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Humans are exposed to the variety of emerging environmental pollutant in everyday life. The special concern is paid to endocrine disrupting chemicals especially to triclosan which could interfere with normal hormonal functions. Triclosan could be found in numerous commercial products such as mouthwashes, toothpastes and disinfectants due to its antibacterial and antifungal effects. Considering the excessive use and disposal, wastewaters are recognized as the main source of triclosan in the aquatic environment. As a result of the incomplete removal, triclosan residues reach surface water and even groundwater. Triclosan has potential to accumulate in sediment and aquatic organisms. Therefore, the detectable concentrations of triclosan in various environmental and biological matrices emerged concerns about the potential toxicity. Triclosan impairs thyroid homeostasis and could be associated with neurodevelopment impairment, metabolic disorders, cardiotoxicity and the increased cancer risk. The growing resistance of the vast groups of bacteria, the evidenced toxicity on different aquatic organisms, its adverse health effects observed in vitro, in vivo as well as the available epidemiological studies suggest that further efforts to monitor triclosan toxicity at environmental levels are necessary. The safety precaution measures and full commitment to proper legislation in compliance with the environmental protection are needed in order to obtain triclosan good ecological status. This paper is an overview of the possible negative triclosan effects on human health. Sources of exposure to triclosan, methods and levels of detection in aquatic environment are also discussed.

Background Bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread industrial substance is recognized as endocrine disrupting chemical and therefore could be associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) related metabolic disturbances. Patients In this study 29 women of reproductive age with diagnosed PCOS were enrolled. Methods BPA in urine samples was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results BPA was detected in urines of 48.28% participants. The waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) was statistically significant higher in PCOS BPA+ in comparison to PCOS BPA− women (p = 0.046). PCOS BPA+ women had 6.88 times (95%Cl 1.3481–35.0600, z = 2.319, p = 0.020) higher risk for waist circumference above 80 cm and 4.95 odds (95%Cl 1.0169–24.096, z = 1.981, p = 0.048) to have WtHR over 0.5 when compared to PCOS BPA−. Statistically significant positive association between BPA urine concentrations and insulin serum levels (p = 0.038) was obtained. BPA urine values were associated with elevated HOMA-IR values and reduced HDL levels with moderate significance (p = 0.079 and p = 0.061, respectively). Also, there was 3.75 times (95%Cl 0.7936–17.7203, z = 1.668, p = 0.095) higher risk for PCOS BPA+ women to have testosterone levels above reference values. Conclusion The obtained results suggested that the BPA exposition in PCOS women was followed by increased metabolic risk through promotion of obesity, especially the visceral type, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and elevated androgen levels.

Hyperlipidemia is currently listed as one of the leading problems associated with the increased risk of coronary and extra-coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Since the effectiveness of the existing medications differ, the potential use of herbs and their effects on the hyperlipidemia is of great interest. This review summarizes observations on the efficacy of plant bioactive compounds in the management of hyperlipidemia. Based on the available randomized controlled clinical trials and meta-analysis data, garlic, turmeric, artichoke, green tea, grape, mastiha, red yeast rice and olive leaf have shown the promising lipid lowering effects. However, there is an urgent need for well-designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-center clinical trials with the standardized dose of bioactive components to confirm the efficacy of these plant bioactive compounds in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia.

Background/Aim. Plant polyphenols are well known to show antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antiviral and antioxidative activity. The aim of this study was to investigate bio-active potential of Armoracia rusticana root juice and extracts: their polyphenol content, as well as in vitro antitumor activity and cell-death mechanism. Methods. Liquid-liquid extraction of polar and non-polar compounds was used and poly-phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chomatography (HPLC) analysis. Anti-proliferative activity was examined in vitro on human cervix carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7, MDA-MB-231), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), lung adenocarcinoma (A549), prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3), melanocyte carcinoma (Hs 294T), hepatocyte carcinoma (Hep G2), as well as rat hepatocyte carcinoma (H-4-II-E), and normal human fetal lung (MRC-5) cell line using sulforhodamine B assay. The mechanism of cell-death in cell line was determined using Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS kit. Results. Dichloromethane extracts had the highest content of cate-chin, p-hydroxybenzoic, syringic and gallic acid (pulp, E1), and epicatechin (juice, E3). The results showed strong and non-selective antiproliferative activity of chloroform and di-chloromethane extracts and root juice ? highest being to-wards liver, breast and lung tissue cells. IC50 values of ex-tracts and juice had low range of concentrations (IC50 = 3.49?26.5 ?g/mL) and high range of dilutions (IC50 = 418?1,590). High and unfavorable potential of horseradish juice and chloroform juice extract (E4) to induce necrotic cell death was detected. Conclusion. Strong and non-selective in vitro antiproliferative activity of chloroform and dichloromethane extracts and root juice of horseradish was detected, with necrosis as a main mechanism of induced cell death. In order to utilize horseradish root bioactive potential further investigations that will pinpoint active components with more favourable apoptosis/necrosis inducing properties are needed.

