Skip to main content
The global climate and societal challenges in the recent years urge us to strengthen food security; thus, the rediscovery of wild foods and foraging practices is also part of the sustainability agenda. Utilization of underappreciated... more
The global climate and societal challenges in the recent years urge us to strengthen food security; thus, the rediscovery of wild foods and foraging practices is also part of the sustainability agenda. Utilization of underappreciated sources such as ruderal plants could be a valuable option, especially for vulnerable parts of the society. We present data on traditional knowledge on spring edible ruderal plant taxa preserved in rural regions of Bulgaria, combining field studies in the period 2017–2022 that were compared to the available recent and historical ethnographic and (ethno)botanical literature. Semi-structured interviews were performed with representatives of 94 households in North and South Bulgaria, focusing on collection practices, used parts, and preparation methods. We list 65 edible ruderals, belonging to 22 plant families, of which 19 appeared only in the literature sources. Unlike in the Mediterranean tradition, edible ruderal plants in Bulgaria were regarded unfavor...
The influence of Salvia officinalis L. hairy roots derived phenolic acids on the growth of two typical cellulose degrading moulds, Chaetomium globosum and Trichoderma viride, was examined. For this, 26 hairy root lines of S. officinalis... more
The influence of Salvia officinalis L. hairy roots derived phenolic acids on the growth of two typical cellulose degrading moulds, Chaetomium globosum and Trichoderma viride, was examined. For this, 26 hairy root lines of S. officinalis were induced and investigated with regard to the production of phenolic acids. Pure, commercial phenolic acids, analogues to that biosynthesised in the hairy root ONLINE ISSN 2069-7430 ISSN-L 1841-4737 PRO LIGNO Vol. 11 N° 4 2015 www.proligno.ro pp. 268-274 269 cultures, were solved in 96% ethanol and applied to malt extract agar plates. The fungal cultures were transferred to the agar plates, and fungal growth was observed 5 and 12 days after inoculation. The hairy root line A produced the highest amount of total phenolic acids (1582.0μg/g), while line B produced the highest amount of sinapic acid (262.8μg/g). Trans-cinnamic and salicylic acid showed antifungal activity to the growth of C. globosum. The growth of this strain was inhibited by vanilli...
The pathological manifestation of various diseases can be suppressed by the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcriptional regulator of the cellular redox balance. Haberlea rhodopensis Friv. is a... more
The pathological manifestation of various diseases can be suppressed by the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcriptional regulator of the cellular redox balance. Haberlea rhodopensis Friv. is a resurrection plant species endemic for Bulgaria, containing biologically active phenylethanoid glycosides that might possess antioxidant or redox activity. This study aimed to analyze the metabolic profile of in vitro cultured H. rhodopensis and to identify molecules that increase Nrf2 expression in bone marrow neutrophils. Fractions B, D, and E containing myconoside, or myconoside and calceolarioside E in ratios 1:0.6 and 0.25:1 were found to be the most active ones. Fraction B (200 µg/mL) improved neutrophil survival and strongly increased the Nrf2 intracellular level, while D and E, as well as, myconoside and calceolarioside E at the same ratios had a superior effect. Calceolarioside E (32 µg/mL) had stronger activity than myconoside, the effect o...
Plants from the Veronica genus are used across the world as traditional remedies. In the present study, extracts from the aerial part of the scarcely investigated Veronica austriaca L., collected from two habitats in Bulgaria—the Balkan... more
Plants from the Veronica genus are used across the world as traditional remedies. In the present study, extracts from the aerial part of the scarcely investigated Veronica austriaca L., collected from two habitats in Bulgaria—the Balkan Mountains (Vau-1) and the Rhodopi Mountains (Vau-2), were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The secondary metabolite, arbutin, was identified as a major constituent in both extracts, and further quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while catalpol, aucubin and verbascoside were detected at lower amounts. The effect of the extracts and of pure arbutin on the survival of neutrophils isolated from murine bone marrow (BM) were determined by colorimetric assay. The production of cytokines—tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ was evaluated by flowcytometry. While Vau-1 inhibited neutrophil vitality in a dose-dependent manner, arbutin stimulated the survival of neutrophils at lower concentratio...
