance of each species and locality where the plant was collected. Chemical analyses were done according to prescriptions of Ph. Eur. 6.0 in order to estimate potential commercial use of native plants. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The most common in traditional usage were Rosaceae (11 species) making 11.7%, Asteraceae (10 species) 10.6% and Lamiaceae (7 species) 7.4%. From 94 species reported, 35 (37.2%) are officinal in Ph. Eur. 6.0 and 12 in national pharmacopoeias (12.8%). Aerial parts were mostly used (43.6%). The most frequently reported medicinal uses were for treating gastrointestinal (57.4%) and respiratory diseases (41.5%).

Variability of essential oils of Satureja montana L. and Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. from the central part of the Balkan peninsula

The results of the essential oil composition confirm that there are differences between populations within the same subspecies (Satureja montana ssp. montana, between the subspecies (Satureja montana ssp. montana and Satureja montana ssp. pisidica) and the species (Satureja montana and S. kitabelii). The essential oil composition of S. montana ssp. montana is more related to the Satureja montana ssp. pisidica than S. kitaibelii which separates as a whole species.

Oxidation products of hyperforin from Hypericum perforatum

The isolation of two oxidation products of hyperforin from the aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum and their structure determination by means of 2D NMR methods is reported. The products had the same 1-(2-methyl-1-oxopropyl)-2,12-dioxo-3,10 beta-bis(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-11 beta-methyl-11 alpha-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)-5-oxatricyclo[6.3.1.0(4,8)]-3-dodec ene skeleton. In addition, one of them, with the same number of carbons as hyperforin (C35H52O5), contained a 1-methyl-l-hydroxyethyl group in the 6 beta-position, whereas the other compound (a hemiacetal, C32H46O5), presumably a degradation product of hyperforin, exhibited a 6-hydroxy function. The latter was an inseparable mixture of 6 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxy epimers undergoing (according to phase sensitive NOESY) mutual interconversion.

Guaianolides from Centaurea nicolai: antifungal activity

A new guaianolide, 3-deacetyl-9-O-acetylsalograviolide A, along with four known closely related lactones, salograviolide A, 9-O-acetylsalograviolide A, kandavanolide and salograviolide B were detected in the aerial parts of the flowering plant Centaurea nicolai. Antifungal tests performed on salograviolide A and its 9-O-acetyl and 3-O-deacetyl-9-O-acetyl derivatives revealed inhibitory activity against Aspergillus niger, A. ochraceus, Penicillium ochrochloron, Cladosporium cladosporoides, Fusarium tricinctum and Phomopsis helianthi. Neither of them was active against Trichoderma viride.

Xanthones from Swertia punctata

Isolation of 1-O-primeverosyl-3,8-dihydroxy-5-methoxyxanthone and 1-O-gentiobiosyl-3,7-dimethoxy-8-hydroxyxanthone, along with five known xanthones, isobellidifolin, methylbellidifolin, isoswertianin, methylswertianin and norswertianin-1-O-beta-D-glucoside, from the roots of Swertia punctata is reported. In the aerial parts four xanthones, bellidifolin, methylbellidifolin, swertianolin and mangiferin, and flavone-C-glucoside, isoorientin were identified. The chemotaxonomic and pharmacological significance of these results is discussed.

Isolation and Biological Evaluation of Jatrophane Diterpenoids from Euphorbia dendroides

From the Montenegrin spurge Euphorbia dendroides, seven new diterpenoids [jatrophanes (1-6) and a tigliane (7)] were isolated and their structures elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. The biological activity of the new compounds was studied against four human cancer cell lines. The most effective jatrophane-type compound (2) and its structurally closely related derivative (1) were evaluated for their interactions with paclitaxel and doxorubicin using a multi-drug-resistant cancer cell line. Both compounds exerted a strong reversal potential resulting from inhibition of P-glycoprotein transport.

Essential Oil of Anthemis montana

Abstract The essential oil of Anthemis montana L. (Asteraceae) has been analyzed using GC and GC/MS. Forty-two components were identified. The major fractions belonged to α-thujone (46.9%), β-thujone (16.0%), and trans-chrysanthemyl acetate (11.3%) amounting up to 74.2% of the total oil content.

Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Achillea asplenifolia Essential Oil

Abstract The oil of a wild growing population of Achillea asplenifolia Vent, was studied for yield, composition and antibacterial activity. The major components in the oil were β-caryophyllene (17.6%), germacrene D (15.6%) and chamazulene (13.3%). In an antibacterial diffusion assay, the oil showed activity against all tested Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus.

Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Achillea chrysocoma Essential Oil

Abstract Essential oil of Achillea chrysocoma Friv. was investigated for composition and antibacterial activity. Twenty-eight identified compounds constituted 91.5% of the oil. The main compounds of the oil were borneol (10.1%), terpinen-4-ol (9.2%), cis-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (8.2%) and trans-p-menth-2-en-1-ol (7.9%). Antibacterial tests showed pronounced activity of the oil against Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Antioxidant properties of raspberry seed extracts on micronucleus distribution in peripheral blood lymphocytes

This study addresses in vitro effects of raspberry (Rubus idaeus) seed extracts (RSE) on the frequency of micronuclei. We evaluated the effects of three different extracts (50%, 80%, and 100% methanol) in doses of 1.4, 4.2, and 8.4 microg/mL, per 5 mL culture using cytochalasin-B micronucleus (CBMN) assay in peripheral human lymphocytes. The frequency of MN was scored in binucleated (BN) cells. The nuclear proliferation index was also calculated. The distribution of polyphenolic compounds in RSEs was determined using LC/UV/ESI-TOF MS. The identified 37 compounds comprised flavanol monomers and oligomers, as well as varieties of ellagitannin components. Treatment of lymphocytes with RSEs induced a significant decrease in the frequency of micronuclei by 80%. These results demonstrate that the constituents of RSEs may be important in the prevention of oxidative lymphocyte damage by reactive oxygen species and may also reduce the level of DNA damage. These findings support the potential benefits of polyphenolic compounds from raspberry seeds as efficient antioxidants.