Cymbopogon Species Research Articles

Biomedical Perspectives of Citronellal: Biological Activities, Toxicological Profile and Molecular Mechanisms.

Citronellal (CIT) also known as rhodinal, is a naturally occurring monoterpenoid aldehyde distinctly found in the distilled oils of Cymbopogon species. It is traditionally used in air freshener, cleaner, floor polishing, deodorants, deodorizer, fragrance component, moisturizing hand/body lotion, perfumes, and adhesives due to its lemon characteristic fragrance and therapeutic benefits. This study aimed to summarize the pharmacological activities and underlying mechanisms of CIT against different diseases, as well as its toxicological profile. The data was collected from various reliable and authentic literatures by searching different academic search engines, including PubMed, Springer Link, Scopus, Wiley Online, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The findings imply that CIT possesses several pharmacological effects in various preclinical and pharmacological experimental systems. The results indicated that CIT demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anthelminthic, and anticancer effects with beneficial effects in neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Our findings also indicated the toxic level of the phytochemical. In conclusion, it has been proposed that CIT has the capability to serve as a hopeful therapeutic agent, so further extensive clinical research is necessary to develop it as a reliable drug.

Cymbopogon distans: A source of essential oil with potential antibacterial, antifungal, and mosquito-repelling properties

The essential oils have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their potential as natural antimicrobial agents and a means of controlling mosquitoes. This study explored the chemical composition and antibacterial, antifungal, and mosquito-repellent properties of Cymbopogon distans (Nees ex Steud.) Wats (Poaceae) is a less explored aromatic plant distributed in the Himalayas. The fresh biomasses of C. distans and two commercially grown Cymbopogon species, namely C. flexuous and C. martini were submitted to hydrodistillation to extract their essential oils. Gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed the presence of citral, geraniol, and geranyl acetate as major constituents of C. distans. The essential oils of C. flexuous and C. martini were dominated by citral and geraniol, respectively. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of C. distans essential oil were evaluated using disc diffusion and micro-dilution methods and compared with the essential oils of C. flexuous and C. martini. C. distans essential oil showed a broader spectrum of potent antibacterial and antifungal activities (minimum inhibitory concentration: 0.41 mg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentration/minimum fungicidal concentration: 0.82 mg/ml) against the test strains. C. distans essential oil, in combination with norfloxacin and penicillin G showed synergistic interactions (fractional inhibitory concentration ≤0.5) against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. C. distans essential oil showed a repellent effect against Aedes aegypti (73.3 %) that was comparable to C. winterianus essential oil (75.6 %). This study suggests that C. distans essential oil may be a promising natural candidate for developing new herbal therapies for combating microbial infections and mosquito-borne diseases.

Divergent Roles of the Auxin Response Factors in Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus (Nees ex Steud.) W. Watson) during Plant Growth.

Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) make up a plant-specific transcription factor family that mainly couples perception of the phytohormone, auxin, and gene expression programs and plays an important and multi-faceted role during plant growth and development. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is a representative Cymbopogon species widely used in gardening, beverages, fragrances, traditional medicine, and heavy metal phytoremediation. Biomass yield is an important trait for several agro-economic purposes of lemongrass, such as landscaping, essential oil production, and phytoremediation. Therefore, we performed gene mining of CfARFs and identified 26 and 27 CfARF-encoding genes in each of the haplotype genomes of lemongrass, respectively. Phylogenetic and domain architecture analyses showed that CfARFs can be divided into four groups, among which groups 1, 2, and 3 correspond to activator, repressor, and ETTN-like ARFs, respectively. To identify the CfARFs that may play major roles during the growth of lemongrass plants, RNA-seq was performed on three tissues (leaf, stem, and root) and four developmental stages (3-leaf, 4-leaf, 5-leaf. and mature stages). The expression profiling of CfARFs identified several highly expressed activator and repressor CfARFs and three CfARFs (CfARF3, 18, and 35) with gradually increased levels during leaf growth. Haplotype-resolved transcriptome analysis revealed that biallelic expression dominance is frequent among CfARFs and contributes to their gene expression patterns. In addition, co-expression network analysis identified the modules enriched with CfARFs. By establishing orthologous relationships among CfARFs, sorghum ARFs, and maize ARFs, we showed that CfARFs were mainly expanded by whole-genome duplications, and that the duplicated CfARFs might have been divergent due to differential expression and variations in domains and motifs. Our work provides a detailed catalog of CfARFs in lemongrass, representing a first step toward characterizing CfARF functions, and may be useful in molecular breeding to enhance lemongrass plant growth.

