Vesna Stankov Jovanović

Update on element content profiles in eleven wild edible mushrooms from family Boletaceae

The aim of this study was to determine and evaluate the amounts of major elements (Ca, Fe, K, Na and P), essential trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) and some other trace metals (Ag, Al, Co, Ni, Cr, Sr, Se, Bi, Rb) in eleven species of wild-grown common edible mushrooms from family Boletaceae (Boletus appendiculatus, Boletus edulis, Boletus regius, Boletus fechtneri, Boletus impolitus, Boletus purpureus, Boletus rhodoxanthus, Leccinum crocipodium, Leccinum pseudoscaber, Xerocomellus chrysenteron, Xerocomus badius) from Serbia. The measurements of major elements (Ca, Fe, K, Na and P) were carried out by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), while analytical measurements of the rest of studied elements were performed using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), after microwave digestion. The results showed that the element concentrations were species-dependent. Potassium and phosphorous concentrations were found to be greater than those of the other mineral constituents in all tested species. Multivariate analysis included principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA). HCA grouped mushrooms in three statistically significant clusters, while PCA indicated connection between analyzed metals. Also, this paper highlights the importance of essential and nonessential elements of human health and their daily intake.

Optimization of the QuEChERS extraction procedure for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are listed as pollutants of great concern and the development of fast and reliable analytical procedures is a modern day challenge. The aim of this study was to optimize the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) technique, in order to establish an efficient method for the extraction of 16 priority PAHs from soil, using various sorbent and solvent system combinations, followed by GC-MS analysis. The best results were obtained using acetonitrile/water as the extraction solvent and diatomaceous earth as the dispersive solid phase extraction sorbent. The proposed method is rapid, accurate, precise, as well as much cheaper and simpler than other methods used for the extraction of PAHs from soil. The optimized method was successfully applied on real soil samples from an urban area of Nis, Serbia. Analysis of real soil samples showed contamination of soil with mostly light PAHs, where acenaphthene was predominant. The content of total PAHs varied from 345.65 to 27 314.30 μg kg−1, with a mean of 3646.39 μg kg−1. Only three samples contained elevated amounts of PAHs according the Gazette of the Republic of Serbia.

Chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidative and anticholinesterase activity of Satureja Montana L. ssp montana essential oil

The present study investigates the chemical compositions of three Satureja montana L. ssp montana essential oils and correlates chemical variability with biological activities. GC/MS analysis showed that with an increase in altitude (100–500–800 m), a higher content of linalool, terpinen-4-ol and cis-sabinene hydrate was found, while the percentage of phenolic compounds, thymol and carvacrol decreased. Antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was tested against 7 fungal and 23 bacterial strains. The essential oil characterized by the highest content of phenols and alcohols exhibited the highest antimicrobial potential. The correlation analysis showed that the major carriers of the obtained antioxidant activity are oxygenated monoterpenes. All essential oils inhibited human serum cholinesterase activity. High antimicrobial potential, together with moderate antioxidant capacity and strong inhibition of human serum cholinesterase, classifies S. montana essential oil as a natural source of compounds that can be used in the treatment of foodborne and neurological diseases, wound and other infections, as well as for general health improvement.

Screening of antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiradical activities of twelve selected Serbian wild mushrooms

This study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiradical activities of twelve wild edible mushrooms from Serbia. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by five different methods: DPPH, ABTS, total reducing power (TRP), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC). Folin–Ciocalteu total phenolic compounds (TPC) were also determined. The present study shows that the ethanol extract of Boletus regius has the highest antioxidant values (10.997 ± 0.891 mg mL−1 in DPPH; 0.771 ± 0.004 mg AAE per mg dw in TRP; 56.924 ± 0.022 mmol Fe per mg dw in FRAP; 21.738 ± 0.108 mg TE per mg dw in CUPRAC; 173.125 ± 0.475 mg GAE per mg dw in TPC). This is the first report on the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts of mushrooms by the CUPRAC method. The in vitro antimicrobial activity was investigated by the microdilution method. This is the first report on the antimicrobial activity for many analyzed mushroom species. The highest antiradical activity unit (EAU515) was from Polyporus squamosus (6.349 EAU515). We determined the antioxidant capacity and the antioxidant potency composite index (ACI) was calculated. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) was applied to investigate the similarities between the used methods for antioxidant activities. PCA was used for determining the number of variables to explain the observed variances in the antioxidant activity data of the examined wild mushroom species.

Comparison of chemical composition and biological activities of Seseli rigidum fruit essential oils from Serbia

Abstract Plants from genus Seseli, have been widely used in European traditional medicine, exhibiting antibacterial, antifungal, insect repellent, emmenogogue, antiflatulence, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anti-tumor, antirheumatic activities and protective effect on human lymphocytes DNA. They usually grow on mountain rocky terrains. Part of their habitat on Vidlic Mountain, located in South-east Serbia, was struck with a large wildfire. Seseli rigidum fruit essential oils (from post fire and control areas) compositions were analyzed by GC and GC-MS, identifying monoterpenes α-pinene and sabinene as most abundant. Statistical tests showed a non-significant difference in chemical composition of these two oils, but a significant difference in comparison with the herb from a geographically different origin. Antimicrobial tests showed strong activities of the oils against tested bacteria, thus confirming its administration in various inflammation processes as a quite effective remedy. Applying DPPH. and ABTS+. radical scavenging and total reducing Fe(III) to Fe(II) power assays, antioxidant characteristics of both studied essential oils were estimated as weak, though of close values. Seseli rigidum fruit essential oil was proven as a potent inhibitor of human and horse serum cholinesterase, recognizing its possible application as neural protective agent Graphical Abstract

