Search

Supervised field trial studies were conducted to understand dissipation kinetics and harvest time residues of a combination product of fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin in cumin plant/leaves and seeds at different locations in India. The results showed initial accumulation of fluxapyroxad at the levels of 15.4 and 20.2 mg kg−1 and pyraclostrobin at the level of 21.2 and 33.4 mg kg−1 in cumin leaves/plant in Anand, Gujarat. Fluxapyroxad and pyraclostrobin followed zero-order and first-order dissipation kinetics in cumin plant/leaves samples respectively. The residues translocated to cumin seeds. As the hazard quotient (HQ) was <1 in all cases consumer health risk may be negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Liver diseases represent a significant global health challenge, with primary causes including excessive alcohol consumption, infections, chemotherapy, and autoimmune disorders. Medicinal plants, due to their natural bioactive compounds, hold promise for developing effective treatments and preventive measures against liver ailments. This study aimed to document the use of herbal remedies in northeastern Morocco for liver diseases and correlate these uses with scientific evidence through a bibliometric analysis. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in remote communities of northeastern Morocco from October 2020 to January 2022. A total of 189 informants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires to gather information on local medicinal plants used for liver ailments. The data were analyzed using four ethnobotanical quantitative indices: use value (UV), familial use value (FUV), informant consensus factor (ICF), and fidelity level (FL). Additionally, a bibliometric analysis was performed to evaluate the scientific support for the ethnopharmacological uses documented. Results: The survey identified 45 plant species from 26 different families used in the treatment of liver diseases. The most frequently utilized species were Cuminum cyminum L. (UV = 0.1065), Allium sativum L. (UV = 0.1015), Salvia officinalis L. (UV = 0.0761), Asparagus officinalis L. (UV = 0.0558), and Ziziphus lotus (L.) Lam. (UV = 0.0457). The Apiaceae family showed the highest familial use value (FUV = 0.1066), followed by Alliaceae (FUV = 0.1015). Liver congestion had the highest informant consensus factor (ICF = 0.83), followed by hepatic colic (ICF = 0.80). Bibliometric analysis revealed that 61% of the plants identified had documented pharmacological effects related to liver health. Discussion: The study demonstrates that traditional knowledge in northeastern Morocco encompasses a rich diversity of medicinal plants used to treat liver diseases. The high ICF values indicate a strong consensus among informants on the efficacy of these remedies. The correlation between ethnopharmacological use and scientific validation for a significant portion of these plants suggests their potential as reliable therapeutic agents for liver conditions. However, further scientific investigations are necessary to confirm their efficacy and safety in clinical settings. This research contributes valuable information for future studies on the therapeutic potential of these plants. Conclusion: This ethnobotanical survey provides a comprehensive database of medicinal plants used in northeastern Morocco for liver diseases. The findings highlight the potential of these plants in developing novel treatments for hepatic conditions, although further research is essential to substantiate their therapeutic claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity and quality of the active components of plants are strongly influenced by environmental factors. In this regard, dried cumin seeds were collected from four different locations (SaadatShahr (P1) and Sarvestan (P2) from Fars Province and Kashmar (P3) and Sabzevar (P4) from Khorasan), and their essential oils were isolated by Clevenger apparatus and evaluated using GC and GC–MS. In addition, the hypnotic and antinociceptive activities of the cumin EO sample, which had the highest yield and quality, respectively, were assessed via the pentobarbital‐induced loss of righting test and acetic acid‐induced writhing test. Our results showed that the highest amount of EO was present in sample P4 (3.63%), followed by P3 (2.92%), P2 (2.69%), and P1 (2.31%). GC–MS analysis revealed cuminaldehyde (21.31–33.60%), γ‐terpinene (13.68–23.29%), p‐mentha‐1,4‐dien‐7‐al (14.44–20.84%), p‐mentha‐1,3‐dien‐7‐al (10.06–14.02%), β‐pinene (9.32–11.46%), and p‐cymene (3.16–7.89%) were the major constituents in all the populations. Generally, the results showed that the seeds harvested from areas with hotter and drier climates (P3 and P4) had higher EO yields and cuminaldehyde concentrations but had moderate amounts of γ‐terpinene, β‐pinene, and p‐cymene. In addition, the hypnotic (100 and 200 mg/kg) and antinociceptive (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) effects of cumin EO were proven in animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Drought stress enhances cumin oil attributes, increasing essential oil percentage. • Synthetic cumin surpasses parental genotypes due to genetic mixing. • Enhanced drought tolerance observed in synthetic cumin, indicating superior resilience. • Synthetic cumin yields 27.84 % and 84.03 % more under different conditions. • Superior oil quality detected in synthetic cumin over parental genotypes. Climate change has intensified drought stress in plants, altering the chemical composition of medicinal plant seeds. Addressing the impact of drought stress is crucial, particularly for species like Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), a valuable aromatic medicinal plant. Developing drought-tolerant varieties and comparing the quantity and quality with parent genotypes is essential. This study aimed to investigate the effects of drought stress on the quantitative and qualitative traits of cumin seeds, including the content and amount of oil and essence, essence chemical composition, fatty acids, and oil body number in a synthetic cumin variety compared to selected parent genotypes over two cropping seasons. Drought stress significantly decreased seed yield, essence yield, oil yield, and oil body number, while increasing essence and oil percentages and oil body size. The synthetic variety outperformed parent genotypes across all studied traits under both normal irrigation and drought stress conditions. The improvement in seed yield of the synthetic cultivar, compared to the average yield of the parental genotypes under normal irrigation conditions and drought stress, was estimated to be 27.84 % and 84.04 %, respectively. Linoleic (53.08–60.03 %) and oleic (28.67–31.52 %) acids were identified as primary fatty acids in cumin. Under drought stress, the synthetic variety showed increased Polyunsaturated fatty acids (31.77 %), while parent genotypes exhibited a decrease. In drought stress condition, the synthetic variety consistently displayed higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids, and superior fatty acid indices (AI = 0.06, TI = 0.35, h/ H = 26.57 and HPI= 12.63), indicating enhanced oil quality compared to parent genotypes. Among the essential compounds, the synthetic variety recorded the highest amount of Cuminaldehyde under both normal (64.58 %) and drought stress (71.03 %) conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

