Exploring the impact of seasonal variations on the chemical composition, antinociceptive, and anti-inflammatory properties of Pogostemon heyneanus Benth. essential oil.

Background: Pogostemon heyneanus leaves infusions are relevant in ethnopharmacology for treating colds, coughs, headaches, and asthma. Purpose: The essential oil chemical composition of a Pogostemon heyneanus specimen was monthly monitored from October 2021 to July 2022 to evaluate the climatic influences on its yield and chemical composition and antinociceptive, andanti-inflammatory properties. Methods: The leaves, collected monthly over a 10-month period, were submitted to hydrodistillation. The oils obtained were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer and gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detector. The P. heyneanus essential oil (PhEO) was tested in vivo to evaluate its peripheral analgesic actions through the abdominal writhing test induced by acetic acid, and peripheral analgesia by tail immersion. Neurogenic and inflammatory pain were evaluated by formalin test, and acute oral toxicity of the oil was also verified. Results: PhEO presented 27 chemical constituents with the highest predominance of patchoulol (43.6%-76.9%), α-bulnesene (0.2%-12.7%), α-guaiene (0.4%-8.9%), seychellene (3.8%-5.1%) and pogostol (0.0%-8.2%). The climatic parameters insolation, humidity, rainfall, and temperature did not influence the essential oil yield or the main chemical constituents, except for pogostol, which presented a strong (r = 0.73) and statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlation with temperature. PhEO did not display toxicity at the maximum 300 mg/kg dosage. The oil showed low peripheral and central analgesic action at 100 mg/kg, while in the neurogenic and inflammatory pain inhibition tests, no actions related to PhEO were observed. In the carrageenan-induced peritonitis test, PhEO did not reduce the migration of leukocytes to the peritoneal cavity compared to the control group. Conclusion: Pogostemon heyneanus is a resistant plant to seasonal influences and a source of patchoulol. Despite ethnopharmacological indications, no in-vivo biological activities such as neurogenic or inflammatory pain were identified in the present work. So, the low influence of the climatic parameters on chemical composition can infer that the low pharmacological activity is also not subject to climatic variations, that is, it does not change due to the climate.

Characterization of polymerized impurities in cefoxitin sodium for injection by two-dimensional chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Polymerized impurities in ß-lactam antibiotics can induce allergic reactions, which seriously threaten the health of patients. In order to study the polymerized impurities in cefoxitin sodium for injection, a novel approach based on the use of two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D-LC-TOF MS) was applied. In the 1st dimension, high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with a TSK-G2000SWxl column was employed. Column switching was applied for the desalination of the mobile phase used to separate polymerized impurities in the 1st dimension before they were transferred to the 2nd dimension which utilized reversed phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and TOF MS for further structural characterization. The structures of four polymerized impurities (which were all previously unknown) in cefoxitin sodium for injection were deduced based on the MS2 data. One novel polymerized impurity (PI-I), with 2H less than the molecular weight of two molecules of cefoxitin (Mr. 852.09), was found to be the most abundant (>50 %) in almost all the samples examined and could be regarded as the marker polymer of cefoxitin sodium for injection. This work also showed the great potential of the 2D-LC-TOF MS approach in structural characterization of unknown impurities separated with a mobile phase containing non-volatile phosphate in the 1st dimension.

Exploring the volatile metabolites of three Chorisia species: Comparative headspace GC-MS, multivariate chemometrics, chemotaxonomic significance, and anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential.

