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The present study investigated the volatile constituents of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) grown in a greenhouse environment in Serbia, marking the first commercial cultivation of the plant for essential oil production in the region. The essential oils and hydrolates obtained through steam distillation were analyzed via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the resulting chemical data were further processed using chemometric methods. This study applied quantitative structure retention relationship (QSRR) analysis, employing molecular descriptors (MDs) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict the retention indices (RIs) of the compounds. A genetic algorithm (GA) was used to select the most relevant MDs for this predictive modeling. A total of 29 compounds were annotated in the essential oils, with geranial and neral being the dominant components, while 37 compounds were detected in the hydrolates. The ANN models effectively predicted the RIs of both essential oils and hydrolates, demonstrating high statistical accuracy and low prediction errors. This research offers valuable insights into the chemical profile of lemongrass cultivated in temperate conditions and advances QSRR modeling for essential oil analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern trends in phytochemical extraction from alternative crops support the use of alternative technologies, such as ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extractions. Considering the reduction of toxic solvents, rapid and effective extraction process, the abovementioned technologies have become the foundation of green chemistry approaches in a wide range of applications. These extractions have not been studied on Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff, which is a highly potent plant when considering its aromatic and medicinal properties. This preliminary study presents an in vitro evaluation of biological activities of ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extracts of S. kitaibelii, for the first time. Furthermore, it offers a totally green, modern, fast and reproducible method for extraction of phytochemicals from S. kitaibelii herba (Rtanj Mountain, Serbia). This short communication suggests that the applied microwave-assisted extraction, using only water as the solvent, can be a promising approach for obtaining green products with commercial potential. Keywords: ultrasound-assisted extraction; microwave-assisted extraction

The application of high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-based non-targeted metabolomics as a holistic approach to compare fingerprints of metabolite changes during Artemisia annua development is described. Images of HPTLC chromatograms obtained after derivatization with anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent were used as a dataset for multivariate analysis. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis confirmed the differentiation of samples belonging to vegetative phase, flowering stage, and seed formation stage of the plant development. The obtained results showed that the HPTLC-based metabolomics approach can be a very reliable technique for the investigation of metabolic changes during plant development, complementary to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics.

The purpose of this study is to assess the repellent activity of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil (EO), grown in Serbia under greenhouse conditions, against four prevalent stored product pests: Plodia interpunctella (larvae), Sitophilus oryzae, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Tribolium castaneum (adults). The lemongrass EO repellency was tested using filter paper in Petri dishes and a Y-tube olfactometer. According to the repellency index (RI), the lemongrass EO repellency was divided into 5 classes. Prior to biotesting, the chemical characterization of lemongrass EO was performed and the following main compounds were detected: myrcene (31.0%), geranial (30.0%), and neral (23.6%). The C. citratus EO considered was found to exhibit the Class III repellent activity against P. interpunctella larvae only at the highest concentration (namely 0.5%). This is the very first report on the C. citratus EO repellent activity against this pest. The lemongrass EO examined showed strong repellency (Class IV) against S. oryzae (0.2% and 0.5% of EO), A. obtectus (0.1% and 0.2%), and T. castaneum (0.05-0.1%). Moreover, higher lemongrass EO concentrations (0.5%) were found to exhibit extreme repellency (Class V) against A. obtectus and T. castaneum. The results obtained were confirmed in the bioassays performed, indicating the great potential of lemongrass EO as a bio-repellent when applied in higher concentrations to all the insects considered, regardless of the exposure period.

