Rosmarinic Acid Research Articles

Chemical Composition and Quorum Sensing Inhibitory Effect of Nepeta curviflora Methanolic Extract against ESBL Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Bacterial biofilm is regarded as a significant threat to the production of safe food and the arise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the quorum sensing inhibitory effect of Nepeta curviflora methanolic extract. The effectiveness of the leaves at sub-inhibitory concentrations of 2.5, 1.25, and 0.6 mg/mL on the virulence factors and biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa was evaluated. The effect of N. curviflora methanolic extract on the virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, including pyocyanin, rhamnolipid, protease, and chitinase, was evaluated. Other tests including the crystal violet assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swarming motility, aggregation ability, hydrophobicity and exopolysaccharide production were conducted to assess the effect of the extract on the formation of biofilm. Insight into the mode of anti-quorum sensing action was evaluated by examining the effect of the extract on the activity of N-Acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) and the expression of pslA and pelA genes. The results showed a significant attenuation in the production of pyocyanin and rhamnolipid and in the activities of protease and chitinase enzymes at 2.5 and 1.25 mg/mL. In addition, N. curviflora methanolic extract significantly inhibited the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilm by decreasing aggregation, hydrophobicity, and swarming motility as well as the production of exopolysaccharide (EPS). A significant reduction in AHL secretion and pslA gene expression was observed, indicating that the extract inhibited quorum sensing by disrupting the quorum-sensing systems. The quorum-sensing inhibitory effect of N. curviflora extract appears to be attributed to the presence of kaempferol, quercetin, salicylic acid, rutin, and rosmarinic acid, as indicated by LCMS analysis. The results of the present study provide insight into the potential of developing anti-quorum sensing agents using the extract and the identified compounds to treat infections resulting from quorum sensing-mediated bacterial pathogenesis.

Determination of Antioxidant Activities in Raw and Boiled Extractions of Raphanus raphanistrum L. Species Naturally Growing in Edremit Gulf (Balıkesir/Turkey)

The plants that naturally spread in Edremit Gulf are consumed by the local people in various ways either cooked or raw. In this study, Raphanus raphanistrum species from the Brassicaceae family, which is also known to be used as food, was used. DPPH and CUPRAC antioxidant activity analyses were carried out on the extracts obtained from the aerial parts of the raw and boiled fresh plant. The total phenolic contents were determined and the phenolic compounds contained and their interactions with the boiling process were determined by HPLC method. The extracts were stored in a deep freezer at -20 °C to be used in further studies. In terms of the total amount of phenolic compounds, 12.65 µg GAE/mg extract was detected in the boiled extract of R. raphanistrum species, and it has a higher value compared to the raw extract. In the boiled extract, which has a higher value in terms of total flavonoid content than raw, was found 54 µg Rutin Equivalent /mg fresh extract. Compared to the CUPRAC method, the boiled extract showed higher (68.58 µgTE/mg extract) activity. The antioxidant activity of the boiled extract was found to be higher than the DPPH method, and the EC 50 value was measured as 1975.25 µg/mL. According to HPLC method, resveratrol, rosmarinic acid, quersetin, kaempferol and naringenin substances were determined as in the raw extract. It was determined that while naringenin was destroyed in the boiled extract, were changed the amounts of other phenolic compounds.

Use of ice teas formulated with black teas prepared with different infusion methods and grape juice in the production of water kefir beverages

In this research, ice teas formulated with black teas prepared with cold and hot infusion methods and grape juice were subjected to fermentation with water kefir grains. The fermentation process lasted 48 h at 25 °C, followed by a 14-day storage period at 4 °C. As a result of fermentation with water kefir grains, a decrease in pH and total soluble solid content of ice teas and an increase in titratable acidity were detected. At the end of fermentation, the CO2 amount was determined to be 1.86 g/100 mL in teas prepared with a cold infusion and 2.23 g/100 mL in teas prepared with a hot infusion. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of ice teas prepared with the hot infusion method gave higher values. The duration of storage led to a decrease in the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content for both formulations. While the glucose, fructose, and sucrose values of teas prepared with the cold infusion method were 4.109%, 4.804%, and 2.312% at the end of fermentation, these values were found to be 4.649%, 5.528%, and 1.273% in the teas prepared with the hot infusion method. The analysis of the phenolic components showed that the main phenolic components were gallic acid, quercetin, epicatechin, and rosmarinic acid. It was found that the number of Lactobacillus spp. was 7.55 to 8.14, the number of Lactococcus spp. was 6.80 to 7.36, the total number of mesophilic and aerobic bacteria was 7.57 to 8.27, and the yeast count was 5.22 to 5.90 in ice teas made with different infusion methods and while they were stored. As a result of sensory analysis with produced water kefir beverages, panelists showed a significant preference for the hot infusion formulation. As a result, the produced ice tea formulations could be used as a fermentation medium by the microorganisms in water kefir grains, and ice teas with functional properties were produced.

