The chemical composition of Pulicaria dysenterica(L.) Bernh. aerial parts essential oil (EO), growing wildin Bosnia and Herzegovina, was presented in the study. In addition to the EO composition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities were also tested. The aerial parts of P. dysentericacontained 0.3% of yellow, liquid, fragrant EO. The 51 components identified accounted for 81.09% of the oil. The EO was characterized by the presence of a high concentration of oxygenated sesquiterpenes 51.83% while oxygenated monoterpenes constituted 15.57%, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons 9.32% and non-terpene compounds presented 4.37% of the EO. The dominant compounds were the sesquiterpenes caryophyllene oxide, (E)-nerolidol, β-caryophyllene and monoterpene nerol. The antimicrobial activity of EO was tested against selected ATCC strains of microorganisms, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosaand Escherichia coli, and the fungus Candida albicans. The results showed that the investigated EO inhibited the growth of all selected ATCC strains of microorganisms. The best result was obtained against Escherichia colibacteria with MIC value of 1 mgmL-1. The cytotoxicity of EO was measured against the HeLa cell line using the MTT method with IC50of 188.52 μgmL-1.This study has provided scientific baseline data on the therapeutic properties of P. dysenterica. KEYWORDS:Pulicaria dysenterica, essential oil,antimicrobial activity,citotoxicity

Vaginal inflammation represents a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by infection, inflammation, or disruption of vaginal microflora. The most common causes of vaginal infection are Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coliand Candida albicans. Antibiotic resistance is a major global problem, which can be mitigated by using natural antimicrobial substances such as essential oils. Each essential oil has an extremely complex composition (some essential oilshave over 200 components), which prevents microorganisms from developing resistance. Therefore, essential oils retain their effects.The aim of our study was to investigate antibacterial activity Melaleuca alternifolia, Achillea millefoliumand Cinnamomumcamphoravaginal suppositories, and see which essential oil has the strongest potential to be used as active ingredient for vaginal infections.The antimicrobial activity of the vaginal suppositories was examined using the disk diffusion method. Standard bacterial strains were used for the ATCC collection: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis)ATCC 51299, Escherichia coli (E. coli)ATCC 25922, Candida albicans (C. albicans)ATCC 10231.The results showed that Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil has an antimicrobial effect on all tested strains, with the strongest effect on Candida albicans(ZI 22.7 mm). Achillea millefoliumessential oil had no effect on Enterococcus faecalis, whereas Cinnamomum camphoraessential oil did not show zones of inhibition of Candida albicans.KEYWORDS:vaginal suppository, Melaleuca alternifolia, Achillea millefolium, Cinnamomum camphora,antimicrobial activity

Tussilago farfara L., also known as coltsfoot, is a plant that has been used since ancient times to relieve coughs. Subsequently, the effectiveness of coltsfoot in the treatment of bronchial asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases was established. In this research, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of different coltsfoot extracts was analyzed. The antioxidant activity was monitored through the DPPH radical inhibition efficiency and the extract's reducing ability. Antibacterial activity was tested using the diffusion technique. Tussilago farfara L. extracts showed extremely high antioxidant activity in in vitro conditions. The highest antioxidant capacity was found in extracts prepared by mixing water and organic solvents. High antibacterial activity was found for ethanolic, acetone and aqueous-ethanolic extracts of coltsfoot.

Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik. (known as shepherd's purse) is a plant whose parts are used as medicine in herbal medicine. It is applicable as a medicine in the treatment of all forms of internal bleeding, for the treatment of hemorrhoids, excessive menstruation, but also for the usual stopping of nosebleeds. Through this research, the influence of organic solvents and their aqueous mixtures on the efficiency of polyphenol extraction and antioxidant activity was compared. The inhibition of free radicals was tested by the DPPH method, while the FRAP method was used to test the reduction potential. Analyzes have shown that water is the most effective solvent in the isolation of polyphenols from the aerial parts of shepherd's purse. Mixtures of organic solvents with water also showed high efficiency in the extraction of bioactive components, while the weakest results were obtained for extracts prepared in pure organic solvents.

Extracts obtained from plant material have widely applied in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries because they contain significant concentrations of biologically active substances. Commercial daisy extract (Bellis perennis) was used in this paper for in vitro testing of tyrosinase enzyme inhibition, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Inhibition of the tyrosinase enzyme was determined by monitoring dopachrome formation at a wavelength of 492 nm. Antioxidant activity was tested using FRAP and DPPH methods, while antibacterial activity was tested by diffusion technique on reference strains from the ATCC collection. The results showed that daisy extract inhibits tyrosinase enzyme in a dose-dependent manner. The extract effectively neutralized DPPH radicals and also showed good reducing ability. Bacterial strains used for in vitro antimicrobial activity testing did not show sensitivity to the extract concentrations used in this study.

