Chemical composition and antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities of the essential oil of Achillea ligustica all

The chemical composition of the essential oil from flowering tops of Achillea ligustica All. was studied. Samples were collected in different localities of Sardinia (Italy) and hydrodistilled both with Clevenger-type and with simultaneous distillation-extraction apparatus. The yields ranged between 0.88 +/- 0.06 and 0.43 +/- 0.02% (vol/dry wt). The essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS, and a total of 96 components were detected. From a qualitative point of view, irrelevant differences between samples were observed. Strong chemical variability depending on the origin of the samples was observed. The major compounds found were santolina alcohol (6.7-21.8%, for the first time detected in A. ligustica), borneol (3.4-20.8%), sabinol (2.1-15.5%), trans-sabinyl acetate (0.9-17.6%), alpha-thujone (0.4-25.8%), and, among sesquiterpenes, viridiflorol (0.7-3.6%). No significant differences were detected between essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation and simultaneous distillation-extraction with CH2Cl2 and n-hexane. Antioxidant activity as DPPH radical scavenging activity was expressed in TEAC and ranged between 0.40 and 0.88 mmol/L. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities were investigated on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Penicillium commune, Fusarium oxysporum, Rizoctonia solani, and Aspergillus flavus, showing low activity.     

Chemical composition and antifungal activity of essential oil of Chrysactinia mexicana gray

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Chysactinia mexicana was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seventeen compounds were characterized; eucalyptol (41.3%), piperitone (37.7%), and linalyl acetate (9.1%) were found as the major components. The essential oil of leaves and piperitone completely inhibited Aspergillus flavus growth at relatively low concentrations (1.25 and 0.6 mg/mL, respectively).     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil and methanol extract of Hippomarathrum microcarpum (Bieb.) from Turkey

Hippomarathrum microcarpum grows wild in eastern Anatolia, Turkey, and is a plant utilized as food by people. In this study, the in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil and methanol extract from H. microcarpum and its essential oil composition were investigated. The essential oil, which has bornyl acetate, caryophyllene oxide, and beta-caryophyllene as its main components, exhibited activity against eight bacteria, nine fungi, and a yeast, Candida albicans, with minimum inhibitory concentration values ranging from 62.50 to 125 muL/mL; the methanol extract showed weak activity. The antioxidant activity of these extracts was assessed by the beta-carotene bleaching test and the 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test. The inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation was very weak for both extracts tested. The inhibition percentages were found to be 22.9 and 33.5% for methanol and essential oil, respectively, at the concentration of 2 g/L. The oil scavenged DPPH at higher concentrations (IC50 = 10.69 +/- 0.05 mg/mL), but the methanol extract exhibited no activity. The total phenolic content of the methanol extract was found to be 4.7 +/- 0.1%.     

Chemical composition, antioxidant properties, and thermal stability of a phytochemical enriched oil from Acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

Phenolic compounds present in crude oil extracts from acai fruit ( Euterpe oleracea) were identified for the first time. The stability of acai oil that contained three concentrations of phenolics was evaluated under short- and long-term storage for lipid oxidation and phenolic retention impacting antioxidant capacity. Similar to acai fruit itself, acai oil isolates contained phenolic acids such as vanillic acid (1,616 +/- 94 mg/kg), syringic acid (1,073 +/- 62 mg/kg), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (892 +/- 52 mg/kg), protocatechuic acid (630 +/- 36 mg/kg), and ferulic acid (101 +/- 5.9 mg/kg) at highly enriched concentrations in relation to acai pulp as well as (+)-catechin (66.7 +/- 4.8 mg/kg) and numerous procyanidin oligomers (3,102 +/- 130 mg/kg). Phenolic acids experienced up to 16% loss after 10 weeks of storage at 20 or 30 degrees C and up to 33% loss at 40 degrees C. Procyanidin oligomers degraded more extensively (23% at 20 degrees C, 39% at 30 degrees C, and 74% at 40 degrees C), in both high- and low-phenolic acai oils. The hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of acai oil isolates with the highest phenolic concentration was 21.5 +/- 1.7 micromol Trolox equivalents/g, and the total soluble phenolic content was 1252 +/- 11 mg gallic acid equivalents/kg, and each decreased by up to 30 and 40%, respectively, during long-term storage. The short-term heating stability at 150 and 170 degrees C for up to 20 min exhibited only minor losses (<10%) in phenolics and antioxidant capacity. Because of its high phenolic content, the phytochemical-enriched acai oil from acai fruit offers a promising alternative to traditional tropical oils for food, supplements, and cosmetic applications.     

