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The essential oil of different parts of Senecio graciliflorus DC was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS for the first time. A total of 17, 20,19 and [...]

In this study we evaluated the antimycotic activity of Achillea ageratum essential oil against Candida albicans. The principal components of the essential oil were yomogi alcohol, 1,8-cineole, artemisia treine and artemisia alcohol. Most strains of C. albicans tested had an MIC 2.25 [micro]g/ml and an MFC between 2.25 and 4.5 [micro]g/ml; the MIC and MFC were low when compared to fluconazole.We also demonstrated that the essential oil was able to affect the major virulence factors of C. albicans; the inhibition of germ tube formation at the sub-inhibitory concentration of 0.29 [micro]g/ml and the inhibition of biofilm formation by over 60% at a concentration of 9 [micro]g/ml. In conclusion, Achillea ageratum essential oil showed a good activity in vitro against C. albicans and may be potentially used as anticandida agent.To support this, further studies are in preparaton to confirm these results. Key words: essential oil, Achillea ageratum, Candida albicans, antimycotic activity, biofilm

The essential oils of Eugenia caryophyllus, Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Myrtaceae) from plants grown in Pakistan were obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC/MS. Fourteen components were characterised and identified, representing 85.3% of the total oil content. The major constituents of E. caryophyllus were eugenol (23.14%) and caryophyllene (I 3.27%); Eucalyptus globulus had 1,8-cineole (19.13%) while in E. camaldulensis they were 1,8-cineole (10.75%) and anethole (6.0%). Analysing the essential oils for biological activites, it was revealed that E. caryophyllus possessed both antifungal and insecticidal activity whilst E. globulus and E. camaldulensis showed insecticidal activity. Key words: essential oil, Eugenia caryophyllus, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, insecticidal and antifungal activities

The aim of the present study was the chemical analysis of the essential oils of C. neilgherrensis and C. pseudomontana and the determination of their antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activities. The antibacterial effect was determined by disc diffusion method and the antifungal effect was determined by radial growth and biomass assay methods. The anti-inflammatory activity was observed in the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema at the doses of 50,100, 200 and 300 [micro]l/kg, using an animal model.The GC/MS technique was used and identification of major components ar-turmerone [beta]-cymene, and curlone were found in both plants. The essential oils of both plants were active against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans. The essential oils of C. neilgherrensis and C. pseudomontana showed significantly anti-inflammatory activity, preventing the formation of oedema after administration of carrageenan. Key words: antifungal activity, Curcuma, essential oils, rhizome, Zingiberaceae;

Human cystic echinoccocosis caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus is an important public health problem worldwide. Benzimidazole methylcarbamate compounds are presently used for chemotherapeutical treatment. However, a totally satisfactory drug treatment is still being sought.The aim of present work was to determine the in vitro protoscolicidal effect of rosemary essential oil against E. granulosus. Protoscoleces were incubated with essential oil at final concentration of 10, 5, 1 [micro]g/mI.Viability diminished significantly in relation to the control group. Results of viability tests coincide with tissue damage observed at the ultrastructural level. Morphological changes included contraction of the soma region, formation of blebs on the tegument, rostellar disorganization, loss of hooks and destruction of microtriches.The efficacy of the essential oil of rosemary against protoscoleces of E. granulosus was demonstrated. Key words: Cystic echinococcosis, Echinococcus granulosus, protoscoleces, essential oils, Rosmarinus officinalis

