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Volatile oils obtained by hydrodistillation from Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp. leaf and stem were examined for their chemical composition and biological activity. The oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) techniques. Toxicity, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were evaluated via brine shrimp lethality assay, agar-diffusion, and DPPH radical-scavenging methods, respectively. A total of 43 and 44 constituents were identified in the leaf and stem oils, correspondingly. The major components recognized in the leaf oil were (E)-hexadecatrienal (16.9%) and pentadecanal (16.0%) while humulene epoxide II (17.5%) and caryophyllene oxide (10.6%) dominated the stem oil. There was no significant activity against the bacteria but moderate inhibition zones (IZ) between 1.8±0.3 and 8.1±0.1 mm were observed against the fungi. The stem oil showed better antifungal activity than the leaf oil but not as active as the standard drug ketoconazole which inhibited the test fungi with IZ range of 10.4±0.4-21.0±1.4 mm at 200 μg. Both oils were toxic to brine shrimp (Artemia salina) giving LC50 of 79.7 μg/mL (leaf) and 38.7 μg/mL (stem). The leaf and stem oils had IC50 of 84.3 μg/mL and 142.2μg/mL, respectively, in the DPPH radical-scavenging assay, indicating moderate antioxidant activity relative to positive controls, butylated hydroxylanisole (IC50=45.1 μg/mL) and α-tocopherol (IC50 =81.6 μg/mL). The results suggest that G. sepium volatile oil may find potential use as a natural antioxidant and antifungal agent.

The genus Diplazium (family: Athyriaceae) comprises approximately 350 species of pteridophytes. Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw. is an important member of this genus and commonly known as a wild vegetable in the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan communities. According to the literature analysis, D. esculentum was traditionally used for the prevention or treatment of several diseases such as diabetes, smallpox, asthma, diarrhea, rheumatism, dysentery, headache, fever, wounds, pain, measles, Hindawi Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity Volume 2021, Article ID 1917890, 15 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/1917890 hypertension, constipation, oligospermia, bone fracture, and glandular swellings. Various extracts of D. esculentum were evaluated to elucidate their phytochemical and pharmacological activities. A wide array of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, CNS stimulant, and antianaphylactic activities have been recognized in different parts of D. esculentum. The review covers a systematic examination of pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, and pharmacological applications of D. esculentum, but scientifically, it is not fully assessed regarding complete therapeutic effects, toxicity, and safety in the human body. The published literature on D. esculentum and its therapeutic properties were collected from different search engines including Wiley online, PubMed, Springer Link, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ACS publications by using specific terms such as “Diplazium esculentum, bioactive compounds, biological activities and health benefits” from 1984 to 2021 (March). Therefore, further studies are required to identify the detailed action mechanism of D. esculentum in vitro/in vivo, and also, more studies should focus on conservation, cultivation, and sustainable utilization of the species.

The number of identified listeriosis outbreaks has increased since the sequence typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates was established in Germany. Due to the nature of the disease, listeriosis outbreaks are difficult to solve. We present investigational tracing as a simple and rapid method to conduct outbreak investigations. The method was applied in 2019 to stop a prolonged listeriosis outbreak in Germany. The starting point for the investigational tracing was nine health care facilities (HCF). Single cases developed listeriosis while they were staying at the nine facilities. Data were collected from companies that delivered foods to HCF and from ready-to-eat (RTE) foods that were consumed there. Following a step-wise approach, data analysis identified similarities in the food supply of the HCF. Food data were heterogeneous and needed to be standardised. Own brands and changing article numbers were challenging aspects during the identification of manufacturers. The analysis of the delivering companies revealed no similarities. Detailed information about the consumed risk foods for Listeria contamination became available for six HCF. All facilities served a wide variety of cold cut meat products to their in-patients. Investigational tracing revealed that only meat products from one out of 29 food business operators had been consumed in all six HCF. Further activities of the authorities enabled the identification of the outbreak strain on food products and in the processing environment of this company. A product recall and the measures taken stopped the listeriosis outbreak. Thus, investigational tracing can be crucial for the clarification of listeriosis outbreaks.

Essential oils from the leaves and stems of Tinomiscium petiolare Hook.f. & Thomson were obtained by hydrodistillation and the chemical components were determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas...

The parasitic diseases represent the most important health risk, especially in underdeveloped countries where they have a deep impact on public health. Trichomoniasis is a prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted disease, and a significant amount of new cases are identified each year globally. Furthermore, the infection is linked with serious concerns such as pregnancy outcomes, infertility, predisposition to cervical and prostate cancer, and increased transmission and acquisition of HIV. The therapy is restricted, adverse effects are often observed, and resistance to the drugs is emerging. Based on this, a new treatment for trichomoniasis is necessary. Natural products represent a rich source of bioactive compounds, and even today, they are used in the search for new drugs. Additionally, natural products provide a wide variety of leadership structures that can be used by the pharmaceutical industry as a template in the development of new drugs that are more effective and have fewer or no undesirable side effects compared to current treatments. This review focuses on the medicinal plants that possess anti-trichomonal activity in vitro or in vivo. An electronic database search was carried out covering the last three decades, i.e., 1990–2020. The literature search revealed that almost a dozen isolated phytoconstituents are being explored globally for their anti-trichomonal activity. Simultaneously, many countries have their own traditional or folk medicine for trichomoniasis that utilizes their native plants, as a whole, or even extracts. This review focuses mainly on the human parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. However, at some points mention is also made to Tritrichomonas foetus that causes trichomoniasis in animals of high veterinary and economical interest. We will focus on the plants and plant-based compounds and their anti-trichomonal activity. The literature search highlighted that there are abundant compounds that possess anti-trichomonal activity; however, in-depth in-vivo evaluation of compounds and their clinical evaluation has not been undertaken. There is a critical need for new anti-trichomonal compounds, and focused research on phytoconstituents can provide the way forward., Graphical abstract Image 1

Leaves of Afraegle paniculata were collected from southwestern Nigeria and hydrodistilled to give an essential oil in 0.56 % yield. The essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectro...

