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Cuminaldehyde, an oxidized aldehyde monoterpene, present in green cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum Linn, Family—Apiaceae), is traditionally used for the treatment of abdominal colic, dyspepsia, diarrhea, and jaundice. Also, many studies have reported the antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal effects of cuminaldehyde. Serum albumins are the major soluble and small molecule-binding proteins, present in abundance in the circulatory system of a wide variety of organisms. Studies on the interaction of bioactive molecules with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) have attracted enormous interest due to its direct consequence on drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutic efficacy and drug designing. Our present study is carried out to understand the mechanism of interaction of pharmaceutically important component of spices, cuminaldehyde with BSA and HSA. Fluorescence spectroscopic measurements confirmed that cuminaldehyde interacted with BSA and HSA and quenched its fluorescence intensity via static quenching mechanism. UV–Visible absorption studies and CD-spectroscopy showed the change in secondary conformation of BSA and HSA upon interaction with cuminaldehyde. CD-spectroscopy revealed that HSA is unfolded at lower concentration of cuminaldehyde compared to BSA. The location of binding site for cuminaldehyde in BSA and HSA was investigated by site probe displacement experiments and the results indicated that cuminaldehyde preferred to bind site-I, located in subdomain IIA of both BSA and HSA. Thermodynamic studies revealed that vander Waal's interaction and hydrogen bonding play a major role in cuminaldehyde-BSA system while hydrophobic interactions play vital role in cuminaldehyde-HSA system. The molecular dockings of cuminaldehyde with BSA/HSA further confirmed the formation of the stable BSA/HSA–cuminaldehyde complex and cuminaldehyde binds at site-I of HSA. On the other hand, docking study showed that cuminaldehyde interacts with some residues close to site-I of BSA. Both experimental and theoretical results showed that the ΔG0 values are comparable for both the proteins, which indicate almost equal stability of cuminaldehyde-BSA and cuminaldehyde–HSA complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental setup was developed for simulating the field conditions to determine the force and power required for cutting cumin crops in dynamic conditions. The effect of cutter bar speeds, forward speeds, and blade type on cutting force and power requirement for cutting cumin were also studied. Experiments were carried out at three levels: cutter bar speeds, forward speeds, and blade type. The results showed that all the factors significantly affected cutting force. The cutting force followed a decreasing trend with the increase in cutter bar speed. Whereas it followed an increasing trend with the increase in forward speed. The maximum cutting force for all three blades was observed at a cutter bar speed of 2.00 strokes.s-1 and forward speed of 0.46 m.s−1. The idle power and actual power required for cutting the cumin crop were also determined based on the cutting force. The results obtained were validated by the power drawn from the power source while operating the cutter bar blades. The R2 values for Blade-B1, Blade-B2, and Blade-B3 were 0.90, 0.82, and 0.88, respectively. The cutting force was primarily affected by the cutter bar speed, resulting in PCR values of 74.20%, 82.32%, and 81.75% for Blade-B1, Blade-B2, and Blade-B3, respectively, followed by the forward speed, which also had an impact on PCR values of 16.60%, 15.27%, and 18.25% for Blade-B1, Blade-B2, and Blade-B3, respectively. The cutting force for Blade-B1, Blade-B2, and Blade-B3 varied from 15.96 to 58.97 N, 21.08 to 76.64 N, and 30.22 to 85.31, respectively, for the selected range of cutter bar speed and forward speed. Blade-B1 had 18 and 30% less power consumption than Blade-B2 and Blade-B3, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs) are a new type of nanomaterial with great potential in bioimaging, biosensing, and drug delivery. In this study, novel CDs were prepared from cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum L) by pyrolysis. The pyrolysis method and several extraction steps were optimized to fabricate CDs from cumin seed. The size, structure, chemical composition, and photoluminescence properties of the CDs were characterized using size analyzer, zeta sizer, TEM, SEM, EDX, UV-Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and FTIR. The influence of the CDs on cell viability was investigated in A549, 3T3, and MCF-7 cell lines using MTT assay. The cancer cell imaging potential of the CDs was assessed using fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that the CDs with a mean diameter of 13.4 ± 3.7 nm and zeta potential of -23.3 ± 7.5 mv can be obtained by the pyrolysis of cumin seed powder. The obtained CDs exhibited strong and unique fluorescence properties when they were excited at different wavelengths, particularly 350 nm. The CDs were highly stable over time, and their fluorescence properties remained unchanged after three months. Apart from the physicochemical properties of the CDs, cell viability assays showed that these CDs were non-toxic to A549, MCF-7, and 3T3 cells, over 90% of the cells were viable after 24 h, even at the highest concentration (1000 µg/ml). The CDs successfully penetrated the MCF-7 cells as revealed by fluorescent images. Taken together, the fluorescent CDs derived from cumin seeds through the presented facile technique indicated excellent and stable fluorescence properties. In addition, these CDs were highly biocompatible in vitro and could be a potential option for theragnostic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is affecting crop production worldwide. One promising strategy to reduce the negative effect of drought stress is the foliar application of micronutrients, such as zinc or iron. However, the uptake efficiency over the leaf surface depends on nutrient solubility. In this study the effect of inorganic iron FeSO4 and lysine-chelated iron (Fe-Lys) on productivity and drought tolerance of Nigella sativa L. (Nigella or black cumin) was compared. Moreover, the role of lysine itself was investigated. Spraying leaves with Fe-Lys improved growth and yield under control and drought stress conditions, while FeSO4 had only minor effects. Surprisingly, plants on which only lysine was applied showed many of the improvements of Fe-Lys application, including increased activity of antioxidative enzymes and ion levels. Our results suggest that foliar Fe-Lys application is a promising approach to minimize drought stress effects in Nigella. Moreover, they point to an important function of lysine in drought stress tolerance. The molecular mechanism, further steps to improve the approach and the result's relevance for other plant species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploidization is a major trend in plant evolution that has many advantages over diploidization. Ploidy level manipulation is a powerful breeding tool for many plant species, including medicinal plants. Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), as an annual diploid plant belonging to the Apiaceae family, is the second most popular spice worldwide. To identify effective concentrations and target tissues for inducing polyploidy in cumin, three methods of seed treatment, root treatment and apical meristem treatment were tested on a cumin ecotype from South Khorasan under greenhouse conditions. Colchicine was used in varying concentrations (0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.05, 0.025% and 0%) for all assays. Different treatment times (12, 24, 36 and 48 h) were considered for seed and root treatments, while the droplet method was used to treat the apical meristem. The ploidy level of the plantlets was verified by chromosome counts, flow cytometry, and cytology traits. The results showed that the seed and root treatments were not suitable for inducing polyploidy. The most effective method for inducing polyploidy in cumin was the application of colchicine (0.05%) on the apical meristem. However, applying 0.5% and 0.2% concentrations of colchicine on the apical meristem resulted in the wilting of the majority of seedlings. The tetraploid plants showed a significant difference in stomata size and pollen grain size and shape compared to the diploid mother plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is one of the valuable medicinal plants that is cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. This study aimed to investigate the effects of humic acid and seaweed extract under drought stress on the seed yield, essential oil yield and physiological characteristics of cumin in the Yasouj region, Iran, from 2019 to 2020. The experiment followed a split-plot factorial design based on a completely randomized block design with three replications, during two years. The three studied factors were three irrigation regimes: irrigation after 30% (control), 70% (moderate drought stress), and 90% (severe drought stress), of soil moisture consumption, two levels of humic acid (0 and 300 mg/L), and two levels of seaweed extract consumption (0 and 2%). The results indicated that under severe drought stress, there was a significant decrease in seed yield and essential oil yield by 32 and 10.9% compared to the control, respectively. The results of the present study revealed that both humic acid and seaweed extract factors had a positive impact on seed yield and essential oil yield when applied individually. However, the combined foliar spraying of seaweed extract (2%) and humic acid (300 mg/L) proved to be the most effective treatment in mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress. This