Chorisia (syn. Ceiba) species are important ornamental, economic, and medicinal plants that are endowed with a diversity of secondary metabolites; however, their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been scarcely studied. Therefore, this work explores and compares the headspace floral volatiles of three common Chorisia species, namely Chorisia chodatii Hassl., Chorisia speciosa A. St.-Hil, and Chorisia insignis H.B.K. for the first time. A total of 112 VOCs of varied biosynthetic origins were identified at different qualitative and quantitative ratios, encompassing isoprenoids, fatty acid derivatives, phenylpropanoids, and others. Flowers of the investigated species showed perceptibly differentiated volatile profiles, with those emitted by C. insignis being dominated by non-oxygenated compounds (56.69 %), whereas oxygenated derivatives prevailed among the volatiles of C. chodatii (66.04 %) and C. speciosa (71.53 %). The variable importance in the projection (VIP) in the partial least-squares-discriminant (PLS-DA) analysis described 25 key compounds among the studied species, of which linalool was verified as the most important aroma compound based on VIP values and significance analysis, and it could represent the most typical VOC among these Chorisia species. Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamics analyses of both the major and the key VOCs displayed their moderate to promising binding interactions with four main proteins of SARS-CoV-2, including Mpro, PLpro, RdRp, and spike S1 subunit RBD. The current results collectively cast new light on the chemical diversity of the VOCs of Chorisia plants as well as their chemotaxonomic and biological relevance.

New secondary metabolites and volatile constituents from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum Linn.

The phytochemical investigation on the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (syn. O. viride) has led to the isolation of a new alkaloid, diazovirid or 1,1'-(diazeno1,2-diyl) bis (ethane-1,2-diol) (1) and 2-hydroxy-D-glucal or (2 R, 3S, 4S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-3,4,5-triol (2), reported for the first time as a natural product. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses. The volatile constituents have also been studied by GC-FID and GC-MS leading to the characterization of compounds 3-18, respectively.

Current Overview of Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes of Volatile Oils and their Constituents.

BACKGROUND: Volatile oils and their constituents have been considered major bioactive natural compounds due to their wide therapeutic and biological activities in pharmaceuticals in human healthcare. However, due to their poor solubility, their applications are limited. The inclusion complexation of volatile oils and their volatile constituents with cyclodextrins has emerged as a promising approach for the improvement of aqueous solubility, bioavailability, and stability. OBJECTIVE: The present review summarizes various research investigations highlighting the complexation of volatile oils and their constituents with cyclodextrins and their derivatives. Additionally, we present an overview of patents published between 1998-2021 to highlight the significance of including volatile oil in cyclodextrins. METHODS: The selection of articles for the current review was carried out by using keywords 'Cyclodextrin', 'Essential oil', 'Inclusion Complex', 'Encapsulation' and 'Essential oils/ volatile oils constituents' in certain specific databases, such as Elsevier (Science Direct), Pubmed Medical subject headings (MeSH) and Medline. RESULTS: A total of 199 studies published were included in the review. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed the efficacy of EOs and their VCs complexed with various types of CD compared to free forms. CONCLUSION: This review shows the impact of cyclodextrin complexation on the solubility, bioavailability, stability, and biological activities of volatile oils and their constituents.

Comprehensive chemical profiling of volatile constituents of Angong Niuhuang Pill in vitro and in vivo based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Angong Niuhuang Pill (ANP), a renowned precious traditional Chinese medicine prescription, is extensively utilized for the clinical treatment of stroke, meningitis and encephalorrhagia in China. As a classic resuscitation-inducing aromatic prescription, ANP has been investigated for its pharmacological effects in recent years, while the volatile composition in ANP still lacks comprehensive elucidation. METHOD: To better explore the volatile constituents in ANP, a qualitative analysis method was developed based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Furthermore, a validated quantitative method was established to determine 21 main compounds in 8 batches of commercially available ANP samples by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The quantitative data were successively subjected to Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. Additionally, the absorbed volatile constituents in rat plasma after single oral administration of ANP have also been characterized. RESULTS: A total of 93 volatile constituents including 29 sesquiterpenoids, 28 monoterpenoids, 13 fatty acids and their esters, 7 alkanes, 6 ketones, 3 phenols, 3 aldehydes, 2 benzoate esters, and 2 other types, were preliminarily characterized, which primarily originated from Borneolum, Moschus, Curcumae Radix, and Gardeniae Fructus. D-Borneol, isoborneol and muscone were the top three abundant ingredients (> 600 µg/g) in 8 batches of ANP samples. Subsequently, the average Pearson correlation coefficient of the contents of 21 analytes was 0.993, inferring the high batch-to-batch similarity among 8 batches. After oral administration of ANP, D-borneol, isoborneol, muscone and camphor were the main volatile constituents absorbed in the rat plasma. CONCLUSION: This research may be helpful for the comprehensive quality control study of ANP, and provide for guarantee the clinical efficacy of ANP.