• Natural anticancer phytochemical compounds derived from plant materials have recently been used as a beginning point for drug discovery. • Salix mucronata and Triticum spelta have high direct antioxidant activities and highest apoptotic effect. • It could be attributed to their highest potential in suppressing NF-κB-mediated pro-oxidant and oncogene activation and enhancing transcriptional activation of NF-E2-related factor (Nrf2) mediated stimulation of antioxidant mediators. • Salix mucronata and Triticum spelta edible extracts represent promising antioxidant-dependent pro-apoptotic agents for eradicating different types of cancer cells. It has been known that free radical generation is associated with cancer; therefore, finding an efficient antioxidant therapy is highly mandated. It was discovered that some plants were very effective in treating diseases caused by oxidative stress; namely, Salix mucronata, Triticum spelta, Mentha, Apium graveolens, Coriandrum sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Senna alexandrina, Thymus vulgaris, Anethum graveolens, and Santalum album. Their components with functional properties (phenolic and flavonoids) were identified, along with their ability to scavenge radicals of nitrogen and oxygen, reduce power, and chelate metals. Accordingly, human lung (A549), breast (MDA-MB 231), and liver (Huh7) cancer cells were used to assess the antioxidant-mediated antiproliferative activity of these substances. To evaluate the apoptotic activity of previous plants in the treatment of cancer cells, flow cytometry analysis and caspase activity were employed. Moreover, redox-sensitive factors' fold changes in transcriptional activation and gene expression (nuclear factor kappa (NF-κ) B and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), respectively) were evaluated. Salix mucronata and Triticum spelta demonstrated the highest apoptosis-mediated antiproliferative effect. Their extracts were shown to be enriched with active polyphenolic chemicals (vanillic acid, gallic acid, protochateuic acid, and pyrochatechol) according to HPLC analysis, which may be responsible for their strong antiproliferative properties. Hence, further research employing an animal model is mandatory to fully understand these plant extracts, which provide a potential natural surrogate therapy for apoptosis-mediated cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. commonly known as fenugreek, is an important economic and medicinal plant cultivated in various regions of the world. Fenugreek produces several important active chemical constituents that determine its pharmacological properties. The aim of this research was to analyze the volatile constituents spontaneously emitted by eight samples of fenugreek seeds purchased from different Middle Eastern drugstores, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, and Iran. A total of 70 constituents belonging to different chemical classes, including monoterpene hydrocarbons, oxygenated monoterpenes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, phenylpropanoids, apocarotenes, nitrogen/sulfur derivatives, and non-terpene derivatives, were characterized in the volatile emissions of the eight samples, some components with significant olfactory properties were detected such as γ-nonalactone, cumin aldehyde, (E)-cinnamaldehyde, p-anisaldehyde, and eugenol. PCA showed two macro-clusters; the first comprised two sub-groups, while the second included only Yemeni samples. The findings of this study demonstrate that the significant variation for volatile profiles in fenugreek samples which are prone to variations in the geographical origin of these samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saprolegniosis, also called water mould, induces a cotton or wool‐like white growth on fish skin. It can kill fish at all stages of life, from eggs to adults. It is caused by oomycetes from the genus Saprolegnia and causes fish mortality and huge financial losses to fish farms and hatcheries. Saprolegnia species are endemic and ubiquitous in all freshwater habitats around the world. The exposing factors for saprolegniosis are still largely unknown, but stressors such as temperature shocks, poor water quality, handling and high fish density have been associated with outbreaks. For decades, malachite green was the most effective treatment against Saprolegnia infection, but it has been banned due to its carcinogenic and toxic effects. This has forced farmers to use alternative disinfection methods against Saprolegnia infection, such as hydrogen peroxide, formalin, Bronopol, NaCl, acetic acid and ozone, although many may have safety concerns or are impractical to use. This has led to the investigation of plant‐based compounds with antifungal and antibacterial properties against saprolegniosis. These include extracts of certain herbs, onion, garlic, extracts of the plant Chrysanthemum, essential oils of Eryngium campestre, Mentha piperita, Cuminum cyminum and Thymus linearis, which include a variety of phenolic compounds and fatty acids with antifungal properties. This review combines the current knowledge regarding the predisposing factors to Saprolegnia infections and current methods to prevent and treat them, including those under further research. Thus far, many compounds have been tested and studied, but an effective, suitable and safe compound to treat Saprolegnia infection remains to be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has vast agricultural lands and diverse climatic conditions, and different plant species can be cultivated. Especially, Konya province, located in the Central Anatolia Region, is an important agricultural centre in Turkey. Konya province, which has a polyculture production pattern, stands out in the production of medicinal and aromatic plants due to its favourable climatic conditions and soil structure. In Turkey, 26.33% of cumin, which is among the medicinal and aromatic plants, is produced in Konya province. This study aims to determine the factors affecting cumin production. For this purpose, 65 cumin producers determined by proportional sampling method were interviewed. The data obtained through these interviews were analysed by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to determine the weights of the criteria affecting the cumin production decision of the agricultural enterprises. In the process of determining the criteria influencing the cumin production decision, the opinions of subject experts working in universities, public institutions and organizations and producers were taken. Among the criteria determined as yield, price, labour requirement, water requirement, ease of marketing, mechanisation, input costs, cultivation knowledge, soil structure and subsidies, the most important criterion was found to be price with 28.11%. Price criterion is followed by input cost 22.57%, water requirement 12.13%, yield 8.71%, cultivation knowledge 8.43%, subsidies 6.82%, ease of marketing 4.74%, soil structure 3.63%, mechanisation 2.54% and labour requirement 2.25%. It is thought that the solution of the mechanisation problem will make a significant contribution to cumin production as it will reduce the need for labour force.

