Microbiological and pharmacological investigation of phytochemicals extracted from selected ethnomedicinal plants with their potential against food pathogen.

Fresh oregano (Origanum syriacum L.) is considered one of the most commonly used aromatic herbs in the Mediterranean diet. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility to extend the shelf life of fresh oregano leaves by employing vacuum packaging and natural ingredients. In this study, 132 samples of fresh oregano have been prepared in vacuum packs and divided into four treatments (n=33/treatments). The oregano recipes treatments were labeled as A (Only fresh oregano leaves 100%, Control), B (fresh oregano 63.2%, fresh onion 15%, olive oil 20%, NaCl 1.8%), C (fresh oregano 61.91%, fresh onion 15%, olive oil 20%, NaCl 1.8%, sumac powder 1.29%), and D (Fresh oregano 59.2%, 15% Fresh onion, 20% oil, 1.8% salt, 4% lactic Acid, ultimate pH 4.4). The potential growth of Clostridium botulinum by using Clostridium sporogenes DSM795 as a surrogate microbe has been assessed. Moreover, color attributes (L*, a*, b*), microbiological counts (aerobic, anaerobic, and psychrotrophic as well as yeast and molds), and pH- values have been evaluated during the storage period (42 days). Both spot and spreading agar journey methods showed that groups B and D could be resisted the growth of Clostridium sporogenes DSM 795. It was found that lactic acid was the most effective ingredient against aerobic, anaerobic, and psychrotrophic bacteria if compared to sumac and onion. On another hand, Group C showed significantly (pL* and b*-values if compared with other groups. In conclusion, the addition of lactic acid (group D) was the most effective antimicrobial agent in comparison with other ingredients. In addition, lactic acid enhanced the safety of the product by inhibition of the growth of Clostridium sporogenes DSM 795.

Statement of problem: The use of medical plants has expanded as a result of increased resistance of microbes to chemical medications, as well as their negative effects and excessive costs. Ocimum basilicum (basil) and Origanum Syriacum (Thyme), were studied for their antifungal activities against Candida albicans (C. albicans) species. Purpose: The goal of this study is to see if two plant extracts, Ocimum basilicum (basil) and Origanum Syriacum (Thyme), have antifungal effects on different denture base materials (long cycle heat-polymerized methyl methacrylate PMMA, short cycle heat-polymerized PMMA, and thermoplastic monomer free microcrystalline polymer karadent). Material and methods: Plant extracts (basil and thyme) were tested for antifungal activity using the pores method. The effect of plant extracts on various denture base surfaces was determined using a disc diffusion test. Fifty-four discs of 6mm diameter and 2mm thickness were prepared from long cycle heat-polymerized methyl methacrylate PMMA, short cycle heat-polymerized PMMA, and thermoplastic monomer free microcrystalline polymer karadent and distributed into three groups:-ve control, basil, and thyme. The diameter of growth inhibition zones was determined after these discs were placed on a Sabouraud Dextrose agar surface and incubated for 24 hours at 37 C. Results: Both Origanum syriacum, and Ocimum basilicum were efficient against Candida albicans. Origanum Syriacum extracts showed a superior antifungal effect compared to the Ocimum basilicum extract with long and short curing cycle acrylic resin, but in Karadent the values of Ocimum basilicum were higher than those of Origanum syriacum extract.

Objectives We tested the in vivo effects of commonly used medicinal herbs in Jordan, on normal human volunteers after oral administration of aqueous extracts for several days. Methodology Healthy volunteers were given orally aqueous herbal extracts and venous blood samples were taken at intervals. Various antioxidant parameters were performed on venous bloods as well as on extracts. Results Tested herbs showed a decreasing order of their in vivo antioxidant strength as follows: Zingiber officinale > Rosmarinus officinalis > Verbena triphylla > Saliva triloba > Nigella sativum > Origanum syriacum. Also a decreasing order of their in vivo anti-lipid-peroxidant activity as follows: Zingiber officinale > Verbena triphylla > Rosmarinus officinalis, whereas the others: Saliva triloba, Origanum syriacum and Nigella sativum had no effect on erythrocyte MDA. Tested herbs showed different effects on serum biochemical tests. Conclusion Medicinal herbs can improve the base line of the defense mechanisms against possible oxidative stress and possibly inhibit pathological conditions related to oxidative stress. Medicinal herbs can cause abnormal test results in patients and confusion in diagnosis.

