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Endocrine disruptors are molecules that can interfere with the proper functioning of the endocrine system and lead to harmful effects in living organisms. This review focuses on the impact of synthetic fragrances, which are commonly found in personal care and household products, on the endocrine system. The article discusses the different types of hormones in the body and how they interact with receptors to produce signals. It also explores how endocrine disruptors can interfere with hormone signaling and transport, leading to adverse effects in the body. This work underscores the crucial need for further research into the impact of synthetic fragrances on the endocrine system and the importance of using safer alternatives in personal care and household products.

The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, poses a significant threat to date palms globally, heavily relying on symbiotic microbes for various physiological and behavioral functions. This comprehensive study delves into the intricate dynamics of RPW gut microbiota, revealing a diverse microbial community consisting of seven genera and eight species from Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. The stability of gut bacteria across different life stages was observed, with notable impacts on larval metabolism attributed to shifts in bacterial composition. Bacillus subtilis emerged as a key player, producing a spectrum of metabolic enzymes. Furthermore, the gut bacteria exhibited remarkable pesticide degradation capabilities, suggesting a potential role in the host’s resistance to pesticides. The Arthrobacter sp. was identified as a promising candidate for eco-friendly pest biocontrol and biodegradation strategies. Investigating the influence of thermal stress on two groups of RPW larvae (conventional-fed and antibiotic-fed) at varying temperatures (15, 27, and 35 °C) unveiled potential survival implications. This study highlights the pivotal role of bacterial symbionts in enabling larvae adaptation and thermal stress tolerance. In essence, this research contributes crucial insights into the diversity and functions of RPW gut bacteria, emphasizing their prospective applications in pest control strategies.

Carrier oils are used with essential oils to dilute and enhance skin penetration. They are composed of fatty acids, triglycerides, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes and are added to reduce potency and odor. Carrier oils have pharmaceutical applications and reduce cytotoxicity. Solvent extraction is a common practice in the production of industrial-scale carrier oils, but harmful to the environment, so new eco-friendly methods are being researched. This review documents the available characteristics of various carrier oils and identifies knowledge gaps for future studies.

The oral microbiome is a diverse and complex ecosystem essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Our study is the first to define the oral microbial community in Egyptian young adults and investigate the effects of natural antimicrobials on the oral microbiome. SuperMint (SM) is a proprietary blend of peppermint, Japanese mint, bergamot mint, and spearmint essential oils encapsulated in a tiny soft beadlet. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of SM beadlets on the oral microbiome. This study recruited twenty healthy participants. A baseline investigation of the oral microbiome of the selected participants was performed by collecting saliva and swab samples before treatment. Treatment included chewing four SM beadlets twice a day for 7 days, and then, post-administration saliva and swab samples were collected at the end of treatment. The oral microbiome samples were analyzed by the high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments, and the community composition was determined. The results showed that the abundance of some microbial genera and families decreased after using SM, including Prevotella, Streptococcus, Neisseria, and Haemophilus. However, some genera showed inconsistent patterns. We also found that the subject’s gender and SM usage were significantly associated with diverse microbial composition. The results suggest that SM treatment decreased the abundance of several bacteria associated with halitosis and periodontal diseases, such as Actinomyces and Streptococcus. Furthermore, Corynebacterium species increased and Streptococcus decreased after SM usage. More research is needed to fully understand the antimicrobial effects of mint oils and their potential applications in maintaining good oral health.

Myoporum sandwicense A. Gray (naio) is one of the characteristic trees of Hawaiian montane–subalpine mesic forests. In this study, lab-distilled oils of M. sandwicense leaves, wood, and twigs growing on the island of Hawaii, as well as industrially produced wood oils, were characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The lab-distilled oils were screened for antimicrobial activity. M. sandwicense leaf essential oil was rich in β-caryophyllene (15.1%), α-humulene (12.8%), germacrene D (7.9%), bicyclogermacrene (12.5%), brigalow ketol (9.6%), and myoporone (16.8%), while the wood essential oils were dominated by α-bisabolol and trans-α-bisabolol oxide B. The sapwood oil was dominated by palmitic acid (35.5%), linoleic acid (19.7%), oleic acid (31.9%), and stearic acid (5.7%), whereas the oil from twigs was rich in tricosane (77.3%) and pentacosane (13.1%). M. sandwicense essential oils were screened for antimicrobial activity against a panel of potentially pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The leaf essential oil of M. sandwicense showed excellent antibacterial activity against S. pyogenes and antifungal activity against A. fumigatus. The wood essential oil showed notable activity against S. pyogenes, A. fumigatus, A. niger, and M. gypseum. The twig oil was remarkably active against mold species. This work is the first report we are aware of on the composition and antimicrobial properties of naio essential oils.