Background: The parasitic protozoal infections leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases that pose serious health risks for much of the world’s population. Current treatment options suffer from limitations, but plantderived natural products may provide economically advantageous therapeutic alternatives. Several germacranolide sesquiterpenoids have shown promising antiparasitic activities, but the mechanisms of activity have not been clearly established. Objective: The objective is to use in silico screening of known antiparasitic germacranolides against recognized protozoal protein targets in order to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of activity of these natural products. Methods: Conformational analyses of the germacranolides were carried out using density functional theory, followed by molecular docking. A total of 88 Leishmania protein structures, 86 T. brucei protein structures, and 50 T. cruzi protein structures were screened against 27 antiparasitic germacranolides. Results: The in-silico screening has revealed which of the protein targets of Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi are preferred by the sesquiterpenoid ligands.

The rhizome essential oil of Curcuma sahuynhensis from Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The major components in the es...

To replace synthetic preservatives and expand green consumption, several essential oils have been tested in foods and food packaging due to their antimicrobial properties. This study aimed to analyze the synergistic antimicrobial action of a chitosan-gelatin based active biopolymers with the addition of essential oils (EOs). The antimicrobial agents were tested against foodborne microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains. The antibacterial activity of Thymus vulgaris, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, and the synergistic interactions among them were assessed according to the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the microdilution method. Chitosan-gelatin based active biopolymers were developed, and 23% (w/w) of each essential oil and combined oils were added. The antimicrobial effect of active films was measured using the disk diffusion method. Active films with the addition of essential oils have potential applications as active packaging agents, especially those that demonstrated inhibition zones. Combined EOs can be used to enhance the antimicrobial activity, ensuring reduced doses used in active packaging and decreasing the association with adverse sensory characteristics.

The ethanolic root extract of Berberis brevissima afforded a new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, 13-nitrochondrofoline (2), and two known bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, chondrofoline (1) and curi...

Lauraceae families have great diversity in the world’s tropical regions and are represented mainly by aromatic shrubs and trees with significant production of essential oils (EOs). This work presents a review of the EO chemical profiles from specimens of Aniba, including their seasonal variations, geographical distributions, and biological activities in the Amazon biome. Based on the survey, 15 species were reviewed, representing 167 oil samples extracted from leaves, twig barks, and woods. Brazilian Amazon was the most representative geographic area in the number of specimens, highlighting the locations Belém, (Pará state, PA) (3 spp., 37 samples), Santarém (PA) (3 spp., 10 samples), Carajás (PA) (3 spp., 7 samples), and Manaus (Amazonas state, AM) (3 spp., 16 samples). The main compound classes identified in oils were benzenoids and phenylpropanoids, represented by 1-nitro-2-phenylethane, benzyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate and methyleugenol, along with terpenoids, especially monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, such as linalool, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, β-selinene, and spathulenol. The EOs from Aniba showed considerable variation in the chemical profiles according to season and collection site. The hierarchical cluster analysis classified the samples into two main groups according to chemical composition. This review highlights its comprehensive and up-to-date information on history, conservation, traditional uses, chemosystematics, pharmacological potential of Aniba species.

Athyrium plants consist of more than 230 species that are largely distributed in the Sino-Himalayan region and the Western Pacific islands. Athyrium species are being used in traditional medicine worldwide to treat various ailments such as cough, rheumatic pain, scorpion stings, sores, burns and scalds, intestinal fever, pain, specifically breast pain during child birth, to increase milk flow, as an antiparasitic, anthelmintic, and carminative. A deep look in the literature has revealed that Athyrium species have been poorly investigated for their food preservative applications and in vivo and in vitro biological and phytochemical studies. However, some Athyrium species have demonstrated antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-HIV potential. Athyrium multidentatum (Doll.) Ching is the most investigated species and the biological activities of their extracts, such as they antioxidant properties, seem to be related to the sulfate contents of their polysaccharides. This review provides an update on the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological properties of Athyrium plants that might be useful for further research. Of course, well-designed clinical trials will be required for some species to be used as therapy. Keywords: Athyrium, Ethnobotany, Ethnopharmacology, Biological activities, Phytoconstituents

We have studied the magnetization of a recently synthesized Cu9S5 compound and found two phase transitions around room temperature. The phase transitions in the crystalline structure, chara...

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.

Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) is a peppermint-flavored aromatic herb of the Lamiaceae and is mainly used for culinary, medicinal, aromatic, and ornamental purposes. North Alabama’s climate is conducive to growing mint for essential oils used in culinary, confectionery, and medicinal purposes. There is, however, a need for varieties of P. virginianum that can be adapted and easily grown for production in North Alabama. Towards this end, four field-grown varieties with three harvesting times (M1H1, M1H2, M1H3, M2H1, M2H2, M2H3, M3H1, M3H2, M3H3, M4H1, M4H2, M4H3) were evaluated for relative differences in essential oil yield and composition. Thirty-day-old greenhouse-grown plants of the four varieties were transplanted on raised beds in the field at the Alabama A &amp, M University Research Station in North Alabama. The plots were arranged in a randomized complete block with three replications. The study’s objective was to compare the four varieties for essential oil yield and their composition at three harvest times, 135, 155, and 170 days after planting (DAP). Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation with continuous extraction with dichloromethane using a Likens–Nickerson apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. At the first harvest, the essential oil yield of the four varieties showed that M1H1 had a yield of 1.15%, higher than M2H1, M3H1, and M4H1 with 0.91, 0.76, and 1.03%, respectively. The isomenthone concentrations increased dramatically through the season in M1 (M1H1, M1H2, M1H3) by 19.93, 54.7, and 69.31%, and M3 (M3H1, M3H2, M3H3) by 1.81, 48.02, and 65.83%, respectively. However, it increased only slightly in M2 and M4. The thymol concentration decreased slightly but not significantly in all four varieties, the thymol in M2 and M4 was very high compared with M1 and M3. The study showed that mountain mint offers potential for production in North Alabama. Two varieties, M1 and M3, merit further studies to determine yield stability, essential oil yield, composition, and cultivation development practices.