improvement was attributed to enhanced physiological parameters such as total chlorophyll, total chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll b, proline accumulation, and antioxidant activity (peroxidase and catalase). This study emphasizes the potential role of humic acid and seaweed extract as effective strategies for alleviating the adverse effects of drought stress on cumin plants, particularly in areas where drought poses a significant challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an important spice crop with high agronomic and economic importance. A direct regeneration system using embryogenic explants in cumin was established to develop a highly efficient transformation system. Cumin embryos were utilized as an explant which shows higher regeneration efficiency on Gamborg's B5 media supplemented with 2.0 µM BA+0.5 µM NAA. Transformation of pSIM24-eGFP plasmid in cumin was carried out through Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 and biolistic gene gun method. The transgenic explants were confirmed for green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene integration through PCR analysis. The Agrobacterium-mediated transformed explants showed higher regeneration and transient transformation efficiency with 0.5 OD600 of cell density and 24 h of co-cultivation compared to 0.4 OD600 with 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h co-cultivation time and 0.5 OD600 with 48 and 72 h co-cultivation time. It was further confirmed by GFP expression analysis through real-time PCR. Gene gun-mediated transformed explants were cultured on different osmolytes (mannitol, sorbitol, and sucrose) containing media to reduce bombardment stress on explants. Compared to mannitol and sucrose-containing media, transformed explants cultured on sorbitol-containing media showed higher rates of regeneration and transformation. These results were further confirmed by real-time PCR analysis as prominent GFP expression was found in explants cultured on sorbitol-containing media compared to other osmolytes containing media. In the current study, we have developed an efficient transient transformation system with higher gene expression and regeneration efficiency. Key message: Successfully optimized Agrobacterium- and gene gun-mediated cumin plant transformation techniques. The transient transformation efficiency and GFP gene expression studies were carried out in T0 transgenics of cumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the availability of numerous reports on the discovery of medicinal plant compounds and their properties, one may encounter contradictory results released by these reports at the level of plant families and even within species. To establish an accurate perspective of the Apiaceae family, this study examined the fruit essential oil and methanolic extract of wild and common species of this family. According to the measurement of the antioxidant property in the methanolic extract of the fruits using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, Ferula gummosa, Pimpinella anisum and Cuminum cyminum have high power in inhibiting free radicals. However, Bunium persicum had the strongest DPPH radicals inhibitory potential among all essential oils. The results of antimicrobial tests and their classification analysis showed that C. cyminum and B. persicum fruit essential oil with a high amount of cuminaldehyde had the most antibacterial properties. At the same time, the antifungal properties of H. persicum essential oil (rich in aliphatic ester) were stronger than those of the all the studied plants. Also, the essential oils of F. gummosa and Kelussia odoratissima had favourable antimicrobial properties compared to other studied plants. The investigation of the bacterial structure by scanning electron microscope confirmed the effect of the applied essential oils dose and their antibacterial potential. In general, for the first time, this paper determined the biological values of the fruit essential oil of some wild plants, such as K. odoratissima and H. persicum. Besides, in vitro examination and the mathematical models provided a suitable classification, which makes a comprehensive view in terms of the properties of the Apiaceae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to examine the influence of sonication by power ultrasonic waves during thin layer drying of cumin seeds. To achieve this, a lab scale ultrasound assisted air drying unit was developed and built to dry cumin seeds at air temperatures of 30, 35, and 40 ºC, airflow velocity of 0.6, 0.8, 1 m/s, and sonication power of 0, 90, 180 W. The experiments were designed by response surface methodology and drying time, effective moisture diffusivity, energy consumption, color change, and rupture force of the end-product were examined. The key results revealed that the use a physical field processing such as ultrasound increases the drying overall performance in terms of drying time, kinetics as well as quality attributes such as color. The air born sonication process while drying not only enhances the energy efficiency through rise in effective moisture diffusivity but also decreases the energy consumption by almost 40%. It is interesting that the sonication positively correlated with (P-value < 0.0001) the total color change and rupture force of cumin seeds upon drying. The optimum drying condition with the desirability of 0.95 was achieved at air temperature of 39.45 ˚C, velocity of 1 m/s, and sonication power of 180 W. In these optimum conditions, the drying time, effective moisture diffusivity, the energy consumption, total color change, and rupture force were 34.10 min, 3.78 × 10–9 m2/s, 0.52 kWh, 8.58 and 26.84 N, respectively. Finally, RSM model validation revealed that the experimentally measured values of drying parameters were in close agreement with the predicted values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum, HJ), a spice widely used in China, has antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-obesity properties. In this study, to confirm the value of HJ as a functional food, the in vitro antioxidant and bile acid-lowering capacities, as well as the effects on caecal microbiota, were compared with those of cumin (Cuminum cyminum, CM) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum, CR) seeds in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice fed a high-sucrose and low-dietary fibre diet. The total phenolic content, superoxide anion radical-scavenging capacity, and Fe-reducing power of the HJ aqueous solution were higher than those of CM and CR (p < 0.05). The bile acid (taurocholic, glycocholic, and deoxycholic acids)-lowering capacity of the HJ suspension was also higher than those of CM and CR. Compared with mice fed a control diet (no fibre, NF), caecal Lactobacillus gasseri- and Muribaculum intestinale-like bacteria were higher in mice fed a diet containing 5% (w/w) of CM, CR, or HJ for 14 days. Bifidobacterium pseudolongum-, Lactobacillus murinus/animalis-, and Faecalibaculum rodentium-like bacteria were significantly increased, while Desulfovibrio-like bacteria were significantly decreased in the HJ group. In addition, CM and HJ may benefit specific metabolic functions of gut microbiota, such as starch, sucrose, and tyrosine metabolism. The tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) concentration in the spleen tissue of ICR mice was decreased by the intake of spices. However, there were no changes in interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-10 levels in HJ fed mice. These results suggested that HJ has potential as a functional food related to gut microbiota. Key points: • Bididobacterium and Faecalibaculum in mice gut microbiota are increased by Sichuan pepper (HJ). • Desulfovibrionaceae, an inflammatory LPS producer, in mice gut microbiota is decreased by HJ. • HJ decreases pro-inflammatory TNF both in murine spleen tissue and in vitro macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Toxoplasmosis is a globally widespread parasitic disease which causes major health problems in human and animals. This research was conducted to assess the effect of some Egyptian herbal extracts against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) tachyzoites in vitro. Methods: The methanol extracts of Withania somnifera, Cyper rotundus, Acacia nilotica,Chrysanthemum cinerariae folium, Anethum graveolens, Raphanus sativus, Ceratonia siliqua, Elettaria cardamomum and Cuminum cyminum were tested against T. gondii tachyzoites. Results: Among the tested plants, the extracts from Raphanus sativus, Cuminum cyminum, and Ceratonia siliqua exhibited high anti-Toxoplasma activities at 50 µg/ml, relative to sulfadiazine. They showed low IC50 values on T. gondii (7.92, 9.47 and 13.52 µg/ml, respectively) and high selectivity index values (100.79, 59.19, and 29.05, respectively). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) findings indicated evident morphological changes in tachyzoites treated with these three herbal extracts. Conclusion: Raphanus sativus, Ceratonia siliqua, and Cuminum cyminum methanol extracts could be promising sources of new medicament for toxoplasmosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, thyme (Coridothymus capitatus L.), laurel (Laurus nobilis), lavender (Lavandula officinalis), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), cinnamon (Cinnamon zeylanicum), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) essential oil nanoemulsions were screened for their antifungal activity against isolated Saprolegnia parasitica strains by disc diffusion and tube dilution methods. The constituents of the essential oil nanoemulsions were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major constituents of the essential oils were carvacrol (46.17%) in thyme, eucalyptol (1,8-cineole; 45.57%) in laurel, linalyl acetate (32.95%) in lavender, thymoquinone (44.86%) in cumin, eugenol (58.59%) in cinnamon, and 1,8-cineole (68.97%) in eucalyptus. The thyme essential oil nanoemulsions were showed the highest antifungal potency (MIC; 50–100 µL mL− 1 and MLC; 100–125 µL mL− 1) while cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions were less effective (MIC; 250–500 µL mL− 1 and MLC; 500–1000 µL mL− 1) against S. parasitica. The thyme essential oil nanoemulsions were more effective on fungal strains than the positive control group (formalin) at a range of 250–1000 µL mL− 1 concentrations. Following in vitro studies, the antifungal effect of thyme and cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions was determined in rainbow trout eggs experimentally infected with S. parasitica strains. The highest survival rates were recorded in thyme essential oil nanoemulsions at 50 mg L− 1 (76.60%) and the positive control (81%) (p < 0.05). These results indicate that thyme and cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions could be new plant-based antifungals against Saprolegniasis. Besides, they are eco-friendly and safe for use in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of cold plasma (CP) and ultrasound wave (US) before and during air drying of cumin seeds, respectively. In this regard, different CP exposure times (15 and 30 s), sonication powers (60, 120, and 180 W), and drying air temperatures (30, 35, and 40 °C) were practiced at the velocity of 0.6 m/s to study the underlying changes in drying time, effective moisture diffusivity, energy consumption, total color change, rupture force, and microstructure of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) seeds. It was found that CP pretreatment significantly increased effective moisture diffusivity and reduced drying time, energy consumption, and color change in the cold plasma–assisted drying program (CPCV). The morphological alteration in the seeds' surface, which accelerates water removal from the inner structure toward the surface, is the main cause of CP-induced modification in the drying process. The positive effect of CP pretreatment on the cumin seeds was intensified when it was followed by high-power sonication during air drying of the seeds. So that, the maximum reductions in drying time (46.65%), energy consumption (39.49%), total color change (40.69), and rupture force (46.84%) were in possession of 15 s CP pretreatment before ultrasound-assisted drying at the power level of 180 W. Longer exposure time (30 s) resulted in denser material with the compacted surface resulting in less color retention and increased rupture force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of sumac, cumin, black pepper and red pepper diethyl ether extracts on the growth of eight foodborne pathogens (FBP) and their biogenic amine (BA) production were investigated in histidine decarboxylase broth. The antimicrobial effect was determined by the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) concentrations. Sumac extract showed the highest antimicrobial activity against FBP. Enterococcus faecalis and Aeromonas hydrophila were the most susceptible strains to sumac extract. The MBC of spice extracts on the FBP was generally above 50 mg/mL. Cumin extract was the most effective in decreasing bacterial loads, inhibiting significantly the microbial growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni and A. hydrophila. Histamine production ranged from 0.14 (Yersinia enterocolitica) to 39.29 mg/L (S. aureus). Cumin extract significantly inhibited the histamine formation by S. aureus and Salmonella paratyphi A. Black and red pepper extracts promoted the histamine formation by most of FBP under scrutiny. Red pepper extract generally increased formation of BA, while sumac and cumin extracts proved to be the most effective antimicrobials and BA formation inhibitors. This research study allowed to conclude that sumac and cumin extracts can be used as natural preservatives in the agro-food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils have been proposed as promising non-toxic transdermal permeation enhancers. Their use is limited because of their low water solubility. The use of nanotechnology-based strategies is one of the ways to overcome this limitation. This study aimed to explore the transdermal permeation enhancing capability of cumin essential oil in nanoemulgel systems containing diclofenac sodium. Cumin essential oil nanoemulsion was produced by high-pressure homogenization technique. The formulation was optimized by changing HLB values in a range of 9.65–16.7 using different surfactant mixtures, namely, Tween 20, Tween 80, and Span 80. Preparations were characterized by polydispersity index, droplet size, and zeta potential. Nanoemulsion with concentrations of 2 and 4% essential oil was incorporated into 0.75% Carbopol gel matrix to make nanoemulgel formulation, and its permeation enhancing effect was performed through Franz diffusion cells. Antinociceptive activities of the formulations were measured in thermal (tail-flick) and chemical (formalin) models of nociception in mice. Characterization exhibited that at HLB value of 9.65, the smallest particle size (82.20 ± 5.82 nm) was formed. By increasing the essential oil percentage in the nanoemulgel from 1 to 2%, the permeation of diclofenac increased from 28.39 ± 1.23 to 34.75 ± 1.07 µg/cm2 at 24 h. The value of permeation from the simple gel (21.18 ± 2.51 µg/cm2) and the marketed product (22.97 ± 1.92 µg/cm2) was lower than the formulations containing essential oil. Nanoemulgel of diclofenac containing essential oil showed stronger antinociceptive effects in formalin and tail-flick tests than simple diclofenac gel and marketed formulation. In conclusion, the study proved that nanoemulgel formulation containing cumin essential oil could be considered as a promising skin enhancer to enhance the therapeutic effect of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study total seventeen experiments, based on Box-Behnken design were carried out to analyze the impact of process parameter, i.e., microwave power (watt), time (min), oil concentration (%), and 15 days storage period on responses chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), IC50 and total color difference (TCD) of cumin, black pepper incorporated coriander paste. It was analyzed that all three process parameters significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.01) affected the responses at a linear, quadratic, and interactive level. Optimized cumin, black pepper, and mustard oil incorporated coriander leaves paste were obtained at microwave power (300 watts), time (2 min), and oil concentration (1.5%), FTIR and GC–MS analysis were also done with optimized paste. The experimental values of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, TPC, TFC, IC50, and TCD of optimized cumin, black pepper incorporated coriander paste was 7.76 mg/g, 3.5 mg/g, 20.87 mg GAE/g, 22.55 mg CE/g, 2.43, and 33.89 respectively. During 15 days storage period at refrigeration temperature, it was observed that values of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, TPC, TFC, IC50, and TCD for the optimized coriander paste decreased significantly and found microbiologically safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an edible composite coating of chitosan and galbanum gum containing cumin essential oil (CEO) was used to increase the shelf life of chicken fillets during a 12-day refrigeration period (4 ± 1 °C). In order to achieve the optimal concentration of essential oil, antioxidant (free radical scavenging DPPH) and antimicrobial properties (MIC and MBC values) were determined. Then, chicken fillet coated with chitosan and galbanum gum (individually and in combination), and different concentrations of CEO (0.75 and 1.5%) was periodically evaluated chemically, microbiologically and sensory. IC50 values of DPPH free radical was to 45.32 μg/ml for CEO, and MIC and MBC values for different bacteria were 37.15–5.25 and 50–25 μg/ml, respectively. As results of coated chicken fillets showed that the composite coating with CEO effectively inhibited microbial load (total bacterial counts, psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast and mold) in chicken fillet (P < 0.05). The results of the chemical analysis showed that the coated samples had less peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid, and total volatile basic nitrogen than the control (P < 0.05). At the end of the storage period, the best results were observed in the composite coating containing CEO at 1.5% and were approved by sensory evaluators, thus this study suggests that utilization of this treatment (composite coating containing CEO at 1.5%) can maintain the quality and enhance the shelf life of chicken fillets during refrigeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study surveyed the effect of chitosan nano-coating (CNC) with green cumin extract (GCE) on the shelf life and quality of rainbow trout fillet (RTF) vacuum packaging during storage at 4 °C. The chemical composition of GCE was determined using GC–MS. The total phenolic content of GCE was 108.65 ± 2.76 mg GAE/g dry sample. GCE demonstrated a potent ability to inhibit DPPH and OH free radicals. The effects of GCE on chitosan coatings were also investigated during storage and on the quality of Oncorhynchus mykiss at 4 °C. The number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, coliforms, and lactic acid bacteria significantly increased with raising the storage time at 4 °C; this increase was less at higher concentrations of GCE (p < 0.05). The rise in moisture, fat, and ash content of fish fillets was consistent with the rising trend of GCE concentration in the treatments, such that CNC with 2% GCE (T4) was the best treatment. The treatments revealed an inverse trend in the amount of salt and protein, and thus the