Lippia dulcis Trev. is a traditional medicinal plant used in tropical America in gastro-intestinal and respiratory remedies. This plant contains the sesquiterpenoid sweetener (+)-hernandulcin in its essential oil. In this study we have investigated the microscopic differences between two populations of this species, originated from Mexico and Panama. The essential oils were isolated from these two populations by steam distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography. The aim of this study was also to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of L. dulcis and its possible mechanism on HepG2 cells using MTT assay, microscopic evaluation of cell morphology, DNA laddering and LDH release assay. The results showed that the plants from Mexico and Panama have the same macroscopic and microscopic features but differ in essential oil yield and composition. Experimental results of MTT assay for the two essential oils and hernandulcin revealed that these substances reduced cells viability in a concentration and time-dependent manner. The toxicity of Panamanian essential oil was higher than the Mexican one. DNA fragmentation analysis demonstrated that DNA ladders appeared in treated cells after exposure to high concentrations of hernandulcin and the two oils. Their effects appeared already after 4 h of treatment and were both dose- and time course-dependent. After 4 h of treatment with test substances no significant increase of LDH leakage in cultured cells was observed. Furthermore, treatment with the substances at lower concentrations for 4 h neither changed the mitochondrial functions nor altered the membrane integrity of the cells nor induced DNA fragmentation.Taken together, hernandulcin and the two oil types are cytotoxic for HepG2 cells at higher concentrations.The characteristic morphological changes (chromatin condensation) and ladder-like DNA fragmentation in treated cells indicated that the cell death was mediated mainly by apoptosis. Key words: Lippia dulcis, essential oil, HepG2, cytotoxicity, hernandulcin, sweetener, DNA-ladder, apoptosis

The genus Cymbopogon (Poaceae) is most important from the point of view of their essential oils. Essential oils from these species are widely used in flavours, fragrances, cosmetics, soaps, detergents and perfumery owing to their typical lemon and rose-like aroma. Cymbopogon essential oils and constituents present therein e.g. citral, geraniol, citronellol, citronellal and piperitone, have been known to possess impressive antibacterial, antifungal, antiyeast, insecticidal and insect repellent activities for a long time. However, the biological and pharmacological significance of these essential oils has been rapidly expanded in the past ten years; anti-inflammatory, anticancer, allelopathic, free radical scavanging and other useful biological activities have now been demonstrated. Cymbopogon essential oils and constituents offer outstanding biological activities and therefore may be used in the treatment of several diseases, including cancers, and in applications of industrial importance particularly food packaging.The present review discusses the chemical compositions and biological activities essential oils from Cymbopogon species and emphasizing mechanisms of action.These details were gathered from reports on the bioactivities of essential oils of Cymbopogon species published during 1999-2009. Keywords: allelopathic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, Cymbopogon species, essential oil, isointermedeol

Essential oils from the leaves and fruits of Toddalia asiatica were obtained by steam distillation. The fruits had higher oil content (0.50%) compared to the leaves (0.25%). Gas chromatography (GC-FID) and Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses showed the presence of 34 peaks associated with fruit oil whilst the oil from leaves exhibited 39 peaks. Sabinene (26.07%) and linalool (36.4%) were the major constituents of the leaf and fruit oils, respectively. The fruit oil showed antiplasmodial activity with [IC.sub.50] values of 7.0 [+ or -] 0.6 [micro]g/ml and that from the leaves gave a value of 9.0 [+ or -] 0.7 [micro]g/ml against chloroquine resistant (W2) strain of Plasmodium falciparum.The in vitro evaluation of oil from the fruits for antimicrobial activity using a disc diffusion method demonstrated antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of 9 mg/ml. The oil from the fruits was active against the fungal microbes tested, especially Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypsum, with an MIC of 1.1 mg/ml against both. Both the oils from the leaves and fruits were toxic to Aedes aegypti larvae with [LC.sub.50] values of 99.7 [+ or -] 2.5 [micro]g/ml and 40.6 [+ or -] 1.5 [micro]g/ml, respectively, after 48 h exposure of the larvae to the test sample. Key words: Toddalia asiatica, Rutaceae, essential oil, antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, larvicidal, leaves, fruits

