Irena Brčić Karačonji

Verified

Irena verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

Verified

Irena verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

• PhD ERT
• Deputy DIrector of the Institute & Head of Division of Toxicology at Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health

Hair of young subjects (N = 36) suspected for drug abuse was analysed for morphine, codeine, heroin, 6-acetylmorphine, cocaine, methadone, amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA). The analysis of morphine, codeine, heroin, 6-acetylmorp...

Propolis has been well known for centuries as a natural preventive and therapeutic agent. Its numerous health benefits are mainly attributed to its high content of phenolic compounds that have a remarkable antioxidant activity. Since phenolics may exert a dual nature (pro-oxidant and antioxidant) the aim of this study was to investigate the safety...

Caffeine is a natural stimulant of plant origin found in many products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. It is also often used as an active substance in over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers and preparations for the treatment of colds and allergies. While caffeine is generally considered safe when moderately consumed, excessiv...

Air pollution, a major global issue, comprises various solid and gaseous pollutants in urban environments, including particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and isomeric xylenes (BTEX) constitute about 80% of VOC emissions, primarily from vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, petrol, paints, adhesive...

Strawberry tree honey (Arbutus unedo L.-STH), a unique type of monofloral honey with a distinct bitter flavour, is renowned for its abundant phenolic content and powerful antioxidant properties, contributing to various beneficial health effects. Aim Evaluate the antioxidant activity of STH, STH phenolic extract (E), and dominant phenolic acid in ST...

Air pollution, a global environmental and health concern, is being studied for its impact on genome integrity and human health due to the complex composition of urban air and its association with adverse health outcomes. Using alkaline comet assay descriptors and micronucleus frequency from peripheral blood cells as indicators of early biological e...

Enterococcus faecalis, responsible for a majority of human and nosocomial enterococcal infections, is intrinsically resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics (such as gentamicin, GEN), which must be used in a combined therapy to be effective. Nitroxoline (NTX) is an old antibiotic, underused for decades, but rediscovered now in an era of growing anti...

The antioxidant properties of the leaves of the Mediterranean strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) are mainly attributed to the main bioactive compound, the phenolic glycoside arbutin. In this study, the safety profile of strawberry tree aqueous leaf extract (STE) and arbutin at the DNA level was assessed in vitro using porcine PK-15 kidney cells and...

There is growing evidence that arbutin and plant extracts rich in arbutin, such as extracts of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.), exert a range of beneficial effects, including cyto- and genoprotective properties. This study evaluated the effects of strawberry tree water leaf extract (STE) and arbutin in the brain tissue of Lewis rats. STE or...

Green agronomy promotes the implementation of natural and naturally derived substances in crop protection. In the present study, we evaluated the endocrine-disrupting potential of the allelopathic herbicide tembotrione in Wistar rats by studying the hormone status of offspring from the treated dams. Three doses of tembotrione (0.0004, 0.0007, and 4...

Food fraud is an increasingly problematic phenomenon, whose presence may be significantly reduced by FBOs, by implementing a food quality management system and food defence principles within production (FSCC 22000, BRC Food Standard 8, PAS 96, IFS Food Version 6.1, SQF Quality Code), in order for manufacturers that have an interest to retain the qu...

Strawberry tree fruits (Arbutus unedo L.) are being studied as an underutilized wild fruit, rich in various bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols. The main objective of this study was to optimize the extraction process using a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES) to obtain the highest polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of strawberry...

Air pollution is regarded as one of the major issues in environmental and public health and has been recognized by leading world authorities as a risk factor associated with adverse health outcomes. Air pollution can alter DNA molecules and consequently human health in either ambient or occupational settings. Exposure to various air pollutants has...

Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances in the Earth’s atmosphere, primarily caused by human activities like industrial processes, vehicle emissions, and deforestation. Common pollutants include particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and ozone. These pollutants can cause severe health effects, contribute to climate change...

Beginning with blood and urine Pb testing in the 1950s, methods of human biomonitoring (HBM) have been used for the assessment of occupational, and, a few decades later, environmental exposure to metal(loid)s and their health effects in numerous epidemiological studies conducted at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health. The use...

