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    Mihaela Niculae

    Mucoadhesive films loaded with doxycycline hyclate (Doxy Hyc), consisting of mixtures of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) E3, K4 and polyacrylic acid (Carbopol 940), were prepared by casting method, aiming to design a formulation... more
    Mucoadhesive films loaded with doxycycline hyclate (Doxy Hyc), consisting of mixtures of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) E3, K4 and polyacrylic acid (Carbopol 940), were prepared by casting method, aiming to design a formulation intended for application in the oral cavity. The obtained film formulations exhibited a Doxy Hyc content between 7.52 ± 0.42 and 7.83 ± 0.41%, which had adequate mechanical properties for application in the oral cavity and pH values in the tolerance range. The x-ray diffraction studies highlighted the amorphisation of Doxy Hyc in the preparation process and the antibiotic particles present on the surface of the films, identified in the TEM images, which ensured a burst release effect in the first 15 min of the in vitro dissolution studies, after which Doxy Hyc was released by diffusion, the data presenting a good correlation with the Peppas model, n < 0.5. The formulation F1, consisting of HPMC K4 combined with C940 in a ratio of 5:3, the most perfor...
    Obesity is a common feature in horses suffering from metabolic syndrome. While adipokines involvement as biomarkers is better established in human pathology, little data are available on horses. This study aimed to investigate the... more
    Obesity is a common feature in horses suffering from metabolic syndrome. While adipokines involvement as biomarkers is better established in human pathology, little data are available on horses. This study aimed to investigate the possible association and relationship between selected metabolic parameters and morphological traits in equine metabolic syndrome. Adiposity was evaluated using body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS). Plasma levels of total cholesterol, insulin, NEFA, and adipokines (omentin and chemerin) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Spearman correlation, univariate linear regression analysis and hierarchical clustering were performed. Significant positive correlations were observed between NEFA and bodyweight (r = 0.322; p = 0.006), BCS (r = 0.295; p = 0.013), and CNS (r = 0.267; p = 0.024), total cholesterol and bodyweight (r = 0.262; p = 0.027), and omentin and CNS (r = 0.234; p = 0.049). Cluster analysis supported these resu...
    Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a species that is widely known for its culinary and medicinal uses. The purpose of the present study consisted of the evaluation of the antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects of R. officinalis-loaded... more
    Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a species that is widely known for its culinary and medicinal uses. The purpose of the present study consisted of the evaluation of the antiproliferative and antimicrobial effects of R. officinalis-loaded liposomes (L-R). Characterization of the liposomes was performed by establishing specific parameters. The load of the obtained liposomes was analyzed using an LC-MS method, and antiproliferative assays evaluated the cell viability on a liver adenocarcinoma cell line and on a human hepatic stellate cell line. Antimicrobial assays were performed by agar–well diffusion and by broth microdilution assays. The obtained liposomes showed high encapsulation efficiency, suitable particle size, and good stability. High amounts of caffeic (81.07 ± 0.76), chlorogenic (14.10 ± 0.12), carnosic (20.03 ± 0.16), rosmarinic (39.81 ± 0.35), and ellagic (880.02 ± 0.14) acids were found in their composition, together with other polyphenols. Viability and apoptosis assays sho...
    Fumaria schleicheri Soy. Will. is a species belonging to the Papaveraceae family, being widespread in East-Central and Southern Europe. As with numerous other species of the genus, it is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of... more
    Fumaria schleicheri Soy. Will. is a species belonging to the Papaveraceae family, being widespread in East-Central and Southern Europe. As with numerous other species of the genus, it is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of hepatobiliary and digestive disorders. The aim of the present study consisted of the evaluation of its alkaloid content and the assessment of its in vitro antioxidant, anti-cholinesterase and cytotoxic potential. Total alkaloid content in the composition of the species was quantified by a spectrophotometrical method and they were individually identified and quantified by HPLC-DAD. The antioxidant capacity was investigated by the DPPH and FRAP methods, while the anti-cholinesterase activity was assessed by an adapted Ellman’s method. The in vitro cytotoxic activity was evaluated on BJ human fibroblasts and DLD-1 human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. Results showed the presence of bicuculline, protopine, chelidonine, stylopine and sanguinarine, among ...
    This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potential of ethanolic extracts obtained from Gentiana asclepiadea L. and Inula helenium L. roots, in relation to their chemical composition. The total... more
    This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potential of ethanolic extracts obtained from Gentiana asclepiadea L. and Inula helenium L. roots, in relation to their chemical composition. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were determined by spectrophotometric methods, while LC-MS analysis was used to evaluate the individual constituents. The antioxidant properties were tested using the FRAP and DPPH methods. The standard well diffusion and broth microdilution assays were carried out to establish in vitro antimicrobial efficacy and minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. The cytotoxicity was tested on rat intestinal epithelial cells using the MTT assay. The results pointed out important constituents such as secoiridoid glycoside (amarogentin), phenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, trans-p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid), and flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin, rutoside, an...