As part of our evaluation of essential oils derived from Native American medicinal plants, we have obtained the essential oils of Agastache foeniculum (Pursch) Kuntze (Lamiaceae), Gaultheria procumbens L. (Ericaceae), Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet (Asteraceae), Liatris spicata (L.) Willd. (Asteraceae), Pycnanthemum incanum (L.) Michx. (Lamiaceae), Smallanthus uvedalia (L.) Mack. ex Mack. (Asteraceae), and Verbena hastata L. (Verbenaceae) by hydrodistillation. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The essential oil of A. foeniculum was dominated by estragole (88–93%), while methyl salicylate (91%) dominated the G. procumbens essential oil. Germacrene D was the major component in H. helianthoides (42%) and L. spicata (24%). 1,8-Cineole (31%) and α-terpineol (17%) were the main compounds in P. incanum essential oil. The essential oil of S. uvedalia showed α-pinene (24%), perillene (15%), and β-caryophyllene (17%) as major components. Verbena hastata essential oil was rich in 1-octen-3-ol (up to 29%) and palmitic acid (up to 22%). Four of these essential oils, H. helianthoides, L. spicata, P. incanum, and V. hastata, are reported for the first time. Additionally, the enantiomeric distributions of several terpenoid components have been determined.

Lantana camara is a troublesome invasive plant introduced to many tropical regions, including Southeast Asia. However, the plant does hold promise as a source of essential oils that may be explored for potential use. Fresh water snails such as Pomacea canaliculata, Gyraulus convexiusculus, and Tarebia granifera can be problematic agricultural pests as well as hosts for parasitic worms. Aedes and Culex mosquitoes are notorious vectors of numerous viral pathogens. Control of these vectors is of utmost importance. In this work, the essential oil compositions, molluscicidal, and mosquito larvicidal activities of four collections of L. camara from north-central Vietnam have been investigated. The sesquiterpene-rich L. camara essential oils showed wide variation in their compositions, not only compared to essential oils from other geographical locations (at least six possible chemotypes), but also between the four samples from Vietnam. L. camara essential oils showed molluscicidal activities comparable to the positive control, tea saponin, as well as other botanical agents. The median lethal concentrations (LC50 ) against the snails were 23.6-40.2 μg/mL (P. canaliculata), 7.9-29.6 μg/mL (G. convexiusculus), and 15.0-29.6 μg/mL (T. granifera). The essential oils showed good mosquito larvicidal activities with 24-h LC50 values of 15.1-29.0 μg/mL, 26.4-53.8 μg/mL, and 20.8-59.3 μg/mL against Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The essential oils were more toxic to snails and mosquito larvae than they were to the non-target water bug, Diplonychus rusticus (24-h LC50 =103.7-162.5 μg/mL). Sesquiterpene components of the essential oils may be acting as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. These results suggest that the invasive plant, L. camara, may be a renewable botanical pesticidal agent.

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.

The genus Monarda (family Lamiaceae) contains 22 species of which three are native to southern Alabama, M. citriodora, M. fistulosa, and M. punctata. Several species of Monarda have been used in traditional medicines of Native Americans, and this present study is part of an ongoing project to add to our understanding of Native American pharmacopeia. Plant material from M. citriodora, M. fistulosa, and M. punctata was collected in south Alabama and the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques to determine the chemical compositions as well as enantiomeric distributions. The compounds thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and their derivatives were the primary terpenoid components found in the essential oils. The known biological activities of these compounds are consistent with the traditional uses of Monarda species to treat wounds, skin infections, colds, and fevers.

In this study, P. divaricatum (Piperaceae) plants were subcultured by cuttings and cell tissue in order to carry out a comparison of the volatile profile, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity. Propagation by cuttings used vermiculite substrate and Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium in the absence of growth regulators and rooting started at 15 days of growth providing a higher number of plants after 90 days. In vitro propagation was performed using shoot apices as explants in MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg mL-1 BA (6-benzyladenine). Volatile profiles analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed as main compounds methyl eugenol, E-?-ocimene, and ?-elemene in the in vivo and in vitro cultures. Phenolic contents determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method had no significant difference at the end of 90 days of growth displaying a good linear correlation with antioxidant activity and phenylpropanoids amounts (r > 0.7). However, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging was higher for in vitro plants grown in comparison to in vivo plants cultured. Made available in DSpace on 2019-12-13T18:10:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 20190103ARBrazWoman.pdf: 740929 bytes, checksum: 499a1842025d1103cfaab574dfe06579 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019

To elucidate defense mechanisms of Piper nigrum against fusariosis, an experiment based on co-inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis was performed. Variations in secondary metabolism in plants infected with F. solani f. sp. piperis (FUS) and co-inoculated with AMFs and F. solani (AMF + FUS) were monitored at 7- and 21-days post inoculations (dpi). The pathogen induced a decrease in oxygenated sesquiterpenes (82.0–77.4%), and changes in the concentrations of the main compounds, α-muurolene, α-muurolol, and 2E-hexenal in the leaves. It was observed that the concentration of 2E-hexenal decreased at 7 dpi, α-muurolene decreased at 21 dpi, and α-muurolol increased at 21 dpi. There was a prevalence of sesquiterpene and monoterpene hydrocarbons in the roots, such as β-caryophyllene, δ-elemene, and limonene. The infection and co-inoculation induced greater production of phenolics in the roots at 7 dpi. The enzymatic activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase decreased in the leaves at 21 dpi and in the roots on both days, while the lipoxygenase activity decreased only in the roots at 21 dpi. The results demonstrated that co-inoculation with AMFs and F. solani induces changes in the defense metabolism of P. nigrum, but it is not efficient in the biocontrol of fusariosis during the evaluated period.

