Fragrant Oil Research Articles

Characterization of fragrant oil extracted from pepper seed during subcritical propane extraction

The aim of this investigation was to characterize oils extracted from pepper seed (Capsicum annuum L.) by subcritical propane at various stages of the extraction. During the extraction, the pepper seed oil (PSO) was sampled at five different times. The various oil fractions were named: PSO-1 (0–3 min), PSO-2 (4–6 min), PSO-3 (7–9 min), PSO-4 (10–12 min), and PSO-5 (13–15 min). Results showed that 97.2% of total oil content was extracted before PSO-4. There were no significant difference in fatty acid composition between the oil samples; however, results show that extraction time did significantly affect other chemical constituents (i.e., tocopherols, sterols, and volatile flavor compounds), and thermal stability. This investigation provides important information for the application of pepper seed and for further development of subcritical fluid extraction.

In-Situ Analysis of Essential Fragrant Oils Using a Portable Mass Spectrometer

A portable mass spectrometer was coupled to a direct inlet membrane (DIM) probe and applied to the direct analysis of active fragrant compounds (3-methylbutyl acetate, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, methyl butanoate, and ethyl methyl sulfide) in real time. These fragrant active compounds are commonly used in the formulation of flavours and fragrances. Results obtained show that the portable mass spectrometer with a direct membrane inlet can be used to detect traces of the active fragrant compounds in complex mixtures such as essential fragrant oils and this represents a novel in-situ analysis methodology. Limits of detection (LOD) in the sub-ppb range (< 2.5 pg) are demonstrated. Standard samples in the gaseous phase presented very good linearity with RSD % at 5 to 7 for the selected active fragrant compounds (i.e., isoamyl acetate, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, methyl butanoate, and methyl ethyl sulphide). The rise and fall times of the DIM probe are in the ranges from 15 to 31 seconds and 23 to 41 seconds, respectively, for the standard model compounds analysed. The identities of the fragrance active compounds in essential oil samples (i.e., banana, tangerine, papaya, and blueberry muffin) were first identified by comparison with a standard fragrance compounds mixture using their major fragment peaks, the NIST standard reference library, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. No sample preparation is required for analysis using a portable mass spectrometer coupled to a DIM probe, so the cycle time from ambient air sampling to the acquisition of the results is at least 65 seconds.

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta -Analysis

Background Most pregnant women suffer from nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) as one of the common discomforts compelling women to increasingly turn to herbal medications for help, including lemon inhalation aromatherapy as investigated in the current systematic review and meta-analysis. We aimed to evaluate the effect of aromatherapy on relieving nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Materials and Methods In the present study, electronic sources in English (Medline [via PubMed], Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library); and databases in Persian (SID and Magiran) were systematically searched without any time constraints until February 10, 2018. Following keywords were used to find research articles related to the effect of aromatherapy on the NVP: (Nausea OR Vomiting) AND (Aromatic therapy OR Essential oil OR Essential oils OR Fragrance OR Fragrant oil OR Fragrant oils OR Scent OR Alternative Medicine OR Complementary Medicine) AND (Pregnancy). Results Four studies were included in systematic review. The results of this study reported that aromatherapy with lemon compared to placebo improves the severity of nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, but Mentha and Peppermint oil alone or in combination with lavender, showed no significant improvement. There was no significant difference between the placebo and aromatherapy groups regarding total score of nausea and vomiting among pregnant women at the third day (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.347; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: -0.980 to 0.287; P=0.284, heterogeneity; I2=72%; P=0.054). Conclusion Aromatherapy did not show any beneficial effect on nausea and vomiting among pregnant women. Only aromatherapy with lemon oil can be beneficial.

