Nepeta nuda subsp. nuda L. is a valuable medicinal plant well-known for its various therapeutic properties. This study assessed the antiviral activity of four extracts derived by methanol and chloroform extractions from in vivo grown and in vitro propagated plants. The cytotoxicity was tested on MadinÀDarby bovine kidney (MDBK) cell line. Maximal tolerated concentration (MTC) and cytotoxic concentration (CC 50 ) of both extracts were determined. Antiviral activity on viral replication was evaluated against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in MDBK cell line. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ) and selective index (SI) of the extracts against both viruses were calculated. The methanol extract, derived from the native plant exhibited the greatest antiviral activity. The IC 50 for both viruses was similar À 320 mg/mL against HSV-1 and 510 mg/mL against HSV-2. The SI were 4.94 and 3.1, respectively. Applied in MTC, the extract inhibited viral replication by more than 95% in both HSV-1 and HSV-2. The virucidal effect was determined by the reduction of the infectious virus titer. All four extracts of N. nuda inactivated the extracellular form of HSV-2. The major virucidal activity was demonstrated by the chloroform extract from the native plant À more than 99% viral inactivation. The extracts weakly affected the viral entry into the host cell. The highest inactivation was shown by the chloroform extract form the native plant À more than 90%.Keywords: medicinal plant; in vitro and in vivo extracts; antiviral activity; HSV-1; HSV-2; Nepeta nuda AbbreviationsACV À acyclovir CC 50 À 50% cytotoxicity concentration CCID 50 À cell culture infectious doses CHR À chloroform extract from laboratory propagated plant CHV À chloroform extract from native plant FBS À fetal bovine serum HSV À herpes simplex virus IC 50 À 50% inhibition concentration ICP À infectious cell protein MDBK À MadinÀDarby bovine kidney MER À methanol extract from laboratory propagated plant MEV À methanol extract from native plant NCIPD À National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases MTC À maximal tolerated concentration MTT À 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide P/S À penicillin/streptomycin PCV À penciclovir SI À selectivity index À SI D CC50/IC50

Accelerated and widespread use of different communication systems and modern electronic equipment increases exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) and raises serious concerns about the biological and health-related effects of RF radiation. Numerous studies document various biological effects of RF radiation. However, most of these findings derive from epidemiological, animal and in vitro studies while only a few investigate effects of RF radiation on plants. The purpose of our study was to investigate the alterations in enzyme activities in leaves after exposure of plants Plectranthus sp. to 900 MHz EMF and their dependence on the time elapsed after exposure. Plectranthus is the largest South African genus of plants belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). The ornamental herbaceous plant Plectranthus sp. was used as a model plant for investigating the effects of 900 MHz EMF. Plants were exposed whole body for 1 hour to EM radiation from GSM mobile phone (carrier frequency 902 MHz, 2 W pulse output power) at 20 cm distance from the antenna. Alterations in activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in leaves were registered immediately after the end of the exposure and 1, 2 and 24 hours later. Irradiation of plants induced different alterations in enzyme activities depending on the time elapsed after irradiation. Immediately after exposure the activity of the three investigated enzymes decreased, but increased at 24 th hour. In conclusion, the data provide evidence that plants perceive and respond to electromagnetic fields and are a good model to study the effects of mobile phone radiation.

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The genus Teucrium includes perennial herbs or shrubs widespread all around the world. The wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys L.) is widely used in traditional and modern medicine for various health disorders and recent research revealed that serpentine populations of this herb have increased antioxidant and respective medical potential compared with calcareous population. The present study aims to elucidate further the role of phenolic compounds for T. chamaedrys growth on serpentine soil. Methanol extracts from two serpentine and two non-serpentine (calcareous and siliceous) Bulgarian populations were obtained and analysed for total quantity of phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. The serpentine soils acted as an elicitor of the antioxidant response in T. chamaedrys plants and the increased phenolics level correlated with enhanced antioxidant activity. The calcareous population had lower values but still higher than the siliceous population which had the lowest antioxidant values, although the flavonoid quantity that was equal to the serpentine populations. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) assay for identifying phenolic acids pointed to caffeic acid as a dominant compound, with additional cinnamic and benzoic acid derivatives with putative roles as antioxidants, in cell wall lignification for heavy metals chelation, and for interspecies interactions.