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The aim of this study was to determine biological activity of plants with adaptogenic effect: Panax ginseng Mayer., Withania somnifera L., Eleuterococcus senticosus Rupr. et Maxim., Astragallus membranaceus Fisch. and Codonopsis pilosulae Franch. The antioxidant activity was detected by DPPH and phosphomolybdenum method, total polyphenol content with Folin – Ciocalteu reagent, flavonoids content by aluminium chloride method. The detection of antimicrobial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method against three species of Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli CCM 3988, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807, Yersinia enterocolitica CCM 5671 and two Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19, Stapylococcus aureus subsp. aureus CCM 2461. Results showed that plants with adaptogenic effect are rich for biologically active substances. The highest antioxidant activity by DPPH method was determined in the sample of Eleuterococcus senticosus (3.15 mg TEAC – Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity per g of sample) and by phosphomolybdenum method in the sample of Codonopsis pilosulae (188.79 mg TEAC per g of sample). In the sample of Panax ginseng was measured the highest content of total polyphenols (8.10 mg GAE – galic acid equivalent per g of sample) and flavonoids (3.41 μg QE – quercetin equivalent per g of sample). All samples also showed strong antimicrobial activity with the best results in Panax ginseng and Withania somnifera in particular for species Yersinia enterocolitica CCM 5671 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807. The analyzed species of plant with high value of biological activity can be used more in the future, not only in food, but also in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Melissa officinalis L. and Mentha piperita L. from Lamiaceae species (The detection of antimicrobial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method and evaluation of minimal inhibition concentration against five Gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli CCM 3988, Klebsiella pneumoniae CCM 2318, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica CCM 3807, Shigella sonei CCM 1373, Yersinia enterocolitica CCM 5671 and five Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19, Clostridium perfringens CCM 4435, Haemophilus influenzae CCM4456, Listeria monocytogenes CCM 4699, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus CCM 2461. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging and phosphomolybdenum antioxidant methods. The content of polyphenols and flavonoids was measured by colorimetric methods. Both tested plants showed the highest antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria confirmed by both methods - disc diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration. Additionally, both tested plants exhibited high antioxidant activity. The highest content of total polyphenol (37.37 mg GAE/g g) was identified in lemon balm, but flavonoids (33.90 µg QE/g) in peppermint.

Chocolate is one of the most consumed delicacies in the world. Nowadays, raw chocolates without vanilla or allergens are getting more attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the biological activity of different types of chocolate - cold processed chocolate and chocolate made by traditional way. Total content of fat, crude fibre, polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids and metylxantines - theobromine and caffeine was evaluated. The antioxidant activity was determined by a method using DPPH radical, reducing power method and phosphomolybdenum method. Both evaluated chocolates had similar content of fat and crude fibre, but sample of chocolate made by traditional way probably due to the higher content of cocoa mass had almost two times higher content of total polyphenols, flavonoids and phenolic acids as cold processed chocolate. Also the content of theobromine and caffeine was slightly higher in chocolate made by traditional way. This sample had the highest antioxidant activity - 93.68 mg TEAC.g-1 determined by phosphomolybdenum method, while in the sample of chocolate made by cold processed way was measeured value 50.82 mg TEAC.g-1. Similarly, reducing power of chocolate made by traditional way was almost two times higher, but antioxidant activity determined with DPPH method was similar in both samples (3.58 and 3.62 mg TEAC.g-1). The antioxidants and metylxantines in chocolates determine its potential to be a significant source of biologicaly active compounds with favorable effects to human health. It can be concluded in this study, that chocolate produced by conventional production technology can have more health-promoting ingredients reserved, but more extensive researches are still needed.

Bee bread is product with long history used mainly in folk medicine. Nowadays, bee bread is growing in commercial interest due to its high nutritional properties. The objective of this study was to determine biological activity of ethanolic extract of bee bread obtained from selected region of Ukraine - Poltava oblast, Kirovohrad oblast, Vinnica oblast, Kyiv oblast, Dnepropetrovsk oblast. The antioxidant activity was measured with the radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical as well as phosphomolybdenum assay. Total polyphenol content was determined with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent and total flavonoid content by aluminium-chloride method. Secondary was also evaluated antimicrobial activity in bee bread samples with disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentrations. Antioxidant activity expressed as mg TEAC per g of dry weight (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) was the highest in bee bread from Poltava oblast in DPPH and also phosphomolybdenum method. Samples of bee bread contained high levels of total polyphenols (12.36 - 18.24 mg GAE - gallic acid equivalent per g of dry weight) and flavonoids (13.56 - 18.24 μg QE - quercetin equivalent per g of dry weight) with the best values of bee bread from Poltava oblast. An elevated level of antioxidant potential in the bee bread determines its biological properties, which conditioned of the biological active substances. The best antibacterial activity of bee bred with disc diffusion method was found against Bacillus thuringiensis CCM 19. The antibacterial activity inhibited by the bee bread extract in the present study indicate that best minimal inhibition concentration was against bacteria Escherichia coli CCM 3988 and Salmonella enterica subs. enterica CCM 3807.