Mid-infrared spectroscopy for the rapid quantification of eucalyptus oil adulteration in Australian tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia).

Essential oil distilled from Melaleuca alternifolialeaves, commonly known as tea tree oil, is well known for its biological activity, principally its antimicrobial properties. However, many samples are adulterated with other, cheaper essential oils such as eucalyptus oil. Current methods of detecting such adulteration are costly and time-consuming, making them unsuitable for rapid authentication screening. This study investigated the use of mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy for detecting and quantifying the level of eucalyptus oil adulteration in spiked samples of pure Australian tea tree oil. To confirm the authenticity of the tea tree oil samples, GC-MS analysis was used to profile 37 of the main volatile constituents present, demonstrating that the samples conformed to ISO specifications. Three chemometric regression techniques (PLSR, PCR and SVR) were trialled on the MIR spectra, along with a variety of pre-processing techniques. The best-performing full-wavelength PLSR model showed excellent prediction of eucalyptus oil content, with an R2CV of 0.999 and RMSECV of 1.08 % v/v. The RMSECV could be further improved to 0.82 % v/v through a moving window wavenumber optimisation process. The results suggest that MIR spectroscopy combined with PLSR can be used to predict eucalyptus oil adulteration in Australian tea tree oil samples with a high level of accuracy.

Correlation of Glucosinolates and Volatile Constituents of Six Brassicaceae Seeds with Their Antioxidant Activities Based on Partial Least Squares Regression.

Brassicaceae comprises various species representing an economically important source of industrial or pharmaceutical crops. The present study aimed to identify glucosinolates (GSLs) and volatile compounds in six Brassicaceae seeds cultivated in Egypt. An (High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array) HPLC-PDA analysis of GSLs in the alcoholic extracts of Raphanus raphanistrum L. (Rr), Raphanus sativus L. (Rs), Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. (Boc), Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L. (Bob), Brassica rapa L. (Br), and Eruca sativa L. (Es) was carried out using a mixture of 23 standard GSLs. Nineteen GSLs were detected in the studied seeds. Rs had the highest GSL content (135.66 µmol/g Dry weight, DW), while Boc had the lowest GSL content (93.66 µmol/g DW). Glucobrassicin was the major identified compound in Rr, Rs, and Bob. Its highest content was in Rs (28.96 µmol/g DW). Sinigrin was the major identified GSL in Boc (18.02 µmol/g DW), although present with higher content in Bob (22.02 µmol/g DW). Neoglucobrassicin was the major GSL in Br (30.98 µmol/g DW), while glucoerucin was the major GSL in Es (17.84 µmol/g DW). The yields of the steam-distilled oils of the studied seeds ranged between 3.25 ± 0.36 and 9.68 ± 0.25% v/w. A GC-MS analysis of the oils could detect 3, 23, 18, 16, 7, and 9 compounds in Rr, Rs, Boc, Bob, Br, and Es oils, respectively. Sulfur and nitrogenous compounds predominated in all studied oils except Rs, which contained a higher percentage of alkanes. The major identified compound in Rr oil was 4-isothiocyanato-1-(methylthio)-1-butene (94.77 ± 1.25%), while in Br it was 3-butenyl isothiocyanate (69.55 ± 1.02%), thiolane in Rs (15.15 ± 0.22%), and erucin in Es (97.02 ± 1.514%). Both Boc and Bob had the same major compound 4-(methylthio) butanenitrile, which represented 40.35 ± 1.15 and 50.52 ± 1.02% in both oils, respectively. Radical scavenging activity for both GSL extracts and essential oils on DPPH radical ranged between 18.01 ± 0.72 and 114.28 ± 1.15 µg/mL (IC50). The highest antioxidant capacity was for Es oil, while the lowest one was for Rr oil. Generally, it was observed that the GSLs had better antioxidant activity than their corresponding essential oils except for Es oil, which had higher activity. A principal component analysis (PCA) was successfully applied to discriminate among six Brassicaceae seeds based on both HPLC and GC-MS, where complete segregation was achieved among all samples with high correlation between Boc and Bob. Partial Least Squares-Regression (PLS-R) models showed that there is a better correlation between the antioxidant activity and glucosinolate profile when being compared to that of a volatile one. This profiling and variation of GSLs and volatile metabolites of the studied Brassicaceae seeds may be employed in further studies regarding their health-promoting properties.

