Ekebergia capensis Sparrm. commonly known as the cape ash, is a medicinal tree of the family Meliaceae whose bark, leaves, and roots are widely employed for the treatment of fever, gastrointestinal disturbances and respiratory ailments. The present study investigated the volatile composition, enantiomeric distribution, and antimicrobial potential of the leaf essential oil of E. capensis collected from southwestern Nigeria. The essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and chiral GC-MS. A total of 56 phytochemical constituents were identified, revealing a sesquiterpene- rich oil. The dominant constituents were beta-caryophyllene (47.51%), caryophyllene oxide (9.43%), delta-cadinene (7.92%), alpha-copaene (5.93%), and alpha-humulene (5.42%). Enantiomeric profiling showed distinct stereochemical patterns: alpha-copaene and beta-caryophyllene occurred exclusively in the levorotatory form [(+)0:(-) >99%ee:], whereas beta-bourbonene and delta-cadinene were entirely dextrorotatory [(+)>99%ee:(-)0]. The essential oil displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifungal activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 156.3 to 1250 mu g/mL. Notable activity was observed against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes (both 156.3 mu g/mL), as well as Candida albicans (312.5 mu g/mL). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (625 mu g/ mL), Aspergillus niger (312.5 mu g/mL), Microsporum canis (312.5 mu g/mL), Serratia marcescens (625 mu g/mL), and Trichophyton rubrum (312.5 mu g/mL), showed moderate activity against the oil. Activity against S. aureus, Bacillus cereus, and A. fumigatus was comparatively weaker (MIC 1250 mu g/mL). The strong antimicrobial potency may be attributed to its dominant sesquiterpene constituents, particularly beta-caryophyllene and the enantiomerically pure beta-bourbonene, fraction. This work on leaf essential oil supports its ethnomedicinal relevance and highlights its potential as a natural antimicrobial agent.
Plants have long been used in the treatment of human diseases, including cancer. Recent research has increasingly focused on plant-derived secondary metabolites as potential sources of anticancer agents with reduced toxicity to healthy tissues. Essential oils represent a promising reservoir for drug discovery due to their diverse chemical compositions. This study investigated the chemical composition and anticancer potential of the essential oil obtained from Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. rigida (ZEO), a species widely distributed and frequently consumed in Iran. Thirty-seven different compounds were identified from the essential oil, among which piperitone (22.26%), isomenthone (14.00%) and menthol (9.82%) were the main components. Cytotoxicity was evaluated against colorectal cancer cell lines (Caco-2 and HCT-116) and noncancerous cell lines (CCD-18Co and HEK293) using EC50 values, followed by apoptosis analyses through Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The gene expression levels of apoptosis-related markers (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3, -8, -9, and p53) were quantified via qRT-PCR. ZEO exhibited stronger cytotoxicity in cancer cells (EC50: 19.27 mu g/mL for Caco-2; 22.72 mu g/mL for HCT-116) than in noncancerous cells (25.11 mu g/mL for CCD-18Co and 46.59 mu g/mL for HEK293). Moreover, ZEO induced apoptosis (41.01% in Caco-2; 27.58% in HCT-116), downregulated Bcl-2, and upregulated pro-apoptotic genes. To our knowledge, this is the first study highlighting the therapeutic potential of Z. clinopodioides subsp. rigida against colorectal cancer.
The present study reports the chemical profile and biological activities of the essential oil from the aerial parts of Heliotropium procumbens for the first time. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the obtained essential oil was predominantly composed of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (45.1 +/- 0.03%) and oxygenated diterpenes (42.9 +/- 0.43%), with cis-phytol (42.9 +/- 0.43%), (E)-dehydro-apofarnesol (13.7 +/- 0.14%), and (Z)-alpha-trans-bergamotol acetate (6.7 +/- 0.05%) as the major constituents. The essential oil exhibited strong mosquito larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, with 24-h LC50 values below 50 & micro;g/mL. Additionally, the sample exhibited anti-inflammatory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition, and antimicrobial activity. A molecular docking study indicated that (E)-dehydro- apofarnesol (DG = -5.486 kcal/mol) and alpha-trans-bergamotyl acetate (DG = -5.438 kcal/mol) exhibited high binding affinity against the mosquito larvicidal protein 1Z5X, facilitated by stabilizing hydrophobic and hydrogen-bond interactions. The results suggest that these compounds may contribute to the observed larvicidal activity and could serve as promising candidates for further development as eco-friendly mosquito control agents.
