Simultaneous quantitative determination of multiple bioactive markers in Ocimum sanctum obtained from different locations and its marketed herbal formulations using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS combined with principal component analysis.

PubMed

Pandey, Renu; Chandra, Preeti; Srivastava, Mukesh; Mishra, D K; Kumar, Brijesh

2015-01-01

Ocimum sanctum L., with phenolic acids, flavonoids, propenyl phenols and terpenoids as active pharmacological constituents, is a popular medicinal herb and is present as an ingredient in many herbal formulations. Therefore, development of a reliable analytical method for simultaneous determination of the pharmacologically active constituents of O. sanctum is of high importance. To develop and validate a new, rapid, sensitive and selective UPLC-ESI/MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 23 bioactive markers including phenolic acids, flavonoids, propenyl phenol and terpenoid in the leaf extract and marketed herbal formulations of O. sanctum. An UPLC-ESI/MS/MS method using negative electrospray ionisation (ESI) in multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode was used for simultaneous determination. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 -column using a gradient elution with 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to correlate and discriminate eight geographical collections of O. sanctum based on quantitative data of the analytes. The developed method was validated as per International Conference on Harmonization guidelines and found to be accurate, with overall recovery in the range 95.09-104.84% (RSD ≤ 1.85%), precise (RSD ≤ 1.98%) and linear (r(2)  ≥ 0.9971) over the concentration range of 0.5-1000 ng/mL. Ursolic acid was found to be the most abundant marker in all the samples investigated, except for the marketed tablet. The method established is simple, rapid and sensitive, hence it can be reliably utilised for the quality control of O. sanctum and derived herbal formulations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Green synthesis and spectral characterization of silver nanoparticles from Lakshmi tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subba Rao, Y.; Kotakadi, Venkata S.; Prasad, T. N. V. K. V.; Reddy, A. V.; Sai Gopal, D. V. R.

2013-02-01

A simple method for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous extract of Lakshmi tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf as a reducing and stabilizing agent. AgNPs were rapidly synthesized using aqueous extract of tulasi leaf with AgNO3 solution within 15 min. The green synthesized AgNPs were characterized using physic-chemical techniques viz., UV-Vis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Characterization data reveals that the particles were crystalline in nature and triangle shaped with an average size of 42 nm. The zeta potential of AgNPs were found to be -55.0 mV. This large negative zeta potential value indicates repulsion among AgNPs and their dispersion stability.

Evaluation of nootropic potential of Ocimum sanctum Linn. in mice.

PubMed

Joshi, Hanumanthachar; Parle, Milind

2006-02-01

Dementia is one of the age related mental problems and a characteristic symptom of various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Certain drugs like diazepam, barbiturates and alcohol disrupt learning and memory in animals and man. However, a new class of drugs known as nootropic agents is now used in situations where there is organic disorder in learning abilities. The present work was undertaken to assess the potential of O. sanctum extract as a nootropic and anti-amnesic agent in mice. Aqueous extract of dried whole plant of O. sanctum ameliorated the amnesic effect of scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg), diazepam (1 mg/kg) and aging induced memory deficits in mice. Elevated plus maze and passive avoidance paradigm served as the exteroceptive behavioral models. O. sanctum extract decreased transfer latency and increased step down latency, when compared to control (piracetam treated), scopolamine and aged groups of mice significantly. O. sanctum preparations could of beneficial in the treatment of cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Ethanolic extract Ocimum sanctum. Enhances cognitive ability from young adulthood to middle aged mediated by increasing choline acetyl transferase activity in rat model.

PubMed

Kusindarta, Dwi Liliek; Wihadmadyatami, Hevi; Jadi, Arvendi R; Karnati, Srikanth; Lochnit, Guenter; Hening, Puspa; Haryanto, Aris; Auriva, Made B; Purwaningrum, Medania

2018-06-01

Patients with dementia are increasing steadily, cognitive impairment by dementia not only exclusively suffers by old people but also young to middle aged individuals. However, the mechanism of cognitive impairment occurs in young people is not understood. Further, current medication to impairment did not provide satisfactory results. Therefore, we investigated the potential role of Ocimum sanctum ethanolic extract to enhance cognitive ability in the rat in vivo model. Young to middle aged rats were divided into 3 groups (3, 6, 9 months old) were treated with (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg b.w.) O. sanctum for 45 days. We employed a behavioral assay to assess cognitive ability. Further, Nissl staining was performed to analyze hippocampus formation in dentate gyrus (DG), cornu ammonis 1 (CA1), cornu ammonis 3 (CA3). The expression and activity of ChAT in brain was analyzed by RT-PCR and ELISA. Our results showed that treatment of O. sanctum with a dosage of 100 mg/kg b.w. for 45 days induced the cognitive ability in nine months old rats. Further, we observed a significant increase in density of granular and pyramidal cells in DG, CA1, and CA3. These results were corroborated by an increase in the ChAT activity and gene expression in the rat model as well as HEK 293 cell culture model. Taken together, the administration of 100 mg/kg b.w. O.sanctum induced the expression of ChAT. The increased ChAT expression and activity may enhance the cognitive ability in 9 months old rats mimicking young and middle aged condition in humans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anticandidal synergistic activity of Ocimum sanctum and fluconazole of azole resistance strains of clinical isolates.