highest level of parameters was observed in the controls. An increasing trend was observed in PV, TBA, and TVB-N index in the treatments during the storage, but this rising trend decreased with raising the GCE concentration. Finally, T4 with 36.12 ± 0.86 wt% and a score of 4.6 compared to other treatments demonstrated better cooking quality and sensory characteristics and was the best treatment. Therefore, GCE can possess natural antimicrobial and antioxidant properties with a chitosan coating to preserve the quality of O. mykiss fillets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, electrospinning was applied to encapsulate the Cumin essential oil in zein electrospun fibers. Initially, the Cumin essential oil was obtained and characterized by GCMS and subsequently incorporated in 27% zein solution at 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20% (v/v) concentrations. The SEM and Image-J results showed that encapsulation of Cumin essential oil increased the diameter of zein electrospun fibers from 459 to 855 nm for 0% and 20% loaded electrospun fibers, respectively. The 3D-images of topographic surface of zein electrospun fibers was studied using AFM, and indicated that their morphology were in tubular shapes. The XRD was applied to study the physical structure of loaded electrospun fibers, and the XRD diffaractograms indicated the amorphous structure of electrospun fibers. The DSC thermograms indicated that encapsulation of Cumin essential oil increased the thermal stability of zein electrospun fibers. The FTIR spectra indicated the interaction between zein and Cumin essential oil and FTIR spectra also indicated that adding Cumin essential oil to the electrospun fibers affected the secondary structure of zein protein. The mechanical properties evaluation of electrospun fibers indicated that tensile strength increased with increasing Cumin essential oil from 0.28 (MP) to 3.55 (MP) for 0% and 20% loaded electrospun fibers. BET analysis was used to measure pore size of fibers. The obtained pore sizes were 7, 7.5, 8, 11, and 13 nm for 0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20% loaded electrospun fibers, respectively. Antibacterial test was carried out by disc diffusion method, and results shown that Cumin essential oil loaded fiber mats inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli, B. cereus, and S. enterica. According to results of this work, Cumin essential oil loaded fibers can be considered as an active packaging to be applied in packages of various foods such as cheese, meat and some other food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil-in-water (O/W) nano-emulsion (NE) is expanded to enhance the bioavailability of hydrophobic compounds. The NE can be prepared by herbal extract and essential oil as herbal medicines for antidiabetic treatment. In the present study, the O/W NE was prepared by fenugreek extract (FE), nettle extract (NE), and cumin essential oil (CEO) using tween 80 and span 80 surfactants in an ultrasonic bath, at room temperature within 18 min. The antidiabetic property was evaluated by determining glucose absorption using cultured rat L6 myoblast cell line (L6) myotubes and insulin secretion using the cultured mouse pancreatic beta-cell (RIN-5) for NEs. The samples were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) to examine the size distribution and size, zeta potential for the charge determination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate morphology and size. The rheological properties were studied by viscosity. The sample stability was evaluated at different temperatures and days by DLS and SEM analyses. The cytotoxicity of samples was explored by MTT assay for HEK293 human cell line as a specific cell line originally derived from human embryonic kidney cells at three different concentrations for three periods of time. The NEs with nanometer-size were observed with antidiabetic properties, low cytotoxicity, and suitable stability. This study provides definitive evidence for the NE as a plant medicine with antidiabetic properties. The NE can be a good candidate for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa often causes various acute and chronic infections in humans exploiting biofilm. Molecules interfering with microbial biofilm formation could be explored for the sustainable management of infections linked to biofilm. Towards this direction, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of cuminaldehyde, an active ingredient of the essential oil of Cuminum cyminum was tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this regard, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cuminaldehyde was found to be 150 μg/mL against the test organism. Experiments such as crystal violet assay, estimation of total biofilm protein, fluorescence microscopy and measurement of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) indicated that the sub-MIC doses (up to 60 µg/mL) of cuminaldehyde demonstrated considerable antibiofilm activity without showing any antimicrobial activity to the test organism. Moreover, cuminaldehyde treatment resulted in substantial accumulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) that led to the inhibition of microbial biofilm formation. To this end, the exposure of ascorbic acid was found to restore the biofilm-forming ability of the cuminaldehyde-treated cells. Besides, a noticeable reduction in proteolytic activity was also observed when the organism was treated with cuminaldehyde. Taken together, the results demonstrated that cuminaldehyde could be used as a promising molecule to inhibit the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecofriendly exploration of Arjun bark (Terminalia arjuna) is a herbal natural colorant for cotton dyeing. This is because the demand for natural dyes has been increased worldwide due to their therapeutic usage and other food, textiles, agriculture, engineering, and medical applications. Therefore, this study has been carried out due to the isolation of colorant from Arjun bark in an acidified methanolic medium after exposure to ultrasonic rays up to 60 min. Additionally, using bio-mordants, it has been found that the application of 10% of Zeera (Cuminum cyminum) extract as meta-bio-mordant, 3% of Ilaichi (Elettaria cardamomum) extract as meta-bio-mordant, and10 % of Harmal (Peganum harmala) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) extract as meta-bio-mordants has given excellent color strength. These bio-mordants have not only made the coloration process more eco-friendly, viable, and greener, but also improved color strength with various tonal effects from red to reddish brown shades. Thus, it has been found that ultrasonic treatment as an environment-friendly tool has not only enhanced the color strength of natural colorant isolated from Arjun bark onto the cotton fabric under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is a major producer and consumer of seed spices. There are numbers of studies have been done on soil and crop parameters of these but there is lacuna on the study of soil bacterial community analysis in the seed spices. Soil microorganisms are known to play critical role in soil biochemical processes, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and also influences plant performances. With the objectives to know microbial community composition and soil chemical and biological properties in rhizosphere of two seed spices plants- cumin and coriander we collected five soil samples from rhizosphere of cumin (NRCSS-SL-1 and NRCSS-SL-3) and coriander (NRCSS-SL-2, NRCSS-SL-4 and NRCSS-SL-5) grown in arid and semi-arid regions of India. Electrical conductivity (0.32–0.53 ds/m), organic carbon (0.03–0.64%), total nitrogen (223–258 kg/ha), total phosphorous (30–47.3 kg/ha) and total potash (206–388 kg/ha) were varied in samples. In biological properties bacterial and fungal populations were varied between 98.33 and 210 c.f.u. × 104 g−1 soil and 32–69.33 c.f.u. × 103 g−1 soil, respectively. Different soil enzyme activities dehydrogenase (37.96–57.68 µg TPF g−1 soil 24 h−1), acid phosphatase (14.66–24.72 µg p-NP g−1 soil h−1), and alkaline phosphatase (27.08–37.58 µg p-NP g−1 soil h−1) were varied in samples. Soil chemical and biological activities were found highest in NRCSS-SL-2 followed by NRCSS-SL-5 and lowest in NRCSS-SL-1. Amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene was done in the collected samples to identify and quantify the bacterial community structure. A total 37 phyla were observed with varying abundances in different samples. Next generation sequencing shows that three phyla were present in order of Firmicutes (26–43%) > Proteobacteria (23–29%) > Actinobacteria (11–22%) and they were dominating in all the soil samples. Relative abundance of order Bacillales was highest (26–35%), followed by Rhizobiales (8–10%) and Actinomycetales (7–11%) in samples. There were many orders which found in very low abundance and moreover some were not present in all soil samples but these may play significant role in the soil ecosystem. The study concludes that rhizosphere soil of seed spices harbors wide range of unculturable microbes and climatic conditions have impact on their community structure. Microbial activities in terms of microbial colony count and enzyme activity are also influenced by soil chemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiangiogenic effects of the nanoemulsions synthesized using cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) tincture were evaluated. The zeta potential and droplets' sizes, as well as the morphological appearance of nanoemulsions were assessed using a particle-size analyzer and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Antioxidant capacity was assessed against 2, 2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals; disc diffusion analysis was conducted