Cyminum Oil Research Articles

Chemical profiling of Artemisia herba-alba, Cuminum cyminum, Cinnamomum camphora, and Salvia rosmarinus essential oils and assessment of their insecticidal potential to control the wild cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell)

The wild cochineal, Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae), has become a serious pest of prickly pear Opuntia ficus-indica L. in the Mediterranean region. The present study investigated the insecticidal activity of four essential oils, namely Cuminum cyminum, Cinnamomum camphora, Artemisia herba-alba, and Salvia rosmarinus against D. opuntiae nymphs and adult females in laboratory and greenhouse bioassays. Laboratory tests showed that at a concentration of 2.5%, C. cyminum oil was the most effective (inducing 100% nymph mortality at 3 h after treatment), followed by C. camphora, A. herba-alba and S. rosmarinus oils which recorded comparable mortality rates ranging from 89.40 to 100%, while S. rosmarinus and C. cyminum oils induced the highest mortality rates on adult females (88% and 86%, respectively) 8 days after treatments. Under greenhouse conditions, the combined application of C. cyminum oil (2.5%) and black soap (10 g/L) showed the highest nymphs’ mortality (100%) at 3 days after application. Adult female mortality in the greenhouse was lower than in the laboratory bioassay for all tested oils, with S. rosmarinus inducing 47% mortality at 2.5% at 14 days after the second spray. Eucalyptol was the main constituent of S. rosmarinus (41.20%) and C. camphora (56.47%) oils, and thujon-camphor was the major chemotype of A. herba-alba (30.55%/28.16%), while cuminaldehyde was the main compound of C. cyminum oil seeds (32.53%). These findings showed that the compounds of the two essential oils S. rosmarinus and C. camphora potential sources of insecticidal compounds and warrant further investigation.

Chemical composition and antibacterial effects of some essential oils individually and in combination with sodium benzoate against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica.

Side effects of chemical preservatives and drug resistance have raised interest in use of herbal products. This study aimed to examine the chemical composition and antibacterial effects of Cuminum cyminum, Mentha spicata, and Mentha longifolia essential oils individually and in combination with sodium benzoate against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica. The essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Disc diffusion and microdilution assays were used for in vitro antimicrobial screening. The main components were cumin aldehyde, carvone, and pulegone in C. cyminum, M. spicata, and M. longifolia essential oils, respectively. Antibacterial data analysis showed significant differences between different antibacterial effects of essential oils individually and in combination with sodium benzoate. In terms of individual effects, antibacterial effect of M. longifolia and C. cyminum essential oils were the highest against methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Y. enterocolitica, respectively. The antibacterial effects of sodium benzoate combined with essential oils showed significant differences with the individual effect of sodium benzoate in most cases. The results indicated that the combined effect of these essential oils with sodium benzoate could reduce the use of sodium benzoate as an antimicrobial agent, which could decrease its possible side effects. Thus, for more significant effects, these essential oils could be combined with other agents for the preservation of drug and food products.

Antifungal and biofilm inhibitory effect of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil on biofilm forming by Candida tropicalis isolates; an in vitro study.

Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil has been widely used as a traditional medicine and is well known for antimicrobial properties. Therefore, it might be a potent anti-infective and biofilm inhibitive against Candida tropicalis infections. Until now, no ideal coating or cleaning method based on an essential oil has been described to prevent biofilm formation of Candida strains on silicone rubber maxillofacial prostheses, voice prostheses and medical devices susceptible to C. tropicalis infections. To investigate the antifungal and biofilm inhibitory effects of Cymbopogon citratus oil. Clinical isolates of C. tropicalis biofilms on different biomaterials were used to study the inhibitory effect. The efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus, Cuminum cyminum, Citrus limon and Cinnamomum verum essential oils were compared on biofilm formation of three C. tropicalis isolates on 24 well polystyrene plates. C. citratus oil coated silicone rubber surfaces were prepared using hypromellose ointment as a vehicle. The antifungal tests to determine minimum inhibitory and minimum fungicidal concentrations were assessed by a microbroth dilution method and biofilm formation was determined by a crystal violet binding assay. C. tropicalis strains formed more biofilm on hydrophobic materials than on hydrophilic glass. C. citratus oil showed a high antifungal effect against all C. tropicalis strains. For comparison, C. limon oil and C. cyminum oil showed minor to no killing effect against the C. tropicalis strains. C. citratus oil had the lowest minimal inhibitory concentration of all essential oils tested and inhibited biofilm formation of all C. tropicalis strains. C. citratus oil coating on silicone rubber resulted in a 45-76% reduction in biofilm formation of all C. tropicalis strains. Cymbopogon citratus oil has good potential to be used as an antifungal and antibiofilm agent on silicone rubber prostheses and medical devices on which C. tropicalis biofilms pose a serious risk for skin infections and may cause a shorter lifespan of the prosthesis.

