Estrous cycle affects the neurochemical and neurobehavioral profile of carvacrol-treated female rats.

Carvacrol is the major constituent of essential oils from aromatic plants. It showed antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant properties. Although it was approved for food use and included in the chemical flavorings list, no indication on its safety has been estimated. Since the use of plant extracts is relatively high among women, aim of this study was to evaluate carvacrol effects on female physiology and endocrine profiles by using female rats in proestrus and diestrus phases. Serotonin and metabolite tissue content in prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, after carvacrol administration (0.15 and 0.45g/kg p.o.), was measured. Drug effects in behavioral tests for alterations in motor activity, depression, anxiety-related behaviors and endocrine alterations were also investigated. While in proestrus carvacrol reduced serotonin and metabolite levels in both brain areas, no effects were observed in diestrus phase. Only in proestrus phase, carvacrol induced a depressive-like behavior in forced swimming test, without accompanying changes in ambulation. The improvement of performance in FST after subchronic treatment with fluoxetine (20mg/kg) suggested a specific involvement of serotonergic system. No differences were found across the groups with regard to self-grooming behavior. Moreover, in proestrus phase, carvacrol reduced only estradiol levels without binding hypothalamic estradiol receptors. Our study showed an estrous-stage specific effect of carvacrol on depressive behaviors and endocrine parameters, involving serotonergic system. Given the wide carvacrol use not only as feed additive, but also as cosmetic essence and herbal remedy, our results suggest that an accurate investigation on the effects of its chronic exposure is warranted.

Cyanolipid-rich seed oils from Allophylus natalensis and A. dregeanus.

As a continuation of our study on plants of the Sapindaceae, the chemical composition of the oil extracted from seeds of Allophylus natalensis (Sonder) De Winter and of A. dregeanus (Sonder) De Winter has been investigated. The oil from both species contained approximately equal amounts of TAG and type I cyanolipids (CL), 1-cyano-2-hydroxymethylprop-2-en-1-ol-diesters, with minor amounts of type III CL, 1-cyano-2-hydroxymethylprop-1-en-3-ol-diesters. Structural investigation of the oil components was accomplished by chemical, chromatographic (TLC, CC, GC, and GC-MS), and spectroscopic (IR, NMR) means. GC and GC-MS analysis showed that C20 FA were dominant in the CL components of the oil from the two species (44-80% vs. 21-26% in TAG), with cis-11-eicosenoic acid (36-46%) and cis 13-eicosenoic acid (paullinic acid, 23-37%) as the major esterified fatty acyl chains in A. natalensis and A. dregeanus, respectively. cis-Vaccenic acid was particularly abundant (11-31%) in the CL from A. dregeanus, whereas eicosanoic acid (10-22%) was also a major component of CL in both species.

Extracts from St John's Wort and their antimicrobial activity.

In an effort to carry out a more in-depth investigation on the antimicrobial properties of H. perforatum, we have assayed different extracts (MeOH; petroleum ether; CHCl(3) and EtOAc) from the aerial parts of the plant against selected microorganisms. Growth inhibition was observed only for Gram-positive bacteria, B. subtilis and B. cereus being the most susceptible to the tested drugs. The Hypericum extract obtained with EtOAc was the most active. The main constituents of this extract, as determined by HPLC analysis, were flavonoids, hypericins and hyperforins. Incubation of the selected microorganisms with the pure chemicals resulted in a significant inhibition of their growth by hypericin, hyperforin and its stable dicyclohexilammonium salt. Flavonoids appeared inactive at all.

Seed oil composition of Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke.

The chemical composition of the oil extracted from the seeds of Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Ducke (syn. P. sorbilis) was investigated. Cyanolipids constituted 3% of the total oil from guaraná seeds, whereas acylglycerols accounted for 28%. 1H and 13C NMR analyses indicated that type I cyanolipids (1-cyano-2-hydroxymethylprop-2-ene-1-ol diesters) are present in the oil from P. cupana. GC and GC-MS analysis showed that cis-11-octadecenoic (cis-vaccenic acid) and cis-11-eicosenoic acids were the main FA (30.4 and 38.7%) esterified to the nitrile group. Paullinic acid (7.0%) was also an abundant component. Oleic acid (37.4%) was the dominant fatty acyl chain in the acylglycerols.