The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract in roots, stems, and leaves of three commercial Cymbopogon species

BackgroundCymbopogon is a member of the family Poaceae and has been explored for its phytochemicals and bioactivities. Although the antimicrobial activities of Cymbopogon spp. extracts have been extensively studied, comprehensive analyses are required to identify promising compounds for the treatment of antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, this study investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Cymbopogon spp. ethanolic extracts in every single organ.MethodsEthanolic extracts were obtained from three Indonesian commercial species of Cymbopogon spp., namely Cymbopogon citratus (L.) Rendle, Cymbopogon nardus (DC.) Spatf., and Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt. The leaf, stem, and root extracts were evaluated via metabolite profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In silico and in vitro analyses were used to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the Cymbopogon spp. ethanolic extracts. In addition, bioactivity was measured using cytotoxicity assays. Antioxidant assays were performed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) to determine toxicity to Huh7it-1 cells using a tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Finally, the antimicrobial activity of these extracts was evaluated against Candida albicans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli using a well diffusion assay.ResultsGC–MS analysis revealed 53 metabolites. Of these, 2,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)- phenol (27.87%), alpha-cadinol (26.76%), and 1,2-dimethoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-benzene (20.56%) were the predominant compounds. C. winterianus and C. nardus leaves exhibited the highest antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS, respectively. Contrastingly, the MTT assay showed low cytotoxicity. C. nardus leaf extract exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, whereas C. winterianus stem extract showed the highest activity against B. substilis. Furthermore, computational pathway analysis predicted that antimicrobial activity mechanisms were related to antioxidant activity.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate that the leaves had strong antioxidant activity, whereas both the leaves and stems showed great antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, all Cymbopogon spp. ethanolic extracts showed low toxicity. These findings provide a foundation for future studies that assess the clinical safety of Cymbopogon spp. as novel drug candidates.

Therapeutic Effects of Essential Oils and Their Bioactive Compounds on Prostate Cancer Treatment.

Since prostate cancer (PCa) relies on limited therapies, more effective alternatives are required. Essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive compounds are natural products that have many properties including anticancer activity. This review covers studies published between 2000 and 2023 and discusses the anti-prostate cancer mechanisms of the EOs from several plant species and their main bioactive compounds. It also provides a critical perspective regarding the challenges to be overcome until they reach the market. EOs from chamomile, cinnamon, Citrus species, turmeric, Cymbopogon species, ginger, lavender, Mentha species, rosemary, Salvia species, thyme and other species have been tested in different PCa cell lines and have shown excellent results, including the inhibition of cell growth and migration, the induction of apoptosis, modulation in the expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes and the suppression of angiogenesis. The most challenging aspects of EOs, which limit their clinical uses, are their highly lipophilic nature, physicochemical instability, photosensitivity, high volatility and composition variability. The processing of EO-based products in the pharmaceutical field may be an interesting alternative to circumvent EOs' limitations, resulting in several benefits in their further clinical use. Identifying their bioactive compounds, therapeutic effects and chemical structures could open new perspectives for innovative developments in the field. Moreover, this could be helpful in obtaining versatile chemical synthesis routes and/or biotechnological drug production strategies, providing an accurate, safe and sustainable source of these bioactive compounds, while looking at their use as gold-standard therapy in the close future.

Antibacterial activity of Cymbopogon species essential oils against Xanthomonas citri and their use in post-harvest treatment for citrus canker management.