Application of chitosan nanoparticles containing Cuminum cyminum oil as a delivery system for shelf life extension of Agaricus bisporus

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Cuminum cyminum essential oil loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CEO-CSNPs) on the shelf life of button mushroom during 20 days of cold storage. CEO-CSNPs were prepared by ionic gelation technique. The size and morphology of nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The size of CEO-CSNPs ranged from 30 to 80 nm. CEO and CEO-CSNPs were spotted onto the whatman filter paper inside containers. CEO-CSNPs treatment was effective in maintaining color, firmness and overall acceptability of mushrooms and inhibiting the investigated bacteria and mold and yeast growth, resulted to significantly higher SOD and APX activity, antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content and lower PPO activity throughout the storage period. In general, treated samples stored for 15 days at 4 °C indicated overall acceptable quality compared to the control samples which lost their quality after 10 days of storage.

Chemical compositions and biological activities of essential oils obtained from some Apiaceous and Lamiaceous plants collected in Thailand

Objective: To determine the chemical composition, as well as the antioxidant, antityrosinase and antibacterial activities of essential oils obtained from some Apiaceous and Lamiaceous plants collected in Thailand. Methods: The essential oils of the specified spices and aromatic herbs were obtained by hydro-distillation, and their chemical constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Antioxidant assays were based on the scavenging effects of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) free radicals as well as the lipid oxidation inhibition of s-carotene bleaching by linoleic acid. Tyrosinase enzyme inhibition was evaluated by the dopachrome method. Broth microdilution technique was performed for the purposes of studying microbial growth inhibition against the isolated bacterial strains. Results: The essential oils of Elsholtzia stachyodes, Coleus amboinicus (I) and Trachyspermum ammi presented a high degree of potency in DPPH, ABTS and s-carotene bleaching assays. The Trachyspermum ammi oil, which mainly contained thymol (49.04%) and p-cymene (22.06%), proved to be the most effective in terms of antibacterial activity. The major compositions of Coleus amboinicus (I) were carvacrol (51.57%), y-terpinene (18.04%) and p-cymene (7.81%); while thymol (43.76%) and y-terpinene (24.61%) were identified as the major components of Elsholtzia stachyodes oil, with p-cymene (6.73%) being identified as a minor constituent. Moreover, Cuminum cyminum oil containing cuminaldehyde (49.07%) and Elsholtzia communis oil composed with geranial (44.74%) and neral (35.27%) as the major components displayed a specific ability for the inhibition of the mushroom tyrosinase enzyme. Conclusions: The results indicated that these bioactive essential oils obtained from indigenous herbs are of significant interest as alternative raw materials in food, cosmetic and medicinal products.