    Cocoa powder is a basic ingredient in the manufacture of chocolate, one of the most appreciated sweet products in the world for its sensory and nutritional properties. Furthermore, it displays a central nervous system stimulant effect.... more
    Cocoa powder is a basic ingredient in the manufacture of chocolate, one of the most appreciated sweet products in the world for its sensory and nutritional properties. Furthermore, it displays a central nervous system stimulant effect. This study aimed to investigate acorn-derived powder as an alternative to cocoa powder, in order to obtain a chocolate that does not contain stimulants of the nervous system. Both the chocolate technological process and acorns roasting process (180 °C/25 min, 200 °C/20 min and 220 °C/15 min) were optimized to obtain acorn powder with an organoleptic profile as close as possible to that of cocoa powder. The chocolate sensory evaluation was performed by means of the hedonic test. Furthermore, the aqueous extracts obtained from the resulting powder were evaluated for total polyphenol content, and in vitro antimicrobial and antiproliferative properties. The results point out a high content of phenolic compounds (500.78–524.01 mg GAE/100 g); protection aga...
    Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a widely known species for its medicinal uses, that is also used as raw material for the food and cosmetic industry. The aim of the present study was to offer a novel perspective on the medicinal product... more
    Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a widely known species for its medicinal uses, that is also used as raw material for the food and cosmetic industry. The aim of the present study was to offer a novel perspective on the medicinal product originating from this species and to test its hepatoprotective activity. The tested sample consisted in a tincture obtained from the fresh young shoots. Compounds that are evaluated for this activity are polyphenols and terpenoids, that are identified and quantified by HPLC–UV–MS and GC–MS. Antioxidant activity was assessed in vitro, using the DPPH, FRAP and SO assays. Hepatoprotective activity was tested in rats with experimentally-induced hepatotoxicity. In the chemical composition of the tincture, phenolic diterpenes (carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol, rosmadial) and rosmarinic acid were found to be the majority compounds, alongside with 1,8-cineole, camphene, linalool, borneol and terpineol among monoterpenes. In vitro, the tested tincture proved sig...
    Various clinical outcomes based on pathogenic offensive of microorganisms belonging to the genus Staphylococcus continue to have a fundamental importance in veterinary practice as well as in human medicine. The resistence of bacteria from... more
    Various clinical outcomes based on pathogenic offensive of microorganisms belonging to the genus Staphylococcus continue to have a fundamental importance in veterinary practice as well as in human medicine. The resistence of bacteria from the genus Staphylococcus to antibiotics urges the biomedical science to find and describe imunotherapeutical possibilities for intervention. This intervention is based on a profound knowledge of antigenic structures and of the immune response elaborated against these staphylococcal elements. The major immunogenic component of bacteria classified in the genus Staphylococcus is represented by the cellular wall.
    Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus, of the Retrovirus family, with an almost worldwide distribution, infecting equids (4). Uric acid may be a marker of oxidative stress (1) and may have a potential therapeutic role as... more
    Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus, of the Retrovirus family, with an almost worldwide distribution, infecting equids (4). Uric acid may be a marker of oxidative stress (1) and may have a potential therapeutic role as an antioxidant On the other hand, like other strong reducing substances such as ascorbate, uric acid can also act as a peroxidant particularly at elevated levels. Thus, it is unclear whether elevated levels of uric acid in diseases associated with oxidative stress such as stroke and atherosclerosis are a protective response or a primary cause (5). For example, some researchers propose that hyperuricemia-induced oxidative stress is a cause of metabolic syndrome (5). On the other hand, plasma uric acid levels correlate with longevity in primates and other mammals (2). This is presumably a function of urate's antioxidant properties
    Staphylococcus intermedius is the predominant type of coagulase-positive staphylococci on normal canine skin (BERG et al., 1984), and is the causative agent of pyoderma and otitis externa in dogs (IHRKE et al., 1987). A primary or... more
    Staphylococcus intermedius is the predominant type of coagulase-positive staphylococci on normal canine skin (BERG et al., 1984), and is the causative agent of pyoderma and otitis externa in dogs (IHRKE et al., 1987). A primary or secondary bacterial skin infection determined by bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus is often a component of the skin diseases (PELLERIN et al., 1998). The flouoroquinolones have revolutionized treatments against bacterial pathogens resistant to traditional antibacterial agents
    Nontyphoidal Salmonella is recognized as one of the principal causes of foodborne infections worldwide. Great concerns have been raised regarding emerging antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella that may result in unpredictable... more
    Nontyphoidal Salmonella is recognized as one of the principal causes of foodborne infections worldwide. Great concerns have been raised regarding emerging antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella that may result in unpredictable antimicrobial susceptibility and failure of therapy. The present study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of Salmonella serovars and their antimicrobial resistance profiles isolated from . All the isolates (n = 33) were subjected to PCR typing using specific Salmonella primers for the most representative serotypes according to the epidemiological data. Representative isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium (n = 4) and Salmonella Enteritidis (n = 29) were tested for susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials, and isolates were classified susceptibile, intermediate or resistant based on BSAC guidelines. No resistance was observed to ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, cephotaxime, kanamycin, gentamicin and trimethoprim/sulfametoxazole. Higher frequencies of resistance wer...