PubMed

Zaidi, K U; Shah, F; Parmar, R; Thawani, V

2018-06-01

Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungal pathogen in humans. It is the causative agent and most associated with serious fungal infection, accounting for more than 90% of cases. It is a most common cause of deep mycoses and vulvovaginal candidiasis. In the present study we found that methanolic extract of O. sanctum in combination of fluconazole shows higher zone of inhibition and lesser MIC values as compared to methanolic extract of leaves of O. sanctum or fluconazole when used alone. Synergistic antimicrobial activity was found when methanolic extract of leaves of O. sanctum was used in combination with fluconazole against C. albicans azole resistance strains isolated from catheter tip (CT) and high vaginal swab (HVS) (FIC≤0.5). Partial synergistic activity was observed against urine (U). Methanolic extract of stem of O. sanctum in combination with fluconazole gave indifferent antifungal results (FIC=1.0-4.0). Benzene extract of the leaf and stem of O. sanctum in combination with fluconazole showed indifferent antifungal results (FIC=1.0-4.0). Aqueous extract of leaves of O. sanctum in combination with fluconazole showed partial synergistic antimicrobial activity against catheter tip (CT) and high vaginal swab (HVS) and urine (U) (FIC=0.5-1.0). In the present study we evaluate the synergism of C. albicans against azole resistant clinical isolates. This study indicates clear evidence supporting the traditional use of O. sanctum in treating Candida infectious diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of larvicidal and nymphicidal potential of plant extracts against Anopheles subpictus Grassi, Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles and Aphis gossypii Glover.

PubMed

Bagavan, A; Kamaraj, C; Rahuman, A Abdul; Elango, G; Zahir, A Abduz; Pandiyan, G

2009-04-01

The acetone, chloroform, ethyl acetate, hexane and methanol extracts of peel and leaf extracts of Citrus sinensis, Ocimum canum, Ocimum sanctum and Rhinacanthus nasutus were tested against fourth instar larvae of malaria vector, Anopheles subpictus Grassi, Japanese encephalitis vector, Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) and feeding deterrence to nymphs of cotton pest, Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae). The larval and nymph mortality were observed after 24 h of exposure. All extracts showed moderate larvicidal and nymphicidal effects; however, the highest mortality was found in peel chloroform extract of C. sinensis, leaf ethyl acetate extracts of O. canum and O. sanctum and leaf chloroform extract of R. nasutus against the larvae of A. subpictus (LC(50) = 58.25, 88.15, 21.67 and 40.46 ppm; LC(90) = 298.31, 528.70, 98.34 and 267.20 ppm), peel methanol extract of C. sinensis, leaf methanol extract of O. canum, ethyl acetate extracts of O. sanctum and R. nasutus against the larvae of C. tritaeniorhynchus (LC(50) = 38.15, 72.40, 109.12 and 39.32 ppm; LC(90) = 184.67, 268.93, 646.62 and 176.39 ppm), peel hexane extract of C. sinensis, leaf methanol extracts of O. canum and R. nasutus and leaf ethyl acetate extract of O. sanctum against the nymph of A. gossypii (LC(50) = 162.89, 80.99, 73.27 and 130.19 ppm; LC(90) = 595.40, 293.33, 338.74 and 450.90 ppm), respectively. These results suggest that the peel methanol extracts of C. sinensis and O. canum, ethyl acetate leaf extract of O. sanctum and leaf chloroform and ethyl acetate extract of R. nasutus have the potential to be used as an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of the A. subpictus, C. tritaeniorhynchus and A. gossypii.

Holy Basil Leaf Extract Decreases Tumorigenicity and Metastasis of Aggressive Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells in vitro and in vivo: Potential Role in Therapy

PubMed Central

Shimizu, Tomohiro; Torres, María P.; Chakraborty, Subhankar; Souchek, Joshua J.; Rachagani, Satyanarayana; Kaur, Sukhwinder; Macha, Muzafar; Ganti, Apar K.; Hauke, Ralph J; Batra, Surinder K.

2013-01-01

There is an urgent need to develop alternative therapies against lethal pancreatic cancer (PC). Ocimum sanctum (“Holy Basil”) has been used for thousands of years in traditional Indian medicine, but its anti-tumorigenic effect remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that extracts of O. sanctum leaves inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and induce apoptosis of PC cells in vitro. The expression of genes that promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells including activated ERK-1/2, FAK, and p65 (subunit of NF-κB), was downregulated in PC cells after O. sanctum treatment. Intraperitoneal injections of the aqueous extract significantly inhibited the growth of orthotopically transplanted PC cells in vivo (p<0.05). Genes that inhibit metastasis (E-cadherin) and induce apoptosis (BAD) were significantly upregulated in tumors isolated from mice treated with O. sanctum extracts, while genes that promote survival (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL) and chemo/radiation resistance (AURKA, Chk1 and Survivin) were downregulated. Overall, our study suggests that leaves of O. sanctum could be a potential source of novel anticancer compounds in the future. PMID:23523869