Cosmeceuticals are hybrids between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals which are being designed for a dual purpose: (1) To provide desired esthetical effects and (2) simultaneously treat dermatological conditions. The increased demand for... more
Cosmeceuticals are hybrids between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals which are being designed for a dual purpose: (1) To provide desired esthetical effects and (2) simultaneously treat dermatological conditions. The increased demand for natural remedies and the trends to use natural and safe ingredients resulted in intensive cultivation of medicinal plants. However, in many cases the whole process of plant cultivation, complex extraction procedure, and purification of the targeted molecules are not economically feasible. Therefore, the desired production of natural cosmetic products in sustainable and controllable fashion in the last years led to the intensive utilization of plant cell culture technology. The present review aims to highlight examples of biosynthesis of active ingredients derived through plant in vitro systems with potential cosmeceutical application. The exploitation of different type of extracts used in a possible cosmeceutical formulation, as well as, their activity t...
Tobacco hairy root (HR) cultures, which have been widely used for the heterologous production of target compounds, have an innate capacity to bioconvert exogenous t-resveratrol (t-R) into t-piceatannol (t-Pn) and t-pterostilbene (t-Pt).... more
Tobacco hairy root (HR) cultures, which have been widely used for the heterologous production of target compounds, have an innate capacity to bioconvert exogenous t-resveratrol (t-R) into t-piceatannol (t-Pn) and t-pterostilbene (t-Pt). We established genetically engineered HR carrying the gene encoding stilbene synthase (STS) from Vitis vinifera and/or the transcription factor (TF) AtMYB12 from Arabidopsis thaliana, in order to generate a holistic response in the phenylpropanoid pathway and coordinate the up-regulation of multiple metabolic steps. Additionally, an artificial microRNA for chalcone synthase (amiRNA CHS) was utilized to arrest the normal flux through the endogenous chalcone synthase (CHS) enzyme, which would otherwise compete for precursors with the STS enzyme imported for the flux deviation. The transgenic HR were able to biosynthesize the target stilbenes, achieving a production of 40 μg Lof t-R, which was partially metabolized into t-Pn and t-Pt (up to 2.2 μg Land ...
Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related joint degenerative disease associated with pain, joint deformity, and disability. The disease starts with cartilage damage but then progressively involves subchondral bone, causing an imbalance... more
Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related joint degenerative disease associated with pain, joint deformity, and disability. The disease starts with cartilage damage but then progressively involves subchondral bone, causing an imbalance between osteoclast-driven bone resorption and osteoblast-driven remodeling. Here, we summarize the data for the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in OA pathology and discuss how these two processes are integrated during OA progression, as well as their contribution to abnormalities in cartilage/bone metabolism and integrity. At the cellular level, oxidative stress and inflammation are counteracted by transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid p45-related factor 2 (NRF2), and we describe the regulation of NRF2, highlighting its role in OA pathology. We also discuss the beneficial effect of some phytonutrients, including the therapeutic potential of NRF2 activation, in OA.
Rhodiola rosea L., family Crassulaceae also known as Golden Root or Arctic root is one of the most widely used medicinal plants with effect on cognitive dysfunction, psychological stress and depression. The aim of the study was to examine... more
Rhodiola rosea L., family Crassulaceae also known as Golden Root or Arctic root is one of the most widely used medicinal plants with effect on cognitive dysfunction, psychological stress and depression. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of a standardized commercial Rhodiola extract on learning and memory processes in naive rats as well as its effects in rats with scopolamine-induced memory impairment. Sixty male Wistar rats were used in the study. The experiment was conducted in two series - on naive rats and on rats with scopolamine-induced model of impaired memory. The active avoidance test was performed in an automatic conventional shuttle box set-up. The criteria used were the number of conditional stimuli (avoidances), the number of unconditioned stimuli (escapes) as well as the number of intertrial crossings. The chemical fingerprinting of the standardized commercial Rhodiola extract was performed by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Naive rats treated with standardized Rhodiola extract increased the number of avoidances during the learning session and memory retention test compared to the controls. Rats with scopolamine-induced memory impairment treated with Rhodiola extract showed an increase in the number of avoidances during the learning session and on the memory tests compared to the scopolamine group. The other two parameters were not changed in rats treated with the extract of Rhodiola in the two series. It was found that the studied Rhodiola extract exerts a beneficial effect on learning and memory processes in naive rats and rats with scopolamine-induced memory impairment. The observed effect is probably due to multiple underlying mechanisms including its modulating effect on acetylcholine levels in the brain and MAO-inhibitory activity leading to stimulation of the monoamines' neurotransmission. In addition the pronounced stress-protective properties of Rhodiola rosea L. could also play a role in the improvement of cognitive functions.
