Plant secondary metabolites and their biological role

Research areas:

• Anatomy and plant physiology, secondary metabolites and their metabolic activity

• prof.dr.sc. Nada Bezić;
• dr.sc. Dario Kremer, Farmaceutsko biokemijski fakultet, Sveučilište Zagreb;

Research description:

Investigations of our researh group include the isolation, identification and quantification of volatile secondary metabolites, essential oils and glycosides of aromatic Mediterranean plants with s special focus on endemic and unexplored Mediterranean species. We investigate their morphological-anatomic characteristics as well as the chemical composition and biological effects of secondary plant metabolites. We investigate antiphytoviral activity of the essential oils, components of oil and other bioactive plant compounds. Aside from Croatian plant species, in cooperation with other scientific research institutions, our group also study other aromatic species of the Mediterranean area. Above anable us comparision of phytochemical caracteristics of investigated plant species collected at different localities and determination of their chemotypes. Results of our research are important for conservation of biodiversity, for the protection of certain plant species, for pharmacobotanical application and education, and also contribute to the preservation of Croatian flora and heritages.

Contacts with academic and other institutions

– Farmaceutsko- biokemijski fakultet, Sveučilište Zagreb
– Priridoslovno-matematički fakultet, Sveučilište Zagreb

Description of the current cooperation:

Joint field researches, morphological – anatomical identification of plants, and investigations of their biological activities, writing and publishing scientific publications

Plans for future research:

Continuation of work on previous research, of important Mediterranean plants, with botanical and biological aspects.

List of selected research papers:

1. Vuko, E., Rusak, G., Dunkić, V., Kremer, D., Kosalec, I., Raša, B., Bezić, N. Inhibition of Satellite RNA Associated Cucumber Mosaic Virus Infection by Essential Oil of Micromeria croatica (Pers.) Schott. Molecules (2019) 24, 1342. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24071342
2. Dunkić, V., Kremer, D., Jurišić Grubešić, R., Vuković Rodríguez, J., Ballian, D., Bogunić, F., Stešević, D., Kosalec, I., Bezić, N., Stabentheiner, E. Micromorphological and phytochemical traits of four Clinopodium L. species (Lamiaceae). South African journal of botany. (2017), 111; 232-241. https://doi.org/10.1177/1934578X19856257
3. Kremer, D., Bolarić, S., Ballian, D., Bogunić, F., Stešević, D., Karlović, K., Kosalec, I., Vokurka, A., Vuković Rodríguez, J., Randić, M., Bezić, N., Dunkić, V. Morphological, genetic and phytochemical variation of endemic Teucrium arduini L. (Lamiaceae). Phytochemistry. (2015), 116; 111-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.04.003
4. Dunkić, V., Kosalec, I., Košir, Iztok, J., Potočnik, T., Čerenak A., Zovko Končić, M., Vitali Čepo, D., Dragojević Müller, I., Košročanec, M., Bezić, N., Srečec, S., Kremer, D. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Veronica spicata L. (Plantaginaceae). Current Drug Targets. (2015), 16 (14); 1660-1670. DOI: 10.2174/1389450116666150531161820
5. Kremer, D., Dunkić, V., Ruščić, M., Matevski, V., Ballian, D., Bogunić, F., Eleftheriadou, E., Stešević, D., Kosalec, I., Bezić, N., Stabentheiner, E. Micromorphological traits and essential oil contents of Micromeria kerneri Murb. and M. juliana (L.) Benth. (Lamiaceae). Phytochemistry. (2014), 98; 128-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.12.009
6. Kremer, D., Košir, Iztok J., Kosalec, I., Zovko Končić, M., Potočnik, T., Čerenak, A., Bezić, N.,  Srečec, S.,  Dunkić, V. Investigation of Chemical Compounds, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Teucrium arduini L. (Lamiaceae). Current Drug Targets. (2013), 14 (14); 1006-1014. https://www.bib.irb.hr/636120?&rad=636120