Search Results (20)

Cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover damages plants such as cotton directly by feeding on leaves and indirectly by transmitting viruses and excreting honeydew, which interferes with photosynthesis. The control of A. gossypii is still dominated by the frequent use of insecticides, which leads to a gradual increase in pesticide resistance in A. gossypii. Research is therefore needed on non-pesticide controls. In this study, seven plant essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum sanctum L., Ocimum basilicum L., Ocimum gratissimum L., Mentha piperita L., Mentha arvensis L., Tagetes erecta L., and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. were examined as potential controls for A. gossypii. We used life tables and electrical penetration graphs (EPG) to explore the effects of these EOs on the growth, development, and feeding behavior of A. gossypii, followed by a study of effects of the EOs on honeydew secretion by A. gossypii as a measure of their antifeedant activity. We found that the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, M. arvensis and T. erecta significantly extended the pre-adult developmental period. Also, adult longevity, number of oviposition days, and total fecundity of A. gossypii treated with the EOs of M. arvensis or T. erecta were all significantly reduced. Aphids treated with the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, or L. angustifolia showed significant reductions in their net reproductive rate (R₀), intrinsic rate of increase (r_m), and finite rate of increase (λ), and significant increases in mean generation time (T). In terms of their effects on the feeding behavior of A. gossypii, all seven EOs significantly reduced the total duration of phloem feeding (E2 waves), the number of phloem-feeding bouts, and the proportion of time spent in secretion of saliva into phloem sieve elements (E1 waves) and phloem feeding (E2). The total duration and number of E1 waves (saliva secretion) were significantly reduced by the EOs of O. sanctum, O. gratissimum, and M. arvensis. For C waves (probing in non-vascular tissues), the total duration spent in this behavior was significantly increased by the EOs of O. gratissimum, M. piperita, and L. angustifolia, but the number of such probing events was increased only by L. angustifolia EO. The EOs of O. basilicum, M. arvensis, and T. erecta significantly increased the total duration of ingestion of xylem sap (G waves), while the total time of mechanical difficulty in stylet penetration (F waves) was increased by M. arvensis. The total duration and number of the non-probing events (Np waves) were significantly increased by EOs of O. sanctum and O. basilicum. After treatment with all seven of these EOs, the area covered by honeydew was significantly reduced compared with the control. Studies have analyzed that EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were most effective, followed by the EOs of M. arvensis and L. angustifolia, and finally the EOs of O. basilicum and O. gratissimum. In the present study, the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were found to have potential for the development as antifeedants of A. gossypii, and these data provide a basis for future research on non-pesticide chemical control of A. gossypii. Full article

The bacterial contamination of meat is a global concern, especially for the risk of Salmonella infection that can lead to health issues. Artificial antibacterial compounds used to preserve fresh meat can have negative health effects. We investigated the potential of natural essential oils (EOs), namely Mentha arvensis (mint) and Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) EOs, to prevent contamination of the food pathogen, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Typhimurium, in vitro and on chicken skin. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was used to determine the compositions of mint EO (MEO) and cinnamon EO (CEO); the most abundant compound in MEO was menthol (68.61%), and the most abundant compound was cinnamaldehyde (83.32%) in CEO. The antibacterial activity of MEO and CEO were examined in vapor and direct contact with S. typhimurium at temperatures of 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C. The minimal inhibitory concentration at 37 °C for MEO and CEO reached 20.83 µL/mL, and the minimal bactericidal concentration of CEO was the same, while for MEO, it was two-fold higher. We report that in most tested conditions in experiments performed in vitro and on chicken skin, CEO exhibits a stronger antibacterial effect than MEO. In the vapor phase, MEO was more effective against S. typhimurium than CEO at 4 °C. In direct contact, the growth of S. typhimurium was inhibited more efficiently by MEO than CEO at small concentrations and a longer exposure time at 37 °C. The exploration of CEO and MEO employment for the inhibition of Salmonella bacteria at different temperatures and conditions expands the possibilities of developing more environment- and consumer-friendly antibacterial protection for raw meat. Full article