Abstract Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis; Thysanoptera: Thripidae), or WFT, are a global pest of commercial crops, particularly those grown in greenhouses. Current management recommendations often involve judicious use of pesticides to which WFT have evolved multiple resistance phenotypes. Essential oils (EOs) have shown promise as a less toxic alternative for WFT greenhouse management. However, challenges remain in predicting which EOs are most likely to be insecticidal to WFT and ensuring that the efficacy of EOs under bioassay conditions reflect performance in whole-plant application scenarios. To address these challenges, 9 EOs were tested for contact toxicity against WFT in small container assays, then gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS) profiles of each EO were used to quantify concentrations of 22 chemicals shared by at least 5 or more of the plant species. Of these, 13 compounds were positively correlated with thrips mortality. Effective compounds were a mixture of sesquiterpenes, cyclic monoterpenes, and noncyclic monoterpenes. Interestingly, no bicyclic monoterpenes shared among the essential oils tested correlated with thrips mortality. Whole-plant assays of the four best EOs from the container assay showed significant reduction in the number of thrips per plant, although mortality in EO treatments in the whole plant assay was lower than in the container assay. In addition, all four EOs were as efficacious as the conventional insecticide flonicamid. Identifying other EOs with high concentrations of the efficacious compounds that were identified in this study and using container assays to screen these oils for WFT thrip mortality and phytotoxicity could help integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners and greenhouse staff to more rapidly accumulate a suite of EOs as low toxicity alternatives for management of WFT in greenhouse settings. Graphical Abstract

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, the common cold, sore throat, migraine, colic, stomach cramps, and toothaches and the promotion of wound healing. Based on the known pharmacological properties of essential oils (EOs), we hypothesized that E. purpurea EOs may contribute to these medicinal properties. In this work, EOs from the flowers of E. purpurea were steam-distilled and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), GC with flame-ionization detection (GC–FID), and chiral GC–MS. The EOs were also evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial and innate immunomodulatory activity. About 87 compounds were identified in five samples of the steam-distilled E. purpurea EO. The major components of the E. purpurea EO were germacrene D (42.0 ± 4.61%), α-phellandrene (10.09 ± 1.59%), β-caryophyllene (5.75 ± 1.72%), γ-curcumene (5.03 ± 1.96%), α-pinene (4.44 ± 1.78%), δ-cadinene (3.31 ± 0.61%), and β-pinene (2.43 ± 0.98%). Eleven chiral compounds were identified in the E. purpurea EO, including α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, α-phellandrene, limonene, β-phellandrene, α-copaene, β-elemene, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, and δ-cadinene. Analysis of E. purpurea EO antimicrobial activity showed that they inhibited the growth of several bacterial species, although the EO did not seem to be effective for Staphylococcus aureus. The E. purpurea EO and its major components induced intracellular calcium mobilization in human neutrophils. Additionally, pretreatment of human neutrophils with the E. purpurea EO or (+)-δ-cadinene suppressed agonist-induced neutrophil calcium mobilization and chemotaxis. Moreover, pharmacophore mapping studies predicted two potential MAPK targets for (+)-δ-cadinene. Our results are consistent with previous reports on the innate immunomodulatory activities of β-caryophyllene, α-phellandrene, and germacrene D. Thus, this study identified δ-cadinene as a novel neutrophil agonist and suggests that δ-cadinene may contribute to the reported immunomodulatory activity of E. purpurea.

Blue lotus, also known as Nymphaea caerulea (Nymphaeaceae), is a water lily found globally in lakes and rivers. With its long history of use in Egyptian culture, blue lotus has been associated with spiritual rituals and health benefits. Nowadays, blue lotus is still consumed as a tea or tincture to induce relaxation and heightened spiritual awareness. In this study, six authentic N. caerulea extracts from trusted sources and eleven commercial products were analyzed using gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Authentic blue lotus extracts were produced in industrial settings. Overall, the extracts were a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic alcohols, fatty acids, phenyl derivatives, diterpenoids, phytosterols, and stigmastanes. Apomorphine and nuciferine, which are responsible for psychoactive effects of the blue lotus flower, were virtually absent from the authentic blue lotus extract. Although blue lotus has a long history of use, the safety data on the plant and its extracts is limited; however, together with the analytical data, the available information does not indicate major safety concerns for the topical application of authentic blue lotus flower concrete or absolute when diluted as a fragrance ingredient.