This comparison study assessed the antioxidant effectiveness of two oregano essential oils extracted from different plant species, namely, Origanum syriacum L. and Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum, applied to 5% Aloe barbadensis miller gel using chicken meat. In addition, all treatment samples contained the same amount (5%) of Aloe vera gel. The results of the current research will help to distinguish between both oil types accurately. This study involved four different treatments: (1) Control, (2) 300 ppm of Origanum syriacum L. essential oil (OR-S), (3) 300 ppm of Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum (OR-V), and (4) 14 ppm of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). Generally, natural antioxidants have many limitations when used for meat preservation compared to synthetic ones and should be combined with natural carriers. The treated meat patties were used to analyze lipid oxidation, color, total volatiles, and specific sensorial characteristics. Based on the current investigation, comparisons between treatments (OR-V, OR-S, and BHA) demonstrated that both of the combined oregano oils showed lower TBARS values. The control treatment showed the lowest preservation effect. Origanum syriacum L. (OR-S) and OR-V showed significant antioxidant effects compared to synthetic BHA. However, OR-S exhibited the strongest significant antioxidant effect and could be the best choice for industrial meat preservation.

Artificial neural networks(ANN) are implemented in a large number of applications of science andtechnology as the technique has become very popular and accepted tool forresearchers and scientists. ANN renders realistic advantages such as real timeprocessing, adaptability and training potential over conventionalmethodologies. We present an all inclusive review of ANN for predictivemodelling, analysis and discuss the crucial role that they play in assessmentof extensive range of vegetables, viz., asparagus, alfalfa sprouts, anise,basil, beans, beetroot, bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, capsicum,celery, chickpea, chilli pepper, corn, cruciferous sprouts, cucumber, garlic, ginger, herb, jalapeno, lemon grassoil, lentils, maize, marjoram, mushroom, okra pods, onion, oregano, parsnip,peas, pepper, potato, potato chips, pumpkin, rhubarb, rosemary, soybean,spinach, thyme, turnip and walnut. The objective of this communication is toprovide all published literature related to ANN modelling in vegetables at onesingle stop, which would be very valuable for agriculturalists, academicians,researchers, scientists and students, so that they can follow an suitablemethodology according to their exact requirements for conducting research.

The GC-MS analyses of Origanum majorana L. (OME) and Origanum vulgare L. (OVE), Lamiaceae, essential oils helped identification of 39 (96.4% of the total oils) and 43 (92.9% of the total oils) components, respectively. The major constituents of OME were terpinene-4-ol (20.9%), linalool (15.7%), linalyl-acetate (13.9%), limonene (13.4%) and α-terpineol (8.57%), whereas, thymol (21.6%), carvacrol (18.8%), o-cymene (13.5%) and α-terpineol (8.57%) were the main components of OVE. In the disc diffusion and the resazurin microtitre assays, OME showed better antibacterial activity than OVE with larger zones of inhibition (16.5-27.0 mm) and smaller MIC (40.9-1250.3 μg/mL) against the tested bacterial strains. Only OVE displayed anti-heme biocrystallization activity with an IC50 at 0.04 mg/mL. In the DPPH assay, OVE showed better radical-scavenging activity than OME (IC50=65.5 versus 89.2 μg/mL) and both OME and OVE inhibited lionleic acid oxidation. However, in the bleaching β-carotene assay, OVE exhibited better antioxidant activity than OME. In the MTT assay, OME was more cytotoxic than OVE against different cancer cell types, such as MCF-7, LNCaP and NIH-3T3, with IC50s of 70.0, 85.3 and 300.5 μg/mL, respectively. Overall, some components of OME and OVE may have antiparasitic and chemotherapeutic activity.

BackgroundThere is increasing demand for compounds to treat antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, and essential oils have gained interest. Moreover, previous studies have demonstrated antimicrobial activity of these nonpharmaceutical products. We investigated the activity of essential oils against multiresistant bacteria and other clinical isolates to evaluate the potential of their use topically and/or internally for treatment of bacterial infections.MethodsWe studied the in vitro activity of 10 essential oils and 1 essential oil blend against clinical isolates including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.ResultsEssential oils of oregano, thyme, cinnamon bark, and lemongrass had the largest zones of inhibition against Gram-positive organisms, whereas cinnamon bark had the largest zone of inhibition against P aeruginosa. Oregano, thyme, and cinnamon bark had the largest zones of inhibition against Enterobacteriaceae.ConclusionsEssential oils have promising in vitro activity that warrants further study of their activity and use in the clinical setting.

