Aromatic Oil Research Articles

Unguentaria in pre-Roman Dacia. Finds from Cetăţeni

Various products from Asia Minor and Pontus reached the Geto-Dacian settlements north of the Lower Danube mainly from the 2nd century BC until the very beginning of the 2nd century AD. They are reflected in the archaeological discoveries especially through pottery (West Slope, Hadra/Lagynoi wares, Megarian Bowls, Appliqué wares, Lead Glazed ware, grey ware, Pergamene Sigillata, Eastern Sigillata B and Pontic Sigillata); amphorae from Rhodes, Thasos, Cnidus, Kos, Sinope, Heraclea Pontica, or Chersonesus; Pergamenian and Ephesian lamps and glass vessels made by various techniques (core made, mould or free blown, sagging, cut-faceted or splashed made). Following the excavations conducted between 2002-2004 in the Late Iron Age settlement at Cetăţeni (Argeș County, Romania), a pit containing autochthonous handmade and wheel thrown pottery, fragments of amphorae, a cylindrical glass bead and also an unguentarium fragment were discovered. From the chronological point of view of this sealed archaeological context is of great relevance for the settlement. The discovery allows us to make some observations concerning import and use of perfumes and aromatic oils north of the Lower Danube, in the Barbaricum, before the making of the new Roman province of Dacia.

Properties and Preparation of a New High-Permeability Emulsified Asphalt and Its Modification

Emulsified asphalt is widely used as a prime coat in road engineering, especially in pavements with cement-stabilized semi-rigid bases. The objective of this paper is to develop a new emulsified asphalt with high permeability and pulling-off strength. A new type of high-permeability emulsified asphalt was prepared by using 55.2% diluted asphalt (44.16% matrix asphalt + 11.04% diluent) + 40% emulsion (2% emulsifier + 0.5% stabilizer + 1% osmotic agent + 1% op-10 + 35.5% water) + 4.8% aromatic oil. The storage stability was verified to be better, and the penetrating rate and depth were increased largely compared to the traditional products. To improve pulling-off strength, the high-permeability emulsified asphalt was further modified by mixing with 20% water-based epoxy resin and a curing agent. The penetration, pull-off, and shear strength tests were also conducted. It can be found that the permeability, adhesive, and water-resisting properties of the modified high-permeability emulsified asphalt can be further improved to a certain degree.

New Approaches to Chemical Technologies of Plant Materials for Aromatherapy

A new approach to the production of commercial products used in aromatherapy and household aromatizing agents based on induction heating of plant raw materials and the use of hydrophilic polymer hydrogels is proposed. It is shown that obtaining highly purified essential oils is neither technologically nor economically justified from the point of view of their use in aromatherapy. The proposed approach makes it possible to obtain products for aromatherapy with minimal processing of raw materials and low production costs. The main end product is a polymer hydrogel saturated with a liquid phase formed during induction heating of a mixture of a plant component with metal inclusions. Such a product, among other things, allows the implementation of electronic aromatherapy systems and household aromatizing agents, in which the generation of aroma oils is also provided by induction heating. In the operation of such systems, the basic property of thermosensitive hydrogels is used – a shift in the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance with temperature variations, which makes it possible to exclude parasitic evaporation of volatile components. Specific technical solutions that implement this approach are proposed.

Tuning the low rolling resistance, wet grip, and heat build‐up properties of tyre tread formulations using carbon black/thermally exfoliated graphite hybrid fillers

AbstractEcofriendly green tyre tread compounds were developed with low rolling resistance, low heat buildup, and improved wet grip properties. A standard formulation of natural rubber (NR) and butadiene (BR) with 50 phr carbon black was prepared in a brabender plasticoder. Based on the processability, successful reduction of carbon black and aromatic oil content was done up to a minimum value of 32 and 3 phr respectively. Partial replacement of graphite with carbon black was done to achieve the optimized formulation. A binary filler system with 10 phr graphite and 22 phr carbon black was optimized based on the mechanical properties and further addition of graphite leads to reduction in properties due to agglomeration. To enhance the properties further, the graphite was thermally treated to get an exfoliated structure which can significantly improve the area of the filler/matrix macromolecules interface. This ultimately had a positive impact on targeted properties. A sudden thermal shock for 15 min at various temperatures ranging from 400 to 550°C was given and prepared the optimized binary formulation and evaluated the properties. Excellent results in terms of low rolling resistance (0.039) and heat build‐up (18°C) were recorded for final formulation. The flex fatigue resistance was enhanced and the thermal stability improved by 29°C.