Grindelia squarrosa is an arid lands herb that has been used in Native American traditional medicine, is a potential source of pharmacologically active compounds, and has been explored as a source of biofuel. The purpose of this work was to examine the essential oil composition of G. squarrosa from southern Idaho. Gas chromatographic methods revealed the essential oil of G. squarrosa var. serrulata to be rich in monoterpenoids, α-pinene (21.9%), limonene (17.1%), terpinolene (10.6%), and borneol (6.5%). The essential oil composition of G. squarrosa from Idaho is similar to that previously reported from specimens collected from Montana and confirms the volatile phytochemistry of plants growing in North America. The major essential oil components were screened for antimicrobial activity against respiratory and dermal pathogens. (–)-β-Pinene showed strong antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae (MIC 39.1 μg/mL) and (–)-borneol showed strong activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC 78.1 μg/mL).

Cymbopogon species essential oil (EO) carries significant importance in pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy, food, etc. The chemical compositions of Cymbopogon spp. Viz. Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), and Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), enantiomeric distribution by chiral GC-MS, and antimicrobial activities of some selected pure major compound and root and leaves EOs of citronella. The EO of leaves of Cymbopogon spp. showed comparatively higher yield than roots or other parts. Contrary to citral (neral and geranial) being a predominant compound of Cymbopogon spp., α-elemol (53.1%), α-elemol (29.5%), geraniol (37.1%), and citral (90.4%) were detected as major compounds of the root, root hair with stalk, leaf, and root stalk with shoot of citronella EO, respectively. Palmarosa leaves’ EO contains neral (36.1%) and geranial (53.1) as the major compounds. In the roots of palmarosa EO, the prime components were α-elemol (31.5%), geranial (25.0%), and neral (16.6%). Similarly, lemongrass leaves’ EO contains geraniol (76.6%) and geranyl acetate (15.2%) as major compounds, while the root EO contains a higher amount of geraniol (87.9%) and lower amount of geranyl acetate (4.4%). This study reports for the first time chiral terpenoids from Cymbopogon spp. EOs. Chiral GC-MS gave specific enantiomeric distributions of nine, six, and five chiral terpenoids in the root, root stalk with a shoot, and leaves of citronella EOs, respectively. Likewise, four and three chiral terpenoids in the root and leaves of lemongrass oil followed by two chiral terpenoids in the leaves and root of palmarosa EOs each. Additionally, the root and leaves’ EOs of citronella exhibit noticeable activity on bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes and fungus such as Candida albicans, Microsporum canis, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. So, geranial-, neral-, geraniol-, and citronellal-rich EOs can be used as an alternative antimicrobial agent.

Citrus essential oils are routinely adulterated because of the lack of regulations or reliable authentication methods. Unfortunately, the relatively simple chemical makeup and the tremendous price variations among Citrus varieties encouraged the interspecies adulteration of citrus oils. In this study, a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of 14 coumarins and furanocoumarins is developed and validated. This method was applied to screen the essential oils of 12 different Citrus species. This study, to our knowledge, represents the most comprehensive investigation of coumarin and furanocoumarin profiles across commercial-scale Citrus oils to date. Results show that the lowest amount was detected in calamansi oil. Expressed oil of Italian bergamot showed the highest furanocoumarin content and the highest level of any individual furanocoumarin (bergamottin). Notable differences were observed in the coumarin and furanocoumarin levels among oils of different crop varieties and origins within the same species. Potential correlations were observed between bergapten and xanthotoxin which matches with known biosynthetic pathways. We found patterns in furanocoumarin profiles that line up with known variations among the Citrus ancestral taxa. However, contrary to the literature, we also detected xanthotoxin in sweet orange and members of the mandarin taxon. Using multivariate analysis, we were able to divide the Citrus oils into 5 main groups and correlate them to the coumarin compositions.

