Culinary Herbs Research Articles

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Glycolic Extract Protects Liver Mitochondria from Oxidative Damage and Prevents Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) is an aromatic culinary herb. Native to the Mediterranean region, it is currently cultivated worldwide. In addition to its use as a condiment in food preparation and in teas, rosemary has been widely employed in folk medicine and cosmetics. Several beneficial effects have been described for rosemary, including antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Here, we investigated the mechanisms accounting for the antioxidant activity of the glycolic extract of R. officinalis (Ro) in isolated rat liver mitochondria (RLM) under oxidative stress conditions. We also investigated its protective effect against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in vivo. A crude extract was obtained by fractionated percolation, using propylene glycol as a solvent due to its polarity and cosmeceutical compatibility. The quantification of substances with recognized antioxidant action revealed the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Dereplication studies carried out through LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, supported by The Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform, annotated several phenolic compounds, confirming the previous observation. In accordance, Ro decreased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) elicited by Fe2+ or t-BOOH and inhibited the lipid peroxidation of mitochondrial membranes in a concentration-dependent manner in RLM. Such an effect was also observed in liposomes as membrane models. Ro also prevented the oxidation of mitochondrial protein thiol groups and reduced glutathione (GSH). In model systems, Ro exhibited a potent scavenger activity toward 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide anions. It also demonstrated an Fe2+ chelating activity. Moreover, Ro did not exhibit cytotoxicity or dissipate the mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ψ) in rat liver fibroblasts (BRL3A cells). To evaluate whether such antioxidant protective activity observed in vitro could also be achieved in vivo, a well-established model of hepatotoxicity induced by acute exposure to acetaminophen (AAP) was used. This model depletes GSH and promotes oxidative-stress-mediated tissue damage. The treatment of rats with 0.05% Ro, administered intraperitoneally for four days, resulted in inhibition of AAP-induced lipid peroxidation of the liver and the prevention of hepatotoxicity, maintaining alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) levels equal to those of the normal, non-treated rats. Together, these findings highlight the potent antioxidant activity of rosemary, which is able to protect mitochondria from oxidative damage in vitro, and effects such as the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects observed in vivo.

Promotion of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) Growth by Cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. Extract

Bacopa monniera (Brahmi), a saponin-containing medicinal and culinary herb, can be used to enhance memory and rejuvenate the brain. Moreover, it has other human health benefits. The cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. has been shown to produce bioactive compounds and plant growth regulators like indol acetic acid (IAA), which regulates various aspects of plant growth and development. This research aimed to study the effects of Nostoc sp. extract (NTE) supplement concentration in liquid medium on Brahmi survival rate, growth parameters, and saponin content. The experiments were designed using randomized complete block design with five treatments and three replications, including Bristol’s medium (BT), pH 6.0 (control solution), and BT with four concentrations of NTE: 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0%(w/v). The results indicated that IAA was found to increase with increase in NTE concentration. The IAA concentration in 1.0%(w/v) NTE was 43.56±3.21 pmol.mg-1 Ch-a. NTE supplementation at 0.001%, and 0.01%(w/v) had no negative effect on Brahmi survival rate, while the Brahmi survival rate decreased with increase in NTE concentration up to 0.1% (w/v). The optimal NTE concentration for Brahmi growth was 0.01%(w/v), which produced the highest shoot number, shoot height, root number, root length, leaf number, and chlorophyll content. Brahmi grown under all treatments was extracted and determined for the saponin content. The results showed that the levels of saponin from Brahmi grown in 0.01%(w/v) NTE had increased by two-fold over the control. This study showed that NTE supplementation enhanced the growth and saponin levels of Brahmi and NTE could be used as bio-promoting agent for plant growth and development.