Cotton bandages finished with microcapsules of volatile organic constituents of marine macro-algae for wound healing.

Microencapsulation is an innovative technique having a growing application in textile finishing. Besides, marine macroalgae contain plenty of phytoconstituents used in various fields especially textile finishing. This work imparts the property of wound healing finish to cotton fabrics producing a bandage from eco-friendly algal volatile organic constituents (VOCs). VOCs extracted from Digenea simplex, Lurencea papillosa, Galaxurea oblongata, and Turbenaria decurrens Egyptian marine macroalgae scattered along the coastline of the Red sea were 0.52, 0.9, 0.87, and 0.62% (v/w), respectively. These VOCs as well as their microencapsulated (VOM) forms were finished onto cotton fabrics by a conventional pad-dry cure technique using sodium alginate (SA) as a shell wall material. The VOCs of each alga were extracted and chemically investigated using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicate, in addition to the identification of 125 volatile compounds, the diversity and outstanding differences in volatile composition among the 4 algae. Wound healing activities of the finished fabrics were evaluated. VOCs microcapsules-finished (VOMF) fabrics were more effective compared to VOCs-finished (VOF) fabrics and almost comparable to mebo-ointment (standard drug)-finished (MoF) fabrics. The differences in VOCs efficiencies may be attributable to the diversity in type and amount of volatiles found in the four algae. Therefore, this is a low-cost, convenient, reproducible, and scalable way to obtain encapsulated VOCs for the application in textile wound healing.

Pungent and volatile constituents of dried Australian ginger.

Ginger is well known for its pungent flavour and health-benefitting properties, both of which are imparted by various gingerol derivatives and other volatile constituents. Although there has been a considerable amount of research into the chemical constituents found in fresh ginger, there is little information available on the quality of Australian-grown dried ginger, particularly that intended for processing purposes. Here, we investigate differences in the chemical composition of three samples of processing-grade ginger, ranging from very poor to good quality. Gingerols and 6-shogaol were quantified using high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC), while gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify and semi-quantify the volatile constituents and other gingerol derivatives. Significant differences were found between the samples in their content of gingerols and [6]-shogaol, as well as in their total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. A total of 100 volatile compounds were identified in the dried ginger samples, including 54 terpenoid derivatives and 35 gingerol derivatives. Several compounds are reported from ginger for the first time, including limonene glycol and neryl laurate. In addition, we provide the second report of the presence of shyobunol, geranyl-p-cymene and geranyl-α-terpinene in ginger.

Chemical Constituents and Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of Essential Oils of Alpinia officinarum (Zingiberaceae), Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae), and Their Herbal Pair.