Abstract The biotechnological production of high-value metabolites by plant in vitro systems has been considered an attractive alternative to classical technologies. Plant cell cultures have been demonstrated to be an efficient,... more
Abstract The biotechnological production of high-value metabolites by plant in vitro systems has been considered an attractive alternative to classical technologies. Plant cell cultures have been demonstrated to be an efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative that guarantees safety and constancy in the quality of the produced secondary metabolites (SMs). Their progress has resulted in the development of several commercial processes for the large-scale production of high-value molecules of plant origin. This chapter will focus on plant cell suspension cultures, bioprocess control, and bioreactor design, which have been proven and successfully applied to the large scale-up production of SMs. Also discussed are the main strategies for enhancing desirable SMs.
An improved HPLC method for quantitative determination of malic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid and fumaric acid was developed. HPLC separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18 column Discovery® with 6mM H3PO4 as a mobile phase... more
An improved HPLC method for quantitative determination of malic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid and fumaric acid was developed. HPLC separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18 column Discovery® with 6mM H3PO4 as a mobile phase (flow rate 0.5-1.0 mL/min.). The calibration curves were linear from 0.01 to 0.25 mg/mL for ascorbic (r2>0.99) and fumaric (r2>0.99) acids and from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/mL for malic (r2>0.99) and citric (r2>0.99) acids. The reliability of the proposed system was proved through reproducibility test with extracts from different Bulgarian varieties of tomato.
HPLC methods for determination of fat soluble vitamins and biological activities carotenoids have been improved and adapted for application to different varieties of tomatoes. HPLC separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18 column... more
HPLC methods for determination of fat soluble vitamins and biological activities carotenoids have been improved and adapted for application to different varieties of tomatoes. HPLC separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18 column Discovery® with gradient system with acetonitril : methanol (8:2) and MTBE (methyl tert-butyl ether) flow rate 1.0 mL/min for carotenoids (luteolin, lycopene and β-carotene), and column Symmetry® with isocratic solvent system methanol: water (98:2) for quantitative determination of α-, β-and δ- tocopherols. The calibration curves were linear from 10 to 500 μg/mL (r2>0.99) for tocopherols and from 5 to 50 μg/mL (r2>0.99) for carotenoids. The reliability of the proposed systems ware proved through reproducibility test with different extracts from lyophilized tomatoes samples. Critical for the success of determination was adding to mobile phases and during the extraction procedure synthetic antioxidant BHT (butylhydroxytoluene, 227 μmoll).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The number of known tropane alkaloids exceeds 200. They are tertiary or quaternary (N-oxides) bases having in common the tropane nucleus as the key structural element. The tropane alkaloids are mainly distributed in the genera of... more
ABSTRACT The number of known tropane alkaloids exceeds 200. They are tertiary or quaternary (N-oxides) bases having in common the tropane nucleus as the key structural element. The tropane alkaloids are mainly distributed in the genera of Solanaceae family and they are frequently used in medicine because of their valuable pharmacological activities. The main representatives of this group of bioactive substances are hyoscyamine (its racemate atropine), scopolamine, and cocaine. These alkaloids have been investigated in details during the last two decades. In this chapter we summarize the knowledge about distribution of tropane alkaloids in plant kingdom and their biosynthetic pathway that has already been elucidated at enzyme and gene level, as well as the methods for their qualification and quantification. Biotechnological approaches for tropane alkaloids production are also discussed in details.
