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Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024 | Viewed by 6911

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Prof. Dr. Milen I. Georgiev

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Metabolomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 139 Ruski Blvd., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: plant secondary metabolism; natural products chemistry; leads finding; metabolomics; plant biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Stanislava Ivanova

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Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Plovdiv, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Interests: pharmaceutical analysis; pharmaceutical chemistry; medicinal plants; adaptogens; GC-MS; LC-MS

Dr. Cédric Delattre

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Co-Guest Editor

1. Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
2. Clermont Auvergne INP, CNRS, Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
Interests: biomaterials; polymers; polysaccharides; nanomaterials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Essential oils are sources of valuable compounds of a large variety of traditional applications. The huge diversity of terpenes, exceeding more than 30,000 compounds, attracts attention to essential oils, in the component composition of which they are principal constituents. This constituent variability also determines a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antiseptic, revulsive, cooling, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, appetite-stimulating, cholagogue and choleretic, diuretic, and sedative, in dermatological and inhalation preparations, in aromatherapy, as flavoring agents in pharmaceutical manufacture, in perfumery and cosmetics, in the manufacture of soaps and detergents, and in the food (spices), alcohol, and tobacco industries. However, essential oils could offer many novel possible applications in different fields such as medicine, cosmetics, or agriculture. Of particular interest for this Special Issue are essential oils from endemic plants.

Submissions are invited on related topics that include, but are not limited to:

The chemical analysis of essential oils obtainedfrom endemic plants;
The histochemical analysis of essential oil-bearing plants;
The biological activity of essential oils;
Essential oils as a "green" alternative of pesticides.

Prof. Dr. Milen I. Georgiev
Dr. Stanislava Ivanova
Dr. Cédric Delattre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 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
gas chromatography
pharmacological activity
endemic plants

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Crithmum maritimum L.—Study on the Histochemical Localization of Essential Oil

by Velina Dzhoglova, Kalin Ivanov, Niko Benbassat, Yoana Georgieva-Dimova, Rayna Ardasheva, Diana Karcheva-Bahchevanska and Stanislava Ivanova

Plants 2024, 13(4), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040550 - 17 Feb 2024

Viewed by 672

Abstract

Crithmum maritimum L. is a perennial halophyte plant that is a medicinal herb known by people from different cultures since ancient times. However, the therapeutic potential of this halophyte has not been completely investigated, and the scientific data on it are limited. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of Crithmum maritimum L. growing wild in Bulgaria, as well as the histolocalization of secretory structures for the synthesis and accumulation of volatile oils. The results obtained on the EO composition of Bulgarian Crithmum maritimum L. provide an opportunity to reveal potential future applications in various fields, such as medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, food, and the cosmetic industry. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was performed to assess the chemical profile of the isolated EO. The phenylpropanoid dillapiole was identified as the major compound in the EO, accounting for 34.09% of the total EO. Monoterpene hydrocarbons represented 62.07% of the total oil composition. γ-Terpinene, D-limonene, and β-pinene were the most abundant monoterpene hydrocarbons in the composition of the EO. In addition, histochemical localization of EO in the stem and leaves of Crithmum maritimum L. was carried out. The secretory structures were located in the cortical region of the stem and in the mesophyll tissues of the leaves in the form of secretory ducts. The performed histochemical analysis confirmed the lipophilic nature of the secretion from the duct cells. This is the first report related to the histolocalization and chemical composition of the EO from Bulgarian Crithmum maritimum L. Furthermore, our data indicate some potential possibilities for the evaluation of the therapeutic activity of the EO obtained from this plant species and outline its future applications as a therapeutic agent. Also, the EO from the studied halophyte plant has prominent potential to be used as a biopesticide, which is an environmentally friendly option compared to standard pesticides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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17 pages, 1553 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unveiling the Impact of Drying Methods on Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Anthemis palestina

by Mahmoud A. Al-Qudah, Hala I. Al-Jaber, Faten M. Abu Orabi, Hazem S. Hasan, Amal K. Aldahoun, Abdulrahman G. Alhamzani, Abbas I. Alakhras, Tareq T. Bataineh, Abdel Monem M. Rawashdeh and Sultan T. Abu-Orabi

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3914; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223914 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 862