According to data provided by the World Health Organization in 2020, about 270 million people (or about 5.5 % of the global population aged 15-64) had used psychoactive drugs in the previous year. Advances in the sensitivity of analytical techniques have enabled analyses of substances of abuse in alternative biological matrices such as hair. The un...

This study investigated the physicochemical properties of fir (Abies alba Mill.) honeydew honey (FHH) and its biological activity against the leading foodborne bacterium Campylobacter jejuni. Antibacterial activity, bacterial growth and anti-adhesion tests were performed in Mueller Hinton (MH) broth and cow’s milk used as a food model. FHH from the...

Propolis is a bee product produced by the active collection of excretions from woody plants after they have been mixed with their own enzymes, wax, resins and pollen. Plant-based balsamic substances are considered as the main indicator of propolis quality due to the high content of total phenols and flavonoids. Bees use propolis to maintain the hea...

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa ssp. sativa) is a plant with a long tradition of use in a wide range of applications, including the production of fibers, paper, certain foods, supplements, cosmetics, and drugs. In recent years, there is a growing interest in research due to the high content of bioactive compounds–cannabinoids. The industrial hemp,...

Boletus mushrooms are species with the highest nicotine levels among wild mushrooms, occasionally crossing the legally set Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) in dried specimens. So far, there is no clear consensus about origin of nicotine in wild mushrooms. There are two dominant hypotheses explaining presence of nicotine in wild mushrooms: anthropogenic...

Official control of EU market foodstuffs repeatedly reports high nicotine levels in dried wild mushrooms without any clear scientific consensus about their origin. The advised constant monitoring calls for improvements to existing methods. For this purpose, our aim was to develop a headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method coupled to g...

Clinical treatment with the antineoplastic drug irinotecan (IRI) is often hindered by side effects that significantly reduce the quality of life of treated patients. Due to the growing public support for products with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), even though relevant scientific literature does not provide clear evidence of their high antitumour p...

Official control of EU market foodstuffs repeatedly reports high nicotine levels in dried wild mushrooms without any clear scientific consensus about their origin. The advised constant monitoring calls for improvements to existing methods. For this purpose, our aim was to develop a headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method coupled to g...

The growing demand for energy, the use of fossil fuels, the increase in traffic, as well as the increase in industrial production greatly contribute to air pollution in cities. It affects the environment and human health. The air in urban areas is a complex and variable mixture of various chemical compounds whose mechanism of action is not fully un...

Air pollution is acknowledged as one of the most serious public health issues in the world and a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths. Hence, there is an ongoing need for prospective studies investigating the impact of air pollution on genome integrity and human health. Given the fact that urban air is a complex and variable mixture of nume...

Cigarette smoke is the complex mixture of chemicals, including toxic metals and metalloids having potential to act as endocrine disruptors of reproduction and development. We evaluated the potential health risks of perinatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from cigarette smoking on essential elements and sex steroids in the maternal- placent...

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of Arbutus unedo L. fruits for the production of functional foods by three-dimensional printing (3DP). First, the biological activity of the fruits was investigated in vitro, followed by 3DP with different starch types and proportions using two 3DP programs. All 3DP samples were characterized for the...

This study evaluates the interaction of toxic elements cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) due to exposure from cigarette smoking, essential elements, and steroidogenesis in the maternal–placental– fetal unit. In a cohort of 155 healthy, postpartum women with vaginal term deliveries in clinical hospitals in Zagreb, Croatia, samples of maternal blood/serum a...

Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic used to induce general anaesthesia in humans and laboratory animals. Due to its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects, it is also used as a recreational drug. Anaesthetic agents can cause toxic effects at the cellular level and affect cell survival, induce DNA damage, and cause oxidant/antioxidant imbalance....

Strawberry tree fruits (Arbutus unedo L.) are a natural source of valuable biologically active com-pounds. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop a green extraction approach using pres-surized liquid extraction (PLE) to provide the highest yield of bioactive compounds. Different ex-traction solvents (distilled water, 50% and 96% ethanol) an...

affecting human organs, tissues, cells, and molecules. It is considered responsible for more than 3 million premature deaths annually. Currently ongoing HUMNap project investigates possible associations between air pollutants and biomarkers of exposure and early biological effects. The evaluation of results is divided in two parts. In part 1 we exa...