Polymer - surfactant aqueous systems are important for a variety of industrial applications. The properties of those systems among other depend on the interactions between them. The aim of this work was to determine interactions between anionic polymer - xanthan gum and anionic surfactant - SDS or nonionic surfactant - Tween 80. In order to get better insight into the occurrence and possible mechanism of interactions several techniques were used such as FTIR, viscometry, conductometry, tensiometry, fluorimetry as well as SEM analysis. The results obtained by the combination of all those techniques showed that xanthan gum – SDS/Tween 80 interactions existed. Structural changes of xanthan gum molecules in presence of both surfactants were obtained by viscometry and SEM. The characteristic interaction points (CAC and PSP) were determined by measuring surface tension and specific conductance of pure surfactant aqueous solutions and their mixtures with xanthan gum. The values of PSP were proportional to the polymer concentration. After overcoming electrostatic repulsion between xanthan gum and SDS, they form complexes through hydrophobic mechanism and enhance adsorption of SDS molecules at the water – air interface. Unlike SDS, Tween 80 mainly interacts with xanthan gum in the bulk creating hydrogen bonds as well as by hydrophobic interactions. The results of fluorescence measurements expressed as I1/I3 ratio additionally confirmed that the mechanism of interactions between xanthan gum and examined surfactants was mainly through hydrophobic interaction and by creation the hydrogen bonds with Tween 80 as through electrostatic repulsion with SDS.

Nonprenylated rotenoids isolated from Boerhaavia diffusa are identified as new class of breast cancer resistance protein inhibitors (ABCG2). The recent determination of high-resolution structure of ABCG2 (with chemotherapeutics mitoxantrone or Ko143) enables the investigation of molecular interaction capacities of boeravinones. In this research pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship of 17 boeravinones considering their molecular properties, ADMET profile and binding energies for ABCG2 was studied for the first time. All 17 compounds met the requirements of empirical rules for drug-likeness. Based on the obtained results lipophilicity was determined as the key property of boeravinones for the intestinal absorption, total clearance and acute and chronic toxicity in rats while polarity was the limiting factor for blood brain barrier permeation. Both lipophilicity and the fraction of sp3 hybridized carbon atoms influenced the binding affinity of boeravinones to ABCG2 proteins (6XVI and 6FFC) expressed as ChemPLP and GOLD Score. The performed in silico analysis implies that boeravinones could be used as potent safe leads to human ABCG2.

The development and optimization of systems consist of polymers and surfactants are strongly related to the presence of interactions between them. Therefore, the interpolymer complexes between biopolymer xanthan gum and synthetic polymer Carbopol 940 were investigated before and after the addition of surfactant. The mechanism of interactions in ternary system consisted of xanthan gum, Carbopol 940 and anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylsulfate) as well as nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) was studied by the combination of different techniques such as viscometry, conductometry, tensiometry, spectrophotometry and fluorimetry. Xanthan gum and Carbopol 940 formed complexes through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Therefore, the calculated specific viscosities of polymer blends were much lower than experimentally determined values. Namely, both polymers participated in the association process with sodium dodecylsulfate or Tween 80. In case of anionic surfactant hydrophobic interactions between sodium dodecylsulfate and xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes exist together with electrostatic repulsive forces between the same charged groups. Tween 80 interacts with xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The formed xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes with sodium dodecylsulfate or Tween80 could find their application by optimizing the interactions in the system of xanthan gum and Carbopol 940 using the appropriate concentration of surfactant.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to affect 25% of adult people worldwide. Nowadays, there is no definite treatment for NAFLD. International guidelines define an approach based on lifestyle changes, included a health alimentary regimen. The Mediterranean diet (MD) represents the gold standard in preventive medicine, probably due to the harmonic combination of many elements with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Its prescription is also recommended in patients with NAFLD. Olive oil, as part of MD, is associated with benefits on human health especially regarding the cardiovascular system, obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Areas covered: An overview of the beneficial effects of olive oil in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD is given. Expert opinion: A large body of evidence emphasizes that olive oil, used as primary source of fat in MD, may play a crucial role in the health benefits of NAFLD patients. However, there are still scarce clinical data that evaluate the direct effect of olive oil in human with NAFLD.

