Chemical Analysis Of Essential Oil Research Articles

Comparative study of the chemical composition of the essential oils of the aerial part of Acanthospermum hispidium D.C. 1836 collected in three towns in Ivory Coast

This research work concerns the comparative study of the chemical composition of essential oils from the aerial part of the Acanthospermum hispidium plant collected in three towns in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of this study is to enhance the value of aromatic and medicinal plants through the chemical analysis of essential oils (EO). The essential oils extracted using a Clevenger-type apparatus were analysed using several analytical methods, including Ir-GPC, MS-GPC and 13C-NMR. The results indicate that the essential oils of Acanthospermum hispidium are largely dominated by hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (69.2 to 72.9%). The majority compounds identified are (E)-β-caryophyllene (33.3 to 34.9%), α-bisabolol (6.5 to 9.9%), bicyclogermacrene (6, 3 to 9.5%), germacrene D (7.3 to 8.4%), α-pinene (4.6 to 7.9%), β-lemene (3.7 to 4.3%) and α-copaene (2.5 to 3.2%). The co-presence of these compounds with multiple pharmacological properties could justify the use of A. hispidium in traditional medicine in the treatment of various pathologies.
 Keywords: Acanthospermum hispidium, chemical composition, essential oil, Ivory Coast.

Volatile metabolites, antioxidant and biological activities of Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. essential oil, from the tropical dry forest, Cesar, Colombian Caribbean Region

Tropical Dry Forest (T-dF) is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the Neotropics, due to negative anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg. (indio desnudo, resbalamono), is among the species most reported for the T-dF of the Colombian Caribbean. In this work, the chemical composition and antioxidant and biological activities of B. simaruba essential oil (EO) were determined. EO chemical analysis from leaves and, petiole, and young branches bark (PYBB) of B. simaruba was carried out by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry; polar and apolar columns were used for component separation. The biological activity of B. simaruba EO (PYBB) against Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera, Ptinidae) was determined by the preference area method. EO (PYBB) antioxidant capacity was determined by Oxygen Free Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay. Reference antioxidant and standard terpenes were used for relative analysis of ORAC results. α-Terpinene (27.7% and 16.4%), p-cymene (22.8% and 44.0%), and g-terpinene (16.7% and 14.6%), were the main constituents in B. simaruba EOs (leaves and PYBB). EOs were represented by a high percentage of hydrocarbon monoterpenes (∼79.1% and ∼88.9%, leaves and PYBB); while hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (∼3.1% and ∼4.6%, leaves and PYBB); contributed with a low percentage. B. simaruba EO (PYBB), showed attractant activity, at 0.4 μL.cm-2 (2h: -45%±7%; 4h: -50%±17%); in relation with Stay off, at 0.8 μL.cm-2, which was used as a positive control for repellent activity (2h: 66%±5%; 4h: 75%±21%). B. simaruba EO (PYBB) showed a very low antioxidant capacity (ORAC: 657.2±20.5 μmol Trolox/g sample), related to quercetin, used as reference antioxidant (50816.9±1559.1 μmol Trolox/g sample). However, EO ORAC was higher than the α-terpinene (68.0±10.8 μmol Trolox/g sample), γ-terpinene (51.2±2.0 μmol Trolox/g sample), p-cymene (105.6±6.4 μmol Trolox/g sample), used as standard terpenes. In conclusion, this is the first report on the chemical composition of the B. simaruba EO from Colombia, whose results differ from the previous ones from Jamaica and Guadeloupe. Chemical composition, reported here, with α-terpinene, γ-terpinene and p-cymene as principal compounds, could be used to establish a scientific support that explains some traditional uses. EO showed an attractive biological activity on L. serricorne. EO showed an antioxidant activity lowest quercetin (antioxidant reference), but higher that standard terpenes (α-terpinene, γ-terpinene and p-cymene).

