Cinnamomum Cassia Research Articles

Inhibition of Clinical Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms by Cinnamaldehyde and Eugenol From Essential Oils: In Vitro and In Silico Analysis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes nosocomial infections and chronic diseases. Cinnamomum cassia and Syzygium aromaticum are used natural antimicrobials. Essential oil (EO) from C. cassia (CCEO) and S. aromaticum (CEO) was characterized using GC-MS analysis. Eugenol (82.31%), eugenol acetate (10.57%), and β-caryophyllene (3.41%) were major constituents in CEO while cinnamaldehyde (88.18%), cinnamyl acetate (2.85%) and 2-methoxy cinnamaldehyde (1.77%) were main components in CCEO. The EOs and major constituents exhibited good antimicrobial activity against clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. Cinnamaldehyde exhibited the best antimicrobial effect with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) as low as 0.031% ± 0.07% (v/v) and inhibition zones reaching 30 ± 0.5mm diameter. Test samples showed antibiofilm activities against two culture types and seven clinical strains of P. aeruginosa at concentrations of 2MIC to MIC/4. CCEO and its major constituent cinnamaldehyde were more active, compared to CEO and its major constituent eugenol. Scanning electron microscopy images showed untreated colonies with well-developed biofilms while there was significant reduction of biofilms with distorted architecture and cell shrinkage upon treatment with test samples. In silico studies indicated great interactions between the major compounds, eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, with the receptor proteins of P. aeruginosa revealed by negative binding energies. Eugenol and cinnamaldehyde exhibited appreciable druglikeness.

Beaveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin combined with cinnamaldehyde enhances anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects of T cells by the PGC-1α/DRP1-regulated mitochondrial biogenesis and fission

Beaveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin (BEA) and cinnamaldehyde (CA), primarily derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) named Bombyx batryticatus and Cinnamomum cassia, play an immunomodulatory role in different disease. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent malignant tumor characterized by immune dysfunction. In this study, we investigated BEA and CA's regulate ability on T cell mitochondrial metabolism and anti-HCC effect. We used RT-qPCR, Western blot, Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA), Flow CytoMetry (FCM) methods to examine BEA and CA's regulation of T cell mitochondrial function and anti-HCC ability. Furthermore, the mechanism of PGC-1α/DRP1 pathway on the morphology and function of T cell mitochondria was investigated. Our data demonstrated that the administration of BEA and CA, either alone or in combination, effectively suppressed HCC growth and mitigated T cell apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction, assessed by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitoROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP level. Moreover, BEA and CA could enhance the release of tumor-killing factors (Perforin (PF) and Granzyme B (Gzm B)) from T cells, inducing H22cell apoptosis. Additionally, BEA and CA-treated T cell reinfusion into BALB/c nude HCC mice could significantly inhibited HCC growth by promoting T cell infiltration into tumor tissue. T cell mitochondrial biogenesis/fission balance and apoptosis in tumor mice were regulated by PGC-1α/DRP1 pathway. Our findings reveal that BEA and CA enhance anti-HCC effects of T cells by regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and fission through the PGC-1α/DRP1 pathway.

Ameliorative activity of cinnamon extract (Cinnamomum Cassia) against aluminum oxide nanoparticle (Al2O3 NP) induced hepatic damage

Ameliorative activity of cinnamon extract (Cinnamomum Cassia) against aluminum oxide nanoparticle (Al2O3 NP) induced hepatic damage

Biochemical and Physiological Responses of Weeds to the Application of a Botanical Herbicide Based on Cinnamon Essential Oil.

The use of chemical herbicides induces negative impacts on the environment, animals, and human health. It also leads to the development of herbicide-resistant weeds. In this context, natural and efficacious herbicides are highly sought after. Essential oils are natural compounds with antibacterial, fungicidal, and phytotoxic properties. For this reason, we studied the post-emergence phytotoxic effect of cinnamon essential oil (cinnamon EO) from Cinnamomum cassia under greenhouse conditions, testing it against Trifolium incarnatum (T. incarnatum) and Lolium perenne (L. perenne). The content of malondialdehyde (MDA), percentage of water loss, electrolyte leakage, and the fluorescence of treated leaves by cinnamon EO were determined in order to understand the physiological and biochemical responses. In addition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to study the effect of cinnamon EO on cellular organelles in different tissues of T. incarnatum leaves. Results showed that cinnamon EO quickly induced oxidative stress in treated leaves by increasing MDA content, impacting membrane integrity and causing water loss. TEM observations confirmed the cell desiccation by cellular plasmolysis and showed an alteration of the membrane integrity and chloroplast damages. Moreover, Raman analysis confirms the disturbance of the plant metabolism by the disappearance of some scattering bands which correspond to primary metabolites. Through our finding, we confirm that cinnamon essential oil (EO) could be proposed in the future as a potential bioherbicide and a suitable source of natural phytotoxic compounds with a multisite action on weeds.