Enzyme-based green synthesis, characterisation, and toxicity studies of cellulose nanocrystals/fibres produced from the Vetiveria zizanioides roots agro-waste.

Vetiver zizanioides roots are considered the most useful part of the plant. It is widely used to extract oil. The aromatic oil is used in perfumery, food-flavouringand cosmetic industries. However, presently, there are no reports available for the usage of vetiver roots agro-waste after oil extraction in nano-based products. Considering the concept of value-added products and green-chemistry approaches, synthesising cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) using enzymatic treatment from agro-waste has emerged as a viable option. CNP's non-toxicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility have sparked the industry's interest in its production. Therefore, in the present study, 3 enzymes, cellulase, pectinase, and viscozymes, were used for the green synthesis of CNP. The characterisation of CNP was done using techniques like DLS, FTIR, TEM, SEM, AFM, and TG/DTG, and cytotoxicity of CNP was studied in human skin cell-line (HaCaT) using MTT assay. Results show that CNPs synthesised using viscozyme and pectinase were of crystalline nature (2.0-3.0nm) and cellulase were of fibres (40-60nm). The FTIR confirmed that CNPs were devoid of lignin/hemicellulose. The AFM pictures revealed thick and thin nanoparticles with a variety of morphologies. The thermal stability of cellulose was higher compared to CNP. All the synthesised CNPs were crystaline, with a 60-70% crystallinity index. Furthermore, CNP did not show cytotoxic effect on HaCaT cells upto 500µg/mL concentrations. In conclusion, pectinase and viscosyme may be used for synthesing cellulose-nanocrystals and cellulase enzyme for cellulose-nanofibers from the vetiver roots agro-waste. The findings revealed that Vetiveria zizanioides agro-waste-derived CNP is a sustainable material that can be used as a reinforcing agent/nanocarrier in textile and drug-delivery systems.

A priori tailored selection of sensor arrays for electronic tongues

Electronic tongues (ETs) are multisensor systems based on the coupling of different sensors with high stability and cross-sensitivity towards different species, along with an appropriate chemometric tool that allow the classification of samples and/or the quantification of selected analytes. Despite the great advantages that the data processing stage may offer (e.g. allowing to offset matrix effects from the sample itself, or to resolve the presence of interferences, drifts or non-linearities obtained with the sensors), the stability of the sensors response together with its varied cross-sensitivity are of utmost importance. In this regard, despite the progress that has been made over the last years and the increasing number of publications dealing with ETs, researchers have focused mainly on the developed application itself or on the data treatment stage, but very few report on the choice of the sensors. In this direction, herein we explore on the development of a simple methodology that allows the a priori selection of the optimal sensor array to carry out a specific application. Concretely, the usage of principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with different clustering indices is proposed as a simple approach to simultaneously assess the cross-response and the reproducibility of the different sensors in a single step, what allows to define which sensors may constitute an ET array for a given qualitative or quantitative application. The above ideas have been applied to the study case of aromatic essential oils.

Swollen cubic phases with reduced hardness solubilizing a model fragrance oil as a co-surfactant.

Swollen cubic lyotropic ternary phases with Pn3m symmetry and reduced hardness were obtained from a specific binary mixture of cubic phase-forming (phytantriol) and lamellar phase-forming (decaglycerol monooleate) compounds. The microstructures were determined by using a small-angle x-ray scattering technique. The softness and temperature-induced phase transitions were investigated by means of rheology. The incorporation of a surface-active fragrance compound (linalool) at concentrations up to 6wt. % induced a structural transition toward a softer Im3m bulk cubic phase with longer water channels. Higher linalool concentrations allowed for the spontaneous dispersion of the bulk cubic phase into microscopic particles with a cubic structure (cubosomes).