Comprehensive characterization of physicochemical, thermal, compositional, and sensory properties of cold-pressed rosehip seed oil

In this study, cold-pressed rosehip seed oil was fully characterized. Acidity and oxidation levels were near the limit values or slightly exceeded them and improvement in the storage conditions was suggested. The oil started to crystallize at -45.25 °C, and melt at -25.56 °C. Linoleic acid (51.1%), β-sitosterol (84.6%), γ-tocopherol (773.76 µg/g) and rosmarinic acid (31.38 µg/g) were determined as major fatty acid, sterol, tocopherol and phenolic compound, respectively. For the first time, aromatic volatile compounds and sensory descriptive terms were determined for cold-pressed rosehip seed oil. Sixty-seven volatile compounds were detected and L-limonene was found to be a major volatile compound. According to the sensory analysis, timber/kindling and raw vegetable tastes/aromas were found to be relatively dominant. Consequently, it is thought that rosehip seeds can be used as a raw material for edible and nutritionally-rich cold-pressed oil production and/or as source oil for functional food preparations.

Development, bioactive and sensory analysis of the honey-filled chocolate pralines infused with ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) extract

Chocolate is consumed largely worldwide and it is known as one of the most craved foods. The market of chocolate products is growing steadily and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The aim of the present study was to formulate chocolate pralines with enriched sensory and bioactive attributes by incorporating different types of honey (false indigo, buckwheat, rapeseed, mandarin and sage) and ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) extract as ingredients of the filler. The honey samples were subjected to physico-chemical analysis, sugar analysis using the HPLC-RID methodology, as well as to evaluation of antioxidant capacity. The bioactive and sensory properties and sugar composition of the formulated pralines were determined. Bioactive characterization included the determination of phenolic profile by HPLC-PAD methodology. Buckwheat honey showed the most pronounced antioxidant capacity with the value of 3.21 and 2.06 µmol Trolox/g dmb, determined by ABTS and DPPH assays, respectively, while the lowest values were measured for mandarin honey (0.41 and 0.32 µmol Trolox/g dmb). Specific bioactive compounds of cocoa: epicatechin, theobromine and caffeine, were detected in all formulated chocolate pralines, as well as the most predominant phenolic compounds of ground ivy: chlorogenic, caffeic, rosmarinic acid and rutin. Such enriched bioactive composition contributed to the pronounced antioxidant capacity of chocolate pralines. Finally, chocolate pralines prepared with mandarin honey were sensory evaluated as the sweetest and gained the highest scores for the overall acceptability.

A Comprehensive Study on Chemical and Biological Investigation of Thymus Brachychilus Jalas: A Rich Source of Ursolic and Oleanolic Acids

