Organically produced spring and winter wheat had significantly higher concentrations of ferulic and p-coumaric acid as well as the total phenolic acid content than conventional wheat, though the differences in the levels of phenolics were not large. However, these differences are probably caused mainly by smaller size of organic wheat kernels (lower TKW).

BackgroundThe gastrointestinal parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus is a pathogenic organism resistant to several anthelmintics. This study assessed the efficacy of a medicinal herbal mixture (Herbmix) and organic zinc, as an essential trace element for the proper functioning of both unspecific and specific immune defensive mechanisms, against experimental infections with H. contortus in lambs. All lambs were infected orally with approximately 5000 third-stage larvae of a strain of H. contortus susceptible to anthelmintics (MHco1). Twenty-four female lambs 3–4 months of age were divided into four groups: unsupplemented animals (control), animals supplemented with Herbmix (Hmix), animals supplemented with organic zinc (Zn) and animals supplemented with Herbmix and organic zinc (Hmix+Zn). Eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces were quantified 20, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 62 and 70 d post-infection and mean abomasal worm counts were assessed 70 d post-infection. Samples of blood were collected from each animal 7, 35, 49 and 70 d post-infection.ResultsQuantitative analyses of the bioactive compounds in Herbmix identified three main groups: flavonoids (9964.7 μg/g), diterpenes (4886.1 μg/g) and phenolic acids (3549.2 μg/g). Egg counts in the lambs treated with Hmix, Zn and Hmix+Zn decreased after 49 d. The EPGs in the Zn and Hmix+Zn groups were significantly lower on day 56 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), and the EPGs and mean worm counts were significantly lower on day 70 in all supplemented groups (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Hemograms of complete red blood cells of each animal identified clinical signs of haemonchosis after day 35. Serum calprotectin concentrations and IgA levels were significantly affected by treatment. The treatment influenced serum malondialdehyde concentrations (P < 0.05) and sulfhydryl groups (P < 0.01) of antioxidant status. The mineral status was unaltered in all lambs.ConclusionA direct anthelmintic impact on the viability of nematodes was not fully demonstrated, but the treatments with herbal nutraceuticals and zinc likely indirectly contributed to the increase in the resistance of the lambs to nematode infection.

This is the first such detailed report on chemical composition and biological activity of R. rugosa petals.

No abstract

Giant knotweeds of the genus (syn.)-, and a hybrid of them, -are noxious invasive plants in Europe and North America. is a traditional East Asian (Japan and China) drug (). Recently, it has been included in European Pharmacopoeia as one of the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. In this study, a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography method with diode array detector and time-of-flight mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the profiling of rhizomes from European invasive populations and purchased in China. Twenty-five compounds were identified, mainly stilbenes, anthraquinones, flavan-3-ols, and phenylpropanoid esters. Tatariside B, hydropiperoside, vanicoside C, a new compound (3,6-O-di--coumaroyl)--fructofuranosyl-(2 → 1)-(2'-O-acetyl-6'-O-feruloyl)--glucopyranoside) were reported for the first time in these raw materials. Six compounds from three phytochemical classes-stilbenes: piceid and resveratrol; anthraquinones: emodin and physcion; hydroxycinnamic sucrose esters: vanicosides A and B-were quantified using the validated method. from China contained twice as many stilbenoids than samples from Poland (piceid 14.83 mg/g dm vs. 7.45 mg/g and resveratrol 1.29 mg/g vs. 0.65 mg/g). rhizomes contained lower quantities of anthraquinones and no detectable stilbenes, which together with higher amounts of hydroxycinnamic glycosides makes it easily distinguishable from the other two. The phytochemical profile of was intermediate between the two parent species.