Analysis of Rac/Rop Small GTPase Family Expression in Santalum album L. and Their Potential Roles in Drought Stress and Hormone Treatments.

Plant-specific Rac/Rop small GTPases, also known as Rop, belong to the Rho subfamily. Rac proteins can be divided into two types according to their C-terminal motifs: Type I Rac proteins have a typical CaaL motif at the C-terminal, whereas type II Rac proteins lack this motif but retain a cysteine-containing element for membrane anchoring. The Rac gene family participates in diverse signal transduction events, cytoskeleton morphogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and hormone responses in plants as molecular switches. S. album is a popular semiparasitic plant that absorbs nutrients from the host plant through the haustoria to meet its own growth and development needs. Because the whole plant has a high use value, due to the high production value of its perfume oils, it is known as the "tree of gold". Based on the full-length transcriptome data of S. album, nine Rac gene members were named SaRac1-9, and we analyzed their physicochemical properties. Evolutionary analysis showed that SaRac1-7, AtRac1-6, AtRac9 and AtRac11 and OsRac5, OsRacB and OsRacD belong to the typical plant type I Rac/Rop protein, while SaRac8-9, AtRac7, AtRac8, AtRac10 and OsRac1-4 belong to the type II Rac/ROP protein. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that nine genes were expressed in roots, stems, leaves and haustoria, and SaRac7/8/9 expression in stems, haustoria and roots was significantly higher than that in leaves. The expression levels of SaRac1, SaRac4 and SaRac6 in stems were very low, and the expression levels of SaRac2 and SaRac5 in roots and SaRac2/3/7 in haustoria were very high, which indicated that these genes were closely related to the formation of S. album haustoria. To further analyze the function of SaRac, nine Rac genes in sandalwood were subjected to drought stress and hormone treatments. These results establish a preliminary foundation for the regulation of growth and development in S. album by SaRac.

Potential of Aromatic Plant-Derived Essential Oils for the Control of Foodborne Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance in Animal Production: A Review.

Antibiotic resistance has become a severe public threat to human health worldwide. Supplementing antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) at subtherapeutic levels has been a commonly applied method to improve the production performance of livestock and poultry, but the misuse of antibiotics in animal production plays a major role in the antibiotic resistance crisis and foodborne disease outbreaks. The addition of AGPs to improve production performance in livestock and poultry has been prohibited in some countries, including Europe, the United States and China. Moreover, cross-resistance could result in the development of multidrug resistant bacteria and limit therapeutic options for human and animal health. Therefore, finding alternatives to antibiotics to maintain the efficiency of livestock production and reduce the risk of foodborne disease outbreaks is beneficial to human health and the sustainable development of animal husbandry. Essential oils (EOs) and their individual compounds derived from aromatic plants are becoming increasingly popular as potential antibiotic alternatives for animal production based on their antibacterial properties. This paper reviews recent studies in the application of EOs in animal production for the control of foodborne pathogens, summarizes their molecular modes of action to increase the susceptibility of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and provides a promising role for the application of nanoencapsulated EOs in animal production to control bacteria and overcome antibiotic resistance.

Chemical and rheological properties evaluation of a novel synchronous rejuvenated aged SBS modified asphalt