Sweet Birch (Betula lenta) has several economic and medicinal uses. Very little is known about the chemical composition of B. lenta. In this study, the volatile compositions of the bark of B. lenta from authentic and commercial sources were assessed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID). Overall, more than 60 compounds were identified in natural sweet birch EO obtained by hydro-distillation. The oil was dominated by methyl salicylate (93.24–99.84%). A good approach to distinguishing wintergreen and birch oils would be biomarker-based analysis. The biomarkers are selected based upon three main criteria: (1) the marker should be commercially unavailable or too expensive which renders the adulteration process very costly, (2) The marker should be detected consistently in all the tested authentic EO samples, and (3) A birch EO marker should be found exclusively in birch EO, not in wintergreen and vice versa. The minor components o-guaiacol, veratrole, 2-E-4-Z-decadienal, and 2-E-4-E-decadienal were identified as natural marker compounds for authentic sweet birch oil. Surprisingly, none of the tested 27 commercial samples contained any of the identified birch markers. The detection of wintergreen markers such as vitispirane and β-dehydroelsholtzia ketone, the synthetic marker dimethyl-2-hydroxyterephthalate, and ricenalidic acid lactone suggest the addition of wintergreen, synthetic methyl salicylate, and castor oil, respectively. This is the first report to identify birch biomarkers to the best of our knowledge.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are the primary source of one of the growing public health problems that requires global attention, indicating an urgent need for new antibiotics. Marine ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity and are considered one of the essential sources of bioactive chemical compounds. Bacterial associates of marine invertebrates are commonly a source of active medicinal and natural products and are important sources for drug discovery. Hence, marine invertebrate-associated microbiomes are a fruitful resource for excavating novel genes and bioactive compounds. In a previous study, we isolated Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 001680, coded as strain 63, from the Red Sea nudibranch Chromodoris quadricolor, which exhibited antimicrobial and antitumor activity. In addition, this isolate harbors several natural product biosynthetic gene clusters, suggesting it has the potential to produce bioactive natural products. The present study aimed to investigate the metabolic profile of the isolated Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 001680 (strain 63) and to predict their potential role in the host’s survival. The crude metabolic extracts of strain 63 cultivated in two different media were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The metabolomics approach provided us with characteristic chemical fingerprints of the cellular processes and the relative abundance of specific compounds. The Global Products Social Molecular Networking database was used to identify the metabolites. While 434 metabolites were detected in the extracts, only a few compounds were identified based on the standards and the public spectral libraries, including desferrioxamines, marineosin A, and bisucaberin, halichoblelide, alternarin A, pachastrelloside A, streptodepsipeptide P1 1B, didemnaketal F, and alexandrolide. This finding suggests that this strain harbors several novel compounds. In addition, the metabolism of the microbiome of marine invertebrates remains poorly represented. Thus, our data constitute a valuable complement to the study of metabolism in the host microbiome.

Cholesterol is essential for normal human health, but elevations in its serum levels have led to the development of various complications, including hypercholesterolemia (HC). Cholesterol accumulation in blood circulation formsplaques on artery walls and worsens the individuals’ health. To overcome this complication, different pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches are employed to reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels. Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin are the most commonly used drugs, but their prolonged use leads to several acute side effects. In recent decades, the potential benefit of ingesting yogurt on lipid profile has attracted the interest of researchers and medical professionals worldwide. This review aims to give an overview of the current knowledge about HC and the different therapeutic approaches. It also discusses the health benefits of yogurt consumption and highlights the overlooked phyto-enrichment option to enhance the yogurt’s quality. Finally, clinical studies using different phyto-enriched yogurts for HC management are also reviewed. Yogurt has a rich nutritional value, but its processing degrades the content of minerals, vitamins, and other vital constituents with beneficial health effects. The option of enriching yogurt with phytoconstituents has drawn a lot of attention. Different pre-clinical and clinical studies have provided new insights on their benefits on gut microbiota and human health. Thus, the yogurtphyto-enrichment with stanol and β-glucan have opened new paths in functional food industries and found healthy andeffective alternatives for HC all along with conventional treatment approaches.