The essential oil (EO) of the herbal pair (HP), Alpinia officinarum-Cyperus rotundus (HP G-X) has been conventionally used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for 'warming the stomach' and relieving pain. However, its pharmacologically active compounds, as well as the mechanism of its anti-gastric ulcer properties remain unclear. In this study, the EOs obtained from HP G-X and its corresponding single herbs were analyzed using GC/MS. A total of 74, 56, and 85 compounds were detected in A. officinarum (GLJ), C. rotundus (XF), and HP G-X, accounting for 93.2 %, 89.5 %, and 92.0 % of the total content, respectively. GLJ mainly contains 1,8-cineol (22.0 %) and α-terpineol (11.8 %), whereas cyperenone (22.4 %) and cyperene (12.3 %) were the major constituents in XF. These four compounds were also detected in the HP G-X with relatively high composition as 11.8 %, 5.5 %, 11.8 %, and 10.6 %, respectively. Although no new compounds were detected in HP G-X, the relative concentration of some compounds increased, while others decreased or even disappeared. HP G-X showed the lowest toxicity (TC50 >800 µg/mL) against human gastric mucosal epithelial cells (GES-1) and had the best protective effect against ethanol-induced GES-1 cell damage compared to the individual herbs. In vitro studies demonstrated that HP G-X and the corresponding single herbs significantly reduced IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. In addition, in vivo investigations indicated that HP G-X can protect the gastric mucosa of mice from ethanol-induced damage by inhibiting the inflammatory reaction and providing analgesia. It can also inhibit the expression of NF-κBp65, COX-2, and TRPV1 protein, reduce the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α, and relieve heat-induced pain. This study further substantiated the traditional application of HP G-X against gastric ulcers through both in vivo and in vitro investigations.

Essential Oil Volatile Fingerprint Differentiates Croatian cv. Oblica from Other Olea europaea L. Cultivars.

Olive leaves are a highly available by-product from table olive and olive oil production. They are nowadays strongly valuable for their major bioactive compounds and their beneficial effects. To determine the differences between two Croatian domestic (Lastovka, Oblica) and two introduced (Leccino, Frantoio) cultivars, physical and chemical analysis of olive leaves were performed: surface area, color variability, total phenolic amounts, and essential oil volatile profiles were analyzed at three harvest periods. All cultivars greatly differed in surface area, with cv. Lastovka being the smallest. Color variability resulted in an overall decrease in darkness and amounts of green and yellow that could be attributed to a decrease in photosynthetic demand and chlorophyll content. The highest amount of total phenolic content occurred in the summer months, followed by a reduction until October. Essential oils volatiles were determined by GC-MS and showed great diversity not only amongst cultivars but also between harvest periods, with overall 45 compounds identified. Principal component analysis distinguished domestic cultivar Oblica from the other observed cultivars, mainly due to its essential oil volatile fingerprint. Compounds that differentiated cv. Oblica were aldehydes ((E,Z)-2,4-heptadienal, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, decanal), ketones ((E)-ß-damascone, dihydrodehydro-ß-ionone), sesquiterpenes (cyclosativene, α-copaene, α-muurolene) and saturated hydrocarbons (tetradecane, hexadecane). Essential oil volatile fingerprint attributed the highest to the biodiversity of domestic cv. Oblica through all three harvest periods.

Application potential of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty for the remediation of red mud-treated soil: an analysis via determining alterations in essential oil content and composition.

NOVELTY STATEMENT: The present study is of significant importance because phytoremediation of metals in red mud using essential oil-bearing plants such as Chrysopogon zizanioides (commonly known as vetiver) is a potential alternative for on-site management of the waste in most economical and sustainable way. Vetiver is a potential metal tolerant plant with high economic value; therefore the present study was accomplished to evaluate the impacts of metals in red mud on essential oil content and composition, used for remediation and stabilization of dumps. Novelty of the study is that, it aimed to utilize red mud along with sewage-sludge to cultivate vetiver which offers twin benefits, i.e. phytoremediation of metals in red mud coupled with improved quantity and quality of high valued essential oil without metal contamination.

Improvements of Developed Graphite Based Composite Anti-Aging Agent on Thermal Aging Properties of Asphalt.

