Ticuta Negreanu-Pirjol | Ovidius University of Constanta (original) (raw)

Papers by Ticuta Negreanu-Pirjol

Academy of Romanian Scientists Annals Series on Biological Sciences, 2023

Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them... more Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants
and give them their orange or red colour. The most important carotenoids that have beneficial
effects on human health are beta-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin. The
main advantage of carotenoids lies in their antioxidant potential, the role of protecting the
body's cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules. The present paper presents the
comparative content of carotenoid-type bioactive compounds present in the hydroalcoholic
extracts obtained from different plant organs (roots, leaves and flowers) of the species
Taraxacum officinale (L.), dandelion. The plant product was collected from the spontaneous
flora, the southern area of Dobrogea, Constanța county and from the eastern area of
Transylvania, Harghita county, in May 2022. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts of 10%
concentration in 50% ethanol and respectively 70% ethanol, using the cold maceration
method, in the dark, for 14 days, were analysed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry to determine the
total content of carotenoids, beta-carotene and lutein. Total carotenoids content was higher in
ethanolic extracts of roots and flowers of plants collected from the southern area of Dobrogea,
and for the leaves the content of total carotenoids was higher in the ethanolic extracts of the
plants collected from the eastern area of Transylvania. The differential distribution observed
in terms of the carotenoids content present in the various plant organs of the species
Taraxacum officinale (L.), may be due to the influence of the climate and the type of soil
characteristic of the two studied areas. Enriching the database regarding the concentration of
analysed carotenoid-type bioactive principles can contribute to the development and testing of hypotheses about the therapeutic potential of this valuable component of the Romanian
spontaneous flora

African Journal of Biological Sciences, 2024

An important scientific interest has been given to the potential healthpromoting properties of fl... more An important scientific interest has been given to the potential healthpromoting properties of flavonoids due to their discovered wide range
of activities in the prevention of common diseases, including coronary
heart disease, cancer and other disorders. These effects came out to be
related to the various biological or pharmacological activities of
flavonoids, including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory or
antithrombotic activities. Plants of the Taraxacum genus are being
used as an herbal remedy to prevent, manage, and even ameliorate
such human disorders due to its wide range of phytochemicals. The
present paper emphasises the comparative content of flavonoids from
vegetal organs of Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg (dandelion),
perennial plant collected from different regions of Romania and
evaluates the antioxidant potential of dandelion hydroalcoholic
extracts. Mature vegetal product was collected in May 2022, from the
eastern area of Transylvania, southern area of Dobrogea and Central
Plateau of Moldova. The fresh plant was dried, ground to a fine powder
and extracted 10% concentration, in 50:50 (v:v) ethanol and 70:30
(v:v) ethanol, using the conventional method of cold maceration. The
obtained hydroalcoholic extracts were analysed by UV-Vis
spectrophotometry. Total flavonoids concentration was highest in
ethanol extracts of the plants collected from the Moldova region for all
analysed vegetal organs - Radix, Herba, Flower and Mix. The influence
of climate and soil on Taraxacum officinale plants from Dobrogea, supports us to continuate the studies on the content of bioactive
principles and the therapeutic activity of this valuable vegetal product
from the Romanian spontaneous flora.

Advances in Environmental Research, 2024

Aquatic plants used for heavy metals phytoaccumulation and phytoremediation potential: A review

Open Chemistry, Apr 25, 2010

Three new copper(II) complex compounds with chlorhexidine diacetate as a ligand have been prepare... more Three new copper(II) complex compounds with chlorhexidine diacetate as a ligand have been prepared and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetrical analyses, molar conductances, magnetic susceptibility measurements, infrared, electronic and EPR spectra. The complexes correspond to the formulas: [Cu 2 (CHX)Cl 4 ]•2C 2 H 5 OH, [Cu 2 (CHX)Br 4 ]•2C 2 H 5 OH and [Cu 2 (CHX)(CH 3 COO) 2 ] (CH 3 COO) 2 •2C 2 H 5 OH, where CHX = chlorhexidine, their composition and stereochemistry depending on the reaction conditions and the metal salt used. Chlorhexidine acts as neutral tetradentate NNNN donor, coordinating through the four imine nitrogen atoms. Investigations on antimicrobial activity in vitro show that all the complexes are active against the tested microorganisms, the complex with chloride being more active against Gram negative bacteria than chlorhexidine diacetate..