Air pollution represents a major environmental risk to health, facilitating development of many diseases. The effects of air pollution exposure are difficult to determine because the different chemical species in it are not easily definable or measurable, and they can induce additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects. The comet assay is a method...

Hair analysis provides reliable information on long-term nicotine exposure, depending on hair length. The ability of hair to preserve substances such as nicotine incorporated into its shaft may be compromised by the chemical treatment of hair that can damage the structure of the hair and affect the accurate detection of nicotine in it. The aim of t...

Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause a variety of adverse health outcomes, and is associated with millions of premature deaths annually. The main sources of air pollution in urban areas are traffic, domestic heating and emissions from manufacturing plants. The air in urban areas is a very complex and variable mixture of numerous conta...

Plastic is the most common type of packaging material on the market today, universally accepted due to characteristics such as low mass, high inertness, low price and good flexibility. Most bottled water and soft drinks are packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and despite the excellent properties of such packaging, various c...

Due to the increasing popularity of drinking water stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, the potential health effects of the possible migration of chemical compounds from packaging into the water has become an important issue. Although ortho-phthalate esters as plasticizers are generally not used in the manufacturing of PET, several r...

Increased road traffic and industrial and energy production contribute to urban air pollution worldwide. Consequently, cities are hotspots for air pollution, representing a global health threat, resulting in millions of premature deaths annually. The HUMNap project aims to provide scientifically based data on how air pollution can affect genomic in...

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH) has been used since ancient times as a folk medicine remedy, especially in certain Mediterranean countries. This honey, rich in phenolic content, is well recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities, and is used for the treatment of skin lesions as well as gastrointes...

Vodeće svjetske organizacije poput Europske agencije za okoliš, Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije, i Međunarodne agencije za istraživanje raka ističu onečišćenje zraka kao vodeću globalnu zdravstvenu prijetnju odgovornu za milijune smrtnih slučajeva godišnje. Zrak u urbanim sredinama kompleksna je i promjenjiva mješavina raznih čestica i kemijskih...

Exposure to outdoor air pollution is related to severe health effects, especially in urban areas, due to higher concentrations of pollutants caused by urban agglomeration, traffic, and industrial activities. Additionally, the emission of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) compounds becomes higher, mainly due to intensive industrializ...

Introduction: Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic used to induce general anaesthesia in certain medical procedures. Considering the dissociative and sedative properties of ketamine, it has also been used as a recreational drug in a variety of social settings. Ketamine abuse displays neurobehavioral alterations such as depression, anxiety, cognit...

Benzene is an aromatic compound with cancerogenic properties to which people, except in professional settings where various exposures may be present, are exposed by cigarette smoke or motor vehicle exhaust. S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) is considered a specific marker of benzene exposure in the general and occupationally exposed population. For...

Codeine and morphine are alkaloids from the opioid family widely used as pain relief drugs or antitussive cough suppressant. Both drugs are found naturally in the poppy plant, Papaver somniferum. If misused or abused, neurobehavioral alterations, respiratory depression, constipation, sedation, tolerance, nausea, vomiting, itch, dry mouth and addict...

Introduction: Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic widely used in clinical practice, while its subanaesthetic administration has been explored for treatment of depression and chronic pain. Due to its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects, ketamine is also used as a recreational drug. Agents used for the induction of anaesthesia have been shown...

The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is a Mediterranean plant known for the traditional use of its fruits and leaves due to their health benefits. Thus, it has been used for years in folk medicine to relieve various health conditions such as urological and kidney problems, dermatological, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases. The fruits a...

Irinotecan (IRI) is one of the most important cytostatics used in the treatment of advanced colon cancer. Some of its side effects such as acute and delayed cholinergic syndrome deteriorate the quality of life in patients. To improve their overall wellbeing, patients often use various supplements, including illegal ∆9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) pr...