Qualitative and quantitative food authentication of oregano using NGS and NMR with chemometrics

Culinary herbs and spices represent increasingly popular food products, especially in an environment of increased consciousness of food quality. Health-conscious consumers expect clean and reliable labels for food products. For spices this implies significant challenges considering complex and long supply chains, often with unknown sources or intermediates. A recent report by the EU Joint Research Centre identified oregano as one of the most vulnerable spices for adulterations. The analysis of herbs is complex, traditionally using visual inspection, and more recently genetic and chemical analysis. Here, metabarcoding by next generation sequencing (NGS) has been used to identify the nature of oregano products and possible adulterations. In parallel, metabolite extracts are generated and analysed on a 400 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. NMR metabolic profiles in conjunction with multivariate statistics was used to identify oregano species and to identify and quantify the level of adulteration with other plant products. • New analytical strategy for qualitative and quantitative authentication of oregano by combination of metabarcoding by NGS and metabolomics/chemometrics by NMR. • Unique biomarkers discovered in adulterants by NMR. • Metabolomic profiles obtained by NMR correlate well with oregano species and regional origin. • Quantification of the percentage of an adulterant with error rates of 3–7%. • Simultaneous quantification of two and more different adulterants in a specimen.

Utilization of Piper betle L. Extract for Inactivating Foodborne Bacterial Biofilms on Pitted and Smooth Stainless Steel Surfaces.

Biofilms are a significant concern in the food industry. The utilization of plant-derived compounds to inactivate biofilms on food contact surfaces has not been widely reported. Also, the increasing negative perception of consumers against synthetic sanitizers has encouraged the hunt for natural compounds as alternatives. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the antimicrobial activities of ethanol extracts, acetone extracts, and essential oils (EOs) of seven culinary herbs against Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium and Listeria innocua using the broth microdilution assay. Among all tested extracts and EOs, the ethanol extract of Piper betle L. exhibited the most efficient antimicrobial activities. To evaluate the biofilm inactivation effect, S. Typhimurium and L. innocua biofilms on pitted and smooth stainless steel (SS) coupons were exposed to P. betle ethanol extract (12.5 mg/ml), sodium hypochlorite (NaClO; 200 ppm), hydrogen peroxide (HP; 1100 ppm), and benzalkonium chloride (BKC; 400 ppm) for 15 min. Results showed that, for the untreated controls, higher sessile cell counts were observed on pitted SS versus smooth SS coupons. Overall, biofilm inactivation efficacies of the tested sanitizers followed the trend of P. betle extract ≥ BKC > NaClO > HP. The surface condition of SS did not affect the biofilm inactivation effect of each tested sanitizer. The contact angle results revealed P. betle ethanol extract could increase the surface wettability of SS coupons. This research suggests P. betle extract might be utilized as an alternative sanitizer in food processing facilities.

Evaluation of seasonal variation, effect of extraction solvent on phytochemicals and antioxidant activity on Rosmarinus officinalis grown in different agro-ecological zones of Kiambu County, Kenya

BackgroundRosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a commonly used culinary herb with great potential applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries because of its reported bioactive phytochemicals and antioxidant properties. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of seasonal variations in different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) on the phytochemical content and corresponding antioxidant activities of R. officinalis, to ascertain the best growth period at which the plant possesses the highest phytochemical components and most potent antioxidant property. The study also aimed at comparing different extraction solvents to establish the best extraction system for the bioactive compounds.MethodsThe leaves of R. officinalis were harvested from six purposively selected sites in four agro-ecological zones of Kiambu County, Kenya both in the wet and the dry seasons. Phytochemicals were extracted in 80% methanol, 80% ethanol, and distilled water. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids content (TFC), and total tannins content (TTC) were measured spectrophotometrically as gallic acid equivalent (GAE), rutin equivalent (RUTE) and tannic acid equivalent (TAE), respectively. The antioxidant activities were measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The 80% ethanolic solvent was used to compare the phytochemical content and corresponding antioxidant activities of R. officinalis leaf samples collected from two consecutive seasons in different agro-ecological zones.ResultsThe solvents showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in TPC with ethanol repotting the highest followed by methanol and water ranging from 39.71 ± 6.77, 24.91 ± 5.15 and 24.91 ± 7.30 (mg/g GAE), respectively. The aqueous TFC (117.22 ± 3.64 mg/g RUTE) was the highest followed by ethanolic and methanolic with 34.72 ± 2.13 and 16.86 ± 2.80 mg/g RUTE, respectively. The TTC of water, methanol, and ethanol extracts were; 19.88 ± 4.59, 15.02 ± 1.25, and 4.27 ± 1.48 mg/g TAE, respectively. The DPPH activity between methanol and ethanol extracts showed no significant difference. The FRAP activity also showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) among the three solvents. There were significant differences between the wet and dry seasons in the phytochemical content. There was no recorded significant difference in the DPPH activity between the dry and wet season in all AEZs. FRAP was significantly higher in the dry season than the wet season for R. officinalis leaves harvested in all agro-agroecological zones except Thika. There were significant differences in phytochemical content and antioxidant activity between the agro-ecologicalzones (p < 0.05) except for the TFC.ConclusionsThe data obtained from this study demonstrated that hydro-alcoholic /methanolic and aqueous maceration systems extracted bioactive compounds from R. officinalis with high potential for applications in industries. The R. officinalis from different agro-ecological zones contained variable phytochemical composition, suggesting that geographical location and climatic conditions influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites and other bioactive compounds. The data provided in this study will be crucial for processors to select the optimal harvesting season for the extraction of desired bioactive compounds from Rosmarinus officinalis.