Journal of Elementology, 2005

Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Frontiers in Nutrition

IntroductionMedicine faces nowadays the trend of increasing life expectancy of human population, ... more IntroductionMedicine faces nowadays the trend of increasing life expectancy of human population, with the resulting increase of degenerative age related diseases prevalence, combined with the risks of less tempered sun radiations environment exposure. Under these circumstances, our work pointed out on evaluating the effect of some xanthophyll pigments dietary supplements, actually widely recommended, for prevention of retinal degenerative damages and for slowing down the progression of such age related changes if they have already occurred. These dietary supplements are already well known for their total antioxidant activity, proven by photochemiluminescence method using Total Antioxidant Capacity in Lipid soluble-substances procedure.Materials and methodsThe study recruited a number of 120 subjects equally divided on genders. The lot included a first group of 60 patients with comparable ages (all of them over 50 years and divided in 2 segments of age: 50-60 and over 60) and sufferi...

Processes, Mar 28, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of Elementology, 2005

Romanian journal of Horticulture, 2021

The theme approached in this study is part of the state-of-the-art concerns regarding the valoriz... more The theme approached in this study is part of the state-of-the-art concerns regarding the valorization of by-products that represent a problem for the environment, due to the constant production and limited exploitation. The purpose of this paper was to render useful marine and wine by-products, in order to obtain fertilizers with applicability in the cultivation of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Green algae, brown algae, shells, fermented pomace, unfermented pomace and vine canes were combined in different proportions and applied to an experimental lot in the Murfatlar wine center, cultivated with the red wine cultivar, 'Feteasca neagra'. The high content in mineral elements of these by-products has led to significant increases in soil quality, especially regarding essential nutrients (phosphorus and mobile potassium) and organic matter (humus). Improvements have also been observed in the accumulation of biochemical compounds involved in plant growth and development, but also the quality and production of grapes. The obtained results encourage us to apply these fertilizers in the following years, diversifying the vine cultivars for white and red wines.

SGEM 2017, 2017

Screening the local flora for metal bioaccumulators is of great importance, the aim being that of... more Screening the local flora for metal bioaccumulators is of great importance, the aim being that of finding species valuable for bioremediation (bioindicators, phytostabilizers, phytoextractors) or biomining. Chromium content was determined, through atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-AAS, air-acetylene, 357 nm) in aboveground organs eight common species growing on the beaches and adjacent areas in Constanta, Romania: Argusia sibirica, Atriplex sagittata, Echium italicum, Conium maculatum, Malva sylvestris, Onopordum acanthium, Plantago lanceolata and Rumex crispus. Corresponding soil samples for Cr content were also analyzed and Biological Accumulation Coefficients (BAC) was determined. In all analyzed species, Cr content was above the "standard reference" value of 1.5 mg/kg. The highest concentrations were found in O. acanthium (32.75 mg/kg average), however, these are far below the 1,000/300 mg/kg minimal conventional threshold for Cr hyperaccumulation. Other species with high Cr content were M. sylvestris, E. italicum and C. maculatum. None of the eight species had a BAC above 1, while average values higher than 0.5 were found in O. acanthium, M. sylvestris and E. italicum. Results show that, while having an above-average Cr content, none of the selected species is valuable as a phytoextractor, under natural conditions. However, high metal concentration, as well as BAC values indicate a possible potential for phytostabilization in O. acanthium, M. sylvestris and E. italicum, requiring further research to be confirmed.

Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them ... more Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them their orange or red colour. The most important carotenoids that have beneficial effects on human health are beta-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin. The main advantage of carotenoids lies in their antioxidant potential, the role of protecting the body's cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules. The present paper presents the comparative content of carotenoid-type bioactive compounds present in the hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from different plant organs (roots, leaves and flowers) of the species Taraxacum officinale (L.), dandelion. The plant product was collected from the spontaneous flora, the southern area of Dobrogea, Constanța county and from the eastern area of Transylvania, Harghita county, in May 2022. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts of 10% concentration in 50% ethanol and respectively 70% ethanol, using the cold maceration method, in the dark, for 14 days, were analysed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry to determine the total content of carotenoids, beta-carotene and lutein. Total carotenoids content was higher in ethanolic extracts of roots and flowers of plants collected from the southern area of Dobrogea, and for the leaves the content of total carotenoids was higher in the ethanolic extracts of the plants collected from the eastern area of Transylvania. The differential distribution observed in terms of the carotenoids content present in the various plant organs of the species Taraxacum officinale (L.), may be due to the influence of the climate and the type of soil characteristic of the two studied areas. Enriching the database regarding the concentration of analysed carotenoid-type bioactive principles can contribute to the development and testing of

International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM .., Jun 20, 2017

Journal of The Serbian Chemical Society, 2018

Six new coordination compounds of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) with chlorhexidine, 1,1′-hexamethyle... more Six new coordination compounds of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) with chlorhexidine, 1,1′-hexamethylenebis[5-(4-chlorophenyl)biguanide], were prepared, characterized and examined for their potential as antimicrobial agents, as well as for their antioxidant activity. The metal complexes correspond to the formulas: [Ni(CHX)]Cl 2 •2H 2 O, [Ni(CHX)]Br 2 •2H 2 O, [Ni(CHX)](CH 3 COO) 2 •C 2 H 5 OH, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl 4 ]•2H 2 O, [Pd(CHX)](CH3COO) 2 and [Cr(CHX)Cl 2 ](CH 3 COO), where CHX = chlorhexidine. Investigations on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the complexes indicated that all have high activity against the tested bacteria, but are less active against fungi. Among the six complexes, those of Pd(II) showed the highest antibacterial activity, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl 4 ]•2H 2 O being more active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria than chlorhexidine diacetate. The antioxidant activity of the metal complexes was investigated by photochemiluminescence and the results showed that the palladium(II) complexes have high antioxidant activities.

SEMAGHIUL BIRGHILA1, MIHAELA MIRELA BRATU2*, CORINA PRAJITURA2, FLORENTINA NICOLETA RONCEA2, TICU... more SEMAGHIUL BIRGHILA1, MIHAELA MIRELA BRATU2*, CORINA PRAJITURA2, FLORENTINA NICOLETA RONCEA2, TICUTA NEGREANU-PIRJOL2 1”Ovidius” University of Constanþa, Faculty of Physics, Chemistry, Electronics and Petroleum Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 124 Mamaia Bvd., 900527, Constanþa, Romania 2”Ovidius” University of Constanþa, Faculty of Pharmacy, 1, University Alley, Campus, Corp B, 900470, Constanþa, Romania