Identification and characterization of the cytochrome p450 complement in <i>Streptomyces cavourensis</i> YBQ59

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) are regarded as some of the most versatile biocatalysts. They are attractive candidates for natural product development because of their ability to selectively oxidize a broad range of substrates. Streptomyces spp. are not only producers of biologically active secondary metabolites but also a rich source of P450 enzymes. However, only a limited number of studies have explored the function and potential of P450 enzymes encoded in the Streptomyces genomes. In this study, the endophytic Streptomyces cavourensis YBQ59 isolated from Cinnamomum cassia J. Presl was sequenced using the Illumina sequencing platform to identify its P450 enzymes. The genome of YBQ59 was approximately 8,126,002 bp in size, with a G + C content of 72.1% and contained 7,020 genes. Genome annotation identified 21 CYP genes, distributed across 10 CYP families and 17 subfamilies. The possible role of these P450 enzymes in the synthesis of secondary metabolites was discussed. Since CYPs often require electron transport proteins to function, we analyzed the physical map of the genes encoding ferredoxins and ferredoxin reductases found in the genome of S. cavourensis YBQ59. Additionally, a phylogenetic tree was constructed to compare the P450 enzyme system from S. cavourensis YBQ59 with those of closely related and well-studied Streptomyces species, including Streptomyces sp. CFMR7, S. fulvissimus DSM 40593, S. griseus IFO 13350, and S. globisporus 1912. These results provide a basis for exploiting potential P450 enzymes from S. cavourensis YBQ59 for agricultural and medicinal applications.

2'-Hydroxycinnamaldehyde, a Natural Product from Cinnamon, Alleviates Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Microvascular Dysfunction and Oxidative Damage in Rats by Upregulating Cytosolic BAG3 and Nrf2/HO-1.

2'-Hydroxycinnamaldehyde (HCA), a natural product isolated from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia, has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we explored whether HCA preconditioning could protect the heart against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced oxidative injury through cytosolic Bcl-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) upregulation. In vivo HCA preconditioning was performed intraperitoneally in adult male Wistar rats (50 mg/kg body weight) three times/week for 2 weeks before cardiac I/R injury. The animals were divided into sham control (sham), I/R, and HCA preconditioning plus I/R (HCA+I/R) groups. We examined left ventricular pressure cardiac hemodynamics, the microcirculation, electrocardiograms, infarct size, and oxidative stress and performed Western blots, immunohistochemistry, and cytokine array assays. HCA pretreatment, via BAG3 overexpression, inhibited H2O2-induced H9c2 cell death. Cardiac I/R injury increased ST-segment elevation, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, infarct size, myocardial disruption, tissue edema, erythrocyte accumulation, leukocyte infiltration, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, 8-isoprostane, caspase 3-mediated apoptosis, 4HNE/GPX4-mediated ferroptosis, and fibrosis but decreased the microcirculation, cytosolic BAG3, and Beclin-1/LC3 II-mediated autophagy in the I/R hearts. HCA preconditioning significantly decreased these oxidative injuries by increasing cardiac cytosolic BAG3 and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. HCA preconditioning significantly decreased cardiac I/R-enhanced mitochondrial fission DRP1 expression. Our data suggest that HCA preconditioning can efficiently improve myocardial I/R injury-induced cardiac dysfunction, apoptosis, ferroptosis, mitochondrial fission, and autophagy inhibition through cardiac BAG3 and Nrf2/HO-1 upregulation.