Citrus canker is a disease caused by the gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas citri subp. citri (X. citri), which affects all commercially important varieties of citrus and can lead to significant losses. Fruit sanitization with products such as chlorine-based ones can reduce the spread of the disease. While effective, their use raises concerns about safety of the workers. This work proposes essential oils (EOs) as viable alternatives for fruit sanitization. EOs from Cymbopogon species were evaluated as to their antibacterial activity, their effect on the bacterial membrane, and their ability to sanitize citrus fruit. The in vitro assays revealed that the EOs from C. schoenanthus and C. citratus had a lower bactericidal concentration at 312mg L-1, followed by 625mg L-1 for C. martini and C. winterianus. Microscopy assay revealed that the bacterial cell membranes were disrupted after 15min of contact with all EOs tested. Regarding the sanitizing potential, the EOs with higher proportions of geraniol were more effective in sanitizing acid limes. Fruit treated with C. shoenanthus and C. martini showed a reduction of ∼68% in the recovery of viable bacterial cells. Therefore, these EOs can be used as viable natural alternatives in citrus fruit disinfection.

Influence of Lemongrass Essential Oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus) Supplementation on Diabetes in Rat Model.

(1) Background: Species of the genus Cymbopogon and its essential oil are known for their antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the essential oil of Cymbopogon flexuosus (EOCF), and its major component, citral, on glycemic, lipid, antioxidant parameters, and oxidative stress in a type 1 diabetes (DM1) rat model. (2) Methods: Initially, EOCF was analyzed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the antioxidant activity of EOCF and citral was evaluated. Next, male Wistar rats (3 months old, 200-250 g) induced with DM1 using Streptozotocin (STZ) were divided into four groups: negative control supplemented with an 80% Tween solution, two groups of animals supplemented with EOCF (32 mg/kg and 64 mg/kg) and with citral (32 mg/kg), and treated for 14 days. Measurements of blood glucose levels and body weight were taken; after euthanasia, biochemical markers, including lipid profile, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were evaluated. (3) Results: The predominant compounds in EOCF were α-citral (53.21%) and neral (19.42%), constituting 72.63% citral. EOCF showed good antioxidant activity, significantly greater than citral. EOCF supplementation demonstrated a mitigating effect on glycemic, lipid, and hepatic abnormalities induced by DM1. (4) Conclusions: EOCF emerges as a promising therapeutic option for the management of DM1.

Identification of Tay Giang citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt) based on molecular markers and essential oil compositions

Classification of the genus Cympobogon is mainly determined by the morphological characteristics, the smell of the essential oil and the concentration of bioactive compounds present in the essential oil. However, this method is affected by the environment. Identification based on DNA barcoding results the high accuracy at the species level. In this study, the authors amplified and compared the two chloroplast DNA regions (rbcL and matK) and the nucleus region (ITS) of 3 lines of Tay Giang citronella. The obtained sequences of each gene were similar between the three lines of Tay Giang citronella, indicating the 3 lines of Tay Giang citronella had the same origin. Compared with other Cymbopogon species, rbcL showed 1 polymorphism, matKshowed 10 polymorphisms, and 40 polymorphisms were found in the ITS sequence. However, these DNA barcodes were not enough to accurately identify Tay Giang citronella. In combination with ITS sequence analysis and essential oil components including citronellal, citronellol and geraniol, Tay Giang citronella was identified and authenticated into the species Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt.

A high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the quality assessment of citronella oil: application in commercial sample analysis

Citronella oil, extracted from Cymbopogon species (winterianus and nardus) is a commercially valuable essential oil used in personal-care products and insect repellents. Routine analysis in gas chromatography is incapable of detecting high-boiling adulterants therein. In this study, an HPTLC technique was developed for the absolute quantification of citronellal (characteristic chemical marker) and triglyceride (main constituent of vegetable oil adulterant) in citronella oil for its quality assessment. It was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision. Further, the developed method was employed to quantify citronellal and triglyceride in twenty commercial samples. The results showed a wide variation in citronellal content (trace to 30.65% w/w) and could differentiate its two chemotypes. Also, it revealed the possibility of vegetable oil adulteration through the detection and quantification of triglyceride in selected samples. It can be a simple and rapid technique for the quality control of citronella oil.

