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In the present study, Monarda didyma L. essential oil (isolated from the flowering aerial parts of the plant) was examined to characterize its chemotype and to evaluate, in addition to the quali-quantitative chemical analysis, the associated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The plants were grown in central Italy, Urbino (PU), Marche region. Different analyses (TLC, GC-FID, GC-MS and 1H-NMR) allowed the identification of twenty compounds among which carvacrol, p-cymene and thymol were the most abundant. On this basis, the chemotype examined in the present study was indicated as Monarda didyma ct. carvacrol. The antioxidant effect was assessed by DPPH assay. Moreover, this chemotype was investigated for the anti-inflammatory effect in an in vitro setting (i.e., LPS-stimulated U937 cells). The decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the increased expression of miR-146a are suggestive of the involvement of the Toll-like receptor-4 signaling pathway. Although further studies are needed to better investigate the action mechanism/s underlying the results observed in the experimental setting, our findings show that M. didyma essential oil is rich in bioactive compounds (mainly aromatic monoterpenes and phenolic monoterpenes) which are most likely responsible for its beneficial effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of the essential oil of flowering aerial parts of Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum cultivated in central Italy, Marche region, was analyzed by means of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seventy-eight components, accounting for 98.71% of the whole essential oil composition, were identified and quantified. Neryl acetate showed the largest relative abundance in the composition, accounting for 15.75% of the oil, followed by α-pinene (8.21%); 4,6,9-trimethyl-8-decene-3,5-dione, (Italidione I), (7.34%); ar-curcumene and β-selinene (5.37%); γ-curcumene (4.83%); nerol (4.75%); α-selinene (4.68%); limonene (4.55%); linalool (4.42%), and 2,4,6,9-tetramethyl-8-decene-3,5-dione (Italidione II), (4.26%). The oil inhibited in vitro collagenase and elastase activities, with IC50 values of 36.99 ± 1.52 and 135.43 ± 6.32 μg/mL, respectively. Neryl acetate, nerol, and linalool, distinctive compounds of the oil obtained from this plant, tested alone or in mixture, at the same percentages shown in the essential oil, exhibited no activity against the two enzymes. On the contrary, α-pinene and limonene, tested alone and in mixture, showed inhibitory activity on both collagenase and elastase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of herbs with medicinal value and biomedical effects has increased tremendously in the last years. However, inadequate basic knowledge of their mode of action is the main issue related to phytotherapy, although they have shown promising potential. To provide insights into these important issues, we tested here on appropriate in vitro models the efficacy of Angelica archangelica essential oil (Aa-EO) for anti-inflammatory properties. The results demonstrated that Aa-EO induced significant apoptosis and necrosis at high doses in U937 cells. We used nontoxic concentrations to treat for anti-inflammatory capacity. The results also demonstrated a decreased proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 level in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, as senescence in vitro model, when cells are challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), one of the most powerful proinflammatory inducer in the presence of Aa-EO. In addition, down expression of miR-126 and miR-146a (inflammamirs) produced by LPS stimulation was reverted by Aa-EO simultaneous treatment. These results provide noteworthy basis for the development/formulation of new drugs for future clinical uses and new food products or dietary supplements for contrasting inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of different wavelengths on plants morphological characters has been widely described, but also the chemical composition of the essential oil is influenced by the lighting conditions in which they are grown. In the present study, the effect of both the enrichment (reverse Emerson effect) and the monochromatic lighting treatments with red light has been evaluated on the essential oil compositions of parsley ( Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss). Multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the results, with both the hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses. Whilst the red-enrichment of the light spectrum did not induce major changes in the essential oil composition, the end of the day monochromatic red (660 nm) treatment caused a chemotype switch in the essential oil and relevant differences in the overall composition, with an increment of the relative abundance of oxygenated compounds, coupled with a relevant decrement in the abundance of phenylpropanoids. The extraction yields remained unchanged in all the three tested conditions of light (control, red-enriched and monochromatic red). Different lighting conditions could be used as a tool to modulate the compounds present in the essential oil, but further studies would be advisable to assess the effects on different species and chemical classes of compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of the essential oil of the flowering aerial parts of Monarda didyma L. cultivated in central Italy was analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The major compounds of the oil were thymol (59.3%), p-cymene (10.3%), terpinolene (9.2%), δ-3-carene (4.4%), myrcene (3.7%), and camphene (3.4%). The essential oil was tested in vitro for its anti-germination activity against Papaver rhoeas L., Taraxacum officinale F. H.Wigg., Avena fatua L., Raphanus sativus L. and Lepidium sativum L. seeds, demonstrating good inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent way. The exposure of the employed weed seeds to M. didyma essential oil and thymol solution (59.3%) increased the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA), markers of oxidative stress, in emerging 5-day-old rootlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae) roots from central Italy were analyzed. The major constituents of the oil were α-pinene (21.3%), δ-3-carene (16.5%), limonene (16.4%) and α-phellandrene (8.7%). The oil shows a good antimicrobial activity against Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Eubacterium limosum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Candida albicans with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.25, 0.25, 0.13, 0.25, 2.25, and 0.50% v/v, respectively. A weaker antimicrobial activity against bifidobacteria and lactobacilli-very useful in the intestinal microflora-has also been shown with MIC values >4.0% v/v. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The topical anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and antifungal activities of essential oils and extracts of Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl. resin were investigated. The hexane extract significantly inhibited oedema when applied topically in Croton oil-induced ear oedema assay in mice. The same extract showed antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging assay. A bioguided separation of the hexane extract led to the isolation of furanosesquiterpenoids 1 and 2 that showed a weak antifungal activity, while compounds 3–5 resulted to be antioxidant (EC50 4.28, 2.56 and 1.08mg/mL, respectively) and anti-inflammatory (30, 26 and 32% oedema reduction, respectively). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Teucrium massiliense L. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and the components identified were 34, mainly 3,7-dimethyloctan-2-one (15.2%), butyl 2-methylbutyrate (12.1%), linalool (10.6%), linalyl acetate (7.1%), zingiberene (4.7%), γ-cadinene (4.1%). The antioxidant activity of the oil was evaluated by the DPPH test, where the oil showed an effect comparable to Trolox, and by lipid peroxidation test, where the activity of the oil was three time less effective than that of Trolox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Monarda didyma stem with leaves and flowers was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and the components identified were 22, mainly thymol (57.3% and 51.7%, respectively), γ-terpinene (9.3% and 14.3%), p-cymene (10.5% and 9.7%), δ-3-carene (4.5% and 6.2%) and myrcene (3.7% and 3.7%). The two oils were qualitatively similar. The antifungal activity of the oil was evaluated against four phytopathogenic fungi by direct contact with the Agar diffusion method and with the fungistatc action of the vapors using the Microatmosphere method. The most sensitive fungus resulted Rhizoctonia solani in the first test and Botrytis cinerea in the second. The antioxidant activity of the oil was evaluated by DPPH test, were the oil showed an effect comparable to Trolox, and by lipid peroxidation test, where the activity of the oil was similar to that of BHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Teucrium marum subsp. marum (Lamiaceae) was analysed by GC/MS and 30 components were identified. Isocaryophyllene (20.24%), β-bisabolene (14.73%), β-sesquiphellandrene (11.27%), α-santalene (10.97%), dolichodial (9.38%) and, α-caryophyllene (7.18%) were the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed against four phytopathogenic fungi and Rhyzoctonia solani resulted to be the most sensitive microorganism with a MIC value of 250ppm. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was evaluated using the DPPH test, 5-lipoxygenase test and luminol/xanthine/xanthine oxidase chemiluminescence assay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The two essential oils isolated from plants of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L. ssp. officinalis) grown in two different localities near Urbino (Marche, Italy) were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major components were pinocamphone (34% and 18.5%), isopinocamphone (3.2% and 29%) and β-pinene (10.5% and 10.8%). The major differences in the composition of the oils were detectable in the ratio of pinocamphone/isopinocamphone, in the percentage of linalool (0.2% and 7.9%) and camphor (0.3% and 5.3%).The oils showed antifungal activity against 13 strains of phytopathogenic fungi; the activity of the oil extracted from plants grown at 1000 m above sea level showed higher activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferulago campestris is an aromatic plant, distributed in Mediterranean Europe, and a source of essential oils (EOs) regarded as promising alternatives to synthetic herbicides and pesticides. F. campestris EO, hydrodistilled and analyzed, was tested for its antigerminative activity and for its effect on radicle elongation, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and lipid peroxidation on four infesting weed species (Papaver rhoeas, Taraxacum campylodes, Poa annua, and Setaria verticillata) and on Phaseolus vulgaris. Its repellent ability was also tested against Acanthoscelides obtectus, a pest commonly affecting P. vulgaris during storage. Moreover, a chitosan coating layer was developed with the addition of F. campestris EO and tested for its toxic and oviposition-deterring effects against A. obtectus. Myrcene, α-pinene, and γ-terpinene were detected as the main compounds in F. campestris EO. The EO demonstrated a selective in vitro antigerminative activity towards the weed species, without affecting the bean seeds. Moreover, the chitosan coating layer exerted a dose-dependent repellent effect against A. obtectus adults, thus effectively protecting the bean seeds, while preserving their germinative ability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a chitosan–EO coating proposed with the aim of protecting bean seeds for sowing from insect attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oils isolated from wild and domesticated plants obtained from in vitro culture of Glechoma sardoa Bég. were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main compounds in the oil obtained from wild and domesticated plants were germacrene D (19.8% and 17.4%), isofuranogermacrene (15.3% and 17.1%), β-elemene (18.3% and 16.3%), β-phellandrene (13.5% and 11.9%), elemol (12.9% and 11.3%), respectively. The tissue culture micropropagation of G. sardoa, obtained by a suitable ratio of NAA and Kinetin was succesful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Grindelia robusta aerial parts from central Italy was analyzed by GC and GC/MS and 45 components were identified. Borneol (15.2%), α pinene (10.3%), trans-pinocarveol (7.0%), bornyl acetate (4.5%), limonene (4.3%) were the main components. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was evaluated using the DPPH and 5-lipoxygenase tests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]