The scarcity of water is limiting crop production and is one of the most important stressors that severely affects crop yield, and it may also decrease the quality of the final products. Most of the medicinal and aromatic plants are considered resilient to water stress and constitute a sustainable choice for crop production in arid and semiarid conditions. In the present study, we examined the effect of scheduled deficit irrigation (e.g., I1: 40% of field capacity); I2: 70% of field capacity; and I3: 100% of field capacity) combined with biostimulant application (four different products that consisted of nitrogenous compounds and carboxylic acids (M1); nitrogenous compounds and seaweed extracts (M2); humic and fulvic acids and seaweed extracts (M3); and CaO, SiO₂, calcium mobilization and translocation factor and microminerals (M4)) on crop performance and essential oil production of mint plants (Mentha arvensis L.). Our aim was to define an irrigation regime that increases water-use efficiency and the biostimulant products that alleviate water stress effects. Our results indicate that moderate deficit irrigation (I2 treatment) and biostimulants that contained seaweed extracts and nitrogenous compounds and humic and fulvic acids (M2 and M3 treatments, respectively) significantly improved yield parameters in terms of fresh and dry herb yield and essential oil production. Moreover, the same biostimulant treatments significantly increased water-use efficiency of mint crops based on the various yield parameters tested in this study. In conclusion, our results indicate that selection of proper biostimulatory products may allow to apply deficit irrigation regimes in mint cultivation without compromising the crop performance in terms of both biomass production and essential oil yield. Therefore, the combination of these agronomic tools could facilitate water saving strategies in arid and semiarid regions and contribute to the sustainable management of water resources. Full article

Plant and herbal essential oils (EOs) offer a wide range of pharmacological actions that include anticancer effects. Here, we evaluated the cytotoxic activity of EO from Lippia alba (chemotype linalool), L. alba (chemotype dihydrocarvone, LaDEO), Clinopodium nepeta (L.) Kuntze (CnEO), Eucalyptus globulus, Origanum × paniculatum, Mentha × piperita, Mentha arvensis L., and Rosmarinus officinalis L. against human lung (A549) and colon (HCT-116) cancer cells. The cells were treated with increasing EO concentrations (0–500 µL/L) for 24 h, and cytotoxic activity was assessed. LaDEO and CnEO were the most potent EOs evaluated (IC₅₀ range, 145–275 µL/L). The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method was used to determine their composition. Considering EO limitations as therapeutic agents (poor water solubility, volatilization, and oxidation), we evaluated whether LaDEO and CnEO encapsulation into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN/EO) enhanced their anticancer activity. Highly stable spherical SLN/LaDEO and SLN/CnEO SLN/EO were obtained, with a mean diameter of 140–150 nm, narrow size dispersion, and Z potential around −5mV. EO encapsulation strongly increased their anticancer activity, particularly in A549 cells exposed to SLN/CnEO (IC₅₀ = 66 µL/L CnEO). The physicochemical characterization, biosafety, and anticancer mechanisms of SLN/CnEO were also evaluated in A549 cells. SLN/CnEO containing 97 ± 1% CnEO was highly stable for up to 6 months. An increased in vitro CnEO release from SLN at an acidic pH (endolysosomal compartment) was observed. SLN/CnEO proved to be safe against blood components and non-toxic for normal WI-38 cells at therapeutic concentrations. SLN/CnEO substantially enhanced A549 cell death and cell migration inhibition compared with free CnEO. Full article

This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus (CCEO), Cymbopogon khasianus (CKEO), and Mentha arvensis (MAEO) against two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis) microbial strains and their combination with antibiotics (chloramphenicol, ampicillin, erythromycin) to observe the synergistic behavior between them. The essential oils (EOs) were investigated by the GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) method. The synergistic effect between EOs and antimicrobial agents was analyzed by broth dilution assay. (-)-carvone (52.48%), geraniol (57.66%), and citral (37.83%) were the major components identified in EOs of MAEO, CKEO, and CCEO, respectively. According to the antibacterial activity, EOs demonstrated strong antibacterial activity with MIC values ranging from 0.7 to 18 mg/mL. The interaction between the combination of EOs and antibiotics was determined in terms of FICI (Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index). Some combinations displayed a partial synergistic effect, and some showed a synergistic and others displayed no effect against bacterial strains. The best synergistic action was shown by the combination of CCEO and Chloramphenicol against E. coli with a FICI value of 0.4. Three to four fold reductions in the MIC value of both essential oil and antibiotics were observed. Therefore, this synergistic interaction of the most active EOs with synthetic antibiotics could lead to new combination therapies for combating infections caused by multidrug-resistant microbes at sufficiently low concentrations in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Full article