Interaction of cultivars of Cymbopogon species with the levels of irrigation frequencies on the variability of secondary metabolite production, essential oil productivity and economics in drought prone Bundelkhand region, India

In the present study, three cultivars of Cymbopogon species viz., Lemongrass var. CKP-25, Himrosa var. IIIM(J)CK-10 and Jamarosa var. RRL(J)CN-5 were assessed with five levels of irrigation frequencies viz., 0.20 IW, 0.40 IW, 0.60 IW, 0.80 IW and 1.00 IW, in three consecutive years (2019-2022). In the study, irrigation was scheduled at 5 cm depth and performed as per the IW: CPE ratio. The amount of water was applied as per the levels of irrigation frequency from lower to higher and to meet the ratio of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE). Furthermore, increase in the levels of irrigation frequency increased the essential oil yield. Interaction among the cultivars of Cymbopogon species with the different levels of irrigation frequencies, Lemongrass var. CKP-25 proved significantly the highest essential oil yield (209.97, 389.12 and 406.57 kg ha−1) during 1st, 2nd and 3rd year, respectively. Similarly, in 2nd and 3rd years the net returns were found to be highest in Jamarosa var. RRL(J)CN-5 (Rs. 454627.00 and 502990.30 ha−1), respectively at same levels of irrigation frequency. The benefit: cost ratio was found to be superior with treatment receiving irrigation at 1.00 IW. However, percentage of essential oil content, secondary metabolite production viz., Lemongrass, citral (citral a + citral b) content percentage (82.47 ± 2.12), Himrosa and Jamrosa, geraniol and geranyl acetate percentage (76.23± 1.46 and 8.49 ± 1.03) and (61.12 ± 1.58 and 25.88 ± 1.11), respectively, highest at 0.20 & 0.40 IW, while both decreases at higher levels of irrigation frequency (1.00 IW) in all the three consecutive years.

Enhanced Two-Step Extraction from Biomass of Two Cymbopogon Species Cultivated in Santander, Colombia.

The insertion of circular economy principles into the essential oil (EO) production chain aims to reduce waste generation and make integral use of harvested plant material. Higher profits from integral use with reduced waste generation contribute to the eventual use of the EO value chain as an alternative to illicit crops in Colombia (mostly coca). In this study, Java-type citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) and palmarosa (C. martinii) plant materials were used in two consecutive processes to obtain EOs and extracts. The residual biomass after EO distillation was subjected to ultrasound-assisted hydroethanolic extraction to afford extracts that contained bioactive compounds. Citronella and palmarosa were distilled with typical EO yields (1.0 ± 0.1% for citronella; 0.41 ± 0.06% for palmarosa; n = 5) either through hydrodistillation assisted by microwave radiation or through steam distillation, and their composition (determined via GC/FID/MS analysis) and physicochemical parameters fell within their ISO standard specifications. The concentration of citronellal, the major compound of citronella oil, was 500 ± 152 mg/g. Geraniol, the main component of palmarosa oil, was found at 900 ± 55 mg/g. The citronella and palmarosa hydroalcoholic extracts (4-11% yield) were analyzed with UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS, which permitted the identification of 30 compounds, mainly C-glycosylated flavones and hydroxycinnamic acids. Both extracts had similar antioxidant activity values, evaluated using the ABTS+● and ORAC assays (110 ± 44 µmol Trolox®/g extract and 1300 ± 141 µmol Trolox®/g extract, respectively).

Fungicidal activities of Cymbopogon winterianus against anthracnose of banana caused by Colletotrichum musae

The genus Cymbopogon (Poaceae) species have been widely cultivated throughout the world for a wide range of uses in the pharmaceutical and agricultural fields. The current work investigates the fungicidal activities of Cymbopogon winterianus extract (CWE) in controlling the C. musae that caused anthracnose disease in banana fruit. In vitro assay results showed that CWE at 1.5–2.5 gL−1 concentrations controlled the development of the test pathogen. Mycelial blast, cytoplasmic discharge, and spore edema were noticed when CWE was applied. The Minimum Effective Concentration (MEC) of CWE for the in vivo assay was 1.50 gL−1 and can be used as a postharvest treatment on banana fruit to deter anthracnose infection. Moreover, no visible phytotoxicity or changes in aroma were observed on banana fruit treated with CWE, even at the highest concentration of 2.5 gL−1. The GCMS analysis revealed 41 chemical components associated with CWE. The five main compounds were the following: Methyl oleyl ether (40.20%), γ-Sitosterol (15.80%), 6-Methylheptan-3-ol (7.13%), α-Terpineol (5.56%), and n-Pentadecanol (4.05%). The CWE possesses excellent fungicidal effects against C. musae; in the near future, it can be used as an alternative to commercially available traditional fungicides on the market.

