Search Results (936)

Phytochemical studies performed on the aerial parts of Teucrium davaeanum Coss. resulted in the isolation of an iridoid diglycoside, teucardoside; two phenylethanoid triglycosides, poliumoside and 3-O-methyl-poliumoside; a flavon C-diglycoside, vicenin-2 (apigenin-6,8-di-C-glycoside); and a newly described bisdesmosidic oleanane-type triterpene saponin, davaeanoside. Structure elucidations of all isolated metabolites are based on extensive spectroscopic analysis and chemical derivatizations. The extract and isolated compounds (1–5) were tested for α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. IC50 values were measured for all extracts and compounds and compared against acarbose. Results revealed weak or moderate α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at the tested concentrations of the isolated compounds, especially compound 5. However, these findings do not exclude antidiabetic activity mediated by other mechanisms such as modulation of insulin signaling, enhancement of glucose uptake, or antioxidant effects. Further studies are warranted to explore these potential pathways. In addition, the essential oils of T. davaeanum and T. zanonii were obtained by hydrodistillation and simultaneously analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. The major compounds of T. davaeanum essential oil were germacrene D (31.4%) and bicyclogermacrene (15.9%); the main compounds of T. zanonii were β-pinene (19.5%), α-muurolene (13.4%), oxo-7,8-dihydro-β-ionol (9.2%), and α-pinene (6.9%). Full article

Frankincense is a natural oleo-gum resin obtained from several Boswellia tree species, playing important roles in supporting the spiritual, cultural, and socioeconomic livelihoods of communities across East Africa. Despite their cultural and economic value, the Ethiopian market still lacks scientifically based criteria to evaluate and properly classify this raw material, with traditional grading relying on gum size, color, collection area, and impurity content. Frankincense-derived essential oil value is much higher than that of gum, making this valorization route very enticing. This work compares the extraction potential and chemical profiles of hydrodistilled essential oils from various commercial grades and also different Ethiopian harvest locations (Afar, Humera, Assosa, Shire, Metema, South Omo, Borena and Jigjiga). The essential oils were extracted using hydrodistillation with a Clevenger-type apparatus, and their chemical composition was identified with GC-MS. The results revealed no substantial quantitative and qualitative differences among commercial grades, showing that essential oils can be obtained indiscriminately from classification. As for harvesting locations, both the extraction yield and essential oil compositions varied substantially. With the economic value of frankincense essential oil around six times that of the raw resin required to obtain it, these results show the importance of revising the commercial grading system to reflect chemical composition and promote the value-added processing of both black and white frankincense, rather than relying mainly on raw resin exports. Full article

Essential oils are complex plant-derived volatile blends composed of a myriad of aromatic secondary metabolites. The volatile architecture of plant essential oils suggests a consistent trend under the experimental conditions evaluated, regardless of the distillation scale and methodology. This study presents a comparative chemometric evaluation of two integrated processing systems: laboratory-scale hydrodistillation (HD) of dried biomass versus semi-industrial-scale dry steam distillation (SD) of fresh biomass. Seven economically important botanical species spanning three families were analyzed: Lavandula angustifolia, Salvia officinalis, Hyssopus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Achillea millefolium, and Picea abies. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling revealed that HD consistently yielded a more chemically diverse volatile profile than SD. Unsupervised Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) achieved absolute binary segregation between the HD and SD fractions for every species. Supervised Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) established robust predictive models (Q² cum > 0.98), isolating specific chemical markers responsible for the variance. The results prove a universal physical trend: HD significantly enriched low-boiling oxygenated derivatives (such as oxygenated monoterpene alcohols and oxides), while SD selectively preserved heavier, thermally sensitive hydrocarbon fractions across all taxonomic groups. Ultimately, combining GC-MS with multivariate chemometrics provides an objective, automated framework for quality control, authentication, and industrial process optimization in the essential oil sector. Full article