Abstract

Different drying techniques may alter the chemical composition of plant extracts and consequently affect their bioactivity potential. The current study was designed to reveal the effect of four different drying methods on the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of hydrodistilled essential oil (HD-EO) and methanolic (APM) extract obtained from the aerial part of Anthemis palestina from Jordan. Aerial parts of A. palestina in their fresh (FR) form and after drying in shade (ShD), sun (SD), oven at 40 °C (O40D) and 60 °C (O60D), in addition to microwave (MWD), were used to extract their essential oils by hydrodistillation and to prepare the different methanolic extracts (APM). GC/MS analysis of the different HD-EOs revealed qualitative and quantitative differences among the different samples. While FR, O40D, O60D, and MWD EO samples contained mainly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (35.43%, 29.04%, 53.69%, and 59.38%, respectively), ShD sample was rich in oxygenated monoterpenes (33.57%), and SD-EO contained mainly oxygenated sesquiterpenes (40.36%). Principal component analysis (PCA) and Cluster analysis (CA) grouped the different drying methods based on their impact on the concentration of chemical constituents. SD-EO demonstrated high DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activity (1.31 ± 0.03) × 10⁻²; (1.66 ± 0.06) × 10⁻² μg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, A. paleistina methanolic extracts (APM) obtained after subjecting the plant to different drying methods showed interesting patterns in terms of their TPC, TFC, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical profiling. Of all extracts, SD-APM extract had the highest TPC (105.37 ± 0.19 mg GA/g DE), highest TFC (305.16 ± 3.93 mg Q/g DE) and demonstrated the highest DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities ((4.42 ± 0.02) × 10⁻²; (3.87 ± 0.02) × 10⁻² mg/mL, respectively); all were supported by correlation studies. LC-MS/MS analysis of the different extracts revealed the richness of the SD-APM extract in phenolic acids and flavonoids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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13 pages, 866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh Leaf Essential Oil from Palestine Exhibits Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity but No Effect on Porcine Pancreatic Lipase and α-Amylase

by Nidal Jaradat, Nawaf Al-Maharik, Mohammed Hawash, Mohammad Qadi, Linda Issa, Rashad Anaya, Ayham Daraghmeh, Lobna Hijleh, Tasneem Daraghmeh, Amal Alyat and Ro’a Aboturabi

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3805; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223805 - 08 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1070

Abstract

Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh is a tree species that is commonly used for various purposes, including forestry, agroforestry, and conservation. The present investigation was designed to determine the composition of E. camaldulensis leaves essential oil and estimate its free radicals, porcine pancreatic lipase, α-amylase inhibitory, and antimicrobial properties in vitro. The chemical constituents were analyzed using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), p-nitrophenyl butyrate, and 3,5-dinitro salicylic acid (DNSA) methods were employed to estimate the antioxidant, antiobesity, and antidiabetic effects of the essential oil. The microdilution assay was employed to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of the substance against a total of seven distinct microbial species. The GC-MS results revealed that E. camaldulensis essential oil contains 52 components that makeup 100% of the entire oil. The main chemical constituents in E. camaldulensis essential oil are p-cymene (38.64%), followed by aromadendrene (29.65%), and 1,8-cineol (6.45%), with monocyclic monoterpene being the most abundant phytochemical group, followed by the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon group, representing 44.27 and 31.46%, respectively. The essential oil showed a weak antioxidant effect and had no antilipase or antiamylase effects. At the same time, the oil showed a strong antimicrobial effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Staphylococcus aureus, and Proteus vulgaris, which was even more potent than the positive controls, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin, which had MIC doses of 0.2 ± 0.01, 0.2 ± 0.01, and 6.25 ± 0.1 µg/mL, respectively. It also has a strong anti-Candida albicans effect with a MIC of 0.2 ± 0.01 µg/mL. In light of these findings, in vivo studies should be conducted to determine the efficiency of the E. camaldulensis essential oil in treating microbial infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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16 pages, 1690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composition and Biological Activity of the Essential Oils from Wild Horsemint, Yarrow, and Yampah from Subalpine Meadows in Southwestern Montana: Immunomodulatory Activity of Dillapiole

by Igor A. Schepetkin, Gulmira Özek, Temel Özek, Liliya N. Kirpotina, Robyn A. Klein, Andrei I. Khlebnikov and Mark T. Quinn

Plants 2023, 12(14), 2643; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142643 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1328