Comparative transcriptional analysis of metabolic pathways and mechanisms regulating essential oil biosynthesis in four elite Cymbopogon spp.

Cymbopogon is an important aromatic and medicinal grass with several species of ethnopharmaceutical importance. The genus is extremely rich in secondary metabolites, monoterpenes like geraniol and citral being principal constituents, also used as biomarker for classification and identification of Cymbopogon chemotypes. In the light of this, present study involved RNA sequencing and comparison of expression profiles of four contrasting Cymbopogon species namely C. flexuosus var. Chirharit (citral rich and frost resistant), C. martinii var. PRC-1 (geraniol rich), C. pendulus var. Praman (the most stable and citral-rich genotype), and Jamrosa (a hybrid of C. nardus var. confertiflorus × C. jwarancusa (rich in geraniol and geranyl acetate). The transcriptome profiles revealed marked differences in gene expression patterns of 28 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of terpenoid metabolic pathways between the four Cymbopogon sp. The major DEGs were Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenases (CCD), Aspartate aminotransferase (ASP amino), Mevalonate E-4 hydroxy, AKR, GGPS, FDPS, and AAT. In addition, few TFs related to different regulatory pathways were also identified. The gene expression profiles of DEGs were correlated to the EO yield and their monoterpene compositions. Overall, the PRC-1 (C. martinii) shows distinguished gene expression profiles from all other genotypes. Thus, the transcriptome sequence database expanded our understanding of terpenoid metabolism and its molecular regulation in Cymbopogon species. Additionally, this data also serves as an important source of knowledge for enhancing oil yield and quality in Cymbopogon and closely related taxa. Key messageUnfolding the new secretes surrounding EO biosynthesis and regulation in four contrasting Cymbopogon species.

Essential Oil Composition Analysis of Cymbopogon Species from Eastern Nepal by GC-MS and Chiral GC-MS, and Antimicrobial Activity of Some Major Compounds.

Cymbopogon species essential oil (EO) carries significant importance in pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy, food, etc. The chemical compositions of Cymbopogon spp. Viz. Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), and Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), enantiomeric distribution by chiral GC-MS, and antimicrobial activities of some selected pure major compound and root and leaves EOs of citronella. The EO of leaves of Cymbopogon spp. showed comparatively higher yield than roots or other parts. Contrary to citral (neral and geranial) being a predominant compound of Cymbopogon spp., α-elemol (53.1%), α-elemol (29.5%), geraniol (37.1%), and citral (90.4%) were detected as major compounds of the root, root hair with stalk, leaf, and root stalk with shoot of citronella EO, respectively. Palmarosa leaves' EO contains neral (36.1%) and geranial (53.1) as the major compounds. In the roots of palmarosa EO, the prime components were α-elemol (31.5%), geranial (25.0%), and neral (16.6%). Similarly, lemongrass leaves' EO contains geraniol (76.6%) and geranyl acetate (15.2%) as major compounds, while the root EO contains a higher amount of geraniol (87.9%) and lower amount of geranyl acetate (4.4%). This study reports for the first time chiral terpenoids from Cymbopogon spp. EOs. Chiral GC-MS gave specific enantiomeric distributions of nine, six, and five chiral terpenoids in the root, root stalk with a shoot, and leaves of citronella EOs, respectively. Likewise, four and three chiral terpenoids in the root and leaves of lemongrass oil followed by two chiral terpenoids in the leaves and root of palmarosa EOs each. Additionally, the root and leaves' EOs of citronella exhibit noticeable activity on bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes and fungus such as Candida albicans, Microsporum canis, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. So, geranial-, neral-, geraniol-, and citronellal-rich EOs can be used as an alternative antimicrobial agent.

Morphological and Anatomical Characterization of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf Cultivated in Egypt

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (family Poaceae) is a tropical lemon-scented perennial grass commonly used, fresh or dried, in food and herbal teas. This study revealed that C. citratus different organs are characterized by histological features distinctive to family Poaceae. Characteristic oil cells stained pink with Schiff′s reagent were noticed particularly in the leaf and culm. Scattered closed-type vascular bundles are observed in different organs. Graminaceous stomata and phytolith are restricted to the leaf blade, leaf sheath, and culm. C. citratus leaf is featured by its remarkable epidermal structure formed of long and short cells, bulliform cells, bundle sheath cells, as well, micro- and prickle-hairs that distinguished it from other organs. Sclerenchyma as a mechanical support is observed in all the organs apart from the root. Also, distinguishable non- glandular hairs are detected in the culm, rhizome, and constructs the epiblema structure in the root. The detailed morphological and anatomical study presented here is crucial to discriminate various Cymbopogon species, ensure proper identification of C. citratus (DC.) Stapf, and provide a valuable information for its herbal monograph.