Bifurcaria bifurcata R. Ross 1958 is a perennial brown seaweed belonging to the Sargassaceae family and represents an underexploited marine bioresource with promising applications in the sustainable food and pharmaceutical sectors. To support its sustainable valorization as an alternative to synthetic additives, this study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the chemical composition, bioactivity, and mineral profile of B. bifurcata to support its valorization. The essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC—MS, revealed a rich chemical profile comprising 51 compounds, of which 42 were identified, accounting for 95.37% of the total composition. The major constituents included 2′-hydroxy-4′,5′-dimethylacetophenone (13.11%), benzene, 1-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl- (9.79%), 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene, 1,5,9-trimethyl- (8.57%), and benzene, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methoxy- (8.52%). The essential oil exhibited moderate antioxidant activity under in vitro conditions, with a total antioxidant activity of 74.85 ± 2.78 mg E α-tocopherol/g and IC₅₀ values of 0.103 ± 0.004 (DPPH), 0.106 ± 0.002 (FRAP), and 2.672 ± 0.123 mg/mL (β-carotene bleaching assay). In addition, notable antibacterial activity was observed against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Listeria monocytogenes, with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 12 mm. Mineral analysis of the seaweed powder highlighted its nutritional importance, with high levels of organic matter, proteins, and sugars, along with substantial concentrations of essential macroelements (K, Ca, Mg, and Na) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, and Zn). Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of B. bifurcata as a sustainable marine resource for the development of natural antioxidants, antimicrobial agents, and mineral-rich ingredients, contributing to environmentally friendly food systems and green pharmaceutical applications. Full article

The in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, cytotoxic and larvicidal activities of essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts (above the ground organs consisting of the leaves, stems and flowers) of Senecio polyanthemoides growing in three district municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa were investigated. The water-distilled oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Sixty-three constituents were characterized in all the samples analyzed representing 86.0–99.2% of the total oil compositions. The major components of the oils were monoterpenoid compounds with β-pinene, myrcene, α-phellandrene, cis-β-ocimene, trans-β-ocimene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene and germacrene D found in all samples. Numerical cluster and principal component analyses of the major constituents revealed four well-defined chemotypes and a high variability within the oil samples. The essential oils show significant multi-methods activities on antioxidant, cytotoxic, and larvicidal, alongside effective antibacterial action against some key pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus pumilus and Enterococcus faecalis), with inhibition zone ranging from (8.3 ± 0.6–27.3 ± 0.9) mm and MIC values of ≤5.0 mg/mL. Documenting the inaugural, in-depth analysis of S. polyanthemoides growing in South Africa, this study provides novel findings on its antioxidant, larvicidal, brine shrimp lethality, and antibacterial activities. Full article

The valorization of post-distillation by-products represents a key strategy within circular economy frameworks, particularly for medicinal and aromatic plants of the Lamiaceae family. This study investigates, for the first time, the chemical composition and biological potential of the liquid residue obtained after hydrodistillation of Clinopodium albanicum (Griseb. ex K.Malý) Melnikov, an endemic Balkan species. Untargeted LC–HRMS/MS analysis revealed a complex metabolomic profile dominated by hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, including caffeoylquinic acids, alongside a diverse flavonoid fraction comprising quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and acacetin derivatives. The presence of sugars and organic acids further indicated a broad metabolic composition. The evaporated liquid residual extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity (DPPH: 32.54, ABTS: 27.80, FRAP: 35.95 mmol GAE/100 mg). Pronounced antibacterial activity was observed against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MICs 0.5–1 mg/mL). Additionally, the extract demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida auris and Candida parapsilosis, as well as strong antibiofilm effects against P. aeruginosa (up to 95.52% inhibition). Molecular docking supported these findings, revealing strong binding affinities of key phenolics toward the bacterial targets FabI and D-Ala-D-Ala ligase. Overall, the results highlight the potential of this by-product for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Full article

Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) is an edible and medicinal plant cultivated worldwide. Owing to its distinctive aroma and diverse biological activities, its essential oils (EOs) have been widely investigated. However, available data predominantly focus on cultivated fennel or commercial EOs, while comprehensive investigations of wild-growing Mediterranean populations—particularly comparisons among different plant parts—remain scarce. In this study, EOs obtained by hydrodistillation from stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of native Croatian fennel, were chemically characterised using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the disc diffusion method against four bacterial strains. Additionally, the volatile profiles of fennel hydrolates were determined by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and GC-MS analysis. Fennel flowers gave the highest EO yield (1.95%), followed by mature fruits (1.43%), whereas significantly lower yields were obtained from leaves (0.69%) and stems (0.58%). Trans-anethole was identified as the dominant constituent (from 40.96% in stems to 80.71% in fruits), while α-phellandrene predominated in stem EO (42.77%). Hydrolate volatile profiles were more complex—particularly leaf hydrolate, where 29 compounds were identified. The principal constituents were trans-anethole (39.58–57.40%) and fenchone (16.01–28.80%), while the highest content of estragole was observed in fruit hydrolate (6.56%). The EOs demonstrated moderate antimicrobial activity, showing effectiveness exclusively against Escherichia coli, likely attributable to high phenylpropanoid (primarily trans-anethole) and fenchone contents. Full article