Rambutan acreage in the Soconusco, region of Mexico, Chiapas is over 2000 hectares, mostly under monocultural agrosystems based on the high use of external inputs. The experiment was carried out from august 2013 to june 2014 in a four year-old plantation (from planting), located in the Huixtla municipality, Chiapas; with the objective of evaluating the allelopathic and attractive potential of aromatic plants on the entomofauna and commercial quality of rambutan, three plant species were evaluated: Origanum vulgare, Ocimum basilicum and Tagetes erecta , associated with the cultivation of rambutan; under an experimental design in random blocks with four treatments and five repetitions where indicators of abundance, food habit of insects and quality of fruits of rambutan were measured. The results showed that the aromatic plants increase the abundance of insects, with a total of 13 481 individuals distributed in 13 orders and 87 families; 32.00 % corresponds to insects associated with Ocimum basilicum , 30.03 % Origanum vulgare , 21.07 % to the control and 16.88 % to Tagetes erecta . Ocimum basilicum had the highest percentage of beneficial insects (2.08 %), O. vulgare (1.15), T. erecta (1.11), the control being lower (0.85 %); however, O vulgare presented the highest number of mealy bugs. In the reproductive phase there are differences in the dates of flowering and anthesis; where, O. basilicum has a precocity of 17 days with respect to the traditional system. The parameters of commercial quality (weight and soluble solids) are improved with the association of aromatic plants, mainly with Tagetes erecta .

Volatile oil composition and antiproliferative activity of Laurus nobilis, Origanum syriacum, Origanum vulgare, and Salvia triloba against human breast adenocarcinoma cells

Introduction The goal of endodontic therapy is to completely eliminate the infection and stop microbesfrom infecting or reinfecting the root canal and the periradicular tissues. Amongst the primary microorganisms,Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), a Gram-positive anaerobe, is the main cause of pulpal and periapical inflammation causing root canal failure. Literature evidenceshows that the gold-standard calcium hydroxide is ineffective against E. faecalisdue to its resistance to the alkaline pH and proton pump mechanism. Herbal essential oils such as oregano, basil, and thyme are known to possess antimicrobial properties against E. faecalis. However, their combination with calcium hydroxide as an intracanal medicament and thedepth of penetration is still unknown. Aim To evaluate the depth of penetration of calcium hydroxide mixed with three different herbal essential oils using a confocal laser scanning microscope. Material and methods Fifty single-rooted premolars were decoronated and randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 - Oregano oil with calcium hydroxide, Group 2 - Basil oil with Calcium hydroxide, Group 3 - Thyme oil with calcium hydroxide, Group 4 - Calcium hydroxide with saline, Group 5 - Negative control. The teeth were instrumented and inoculated with E. faecalis and incubated for 21 days. Calcium hydroxide mixed with respective oils or saline and 0.1% rhodamine B dye was placed in the canals and again incubated for 7 days. Two sections each of 1 mm were horizontally cut at 3 mm and 5 mm from the apex and later subjected to a confocal laser scanning microscope to evaluate the depth of penetration. One-way ANOVA, post-hoc Tukey test, and student t-test were performed. Results At the middle third, basil oil had the maximum depth of penetration (1377.47±14.1 µm) followed by oregano oil (1345.4±26.5 µm) and thyme oil (1160.4±24.6 µm). At apical third, basil oil (1152.4±31.6 µm) showed maximum depth of penetration, followed by thyme (988.3±26.2 µm) andoregano oils (419.5±19.8 µm). The depth of penetration of these oils was greater at the middle third than at the apical third. Conclusion Basil, oregano, and thyme oilhave good penetration depth into the dentinal tubules and can be successfully used in root canal procedures as intracanal medicaments.