against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia, and anti-angiogenic activity was determined using the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Finally, the gene expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (VEGFR) were analyzed by real-time PCR. The synthesized nanoemulsions had good and dose-dependent radical scavenging capacity as observed in the ABTS and DPPH assays (IC50 of about 31.2 and 14.2 µg/mL respectively). Disc diffusion analysis showed that the inhibition zones for S. aureus and K. pneumonia were 3 ± 0.1 and 11 ± 0.9 mm, respectively, which confirmed the antibacterial activity of the nanoemulsions. Also, the anti-angiogenic effect of the nanoemulsions was confirmed by reduced length and number of vessels in the CAM assay and decreased gene expressions of VEGF and VEGF-R in real-time PCR. As the nanoemulsions synthesized by the tincture of C. cyminum L. showed remarkable antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-angiogenic effects, these bio-functional substances can be applied as beneficial agents in food and medical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is one of the most alien insects found in the Buxus areas of Georgia and World. Many methods have been used to control this pest up to now. But, the problem is still going on. In this study, insecticidal effects of the essential oils obtained from plants Artemisia absinthium L., Seriphidium santonicum (L.) Sojak, Seriphidium spicigerum (K.Koch) Poljakov, Cuminum cyminum L., Mentha pulegium L., Origanum majorana L., Origanum onites L., Origanum syriacum L., Origanum vulgare L., and Satureja hortensis L. on C.perspectalis were tested in laboratory conditions. In this context, larvae of the 2nd and 5th instars of C.perspectalis were exposed to essential oils at doses of 10, 15 and 20 μl/petri for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. All of the essential oils used in the study caused mortality at different rates; the highest effect on 2nd and 5th instar larvae of C.perspectalis was obtained with the essential oil from O.onites with a mortality rate of 80.0–71.6%. The oils from O. onites (73.3–65.0%), O.syriacum (73.3–63.3%), O.majorana (71.6–66.6%), A.absinthium (68.3–61.6%), S.santonicum(68.3–60.0%), S.spicigerum (66.6–60.0%), S.hortensis (66.6–61.1%), C.cyminum (58.3–53.3%) and M.pulegium (51.6–45.0%) followed this in this order. As a results of the dose effect tests conducted in the second part of the study, the most toxic plant essential oils were determined to be from O.vulgare and the lowest toxic effect from M.pulegium based on LD50 and LD90. The results obtained show that the essential oils from O.vulgare can be used in the control against C.perspectalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current treatment systems for tendon injuries are very few and do not ensure complete cure. This is a serious health concern for sports persons and the aged population. It is known that the nano- or microsized particles of natural products such as jeera/cumin seed (Cuminum cyminum) has been used traditionally as a home remedy for the treatment of tendon injuries. Nevertheless, these particles are likely to perform better due to their smaller size, increased absorption and local delivery in conjunction with nanotechnology. In this context, the major objective of this study was to synthesize silver-capped nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Cuminum cyminum (CCE) and to assess their in vitro non-cytotoxic effect with the perspective of clinical application to enhance tendon tissue regeneration. The presence of phytochemicals in CCE was studied by qualitative and quantitative methods. Cuminum cyminum nanoparticles (CCNP) were synthesized by the bioreduction method using silver nitrate and the particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential measurement and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antioxidant effect of the particles was studied using total antioxidant activity and reducing power assay. Simultaneously, primary Tenocytes were isolated from rabbit Achilles tendon by collagenase and dispase digestion/treatment and characterized for Type 1 collagen. Further, in vitro non-cytotoxicity of the CCNP in direct contact with L929 mouse fibroblast cells and primary Tenocytes, respectively, was evaluated by MTT assay. Physico-chemical characterizations confirmed the formation and stability of the nanosize of CCNP with antioxidant property. Again, MTT assay confirmed the non-cytotoxicity of CCNP with L929 fibroblasts and primary Tenocytes. CCNP may be attributed as an ideal candidate for therapeutic application towards a faster restoration of worn-out/injured tendon tissue confronted by the geriatric and athlete communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloidosis is the process of fibril formation responsible for causing several diseases in the human being that involve protein aggregation such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and type II diabetes. Natural phytocompounds such as curcumin shown promising anti-amyloidogenic activity. In the present study, selective phytocompounds such as piperine, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and cuminaldehyde present in Piper nigrum L, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, Eugenia caryophyllus Thumb, and Cuminum cyminum L, respectively were analyzed for anti-amyloidogenic activity using hen egg white-lysozyme (HEWL) as a model system. Out of the selected phytocompounds, piperine showed the most significant anti-amyloidogenic activity, as evident from in vitro assays that were validated by in silico molecular docking study. Piperine showed 64.7 ± 3.74% inhibition of amyloid formation at 50 μM concentration, as observed by Thioflavin T assay. Subsequently, the anti-amyloidogenic activity of piperine was further validated by congo red, intrinsic fluorescence assay, and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The in silico molecular binding interaction showed piperine with the highest docking score and glide energy. Piperine was found to be interacting with amyloidogenic region residues and Trp62, the most important residue involved in the amyloidogenesis process. In conclusion, piperine can be used as a positive lead for a potential therapeutic role in targeting diseases involved amyloidogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sumac, cumin, and caraway are the most common spices used in the Middle Eastern cuisine, which are also known as herbal medicine. Thus, the present study was conducted to provide comprehensive information and analysis on the oil extracted from spices. The oils of caraway, cumin, and three different varieties of sumac seeds were extracted using hexane, and oil content, fatty acid composition, physicochemical properties, oxidative stability, antioxidant properties, and sterol compositions of oils extracted from spices were analyzed. The oil content ranged from 12 to 16% among different samples. Results obtained regarding the assessment of fatty acids composition showed oleic acid as predominant fatty acid present in different varieties of sumac, while linoleic acid was the dominant fatty acid of cumin and caraway. The α-tocopherol content of spices was equal to 392.06, 103.36 and 89.70 mg kg−1 for oils extracted from different varieties of sumac, caraway, and cumin, respectively. The sumac samples had high γ-tocopherol content (344.27–45.63 mg kg−1) and indicated unique oxidative stability for at least 50 h with no significant differences between the samples (P < 0.05). Favorable high oxidative stability and antioxidant properties of oils extracted from spices could represent their high potential applications in the food industry. Besides, they are suitable to be used in dietary regimens due to their unsaturated fatty acids, sterol compositions, high α, and γ-tocopherol contents, and total phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted in a split plot factorial design with 3 replications for evaluating the physiological responses of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) to different times and types of stress modulators under rain-fed and irrigated conditions. The main factors included cultivation method at the 2 levels of rain-fed and irrigated conditions and foliar application times (once in the vegetative phase and twice in the vegetative and flowering stages) and sources of stress modulators at the 4 levels of control, 1.5 M glycine betaine (GB), 10–7 mM brassinosteroids (BRs), and 1.5 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The rain-fed cultivations included more carotenoids, H2O2, proline, GB content, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and guaiacol peroxidase activities and less chlorophyll a, while further chlorophyll b appeared in the irrigated cultivations. The application times had no significant effects on the plant's physiological attributes. Both in the rain-fed and irrigated conditions, foliar applications of BRs increased the activities of enzymatic or non-enzymatic antioxidants in cumin as compared to the other osmotic modulators. Under the rain-fed conditions, spraying of BRs increased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and proline and catalase, superoxide dismutase, and guaiacol peroxidase activities compared to the control, while decreasing H2O2 and glycine betaine contents. Under the irrigated conditions, the amounts of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, proline, and GB and catalase, superoxide dismutase, and guaiacol peroxidase activities enhanced, whereas H2O2 content were lowered in comparison to the control. Overall, the applied modulators could be classified as brasinosteroids > glycine betaine > sodium nitroprusside in terms of reducing drought stress impacts through their modulatory effects of enhancing enzymatic antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) represents an important global public health problem and has the ability to survive under desiccation conditions in foods and food processing facilities for years. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Allium sativum (A. sativum) and Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) essential oils (EOs) against planktonic growth, biofilm formation and quorum sensing (QS) of S. Typhimurium isolates, the strong biofilm producers. The major components of EOs were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Biofilm formation of S. Typhimurium isolates was measured by crystal violet staining. Then, the effects of the EOs on the planktonic cell growth (using determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)), measurement of the synergistic effects of EOs (using checkerboard method), biofilm formation (using microtiter-plate test and scanning electron microscope (SEM)), and expression of QS and cellulose synthesis genes (using quantitative real-time PCR) were assessed. Finally, tetrazolium-based colorimetric (MTT) assay was used to examine EOs cytotoxicity on the Vero cell line. GC–MS analysis showed that terpineol, carene and pinene in C. cyminum EO and sulfur compounds in A. sativum EO were the major components of the plant extract. The Geometric mean of MIC values of the A. sativum and C. cyminum were 0.66 and 2.62 μL mL−1, respectively. The geometric means of the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi) for both EOs were calculated as 1.05. The qPCR results showed that MIC/2 concentrations of both EOs significantly down-regulated of QS (sdiA and luxS) and cellulose synthesis (csgD and adrA) genes. Scanning electron microscopy showed the EOs reduced the amount of S. Typhimurium mature biofilm. In general, we showed that C. cyminum and A. sativum EOs can be considered as the potential agents against planktonic and biofilm form of S. Typhimurium without any concern of cytotoxic effect at 4 MIC concentrations on the eukaryotic Vero cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land plants exist in close association with bacterial and fungal microbes, where some associations can be pathogenic and others can be mutualistic/beneficial. One such relation exists between host plant, Cuminum cyminum L. (Cumin) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini (Foc), the causal pathogen of cumin wilt and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf), where Pf acts as a bio-agent for inhibiting Foc and promoting plant growth of cumin. In this study, antagonism by 10 different Pf isolates against Foc was studied under laboratory conditions through percent growth inhibition and biochemical mechanisms. Among these Pf isolates, Pf-5 exhibited the highest in vitro growth inhibition (82.51%). A positive correlation was observed between percent growth inhibition and specific activities of hydrolytic enzymes, chitinase, β-1, 3 glucanase, and protease, where a negative correlation was observed with cell wall degrading enzymes, cellulase and polygalacturonase. To conclude, isolate Pf-5 could be a potential biocontrol agent for Fusarium wilt disease of cumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, element content and health risk of the most popular herbs from Iran were evaluated. The samples of raw materials from 30 different herbs were purchased from the local markets of Iran. The concentration levels of some elements including macroelements (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Na), and heavy metals (Cd, Ni, and Pb) of studied herbs were evaluated. The potential of health risks was calculated by Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), and Hazard Index (HI). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to test a hypothesis about differences between the mean values. The highest levels of Ca (20,000 ± 26.3 mg/kg), Mg (9600 ± 45.4 mg/kg), N (59,955 ± 11.55 mg/kg), P (6544 ± 20 mg/kg), and K (56,563.2 ± 18 mg/kg) were found in Zataria multiflora, Malva sylvestris, Acasia arbus, Cannabis sativa, and Amomum subulatum, respectively. In addition, the highest concentration levels of Fe (987 ± 75.27 mg/kg), Zn (1187.5 ± 10 mg/kg), Cu (64.2 ± 2 mg/kg), Mn (272.3 ± 66.62 mg/kg), and Na (2658.8 ± 20.3 mg/kg) were recorded in Bunium persicum, Peganum harmala, Papaver somniferum, Alpinia officinalis, and Cuminum cyminum, respectively. Acasia arbus, Anethum graveolens, and Malva sylvestris showed the highest concentration of Ni (6.07 ± 0.04 mg/kg), Cd (1.64 ± 0.16 mg/kg), and Pb (9.27 ± 0.25 mg/kg). Based on performed health risk assessment on the studied plants, EDI, THQ, and HI values of all of them were less than 1. This study indicated that there were several harmful elements in the herbs. The healthier plant species are those with the least concentration of Pb, Ni, and Cd, which include Vitex agnus-custus and Teucrium polium. On the other hand, the toxic plants with a higher concentration of Pb, Ni, and Cd included Malva sylvestris, Acasia arbus, and Anethum graveolens. In addition, evaluation of human risk assessment is an important factor for investigating the concentration of heavy metals harmful for human beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assessed the potential of aqueous extract (CSEaq) of Cuminum cyminum L. (cumin) seeds in protecting WRL-68 cells from hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]-induced oxidative injury. Cells exposed to Cr(VI) (10 μM CrO3) for 24 h demonstrated a twofold increase in ROS, which, in turn, led to extensive oxidative stress, consequently causing colossal decline in cell viability (by 58.82 ± 9.79%) and proliferation (as was evident from a reduced expression of Ki-67, a proliferation marker). Immunofluorescence studies showed that Cr(VI) diminished the expressions of mTOR and survivin in WRL-68 cells. It also led to a substantial elevation of BECN1 expression, which suggested autophagy. Overall, our results indicated that 24 h exposure of WRL-68 cells to Cr(VI) caused oxidative stress-induced autophagic cell death. CSEaq was found to protect WRL-68 cells from the same fate by refurbishing their viability and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The extract reduced ROS in these cells, which consequently decreased the degree of autophagic cell death by restoring expressions of mTOR, survivin and BECN1 to their respective normal levels. Biochemical assays revealed that CSEaq is rich in phenolic constituents. Total phenolic content of CSEaq demonstrated positive correlations with (i) its antioxidant potential, (ii) its alleviation of cellular oxidative stress and (iii) its cytoprotective efficacy in Cr(VI)-treated WRL-68 cells. We also identified the major phenolic constituents of CSEaq. Our study suggested that polyphenols in CSEaq might be responsible for protecting WRL-68 cells from Cr(VI)-governed oxidative assault that would have otherwise led to survivin/mTOR-mediated autophagic death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to fabricate an active paper containing encapsulated cumin seed essential oil (CSEO) for shelf-life extension of beef hamburger. CSEO-loaded nanoemulsions (NE) and Pickering emulsions (PE) were prepared by Tween80 and blend of whey protein isolate (WPI) and inulin, respectively. The NE had the lowest droplet size and zeta potential values. The blending of inulin with WPI decreased the particle size of PE microcapsules and increased their encapsulation efficiency. Uniformly shaped PE microcapsules and occurring of chemical bonds between CSEO and wall materials were approved by FE-SEM and FT-IR tests. At the second step, the obtained nanocarriers were incorporated into the cellulosic papers (10%wt.) and the morphological, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of active papers were investigated. Finally, the effect of active papers on quality and shelf-life of beef hamburgers stored at 4 °C for 7 days and at − 18 °C for 60 days was investigated. The highest water holding capacity and the lowest color difference were observed for active papers amended with WPI/inulin-stabilized PE at the 7th day of refrigeration. TBARS value and counts of mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria increased during storage and PE-WPI/In treatment had the maximum effect on controlling of microbial growth and lipid oxidation of hamburger. The effect of active papers on the refrigerated samples was more than the frozen ones. In brief, application of microencapsulated CSEO-loaded cellulose papers has the potential to extend the shelf-life of beef hamburger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a severe neural disorder that affects approximately fifty million individuals globally. Despite the fact that for most of the people with epilepsy, convulsions are better controlled by current accessible antiepileptic medicines, yet there are more than 30% of individuals affected with medically intractable epilepsy and around 30–40% of all patients with epilepsy affected by many adverse reactions and convulsion resistance to the present antiepileptic drugs. Consequently, various scientists attempt to develop new strategies to treat epilepsy, for instance, to find out novel antiepileptic ingredients from traditional medicines. This work aims to present a complete summary of natural medicines prescribed as antiepileptic agents all over the world by ethnic groups and different tribes. We undertook an extensive bibliographic analysis by searching peer reviewed papers and classical textbooks and further consulting well accepted worldwide scientific databases. We carried out PubMed, EMbase and CENTRAL searches by means of terms such as "antiepileptic" and "anti-convulsant" activity of plants. Medicinal plants have been prescribed to treat epilepsy and have been recognized as antiepileptic medicines. In this review, a variety of herbs have been reviewed