Turmeric and Cumin Instead of Stock Cubes: An Internet Survey of Spices and Culinary Herbs Used in Poland Compared with Historical Cookbooks and Herbals.

(Background) Culinary cultures undergo dramatic changes due to globalization; however, the shift in the use of culinary spices and herbs is little documented. We aimed to list seasoning products used in contemporary Polish cuisine and assess whether they have roots in historic recipes. (Methods) Via an online questionnaire distributed via social media, we gathered data from 916 respondents from all over Poland. (Results) Altogether 132 single-ingredient taxa of plant or fungi species were mentioned in the questionnaire. Capsicums, black pepper, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, marjoram, ginger, basil, thyme, and bay leaf were the 10 most quoted seasonings throughout the year. While local herbs are likely to have been long used in local cooking, the most commonly used spices have been known in Poland since at least 17-18th c. However, a few Asian, mainly Indian spices have become mainstream in the last few years. In particular, these are turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek. The seasonings which decreased the most are various seasoning mixes and stock cubes, unpopular due to the large amount of monosodium glutamate and salt. (Conclusions) Polish cuisine is undergoing a strong process of globalization, and curry spices have become standard cooking ingredients.

Addition of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhances Terpene Synthase Expression in Salvia rosmarinus Cultivars

Culinary herbs are commercially cultivated for their wide range of volatile compounds that give characteristic aromas and tastes. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.) is an excellent model for assessment of methods improvement of volatile production as cultivars offer a wide variety of aromatic profiles due to the large family of terpene synthase genes. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associations have been shown to improve essential oil production in aromatic plants and offer one approach to enhance aroma in commercial herb production. Changes in the expression of seven different terpene synthases were compared in six rosemary cultivars in response to addition of AMF to a peat substrate. Addition of AMF profoundly influenced terpene synthase expression in all cultivars and did so without impacting the optimised plant size and uniformity achieved in these conditions. In addition, two methods for AMF application, developed with the horticultural industry in mind, were tested in this study. Uniform incorporation of AMF mixed into the growing substrate prior to planting of a root plug produced the most consistent root colonisation. Overall, our findings demonstrate the potential for the use of AMF in the improvement of aroma in culinary herbs within a commercial setting but show that outcomes are likely to greatly vary depending on variety.

Productive, Morpho-Physiological, and Postharvest Performance of Six Basil Types Grown in a Floating Raft System: A Comparative Study.

Basil (Ocimum sp.) is one of the world's most famous culinary fresh herbs, characterized by rapid growth that makes it particularly suitable for hydroponic cultivation. This study aimed to evaluate the adaptability of six types of basil to a closed-loop hydroponic system (floating raft system) and their post-harvest performance. Twenty-three days after transplantation, productivity, morpho-physiological performance, and mineral profile (by ion chromatography) were evaluated. At 3, 6, and 9 days after harvest, the loss of water from the from leaves stored at 10 °C in the dark was evaluated. Although the total fresh production of Thai, Mexican, and Genovese did not differ significantly, the latter provided a higher fresh leaf weight (16.52 g of plant-1) despite a lower leaf number (30.06 n. of plant-1). Nine days after harvest, Thai and Mexican showed the lowest water loss. Although Mexican Purple had the lowest net CO2 assimilation, it accumulated the highest concentration of ascorbic acid (909.41 mg 100 g fw-1).