In Ethiopia, the aerial parts of Ocimum americanum L. and Ocimum basillicum var. thyrsiflorum (L.) Benth. (Lamiaceae), are commonly used to preserve and/or flavour butter. In the present study the fresh aerial parts of these herbs were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).Twenty-three components have been identified in the essential oil of O. americanum, representing 96.87% of the oil, while a total of 28 components comprising 98.02% of the total peak area were detected in the essential oil of O. basillicum var. thyrsiflorum.The main constituents of the essential oil of O. americanum were 1,8-cineole (21.82%), [beta]-bisabolene (15.93%), trans[alpha]- bisabolene (13.74%), estragole (13.41%) and cis-[beta]-ocimene (11.42%). Linalool (42.44%), trans-3-phenyl-2-propionic acid methyl ester (27.96%) and 1, 8-cineole (10.92%) were found to be the major constituents of the essential oil of O. basillicum var. thyrsiflorum. The oils were investigated for their in vitro radical scavenging activities using 2,2-diphenyl-I-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and deoxyribose degradation assays. The results revealed that the oils possess significant antioxidant activity in a concentration dependant manner. [IC.sub.50] values of 16 and 60 [eta]I/ml in the DPPH assay, and 102 and 19 [eta]l/ml in the deoxyribose degradation assay were obtained for the oils of O. americanum and O. basillicum var. thyrsiflorum, respectively.The results of the present study suggest that the antioxidant activity of the studied oils may support their traditional use as preservatives for butter. Key words: Ocimum americanum, Ocimum basillicum var. thyrsiflorum, Lamiaceae, hydrodistillation 1,8-cineole, [beta]-bisabolene, trans-[alpha]-bisabolene, estragole and cis-[beta]-ocimene, linalool, trans-3-phenyl-2- propionic acid methyl ester, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, deoxyribose degradation assay

The essential oil from the stem bark and leaves of Popowia beddomeana, collected from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India are isolated by hydro distillation method and components are identified by GC/ MS. The main constituents are sesquiterpenes and cycloalkanes. The chemical profiles of the two oils are compared. The bark oil was tested against a panel of fifteen bacterial strains and six fungal strains by disc diffusion method. The oil inhibited the growth of test organisms at varying levels. The minimal inhibitory concentrations were also determined. Key words: Popowia beddomeana, Annonaceae, essential oil, stem bark, leaves, composition, antibacterial and antifungal activity.

This study was undertaken to examine the chemical constituents, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities of the leaf, floral and fruit volatile oils of Datura metel Linn. (Solanaceae).The oils were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Monoterpenoids were the dominant class of compounds in the leaf oil (100%), flower oil (81.4%) and fruit oils (58.8%).The volatile oils were characterized by the abundance of [alpha]-phellandrene (38.3%), p-cymene (28.0%) and 1,8-cineole (12.4%) in the leaves; linalool (62.9%) and (E, E)-farnesol (11.1%) in the flowers; and p-cymene (31.4%), 1, 8-cineole (23.3%) and valerenal (9.4%) in the fruits. In addition, both flower and fruit oils exhibited potent in vitro cytotoxic activities against the Hs 578T human breast ductal carcinoma cells and varying antimicrobial effects on selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Key words: Datura metel, essential oils, terpenoids, Solanaceae, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activities

Steam distillation of Lavandula angustifolia cv.Okamurasaki cultivated in Akita, Japan gave two kinds of hydrosols from the floret and stalk origins. The floret hydrosol gave linalool as a main constituent with little content of coumarin, while the stalk hydrosol gave coumarin as a main constituent with linalool as a minor constituent. The result revealed that coumarin often detected in lavender oil and hydrosol as a constituent in various amount is originated from the stalks but not from the florets. Furthermore, the composition and content of constituents in the floret and stalk hydrosols were considerably different from that of commercially available lavender hydrosol, though the composition of essential oil was similar. Both hydrosols showed potent and comparable inhibitory activity against filament formation of Candida albicans, but the stalk hydrosol gave higher scavenging activity than the floret hydrosol against 1,1 -diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radical. Key words: Lavender, floret hydrosol, stalk hydrosol, essential oil, anti-Candida activity, radical scavenging activity, coumarin

