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Introduction The relationship between pesticide exposure and the occurrence of many chronic diseases, including cancer, is confirmed by literature data. Methods In this review, through the analysis of more than 70 papers, we explore an increase in oxidative stress level caused by exposure to environmental pollutants and the protective effects of plant-origin antioxidants. Results and discussion One of the molecular mechanisms, by which pesticides affect living organisms is the induction of oxidative stress. However, recently many plant-based dietary ingredients with antioxidant properties have been considered as a chemopreventive substances due to their ability to remove free radicals. Such a food component must meet several conditions: eliminate free radicals, be easily absorbed and function at an appropriate physiological level. Its main function is to maintain the redox balance and minimize the cellular damage caused by ROS. Therefore, it should be active in aqueous solutions and membrane domains. These properties are characteristic for phenolic compounds and selected plant hormones. Phenolic compounds have proven antioxidant properties, while increasing number of compounds from the group of plant hormones with a very diverse chemical structure turn out to act as antioxidants, being potential food ingredients that can eliminate negative effects of pesticides.

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the biological properties of six selected phenolic compounds: chlorogenic, caffeic, p -coumaric, rosmarinic, gallic and tannic acids. Their antioxidant potential was determined using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, lipid peroxidation inhibition and pro-oxidant assays, while antimicrobial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans . In addition, cytotoxicity toward human skin melanoma A-375 cells and normal fibroblasts was examined, together with the assessment of intracellular ROS, GSH/GSSG ratio, thiol group content, and lipid peroxidation products. The results revealed clear structural dependence of biological activity, with the number and distribution of hydroxyl groups playing a decisive role. Tannic acid exhibited the strongest antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, while gallic and tannic acids showed the most pronounced cytotoxicity toward melanoma cells, accompanied by elevated oxidative stress and redox imbalance, with limited toxicity toward normal fibroblasts. These findings support the potential application of plant-derived phenolic compounds as natural agents with antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activity, making them promising candidates for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use.

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) was the most frequently used pesticide in food production in the European Union (EU) until 2020. Unfortunately, this compound is still being applied in other parts of the world. National monitoring of pesticides conducted in various countries indicates the presence of CPF in soil, food, and water, which may have toxic effects on consumers, farmers, and animal health. In addition, CPF may influence changes in the population of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycete in soil and can inhibit nitrogen mineralization. The mechanisms of CPF activity are based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. This compound also exhibits reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity. The problem seems to be the discrepancy between the actual observations and the final conclusions drawn for the substance’s approval in reports presenting the toxic impact of CPF on human health. Therefore, this influence is still a current and important issue that requires continuous monitoring despite its withdrawal from the market in the EU. This review traces the scientific reports describing the effects of CPF resulting in changes occurring in both the environment and at the cellular and tissue level in humans and animals. It also provides an insight into the hazards and risks to human health in food consumer products in which CPF has been detected.

Biomass is one of the most important sources of renewable energy in the energy industry. It is assumed that by 2050 the global energy deposit could be covered in 33–50% of biomass combustion. As with conventional fuels, the combustion of biomass produces combustion by-products, such as fly ash. Therefore, along with the growing interest in the use of biomass as a source of energy, the production of ash as a combustion by-product increases every year. It is estimated that approximately 476 million tons of ashes per year can be produced from biomass combustion. For example, the calorific value of dry wood mass tends to be between 18.5 MJ × kg−1 and 19.5 MJ × kg−1, while the ash content resulting from thermal treatment of wood is from 0.4 to 3.9% of dry fuel mass. However, biomass ash is a waste that is particularly difficult to characterize due to the large variability of the chemical composition depending on the biomass and combustion technology. In addition, this waste is, on the one hand, a valuable fertilizer component, as it contains significant amounts of nutrients, e.g., calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and microelements, but on the other hand, it may contain toxic compounds harmful to the environment, including heavy metals and substances formed as a result of combustion, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). PAHs and VOCs are formed mainly in the processes of incomplete combustion of coal and wood in low-power boilers, with unstable operating conditions. However, it is important to remember that before the fly ash is used in various industries (e.g., zeolite synthesis, recovery of rare earth metals or plastic production) as an additive to building materials or fertilizers for cultivation, a number of analyses are to be conducted so that the by-products of combustion could be used to allow the by-product of combustion to be used. It is important to conduct tests for the content of heavy metals, chlorides, sulphates, microelements and macroelements, grain and phase composition and organic compounds. If such ash is characterized by low pollution levels, it should be used in agriculture and reclamation of degraded land and not directed to landfills where it loses its valuable properties. The purpose of this review is to present the properties of ashes generated as a result of biomass combustion in Poland and the world, to discuss factors influencing changes in its composition and to present the possibilities of their reuse in the environment and in various branches of industry.

Traumatic acid (TA) is a plant hormone (cytokinin) that in terms of chemical structure belongs to the group of fatty acids derivatives. It was isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris . TA activity and its influence on human cells and organism has not previously been the subject of research. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of TA on collagen content and basic oxidative stress parameters, such as antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced glutathione, thiol group content, and lipid peroxidation in physiological conditions. The results show a stimulatory effect of TA on tested parameters. TA caused a decrease in membrane phospholipid peroxidation and exhibited protective properties against ROS production. It also increases protein and collagen biosynthesis and its secretion into the culture medium. The present findings reveal that TA exhibits multiple and complex activity in fibroblast cells in vitro . TA, with its activity similar to unsaturated fatty acids, shows antioxidant and stimulatory effects on collagen biosynthesis. It is a potentially powerful agent with applications in the treatment of many skin diseases connected with oxidative stress and collagen biosynthesis disorders.