Fabrication of highly durable functional textile through microencapsulation of organic citronella oil

The use of organic and eco-friendly plant-based materials has shown an increasing interest for researchers over recent years. This study describes the preparation of microcapsules from a natural citronella oil and its treatment on polyester-cotton blended (PC) fabric. The citronella oil is an essential oil obtained from the leaves and stems of various species of Cymbopogon. Microcapsules containing citronella oil as core material were produced by a complex coacervation technology and applied to fabric using the pad-dry-cure method. The morphology of the solution of microcapsules was investigated by optical microscope and the dried microcapsules were examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Furthermore, the microcapsules were also characterized for particle size distribution and zeta potential. SEM was also used to investigate the surface morphology of fabric surfaces after the treatment of microcapsules. A conventional test technique (cage test) was used to evaluate the medicated fabric's ability to keep mosquitoes away and comfort properties of fabric like air permeability and water absorbency were also studied. The fabric sample finished with 15% (solid in water) citronella oil microcapsules at zero wash exhibited 90% mosquito repellency, and after 30 washes the fabric possessed 80% mosquito repellency committing the durability of as prepared finished fabric. The medicated PC fabric revealed good air permeabilities and water absorbencies. Hence, this report presented an eco-friendly approach for the development of highly durable functional mosquito repellent textiles. • The successful synthesis of microcapsules using organic oils as core material. • Application of microcapsules on a polyester cotton blended fabric using the pad-dry-cure method. • Characterization of the prepared microcapsules by optical microscope, SEM, DLS, and zeta potential. • Establishing the mosquito repellent property of the prepared textile fabric in cage test. • Investigation of the durability under rigorous washing cycles.

Phytochemical composition of essential oils from aromatic plants inherited with bioherbicidal activity in arabica coffee production system of Ethiopia

Essential (EOs) can be considered as an alternative tool to control weeds, as they are eco-friendly and safe bioherbicides. Based on their herbicidal efficacy against coffee weeds in the prescreening under in-vitro , lath-house and field experimentations, five aromatic plants namely, Cymbopogon citratus , C. martinii , C. winterianus , Eucalyptus citriodora and Thymus schimperi were selected to identify their chemical composition using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The chromatographic analysis revealed the presence of 45 compounds in C. citratus oil dominated with citral (84.86%) from the subclasses of trans-Citral and cis-Citral. Thirty-three compounds were fractionated and identified in C. martinii oil containing geraniol (55.27%), trans-Geranyl acetate (16.82%), (6R,7R)-Bisabolone (7.23%) and trans-.beta.-Ocimene (6.18%) as the main inherited components. The EO from C. winterianus contained 47 compounds with citronellal (31.31%), geraniol (21.24%), citronellol (12.06%) and elemol (6.68%) as the major component. Similarly, a total of 52 compounds were identified from the EO of E. citriodora containing two major compounds namely, citronellal (76.93%) and citronellol (15.24%). The EO from T. schimperi were composed of 32 compounds with carvacrol (72.55%) and thymol (9.12%) as the main constituents. The present finding indicated that herbicidal activities of the EOs might be attributed to their fingerprint components such as citral (3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienal), geraniol (2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-ol), citronellal (3,7-dimethyloct-6-enal), citronellol (3,7-Dimethyloct-6-en-1-ol), carvacrol (2-methyl-5-propan-2-ylphenol) and thymol (5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylphenol). Therefore, these bioactive agents have the potential to be used as herbicides to manage weed species in coffee farms for the future. • Cymbopogon species, Eucalyptus citrodora and Thymus species had bioherbicidal activities. • Citral, citronellal, citronellol, geraniol, carvacrol and thymol are major compounds found in EOs of the tested plants. • The major constituents in the EOs of the investigated plants are enriched in monoterpenes. • The herbicidal activities of the EOs might be attributed to their fingerprint components.