Bovine mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland due to bacterial infection. Contaminations of milk with chemical residues from disinfectant solutions during the milking process have been of great concern. The aims of this study were to investigate the antioxidant activity and antibacterial action of eight essential oils, namely citronella grass, lemongrass, kaffir lime, holy basil, sweet basil, plai, turmeric and betel vine against clinical isolate pathogens commonly found in dairy cows. None of the selected essential oils were effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the tested essential oils, lemongrass possessed the strongest antibacterial against clinical isolate mastitis pathogens. The MIC/MBC values were in a range of 0.13 to 0.54 [micro]l/ml. Free radical scavenging activity of lemongrass oil at 10 [micro]l/ml was 46.0% and lipid peroxidation inhibition at 1 [micro]l/ml was 32.1%, while those of holy basil oil were 89.9 and 67.5 %, respectively, which indicated the strongest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, lemongrass oil and holy basil oil might be promising alternative agents to chemical disinfectants for preventing mastitis causing by bacterial infection and reducing the oxidative stress due to tissue damage of the mammary gland. Further studies on formulation development are in progress. Key words: essential oils, mastitis pathogens, bioactivities, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity

A combination of GC and GC/MS analysis of essential oil from rhizomes of Zingiber chrysanthum Rosc. (ZCREO) revealed the presence of 79 compounds, out of which 34 compounds contributing 80.2% of the oil were identified. The major compounds being [beta]-humulene (20.3%), terpinen-4-ol (10.0%), [beta]-phellandrene (7.4%), sabinene (7.0%) and [beta]-caryophyllene (6.8%). The unique feature is the dominant presence of mono-and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons that make about 52.4 % of the oil. The oil showed myorelaxant activity on isolated rat duodenal smooth muscle. The (ZCREO) relaxed both carbachol-and KCI-induced contractile responses with similar [IC.sub.50] values. The result suggests a probable inhibitory effect of ZCREO on influx of [Ca.sup.++] through the cell membrane of rat duodenal smooth muscle. Keywords: Zingiber chrysanthum, essential oil, [beta]-humulene, antispasmodic, antioxidant

Composition, antifungal activity and radical scavenging activity of 15 rare essential oils were examined in vitro and were compared with those of the essential oils used frequently in aromatherapy. The composition of white champaca was first disclosed in this work and the composition of other oils were similar to those reported, except for osmanthus and spikenard oils that showed different compositions. Almost all the oils examined showed potent inhibitory activity against filamentous formation of Candida albicans, though the inhibition against the growth of the yeast form was weak. Against Trichophyton mentagrophytes, white champaca and zanthoxylum oils showed potent killing action when treated at 42[degrees]C for 20 min at 0.8% solution. The radical scavenging activity against I,I-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrzyl radical was weak except for holy basil and spikenard oils, in which the activity of holy basil was comparable to that of clove oil. Key words: essential oil, composition, antifungal activity, radical scavenging activity

We report on the volatile oil constituents as well as the insecticidal and antimicrobial profile of the leaf essential oil of Polyalthia longifolia (Sonn.)Thwaites (Annonaceae). Polyalthia oil extracted by hydrodistillation yielded 0.04 ml/100g of fresh leaves. Qualitative (GC/MS) and quantitative (GC) analyses showed that the oil contains longifolene (35.3%), allo-aromadendrene (20.0%), [alpha]-longipinene (13.1%), [alpha]-humulene (10.1%), [alpha]-pinene (2.6%), [alpha]-selinene (2.6%), motene (2.5%), [alpha]-copaene (2.3%) and 20 other trace constituents. Polyalthia oil and its formulation were investigated for larvicidal, repellency and knock-down activities against laboratory-reared larvae and adults of the yellow fever vector mosquito, Aedes aegpyti L. The larvicidal, mosquito repellency and knock-down (between 30 min and I h) properties of 250 ppm of the oil were similar to the effects of a reference product (Endosulfan[R]).The activities of the oil suggest that it may be useful in curbing mosquito bites and thereby prevent malaria infection.Tests on domestic pests revealed that the oil maintained comparable kill strength (I/knockdown time, p >0.05) as Basudine[TM] (diazinon) for termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) but showed higher kill strength (p Key words: Polyalthia longifolia, essential oil constituents, insecticidal activity, antimicrobial property

