No abstract

The effects of subchronic exposure to copper (Cu) on lipid peroxidation, hemato-biochemical parameters, and the possible protective role of flavonoids Quercetin and (-)-Epicatechin were studied. Male Wistar albino rats were treated with Cu (560 mg/L, p.o. as CuCl2?2H2O for 5 weeks) and Quercetin and (-)-Epicatechin (40 mg/kg BW each, i.p., every third day during the last 3 weeks) alone or in combination. Cu increased the concentration of lipid peroxides, decreased the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin and hematocrit values and increased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase. Coadministration of Quercetin and (-)-Epicatechin with Cu lowered the process of lipid peroxidation and restored examined hemato-biochemical parameters to control values. Our results indicate that Cu induced oxidative damage in erythrocytes, which led to anemia, while Quercetin and (-)-Epicatechin showed a protective effect on the hemato-biochemical processes in the blood of rats. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173041]

The research was conducted in the experimental-production plum orchard during 2013. Some of the most important physical and mechanical properties of the fruit were investigated in three plum cultivars ("Čačanska Rana", "Čačanska Lepotica" i "Čačanska Najbolja") grafted on four rootstocks: one generative Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) and three vegetative ones (Pixy, St. Julien A and Ferley). St. Julien A induced the highest all three fruit dimensions in "Čačanska Najbolja", and length and thickness in "Čačanska Lepotica". Myrobalan and Fereley had the same effect in the "Čačanska Rana". St. Julien A influenced the biggest fruit firmness in "Čačanska Najbolja" and the smallest in "Čačanska Lepotica". Katedra za voćarstvo i vinogradarstvo, Agronomski fakultet u Čačku, Univerzitet u Kragujevcu, Cara Dušana 34, 32 000 Čačak, Srbija Rezime Istraživanje je obavljeno u eksperimentalno-proizvodnom zasadu šljive u toku 2013. godine. Ispititivane su najznačajnije fizičke osobine ploda tri sorte šljive ("Čačanska rana", "Čačanska lepotica" i "Čačanska najbolja") kalemljene na četiri podloge: jednoj generativnoj (Džanarika) i tri vegetativne (Pixy, St. Julien A i Ferley). St. Julien A je kod Čačanske najbolje uticala na najveće dimenzije, a kod Čačanske lepotice na najveću dužinu i debljinu ploda. Ovakav uticaj kod Čačanske rane imale su podloge Džanarika i Fereley. Kod Čačanske najbolje podloga St. Julien A je uslovila najčvršći, a kod Čačanske lepotice najmekši mezokarp ploda.

ABSTRACT. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is widely used as an over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic drug. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of vitamin C (100mg/kg/day i.p.) and β-glucan (40 mg/kg/day i.p.) on altered haematological, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters in the blood of rats treated with paracetamol (100 mg/kg/day i.p.) for 3 days. Exposure of rats to paracetamol caused changes of some haematological parameters (RBCs count, Hb concentration, Ht value and WBCs count), suggesting that the paracetamol induced haematotoxicity. Paracetamol reduced serum total protein (TP), albumin and globulin, while increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities compared to the control. The results indicate that paracetamol is led to significant decrease in the concentration of Na + and K + and increase of Ca 2+ in the serum compared to the control. Coadministration of vitamin C and β-glucan with paracetamol reversed these changes of haematological and biochemical parameters and diminished the toxic effects of paracetamol. The obtained results indicated that the concentration of LPO in erythrocytes significantly increased in, while the concentration of GSH significantly decreased in the group treated with paracetamol compared to control group. Coadministration of vitamin C and β-glucan with paracetamol reversed paracetamol-induced alterations in these oxidative stress parameters. This study suggests that paracetamol has significant prooxidative effects and may disrupt oxidant/antioxidant balance in erythrocytes. Furthermore, coadministration with vitamin C and β-glucan have protective effects on paracetamol-induced oxidative damage and haematotoxicity.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the content of ellagic acid in blackberries, as well as in the juice of different blackberry cultivars obtained using a specific technology. The analysis of the ellagic acid content in the test samples was performed using the high-pressure liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). Results showed considerable variations in ellagic acid content in the test blackberry fruit samples, the highest being determined in the fruit of the blackberry- raspberry hybrid cv. 'Tayberry' (54.794 mg/100 g fresh weight), and the lowest in blackberry cv. 'Cacanska Bestrna' (1.852 mg/100 g fresh weight). The ellagic acid content in the 'Tayberry' juice produced using the specific technology was very high and almost identical to that in fruits.