Curcumin, a yellow polyphenolic pigment from the Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) rhizome, has been used for centuries for culinary and food coloring purposes, and as an ingredient for various medicinal preparations, widely used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. In recent decades, their biological activities have been extensively studied. Thus, this review aims to offer an in-depth discussion of curcumin applications for food and biotechnological industries, and on health promotion and disease prevention, with particular emphasis on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Bioavailability, bioefficacy and safety features, side effects, and quality parameters of curcumin are also addressed. Finally, curcumin’s multidimensional applications, food attractiveness optimization, agro-industrial procedures to offset its instability and low bioavailability, health concerns, and upcoming strategies for clinical application are also covered.

Cinnamomum camphora L. is grown as an ornamental plant, used as raw material for furniture, as a source of camphor, and its essential oil can be used as an important source for perfume as well as alternative medicine. A comparative investigation of essential oil compositions and antimicrobial activities of different tissues of C. camphora was carried out. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation with a Clevenger apparatus and their compositions were evaluated through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), enantiomeric composition by chiral GC-MS, and antimicrobial properties were assayed by measuring minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Different plant tissues had different extraction yields, with the leaf having the highest yield. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 18, 75, 87, 67, 67, and 74 compounds in leaf, branch, wood, root, leaf/branch, and leaf/branch/wood, respectively. The significance of combining tissues is to enable extraction of commercial quality essential oils without the need to separate them. The oxygenated monoterpene camphor was the major component in all tissues of C. camphora except for safrole in the root. With chiral GC-MS, the enantiomeric distributions of 12, 12, 13, 14, and 14 chiral compounds in branch, wood, root, leaf/branch, and leaf/branch/wood, respectively, were determined. The variation in composition and enantiomeric distribution in the different tissues of C. camphora may be attributed to the different defense requirements of these tissues. The wood essential oil showed effective antibacterial activity against Serratia marcescens with an MIC of 39.1 μg/mL. Similarly, the mixture of leaf/branch/wood essential oils displayed good antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus while the leaf essential oil was notably active against Trichophyton rubrum. C. camphora essential oils showed variable antimicrobial activities against dermal and pulmonary-borne microbes.

Lannea egregia (Anacardiaceae) and Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) are plants used in traditional medicine in southwestern Nigeria. The essential oils from the leaves of L. egregia and E. sonchifolia were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Both essential oils were dominated by sesquiterpenoids. The major components in L. egregia leaf essential oil were α-panasinsen (34.90%), (E)-caryophyllene (12.25%), α-copaene (11.39%), and selina-4,11-diene (9.29%), while E. sonchifolia essential oil was rich in γ-himachalene (25.16%), (E)-caryophyllene (15.72%), and γ-gurjunene (8.58%). The essential oils were screened for antimicrobial activity against a panel of bacteria and fungi and displayed minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 156 μg/mL to 625 μg/mL. Based on these results, either L. egregia or E. sonchifolia essential oil may be recommended for exploration as complementary antibacterial or antifungal agents.

Even though several plants can improve the female reproductive function, the use of herbs, herbal preparations, or essential oils during pregnancy is questionable. This review is focused on the effects of some essential oils and their constituents on the female reproductive system during pregnancy and on the development of the fetus. The major concerns include causing abortion, reproductive hormone modulation, maternal toxicity, teratogenicity, and embryo-fetotoxicity. This work summarizes the important studies on the reproductive effects of essential oil constituents anethole, apiole, citral, camphor, thymoquinone, trans-sabinyl acetate, methyl salicylate, thujone, pulegone, β-elemene, β-eudesmol, and costus lactone, among others.

The oleoresin essential oils of Liquidambar formosana have potential therapeutic benefits. However, current research on L. formosana oleoresin essential oil is still in its early stages, and its chemotypic characterization is undefined. For better leveraging of plant resources and application of the essential oil, we collected 25 L. formosana oleoresin essential oil samples of individual trees from different geographical areas of Southern China. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC–FID). The major components of the essential oils were (E)-caryophyllene (3.3%-64.4%), α-pinene (0.6%-34.5%), β-pinene (0.6%-26.0%), camphene (0.3%-17.3%), and limonene (0.2%-7.9%). A chiral GC–MS analysis was carried out on the essential oil samples and (–)-α-Pinene, (–)-β-pinene, (–)-camphene, and (–)-limonene were the dominant enantiomers in L. formosana essential oil. The chemical categories of L. formosana oleoresin essential oils were clarified by agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHC) and principal component analysis (PCA). The multivariate analyses demonstrated that a total of four chemical groups can be delineated for L. formosana. The L. formosana essential oils were screened for antimicrobial activity against a panel of potentially pathogenic bacteria and fungi and showed promising antimicrobial activities with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤ 625 μg/mL. These results highlight the economic value of L. formosana oleoresin essential oil, the importance of L. formosana sustainability, and the potential therapeutic benefits of its oleoresin essential oils.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is historically one of the most important spices and herbal medicines, and is now cultivated in tropical regions worldwide. The essential oil of black pepper fruits has shown a myriad of biological activities and is a commercially important commodity. In this work, five black pepper essential oils from eastern coastal region of Madagascar and six black pepper essential oils from the Amazon region of Brazil were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major components of the essential oils were α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, δ-3-carene, limonene, and β-caryophyllene. A comparison of the Madagascar and Brazilian essential oils with black pepper essential oils from various geographical regions reported in the literature was carried out. A hierarchical cluster analysis using the data obtained in this study and those reported in the literature revealed four clearly defined clusters based on the relative concentrations of the major components.