The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from Artemisia scoparia immediately after drying (EOI) and the essential oil obtained after plant storage period of one year (EOS), was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Comparison of the obtained data for EOI and EOS revealed a tendency in the decreasing of the essential oil yield, an increase in the number of components from 22 to 65, and significant variation in the content of the main constituents. Capillene was the major component of both essential oil samples. During prolonged storage period, the capillene content was found to decrease (EOI 57.2%, EOS 35.2%), whereas capillin content increased (EOI 0.2% - EOS 7.1%). EOI was inactive against all tested bacterial strains, while EOS showed some activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Tested samples showed fungicidal activity against Candida albicans and high toxicity toward Artemia salina, wherein EOS exhibited a stronger effect than EOI.
Citrus species are known for their therapeutic properties in managing inflammatory conditions. This study presents the first systematic evaluation of the bioactivity of essential oils (EOs) extracted from the Sri Lankan variety of Citrus sinensis L. using two extraction methods: solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and hydro-distillation (HD). The leaf and fruit peel EOs were assessed for their anti-inflammatory properties through in vitro arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (A5-LOX), arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (A15-LOX), hyaluronidase, and xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme inhibition assays. The inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and antioxidant capacity were determined through DPPH, FRAP, ORAC, TPC and TFC. The chemical composition of EOs was analyzed using GC-MS and the major compounds, from leaf EO were beta-linalool, trans-beta-ocimene, sabinene, and D-limonene from SFME, beta-linalool, D-limonene, sabinene, and beta-elemene from HD. D-limonene was the dominant compound in C. sinensis fruit peels, with 81.46 +/- 0.34% and 60.26 +/- 0.48% in SFME and HD techniques. Both leaf and fruit peel EOs showed promising A5-LOX inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 5.84 +/- 0.06 mu g/mL to 21.65 +/- 1.15 mu g/mL and good anti-hyaluronidase activity with percentage inhibition between 33.05 +/- 3.64% and 76.85 +/- 6.72% at concentration of 500 mu g/mL. The fruit peel EOs exhibited the lowest IC50 values for NO inhibition in RAW 264.7 macrophages, where standard D-limonene recorded IC50 values of 148.80 +/- 3.74 mu g/mL. The EOs from the leaves and fruit peels of C. sinensis exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, positioning them as selective potential natural candidates for the development of novel anti-inflammatory agents.
Rosmarinus officinalis L. is an economically important medicinal and aromatic plant whose essential oil yield and composition are strongly influenced by ontogenetic and seasonal factors. This study aimed to determine the monthly variations in essential oil content and chemical composition of rosemary leaves throughout the year 2022 under the ecological conditions of Hatay, T & uuml;rkiye. Fresh plant samples were collected monthly, and essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus. Chemical components were identified by GC-MS. Essential oil yield showed significant monthly fluctuations, with the highest content recorded in September (1.00%) and the lowest in November (0.33%). A total of 35 components were identified, representing 97.98-99.94% of the total oil. Major constituents included camphor (13.41-21.53%), verbenone (7.71-18.29%), borneol (7.35-14.65%), eucalyptol (8.09-12.20%), and alpha-pinene (5.72-12.02%). Principal component analysis effectively discriminated the months based on chemical profiles, indicating strong ontogenetic and seasonal differentiation. These findings provide valuable insights into determining the most suitable harvest periods for obtaining specific essential oil components and optimizing raw material quality for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.
Essential oils isolated from biomass are valuable natural resources with diverse applications. Mentha Pulegium Linnaeus essential oil is particularly attractive due to its high pulegone content. Ethanol, a bio-based oxygenated additive, enhances combustion efficiency and engine performance while reducing emissions. Studying the thermophysical properties of their binary mixtures is pivotal for sustainable technologies. In the present work, we investigate the chemical profile and thermophysical characteristics of M. Pulegium essential oil mixed with ethanol. The chemical composition was identified using GC-MS with a DB-5MS column. New experimental data for density (rho), dynamic and kinematic viscosities (eta, mu), and refractive index (n(D)) were obtained at 293.15 - 303.15 K and 0.1 MPa. Specific heat capacity (Cp) was measured between 253.15 K to 298.15 K. Excess volume (V-E), deviations in dynamic viscosity (Delta eta), and refractive index deviations (Delta n(D)) were correlated using the Redlich-Kister equation to interpret intermolecular forces.
