UALGORTIMO Edição Especial - Special Edition UALGOSpecial edition | Page 33

Introduction
Perennial hedges are popular for gardens or outdoor spaces , providing yearround leaf coverage and an attractive , consistent appearance . Gardeners appreciate evergreen shrubs in places where privacy is needed . Varieties of Thuja occidentalis are the most popular plants for hedges . Thuja occidentalis ( Cupressaceae ) is a native coniferous tree from Canada and North America . This tree can reach a height of 15-20 meters and has a pyramidal shape with branches and flattened needles in a single plane . It has small-scale-like leaves that are green year-round , with a brighter underside due to resin glands ( Naser at al ., 2005 ). Regular pruning is necessary to maintain the desired shape of the hedge and promote dense growth . As a result of pruning , a significant amount of leaf waste is generated , which presents an opportunity for sustainable utilisation . Recent technological advancements have piqued interest in plant-based therapies due to their safety , medicinal potential , and economic feasibility . Extensive research has focused on the benefits of plant-derived compounds for human health , gaining attention in the pharmaceutical industry for standalone or combined use . The Thuja tree has been used in homeopathic medicine to treat a variety of ailments , with tincture of the branches and leaves being used to treat coughs , fevers , headaches , intestinal parasites , cystitis and venereal diseases . Locally , thuja has been used to treat burns , rheumatism , gout , arthritis , warts and psoriasis . Extracts from the plant can be applied to painful joints and muscles to reduce pain . It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties and can be used to treat infected wounds , burns and skin infections . The widespread use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic resistance , posing another issue affecting public health . This has led to a significant increase in demand for new antibiotics against these pathogens , and a new concern has arisen in the scientific community for using plant-based medicines with antimicrobial properties ( Obistioiu et al ., 2021 ). Plants , like thuja , and other natural sources can provide a multitude of complex and structurally diverse compounds , and plant extracts have been found to possess a range of properties , including antifungal , antibacterial , and antiviral properties ( Alexa et al ., 2018 and Cocan et al ., 2018 ).
Extraction method
Extraction was carried out in the Physical-chemical Analysis Laboratory of the Interdisciplinary Research Platform of the University of Life Sciences in Timișoara . 10 grams of Thuja occidentalis smaragd , Thuja occidentalis golden smaragd , and Thuja occidentalis fastigiata were ground and extracted in a 1:10 ratio in a 70 % alcohol mixture .
Microbiological method
A dilution of 10 -3 of fresh bacterial strains was used to perform the test . The bacterial strains were reactivated overnight in Brain Heart Infusion culture
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