Tyrosinase is an enzyme involved in generation of dopamine-quinones, which has an important role in oxidative stress associated with different health disorders. It is also a common molecular target for the design of anti-melanogenic agents. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) leaves are used in Mediterranean folk medicine to treat urinary tract infe...

Acinetobacter baumannii is a prominent emerging pathogen responsible for a variety of hospital-acquired infections. It can contaminate inanimate surfaces and survive in harsh environmental conditions for prolonged periods of time in the form of biofilm. Biofilm is difficult to remove with only one method of disinfection, so combined disinfection me...

Synthetic opioids heroin, buprenorphine, and methadone bind to opioid receptors. The latter two have medical use with moderate to high addiction potential. The neurotoxic effects of opioids are often associated with oxidative stress that should be further investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the induction of oxidative stress paramet...

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH), also known as “bitter honey”, is a traditional medicine widely used in the Mediterranean area. Regardless of geographical origin, it usually has a very high content of phenolic compounds and strong antioxidant capacity. Yet, little is still known about the effects of STH, its phenolic extract (STHE),...

According to data provided by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), more than one quarter of adults (aged 15–64) in the European Union have used an illicit drug at least once in their lifetime. Advances in the sensitivity of analytical techniques have enabled analyses of substances of abuse in alternative biological...

Outdoor air pollution in urban and rural areas causes millions of premature deaths worldwide. Cities are more exposed to higher concentrations of pollutants because of the urban agglomeration, traffic, and industrial activities. Additionally, the emission of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) compounds becomes higher, mainly due to i...

Vodeće svjetske organizacije poput Europske agencije za okoliš, Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije, Međunarodne agencije za istraživanje raka i Globalnog opterećenja bolestima istakle su onečišćenje zraka kao vodeću globalnu zdravstvenu prijetnju odgovornu za 3 – 7 milijuna smrtnih slučajeva godišnje. Zrak u urbanim sredinama kompleksna je i promjen...

Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic used in human and veterinary practice. The psychotropic properties of ketamine have been the main reason for its use also as a recreational drug in a variety of social settings, as well as in drug-facilitated sexual assault, owing to its dissociative and sedative properties. Ketamine abuse displays neurobehavi...

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in interest in the use of transgenic plants as sources of valuable secondary metabolites or recombinant proteins. This has been facilitated by the advent of genetic engineering technology with the possibility for direct modification of the expression of genes related to the biosynthesis of bio...

Honey is a natural food consisting mainly of sugars, enzymes, amino acids, organic acids, vitamins, minerals and aromatic substances. In addition to specific organoleptic properties, honey also has other components that contribute to its nutritional and health value. Proteins, vitamins, minerals, organic acids and phenolic compounds, the most varia...

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic hallucinogen, widely abused for decades, while phencyclidine (PCP) has increased in popularity in recent years, especially among the adolescents. Very little is known about the general toxicity of these compounds, especially about their possible neurotoxic effects at the cell level. The aim of this stud...

The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L., Ericaceae family) is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub whose leaves and fruits are used in traditional medicine due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, diuretic, and antiproliferative properties. The health benefits are mainly attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds. The aim of this stud...

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH) is widely used as part of the traditional medicine in the Mediterranean area, especially in the treatment of wounds, burns and infections. In this study, we investigated the cyto-/genoprotective properties of STH at cell level following short- term exposure to UVB radiation at 2 kJ/m2. Isolated human p...

Introduction: Amphetamine-like stimulants (ATS) are widely abused substances that impair dopaminergic and serotonergic functions. The mechanisms of their toxicity in human neuronal cells are not clear yet, but they may involve the formation of reactive oxygen species. The aim of this study was to determine the induction of oxidative stress paramete...

Psychoactive substance abuse has been increasing worldwide over recent decades and is a significant burden to human health. The majority of these substances are taken orally, but also by smoking, inhalation or injection. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classical hallucinogen widely abused for decades, while the popularity of phencyclidine (PC...

Food fraud is a criminal intent motivated by economic gain to adulterate or misrepresent food ingredients and packaging. The development of a reliable food supply system is at great risk under globalization, but Food Business Operators (FBOs) have a legal obligation to implement and maintain food traceability and quality at all stages of food produ...