Dispersive solid-phase extraction clean up combined with Soxhlet extraction for the determination of 16 PAHs in soil samples by GC-MS

ABSTRACT Dichloromethane soil samples extracts were prepared using Soxhlet extraction technique, and after clean-up step, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was carried out. A comparison of dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) and column chromatography (cC), as clean-up techniques, was evaluated. Six different sorbents (silica, diatomaceous earth, primary–secondary amine, C18, clinoptilolite and florisil) were tested as dispersive clean-up sorbents versus activated silica and alumina for cC. Best results for three concentration levels among dSPE were obtained using diatomaceous earth, with recovery values in the range of 75–112% for 13 of 16 analysed compounds, while cC recoveries were in the range of 75–111% for all analysed PAHs. Analysis of 12 soil samples from urban area of Niš (Serbia) singled out acenaphthene as the most abundant compound.

Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter Essential Oil: Chemical Composition, Multivariate Analysis, and Antimicrobial Activity

The chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activities of Dittrichia graveolens (L.) Greuter essential oil was studied. Moreover, using agglomerative hierarchical cluster (AHC) and principal component analyses (PCA), the interrelationships of the D. graveolens essential‐oil profiles characterized so far (including the sample from this study) were investigated. To evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil, GC‐FID and GC/MS analyses were performed. Altogether, 54 compounds were identified, accounting for 92.9% of the total oil composition. The D. graveolens oil belongs to the monoterpenoid chemotype, with monoterpenoids comprising 87.4% of the totally identified compounds. The major components were borneol (43.6%) and bornyl acetate (38.3%). Multivariate analysis showed that the compounds borneol and bornyl acetate exerted the greatest influence on the spatial differences in the composition of the reported oils. The antimicrobial activity against five bacterial and one fungal strain was determined using a disk‐diffusion assay. The studied essential oil was active only against Gram‐positive bacteria.

Comparative Study of Fatty Acids Profile in Eleven Wild Mushrooms of Boletacea and Russulaceae Families

Eleven species of wild mushrooms which belong to Boletaceae and Russulaceae families were examined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis for the presence of fatty acids. As far as we know, the fatty acid profiles of B. purpureus and B. rhodoxanthus were described for the first time. Twenty‐six fatty acids were determined. Linoleic (19.5 – 72%), oleic (0.11 – 64%), palmitic (5.9 – 22%) and stearic acids (0.81 – 57%) were present in the highest contents. In all samples, unsaturated fatty acids dominate. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering was used to display the correlation between the fatty acids and their relationships with the mushroom species. Based on the fatty acids profile in the samples, the mushrooms can be divided into two families: Boletaceae and Russulaceae families, using cluster analysis.

Ramalina capitata (Ach.) Nyl. acetone extract: HPLC analysis, genotoxicity, cholinesterase, antioxidant and antibacterial activity

In the present investigation, effects of Ramalina capitata acetone extract on micronucleus distribution on human lymphocytes, on cholinesterase activity and antioxidant activity (by the CUPRAC method) were examined, for the first time as well as its HPLC profile. Additionally, total phenolic compounds (TPC), antioxidant properties (estimated via DPPH, ABTS and TRP assays) and antibacterial activity were determined. The predominant phenolic compounds in this extract were evernic, everninic and obtusatic acids. Acetone extract of R. capitata at concentration of 2 μg mL-1 decreased a frequency of micronuclei (MN) for 14.8 %. The extract reduces the concentration of DPPH and ABTS radicals for 21.2 and 36.1 % (respectively). Values for total reducing power (TRP) and cupric reducing capacity (CUPRAC) were 0.4624 ± 0.1064 μg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE) per mg of dry extract, and 6.1176 ± 0.2964 μg Trolox equivalents (TE) per mg of dry extract, respectively. The total phenol content was 670.6376 ± 66.554 μg galic acid equivalents (GAE) per mg of dry extract. Tested extract at concentration of 2 mg mL-1 exhibited inhibition effect (5.2 %) on pooled human serum cholinesterase. The antimicrobial assay showed that acetone extract had inhibition effect towards Gram-positive strains. The results of manifested antioxidant activity, reducing the number of micronuclei in human lymphocytes, and antibacterial activity recommends R. capitata extract for further in vivo studies.

Heavy Metals in the Post-catastrophic Soils

Soil is one the most important environmental factors, substantially influencing many aspects of human life, and hence its quality in long terms must be carefully maintained and preserved. It is also a key factor for sustainable agriculture, through which numerous impacts can more or less directly affect human activities and even pose serious threats to human health. Heavy metals are ubiquitously present in all soils, although their concentrations may vary in broad range. Their origin in soil can be from geological and anthropogenic sources, with generally very long retention time. If soil is contaminated by heavy metals for any reason, their intake by plants will increase to various extents, enabling possible entry of heavy metals into the food chain and potentially having long-term consequences to humans. In addition, contaminated soils can provoke pollution of corresponding water bodies and air by heavy metals, whose usage in some human activities can be hazardous. The distribution pattern of heavy metals in soil is generally stable, unless some environmental conditions are drastically changed, leading to the changes in their distribution in depth and/or relocation over broad areas. Catastrophic events, mostly contributing to mentioned processes, are metal mining activities, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, and wildfires. These extreme phenomena can be induced by human activities (whether it is in normal or emergency situations) or caused by natural disasters or most likely as a combination of them.