Nanoencapsulation mechanism of fragrant oil: effect of formaldehyde − melamine molar ratio

AbstractEncapsulation of essential oils by in situ polymerization is commonly used to contain the oil and thus ensure its controlled release. Melamine resin formaldehyde is one of the most widely used shell materials due to its thermal and chemical stability. One of the factors that influences the properties of the capsules is the molar relationship between monomers. The effect of formaldehyde − melamine (F/M) molar ratios 3, 4 and 6 on the nanoencapsulation, morphology and properties of nanocapsules was investigated. The morphology and particle size were investigated by the scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy techniques. The composition of the formaldehyde − melamine resins was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and the thermal stability of the nanocapsules was analysed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Increasing the formaldehyde content reduced the nanocapsules' chemical stability. The capsule sizes obtained were nanometric at all melamine − formaldehyde ratios studied, with a non‐significant variation in particle size and shape. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

리시안셔스 유래 에센셜 오일의 항세균 및 항진균 효과

Essential oils are fragrant oils extracted from the leaves, stems, peels, petals and roots of aromatic plants cultivated by natural means or using organic agricultural techniques. Essential oils have commonly been used as antibacterial and antifungal agents. In the present study, essential oil was extracted from lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum [Raf.] Shinn.) and tested for antifungal activities against three eumycetes (Penicillium pinophilum, Chaetomium glogosum and Aspergillus niger). Lisianthus essential oil showed high antifungal activities against three eumycetes, especially against Aspergillus niger, for which the resulting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 0.005 mg/ml. In addition, the extracted essential oil was shown to have antimicrobial activity against ten intestinal pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) according to the disc diffusion method and was also shown to exhibit strong antibacterial activity against an additional three pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes and Vibrio parahaemolyticus). These results indicate that lisianthus essential oil could be used as an antibiotic against harmful bacteria that produce intestinal illnesses. From the present study, we suggest that lisianthus extracts can be utilized as potential antifungal and antibacterial agents and for the development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

Process optimization and characterization of fragrant oil from red pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) seed extracted by subcritical butane extraction

Red pepper seeds account for 450-500 g kg-1 of the total pepper weight and are often discarded as waste. In this study, process optimization and characterization of fragrant oil from roasted red pepper seed extracted by subcritical butane extraction were carried out. The optimal conditions of extraction were a temperature of 74.61 °C, a time of 68.65 min and a liquid/solid ratio of 30.24:1. The oil had a refractive index (25 °C) of 1.471, a relative density of 0.900, an acid value of 1.421 mg g-1 oil, an iodine value of 127.035 g per 100 g, a saponification value of 184.060 mg KOH g-1 , an unsaponifiable matter content of 12.400 g kg-1 , a peroxide value of 2.465 meq. O2 kg-1 and a viscosity of 52.094 cP. The main fatty acids in the oil were linoleic acid (72.95%) followed by palmitic acid (11.43%) and oleic acid (10.00%). The oil showed desirable thermal and oxidative stability. A total of 19 volatile compounds, mostly aldehydes and alkenes, were identified from the oil. The results indicated that the method is appropriate for the preparation of fragrant red pepper seed oil, and the oil is suitable for used as edible oil. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Essential Oil Composition of Platostoma menthoides (L.) A. J. Paton whole plant

Platostoma menthoides (L.) A. J. Paton (Syn: Geniosporum prostratum (L) Benth. Geniosporum tenuiflorum) is an aromatic annual herb found in India and Sri Lanka belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Hydrodistillation of the plant collected from the North Central province in Sri Lanka, yielded 0. 5% (v/w) of a light yellow colored fragrant oil. The oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. A total of 74 components accounting for 85.01 % of the oil were identified by comparison of their mass spectra with those in the NIST and WILEY libraries and their retention indices with published values. These compounds included sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (55.80 %), monoterpene hydrocarbons (14.77 %), oxygenated monoterpenes (8.82 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (17.62 %). The main components of the oil were β-caryophyllene (37.01 %), limonene (8.45 %), bornyl formate (5.57 %), α-humulene (4.70 %) and caryophyllene oxide (5.82 %). It also contained a small amount of the methoxychromene precocene 1 (0.23 %), an insect anti-juvenile hormone which has not been reported widely from the Lamiaceae or the genus Platostoma.

Encapsulation of Volatile Compounds in Silk Microparticles.

Various techniques have been employed to entrap fragrant oils within microcapsules or microparticles in the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries for improved stability and delivery. In the present work we describe the use of silk protein microparticles for encapsulating fragrant oils using ambient processing conditions to form an all-natural biocompatible matrix. These microparticles are stabilized via physical crosslinking, requiring no chemical agents, and are prepared with aqueous and ambient processing conditions using polyvinyl alcohol-silk emulsions. The particles were loaded with fragrant oils via direct immersion of the silk particles within an oil bath. The oil-containing microparticles were coated using alternating silk and polyethylene oxide layers to control the release of the oil from the microspheres. Particle morphology and size, oil loading capacity, release rates as well as silk-oil interactions and coating treatments were characterized. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the silk coatings can be tuned to alter both retention and release profiles of the encapsulated fragrance. These oil containing particles demonstrate the ability to adsorb and controllably release oils, suggesting a range of potential applications including cosmetic and fragrance utility.

СОВРЕМЕННОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ РАЗВИТИЯ АРОМАТНОЙ ОТДЕЛКИ ТЕКСТИЛЬНЫХ МАТЕРИАЛОВ

The review of scientific literature characterising basic directions of modern researches on the creation of textile materials with function of prolonged aromatization is presented. The mechanism of human smells recognition and influence of essential oils and aromatic on a human body is described.Various methods of formation of the microcapsules including flavouring substances are considered including a method of interfacial monomer polymerisation when on border of the water dispersive medium and disperse phase – oils is created by a solid polymer shell forming a spherical microcapsule with a fragrant oils as a core; a complex coacervation technique based on the abilities of cationic and anionic water-soluble polymers to interact with water, forming a polymer-rich phase; self-organising of supramolecular host-guest assemblies comprising guest molecule without strong chemical bonds formation; microemulsion or dispersion of perfume compositions based on organic compounds. Classification of supramolecular assemblies and the structure of host-guest microcapsules where flavoring agent acts as a guest is shown. Due to the absence of strong chemical bonds in this case the effect of mild and prolonged release of aroma are achieved. The modern perfume compositions having a therapeutic effect are described. The ways of fragrant substances immobilization on the textile material surface by means of electrostatic interaction of oppositely charged synthetic polyelectrolytes are reported. Effective ways of developing textile materials with ability to neutralize unpleasant odors and to prevent the life of bacteria based on the fixation on the surface of preliminary activated by deodorizing preparation fibrous materials are given.The publications devoted to themethods of unpleasant smells elimination using sorbents and bacteria with the subsequent action on the human olfactory receptors of such substances as menthol, camphor, methyl lactate and other esters are analysed.

L‐carvone‐loaded nanofibrous membrane as a fragrance delivery system: fabrication, characterization and in vitro study

ABSTRACTThe present work reports the fabrication of a fragrance delivery system using nanofibres by an electrospinning method. Fragrant oils are volatile essential oils that easily undergo degradation and evaporation. Nanostructured fibres of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared by an electrospinning process. In this study, l‐carvone was used as a model fragrant oil, and it can be used as an air‐freshening agent. l‐carvone (5 wt%) loaded PVA solution (10 wt%) (C‐PVA) and PCL solution (13 wt%) (C‐PCL) were electrospun into nanofibres. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the incorporation of essential oil l‐carvone in PVA and PCL solution caused the resulting as‐spun fibre to be non‐uniform, and the average diameter was found to increase from 100–190 nm to 230–400 nm for the PVA mat and from 300–500 nm to 390–800 nm for the PCL mat. The functional group, crystallinity and thermal stability of prepared electrospun nanofibres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements. The degree of crystallinity of electrospun PVA, C‐PVA, PCL and C‐PCL was found to be 10.46%, 7.4%, 56.16% and 53.41% respectively. The in vitro release of l‐carvone from the prepared electrospun fibres was conducted at 30 ± 0.2°C for 24 h by both the encapsulation and imbibition methods. The maximum release of l‐carvone (5 wt%) was observed to be 61% and 64.1% from PVA nanofibres and 36% and 48.4% from PCL nanofibres by the encapsulation and imbibition methods respectively. These results show the potential of the prepared electrospun l‐carvone‐loaded PVA and PCL nanofibrous membrane in the fragrance delivery system. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Geographical impact on essential oil composition of Limnophila rugosa (Roth.) Merr.