Abstract

Agastache urticifolia (Benth.) Kuntze (horsemint), Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow), and Perideridia gairdneri (Hook. & Arn.) Mathias (yampah) are native, culturally important plants that grow in the subalpine meadows of Montana. Analysis of the composition of essential oils extracted from these plants showed that the main components of essential oils obtained from flowers and leaves of A. urticifolia (designated as AUF/AUL) were menthone (2.7/25.7%), isomenthone (2.6/29.1%), pulegone (78.9/28.8%), and limonene (4.2/6.2%), whereas essential oils obtained from the inflorescence of A. millefolium (designated as AMI) were high in α-thujone (17.1%) and β-thujone (14.9%), 1,8-cineole (17.0%), camphor (13.0%), sabinene (7.0%), guaia-3,9-dien-11-ol (3.2%), and terpinen-4-ol (2.5%). Essential oils obtained from the inflorescence of P. gairdneri (designated as PGI) contained high amounts of dillapiole (30.3%), p-cymen-8-ol (14.1%), terpinolene (12.0%), 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-cyclohex-2-enone (6.2%), and γ-terpinene (2.4%). Evaluation of their immunomodulatory activity demonstrated that essential oils extracted from all of these plants could activate human neutrophils with varying efficacy. Analysis of individual components showed that dillapiole activated human neutrophil intracellular Ca²⁺ flux ([Ca²⁺]_i) (EC₅₀ = 19.3 ± 1.4 μM), while α-thujone, β-thujone, menthone, isomenthone, and pulegone were inactive. Since dillapiole activated neutrophils, we also evaluated if it was able to down-regulate neutrophil responses to subsequent agonist activation and found that pretreatment with dillapiole inhibited neutrophil activation by the chemoattractant fMLF (IC₅₀ = 34.3 ± 2.1 μM). Pretreatment with P. gairdneri essential oil or dillapiole also inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis induced by fMLF, suggesting these treatments could down-regulate human neutrophil responses to inflammatory chemoattractants. Thus, dillapiole may be a novel modulator of human neutrophil function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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18 pages, 2186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variation in the Chemical Composition of Endemic Specimens of Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig from the Amazon and In Silico Investigation of the ADME/Tox Properties of the Major Compounds

by Jorddy Neves Cruz, Mozaniel Santana de Oliveira, Marcia Cascaes, Suraj N. Mali, Srushti Tambe, Cleydson Breno Rodrigues dos Santos, Maria das Graças Bichara Zoghbi and Eloisa Helena de Aguiar Andrade

Plants 2023, 12(14), 2626; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142626 - 12 Jul 2023

Viewed by 959

Abstract

Four species of the genus Hedychium can be found in Brazil. Hedychium coronarium is a species endemic to India and Brazil. In this paper, we collected six specimens of H. coronarium for evaluation of their volatile chemical profiles. For this, the essential oils of these specimens were extracted using hydrodistillation from plant samples collected in the state of Pará, Brazil, belonging to the Amazon region in the north of the country. Substance compounds were identified with GC/MS. The most abundant constituent identified in the rhizome and root oils was 1,8-cineole (rhizome: 35.0–66.1%; root: 19.6–20.8%). Leaf blade oil was rich in β-pinene (31.6%) and (E)-caryophyllene (31.6%). The results from this paper allow for greater knowledge about the volatile chemical profile of H. coronarium specimens, in addition to disseminating knowledge about the volatile compounds present in plant species in the Amazon region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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21 pages, 33719 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Leaf Essential Oil as a Potential Anticancer Agent: Experimental and Computational Studies

by Eman Fikry, Raha Orfali, Samar S. Elbaramawi, Shagufta Perveen, Azza M. El-Shafae, Maher M. El-Domiaty and Nora Tawfeek

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2475; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132475 - 28 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1383

Abstract

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affected by several factors including oxidative stress; and although conventional synthetic medicines have been used to treat cancer, they often result in various side effects. Consequently, there is a growing need for newer, safer and more effective alternatives, such as natural plant products. Essential oils (EOs) are one such alternative, offering a wide range of bioactivities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Accordingly, the objective of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition, as well as the antioxidant and anticancer properties of the leaf essential oil of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (CLLEO) belonging to the Cupressaceae family. Totally, 59 constituents were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. cis-Abienol, trans-ferruginol, α-cadinol, δ-muurolene and α-pinene were the major components. The in vitro cytotoxicity study against human breast (MCF-7), colon (HCT-116), lung (A-549), hepatocellular (HepG-2) carcinoma cells using MTT assay indicated a promising cytotoxic activity against all the tested cancer cells, particularly HepG-2, with significant selectivity indices. CLLEO exhibited weak antioxidant activity according to the DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. In silico docking of these constituents against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) and caspase-8 using Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software demonstrated good binding affinities of the components with the active site of these targets. These findings suggested using CLLEO, or its individual components, as a potentially viable therapeutic option for managing cancerous conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants)

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