Maternal cigarette smoking may impair the pro/antioxidant balance, affect bodily element disposition and disturb nutrient and oxygen transport to the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of active maternal smoking during pregnancy on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and metallothion...

Maternal cigarette smoking may impair the pro/antioxidant balance, affect bodily element disposition and disturb nutrient and oxygen transport to the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of active maternal smoking during pregnancy on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and metallothion...

Air pollution is becoming recognised as one of the most serious public health issues worldwide. Rising industrial and energy productions, the burning of fossil fuels and biomass, as well as the rise in road traffic frequency contribute to air pollution in our cities. Urban air is a complex and variable mixture of many different chemicals whose exac...

This study assessed genotoxic profile of strawberry tree honey extract (STHE) (i.e. extracted phenolic fraction of STH) and its potential protective effects against cytogenetic damage induced by the anticancer drug irinotecan (IRI) in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro. Isolated lymphocytes were exposed for 2 h to three different concentrations...

This study assessed genotoxic profile of strawberry tree honey extract (STHE) (i.e. extracted phenolic fraction of STH) and its potential protective effects against cytogenetic damage induced by the anticancer drug irinotecan (IRI) in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro. Isolated lymphocytes were exposed for 2 h to three different concentrations...

Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoking has been extensively studied as one of the factors that may have adverse health outcomes later in life. Reliance on self-reported smoking behaviour may lead to understatements of nicotine exposure due to negative social connotations related to maternal smoking. To overcome the uncertainty of self-reporting, co...

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers and causes of death worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the concomitant intake of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cytostatic irinotecan (IRI) on tumour growth and body and organ weights in mice with experimental colon cancer induced by an injection of the CT26 cell line...

Colorectal cancer patients treated with irinotecan (IRI) often manifest acute cholinergic syndrome, which is the reason behind the growing use of legally prescribed cannabis preparations as well as illicit ones that can contain very high Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels. IRI-induced cholinergic syndrome originates from the inhibition of acetyl...

Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are designer drugs that stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin and/or inhibit their reuptake (1). While ”old stimulants“, including amphetamine, methamphetamine, and 3, 4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) continue to be used, novel designer drugs with...

Major world authorities such as European Environmental Agency, World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, and The Global Burden of Diseases highlighted air pollution as leading global health threat responsible for 3 – 7 million deaths annually. Urban air is a variable and complex mixture of many different chemicals with...

Opiates such as morphine and codeine are substances often misused to improve the performance of racing horses during competitions and are therefore on the International Federation for Equestrian Sports' list of banned substances. However, a positive antidoping test may be due to the consumption of feed (mainly alfalfa or oats) contaminated by poppy...

Homogentisic acid (HGA) is the most abundant phenolic compound in strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey and an intermediate in the metabolism of phenylalanine and tyrosine. Since HGA exerts its dual nature (pro-oxidant and antioxidant), which depends on the concentration and cell type, the aim of study was to determine whether HGA possess cytopr...

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey (STH), a typical product of Mediterranean region, is a reach source of bioactive compounds that possess strong antioxidant activity. This study examined the phenolic profile, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of STH from the town of Vrgorac (southern Croatia) and evaluated the protective...

A terrorist attack on the food or water supply chain with chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) agents can momentarily affect the stability of a state. The state has to ensure availability of sufficient quantities of food and water for the population, conduct preventive measures to avoid terrorist attack as well as to prepare solutio...

This review proposes the hypothesis that the effectiveness of irinotecan chemotherapy might be impaired by high doses of concomitantly administered Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The most important features shared by irinotecan and THC, which might represent sources of potentially harmful interactions are: first pass hepatic metabolism mediated by...

The effect of maternal smoking as a source of exposure to toxic metals Cd and Pb on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, metallothionein (MT), Cd, Pb, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn concentrations were assessed in maternal and umbilical cord blood and placenta in 74 healthy mother-newborn pairs after term delivery. Sparse di...