Cytotoxic activity of essential oil from Leaves of Myrcia splendens against A549 Lung Cancer cells

BackgroundPlants of the Myrcia genus have been widely used in folk medicine to treat various diseases, including cancer. Myrcia splendens species has a diverse chemical constitution, but the biological activities of its essential oil have not been well investigated. In this study to out the chemistry characterization of essential oil (EO) from the leaves of the species M. splendens from Brazil and evaluate cytotoxic effect in A549 lung cancer cells.MethodsM. splendens EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). EO was isolated and evaluated for cellular viability in tumor cell lines by MTT assay. The evaluation of the formation of clones and the migratory capacity of the A549 cells treated with EO was done by the clonogenic assay and the wound healing assay. Morphological changes were observed in A549 cells by fluorescence using Phalloidin/FITC and DAPI.Results22 compounds were identified in the chemical analysis of EO, corresponding to 88% of the sample. Major compounds were the sesquiterpenic hydrocarbons bicyclogermacrene (15.4%), germacrene D (8.9%) and E-caryophyllene (10.1%). The biological analysis of the EO showed high cytotoxic activity with an IC50 below 20 µg/ml in the THP-1, A549 and B16-F10 tumor cells. The treatment with EO reduced colony formation and inhibited the migratory capacity of A549 cells. Furthermore, apoptotic morphological changes in the nucleus and cytoplasm of A549 cells was observed after of treatment with EO.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that the M. splendens EO has cytotoxic compounds for the A549 lung cancer cells. Treatment with the EO decreased the colony formation and reduced the ability of lung cancer cells to migrate. Future studies may be used to isolate compounds from the EO for the study of lung cancer.

Chemical Analysis of Essential Oil and Genetic Diversity Using ISSR and SSR Markers in Cultivated Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Accessions

Leaves and essential oils for therapeutic purposes are important traits in lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). In this study, the genetic diversity of ten C. citratus accessions collected around Nigeria was investigated using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Also, we determined the chemical content of C. citratus essential oil. In this study, the essential oil was extracted using hydro-distillation and the constituents of the oil were determined with gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS). The markers produced a total of 47 alleles with a mean PIC value of 0.73 in the accessions. The cluster analysis grouped the accessions into two major groups showing genetic relatedness between the accessions: LG07, LG03 and LG01 are the closest members, while LG08 is very distant from the other accessions. In addition, the factorial analysis categorized the ten accessions into four quadrants, which have some similarities to the dendrogram grouping. GC-MS analysis resulted in the identification of 18 compounds. Essential oils of LG02 and LG03 had a citral content of 49.38 % and 66.47 %, respectively. These results revealed the genetic diversity among the accessions evaluated that can be used to maximize the use of genetic resources of C. citratus varieties.

Chemical analysis of essential oils of Thymus Carmanicus Jalas by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and toxicity activity agains t the major Iranian malaria vector, Anopheles Stephensi

In the last few years, using chemical insecticides to control the malaria vector has caused environmental pollution and resistance to chemical insecticides. This study aimed to investigate the chemical analysis of essential oils of Thymus carmanicus Jalas by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and toxicity activity against the major Iranian malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi. The essential oil of Thymus carmanicus Jalas was prepared from dried leaves using the hydro-distillation method. Gaschromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) was used to analyze and identify thyme essential oil compounds. Bioassay was performed using World Health Organization (WHO) standard test. The T. Carmanicus Jalas essential oil consisted of 15 compounds, with Carvacrol (61%), Thymol (6%), and β-caryophyllene (5%) being the major components by volume. The LC50 and LC90 of thyme oil were 20.37 and 41.38 ppm at 24h after application, respectively. At 24h after application, significant differences were observed between the toxicity of 5%, 20%, 25%, 40%, 50%, and 80% concentrations of Thyme essential oil (P<0.05). The 80% concentration of Thyme essential oil exhibited 100% toxicity against A.stephensi larvae at 24h after application. T. Carmanicus has a rich source of bioactive compounds for use as a mosquito larvicide.

Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis L.) a quality fragrant and medicinally significant plant based essential oil with pharmacological potentials and genotoxicity

Aquilaria malaccensis (agarwood essential oil), is a highly priced medicinal and most expensive aromatic oil in the industry. The purpose of the current study was to assess the chemical makeup of a naturally insect infested agarwood essential oil and its potential therapeutic uses. Essential oil of infected agarwood was extracted using Clevenger apparatus and the chemical analysis of essential oil was carried out using GC/MS technique. Pharmacology evaluation includes – tyrosinase inhibitory, anti-cholinesterase (AChE), anti-urolithic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant assays. Standard methodologies such as tyrosinase inhibitor, α-amylase inhibitor, AChE inhibitory, aggregation, protease inhibitor, DPPH, ABTS, and metal chelating assays were used for evaluation of pharmacological potential. GC/MS analysis revealed cubenol (22.26%), agarospirol (14.35%) and aristolene (13.22%) as major compounds. Radical scavenging activity of agarwood essential oil showed 50% inhibition (IC50 using XLSTAT software) at the concentration of 40.14 ± 0.0192 µL/mL. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity from ABTS assay, α-amylase inhibitory potential, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, AChE inhibitory assay, anti-urolithic activity and in-vitro anti-inflammatory activity protein denaturation assay were confirmed with IC50 values of 76.95 ± 0.0090 µL/mL, 30.78 ± 0.0018 µL/mL, 38.06 ± 0.0016 µL/mL, 13.41 ± 0.0374 µL/mL, 34.14 ± 0.0202 µL/mL and 22.42 ± 0.0560 µL/mL respectively. At 1 µL/mL concentration Allium cepa genotoxicity assay resulted agarwood essential oil Mitotic Index (MI) value of 14.26%, with a chromosomal aberration of 9.30%. Genotoxicity results for A. malaccensis essential oil showed negative toxic effect at 1 µL/mL concentration. The essential oil did not exhibit any anti-microbial activity against all the tested microbial strains. From the study it is concluded that agarwood essential oil could be used for antioxidant, anti-diabetic, skin whitening, and anti-inflammatory drug formulations in near future.

Chemical analysis of essential oil extracted from pomelo sourced from Bangladesh

This research aims to extract essential oils from the peel of two varieties of Citrus maxima- White pomelo and Red pomelo of Bangladeshi origin by hydrodistillation (HD) method and characterization of the extracted oils. The study also looked into the effect of different conditions, such as type of peels, and extraction time, on the yield amount. To determine the chemical components of oil, the Gas Chromatography-mass spectrum (GC-MS) technique has been used. The three major components were, for white pomelo, limonene (67.58%), β-linalool (7.53%) and Neral (6.61%), and for red pomelo, limonene (73.82%), β-linalool (5.42%) and Neral (4.11%). The morphological changes in the oil glands of the peels of both varieties were compared to understand changes before and after the extraction. The result showed that white pomelo (WP) provides a slightly higher yield percentage in similar extraction time than red pomelo (RP), 1.09 and 0.96%, respectively. GC-MS results showed that the presence of limonene is the highest for both pomelos, although the amount is higher in RP than that of WP. However, the digital microscopy showed the drawbacks of the hydrodistillation process. The pressure in the oil glands during the distillation is too low to rupture the oil glands fully. This study will be able to broaden the path for future studies on related physicochemical and biochemical properties of pomelo varieties of Bangladesh.

