in English This thesis is a review of substances contained in medicinal plants, the side effects and complications that they provoke. The adverse drug reactions are directly related to the constituents contained in each plant. Information for this work was taken from sources published from 1965 until 2013, especially from The Essential Guide To Herbal Safety and from the databases webmd.com and ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. It is discussed how the use of natural medicinal drugs affect vital organs in the human organism and in which cases their consumption is contraindicated. Central nervous, cardiovascular, urinary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, haemopoietic, respiratory, urinary systems are affected and allergic reactions are possible to occur as complications. Hypericum perforatum is typical for causing gastrointestinal irritations and Chamaemelum nobile and Achillea millefolium are found to cause dermatic complications. Finally, Piper methysticum may induce extreme sedation, since it has anxiolytic and antiepileptic properties. Keywords: side effects, contraindications, medicinal plants, uses, constituents.

Traditional medicine of indigenous cultures is based on the medicinal effects of local plants. Those people have been taught to use these plants throughout history and they employ them as their primary health care. This is supported by the fact that the natives do not have the financial resources to pay for medical care and at the same time it is also accompanied by poor availability of hospitals in areas where these cultures are located. This thesis covers laboratory verification of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Amazonian plants from south west Bolivia. This paper also summarizes the economic and political situation of the country together with the development of traditional medicine in the world and with the potential use of this medicine in pharmacy. Part of the work is devoted to the issue of ever-increasing antimicrobial resistance and the possible effects of free radicals in the human body. The experiment was performed by testing nine samples of imported dried plants in laboratory. To determine the antimicrobial properties a microdilution method was used and the antioxidant activity was verified with the ORAC method which is based on the elimination of free radicals. The microdilution method confirmed 80% of the MIC in the initial concentrations tested (1,024 mg/ml) in Satureja ovata plants against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33591 bacteria and Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria and in the plant Baccharis genistelloides against S. pyrogenes bacteria. The other samples have failed to provide the value of the minimum inhibitory concentrations. This can be attributed to several factors which are described in this thesis. In contrast the positive effect free radicals was confirmed in all samples. The highest efficacy showed Satureja ovata (1373,2 ug TE/mg extract). Writing this thesis was accompanied by a lack of information about the tested plants, both in terms of their botanical description and in terms of comparing the laboratory results obtained with the results of specialized studies. Therefore the results of the experiment were studied in comparison to traditional use of the tested plants that have been provided by Bolivian natives or their effects have been analyzed from the literature.

Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Student: Bc. Lenka Jančíková Supervisor: PharmDr. Jana Pourová, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Cardiovascular effects of isoflavonoids Background: The aim of this thesis is to summarize existing findings about natural vegetable substances known as phytoestrogens-isoflavones and to map the results of latest studies focused on cardiovascular effects of isoflavones. Main findings: Available data suggest that isoflavones and their metabolites have positive effect on human organism. These include antiaterosclerotic, antimenopausal and anticarcinogenic effects and a positive effect on osteoporosis. Positive effect on cardiovascular system includes antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative and antiaggregating effects. On the other hand, there are studies that point out possible risks related to mainly long-term use of isoflavones. Nevertheless, even though the findings of cardiovascular effects are not always consistent, most of them confirm positive effects of isoflavones on cardiovascular system. Conclusion: Isoflavones and their metabolites are a very interesting group of substances with natural origin and carry a potential for possible development of new drugs. Therefore, they...

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This work focuses on contemporary theories, concepts and approaches of media effects. In brief, it presents the history of media effects studies, interdisciplinary background and a few basic models of communication. Ten of chosen concepts of media effects are described in detail, analyzed and compared to Martin Heidegger definition of a man (being/dasein) and to another philosopher, Daniel C. Dennet's scale of living beings. The goal is, to show definitions of a man included in the media effects theories and take them into the comparison and see the way a man is, and can be, described. The conclusion is, that the contemporary approaches reflect a man more simply. In the comparision to Heidegger's being, there could be more possibilities to develop more complex approach in the theories of media studies.

This thesis was focused on monitoring the viability of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells after exposure of termites-isolated chemicals. Recently, evidence of antibacterial and antifungal properties of these defense substances has grown, and they can find a wide range of uses not only in the pharmaceutical industry. In this work, three defensive substances from termites were studied: nerolidol, nitropentadecene and methylanthranilate. Their antibacterial effects, minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal bactericidal concentrations against Escherichia coli STBL3 strain were monitored. Further, their cytotoxic effects on eukaryotic non-tumor (HEK293FT) and tumor cells (MCF7) as well as their effect on plasmid DNA were studied. Antibiotic ampicillin and cytostatic cisplatin were used as control substances for antibacterial and cytotoxic effects, respectively. In the case of the action of nerolidol, nitropentadecene and methylanthranilate on the STBL3 strain, antibacterial activity was not demonstrated. Cytotoxic effects were observed nerolidol and nitropentadecene. None of the examined substances modified the plasmid DNA.