Cell Attachment Inhibition and Anti-biofilm Activity of Syzygium aromaticum, Cuminum cyminum and Piper nigrum Essential Oils Against Pathogenic Bacteria

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms attached to the surface. Cells associated with biofilms differ phenotypically and physiologically from planktonic cells which make them more resistant to conventional antimicrobial agents. In this study antibiofilm activity of three essential oils such as Syzygium aromaticum, Cuminum cyminum and Piper nigrum were assessed against two Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli (MTCC 40), Salmonella spp. (MTCC 1163) and one Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 7443). Oil dilutions are achieved using sloppy agar as a stabilizer. Inhibition of cell attachment and antibiofilm activity were assessed using crystal violet assay. All the three oils inhibited cell attachment on the wells of a microtiter plate with the mean value of > 50% each. In contrast, inhibition of preformed biofilm was difficult by all the three (Syzygium aromaticum, Cuminum cyminum and Piper nigrum) oils. According to data analysis, S. aromaticum oil proved to be more significant (p<0.05) on the test bacteria in both the assays and Staphylococcus aureus was proved to be more resistant to oils in both the assays.

Antibacterial Activity of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Cuminum Cyminum L.&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Oil on Six Types of Bacteria

The Cuminum Cyminum (cumin) oil was extracted from cumin seeds by distillation process. The extracted cumin oil was used to assess its effectiveness as antibacterial that through testing on six types of bacteria; two of them were bacteria gram-negative (E. coli and S. typhi) and the remainders were bacteria gram-positive (Proteus Vulgaris, Klebsiella Pneumonae, Enterococcus Feacalis and Staphylococcus Aureus). Four concentrations (12.5%, 25%, 50% and 100%) of cumin oil were used for screening fulfillment by using the cup-plate agar diffusion method and gentamicin (10µg) as the positive control. According to different concentration the inhibition area, minimum inhibition zones diameters (MIZD) in mm and the relative percentage inhibition of the test with respect to positive control were calculated. The results showed that all tested concentrations of cumin oil showed antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity Cuminum cyminum L. Essential Oils

Cuminum cyminum L. is comprised of several relevant species for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry analysis revealed thymol as a major component of C. cyminum, with its contribution to the oil 40.05%, respectively. The C. cyminum oil revealed the highest antioxidant activity in all conducted assays (β-carotene bleaching test and reducing power). These results clearly showed the antioxidant effects of the C. cyminum essential oil.

Efficacy of Cuminum cyminum essential oil on FUM1 gene expression of fumonisin-producing Fusarium verticillioides strains.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) essential oil on the growth and FUM1 gene expression of fumonisin-producing Fusarium verticillioides (F. verticillioides) strains isolated from maize. All fungal strains were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) slopes at 30°C for 7 days. The antifungal activity was evaluated by broth microdilution assay. One set of primers was F. verticillioides species specific, which selectively amplified the intergenic space region of rDNA. The other set of primers was specific to FUM1 gene region of fumonisin-producing F. verticillioides. FUM1 transcript levels were quantified using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) protocol. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of C. cyminum oil against F. verticillioides strains varied from 0.195 to 0.781 µl.ml(-1) (mean MIC value: 0.461 µl.ml(-1)) indicating 54.5% of the fungal strains inhibited at 0.390 µl.ml(-1). PCR analysis of FUM1 gene expression revealed that DNA fragment of 183 bp was amplified in all the isolates of F. verticillioides before treatment with C. cyminum essential oil. Based on RT-PCR analyses, reduction in the expression of fumonisin biosynthetic genes was significant only for FUM1 gene (p<0.05), while no effect was observed on ITS gene. This study showed that all F. verticillioides isolates were susceptible to C. cyminum essential oil, indicating a significant reduction in the growth of fungal isolates. In addition, this oil completely inhibited the expression of FUM1 gene in concentrations dose-dependently.

MA-chitosan nanogel loaded with Cuminum cyminum essential oil for efficient management of two stored product beetle pests