This study evaluated the chemical compositions of the leaves and fruits of eight black pepper cultivars cultivated in Par&aacute, State (Amazon, Brazil). Hydrodistillation and gas chromatography&ndash, mass spectrometry were employed to extract and analyze the volatile compounds, respectively. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were predominant (58.5&ndash, 90.9%) in the cultivars &ldquo, Cingapura&rdquo, &ldquo, Equador&rdquo, Guajarina&rdquo, Ia&ccedil, ar&aacute, &rdquo, and &ldquo, Kottanadan&rdquo, Bragantina&rdquo, Clonada&rdquo, Uthirankota&rdquo, displayed oxygenated sesquiterpenoids (50.6&ndash, 75.0%). The multivariate statistical analysis applied using volatile composition grouped the samples into four groups: &gamma, Elemene, curzerene, and &delta, elemene (&ldquo, /&ldquo, I), &delta, II), elemol (&ldquo, III) and &alpha, muurolol, bicyclogermacrene, and cubebol (&ldquo, IV). The major compounds in all fruit samples were monoterpene hydrocarbons such as &alpha, pinene, &beta, pinene, and limonene. Among the cultivar leaves, phenolics content (44.75&ndash, 140.53 mg GAE&middot, g&minus, 1 FW), the enzymatic activity of phenylalanine-ammonia lyase (20.19&ndash, 57.22 &micro, U&middot, mL&minus, 1), and carotenoids (0.21&ndash, 2.31 &micro, g&middot, 1) displayed significant variations. Due to black pepper&rsquo, s susceptibility to Fusarium infection, a molecular docking analysis was carried out on Fusarium protein targets using each cultivar&rsquo, s volatile components. F. oxysporum endoglucanase was identified as the preferential protein target of the compounds. These results can be used to identify chemical markers related to the susceptibility degree of black pepper cultivars to plant diseases prevalent in Par&aacute, State.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is an important spice, particularly is Asian cuisine, and is also used in traditional herbal medicine. Curcuminoids are the main bioactive agents in turmeric, but turmeric essential oils also contain health benefits. Turmeric is a tropical crop and is cultivated in warm humid environments worldwide. The southeastern United States also possesses a warm humid climate with a growing demand for locally sourced herbs and spices. In this study, five different varieties of C. longa were cultivated in north Alabama, the rhizome essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation, and the essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The major components in the essential oils were α-phellandrene (3.7–11.8%), 1,8-cineole (2.6–11.7%), α-zingiberene (0.8–12.5%), β-sesquiphellandrene (0.7–8.0%), ar-turmerone (6.8–32.5%), α-turmerone (13.6–31.5%), and β-turmerone (4.8–18.4%). The essential oil yields and chemical profiles of several of the varieties are comparable with those from tropical regions, suggesting that these should be considered for cultivation and commercialization in the southeastern United States.

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. This work was supported by CONICYT PIA/APOYO CCTE AFB170007. N. Martins would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and "NORTE2020 - Northern Regional Operational Program" (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012).

Mosquito-borne diseases are a large problem in Vietnam as elsewhere. Due to environmental concerns regarding the use of synthetic insecticides as well as developing insecticidal resistance, there is a need for environmentally-benign alternative mosquito control agents. In addition, resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to antibiotics is an increasing problem. As part of a program to identify essential oils as alternative larvicidal and antimicrobial agents, the leaf, stem, and rhizome essential oils of several Zingiber species, obtained from wild-growing specimens in northern Vietnam, were acquired by hydrodistillation and investigated using gas chromatography. The mosquito larvicidal activities of the essential oils were assessed against Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. aegypti, and for antibacterial activity against a selection of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and for activity against Candida albicans. Zingiber essential oils rich in &alpha, pinene and &beta, pinene showed the best larvicidal activity. Zingiber nudicarpum rhizome essential oil showed excellent antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cereus, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 2, 8, and 1 &mu, g/mL, respectively. However, the major components, &alpha, pinene, cannot explain the antibacterial activities obtained.

Essential oils have emerged as viable alternatives to synthetic insecticides for control of mosquito-borne pathogens. The leaf essential oils of eight species of Premna (Lamiaceae) growing in central Vietnam have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography&ndash, mass spectrometry. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons dominated most of the Premna essential oils, with the notable exception of Premnamekongensis from Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, which had &alpha, pinene as the major component. Larvicidal activities against Aedes aegypti have been determined and all of the Premna essential oils showed larvicidal activity with 24-h LC50 &lt, 65 &mu, g/mL. The leaf essential oils of Premnacambodiana from Chu Mom Ray National Park and Premnamekongensis from Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve showed the best larvicidal activities with 24-h LC50 of 16.8 and 18.0 &mu, g/mL, respectively. The essential oil compositions and larvicidal activities of P. cambodiana, Premna flavescens, Premnamaclurei, P. mekongensis, and Premnapuberula are reported for the first time. Although the larvicidal activities of Premna leaf essential oils are promising, the essential oil yields are relatively low (0.10&ndash, 0.25%).

The Eugenia and Syzygium genera include approximately 1000 and 1800 species, respectively, and both belong to the Myrtaceae. Their species present economic and medicinal importance and pharmacological properties. Due to their chemical diversity and biological activity, we are reporting the essential oils of 48 species of these two genera, which grow in South America and found mainly in Brazil. Chemically, a total of 127 oil samples have been described and displayed a higher intraspecific and interspecific diversity for both Eugenia spp. and Syzygium spp., according to the site of collection or seasonality. The main volatile compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenes, mainly with caryophyllane and germacrane skeletons and monoterpenes of mostly the pinane type. The oils presented many biological activities, especially antimicrobial (antifungal and antibacterial), anticholinesterase, anticancer (breast, gastric, melanoma, prostate), antiprotozoal (Leishmania spp.), antioxidant, acaricidal, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory. These studies can contribute to the rational and economic exploration of Eugenia and Syzygium species once they have been identified as potent natural and alternative sources to the production of new herbal medicines.

The rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) is a pest of stored grain products such as rice, wheat, and corn. Essential oils represent a green environmentally-friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides for controlling stored-product insect pests. Launaea taraxacifolia is a leafy vegetable plant found in several parts of Nigeria. The leaves are eaten either fresh as a salad or cooked as a sauce. The essential oil obtained from fresh leaves of L. taraxacifolia was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Twenty-nine compounds were identified, accounting for 100% of the oil composition. The major component classes were monoterpene hydrocarbons (78.1%), followed by oxygenated monoterpenoids (16.2%), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (2.1%), oxygenated sesquiterpenoids (0.3%), and non-terpenoid derivatives (3.3%). The leaf essential oil was dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons including limonene (48.8%), sabinene (18.8%), and (E)-β-ocimene (4.6%), along with the monoterpenoid aldehyde citronellal (11.0%). The contact insecticidal activity of L. taraxacifolia essential oil against Sitophilus oryzae was carried out; median lethal concentration (LC50) values of topical exposure of L. taraxacifolia essential oil were assessed over a 120-h period. The LC50 values ranged from 54.38 μL/mL (24 h) to 10.10 µL/mL (120 h). The insecticidal activity of the L. taraxacifolia essential oil can be attributed to major components limonene (48.8%), sabinene (18.8%), and citronellal (11.0%), as well as potential synergistic action of the essential oil components. This result showed L. taraxacifolia essential oil may be considered as a useful alternative to synthetic insecticides.

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&ndash, mass spectrometry (GC&ndash, MS) and gas chromatography&ndash, flame ionization detection (GC&ndash, FID). The major components of the essential oils were (E)-caryophyllene (3.3%-64.4%), &alpha, pinene (0.6%-34.5%), &beta, pinene (0.6%-26.0%), camphene (0.3%-17.3%), and limonene (0.2%-7.9%). A chiral GC&ndash, MS analysis was carried out on the essential oil samples and (&ndash, )-&alpha, Pinene, (&ndash, )-&beta, pinene, (&ndash, )-camphene, and (&ndash, )-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) &le, 625 &mu, g/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.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal and modulatory potential of the Ziziphus joazeiro bark and leaf extracts, both in isolation and in association with fluconazole, against resistant species from the Candida genus. Antifungal assays were used to determine the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the extract in isolation and in combination with fluconazole using the broth microdilution method and spectrophotometric readings, followed by verification of the minimum fungicidal concentration by solid medium subculture. According to the cell viability curve, both extracts inhibited fungal growth in a concentration dependent manner, in addition to showing inhibitory concentrations similar to fluconazole. However, the extracts behaved in a fungistatic manner with minimum inhibitory concentration > 8.19 mg/mL and IC50 values ranging from 0.450 mg/mL to 9 mg/mL. The minimum inhibitory concentration for both extracts decreased when in combination with fluconazole, with the AEL standing out against Candida albicans URM 4387, displaying an IC50 equal to that of fluconazole (0.002 mg/mL). Nevertheless, fluconazole antagonism was observed against the tested strains. Overall, the evaluation of both extracts against Candida spp. presented inhibitory concentration values greater than fluconazole. Moreover, despite these being chemically complex crude extracts, they did demonstrate antifungal effects and properties that concur with their ethno-biological aspect.

The use of chemical insecticides has had several side-effects, such as environmental contamination, foodborne residues, and human health threats. The utilization of plant-derived essential oils as efficient bio-rational agents has been acknowledged in pest management strategies. In the present study, the fumigant toxicity of essential oil isolated from Satureja intermedia was assessed against cosmopolitan stored-product insect pests: Trogoderma granarium Everts (khapra beetle), Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (lesser grain borer), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (red flour beetle), and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (saw-toothed grain beetle). The essential oil had significant fumigant toxicity against tested insects, which positively depended on essential oil concentrations and the exposure times. Comparative contact toxicity of S. intermedia essential oil was measured against Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe (oleander aphid) and its predator Coccinella septempunctata L. (seven-spot ladybird). Adult females of A. nerii were more susceptible to the contact toxicity than the C. septempunctata adults. The dominant compounds in the essential oil of S. intermedia were thymol (48.1%), carvacrol (11.8%), p-cymene (8.1%), and &gamma, terpinene (8.1%). The high fumigant toxicity against four major stored-product insect pests, the significant aphidicidal effect on A. nerii, and relative safety to the general predator C. septempunctata make terpene-rich S. intermedia essential oil a potential candidate for use as a plant-based alternative to the detrimental synthetic insecticides.

Lauraceae species are known as excellent essential oil (EO) producers, and their taxa are distributed throughout the territory of Brazil. This study presents a systematic review of chemical composition, seasonal studies, occurrence of chemical profiles, and biological activities to EOs of species of Licaria, Nectandra, and Ocotea genera collected in different Brazilian biomes. Based on our survey, 39 species were studied, with a total of 86 oils extracted from seeds, leaves, stem barks, and twigs. The most representative geographic area in specimens was the Atlantic Forest (14 spp., 30 samples) followed by the Amazon (13 spp., 30 samples), Cerrado (6 spp., 14 samples), Pampa (4 spp., 10 samples), and Caatinga (2 spp., 2 samples) forests. The majority of compound classes identified in the oils were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated sesquiterpenoids. Among them, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, bicyclogermacrene, caryophyllene oxide, α-bisabolol, and bicyclogermacrenal were the main constituents. Additionally, large amounts of phenylpropanoids and monoterpenes such as safrole, 6-methoxyelemicin, apiole, limonene, α-pinene, β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, and camphor were reported. Nectandra megatopomica showed considerable variation with the occurrence of fourteen chemical profiles according to seasonality and collection site. Several biological activities have been attributed to these oils, especially cytotoxic, antibacterial, antioxidant and antifungal potential, among other pharmacological applications.

Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are key vectors in the spread of arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika. Triatoma rubrofasciata is an “assassin bug” whose populations and association with humans have dramatically increased and may represent a serious health concern. Control of insect vectors is a logical course of action to prevent the spread of these insect-borne infections. This work presents the leaf essential oil composition, mosquito larvicidal activities, and insect-repellent activity of Severinia monophylla. The essential oil of S. monophylla from Vietnam was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The major components were sabinene, β-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, germacrene D, (E)-nerolidol, globulol, and linalool. The leaf essential oil showed remarkable larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti with LC50 (48 h) of 7.1 μg/mL and Ae. albopictus with LC50 (48 h) of 36 μg/mL. The essential oil also showed repellent activity on T. rubrofasciata at a concentration of 0.5%.