Persicaria amphibia, an old traditional remedy and wild edible herb: In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties

Persicaria amphibia (subfam. Polygonoideae), an aquatic macrophyte rich in dietary polyphenolics, is used as a traditional remedy and culinary herb. Nevertheless, P. amphibia from the Balkan region has been insufficiently studied and underutilized. Here, the cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties of the previously chemically characterised ethanol extract of P. amphibia aerial parts were tested. The following methods were carried out: the MTT assay, qRT-PCR, microdilution assay, Chromobacterium violaceum screening assay (monitoring of quorum sensing, QS) and the agar plating method (antifungal activity). The study was conducted to determine the cytotoxic effects of P. amphibia against lung cancer cells (A549) and its combination with cytostatic doxorubicin (Dox). A dose-dependent decrease in cell viability (up to 82% reduction) and additive interactions of the tested agents were noted. Both alone and combined with Dox, P. amphibia reduced the expression of Nrf2 (p &lt; 0.05). In terms of antimicrobial effects, P. amphibia exhibited an antipathogenic effect since it disrupted QS communication, which was evident through the inhibition of violacein production of C. violaceum CV025. The antifungal screening revealed that P. amphibia induced significant growth inhibition of Aspergillus spp. (28.23%). Based on the obtained results, further examination of the potential use of P. amphibia in modern phytotherapy and diet-derived cancer chemoprevention is encouraged.

Two independent loss‐of‐function mutations in anthocyanidin synthase homeologous genes are responsible for the all‐green phenotype of sweet basil

Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum L., is an important culinary herb grown worldwide. Although basil is green, many landraces, breeding lines, and exotic cultivars have purple stems and flowers. This anthocyanin pigmentation is unacceptable in traditional Italian basil used for Pesto sauce production. In the current study, we aimed to resolve the genetics that underlines the different colors. We used the recently published sweet basil genome to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for flower and stem color in a bi-parental F2 population. It was found that the pigmentation is governed by a single QTL, harboring an anthocyanidin synthase (ANS) gene (EC 1.14.20.4). Further analysis revealed that the basil genome harbors two homeologous ANS genes, each carrying a loss-of-function mutation. ObANS1 carries a single base pair insertion resulting in a frameshift, and ObANS2 carries a missense mutation within the active site. In the purple-flower parent, ANS1 is functional, and ANS2 carries a nonsense mutation. The functionality of the ObANS1 active allele was validated by complementation assay in an Arabidopsis ANS mutant. Moreover, we have restored the functionality of the missense-mutated ObANS2 using site-directed activation. We found that the non-functional alleles were expressed to similar levels as the functional allele, suggesting polyploids invest futile effort in expressing non-functional genes, offsetting their advantageous redundancy. This work demonstrated the usefulness of the genomics and genetics of basil to understand the basic mechanism of metabolic traits and raise fundamental questions in polyploid plant biology.

Antioxidant Properties of Dried Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) var. Bentong.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a popular culinary herb used in the Eastern culture. The essential cultivar of the Zingiber genus is rich in antioxidants and is crucial in the fight against oxidative stress-related diseases. The antioxidant properties of dried ginger were evaluated and compared for their efficacy from different drying processes (sun-, oven-, vacuum- and freeze-drying) and using three extraction solvents: hot water, aqueous ethanol (80%, v/v) and ethanol. The drying process demonstrated a positive effect on the antioxidant activities of ginger. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in the extracting ability of each solvent. Sun-dried ginger extracted with ethanol performed better than the fresh ginger extract in the form of increased yield (3.04-fold), TFC values (12.25-fold), reducing power (FRAP) (15.35-fold), total antioxidant activity (TAA) (6.82-fold) and inhibition of ABTS•+ radical cation (3.51-fold) and DPPH• radical (95%). Meanwhile, freeze-dried aqueous ginger extracts demonstrated significantly higher TPC (1.66-fold), TFC (3.71-fold), FRAP (3.26-fold), TAA (2.97-fold), ABTS•+ scavenging activity (1.48-fold) and DPPH• radical inhibition (77%), compared to fresh ginger extracts. In addition, it was found that ethanol was significantly superior to aqueous ethanol in phenolic content recovery, despite the lower yield. Furthermore, ethanol ginger extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity than aqueous ethanol extracts. On the other hand, hot water was the least potent solvent for extraction. In summary, there was an excellent correlation between TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity. Sun-drying is the most desirable method for preserving and enhancing ginger quality due to its cost effectiveness and bioactive compound efficacy.

