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The present study provides a comprehensive data on the antioxidant, antimicrobial and neutrophil-modulating activities of extracts from six medicinal plants -blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) leaves, chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) leaves, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) leaves, lady's mantle (Alchemilla glabra) aerial parts, meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) aerial parts and raspberry (Rubus idaeus) leaves. In order to analyze the antioxidant activity of the herbs, several methods (ORAC, TRAP, HORAC and inhibition of lipid peroxidation) were used. Blackberry leaves and meadowsweet extracts revealed the highest antioxidant activities via all methods. All extracts studied blocked almost completely the opsonized zymosan particle-activated ROS production by neutrophils from human whole blood. On the other hand, the effect of extracts on phorbol myristate acetate-activated ROS production was much milder and even nonsignificant in the case of chokeberry leaves. This latter result suggests that extracts (apart from their antioxidative activity) interfere with the signaling cascade of phagocyte activation upstream of the protein kinase C activation. The antimicrobial activity of the investigated extracts against 11 human pathogens was investigated using three different methods. Meadowsweet and blackberry leaves extracts had the highest antimicrobial effect and the lowest minimal inhibiting concentrations (MICs) against the microorganisms tested.

Lactobacillus plantarum NBIMCC 2415 resistant to low and high values of pH and pepsin, and to high concentrations of bile salts was selected. It was demonstrated that Lactobacillus plantarum NBIMCC 2415 inhibited the growth of pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Proteus vulgaris G, Salmonella sp., Salmonella abony NTCC 6017, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25093, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 P, Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria monocytogenes I at temperature 15-18 0 C in the meat products. The high antioxidant activity of this strain against peroxide radicals (ORAC results) was determined. Experimental series of raw-dried meat products were produced. Reduction of the microflora of the meat raw-dried sausages and high concentration of viable cells of L. plantarum NBIMCC 2415 were observed, which makes them functional foods. Downloaded by [University of Nebraska, Lincoln] at 05:42 03 January 2015

Some of the biochemical properties of a crude lipase enzyme from Rhizopus arrhizus were determined. The enzyme displayed maximal catalytic activity at рН 9.0 and temperature of 35ºС. It was stable at basic values of pH and 40°C and in the presence of detergents. Lipase showed substrate specificity against different plant oils. Three multiplicity forms of the enzyme (Lip I, Lip II and Lip III) were isolated by gel chromatography. They differed in their molecular weight (Lip I-80 000 Da, Lip II-39 700 Da and Lip III-6 900 Da) and degree of glycosylation (51.61% for Lip I, 74.17% for Lip II and 55.60% for Lip III). Some of the specific biochemical properties of the multiplicity forms were established. No synergistic effect of the three multiplicity forms of lipase in hydrolysis of olive oil was observed.

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