Cannabis sativa L. is a medicinal plant cultivated globally due to its remarkable historical and scientific relevance. Through the consumption of its flowers, also referred to as inflorescences, which contain a high content of cannabinoids, terpenes and polyphenols, the therapeutic properties of C. sativa can be harnessed. This study therefore aimed to determine the chemical profile, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils (EOs) obtained from the fresh and dried flowers of two C. sativa cultivars, Lifter and Cherrywine, grown in Komga, South Africa, to assess which cultivar has greater biological potential. The chemical profiles of the hydro-distilled EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of the EOs was analyzed using the DPPH and EAD methods, respectively. The identified constituents from the EOs were molecularly docked against NOX2 and NIK (NF-κB-inducing kinase) protein, which are implicated in oxidative stress. The afforded EOs were yellow (pale and bright yellow) in color with a sweet to mildly sweet aroma description. A total of 51 constituents were identified in both fresh and dry oils from the Lifter cultivar, while the Cherrywine cultivar contained a total of 44 constituents. Eighteen compounds, were found to be the main chemical constituents consistent in the flower EOs of both cultivars, notably, caryophyllene (10.71–19.96%), levo-β-pinene (1.37–13.21%), humulene (5.88–9.77%), caryophyllene oxide (4.32–7.49%), D-limonene (1.40–5.48%), α-pinene (2.22–5.22%), nerolidol (0.63–4.97%), cis-β-ocimene (0.22–4.37%), linalool (1.12–4.28%), selina-3,7(11)-diene (0.15–4.23%), humulene-1,2-epoxide (1.23–3.32%), guaiol (0.17–2.60%), (+)-β-selinene (1.20–2.51%), trans-α-bergamotene (0.68–2.37%), β-ocimene (0.90–2.27%), fenchol exo- (0.15–1.27), terpineol (0.14–1.38%) and α-terpineol (0.19–0.75%). The fresh Lifter flower oil (LFO) showed 50% inhibition at 100 μg/mL, with an IC₅₀ of 69.50 ± 4.05 µg/mL against DPPH, suggesting moderate to low radical scavenging activity. The maximum percentage inhibition response of DLFO, CFO and DCFO remained below 50% at all concentrations. The antioxidant activity of fresh LFO may be attributed to its overall chemical composition. The flower oils showed in vitro inhibition of protein denaturation; however, the high standard deviation relative to the mean IC₅₀ values limited the ability to rank the samples’ potencies. Further in silico studies on the putative constituents in the Lifter and Cherrywine cultivars revealed β-bisabolene and α-curcumene as potential molecular targets, with binding energy scores of −7.7 and −7.9 kcal/mol, respectively. Thus, the study findings highlight the promising biological importance of C. sativa inflorescences in the management of oxidative stress-related conditions. Further studies may investigate the influence of environmental growing conditions on their chemical composition, total ROS analysis, pharmacokinetic properties, and in vivo efficacy against oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and lipids. Evaluating the toxicity of the flower EOs is also recommended. Full article

Verbascum species have long been recognized for their medicinal properties; however, detailed studies on the endemic species Verbascum wiedemannianum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. remain limited. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities of essential oil (EO) and methanol extract (ME) derived from V. wiedemannianum, an endemic species from Türkiye. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation, and its chemical composition was characterized using GC-FID and GC/MS. The principal constituents of the EO were palmitic acid (27.3%), myristic acid (11.9%), 1-octadecanol (13.0%), and pentacosane (6.6%). LC-MS/MS analysis of the ME identified luteolin and chrysoeriol derivatives as the predominant compounds. The antioxidant potential of both the EO and ME was evaluated using three assay systems based on electron transfer reactions: the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay, and the cupric ion (Cu²⁺) reducing antioxidant capacity assay. The potential skin care effects of the EO and ME were further evaluated using a tyrosinase inhibition assay. Across all the assays, the ME consistently showed notable activities, whereas the activity of the EO was less clearly defined. These findings indicate that the ME of V. wiedemannianum contains bioactive compounds with potential applications in natural antioxidant and skin care formulations. Further studies are warranted to clarify its therapeutic uses. Full article