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil and the gum of Pistacia lentiscus Var. chia

The essential oil and gum of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia, commonly known as the mastic tree, are natural antimicrobial agents that have found extensive uses in medicine in recent years. In this work, the chemical composition of mastic oil and gum was studied by GC-MS, and the majority of their components was identified. alpha-Pinene, beta-myrcene, beta-pinene, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene were found to be the major components. The antibacterial activity of 12 components of mastic oil and the oil itself was evaluated using the disk diffusion method. Furthermore, attempts were made to separate the essential oil into different fractions in order to have a better picture of the components responsible for its antibacterial activity. Several trace components that appear to contribute significantly to the antibacterial activity of mastic oil have been identified: verbenone, alpha-terpineol, and linalool. The sensitivity to these compounds was different for different bacteria tested (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis), which suggests that the antibacterial efficacy of mastic oil is due to a number of its components working synergistically. The establishment of a correlation between the antibacterial activity of mastic oil and its components was the main purpose of this research. Mastic gum was also examined, but it proved to be more difficult to handle compared to the essential oil.     

Chemical characterization and antioxidant properties of coffee melanoidins

Melanoidins, the brown polymers formed through Maillard reaction during coffee roasting, constitute up to 25% of the coffee beverages' dry matter. In this study chemical characterization of melanoidins obtained from light-, medium-, and dark-roasted coffee beans, manufactured from the same starting material, was performed. Melanoidins were separated by gel filtration chromatography and studied by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Results showed that the amount of melanoidins present in the brews increased as the intensity of the thermal treatment increased, while their molecular weight decreased. The antioxidant activity of melanoidins isolated from the different brews was studied by using different methodologies. Melanoidins antiradical activity determined by ABTS(*)(+) and DMPD(*)(+) assays decreased as the intensity of roasting increased, but the ability to prevent linoleic acid peroxidation was higher in the dark-roasted samples. Data suggest that melanoidins must be carefully considered when the relevance of coffee intake in human health is studied.     

Water-deficit impact on fatty acid and essential oil composition and antioxidant activities of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) aerial parts

This study is designed to examine the effect of water deficit on growth, fatty acid and essential oil composition, and antioxidant activities of Cuminum cyminum aerial part extracts. Plants were treated with different levels of water deficit: control (C), moderate water deficit (MWD), and severe water deficit (SWD). Plant growth (height, fresh and dry matter weights) as well as yield components were significantly increased under moderate water deficit and conversely reduced at severe level. Total fatty acid content decreased significantly with severity of constraint. Drought reduced considerably the proportions of major fatty acids and the unsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio. The essential oil yield was 0.14% (based on the dry weight); it increased by 2.21-fold at MWD but decreased by 42.8% under SWD in comparison to the control. Drought results in the modification of the essential oil chemotype from 1-phenyl-1-butanol to 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol. Antioxidant activities of the acetone extracts were determined by two complementary test systems, namely, DPPH and β-carotene/linoleic acid. The highest activity was exhibited by moderately stressed plants and was reduced significantly under SWD. In control plants, the total phenolic amount was 10.23 mg GAE/g DW, which increased by 1.5-fold under MWD and decreased by 42% under SWD.     

Chemical composition and antioxidant properties of extracts of fresh fruiting bodies of Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Singer

The chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous butanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Pleurotus sajor-caju were investigated in this study. Twenty-two compounds comprising methyl esters, hydrocarbon fatty acids, ethyl esters, and sterols were identified in ethyl acetate extracts, while cinnamic acid, nicotinamide, benzeneacetamide, and 4-hydroxybenzaldyhde were identified in butanol extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and NMR analysis. The antioxidant activity was determined by a β-carotene bleaching method, ferric reducing antioxidant power, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation assays, while the total phenolic content in P. sajor-caju was assessed by Folin-Ciocalteau's method. The aqueous and butanol extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, corresponding to the total phenolic content. The subfractions from the ethyl acetate extract (EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4), however, showed moderate antioxidant activity. The regular consumption of P. sajor-caju as a part of our diet may render nutritional and nutraceuticals benefits for good health.     

New C-deoxyhexosyl flavones and antioxidant properties of Passiflora edulis leaf extract

The flavonoids present in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) leaves were identified by a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) method. Sixteen apigenin or luteolin derivatives were characterized, which included four mono-C-glycosyl, eight O-glycosyl- C-glycosyl, and four O-glycosyl derivatives. With the exceptions of C-hexosyl luteolin and C-hexosyl apigenin, all the compounds exhibited a deoxyhexose moiety. Moreover, the uncommon C-deoxyhexosyl derivatives of luteolin and apigenin have been identified for first time in P. edulis by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS. The antioxidative capacity of passion fruit leaves was checked against DPPH radical and several reactive oxygen species (superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, and hypochlorous acid), revealing it to be concentration-dependent, although a pro-oxidant effect was noticed for hydroxyl radical.     