for thorough studies such as Cuminum cyminum, Butea monosperma, Solanum americanum, Anacyclus pyrethrum, Leonotis leonurus, Elaeocarpus ganitrus and Angelica archangelica. This paper shows that it was high time experimental studies are increased to obtain novel potential active principles from medicinal plants. Plant extracts and their chemical constituents should be further evaluated to clarify their mechanisms of action. This paper provides a solid base upon which to further investigate the clinical efficacy of medicinal plants that are both currently prescribed by physicians as traditional antiepileptic agents, but also could be effective as an antiepileptic drug with further research and study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, one step hydrothermal synthetic strategy was adopted for preparing carbon dots (C. dots) from jeera (Cumin: Cuminum cyminum), a naturally abundant and cost effective carbon source. The physical, optical and surface functional properties of C. dots were extensively studied by different techniques such as Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The obtained C. dots were highly water dispersible and photostable with a quantum yield of 5.33%. The antioxidant property of C. dots was investigated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The C. dots were then capped with cystamine using 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethyl carbodiimide (EDC) and N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) coupling chemistry to design a selective sensing system for chromium (VI) (Cr (VI)). The minimum detection limit of Cr (VI) was found to be 1.57 μM. Biocompatibility and low toxicity of C. dots obtained from jeera made it a potential tool for bioimaging application. The internalisation of C. dots by MCF-7 breast cancer cells and Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were proved by the bioimaging of respective cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Biotic and abiotic stresses cause special defense reactions in plant organs, which after a series of reactions, these stresses produce secondary metabolites. The effect of ultraviolet radiation on the expression of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoA reductase), GPP synthases, Deoxyribonino heptulosinate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHP), and Deoxy Xylose Phosphate Synthase (DXS)), and the association of these genes with different amounts of secondary metabolites (phenol, terpene, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, lycopene, and beta-carotene) was investigated in this study. The results of this study showed that the application of UV-B stress significantly increased the expression of GPPs, HMG-CoA reductase, DXS, DAHPs, and PAL genes compared to the control plants. The expression of two key genes involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids, including DAHPs and PAL, increased with UV-B stress, and the highest expression was related to the PAL gene. The results revealed that UV-B stress caused a significant increase in total levels of terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, alkaloids, beta-carotene, and lycopene. The highest relative expression of all genes was obtained in treatment A (UV-B radiation for 1 h), while in treatment B (UV-B radiation for 2 h), no significant changes were observed in the expression of the genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carum carvi or caraway is traditionally used for treatment of indigestion, pneumonia, and as appetizer, galactagogue, and carminative. Essential oil, fixed oil and many other valuable extractive compounds with industrial applications are prepared from caraway. This review article has new deep research on caraway as medicinal plant. For preparing the manuscript, the information was extracted from accessible international databases (Google scholar, PubMed, Science direct, Springer, and Wiley), electronic resources and traditional books by key word of caraway or Carum carvi. The results of traditional studies exhibited that the galactagogue and carminative effects of caraway fruits are superior to other effects. Although, the traditional scholars used it as appetizer, while caraway was the main ingredient of anti-obesity drugs in traditional medicine, which has been confirmed in two modern clinical trials of human studies. Caraway oil in combination with peppermint oil or menthol is used for treatment of functional dyspepsia in clinical studies. Caraway oil topically on abdomen relieves the IBS symptoms in patient. Although, the use of caraway oil is not recommended in adults under 18 years due to insufficient data, but it can topically use as anti-colic and carminative agent in children or infants. The anti-aflatoxigenic, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of caraway oil along with its reputation as spice help the industries to use it as natural preservatives and antioxidant agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, antimicrobial peptides from Cuminum cyminum L. seeds were isolated and purified for the first time by 50% ethanol extraction, C18 reverse phase column chromatography and ion exchange chromatography for separation different peptides fraction. Then isolated fractions were characterized by Gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), high-pressure liquid chromatography and the peptides components and molecular weights were determined by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The extracts were tested against some strains of bacteria (E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus) and one strain of fungi (Candida albicans) using well diffusion and broth dilution assays. The extracts from C. cyminum L. seeds demonstrated a high degree of activity (some antibacterial effect) against the bacteria strains and аntifungal activity against the Candida albicans. However, the study indicates that the crude peptide extracts from C. cyminum L. seeds have promising antimicrobial and antioxidant activities that can be harnessed as leads for potential bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini, the causal agent of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) wilt disease is a devastating fungal pathogen, limiting cumin production in Turkey. Genetic diversity among Fusarium wilt isolates of cumin was analyzed by vegetative compatibility grouping (VCG), DNA sequencing of the intergenic spacer region (IGS) of rDNA, and Inter-PBS (iPBS) amplification of LTR retrotransposons. The pathogen isolates were grouped into thirty-three VCGs by complementation tests using nitrate non utilizing mutants; most of these VCGs contained only a single isolate. Phylogenetic analysis of IGS region revealed two main clades among the pathogen isolates in the dendrogram with a bootstrap support of 99%. The unique VCGs had similar IGS sequences and grouped into the same clades with closely related other F. oxysporum formae speciales. iPBS analysis revealed high level of intraspecific diversity among the pathogen isolates and provided a similar discrimination that was consistent in the groupings based the partial IGS sequence. The results showed that F. oxysporum isolates from cumin has a polyphyletic origin, consisting of distinct clonal lineages. Also, the results of this study supported that iPBS marker system is a powerful tool for estimating intraspecific variation within the populations of F. oxysporum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snails of the family Lymnaeidae are an essential link in the transmission of zoonotic diseases. Radix peregra is a European freshwater snail and a susceptible intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica, the causing agent of fascioliasis. Essential oils (EOs) extracted from Anethum graveolens (dill), Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgare (bitter fennel) and Petroselinum crispum (plain leaf parsley) were characterized by GC and GC-MS. Seven EOs and 11 constituents were first screened through a single-dose bioassay against R. peregra (10 mg L for juveniles and 50 mg L for egg masses and mature snails). EOs from parsley, cumin and bitter fennel (leaves plus stems) were highly active towards eggs and adults at 50 mg L. Subsequently, dose and time-lethality bioassays were performed against adults to determine lethal parameters (LC and LT). Estimated 48 h LC varied from 13.7 to 46.5 mg L, with P. crispum fruits EO exhibiting the most significant activity. EOs from cumin fruits and bitter fennel infrutescences, and cuminaldehyde, were the most time-effective treatments when assessed by continuous exposure (LT for a 50 mg L dose = 15.1, 19.3 and 19.5 h, respectively). A short-time exposure (8 h) to bitter fennel EOs was effective for the control of adults (LT ≤25 h). The present study uncovers the potential of four well-known Apiaceae species as natural sources of biomolluscicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress as a major limiting factor negatively affects many physiological processes in plants. Salinity promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequently oxidative damage of cellular components. Plant salt stress tolerance requires activation of antioxidative pathways to prevent plant cell from injurious effects. In this study real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the protective role of two antioxidant genes, i.e. iron-superoxide dismutase ( Fe-SOD) and catalase (CAT) in Cuminum cyminum L. after their treatment with 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM NaCl. Enzymatic activities were assayed spectrophotometrically for three antioxidants. Moreover, growth parameters, protein content and proline accumulation were measured. In comparison with the control plants, those plants which were exposed to 50 and 100 mM NaCl concentration accumulated higher levels of