ABSTRACT Abstract The constituents of essential oils, obtained from different aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm. growing wild in Bulgaria, have been analyzed by GC-MS. The yields of leaves and flowers oils... more
ABSTRACT Abstract The constituents of essential oils, obtained from different aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm. growing wild in Bulgaria, have been analyzed by GC-MS. The yields of leaves and flowers oils were similar (0.03 % v/w and 0.04 % v/w). 60 compounds were identified in both oils, which correspond to 97.7 % and 97.3 % of the total oils constituents for leaves and flower oils, respectively. Both leaves and flowers oils showed similar chemical compositions, with predominance of camphor (17.2 % and 18.8 %) and borneol (7.2 % and 8.7 %). Further analyses of minor component distributions proves that the both leaves and flowers could be equally used as a raw material for obtaining of camphor reach essential oil from Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm.
Abstract Rhodiola rosea L. is a plant species with highly recognized adaptogenic properties and hence with an intensive application in traditional medicine, as well as, in clinical practice. The plant is characterized by a high... more
Abstract Rhodiola rosea L. is a plant species with highly recognized adaptogenic properties and hence with an intensive application in traditional medicine, as well as, in clinical practice. The plant is characterized by a high phytochemical variability, depending on the geographical location among others. In this study, we report on the application of NMR-based metabolomics (1D and 2D) combined with multivariate data analysis and an HPLC method development for quantitative determination of the metabolic differences in R. rosea rhizomes, roots and aerial parts from its natural habitat in Bulgaria. In the rhizomes the content of salidroside, rosarin, rosavin and rosin was 2.67%, 0.37%, 1.97% and 0.04%, respectively, while their respective amounts in the roots were 0.31%, 0.06%, 0.39% and 0.01%.
INTRODUCTION The main concern regarding the authenticity and quality of Rhodiola rosea L. (Sedum rosea (L.) Scop.) products is their adulteration with other Rhodiola species. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was the development of a... more
INTRODUCTION The main concern regarding the authenticity and quality of Rhodiola rosea L. (Sedum rosea (L.) Scop.) products is their adulteration with other Rhodiola species. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was the development of a reliable and practical analytical platform for quality and quantity assessment of the characteristic molecules in three Rhodiola species (R. rosea, R. kirilowii (Regel) Maxim and R. crenulata (Hook. f. & Thomson) H. Ohba), commercial products and their possible application as markers for the authentication of R. rosea based products. MATERIAL AND METHODS The major molecules were identified by one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics and quantitatively determined by high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) analysis. The orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed the specific patterns in the metabolite profiles of R. rosea and R. crenulata. RESULTS The coumarin crenulatin was only identified in R. crenulata and can be used as a marker to detect potential adulteration of the commercial products. Crenulatin was identified in two of the four analysed products by NMR-spectroscopy. According to the HPLC data, in less than a quarter of all products, the labelled amounts of salidroside and total rosavins were confirmed. CONCLUSIONS The developed analytical platform was found to be useful in the investigations of the phytochemical diversity of different Rhodiola species, the recognition of the unique metabolites between them and the identification of adulterated products. Therefore, this approach could be applied from the earliest to the latest stages of the value chain in the manufacturing of R. rosea based products.
"HPLC methods for determination of fat soluble vitamins and biological activities carotenoids have been improved and adapted for application to different varieties of tomatoes. HPLC separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18... more
"HPLC methods for determination of fat soluble vitamins and biological activities carotenoids have been
improved and adapted for application to different varieties of tomatoes. HPLC separation was achieved using a
reversed phase C18 column Discovery® with gradient system with acetonitril : methanol (8:2) and MTBE
(methyl tert-butyl ether) flow rate 1.0 mL/min for carotenoids (luteolin, lycopene and β-carotene), and column
Symmetry® with isocratic solvent system methanol: water (98:2) for quantitative determination of α-, β-and δ-
tocopherols. The calibration curves were linear from 10 to 500 μg/mL (r2>0.99) for tocopherols and from 5 to
50 μg/mL (r2>0.99) for carotenoids. The reliability of the proposed systems ware proved through
reproducibility test with different extracts from lyophilized tomatoes samples. Critical for the success of
determination was adding to mobile phases and during the extraction procedure synthetic antioxidant BHT (butylhydroxytoluene, 227 μmoll)."