Moko disease (Ralstonia solanacearum race 2) is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases affecting bananas and plantains worldwide. The pathogen infects banana plants, causing yellowing and wilting of younger leaves, and plant death. Disease management remains challenging due to the pathogen’s aggressiveness, rapid dissemination, and limited availability of effective control products. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of the Pimenta dioica essential oil (PDEO) obtained by hydro-distillation and to evaluate its antibacterial activity against R. solanacearum race 2. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified 19 compounds in the essential oil. Eugenol (72.6%), was the predominant component, followed by caryophyllene (6.13%) and Beta-Myrcene (4.17%). In vitro assays demonstrated complete inhibition of bacterial growth at 500 µL L⁻¹. Probit analysis estimated the minimum inhibitory concentration 95% (MIC₉₅) value 297.6 µL L⁻¹. In plants evaluation using banana vitroplants showed that PDEO at 500 µL L⁻¹ effectively reduced disease severity and prevented internal corm discoloration without causing phytotoxic effects. These findings demonstrate the strong antibacterial activity of P. dioica essential oil against R. solanacearum race 2 and highlight its potential as a natural alternative for the management of Moko disease in banana production systems. Full article

(1) Background: Clinopodium pulchellum (Kunth) Govaerts (Panizara) is an aromatic Andean medicinal plant traditionally used in Peru to manage nervous disorders, insomnia, and digestive complaints; however, its neuropharmacological properties remain poorly validated. This study aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of C. pulchellum and to characterize its phytochemical profile as supportive evidence. (2) Methods: The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC–MS and GC–FID. (3) Results: Fifteen volatile compounds were identified based on retention indices and mass spectral data, with β-caryophyllene (22.9%) and linalool (19.1%) as the most representative constituents, while other compounds were tentatively identified. The aqueous extract showed total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 34.15 mg GAE/g and 29.44 mg QE/g, respectively, and moderate antioxidant activity (DPPH = 2.36 mg TE/g; ABTS = 3.33 mg TE/g). In vivo assays revealed that EOCP at 200 mg·kg⁻¹ significantly increased open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze and reduced immobility time in the CUMS–forced swim test by 37% compared with the stress group, although the effect was lower than that of reference drugs. Molecular docking analysis indicated favorable binding affinities of β-caryophyllene, humulene, and aromandendrene with serotonergic and ion channel targets, while ADMET predictions suggested suitable pharmacokinetic properties. (4) Conclusions: These findings indicate that the observed neuropharmacological effects may be associated with the presence of bioactive terpenoids typical of Lamiaceae, supporting the traditional use of C. pulchellum. However, further studies are required to confirm the identity of uncommon constituents and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying its biological activity. Full article

Juniperus phoenicea L. is a popular plant in alternative medicine, particularly in the steppe and highland regions of western Algeria. The present study focuses on characterizing the essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea growing spontaneously in the Ain El Orak region of El Bayadh province, where it is a valuable resource. The essential oil yield obtained by hydrodistillation was 0.98%, and its characterization by GC-MS revealed 46 compounds, predominantly α-Terpinolene at 21.29%, Limonene at 14.68%, Terpinene 4-ol at 12.04%, β-Myrcene at 9.93%, and β-Pinene at 7.31%. The study of the anti-radical activity against DPPH showed an IC50 value of approximately 0.23 mg/mL. The evaluation of the anti-ulcer property on experimentally induced ulcers in mice through oral administration of ethanol demonstrated excellent protection of the gastric mucosa, with 48.07%, 54.87%, and 81.92% protection for doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively, comparable to omeprazole at 72.40%. The hepatoprotective activity against toxicity induced by intraperitoneal injection of a 250 mg/kg dose of paracetamol in mice showed a protective effect expressed by the decrease in serum levels of AST (260.33 ± 9.69 IU/L) and ALT (56.22 ± 9.63 IU/L) to values comparable to the those of the physiological group, especially for the 300 mg/kg dose of the essential oil of J. phoenicea. Full article