Although strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) leaves have long been used as a herbal remedy, insufficient information is available on their nephrotoxicity. We assessed the safety of strawberry tree water leaf extract and its key component arbutin, administered per os to Lewis rats of both genders at 200 mg/kg b.w./day for 14 and 28 days. The effects...

Despite of the many beneficial health effects of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey due to its strong antioxidant activity derived mostly from polyphenols, a detailed phenolic profile has not been previously studied. The aims of this study were to identify the phenolic compounds, determine the total phenolic content (TPC) and evaluate the rad...

In order to evaluate the effect of irinotecan (IRI) on urinary elimination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a rat experimental model, we developed an analytical method for the determination of the mass concentration of THC and its metabolites [11-hydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH) and 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol...

Terrorist attacks on critical infrastructures can cause problems to a national stability and functioning. Food and water supply chains are some of the most important infrastructures, and it is the country’s (government’s) obligation to provide sufficient quantities of food and water to its population. Intentional food contamination can, among other...

Irinotecan (IRI) is one of the most important antineoplastic drugs used in the chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer. By binding to topoisomerase I-DNA complex it prevents religation of the DNA strand, causing double-strand DNA breakage and cell death. Considering the well- established sensitivity of the alkaline comet assay for detection of...

Background: Due to growing public interest in the antitumor potential of Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its possible role as an agent for alleviating side-effects of chemotherapy with irinotecan (IRI), some oncology patients have begun to reach for highly concentrated THC preparations. Since IRI, THC and their metabolites are subjected to glucu...

Background: Today, we are faced with the increasing use of illegal highly concentrated Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) preparations as supportive therapies for various malignancies and neurological disorders. Due to the fact that some, such as cannabis oils and butane hash oil, may contain over 80% of THC, their consumers can become intoxicated or e...

Currently we are faced with an ever-growing use of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) preparations, often used as supportive therapies for various malignancies and neurological disorders. As some of illegally distributed forms of such preparations, like cannabis oils and butane hash oil, might contain over 80% of THC, their consumers can become intoxica...

The global use of preparations based on Cannabis sativa, both prescribed and illicit, is increasing among cancer patients. Generally, drug-drug or herb-drug interactions can result in therapeutic failure and it has been estimated to be the cause of death in approximately 4% of cancer patients. Interactions of cannabinoids with conventional chemothe...

There is considerable interest for natural products that contain cannabinoids in combination with conventional antineoplastic therapy.However, cannabinoid-drug interaction may be associated with the risk of clinically relevant toxicities. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is one of the most important anticancer drugs used to treat different solid tumors and meta...

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of morphine or tramadol to lidocaine influences serum lidocaine concentrations in dogs administered these drugs epidurally prior to elective orchiectomy or ovariohysterectomy. Thirty dogs were divided into three groups of 10 each, with equal numbers of females and males. One group rec...

Antioxidants in herbal infusions and decoctions play the main role in preventing cell damage caused by free radicals. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is a wild evergreen Mediterranean shrub whose leaves and fruit are rich in antioxidants such as phenolics. The aim of this study was to compare total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidative capaci...

The use of cannabinoid-based preparations by cancer patients raises concern whether delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can modulate or even compromise the effectiveness of concurrently administered anticancer drugs. Irinotecan (IRI) is a type of drug that causes various severe adverse effects such as diarrhoea, gastrointestinal toxicity and myelosu...

Irinotecan (IRI) represents one of the most important antineoplastic drugs used in the chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer. Its use is accompanied by various adverse effects such as diarrhoea, myelosuppression and hepatotoxicity. To diminish side-effects, some cancer patients use Cannabis sativa preparations, rich on delta-9-tetrahydrocann...

In this study, the influence of anthropogenic pollution on the aquatic environment of Plitvice Lakes National Park (PLNP) was investigated during 2011–2012 using a combination of chemical and cytogenetic analyses. Four groups of major contaminants [(volatile organic compounds: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX); persistent organochl...

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey is a rare monfloral bitter honey that originates from the Mediterranean area (Corsica, Croatia, Portugal, Sardinia, and Spain) and possesses many beneficial health effects due to its strong antioxidant activity and high phenolic content. The aim of this study was to determine the polyphenolic profile (“finge...