Natural essential oils have received increased attention as alternatives to synthetic pesticides for pest management of foodstuffs. Recently, microencapsulation and other controlled release techniques are used to increase insecticidal efficiency and persistence of essential oils with slow and controlled release. In this study, the possibility of improving the insecticidal activity of plant essential oils was investigated for effective management of two stored product beetle pests. Self-assembly technique was used to prepare nanogels of myristic acid-chitosan loaded by essential oil extracted from cumin, Cuminum cyminum L. Fumigant toxicity of C. cyminum oil and oil-loaded nanogels (OLNs) were investigated at 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16 µL/L air against the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius L. and 8, 11, 14, 17, and 20 µL/L air for confused flour beetle Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val. Experiments were conducted at 27 ± 1 °C and 55 ± 5 % relative humidity in continuous darkness. Insecticidal bioassay revealed that OLNs were more toxic than C. cyminum oil against tested beetle pests. The persistence of the oil and OLNs was also evaluated against two tested species. Results indicated that C. cyminum oil completely lost its insecticidal activity after 12 days, whereas at the same period, the OLNs lost about 60 % of its activity when applied against S. granarius and 15% for T. confusum. Therefore, it could be concluded that encapsulation improved the persistence of the oil.

Inhibitory Effects of Cuminum cyminum on the Mutagenicity of Direct and Indirect Mutagens in Bacterial Reverse Mutation Assay

Antimutagenic potential of Cuminum cyminum seed oil was evaluated using modified bacterial reverse mutation assay. Salmonella typhimurium strains were used for antimutagenic evaluation with pre-, co-, and post-treatment methods with prior cytotoxicity and mutagenicity evaluation. C. cyminum oil produced cytotoxicity in S. typhimurium strains at concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 2.50 and 0.31 to 2.50 μL/plate in the absence and presence of metabolic activation, respectively. C. cyminum was non-mutagenic and exhibited a different range of antimutagenic potential in all the S. typhimurium strains at non-cytotoxic concentrations.

Analysis and in vitro anti-Candida antifungal activity of Cuminum cyminum and Salvadora persica herbs extracts against pathogenic Candida strains

The in vitro antifungal activities of essential oil from Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) and alcoholic extract from Salvadora persica (S. persica) were investigated in order to evaluate their efficacy against C. albicans ATCC 14053, C. dubliniensis ATCC CD60, C. glabrata ATCC 90030, C. krusei ATCC 6258 and C. parapsilosis ATCC 22019. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The disc diffusion and broth macrodilution methods were used as antifungal susceptibility tests. The GC/MS analysis allowed 17 components to be determined; the main constituents of C. cyminum essential oil were α-pinene (30%), limonene (21%) and 1,8-cineole (18.5%). C. cyminum oil had a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against different pathogenic Candida species. Inhibition zone values ranged from 7 to 50mm for C. cyminum and 0 to 10mm for S. persica against the organisms tested. The best minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C. cyminum oil was associated with C. albicans and C. dubliniensis (289 mg/L) and the MICs of S. persica extract were 4.9 mg/mL and 20mg/mL against C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, respectively. The results suggested the potential substitution of the antifungal chemicals by C. cyminum essential oil and S. persica alcoholic extract as natural inhibitors to control the growth of the most important pathogenic Candida species and alternative therapies for candidiasis.

Chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activity of the essential oil from Cuminum cyminum against various Aspergillus strains

Antifungal activity of the essential oil obtained from Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum) was investigated against different Aspergillus strains. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the chemical composition of the oil was performed to determine their different components. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of C. cyminum essential oil and amphotericin B for seven strains ofAspergillus species, comprising Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) PTCC 5009,Aspergillus flavus PTCC 5006, Aspergillus niger PTCC 5011, Aspergillus terreus PTCC 5267, Aspergillus ochraceus PTCC 5017, Aspergillus nidulans PTCC 5014 and A. fumigatus AIR13, were determined by a broth macro dilution method. C. cyminum oil contained α-pinene (30%), limonene (21%) and 1, 8-cineole (18.5%), as the major components. The MIC values of the oil were ranged from 0.3 to 74 mg/ml and C. cyminum oil demonstrated strong antifungal activity on A. nidulans (P 2 µg/ml. Data showed that C. cyminum oil was more effective in comparison with amphotericin B. Furthermore, the study suggests that this essential oil can be used as an antifungal agent for the treatment of aspergillosis. Key words: Fungitoxicity, Aspergillus, Cuminum cyminum, essential oil, amphotericin B.