The family Lamiaceae is represented by 45 genera, 546 species and 730 taxa in Turkey. The genus Thymus is represented in Turkey by 38 species; the ratio of endemism in the genus is 53%. Thymus eigii samples collected from Hatay were subjected to hydrodistillation to yield essential oils that were subsequently analysed by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The main constituents of the oils were identified and antimicrobial and antioxidant bioassays were applied. The T.eigii white flowers oil contained carvacrol (43.63%), p-cymene (20.55 %) and thymol (16.06%); T.eiigi with purple flowers oil contained geranyl acetate (15.66 %), p-cymene (14.62%) and thymol (11.48%) as the main components. All tested microorganisms were inhibited by the essential oil samples. Antioxidant activity was tested using the 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging method. The antioxidant activity of the tested essential oils were slightly lower than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and so the essential oils can be considered effective natural antioxidants. Key words: Thymus eigii, chemical compositions, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

The volatile oil obtained by hydrodistillation of air-dried samples of the leaf of Brachystegia eurycoma Harms, Caesalphinaceae, have been studied for their constituents by GC-MS. Oxygenated monoterpenoids (35.9%) and sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons (30.7%) are the major class of compounds identified occurring in higher proportions. The main compounds of the leaf oil are 1,8-cineole (23.1%) and acorenone (10.0%). [beta]-Caryophyllene (5.6%) and geranyl acetone (4.5%) are also present in significant amounts. This is first report on the constituents of the oil of the plants in the genus Brachystegia. The potential chemotherapeutic effects of the oil are discussed. KEYWORDS Brachystegia eurycoma Harms; Caesalphinaceae; Essential oil; GC-MS; 1,8-Cineole; Acorenone

Many species of Thymus have been widely used in Algerian folk medicine as astringent, expectorant and cicatrising agents. This study was designed to investigate for the first time the essential oil of the aerial parts of wild growing Thymus algeriensis endemic in North Africa. The volatiLe oil obtained by hydrodistillation was characterized by the physico-chemical properties, GC and GC/MS techniques. The yield of the oil was 1.13% (w/w), based on dry weight. Fifty-five components, representing 94.3% of the total oil, were identified. The oil was distinguished by its high content of oxygenated monoterpenes (79.5%) and was found to possess the following major components: linalool (47.3%), thymol (29.2%) and p-cymene (6.8%). Furthermore, the oil was tested for antimicrobial activity against four bacteria, two fungi and two yeasts. This oil exhibited a significant in vitro antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis (MIC = 0.5 [micro]L/mL), as well as against all yeast and all filamentous fungi tested (MIC = 0.5 and 1.0 [micro]L/mL). KEYWORDS Thymus algeriensis; Essential oil; Linalool; Thymol; p-cymene; Antimicrobial activity

Essential oil is obtained from manuka, Leptospermum scoparium and kanuka, Kunzea ericoides, which are indigenous plants to New Zealand. The oil from these plants has been commercially available to aromatherapists for more than a decade. In this time, attention has been given to the antiseptic and anti-microbial actions of the oils. Of most interest to researchers and aromatherapists is the presence of [beta]-triketones, present in the manuka oil These triketones are believed to significantly contribute to the antimicrobial action. More recently, it has emerged that there are significant geographical variations affecting the composition of these oils. Whilst a full understanding of the therapeutic implications is some way off, it is important for aromatherapists to appreciate that these differences exist and the oils selected may match the intended therapeutic purpose. KEYWORDS Manuka; Kanuka; Aromatherapy; Therapeutic potential

The compositional profile of the essential oils isolated from Eugenia uniflora L. revealed the occurrence of an unusual sesquiterpene as the major compound. The volatile oils were characterized by the abundance of curzerene (19.7%), selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one (17.8%), atractylone (16.9%) and furanodiene (9.6%)in the (eaves; and germacrone (27.5%), selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one (19.2%) curzerene (11.3%) and oxidoselina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one (11.0%) in the fruits. The two oils exhibited potent cytotoxic activity and varying antibacterial effects. KEYWORDS Eugenia uniflora; Essential oils; Sesquiterpenes; Curzerene; Germacrone; Cytotoxicity

Abstract The essential oils from 15 species of African plants selected by ethnobotanical considerations and field inspection (odour and presence of insects) were screened for fumigant toxicity to Anopheles gambiae [...]

