Editorial Note: Rhodopes Mountains - a fairy tale in green – Part II (Central Rhodopes)

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This work aims to analyze the quality of groundwater in the riparian areas of the bauxitic plateaus of N'Dangara and Boundou Wandé in operation by the CBG (Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée). The geology of the study area consists mainly of sedimentary formations of the Devonian faro, Neogene and Quaternary. Three water measurement and sampling campaigns on the two plateaus were carried out with determination of piezometric measurements and physic-chemical parameters. This study showed that the general flow direction of groundwater is dispersed. The flows at Boundou Wandé are from the center of the plateau to the north and that at N'Dangara is from the center to the south and southwest. It can be seen that the direction of groundwater flow reflects overall the relief of the deposit conditioned by its geomorphological framework. It emerges from the analysis of physical and chemical parameters that well water is consumable. However, the water from wells MW15, MW16, MW17, MW18 and MW21 with a low pH (4.84 to 5.13) may present a certain nuisance for its consumption and because it can be corrosive. Analysis of the Piper diagram showed two hydrogeochemical facies (calcium and magnesium bicarbonate facies and sodium and potassium carbonate facies). However, this study strongly suggests continuous monitoring of groundwater in and around the study area in order to meet the demand for water supply to communities without compromising the ability of future generations to meet water quality requirements.
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Hydrogeochemical characterization of the areas of exploitation of the CBG sites: cas of the plateaus of N'Dangara and Boundou Wandé, Sangarédi sub-prefecture, Prefecture of Boké, Republic of Guinea

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Gastric ulcer is a common health issue. Cotinus coggygria heartwood extracts rich in the flavonoids fustin and sulfuretin have shown protective effects in a rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration. Fustin itself has been protective in a rat model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. In the present study we aimed to reveal the effect of the flavonoid fustin isolated from Cotinus coggygria heartwood in a rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration.
Fustin was isolated from Cotinus coggygria heartwood and purified. The experiment was performed on 30 male Wistar rats allocated to three groups – Control, Indo and F10. F10 group was pretreated with fustin (10 mg/kg b.w. for 7 days). Rats were sacrificed and macroscopic, histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations of the stomachs were performed.
Indomethacin caused severe mucosal damage, proven by the macroscopic, microscopic and immunohistochemical gastric mucosa investigation. Fustin pretreatment slightly reduced the macroscopic indices for gastric damage (ulcer number, area, score and index), and significantly alleviated the severity of the microscopic indices (mucosal erosions, necrosis, hemorrhages and inflammation). In fustin-pretreated rats, the expression of NF-κB was reduced in comparison with indomethacin-treated animals.
In conclusion, fustin exerted a gastroprotective action in an indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration model, probably due to its anti-inflammatory activity.
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Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine

Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov”

Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Medicine and Nutrigenomics

Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov”

Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Faculty of Medicine

Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade

Gastroprotective effect of the flavonoid fustin isolated from <italic>Cotinus coggygria</italic> heartwood in a rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration

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The hectic pace of life and growing threat of cardiovascular, metabolic and neoplastic diseases highlight the demand for products with natural origin that could simultaneously be part of the balanced diet and improve human’s health. A promising finding in this respect is the Japanese quince – Chaenomeles japonica. It is an ancient plant with eastern origin, but the scientific knowledge about it has only recently started to build up.
The aim of this review is to gather scientific data about chemical composition and biologic activities of Chaenomeles japonica and to provide an insight into the possible prophylactic and therapeutic applications of the plant. The gathered and summarized information concerning Japanese quince shows that preparations of different parts of the plant, especially fruits and leaves, possess biologic properties that could be of exceptional nutritional and medicinal value. Antiinflammatory, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, carbohydrate metabolism-modulating activities in in vitro studies as well as safety profile, influence on neuropsychology and behavior in animal models are discussed.
This review outlines the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Chaenomeles japonica, as well as the chemical composition that stands behind them, and aims to serve as a basis for further investigations of the medicinal plant’s potential.
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Chemical composition and biologic activities of different preparations of Japanese quince (<italic>Chaenomeles japonica</italic>)