The significance of Thymus species in the scientific community is growing steadily due to their extensive utilization in traditional medicine, food industry, and pharmaceutical sector, owing to their abundance in essential oil and phytochemical content, rendering them commercially significant species. The current work focuses on conducting a comprehensive analysis of the ethanol extract and essential oil derived from the root and aerial portions of Thymus brachychilus Jalas, an endemic species that has not been previously investigated. Additionally, a novel GC-MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) technique was developed to quantify the levels of triterpenoids, which are frequently found in many plants, particularly those belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The approach was then used to assess the triterpenoid content of the species. While the phenolic content of the species was determined by LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry), the chemical composition of triterpenoid, essential oil and flavor (aroma) of the plant was determined by GC-MS. Eucalyptol was the primary ingredient in both the essential oil and the flavor, accounting for 11.05% and 12.35%, respectively. In the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging techniques, the root ethanol extract exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 26.70 ± 0.23 and 19.16 ± 0.11 µg/mL, respectively. There was a high level of urease (59.54 ± 1.67% at 100 µg/mL) inhibitory activity observed in the root ethanol extract in enzyme inhibition assays, as well as angiotensin (94.80 ± 0.56%), elastase (40.19 ± 0.39%), and collagenase (48.26 ± 0.12%) inhibition in the aerial ethanol extract. Moreover, the MCF-7 cell line for breast cancer had a strong cytotoxic impact when exposed to the essential oil of the species (vitality%: 1.45 ± 0.01 at 200 µg/mL. The LC-MS/MS and GC-MS studies revealed that the roots had a significant concentration of rosmarinic acid (15,801 µg analyte/g extract), but the aerial portions had a substantial quantity of ursolic acid (152,374 µg analyte/g extract). The plant exhibits potential in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors on account of its elevated levels of rosmarinic and ursolic acid, superior antioxidant capacity, and angiotensin and urease inhibitory effect.

Effects of rosmarinic acid on immune response and intestinal microbiota in ovalbumin-induced intestinal allergy mice.

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an active polyphenol that is widely found in various edible herbs. This study explored the potential anti-allergic activities and the underlying mechanisms of RA in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced intestinal allergic mice. Forty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, model group (OVA sensitized/challenged), RA-Low group (OVA sensitized/challenged, 30 mg kg-1 RA intervention), RA-Middle group (OVA sensitized/challenged, 90 mg kg-1 RA intervention) and RA-High group (OVA sensitized/challenged, 270 mg kg-1 RA intervention). RA effectively attenuated allergic reactions, including alleviating allergic symptoms and regulating the hypothermia of mice in the model group. Moreover, the anaphylactic mediator (OVA-specific IgE, histamine and mMCP-1) levels of OVA allergic mice were markedly decreased after RA intervention. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that RA significantly inhibited Th2 cytokine expression, while Th1 and Treg cytokines were markedly increased. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that RA effectively regulated the richness and diversity of the intestinal microbiota in OVA allergic mice. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio were altered by RA intervention. At the genus level, RA was found to regulate the disturbances in the relative abundance of Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus and Prevotella. RA exhibited potential anti-allergic activity in OVA allergic mice by regulating hypersensitive immune responses and the intestinal microbiota structure. These results provide important evidence that RA can be developed into a novel functional food-derived ingredient against food allergy. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Розмариновая кислота из Salvia stepposa и ее антирадикальная активность

применяются в народной медицине многих стран как лекарственное сырье. В настоящее время в Государственную фармакопею Республики Казахстан включен только Шалфей лекарственный (Salvia officinalis L.), однако в естественных условиях Центрального Казахстана этот вид не произрастает. В качестве замещающего растения нами предложен Шалфей степной (Salvia stepposa Des.-Shost.), широко распространенный на территории Республики Казахстан, имеющийся значительные сырьевые ресурсы и обладающий сравнительно выраженными антимикробными, противовоспалительными, антиоксидантными свойствами за счет мажорного компонента в своем составе фенилпропаноида розмариновой кислоты.Экстракция сырья впервые проведена различными методами с использованием ультразвуковой кавитации, микроволновой экстракции и мацерации с использованием водно-этанольных растворов. Методом ВЭЖХ проведено определение содержания розмариновой кислоты в сухих экстрактах шалфея степного. Максимальный выход экстрактов отмечен при микроволновой экстракции 40%-ным этиловым спиртом. Для последующей стандартизации лекарственных средств на основе шалфея степного нами был выделен и идентифицирован основной компонент — розмариновая кислота, которая обладает антирадикальной активностью.

Unveiling the Dual Nature of Heavy Metals: Stressors and Promoters of Phenolic Compound Biosynthesis in Basilicum polystachyon (L.) Moench In Vitro.