This study presents the inhibitory activity of 31 essential oils tested by agar diffusion assay/aromatogramme on 658 vaginal microorganisms: 287 Candidaalbicans, 121 Escherichia coli, 114 Streptococcus group B (S. agalactiae), 80 Streptococcus group D (Enterococcus faecalis), 30 Staphylococcus aureus and 26 Staphylococcus epidermis. Statistical analysis (reciprocal averaging) demonstrates high antimicrobial activity of certain essential oils: Coridothymus capitatus Reichb. (Spanish oregano), Cinnamomum zeylanicum Ness. (Ceylon cinnamon), Cinnamomum cassia Ness. (Chinese cinnamon), Thymus vulgaris L. (Thyme), Satureja hortensis L. (savory), Thymus serpyllum L. (creeping thyme) and Pinus pinaster Ait. (turpentine resin). The agar diffusion assay/aromatogramme ensures a more effective aromatherapy treatment. A prescription with essential oils avoids over use of antibiotics. Furthermore, in some cases essential oils can be combined with antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases, giving faster and longer-tasting results. KEYWORDS Antimicrobial activity; Vaginal pathogens; Microorganisms; Essential oils; Gynaecology

A common criticism levelled at aromatherapists is that they make unsubstantiated claims about the therapeutic properties and concomitant effects of essential oils, whilst being unable to demonstrate any causal relationship between the two. ImpLicit within such criticisms are two central assumptions, the first being that scientifically valid research produced within the aromatherapy profession is sparse, and the second being that aromatherapists do not have the requisite skills to conduct valuable, scientifically valid research. This paper discusses the current status of aromatherapy in relation to scientific research methodology, and the marked gap between scientific accounts of odour and scent on the one hand, and the practice of aromatherapy on the other. Possibilities for future texts and research methods are considered, and recommendations for the inclusion of basic research-methodologies as a part of aromatherapy training are argued. KEYWORDS Aromatherapy; Aromatherapy research methods; CAM research methods; Aromatherapy training; Essential oil research

The discipline of aromatherapy appears to be based on a history of traditional use and anecdotal reports: there is unfortunately little scientific evidence for many of the claims made in aromatherapy. This is notable in the case of immune function, an area of common and clinically significant dysfunction. Starting with the commonly accepted views in the field of aromatherapy may provide further information on how investigations into the possible effects of essential oils on the immune system in humans may be directed. The aim of this study was to ascertain from the aromatherapy profession in Australia which essential oils are commonly recognised as having immune modulating properties, and how they may be utilised. Aromatherapy educators, as experts in their field, were chosen to respond in the form of a structured telephone survey. Almost half of the eleven respondents named tea tree as a prominent immune stimulating oil, while seven rated German chamomile as anti-inflammatory. Aside from that, there seemed to be limited consensus, and views of the aromatherapy educators did not always reflect the findings of the few published scientific studies. This lack of agreement and the paucity of studies outline the need for more research in this area. KEYWORDS Aromatherapy; Essential oil; Immune function; Immune stimulation; Anti-inflammatory

This study was designed to investigate the physical properties and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil hydrodistilled from leaves of Lippia multiflora (lippia oil) in order to develop the oil to a pharmaceutical standard. The values of the physical parameters of the oil were weight-per-millititre: 0.8762 [+ or -] 0.0041 g, refractive index: 1.468 [+ or -] 0.001, optical rotation range: from +46.55[degrees] to +57.60[degrees], residue on evaporation: 3.85 [+ or -] 0.96% pH: 4.75 [+ or -] 0.24, kinematic viscosity: 5.46 [+ or -] 0.02 cSt and surface tension: 29.20 [+ or -] 0.04 dyn/cm at 28 [degrees]C. Lippia oil was soluble in 1 volume of ethanol (80%) at 28 [degrees]C, with the solution becoming opalescence on addition of 4 or more volumes of the ethanol The oil is highly volatile at temperatures above 37.7 [degrees]C. White fungi were more susceptible to the lippia oil than bacteria, the oil was found to be more effective against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria, with clinical isotates showing more resistance than type strains. The potential application of the physical properties and antimicrobial activities of lippia oil in its formulation as a drug product is discussed. KEYWORDS Lippia multiflora; Essential oil; Physical properties; Antimicrobial activities

Abstract Alpinia zerumbet, known popularly as 'colonia' in Northeastern Brazil, is a medicinal plant that has been used widely in folk medicine as teas and infusions for the treatment of [...]