Objectives: Immortelle has garnered global attention for its cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary applications worldwide. Apart from neryl acetate, α-pinene and γ-curcumene as the most important components for the estimation of the essential oil quality, in recent years a group of β -diketones, known as italidiones, appear as significant quality parameters. However, it is unknown how weather conditions (temperature and precipitation) influence their accumulation in essential oil and hydrosol, nor their anti-inflammatory potential. Methods: This study investigates the chemical composition of immortelle essential oil and hydrosol over three successive years (2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22), by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. In silico molecular docking model with Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) was used for the simulation of the anti-inflammatory potential of italidiones, as well as other β -diketones present in immortelle essential oil and hydrosol. Results: During the three-year trial, it was established that essential oil compounds such as α -pinene, neryl acetate, and italicene were positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with precipitation, as well as β -diketones and total italidiones. Moreover, trans -caryophyllene, γ -curcumene, and ar -curcumene were in negative correlation with temperature, and a slight positive correlation with precipitation. On the other side, in the hydrosol the content of both total β -diketones and total italidiones was strongly negatively correlated with temperatures, and positively correlated with precipitation, which was the opposite of essential oil. Additionally, findings indicated that italidiones could bind the human VAP-1 protein in the vicinity of the topiquinone and block its function. Conclusion: Weather conditions affect variations in the accumulation of volatile compounds in essential oil and hydrosol, which in some cases can affect changes in olfactory characteristics, as well as criteria prescribed by standards, and even changes in biological activities. These results indicate that italidiones, as well as other β -diketones present in immortelle, may be responsible for its anti-inflammatory activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don is a typical Mediterranean plant, with limited distribution on the islands of Sardinia, Corsica, and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the islands of the Adriatic Sea and the Balkan Peninsula. In these regions, H. italicum is mainly collected from spontaneous nature, while in recent years, there has been a pronounced cultivation trend due to increased demand and market requirements for constant quality of raw materials. Bearing in mind that biological activity is linked with chemical composition, this review aimed to collect data from different scientific databases (Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) on the antimicrobial activity of essential oil and its chemical composition. A total of 20 papers investigating the antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antifungal activities of H. italicum essential oil were found. Furthermore, in these samples, several compounds occurred as dominant: neryl acetate, α-pinene, and γ-curcumene. These compounds are known for their antimicrobial properties, which likely contribute to the essential oil's efficacy against various microbial strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study focused on exploring the chemical composition of essential oil and corresponding hydrolate obtained by steam distillation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivar "Helena" (low THC content). Methods: Chemical characterization of industrial hemp essential oil and hydrolate was performed by gas chromatographic and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis, while biological activities included antimicrobial and antioxidant tests. Antimicrobial activity was determined by measuring diameters of the inhibition zone by using a disc-diffusion method with nine microbial strains from ATCC culture. Moreover, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) as well as time-kill kinetic studies, antiadhesion, and antibiofilm formation potential were also evaluated. Antioxidant activity was evaluated through three different antioxidant assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS•+), and reducing power (RP). Results: The gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis showed that the main compound in the essential oil was trans-caryophyllene (37.4%), followed by caryophyllene oxide (12.4%) and α-humulene (11.0%), while in the hydrolate it was 1,8-cineole (11.5%). Results showed that industrial hemp essential oil and hydrolate exhibited no antimicrobial activity against gram-negative bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, while gram-positive bacteria were sensitive. Therefore, in the following step, MIC was determined by microdilution method. The lowest MIC for essential oil (12.5%) was obtained for Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, while this value doubled for Listeria monocytogenes. Conversely, the MIC for hydrolate was 100% for all gram-positive bacteria. Antioxidant activity showed that industrial hemp essential oil and hydrolate have potential as natural sources of antioxidants. Conclusion: This research confirmed the previously proven antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of industrial hemp essential oil. The novelty lies in the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of hydrolate, which is practically waste, but has great potential to be a useful by-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was the prediction model of retention indices of compounds from the aboveground parts of Achillea clypeolata Sibth. & Sm. essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC–MS. The quantitative structure–retention relationship analysis was applied in order to anticipate the retention time of the obtained compounds. The selection of the seven molecular descriptors was done by a genetic algorithm. The chosen descriptors were uncorrelated and were used to construct an artificial neural network. A total of 40 experimentally obtained retention indices was used to build this prediction model. The coefficient of determination for the training, testing and validation cycles were: 0.950, 0.825 and 1.000, respectively, indicating that this model could be used for prediction of retention indices for A. clypeolata, essential oil compounds.

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is a perennial shrub or subshrub violet-blue flowers in verticillasters and spicy taste with a pungent flavour. Besides being used as a culinary herb for flavouring and food preservation, this plant is also an ornamental, bee attracting plant and a traditional remedy for respiratory diseases and digestive disturbances. Hyssop is an essential oil-bearing plant, and its essential oil (Hyssopi aetheroleum) is used in the pharmaceutical, perfume and cosmetics industries as well as in aromatherapy. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition of essential oil of hyssop CV. "Domaći ljubičasti", grown in Serbia, and investigate its antimicrobial activity against 16 bacteria, mainly pathogens in the food industry. A total of 61 compounds were detected in the hyssop essential oil. The bicyclic monoterpene ketones CIS-pinocamphone (43.8%) and trans-pinocamphone (18.3%) were the most abundant, comprising 62.1%, followed by b-pinene (6.3%) and pinocarvone (6.1%). Hyssop essential oil expressed antibacterial activity against: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Proteus hauseri, Listeria monocytogenes, Rhodococcus equi, Listeria ivanovii, Salmonella Enteritidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria innocua and Bacillus spizizenii. Hyssop essential oil did not express antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Typhimurium, Klebsiella aerogenes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Results of this study show that hyssop essential oil has potential for using as natural supplement for control of foodborne diseases of microbiological origin, as well as flavor compositions (herbaceous, camphor-like odour with warm and spicy undernotes), especially for meat products, sauces, soups and seasonings.

Ecological conditions of the growing areas, growing practices as well as harvest and postharvest processing influence the yield and quality of chamomile. The aim of this research was to determine the influence of chamomile separation methods, as postharvest treatments, on the essential oil quality and content, with a view to improve current primary processing of this valuable medicinal plant. In order to explain the structure of laboratory data that would give deeper assessment of similarities among various samples of chamomile essential oil, PCA was employed. Tested results showed that separation of chamomile plant material, as postharvest and pre-drying treatment, had significant influence on the number of identified compounds in the chamomile essential oil. The highest content of individual essential oil compounds had chamomile flowers with short stems, especially a-bisabolol, chamazulene, Z-spiroether and E-b-famesene. In the essential oil obtained from chamomile flowers with long stems, content of a-bisabolol and chamazulene were significantly lower, while E-b-famesene and Z-spiroether contents were significantly higher. Furthermore, in the essential oil obtained from chamomile plant material without separation, the lowest content of abisabolol and Z-spiroether, and the highest content of E-b-farnesene were recorded. The correlation analysis was performed to investigate the likeness in the amounts of the active compounds of essential oil from differently processed chamomile samples. All these results indicate the importance of precise and controlled postharvest treatments, since it clearly affects the essential oil quality and content in the primary processing of this valuable medicinal plant.