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil is mainly composed of the acyclic monoterpene aldehydes geranial (α-citral) and neral (β-citral), collectively known as citral, which exhibit documented cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines, as well as geraniol and limonene, among other monoterpenoids. In a previous study we reported that the constituents of the essential oil (EO) composition of lemongrass in vitro plants were modulated by different types of cytokinins (CKs) exogenously added to the culture medium. However, in that work, EO components were detected as volatile headspace compounds by SPME-GC/MS rather than as bulk oil extracts directly injected to GC/MS. Therefore, in this study, EOs were extracted by hydrodistillation from plants micropropagated with different CKs (BAP or 2iP) under different osmotic conditions (MS 3/3 and MS 5/5) and subsequently established in a greenhouse. Analysis of EO in C. citratus plants showed that plants grown on MS-3/3 BAP had more α-citral, and plants grown on MS-5/5 2iP had more limonene. This study demonstrates the impact of various CKs on EO production in lemongrass. The findings showed that 5/5 2iP produced the highest limonene yield, indicating a potential yield of 100 mL from 8719 plants. Similarly, 101 plants under the 5/5 Ctrl treatment are required for 100 mL of citral, and 34 plants under the 5/5 Ctrl treatment are required for 100 mL of geranyl acetate. The 5/5 2iP requires 816 plants to produce 100 mL of geraniol, and it takes 11,340 plants to produce 100 mL of β-caryophyllene from the 3/3 2iP treatment. Full article

Ambrosia arborescens Mill., a native medicinal plant traditionally used in the Andean region, has a poorly characterized essential oil (EO), with no prior reports on its anticholinesterase or antioxidant potential. As a first report and preliminary screening study, this work characterizes the chemical composition of the EO and evaluates its acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The EO was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The biological activities were evaluated using the Ellman method to determine AChE inhibition and using ABTS and DPPH assays to determine antioxidant activity. Analysis of the chemical composition revealed 31 compounds, and the major components were γ-curcumene (28.63%), trans-muurola-4(14),5-diene (27.85%), and eucavone (18.46%). The EO showed moderate AChE inhibitory activity, with an IC₅₀ value of 28.04 ± 1.02 µg/mL, and limited antioxidant activity, with ABTS SC₅₀ = 373.75 ± 1.30 µg/mL and DPPH SC₅₀ = 1101.84 ± 1.63 µg/mL. These findings demonstrate that the EO possesses selective anticholinesterase activity and limited antioxidant capacity. Given the structural diversity of its constituents, the observed bioactivity is likely the result of the combined contributions of multiple components; however, the specific active constituents and potential synergistic interactions require further investigation through bioassay-guided fractionation. These findings represent the first preliminary screening of the biological activities of A. arborescens EO and provide a foundation for future bioactivity-guided investigations. Full article

Hydrodistillation of aromatic plants for essential oil production generates substantial amounts of solid and liquid residues that are commonly discarded despite their potential value as sources of bioactive compounds. In this study, the essential oil and post-distillation residues of Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja were evaluated within a waste-to-value framework to recover phenolic compounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Dry extracts obtained from liquid (DEA) and solid (DEE) residues were characterized in terms of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity (DPPH assays), and antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms. Quantitative HPLC–PDA analysis revealed multiple phenolic compounds. Extracts derived from solid residues exhibited significantly higher phenolic and flavonoid contents and stronger antioxidant activity than those obtained from liquid residues, indicating that solid by-products constitute a richer phenolic matrix. Antimicrobial assays revealed pronounced activity for extracts prepared from plant material harvested in October, particularly those based on propylene glycol and glycerin, which were effective against both Gram-positive bacteria and selected Gram-negative clinical isolates. The essential oil showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, including inhibition of Aspergillus niger. Stability studies demonstrated that the phenolic composition and bioactivity of the dry extracts were largely preserved after one year of storage. These findings demonstrate that R. tomentosum hydrodistillation residues represent a promising source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobial agents, supporting their potential utilization as value-added ingredients in food and cosmetic applications and contributing to circular economy strategies. Full article