Frankincense, the oleogum resin from members of Boswellia, has been used as medicine and incense for thousands of years, and essential oils derived from frankincense are important articles of commerce today. A new source of frankincense resin, Boswellia dalzielii from West Africa has been presented as a new, alternative source of frankincense. In this work, the oleogum resins from 20 different Boswellia dalzielii trees growing in Burkina Faso, West Africa were collected. Hydrodistillation of the resins gave essential oils that were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. The essential oils were dominated by α-pinene (21.0%−56.0%), followed by carvone (2.1%−5.4%) and α-copaene (1.8%−5.0%). Interestingly, there was one individual tree that, although rich in α-pinene (21.0%), also had a substantial concentration of myrcene (19.2%) and α-thujene (9.8%). In conclusion, the oleogum resin essential oil compositions of B. dalzielii, rich in α-pinene, are comparable in composition to other frankincense essential oils, including B. sacra, B. carteri, and B. frereana. Additionally, the differences in composition between samples from Burkina Faso and those from Nigeria are very slight. There is, however, a rare chemotype of B. dalzielii that is dominated by myrcene, found both in Burkina Faso as well as Nigeria.

The current fossil fuel reserves are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand and very soon will become exhausted. Pollution, global warming, and inflated oil prices have led the quest for renewable energy sources. Algal biofuels represent a potential source of renewable energy. Algae, as the third generation feedstock, are suitable for biodiesel and bioethanol production due to their quick growth, excellent biomass yield, and high lipid and carbohydrate contents. With their huge potential, algae are expected to surpass the first and second generation feedstocks. Only a few thousand algal species have been investigated as possible biofuel sources, and none of them was ideal. This review summarizes the current status of algal biofuels, important steps of algal biofuel production, and the major commercial production challenges.

Frankincense, the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia trees, has been an important religious and medicinal element for thousands of years, and today is used extensively for essential oils. One of the most popular frankincense species is Boswellia sacra Flueck. (syn. Boswellia carteri Birdw.) from Somalia and Somaliland. Recent increases in demand have led to many areas being overharvested, emphasizing the need for incentives and monitoring for sustainable harvesting, such as certification schemes. Concurrently, a new chemical component, called methoxydecane, has emerged in oils claimed to be B. carteri, suggesting the possibility of a chemical marker of overharvesting or other stress that could aid in monitoring. To find the source of this new chemical component, we sampled resin directly from trees in areas producing the new methoxydecane chemotype. This revealed that methoxydecane comes not from Boswellia carteri, but from a newly described frankincense species, Boswellia occulta. The presence of Boswellia occulta oil in essential oil sold as pure B. carteri, including certified organic oil, emphasizes the current lack of traceability in the supply chain and the ineffectiveness of organic certification to secure purity and sustainable harvesting in wildcrafted species.