Inhibition of Aflatoxin Production and Growth of Aspergillus parasiticus by Cuminum cyminum, Ziziphora clinopodioides, and Nigella sativa Essential Oils

Aflatoxins are highly toxic and carcinogenic metabolites produced by Aspergillus parasiticus on food and agricultural commodities. Natural products may control the production of aflatoxins. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of the essential oils (EOs) of Cuminum cyminum, Ziziphora clinopodioides, and Nigella sativa on growth and aflatoxins production by A. parasiticus. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of the EOs were determined and compared with each other. Determination of aflatoxins (AFB(1), AFB(2), AFG(1), and AFG(2)) was performed by immunoaffinity column extraction using reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. The major oil components were α-pinene (30%) in C. cyminum, pulegone (37%) in Z. clinopodioides, and trans-anthol (38.9%) in N. sativa oils. In broth microdilution method, C. cyminum oil exhibited the strongest activity (MIC(90): 1.6; MFC: 3.5 mg/mL), followed by Z. clinopodioides (MIC(90): 2.1; MFC: 5.5 mg/mL) and N. sativa (MIC(90): 2.75; MFC: 6.25 mg/mL) oils against A. parasiticus (p<0.05). Aflatoxin production was inhibited at 0.25 mg/mL of C. cyminum and Z. clinopodioides oils, of which that of C. cyminum was a stronger inhibitor. C. cyminum EO caused significant reductions in values of 94.2% for AFB(1), 100% for AFB(2), 98.9% for AFG(1), 100% for AFG(2), and 97.5% for total aflatoxin. It is concluded that the EOs of C. cyminum, Z. clinopodioides, and N. sativa could be used as natural inhibitors in foods at low concentrations to protect from fungal and toxin contaminations by A. parasiticus.

PP-002 Effects of sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations of some essential oils on virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomans aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen that produces a number of unique virulence factors causes severe and life-threatening infections. In this study the effects of sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of some essential oils on virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa such as alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion were evaluated. MIC of Zataria multiflora, Myrtus communis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Mentha spicata and Cumminum cyminum essential oils on mucoid P. aeruginosa 8821M were determined by macrodilution method. Alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion in the present of sub-MICs (1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 MIC) of essential oils were determined. GC-MS analysis led to identification of 32, 21, 22, 15 and 32 components in Myrtus communis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Zataria multiflora, Mentha spicata and Cumminum cyminum oils respectively. The MICs of essential oils against P. aeruginosa for Z. multiflora, M. communis, E. camaldulensis, M.spicata and C. cyminum oils were obtained 64, 64, 64, 16 and 32 μg/ml respectively. The results show that all oils at 1/2 and 1/4 MICs were significantly reduced all tested virulence factors. At 1/8 MICs, Z. multiflora oil had significantly reduced all virulence factors, but another oils had different effects. This study showed that sub-MIC levels of Z. multiflora, M. communis, E. camaldulensis, M. spicata and C. cyminum essential oils affected alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion in P. aeruginosa and it is probable to use of these medicinal plants for treating.

Chemical composition and biological activities of Tunisian Cuminum cyminum L. essential oil: A high effectiveness against Vibrio spp. strains

Essential oil extracted by hydrodistillation from Tunisian variety of Cuminum cyminum was characterized by means of GC and GC–MS. Twenty-one components were identified and C. cyminum contained cuminlaldehyde (39.48%), gamma-terpinene (15.21%), O-cymene (11.82%), beta-pinene (11.13%), 2-caren-10-al (7.93%), trans-carveol (4.49%) and myrtenal (3.5%) as a major components. Moreover, C. cyminum oil exhibited higher antibacterial and antifungal activities with a high effectiveness against Vibrio spp. strains with a diameter of inhibition zones growth ranging from 11 to 23 mm and MIC and MBC values ranging from (0.078–0.31 mg/ml) to (0.31–1.25 mg/ml), respectively. On the other hand, the cumin oil was investigated for its antioxidant activities using four different tests then compared with BHT. Results showed that cumin oil exhibit a higher activity in each antioxidant system with a special attention for β-carotene bleaching test (IC 50: 20 μg/ml) and reducing power (EC 50: 11 μg/ml). In the light of these findings, we suggested that C. cyminum essential oil may be considered as an interesting source of antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidants components used as potent agents in food preservation and for therapeutic or nutraceutical industries.