The aging hardening of neat asphalt binder and the aging degradation of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer could significantly shorten the service life of the SBS modified asphalt (SBSMA) pavement and produce vast waste asphalt pavement materials. In order to recycle and reuse the aged SBSMA in a sustainable way, a green compound rejuvenator, which consists of aromatic oil and triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC), was developed to restore the original properties of the aged SBSMA based on the synchronous rejuvenating mechanism (i.e., colloidal structure regulation and SBS polymer structural reconstruction). The rejuvenating efficiency of the newly developed compound rejuvenator was first verified by fluorescence images, functional group characteristics, and molecular weight distributions of the SBSMA before and after rejuvenation. The rheological properties of the synchronous rejuvenated SBSMA (SRSBSMA), including the high-temperature permanent deformation resistance, low-temperature anti-cracking resistance, and fatigue resistance performance, were subsequently tested and compared with those of the SRSBSMA developed in previous studies. The results showed that aromatic oil had the capability to stabilize the unbalanced colloidal structure of the aged neat asphalt binder, while TAIC underwent a chemical reaction with the active group of the aged SBS to reconstruct the crosslinking network structure of the SBS modifier. Additionally, the rheological test results indicated that the performance of SRSBSMA restored by the new compound rejuvenator was the closest one to that of the virgin SBSMA as compared with the existing rejuvenators. To this end, the newly developed compound rejuvenator is proven to be promising in restoring the properties of SBSMA, which thus can be used to efficiently rejuvenate the aged SBSMA pavement.

Ethnopharmacological review of ginger for anticancer activity

Zingiber officinale is a plant found locally in India that has been widely used as a flavouring agent in savoury dishes such as curries and sweets such as cakes and cookies, alcoholic beverages as well as in alcoholic beverages. like in tea. Ginger is a well-known herb, commonly used in traditional medicine all over the world. Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and high blood pressure. The many pharmacological activities of ginger are antiemetic, antidiabetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, anticoagulant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, estrogenic and cardiovascular activities. Chemical irritants and an unsaturated phenolic ketone liquid C17H24O3 are responsible for the spicy taste of ginger. The main components of ginger are aromatic essential oils, antioxidants and pungent resins. These aromatic or pungent compounds have been identified as C6H5C(O)CH3, known as a chemical irritant, liquid unsaturated phenolic ketones C17H24O3 and Vanillylacetone.

Geochemical, mineralogical and petrographical characteristics of the domanik formation from north samara region in the volga-ural basin, Russia: Implication for unconventional tight oil reservoir potential

This paper comprehensively analyzes the geochemical, mineralogical and petrographical properties combined with bulk kinetics modeling of the Domanik organic-rich carbonate from various depth intervals in Kuzminovsky oilfield (well № 26 R), Volga-Ural Basin, Russia. The results show that, the Domanik carbonate-rich samples are characterized by high content of the total organic matter (TOC) up to 13.31 wt %, and contain mainly Type II kerogen with a slight II/III kerogen type, reaching very good to excellent oil generation potential. Moreover, the studied samples contain hydrogen-rich kerogen, which expected to generate paraffin, naphthene and aromatic (P–N-A) oil with low wax content as demonstrated by the Py-GC Pyrolysis combined with the abundance of fluorescent alginite, amorphous organic matter, and bituminite as established from investigations via microscope. The maturity indicators demonstrated that, most of the examined Domanik carbonate-rich samples, with a burial depth between 1726.5 m and 1784.9 m, have generally reached low thermal maturity stages; thus, defining an immature to moderate-mature of oil generation window. The results of the kinetic models suggested that, Domanik carbonate-rich rocks with vitrinite reflectance (VRo) values in the range of 0.60–0.71%, have reached relatively low kerogen transformation ratio in the range of 10–20%, indicating low probability oil generation. These finding are confirmed by the presence of low oil saturation index of less than 100 mg HC/g rock (19.64–69.97). In addition, the results of thin section, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) showed that the studied samples are characterized by low porosity (up to 3.29%) with a wide pores size range, including interparticle, cavities, cracks and organic matter pores. The development of these pore types and their quality in the studied samples is mainly controlled by high mineralogical brittleness (i.e., carbonate and quartz) together with the high organic matter inputs. Therefore, according to the obtained results, characteristics and observations, the Domanik Formation has a high potential for commercial oil production, which typically requires hydraulic fracturing followed by an in-situ retort, mainly by thermal methods such as steam injection and in situ combustion process.