In the essential oil of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L. sensu lato) collected from natural population on Mt. Rtanj (Serbia) and distilled by Clevenger apparatus 104 compounds were detected, and the most abundant were camphor (9.8%), caryophyllene oxide (6.5%), terpinen-4-ol (6.3%) and 1,8- cineole (5.6%). The quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) model was employed to predict the retention indices, using four molecular descriptors selected by factor analysis and a genetic algorithm. The coefficients of determination reached the value of 0.862, demonstrating that this model could be used for prediction purposes.

This study investigated the impact of climate conditions on the quality of essential oils extracted from Apiaceae fruits, specifically coriander (Coriandrum sativum var. microcarpum), aniseed (Pimpinella anisum), and annual caraway (Carum carvi var. annuum) grown at three distinct locations in Serbia over three consecutive years. Field experiments were conducted, and essential oils were extracted using a Clevenger-type apparatus followed by gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis for compound identification. Weather conditions during the vegetation periods were recorded, and statistical analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis, were performed to assess the volatile compound compositions. Results indicate significant correlations among various compounds within each fruit type, with distinct patterns observed across different years. PCA further elucidates the influence of both year and sampling location on the chemical profiles of essential oils. Cluster analysis reveals clustering primarily based on the year of cultivation rather than geographical location, emphasizing the dominant role of weather conditions in shaping essential oil compositions. This study highlights the intricate relationship between climate conditions and the quality of essential oils in Apiaceae fruits, providing valuable insights for optimizing cultivation practices and enhancing essential oil production. In general, climate conditions strongly influence the coriander, anise, and annual caraway cultivation, and also essential oil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the applicability of the Peleg model to the osmotic dehydration of various sweet potato variety samples in sugar beet molasses, addressing a notable gap in the existing literature. The osmotic dehydration was performed using an 80% sugar beet molasses solution at temperatures of 20 °C, 35 °C, and 50 °C for periods of 1, 3, and 5 h. The sample-to-solution ratio was 1:5. The objectives encompassed evaluating the Peleg equation's suitability for modeling mass transfer during osmotic dehydration and determining equilibrium water and solid contents at various temperatures. With its modified equation, the Peleg model accurately described water loss and solid gain dynamics during osmotic treatment, as evidenced by a high coefficient of determination value (r2) ranging from 0.990 to 1.000. Analysis of Peleg constants revealed temperature and concentration dependencies, aligning with previous observations. The Guggenheim, Anderson, and de Boer (GAB) model was employed to characterize sorption isotherms, yielding coefficients comparable to prior studies. Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy calculations further elucidated the drying kinetics, with effective moisture diffusivity values ranging from 1.85 × 10−8 to 4.83 × 10−8 m2/s and activation energy between 7.096 and 16.652 kJ/mol. These findings contribute to understanding the complex kinetics of osmotic dehydration and provide insights into the modeling and optimization of dehydration processes for sweet potato samples, with implications for food processing and preservation methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helichrysum italicum (immortelle) essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide and it has many beneficial properties, including antimicrobial. However, in this plant, the chemical diversity of the essential oil is very pronounced. The aim of this work was to process the GC-MS results of four samples of H. italicum essential oil of Serbian origin by chemometric tools, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity in vitro and in silico. Overall, 47 compounds were identified, the most abundant were γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene, followed by α-ylangene, neryl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, italicene, α-selinene, limonene, and italidiones. Although the four samples of H. italicum essential oil used in this study were obtained from different producers in Serbia, they belong to the type of essential oil rich in sesquiterpenes (γ-curcumene and ar-curcumene chemotype). In vitro antimicrobial potential showed that five were sensitive among ten strains of tested microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. Therefore, these microorganism models were used further for in silico molecular docking through the mechanism of ATP-ase inhibitory activity. Results showed that among all compounds from H. italicum essential oil, neryl acetate has the highest predicted binding energy. Artificial neural network modeling (ANN) showed that two major compounds γ-curcumene and α-pinene, as well as minor compounds such as trans-β-ocimene, terpinolene, terpinene-4-ol, isoitalicene, italicene, cis-α-bergamotene, trans-α-bergamotene, italidiones, trans-β-farnesene, γ-selinene, β-selinene, α-selinene, and guaiol are responsible for the antimicrobial activity of H. italicum essential oil. The results of this study indicate that H. italicum essential oil samples rich in γ-curcumene, α-pinene, and ar-curcumene cultivated in Serbia (Balkan) have antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in silico. In addition, according to ANN modeling, the proportion of neryl acetate and other compounds detected in these samples has the potential to exhibit antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to clarify the chemical composition of essential oil from seeds of Angelica (Angelica sylvestris) plants growing wild in Serbia. In the essential oil, a total of 27 compounds were detected, among which 22 compounds were identified (comprising 97.9% of all compounds), while five were unidentified (comprising 2.1%). The main components were limonene (66.6%) and α-pinene (19.0%), followed by camphene (1.9%), α-phellandrene (1.6%), bornyl acetate (1.6%), and trans-caryophyllene (1.0%), while all other compounds were present in amounts of less than 1.0%. The antibacterial effect of the essential oil of wild Angelica seeds was tested against two pathogenic bacteria that cause food poisoning, , viz., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. According to the obtained results, S. aureus was more sensitive to A. sylvestris seed oil than E. coli. The minimal inhibitory concentrations were 28.40 µL/mL and 56.81 µL/mL, respectively, confirming a good antibacterial activity potential of the essential oil against E. coli and S. aureus, and indicating possibilities for its application in the food and pharmaceutical industries