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This comprehensive ethnobotanical study was conducted along the North Black Sea coast area to find of the extent to which indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants and their relation to Bulgarian traditions and customs is preserved. We aim to identify the tendencies of passing this knowledge to future generations.
The survey was conducted in 2015 in various urban and rural North Black Sea coast areas, using a face-to-face interviews technique. We used the Chi-square test to analyse the results. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for the assessment of the impact of demographics on respondents' answers.
More than half of the respondents (61.08%) are not familiar with rituals and traditional practices related to medicinal plants. Moderate influence on respondents' answers is rendered by age only. For the local population of the North Black Sea coast, Enyovden turns out to be the most popular holiday related to medicinal plants. Enyovden is the herbalists' feast and is cited by 20% of respondents. The same percentage of interviewees mention Geranium spp. and Ocimum basilicum L. as the most favoured herbs related to local traditions and customs.
Traditional knowledge of the relation between Bulgarian rituals and customs to medicinal plants and their magical powers is fading.
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Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Biology

Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants in Relation to Local Customs and Practices of the North Black Sea Coast Population

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Throughout a long historical period, the natural resources of the world have been managed by different human communities. Living within the boundaries of their own ecosystems forces people to develop a deep knowledge of managing their natural resources. Whether they and their children will survive directly depends on their behavior. People have given the land and natural resources a social and symbolic value that goes beyond their immediate use value. This symbolism is based on ecological principles and supports a system of ethical, social and economic rules that are adaptive. This means that these principles and rules help human communities prevent the overexploitation of natural resources, preserve their connections with the surrounding ecosystems, so that people can live within the limits imposed by the availability of resources and technology.
Over the course of the last few generations, however, the world's diversity of cultures, along with their adaptations to local environmental conditions, has been rapidly disintegrating under the influence of a new, global culture characterized by extremely high levels of consumption. Economic growth based on fossil fuel energy led to the rapid development of industry and international trade, and improved lifestyles as well as advances in health care led to rapid growth in human population and consumption. As a consequence, the search for new ways of extracting resources, involving powerful machines and efficient technologies, which absorb the traditions of conservation of nature built by local human communities during their long historical experience of survival, is intensified.
Mechanisms developed as adaptations to the environment over hundreds of years are rapidly breaking down as a result of globalization, thereby freeing humans from their traditional environmental constraints.
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Natural Resources. Cycle of substances in nature. Implementation of ecological education and formation of ecological culture in the studies of “Man and Nature” and “Chemistry and Environmental Protection”

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Education is defined as a major tool for raising awareness of the principles and functions of sustainable development. The problem of sustainable development, environmental and health education is subject to standards defining both content parameters in subject areas, overlapping integral fields, and options for implementation in pedagogical practice. The article presents an analysis of the problem of climate and energy efficiency, which is present only implicitly within the State educational standard for general education and curricula within the framework of the key competence common to all subjects - skills to support sustainable development and healthy lifestyle and sport.
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Education for sustainable development - analysis and findings

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The traditional educational paradigm is increasingly giving way to active learning and the various possibilities for its application, which methodological basis is constructivism. They are all part of integrative learning, expressed in the creation of sustainable interdisciplinary connections. Constructivism is associated with key competencies for lifelong learning, necessary for ensuring a sustainable and adaptable to changes educational environment. This in turn requires a change in the teaching model and the application of technologies and approaches adjusted to these changes in the learning process. Part of these methods, that are successfully applied in problem-based, ecological education is project-based, and cooperative learning.
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Teaching methods based on constructivism in environmental education

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Acta Scientifica Naturalis

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Acta Scientifica Naturalis

Volume 10 (2023): Issue 2 (July 2023)

Editorial Note: Rhodopes Mountains - a fairy tale in green – Part II (Central Rhodopes)

Hydrogeochemical characterization of the areas of exploitation of the CBG sites: cas of the plateaus of N'Dangara and Boundou Wandé, Sangarédi sub-prefecture, Prefecture of Boké, Republic of Guinea

Gastroprotective effect of the flavonoid fustin isolated from Cotinus coggygria heartwood in a rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration

Chemical composition and biologic activities of different preparations of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica)

Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants in Relation to Local Customs and Practices of the North Black Sea Coast Population

Natural Resources. Cycle of substances in nature. Implementation of ecological education and formation of ecological culture in the studies of “Man and Nature” and “Chemistry and Environmental Protection”

Education for sustainable development - analysis and findings

Teaching methods based on constructivism in environmental education

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