Roles of aromatic oil, polyphosphoric acid and sulfur on the storage stability and compatibility of high-viscosity particle modified asphalt

High-viscosity particle modified asphalt (HVPMA) is one of the most popular asphalt binders for permeable pavement in China. This commercial high-viscosity particle modifier is usually rich in styrene–butadienestyrene (SBS) polymers, which brings marked storage stability and compatibility issues to HVPMA. Hence, this study aims to investigate the roles of aromatic oils (AO), polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and sulfur on the storage stability and compatibility of HVPMA. The effects of AO, PPA and sulfur on the overall performance of HVPMA are firstly investigated by physical, rheological tests and morphological observations. Through the cigar tube test, the effects of various additives on the storage stability of HVPMA are then analyzed. Lastly, the effects of various additives on the compatibility of HVPMA are determined by the Cole-Cole plot method via frequency scan test. Morphological observations indicate that the polymer phases become swelled and smoother after adding AO, and adding the chemical stabilizers can boost the formation of the network structures. The physical and rheological results show that the combination of PPA and sulfur makes the greatest contribution to the high-temperature performance improvement of HVPMA, followed by PPA and sulfur. Separation test results reflect that adding AO has little improvement on the storage stability of HVPMA, while the storage stability of HVPMA can be significantly improved by the addition of chemical stabilizers (i.e., PPA, sulfur, or a combination of both). The accuracy of the segregation index (SI) based on rheological properties is higher than that of the traditional softening point difference (SPD) index, and the SI value based on ZSV is easier to determine the segregation status. However, it is difficult to determine the correspondence between Cole-Cole curve symmetry and compatibility due to the influence of temperature, and the Cole-Cole curve method cannot provide sufficient information to determine the compatibility of HVPMA.

Inhibitory activity of aromatic plant extracts against dairy-related Clostridium species and their use to prevent the late blowing defect of cheese

The aim of the present work was the selection of aromatic plant essential oils (EOs) and/or ethanolic extracts (EEs) to prevent the late blowing defect (LBD) of cheese caused by Clostridium spp. EEs resulted more effective than EOs to inhibit dairy-borne Clostridium spp. in vitro. Savory, hyssop, lavender and tarragon EEs, which showed the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration against Clostridium tyrobutyricum, were selected to study the prevention of LBD caused by this bacterium in cheese.Addition of savory and lavender EEs to cheese milk delayed LBD by 2 weeks, but at the end of ripening these cheeses showed similar clostridial vegetative cells counts, spoilage symptoms and propionic, and butyric acids levels than blown control cheese. Tarragon EE, with the highest content in caffeic acid, also delayed LBD by 2 weeks, but it was more effective to inhibit Clostridium, since cheese with tarragon EE showed minor LBD symptoms, lower vegetative cells count and lower concentrations of propionic and butyric acids than the rest of cheeses made with EEs. This fact could be also attributable to the greater number of antimicrobial terpenes (1,8-cineole, 4-terpineol, α-terpineol, isoelemicin, methyl eugenol, and methyl trans-isoeugenol) detected in this cheese. This is the first report on the application of EEs to control C. tyrobutyricum in cheese.

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) oil consumer hedonic rating, sensory characteristic, satiating and energizing effect, and drivers of overall acceptance

AbstractWith increasing global health and wellness product needs, pecan oil is getting popular in recent years. Although considered a gourmet oil because of its unique sensory and nutritional values, there is no publication focusing on consumer attitude toward pecan oil. This study, for the first time, investigated consumer acceptance, sensory quality, and emotional response to five pecan oils from native and improved varieties, with a comparison to an olive oil. All five pecan oils had positive hedonic ratings (>5, with a 9‐point hedonic scale) for overall acceptance and the acceptance of oil flavor, raw‐nut flavor, and thickness, while the olive oil was rated slightly lower than 5 for these attributes. Pecan oils had higher intensities in raw‐nut flavor, but lower in overall oil flavor, fatty flavor, astringency, and thickness compared to olive oil. Off‐flavor was not perceived in pecan oils, whereas it was perceived in olive oil. The six oils did not show significant differences in satiating effects; however, olive oil was rated lower in energizing effects than pecan oils, which showed a significant variety difference (p ≤ 0.05). Consumer overall acceptance was significantly, positively driven by energizing effects, followed by the acceptability of raw‐nut flavor, thickness, and oil flavor; off‐flavors were negative drivers. Results obtained from this study add direct pecan oil consumer insight: an asset for pecan growers, pecan processing industry, and pecan oil marketers.

