Pharmacognosy as a science of natural medicinal raw materials and drugs of natural origin is a science that protects nature and affects the survival and protection of man. From the earliest times, man was exploring everything that nature provides. With the development of science and technology, research into natural raw materials, as well as those with healing activity, was perfected. The obtained results could reliably be used in official pharmacopoeia, medicine and dentistry. With the development of computer technology, there has been more detailed information on the use of natural medicinal raw materials through Phytotherapy, which is increasingly being applied. All these studies indicate that pharmacognosic studies with the goal of using natural medicinal substances and medicines of natural origin must not be called alternative medicine, but it is the same as all other medicines that are only adapted to the nature of natural raw materials.

Introduction: We studied the chemical composition and antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activities of essential oils from flowers of Lavandula angustifolia grown in Southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: The chemical profile of essential oil was evaluated by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial activity was tested against six bacterial strains. The antioxidant activity by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and the antiproliferative activity against three human cancer cell lines, MCF-7, NCI-H460, and MOLT-4, were investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide tests. Results: In L. angustifolia essential oil, monoterpene alcohols were the most represented class of volatiles (51.8%), including linalool, lavandulol, and terpinen-4-ol, α-terpineol as the major components, followed by monoterpene esters (22.6%). The most important antibacterial activity of essential oil was expressed on Gram-negative strains. Investigated essential oil was able to reduce DPPH radicals into the neutral DPPH-H form (inhibitory concentration 50% [IC50] = 0.421 mg/ml), and this activity was dose dependent. The essential oil showed significant antiproliferative activity against three cancer cell lines, MOLT-4, MCF-7, and NCI-H460 cells, with IC50 values of 17, 94, and 97 µg/ml, respectively. The result of the antiproliferative assay indicates that MOLT-4 cell line was the most sensitive to investigated essential oil. Conclusion: The results revealed that L. angustifolia essential oil may be important growth inhibitor against the microbes studied. It also possesses significant antioxidant activity and demonstrated excellent antiproliferative activity against MOLT-4 cells.

The aim of the present study was to appraise variation in content and the chemical composition of essential oil from the leaves of Mentha longifolia as affected by harvesting season. Quantities of the essential oils were determined according to the European Pharmacopoeia 4th Ed. and chemical profiles by using a gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. The highest content of the essential oil was found plant during the flowering stage (1.9%). The main constituents of the essential oil through all the three phenophases were oxygened monoterpenes piperitone oxide (1.9-63.6%) and 1,8-cineole (5-12%), and sesquiterpenes trans-caryophyllene (3-9.3%) and germacrene D (0.16-10%). In general, the composition of the essential oil in all the three investigated phenophases was generally similar with quantitative differences. Oxygenated monoterpenes were dominant during flowering stage and after flowering stage, followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Presence of β-ocimene, γ-terpinene, and carvone were noticed only before flowering; cederole, β-cubebene and α-caryophyllene during the flowering stage; and 3-carene after flowering. Analysis of the qualitative and quantitative composition of main constituents of the essential oil in all the three investigated phenophases led to the conclusion that the piperitone oxide, as the major compound could be used as the stable chemotype marker for the taxonomy of Mentha longifolia.

Five methanolic extracts obtained from different parts of birch, Betula pendula, Roth. (external and internal bark, flowers, leaves and buds), were evaluated for their antibacterial activity in this study. Triterpene compounds, betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and lupeol, were isolated from the external parts of birch bark using the method of dry column chromatography (DCC) as well as preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC). These compounds were also investigated for their antibacterial activity. Taking into account that decoction is the most commonly used pharmaceutical form of herbal drug, decoctions made from external bark, leaf, flower and bud were investigated for their antibacterial activity. Antibacterial screening, against selected Gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P and Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 was carried out. The methods of diffusion and dilution were used for this investigation according to European Pharmacopoea, 1996. The most prominent antibacterial activity showed oleanolic acid against bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, expressed as minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 1.25% and Bacillus subtilis MIC: 0.625%. Escherichia coli showed resistance on all investigated samples.

Houseleek is one of the 150 plant species belonging to the Crassulaceae family which authentically grow in Mexico. It has been cultivated in Europe since IX century as decorative plant as well as medicinal plant. Due to the fact that it has not been enough investigated from a chemical point of view, its usage today is limited to folk medicine.