    The intention of this study it was to monitoring the seasonally evolution of Total Antioxidative Status in two semi aquatic turtle species: Trachemys scripta elegans and Emys orbicularis. In both studied tortoise species the total... more
    The intention of this study it was to monitoring the seasonally evolution of Total Antioxidative Status in two semi aquatic turtle species: Trachemys scripta elegans and Emys orbicularis. In both studied tortoise species the total antioxidant status was maximum during hibernation, realized a delicate balance between hibernal stress and protective antioxidant system. The reference values of Total Antioxidative Status for active human population in Europe are between 1.30 - 1.77 mmol/l, thus we can consider that in semi aquatic turtles the antioxidant system is very efficient and this directs us to formulate the next question: Is the operational efficiency of the antioxidant system the reason that makes it possible for these animals to reach high ages? To our knowledge this is the first time when the total antioxidant status was monitored in semi aquatic turtles.
    The squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare tumor in guttural pouch localization. Its development and growth are associated with the compression to the nasopharynx dorsal wall, which leads to dysphagia and subsequently exaggerate weight... more
    The squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare tumor in guttural pouch localization. Its development and growth are associated with the compression to the nasopharynx dorsal wall, which leads to dysphagia and subsequently exaggerate weight loss of the patient. Also, dysphagia leads to hydro-electrolyte abnormalities. On the necropisc examination we found a huge tumoral mass, covered by serosa, located below of the atlas vertebrae, till the ventral region of the mandibular angle and oral within the intermandibular space. Histological exam noticed the squamous cell type, with a large heterogeneity; some cell with huge nucleus, and others with small, hyperchromatic nucleus.
    The propolis broad spectrum of therapeutic properties is documented by the literature 1 . Development of propolis based products requires a comprehensive evaluation of both efficacy and safety 2 . This research was aimed to evaluate the... more
    The propolis broad spectrum of therapeutic properties is documented by the literature 1 . Development of propolis based products requires a comprehensive evaluation of both efficacy and safety 2 . This research was aimed to evaluate the in vitro potential toxicity of North-West Romanian propolis ethanolic extracts previously studied for antimicrobial properties 3 . The cytotoxic potential was investigated considering propolis biocompatibility on human fibroblasts cell culture (cell line HFL-1) using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and evaluating the cell morphology and attachment level. The MTT results expressed as optic density were further used to calculate the viability percentages by dividing the absorbance reading of cells under different propolis concentrations by the absorbance reading of cells under normal growth. The differences between values were analyzed using ANOVA post hoc, followed by Dunnett test (against the control) or b...
    Escherichia coli is one of the main inhabitants of the intestinal tract of most mammalian species and birds. In veterinary medicine, the presence of microbial carrier estate led to numerous studies on the presence, persistence and... more
    Escherichia coli is one of the main inhabitants of the intestinal tract of most mammalian species and birds. In veterinary medicine, the presence of microbial carrier estate led to numerous studies on the presence, persistence and importance of E. coli in broiler chickens and has motivated epidemiological studies on bacterial contamination levels on the farms. Swabs from cloaca of intensively raised broiler chickens were randomly (2%) sampled along with sanitation samples after disinfection on the same farm. All samples were processed by use of conventional, OIE approved, bacteriological techniques to identify bacteria indicating faecal pollution of zoonotic importance. Strains passed to selective media were biochemically tested and identified by use of API20E kits (France, Lyon). The most important bacterial strain in the cloaca isolates was E. coli (68.75%), followed by Proteus vulgaris (18.75%) and Escherichia hermannii (12.5%). After disinfection, the swabs from surfaces tested ...
    Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is an acute respiratory disease with major economic consequences in cattle, caused by bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1). Despite complex control and eradication strategies, the BoHV-1 infection... more
    Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is an acute respiratory disease with major economic consequences in cattle, caused by bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1). Despite complex control and eradication strategies, the BoHV-1 infection continues to persist mainly due to the latently infected animals and also to its high contagiousity. Also, the efficacy of vaccines in prevention of infection has been questioned by some authors. The present study carried out on 941 bovine divided on three experimental groups (I: 0-8 months female calves, II: 8-18 months male calves and III: adult cattle), was intended to evaluate some aspects regarding the specific and non- specific humoral immune status in young and adult bovine IBR vaccinated with a live attenuated marker vaccine. In order to detect the presence of specific antibodies, a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) HerdCheck - IDDEX was performed on 941 serum samples (95, 72% of the farm population) collected from Limousine bo...
    The antioxidant defense system has many components. A deficiency in any of these components can cause a reduction in the overall antioxidant status of an individual. Reduction in total antioxidant status has been implicated in several... more
    The antioxidant defense system has many components. A deficiency in any of these components can cause a reduction in the overall antioxidant status of an individual. Reduction in total antioxidant status has been implicated in several disease states, such as cancer and heart disease (2). Quantification of the antioxidant status from an animal means the measurement of the activity of all antioxidant enzymes and of the non enzymatic components. Moreover, the individual quantification does not take into account the synergic or inhibiting relations that may occur between different antioxidants
    The COST action “Standardising output-based surveillance to control non-regulated diseases of cattle in the European Union (SOUND control),” aims to harmonise the results of surveillance and control programmes (CPs) for selected cattle... more
    The COST action “Standardising output-based surveillance to control non-regulated diseases of cattle in the European Union (SOUND control),” aims to harmonise the results of surveillance and control programmes (CPs) for selected cattle diseases to facilitate safe trade and improve overall control of cattle infectious diseases. In this paper we aimed to provide an overview on the diversity of control for these diseases in Europe. A selected cattle disease was defined as an infectious disease of cattle with no or limited control at EU level, which is not included in the European Union Animal health law Categories A or B under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002. A CP was defined as surveillance and/or intervention strategies designed to lower the incidence, prevalence, mortality or prove freedom from a specific disease in a region or country. Passive surveillance, and active surveillance of breeding bulls under Council Directive 88/407/EEC were not considered as CPs. A q...
    Background Canine parvovirus (CPV) is one of the most important pathogens of dogs. Despite vaccination, CPV infections are still ubiquitous in dogs, and the three antigenic variants 2a, 2b and 2c are variously distributed in the canine... more
    Background Canine parvovirus (CPV) is one of the most important pathogens of dogs. Despite vaccination, CPV infections are still ubiquitous in dogs, and the three antigenic variants 2a, 2b and 2c are variously distributed in the canine population worldwide. To date, no information is available on CPV variants circulating in some European countries. The aim of this study was to genetically characterise the CPV detected in ten dogs with clinical signs of acute gastroenteritis in Romania. The presence of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA was investigated in faecal samples using an end-point PCR targeting the complete VP2 gene and positive amplicons were sequenced and analysed. Results All ten dogs with acute gastroenteritis tested positive to Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 DNA in faecal samples. The identified viruses belonged to CPV-2c type, showed identical sequences of the VP2 gene and were characterised by distinctive amino acid residues in the deduced VP2 protein: 5-glicine (5Gly), 267...
    Syringa vulgaris L. (common lilac) is one of the most popular ornamental species, but also a promising not comprehensively studied source of bioactive compounds with important therapeutic potential. Our study was designed to characterize... more
    Syringa vulgaris L. (common lilac) is one of the most popular ornamental species, but also a promising not comprehensively studied source of bioactive compounds with important therapeutic potential. Our study was designed to characterize the chemical composition and to assess the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of ethanolic extracts obtained from S. vulgaris L. flowers, leaves, bark, and fruit. The chemical profile of the ethanolic extracts was investigated using chromatographic (HPLC-DAD-ESI+, GC-MS) and spectral (UV-Vis, FT-IR) methods, while the protective effect against free radicals was evaluated in vitro by different chemical assays (DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC). The cytotoxic activity was tested on two tumoral cell lines, HeLa, B16F10, using the MTT assay. Significant amounts of free or glycosylated chemical components belonging to various therapeutically important structural classes, such as phenyl-propanoids (syringin, acteoside, echinacoside), flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol...