This study explores the antifungal efficacy of oregano and cumin essential oils against Aspergillus flavus in almonds. Our findings revealed that oregano oil at a concentration of 150 µg l-1 was significantly more effective in inhibiting Aspergillus flavus growth than cumin oil at 300 µg l-1. After a 10-day incubation period, almonds treated with oregano oil exhibited an average fungal infection rate of just 5%, compared to 58% for cumin oil-treated almonds, and a high 95% in untreated control samples. This indicates a remarkable 94% reduction in Aspergillus flavus growth for oregano oil-treated almonds in comparison to the control group. In contrast, cumin oil showed a 39% decrease in fungal contamination relative to the control, demonstrating its lesser but notable antifungal potential. The study also found that almonds with dry peel had lower mold contamination rates than those with green peel when treated with these essential oils, highlighting the protective role of the hardened endocarp. Thirteen panellists rated almond qualities using a 9-point scale. Cumin oil treated almonds had higher aroma and flavor ratings than oregano oil and control almonds. Cumin offered a spicy aroma and harmonious flavor, while oregano had a medicinal aroma and bitter taste. Cumin effectively inhibited fungal growth and maintained almond quality. Sensory analysis showed a consumer preference for the aroma and taste of cumin oil-treated almonds, despite the lower antifungal efficacy. Overall, this research underscores the potential of oregano and cumin essential oils as sustainable alternatives to synthetic preservatives in controlling Aspergillus flavus infection in almonds post-harvest.

ABSTRACTThe present research investigated the effectiveness of cumin and black cumin extracts as natural antioxidants in uncooked chicken nuggets stored at refrigeration temperature (4°C) for 12 days and compared the results with a control treatment. Seven treatments were formulated, including a control group (Tc), T1 (0.5% cumin), T2 (1% cumin), T3 (1.5% cumin), T4 (0.5% black cumin), T5 (1% black cumin), and T6 (1.5% black cumin). The product was evaluated for several physicochemical parameters on days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 of storage. The data was analyzed using a two-way factorial design under a completely randomized (CRD) design. Results showed that both treatments and storage significantly impacted all physicochemical properties, including DPPH, TPC, pH, POV, and TBARS (p 0.05). Sensory evaluation showed that T3 (1.5% cumin) was the most pleasant and preferred treatment. Conclusively, both cumin and black cumin have good antioxidant properties and can be used as natural antioxidants to increase the shelf life of food products.

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

Cumin seeds are frequently utilized in herbal infusions and as flavoring agents in home cuisine. Nevertheless, studies have demonstrated that spices are frequently contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, including bacterial spores. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a new decontamination method called "Intensification of Vaporization by Decompression to the Vacuum" (IVDV) on intentionally contaminated Cuminum cyminum seeds. The study also examined the impact of this treatment on the color and oil profile of the treated samples. The untreated samples were inoculated with Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ATCC 14028) and then subjected to IVDV treatment. Response surface methodology was employed to obtain safe, high-quality cumin seeds presenting a balance between microbial load, color, and oil profile. The optimal IVDV conditions were achieved at a pressure of 3.5 bar and a time of 133.45 s, resulting in typical 4 log reductions observed with 99.99% of Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium inactivation. The treated spices presented a mild color modification compared to the untreated ones, manifested by a darker shade (decreased L* value), reduced greenness (increased a* value), and heightened yellowness (increased b* value). The GC-MS analysis detected the existence of seven compounds in the treated cumin, with cuminaldehyde being the primary compound (83.79%). Furthermore, the use of IVDV treatment resulted in an increase in the total content of essential oils in some samples, whereby six monoterpenes were identified in the untreated sample compared to seven monoterpenes in IVDV-treated samples. This innovative technology demonstrated high efficacy in decontaminating C. cyminum seeds, improving the extractability of the essential oils while only slightly affecting the color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants, and its essential oil (EO) varies between 2.5% to 5% depending on differences in climate. The extraction method plays a significant role in the market price of EOs. In this study, the effect of atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) pretreatments (using air and argon (Ar) gases) for different times on the EO yield and on the quality, color, surface morphology, and wettability of cumin seeds were studied. Results: The scanning electron microscope analysis results revealed that the formation of fissures and cracks caused by ACP pretreatments was directly related to increasing the efficiency of EO extraction. Comparing the two gas treatments, the highest total color changes ΔE were related to the Ar and the lowest to the air treatment, and the highest amount of browning index was related to the Ar ACP pretreatment. In general, the ACP pretreatments improved the extraction efficiency compared with the control, so that the highest increase was observed in the Ar ACP pretreatment at the rate of 44%. Ar ACP pretreatments were observed to have a higher extraction efficiency than air ACP did. In the Ar ACP‐treated samples, cumin aldehyde, as the most important component of EO, was increased compared with the control (47.9–56.4%). Conclusion: The data obtained in this study showed that ACP pretreatment of cumin seeds could increase EO extraction efficacy. Thus, ACP could be a promising technique to enhance the cumin seed EO extraction. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges in using probiotics is keeping them alive and active during the food production and storage process. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stress less than the minimum inhibitory concentration on the survival of Lactobacillus casei and some physicochemical properties of probiotic yogurt during refrigeration. Cumin essential oil was extracted by steam distillation and its composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry GC/ MS. Then, the effect of 50% MIC cumin essential oil stress were examined by comparing the stress treatment with the control in terms of the L. casei population, pH, acidity, and syneresis percentage in probiotic yogurt during storage in the refrigerator for 28 days. Data were analyzed by Tukey in SPSS software version 18. According to the results related to the constituents of the essential oil, the most compound was propanal-2-methyl-3-phenyl with 24.2%. Also, the results related to yogurt showed that the number of Lactobacillus casei bacteria and pH in both treatments decreased during the storage period so that the intensity of pH reduction in stress treatments was higher than the control treatment (P <0.05). But bacterial changes of Lactobacillus casei in the two treatments were not significantly different (P> 0.05). The percentage of syneresis and acidity increased during the maintenance period for all treatments and the intensity of increase in stress treatment was higher than the control (P <0.05). All in all applying stresses below the MIC resulted in the survival of L. casei in the recommended amount (106-107 CFU ml-1) in the probiotic yogurt until the end of 28 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to check the effect of different essential oils on chitosan and gelatin-based antimicrobial films. Films prepared from biopolymers contain better mechanical strength but lack in moisture barrier properties. In order to increase the moisture barrier properties of chitosan and gelatin-based films in the current research work, different essential oils, i.e., thyme, cinnamon, basil, ginger, and cumin, at varying concentrations (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%) were incorporated. Moreover, the concentrations of glycerol (plasticizer) and emulsifier (Tween 20) were kept constant to maintain homogeneity in the research. Antimicrobial films composed of gelatin and chitosan infused with essential oils were evaluated for their physicochemical (emulsion stability, particle size, and viscosity), FT-IR, microstructural (scanning electron microscopy), moisture barrier (water vapor permeability), and antimicrobial properties (E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus). Study outcomes elucidated significant variations (p < 0.05) as the concentration of essential oil was increased in the film solutions. An increased concentration of essential oil (2.0%) significantly enhanced the moisture barrier properties (1.12 ± 0.03 g.mm/kPa.h.m2). Nevertheless, the tensile strength decreased (38.60 ± 1.4 to 31.50 ± 1.5 MPa) from 1 to 2%. The increase in essential oil concentration in the emulsion-based films also influenced their physicochemical characteristics, such as droplet size, viscosity, and emulsion stability. At lower concentrations (1.0%), films exhibited a uniform microstructure but lacked moisture barrier properties. Antimicrobial properties against E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus showed an increased inhibition effect as the concentration of essential oil was increased. Of the essential oil-based films, ginger- and basil-based films showed greater inhibition effects as compared to the other essential oils. Overall, antimicrobial films containing a 1.5% concentration of ginger and basil oil showed better results as compared to the other treatments for mechanical, moisture barrier, and antimicrobial properties, while films with a 2.0% oil concentration showed better antimicrobial and moisture barrier properties but lacked in mechanical properties. Essential oil-based antimicrobial films have prospective applications in foods, specifically in fresh and processed food items such as seafood, meat, chicken, and sausages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an important seed spice crop at world level and India is the leading producer (70% of world production), consumer and exporter of cumin in the world. Almost 80% of the crop cultivated is consumed in India. The crop yield is affected by several biotic and abiotic factors, among them, blight caused by Alternaria burnsii (Uppal, Patel & Kamat) is one of the most dreaded diseases and a major production constrain for the successful cultivation of cumin crop. Among the non-systemic fungicides tested, captan 75% WP, chlorothalonil 75 % WP and mancozeb 75 % WP were most effective with 95.67, 95.62 and 94.86 per cent growth inhibition, respectively whereas hexaconazole 5 % EC was most effective in systemic fungicides with 99.98 per cent inhibition followed by Tebuconazole 25.9 % EC 87.40 per cent inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternaria blight is one of the important diseases of cumin. The disease initiation was observed at nearly one month age of the crop during warm humid weather in the epidemic form at flowering stage and seeds could not mature to full size. The pathogen was isolated by tissue isolation technique. Pathogenicity test was proved by following Koch's postulates. The pathogen was identified as Alternaria burnsii based on morphological characters and ITS sequencing. The sequence was submitted to gene bank NCBI and it was accepted by NCBI with accession number MT856660. For effective control of cumin blight with fungicides a field experiment was conducted. Efficacy of eight fungicides was tested under field condition for disease intensity and yield of cumin. Among the eight combined and single fungicides, Azoxystrobin 11% + Tebuconazole 18.30% SC at concentration 0.044% was most effective with 14.76% least mean disease intensity and highest yield of 907 kg/ha followed by Metiram 55% + Pyraclostrobin 5 % WG at concentration 0.18% with 18.27% least mean disease intensity and yield of 889 kg/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is an important seeds spice crop at world level and India is the leading producer (70% of world production), consumer and exporter of cumin in the world. Almost 80% of the crop cultivated is consumed in India. This crop is affected by major three fungal pathogens (viz., wilt, blight and powdery mildew), among them blight (Alternaria burnsii) is considered as most important one. Among the phytoextracts tested, the majority were found effective in inhibiting the radial growth of test fungus and highest inhibition was in tulsi, akda and garlic extract at 10 per cent concentration which recorded 73.76, 70.63 and 70.09 per cent inhibition, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

The study examines the interdependence between the returns of Nifty 50 Equity Index and Agricultural Commodities cotton, mentha oil, guar seed, jeera, turmeric and coriander over a period of time. By applying wavelet analysis, the interdependence of agricultural commodities and equity index during the COVID-19 pandemic, identified periods of both strong and weak correlations between these markets. It is critical to note that the reasons for the link between agricultural commodities and equity indexes during COVID-19 pandemic may vary according to market conditions, regional considerations and other contextual factors. According to this study, Nifty 50 has higher co-movements with MCX Cotton, MCX Mentha Oil, and NCDEX Turmeric and lower co-movements with NCDEX Guar seed, NCDEX Jeera and NCDEX Coriander. The low coherence intervals indicate the ability for commodities investments to diversify in the face of a pandemic such as Covid-19. The observed trends by commodity category revealed their potential utility in the development of cross-asset hedge strategies. Thus, combining commodities and stocks increases performance over a variety of investment horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, researchers are looking for ways to replace synthetic pesticides with substances of natural origin. Essential oils are produced by plants, among other things, to protect against pathogens, which is why there is interest in their use as fungicides. This experiment assessed the composition of essential oils from a commercial source, their impact on the development of mycelium of pathogens of the Fusarium genus, and the possibility of using them as a pre-sowing treatment. Grains of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) were inoculated with a suspension of mycelium and spores of fungi of the Fusarium genus and then soaked in solutions containing oils of sage (Salvia officinalis L.), cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.), cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.). The obtained results indicate that thyme essential oil had the strongest effect on limiting the development of Fusarium pathogens and seedling infection, but at the same time it had an adverse effect on the level of germination and seedling development of the tested plants. The remaining essential oils influenced the mentioned parameters to varying degrees. Selected essential oils can be an alternative to synthetic fungicides, but they must be selected appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer and bacterial infections are major global health concerns driving the need for innovative medicines. This study investigated alginate nanoparticles loaded with essential oils (EOs) from Cuminum cyminum and Zataria multiflora as potential drug delivery systems. The nanoparticles were comprehensively characterized using techniques such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zetasizer, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Their biological properties against two human skin cancer cell lines (A-375 and A-431) and three bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus) were also evaluated. Alginate nanoparticles containing C. cyminum and Z. multiflora EOs exhibited sizes of 160 ± 8 nm and 151 ± 10 nm, respectively. Their zeta potentials and encapsulation efficiencies were −18 ± 1 mV and 79 ± 4%, as well as −27 ± 2 mV and 86 ± 5%, respectively. The IC 50 values against the tested cell lines and bacteria revealed superior efficacy for nanoparticles containing Z. multiflora EO. Considering the proper efficacy of the proposed nanoparticles, the straightforward preparation method and low cost suggest their potential for further in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of green cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and nettle (Urtica dioica