(1) Background: Many human diseases are associated with oxidative stress, which is caused by reactive oxygen species and free radicals generated in living cells. Some biomass extracts derived from various types of plants can act as efficient drugs against pathological disorders related to oxidative stress. Numerous herbal blends have thus been shown to improve health. Cleistocalyx operculatus (Roxb.) Merr. and L.M.Perry teas have been considered in that way. Problem: Because of amertume, the taste of C. operculatus avoids or limits a large use of such alleged healthy leaf infusions. (2) Methods: The phytochemistry, oxygen, free radical scavenging activity, and antilipid peroxidation of C. operculatus teas were here studied in vitro. Then different mixes of C. operculatus and Mentha arvensis were infused together and tasted in a hedonic test. The chemical and biological properties of the best mix were then analyzed. (3) Results: The herbal blend of C. operculatus revealed significant scavenging effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) with IC₅₀ values of 35.6 µg/mL. Induced by hydroxyl radicals, this beverage could significantly inhibit the lipid peroxidation of mouse brain homogenates. Our results demonstrate that the lipid peroxidation inhibition of dried leaves of C. operculatus might be related to its scavenging effects on oxygen free radicals. This C. operculatus bitter blend was then combined with various amounts of M. arvensis Linn. The taste was evaluated, and further biochemical analyses were conducted on the best 7/3 ratio. They showed that the healthy properties were maintained. (4) Conclusion: The optimized 7/3 ratio of the Cleistocalyx/Mentha mix led to the best results in terms of taste (sensory tests). It is demonstrated that the potential health benefits against oxidative stress remained high as compared with pure C. operculatus infusion. Full article

Mentha arvensis L. and Mentha × piperita L. are herbal plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family and are widely cultivated for their essential oils and culinary uses. These herbs are commercially valuable mints used in the preparation of herbal formulations, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in food industries. Due to the presence of potential secondary metabolites, mints were employed to treat various disorders since ancient times in traditional medicines. The extracts of M. arvensis and M. × piperita can improve the function of digestive system, central nervous system and respiratory system of the human body. Majority of the health benefits of these herbs are attributed by the essential oil components. In addition, the administration of M. arvensis and M. × piperita under various pathological conditions studied in vitro and in vivo facilitated the recovery of detrimental ailments. Due to the increasing demand for natural product-based medicines, research is focused on the utilization of phytochemicals to treat various ailments. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of health benefits of M. arvensis and M. × piperita, the present endeavor deals with the antioxidant property, anti-inflammatory property, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activities of both species. However, a deeper knowledge on the specific metabolites of M. arvensis and M. × piperita and their mode of action against different disease targets will accelerate the discovery of novel natural drugs with less side effects and higher efficiency. Full article

Aloe vera, Mentha arvensis (mint), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), and Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) leaf extracts were used to synthesize stable silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by green chemistry. UV–vis spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize these biosynthesized nanoparticles. The data indicated that the silver nanoparticles were successfully synthesized, and the narrower particle size distribution was at 10–22 nm by maintaining a specific pH. As a short-term post-sowing treatment, Ag-NP solutions of different sizes (10 and 50 ppm) were introduced to mung bean seedlings, and the overall increase in plant growth was found to be more pronounced at 50 ppm concentration. The antibacterial activity of Ag-NPs was also investigated by disc diffusion test, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test. The zones of inhibition (ZOI) were shown by Escherichia coli (E. coli) (1.9, 2.1, 1.7, and 2 mm), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (1.8, 1.7, 1.6, and 1.9 mm), against coriander, mint, Aloe vera, and lemongrass, respectively. MIC and MBC values of E. coli, and S. aureus ranged from 7 to 8 µg/mL. Overall, this study demonstrates that Ag-NPs exhibit a strong antimicrobial activity and thus might be developed as a new type of antimicrobial agent for the treatment of bacterial infection. Full article

Biofilm is a major causative factor of persistent, hard-to-heal infections. Due to the biofilm’s persistence, even high-dose, systemic antibiotic therapy displays low antimicrobial efficacy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to search for novel bactericidal agents. Essential oils [EOs] are of great interest in this matter because of their broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and non-specific mechanism of action. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of vapor fractions of three commercially available essential oils: menthol mint (Mentha arvensis, L.), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia, Mill.), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus, Labill.) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. For the research purposes, fourteen clinical multidrug-resistant strains and one reference bacterial strain from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC 15441) were used. The self-developed evaluation method was applied, based on the optimized resazurin staining protocol, to determine the biofilm survival after the exposure to volatile agents. The results indicated that the EOs’ antibiofilm activity depends on the pseudomonal strains’ intraspecies variability. The lavender oil was active against five clinical strains, with the reduction rate ranging from 33% to 44%. The highest reduction level obtained for eucalyptus oil was 20%. The results for menthol mint oil were differentiated among the tested strains and ranged from 5% to 53%. The obtained outcomes indicate that the tested volatile fractions of EOs possess the potential to be applied in the treatment of infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm. Further research is required to determine if they can be used in monotherapy or as adjuvants of other antimicrobial agents. Full article

