ABSTRACT
Kuromoji (Lindera umbellata) is a tree that grows throughout Japan. The components of kuromoji essential oil have antitumor and aromatherapy effects. However, the composition of the hydrosol, obtained as a by-product of the essential oil process, is unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown whether kuromoji essential oil has a deodorizing effect. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to compare the chemical composition of kuromoji essential oil and hydrosol, as well as evaluate the deodorizing effect of the former. The chemical composition of samples was evaluated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Additionally, the deodorizing effect of Kuromoji essential oil was investigated with the detector tube method using ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and isovaleric acid. Linalool was the most abundant component in both the essential oil and hydrosol; however, its proportion was higher in the hydrosol (57.5%) than in the essential oil (42.8%). The hydrosol contained fewer chemical components, but higher proportions of trans-geraniol and ethanol. Moreover, the essential oil eliminated 50% of ammonia and 97.6% or more of isovaleric acid. Interestingly, linalool was soluble in the hydrosol and did not irritate the skin. This suggests that the hydrosol may be an effective foot care product.
Subject(s)
Acyclic Monoterpenes/isolation & purification , Deodorants/isolation & purification , Lindera/chemistry , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Plant Oils/chemistry , Acyclic Monoterpenes/chemistry , Acyclic Monoterpenes/pharmacology , Ammonia/chemistry , Deodorants/pharmacology , Ethanol/chemistry , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Hemiterpenes/chemistry , Hydrogen Sulfide/chemistry , Japan , Oils, Volatile/pharmacology , Pentanoic Acids/chemistry , Plant Oils/pharmacology , Sulfhydryl Compounds/chemistryABSTRACT
A deodorizing substance in black cumin (Nigella sativa L.), a spice for curry and vegetable foods in Southwest Asia, was examined. The essential oil prepared from the seeds of this plant exhibited strong deodorizing activity against methyl mercaptan, which is a main factor in oral malodor. After purification with silica gel column chromatography, the active substance in black cumin seed oil was identified as thymoquinone. This monoterpenic quinone functions as the main deodorizing substance in this oil against methyl mercaptan. Metabolite analysis suggested that the deodorizing activity may be generated by the addition of a reactive quinone molecule to methyl mercaptan. In the present study, the menthane-type quinone and phenol derivatives exhibited deodorizing activities via this mechanism.
Subject(s)
Benzoquinones/analysis , Benzoquinones/isolation & purification , Deodorants/analysis , Deodorants/isolation & purification , Nigella sativa/chemistry , Oils, Volatile/chemistry , Plant Oils/chemistry , Monoterpenes , Seeds/chemistry , Sulfhydryl CompoundsABSTRACT
We described in our previous paper that the cell-free extract from Hyphomicrobium neptunium ATCC 15444 oxidized hydrogen sulfide to sulfur. We tried to purify the enzyme used for this oxidation to determine the molecular nature of this enzyme. The 40% ammonium sulfate precipitate from the supernatant of cell sonicate of H. neptunium was chromatographed on a column of Phenyl Sepharose CL-4B and its active fractions were collected. These fractions were further purified through Superose 12 and then TSK gel G3000SW column chromatographies. A protein of molecular weight about 54,000 and isoelectric point pI 6.8 was isolated. However, this final protein was found to reduce its activity to less than one-tenth of those of ammonium sulfate precipitate and of the fraction from Phenyl Sepharose CL-4B column chromatography. This might be caused either by the loss of accessory component or by its requirement of low molecular factors necessary for its activation at the stage of gel filtration. The neutral isoelectric point of this enzyme could be suitable as the function of H. neptunium because its final product was S0, and it grows at neutral pH. In contrast, the final oxidative product of hydrogen sulfide by Thiobascillus is sulfuric acid, and they grow at acidic pH.
