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.

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.

Introduction: Present study describes the antimicrobial activity and free radical scavenging capacity (RSC) of essential oil from Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. Aim of this study to investigate the quality, antimicrobial andantioxidant activity of wild species Mentha longifolia essential oil from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Methods: The chemical profi le of essential oil was evaluated by the means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Antimicrobial activity was tested against 6bacterial strains. RSC was assessed by measuring the scavenging activity of essential oils on 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH).Results: The main constituents of the essential oil of M. longifoliae folium were oxygenated monoterpenes,piperitone oxide (63.58%) and 1,8-cineole (12.03%). Essential oil exhibited very strong antibacterial activity.The most important antibacterial activity essential oil was expressed on Gram negative strains: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aerginosa and Salmonella enterica. subsp.enterica serotype ABONY. Antioxidant activity was evaluated as a RSC. Investigated essential oil was able to reduce DPPH radicals into the neutral DPPHH form (IC50=10.5 μg/ml) and this activity was dose –dependent.Conclusion: The study revealed signifi cant antimicrobial activity of the investigated essential oil. The examined oil exhibited high RSC, which was found to be in correlation to the content of mainly monoterpeneketones and aldehydes. These results indicate that essential oils could serve as safe antioxidant and antiseptic supplements in pharmaceuticals.

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.

Betulae cortex, Betula pendula Roth., Betulaceae, comprise triterpene substances which are confirmed to posses very important pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral. In this study, extraction of triterpene substances from both, inner and external birch bark was carried out and after that qualitative analysis on betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and lupeol was performed by method of thin layer chromatography. By this separation method, applying system for development benzene-ethyl acetate-formic acid (36:12:5), is gained a good separation of examined triterpene substances from methanol extracts of inner and external birch bark as well as used standards. From obtained row triterpene mixtures, certain triterpene substances are isolated using method of dry column chromatography. To those substances infrared (IR) spectra were recorded and compared with IR spectra of adequate standards. The study encloses all obtained IR spectra and interpretations on the basis of which can be concluded that triterpene substances, betulin, betulin acid and lupeol isolated from external birch bark give identical characteristic signals and absorbance as referent standards. Method of dry column chromatography has resulted as simple, efficient, repeatable and economical for laboratory conditions. Beside this, a sufficient quantity of examined triterpene substances is also obtained for continuation of their further analytical analysis.