S u m m a r yNowadays, safety of chemical preservatives has been questioned by a big number of consumers. Traditionally used preservatives often cause skin irritation and lead to allergenic reactions. Growing demands for more natural and preservative-free cosmetics promoted an idea of the replacement of synthetic preservatives with essential oils (EOs) of antimicrobial properties. The antimicrobial effect of essential oil depends on content, concentration and interactions between the main active compounds. Effective preservatives should be characterized by a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity at a minimum concentration. Formulations containing both types of preservatives: essential oil and a synthetic one have been tested and proposed as a compromise that allows for reducing concentration of both components due to their synergistic activity. Although most essential oils are regarded as safe, some of them may cause risk of contact allergy or phototoxic reaction. A well balanced risk-benefit assessment of essential oils is one of the great challenges for scientists or health policy authorities. This paper presents current state of knowledge on essential oils focused on their antimicrobial properties, the assessment of their efficacy and safety as cosmetic preservatives.

Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L., Onagraceae) is one of important medicinal plants used especially in the treatment of urogenital disorders, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. The therapeutic effects of E. angustifolium extracts comprise antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and also antimicrobial activities. The aim of the present review was to provide the information on the botany, phytochemistry and traditional uses of E. angustifolium. This plant is a widespread circumboreal species of North America and Eurasia, tolerant in terms of habitat conditions, and often occupying man-made open habitats. Phytochemical studies on E. angustifolium resulted in the identification of about 250 different metabolites, including about 170 substances found for the first time in this plant in the last six years (2014)(2015)(2016)(2017)(2018)(2019). Fireweed has an abundance of polyphenolic compounds, particularly ellagitannins. Oenothein B and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide are proposed as markers for the identification and standardization of the plant raw material. E. angustifolium exhibits significant phytochemical variability in relation to the geographical origin, plant part and time of harvest/vegetation phase. Survey of the ethnobotanical literature showed that the above-mentioned species has been widely used not only as a medicinal, but also as an edible, honey and decorative plant. BOTANY TaxonomyEpilobium (Chamerion) angustifolium is classified to the Onagraceae family, which consists of 22 genera and approximately 650 species. The genus Chamerion (Raf.) Raf. ex Holub (syn. Chamaenerion Ség.) with eight species restricted to the northern hemisphere (mainly in Eurasia) belongs to the Onagroideae subfamily and Epilobieae tribe [18]. Relatively often, it is included in Epilobium L., which is the largest genus in the Onagraceae [19][20][21][22]. However, Chamerion clearly differs from Epilobium in terms of flower structure, leaf arrangement and other features [18,[23][24][25]. Molecular data also show that Chamerion is a separate monophyletic group of plants [26][27][28]. SynonymsThe Plant List [22] provides more than 40 synonyms of the species described, with three of these being the most commonly used: Epilobium angustifolium L., Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub and Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop. According to Holub [23], Chamerion should be considered the correct Latin name of this genus, while Chamaenerion is an illegitimate name. On the other hand, Sennikov [25] recently presented arguments for the restoration of the older name Chamaenerion. However, in Recently, the number of publications concerning the above-mentioned species has increased significantly. Screening of the Scopus database with the keywords of 'Epilobium/Chamerion/Chamaenerion angustifolium' found 416 document results, including 80 articles published in the years of 2014-2019. A new detailed summary is required not only for phytochemistry and pharmacology of E. angustifolium, but also in ...

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Since improving maternal and child health is a public health priority worldwide, the main aim of treatment of hypertension in pregnant women is to prevent complications during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. In consequence, much attention is paid to the use of antihypertensive drugs that can be used safely during pregnancy. Several side effects of methyldopa, which is currently the most commonly used antihypertensive drug in pregnant women, mean that the search for an effective and safe alternative still continues. Flavonoid compounds present in medicinal plants, vegetables, and fruits may be a promising source of new drugs. In this aspect, quercetin, a well-known flavonoid due to its antihypertensive action, may be considered a prototype for safe antihypertensive drugs. This review focuses on the selective activity of quercetin. Based on recent studies, a few problems were discussed, including (1) pathology of pregnancy-induced hypertension; (2) search for new pharmacological treatments of pregnancy-induced hypertension; (3) issues with the use of herbal extracts during pregnancy; (4) flavonoids as natural active chemical compounds; (5) quercetin: its action during pregnancy, in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities, clinical trials, and meta-analysis; (6) quercetin intake during pregnancy; (7) other natural compounds tested during pregnancy; (8) potential problems with the use of quercetin; (9) safety profile of quercetin. Various studies have shown a beneficial effect of quercetin on vascular endothelial function and its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity on cellular and tissue level. It is known that in animal models quercetin affects positively the development of embryo, fetus, and placenta. Because this flavonoid did not have teratogenic and abortive effect, it is generally recognized as safe. For this reason it should be appreciated and studied in the aspect of its potential use in the prevention and treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension among women in this risk group.