The global industrial revolution has led to a substantial rise in heavy metal levels in the environment, posing a serious threat to nature. Plants synthesize phenolic compounds under stressful conditions, which serve as protective agents against oxidative stress. Basilicum polystachyon (L.) Moench is an herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. Some species within this family are recognized for their capacity to remediate sites contaminated with heavy metals. In this study, the effects of mercury (II) chloride and lead (II) nitrate on the in vitro propagation of B. polystachyon were investigated. Shoot tips from in vitro plantlets were cultured in Murashige and Skoog's (MS) media with heavy metals ranging from 1 to 200 µM to induce abiotic stress and enhance the accumulation of phenolic compounds. After three weeks, MS medium with 1 µM of lead (II) supported the highest shoot multiplication, and the maximum number of roots per explant was found in 100 µM of lead (II), whereas a higher concentration of heavy metals inhibited shoot multiplication and root development. The plantlets were hardened in a greenhouse with a 96% field survival rate. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) was used to detect heavy metal contents in plant biomass. At both 200 µM and 50 µM concentrations, the greatest accumulation of mercury (II) was observed in the roots (16.94 ± 0.44 µg/g) and shoots (17.71 ± 0.66 µg/g), respectively. Similarly, lead (II) showed the highest accumulation in roots (17.10 ± 0.54 µg/g) and shoots (7.78 ± 0.26 µg/g) at 200 µM and 50 µM exposures, respectively. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) identified and quantified various phenolic compounds in B. polystachyon leaves, including gallic acid, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, ellagic acid, rosmarinic acid, and trans-cinnamic acid. These compounds were found in different forms, such as free, esterified, and glycosylated. Mercury (II)-exposed plants exhibited elevated levels of vanillic acid (1959.1 ± 3.66 µg/g DW), ellagic acid (213.55 ± 2.11 µg/g DW), and rosmarinic acid (187.72 ± 1.22 µg/g DW). Conversely, lead (II)-exposed plants accumulated higher levels of caffeic acid (42.53±0.61 µg/g DW) and p-coumaric acid (8.04 ± 0.31 µg/g DW). Trans-cinnamic acid was the predominant phenolic compound in control plants, with a concentration of 207.74 ± 1.45 µg/g DW. These results suggest that sublethal doses of heavy metals can act as abiotic elicitors, enhancing the production of phenolic compounds in B. polystachyon. The present work has the potential to open up new commercial opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Antioxidant Capacities and Antimicrobial Activities of Some Salvia L. Seeds

The goal of present study is to find the penolic contents, antioxidant activities and antimicrobial capacities in the seeds of five Salvia L. taxa two of which are endemics (Salvia euphratica var. leiocalycina and Salvia euphratica var. euphratica). The flavonoid and phenolic acid are determined by using HPLC while the antioxidant activities are determined based on different methods. Also, the antimicrobial activities of some Salvia species are determined by using the well agar method. The current study found that the studied Salvia species have low flavonoid. It has been found that Salvia euphratica var. euphratica has high vanillic acid, ferulic acid and rosmarinic acid among the studied taxa. Similarly, it has been found that Salvia euphratica var. euphratica has high DPPH and ABTS radical scavening capacity in all concentrations. It has been also found that Salvia euphratica var. euphratica has highest total phenolic content (372,63±0,87 µgGAE/mg) whilst Salvia tricholoda has low total phenolic content (46,41±1,71 µgGAE/mg). In addition, this study demonstrated that Salvia tricholoda has lowest metal chelating activity (37,35±0,51%). Furthermore, present study found that the lipid peroxidation levels of the studied Salvia taxa are between 18,21±0,37 mg/kg and 21,03±0,22 mg/kg while it has been found that the antibacterial properties of the Salvia taxa under study are altering.

Molecular Docking of Bioactive Compounds from Thai Medicinal Plants Against Xanthine Oxidase for Gout Treatment

Xanthine oxidase (XO) is a crucial enzyme of the purine catabolism pathway, which catalyzes the reaction of hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid. The high level of uric acid leads to gout, kidney disease, and several disorders. In this study, molecular docking was performed to investigate potential bioactive compounds from Thai medicinal plants that acted as XO inhibitors compared to commercial drugs. Among 30 bioactive compounds tested, 16 were classified as strong XO inhibitors. These compounds include asiatic acid, benzyl glucosinolate, beta-sitosterol, chlorogenic acid, curcumin, eupatorin, gamma-mangostin, hibiscitrin, lutein, nimbolide, piperine, quercetin, rosmarinic acid, rutin, sesamin, and vitexin. They exhibited binding affinity values ranging from -8.5 to -10.6 kcal/mol. Moreover, moderate XO inhibitors were identified with binding affinity of -6.2 to -8.0 kcal/mol, consisting of the 7 compounds of gallic acid, garcinia acid, gingerol, limonene, linalyl acetate, panduratin A, and scopoletin. As a result, Thai medicinal plants could serve as potential sources of bioactive compounds for further drug design for treating gout patients.