Study of the impact of domestic cooking on the total phenolic content of fresh and dried culinary herbs and spices

Study of the impact of domestic cooking on the total phenolic content of fresh and dried culinary herbs and spices

Gut microbial modulation by culinary herbs and spices

Culinary herbs and spices have previously been recognised for their potential impact on health through antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. They may also be promotors of positive microbial modulation by stimulating beneficial gut bacteria during fermentation, increasing the production of short chain fatty acids and thereby exhibiting a prebiotic effect. In the present paper, current literature around herb and spice consumption, gut microbiota modulation and prospective health benefits were reviewed. Herb and spice consumption can positively modulate gut microbes and possibly play an important role in inflammation related afflictions such as obesity. Current literature indicates that few human studies have been conducted to confirm the impact of herb and spice consumption on gut microbiota in connection with prospective health outcomes and inconsistencies in conclusions therefore remain.

Essential Oils Land Footprint: A Sustainability Meta-Analysis of Essential Oils Biopesticides.

Essential oils (EO) are considered as safe and sustainable alternatives of synthetically produced industrial raw materials. While EO are renewable resources their production is traced to land use, therefore employing nonrenewable resources. This fact is often neglected during market up-take, which is established on EO bioactivity efficacy. Present study is aiming this knowledge gap through an innovative algorithm that employs spatial yield, bioactivity performance and fundamental experimentation details to calculate the land footprint. The proposed methodology is tested upon a concise pool of 54 EO, of which 9 originate from 8 culinary herbs, 27 from 3 juniper taxa, and 18 from 6 Citrus sp. crops. All 54 EO were subjected to repellent evaluation and 44 of them also to larvicidal, encompassing in the protocol both choice and no-choice bioassays. Based on these bioprospecting data the proposed protocol effectively calculated the land footprint for all EO and bioassays. The repellent land footprint indicated as more sustainable the EO from savory, oregano, tarhan, thyme, Greek sage, and juniper berries for which each application corresponds to 3.97, 4.74, 7.33, 7.66, 8.01 and 8.32 m2 respectively. The larvicidal assessment suggested as more sustainable the EOs from savory, oregano, fennel, thyme, tarhan, and rue with land footprints of 1.56, 1.79, 2.16, 2.89, 3.70 and 4.30 m2 respectively. The proposed protocol managed to calculate the land footprint for each EO and bioactivity and indicated the more sustainable EO per use based on widely available bioprospecting data.

Characteristic of Salvia officinalis L. Genotypes in the Steppe of South Ukraine

In this study gives the characteristic of Salvia officinalis L. genotypes (Lamiaceae)grown in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. S. officinalis one of the most well-known plants from Salvia L. genus that is used as an aromatic, medicinal, and culinary herb. The plant raw material of this plant is characterized by numerous biological activities that allow use in the pharmacological industry. This plant is characterized by morphological polymorphism and the selection of new genotypes within S. officinalis has a polyfunctional meaning. The plant material of this study was the genotypes of S. officinalis (108-14, 109-14, 108-14-1, 108-14-2, and 113-16). It investigated 3d years of living plants at the flowering stage from the experimental collections of aromatic and medicinal plants in the Kherson region, v. Plodove (Institute of Climate Smart Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine). The height of plants of investigated genotypes was 65.02–86.37 cm, the diameter of the plant was 89.37–117.03 cm, the leaf length was 8.20–11.06 cm, the leaf width was 2.95–3.79 cm, the inflorescence length was 14.52–26.01 cm, the inflorescence diameter was 4.07–5.57 cm, the number of whorls in inflorescences was 8.12–10.55, and the number of flowers in the whorl was 10.02–12.14. The colour of the leaf surface, the character of the leaf surface (wrinkles), and colour of the flowers depended on genotype. The mass of raw from the shrub was determined from 350.11 to 560.27 g and the average mass of essential oil of one plant was from 1.37 to 2.01 g depending on genotype. The essential oil content in the herb, leaves, and inflorescences on dry mass was 1.0–1.5%, 1.09–1.79%, and 0.98–1.28%, respectively. In the herbs and leaves, minimal and maximal content of oil were found in genotypes 113–16 and 109–14, respectively. These results can be useful for further selective work within S. officinalis species and including other species of this genus.