Biomass accumulation and tropane alkaloids production by diploid and tetraploid hairy root cultures of Datura stramonium L. cultivated in stirred tank bioreactor at different aeration rates were investigated. The maximal growth for both... more
Biomass accumulation and tropane alkaloids production by diploid and tetraploid hairy root cultures of Datura stramonium L. cultivated in stirred tank bioreactor at different aeration rates were investigated. The maximal growth for both hairy root cultures (ADB = 8.3 g/L and 6.8 g/L for diploid and tetraploid line, respectively) was achieved at aeration rate of 15.0 L/(L.h). The corresponding growth indexes were remarkably high (GIDW = 9.0 and 7.8 for diploid and tetraploid line, respectively) compared to the values, usually reported for other hairy root cultures. The optimal aeration rate for biomass accumulation was also optimal for alkaloids biosynthesis. According to our survey, the achieved maximal amounts of accumulated hyoscyamine (35.0 mg/L and 27.0 mg/L for diploid and tetraploid line) were the highest reported in the scientific literature for D. stramonium L. hairy roots. During the cultivation in stirred tank bioreactor, the hairy roots biosynthesized pharmaceutically important alkaloid scopolamine in minor concentrations. This is an important observation since scopolamine was not detected during submerged cultivation of these hairy root lines in other bioreactor types. However, the ploidy level was found to be the most important factor concerning scopolamine production by D. stramonium L. hairy roots cultures. The present work demonstrated the effect of ploidity levels on biomass accumulation and tropane alkaloids production by D. stramonium L. hairy roots cultivated in stirred tank bioreactor. This investigation show that the stirred tank bioreactor could be successfully applied for both maximal biomass accumulations, as well as for manipulation of tropane alkaloids production by diploid and tetraploid D. stramonium L. hairy root cultures.
Chemical composition and bioactivity of essential oil from Salvia tomentosa Mill. natively grown in Bulgaria were investigated. GC-MS analysis identified 60 compounds which represented 98% of the oil constituents. The prevalent... more
Chemical composition and bioactivity of essential oil from Salvia tomentosa Mill. natively grown in Bulgaria were investigated. GC-MS analysis identified 60 compounds which represented 98% of the oil constituents. The prevalent constituents were monoterpenes with eight dominant compounds being identified: borneol (10.3%), β-pinene (9%), camphor (7.9%), α-pinene (6%), camphene (4%), 1.8-cineole (3.8%), α-limonene (3.5%) and β-caryophyllene (3%). The essential oil showed considerable acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50=0.28±0.06 μg/mL), comparable with that of galanthamine. Study of antioxidant activity strongly suggested that the hydrogen atom transfer reaction was preferable over the electron transfer (ORAC=175.0±0.40 μM Trolox equivalents/g oil and FRAP=1.45±0.21 mM Trolox equivalents/g oil). The essential oil showed moderate antifungal and antibacterial activities against Candida albicans and Gram-positive bacteria, whereas it was almost inactive against the investigated Gram-negative strains. The results suggested that the essential oil of Bulgarian S. tomentosa could be considered as a prospective active ingredient for prevention of oxidative stress-related and neurodegenerative disorders in aromatherapy. Because of the high antioxidant capacity, the oil could be considered as natural supplement or antioxidant in cosmetics and food products.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Hairy root cultures of Salvia tomentosa were initiated by transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. To prevent necrosis in the explants and to protect young hairy roots, Amberlite XAD-4 resin, in combination with a temporary immersion... more
Hairy root cultures of Salvia tomentosa were initiated by transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes. To prevent necrosis in the explants and to protect young hairy roots, Amberlite XAD-4 resin, in combination with a temporary immersion cultivation system, was applied. HPLC analyzes showed that the resin adsorbed more than 93% of the released phenolic acids and 100% of the released flavonoids. The decreased content of the released phenolics significantly reduced their destructive effects on the plant tissues, prevented, and speeded up the appearance of hairy roots.