TRPA1-mediated repellency behavior in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum

The sensory perception of irritant chemicals results in escape and repellency behavioral patterns in insects. Transient receptor potential channels are cation channels that function as sensor proteins for several types of signals, such as light, sound, temperature, taste, as well as chemical and physical stimuli; among these, the TRPA channel is widely conserved and activated by irritant chemicals. Certain plant-derived essential oils (EOs), produced by secondary metabolism, are mixtures of volatile compounds, which are used as repellents because they contain environmentally sustainable ingredients. Citronellal, which is present in citronella EO from Cymbopogon species, is a potentially viable insect repellent; however, the repellency capability against coleopteran beetles remains limited. We investigated the citronellal-derived repellency behavior for the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, in which TcTRPA1 and odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) expressions were mediated by RNA interference. Area-preference tests showed dose-dependent repellency behavior for citronellal; additionally, both TcTRPA1 and TcOrco double-strand RNA (dsRNA) micro-injection showed clear TcTRPA1 and TcOrco transcript reductions, and only TcTRPA1 dsRNA treatment significantly impaired repellency behavior. The relative expression level of the TcTRPA1 transcripts, evaluated by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), revealed dominant expression in the antennae, indicating the antennae-expressed TcTRPA1-mediated repellency behavior.

Review of phytomedicine, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, toxicology, and pharmacological activities of Cymbopogon genus.

The Cymbopogon genus belongs to the Andropoganeae family of the family Poaceae, which is famous for its high essential oil concentration. Cymbopogon possesses a diverse set of characteristics that supports its applications in cosmetic, pharmaceuticals and phytotherapy. The purpose of this review is to summarize and connect the evidence supporting the use of phytotherapy, phytomedicine, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, toxicology, pharmacological activities, and quality control of the Cymbopogon species and their extracts. To ensure the successful completion of this review, data and studies relating to this review were strategically searched and obtained from scientific databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, and Elsevier. Approximately 120 acceptable reviews, original research articles, and other observational studies were included and incorporated for further analysis. Studies showed that the genus Cymbopogon mainly contained flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which were the pivotal pharmacological active ingredients. When combined with the complex β-cyclodextrin, phytochemicals such as citronellal have been shown to have their own mechanism of action in inhibiting the descending pain pathway. Another mechanism of action described in this review is that of geraniol and citral phytochemicals, which have rose and lemon-like scents and can be exploited in soaps, detergents, mouthwash, cosmetics, and other products. Many other pharmacological effects, such as anti-protozoal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer have been discussed sequentially, along with how and which phytochemicals are responsible for the observed effect. Cymbopogon species have proven to be extremely valuable, with many applications. Its phytotherapy is proven to be due to its rich phytochemicals, obtained from different parts of the plant like leaves, roots, aerial parts, rhizomes, and even its essential oils. For herbs of Cymbopogon genus as a characteristic plant therapy, significant research is required to ensure their efficacy and safety for a variety of ailments.

Alternative control of phytopathogenic bacteria with essential oils of Elionurus latiflorus and Cymbopogon flexuosus

The use of hazardous chemicals has become a common practice to control diseases that affect agricultural production. In this scenario, society is challenged to increase food availability while reducing pesticide use, which causes damage to health and the environment. In this sense, essential oils appear as a promising alternative to reduce the use of pesticides, since they are plant-derived compounds. This study aimed to identify the main chemical components and evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial potential of essential oils of the Brazilian species Elionurus latiflorus and the exotic species Cymbopogon flexuosus against the phytopathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, Ralstonia solanacearum, Pectobacterium carotovorum pv. carotovorum and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. The main component identified of the essential oils was citral at the concentrations 65.38% for E. latiflorus and 71.6% for C. citratus. The analysis of the antibacterial activity of the essential oils showed effect against all bacteria analyzed when compared to the antibiotic gentamicin. The antibiotic produced inhibition zone diameters from 11.30 to 20.67 mm, while the essential oils produced the inhibition zones from 51.22 to 90 mm and pure citral around 86 mm. MIC values for essential oils were found between 25 and 200 µL/mL and MBC between 100 and 400 µL/mL. The study showed that the oils have inhibitory effect on the microorganisms tested.