Limnophila rugosa (Roth.) Merr. is an important Indian traditional medicinal plant, used for the treatment of various diseases. Fragrant volatile oils isolated from the aerial parts of L. rugosa collected from two diverse localities in northern India (foothills and mid-hills) were investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and GC–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The essential oil yields and chemical compositions of L. rugosa from the two localities differed significantly. The population collected from the mid-hills was rich in essential oil (0.44%) compared with the population from the foothills (0.25%). The essential oil of the foothill population was characterized by the dominance of methyl chavicol (76.6%), followed by (E)-anethole (19.1%). Conversely, the essential oil of the mid-hill population was dominated exclusively by (E)-anethole (88.5%). These genetic resources of L. rugosa can be utilized as a valuable source of the high-value aromachemicals, namely methyl chavicol and (E)-anethole.

First Report of Rust Caused by Puccinia nakanishikii on Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus, in Florida.

Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. (Poaceae), is grown widely in the tropics and subtropics as an ornamental, flavoring ingredient in Asian cooking, and for tea and fragrant oil (3). In February 2013, rust symptoms were observed on lemongrass in several gardens in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Symptoms began as small chlorotic flecks on both leaf surfaces that became crimson and enlarged to streaks ~1 cm in length. On the abaxial side of leaves, erumpent streaks ruptured to produce pustules in which urediniospores formed. Eventually, streaks coalesced to produce large patches of tan to purplish necrotic tissue that blighted most of the leaf surface and was often surrounded by chlorotic borders. These symptoms, fungal morphology, and nuclear ribosomal large subunit (28S) DNA analysis were used to identify the pathogen as Puccinia nakanishikii Dietel. Urediniospores were pyriform to globose, orange to crimson, slightly echinulate, and somewhat longer than a previous report (32.1 ± 3.4 (27 to 42) × 23.3 ± 2.4 (21 to 27) μm vs. 22 to 28 × 22 to 25 μm) (2). Uredinia contained clavate paraphyses, but teliospores were not observed. No aecial host is known for this pathogen. A 28S DNA sequence that was generated with the NL1 and LR3 primers (1,4) was deposited in GenBank under accession no. KC990123; it shared 99% identity with GenBank accession GU058002, which came from a specimen of P. nakanishikii in Hawaii. Voucher specimens of affected leaves of lemongrass have been deposited at the Arthur Herbarium, Purdue University. Although this disease has been reported in California, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Thailand, this is believed to be the first report from Florida (2). Based on rainfall and temperature conditions that are conducive to its development in South Florida, it has the potential to significantly reduce the health and production of this plant in area gardens.

Lavender essential oil improves sleep in residents of a memory care assisted living facility

People with dementia often have problems with sleep including difficulties falling and staying asleep. Aromatherapy is a form of complementary medicine that uses fragrant oils extracted and distilled from plant material, known as essential oils, for altering mood or behavioral health. There is limited evidence that the use of lavender oil can improve sleep and behavioral symptoms in people with memory loss. The purpose of this study was to determine if lavender can be an effective tool to manage sleep disruption in patients residing in a memory care assisted living facility. Twenty-two residents from memory care units in the Deer Crest assisted living facility (Red Wing, MN) were enrolled in this blinded, randomized-controlled cross-over trial of lavender oil versus placebo oil. Participants were monitored with actigraphs for 3 weeks and acclimated to study procedures in the first week. Participants were randomized to receive either lavender or placebo (almond) oil in week 2 and switched to the other oil during week 3. While dressing for participant's bedtime, resident assistants applied lotion (for acclimation week) or essential oil to the participant's neck, upper back, and spine over a period of one minute. A diffuser containing the corresponding treatment was also turned on for 20 minutes. Total minutes of sleep were calculated after sleep periods were manually defined using data from sleep logs. A linear-mixed effects model was conducted on data from four, 24 hr weekday epochs adjusting for patient-level clustering, patient-specific time trend, sequence of oil application, and overall time trend across all subjects. The average participant was 85.7 yr, 29% male, with a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 7.0. As expected, there was considerable variation in sleeping patterns across subjects. The total minutes of sleep per night with placebo oil was 408 minutes (sd=86). This significantly increased (p=.01) by 41 minutes (95% CI: 44.7, 38.35) during the week they received lavender. There was not a significant effect of time or the order in which oils were applied. The use of lavender shows promise as a non-pharmacologic alternative for management of sleep disturbance in people with memory loss.