BACKGROUND: Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) has relevance for the food, fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. Flowers of this species emit a very pleasant scent; for processing purposes, inflorescences are either collected from the wild or harvested from a cultivated crop. The study of elderflower‐derived volatiles bears both phytochemical and commercial importance. RESULTS: Three samples of dry elderflower essential oil obtained from laboratory‐scale hydrodistillations were analyzed. By use of gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry, synthesis and NMR studies of chromatographic fractions of a distillation water extract prepared in a semi‐industrial scale steam distillation, 252 constituents of the oil were identified; 115 compounds were not previously reported as elderflower volatiles, seven of which were new natural esters. Particularly interesting were those of isosenecioic (3‐methylbut‐3‐enoic) acid because these were never before found in the plant kingdom. CONCLUSION: With these identifications, the known essential oil constituents accounted for 89.0–93.0% of the analyzed samples. Although the number of known S. nigra flower‐derived volatiles is now quite high, further research (both analytical and olfactory) is needed to unveil all of the relevant contributions to the unique odor of elderflowers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of active edible coatings with improved mechanical and barrier properties is a huge challenge. In this study, active edible coatings for sliced cheese have been developed using pullulan (Pull) in combination with two different biopolymers, chitosan (CS) and gelatine (Gel), and a combination of hydrolats as a source of active compounds with antimicrobial effects. In comparison to the monolayer coating, the bilayer coating system demonstrates improved barrier and mechanical properties. A preliminary assessment of the antimicrobial effect of lemongrass and curry plant hydrolats has revealed that both hydrolats exhibited antimicrobial activity against the targeted bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, albeit at different levels. The obtained results suggest that a mixture of 1.56% lemongrass and 12.5% curry plant hydrolats yielded a lower fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) value. Bilayer coating systems (Pull/CS and Pull/Gel) with an incorporated mixture of hydrolats have demonstrated effectiveness in both cases: artificial contamination before application of the coating system and after application of the coating system. In both contamination scenarios, the coating systems consistently effectively limited bacterial proliferation, indicating the antimicrobial effect of the hydrolat mixture in the coating layers. In the case of artificial contamination before applying the coating system, both coatings demonstrated antimicrobial effectiveness, but the formulation with chitosan had a biocide effect, while the other, with gelatine, had only a bacteriostatic effect in a long-term setting. In the second case, both Pull/CS and Pull/Gel coatings demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting bacterial growth regardless of the moment of contamination of the sample; the Pull/CS coating showed slightly better antimicrobial activity, achieving complete elimination of bacteria earlier compared with the Pull/Gel coating system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative crops are known as plant species that occupy small and variable agricultural areas. The crops adapted to agro ecological conditions of Southeast Europe are with the developed technology of the production which means machinery commonly used for conventional crops with a moderate increase in manual labor. Therefore significant income can be made on relatively small acreages, making these crops valuable firstly for integrated, ecological and organic cultivation systems. The paper describes available genetic resources of sorghum, hemp, buckwheat, millet, pumpkins and medicinal, aromatic and spice plants of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad.

Frankfurters seasoned with conventional and organic garlic or coriander were investigated for the differences in taste and odor intensities, instrumental color and oxidative stability during 35 days of cold storage. Garlic powder, both organic (0.78 mg MDA/kg) and conventional (0.71 mg MDA/kg), promoted lipid oxidation compared to control frankfurters without garlic (0.52 mg MDA/kg). Consumers assessed odor (6.68) and taste (6.18) intensities of frankfurters with organic garlic significantly higher compared to the odor (4.73) and taste (4.65) of the frankfurters with conventional garlic. Color of frankfurters with organic or conventional spices was also significantly different. At the 95% confidence level, at least 20% of the consumers could distinguish between the samples with organic and conventional garlic, and at least 14% of the consumers between the samples with organic and conventional coriander. For the first time it is suggested that seasoning with organic instead of conventionally produced spices might improve quality characteristics of meat products.