Cases Journal, Jan 7, 2009

Background: Defects of the primary cilium and its anchoring structure, the basal body, cause a nu... more Background: Defects of the primary cilium and its anchoring structure, the basal body, cause a number of human genetic disorders, collectively termed ciliopathies: primary ciliary dyskinesia, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, polycystic kidney and liver disease, nephronophthisis, Alström syndrome, Meckel-Gruber syndrome and some forms of retinal degeneration. Alström syndrome is an extremely rare, autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by a group of signs and symptoms including infantile onset dilated cardiomyopathy, blindness, hearing impairment/loss, obesity, diabetes, hepatic and renal dysfunction. Because adult growth hormone deficiency and Alström Syndrome share some clinical and metabolic features, we studied the GH-IGF1 axis, using MRI techniques and dynamic tests in 3 unrelated patients with Alström syndrome. Case presentation: The patients were hospitalized and the growth hormone stimulatory tests were made, as well as brain MRI. Insulin provocative test revealed a severe GH deficiency in these patients, defined by a peak response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia less than 3 ng/dl and IGF1 concentrations less than-2SDS. We didn't find multiple pituitary hormone deficiency and we noticed only a severe GH deficiency in all three patients. The MRI study of the diencephalic and pituitary region was suggestive for the diagnosis of empty sella in one patient. One patient received Recombinant-GH replacement for one year with very good results, one underwent a gastric sleeve with a satisfactory outcome, one patient died due to the progression of the cardiac myopathy. Conclusion: Future studies are needed to assses if the substitution therapy with Recombinant Growth hormone is cost-effective and without risk in such patients with Alström Syndrome and severe insulin resistance, despite our good results in one patient. Also, careful clinical and genetic studies can contribute to a better understanding of the evolution after different therapeutical attempt in the complex disorders such as Alström Syndrome.

Marine Drugs

The wound-healing process is a significant area of interest in the medical field, and it is influ... more The wound-healing process is a significant area of interest in the medical field, and it is influenced by both external and patient-specific factors. The aim of this review paper is to highlight the proven wound-healing potential of the biocompounds found in jellyfish (such as polysaccharide compounds, collagen, collagen peptides and amino acids). There are aspects of the wound-healing process that can benefit from polysaccharides (JSPs) and collagen-based materials, as these materials have been shown to limit exposure to bacteria and promote tissue regeneration. A second demonstrated benefit of jellyfish-derived biocompounds is their immunostimulatory effects on growth factors such as (TNF-α), (IFN-γ) and (TGF), which are involved in wound healing. A third benefit of collagens and polysaccharides (JSP) is their antioxidant action. Aspects related to chronic wound care are specifically addressed, and within this general theme, molecular pathways related to tissue regeneration are ex...

Comptes Rendus Chimie

Mesoporous silica and titania are biocompatible materials and could be used as carriers for vario... more Mesoporous silica and titania are biocompatible materials and could be used as carriers for various drugs due to their excellent hosting capacity. Here, we report studies on the preparation of oxytetracycline delivery systems containing various mesostructured silica etitania SBA-15etype supports with up to 30 mol % titania to establish the influence of structural, textural, and support composition on the oxytetracycline release profile. The antibiotic was loaded into the support mesochannels by the incipient wetness impregnation method. The drug delivery profiles obtained in phosphate-buffered saline showed that the increase in titania content in the mesoporous support slowed down the release kinetics. The oxytetracycline-loaded materials demonstrated good antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 strain.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2022

Artificial tears or lubricants is a developing category in pharmaceutical research, due to the pe... more Artificial tears or lubricants is a developing category in pharmaceutical research, due to the permanent increasing incidence of dry eye syndrome caused by the extensive use of personal computers and other gadget screens, associated with global warming and pollution. Considering the role of inflammation in dry eye syndrome, characterized by the production of free radicals, it is imperative to determine which elements are more significant in forming an artificial tear more effectively and more comfortably for the eye state and for the quality of life. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the evolution of the total antioxidant capacity of some frequently commercialized artificial tears via the photochemiluminescence method, using an antioxidant capacity of lipid soluble substances procedure, prior and subsequent to the exposure of these therapy agents to some physical agents. This is a preliminary research aiming to evaluate the impact of various environmental factors on these ophthalmic products, to be continued by evaluating whether the effectiveness of these products, in terms of objective examination and patient preference and adherence criteria, is impacted by the conditions of use and storage. Thus, the total antioxidant capacity of the evaluated artificial tear samples after UVC irradiation at 254 nm wavelength was studied, in order to investigate whether their status suffered any change in terms of antioxidant potential. In addition to the findings obtained in the study, some recommendations were also made.

SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference EXPO Proceedings, 2017

Academy of Romanian Scientists Annals Series on Biological Sciences, 2023

Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them... more Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants
and give them their orange or red colour. The most important carotenoids that have beneficial
effects on human health are beta-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin. The
main advantage of carotenoids lies in their antioxidant potential, the role of protecting the
body's cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules. The present paper presents the
comparative content of carotenoid-type bioactive compounds present in the hydroalcoholic
extracts obtained from different plant organs (roots, leaves and flowers) of the species
Taraxacum officinale (L.), dandelion. The plant product was collected from the spontaneous
flora, the southern area of Dobrogea, Constanța county and from the eastern area of
Transylvania, Harghita county, in May 2022. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts of 10%
concentration in 50% ethanol and respectively 70% ethanol, using the cold maceration
method, in the dark, for 14 days, were analysed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry to determine the
total content of carotenoids, beta-carotene and lutein. Total carotenoids content was higher in
ethanolic extracts of roots and flowers of plants collected from the southern area of Dobrogea,
and for the leaves the content of total carotenoids was higher in the ethanolic extracts of the
plants collected from the eastern area of Transylvania. The differential distribution observed
in terms of the carotenoids content present in the various plant organs of the species
Taraxacum officinale (L.), may be due to the influence of the climate and the type of soil
characteristic of the two studied areas. Enriching the database regarding the concentration of
analysed carotenoid-type bioactive principles can contribute to the development and testing of hypotheses about the therapeutic potential of this valuable component of the Romanian
spontaneous flora

African Journal of Biological Sciences, 2024

An important scientific interest has been given to the potential healthpromoting properties of fl... more An important scientific interest has been given to the potential healthpromoting properties of flavonoids due to their discovered wide range
of activities in the prevention of common diseases, including coronary
heart disease, cancer and other disorders. These effects came out to be
related to the various biological or pharmacological activities of
flavonoids, including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory or
antithrombotic activities. Plants of the Taraxacum genus are being
used as an herbal remedy to prevent, manage, and even ameliorate
such human disorders due to its wide range of phytochemicals. The
present paper emphasises the comparative content of flavonoids from
vegetal organs of Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg (dandelion),
perennial plant collected from different regions of Romania and
evaluates the antioxidant potential of dandelion hydroalcoholic
extracts. Mature vegetal product was collected in May 2022, from the
eastern area of Transylvania, southern area of Dobrogea and Central
Plateau of Moldova. The fresh plant was dried, ground to a fine powder
and extracted 10% concentration, in 50:50 (v:v) ethanol and 70:30
(v:v) ethanol, using the conventional method of cold maceration. The
obtained hydroalcoholic extracts were analysed by UV-Vis
spectrophotometry. Total flavonoids concentration was highest in
ethanol extracts of the plants collected from the Moldova region for all
analysed vegetal organs - Radix, Herba, Flower and Mix. The influence
of climate and soil on Taraxacum officinale plants from Dobrogea, supports us to continuate the studies on the content of bioactive
principles and the therapeutic activity of this valuable vegetal product
from the Romanian spontaneous flora.

Advances in Environmental Research, 2024

Aquatic plants used for heavy metals phytoaccumulation and phytoremediation potential: A review

Open Chemistry, Apr 25, 2010

Three new copper(II) complex compounds with chlorhexidine diacetate as a ligand have been prepare... more Three new copper(II) complex compounds with chlorhexidine diacetate as a ligand have been prepared and characterized by elemental and thermogravimetrical analyses, molar conductances, magnetic susceptibility measurements, infrared, electronic and EPR spectra. The complexes correspond to the formulas: [Cu 2 (CHX)Cl 4 ]•2C 2 H 5 OH, [Cu 2 (CHX)Br 4 ]•2C 2 H 5 OH and [Cu 2 (CHX)(CH 3 COO) 2 ] (CH 3 COO) 2 •2C 2 H 5 OH, where CHX = chlorhexidine, their composition and stereochemistry depending on the reaction conditions and the metal salt used. Chlorhexidine acts as neutral tetradentate NNNN donor, coordinating through the four imine nitrogen atoms. Investigations on antimicrobial activity in vitro show that all the complexes are active against the tested microorganisms, the complex with chloride being more active against Gram negative bacteria than chlorhexidine diacetate..