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several diseases, and control of these insects is imperative for human health. Insecticides have proven useful in controlling mosquito populations, but insecticide resistance and environmental concerns are increasing. Additionally, emerging and re-emerging microbial infections are problematic. Essential oils have been shown to be promising mosquito larvicidal agents as well as antimicrobial agents. In this work, the essential oils from four species of Myrtaceae (Baeckea frutescens, Callistemon citrinus, Melaleuca leucadendra, and Syzygium nervosum) growing wild in central Vietnam have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatographic techniques. The essential oils have been screened for mosquito larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus, and for antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Callistemon citrinus fruit essential oil, rich in &alpha, pinene (35.1%), 1,8-cineole (32.4%), limonene (8.2%), and &alpha, terpineol (5.8%) showed good larvicidal activity with 24-h LC50 = 17.3 &mu, g/mL against both Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus, and good antibacterial activity against E. faecalis (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 16 &mu, g/mL) The 48-h larvicidal activities of M. leucadendra leaf essential oil, rich in &alpha, eudesmol (17.6%), guaiol (10.9%), linalool (5.1%), (E)-caryophyllene (7.0%), and bulnesol (3.6%) were particularly notable, with LC50 of 1.4 and 1.8 &mu, g/mL on Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Similarly, M. leucadendra bark essential oil, with &alpha, eudesmol (24.1%) and guaiol (11.3%), showed good antibacterial activity against. E. faecalis. Both B. frutescens and C. citrinus leaf essential oils demonstrated anti-Candida activities with MIC values of 16 &mu, g/mL. The results of this investigation suggest that essential oils derived from the Myrtaceae may serve as &ldquo, green&rdquo, alternatives for the control of mosquitoes and/or complementary antimicrobial agents.

Members of the genus Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) have aromatic volatiles in their leaves and bark and some species are commercially important herbs and spices. In this work, the essential oils from five species of Cinnamomum (C. damhaensis, C. longipetiolatum, C. ovatum, C. polyadelphum and C. tonkinense) growing wild in north central Vietnam were obtained by hydrodistillation, analyzed by gas chromatography and screened for antimicrobial and mosquito larvicidal activity. The leaf essential oil of C. tonkinense, rich in &beta, phellandrene (23.1%) and linalool (32.2%), showed excellent antimicrobial activity (MIC of 32 &mu, g/mL against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans) and larvicidal activity (24 h LC50 of 17.4 &mu, g/mL on Aedes aegypti and 14.1 &mu, g/mL against Culex quinquefasciatus). Cinnamomum polyadelphum leaf essential oil also showed notable antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and mosquito larvicidal activity, attributable to relatively high concentrations of neral (11.7%) and geranial (16.6%). Thus, members of the genus Cinnamomum from Vietnam have shown promise as antimicrobial agents and as potential vector control agents for mosquitoes.

Plant species have long been regarded as possessing the principal ingredients used in widely disseminated ethnomedical practices. Different surveys showed that medicinal plant species used by the inhabitants for the traditional treatment of diseases are inadequately screened for their therapeutic/preventive potential and phytochemical findings. The genus Nepeta L., which belongs to the family Lamiaceae, are widely used in traditional medicine. In this review, Nepeta species, which are used as traditional herbal medicine pursued indigenously, have reported several pharmacological effects as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, sedative, relaxant, cholesterol lowering, antiasthmatic, carminative, diuretic, diaphoretic, febrifuge, vermifuge, herbicidal, insecticidal and insect repellent, all of them directly related to the specific chemical composition. According to the Nepeta genus phytochemistry, there exist two main essential oil chemotypes. The first is the nepetolactone chemotype, and the second is the 1,8-cineole and/or linalool chemotype. The active constituents from Nepeta genus may provide the opportunity for the production of antidepressive, antidiabetes, analgestic, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and cardioprotective drugs. Due to the effects of Nepeta species on improving the complications of various diseases, the need for doing more extensive and comprehensive clinical trials for the use of Nepeta species in the treatment of diseases is necessary. Recommended future directives incurring the design and conduct of comprehensive trials are pointed out to validate the usefulness of these active plant species and bioactive secondary metabolites either alone or in combination with existing conventional therapies.

The underground parts of Ferula tadshikorumM. Pimenwere collected from the southern part of Tajikistan. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GLC-FID and GLC-MS. A total of 26 compounds were identified representing 94.4 % of total oil composition. The essential oil was dominated by the sulfur-containing compounds (Z)-1-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (37. 3%), (E)-1-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (29.9%), (E)-1-propenyl 1-(methylthio)propyl disulfide (16.8%), and propyl sec-butyl disulfide (4.8%). The antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the essential oil was evaluated. To our best knowledge, this is the first report concerning the chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil obtained from the underground parts of F. tadshikorum.

Leishmania major is an intracellular parasite generally responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), one of the most encountered skin diseases especially in Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Current treatment options are not ideal, due to unwanted side effects and increasing resistance and availability is often limited in developing countries. Medicinal plants continue to attract attention because of their beneficial effects in the prevention or/and accelerating the healing process of various diseases. In this study, in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of L. major to Veronica persica Poir. extract, a medicinal plant with many applications, has been evaluated. Antileishmanial activity of plant extract was investigated both on cultured L. major promastigotes and in mice challenged with L. major. Animals were divided into three groups including control (without any treatment), test (treated with plant extract) and glucantime (the reference drug) treated groups. After treatments, skin lesion sizes and body weights of animals were checked during 4 weeks. The potential of the plant extract in decreasing the number of parasites in spleen cells of animals as well as inducing the nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophage cells was also investigated. In vitro tests showed that the plant extract was able to reduce the survival time of promastigotes in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo experiments also revealed a significant influence of V. persica extracts on accelerating the healing process as well as reducing the overall disease burden in animal model by inducing NO production in macrophage cells. Our findings indicated the promising potential of V. persica extract as an ideal candidate in the treatment of CL caused by L. major.