Pseudocercospora griseola, the etiologic agent of angular leaf spot of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), is an important disease in all bean-producing regions worldwide and may cause extremely high yield losses. The control of this disease is made more difficult by the pathogen's genetic variability and the inefficiency of fungicides. In this study, of 26 essential oils tested at different concentrations, 25 demonstrated efficiency in affecting the germination of strains 63-31 and 63-63 of the pathogen, reaching inhibition levels of between 80% and 100%. Cymbopogon citratus and Cymbopogon martinii inhibited conidia germination at all concentrations; Eugenia caryophyllata, Cinnamomum sp., Thymus vulgaris, Matricaria recutita, Cordia verbenacea, Origanum vulgare, Cymbopogon nardus, at 0.1 and 0.5%; and Zingiber officinale, Mentha arvensis, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Lavandula officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Pimpinella anisum, Ocimum selloi, Baccharis dracunculifolia, Laurus nobilis, Citrus sinensis, Melaleuca alternifolia and Eucalyptus globulus, at 0.5%. The main constituents identified were cinnamaldehyde in Cinnamomum sp.; eugenol in E. caryophyllata; trans-β-farnesene in M. recutita; pulegone in C. verbenacea; thymol in T. vulgaris; geranial and neral in C. citratus, and geraniol in C. martini. Through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was verified that C. citratus, C. martini and E. caryophyllata presented direct fungitoxic action on P. griseola, causing severe damage to the cellular ultrastructure of the conidia, invalidating germination. These results indicated that essential oils are a promising alternative strategy for the control of angular leaf spot in bean, representing less risk to human health and the environment.

Avaliou-se a atividade antimicrobiana dos óleos essenciais (OEs) de Origanum vulgare (orégano), Thymus vulgaris (tomilho), Lippia graveolens (lípia), Zingiber officinale (gengibre), Salvia officinalis (sálvia), Rosmarinus officinalis (alecrim) e Ocimum basilicum (manjericão), bem como de frações majoritárias carvacrol, timol, cinamaldeído e cineol frente a 33 isolados de Staphylococcus spp oriundos de rebanhos leiteiros caprinos. A concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e a concentração bactericida mínima (CBM) foram determinadas por meio da técnica de microdiluição em caldo. Observou-se atividade antimicrobiana para os OEs de orégano, lípia e tomilho, bem como para as frações majoritárias de carvacrol, timol e cinamaldeído. A ordem decrescente de atividade foi orégano = tomilho > lípia. As frações majoritárias carvacrol, timol e cinamaldeído evidenciaram melhor atividade do que os óleos essenciais e, dentre elas, carvacrol e cinamaldeído foram mais ativas que o timol.

In vitro activity of essential oils extracted from condiments against fluconazole-resistant and -sensitive Candida glabrata

In the present study, the antifungal activity of selected essential oils obtained from plants used as spices was evaluated against both fluconazole-resistant and fluconazole-susceptible Candida spp. The Candida species studied were Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, and Candida krusei. For comparison purposes, they were arranged in groups as C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, and Candida non-albicans. The essential oils were obtained from Cinnamomum zeylanicum Breyn, Lippia graveolens HBK, Ocimum basilicum L., Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., Thymus vulgaris L., and Zingiber officinale. The susceptibility tests were based on the M27-A2 methodology. The chemical composition of the essential oils was obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and by retention indices. The results showed that cinnamon, Mexican oregano, oregano, thyme, and ginger essential oils have different levels of antifungal activity. Oregano and ginger essential oils were found to be the most and the least efficient, respectively. The main finding was that the susceptibilities of fluconazole-resistant C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, and Candida non-albicans to Mexican oregano, oregano, thyme, and ginger essential oils were higher than those of the fluconazole-susceptible yeasts (P<0.05). In contrast, fluconazole-resistant C. albicans and Candida non-albicans were less susceptible to cinnamon essential oil than their fluconazole-susceptible counterparts (P<0.05). A relationship between the yeasts' susceptibilities and the chemical composition of the essential oils studied was apparent when these 2 parameters were compared. Finally, basil, rosemary, and sage essential oils did not show antifungal activity against Candida isolates at the tested concentrations.

Spices and herbs have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, with research starting to accumulate on their beneficial properties. Of these properties, the immune-enhancing and anti-inflammatory capabilities of many spices and herbs have led to promising results. The current review article aims to explore the current research of several spices and herbs as immune-enhancers and anti-inflammatory agents. The spices and herbs examined are African potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea), allspice (Pimenta dioica), basil (Ocimum basilicum), black pepper (Piper nigrum), chili powders (Capsicum species), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), Devil’s claw (Harpagophytem procumbens), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), oregano (Origanum vulgare), rooibos (Aspalathus linearis), rosemary/sage (Salvia rosmarinus/officinalis), saffron (Crocus sativus), South African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides), and turmeric (Curcuma longa). All the spices and herbs exhibited immune-enhancing or immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory capabilities through various processes. Rooibos and oregano had the most contradictory results, with some studies finding pro-inflammatory properties, especially at high doses regarding oregano. Turmeric had the most extensive research with positive results.