Journal of Elementology, 2005

Revista medico-chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Iasi

Frontiers in Nutrition

IntroductionMedicine faces nowadays the trend of increasing life expectancy of human population, ... more IntroductionMedicine faces nowadays the trend of increasing life expectancy of human population, with the resulting increase of degenerative age related diseases prevalence, combined with the risks of less tempered sun radiations environment exposure. Under these circumstances, our work pointed out on evaluating the effect of some xanthophyll pigments dietary supplements, actually widely recommended, for prevention of retinal degenerative damages and for slowing down the progression of such age related changes if they have already occurred. These dietary supplements are already well known for their total antioxidant activity, proven by photochemiluminescence method using Total Antioxidant Capacity in Lipid soluble-substances procedure.Materials and methodsThe study recruited a number of 120 subjects equally divided on genders. The lot included a first group of 60 patients with comparable ages (all of them over 50 years and divided in 2 segments of age: 50-60 and over 60) and sufferi...

Processes, Mar 28, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Journal of Elementology, 2005

Romanian journal of Horticulture, 2021

The theme approached in this study is part of the state-of-the-art concerns regarding the valoriz... more The theme approached in this study is part of the state-of-the-art concerns regarding the valorization of by-products that represent a problem for the environment, due to the constant production and limited exploitation. The purpose of this paper was to render useful marine and wine by-products, in order to obtain fertilizers with applicability in the cultivation of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Green algae, brown algae, shells, fermented pomace, unfermented pomace and vine canes were combined in different proportions and applied to an experimental lot in the Murfatlar wine center, cultivated with the red wine cultivar, 'Feteasca neagra'. The high content in mineral elements of these by-products has led to significant increases in soil quality, especially regarding essential nutrients (phosphorus and mobile potassium) and organic matter (humus). Improvements have also been observed in the accumulation of biochemical compounds involved in plant growth and development, but also the quality and production of grapes. The obtained results encourage us to apply these fertilizers in the following years, diversifying the vine cultivars for white and red wines.

SGEM 2017, 2017

Screening the local flora for metal bioaccumulators is of great importance, the aim being that of... more Screening the local flora for metal bioaccumulators is of great importance, the aim being that of finding species valuable for bioremediation (bioindicators, phytostabilizers, phytoextractors) or biomining. Chromium content was determined, through atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-AAS, air-acetylene, 357 nm) in aboveground organs eight common species growing on the beaches and adjacent areas in Constanta, Romania: Argusia sibirica, Atriplex sagittata, Echium italicum, Conium maculatum, Malva sylvestris, Onopordum acanthium, Plantago lanceolata and Rumex crispus. Corresponding soil samples for Cr content were also analyzed and Biological Accumulation Coefficients (BAC) was determined. In all analyzed species, Cr content was above the "standard reference" value of 1.5 mg/kg. The highest concentrations were found in O. acanthium (32.75 mg/kg average), however, these are far below the 1,000/300 mg/kg minimal conventional threshold for Cr hyperaccumulation. Other species with high Cr content were M. sylvestris, E. italicum and C. maculatum. None of the eight species had a BAC above 1, while average values higher than 0.5 were found in O. acanthium, M. sylvestris and E. italicum. Results show that, while having an above-average Cr content, none of the selected species is valuable as a phytoextractor, under natural conditions. However, high metal concentration, as well as BAC values indicate a possible potential for phytostabilization in O. acanthium, M. sylvestris and E. italicum, requiring further research to be confirmed.

Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them ... more Carotenoids are pigments that occur naturally in bacteria, algae, fungi and plants and give them their orange or red colour. The most important carotenoids that have beneficial effects on human health are beta-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, lycopene and zeaxanthin. The main advantage of carotenoids lies in their antioxidant potential, the role of protecting the body's cells from damage by unstable oxygen molecules. The present paper presents the comparative content of carotenoid-type bioactive compounds present in the hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from different plant organs (roots, leaves and flowers) of the species Taraxacum officinale (L.), dandelion. The plant product was collected from the spontaneous flora, the southern area of Dobrogea, Constanța county and from the eastern area of Transylvania, Harghita county, in May 2022. The obtained hydroalcoholic extracts of 10% concentration in 50% ethanol and respectively 70% ethanol, using the cold maceration method, in the dark, for 14 days, were analysed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry to determine the total content of carotenoids, beta-carotene and lutein. Total carotenoids content was higher in ethanolic extracts of roots and flowers of plants collected from the southern area of Dobrogea, and for the leaves the content of total carotenoids was higher in the ethanolic extracts of the plants collected from the eastern area of Transylvania. The differential distribution observed in terms of the carotenoids content present in the various plant organs of the species Taraxacum officinale (L.), may be due to the influence of the climate and the type of soil characteristic of the two studied areas. Enriching the database regarding the concentration of analysed carotenoid-type bioactive principles can contribute to the development and testing of

International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM .., Jun 20, 2017

Journal of The Serbian Chemical Society, 2018

Six new coordination compounds of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) with chlorhexidine, 1,1′-hexamethyle... more Six new coordination compounds of Ni(II), Pd(II) and Cr(III) with chlorhexidine, 1,1′-hexamethylenebis[5-(4-chlorophenyl)biguanide], were prepared, characterized and examined for their potential as antimicrobial agents, as well as for their antioxidant activity. The metal complexes correspond to the formulas: [Ni(CHX)]Cl 2 •2H 2 O, [Ni(CHX)]Br 2 •2H 2 O, [Ni(CHX)](CH 3 COO) 2 •C 2 H 5 OH, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl 4 ]•2H 2 O, [Pd(CHX)](CH3COO) 2 and [Cr(CHX)Cl 2 ](CH 3 COO), where CHX = chlorhexidine. Investigations on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the complexes indicated that all have high activity against the tested bacteria, but are less active against fungi. Among the six complexes, those of Pd(II) showed the highest antibacterial activity, [Pd(CHX)][PdCl 4 ]•2H 2 O being more active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria than chlorhexidine diacetate. The antioxidant activity of the metal complexes was investigated by photochemiluminescence and the results showed that the palladium(II) complexes have high antioxidant activities.

SEMAGHIUL BIRGHILA1, MIHAELA MIRELA BRATU2*, CORINA PRAJITURA2, FLORENTINA NICOLETA RONCEA2, TICU... more SEMAGHIUL BIRGHILA1, MIHAELA MIRELA BRATU2*, CORINA PRAJITURA2, FLORENTINA NICOLETA RONCEA2, TICUTA NEGREANU-PIRJOL2 1”Ovidius” University of Constanþa, Faculty of Physics, Chemistry, Electronics and Petroleum Technology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 124 Mamaia Bvd., 900527, Constanþa, Romania 2”Ovidius” University of Constanþa, Faculty of Pharmacy, 1, University Alley, Campus, Corp B, 900470, Constanþa, Romania