Extracts of Salvia species are used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. The economic importance of this genus has increased in recent years due to evidence that some of its secondary metabolites have valuable pharmaceutical... more
Extracts of Salvia species are used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. The economic importance of this genus has increased in recent years due to evidence that some of its secondary metabolites have valuable pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties.The bioactivity of sage extracts is mainly due to their content of terpenes and polyphenols. The increasing demand for sage products combined with environmental, ecological and climatic limitations on the production of sage metabolites from field-grown plants have led to extensive investigations into biotechnological approaches for the production of Salvia phytochemicals. The purpose of this review is to evaluate recent progress in investigations of sage in vitro systems as tools for producing important terpenoids and polyphenols and in development of methods for manipulating regulatory processes to enhance secondary metabolite production in such systems.
ABSTRACT The number of known tropane alkaloids exceeds 200. They are tertiary or quaternary (N-oxides) bases having in common the tropane nucleus as the key structural element. The tropane alkaloids are mainly distributed in the genera of... more
ABSTRACT The number of known tropane alkaloids exceeds 200. They are tertiary or quaternary (N-oxides) bases having in common the tropane nucleus as the key structural element. The tropane alkaloids are mainly distributed in the genera of Solanaceae family and they are frequently used in medicine because of their valuable pharmacological activities. The main representatives of this group of bioactive substances are hyoscyamine (its racemate atropine), scopolamine, and cocaine. These alkaloids have been investigated in details during the last two decades. In this chapter we summarize the knowledge about distribution of tropane alkaloids in plant kingdom and their biosynthetic pathway that has already been elucidated at enzyme and gene level, as well as the methods for their qualification and quantification. Biotechnological approaches for tropane alkaloids production are also discussed in details.
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT Abstract The constituents of essential oils, obtained from different aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm. growing wild in Bulgaria, have been analyzed by GC-MS. The yields of leaves and flowers oils... more
ABSTRACT Abstract The constituents of essential oils, obtained from different aerial parts (leaves and flowers) of Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm. growing wild in Bulgaria, have been analyzed by GC-MS. The yields of leaves and flowers oils were similar (0.03 % v/w and 0.04 % v/w). 60 compounds were identified in both oils, which correspond to 97.7 % and 97.3 % of the total oils constituents for leaves and flower oils, respectively. Both leaves and flowers oils showed similar chemical compositions, with predominance of camphor (17.2 % and 18.8 %) and borneol (7.2 % and 8.7 %). Further analyses of minor component distributions proves that the both leaves and flowers could be equally used as a raw material for obtaining of camphor reach essential oil from Salvia ringens Sibth. et Sm.
Protopine biosynthesis in Fumaria rostellata and Fumaria officinalis cell suspensions was investigated. For the first time, we reported for calli and cell suspensions obtained from F. rostellata and F. officinalis. Callus induction was... more
Protopine biosynthesis in Fumaria rostellata and Fumaria officinalis cell suspensions was investigated. For the first time, we reported for calli and cell suspensions obtained from F. rostellata and F. officinalis. Callus induction was initiated on a Murashige and Skoog medium, supplemented with sucrose and various concentrations of plant growth regulators: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The best morphological characteristics, growth behavior, and protopine biosynthesis were observed for two callus lines (5FRL14 and 12FOL1) cultivated under submerged conditions, at low concentration of 2,4-D (0.2 and 0.5 mg/L) and higher concentration of BAP (2.0 and 3.0 mg/L). The maximal yield of protopine was accumulated from cell suspension of F. rostellata (line 5FRL14) cultivated under illumination-49.6 mg/L. Time courses of utilization of sucrose, ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate ions in cultural liquid and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of alk...
Verbascum nigrum L. (dark mullein) is known to be a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites, including high value iridoid and phenylethanoid glycosides, hence the development of alternative approaches for their sustainable supply... more
Verbascum nigrum L. (dark mullein) is known to be a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites, including high value iridoid and phenylethanoid glycosides, hence the development of alternative approaches for their sustainable supply is highly relevant. Here we report
the induction of a transformed root culture of V. nigrum by
applying sonication assisted Agrobacterium  hizogenesmediated genetic transformation. Further, nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics approach has been
successfully applied to study metabolic differences of the
V. nigrum mother plant and related transformed roots. 1H
NMR fingerprinting in combination with 2D NMR and
multivariate data analysis revealed that the most abundant
molecule in the hairy root culture is glutamine, which is not
found in the mother plant tissue. These findings provide
important insights on the metabolic alterations as a result of
the transformation of the host plant genome and development
of so-called hairy roots.