Fighting H. pylori with Medicinal Plants: A Study on Jordan's Traditional Remedies

Aims of the Study: This study was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants used among Jordanians for the treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcers against H. pylori. Moreover, plants' inhibitory activity against the H. pylori urease enzyme was also evaluated. Materials and Methods: The activity of 11 medicinal plants used by common people and herbalists to treat ulcers was evaluated against H. pylori (NCTC 11916). Ethanol and essential oil extracts from the tested plants were evaluated using a standard agar dilution method and the MICs were determined. Furthermore, the potential inhibitory effect of each preparation was tested against the enzyme urease using a kinetic colorimetric assay. Results: Cinnamomum cassia oil showed the highest efficiency against H. pylori with the lowest MIC (0.0122 mg.mL-1), followed by Origanum syriacum and Foeniculum vulgare (MICs of 0.39 mg.mL-1). Furthermore, significant urease inhibition activity was recorded for Carum carvi oil (IC50~0.45 mg.mL-1). C. cassia oil (IC50 ~2.8 mg.mL-1), Aloysia citriodora, and Artemisia Judaica (IC50 5.8 mg.mL-1) reported potential urease inhibition activities. Conclusion: Herbs used in Jordanian traditional medicine were found to have anti-H. pylori and significant urease inhibitory activity. These findings might support the use of medicinal plants as adjuvant or alternative therapy for the treatment of H. pylori.

Effects of Phenolic Plant Extracts on Biofilm Formation by Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Urinary Tract Infections

Ten isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, seven isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and nine isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, were obtained from 100 urine samples collected from Baghdad hospitals. All isolates were identified biochemically and confirmed by using VITEK 2 and were then tested for their susceptibility towards 6 antibiotics and for phenolic extracts of Thymus vulgaris and Cinnamomum cassia. All bacteria were greatly affected by T. vulgaris, especially K. pneumoniae. Viable count was performed, it was noted that the number of bacterial cells reduced from 1×108 CFU to 1.2× 103, 2×105 and 1.8×106CFU of K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus respectively. While C. cassiahad a slight effect on them. K. pneumoniae isolates which were affected by phenolic extract more than the other bacteria under study and at the same time were resistant to more than one type of tested antibiotics. These isolates were taken to detect their ability to form biofilm by using Congo red as screening method for it. The results showed that all isolates produced biofilms. Also, by using microtiter plate method, the results confirmed that all isolates produced biofilm where 7 isolates were strong biofilm producers and 3 were moderate. The strongest isolate was taken to study the effect of T. vulgaris and C. cassia phenolic extract on its biofilm formation by using microtiter plate method with two concentrations (20 and 40 ml/L). The results showed that biofilm reduction was 45% and 73% for T. vulgaris and that for C. cassiait was 15% and 20% after using 20 and 40 ml/L respectively.

Discovering potential fumigants against Tribolium castaneum from essential oils using GC-MS and chemometric approaches

Tribolium castaneum is recognized as one of the most significant global pests affecting stored grains. Due to their general safety, essential oil (EO)-based biopesticides have garnered increasing interest worldwide. To provide a more rapid and objective method for the identification of individual components with potential fumigants from EOs, a GC-MS-based metabolomics strategy was applied in this study. Five EOs—Eucalyptus globulus, Dendranthema indicum, Cinnamomum cassia, Pinus massoniana, and Cinnamomum camphora—demonstrated remarkable toxicity, achieving corrected mortality rates exceeding 90% against Tribolium castaneum. A total of 41 potential fumigants were screened, with 21 of these identified potential fumigants corroborated by existing literature or preliminarily bioassay experiments. Key components included (−)-myrtenol, β-pinene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, sabinene, β-myrcene, β-ocimene, and α-terpinene. These findings not only highlight promising EO-based fumigants against Tribolium castaneum but also provide lead compounds for future structural optimization. Additionally, this discovery strategy serves as a valuable reference for similar studies in natural products and biopesticides.

Cinnamon Polyphenols Ameliorate the Dysregulation of Cardiac Energy and Autophagic Homeostasis in Rats with Diabetic Cardiomyopathy via the mTOR/PGC1α Pathway

Background Inflammation mediated by hyperglycemia, lipid metabolism disorders, abnormal myocardial energy metabolism, myocardial cell damage, and changes in ventricular structure are important mechanisms in the occurrence and development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Cinnamon polyphenols (CP) are extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine cinnamon, which is believed to have cardioprotective effects and has been used in China for hundreds of years. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of CP on DCM and its possible mechanisms. Methods The DCM model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of 85 mg/kg 1% streptozotocin in rats. The treatment group was orally administered 135 mg/kg CP for 28 consecutive days, a dosage verified by experiments on AC16 myocardial cells and detecting liver and kidney injury markers. Results CP could reduce high blood sugar, high blood lipids, left ventricular mass index, levels of myocardial injury markers, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the model group. It also improved weight loss, and increased myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine monophosphate (AMP), phosphocreatine (PCr), and ATP/ADP, AMP/ATP, and PCr/ATP ratios. The expression of p-mTOR/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), p62, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α) in the myocardium of the CP group was enhanced, while the expression of LC3II/LC3I was inhibited. Conclusion CPs can alleviate myocardial damage by reducing blood sugar, blood lipids, and abnormal autophagy levels while promoting the restoration of myocardial energy metabolism homeostasis.