Hypolipidemic effect of β-caryophyllene in high fat diet and fructose induced type-2 diabetic adult male rats.

Skeletal muscle is responsible for the majority of insulin-stimulated whole-body glucose elimination, under normal circumstances. High dietary fat consumption increases stored fat mass and is a major risk factor for metabolic disorders. The conventional pharmacological treatments are associated with many adverse side effects and high rates of secondary failure which lead to an increasing demand for natural products with anti-diabetic activity and lesser side effects. β-Caryophyllene is a naturally occurring sequiterpene that may be found in cannabis and a range of culinary herbs and spices. It contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-lipidemic effects, among others. However, the effect of β-Caryophyllene on glucose absorption and oxidation, is yet unknown. Hence, the current study was intended to investigate the anti-diabetic impact of β-Caryophyllene in type-2 diabetes caused by a high-fat diet. To evaluate its anti-diabetic efficacy, high fat diet and fructose-induced type-2 diabetic rats were administered an effective dosage of β-Caryophyllene (200 mg/kg b.wt, orally for 30 days). The treatment of diabetes-induced rats with β-Caryophyllene restored the altered levels of blood glucose, serum insulin as well as lipid parameters. Our findings show that β-caryophyllene improves glycemia control by alleviating dyslipidemia in type-2 diabetic rats. From the present findings, it is evident that β-caryophyllene can be used as an anti-diabetic drug.

Chemical Composition and Repellent Activity of Methyl Cinnamate-Rich Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Essential Oil

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an important culinary herb and essential oil source widely recognized worldwide. The oil of the plant is beneficial for medicinal uses, and it has many biological activities such as insect repellent, larvicidal, and bactericidal. This study aimed to investigate basil's essential oil for its chemical composition and repellent activity. The essential oil of basil was extracted from fresh leaves by steam distillation method, and the chemical composition of the oil was determined by using GC/MS. Also, the repellent activity of the oil was tested against American cockroaches. Ebeling Choice-Box test with a little modification used in repellence test. The obtained results of chemical composition revealed that the amount of the oil contained forty-one chemical constituents (~97.1%); the major constituents were methyl cinnamate (25.3%), linalool (19.1%) and estragole (12.3%) as the major oxygenated monoterpenes. While α-bergamoten (5.3%), germacrene (4.6%), γ-cadinene (2.8%), and β-elemene (2.4%) were the main compounds in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Whereas, in oxygenated sesquiterpenes, Tau-cadinol (4.3%) was an important compounds and ocimene the highest compound in monoterpene hydrocarbons. The obtained results also indicated that the essential oil had good activity against the P. American, at a 100% concentration of oil; the repellence reaches 100% after 1 h. The IC50 and IC90 values of basil essential oil against P. Americans were 53.0 and 83.0%, respectively. The major compound methyl cinnamate which exists in basil essential oil is a very important compound and could be used in a wide area of industrial applications as repellent products, medicinal products, and cosmetics.