To reduce the thermal-oxidative aging of asphalt and the release amount of harmful volatiles during the construction of asphalt pavement, a new composite anti-aging agent was developed. Since the volatiles were mainly released from saturates and aromatics during the thermal-oxidative aging of asphalt, expanded graphite (EG) was selected as a stabilizing agent to load magnesium hydroxide (MH) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticles for preparing the anti-aging agents of saturates and aromatics, respectively. Thermal stability and volatile constituents released from saturates and aromatics before and after the thermal-oxidative aging were characterized using the isothermal Thermogravimetry/Differential Scanning Calorimetry-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer test (TG/DSC-FTIR test). Test results indicate that anti-aging agents of EG/MH and EG/CaCO3 effectively inhibit the volatilization of light components in asphalt and improve the thermal stability of saturates and aromatics. Then, the proportions of EG, MH, and CaCO3 added in the developed composite anti-aging agent of EG/MH/CaCO3 are 2:1:3 by weight. EG/MH/CaCO3 plays a synergetic effect on inhibiting the thermal-oxidative aging of asphalt, and reduces the release amount of harmful volatiles during the thermal-oxidative aging after EG/MH/CaCO3 is added into asphalt at the proposed content of 10 wt.%. EG plays a synergistic role with MH and CaCO3 nanoparticles to prevent the chain reactions, inhibiting the thermal-oxidative aging of asphalt.

A sustainable process for the recovery of volatile constituents from Gracilaria lemaneiformis in agar production and evaluation of their antioxidant activities.

BACKGROUND: Gracilaria lemaneiformis is a common red alga used as a raw material source for the agar industry. Its extract is rich in natural volatile constituents (VCs) having antioxidant activities. Herein, a sustainable method was used to recover VCs from the alga. The chemical composition of VCs present in the n-hexane fraction was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) and the antioxidant potential was measured using a series of in vitro biochemical assays, including DPPH, hydroxyl, and superoxide radical scavenging assays. RESULTS: The recovery yield of the VCs was 0.823 wt% of the dry mass of G. lemaneiformis. A total of 25 VCs were successfully identified, comprising approximately 99.94% of the total volume. The major component was n-hexadecanoic acid (38.57%), followed by oleic acid (25.48%), arachidonic acid (12.84%), and tetradecanoic acid (2.52%). In addition, The VCs displayed strong free radical scavenging activity in the DPPH (IC50 = 21.56 mg/L), hydroxyl (IC50 = 18.34 mg/L), and superoxide (IC50 = 391.12 mg/L) radical scavenging assays. The antioxidant activities of the VCs exhibited a dose-dependence at concentrations ranging from 5 to 200 mg/L. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the sustainable process improved the agar quality and that the extract contained many natural VCs with antioxidant activities, which have the potential to be used in functional food and cosmetics instead of as a discarded byproduct of the agar industry.

Non-volatile constituents and pharmacology of Chimonanthus: A review.

Chimonanthus plants widely distributed in southern area of China, which have a long history of edibles and medicine. Phytochemical investigations have shown that Chimonanthus produced 143 non-volatile constituents, including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins and others, which exhibit significant anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and other biological activities. On the basis of systematic reviewing of literatures, this article overviews the non-volatile constituents and pharmacology of Chimonanthus from domestic and foreign over the last 30 years (until June 2018), and may provide a useful reference for the further development of Chimonanthus.

HS-SPME Analysis of True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) Leaves Treated by Various Drying Methods.

True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) is a widely used flavoring and medicinal plant, which strong aroma is mainly composed of linalool and linalyl acetate. The most valuable parts of the plant are the flowers, however leaves are also abundant in volatile constituents. One of the main factors responsible for its quality is the preservation procedure, which usually comes down to a drying process. For this reason an attempt to verify the influence of various drying methods (convective drying, vacuum-microwave drying and combined convection pre-drying with vacuum-microwave finishing drying) on the quality of true lavender leaves was carried out by determination of the volatile constituents profile by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with GC-MS technique. Total essential oil (EO) content was also verified. The study has revealed that the optimal drying method is strongly dependent on the purpose of the product. For flavoring properties convective drying at 60 °C is the most optimal method, while the best for preserving the highest amount of EO is vacuum-microwave drying at 480 W. Furthermore, SPME analysis had shown that drying may increase the value of true lavender leaves by significantly affecting the linalool to linalyl acetate to camphor ratio in the volatile profile.

