... Airspora with reference to dusty weather and inoculum survival in simulated summer conditions... more ... Airspora with reference to dusty weather and inoculum survival in simulated summer conditions. Mycopathol. 104, 137141. ... Disser tation. Natural Science University of Zagreb. Ferguson B., Mitchell T. and McCarty K. (1988) Phaeohyphomycosis in allergic sinusitis. Lab. ...
The aim of this study was to establish the involvement of calcium signalling in genotoxicity, apo... more The aim of this study was to establish the involvement of calcium signalling in genotoxicity, apoptosis and necrosis evoked by ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CTN) alone or in combination in porcine kidney PK15 cells. Cell proliferation test (MTT) and trypan blue assays (24 h) demonstrated that CTN (IC(50) = 73.5 ± 1.0, 75.4 ± 1.4 μM, respectively) was less toxic than OTA (IC(50) = 14.0 ± 2.4, 20.5 ± 1.0 μM, respectively). To test their cytotoxic interactions, two doses of single OTA (6 and 10 μM) and CTN (30 and 50 μM) and their combinations were applied. Combined treatment showed additive cytotoxic effects. OTA and CTN induced dose-dependent increase in cytosolic calcium level (assessed with Fura-2 AM). However, combined treatment did not provoke additional increase in calcium signal. The rate of apoptosis and necrosis (DAPI-antifade staining) was significantly higher after 12 h than 24 h, while the frequencies of micronuclei (MNs) and nuclear buds (NBs) were higher after 24 h than 12 h treatment. Combined exposure resulted in apoptotic and necrotic synergism, while genotoxic effects of OTA + CTN were noted as antagonistic or additive. Co-exposure of cells to calcium chelator BAPTA-AM significantly reduced CTN and OTA + CTN-evoked apoptosis. Twenty-four hour after co-exposure to BAPTA-AM and a single OTA and CTN, MNs significantly decreased while NBs dropped significantly after co-treatment with BAPTA-AM and OTA + CTN. In conclusion, disturbance of Ca(2+) homeostasis caused by OTA and CTN plays a significant role in cell genotoxicity and death.
Several hydroxamic acids, viz., N-benzyl-N'-hydroxysuccinamide (BHS), poly[alpha,... more Several hydroxamic acids, viz., N-benzyl-N'-hydroxysuccinamide (BHS), poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy)-DL-aspartamide] (PHA), poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy-N-methyl-DL-aspartamide)] (PMHA) and poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy)-DL- aspartamide]/poly[alpha,beta-(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide] (PHA-PHEA 1:1) were prepared and screened for their antimicrobial activity. Ten Gram-positive and 7 Gram-negative species of bacteria, 5 Candida species, 4 dermatophyte species and 3 mould species were used in tests. Compound showed no antimicrobial activity on any of the tested microorganisms. Other compounds showed a narrow spectrum of antibacterial activity, but no antifungal activity.
Flavonoids from Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L'Hérit were purified by column chromat... more Flavonoids from Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L'Hérit were purified by column chromatography. Two fractions were obtained: F1 (main flavonoid isoquercitrin) and F2 (main flavonoid rutin). In vitro antimicrobial activity of F1 and F2 were tested against eleven species of bacteria and eleven species of fungi. Both fractions demonstrated strong inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus rettgeri, Candida tropicalis and Microsporum gypseum. Staphylococcus sp. (coagulase-negative) and Candida lusitaniae were strongly inhibited only by fraction F1 and Fusarium graminearum only by fraction F2.
Thin-layer chromatography of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) from the continental and Adriati... more Thin-layer chromatography of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) from the continental and Adriatic regions of Croatia showed that 72.2% of propolis samples contain galangin, 88.8% of samples contain kaempferol, naringenin and apigenin and 66.6% of samples contain caffeic acid. Caffeic acid, pinocembrin, galangin, chrysin and naringenin were analyzed by HPLC. In all samples, pinocembrin was the dominant flavonoid. In samples from the Adriatic region, concentration of pinocembrin ranged from 0.03 to 6.14% (x = 2.87%) and in the continental region samples from 0 to 4.74% (x = 2.84%). Chrysin was found in all propolis samples in a concentration ranging from 0.22 to 5.32% (x = 1.86%) in the continental region samples and from 0.03 to 3.64% (x = 1.96%) in samples from the Adriatic region. Chrysin was followed by naringenin, ranging from 0 to 1.14% (x = 0.42%) in samples from the Adriatic region and from 0.22 to 2.41% (x = 0.60%) in the continental region samples. Concentration of caffeic ...
Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active interna... more Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active internal disulfide bridge. Gliotoxin has an antibacterial and antiviral activity, but it was discarded from clinical practice due to its toxicity. The most studied effect of gliotoxin is its influence on the cell of the immune system. Today, researches are focused on treating transplantation organs ex situ and making them immunologically silent. Its toxicity has been proven on several cells (macrophages, thymocites, splenocytes, and fibroblasts) causing apoptosis and necrosis and it has acted as inhibitor of several enzymes (farnesyl-transefases, NF-kappaB, and alcohol-dehydrogenases). Its mechanism of toxicity is connected with the production of mixed disulfide and covalent bonds, and oxidative effects. An important medical mould Aspergillus fumigatus and yeast Candida albicans can secrete gliotoxin in infected tissues and, because of the proven toxic effects of gliotoxin, it is suggested that...
Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active interna... more Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active internal disulfide bridge. Gliotoxin has an antibacterial and antiviral activity, but it was discarded from clinical practice due to its toxicity. The most studied effect of gliotoxin is its influence on the cell of the immune system. Today, researches are focused on treating transplantation organs ex situ and making them immunologically silent. Its toxicity has been proven on several cells (macrophages, thymocites, splenocytes, and fibroblasts) causing apoptosis and necrosis and it has acted as inhibitor of several enzymes (farnesyl-transefases, NF-κB, and alcohol-dehydrogenases). Its mechanism of toxicity is connected with the production of mixed disulfide and covalent bonds, and oxidative effects. An important medical mould Aspergillus fumigatus and yeast Candida albicans can secrete gliotoxin in infected tissues and, because of the proven toxic effects of gliotoxin, it is suggested that gli...
Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompro... more Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompromised patients from the hematological unit were analyzed for mycotoxin production and compared with the same number of environmental isolates (from soil, compost, and air). Only 9 (18%) strains of A. fumigatus produced gliotoxin in a mean concentration 2.22 mg mL-1 (range 0.5-5 mg mL-1). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 7 (23%) isolates (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and aflatoxin G1 in one (3%) of clinical A. flavus isolates (0.12 mg L-1). In the group of environmental isolates, 11 (37%) were positive for aflatoxin B1 production (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and one for aflatoxin G1 (0.02 mg L-1). Bioautoantibiogram ("bioassay in situ") on TLC plates against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236 showed that only gliotoxin-producing strains have bactericidal activity of Rf values corresponding to gliotoxin. The secondary-metabolite profiles of clinical and environmental A. fumigatus and A...
Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples, collected from ten different geo... more Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples, collected from ten different geographic localities in northern Croatia using two complementary methods, are reported. Flavones and flavonols were determined using aluminum chloride and expressed as quercetine equivalent while flavanones were determined using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and expressed as naringenin. Contents of flavones and flavonols were similar for most samples and ranged from 2 to 2.3%, except for one sample with a concentration of 1.3% and one sample in which it was not possible to detect flavones and flavonols. The content of flavanones in propolis samples is very variable. 55% of samples contained flavanones between 15 and 24% and 45% of samples between 4 and 14%. Total levels of flavonoids in raw propolis samples ranged between 5 and 26%; for the majority of samples (75%), the total level of flavonoids ranged between 15 and 25.9%. The high variability of flavanone concentration will affect the biol...
Year-1 carp were fed ratios containing 100mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of added fumonisin B1 for 42 days. T... more Year-1 carp were fed ratios containing 100mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of added fumonisin B1 for 42 days. The experimental and control fish were examined clinically during the experiment and at the end all fish were necropsied and histological changes recorded. Blood vessels, liver, exocrine and endocrine pancreas, excretory and haematopoietic kidney, heart and brain were sensitive both to 100 and 10mg/kg of FB1 in the diet and the rodlet cell (RC) frequency was considerably increased in and around damaged tissues. Many damaged blood vessels contained stacks of RCs above the endothelium. Other changes subsequent to fumonisin exposure that have not been previously reported include scattered lesions in the exocrine and endocrine pancreas, and interrenal tissue, probably due to ischemia and/or increased endothelial permeability. Presented findings indicate the need for more intensive studies of fumonisin-induced toxicity in cultured fish.
Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species frequently contaminate crops. For this reason myco... more Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species frequently contaminate crops. For this reason mycotoxins such as aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FBs), and zearalenone (ZEA) are found in food and feed in a wide range of concentrations, depending on environmental and storage conditions. Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed has been associated with acute and chronic poisoning and carcinoma. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and co-occurrence of AFs (B1+B2+G1+G2), OTA, FBs (B1+B2+B3), and ZEA in 37 samples of cereals and feed randomly collected in 2007 from households of an endemic nephropathy (EN) area in Croatia. The mycotoxins were determined using the competitive direct ELISA test (CD-ELISA) in combination with thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The most frequent mycotoxin was ZEA (92%, mean 318.3 microg kg-1), followed by FBs (27%, 3690 microg kg-1), AFs (24.3%, 4.6 microg kg-1), and OTA (16.2%, 9.8 microg kg-1). Levels of AFs, ZEA, ...
Juniper essential oil (Juniperi aetheroleum) was obtained from the juniper berry, and the GC/MS a... more Juniper essential oil (Juniperi aetheroleum) was obtained from the juniper berry, and the GC/MS analysis showed that the main compounds in the oil were alpha-pinene (29.17%) and beta-pinene (17.84%), sabinene (13.55%), limonene (5.52%), and mircene (0.33%). Juniper essential oil was evaluated for the antimicrobial activity against sixteen bacterial species, seven yeast-like fungi, three yeast and four dermatophyte strains. Juniper essential oil showed similar bactericidal activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species, with MIC values between 8 and 70% (V/V), as well as a strong fungicidal activity against yeasts, yeast-like fungi and dermatophytes, with MIC values below 10% (V/V). The strongest fungicidal activity was recorded against Candida spp. (MIC from 0.78 to 2%, V/V) and dermatophytes (from 0.39 to 2%, V/V).
Antifungal activities of fluid extract and essential oil obtained from anise fruits Pimpinella an... more Antifungal activities of fluid extract and essential oil obtained from anise fruits Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae) were tested in vitro on clinical isolates of seven species of yeasts and four species of dermatophytes. Diffusion method with cylinders and the broth dilution method were used for antifungal activity testing. Anise fluid extract showed antimycotic activity against Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis and C. krusei with MIC values between 17 and 20% (v/v). No activity was noticed against C. glabrata, and anis fruits extracts showed growth promotion activity on Geotrichum spp. Anise fruits extract inhibited the growth of dermatophyte species (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis and M. gypseum) with MIC values between 1.5 and 9.0% (V/V). Anise essential oil showed strong antifungal activity against yeasts with MIC lower than 1.56% (V/V) and dermatophytes with MIC lower than 0.78% (V/V). Significant differences in anti...
Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompro... more Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompromised patients from the hematological unit were analyzed for mycotoxin production and compared with the same number of environmental isolates (from soil, compost, and air). Only 9 (18%) strains of A. fumigatus produced gliotoxin in a mean concentration 2.22 mg mL-1 (range 0.5-5 mg mL-1). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 7 (23%) isolates (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and aflatoxin G1 in one (3%) of clinical A. flavus isolates (0.12 mg L-1). In the group of environmental isolates, 11 (37%) were positive for aflatoxin B1 production (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and one for aflatoxin G1 (0.02 mg L-1). Bioautoantibiogram ("bioassay in situ") on TLC plates against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236 showed that only gliotoxin-producing strains have bactericidal activity of Rf values corresponding to gliotoxin. The secondary-metabolite profiles of clinical and environmental A. fumigatus and A...
The toxicity of Ustilago maydis and the possible synergism with fumonisin B1 (FB1) were studied i... more The toxicity of Ustilago maydis and the possible synergism with fumonisin B1 (FB1) were studied in Fischer rats by evaluating pathological changes and biochemical parameters in blood serum (LDH, ALT, GGT, ChE) and tissue homogenate of brain and liver (AChE, ChE, GGT, ALP). One experimental group (US) consumed diet with 70% of U. maydis galls and the other group (US+FB1) was fed pellets containing 70% of U. maydis galls and 1 mg of FB1 per kg of diet for 17 days. Control group (C) consumed standard pellets. During the trial, experimental animals were more excited, showing hyperactivity. Body mass gains slightly increased in both groups compared to the control. Gross pathological changes in liver, lungs, uterus and ovaries were more pronounced in the US+FB1 than in the US group. Specific catalytic activities of AChE decreased by 61% and by 63% in the liver and brain homogenate of the US group (p<0.05) compared to the control, indicating neurotoxic activity of U. maydis. Also, speci...
... Airspora with reference to dusty weather and inoculum survival in simulated summer conditions... more ... Airspora with reference to dusty weather and inoculum survival in simulated summer conditions. Mycopathol. 104, 137141. ... Disser tation. Natural Science University of Zagreb. Ferguson B., Mitchell T. and McCarty K. (1988) Phaeohyphomycosis in allergic sinusitis. Lab. ...