Feeding with high-concentrate diets increases the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether supplementing a phytogenic feed additive based on L-menthol, thymol, eugenol, mint oil (Mentha arvensis) and cloves powder (Syzygium aromaticum) (PHY) can amend the ruminal fermentation profile, modulate the risk of SARA and reduce inflammation in cattle. The experiment was designed as a crossover design with nine non-lactating Holstein cows, and was conducted in two experimental runs. In each run, cows were fed a 100% forage diet one week (wk 0), and were then transitioned stepwise over one week (0 to 65% concentrate, wk adapt.) to a high concentrate diet that was fed for 4 weeks. Animals were fed diets either with PHY or without (CON). The PHY group had an increased ruminal pH compared to CON, reduced time to pH < 5.8 in wk 3, which tended to decrease further in wk 4, reduced the ruminal concentration of D-lactate, and tended to decrease total lactate (wk 3). In wk 2, PHY increased acetate, butyrate, isobutyrate, isovalerate, and the acetate to propionate ratio compared to CON. Phytogenic supplementation reduced inflammation compared to CON in wk 3. Overall, PHY had beneficial effects on ruminal fermentation, reduced inflammation, and modulated the risk of SARA starting from wk 3 of supplementation. Full article

This paper presents the results of research on the Ba, Li and Ti content in six species of herbs sampled from mid-field wet depressions and from the soil. These temporary flooded depressions were surrounded by arable crops, permanent grassland and shrubby vegetation. The research area was located in the eastern part of the Mazovian Voivodeship, east-central Poland. The following plants were used in the experiment: corn mint (Mentha arvensis L.), purple marshlocks (Comarum palustre L.), silverweed (Potentilla anserina L.), yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris L.) and gypsy-wort (Lycopus europaeus L.). The Li, Ba and Ti content of plants, bottom sediment and soil was determined by the ICP-AES method after previous dry mineralization. Of the six herb species, Mentha arvensis L. was with the greatest accumulation potential of the chemical elements. However, no excessive Ba, Li and Ti content was found in herbs growing at different distances from arable fields, permanent grassland and shrubby vegetation. The highest Ba content was found in periodically flooded soil (zone II), while the highest amounts of Li and Ti were recorded in non-flooded soil (zone III). Full article

The aqueous extracts of leaves and shoots of Mentha arvensis were checked for their potential to biodegrade aflatoxin B1 and B2 (AFB1; 100 µg/L and AFB2; 50 µg/L) through in vitro assays. Overall, the results showed that leaf extract degrades aflatoxins more efficiently than the shoot extract. First, the pH, temperature and incubation time were optimized for maximum degradation by observing this activity at different temperatures between 25 and 60 °C, pH between 2 and 10 and incubation time from 3 to 72 h. In general, an increase in all these parameters significantly increased the percentage of biodegradation. In vitro trials on mature maize stock were performed under optimized conditions, i.e., pH 8, temperature 30 °C and an incubation period of 72 h. The leaf extract resulted in 75% and 80% biodegradation of AFB1 and AFB2, respectively. Whereas the shoot extract degraded both toxins up to 40–48%. The structural elucidation of degraded toxin products by LCMS/MS analysis showed seven degraded products of AFB1 and three of AFB2. MS/MS spectra showed that most of the products were formed by the loss of the methoxy group from the side chain of the benzene ring, the removal of the double bond in the terminal furan ring and the modification of the lactone group, indicating less toxicity compared to the parent compounds. The degraded products showed low toxicity against brine shrimps, confirming that M. arvensis leaf extract has significant potential to biodegrade aflatoxins. Full article

