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The pandemic of COVID-19 might be limited by vaccination. Society should be vaccinated to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to protect persons who are at high risk for complications. In Poland, the National Vaccination Program has been introduced, which is a strategy for planning activities to ensure safe and effective vaccinations among Polish citizens. It includes not only the purchase of an appropriate number of vaccines, their distribution but also monitoring of the course and effectiveness of vaccination and the safety of Poles. The national COVID-19 immunization program has been divided into four stages. Stage 0 covers the healthcare workers to be vaccinated first, as they are most at risk of being infected with the coronavirus. The study aims to prove the thesis that GIS statistical data on the incidence of COVID-19 post-vaccination reactions should be verified, as patients do not report their occurrence through the procedure indicated by GIS. In March 2021, an anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted using an electronic questionnaire among persons belonging to group zero of the National Vaccination Program. The survey consisted of 19 short questions concerning, inter alia, getting COVID-19, post-vaccination reactions after receiving the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and motivation to proceed with vaccination. A total of 1678 complete responses were received. It has been shown that only a small number of post-vaccination reactions are reported to the Sanitary Inspection, which makes GIS statistics on the incidence of post-vaccination reactions in COVID-19 unreliable. In addition, having earlier suffered from COVID-19 had an impact on the occurrence of more severe side effects after the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

No abstract

One of the most common diseases of old age in modern societies is glaucoma. It is strongly connected with increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and could permanently damage vision in the affected eye. As there are only a limited number of chemical compounds that can decrease IOP as well as blood flow in eye vessels, the up-to-date investigation of new molecules is important. The chemical composition of the dried Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) polar, iridoid-polyphenol-rich fraction was investigated. Loganic acid (50%) and pelargonidin-3-galactoside (7%) were found as the main components. Among the other constituents, iridoid compound cornuside and the anthocyans cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, cyanidin 3-O-robinobioside, and pelargonidin 3-O-robinobioside were quantified in the fraction. In an animal model (New Zealand rabbits), the influence of loganic acid and the polyphenolic fraction isolated from Cornelian cherry fruit was investigated. We found a strong IOP-hypotensive effect for a 0.7% solution of loganic acid, which could be compared with the widely ophthalmologically used timolol. About a 25% decrease in IOP was observed within the first 3 hours of use.

Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits possess potential cardiovascular, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic bioactivities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of resin-purified cornelian cherry extract rich in iridoids and anthocyanins on several transcription factors, intima/media ratio in aorta and serum parameters, which determine or are valuable indicators of the adverse changes observed in the course of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. For this purpose, male New Zealand rabbits were fed a diet enriched in 1% cholesterol for 60 days. Additionally, one group received 10 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract and the second group 50 mg/kg b.w. of cornelian cherry extract. PPAR-α and PPAR-γ expression in the aorta, LXR-α expression in the liver; cholesterol, triglycerides, adipokines, apolipoproteins, glucose and insulin levels in serum; the intima and media diameter in the thoracic and abdominal aorta were determined. Administration of cornelian cherry extract resulted in an enhancement in the expression of all tested transcription factors, a decrease in triglycerides, leptin and resistin, and an increase in adiponectin levels. In addition, a significant reduction in the I/M ratio was observed for both the thoracic and abdominal aorta. The results we have obtained confirm the potential contribution of cornelian cherry extract to mitigation of the risk of developing and the intensity of symptoms of obesity-related cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders such as atherosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.