As byproducts of essential oil distillation, hydrolates are used in natural cosmetics/biomedicine due to their beneficial skin effects. However, data on their safety with relevant biological targets, such as human skin cells, are scarce. Therefore, we have tested nine hydrolates from the Lamiaceae family with skin fibroblasts that are responsible for extracellular collagenous matrix builds. Thyme, oregano, and winter savoury hydrolates showed several times higher total phenolics, which correlated strongly with their radical scavenging and antioxidative capacity; there was no correlation between their viability profiles and the reducing sugar levels. No proteins/peptides were detected. All hydrolates appeared safe for prolonged skin exposure except for 10-fold diluted lavender, which showed cytotoxicity (~20%), as well as rosemary and lavandin (~10%) using viability, DNA synthesis, and cell count testing. Clary sage, oregano, lemon balm, and thyme hydrolates (10-fold diluted) increased fibroblast viability and/or proliferation by 10–30% compared with the control, while their viability remained unaffected by Mentha and winter savoury. In line with the STITCH database, increased viability could be attributed to thymol presence in oregano and thyme hydrolates in lemon balm, which is most likely attributable to neral and geranial. The proliferative effect of clary sage could be supported by alpha-terpineol, not linalool. The major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with cytotoxic effects on fibroblasts were borneol, 1,8-cineole, and terpinene-4-ol. Further research with pure compounds is warranted to confirm the roles of VOCs in the observed effects that are relevant to cosmetic and wound healing aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dried ripe fruits of the plants from Apiaceae family are used in folk medicine for treating digestive disorders. They can be used in veterinary and animal production, especially poultry, as immunostimulants and as natural antibiotics. Plants from Apiaceae family improve performance parameters of poultry and can be used for prevention of diseases. This article is a review of present literature data on the usage of caraway, anise, coriander and fennel in broiler chickens and Japanese quail nutrition and their mode of action and effects on production performance, blood parameters, cholesterol and fatty acids profile.

The field experiments were carried out during 2011 and 2012 in three localities in Vojvodina (Serbia) with the application of six different fertilizer regimes aimed at determining the content and composition of the aniseed essential oil. It was found that the average essential oil content of aniseed, obtained by hydrodistillation, was 3.72%. The weather conditions during the year and the locality had a statistically significant effect on the essential oil content, while different source of fertilizers was not statistically significant for the essential oil content and its composition. Essential oil composition was determined using GC-MS technique, and a total of 15 compounds were identified. It was found that the major component was trans-anethole, 94.78% on the average, and the coefficient of variation was 2%. The second most abundant component was γ-himachalene with 2.53% (CV 28%). All other components were present in less than 1%.

Field experiments were carried out during two growing seasons with annual caraway, at three localities, in order to determine the effect of different environmental conditions on the quality of seed as reproductive material. During the experiment, it was found that the quality of caraway seed was significantly lower in the hotter and drier year in comparison to the year with moderate conditions. Unfavourable weather conditions caused premature ripening and consequently thousand seed weight was low and lower amounts of essential oils were stored in the seed. By applying the linear regressions method it was established that the total variability of both thousand seed weight and the amount of essential oil per seed were due to its association with harvest index. Because of better characteristics of seed during the moderate year, the germination energy and total germination were significantly higher, and reproductive material was of good quality.

The aim of this review was to point to a great importance of plants from Apiaceae family as a functional food. Caraway (Carum carvi L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) are plants from the above-mentioned family whose seeds are widely used in folk medicine, pharmaceutical industry, as spices, flavoring agents and as dietary supplements. These plants are rich in essential oil, which is a mixture of volatile compounds that give it a characteristic aroma. Their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities have been proven and because of these activities they have great potential to be used as natural food conservatives. These plants also have hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities as well as anticancer properties. They are used as food supplements in everyday nutrition and as natural health products for the prevention and treatment of many disorders such as inflammations, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and others. Apart from this, these plants have real application in foods such as pastries, meat and dairy products, pickles and salads as well as spice blends like curry powder, garam masala and others.

The aim of this study was to test the quality (physicochemical and sensory odor properties) and bioactivity (antimicrobial and antioxidant activities) of the essential oils (EO) obtained from the most frequently cultivated lavender and lavandin varieties in Serbia, whose cultivation areas were previously reserved for warmer climates, outside the agroecological region of Serbia. Seven EO from true lavenders (L. angustifolia Mill. and cultivars: 'Hidcote blue', 'Munstead', 'Primorska'), Croatian indigenous lavandin cultivar (L. × intermedia 'Budrovka'), lavandin 'Grosso' and one undetermined lavender sample (Lavandula sp.) showed compliance with standard requirements for lavender EO composition (contents of linalool 23.9–30.2% and 28.9–36.9%, and of linalyl acetate 22.2–32.2% and 6.9–20.7% in true lavender and lavandin samples, respectively). All EO were characterized as pleasant, with a floral aroma as a prominent odor. Samples exhibited high antimicrobial activities (3.5–14.2 µL mL−1 MIC and MBC values) against important Gram-positive (B. cereus and L. monocytogenes) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) and yeasts (C. albicans), and high antioxidant capacity (IC50 values of 0.23–0.59 µg AAE mL−1 EO). This preliminary research on the quality of lavender EOs reveals the potential of this species for the future of medicinal and aromatic plant species production and further diversification of agriculture in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coriander seed yield (Coriandrum sativum L.) depends of many factors during vegetation period, and also depend of seed quality. Coriander fruit (Coriandri fructus) which is used like spice and in medicinal purpose, and also in food and pharmacy, in the same time is and seed material. Because of that, it is very important to take care about its quality. In this paper is analyzed seed material obtained from field experiments village Mošorin, in 2011, and investigated was conducted in harvest year, and one year later. In harvest year, germination energy in average was 38,21%, and total germination 72,75%. After one year, germination energy was statistically significant smaller - 16,50%, as like total germination which was 67,42%.