The aim of this study was to establish the involvement of calcium signalling in genotoxicity, apo... more The aim of this study was to establish the involvement of calcium signalling in genotoxicity, apoptosis and necrosis evoked by ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CTN) alone or in combination in porcine kidney PK15 cells. Cell proliferation test (MTT) and trypan blue assays (24 h) demonstrated that CTN (IC(50) = 73.5 ± 1.0, 75.4 ± 1.4 μM, respectively) was less toxic than OTA (IC(50) = 14.0 ± 2.4, 20.5 ± 1.0 μM, respectively). To test their cytotoxic interactions, two doses of single OTA (6 and 10 μM) and CTN (30 and 50 μM) and their combinations were applied. Combined treatment showed additive cytotoxic effects. OTA and CTN induced dose-dependent increase in cytosolic calcium level (assessed with Fura-2 AM). However, combined treatment did not provoke additional increase in calcium signal. The rate of apoptosis and necrosis (DAPI-antifade staining) was significantly higher after 12 h than 24 h, while the frequencies of micronuclei (MNs) and nuclear buds (NBs) were higher after 24 h than 12 h treatment. Combined exposure resulted in apoptotic and necrotic synergism, while genotoxic effects of OTA + CTN were noted as antagonistic or additive. Co-exposure of cells to calcium chelator BAPTA-AM significantly reduced CTN and OTA + CTN-evoked apoptosis. Twenty-four hour after co-exposure to BAPTA-AM and a single OTA and CTN, MNs significantly decreased while NBs dropped significantly after co-treatment with BAPTA-AM and OTA + CTN. In conclusion, disturbance of Ca(2+) homeostasis caused by OTA and CTN plays a significant role in cell genotoxicity and death.
Several hydroxamic acids, viz., N-benzyl-N&amp;amp;#39;-hydroxysuccinamide (BHS), poly[alpha,... more Several hydroxamic acids, viz., N-benzyl-N&amp;amp;#39;-hydroxysuccinamide (BHS), poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy)-DL-aspartamide] (PHA), poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy-N-methyl-DL-aspartamide)] (PMHA) and poly[alpha,beta-(N-hydroxy)-DL- aspartamide]/poly[alpha,beta-(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide] (PHA-PHEA 1:1) were prepared and screened for their antimicrobial activity. Ten Gram-positive and 7 Gram-negative species of bacteria, 5 Candida species, 4 dermatophyte species and 3 mould species were used in tests. Compound showed no antimicrobial activity on any of the tested microorganisms. Other compounds showed a narrow spectrum of antibacterial activity, but no antifungal activity.
Flavonoids from Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L&amp;amp;#39;Hérit were purified by column chromat... more Flavonoids from Pelargonium radula (Cav.) L&amp;amp;#39;Hérit were purified by column chromatography. Two fractions were obtained: F1 (main flavonoid isoquercitrin) and F2 (main flavonoid rutin). In vitro antimicrobial activity of F1 and F2 were tested against eleven species of bacteria and eleven species of fungi. Both fractions demonstrated strong inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus rettgeri, Candida tropicalis and Microsporum gypseum. Staphylococcus sp. (coagulase-negative) and Candida lusitaniae were strongly inhibited only by fraction F1 and Fusarium graminearum only by fraction F2.
Thin-layer chromatography of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) from the continental and Adriati... more Thin-layer chromatography of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) from the continental and Adriatic regions of Croatia showed that 72.2% of propolis samples contain galangin, 88.8% of samples contain kaempferol, naringenin and apigenin and 66.6% of samples contain caffeic acid. Caffeic acid, pinocembrin, galangin, chrysin and naringenin were analyzed by HPLC. In all samples, pinocembrin was the dominant flavonoid. In samples from the Adriatic region, concentration of pinocembrin ranged from 0.03 to 6.14% (x = 2.87%) and in the continental region samples from 0 to 4.74% (x = 2.84%). Chrysin was found in all propolis samples in a concentration ranging from 0.22 to 5.32% (x = 1.86%) in the continental region samples and from 0.03 to 3.64% (x = 1.96%) in samples from the Adriatic region. Chrysin was followed by naringenin, ranging from 0 to 1.14% (x = 0.42%) in samples from the Adriatic region and from 0.22 to 2.41% (x = 0.60%) in the continental region samples. Concentration of caffeic ...
Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active interna... more Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active internal disulfide bridge. Gliotoxin has an antibacterial and antiviral activity, but it was discarded from clinical practice due to its toxicity. The most studied effect of gliotoxin is its influence on the cell of the immune system. Today, researches are focused on treating transplantation organs ex situ and making them immunologically silent. Its toxicity has been proven on several cells (macrophages, thymocites, splenocytes, and fibroblasts) causing apoptosis and necrosis and it has acted as inhibitor of several enzymes (farnesyl-transefases, NF-kappaB, and alcohol-dehydrogenases). Its mechanism of toxicity is connected with the production of mixed disulfide and covalent bonds, and oxidative effects. An important medical mould Aspergillus fumigatus and yeast Candida albicans can secrete gliotoxin in infected tissues and, because of the proven toxic effects of gliotoxin, it is suggested that...
Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active interna... more Gliotoxin is a mycotoxin from the epipolythiodioxypipeazine family with biological active internal disulfide bridge. Gliotoxin has an antibacterial and antiviral activity, but it was discarded from clinical practice due to its toxicity. The most studied effect of gliotoxin is its influence on the cell of the immune system. Today, researches are focused on treating transplantation organs ex situ and making them immunologically silent. Its toxicity has been proven on several cells (macrophages, thymocites, splenocytes, and fibroblasts) causing apoptosis and necrosis and it has acted as inhibitor of several enzymes (farnesyl-transefases, NF-κB, and alcohol-dehydrogenases). Its mechanism of toxicity is connected with the production of mixed disulfide and covalent bonds, and oxidative effects. An important medical mould Aspergillus fumigatus and yeast Candida albicans can secrete gliotoxin in infected tissues and, because of the proven toxic effects of gliotoxin, it is suggested that gli...
Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompro... more Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompromised patients from the hematological unit were analyzed for mycotoxin production and compared with the same number of environmental isolates (from soil, compost, and air). Only 9 (18%) strains of A. fumigatus produced gliotoxin in a mean concentration 2.22 mg mL-1 (range 0.5-5 mg mL-1). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 7 (23%) isolates (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and aflatoxin G1 in one (3%) of clinical A. flavus isolates (0.12 mg L-1). In the group of environmental isolates, 11 (37%) were positive for aflatoxin B1 production (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and one for aflatoxin G1 (0.02 mg L-1). Bioautoantibiogram ("bioassay in situ") on TLC plates against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236 showed that only gliotoxin-producing strains have bactericidal activity of Rf values corresponding to gliotoxin. The secondary-metabolite profiles of clinical and environmental A. fumigatus and A...
Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples, collected from ten different geo... more Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples, collected from ten different geographic localities in northern Croatia using two complementary methods, are reported. Flavones and flavonols were determined using aluminum chloride and expressed as quercetine equivalent while flavanones were determined using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and expressed as naringenin. Contents of flavones and flavonols were similar for most samples and ranged from 2 to 2.3%, except for one sample with a concentration of 1.3% and one sample in which it was not possible to detect flavones and flavonols. The content of flavanones in propolis samples is very variable. 55% of samples contained flavanones between 15 and 24% and 45% of samples between 4 and 14%. Total levels of flavonoids in raw propolis samples ranged between 5 and 26%; for the majority of samples (75%), the total level of flavonoids ranged between 15 and 25.9%. The high variability of flavanone concentration will affect the biol...
Year-1 carp were fed ratios containing 100mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of added fumonisin B1 for 42 days. T... more Year-1 carp were fed ratios containing 100mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of added fumonisin B1 for 42 days. The experimental and control fish were examined clinically during the experiment and at the end all fish were necropsied and histological changes recorded. Blood vessels, liver, exocrine and endocrine pancreas, excretory and haematopoietic kidney, heart and brain were sensitive both to 100 and 10mg/kg of FB1 in the diet and the rodlet cell (RC) frequency was considerably increased in and around damaged tissues. Many damaged blood vessels contained stacks of RCs above the endothelium. Other changes subsequent to fumonisin exposure that have not been previously reported include scattered lesions in the exocrine and endocrine pancreas, and interrenal tissue, probably due to ischemia and/or increased endothelial permeability. Presented findings indicate the need for more intensive studies of fumonisin-induced toxicity in cultured fish.
Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species frequently contaminate crops. For this reason myco... more Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium species frequently contaminate crops. For this reason mycotoxins such as aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FBs), and zearalenone (ZEA) are found in food and feed in a wide range of concentrations, depending on environmental and storage conditions. Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feed has been associated with acute and chronic poisoning and carcinoma. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and co-occurrence of AFs (B1+B2+G1+G2), OTA, FBs (B1+B2+B3), and ZEA in 37 samples of cereals and feed randomly collected in 2007 from households of an endemic nephropathy (EN) area in Croatia. The mycotoxins were determined using the competitive direct ELISA test (CD-ELISA) in combination with thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The most frequent mycotoxin was ZEA (92%, mean 318.3 microg kg-1), followed by FBs (27%, 3690 microg kg-1), AFs (24.3%, 4.6 microg kg-1), and OTA (16.2%, 9.8 microg kg-1). Levels of AFs, ZEA, ...
Juniper essential oil (Juniperi aetheroleum) was obtained from the juniper berry, and the GC/MS a... more Juniper essential oil (Juniperi aetheroleum) was obtained from the juniper berry, and the GC/MS analysis showed that the main compounds in the oil were alpha-pinene (29.17%) and beta-pinene (17.84%), sabinene (13.55%), limonene (5.52%), and mircene (0.33%). Juniper essential oil was evaluated for the antimicrobial activity against sixteen bacterial species, seven yeast-like fungi, three yeast and four dermatophyte strains. Juniper essential oil showed similar bactericidal activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species, with MIC values between 8 and 70% (V/V), as well as a strong fungicidal activity against yeasts, yeast-like fungi and dermatophytes, with MIC values below 10% (V/V). The strongest fungicidal activity was recorded against Candida spp. (MIC from 0.78 to 2%, V/V) and dermatophytes (from 0.39 to 2%, V/V).
Antifungal activities of fluid extract and essential oil obtained from anise fruits Pimpinella an... more Antifungal activities of fluid extract and essential oil obtained from anise fruits Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae) were tested in vitro on clinical isolates of seven species of yeasts and four species of dermatophytes. Diffusion method with cylinders and the broth dilution method were used for antifungal activity testing. Anise fluid extract showed antimycotic activity against Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis and C. krusei with MIC values between 17 and 20% (v/v). No activity was noticed against C. glabrata, and anis fruits extracts showed growth promotion activity on Geotrichum spp. Anise fruits extract inhibited the growth of dermatophyte species (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis and M. gypseum) with MIC values between 1.5 and 9.0% (V/V). Anise essential oil showed strong antifungal activity against yeasts with MIC lower than 1.56% (V/V) and dermatophytes with MIC lower than 0.78% (V/V). Significant differences in anti...
Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompro... more Clinical isolates of fifty strains of A. fumigatus and 30 strains of A. flavus from immmunocompromised patients from the hematological unit were analyzed for mycotoxin production and compared with the same number of environmental isolates (from soil, compost, and air). Only 9 (18%) strains of A. fumigatus produced gliotoxin in a mean concentration 2.22 mg mL-1 (range 0.5-5 mg mL-1). Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 7 (23%) isolates (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and aflatoxin G1 in one (3%) of clinical A. flavus isolates (0.12 mg L-1). In the group of environmental isolates, 11 (37%) were positive for aflatoxin B1 production (range from 0.02 to 1.2 mg L-1) and one for aflatoxin G1 (0.02 mg L-1). Bioautoantibiogram ("bioassay in situ") on TLC plates against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236 showed that only gliotoxin-producing strains have bactericidal activity of Rf values corresponding to gliotoxin. The secondary-metabolite profiles of clinical and environmental A. fumigatus and A...
The toxicity of Ustilago maydis and the possible synergism with fumonisin B1 (FB1) were studied i... more The toxicity of Ustilago maydis and the possible synergism with fumonisin B1 (FB1) were studied in Fischer rats by evaluating pathological changes and biochemical parameters in blood serum (LDH, ALT, GGT, ChE) and tissue homogenate of brain and liver (AChE, ChE, GGT, ALP). One experimental group (US) consumed diet with 70% of U. maydis galls and the other group (US+FB1) was fed pellets containing 70% of U. maydis galls and 1 mg of FB1 per kg of diet for 17 days. Control group (C) consumed standard pellets. During the trial, experimental animals were more excited, showing hyperactivity. Body mass gains slightly increased in both groups compared to the control. Gross pathological changes in liver, lungs, uterus and ovaries were more pronounced in the US+FB1 than in the US group. Specific catalytic activities of AChE decreased by 61% and by 63% in the liver and brain homogenate of the US group (p<0.05) compared to the control, indicating neurotoxic activity of U. maydis. Also, speci...
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