Search Results (7)

Ajwain essential oil and thyme essential oil naturally contain important bioactive compounds. Various researchers have discovered that these compounds contribute biological benefits for living things such as humans and animals. Bioactive compounds found in essential oils, such as terpenes and terpenoids, possess antibacterial and flavouring qualities, making them promising natural preservatives in the food business. This study investigates the effect of essential oil treatment methods on their incorporation into dehydrated beef and its subsequent sensory acceptability. The meat samples underwent hot air blanching and oil treatment with doses of 0.75 mL and 1.5 mL, respectively. Subsequently, the samples were dried at 55 °C for 6 h after each treatment. The identification and quantification of volatile chemicals were performed using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Thymol, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, and β-pinene were the predominant compounds before and after the treatments. The findings revealed that the application of ajwain and thyme essential oil treatments resulted in significant differences in the final concentration of monoterpenes. However, the sensory evaluation indicated that the ajwain and thyme essential oil samples received similar overall ratings. Consequently, ajwain essential oil could be a suitable alternative to thyme in beef jerky. Full article

Stress modifiers are recognized as biostimulants providing beneficial effects on various plant species. However, the specific potential of modulators such as melatonin, chitosan, humic acid, and selenium in enhancing the resistance of ajwain (Carum copticum L.) plants to water scarcity remains an open question. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a randomized, field block-designed factorial experiment over two years (2022–2023) to compare the effectiveness of these biostimulants in mitigating the impact of water shortage on ajwain plants. This study involved three irrigation regimes: 100% field water capacity (FC100%—unstressed), 75% irrigation deficit (FC75%—moderate) and 50% irrigation deficit (FC50%—severe), and four modifier treatments (melatonin, chitosan, humic acid, selenium), plus untreated controls. Plant growth, seed yields, essential oil production, as well as eco-physiological traits were studied to assess the efficacy of these compounds as stress modulators. Water regimes and stress modifier applications, as a single factor or in synergy, significantly affected plant physiology and seed yield, highlighting the importance of sustainability in agricultural practices. Compared to FC100%, biological and seed yield, chlorophyll, and nutrient content decreased under FC75% and FC50%, while essential oil production, proline, soluble sugars, flavonoids, phenols and antioxidant enzymatic activity increased. Notably, regardless of the type of modulator used, the application of these modifiers improved all physiological attributes under moderate and severe irrigation deficits. Among the involved compounds, melatonin induced the most pronounced effects, leading to higher biological and seed yield, essential and fixed oil production, relative leaf water content, chlorophyll and nutrient concentration, and antioxidant activity. Our results demonstrate that such compounds effectively function as stress modulators against water scarcity in ajwain plants by preserving specific eco-physiological traits and promoting water saving. These findings provide valuable insights into their use as a nature-based solution for addressing water stress in sustainable agriculture and climate change challenges. Full article

Conventional therapy is commonly used for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, but undesirable effects, such as erythema, dryness, skin thinning, and resistance to treatment, may cause poor patient compliance. Therefore, patients may seek complementary treatment with herbal plant products including essential oils (EOs). This scoping review aims to generate a broad overview of the EOs used to treat inflammatory skin conditions, namely, acne vulgaris, dermatitis and eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea, in a clinical setting. The quality, efficacy, and safety of various EOs, as well as the way in which they are prepared, are reviewed, and the potential, as well as the limitations, of EOs for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions are discussed. Twenty-nine eligible studies (case studies, uncontrolled clinical studies, and randomized clinical studies) on the applications of EOs for inflammatory skin conditions were retrieved from scientific electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library). As an initial result, tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil emerged as the most studied EO. The clinical studies with tea tree oil gel for acne treatment showed an efficacy with fewer adverse reactions compared to conventional treatments. The uncontrolled studies indicated the potential efficacy of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) oil, eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) oil, and cedarwood (Cedrus libani) oil in the treatment of acne, but further research is required to reach conclusive evidence. The placebo-controlled studies revealed the positive effects of kānuka (Kunzea ericoides) oil and frankincense (Boswellia spp.) oil in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The quality verification of the EO products was inconsistent, with some studies lacking analyses and transparency. The quality limitations of some studies included a small sample size, a short duration, and the absence of a control group. This present review underscores the need for extended, well-designed clinical studies to further assess the efficacy and safety of EOs for treating inflammatory skin conditions with products of assured quality and to further elucidate the mechanisms of action involved. Full article

Sapota is an important climacteric fruit with limited shelf life. A special system must be employed to extend the shelf life of sapota fruits. In the present study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and montmorillonite clay (MMt)-based bio-nanocomposite films (BNFs) were integrated at various concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) into cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), produced from garlic peels (GPs). The BNF loaded with 8% CNC has a better crystallinity index and mechanical properties than the other concentrations of CNC. Therefore, the 8% CNC-incorporated BNF (BNF-8) was selected for further packaging studies. The combined effect of BNF-8 with ajwain essential oil (AO) and oregano essential oil (OO) vapors and BNF-8 with carbendazim (commercial fungicide-CARB) were investigated. In this study, the BNF-based packagings are categorized into five types, viz: BNF+8% CNC (BNF-8), BNF-8+AO, BNF-8+OO, BNF-8+CARB and the non-packaged fruits (control). The shelf-life duration, antioxidant activity, firmness, decay index, and sensory quality were evaluated in order to identify the effectiveness of packaging treatment on sapota fruits. BNF-8+CARB, BNF-8+AO, and BNF-8+OO packaging extended the shelf life of sapota fruits to up to 12 days and maintained the overall physiochemical parameters and sensory qualities of the fruits. Therefore, the BNF-8+AO and BNF-8+OO packaging materials are appropriate alternatives to commercial fungicides for the preservation of sapota during postharvest storage. Full article