Effect of reactive flexible rejuvenators on thermal-oxidative aging resistance of regenerated SBS modified asphalt

The high-quality regeneration of aged SBS modified asphalt could promote to achieve the objective of low-carbon development. In this study, to reconstruct the structure of aged SBS, two kinds of reactive flexible rejuvenator (RFRs) named T-PEG and T-HTPB were synthesized from 2,4-toluylene di-isocyanate, polyethylene glycol and hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene. The ordinary regenerated SBS modified asphalt (RSBSMA) and reactive RSBSMA were prepared by using aromatic hydrocarbon oil (AO) and (T-PEG/T-HTPB + AO) respectively. Afterward, the chemical structures and physio-rheological performance of RSBSMAs after short-term and long-term thermal-oxidative aging were explored. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the butadiene and ether bond indices of reactive RSBSMA decreased significantly after aging, indicating that T-HTPB regenerated SBS mainly suffered the breaking of carbon-carbon double bonds, while the degradation of segments with ether bonds appeared in SBS restored by T-PEG. The carbonyl and sulfoxide indices of reactive RSBSMA were lower than those of ordinary RSBSMA, revealing that the effect of thermal-oxidative aging on asphalt was prevented by the restoration of aged SBS structure. The changing amplitude of physical and rheological properties of reactive RSBSMA after aging was less than that of ordinary RSBSMA, which confirmed that the aging resistance of reactive RSBSMA was stronger than that of ordinary RSBSMA due to the repair of aged SBS structure. Different RFRs could offer diverse anti-aging abilities on reactive RSBSMA. The research results suggested that T-PEG rather than T-HTPB was a better choice as a reactive rejuvenator of aged SBS modified asphalt.

Natural crystalline fibers of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol: green kilogram production from a selected wild thyme. X-ray and NMR characterization of a spiral structure

(E)-(R)-4-Thujanol present in thyme essential oils is an important aromatic ingredient for food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Until now, its extraction was challenging due to its low content in classical aromatic plants such as thyme or marjoram. Although this molecule is synthetically available, there is no production on an industrial scale because of very time-consuming and expensive chemical processes. We report here for the first time a new eco-responsible method to produce (E)-(R)-4-thujanol crystals on a kilogram scale. This new milestone is based on 2 fundamental research gaps: i) the selection of a wild thyme (Thymus vulgaris) for its high content of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol and its careful harvesting in the hills of French Provence and ii) a steam distillation producing an organic aromatic oil which aggregates spontaneously due to a favorable amphipathic partition at the air-water interface. Gas chromatography revealed a composition made of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol (76%), thymol (5%), β-myrcene (2,8%) and other minor monoterpenes. The white aggregate submitted to a cycle of sublimation/crystallization, led to accumulating translucent fibers made of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol (98%). X-ray diffraction unambiguously demonstrated that crystals of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol form a trimer (monoclinic asymmetric (C2)) unit composed of three independent (E)-(R)-4-thujanol molecules. The trimer is further organized into a chiral P-type supramolecular helix of trimers through a network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. This study is based on the cheap, easy and eco-responsible kilogram production of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol crystals may open up new opportunities for the flavor, fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. Fibers of (E)-(R)-4-thujanol may also have applications as bio-active fibrous assemblies.

Antibacterial Effect of Aroma Oil on Stophylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis

This study's primary objective was to confirm the antibacterial effect of aroma oil on <i>Stophylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Stophylococcu epidermidis</i>, the common bacteria of atopic dermatitis. Among the aroma oils, Thyme oil and Cinamon bark oil which have antibiotic effects against <i>S. aureus</i>, were selected through the disk diffusion method. In order to solve problems in use, such as delayed volatility and reduced toxicity of aroma oil, It was made into a gel using biodegradable polymers Curdlan (Curdlan: Cur) and carboxymethyl scleroglucan (CMSG). The experiment involved 4 groups of <i>S. aureus</i> and 4 groups of <i>S. epidermis</i>. As a result of the above experiment, <i>S. aureus</i> growth was completely inhibited in Group I and Group II at 150 μl and 200 μl of thyme oil. In Group III and Group IV, <i>S. aureus</i> growth was entirely restrained when the amount of Cinamon oil added was 200 μl. In Group V and Group VI, the growth of <i>S. epidermidis</i> was completely inhibited when 200 μl of Thyme oil was used. In Group VII and Group VIII, the growth of <i>S. epidermidis</i> was completely inhibited when 200 μl of Cinamon oil was used. The study's findings, in terms of cosmetology, Curdlan is possible to present the possibility of application as a new formulation that can enhance the improvement effect of atopic dermatitis.

Hedychium flavum flower essential oil: Chemical composition, anti-inflammatory activities and related mechanisms in vitro and in vivo

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHedychium flavum, an ornamental, edible, and medicinal plant, is extensively cultivated as a source of aromatic essential oils (EO). Its flower is a traditional Chinese medicine for treating inflammation-related diseases like indigestion, diarrhea, and stomach pain. In particular, H. flavum flower EO has been used in cosmetics and as an aromatic stomachic to treat chronic gastritis in China. Aim of the studyThis research aimed to analyze H. flavum flower EO's chemical composition and explore its anti-inflammatory activities and related mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. Materials and methodsEO's chemical composition was determined by GC-FID/MS analysis. For in vitro test, the anti-inflammatory activity of EO was demonstrated by measuring the LPS-induced release of NO, PGE2, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in RAW264.7 macrophages, and then its related mechanisms were explored using qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescent staining analysis. Next, EO's in vivo anti-inflammatory potential was further evaluated using a xylene-induced ear edema model, in which ear swelling and TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in serum and tissue were examined. ResultsThe main components of EO were β-pinene (20.2%), α-pinene (9.3%), α-phellandrene (8.3%), 1,8-cineole (7.1%), E-nerolidol (5.4%), limonene (4.4%), borneol (4.1%), and β-caryophyllene (3.7%). For the anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, EO dramatically reduced the LPS-stimulated NO and PGE2 release by suppressing the mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and COX-2. Meanwhile, it remarkably decreased IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β production by inhibiting their mRNA levels. Related mechanism studies indicated that it not only inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, leading to blockade of NF-κB nuclear transfer but also suppressed MAPKs (ERK, p38, and JNK) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further in vivo assay showed that EO ameliorated xylene-induced ear edema in mice and reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in serum and tissue. ConclusionsH. flavum EO exerted significant anti-inflammatory activity in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of MAPK and NF-κB activation. Thus, H. flavum EO could be considered a novel and promising anti-inflammatory agent and possess high potential for utilization in the pharmaceutical field.

Relationship between thermoreversible and irreversible aging in rejuvenated asphalt binder

Rejuvenators are now widely used to restore performance of aged asphalt. A critical factor that controls performance of pavements in service is age hardening of the binder. Hence, both reversible and irreversible processes need to be accounted for in order to ensure durable designs. Thermoreversible processes are affected by irreversible aging, but how the two interact remains largely unexplored for rejuvenated binders. A straight Cold Lake PG 58-28 binder was blended with castor oil residue (COR), soybean oil residue (SOR) and petroleum-based aromatic oil (ARO) rejuvenators. Standard Extended Bending Beam Rheometer (EBBR, AASHTO TP 122) tests were conducted to assess thermoreversible aging. Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics were investigated using Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). Standard Rolling Thin-Film Oven (RTFO) followed by 20 h of Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) conditioning proved sufficient to differentiate thermoreversible aging tendencies. However, EBBR grade losses increased significantly upon extended aging. Rejuvenated compositions fared worse in comparison to straight Cold Lake binder. Three-day grade losses for the PG 58-28 ranged from 1.8 °C (unaged) to 9 °C (100 h PAV). In contrast, the ARO blend lost 0.8 °C (unaged) increasing to a significant 15 °C (100 h PAV).