Chemical Analysis of Essential Oils of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. and Nepeta azurea R.Br. ex Benth from Djbouti, In-Vitro Cytotoxicity against Cancer Cell Lines and Antibacterial Activities

The aim of this research was to evaluate the essential oils of two medicinal plants from Djibouti: Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) Spreng. and Nepeta azurea R.Br. ex Benth. in cytotoxic activity against thirteen (13) cancer cell lines (A2780, A549, HCT116, HEK-293, JIMT-T1, K562, MIA-Paca2, MRC5, NCI-N87, PC3, RT4, U2OS and U87-MG) and antibacterial activity against seven (7) Gram (−) strains (Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium and Shigella sonnei) and five (5) Gram (+) strains (Corynebacterium sp., Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus agalactiae). The plants were extracted by hydrodistillation and were analyzed by GC-MS. The main components of Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oil (CSEO) were 3-isopropenyl-5-methyl-1-cyclohexene (32.3%) and D-Limonene (11.3%), and the main component of Nepeta azurea essential oil (NAEO) was methyl (2E)-2-nonenoate (53.2%). The two essential oils showed inhibitory cytotoxicity activities of all the cancer cells tested; on the other hand, the antibacterial activities are only well-noticed for the CSEO oil at a concentration of 5% against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Corynebacterium sp., Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. Our results demonstrated that the two essential oils could be effective natural anticancer agents, in addition to an antibacterial character for Cymbopogon schoenanthus essential oil.

An in vitro study of the origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P. H. Davis and Coriandrum sativum L. essential oils as chronic tonsillitis therapeutics: antibacterial, antibiofilm, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities

ABSTRACT The chemical composition and biological activity of essential oils (EOs) from leaves of Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P.H.Davis, and seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. were investigated. Chemical analyses of EOs were performed and the major components were carvacrol (81.5%) and linalool (69.6%), respectively. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against several bacteria originating from the tonsillar tissue. Activities of EOs against Staphylococcus aureus biofilm were investigated, as well as the effect of the mixture of these EOs and antibiotics against the pathogen. The antioxidant activity of both EOs was determined by TBARS assay, and examined wild oregano EO showed better activity. Also, cytotoxicity of EOs was evaluated in vitro and both EOs showed potential to inhibit further proliferation of tumor cells. This study reported for the first time the effects of EOs on chronic tonsillitis causative pathogens, supporting their role as a natural bioactive therapeutic agent with possible antimicrobial applications.

Optimizing Phytochemical and Physiological Characteristics of Balangu (Lallemantia iberica) by Foliar Application of Chitosan Nanoparticles and Myco-Root Inoculation under Water Supply Restrictions

Balangu is a medicinal plant used in the Iranian traditional medicine to treat nervous, hepatic and renal diseases. To determine the effects of Myco-Root biofertilizer and chitosan nanoparticles (Cs-NPs) on the physiological and biochemical properties of balangu (Lallemantia iberica (M.Bieb.) Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) under different irrigation levels, an experiment was laid out as a factorial based on completely randomized design (CRD) with twelve treatments and three replications. The first factor was represented by different irrigation regimes, including no water deficit (90% FC), mild water deficit (60% FC) and severe water deficit (30% FC); the second factor included control (no Myco-Root and Cs-NPs), inoculation with Myco-Root biofertilizer, foliar application of chitosan nanoparticles (Cs-NPs) and co-application of Cs-NPs along with Myco-Root. The results showed that the highest fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, chlorophyll index (SPAD) and fluorescence indices were obtained in 90% FC treated with Cs-NPs+ Myco-Root. In addition, the maximum activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POX) was achieved in 60% FC with application of Cs-NPs+ Myco-Root. Moreover, the maximum essential oil content (1.43%) and yield (0.25 g pot−1) were recorded in 60% FC following the application of Cs-NPs+ Myco-Root. Chemical analysis of essential oil showed that germacrene D (31.22–39.77%), (E)-caryophyllene (16.28–19.82%), bicyclogermacrene (7.1–9.22%) and caryophyllene oxide (3.85–6.96%) were the major volatile constituents of balangu. Interestingly, the maximum contents of germacrene D and (E)-caryophyllene were recorded in 60% FC after the application of Cs-NPs+ Myco-Root. Overall, it can be concluded that co-application of Cs-NPs+ Myco-Root could be a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy for improving the essential oil quantity and quality, as well as physiological characteristics, of balangu under water deficit conditions.