Many plants of Apiaceae family have long been well known because of flavorful aromatic spice and, because of its healing properties, are often used in folk medicine and in cooking. In our study three plants of this family were included: caraway (Carum carvi L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). Regarding good agro-ecological conditions for growing these plants in Serbia, and a new world trend of increasing organic agricultural production, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of application of various types of fertilizers on yield of studied plant species. The field experiment was carried out during the years of 2011 and 2012, in three localities in Vojvodina Province with the local ecotypes and six different treatments (control, ‘Slavol’, ‘Bactofil B-10’, ‘Royal Ofert’, vermicompost and NPK). The highest caraway yield was obtained by the application of biofertilizer ‘Bactofil B-10’. As regards anise and coriander the highest yield was achieved by the application of chemical fertilizer. The most effective organic fertilizers were the following: vermicompost for anise and specific poultry manure ‘Royal Ofert’ granules for coriander.

Ironwort (Sideritis montana L.), mountain germander (Teucrium montanum L.), wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys L.), and horehound (Marrubium peregrinum L.) are species widely distributed across Europe and are also found in North Africa and West Asia. Because of their wide distribution they express significant chemical diversity. For generations, these plants have been used as medical herbs for treating different aliments. The aim of this paper is to analyze volatile compounds of four selected species that belong to the subfamily Lamioideae, family Lamiaceae, and inspect scientifically proven biological activities and potential uses in modern phytotherapy in relation to traditional medicine. Therefore, in this research, we analyze the volatile compounds from this plants, obtained in laboratory by a Clevenger-type apparatus, followed by liquid–liquid extraction with hexane as the solvent. The identification of volatile compounds is conducted by GC-FID and GC-MS. Although these plants are poor in essential oil, the most abundant class of volatile components are mainly sesquiterpenes: germacrene D (22.6%) in ironwort, 7-epi-trans-sesquisabinene hydrate (15.8%) in mountain germander, germacrene D (31.8%) and trans-caryophyllene (19.7%) in wall germander, and trans-caryophyllene (32.4%) and trans-thujone (25.1%) in horehound. Furthermore, many studies show that, in addition to the essential oil, these plants contain phenols, flavonoids, diterpenes and diterpenoids, iridoids and their glycosides, coumarins, terpenes, and sterols, among other active compounds, which affect biological activities. The other goal of this study is to review the literature that describes the traditional use of these plants in folk medicine in regions where they grow spontaneously and compare them with scientifically confirmed activities. Therefore, a bibliographic search is conducted on Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar to gather information related to the topic and recommend potential applications in modern phytotherapy. In conclusion, we can say that selected plants could be used as natural agents for promoting health, as a source of raw material in the food industry, and as supplements, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry for developing plant-based remedies for prevention and treatment of many diseases, especially cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a natural protective response of the human body to a variety of hostile agents and noxious stimuli. Standard anti-inflammatory therapy includes drugs whose usage is associated with a number of side effects. Since ancient times, natural compounds have been used for the treatment of inflammation. Traditionally, the use of medicinal plants is considered safe, inexpensive, and widely acceptable. In Serbia, traditional medicine, based on the strong belief in the power of medicinal herbs, is the widespread form of treatment. This is supported by the fact that Serbia is classified as one of 158 world centers of biodiversity, which confirms that this country is a treasure of medicinal herbs. Some of the most used herbs for the treatment of inflammations of various causes in Serbian tradition are yarrow, common agrimony, couch grass, onion, garlic, marshmallow, common birch, calendula, liquorice, walnut, St. John's wort, chamomile, peppermint, white willow, sage, and many others. The biological activity and anti-inflammatory effect of selected plants are attributed to different groups of secondary biomolecules such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, sterols, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes, and tannins. This paper provides an overview of plants with traditional anti-inflammatory use in Serbia with reference to available studies that examined this effect. Plants used in traditional medicine could be a powerful source for the development of new remedies. Therefore intensive research on the bioactive potential of medicinal plants in each