The lack of an effective anti-viral agent and the emergence of drug-resistant strains dictate a real need for discovery of novel therapies able to ameliorate viral infections. In this regards, medicinal plants and natural products offer safe and inexpensive platforms for discovery of efficient and novel anti-viral agents. We have investigated the potential anti-viral activities of Veronica persica Poir. as a medicinal plant against herpes simplex viruses (HSVs). In vitro screening of the ethanol plant extract against HSV-1 and HSV-2 infected Vero cells revealed the extract to show a dose-dependent inhibitory activity against both virus strains. After fractionation of the extract by a stepwise methanol gradient and evaluation of each fraction, the 80% methanol fraction displayed a pronounced inhibitory activity against the herpes viruses. The highest antiviral activity was observed when the Vero cells were treated with the extract both during and after infection by viruses. Moreover, the extract showed a prominent synergistic activity in combination with acyclovir anti-HSV therapy. Our findings revealed the potential of V. persica extract, especially its 80% methanol fraction, in inhibition of herpes simplex viral infections.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic protozoal disease that affects approximately 12 million people and represents a public health problem in Iran. The objectives of this study were to obtain the essential oil (EO) from Pulicaria vulgaris Gaertn. growing in Iran and to carry out in-vitro antileishmanial screening of the EO against promastigotes of Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum. The EO from the aerial parts of P. vulgaris was extracted by hydrodistillation. Serial dilutions of the EO were screened for in-vitro antileishmanial activity using 96-well microtiter plates. The P. vulgaris EO was active against the promastigote forms of L. major and L. infantum, with IC50 values of 244.70 and 233.65 µg/mL, respectively. Pulicaria vulgaris EO may serve as an alternative or complementary treatment for leishmaniasis.

Carvacrol (CV) is a phenolic monoterpenoid found in essential oils of oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), pepperwort (Lepidium flavum), wild bergamot (Citrus aurantium bergamia), and other plants. Carvacrol possesses a wide range of bioactivities putatively useful for clinical applications such antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. Carvacrol antimicrobial activity is higher than that of other volatile compounds present in essential oils due to the presence of the free hydroxyl group, hydrophobicity, and the phenol moiety. The present review illustrates the state‐of‐the‐art studies on the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of CV. It is particularly effective against food‐borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Bacillus cereus. Carvacrol has high antioxidant activity and has been successfully used, mainly associated with thymol, as dietary phytoadditive to improve animal antioxidant status. The anticancer properties of CV have been reported in preclinical models of breast, liver, and lung carcinomas, acting on proapoptotic processes. Besides the interesting properties of CV and the toxicological profile becoming definite, to date, human trials on CV are still lacking, and this largely impedes any conclusions of clinical relevance.

Frankincense is an aromatic terpenoid oleo-gum resin produced by trees in the genus Boswellia. It has been used for medicinal and religious purposes for millennia, and is today an important component in perfume and aromatherapy. The resin of Boswellia frereana is especially prized, and has been found to contain a high proportion of monoterpenes. However, previous studies have relied on commercial samples; in this study, we characterize the compositions of essential oil and DCM extract samples from 12 individual B frereana trees. The triterpenoid fraction was largely consistent between samples, with lupeol (14.7%-32.5%), α-amyrin (13.0%-25.2%), 3- epi-lupeol (6.4%-14.2%), and β-amyrin (5.3%-8.0%) as the primary constituents. The essential oil showed more intersample diversity, but still represented a single, variable chemotype characterized by a moderate to high level of α-thujene (14.5%-43.9%) and a varying, often significant, level of α-pinene (3.0%-63.0%).

Leishmaniases are a spectrum of poverty-linked neglected parasitic diseases that are endemic in 88 countries around the globe and affect millions of people every year. Currently available chemotherapeutic options are inadequate due to side effects, high cost, prolonged treatment, and parasite resistance. Thus, there is an existing need to develop new potent and safer leishmanicidal drugs. Considering the folkloric antiulcer and leishmanicidal use of the genus Berberis and its alkaloids, 5 reported alkaloids, namely berberine (1), palmatine (2), columbamine (3), 8-trichloromethyldihydroberberine (4), and jatrorrhizine (5), were isolated from the roots of Berberis glaucocarpa using classical (column and preparative chromatography) and modern isolation techniques (Sephadex LH-20). Their structures were elucidated and established from 1D and 2D spectroscopic data. The isolated alkaloids displayed excellent antileishmanial potential with IC50 values ranging from 1.50 to 2.56 µM: 1 (1.50 ± 0.53 µM), 2 (2.31 ± 0.37 µM), 3 (2.56 ± 0.48 µM), 4 (1.40 ± 0.90 µM), 5 (2.44 ± 1.34 µM). While the IC50 value for the standard drug (Amphotericin-B) was found to be 1.08 ± 0.95 µM. All of the isolated alkaloids displayed excellent antileishmanial potential as well as minimal cytotoxicity against THP-1 monocytic cells. Molecular docking analysis has revealed Leishmania N-myristoyl transferase, methionyl-tRNA synthetase, pteridine reductase 1, oligopeptidase B, tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, and/or glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase to be potential protein targets for the alkaloids.

The causative agent of Grapevine Downy Mildew, the oomycete Plasmopara viticola, poses a serious threat to viticulture. In the current work, the contractile vacuole of the zoospore is analysed as potential target for novel plant protection strategies. Using a combination of electron microscopy, spinning disc confocal microscopy, and video differential interference contrast microscopy, we have followed the genesis and dynamics of this vacuole required during the search for the stomata, when the non-walled zoospore is exposed to hypotonic conditions. This subcellular description was combined with a pharmacological study, where the functionality of the contractile vacuole was blocked by manipulation of actin, by Na, Cu, and Al ions or by inhibition of the NADPH oxidase. We further observe that RGD peptides (mimicking binding sites for integrins at the extracellular matrix) can inhibit the function of the contractile vacuole as well. Finally, we show that an extract from Chinese liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) proposed as biocontrol for Downy Mildews can efficiently induce zoospore burst and that this activity depends on the activity of NADPH oxidase. The effect of the extract can be phenocopied by its major compound, glycyrrhizin, suggesting a mode of action for this biologically safe alternative to copper products.

