Video poster with Tereza Jaegerova on topic Characterization of secondary metabolites of dyer´s alkanet (Alkanna Tinctoria) possessing antimicrobial activity

The roots of Alkanna tinctoria were used mainly as a source of natural red pigments, however, several research papers pointed towards various bioactive properties, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Nonetheless, the chemical profile of the roots has not been studied in detail yet. Our study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of different root extracts against 7 pathogens and identify the bioactive compounds. According to the results, the aqueous root extract did not show antimicrobial activity at all, while the ethanolic and isopropanol-hexane extracts showed comparably strong inhibition of the growth of Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Cutibacterium acnes. Using these extracts, a fractionation method on preparative HPLC was developed and the obtained fractions were further tested on the inhibitory activity. Bioactive fractions were then analyzed by targeted screening using UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. While no phenolic compounds were identified in the fractions, the analysis revealed the presence of several naphthoquinones, of which alkannin and β,β-dimethylacrylalkannin were confirmed by a certified reference standard. The inhibitory activity of Alkanna tinctoria roots against Cutibacterium acnes is reported for the first time.

The AOAC INTERNATIONAL/Herbalife Scholarship, supported by contributions from Herbalife and designed to encourage student researchers who are advancing analytical or molecular (DNA) testing in herbal or dietary supplements, was awarded to Ondrej Brabenec, University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT), Prague, Czech Republic. Congratulations!

In mid-September 2021, training was provided for local food producers in Moldova and representatives of the Katalyst Kitchens incubator in sensory analysis and the possibilities it provides for assessing the quality of food products. It was an activity within the joint project “Ecological product innovation lab at the Moldovan Agri-food Business”, the training was carried out by Marek Doležal, Zdenka Panovská and Vojtěch Ilko from the Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition.

A manual for sensory analysis translated into Moldovan was also prepared for the participants of this training. Producers who provided samples of their products (oils) also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the results of analyzes performed by the UCT Prague team and thus verify the quality of their products.

More information can be found HERE

The project “Ecological product innovation lab at the Moldovan Agrifood Business Incubator“ is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Prague – The Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition at the University of Chemical Technology, Prague, led by Professor Jana Hajslova, became Europe’s first laboratory for medical cannabis products to receive Patient Focused Certification (PFC), a quality standard issued by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) Cannabis monograph.

The only other five certified laboratories in the world are all located in the USA.

"PFC serves both government authorities and end users. It guarantees that medical cannabis products have the strength, composition, purity, and identity they claim to constitute or possess," said Dr. Jahan Marcu, chief auditor for Americans for Safe Access Foundation (ASAF).

"This is the first laboratory which passed certification with flying colors. Industrial and academic laboratories in the United States could learn from Professor Hajslova," he added at a talk at UCT Prague’s Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition.

ASA works closely with the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute (ICCI), a center of excellence for cannabis and cannabinoids research initiated to share experiences in clinical and basic research, medical informatics, administration, legislative efforts and studies, product security protocols, and the production and distribution of cannabis products.