A botanical nanoemulsion against phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum sp. and Fusarium oxysporum: Preparation, in vitro and in vivo bioassay

A botanical nanoemulsion (NE) comprised of cinnamaldehyde (from Cinnamomum cassia oil) and annonaceous acetogenin (AAs) (from Annona squamocin seeds extract) was fabricated using sonication. The nanoemulsion was tested for their in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity against Colletotrichum sp. and Fusarium oxysporum the disease-causal agents in fruit and vegetable crops. The best average of nanoemulsion hydrodynamic diameter was 245.3 nm, and the polydispersity index (PI) was 0.499 based on DLS measurement. Zeta potential of the nanoemulsion was determined to be −44.2 mV, indicating the stability of the droplets. In vitro antifungal bioassay of the nanoemulsion showed the best inhibition against Colletotrichum sp. by 53.9 % when tested at a dilution rate of 1:100 (v/v). For F. oxysporum, the nanomaterial also inhibited mycelial growth by 91.6 % at the same dilution rate. When tested at dilution rates of 1:200 and 1:400 (v/v), the nanoemulsions caused moderate and weak inhibitions from 30.9 % to 52.8 % for all fungi. In vivo experiment, the nano-emulsion at 1:200 (v/v) dilution demonstrated an antifungal efficacy of 57.1 % (after 4 days) and 49.6 % (after 7 days) of testing. Besides, the mechanism of action has also been elucidated through molecular interaction models between the main compounds with eburicol 14α-demethylase. Our research indicates that botanical nanoemulsion containing cinnamon oil and AAs have a remarkable potential to suppress phytopathogenic fungi and prevent the spread of fungal diseases in tropical fruits and vegetables such as tomato and other crops of Solanaceae family.

Cinnamaldehyde as a Potential Cathepsin-B Inhibitor: A Comparative Investigation with some Commercial Anticancer Drugs.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, surpassed only by heart disease. Despite improved diagnosis and treatment, cancer cells still evade normal physiological processes such as apoptosis, metabolism, angiogenesis, cell cycle, and epigenetics. To mitigate the numerous side effects linked to chemotherapy, leveraging natural products emerged as a promising alternative, either alone or in tandem with traditional agents. Cinnamaldehyde, an active ingredient of Cinnamomum cassia's stem bark has emerged as a molecule of research with diverse pharmacological properties. In the present study, we report an in silico potential of cinnamaldehyde (CM) potential as an anticancer agent across thirteen anti-cancer targets in comparison with chlorambucil (CB), docetaxel (DOC), melphalan (MP). Computational tools such as DFT, CHEM3D, molinspiration, vNNADMET, SWISS ADME, admetSAR, galaxyrefine, iGEMDOCK, and DS-Visualizer were employed. Additionally, anti-cathepsin B activity was assessed for cinnamaldehyde and the commercial drugs CB, DOC, MP and the results showed 52.76, 62.41, 72.48 and 65.52 % inhibition respectively which is comparable. The results supported molecular docking using iGEMDOCK. Both in silico and experimental findings substantiate cinnamaldehyde as a promising drug for cancer treatment including metastasis and invasion where cathepsin B involvement is indicated.

Assessment of synergistic efficacy of carbaryl in combination with Cinnamomum cassia and Origanum vulgare essential oils against Dermanyssus gallinae