An Integrated In Silico and In Vitro Approach for the Identification of Natural Products Active against SARS-CoV-2.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has provoked a global health crisis due to the absence of a specific therapeutic agent. 3CLpro (also known as the main protease or Mpro) and PLpro are chymotrypsin-like proteases encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and play essential roles during the virus lifecycle. Therefore, they are recognized as a prospective therapeutic target in drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, this work aims to collectively present potential natural 3CLpro and PLpro inhibitors by in silico simulations and in vitro entry pseudotype-entry models. We screened luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (L7OG), cynarin (CY), folic acid (FA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) molecules against PLpro and 3CLpro through a luminogenic substrate assay. We only reported moderate inhibitory activity on the recombinant 3CLpro and PLpro by L7OG and FA. Afterward, the entry inhibitory activity of L7OG and FA was tested in cell lines transduced with the two different SARS-CoV-2 pseudotypes harboring alpha (α) and omicron (o) spike (S) protein. The results showed that both compounds have a consistent inhibitory activity on the entry for both variants. However, L7OG showed a greater degree of entry inhibition against α-SARS-CoV-2. Molecular modeling studies were used to determine the inhibitory mechanism of the candidate molecules by focusing on their interactions with residues recognized by the protease active site and receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike SARS-CoV-2. This work allowed us to identify the binding sites of FA and L7OG within the RBD domain in the alpha and omicron variants, demonstrating how FA is active in both variants. We have confidence that future in vivo studies testing the safety and effectiveness of these natural compounds are warranted, given that they are effective against a variant of concerns.

The Effect of Municipal Biosolids on the Growth, Physiology and Synthesis of Phenolic Compounds in Ocimum basilicum L.

The continuous development of drinking water networks is leading to the production of increasing amounts of waste water and sewage sludge. Secondary-treated sewage sludge is called biosolids and can be used as fertilizers in agriculture due to its rich nutrient content. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of biosolids mixed with an eroded soil on the morphology, physiology and synthesis of bioactive compounds in basil. The study was performed in pots under laboratory-controlled conditions. In total, four substrates were tested: S1 biosolids 100%, S2 biosolids 15% + eroded soil 85%, S3 eroded soil 100% and S4 control (commercial growing substrate). At the morphological level, a significant increase in plant height, number of branches, fresh biomass and dry biomass was found in the S2 variant. At the physiological level, photosynthesis and chlorophyll content did not vary significantly, but the quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII) was significantly higher at S1 and S2. The oxidative status evaluated by determining the activity of SOD, POD and CAT enzymes was better in S2 and S3 compared to S3. Regarding the synthesis of bioactive compounds (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and gallic acid), it was stimulated in S1 and S2. In conclusion, biosolids application stimulated the stress response mechanisms in basil plants by increasing the quantum yield chlorophyll fluorescence and catalase activity, alleviating the negative effects of eroded soil.

Suppressive Activity of Glechoma hederacea Extracts against the Phytopathogenic Oomycete Plasmopara viticola, and First Screening of the Active Metabolites

Plasmopara viticola is a destructive oomycete that affects grapevines, causing significant economic losses worldwide. This study highlights how the plant Glechoma hederacea might be at the basis for the development of biofungicides to control P. viticola. The aqueous extract obtained from G. hederacea aerial parts showed strong inhibition activity against P. viticola, comparable to that of copper hydroxide. The bioguided purification of the extract by chromatographic techniques led to the isolation of six pure metabolites, identified as the aromatic compounds carvacrol, caffeic acid and methyl caffeate, the flavonoids cirsimaritin and apigenin and the polyphenolic acid rosmarinic acid by spectroscopic methods. This is the first report about the isolation of methyl caffeate and cirsimaritin from G. hederacea. Caffeic acid and methyl caffeate showed the highest disease severity reduction, while carvacrol, cirsimaritin and apigenin also showed moderate activity against P. viticola. The inhibitory activity of the aqueous extract could suggest synergetic or additive action of caffeic acid and methyl caffeate together with other compounds contained in the extract. This study provides insights into the potential of G. hederacea as an allelopathic tool for developing control methods against P. viticola, revealing the combined action of different metabolites involved in the mechanism of action of the active compounds.