Sapota is a significant climacteric fruit with a limited shelf life. Therefore, it is necessary to employ the specific treatments that could prolong the shelf life and preserve the quality of sapota fruits. The current research compared the effect of aloe vera gel (AV) 100%, AV 100% + 5 µL/20 mL ajwain oil (AV + AO), and AV 100% + 5 µL/20 mL oregano oil (AV + OO) on sapota fruits at ambient temperature. Commercial fungicide (carbendazim)-treated (CT) fruits were also investigated. The CT-treated and the combined treatments of AV 100% + 5 µL AO and AV 100% + 5 µL OO considerably reduced the decay incidence and weight loss in sapota fruits. Additionally, the CT-treated, AV 100% + 5 µL AO-treated, and AV 100% + 5 µL OO-treated fruits have higher titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total soluble solids, and phenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant contents than the AV 100% and control fruits. The outcome of this study showed that the CT-treated, AV 100%+ 5 µL AO-treated, and AV 100% + 5 µL OO-treated fruits maintained the overall attributes of sapota fruits. Therefore, in the future, the combination of AV 100% + 5 µL AO and AV 100% + 5 µL OO coatings could be a promising substitute for commercial fungicide to treat sapota fruits. Full article

Chitosan is the most suitable encapsulation polymer because of its natural abundance, biodegradability, and surface functional groups in the form of free NH₂ groups. The presence of NH₂ groups allows for the facile grafting of functionalized molecules onto the chitosan surface, resulting in multifunctional materialistic applications. Quaternization of chitosan’s free amino is one of the typical chemical modifications commonly achieved under acidic conditions. This quaternization improves its ionic character, making it ready for ionic–ionic surface modification. Although the cationic nature of chitosan alone exhibits antibacterial activity because of its interaction with negatively-charged bacterial membranes, the nanoscale size of chitosan further amplifies its antibiofilm activity. Additionally, the researcher used chitosan nanoparticles as polymeric materials to encapsulate antibiofilm agents (such as antibiotics and natural phytochemicals), serving as an excellent strategy to combat biofilm-based secondary infections. This paper provided a summary of available carbohydrate-based biopolymers as antibiofilm materials. Furthermore, the paper focuses on chitosan nanoparticle-based encapsulation of basil essential oil (Ocimum basilicum), mandarin essential oil (Citrus reticulata), Carum copticum essential oil (“Ajwain”), dill plant seed essential oil (Anethum graveolens), peppermint oil (Mentha piperita), green tea oil (Camellia sinensis), cardamom essential oil, clove essential oil (Eugenia caryophyllata), cumin seed essential oil (Cuminum cyminum), lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon commutatus), summer savory essential oil (Satureja hortensis), thyme essential oil, cinnamomum essential oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), and nettle essential oil (Urtica dioica). Additionally, chitosan nanoparticles are used for the encapsulation of the major essential components carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde, the encapsulation of an oil-in-water nanoemulsion of eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus), the encapsulation of a mandarin essential oil nanoemulsion, and the electrospinning nanofiber of collagen hydrolysate–chitosan with lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and dill (Anethum graveolens) essential oil. Full article

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) can significantly enhance plant metabolism and improve their nutritional quality. Although several studies addressed the effect of eCO₂ on plants, to our knowledge, there are no studies that have applied eCO₂ to improve growth, chemical composition, and biological properties of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) during sprouting. Herein, eCO₂ (620 µmol mol⁻¹) was employed to enhance photosynthetic reactions. Improved photosynthesis induced primary and bioactive secondary metabolism, which led to improved biological activities of T. ammi sprouts in comparison with control sprouts and seeds. eCO₂-treated sprouts showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of most measured nutritional primary and secondary metabolites like soluble sugars, essential amino acids, organic acids, essential oils, phenolics, and flavonoids than control sprouts, which had significantly higher values than control seeds. eCO₂ significantly improved the antimicrobial properties of T. ammi sprouts against 11 out of 13 microbial species than control sprouts, which had more potent antimicrobial activities than seeds. The significant increase in the antioxidant potential of treated sprouts was indicated by improved levels of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). In addition, the anticancer activity against four different human tumor cell lines was significantly (p < 0.05) boosted by both sprouting and eCO₂ exposure. Thus, the present study confirms the synergistic effect of sprouting with eCO₂ exposure as promising approaches to produce ajwain sprouts with rich nutraceuticals, effective phytochemicals, and enhanced biological activities. Full article