    The antibacterial activity of honeydew honey and propolis was evaluated in vitro against Staphyococcus aureus strains isolated from canine patients with dermatitis. Performing a broth microdilution protocol we determined the antimicrobial... more
    The antibacterial activity of honeydew honey and propolis was evaluated in vitro against Staphyococcus aureus strains isolated from canine patients with dermatitis. Performing a broth microdilution protocol we determined the antimicrobial potential of honeydew honey and propolis and obtained data regarding the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). The sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus strains to honeydew honey was compared with an artificial honey solution, while the sensitivity to propolis was compared to 96º alcohol. Honeydew honey showed bactericidal effects against the bacterial tested S. aureus stains, but was less efficient then the propolis at certain concentrations. Artificial honey also displayed antimicrobial activity to a certain extent. In conclusion, our results show that honeydew honey and propolis could be considered as an alternative treatment in canine recurrent dermatitis. Honey and propolis are bee products that ha...
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    The antibacterial activity of honey was evaluated in vitro against Staphyococcus aureus strains isolated from canine patients with dermatitis, compared to an artificial honey solution. Performing a broth microdilution protocol, supported... more
    The antibacterial activity of honey was evaluated in vitro against Staphyococcus aureus strains isolated from canine patients with dermatitis, compared to an artificial honey solution. Performing a broth microdilution protocol, supported by agar plate cultivation, we determined the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). Antimicrobial activity was observed in the polyfloral honey tested (MIC -1.563% and MBC -12.5%)(v/v), when compared to the artificial honey, weaker in its antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, the results showed that floral honey could be considered, even diluted, included in topical medication, as an alternative treatment in canine recurrent dermatitis. The medicinal use of honey in wound treatment is derived from diverse ancient civilizations (Jones, 2001). The antibacterial properties of honey were recognized more than a century ago and have subsequently been extensively studied (Molan, 1992a, 1992b). Now, it is possi...
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    Bacterial infections of the female genital tract in dogs are frequently opportunistic and are caused by endogenous microflora, whereas exogenous infections are sporadic. Bacterial strains located in the vagina are thought to be... more
    Bacterial infections of the female genital tract in dogs are frequently opportunistic and are caused by endogenous microflora, whereas exogenous infections are sporadic. Bacterial strains located in the vagina are thought to be responsible for neonatal mortality in puppies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of bacteria present in the vagina could migrate into the lactating mammary glands, thus posing risks to the offspring. The research was conducted on 10 lactating bitches, out of which one was diagnosed with Lactatio sine graviditate, one with pyometra in the second half of the gestation and 8 were in the postpartum period. Standard microbiological tests were used to isolate and identify bacteria from the lactating dams’ vagina and milk. Commercial API tests were used to identify the bacteria species. The results of the study indicated that a total of 39 bacterial strains, of which 26 from milk and 13 from the vagina, were isolated from the tested samples. Stra...
    Neonatal infections can be caused in the nursing offsprings by vaginal and mamary gland infections of the dam. The role of Staphylococcus intermedius`s in bitch mamary gland experimental infections has been proven. Staphylococcus sp.,... more
    Neonatal infections can be caused in the nursing offsprings by vaginal and mamary gland infections of the dam. The role of Staphylococcus intermedius`s in bitch mamary gland experimental infections has been proven. Staphylococcus sp., Escherichia col, α-hemolitytic and γ-hemolityc streptococci have also been isolated from bitch milk. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of bacterial patogens in bitch milk in connection with their health status. The research was conducted on 16 lactating bitches, out of witch one was diagnosed with pyometra in the second half of the gestation, 2 presented postpartum mastitis acuta, and 14 were in the postpartum period. Standard microbiological techniques and commercial API tests were used to isolate and identify bacteria from 32 milk samples. A total of 30 bacterial strains belonging to 14 different species, were isolated and identified from the milk cultures. These were as follows: one of each Entereococcus facelais, E. coli, Ochrobactrum ...
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    Summary Definition of circuit of PCV2 on flow technology in a swine herd requires an epidemiological investigation of PCV2 infection in all swine categories (from sows to fattening pigs) in a farm affected by PCV2 associated diseases. To... more
    Summary Definition of circuit of PCV2 on flow technology in a swine herd requires an epidemiological investigation of PCV2 infection in all swine categories (from sows to fattening pigs) in a farm affected by PCV2 associated diseases. To achieve this goal the ...
    Summary The n-acetyl-muramyl-hydrolase (lysozyme) is a factor of the innate humoral immunity, play primary role in the natural resistance of both animals and humans against various infectious diseases. The study of the function and... more
    Summary The n-acetyl-muramyl-hydrolase (lysozyme) is a factor of the innate humoral immunity, play primary role in the natural resistance of both animals and humans against various infectious diseases. The study of the function and determination of this parameter ...

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