Rosemary as a Potential Source of Natural Antioxidants and Anticancer Agents: A Molecular Docking Study.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. compounds, especially its main polyphenolic compounds, carnosic acid (CA) and rosmarinic acid (RA), influence various facets of cancer biology, making them valuable assets in the ongoing fight against cancer. These two secondary metabolites exhibit formidable antioxidant properties that are a pivotal contributor against the development of cancer. Their antitumor effect has been related to diverse mechanisms. In the case of CA, it has the capacity to induce cell death of cancer cells through the rise in ROS levels within the cells, the inhibition of protein kinase AKT, the activation of autophagy-related genes (ATG) and the disrupt mitochondrial membrane potential. Regarding RA, its antitumor actions encompass apoptosis induction through caspase activation, the inhibition of cell proliferation by interrupting cell cycle progression and epigenetic regulation, antioxidative stress-induced DNA damage, and interference with angiogenesis to curtail tumor growth. To understand the molecular interaction between rosemary compounds (CA and RA) and a protein that is involved in cancer and inflammation, S100A8, we have performed a series of molecular docking analyses using the available three-dimensional structures (PDBID: 1IRJ, 1MR8, and 4GGF). The ligands showed different binding intensities in the active sites with the protein target molecules, except for CA with the 1MR8 protein.

Effects of hydrolyzed animal protein application on nitrogen translocation, phenolic and volatile profile of Ocimum basilicum L. under salinity conditions

The application of biostimulants based on hydrolysed animal protein to leaves (foliar) or nutrient solution was studied on hydroponically grown Genovese 'Marian' basil grown under salinity conditions. The effect on N yield and N fertilizer utilization was tested with the stable isotope 15N, which indicated the part of the plant that accumulated the highest amount of N. The use of the biostimulant in the nutrient solution produced the best results regarding N fertilizer utilization and N yield, being about 13 % higher than the foliar application and 24 % higher than the salt control (SC) treatment. In general, basil leaves contained the most N from the fertilizer. The total analysed phenolic content (TAPC) was 270.1 % higher in the nutrient solution-applied biostimulant (NSB) than in the control (C) treatment and 211.9 % higher than in the SC treatment. Foliar application of the biostimulant (FB) showed lower efficacy than NSB regarding phenolic contents. The most abundant individual phenolics in basil were dihydroxyphenyllactic acid dimer, caffeic acid hexoside derivatives, and rosmarinic acid. NSB increased the total sesquiterpene content by 25.2 % and the total alcohol content by 31.8 % compared to SC treatment. In addition, NSB increased the total aldehydes content by 27.0 % compared to SC treatment. The total volatile content was less variable than the individual volatiles. The results of our study show how different application methods of the biostimulant affect nitrogen conversion and utilization in different plant parts of basil and how they influence the internal quality of basil.

Exploring the potent in vitro antiviral activity of Faramir®: A tailored Salvia officinalis extraction utilizing the sequential solvent polarity method

Salvia officinalis, known as Sage, serves as a rich source of natural compounds that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities. Antioxidant activity has been demonstrated to be enhanced when medicinal herbs are extracted using sequential polar solvents, as revealed by previous studies. In this study, we examined the antiviral potential of Sage extract through successive extractions using organic solvents of increasing polarity (hexane, chloroform, ethanol, acetone, methanol, and water). The antiviral effectiveness of the selected extract fraction, Faramir®, was assessed against human immunodeficiency virus using ELISA and MTT assays conducted on Jurkat cells. Moreover, Faramir® antiviral activity was also examined against SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza viruses using the TCID50 assay, employing Vero E6 and MDCK cell lines, respectively. The findings indicated that the inhibitory effects of Faramir® on HIV replication are dependent on the concentration, as demonstrated through serial dilutions (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/mL). The highest inhibitory effect was observed at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL. Furthermore, the TCID50 assay demonstrated that the antiviral activity of Faramir® is time-dependent. The highest level of antiviral activity was observed at the 5-minute mark following treatment. Subsequently, the extract fraction exhibiting the highest antiviral activity (Faramir®) was subjected to analysis using HPLC and GC-MS and found to contain three classes of phenolic molecules, namely flavonoids (such as Apigenin), hydroxylated compounds (including rosmarinic acid), and terpenes (such as alpha pinene). Based on these findings, it is suggested that Faramir® holds great potential as a novel natural therapeutic extract for combating viral infections.