The roles of the pharmacist were transformed throughout the history and modern pharmacist as we know now beside providing products and playing in optimization of medicines has a crucial role in ensuring the efficacy and safety of applied drugs. A better life quality, global health and safety is the major goal of the 21st century and to achieve that great span of roles pharmacy profession involves now. The paper highlighted new roles of the pharmacist today in order to better understand the transition of the pharmacy profession.

The aim of this paper is to present results of the influence of different xanthan gum concentrations (from 0.01% to 0.2% w/w) on properties of the oil-in-water emulsions by applying different techniques. The octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starch was used as emulsifier at constant concentration 10%. Rheology, microphotography, SEM and creaming studies were used in order to obtain the emulsions' characteristics. The results showed that the increase in xanthan gum concentration led to the decrease in droplets Sauter mean diameter and made droplet size distribution of the emulsions narrower. All determined emulsions showed shear-thinning flow behavior. The increase in xanthan gum concentration led to the decrease in flow behavior index n as well as the increase in consistency index K. Presence of xanthan gum in the emulsions with OSA starch as emulsifier enhances their stability due to formation of oil droplets network as consequence of depletion flocculation as well as due to modification of continuous phase viscosity.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global problem and one of the most common liver diseases in the world. Various pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies seem to be non-effective and the patients are often advised not to expect a positive outcome. Hence, even in the modern Western society many patients reach for traditional herbal products. Silymarin, a lipophilic extract derived from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used in liver and bile disorders for centuries. Strong antifibrotic, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of silymarin joined with its metabolic effect proven in vitro make it ideal as a drug candidate in the therapy of NAFLD. Several recent randomized clinical studies have demonstrated that silymarin versus placebo significantly contributes to amelioration of the liver condition affected by NAFLD since it reduces steatosis severity, liver ballooning and fibrosis, followed by lowered aminotransferase levels in both short and long lasting therapies. Silymarin is also as efficient as an insulin sensitizer in the NAFLD therapy, but with less adverse effects. Phase III clinical trials have confirmed silymarin to be currently the best medication for the NAFLD patients, but the problems associated with its standardization, formulation and dosage are yet to be solved. However, green tea (Camellia sinensis) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root extracts have also been studied in the clinical trials in the therapy of NAFLD patients. Some other herbal products, which have been tested on animals and have the potential to be used in clinical trials, are briefly summarized in this paper.

Seasonal variations of caffeine and antibiotic concentrations were investigated along the selected sites of the Danube using solid-phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The potential risks on the aquatic organisms were evaluated. HPLC methods for caffeine and antibiotic determination were modified and validated showing good accuracy, repeatability, selectivity, and robustness. The obtained results confirmed the presence of caffeine at four sampling points, near the wastewater discharges. The mean caffeine concentrations for summer, autumn, winter, and spring were 24.78, 26.83, 24.61, and 86.29 ng/L, respectively. The analyzed antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and tiamuline) were under the limit of detection in all tested samples taken from the Danube. The maximum risk indexes (MaxRIs) were calculated for caffeine at each sampling site. Four out of seven selected sampling sites showed sublethal effects on the aquatic organisms with 10

Bromelain is a complex mixture of different thiol endopeptidases which is derived from the pineapple stems (Ananas comosus, fam. Bromeliaceae). Bromelain is used in food industry for meat tenderizing, beer purification etc. A great number of studies conducted on cell cultures and experimental animals indicate that bromelain possesses antiedematous, analgesic, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effect. However, there are only a few clinical studies which, under the clinical conditions, undoubtedly prove the therapeutic effects of bromelain in obesity treatment, sinusitis, tooth extraction pain, osteoarthritis, pityriasis rosea, burns and cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or thrombophlebitis. The studies of chemoprotective activity have just been started, while the studies on humans have not been conducted yet. All studies confirm that bromelain is well tolerated as well as that it causes few side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct new studies that would confirm the role of bromelain in the therapy of certain pathological changes. An overview of the clinical studies in which some bromelain pharmacological effects have been confirmed is presented in this paper as well as selected in vitro and in vivo studies which are the base for further clinical research.