Research Interests:
Chemical composition and bioactivity of essential oil from Salvia tomentosa Mill. natively grown in Bulgaria were investigated. GC-MS analysis identified 60 compounds which represented 98% of the oil constituents. The prevalent... more
Chemical composition and bioactivity of essential oil from Salvia tomentosa Mill. natively grown in Bulgaria were investigated. GC-MS analysis identified 60 compounds which represented 98% of the oil constituents. The prevalent constituents were monoterpenes with eight dominant compounds being identified: borneol (10.3%), β-pinene (9%), camphor (7.9%), α-pinene (6%), camphene (4%), 1.8-cineole (3.8%), α-limonene (3.5%) and β-caryophyllene (3%). The essential oil showed considerable acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50=0.28±0.06 µg/mL), comparable with that of galanthamine. Study of antioxidant activity strongly suggested that the hydrogen atom transfer reaction was preferable over the electron transfer (ORAC=175.0±0.40 µM Trolox equivalents/g oil and FRAP=1.45±0.21 mM Trolox equivalents/g oil). The essential oil showed moderate antifungal and antibacterial activities against
Candida albicans and Gram-positive bacteria, whereas it was almost inactive against the investigated Gram-negative strains. The results suggested that the essential oil of Bulgarian S. tomentosa could be considered as a prospective active ingredient for prevention of oxidative stress-related and neurodegenerative disorders in aromatherapy. Because of the high antioxidant capacity, the oil could be considered as natural supplement or antioxidant in cosmetics and food products
Research Interests:
The aim of the study was development of protocols for obtaining callus cultures from Fumaria rostellata Knaf. For the purpose leaves, stems and flowers of the investigated plant were used as explants. Callus was initiated on a Murashige... more
The aim of the study was development of protocols for obtaining callus cultures from Fumaria rostellata Knaf. For the
purpose leaves, stems and flowers of the investigated plant were used as explants. Callus was initiated on a Murashige
and Skoog nutrient medium, supplemented with 30 g/l sucrose, 5.5 g/l “Plant” agar and various concentrations (0.2;
0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 3.0 mg/l) of auxin (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and cytokine (6-benzylaminopurine). The best results
for initiation of calli were observed at a low concentration of 2,4-D (0.2 mg/l or 0.5 mg/l) and a high concentration of
BAP (2.0 mg/l or 3.0 mg/l). It is well known that Fumaria plants are rich sources of isoquinoline alkaloids and obtained
in vitro cultures from F. rostellata could be used as potential technological matrixes for development of a commercial
process for protopine production
Research Interests:
The influence of Salvia officinalis L. hairy roots derived phenolic acids on the growth of two typical cellulose degrading moulds, Chaetomium globosum and Trichoderma viride, was examined. For this, 26 hairy root lines of S. officinalis... more
The influence of Salvia officinalis L. hairy roots derived phenolic acids on the growth of two typical cellulose degrading moulds, Chaetomium globosum and Trichoderma viride, was examined. For this, 26 hairy root lines of S. officinalis were induced and investigated with regard to the production of phenolic acids. Pure, commercial phenolic acids, analogues to that biosynthesised in the hairy root cultures, were solved in 96% ethanol and applied to malt extract agar plates. The fungal cultures were transferred to the agar plates, and fungal growth was observed 5 and 12 days after inoculation. The hairy root line A produced the highest amount of total phenolic acids (1582.0μg/g), while line B produced the highest amount of sinapic acid (262.8μg/g). Trans-cinnamic and salicylic acid showed antifungal activity to the growth of C. globosum. The growth of this strain was inhibited by vanillic, p-coumaric and sinapic acid. Moreover, it was observed that sinapic acid prevented the spore formation of C. globosum. Protocatechuic, sinapic, and salicylic acid inhibited the growth of T. viride minimal. Furthermore, only sinapic acid inhibited the spore formation of this mould. The investigations have shown antifungal activity of six S. officinalis hairy root derived phenolic acids on malt extract agar plates.
Research Interests:

And 28 more