Chemical Composition and Biological Potential of Different Extracts of Two Medicinal Plants from Northern Algeria

This work aime to study the chemical composition and the main biological properties contained in the extracts of Lavandula stoechas and Pistacia lentiscus collected in northern Algeria. Lavandula stoechas and Pistacia lentiscus are two medicinal plants belonging to the botanical family Labiatae and Anacardeacea respectively. They are grow wild in the northen Algeria and widely used in traditional Algerian medicine. The GC/MS analysis of the essential oils of Lavandula stoechas extracted by hydrodistillation showed that the latter are of fenchone chemotype whatever the period and the site of harvest. LC/MS analysis of tannin powders extracted by maceration of the leaves in a hydroalcoholic solvent reveals that they mainly contain rosmarinic acid. Essential oils extracted from the leaves of Pistacia lentiscus showed a large variability in terpenoid. The antioxidant activity of the different essential oils varied according to the harvesting period and the altitude. The highest antiradical effects were observed with the FRAP test. An another side the Pistacia lentiscus extracts showed to have an α-glucosidase inhibition effect that was more or less impactful according to the plant’s living environment (mountain or littoral) and the considered organ (leaves, stem barks or fruits).

Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed the potential inhibitory activity of honey-iQfood ingredients against GSK-3β and CDK5 protein targets for brain health

Honey-iQfood is an herbal supplement made of a mixture of polyherbal extracts and wild honey. The mixture is traditionally claimed to improve various conditions related to brain cells and functions including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) have been identified as being involved in the pathological hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins, which leads to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles and causes Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, this study was conducted to confirm the traditional claims by detection of active compounds, namely curcumin, gallic acid, catechin, rosmarinic acid, and andrographolide in the raw materials of Honey-iQfood through HPLC analysis, molecular docking, and dynamic simulations. Two potential compounds, andrographolide, and rosmarinic acid, produced the best binding affinities following the molecular docking of the active compounds against the GSK-3β and CDK5 targets. Andrographolide binds with GSK-3β at −8.2 kcal/mol, whereas rosmarinic acid binds to CDK5 targets at −8.6 kcal/mol. Molecular dynamics was further carried out to confirm the docking results and clarify their dynamic properties such as RMSD, RMSF, rGyr, SASA, PSA, and binding free energy. CDK5-andrographolide complexes had the best MM-GBSA score (−83.63 kcal/mol) compared to other complexes, indicating the better interaction profile and stability of the complex. These findings warrant further research into andrographolide and rosmarinic acid as efficient inhibitors of tau protein hyperphosphorylation to verify their therapeutic potential in brain-related illnesses. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Phenolic Compounds of Phlomis tuberosa by LC–MS/MS‐Determination of Antioxidant Activity, Molecular Docking, and Enzyme Inhibition Profiles

AbstractPhlomis species have traditionally been employed for the treatment of a number of ailments such as influenza, the common cold, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and gastrointestinal disorders. The goal of this study is to compare the anti‐diabetic, anti‐glaucoma, and anti‐Alzheimer's properties and antioxidant activities of methanol (MEPT) and aqueous (WEPT) extracts from the aerial part of P. tuberosa L. Tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography (LC–MS/MS) were used to investigate the compounds of MEPT and WEPT. The inhibitory effects of MEPT and WEPT on the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) and α‐glycosidase were investigated and molecular docking studies demonstrated binding interactions between the major compounds chlorogenic acid, cyanidin‐3‐O‐glycoside, quinic acid, rosmarinic acid with AChE, CA II and α‐glycosidase enzymes. In addition to that, the total content of phenols and flavonoids was analyzed. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, ABTS, DMPD, ferrous ions (Fe2+) chelating, FRAP, CUPRAC, and ferric ions (Fe3+) reducing methods. This study is the first of its kind to show that MEPT and WEPT possess inhibitory effects on AChE, CA II and α‐glycosidase, as well as displaying antioxidant properties.