Origanum compactum, an endemic Moroccan medicinal herb, possesses many different activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anticancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the stability and antifungal activity of liposomal dispersion with this essential oil. Liposomal dispersion stability was evaluated by testing the vesicle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. It was also examined the in vitro release of thymol and carvacrol from liposomal dispersion. The major components of this essential oil were carvacrol (58.4%), thymol (12.5%) and γ-terpinene (10.7%). Origanum compactum essential oil showed a strong antifungal activity, and the inhibition zones ranged from 24 to 45 mm. After 210 minutes, 80.88% thymol and 16.67% carvacrol were released. Stability assessment was performed for three months and the liposomal dispersion showed a good stability.

In this study, metal complex of Copper(II) with a Schiff base derived from 2,2-dihydroxyindane-1,3-dione and 2-aminoethanoic acid were synthesized. The product are characterized by spectral methods. The antimicrobial activity was tested on reference bacterial strains and the antioxidant capacity was analyzed by using the DPPH and FRAP methods. The spectral data indicates that the Schiff base coordinates the Copper(II) as a tridentate ONO donor ligand. The compounds showed weaker antimicrobial activity on certain tested microorganisms. In vitro testing of antioxidant activity showed a significant reducing ability of the complex, as well as inhibitory activity against DPPH radicals.

In this study, the efficacy of different extraction techniques (maceration, ultrasound-assisted and Soxhlet extraction) on the content of biologically active components in extracts from fresh and dried nettle leaves, and their antioxidant activity were analyzed. Methanol was used as the solvent. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH and FRAP methods, respectively. High content of total phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity were recorded in extracts of dried nettle. Extracts obtained from fresh nettle samples showed significantly lower content of analyzed bioactive components and lower antioxidant activity. In the case of all extracts, Soxhlet extraction proved to be the most efficient, and maceration the least efficient extraction technique for isolation of bioactive components from nettle leaves.

In this work, four silver(I) complexes with Schiff bases derived from ninhydrin and selected amino acids (methionine, histidine, cysteine, and phenylalanine) were synthesized. The aim of this study is to determine the potential biological activity of these complexes. FTIR and UV/VIS spectroscopy were used for structural characterization of the products. Antioxidant activity was examined in vitro using DPPH method. Antimicrobial screening was performed by diffusion technique on reference bacterial strains from the ATCC collection. Interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was examined using UV/VIS spectroscopy. Based on the obtained spectral data, it is assumed that all Schiff bases coordinate the Ag(I) ion as a tridentate ONO donor ligand. The antioxidant activity of the synthesized compounds is extremely high, with a range of IC 50 values of 0.023-0.06 mg/mL. Antimicrobial screening determined the inhibitory ability of almost all complexes for concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/mL, with zones of inhibition in the range of 9-19 mm. Examination of the interaction of BSA with Ag(I) complexes revealed the same change in the absorption maximum (hyperchromic shift) in the region of about 205 nm, which indicates that the interaction of BSA and the complex results in conformational changes of BSA.

The focus of this research is on beta-glucan, its health benefits and daily consumption of beta-glucan-containing foods and supplements among student population. Beta-glucan is an important soluble dietary fiber found in cereals, certain types of mushrooms and seaweed that has been associated with reduced presence of: insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity due to its multiple functional and bioactive properties. This paper explores dietary habits and intake of beta-glucan among students in primary schools, high schools and universities on the area of Sarajevo Canton. The survey included a total of 100 participants. Food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate dietary intake of oat and barley products (breakfast cereals, meals, and crackers), baking products (bread), mushrooms and dietary supplements containing beta-glucan. Food frequency questionnaire consisted of questions about the frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and the amount of consumption of certain types of beta-glucan-containing foods and supplements. Statistical analysis (mean, standard deviation, chi-square test) was carried out using the Excel. The results of this research showed that five (19.23%) respondents from primary schools had inadequate dietary intake of beta-glucan, two (15.38%) respondents from high schools had inadequate dietary intake of beta-glucan, and seven respondents from universities had inadequate dietary intake of beta-glucan which is 20.59% of total examined population. Despite the fact that usual diet contains of foods rich in beta-glucan, insufficient intake of dietary fiber beta-glucan is evident among students on a daily basis. Continuously monitoring of beta-glucan intake through diet is essential in order to determine dietary habits of daily fiber consumption.