Cases Journal, Jan 7, 2009

Background: Defects of the primary cilium and its anchoring structure, the basal body, cause a nu... more Background: Defects of the primary cilium and its anchoring structure, the basal body, cause a number of human genetic disorders, collectively termed ciliopathies: primary ciliary dyskinesia, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, polycystic kidney and liver disease, nephronophthisis, Alström syndrome, Meckel-Gruber syndrome and some forms of retinal degeneration. Alström syndrome is an extremely rare, autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by a group of signs and symptoms including infantile onset dilated cardiomyopathy, blindness, hearing impairment/loss, obesity, diabetes, hepatic and renal dysfunction. Because adult growth hormone deficiency and Alström Syndrome share some clinical and metabolic features, we studied the GH-IGF1 axis, using MRI techniques and dynamic tests in 3 unrelated patients with Alström syndrome. Case presentation: The patients were hospitalized and the growth hormone stimulatory tests were made, as well as brain MRI. Insulin provocative test revealed a severe GH deficiency in these patients, defined by a peak response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia less than 3 ng/dl and IGF1 concentrations less than-2SDS. We didn't find multiple pituitary hormone deficiency and we noticed only a severe GH deficiency in all three patients. The MRI study of the diencephalic and pituitary region was suggestive for the diagnosis of empty sella in one patient. One patient received Recombinant-GH replacement for one year with very good results, one underwent a gastric sleeve with a satisfactory outcome, one patient died due to the progression of the cardiac myopathy. Conclusion: Future studies are needed to assses if the substitution therapy with Recombinant Growth hormone is cost-effective and without risk in such patients with Alström Syndrome and severe insulin resistance, despite our good results in one patient. Also, careful clinical and genetic studies can contribute to a better understanding of the evolution after different therapeutical attempt in the complex disorders such as Alström Syndrome.

Marine Drugs

The wound-healing process is a significant area of interest in the medical field, and it is influ... more The wound-healing process is a significant area of interest in the medical field, and it is influenced by both external and patient-specific factors. The aim of this review paper is to highlight the proven wound-healing potential of the biocompounds found in jellyfish (such as polysaccharide compounds, collagen, collagen peptides and amino acids). There are aspects of the wound-healing process that can benefit from polysaccharides (JSPs) and collagen-based materials, as these materials have been shown to limit exposure to bacteria and promote tissue regeneration. A second demonstrated benefit of jellyfish-derived biocompounds is their immunostimulatory effects on growth factors such as (TNF-α), (IFN-γ) and (TGF), which are involved in wound healing. A third benefit of collagens and polysaccharides (JSP) is their antioxidant action. Aspects related to chronic wound care are specifically addressed, and within this general theme, molecular pathways related to tissue regeneration are ex...

Comptes Rendus Chimie

Mesoporous silica and titania are biocompatible materials and could be used as carriers for vario... more Mesoporous silica and titania are biocompatible materials and could be used as carriers for various drugs due to their excellent hosting capacity. Here, we report studies on the preparation of oxytetracycline delivery systems containing various mesostructured silica etitania SBA-15etype supports with up to 30 mol % titania to establish the influence of structural, textural, and support composition on the oxytetracycline release profile. The antibiotic was loaded into the support mesochannels by the incipient wetness impregnation method. The drug delivery profiles obtained in phosphate-buffered saline showed that the increase in titania content in the mesoporous support slowed down the release kinetics. The oxytetracycline-loaded materials demonstrated good antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 strain.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2022

Artificial tears or lubricants is a developing category in pharmaceutical research, due to the pe... more Artificial tears or lubricants is a developing category in pharmaceutical research, due to the permanent increasing incidence of dry eye syndrome caused by the extensive use of personal computers and other gadget screens, associated with global warming and pollution. Considering the role of inflammation in dry eye syndrome, characterized by the production of free radicals, it is imperative to determine which elements are more significant in forming an artificial tear more effectively and more comfortably for the eye state and for the quality of life. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the evolution of the total antioxidant capacity of some frequently commercialized artificial tears via the photochemiluminescence method, using an antioxidant capacity of lipid soluble substances procedure, prior and subsequent to the exposure of these therapy agents to some physical agents. This is a preliminary research aiming to evaluate the impact of various environmental factors on these ophthalmic products, to be continued by evaluating whether the effectiveness of these products, in terms of objective examination and patient preference and adherence criteria, is impacted by the conditions of use and storage. Thus, the total antioxidant capacity of the evaluated artificial tear samples after UVC irradiation at 254 nm wavelength was studied, in order to investigate whether their status suffered any change in terms of antioxidant potential. In addition to the findings obtained in the study, some recommendations were also made.

SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference EXPO Proceedings, 2017