Polyphenols, including anthocyanins, flavonoids and stilbenes, which constitute one of the most abundant and ubiquitous groups of plant metabolites, are an integral part of the human diet. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene), a naturally occurring polyphenol produced by some plants as a self-defence agent, has an antifungal activity. Resveratrol has been found in some plants (such as grapevine, pine and peanuts) and is considered to have beneficial effects also on human health. The number of studies on resveratrol greatly increased in PubMed database since 1997, after the anticancer effect of this molecule was first reported. The interest in resveratrol in grape was originally sparked by epidemiological studies indicating an inverse relationship between long-standing moderate consumption of red wine and the risk of coronary heart disease; this effect has been ascribed to resveratrol, which possesses diverse biochemical and physiological properties, including antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory proprieties, and provides a wide range of health benefits ranging from chemoprevention to cardioprotection. Recently, resveratrol has been described as an anti-aging compound. The consumption of resveratrol (red wine) together with a Mediterranean diet or a fast-food meal (“McDonald'sMeal”) had a positive impact on oxidized (ox-) LDL and on the expression of oxidative and inflammatory genes. Therefore, this review summarized the most important scientific data about healing and preventive potential of resveratrol, acting as cardioprotective, neuroprotective, chemopreventive and antioxidant agent.

The goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine the occurrence of bisphenol A (BPA) in the morning spot urine taken from 145 female volunteers of various ages. Total urine BPA concentration was detected in 38.6% samples in the 0.92-70.96 μg/g Cr range. The majority of BPA + women belonged to the 25 + body mass index (BMI) group (54.5% were overweight and 43.4% were obese women). Occurrence of BPA in the urine samples was higher at 40 + ages. The maximum BPA concentration of 70.96 μg/g Cr was detected in the urine sample of an obese woman. It is known that BPA is highly toxic in vitro. In this study BPA impaired significantly the growth of all investigated cell lines, i.e. the EC50 values were reached at very low concentrations, in the range from 3.24 to 34.85 μg/mL. The obtained in vivo results suggest that a higher exposure to BPA could contribute to weight problems in women and the absence of the BPA in vitro selective toxicity studies indicates to its general toxic mode of action and raises awareness of the health risks associated with its ubiquitous presence in the environment.

Herbicides, which are ubiquitously present in soil and food, have been proven to cause human health hazard effects, hence development of new herbicide-active compounds is recommended. In this paper, nine 2,4-bis(cycloalkyl)-6-chloro-s-triazines were considered as herbicide candidates and their pharmacokinetics and toxicity were reviewed on the basis of in silico descriptors. Both, pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictors were presented as functions of their lipophilicity, quantified with retention constants that were obtained by liquid chromatography. None of the candidates investigated has functional groups for genotoxicity hazards and endocrine disruptions; they have acceptable toxicity and favorable pharmacokinetic properties based on computer-aided analyses. Two candidates have been selected as lead compounds for further research.

The occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in the environment has become a subject of growing concern. Due to the constant input of the emerging contaminants in the surface water via wastewater which leads to the long-term adverse effects on the aquatic and terrestrial organisms, special attention is being paid to their presence in the aquatic environment. Most of the emerging substances, especially pharmaceuticals, could not be completely removed using the wastewater treatment. Pharmaceuticals are usually water soluble and poorly degradable. They can pass through all natural filtrations and then reach the groundwater and, finally, the drinking water. The trace levels of antibiotics could have a negative impact on the environment and public health because of their inherent bioactivity. This article is an overview of the presence of the antibiotic residual concentrations, methods and levels of detection and possible risks to both health and environment.

Alcoholism is currently listed as the third leading cause of death. Chronic alcohol consumption brings serious medical complications like gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, respiratory system disorders. Liver can be seriously damage by alcohol misuse. Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) is the first important warning sign of alcohol abuse. Since effective therapies for ALD are still limited, natural products in the treatment of ALD become very important. In this regard, there have been done very few clinical trials with poor results. Silymarin, glycyrrhizin, garlic show some promising results in ALD patients while the in vivo and in vitro studies with green tee, quercetin and curcumin indicate positive effect on patients with ALD.