The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae, a prevalent ectoparasite in egg-laying poultry, severely compromises bird health and impedes the poultry industry's development. However, the escalating drug resistance due to sustained reliance on chemical acaricides highlights the urgent need for new mite management strategies. Therefore, plant essential oils (EOs), which exhibit natural acaricidal properties and environmental compatibility, represent promising candidates for developing eco-friendly acaricides. In this study, we formulated binary mixtures of the median lethal concentrations (LC50) of carbaryl and EOs of Cinnamomum cassia and Origanum vulgare at ratios from 1:9 to 9:1 and then evaluated their contact toxicity, fumigant toxicity, and ovicidal effects against D. gallinae. The binary mixtures of C. cassia–carbaryl (2:8), O. vulgare–carbaryl (6:4), and C. cassia–O. vulgare (7:3) exhibited the most effective contact toxicity and achieved mite mortality rates of 60 %, 66.7 %, and 65.5 %, respectively, with poison ratios of 1.22, 1.25, and 1.24, respectively, indicating synergism. In the fumigant trials, the O. vulgare–carbaryl (6:4) mixture achieved 97 % mite mortality at 48 h, whereas the C. cassia–carbaryl (2:8) mixture demonstrated low mite mortality of 18 %. Notably, the C. cassia–O. vulgare mixture at 7:3 resulted in 87 % mite mortality, which was lower than that of the other ratios for this mixture. Furthermore, the ovicidal effects of the optimal binary mixtures of C. cassia–carbaryl (2:8), O. vulgare–carbaryl (6:4), and C. cassia–O. vulgare (7:3) were significantly better than those of a single drug, with egg hatchabilities of 2.3 %, 6.6 %, and 4.3 %, respectively, thus indicating strong inhibition of D. gallinae eggs. These combinations outperformed the single-agent controls, with egg hatchability rates of 31 % for C. cassia EO, 33.3 % for O. vulgare EO, and 20 % for carbaryl. Compared with the control group, mite eggs treated with the optimal binary mixtures and single drugs exhibited significant shrinkage and structural damage, which are consistent with low egg hatchability. These results demonstrate that integrating EOs with carbaryl could represent a viable alternative strategy for the management of poultry red mites.

Insights into the antifungal activity and mechanisms of cinnamon components against Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium citrinum

Fungal spoilage of food and the excessive use of chemical disinfectants serves potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. Consequently, there is a growing interest in exploring natural alternatives, particularly plant-derived antimicrobial preservatives. Cinnamon extracts are known for their antifungal activity, but most research has focused on essential oils, rarely on other bioactive components. This study assessed the antifungal activity and underlying mechanisms of four components—trans-cinnamaldehyde, cis-2-methoxycinnamic acid, coumarin, and o-methoxycinnamaldehyde—extracted from Cinnamomum cassia Presl (cinnamon) against Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium citrinum. These cinnamon components can inhibit the two fungi strains at the minimum inhibitory concentration ranged from 0.30 to 8.55 mmol/L. These components can disrupt fungal cell membranes by enhancing relative electrical conductivity and cytoplasmic content leakage, reducing ergosterol content, and increasing malondialdehyde level. Additionally, they can affect fungal cell wall integrity, leading to the leakage of alkaline phosphatase and alterations in the contents of β-1,3-glucan and chitin. Moreover, the cinnamon components influenced the activities of malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, as well as adenosine triphosphate levels. The observed suppression of fungal contamination in A. flavus and P. citrinum suggests that these cinnamon components as potential natural antifungal agents.

Antioxidant activities of chitosan-based films containing cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia Blume) extract and its application on chicken preservation

Antioxidant activities of chitosan-based films containing cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia Blume) extract and its application on chicken preservation

Uncovering the Biological Applications of Cinnamic Acid Derivatives: A Patent Review

Background: Cinnamic acid, derived from Cinnamomum cassia, is a natural compound known for its wide-ranging therapeutic properties and minimal toxicity. Extensive research has demonstrated the diverse biological activities displayed by cinnamic acid derivatives, encompassing their potential as agents against cancer, diabetes, microbial infections, tuberculosis, malaria, and more. Objective: This review aims to provide an overview of the latest applications detailing the biological activity of cinnamic acid derivatives, as documented in patents. Methods: The published patent data underwent a prior screening and selection process based on their relevance and primary focus: the biological activities of cinnamic acid derivatives as potential drugs. Espacenet, USPTO, and Google Patents were used for this selection. Results: Cinnamic acid derivatives demonstrate a range of activities, including anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anticholinesterase, and other properties. These biological activities were investigated across different derivatives, emphasizing their pharmacological potential when compared to reference compounds. Conclusions: Despite several patents have explored the biological properties of cinnamic acid derivatives, there has been a lack of a comprehensive review dedicated to this subject. Accordingly, this review aims to facilitate the discovery of new and diverse potential drugs with various therapeutic profiles.

Sustainable Bacterial Control of Hatching Eggshells Using Essential Oils.