This dissertation deals with the influence of active substances from plants on lactic acid bacteria. It describes milk in terms of nutrition, sour milk products which can be made by means of using lactic acid bacteria, division and overview of lactic acid bacteria, substances contained in plants and the effects of four selected plants. The aim of this work was to determine the possibility of antimicrobial effects of caraway, cinnamon, sage and thyme on bacteria. The efficiency was performed on genus of Lactobacillus. The determination of change in inhibition was performed by disk diffusion method and determination of turbidity.

Recently there has been an increasing interest in discovering of new species of plants and mushrooms which have antioxidant or anti proliferative activity. The interest is caused by the fact that these species have medicinal and food utilization. These properties of plants and mushrooms can be used when dealing with many diseases which may be connected with oxidative stress (inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and tumour disease, etc.). The thesis propounds characteristics of in vitro antioxidant and anti proliferative activity of 19 types of juices and 28 methanol extracts of fruits and vegetables, which are common parts of a diet. In the thesis there are also characteristics of 13 ethanol extracts of edible mushrooms of the order of Polypore (Popyporales). Antioxidant activity was quantifie by 2, 2 diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT (3 (4,5 dimethylthiazol 2 yl) 2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide. Immunomodulatory activity was determined by an assay of phagocytic activity of human neutrophil granulocytes. Further a total phenolic content (TPC) and total beta glucan content were investigated; these are considered to be the potentially active constituents participating in mentioned activities. From the obtained results it is evident that juices (TPC = 1603.2 mg GAE/L; ORAC = 438.5 umol TE/g) and a bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) fruit extract (ORAC 836.6 umol TE/g; DPPH = 404.6 umol TE/g) showed the highest antioxidant activity of all tested samples of fruits and vegetables. Capsicum (Capsicum L.) juices (TPC = 642.1 mg GAE/L; ORAC = 127.9 umol TE/g) and a radish (Raphanus sativus L.) extract (ORAC 724.5 umol TE/g; DPPH = 52.2 umol TE/g) also proved to have the high values of antioxidant activity. From the tested fruits and vegetables the following inhibited to produce a nitric oxide: onion (Allium cepa L) juices (lowered the NO production by 57%), tangerine juices (Citrus reticulata Blanco)(by 52%), broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis italic) extract (by 21%), and orange (Citrus sinensis Pers.) extract (by 10%). Concerning edible mushrooms, Lentinus tigrinus (Bull.) Fr. (TPC = 216.2 umol GAE/g of extract), Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Kras (TPC = 257.9 umol GAE/g of extract), and Royoporus badius (Pers.) A.B. De (TPC = 257.8 umol GAE/g of extract) presented the highest phenolic content. Sparassis crispa (Wulfen) Fr. (117.4 mg/g of extract) had the highest content of beta glucan. Substantial effect on phagocytic activity of granulocytes was noticed in connection with Neolentinus lepideus (Fr.) Redhead & Ginns, Polyporus squamosus (Huds.) Fr., and S. crispa. In connection with the latter of mentioned mushrooms, a moderate inhibitory effect towards HT 29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (IC50 = 107 ug/ml of extract) was noticed. The results indicate that the tested plants and mushrooms can be beneficial when reducing the negative effects of oxidative stress. The oxidative stress has been recognized as a contributing factor to a whole range of diseases and the reduction of the oxidative stress may lead to the decrease in the possibility of the diseases´ progression. The results show the possible favourable effects on the human health. When evaluating the results, the following fact should be taken into consideration; the in vitro tests and screenings are considered to be the first phase of systematic research of the effects and serve for the choice of respondents for further detailed studies.

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This diploma thesis carries the title "Caffeine, its effects on health and its consumption among students of selected secondary schools". In my diploma thesis, I am interested in how many students of selected secondary schools rely on stimulating effects of caffeine during their studies and how caffeine influences them. The key task of the diploma thesis is to find out at what level the knowledge of students of the first and final years of selected secondary schools are in the area of caffeine drinks and beverages, how much relevant information they have about caffeine influence on health and behaviour. Also, how many and what types of caffeine products the pupils most often consume. A questionnaire is used as a research tool to obtain this information. By analysing and comparing the data, I get interesting results that indicate a high consumption of beverages and caffeine-containing foods and show a lack of knowledge about caffeine. At the end of the practical part, I come up with a recommendation for a lesson in Health education, which should be devoted not only to caffeine, its sources and products containing caffeine, but also to its consumption by young people, the risk of addiction and prevention. KEYWORDS Coffeine, effects, health, history, students