Variation in essential oil composition within individual leaves of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is more affected by leaf position than by leaf age

The aroma in sweet basil is a factor affecting the commercial value of the crop. In previous studies leaf age was considered to be a factor that influences the composition of essential oil (EO). In this study it was hypothesized that a single observation of the EO content in leaves from different positions on the main stem (young vs old) could predict the developmental changes in the plant during its life cycle. Plants harvested at week 16 demonstrated an exponential increase (R(2) = 0.92) in EO concentration in leaves on the main stem and lateral shoots, indicating higher EO concentrations in younger than in older leaves. Eugenol and methyleugenol predominated (28-77%) in the extract. Eugenol levels were higher in younger leaves (～53%), and methyl-eugenol levels predominated in older leaves (～68%). Linalool was lower in mature leaves than in younger leaves. This suggested that eugenol converted into methyleugenol and linalool decreased as leaf mature. However, in weekly monitored plants, the levels of these compounds in the EO had limited variation in the maturing leaf regardless of its position on the stem. This proposed that the EO composition in an individual leaf is mostly affected by the leaf position on the stem and not by its maturation process. Because leaf position is related to plant development, it is probable that the plant's physiological age at the time of leaf formation from the primordial tissue is the factor affecting the EO composition. It was concluded that interpretation of scientific observations should be carried out with caution and that hypotheses should be tested utilizing multifaceted approaches.     

Olea europaea L. leaf extract and derivatives: antioxidant properties

This paper reports a very simple and fast method to collect eluates with high amounts of hydroxytyrosol, biotransforming Olea europaea L. leaf extract by a thermophilic beta-glycosidase immobilized on chitosan. Some phenolic compounds in the leaf tissue and in the eluates obtained by biotransformation are identified. To propose the eluates as natural substances from a vegetal source, their antioxidant properties have been compared with those of the leaf extract from which they are originated. The eluates possess a higher concentration of simple phenols, characterized by a stronger antioxidant capacity, than those available in extra virgin olive oils and in many tablets of olive leaf extracts, commercially found as dietetic products and food integrators.     

Chemical composition of some traditional herbal drug preparations: essential oil and aromatic water of costmary (Balsamita suaveolens Pers.).

The compositions of the essential oil and the aromatic water of costmary (Balsamita suaveolens Pers.) cultivated in Tuscany were investigated. They represent the main ingredients of some traditional preparations sold commercially. The essential oil as such and the n-hexane extract of the aromatic water were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. Both samples were found to be rich in monoterpenes. Eighty-five compounds were identified, accounting for 95.1 and 95.4% of the essential oil and n-hexane extract of aromatic water, respectively. Carvone was the main compound (43.5% in the essential oil and 74.9% in the n-hexane extract of aromatic water). In addition, solid phase microextraction was used to sample the volatile organic compounds emitted from the fresh plant and from the aromatic water, and carvone was again the main component, amounting to 46.2 and 41.3%, respectively.     

丁香精油和丁香酚对苹果贮藏期病害及果实品质的影响

该文对丁香精油和丁香酚在离体和活体条件下对采后苹果的主要致腐菌苹果青霉、苹果灰霉、苹果炭疽、苹果轮纹、苹果褐腐和苹果腐心的抑制作用以及对贮藏期苹果品质的影响进行了研究。结果表明,在离体条件下,丁香精油和丁香酚对供试菌种有显著的抑制作用,最低抑制浓度(MIC)范围分别为0.15～0.30 mg/(100 mL)和0.15～0.35 mg/(100 mL),但不能完全抑制致腐菌在苹果果实上的生长。丁香精油和丁香酚能够抑制采后苹果腐烂率、呼吸强度和褐变指数的上升,以及可溶性固性物含量、可滴定酸和硬度的下降,延缓采后苹果的生理衰老,有利于保持苹果的品质和风味。加入CaCl₂后,抑菌效果和保鲜效果优于单一的丁香精油和丁香酚处理。作为一种可食性香料,丁香有望开发为纯天然的食品和果品保鲜剂。     