The genus Thapsia as a source of petroselinic acid.

We describe the results from the isolation and structural identification of the acylglycerol constituents of fruits from wild plants belonging to different species of Thapsia (Apiaceae). The isolated lipid fractions were analyzed and characterized by chemical, chromatographic, and spectroscopic means. In particular, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance data allowed the identification of petroselinic acid as the major fatty acid esterified to glycerol in the fruit oils from all the plant samples. This was also confirmed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry analyses of fatty acid methyl and butyl esters derivatives from Thapsia oil. The genus Thapsia should be regarded as a useful source for the extraction of petroselinic acid, which represents an important oleochemical raw material.

Allylsulfide constituents of garlic volatile oil as antimicrobial agents.

Six different mixtures of garlic distilled oils containing diallyl disulfide (DDS) and diallyl trisulfide (DTS), ranging from 1 to 51% and 88 to 38% respectively, have been assayed against a number of yeasts (C. albicans, C. tropicalis and B. capitatus), gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and B. subtilis) and gram-negative bacteria (P. aeruginosa and E. coli). Results obtained support a specific antifungal more than an antibacterial activity and implicate DDS as the active constituent. Incubation of garlic extracts made up of 1% DDS and 88% DTS resulted, in fact, in the absence of growth inhibition against all the tested microorganisms, whereas garlic oils with higher quantities of DDS showed significant inhibitory activity, increasing with the increase of DDS amount.

Characterization of chromosomes and genome organization of Thapsia garganica L. by localizations of rRNA genes using fluorescent in situ hybridization.

The karyotype (2n = 22) of Thapsia garganica L. (Apiaceae, Apioideae, Laserpitieae) was constructed using molecular cytogenetics. The size of the 22 chromosomes ranged between 5 and 10 microns. Two chromosomes had satellites on the short arms. The 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA genes were located to the two satellites by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The 5S rDNA repeat unit was amplified and located by FISH to one pair of the non-satellited chromosomes. Sequencing 5S rDNA of T. garganica revealed two classes of genes based on distinct intergenic spacer regions of 191/193-bp and 181-bp. respectively. The ITS1 and ITS2 of the 18S-5.8S-26S repeats were also amplified and phylogenetic analysis placed T. garganica in a distinct clade from the Daucus clade containing Laserpitium sp. The organization of T. garganica L. genome is tentatively divided in group A of 14 chromosomes with median centromere and of which one pair (q/p 1.22) contains single 5S rDNA locus on the long arm. Group B consists of six chromosomes with subterminal centromeres (q/p between 4.23 and 7.92) and finally group C with the satellited chromosome pair containing the 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA locus at the secondary constriction.

Antimicrobial activity of polyacetylenes from Bellis perennis and their synthetic derivatives.

The chemical investigation of the essential oils from the aerial organs of Bellis perennis L., the common daisy, showed that polyacetylenes were one of the dominant class of compounds. The major constituents, methyl deca-4,6-diynoate and deca-4,6-diynoic acid, and their structural analogues, deca-4,6-diyne, dimethyl octa-3,5-diyne-1,8-dioate and deca-4,6-diyne-1,10-dioic acid, were synthesised and their antimicrobial activity evaluated. Only deca-4,6-diynoic acid and deca-4,6-diyne-1,10-dioic acid showed antimicrobial activity, being the two compounds mainly effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively. Structure-activity relationships of the tested polyacetylenes are discussed.

Essential oils from fruits of three types of Thapsia villosa.

Thapsia villosa has been divided into five types and previous analyses of the essential oils from the fruits of two of these types showed that limonene and methyl eugenol were the major constituents. The composition of the essential oils from the fruits of the other three types of T. villosa, with the chromosome numbers 2n = 22 (2x), 2n = 22 (2x) and 2n = 44 (4x), is reported here. The oil from all three types shows a similar chemical profile, with geranyl acetate as the main constituent accounting for 78-92% of the total oil. The composition of the essential oils from these plants is clearly different from the first two types of T. villosa mentioned, and also from the other species within the genus Thapsia.