region should be the focus of scientists around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main challenge in controlling the microbiological contamination of historical paper is finding an adequate method that includes the use of cost-effective, harmless, and non-toxic biocides whose effectiveness is maintained over time and without adverse effects on cultural heritage and human health. Therefore, this study demonstrated the possibility of using a non-invasive method of historical paper conservation based on plant essential oils (EOs) application. Evaluation of antimicrobial effects of different EOs (lemongrass, oregano, rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus) was conducted against Cladosporium cladosporoides, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Penicillium chrysogenum, which are commonly found on archive papers. Using a mixture of oregano, lemongrass and peppermint in ratio 1:1:1, the lower minimal inhibition concentration (0.78%) and better efficiency during a vapour test at the highest tested distance (5.5 cm) compared with individual EOs was proven. At the final step, this EOs mixture was used in the in situ conservation of historical paper samples obtained from the Archives of Vojvodina. According to the SEM imaging, the applied EOs mixture demonstrates complete efficiency in the inhibition of fungi colonization of archive papers, since fungal growth was not observed on samples, unlike the control samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Achillea has significant medical potential due to the presence of highly bioactive compounds in its chemical composition. To take advantage of plants' biomedical potential, it is of great importance to use a proper extraction process. This study aimed to determine and compare the preliminary chemical composition of five different Achillea species extracted with two conventional (infusion and maceration) and two non-conventional (ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and Subcritical water extraction (SWE)) techniques. The extracts were prepared using the previously described procedures for infusion, maceration, UAE and SWE extraction. For all extracts, the extraction yield (dry extract (DE)) was determined. The analyzed extracts were preliminarily chemically characterized spectrophotometrically in terms of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). The obtained results showed that non-conventional techniques delivered higher values of TPC and TFC than conventional. There is a statistically significant increase in DE and TPC content when applying SWE for all observed Achillea species. The highest DE value, 48.80 ± 1.76%, was observed for A. asplenifolia. The highest TPC values were observed after applying SWE: 93.63 ± 1.01 mg GAE/g DE for A. millefolium, and 90.12 ± 0.87 mg GAE/g DE for A. crithmifolia. The results for TFC revealed a statistically significant difference in values, with A. nobilis subsp. nelreichii as the sample with the highest content of TFC (11.11 ± 0.22 mg QE/g DE) when using UAE. Consequently, it could be concluded that SWE is a superior non-conventional extraction technique, and A. nobilis subsp. nerleichii presents as the most promising plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous research has proven that the immortelle (Helichrysum italicum) essential oil (EO) grown in Serbia possesses respectable biological potential and desirable composition of volatile compounds with the potential for a wide range of applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Within this study, the impact of seasonal variations (temperature, precipitation, and insolation) during three successive years (2017, 2018, and 2019), on the volatile profile of γ-curcumene + ar-curcumene immortelle chemotype was determined. Steam distillation was utilized to extract EO from the plant material, followed by chromatographic mass spectrometric analysis revealing 50 volatile compounds. A multiple linear regression model was developed, and principal component analyses were conducted to deliver detailed information regarding the prediction, component profile, and parallel contents of active compounds of the immortelle EO. Under Serbian agro-ecological conditions, with appropriate harvest method, immortelle can achieve two harvests per year: the first in July, and the second in August. The γ-curcumene + ar-curcumene chemotype usually occurs as the dominant chemotype in the region of the ex-Yugoslavia countries. This chemotype probably developed as an adaptation to climatic conditions, and spring and summer precipitation positively influenced curcumene accumulation in plants. Such a phenomenon was especially noticeable in the first harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural Parameters and Essential Oil Content Composition Prediction of Aniseed, Based on Growing Year, Locality and Fertilization Type - An Artificial Neural Network Approach Keywords: aniseed; essential oil; growing year; locality; fertilization; artificial neural network EN aniseed essential oil growing year locality fertilization artificial neural network 1722 16 11/17/22 20221101 NES 221101 1. [Extracted from the article]