Leaf Structure of Pelargonium odoratissimum (Soland.), an Aromatic Species Widely Used in Herbal Remedies and Confectionery

The dorsiventral, amphistomatic, hairy leaf of Pelargonium odoratissimum was lacking the variety of the anatomical features considered advantages for the Mediterranean plant life compared to the leaf of most Mediterranean xerophytes. Conversely, it had a well-equipped and intensely functioning secretory apparatus. Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate the leaf structure while histochemical reactions traced the nature of the secreted metabolites. The numerous trichomes of the leaf were very active in producing phenolics, terpenes, and flavonoids mixed in a fragrant essential oil accumulated in an ovoid chamber at the top of each secreting hair. In-vitro cell cultures may be used for the production of novel compounds from low-cost precursors.

Sweet flag (Acorus calamus Linn.): An incredible medicinal herb

The aim of the present paper is to provide information regarding the ethnopharmocology, ethnobotany, therapeutic uses and scientific studies carried out on sweet flag (Acorus calamus Linn). The search was carried out by examining the classical texts of Unani, Ayurveda and other traditional medical systems, as well as the ethnobotanical literature and Google scholar. The drug is popularly known as “Sweet flag” in traditional medicine and used to treat a number of diseases. The plant has a rich ethnobotanical history dating possibly back to the time of Moses in the Old Testament of the Bible and in early Greek and Roman medicine. Sweet flag has been valued for its rhizome and fragrant oils which have been used medicinally, in alcoholic beverages, as a fragrant essence in perfumes and oils, and for insecticidal properties. Chemical analysis of sweet flag shows that it contains sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, α‑ and β‑asarone and various other constituents. Research studies have shown that it possesses various pharmacological activities. An extensive review of the ancient traditional literature and modern research revealed that the drug has numerous therapeutic actions, several of which have been established scientifically which may help the researchers to set their minds for approaching the utility, efficacy and potency of sweet flag. Key words: Ethnobotany, sweet flag, traditional medicine, Unani medicine, β‑asarone

The Inhibitory Effect Zingiber Offlcinale Extracts on Microorganisms whichAssociated with Biscuit.

The research aimed at studying the inhibitive effect of the hot watery dry and ethanolic ginger(85%) and fragrant oil which are added in concentrates of o.o25, o.o5o and 0.1g / 100g respectively in the growth of bacteria and molds. The results of the initial chemical diagnosis showed containment of ginger roots extract on. Alkaloids, Glycosides, Flavonoids and Suponins. The highest inhibitive effect of the bacteria reached the concentrate . 0.1% of the oil extract then the concentrate 0.050% of the ethanolic hot extract follows it. While 0.1% was the least inhibitive concentrate for the hot watery extract. But the inhibitive effect of the hot oily and alcoholic extracts in the numbers of molds colonies was 0.025%, when the concentrate 0.1% of the hot watery extract appeared the least inhibitive concentrate for molds. The ensual evaluation of the manufactured biscuit which is stored for fifteen weeks results showed the excel of the treatment A3 (concentrate 0.1%) of the hot ethanolic extract in the aualities of appearance , flavor and flakiness where it reached 5.800 indicates the efficievcy of the effective compounds in ginger in protecting from rancidity and oxidation during the storing period in comparison to the control treatment (without adding ginger) where it got 4.600, 4.600 and 5 respectively . when the treatments A1(0.0 25%), A2(0.050%) and O1(0.025%) got the least values where it reached 2.800, 3.800, 3.600 in the qualities of color, texture and general acceptance.

The Inhibitory Effect Zingiber Offlcinale Extracts on Microorganisms whichAssociated with Biscuit.

The research aimed at studying the inhibitive effect of the hot watery dry and ethanolic ginger(85%) and fragrant oil which are added in concentrates of o.o25, o.o5o and 0.1g / 100g respectively in the growth of bacteria and molds. The results of the initial chemical diagnosis showed containment of ginger roots extract on. Alkaloids, Glycosides, Flavonoids and Suponins. The highest inhibitive effect of the bacteria reached the concentrate . 0.1% of the oil extract then the concentrate 0.050% of the ethanolic hot extract follows it. While 0.1% was the least inhibitive concentrate for the hot watery extract. But the inhibitive effect of the hot oily and alcoholic extracts in the numbers of molds colonies was 0.025%, when the concentrate 0.1% of the hot watery extract appeared the least inhibitive concentrate for molds. The ensual evaluation of the manufactured biscuit which is stored for fifteen weeks results showed the excel of the treatment A3 (concentrate 0.1%) of the hot ethanolic extract in the aualities of appearance , flavor and flakiness where it reached 5.800 indicates the efficievcy of the effective compounds in ginger in protecting from rancidity and oxidation during the storing period in comparison to the control treatment (without adding ginger) where it got 4.600, 4.600 and 5 respectively . when the treatments A1(0.0 25%), A2(0.050%) and O1(0.025%) got the least values where it reached 2.800, 3.800, 3.600 in the qualities of color, texture and general acceptance.