Assessment of selected Saudi and Yemeni plants for mosquitocidal activities against the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti.

As part of our continuing investigation for interesting biological activities of native medicinal plants, thirty-nine plants, obtained from diverse areas in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, were screened for insecticidal activity against yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.). Out of the 57 organic extracts, Saussurea lappa, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Taraxacum officinale, Nigella sativa, and Hyssopus officinalis exhibited over 80% mortality against adult female Ae. aegypti at 5 µg/mosquito. In the larvicidal bioassay, the petroleum ether extract of Aloe perryi flowers showed 100% mortality at 31.25 ppm against 1st instar Ae. aegypti larvae. The ethanol extract of Saussurea lappa roots was the second most active displaying 100% mortality at 125 and 62.5 ppm. Polar active extracts were processed using LC-MS/MS to identify bioactive compounds. The apolar A. perryi flower extract was analyzed by headspace SPME-GC/MS analysis. Careful examination of the mass spectra and detailed interpretation of the fragmentation pattern allowed the identification of various biologically active secondary metabolites. Some compounds such as caffeic and quinic acid and their glycosides were detected in most of the analyzed fractions. Additionally, luteolin, luteolin glucoside, luteolin glucuronide and diglucuronide were also identified as bioactive compounds in several HPLC fractions. The volatile ketone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one was identified from A. perryi petroleum ether fraction as a major compound.

Comparison of Low-polarity Volatile Constituents in Supercritical CO2 Extract from the Roots and Stem of Ilex asprella and Its Effects on the Proliferation of IEC- 6 Cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To compare low-polarity volatile constituents in supercritical CO2 extract from the roots and stem of Ilex asprella and its effects on the proliferation of IEC-6 in vitro， and to provide reference for making full use of wild resources of I. asprella and expanding its medicinal parts. METHODS： The low-polarity volatile constituents were extracted from the root and stem of I. asprella with supercritical fluid CO2 extraction（SFE-CO2）. The chemical constituents were analyzed by GC-MS. IEC-6 cells were treated with different concentrations of supercritical CO2 extracts （0， 1， 5， 10， 20， 40， 60， 80， 100 μg/mL） from roots or stems of I. asprella. MTT assay was used to detect the relative viability， and cell proliferation curve was drawn and EC50 of each extract were calculated. RESULTS： Sixty-two and forty-six low-polarity volatile constituents were identified from supercritical CO2 extract in the roots and stem of I. asprella with GC-MS； there were 24 common constituents totally， mainly including pelargonic acid（14.18％ and 6.14％），octanoic acid（10.59％ and 4.35％），hexanoic acid（8.63％ and 10.86％），paeonol（7.79％ and 6.00％），2-methyl-3-phenyl-propanal（6.3％ and 0.58％），acetic acid（1.72％ and 33.77％） in root and stem， respectively. The results of cell culture in vitro showed that when the concentration of supercritical CO2 extract from the roots and stems of I. asprella was lower （≤60 μg/mL）， it could significantly promote the proliferation of IEC-6 cells and their EC50 were 16.35， 20.20 μg/mL， respectively； when the concentration of the extract was higher （≥80 μg/mL）， it showed cytotoxicity and inhibited the proliferation of IEC-6 cells. CONCLUSIONS： There are similar species of volatile constituents in roots and stems of I. asprella and similar in vitro bioactivity of the supercritical CO2 extracts to IEC-6 cells. The short-chain fatty acids may be the active ingredient to promote cell proliferation， while paeonol may be the cytotoxic active ingredient.