The activity of polyphenolic compounds, triterpenoids, carotenoids, chlorophylls and antioxidants in leaves and rhizomes of Fallopia japonica Houtt and Fallopia sachalinensis (F.Schmidt) grown in Poland was investigated. Leaves and rhizomes were assessed for the presence of bioactive compounds with the ultra-performance liquid chromatography photodiode detector-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-Q/TOF-MS) method, and for antioxidant activity with the on-line UPLC-ABTS screening. Forty-six polyphenolic compounds (15 phenolic acids, 12 flavones and flavonols, 11 flavan-3-ols and 8 stilbenes), were identified in Fallopia japonica and Fallopia sachalinensis. Furthermore, accurate mass measurement technique was for the first time in Fallopia japonica Houtt and Fallopia sachalinensis (F.Schmidt) in leaves and rhizomes it identified 25 new compounds belonging to carotenoids (9), chlorophylls (13) and triterpenoids (3) as well as rated the antioxidant properties of each polyphenolic compound. Major qualitative differences were found in the profiles. The leaves and rhizomes were found to be a good source not only of (average 20408.18 and 2716.42 mg/100 g dm), but also chlorophylls (average 179.97 and 43.82 mg/100 g dm), carotenoids (average 100.23 and 53.25 mg/100 g dm) and triterpenoids (average 580.87 and 434.05 mg/100 g dm). The content of bioactive compounds in Fallopia japonica Houtt was around 8.0, 4.0, 2.0 and 1.3 times higher than the content of polyphenols, chlorophylls, carotenoids and triterpenoids in Fallopia sachalinensis (F.Schmidt). The accurate identification of Fallopia bioactive compounds is an indispensable detailed knowledge of the profile and step toward better understanding of the medicinal properties of the species and also potentially more extensive use of the plant.

The cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin was purified from chicken egg white and its antimicrobial activity determined for a series of pathogenic bacteria. The results indicate that Acinetobacter lwoffii, Escherichia coli, Oligella sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are highly sensitive to low concentrations of cystatin, which possesses bactericidal activity. No inhibition was observed with a Citrobacter freundii strain. Fifty percent growth inhibition (IC 50 ) was observed at cystatin concentrations in the range of 80 and 100 lg/ml, and the growth was completely inhibited at concentrations in the range of 100 and 200 lg/ml. Fifty percent growth inhibition (IC 50 ) for Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus gallinarum, and Staphylococcus xylosus strains was observed at 150 and 200 lg of cystatin/ml respectively, and growth was completely inhibited at cystatin concentrations in the range of 300 and 1000 lg/ml. The activity of cysteine proteases was significantly decreased in the culture supernatant of microorganisms when chicken cystatin was added. In this study, we observed that chicken cystatin may be a candidate for antibacterial drug development aiming at controlling bacterial pathogens including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and another possible application might be as a therapeutic agent for health improvement.

Our experiment demonstrated that the cysteine peptidases cathepsins B and L may be useful for the early detection of gastric cancer. The results suggest that addition of egg white cystatin reduces the activities of cathepsins B and L to that of non-cancerous values.

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