0000000000282921
AUTHOR
Sergio Sorbo
Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Acetonic Extract from Paullinia cupana Mart Seeds
The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the acetone extract from Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis Mart. (Sapindaceae) seeds, commonly called guarana, were assessed against selected bacterial and fungal strains. We tested the extract against both standard American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) and clinically isolated (CI) bacterial strains and three fungal strains. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for bacteria and MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration for fungi were determined. The extract showed an activity against the nine bacterial strains tested, both CI and ATCC strains (MIC comprised between 32 and 128 μm/mL and MBC bet…
Effects of air pollution on production of essential oil in Feijoa Sellowiana Berg. grown in the "Italian triangle of death"
The composition of the essential oils of fruits from Feijoa sellowiana grown in the district of Acerra is compared with those collected from unpolluted sites. Essential oils from the fruits of F. sellowiana were analysed by GC/MS. Sixty compounds, representing 96.6% and 97.8% (unpolluted site and Acerra site, respectively) of the oils, were identified. The major constituents were β-caryophyllene (12.4% and 16.8%), ledene (9.6% and 11.1%), α-humulene (6.3% and 8.2%), β-elemene (4.9% and 5.3%) and δ-cadinene (4.7% and 5.2%) in the control site and Acerra site, respectively. The antioxidant components were increased in response to polluted condition. The acetonic extracts of F. sellowiana from…
Does air pollution influence the success of species translocation? Trace elements, ultrastructure and photosynthetic performances in transplants of a threatened forest macrolichen
Abstract Species translocation can be considered as a primary conservation strategy with reference to in situ conservation. In the case of lichens, translocations often risk to fail due stress factors associated with unsuitable receptor sites. Considering the bioecological characteristics of lichens, air pollution is among the most limiting stress factors. In this study, the forest macrolichen Lobaria pulmonaria was used as a model to test the hypothesis that the translocation of sensitive lichens is effective only in unpolluted environments. At purpose, 500 fragments or whole thalli were translocated in selected beech forests of Central Europe (the Western Carpathians, Slovakia) where the …
Potential allelopathic activity ofSideritis italica(Miller) Greuter et Burdet essential oil
Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet is a widespread Mediterranean Lamiacea. Essential oils from S. italica flowerheads and leaves were extracted by hydrodistillation and then tested for their potential allelopathic activity against Raphanus sativus L. (Magnoliophyta) and the moss Tortula muralis (Hedw.) (Bryophyta), two organisms already tested for allelopathy, and against two bryophytes growing in the same environment as S. italica: the moss Bryum capillare Hedw. and the liverwort Lunularia cruciata (L.) Dum. For R. sativus, we considered seed germination and root and epicotyl growth. For the mosses, we used spore germination and protonemata development, while for the liverwort, w…
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Coumarins from the Roots of Ferulago campestris (Apiaceae)
We report the isolation of several coumarins and the stereochemical assessment of some pyranocoumarins, as well as the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the three most abundant ones (grandivittin, agasyllin and aegelinol benzoate) isolated from the roots of Ferulago campestris collected in Sicily and of the hydrolysis product (aegelinol). Aegelinol and agasyllin showed antibacterial activity against nine ATCC and the same clinically isolated Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. At a concentration between 16 and 125 μg/mL both coumarins showed a significant antibacterial effect against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In particular the ATCC strains Staph…
Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Otanthus maritimus (L.) Hoffmanns.Link essential oil from Sicily.
The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the flowers of Otanthus maritimus L., a perennial plant growing wild in maritime sands in the Mediterranean region, was investigated by GC and GC-MS analyses. Totally 66 were identified. The oil was dominated by the high content of monoterpene compounds, especially oxygenated monoterpenes which accounted for 73.1%. The most abundant components were yomogi alcohol (20.8%), camphor (15.8%), artemisyl acetate (15.3%) and artemisia alcohol (13.7%). The oil was tested against two Gram (+) and six Gram (-) bacterial strains, both American Type Culture Collection standard strains and clinically isolated (CI), one potentially pathogenic ye…
Antibacterial and antioxidant activities in Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet essential oils
Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet is a widespread Lamiacea in the Mediterranean region used in traditional medicine. Essential oils were antibacterial against nine ATCC and as many clinically isolated Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Antibacterial activity was also found against Helicobacter pylori: a dose-dependant inhibition was shown between 5 and 25 microg/ml. The antibacterial activity of the oils was expressed as MICs (minimum inhibitory concentrations) and MBCs (minimum bactericidal concentrations). At a concentration between 3.9 and 250 microg/ml the oils showed a significant antibacterial effect against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In …