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Biological Potential and Medical Use of Essential Oils
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Biological Potential and Medical Use of Essential Oils

A special issue of Medicines (ISSN 2305-6320).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 15293

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Francesca Mancianti

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Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: parasitic protozoa; zoonotic fungi; Leishmania spp.; Toxoplasma gondii
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Simona Nardoni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: mycology; mycotic diseases; vector-borne protozoa; zoonotic parasites; One Health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Valentina Virginia Ebani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
2. Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: zoonosis; arthropod-borne infections; leptospirosis; enteropathogens; antibiotic resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Essential oils (EOs) are extremely complex mixtures containing volatile substances with a more or less odorous impact, produced either by steam distillation or dry distillation or by means of mechanical treatment of medicinal and aromatic plants. These natural products have a strong business potential on the market. Many EOs show antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, and antiviral properties and have been screened as potential sources of novel antimicrobial compounds, especially considering the worldwide occurrence of antimicrobial drug resistance. Moreover, the biological activities of such compounds include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic behavior. In light of this, the use of EOs as nutraceuticals and food preservatives and in controlling plant pathogens represents an interesting approach.

This Special Issue is devoted to collecting original papers and/or review papers dealing with complementary and alternative approaches to the study of the biological potential of EOs and their applications in medical fields.

Prof. Dr. Francesca Mancianti
Dr. Simona Nardoni
Dr. Valentina Virginia Ebani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • essential oils
  • medicine
  • veterinary medicine
  • phytopathology
  • antibacterial
  • antifungal/antiparasitic
  • antioxidant
  • antineoplastic
  • food preservation
  • environmental decontamination

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1310 KiB  
Article
Pomegranate Juice Extract Decreases Cisplatin Toxicity on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
by Mohamad Nasser, Ziad Damaj, Akram Hijazi, Othmane Merah, Batoul Al-Khatib, Nadine Hijazi, Christine Trabolsi, Raghida Damaj and Mouhamad Nasser
Medicines 2020, 7(10), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines7100066 - 15 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4938
Abstract
Background: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Chemotherapy regimens, targeted against lung cancer, are considered an effective treatment; albeit with multiple fatal side effects. An alternative strategy, nowadays, is using natural products. Medicinal plants have been used, in combination [...] Read more.
Background: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Chemotherapy regimens, targeted against lung cancer, are considered an effective treatment; albeit with multiple fatal side effects. An alternative strategy, nowadays, is using natural products. Medicinal plants have been used, in combination with chemotherapy, to ameliorate side effects. This study aims to investigate the antitumor effect of pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) on human lung adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549), to check the effect, when combined with low dose cisplatin (CDDP), at different doses. We also have evaluated the potential protective effect of pomegranate on normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Methods: Phytochemical screening of the extract was done using standard classical tests. Total phenolic and sugar contents were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu and anthrone reagents, respectively. The antioxidant activity of pomegranate was estimated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. The viability of A549 cells and PBMC was evaluated using the neutral red assay. Results: Our results demonstrated that Punica granatum or pomegranate juice (with different concentrations: 150, 300, 600 µg/mL) contained high levels of flavonoids, alkaloids, tanins, lignins, terpenoids, and phenols. The DPPH method showed that pomegranate juice had a strong antioxidant scavenging activity. Neutral red showed that combining pomegranate juice with low dose CDDP (8 µg/mL) decreased the cell viability of A549 cells, by 64%, compared to treatment with CDDP or pomegranate alone. When added to low dose CDDP, pomegranate increased the viability of normal PBMC cells by 46%. Conclusions: These results demonstrated that pomegranate could potentiate the anticancer effect of low dose CDDP on human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549 cells) and could as well decrease its toxicity on PBMC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Potential and Medical Use of Essential Oils)
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7 pages, 694 KiB  
Article
Composition and Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil from Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr. from Guatemala
by Max Samuel Mérida-Reyes, Manuel Alejandro Muñoz-Wug, Bessie Evelyn Oliva-Hernández, Isabel Cristina Gaitán-Fernández, Daniel Luiz Reis Simas, Antonio Jorge Ribeiro da Silva and Juan Francisco Pérez-Sabino
Medicines 2020, 7(10), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines7100059 - 23 Sep 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4995
Abstract
Background:Pimenta dioica is a native tree of Central America, Southern Mexico, and the Caribbean used in traditional medicine. It grows in wet forests in the Guatemalan departments of Petén and Izabal. Since the plant is not being economically exploited in Guatemala, this [...] Read more.
Background:Pimenta dioica is a native tree of Central America, Southern Mexico, and the Caribbean used in traditional medicine. It grows in wet forests in the Guatemalan departments of Petén and Izabal. Since the plant is not being economically exploited in Guatemala, this study was aimed at determining the composition of the essential oil of P. dioica leaves and fruits and the antibacterial activity of the leaves in order to evaluate its possible use in health products. The essential oils of fruits and leaves are used as rubefacient, anti-inflammatory, carminative, antioxidant, and antiflatulent in different countries. Methods: Fruits and leaves of P. dioica from Izabal Department were collected in April 2014 and extracted by hydrodistillation method. The oils were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results: Yields of 1.02 ± 0.11% for dried leaves and 1.51 ± 0.26% for fruits were obtained. Eugenol was the main component (65.9–71.4%). The leaf oil showed growth inhibition against two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusions: The authors consider that the tree’s leaves can be evaluated as a source of ingredients for antiseptic products, and that it is important to evaluate other types of properties such as anti-inflammatory activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Potential and Medical Use of Essential Oils)
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19 pages, 2996 KiB  
Article
Potency of Combining Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. camaldulensis with Low-Dose Cisplatin in A549 Human Lung Adenocarcinomas and MCF-7 Breast Adenocarcinoma
by Mohamad Nasser, Raghida Damaj, Othmane Merah, Akram Hijazi, Christine Trabolsi, Nour Wehbe, Malak Nasser, Batoul Al-Khatib and Ziad Damaj
Medicines 2020, 7(8), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines7080040 - 22 Jul 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4527
Abstract
Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional treatments for many types of cancers, [...] Read more.
Background: Lung and breast cancers are common in the world and represent major public health problems. Systemic chemotherapy is an effective way to prolong survival but it is associated with side effects. Plants are used as traditional treatments for many types of cancers, mostly in combination with chemotherapy. We investigated the antitumor effect of ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (AE) extracts of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on human alveolar adenocarcinoma basal epithelial cells (A549) and breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and checked the synergistic effect of the combination with low-dose cisplatin (CDDP). Methods: AE and EE were characterized for their secondary metabolites including content of phenol and antioxidant activity of both extracts. Cell viability was tested by the neutral red assay and MTT. Combinations of extract with low-dose CDDP on A549, MCF-7 cells, and normal cells peripheral blood mononuclear cells was used to study cell viability. Results: AE contains higher level of active constituents than EE. Higher antioxidant activity was observed in AE. Both extracts showed cytotoxic activity on A549 and MCF-7 cells. Moreover, combining E. camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP increases significantly the cell death of treated cells in comparison to those treated with CDDP alone. Conclusions: Our results highlight a new therapeutic concept that combines Eucalyptus camaldulensis with low-dose CDDP to treat lung and breast adenocarcinoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Potential and Medical Use of Essential Oils)
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