L.) oral drops on the indicators of breast milk adequacy in lactating mothers. Due to the presence of phytoestrogens in the combinations of cumin and nettle, it is stipulated that they may have milk-increasing properties. Methods: A triple-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial was conducted on 117 lactating mothers who had given birth to healthy infants aged 10–15 days and who received cumin oral drops (n = 39), nettle oral drops (n=39) or placebo (n=39) from August 2020 to March 2021. The participants were recruited from a regional public health care centre affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. The 3 study groups received 15 drops thrice a day for 4 weeks. Infant weight, breastfeeding frequency, number of wet diapers, diaper weight and frequency of infant defecation were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: At the beginning of the trial, no statistically significant differences were observed between the 3 groups for infant weight (P = 0.891), breastfeeding frequency (P = 0.921), number of wet diapers (P = 0.783), diaper weight (P = 0.841) and frequency of infant defecation (P = 0.898). However, following the intervention, the mean scores of all indicators were significantly higher in the experimental groups than in the placebo group (P <0.001). In addition, all the indicators in the cumin group increased significantly compared to those in the nettle group (P <0.001). Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of cumin and nettle drops in increasing milk and the availability of these native plants in Iran, it is suggested that they, especially cumin, be used postpartum to increase breast milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound healing is a complex, intricate, and dynamic process that requires effective therapeutic management. The current study evaluates the wound healing potentials of methanolic extract of Cuminum cyminum L. seeds (CCS) in rats. Sprague Dawley (24) rats were distributed into four cages, wounds produced on the back of the neck, and received two daily topical treatments for 14 days: A, rats received normal saline; B, wounded rats treated with intrasite gel; C and D, rats received 0.2 mL of 250 and 500 mg/kg of CCS, respectively. After that, wound area and closure percentage were evaluated, and wound tissues were dissected for histopathological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical examinations. Acute toxicity trials of methanolic extract of CCS showed the absence of any physiological changes or mortality in rats. CCS application caused a significant reduction in wound size and a statistically elevated percentage of wound contraction than those of vehicle rats. CCS treatment caused significant up‐regulation of collagen fiber, fibroblasts, and fewer inflammatory cells (inflammation) in granulation tissues. TGF‐β1 (angiogenetic factor) was significantly more expressed in CCS‐treated rats in comparison to normal saline‐treated rats; therefore, more fibroblasts transformed into myofibroblasts (angiogenesis). CCS‐treated rats showed remarkable antioxidant potentials (higher SOD and CAT enzymes) and decreased MDA (lipid peroxidation) levels in their wound tissue homogenates. Hydroxyproline amino acid (collagen) was significantly up‐regulated by CCS treatment, which is commonly related to faster wound closure area. The outcomes suggest CCS as a viable new source of pharmaceuticals for wound treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the antifungal activity of cumin seed oil (CSO) was tested on Fusarium graminearum. (i) Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and related concentrations (IC75, IC50, and IC25) were detected; (ii) toxicity was evaluated by a water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 (WST-1) assay; (iii) genomic/epigenomic alterations were evaluated by the coupled restriction enzyme digestion-random amplification (CRED-RA) method; (iv) oxidative stress was investigated by CAT expression, catalase activity, and DCF-DA staining; (v) deoxynivalenol biosynthesis was evaluated by tri6 expression; (vi) and potential effects of CSO on wheat were tested by a water loss rate (WLR) assay. MIC, IC75, IC50 and IC25 values were detected at 0.5, 0.375, 0.25, and 0.125 mg mL−1. In WST-1 assays, significant decreases (p < 0.001) were detected. Genomic template stability (GTS) related to methylation differences ranged from 94.60% to 96.30%. Percentage polymorphism for HapII/MspI values were as 9.1%/15.8%. CAT (oxidative stress-related catalase) and tri6 (zinc finger motif transcription factor) gene expressions were recorded between 5.29 ± 0.74 and 0.46 ± 0.10 (p < 0.05). Increased catalase activity was detected (p < 0.05) by spectrophotometric assays. DCF-DA-stained (oxidative stressed) cells were increased in response to increased concentrations, and there were no significant changes in WLR values. It was concluded that CSO showed strong antifungal activity on F. graminearum via different physiological levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to analyze the phenolic compounds extracted from seeds of four spices belonging to Apiaceae family, namely caraway (Carum carvi), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), mystical cumin (Ammodaucus leucotrichus), and cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.). The extraction was carried out using solvents of different polarities (water, ethanol, methanol, and hexane). The antioxidant activity of each studied spice was performed by different methods including total antioxidant capacity (TAC), 2,2'-azino-bis3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and metal ion chelation power (CP). Based on obtained results, a significant difference in the phenolic compounds contents of analyzed seeds was observed. The lowest phenolic compounds level was obtained by the hexane extract for the four studied spices. Besides, the aqueous extract (AE) of conventional cumin showed the highest level of phenolic compounds (16.49 mg Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight (DW)), followed by the AE of caraway (15.9 mg GAE/g DW), then the AE of mystical cumin (15.01 mg GAE/DW), and, at the end, by the AE of coriander (12.89 mg GAE/g DW). This work revealed a well correlation between the antioxidant activities of the studied seed and the type of solvents used for their extraction. The studied spices present a much-diversified molecular weights distribution of the phenolic compounds evaluated by exclusion chromatography on Sephadex G50 gel. The climatological analysis showed also that the production of phenolic compounds was strongly influenced by some environmental factors such as the mean annual rainfall and temperature values registered in the planting zones of the four studied spices in Morocco.

Abstract Nigella sativa is an herbal therapy for various afflictions. It has some potential to be a promising option as an efficacious treatment for COVID‐19 patients that can contribute to global healthcare as a relatively cheap therapy but evidence of its use from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is limited. Therefore, to explore the effect of N. sativa in combating COVID‐19, we undertook this meta‐analysis. We searched several databases to retrieve all RCTs investigating N. sativa for the treatment of COVID‐19 as compared to placebo or standard care. We used RevMan 5.4 for all analyses with risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR) as the effect measures. We included a total of seven RCTs in this review. N. sativa significantly reduced the risk of all‐cause mortality in patients with COVID‐19 compared to the control group (RR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.72; I2 = 0%). N. sativa significantly reduced the rate of viral PCR positivity (RR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.97; I2 = 0%). We did not find any significant difference in the risk of hospitalization (RR 0.26, 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.54; I2 = 0%) and the rate of no recovery (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.15; I2 = 84%) between the two groups. N. sativa is an easily available herbal medicine that may decrease the risk of mortality and improve virological clearance in COVID‐19 patients. However, our results are limited by the small number of RCTs available. Further large‐scale RCTs are needed to better understand the anti‐inflammatory and antiviral effects of N. sativa in COVID‐19 patients.