In this study the peels of ecologically grown apple ( Malus domestica ) cultivars: Gold Milenium (a new scab‐resistant variety) and Papierowka (Papirovka; an old, sensitive to apple scab variety) were examined for their composition (phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, simple organic acids, macro-, microelements, reducing sugars, l -ascorbic acid), pro- and antioxidant properties as well as their application in reduction of the oxidative stress in cultured human skin fibroblast. The higher content of phenolic compounds correlated with the greater pro- and antioxidant activity of the peels of Papierowka compared to Gold Milenium in DPPH·, ABTS + , FRAP and CUPRAC assays as well as an ability to inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The quantity of the compounds strongly depended on the type of extraction. The extract of Papierowka peels possessed much higher amount of phenolic compounds compared to Gold Milenium (Papierowka: 3.68 ± 0.20 mg/g peel ultrasound assisted extraction (u.a.e); 2.02 ± 0.13 mg/g peel conventional extraction (c.e.); Gold Milenium: 1.46 ± 0.19 mg/g peel u.a.e; 1.15 ± 0.04 mg/g peel c.e. according the HPLC measurement). The pro-oxidant activity of the extract from Papierowka peels can be correlated with the content of phenolic compounds and metal ions as well. The apple peel extract is promising agent reducing the oxidative stress in skin fibroblast.

Algae are currently used in many areas, including dietetics, pharmacy, cosmetology and to increase the nutritional value of food and animal feed due to their chemical composition. They are a source of extremely valuable molecules, including polyunsaturated fatty acids and pigments. Algae are also a valuable source of protein and almost all essential vitamins. They are rich in pigments such as chlorophyll, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins. These substances have a wide range of commercial applications. Due to its very intensive use, the demand for this plant raw material is constantly growing. Therefore, the methods of growing and harvesting algae are constantly improved in order to maximize the cultivation effect while minimizing costs and energy inputs. Future research should focus on improving algae cultivation and harvesting systems, with an emphasis on the possibility of genetic modifications that would allow even more efficient algae cultivation. This review summarizes methods of micro- and macroalgae cultivation, the chemical composition of selected algae species, which are important from the pharmaceutical, dietary and cosmetic points of view and therapeutic and dietary applications of compounds derived from different algae species. The key conclusion drawn from this article is that algae are an extremely valuable raw material, rich in numerous macro- and micronutrients necessary for humans, the acquisition of which is part of the currently important strategy of ecological policy for obtaining raw materials for various industries.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is very effective chemotherapeutic agent, however it has several major drawbacks. Therefore the motivation for developing novel drug complexes as anticancer agents with different mechanism of action has arisen. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of newly synthesized DOX complexes with selected metals (Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn) on apoptosis, cell cycle, viability, proliferation and cytotoxicity in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Complexation of DOX with metals has likewise been the subject of our research. The current work showed that the tested bivalent metals at a given pH condition formed metal:DOX complexes in a ratio of 2:1, while iron complexes with DOX in a ratio of 3:1. The studies also showed that selected metal-DOX complexes (Mg-DOX, Mn-DOX, Ni-DOX) at 0.5 µM concentration significantly decreased cell viability and proliferation, however they increased caspase 7 activity. Results also indicated that studied metal-DOX complexes showed high cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells. Therefore they were chosen for cell cycle check-points and apoptosis/necrosis analysis studied by flow cytometry. Obtained results suggest that doxorubicin complexed by specified metals can be considered as a potential anti-breast cancer agent, which is characterized by a higher efficacy than a parent drug.

One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is to obtain an ecological source of transport fuels. The production of biofuels based on feedstock obtained through the exploitation of arable land translates into an increase in food prices and progressive degradation of the environment. Unlike traditional agricultural raw materials, algae are a neutral alternative in many respects. They can even be obtained as waste from polluted water reservoirs. One of the manifestations of the deterioration of surface waters is the eutrophication of water reservoirs, which leads to an increase in the number of algae. Algae reaching the shores of water reservoirs can be used as a raw material for the production of biofuels, including biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel. However, it should be remembered that water blooms are a periodic phenomenon, appearing in the summer months. Therefore, in order to ensure the continuity of obtaining energy from biomass, it is necessary to conduct algae cultivation in artificial open tanks or photobioreactors. Accordingly, this review first briefly discusses the properties and possible applications of different species of algae in various industrial areas, and then describes the process of eutrophication and the presence of algae in eutrophicated reservoirs. Technologies of algal cultivation in various systems and technologies of algal biomass pretreatment were critically discussed. Various methods of obtaining biomass from algae were also reviewed, and the process conditions were summarized. Biofuels of various generations and raw materials from which they are obtained are presented in order to determine the possible future directions of development in this field. Parameters affecting the selection of algae species for the production of biofuels were also examined and presented. Overall, algal biofuels still face many challenges in replacing traditional fossil fuels. Future work should focus on maximizing the yield and quality of algae-derived biofuels while increasing their economic viability.

The importance of natural plant materials in modern medicine is considerable, and raw materials with antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties are still sought because of microbe resistance and difficulties in anticancer therapy. This review focuses on the lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. and on the lemongrass oil properties and applications. Multiple applications of this plant were described in different latitudes and cultures, including cases of digestive disorders and anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diaphoretic, stimulating, and antispasmodic conditions. Data from the literature on the composition of essential oil and extracts from C. citratus were analyzed, and the results of research on the antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral effects were quoted. Essential oil inhibits the growth of fungi (Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Candida spp.) and has an antibacterial effect (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa). It also shows antiviral activity and deters insects. Lemongrass contains active substances with potential anticancer effects. This plant has apoptosis-stimulating properties, mainly through the activity of apigenin, which is the main active flavonoid in this plant. This active substance helps inhibit cell proliferation by stopping the cell cycle and directing cancer cells toward apoptosis.