In this work, eight pesticides: azinphos-ethyl, carbofuran, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyriphos, metazachlor, methoxychlor, propham and sulfotep were analyzed in 10 banana samples taken from the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Analyses were carried out by the QuEChERS approach, using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS). To determine the risk, acute exposure assessment was performed according on International Estimation of Short Term Intake (IESTI) equation. In acute quantitative risk assessment, estimated dietary exposure was compared with the relevant toxicological reference values Acute Reference Dose (ARfD).

Normal 0 21 false false false BS-LATN-BA X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:150%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language:BS-LATN-BA; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} The aim of this study was to determine the levels of cadmium in cattle meat and offal on the area of Central Bosnia Canton and to estimate the level of population exposure to cadmium through consumption of cattle meat and offal. Fifty samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, out of which twenty samples of kidney tissue, twenty samples of liver tissue and ten samples of muscle tissue. Determined cadmium levels in cattle kidney varied between 0.088 and 4.493 mg/kg, while cadmium levels in liver were determined in the range from 0.016 to 0.206 mg/kg. The mean value of cadmium in kidney was 0.750 mg/kg, while the mean value of cadmium in liver was 0.076 mg/kg. Cadmium levels in muscle tissue were less than 0.008 mg/kg in all analysed samples. In three samples of kidney (15% of the analysed) cadmium levels exceeded maximum permitted level, while no such case was found for liver and muscle tissue. Estimated weekly intake of cadmium due to the consumption of cattle meat is 1.74 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight. Weekly intake of cadmium by consuming cattle kidney is 9.08 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight, whereas weekly intake of cadmium via cattle liver is 1.23 x 10 -3 m g/kg body weight. The intake of cadmium due to the consumption of cattle meat and offal in the examined population is within the tolerable weekly intake. Exposure to cadmium from cattle meat in the examined population does not pose a risk for health.

The aim of this research was to determine the residual levels of pesticides in citrus fruits, to assess the exposure and to determine the acute risk to consumers. In this work, eight pesticides: azinphos-ethyl, carbofuran, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, metazachlor, methoxychlor, propham and sulfotep were analysed in 23 samples of citrus fruits, taken from the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Analyses were carried out by the QuEChERS approach developed for pesticide residue analysis in food, using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection. To determine the risk, acute exposure assessment was performed according on International Estimation of Short Term Intake (IESTI) equations. In quantitative acute risk assessment, estimated dietary exposure was compared with the toxicological reference values Acute Reference Dose (ARfD). In four samples of oranges the levels of pesticide residues were below detectable limit, in six samples determined levels of pesticide residues were at or below the MRL, while in one sample level of pesticide residues exceeded MRL. In six samples of grapefruits the levels of pesticide residues were below detectable limit, in five samples determined levels of pesticide residues were at or below the MRL, while in one sample level of pesticide residues exceeded MRL. In one sample of grapefruit where the level of chlorpyrifos residue of 0.61 mg/kg was found above MRL, an acute exposure risk assessment was performed and there was not a risk for health of adults and children, because the value of the calculated dietary intake was below the ARfD.

The aim of this study was to estimate dietary intake of nitrite in meat products. The content of nitrite in various categories of meat products that are on the market of Tuzla Canton. Data on concentrations of nitrite are associated with individual data on food consumption. The study included 200 respondents, aged 19 years and over. Dietary intake of nitrite was estimated by semi-quantitative questionnaire that included questions about the frequency and quantity consumed of certain types of meat products. To estimate the intake, combined data on the average concentration of nitrite in meat products and information on individual consumption. The average concentrations of nitrite in meat products analyzed samples was 7.44 mg/kg (range 0.6 to 23.59 mg/kg). Respondents consume certain types of meat products by an average 52 days/year, and the average daily amount of all types of meat products consumed was 168.92 g per day (per individual categories of meat products is between 15.29 to 22.27 g). Determined the average daily intake of nitrite from meat products is low and amounts to 13.41% compared to the acceptable daily intake (ADI) (for certain categories of meat products ranged from 0.02 to 0.9% of the ADI). The results suggest that a daily intake of nitrite in meat products by the population of the limits of acceptable daily intake, and exposure to nitrites in meat products in the study population does not represent a risk to health.