Browsing by Author "Skalski, Bartosz"

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    A Review of the Biological Activity and Structure–Property Relationships of the Main Compounds from Schisandra chinensis
    (Instytut Uprawy Nawożenia i Gleboznawstwa - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy w Puławach, 2025) Skalski, Bartosz; Kuźniak, Elżbieta; Kowalska, Iwona; Sikora, Monika; Olas, Beata
    Schisandra chinensis is a plant from the Schisandraceae family that grows in humid climates, such as forests and mountain slopes. This plant is attracting the attention of an increasing number of scientists around the world, mainly due to its medicinal properties. It contains a variety of bioactive compounds that exhibit significant biological activities, including lignans, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, organic acids and essential oils. This publication is a review of the latest knowledge and research conducted in the field of analysis of biologically active compounds isolated from Schisandra chinensis.
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    Drying of Red Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Process Kinetics, Color Changes, Carotenoid Content and Phenolic Profile
    (MDPI, 2024) Krzykowski, Andrzej; Rudy, Stanisław; Polak, Renata; Biernacka, Beata; Krajewska, Anna; Janiszewska-Turak, Emilia; Kowalska, Iwona; Żuchowski, Jerzy; Skalski, Bartosz; Dziki, Dariusz
    Studies were conducted focusing on the drying of chili pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.), cultivar Cyklon, using convective (AD), convective-microwave (AMD), vacuum (VD), and freezedrying (FD) methods. The influence of the drying method and temperature on the kinetics of the process and selected quality attributes of the dried product were evaluated. It was demonstrated that the Midilli model best described the drying kinetics for all methods across the entire measurement range. FD and VD produced dried products with the highest brightness and the greatest value of the a* color parameter. The lowest b* color parameter was observed for the product dried using FD at 40 ◦C, while the highest b* value was noted for samples dried using AMD (100 W) at 60 ◦C. The highest carotenoid retention was achieved with the FD method at 40 ◦C, while the lowest carotenoid content was found in the product obtained using the AMD method (100 W) at 60 ◦C. The smallest losses of capsaicinoids were observed after FD drying at 40 ◦C, while the largest were found for AMD (100 W) at 60 ◦C. The analysis of chili pepper fruit extracts revealed the quantitative composition of 12 main phenolic compounds using the UHPLC-UV method. The highest polyphenol content was obtained with FD, while the lowest total polyphenol content was recorded after AD. Regardless of temperature, the total flavonoid content was highest in extracts from FD products, and the lowest flavonoid content was found after AMD at 100W. For all drying methods analyzed, the total flavonoid content in the pepper extracts decreased with increasing temperature.
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    Extract from Syringa vulgaris L. Flowers—A Special Emphasis on Its Biological Activity: Evaluation of Antioxidant Properties and Modulation of Coagulation Process in Human Plasma In Vitro
    (MDPI, 2026-03-24) Sławińska, Natalia; Żuchowski, Jerzy; Moniuszko-Szajwaj, Barbara; Skalski, Bartosz; Olas, Beata
    Background/Objectives: Syringa vulgaris L. (common lilac) is one of the most popular ornamental plant species. Through the ages, many parts of S. vulgaris, including fruits, flowers, leaves, and branches, have been used in folk medicine due to their beneficial biological activity. Lilac flowers are the basis of many supplements available on the market. Moreover, its petals and flowers are edible and are an aromatic ingredient in preserves and desserts. However, the data about the antioxidant properties of various parts of S. vulgaris is limited only to the in vitro antioxidant capacity of the extracts—so far, the effect of S. vulgaris flower extract on the parameters of oxidative stress in biological materials, including plasma, has not been demonstrated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the protective effects of the extract from S. vulgaris L. flowers against oxidative stress in human plasma, and its influence on the coagulation process in vitro. Methods: We measured the levels of three parameters of oxidative stress in human plasma treated with H2O2/Fe2+ (the donor of hydroxyl radicals): lipid peroxidation (based on the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)), protein carbonylation, and thiol oxidation. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) was used as a reference antioxidant. In addition, we studied the effect of the extract on three coagulation parameters of human plasma-activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT). We also compared the biological properties of the extract from S. vulgaris flowers with the properties of a phenolic extract from Taraxacum officinalis (dandelion) flowers, as they have proven antioxidant activity in both in vitro and in vivo models and can modulate hemostasis in vitro. Results: Our UHPLC-HRMS analyses of S. vulgaris extract led to a tentative identification of 50 compounds, mainly phenolics and secoiridoids. For the first time, the present study demonstrated that the extract from S. vulgaris flowers (at the concentrations of 1–50 µg/mL) significantly reduced plasma lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation induced by H2O2/Fe2+. Moreover, the concentrations of 1–25 µg/mL significantly reduced the oxidation of thiol groups in plasma treated with H2O2/Fe2+. The anticoagulant tests also demonstrated that S. vulgaris flowers extract, at physiologically relevant concentrations (1–50 µg/mL), did not affect blood clotting times in vitro, suggesting that it is hemostatically safe. Conclusions: Despite the differences in composition, the extracts from lilac flowers and dandelion flowers exhibited similar protective effects against oxidative damage to human plasma components. However, the extract from S. vulgaris flowers had a stronger inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation than the extract from dandelion flowers.