Aromatic plants have been used since antiquity as great potential sources of therapeutics in folk medicine and as preservatives in foods, because they contain many biologically active compounds. Among all, essential oils (EOs) are an important group of secondary metabolites that, even if not essential for plant survival, are significant for their allelopathic effects, either negative or positive, on microbes and the environment. From the chemical point of view, EOs are highly complex mixtures involving from several tens to hundreds of different types of volatile compounds, such as terpenoids, oxygenated terpenes, sesquiterpenes, and hydrocarbons. EOs have been widely used for their virucidal, bactericidal, fungicidal, anticancer, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities, and the biological properties of EOs are strictly linked to their chemical composition. This study was carried out on the following commercial EOs: bergamot (Citrus bergamia), bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), clove (Eugenia caryophyllata), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce), helichrysum (Helicrysum italicum), lavender (Lavandula officinalis), lemon (Citrus limon), oregano (Origanum vulgare), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini), star anise (Illicium verum), tangerine (Citrus reticulate), tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia), turmeric (Curcuma longa), Chinese yin yang (mix of Eucalyptus aetheroleum, Cymbopogon citratus, Caryophylli aetheroleum, Mentha piperita, Pinus sylvestris, Salvia rosmarinus, Lavandula officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, Illicium verum, Mentha arvensis, Abies siberica), Japanese yin yang (Mentha arvensis), and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata). The EOs were tested for the in vitro determination of antioxidant activity (DPPH assay) and of the sun protection factor (SPF) by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry. These biological activities allowed us to evaluate their potential application as natural preservatives and active ingredients in foods, beverages, and cosmetics, as well as in galenic preparations. The results show that amongst the seventeen EOs studied, clove showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 of 0.36 µL/mL, followed by Chinese yin yang (5.35 µL/mL), oregano (11.58 µL/mL), and ylang ylang (12.71 µL/mL). Moreover, higher SPF values were recorded for bergamot (9.74), star anise (9.28), fennel (9.10), bitter orange (8.96), ylang ylang (8.41), and clove (8.26). Overall, clove and ylang ylang EOs resulted the best potential candidates as natural preservatives, as they showed the highest health-promoting values, because at the same time, they provided protection against oxidative stress and fought free radicals that may form after sun radiation exposure. Full article

Equally effective way to achieve sustainable farming and the challenge set by the European Commission on 20 May 2020: proper crop rotation and thus reduction of the quantity of on-farm chemicals. Long-term stationary field experiments were established in 1966 at Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station (54°53′ N, 23°50′ E). The study was conducted with intensive, three-course, field rotation with row crops, for green manure crop rotations, and rye monoculture as well during the last 5-year period of a 50-year investigation to determine the effect of crop rotation combinations and rye monoculture on weed density and seed bank and grain yield. In cereal crops, weed counting was performed twice: weed density was determined before the application of herbicides, and weed counting was done before the harvest. Weed seedlings were counted, their botanical species were determined, annual and perennial weed number was estimated. Weed seed bank was established before primary tillage in soil. The results obtained confirmed the hypothesis that with climate change and intensive farming, long-term crop rotations are likely to increase crop productivity, reduce weeds and weed seed banks in the soil, and thus contribute to maintaining agroecosystem sustainability. The winter rye 1000 grain weight and yield decreases as weed mass increases showing strong negative correlations: y = 475.56 − 11.93x, r = −0.91, p ≤ 0.05; y = 82.97 −14.82x, r = −0.97, p ≤ 0.01. Reseeding of rye crops leads to a growing prevalence of weeds such as Equisetum arvense L. and Mentha arvensis. Crop structures these days are dominated by cereals, which inevitably increase the spread of weeds, and therefore, the importance of crop rotations increases in the context of intensive farming. Full article

In the present study Mentha arvensis medaited Magnesium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by novel green route followed by advanced characterization via XRD, FTIR, UV, SEM, TEM, DLS and TGA. The mean grain size of 32.4 nm and crystallite fcc morphology were confirmed by X-ray diffractive analysis. Scanning and Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed the spherical and elliptical morphologies of the biosynthesized nanoparticles. Particle surface charge of −16.1 mV were determined by zeta potential and zeta size of 30–120 nm via dynamic light scattering method. Fourier transform spectroscopic analysis revealed the possible involvement of functional groups in the plant extract in reduction of Mg²⁺ ions to Mg⁰. Furthermore, the antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-cancer, and anti-H. pylori activities were performed. The results revealed that MgO-NPs has significant anti-H. pyloric potential by giving ZOI of 17.19 ± 0.83 mm against Helicobacter felis followed by Helicobacter suis. MgO-NPs inhibited protein kinase enzyme up to 12.44 ± 0.72% at 5 mg/mL and thus showed eminent anticancer activity. Significant free radicals scavenging and hemocompatability was also shown by MgO-NPs. MgO-NPs also displayed good inhibition potential against Hela cell lines with maximum inhibition of 49.49 ± 1.18 at 400 µg/mL. Owing to ecofriendly synthesis, non-toxic and biocompatible nature, Mentha arvensis synthesized MgO-NPs can be used as potent antimicrobial agent in therapeutic applications. Full article