Chemical Analysis of Essential Oil Extracted from <i>Tagetes Erecta L</i>. Sourced from Bangladesh

Chemical Analysis of Essential Oil Extracted from <i>Tagetes Erecta L</i>. Sourced from Bangladesh

The Effect of Successive Harvesting on The Volatile Constituents of Two Essential Oils of Cultivated Populations of Sea Fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) in Greece

Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae), known as Sea fennel, is a perennial plant, growing wild mainly on maritime rocks along with the Mediterranean countries, Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Traditionally, various parts of this plant have been used as a tonic, antiscorbutic, carminative, vermifuge and diuretic. Over the last years, the essential oil (EO) of sea fennel is widely used in the food and cosmetic industry. In the present study, the EOs of the aerial parts obtained from cultivated populations of two consecutive years (2016; 2017; Larissa-Central Greece) were analyzed by GC/MS. The main compounds of the EO derived from the cultivar of 2016 were sabinene (17.6 %), γ-terpinene (17.5 %), p-cymene (16.7 %), β-phellandrene (15.5 %), thymol methyl ether (9.3 %), terpinen-4-ol (4.8 %) and dillapiole (2.0 %). Though, the sample of 2017 included β-phellandrene (30.9 %), γ-terpinene (19.6 %), sabinene (15.8 %), thymol methyl ether (7.6 %), terpinen-4-ol (4.8 %) and dillapiole (0.1 %). A comparison was made between the two samples, as well as with the previous literature data. This is the first study deals with the chemical analysis of EOs from Greek cultivated C. maritimum. Our data revealed the presence of monoterpene hydrocarbons as the major constituents in both EOs and confirmed the presence of dillapiole in the Greek EOs of the specific plant.

In-vitro Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Cinnamomum verum Leaf Oil against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Phytomedicines are becoming more popular in treatment of infectious diseases worldwide. Cinnamomum verum essential oil (EO) has been used as a therapeutic alternative for various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of the C. verum leaf EO against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Effect of EO vapor on planktonic cells was determined using microatmosphere technique. CLSI M7-A10 method was employed in Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) experiments. Effect of EO on established biofilms was quantified and visualized using XTT and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). In-vitro toxicity was evaluated using Human Keratinocytes (HaCaT). Chemical analysis of EO was done using Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). All tested strains were sensitive to cinnamon oil vapor. EO exhibited 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL MIC and MBC against all test strains. Minimum Biofilm Inhibitory and Biofilm Eradication Concentrations (MBIC50 and MBEC) were 1.0 and 4.0 mg/mL. SEM indicated cellular shrinkages, cell wall damages, and decreased biofilm densities. Cinnamon oil didn't show any toxicity on HaCaT cell at any concentration tested. Eugenol was the most abundant compound in C. verum oil. C. verum EO shows an antibacterial and antibiofilm activity with minimal toxicity on host.

Investigation of Antioxidant Effects of Artemisia Sieberi Essential Oil In Iran

Background: Nowadays, Due to the destructive effects of chemicals on processed foods and increasing multidrug-resistant pathogens (MDRs), the use of essential oils of medicinal plants, is essential. Artemisia is the largest genus of the Asteraceae family, with extensive research on the composition of essential oils, antimicrobial effects and food control of various species of this genus hasdone the purpose of this study was to review the antimicrobial effects of the four essential oils of Artemisia sieberi in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study data collectionby articles in internal databases such as, Irandoc, SID and external databases including Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Directory of Open Access Be it. Results: Asteraceae family essential oils are biologically active secondary metabolites including volatile oils, quarines, flavonoids and phenolic carbonic acids that have potent antimicrobial effects. Chemical analysis of essential oils confirmed the four Artemisia species tested in Iran as effective antimicrobial agents. Therefore,the essential oils of these plants can be used as a food preservative and in the control of infectious diseases. Conclusion: Analysis of the essential oil composition of these plants depends on the geographical diversity of the region and different cultivation conditions. Iran is one of the richest regions of the world in terms of number and variety of these plants, identification, development and optimization of the extract of these plants can play an important role in the health of society, economy and production. This study may focus on the unknown potentials of Artemisia species in Iran.