Curcuma species have been cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, Australia, and South America for culinary as well as medicinal applications. The biological activities of Curcuma have been attributed to the non-volatile curcuminoids as well as to volatile terpenoids. Curcuma essential oils have demonstrated a wide variety of pharmacological properties. The objective of this work was to examine the variation in the compositions of Curcuma rhizome essential oils. In this work, the volatile oils from C. longa and C. zedoaria were obtained and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The chemical compositions of C. longa and C. zedoaria essential oils, including those reported in the literature, were analyzed by hierarchical cluster analysis. In addition, cluster analyses of the chemical compositions of C. aromatica and C. aeruginosa from the literature were also carried out. Curcuma longa volatiles were dominated by α-turmerone, curlone, ar-turmerone, β-sesquiphellandrene, α-zingiberene, germacrone, terpinolene, ar-curcumene, and α-phellandrene and showed four distinct chemical clusters. C. zedoaria rhizome oil contained 1,8-cineole, curzerenone/epi-curzerenone, α-copaene, camphor, β-caryophyllene, elemol, germacrone, curzerene, and β-elemene and showed two different chemical types. C. aromatica had three clearly defined clusters, and C. aeruginosa had three types.

Members of the genus Curcuma L. have been used in traditional medicine for centuries for treating gastrointestinal disorders, pain, inflammatory conditions, wounds, and for cancer prevention and antiaging, among others. Many of the biological activities of Curcuma species can be attributed to nonvolatile curcuminoids, but these plants also produce volatile chemicals. Essential oils, in general, have shown numerous beneficial effects for health maintenance and treatment of diseases. Essential oils from Curcuma spp., particularly C. longa, have demonstrated various health-related biological activities and several essential oil companies have recently marketed Curcuma oils. This review summarizes the volatile components of various Curcuma species, the biological activities of Curcuma essential oils, and potential safety concerns of Curcuma essential oils and their components.

Citrus fruits have been a commercially important crop for thousands of years. In addition, Citrus essential oils are valuable in the perfume, food, and beverage industries, and have also enjoyed use as aromatherapy and medicinal agents. This review summarizes the important biological activities and safety considerations of the essential oils of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), neroli (Citrus aurantium), orange petitgrain (Citrus aurantium), mandarin (Citrus reticulata), lemon (Citrus limon), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi), bergamot (Citrus bergamia), Yuzu (Citrus junos), and kumquat (Citrus japonica).

Conradina (Lamiaceae) is a small genus of native United States (US) species limited to Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. Three species of Conradina are federally listed as endangered and one is threatened while two are candidates for listing as endangered. The purpose of the present review is to highlight the recent advances in current knowledge on Conradina species and to compile reports of chemical constituents that characterize and differentiate between Conradina species.

Garlic, Allium sativum, is broadly used around the world for its numerous culinary and medicinal uses. Wild garlic, Allium vineale, has been used as a substitute for garlic, both in food as well as in herbal medicine. The present study investigated the chemical compositions of A. sativum and A. vineale essential oils. The essential oils from the bulbs of A. sativum, cultivated in Spain, were obtained by three different methods: laboratory hydrodistillation, industrial hydrodistillation, and industrial steam distillation. The essential oils of wild-growing A. vineale from north Alabama were obtained by hydrodistillation. The resulting essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both A. sativum and A. vineale oils were dominated by allyl polysulfides. There were minor quantitative differences between the A. sativum oils owing to the distillation methods employed, as well as differences from previously reported garlic oils from other geographical locations. Allium vineale oil showed a qualitative similarity to Allium ursinum essential oil. The compositions of garlic and wild garlic are consistent with their use as flavoring agents in foods as well as their uses as herbal medicines. However, quantitative differences are likely to affect the flavor and bioactivity profiles of these Allium species.

Ocotea species present economic importance and biological activities attributed to their essential oils (EOs) and extracts. For this reason, various strategies have been developed for their conservation. The chemical compositions of the essential oils and matK DNA sequences of O. caudata, O. cujumary, and O. caniculata were subjected to comparison with data from O. floribunda, O. veraguensis, and O. whitei, previously reported. The multivariate analysis of chemical composition classified the EOs into two main clusters. Group I was characterized by the presence of α-pinene (9.8–22.5%) and β-pinene (9.7–21.3%) and it includes O. caudata, O. whitei, and O. floribunda. In group II, the oils of O. cujumary and O. caniculata showed high similarity due amounts of β-caryophyllene (22.2% and 18.9%, respectively). The EO of O. veraguensis, rich in p-cymene (19.8%), showed minor similarity among all samples. The oils displayed promising antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities against Escherichia coli (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) < 19.5 µg·mL−1) and MCF-7 cells (median inhibitory concentration (IC50) ≅ 65.0 µg·mL−1), respectively. The analysis of matK gene displayed a good correlation with the main class of chemical compounds present in the EOs. However, the matK gene data did not show correlation with specific compounds.