The chemical composition of the hydrodistilled aerial parts of essential oil from Lavandula pubescens Decne. collected from Imran in Yemen was determined by GC-MS analysis, and its cytotoxic, xanthine oxidase inhibitory, antiradical and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. The main compounds were carvacrol (72.7 %), carvacrol methyl ether (7.0 %) and caryophyllene oxide (5.9 %). The oil exhibited strong cytotoxicity against Hela (cervical) and AGS (gastric) cell lines with IC50 less than 10 μg/mL. It is also had excellent xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity with % inhibition of 26.1 % at 10 μg/ml and IC50 of 3.8 μg/mL. The oil demonstrated strong antiradical activity with IC50 value of 75.08 μg/mL in addition to highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Escherichia coli with MIC value of 0.078 μL/mL.

There are around 140 species in the genus Callicarpa, with 23 species occurring in Vietnam. The Vietnamese Callicarpa species have been poorly studied. In this work, the leaf essential oils of C. bodinieri, C. candicans, C. formosana, C. longifolia, C. nudiflora, C. petelotii, C. rubella, and C. sinuata, have been obtained from plants growing in central Vietnam. The chemical compositions of the essential oils were determined using gas chromatography &ndash, mass spectrometry. Mosquito larvicidal activities of the essential oils were carried out against Aedes aegypti. All of the Callicarpa leaf essential oils showed larvicidal activity, but two samples of C. candicans were particularly active with 48-h LC50 values of 2.1 and 3.8 &mu, g/mL. Callicarpa candicans essential oil should be considered as a potential alternative mosquito control agent.

Plant-derived products are employed in various public health practices and have been considered as a major source of medicines. The genus Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) has been widely respected for its nutritional properties, its essential oil, and its therapeutic values. In the present work, the chemical characterization, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and cytotoxic properties of the essential oil from Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng and its main compound carvacrol were studied. Twenty-one components were identified in the oil by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometric detector. In this oil, carvacrol constitutes the major compound (71%), which represented the more abundant chemotype. The essential oil did not inhibit growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Trypanosoma cruzi, or Leishmania infantum, but displayed activity against Plasmodium falciparum (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 5.9 µg/mL), Trypanosoma brucei (IC50= 34.9 µg/mL), and Leishmania amazonensis (IC50= 58.2 µg/mL), and the human tumor-derived cell lines MCF-7 (IC50= 29.1 µg/mL), MDA-MB-231 (IC50= 41.5 µg/mL), and 22Rv1 (IC50= 29.6 µg/mL), but no cytotoxicity was observed against nonmalignant macrophages. The antiproliferative activity of the oil could be attributed to carvacrol. However, this compound showed certain level of cytotoxicity, which suggests unspecific activity. This study provides evidence about antimicrobial and anticancer potential of the essential oil from P. amboinicus against protozoa and neoplastic diseases, particularly as an antimalarial natural product.

The family Arecaceae includes 181 genera and 2,600 species with a high diversity in physical characteristics. Areca plants, commonly palms, which are able to grow in nearly every type of habitat, prefer tropical and subtropical climates. The most studied species Areca catechu L. contains phytochemicals as phenolics and alkaloids with biological properties. The phenolics are mainly distributed in roots followed by fresh unripe fruits, leaves, spikes, and veins, while the contents of alkaloids are in the order of roots, fresh unripe fruits, spikes, leaves, and veins. This species has been reputed to provide health effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, metabolic, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems. However, in many developing countries, quid from this species has been associated with side effects, which include the destruction of the teeth, impairment of oral hygiene, bronchial asthma, or oral cancer. Despite these side effects, which are also mentioned in this work, the present review collects the main results of biological properties of the phytochemicals in A. catechu. This study emphasizes the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, and clinical effectiveness in humans. In this sense, A. catechu have demonstrated effectiveness in several reports through in vitro and in vivo experiments on disorders such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, or anticancer. Moreover, our findings demonstrate that this species presents clinical effectiveness on neurological disorders. Hence, A. catechu extracts could be used as a bioactive ingredient for functional food, nutraceuticals, or cosmeceuticals. However, further studies, especially extensive and comprehensive clinical trials, are recommended for the use of Areca in the treatment of diseases. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Essential oils (EOs) are known for their use in cosmetics, food industries, and traditional medicine. This study presents the chemical composition and therapeutic properties against kinetoplastid and eukaryotic cells of the EO from Melaleucaleucadendra (L.) L. (Myrtaceae). Forty-five compounds were identified in the oil by GC-MS, containing a major component the 1,8-cineole (61%). The EO inhibits the growth of Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma brucei at IC50 values &lt, 10 &mu, g/mL. However, 1,8 cineole was not the main compound responsible for the activity. Against malignant (22Rv1, MCF-7, EFO-21, including resistant sublines MCF-7/Rap and MCF-7/4OHTAMO) and non-malignant (MCF-10A, J774A.1 and peritoneal macrophage) cells, IC50 values from 55 to 98 &mu, g/mL and from 94 to 144 &mu, g/mL were obtained, respectively. However, no activity was observed on Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, Candida parapsilosis, Microsporum canis, or Trypanosoma cruzi. The EO was able to control the lesion size and parasite burden in the model of cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice caused by L. amazonensis compared to untreated animals (p &lt, 0.05) and similar with those treated with Glucantime&reg, (p &gt, 0.05). This work constitutes the first evidence of antiproliferative potentialities of EO from M. leucadendra growing in Cuba and could promote further preclinical investigations to confirm the medical value of this plant, in particular for leishmaniasis treatment.