The complete waste streams (solid waste residue, wastewater, and hydrolate) from the essential oil production of basil, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and hyssop plants were used as a cultivation media for fermentations of a health-beneficial beverage called kombucha. Considering that these waste streams have not been used as a medium for obtaining kombucha, the main focus of this study was on the biological profiling and sensory analysis of newly-obtained kombucha beverages. According to fermentation parameters and advanced mathematical modelling, it can be concluded that kombucha made from chamomile essential oil by-products achieved the fastest successful kombucha fermentation, with a maximal titratable acidity of 7.2 g/L and a minimal pH value of 2.8. The results of other kombucha fermentations varied between the chosen plant and the waste stream used for beverage production. The obtained phenol and flavonoid contents were in the range of 12.4–56.46 mg GA/100 mL and 0.25–5.07 mg RU/100 mL, respectively. Higher antioxidant capacity as well as anti-inflammatory and antihyperglycemic activities of all kombucha beverages were observed compared to controls. Briefly, achieved DPPH, ABTS, and reducing power values were in the range 30.28–73.70, 192.25–683.29, and 19.37–82.76 mmol TE/100 mL, respectively. According to sensory analysis, the best performance or complete acceptability was noted for kombucha beverages made from lavender and hyssops (in the case of solid waste stream mixed with hydrolate) as well as basil (in the case of concentrated wastewater and hydrolate). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter savory (Satureja montana L.) is a well-known spice and medicinal plant with a wide range of activities and applications. Two subspecies of S. montana, subsp. montana and subsp. variegata, were used for the preparation of seven different extracts: steam distillation (essential oil (EO) and hydrolate (HY)), subcritical water (SWE), ultrasound-assisted (UAE-MeOH and UAE-H2O), and microwave-assisted (MAE-MeOH and MAE-H2O) extraction. The obtained EOs, HYs, and extracts were used for an in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and superoxide anion methods) and in vitro antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial screening was conducted using disk-diffusion assessment, minimal inhibitory concentration, time–kill kinetics modeling, and pharmacodynamic study of the biocide effect. The total phenolic content (TPC) was highest in EO, followed by SWE, MAE, and UAE, and the lowest was in HY. The highest antimicrobial activity shows EO and SWE for both varieties, while different UAE and MAE extracts have not exhibited antimicrobial activity. The natural antimicrobials in the S. montana extract samples obtained by green extraction methods, indicated the possibility of ecologically and economically better solutions for future in vivo application of the selected plant subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ocimum has many species that are used to treat diverse kinds of illnesses and sicknesses from ancient times. One of them, Ocimum basilicum L., commonly known as basil, has a vital role due to its various medicinal goods. It is best known as a plant with pharmacological activities, but also as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and larvicidal agent. Although it has been traditionally used in Serbia in traditional medicine for centuries as an insecticidal, antibacterial, and antifungal plant as well as a traditional culinary plant, none of the O. basilicum varieties have been commercialised until today. There are significant numbers of information across the world that oils and by-products are part of the global market, but no references to the essential oil composition of Serbian plants were found. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of essential oil and hydrolate of two different varieties: O. basilicum var. genovese and Ocimum. basilicum var. minimum originating from Serbia for further industrial production of antimicrobial- and/or antioxidant-valued products. The results of this study confirm that essential oils of O. basilicum var. genovese and var. minimum represent a significant source of bioactive compounds, especially linalool, with a high rate of biological activities. Similar behaviour is observed for hydrolates, which are the by-product of the essential oil distillation process and can be utilised as bioactive-rich waste in further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of steam distillate essential oil and corresponding hydrolate obtained from S. officinalis grown in Serbia, as well as the influence of weather conditions (temperature and precipitations) on their chemical profiles. Furthermore, their antimicrobial activity was investigated in vitro. The main compounds in essential oil were cis-thujone, followed by camphor, trans-thujone, and 1,8-cineole, while hydrolate was slightly different from the essential oil, with camphor, cis-thujone, and 1,8-cineole as the main compounds. Among the eight respiratory-associated microorganisms, Klebsiella oxytoca was the most sensitive to the tested EOs (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/minimal bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) were 14.20 and 28.4 μL mL−1, respectively). MIC and MBC values of other tested bacteria ranged between 28.40 and 227.25 μL mL−1 while for Candida albicans MIC/MFC ranged from 28.40/56.81 to 56.81–113.63 μL mL−1. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns for the analyzed eight respiratory-associated microorganisms showed an intermediate level of resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as ampicillin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. As a preliminary approach to the antimicrobial profiling of the tested EO, the obtained results revealed that the tested samples possess remarkable antibacterial activities and could be used to develop pharmaceutical formulations as an alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garden angelica (Angelica archangelica L.), native to the northern temperate region, is widespread in Europe and Asia. Since the middle ages, it has been used for healing and as a vegetable in traditional dishes. In the modern era, it has been proven that A. archangelica has a complex chemical composition. The main derivatives that contribute to the plant's biological activities are essential oil and coumarins. In this review, the focus is on the cross-analysis of the taxonomy of A. archangelica, and its distribution in different regions, with the presentation of the richness of its biochemical composition, which overall contributes to the widespread use of the roots of this plant in folk medicine. It belongs to the plants that were introduced to the wider area of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe; as a medicinal plant, it represents a significant part of the medical flora of many areas. Cluster analysis of pooled data indicates a clear differentiation of chemotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oil (EO) obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus from aerial parts of Nepeta cataria L. var. citriodora (Becker), cultivated in Serbia was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) to determine the composition. Furthermore, N. cataria var. citriodora essential oil was tested to determine its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro. The antimicrobial activity was tested by broth microdilution method against 16 bacterial strains from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Four common tests for measuring in vitro antioxidant activity were used: 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH), reducing power (RP), 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and β-carotene bleaching assay (BCB). Antihyperglycemic activity was examined by using α-glucosidase inhibitory potential (AHgA), while anti-inflammatory activity (AIA) was determined by protein denaturation bioassay, using egg albumin. In total, 36 compounds were isolated and detected by GC-MS technique in N. cataria var. citriodora EO. The EO is mainly comprised of oxygenated monoterpenes (93.1%), and the main compounds were two monoterpenoid alcohols, nerol (38.5%) and geraniol (24.9%), followed by two aliphatic aldehyde, geranial (14.6%) and neral (11.0%). Antimicrobial activity of this EO shows growth inhibition of all tested bacteria strains, and exhibited good antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory activities. The EO obtained from N. cataria var. citriodora grown in Serbia shows valuable biological activity, indicating its potential for use as a supplement in everyday diet and as a natural preservative in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]