Background: Decontamination of poultry surfaces through appropriate hygiene and sanitation measures can partially mitigate bacterial problems, as this process does not result in the complete elimination of bacteria. Thus, the remaining bacteria can persist and contaminate eggshells. Therefore, regardless of the rigor of the sanitary standards applied on farms, it is suggested that hatching eggs be subjected to the sanitization process. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of essential oil-based antibacterial agents in sanitizing eggs. Results: The results indicated that essential oils from Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl. (CCEO), Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry (SAEO) and Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (CNEO), at specific concentrations, have antibacterial effects in vitro, reducing the load of mesophilic bacteria and enterobacteria in the eggshell by at least 3 and 2 log10 CFU/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The adoption of CCEO, SAEO and CNEO to reduce the bacterial load on eggshells could be a favorable change to the conventional protocol of egg sanitization with formaldehyde, especially on farms where sanitary standards are insufficient.

Antimicrobial and modulating activity of essential oils against bacteria isolated from goat dairy products in northeastern Brazil

In recent years, novel strategies to combat (multi-) drug-resistant microorganisms have been investigated. Essential oils (EOs) with bactericidal, bacteriostatic, and fungicidal activity have been used to treat infections and in food sanitation. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial and modulating activity of Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) and Eugenia caryophyllus (clove) essential oils against microorganisms isolated from goat milk processing plants in northeastern Brazil, and their synergistic effect when combined with antimicrobial agents. The microdilution technique was used to obtain the minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal concentrations (MBC) and the antibiotics studied were ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, cephalothin, ceftazidime, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, meropenem, norfloxacin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and tetracycline. Klebsiella pneumoniae (MIC50) and Escherichia coli (MIC90) were sensitive to cinnamon EO. Clove EO did not inhibit the growth of either microorganism. In regard to MBC, cinnamon EO had a bactericidal effect against six K. pneumoniae and six E. coli samples. For the antibiotics evaluated, a greater synergistic effect was observed for cinnamon EO associated with gentamicin and meropenem, and antagonistic effect with ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and tetracycline. As such, EOs may be an alternative for the control of pathogenic microorganisms.

Investigation of the impact of diverse climate conditions on the cultivation suitability of Cinnamomum cassia using the MaxEnt model, HPLC and chemometric methods in China

Cinnamomum cassia Presl. is a subtropical plant that is used for food and medicine. Climate change has changed the suitable habitats of medicinal plants, which might have repercussions for the efficacy of herbal remedies. In this study, the potential distribution in each period of Cinnamomum cassia was predicted and the quality in different suitable habitats was evaluated. According to the results, (1) precipitation, temperature, and soil are the primary environmental variables influencing C. cassia distribution. (2) The high-suitable habitats of current climate scenarios were predominantly located in the southern regions (Guangdong and Guangxi etc.) of China, with an area of 706,129.08 km2. Under future climate scenarios, suitable habitats will increasingly move northward, with a greater concentration south of the Yangtze River, particularly in the 2090s SSP585 scenario, the total area of newly extended suitable habitat reaches 312,963.53 km2. (3) HPLC and FTIR, combined with chemometrics, can be effective methods for identifying different suitable habitats of C. cassia. The content of trans-cinnamaldehyde (0.85%) is significantly higher in the high suitability habitat compared to the medium-low suitability habitat (0.30%). Our findings can offer valuable guidance for the identification of suitable C. cassia cultivation areas in China, as well as for the evaluation of C. cassia resource quality and the rational use of resources in different suitable habitats.

Analysis of pharmacological effects and mechanisms of compound essential oils via GC-MS and network pharmacology.

Aromatherapy based on essential oil (EO) has been widely used for alleviating pain and intense where no compound EO reports its application on pharmacological effects. In order to explore the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and mechanism of a compound EO, a blend of Artemisia argyi, Boswellia carterii, Commiphora myrrha, Cinnamomum cassia, Zingiber oj-jicinale, and Ilex pubescens EO, in treating neck and shoulder pain (NSP). Network pharmacology hyphenated with mice model was employed to investigate. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied for the identification of constituents in compound EO. Lastly, transdermal absorption of compound EO was studied before verifying analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. Totally, 75 compounds were tentatively identified through GC-MS, predicting 46 potential analgesic targets. Moreover, 11 core targets were obtained through network topology screening. Animal test resulted that the compound EO had significantly stronger anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects compared to single EO. Multiple API in compound EO affected on targets and exerted therapeutic effects on NSP through multiple pathways. Afterwards, eucalyptol, camphor, and borneol from compound EO exhibited a sustained-release effect, which provide scientific basis to illustrate the application of compound EO in clinical.