Effects of Sub-Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations of Some Essential Oils on Virulence Factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomans aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen that produces a number of unique virulence factors causes severe and life-threatening infections. In this study the effects of sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of some essential oils on virulence factors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa such as alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion were evaluated. MIC of Zataria multiflora, Myrtus communis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Mentha spicata and Cumminum cyminum essential oils on mucoid P. aeruginosa 8821M were determined by macrodilution method. Alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion in the present of sub-MICs (1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 MIC) of essential oils were determined. GC-MS analysis led to identification of 32, 21, 22, 15 and 32 components in Myrtus communis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Zataria multiflora, Mentha spicata and Cumminum cyminum oils respectively. The MICs of essential oils against P. aeruginosa for Z. multiflora, M. communis, E. camaldulensis, M.spicata and C. cyminum oils were obtained 64, 64, 64,16 and 32μ.g/ml respectively. The results show that all oils at 1/2 and 1/4 MICs were significantly reduced all tested virulence factors. At 1/8 MICs, Z. multiflora oil had significantly reduced all virulence factors, but another oils had different effects. This study showed that sub-MIC levels of Z. multiflora, M. communis, E. camaldulensis, M. spicata and C. cyminum essential oils affected alginate production, biofilm formation, swimming, twitching and adhesion in P. aeruginosa and it is probable to use of these medicinal plants for treating.

PATHOGEN CONTROL BY ANTIOXIDATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF CUMINUM CYMINUM AND ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS ESSENTIAL OILS

PATHOGEN CONTROL BY ANTIOXIDATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF CUMINUM CYMINUM AND ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS ESSENTIAL OILS

Antifungal Potency of Some Essential Oils in Control of Postharvest Decay of Strawberry Caused by Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger

The essential oils from Mentha piperita, Lavandula angustifolia, Foeniculum vulgare and Cuminum cyminum were characterized and tested against three common postharvest fungi rot in strawberry fruits. Menthol (36.2 %) and menthone (32.4 %) in M. piperita and linalool (49.2 %) and lavandulyl acetate (12.3 %) in L. angustifolia oils were characterized as major components. The high proportion of trans-anethole (75.8 %) was detected in F. vulgare oil and y-terpinene (29.2 %) and ß-pinene (20.1%) were the principal constituents in C. cyminum oil. The in vitro experiment of four essential oils exhibited antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger. The incorporation of 750Ul.l−1 from C. cyminum oils to PDA medium was more active than others and completely inhibit growth of B. cinerea, R. stolonifer and A. niger. The minimum decay incidence was achieved, when fruits dipped or sprayed with M. piperita essential oil, which was more effective than chemical treatments with Tiabandazol. The present study suggests that the use of essential oil especially M. piperita may be a useful alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides.

Chemical and biological characteristics of Cuminum cyminum and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from Cuminum cyminum and Rosmarinus officinalis were characterized by means of GC and GC–MS. C. cyminum and R. officinalis contained α-pinene (29.1%, 14.9%), 1,8-cineole (17.9%, 7.43%) and linalool (10.4%, 14.9%), respectively, as the major compounds. C. cyminum oil exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity than did R. officinalis oil against E. coli, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes. Complete death time on exposure to Cuminum cyminum L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. oils were 20 and 25 min 180 and 240 min and 90 and 120 min for E. coli, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Radical-scavenging and antioxidant properties were tested by means of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the β-carotene bleaching test. These properties were compared to those of Thymus x-porlock essential oil, used as a reference ingredient. The radical scavenging performance of the rosemary oil was better than that of C. cyminum. Results from the antioxidant test were better than those provided by the radical-scavenging activity. C. cyminum and R. officinalis essential oils may be considered as potent agents in food preservation.