Phylogenetic Relationships of &lt;i&gt;Santalum album&lt;/i&gt; and its Adulterants as Inferred from Nuclear DNA Sequences

The East Indian sandalwood, <i>Santalum album,</i> valued for its fragrant oil yielding heartwood is a major ingredient in indigenous medicines and perfumes. Scarcity of sandal has led to illegal felling of sandal trees, and adulteration of sandalwood and oil. This study represents the first molecular phylogeny of <i>S. album</i> and its adulterant species <i>Osyris wightiana</i>, <i>Erythroxylum monogynum, Buxus sempervirens, Ximenia americana, Osyris lanceolata, </i>and <i>Chukrasia tabularis</i> through 18S and 26S rDNA sequencing. In the Maximum Parsimony (MP) tree for 18S and 26S rDNA data sets, moderate to high bootstrap support was obtained for the nodes. For 18S rDNA data sets, the tree had <i>B. sempervirens </i>and<i> X. Americana</i> as the upper branch, with <i>E. monogynum</i> branched separately to the cluster. The lower branch had <i>S. album </i>and<i> O. wightiana</i> with <i>O. lanceolata</i> joining separately to both clades of the tree. In the MP tree for 26S rDNA datasets, <i>S. album </i>and <i>O. wightiana</i> formed the major cluster with <i>X. americana</i> clustering separate and <i>B. sempervirens</i> and <i>O. wightiana </i>as the lower branch with<i> C. tabularis</i> clustering separate to the tree. The molecular data presented here provided useful information for resolving the phylogenetic relationship of these plants. Inferences from this study are in accordance with Cronquist’s system of classification of flowering plants where all the species originate from a single phylogenetic tree of Rosidae.

Otanthus maritimus (L.) Hoffmanns. & Link as a source of a bioactive and fragrant oil

The oils were investigated by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and the antifungal activity (minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal lethal concentrations) was evaluated against yeasts, dermatophyte and Aspergillus strains. Assessment of cell viability was made by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of Otanthus maritimus oil was evaluated by measuring nitric oxide (NO) production using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophages as in vitro inflammatory model.The main compounds of the oils are chrysanthenone (40.4–57.2%), filifolone (12.2–15.5%), cis-chrysantenyl acetate (10.1–12.2%) and α-pinene (6.7–7.2%).The oil revealed significant antifungal activity against dermatophyte strains and significantly inhibited NO production stimulated by LPS in macrophages, without affecting cell viability, at concentrations ranging from 0.16μL/mL to 0.32μL/mL.These findings add significant information to the pharmacological activity of O. maritimus essential oils, specifically to its antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, thus justifying and reinforcing the use of this plant in traditional medicine. Therefore, their beneficial effects and use in disease prevention, especially those related to fungal infections and inflammation, combined with the pleasant odor, should be explored in more depth for further application in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

The Sweet Smell Of Microbes

The flavor and fragrance industry experienced a shortage of patchouli oil in 2010 when soggy weather gave Indonesian growers a poor harvest of Pogostemon cablin, a perennial shrub in the mint family that is the source of the fragrant oil. That disappointment was followed by volcanic eruptions in the islands, which spawned earthquakes and a tsunami, further disrupting supply. The patchouli market has since recovered. “Prices have come down over the last couple of months. It is a good moment to buy now before the demand starts to pick up,” advises Eramex Aromatics, a German supplier of flavor and fragrance raw materials, in its March 2012 market report. The same cannot be said for some other flavor and fragrance raw materials. Among the difficult-to-source oils, Eramex reports, are bitter orange, grapefruit, rose, and sandalwood. Price swings and supply disruptions can be caused by disasters both natural and man-made. They include ...