Milk preservation: Enhancing the anti-Staphylococcus aureus potency using essential oils specific mixture

This study aims to calculate the optimal formula combining Syzygium aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Myrtus communis, and Lavandula stoechas essential oils to enhance their anti-Staphylococcus aureus effects. Firstly, a chemical analysis of essential oils (EOs) was assessed. Secondly, their antibacterial activities were screened against several bacterial strains with a special emphasis on S. aureus one. Finally, a specific mixture design plan was elaborated to determine the combination presenting the highest protection against S. aureus. Thus, the complex simplex-centroid mixture design was adopted to build polynomial models detailing the relationship between the anti-S. aureus activity and the proportion of each essential oil. Obtained results indicated compositional variabilities between studied samples. Indeed, the major compounds were camphor (35%), α-pinene (75%), cinnamaldehyde (89%) and eugenol (75%) for lavender, myrtle, cinnamon, and clove EOs, respectively. Additionally, the antibacterial activity test illustrated that all studied EOs were potent antimicrobial agents especially cinnamon and clove ones (from 15 to 39 mm inhibition zone). The search for the most effective combination for milk preservation against S. aureus suggested that a mixture of 58.8% cinnamon, 34.4% clove, and 6.8% lavender presents the optimal efficiency (reduction to 1 ± 0.1 × 106 CFU.ml−1). Thereby, this formula could be considered as a potential alternative for food safety against S. aureus contamination, particularly in milk and dairy industries.

A natural oil increases specific anti-OVA IgG levels and induces a cellular immune response combined with aluminum hydroxide.

The efficacy of certain vaccines is improved by the use of adjuvants. Nowadays, the development of new, effective, and safe adjuvants that stimulate the innate immune response is researched. In this context, medicinal plants appear as a suitable alternative. Minthostachys verticillata essential oil (EO) has demonstrated the ability to modulate mechanisms of the innate immune response. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the EO adjuvant effect on humoral and cellular immunity, coadministered with OVA as antigen. The chemical analysis of EO by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a predominant pulegone-menthone chemotype. EO (1.25, 2.5, or 5.0mg/ml) did not alter the viability of murine fibroblasts (3T3 cell line) neither showed signs of toxicity in Balb/c mice inoculated subcutaneously. The serum of mice immunized with OVA+EO showed increased levels of anti-OVA-specific antibodies of IgG1 subclass compared with the mice immunized with OVA alone revealing an adjuvant effect of EO. The delayed type hypersensitivity showed that the combination OVA+Al(OH)3 +EO was the best to induce a cellular immune response that extended until 48h postinjection of OVA. M. verticillata EO appears as a new, safe, and effective adjuvant, which should continue to be studied for their possible future incorporation into vaccine formulations.

Ethnomedicinal, phytochemistry, toxicity and pharmacological benefits of poison bulb – Crinum asiaticum L.