proline. At 50, 100 and 150 mM of NaCl plants showed higher superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase activities. The same condition also induced expression of the Fe-SOD and CAT genes at mRNA level. Protein content of the treated plants was significantly decreased at 50 mM NaCl and remained constant at other concentrations. Whereas, the growth parameters, with one exception in case of shoot length, did not change at plants receiving low and mild salt concentrations of up to 150 mM NaCl, 200 mM of NaCl affected these parameters negatively. From these details, it can be concluded that C. cyminum respond to salt stress by antioxidant system efficiency and proline accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is a serious causative agent of infectious disease. Multidrug-resistant strains like methicillin-resistant S. aureus compromise treatment efficacy, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Active efflux represents a major antimicrobial resistance mechanism. The proton-driven multidrug efflux pump, LmrS, actively exports structurally distinct antimicrobials. To circumvent resistance and restore clinical efficacy of antibiotics, efflux pump inhibitors are necessary, and natural edible spices like cumin are potential candidates. The mode of cumin antibacterial action and underlying mechanisms behind drug resistance inhibition, however, are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that cumin inhibits LmrS drug transport. We found that cumin inhibited bacterial growth and LmrS ethidium transport in a dosage-dependent manner. We demonstrate that cumin is antibacterial toward a multidrug-resistant host and that resistance modulation involves multidrug efflux inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of cryogenic grinding on recovery of volatile oil, fatty oil percentage and their constituents in two cumin ( Cuminum cyminum L.) genotypes have been analyzed. Cryogenic grinding not only retains the volatiles but enhanced the recovery by 33.9 % in GC 4 and 43.5 % in RZ 209. A significant increase (29.9 %) over normal grinding in oil percentage was also observed in genotype RZ 209. This increase was, however, less (15.4 %) in genotype GC 4. Nineteen major compounds were identified in the essential oil of both genotypes. The two grinding techniques had significant effects on dependent variables, viz., volatile oil and monoterpenes. Cuminaldehyde was the main constituent in both genotypes, content of which increased from 48.2 to 56.1 % in GC 4 on cryo grinding. Content of terpines were found to decrease in cryo ground samples of GC 4 and either decrease or no change was found in RZ 209. Organoleptic test showed more pleasant aroma in cryo ground seeds of both the genotypes. Significant increase was also reported in fatty oil yield due to cryogenic grinding. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis showed oleic acid as major FAME content of which increased from 88.1 to 94.9 % in RZ 209 and from 88.2 to 90.1 % in GC 4 on cryogenic grinding. Other prominent FAME were palmitic, palmitoleic and stearic acid. Results indicated commercial potential of cryogenic grinding technology for cumin in general and spices in particular for better retention of flavour and quality in spices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural essential oils have received increased attention as alternatives to synthetic pesticides for pest management of foodstuffs. Recently, microencapsulation and other controlled release techniques are used to increase insecticidal efficiency and persistence of essential oils with slow and controlled release. In this study, the possibility of improving the insecticidal activity of plant essential oils was investigated for effective management of two stored product beetle pests. Self-assembly technique was used to prepare nanogels of myristic acid-chitosan loaded by essential oil extracted from cumin, Cuminum cyminum L. Fumigant toxicity of C. cyminum oil and oil-loaded nanogels (OLNs) were investigated at 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16 µL/L air against the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius L. and 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 µL/L air for confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. Experiments were conducted at 27 ± 1 °C and 55 ± 5 % relative humidity in continuous darkness. Insecticidal bioassay revealed that OLNs were more toxic than C. cyminum oil against tested beetle pests. The persistence of the oil and OLNs was also evaluated against two tested species. Results indicated that C. cyminum oil completely lost its insecticidal activity after 12 days, whereas at the same period, the OLNs lost about 60 % of its activity when applied against S. granarius and 15% for T. confusum. Therefore, it could be concluded that encapsulation improved the persistence of the oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of two extraction methods, used at three ripening stages on the total polyphenol contents and the antioxidant activities of Cumin ( Cuminum cyminum L.) seed extracts were studied. The ripening stage effect on some physical properties of cumin seed was significant. The increase of dry matter (from 10.3 to 87.5 %) during ripeness was correlated negatively with that of moisture content (from 89.7 to 12.5 %). Besides results showed that the full ripe seeds were richer on polyphenols and condensed tannin than unripe ones, and consequently exhibited higher antioxidant activities. However, the unripe seeds had a higher total flavonoid content compared to those of half ripe and full ripe ones. The comparison of two extraction methods showed that soxhlet extracts contained the greatest amount of polyphenols and flavonoids, while maceration samples exhibited higher antiradical and bleaching power assay. Total phenolic contents and IC (concentration required to cause a 50 % DPPH inhibition) values in cumin seed during their maturation allowed to conclude that antioxidant activity does not depend only on the high content of total phenolics but also on the phenolic composition. A total of 19 phenolic compounds were successfully identified by HPLC analysis during the ripening of cumin seeds. Rosmarinic acid was the major phenolic acid for the unripe seeds. Furthermore, half ripe and full ripe seeds were dominated by p-coumaric acid. These compounds might be considered as interesting bioactive natural substances that may be used in several fields, such as nutraceuticals, cosmetics and agro-food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Cumin; Virus; Disease; Symptom EN Cumin Virus Disease Symptom 877 877 1 06/01/22 20220501 NES 220501 Plant viruses have caused a major limitation on export of produce in a number of countries worldwide, restricting food supply and economic growth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Vanilla distortion mosaic virus (VDMV) infecting cumin crop in India I . i Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Virus, Disease, Symptom, Cumin. [Extracted from the article]

Cumin is an annual herbaceous medicinally important plant having diverse applications. An efficient and reproducible method of Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation was herein established for the first time. A direct regeneration method without callus induction was optimised using embryos as explant material in Gamborg's B5 medium supplemented with 0.5-μM 6-benzyladenine and 2.0-μM α-naphthalene acetic acid. About 1,020 embryos (a mean of 255 embryos per batch) were used for the optimisation of transformation conditions. These conditions were an Agrobacterium cell suspension of 0.6 OD, a co-cultivation time of 72 h, 300-μM acetosyringone and wounding of explants using a razor blade. Pre-cultured elongated embryos were treated using optimised conditions. About 720 embryos (a mean of 180 embryos per batch) were used for transformation and 95 % embryos showed transient β- glucuronidase expression after co-cultivation. Putative transformed embryos were cultured on B5 medium for shoot proliferation and 21 regenerated plants were obtained after selection and allowed to root. T plantlets showed β- glucuronidase expression and gene integration was confirmed via PCR amplification of 0.96 and 1.28 kb fragments of the hygromycin- phosphotransferase II and β- glucuronidase genes, respectively. In this study, a transformation efficiency of 1.5 % was demonstrated and a total of 11 transgenic plants were obtained at the hardening stage, however, only four plants acclimatised during hardening. Gene copy number was analysed by Southern blot analysis of hardened plants and single-copy gene integration was observed. This is the first successful attempt of Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of cumin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Cumin ( Nigella sativa), which belongs to the botanical family of Ranunculaceae, commonly grows in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Western Asia. Its ripe fruit contains tiny black seeds, known as 'Al-Habba Al-Sauda' and 'Al-Habba Al-Barakah' in Arabic and black seed or black cumin in English. Seeds of Nigella sativa are frequently used in folk medicine in the Middle East and some Asian countries for the promotion of good health and the treatment of many ailments. However, data for the cardiovascular benefits of black cumin are not well-established. We reviewed the literature from 1960 to March 2012 by using the following key words: ' Nigella sativa,' ' black seeds,' and ' thymoquinone.' Herein, we discussed the most relevant articles to find out the role of Nigella sativa in the cardiovascular diseases spectrum especially when there is a paucity of information and need of further studies in human to establish the utility of Nigella sativa in cardiovascular system protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]