A Novel Approach: Targeting Virulence Factors of Candida albicans with Essential Oil Components.

AIMS: Focusing on phytochemicals to target the virulence factors of Candida albicans is a promising avenue for novel antifungal compounds. Given the limited prior research on essential oil (EO) components and their specific effects on C. albicans virulence, our study aimed to explore their impact and uncover the underlying mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the effects on viability, dimorphic transition, biofilm formation, and changes in the expression of critical virulence-related genes. The results showed that Dehydrocostus Lactone, displayed the most potent growth-inhibiting activity with the lowest MIC value, followed by Thymol, and Costunolide. A substantial, dose-dependent decrease in germ tube formation occurred after exposure to sub-inhibitory concentrations of the EO components, with Carvacrol, Dehydrocostus Lactone, and Thymol exerting the most potent inhibitory effects. Across sub-inhibitory concentrations, Alpha Bisabolol consistently showcased the most potent antibiofilm activity followed by lower but significant inhibitory effects with Dehydrocostus Lactone, Thymol, Alpha Pinene, Costunolide, Carvone, and Carvacrol. Alpha Bisabolol, Alpha Pinene and Dehydrocostus Lactone caused almost total downregulation of ACT1 whilst minimal changes occurred in expression of HWP1, SAP4, ALS3 and ECE1. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that actin is essential for various cellular processes, including budding, cell shape maintenance, and the formation of filaments in C. albicans, it is a plausible hypothesis that inhibiting ACT1 or disturbing actin's normal functioning could potentially affect the fungus's virulence, which warrants additional research and exploration. This study underscores the potent antifungal and anti-virulence properties of various EO components which effectively cripple C. albicans and reduce its disease-causing ability. This innovative approach holds promise for effective clinical therapies.

Disease resistance conferred by components of essential chrysanthemum oil and the epigenetic regulation of OsTPS1.

The sesquiterpene alpha-bisabolol is the predominant active ingredient in essential oils that are highly valued in the cosmetics industry due to its wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and skin-soothing properties. Alpha-bisabolol was thought to be restricted to Compositae plants. Here we reveal that alpha-bisabolol is also synthesized in rice, a non-Compositae plant, where it acts as a novel sesquiterpene phytoalexin. Overexpressing the gene responsible for the biosynthesis of alpha-bisabolol, OsTPS1, conferred bacterial blight resistance in rice. Phylogenomic analyses revealed that alpha-bisabolol-synthesizing enzymes in rice and Compositae evolved independently. Further experiments demonstrated that the natural variation in the disease resistance level was associated with differential transcription of OsTPS1 due to polymorphisms in its promoter. We demonstrated that OsTPS1 was regulated at the epigenetic level by JMJ705 through the methyl jasmonate pathway. These data reveal the cross-family accumulation and regulatory mechanisms of alpha-bisabolol production.

A novel sorbent based on carbon nanotube/amino-functionalized sol-gel for the headspace solid-phase microextraction of α-bisabolol from medicinal plant samples using experimental design.

A novel sol-gel coating on a stainless-steel fiber was developed for the first time for the headspace solid-phase microextraction and determination of α-bisabolol with gas chromatography and flame ionization detection. The parameters influencing the efficiency of solid-phase microextraction process, such as extraction time and temperature, pH, and ionic strength, were optimized by the experimental design method. Under optimized conditions, the linear range was between 0.0027 and 100 µg/mL. The relative standard deviations determined at 0.01 and 1.0 µg/mL concentration levels (n = 3), respectively, were as follows: intraday relative standard deviations 3.4 and 3.3%; interday relative standard deviations 5.0 and 4.3%; and fiber-to-fiber relative standard deviations 6.0 and 3.5%. The relative recovery values were 90.3 and 101.4% at 0.01 and 1.0 µg/mL spiking levels, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to various real samples containing α-bisabolol.

The sesquiterpene α-bisabolol in the adipocyte-cancer desmoplastic crosstalk: does it have an action on epithelial-mesenchymal transition mechanisms?

Alpha-bisabolol is a plant-derived sesquiterpene alcohol recently associated with a supposed anti-cancer action due to its ability to induce BID-related apoptosis. The molecule, which enters the cell through lipid rafts, may also interact with kisspeptin receptor 1, which has recently been associated with tumor mobility and invasiveness. This evidence suggests the possibility that α-bisabolol might act on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition mechanism, closely associated with the desmoplastic reaction of adipose tissue surrounding a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This review addresses the issue on the basis of the most recent reported literature in the field.

Estudo clínico, monocego, da tolerabilidade cutânea e eficácia preventiva de assaduras de um produto tópico*, em condições reais de uso / A monoblind clinical trial study of cutaneous tolerability and preventive efficacy for diaper's rash os a topic product in real life or real use conditions

O uso crescente de produtos cosméticos tem sido cada vez mais comum em nosso meio, fazendo parte do receituário médico. O presente estudo tem por finalidade determinar a prevalência de reações adversas, em condições reais de uso, de um hidratante infantil contendo alantoína e alfa-bisabolol. Também foi avaliada a eficácia preventiva de assaduras.

Rendimento e composição química do óleo essencial da camomila [Chamomilla recutita (L. ) Rauschert] submetida à secagem à 70º C / Essential oil yield and chemical composition of chamomile [Chamomilla recutita (L. ) Rauschert] under drying air temperature of 70º C

Com o objetivo de avaliar o rendimento e a composição química do óleo essencial de camomila, monitorouse periodicamente o processo de secagem em camada fixa à 70º C, realizada no município de Campo Largo– PR, num secador da “CHAMEL Ind. e Com. de Produtos Naturais LTDA.”, na safra de 2004. Simultaneamente à secagem, as substâncias arrastadas pelo vapor d’água foram recuperadas por condensação. As determinações analíticas foram realizadas nos Laboratórios de Fitoquímica e de Análisesde Combustíveis Automotivos - LACAUT, por meio da hidrodestilação e cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas. Os dados foram avaliados por meio de regressões polinomiais (P£0,01). A redução do teor de água da camomila foi progressiva durante o processo de secagem; a redução do teor de óleo essencial da camomila ocorreu no início da secagem; é possível recuperar as substâncias volatilizadas durante a secagem à 70º C; na água aromática (condensado) foram identificados: artemísia cetona, oxido de bisabolol B, alfa-bisabolol, oxido de bisaboleno e oxido de bisabolol A; a concentração dos componentes, exceto para o alfa-pineno, do óleo essencial da camomila são alterados apenas numericamente, sem comportamento peculiar em relação às condições de tempo de secagem.

The drying process under 70º C was periodically monitored, in Campo Largo-PR, in “CHAMEL Ind. eCom. de Produtos Naturais LTDA.”, in the 2004 harvest. Simultaneously to the drying, the substancesdragged by the steam of water were recovered by condensation. The hydrodistillation and GC-MSanalyses were done in the UFPR Laboratories. A randomized experimental design was used, throughpolynomials regressions (P£0,01). The reduction of the water content and chamomile essential oil wasprogressive during the drying process; the reduction of the tenor of essential oil of the chamomilehappens in the beginning of the drying; was possible to recover the substances volatilized during under70º C drying temperature; the aromatic water (condensed) composition was: artemisia ketona, bisabololoxide B, alpha-bisabolol, bisabolene oxide, bisabolol oxide A; the essential oil components concentrationof the chamomile, except for the alpha-pinene, were just numerically altered, without peculiar behavior inrelation to the conditions of drying time.