Herbal spices are an agricultural commodity, economically very important and beneficial in primary healthcare in the food and medicine sectors. Herbal spices are used as food flavoring agents as well as in phytotherapies throughout the world and have nutritive benefits. The food and medicine industries widely employ artificial or natural adulteration to retard the deterioration and utilization of these adulterants in food and medicine products has given rise to significant apprehension among consumers, primarily stemming from the potential health risks that they pose. Thus, their characterization for the purpose of identification, origin, and quality assurance is mandatory for safe human consumption. Here, we studied 22 samples of commonly traded herbal spices that belong to 20 different genera and 21 species comprising 14 families, investigated macroscopically or organoleptically as well as histologically under microscopic examination. In this study, we provide details on organoleptic features including appearance, taste, odor, color, shape, size, fractures, types of trichomes, and the presence of lenticels among the examined herbal spices and these features have great significance in the detection of both natural as well as artificial deterioration. In terms of microscopic characterization, each examined plant part comprising different anatomical characteristics has taxonomic importance and also provides useful information for authentication from natural adulterants. Furthermore, the studied taxa were also described with nutritive and therapeutic properties. For condiments, herbal beverages and medicinal purposes, different herbal parts such as leaves, floral buds, seeds, fruit, and accessory parts like mericarp, rhizome, bulbs, and bark were used and commercially traded. Similarly, in this study, the leaves of Cinnamomum tamala and Mentha spicata, the floral buds of Syzygium aromaticum, the seeds of Amomum subulatum, Brassica nigra, Punica granatum, Myristica fragrans, Phyllanthus emblica, and Elettaria cardamomum, the mericarp of Coriandrum sativum, and Cuminum cyminum were observed. As a result, we show the potential of herbal spices as a source of many valuable phytochemicals and essential nutrients for food, nutraceutical, and homoeopathic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Learning and memory are fundamental to the survival of human life. In view of that, a relationship exists between age-related forgetfulness and changes in sex hormone levels. Objectives: Respecting the benefits of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) for sex hormones, this study investigated the effect of cumin hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) on learning and memory in gonadectomized (GDX) male Wistar rats. Methods: First, cumin seeds were purchased and identified by the herbarium affiliated with Islamic Azad University (IAU), Qom branch, Qom, Iran. The hydroalcoholic extract (HAE) was then extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus, and cumin powder was prepared using a drying oven. A total of 48 male Wistar rats (weighing 250 ± 50 g) were divided into eight groups: A normal group treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), three normal groups receiving cumin HAE doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, a GDX group treated with DMSO, and three GDX groups receiving cumin HAE doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. Following the surgical procedure to remove both testes, intraperitoneal (IP) injections were administered. Half an hour later, learning and memory tasks were conducted using the Shuttle box, and the step-through latency (STL) as the standard index of passive avoidance learning (PAL) was recorded for 10 minutes. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test. Results: The GDX male Wistar rats receiving DMSO experienced a significant decline in STL compared to the normal group treated in the same manner (P < 0.001). The rats in the GDX groups receiving cumin HAE doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg also demonstrated a significant increase in STL compared to the GDX group treated with DMSO (P < 0.001). Conclusions: As evidenced, GDX decreased PAL, but cumin HAE boosted learning and memory in the GDX male Wistar rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: Different essential oils (EOs) with antibacterial activities are promising natural sources for providing novel disinfectant agents for hospital surfaces. Materials & Methods: The component and antibacterial effects of six EOs, including Cuminum cyminum (CCEO), Artemisia sieberi (ASEO), Laurus nobilis (LNEO), Ferula gummosa (FGEO), Lippia citriodora (LCEO), and Cymbopogon citratus (CIEO) were assessed by GC-MS and 96-well micro-plates (IC50), against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) ATCC 27853 and clinical isolates of methicillin -resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing P. aeruginosa. Then, the antibacterial effects of FGEO, the most effective EO, were evaluated on the trolley surface in a hospital for 1, 3, 5 and 10 min intervals. Results: CCEO, ASEO, and FGEO exerted the highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus, while CIEO and LNEO inferred the highest activity against P. aeruginosa. In addition, FGEO mitigated the growth of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa on the trolley surface (P<0.05). Conclusion: The studied EOs could be novel encouraging agents to develop further green antimicrobial agents against different infections. In addition, FGEO exhibited considerable antibacterial effects on the surface of the trolley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for novel components with antibacterial potential has recently gained increasing significance due to growing worldwide bacterial infections by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Therapeutic plants are crucial to human health due to their antiseptic potential against bacterial pathogens. Botanical sources have benefitted healthcare for many years due to the various active compounds present, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids. This study seeks to report the antibacterial potential of Cuminum cyminum against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The research proceeded with the use of methanolic extract of C. cyminum preparation using the Soxhlet extraction technique. Formulating five concentrations (150, 180, 200, 220, and 250 mg/ml) used deionized water and incurred testing at varying temperatures (40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C, and 121 °C) and pH (3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 pH) ranges. The well-diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration helped analyze the antimicrobial properties of C. cyminum methanolic extract as observed against selected bacterial strains. The results' analysis engaged the one-way ANOVA. It was evident that the maximum effect of plant extract against E. coli, B. subtilis, and B. cereus was at 200 mg/ml and against Staph. aureus, a maximum zone emerged at 180 mg/ml. At varying temperatures, the maximum inhibition of E. coli, Staph. aureus, and B. cereus occurred at 121 °C, with B. subtilis inhibited at 80 °C. For pH changes, it revealed that all strains were sensitive to acidic pH (3) at both concentrations (150 and 250 mg/ml). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the antifungal activities of cumin, black cumin, and lavender essential oils and their maltodextrin-based coatings against Fusarium oxysporum, one of the most locally predominant tomato fungal pathogens (Tehran, Iran). Also, investigation of some qualitative characteristics of coated tomato fruits during storage was aimed. The phytochemical constituents of the essential oils were evaluated using GC and GC-MS methods. Also, the inhibitory activities of the oils were examined against spore germination, mycelial growth, and fungal infection development on tomato fruits. According to the results, cuminaldehyde (34.54 %), γ-terpinene (18.30 %), p-cymen-7-ol (13.19 %) and p-cymenene (12.82 %) in cumin, carvone (28.74 %), p-cymen-7-ol (12.02 %), p-cymenene (11.55 %), safrole (8.93 %) and β-pinene (5.88 %) in black cumin, and camphor (19.11 %), eucalyptol (15.90 %), α-pinene (6.69 %), 3-carene (6.50 %) and β-Caryophyllene (5.38 %) in lavender essential oil were determined as main components. In spore germination assay, cumin, black cumin, and lavender essential oils exhibited potent activities with IC50 values of 1.05, 0.64 and 0.89 mg/mL, respectively. While, kresoximmethyl (a standard antifungal agent) inhibited the fungal strain with IC50 value of 0.11 mg/mL. Black cumin oil showed the most activities against mycelial growth of fungus. Furthermore, the coating enriched with black cumin oil showed the most inhibitory activity to reduce fungal growth on inoculated fruits, with a severity reduction of 79.2%. Whereas, cumin and lavender coatings showed significant activities with 71.43 and 38.09% inhibition, respectively. The results indicated that black cumin coating is a potent antifungal coating that of interest for the bioactive packaging of tomato fruits to extend their shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medicinal plants are one of the most important known herbal additives in feeding ruminant animals. It has been reported that medicinal plants with favorable effects on rumen fermentation improve the function of the digestive system and as a result feed intake, as well as the level of animal products and the growth rate of infants increases. Also, numerous and sometimes contradictory reports have been reported about the effects of using medicinal plants in the diet of different animals on blood parameters. Limited studies have been published regarding the addition of medicinal plants to the diet of mother ewes and its effect on the suckling lambs. Most of the studies are about the direct use of medicinal plants by lambs and its effect on the performance and other behavioral characteristics of the animal. Therefore, in the present study, the main goal was to investigate the effects of adding a mixture of different proportions of medicinal plants such as cumin, coriander seeds and peppermint to the ration of lactating ewes on the performance, blood parameters, and antioxidant status of the suckling lambs. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in a completely randomized design using 48 lambs with an average weight of 3.34±0.44 kg along with 24 lactating ewes with an average milk production of 1107.03±122.25 grams per day in individual stalls for a period of 65 days. The groups of mother ewes included: control (basic diet) and first, second and third treatments, in addition to the basic diet, were received 15 grams of cumin, coriander and peppermint mixed powder with the ratios of 60:30:10; 10:45:45 and 30:60:10 %, respectively. The lambs were weighed every two weeks and at the end of the experiment, blood was taken from the jugular vein. Results and Discussion: The final weight and average daily gain (ADG) of lambs of first treatment were higher than other groups (P<0.05). Red blood cells (RBC) and hematocrit were the lowest in third and the highest in first treatments, although there was no significant difference with control. Platelets and red cell distribution width (RDW) in first treatment were lower than control (P<0.05). There was no difference between treatments in terms of white blood cells (WBC), percentages of lymphocytes and granulocytes. The concentration of blood glucose in lambs of first treatment decreased compared to control. The total antioxidant capacity of lambs from mothers receiving herbal supplement increased and malondialdehyde was lower compared to control. Conclusion: The results showed that the use of a mixture of cumin, coriander and peppermint in the ration of mother ewes increased the antioxidant capacity and decreased malondialdehyde in suckling lambs, although ADG was not noticeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Cumin seeds, extracted from the plant Cuminum cyminum, are abundant in phenolic compounds and have been extensively researched for their chemical makeup and biological effects. The objective of this research is to enhance the water extraction of polyphenols through the water bath (WB) technique and to evaluate the antiradical, antibacterial, and anticancer effects of the extract. (2) Methods: Response Surface Methodology was used to find the best parameters to extract polyphenols. Three experimental parameters, time, temperature, and solid-liquid ratio, were tested. The disc diffusion method has been used to determine the antimicrobial activities against Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The antiradical activity was performed using the DPPH method, while total phenolic content was performed using Folin–Ciocalteu. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was conducted to analyze the phytochemical profile of WB extracts. The anticancer activity of the lyophilized extract was assessed against three cancer cell lines (colon (HT29), lung (A549), and breast (MCF7) cancer cell lines).; (3) Results: The optimal conditions for water extraction were 130 min at 72 °C. The total phenolic compounds yield (14.7 mg GAE/g DM) and antioxidant activity (0.52 mg trolox eq./mL) were obtained using a 1:40 solid–liquid ratio. The primary polyphenols identified were the flavonoids rutin (0.1 ppm) and ellagic acid (3.78 ppm). The extract had no antibacterial or antifungal activities against the microorganisms tested. The extract showed anticancer activity of about 98% against MCF7 (breast cancer cell line), about 81% against HT29 (colon cancer cell line), and 85% against A549 (lung cancer cell line) at high doses. (4) Conclusions: Extraction time and a high solid–liquid ratio had a positive impact on polyphenol recovery and in maintaining their quantity and quality. Furthermore, the optimal aqueous extract exhibited strong antiradical activity reflected by the inhibition of free radicals in addition to a significant specificity against the tested cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigella sativa is an herbal therapy for various afflictions. It has some potential to be a promising option as an efficacious treatment for COVID‐19 patients that can contribute to global healthcare as a relatively cheap therapy but evidence of its use from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is limited. Therefore, to explore the effect of N. sativa in combating COVID‐19, we undertook this meta‐analysis. We searched several databases to retrieve all RCTs investigating N. sativa for the treatment of COVID‐19 as compared to placebo or standard care. We used RevMan 5.4 for all analyses with risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR) as the effect measures. We included a total of seven RCTs in this review. N. sativa significantly reduced the risk of all‐cause mortality in patients with COVID‐19 compared to the control group (RR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.72; I2 = 0%). N. sativa significantly reduced the rate of viral PCR positivity (RR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.97; I2 = 0%). We did not find any significant difference in the risk of hospitalization (RR 0.26, 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.54; I2 = 0%) and the rate of no recovery (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.15; I2 = 84%) between the two groups. N. sativa is an easily available herbal