Optimization of Portulaca oleracea L. extract using response surface methodology and artificial neural network and characterization of bioactive compound by high-resolution mass spectroscopy

The well-known medicinal plant Portulaca oleracea L. (PO) is used as a traditional medicine and culinary herb to treat various diseases. Fatty acids, essential oils, and flavonoids were extracted from PO seeds and leaves using ultrasonic, microwave, and supercritical fluid extraction with RSM techniques. However, investigations on the secondary metabolites and antioxidant capabilities of the aerial part of PO (APO) are scarce. In order to extract polyphenols and antioxidants from APO as effectively as possible, this study used heat reflux extraction (HRE), response surface methodology (RSM), and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling. It also used high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify the APO secondary metabolite. A central-composite design (CCD) was used to establish the ideal ethanol content, extraction time, and extraction temperature to extract the highest polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from APO. According to RSM, the highest amount of TPC (8.23 ± 1.06 mgGAE/g), TFC (43.12 ± 1.15 mgCAE/g), DPPH-scavenging activity (43.01 ± 1.25 % of inhibition) and FRAP (35.98 ± 0.19 µM ascorbic acid equivalent) were obtained at 60.0 % ethanol, 90.2 % time, and 50 °C. Statistical metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R2), root-mean-square error (RMSE), absolute average deviation (AAD), and standard error of prediction (SEP) revealed the ANN's superiority. Ninety-one (91) secondary metabolites, including phenolic, flavonoids, alkaloids, fatty acids, and terpenoids, were discovered using high-resolution mass spectrometry. In addition, 21 new phytoconstituents were identified for the first time in this plant. The results revealed a significant concentration of phytoconstituents, making it an excellent contender for the pharmaceutical and food industries.

LC-TOF-MS/MS and GC-MS based phytochemical profiling and evaluation of wound healing activity of Oroxylum Indicum (L.) Kurz (Beka).

Background: Beka (Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz) has been used as a culinary herb and natural remedy by the local communities in Malaysia. The leaf of O. indicum is traditionally used for the treatment of diarrhea, high blood pressure, and improving digestive health. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and wound healing properties (in vitro and in vivo models) of aqueous and ethanol extracts of O. indicum leaves. Methods: The total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents in the plant extracts were determined by the spectrophotometric methods. Further, the extract was characterized by Liquid Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS/MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The wound healing activity was assessed using the in vitro scratch wound-healing assay and in vivo excisional wound model. Results: The results show the ethanol leaves extract had the higher TPC (164mg GAE/g) when compared with the aqueous leaves extract (30mg gallic acid equivalents/g). The ethanol leaves extract was also found to have higher TFC (101mg Catechin equivalents/g) than the aqueous leaves extract (76mg Catechin equivalents/g). The ethanol leaves extract was then used for further chemical analysis. The LC-TOF-MS/MS analysis showed that the leaves extracts of O. indicum contains many important compounds such as Orientin, Chrysin, Pinoquercetin, Cupressuflavone, Puerarin xyloside, Forsythiaside and Paederoside. In GC-MS analysis, 19 compounds were identified in ethanolic leaves extract. The wound healing studies shows that O. indicum has promising wound healing activity by increasing the rate of wound contraction significantly (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study showed that O. indicum leaf contains important phytochemicals and the wound healing potential of the O. indicum extract may probably be as a result of the presence of various phytoconstituents.

Mitigation of Climate Change for Urban Agriculture: Water Management of Culinary Herbs Grown in an Extensive Green Roof Environment

Extensive green roofs provide space for local agriculture in dense urban environments. However, already extreme drought and heat conditions on green roofs are likely to worsen under future climates, challenging urban crop production and impeding food security. The potential productivity of annual and perennial culinary herbs on an extensive green roof (~8 cm depth) with minimal, but consistent, water inputs was evaluated within a humid, subtropical climate (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA). Vigor, growth, and overwintering ability of four different perennial culinary herbs, namely garlic chives (Allium tuberosum), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead Dwarf’), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and winter thyme (Thymus vulgaris ‘Winter Thyme’), as well as vigor and growth of annual ‘Italian large-leaf’ basil (Ocimum basilicum) were evaluated under twice-weekly, weekly, and fortnightly water applications of 1 L to each plant. All species of perennial herbs produced greater dry perennial biomass and overwintering potential under the two most frequent water applications. Similarly, with weekly water applications, basil proved highly suitable for production in an extensive green roof environment. Weekly watering was required to provide commercially viable plant growth, vigor, and overwinter survival for all perennial herbs. These results indicate that supplemental water is an important consideration for sustaining culinary herb production on extensive green roofs with the increasingly hot and dry conditions provided under the climate change scenarios projected for cities currently experiencing temperate climates.