Crinum asiaticum L. (Amaryllidaceae), also known as poison bulb or spider lily, is a perennial bulbous herb bearing feathery green leaves, employed to induce emesis during poisoning. In Ayurveda, it is called ‘naagadami’, in Malaysia, the natives refer to it as ‘bakong’, ‘morabau’ is its name in Papua New Guinea, and it is known as ‘lys’ or ‘lis sauvage’ in Mauritius. In ethnomedicine, it is employed to relieve anguish from a plethora of ailment conditions such as boils, contusions, earache, edema, fever, fractures, gastrointestinal complaints, hernia, mumps, rheumatism, tonsillitis, urinary difficulties and vomiting, amongst others. It is economically valuable due to its medicinal and ornamental attributes. Given the lack of an updated comprehensive one stop documentation on this species, this review aims to compile its morphological characteristics, geographical distribution, as well as its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological properties and toxicity potential. While the extracts of C. asiaticum were found to be particularly rich in alkaloids, chemical analysis of essential oils obtained from C. asiaticum revealed the presence of miscellaneous components including alcohols, phenolics, fatty acids, esters, aldehydes, terpenoids and terpenes. Extracts and compounds from C. asiaticum have been evaluated for their antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-plasmodial, cytotoxicity, anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties. Only one clinical study has showed that repeated and single cutaneous applications of the extract under the occlusive patch did not provoke any cumulative irritation and sensitization reactions. In conclusion, this plant holds promising pharmacological properties that deserves renewed attention, especially with regard to its toxicity that could be significant in the development of phytopharmaceuticals.

Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Foeniculum vulgare Mill

The essential oils of plants have been widely recognized in the pharmaceutical industry due to their various benefits as well as their biological activities. In Algeria, the seeds of Foeniculum vulgare Mill (Family Apiaceae) are widely utilized in herbal medicine. We aimed to examine the chemical composition of seed essential oil of this species, and to reveal its in vitro antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus sp., Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton violaceum, Microsporumgypseum, Microsporumcanis and Rhodotorula sp. Chemical analysis of essential oil isolated by hydro-distillation was carried out by GC–FID and GC–MS. The basic components of the essential oil were estragole (84.8%), limonene (7.8%), fenchone (3.1%) and α-pinene (1.3%). The essential oil of F. vulgare revealed higher antifungal activities particularly against C. albicans and Aspergillus species with MIC values of 0.16–0.2 mg/ml.

Comparative chemical analysis of volatile compounds of Warionia saharea leaves using hydrodistillation and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)

The objective of this study is to report the comparative chemical analysis of essential oil (EO) obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and volatile fraction (VF) detected by headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS–SPME) isolated from Warionia saharea leaves using Gas Chromatography–Retention Indices (GC-RI) and GC–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). 39 volatile compounds identified in hydrodistilled essential oil (HD), representing 92.7% of the total oil, while HS-SPME revealed 25 components constituting 94.1% of the volatile material. The chemical composition of the HS-SPME and HD extract comprised mainly of phenylpropanoids (36.9%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (52.8%), respectively. The comparative analysis of two chemoprofiles obtained by two methods shows both qualitative as well as quantitative differences. The current study is the first report involving rapid analysis of volatile components of W. saharea by HS-SPME.

Delineation of Ocimum gratissimum L. complex combining morphological, molecular and essential oils analysis

Presence of differences in the essential oil content, chromosome count and the morphology, led to consider Ocimum gratissimum as a polymorphic complex species often subcategorized into subspecies, varieties, and forms. Characterization of O. gratissimum complex is carried out using morphological, molecular markers combined with chemical analysis of essential oils in an attempt to resolve the complexity present. At the morphological level, the applied analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference test reveals that all the studied morpho-metric characters were effective in discriminating the O. gratissimum morphotypes. Molecular marker (ISSR) used in this study generated a total of 341 loci, of which 290 loci were polymorphic depicting 84.28% polymorphism. The efficiency of ISSR’s markers was revealed through principal component analysis plot that grouped all the accessions according to the morphotypes irrespective of their geographical locations. Chemo profiling of essential oils revealed eugenol (38.6–79.2%) and thymol (47.6–50.7%), as the major essential oil constituents distributed in O. gratissimum accessions studied. Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.482) suggested a moderate correlation between the genetic markers and essential oils content, thus depicting genetic markers may be linked to the essential oils constituents. The results of the present study suggest the possibility of using morphological, molecular, and chemical analysis to differentiate between O. gratissimum complexes.