medicine that may decrease the risk of mortality and improve virological clearance in COVID‐19 patients. However, our results are limited by the small number of RCTs available. Further large‐scale RCTs are needed to better understand the anti‐inflammatory and antiviral effects of N. sativa in COVID‐19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate magnetic and superabsorbent water on some morphophysiological traits and performance of cumin under low irrigation regime. Methods: An experiment was conducted in the agricultural year of 2020-2021 at the research fields under the supervision of the Faculty of Agriculture of Shahrood University of Technology in two districts of Rahnjan and Garman of the Shahrood city in a factorial format in the form of a randomized complete block design with three repetitions. Irrigation water type treatment at two levels (normal and magnetic) and location (Rahanjan, Garman) with different climatic conditions and altitude above sea level were considered the main factor and superabsorbent treatment at three levels (zero, 100 and 200 kg/ha) was considered the sub factor. In all treatments, irrigation was applied based on 100% of plant water needs. Results: The results showed that location, type of irrigation, and different concentrations of superabsorbent had a positive and significant effect on the growth characteristics of cumin. The highest plant height, plant fresh and dry weight, essential oil, and protein percentage were observed in the Rahanjan region, using superabsorbent concentration of 100 kg/ha. In the Rahnjan region, due to the climatic conditions and higher average annual temperature and the treatments of 100 and 200 kg/ha of superabsorbent and the use of magnetic water, the highest amount of plant height, percentage and yield of essential oil and protein, and soluble carbohydrates were observed. Conclusion: According to the results, most of the traits in the Rahnjan region had higher values than those in the German region, and plant cultivation in the Rahnjan region is economical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The effect of pretreatment (grinding), packing material (raschig rings) and vacuum on the yield and the component distribution of the essential oil of cumin during steam distillation was investigated. Concurrently, kinetic studies were conducted to examine the essential oil yield. RESULTS: At the end of 120 min, the yield under normal conditions was 0.79, 1.26, 1.90 and 2.36 for nonground and 20‐, 40‐ and 80‐s ground cumin seeds, respectively. Equivalent figures in a vacuum were 0.64, 1.56 and 1.95 for nonground, 40‐ and 80‐s ground cumin seeds, respectively. When raschig rings were used, the yield value was 1.99 and 2.06 under normal and vacuum conditions, respectively, for cumin seeds ground for 80 s. Under normal conditions, the cumin aldehyde percentages of the nonground sample, and the 40‐ and 80‐s ground samples was 51.31, 33.59 and 32.54, respectively, and under vacuum, 70.00, 49.02 and 40.59, respectively. Six kinetic models were applied with sufficient R2 values. Drug release models were first applied to kinetic data successfully. Conclusion: Grinding cumin seeds in a blender increased the essential oil yield up to three‐fold and Raschig rings as a packing material also contributed to this increase. The effect of complex mechanisms such as sample positioning and flow regime on the essential oil yield during the washing stage was observed. Although there was minimal difference (3.8%) in the yield values for the experiments with nonground cumin samples, the slight variation in essential oil yield observed in the experiments with each ground cumin sample may be attributed to the particle distribution, positioning and flow regime. So, five cases were determined depending on positioning. Cumin aldehyde has the highest composition in all time intervals after 10 min at the fractional distillation under vacuum. However sabinene was relatively higher only in the early time interval at 0‐10 min. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the chemical composition of seeds from Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Trigonella foenumgraecum (fenugreek), and Cuminum cyminum (cumin) to assess their suitability as food supplements for enhancing milk production in cows. The dry matter, ash content, total nitrogen, total carbon, protein and fiber levels were analyzed to provide comprehensive insights into the nutritional value of these seeds. The experiments in this study were all conducted in triplicate. Results were defined as mean values ± standard deviations. The results are part of a larger project and these findings are integral to the broader project, which aims to develop optimized dietary supplements for dairy cattle. Considering the essential role of nutrition in dairy cattle health and milk production, the identified nutritional components in these seeds hold promise for incorporating them into cattle diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumin and eucalyptus essential oils (EOs) are among the most important and widely used EOs with a broad range of applications in the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries. The seeds and leaves of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) plants are processed with extraction techniques to retrieve their EOs, yet certain product specifications need to be met to achieve a high-quality product. Based on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the essential oils of cumin and eucalyptus should contain certain amounts of cuminaldehyde and 1,8-cineole to be of acceptable quality. In this study, we design and optimize a dynamic fractional distillation process that enriches cumin and eucalyptus EOs to the ISO standards, with concentrations of 42% cuminaldehyde and 80% of 1,8-cineole achieved for each EO respectively. The dynamic model of this process is simulated via Aspen Plus using data from a pilot-scale fractional distillation unit, and the operating conditions that minimize the operational cost in the simulated environment are identified using the NOMAD algorithm. The optimization results show that the operating cost of standardization processes for cumin and eucalyptus EOs are $0.688/batch and $0.6973/batch, with process efficiencies of 69.56% and 59.77%, respectively. Furthermore, the techno-economic analysis for these two standardization processes showed that the total annualized cost was approximately $510,600 for both processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals (Iron-Fe, Nickel-Ni, Lead-Pb, Chromium-Cr, Cadmium-Cd, Cobalt-Co) in twenty samples of common spices (Cuminum cyminum, Piper cubeba, Piper nigrum, Cinnamomum cassia, and Zingiber officinale) collected from four local markets (M1, M2, M3, M4) in Samarra city.Their antioxidant activity was also evaluated. The results indicated that the concentration of Fe, Ni,Cd were higher than the permissible limit in some samples according to the place of collection, with low concentration for Co than the permissible limitin all the samples except in Piper nigrum and Zingiber officinale which collected from M1 and in M2 respectively, and also the results indicated that the concentration of Crwas less than the permissible limit except in Piper nigrum from M1 andZingiber officinale from M2, And also the concentration of lead was less than the permissible limit(0.2ppm) for all the samples under investigation. The study also determined the IC50 valuefor reducing power of some spices and also for ascorbic acid as standard, the results indicated that Cinnamomum cassia have high reducing power as compared with ascorbic acid as standard, while the other samples showed less reducing power than standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]