Antioxidative properties of the essential oil from Pinus mugo

The essential oil from Pinus mugo (PMEO) was tested on its antioxidative capacity. For this purpose, several biochemical test systems were chosen (e.g., the Fenton System, the xanthine oxidase assay, or the copper-induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)). The results show that there is moderate or weak antioxidative activity when tested in aqueous environments, like in the Fenton system, xanthine oxidase induced superoxide radical formation, or in the HOCl driven fragmentation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). In contrast, when tested in more lipophilic environments (e.g., the ACC-cleavage by activated neutrophils in whole blood) the PMEO exhibits good antioxidative activity. PMEO does also show good antioxidative capacity in another lipophilic test system (i.e., the copper induced oxidation of LDL). Some components of PMEO (i.e., Delta(3)-carene, camphene, alpha-pinene, (+)-limonene and terpinolene) were also tested. As the PMEO, they showed weak or no antioxidant activity in aqueous environments, but some of them were effective antioxidants regarding ACC-cleavage by activated neutrophils in whole blood or copper-induced LDL-oxidation. Terpinolene, a minor component of PMEO, exhibited remarkable protection against LDL-oxidation.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) essential oil

The present study describes antimicrobial and free radical scavenging capacity (RSC) together with the effects on lipid peroxidation (LP) of Melissa officinalis essential oil. The chemical profile of essential oil was evaluated by the means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). RSC was assessed measuring the scavenging activity of essential oil on the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(*)) and OH(*) radicals. The effect on LP was evaluated following the activities on Fe(2+)/ascorbate and Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2) systems of induction. The antimicrobial activity was tested against 13 bacterial strains and six fungi. The examined essential oil exhibited very strong RSC, reducing the DPPH radical formation (IC(50) = 7.58 microg/mL) and OH radical generation (IC(50) = 1.74 microg/mL) in a dose-dependent manner. According to the GC-MS and TLC (dot-blot techniques), the most powerful scavenging compounds were monoterpene aldehydes and ketones (neral/geranial, citronellal, isomenthone, and menthone) and mono- and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (E-caryophyllene). Very strong inhibition of LP, particularly in the Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2) system of induction (94.59% for 2.13 microg/mL), was observed in both cases, also in a dose-dependent manner. The most effective antibacterial activity was expressed on a multiresistant strain of Shigella sonei. A significant rate of antifungal activity was exhibited on Trichophyton species.     

Chemical composition of the flower oil of Cinnamomum zeylanicum blume

The steam-distilled oil of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) flowers was analyzed by GC and GC-MS. It consists of 23% hydrocarbons and 74% oxygenated compounds. A total of 26 compounds constituting approximately 97% of the oil were characterized. (E)-Cinnamyl acetate (41.98%), trans-alpha-bergamotene (7.97%), and caryophyllene oxide (7.2%) are found to be major compounds. This is the first report on the chemical composition of the flower oil of Cinnamomum zeylanicum.     

Changes in phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of virgin olive oil during frying

The concentration of hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA) and its secoiridoid derivatives (3,4-DHPEA-EDA and 3,4-DHPEA-EA) in virgin olive oil decreased rapidly when the oil was repeatedly used for preparing french fries in deep-fat frying operations. At the end of the first frying process (10 min at 180 degrees C), the concentration of the dihydroxyphenol components was reduced to 50-60% of the original value, and after six frying operations only about 10% of the initial components remained. However, tyrosol (p-HPEA) and its derivatives (p-HPEA-EDA and p-HPEA-EA) in the oil were much more stable during 12 frying operations. The reduction in their original concentration was much smaller than that for hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives and showed a roughly linear relationship with the number of frying operations. The antioxidant activity of the phenolic extract measured using the DPPH test rapidly diminished during the first six frying processes, from a total antioxidant activity higher than 740 micromol of Trolox/kg down to less than 250 micromol/kg. On the other hand, the concentration of polar compounds, oxidized triacylglycerol monomers (oxTGs), dimeric TGs, and polymerized TGs rapidly increased from the sixth frying operation onward, when the antioxidant activity of the phenolic extract was very low, and as a consequence the oil was much more susceptible to oxidation. The loss of antioxidant activity in the phenolic fraction due to deep-fat frying was confirmed by the storage oil and oil-in-water emulsions containing added extracts from olive oil used for 12 frying operations.     

Chemical composition and antifungal activity of Salvia macrochlamys and Salvia recognita essential oils

Essential oils of Salvia macrochlamys and Salvia recognita were obtained by hydrodistillation of dried aerial parts and characterized by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. One hundred and twenty identified constituents representing 97.7% in S. macrochlamys and 96.4% in S. recognita were characterized, and 1,8-cineole, borneol, and camphor were identified as major components of the essential oils. The oils were evaluated for their antimalarial, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities. Antifungal activity of the essential oils from both Salvia species was nonselective at inhibiting growth and development of reproductive stroma of the plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, Colletotrichum fragariae, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. S. macrochlamys oil had good antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium intracellulare; however, the oils showed no antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic bacteria or fungi up to a concentration of 200 microg/mL. S. recognita oil exhibited a weak antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.