Hair loss is one of the most feared side effects of cancer chemotherapy. This preliminary study investigated the efficacy of the leaf essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Ocimum oil) in promoting hair growth in cyclophosphamide-induced hair loss. Shaved sites, [greater than or equal to] 4 [cm.sup.2], were created on the flanks of 6 groups each of 7 freshly weaned 4-week old rats. Four groups (groups 2, 4, 5 and 6) were treated with 30 mg/kg cyclophosphamide (Cpd) intra-peritoneally daily to simulate changes seen in human chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Ocimum oil was administered topically alone (group 3) or in combination with Cpd in groups 2, 4 and 5 for 14 days and in group 6 for 8 days. Group 1 received no test substance. Tissue biopsies were obtained from 2 rats selected at random from each group on treatment day 9 for histological examination. Surviving animals were further observed for 7 days after treatment. Histopathology and gross morphologic observations for hair re-growth at shaved sites revealed active follicular proliferation in Ocimum atone and Cpd + Ocimum oil treated groups. Ocimum oil may, therefore, be capable of enhancing normal hair growth and promoting follicular proliferation in cyclophosphamide-induced hair loss. KEYWORDS Ocimum gratissimum; Essential oil; Cyctophosphamide; Hair loss

Dermatophitosis is a bacterial infection of both animals and man that is difficult to treat. The potential of Allium sutivum, Lavandula angustifolia and Thymus vulgaris essential oils as effective therapeutic agents was investigated in vitro using standard techniques. It was demonstrated that the essential oils were more effective than the standard povidone--iodine treatment. The results of this in vitro study are very promising with regards to possible treatment of dermatophitosis and form a sound basis for further research. KEYWORDS Dermatophilosis; Dermatophilus congolensis; Allium sativum; Lavandula angustifolia; Thymus vulgaris; Essential oil

A study of the use of an essential oil containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly is presented. The results show that the use of an adjunctive like essential oil containing mouthrinse helps in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly.

Some essential oils, like that of eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon, rosemary and clove, reduced microbial counts and peroxidase activity compared with controls. However they were not effective in extending the shelf life of the Swiss chard leaves from a sensory point of view.

The accuracy of the Bond Contribution model for predicting the volatilities of aroma compounds at 25 deg C is examined and compared to those obtained from the UNIFAC model.

Researchers report the first known case of a beta-oxidation sequence leading from phenylalanine to aryl metabolites in a white rot fungus. These fungi are able to produce natural aroma compounds for commercial use, such as vanillin, bitter almond, and cinnamaldehyde.

Alpha-terpineol is a floral-like flavour that is desirable in some fruits and plants but which occurs as an off-flavour in some food products. A new study investigates the formation of alpha-terpineol from its precursors in citrus juice, buffer and model solutions. The study shows more alpha-terpineol in lemon juice than in grapefruit or orange juices. In products containing linalool and limonene, alpha-terpineol is converted to unidentified products more rapidly than it is formed, especially at 45 deg C.

Homoenolate alkylation of a chiral bicyclic lactam provides an asymmetric synthetic route to a constituent of iris essential oil. This was concluded when the homoenolate-equivalent alkylation strategy was applied to the total synthesis of (S)-(-)-2,4,4,5-tetramethylcyclohexenone. The acid-mediated hydrolysis of lactam resulted in a single diastereomer, with the lactam having the sole stereocenter in (S)-(-)-2,4,4,5-tetramethylcyclohexenone.