In Vitro Conservation of Twenty-Three Overexploited Medicinal Plants Belonging to the Indian Sub Continent

PubMed Central

Verma, Priyanka; Mathur, Ajay Kumar; Jain, Sheetal Prasad; Mathur, Archana

2012-01-01

Twenty-three pharmaceutically important plants, namely, Elaeocarpus spharicus, Rheum emodi, Indigofera tinctoria, Picrorrhiza kurroa, Bergenia ciliata, Lavandula officinalis, Valeriana wallichii, Coleus forskohlii, Gentiana kurroo, Saussurea lappa, Stevia rebaudiana, Acorus calamus, Pyrethrum cinerariaefolium, Aloe vera, Bacopa monnieri, Salvia sclarea, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Swertia cordata, Psoralea corylifolia, Jurinea mollis, Ocimum sanctum, Paris polyphylla, and Papaver somniferum, which are at the verge of being endangered due to their overexploitation and collection from the wild, were successfully established in vitro. Collections were made from the different biodiversity zones of India including Western Himalaya, Northeast Himalaya, Gangetic plain, Western Ghats, Semiarid Zone, and Central Highlands. Aseptic cultures were raised at the morphogenic level of callus, suspension, axillary shoot, multiple shoot, and rooted plants. Synseeds were also produced from highly proliferating shoot cultures of Bacopa monnieri, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Stevia rebaudiana, Valeriana wallichii, Gentiana kurroo, Lavandula officinalis, and Papaver somniferum. In vitro flowering was observed in Papaver somniferum, Psoralea corylifolia, and Ocimum sanctum shoots cultures. Out of 23 plants, 18 plants were successfully hardened under glasshouse conditions. PMID:22593711

Trace Element Studies on Tinospora cordifolia (Menispermaceae), Ocimum sanctum (Lamiaceae), Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae) Using PIXE.

PubMed

Gowrishankar, Ramadurai; Kumar, Manish; Menon, Vinay; Divi, Sai Mangala; Saravanan, M; Magudapathy, P; Panigrahi, B K; Nair, K G M; Venkataramaniah, K

2010-03-01

Traditionally, Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Hook. F. & Thomson (Menispermaceae), Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae), Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), and Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae) are some of the commonly used medicinal plants in India for curing ailments ranging from common cold, skin diseases, and dental infections to major disorders like diabetes, hypertension, jaundice, rheumatism, etc. To understand and correlate their medicinal use, trace element studies on the aqueous extract of these medicinal plants have been carried out using particle-induced X-ray emission technique. A 2-MeV proton beam was used to identify and characterize major and minor elements namely Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, and Sr in them. Results have revealed that these elements are present in varying concentrations in the selected plants. Notable results include very high concentrations of Cl, K, and Ca in all the leaf samples, appreciable levels of Mn in all plants, high Zn content in T. cordifolia, and the aqueous extract of Moringa leaves compared to others and relative higher concentrations of Cr in all the plants.

The Effectiveness of Extracts Basil Leaves (Ocimum sanctum Linn) against Saprolegnia sp. by in Vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudarno; Luthfi Hakim, Muhammad; Kusdarwati, Rahayu

2017-02-01

Saprolegnia SP. is a fungi which is opportunistic and generally as a secondary pathogen on fish. Saprolegnia sp. infects epidermis tissue that begins at the head or fins and can spread over the entire surface of the body. The result of the using of chemicals to control infections of Saprolegnia spp. can cause pollution of the environment and harm the consumer. The purpose of this research was to determine the potential and the minimum concentration of extracts basil leaves (Ocimum sanctum Linn) as antifungi against the growth of Saprolegnia sp. by vitro. The research was held in Fish Quarantine Kelas I Juanda Suarabaya in January 2015. A positive result was obtained in the test of the effectiveness of basil leaves in inhibiting the growth of the fungus Saprolegnia sp. Concentration of the extract given to treatment 90% and 100% was able to inhibit the growth of Saprolegnia sp., indicated by the formation of the inhibitory zones at a concentration of treatment, and had the best results on the concentration of 100%.

Antagonistic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil on growth and zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum in maize grains.

PubMed

Kalagatur, Naveen K; Mudili, Venkataramana; Siddaiah, Chandranayaka; Gupta, Vijai K; Natarajan, Gopalan; Sreepathi, Murali H; Vardhan, Batra H; Putcha, Venkata L R

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed to establish the antagonistic effects of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil (OSEO) on growth and zearalenone (ZEA) production of Fusarium graminearum. GC-MS chemical profiling of OSEO revealed the existence of 43 compounds and the major compound was found to be eugenol (34.7%). DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50) of OSEO was determined to be 8.5 μg/mL. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of OSEO on F. graminearum were recorded as 1250 and 1800 μg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscope observations showed significant micro morphological damage in OSEO exposed mycelia and spores compared to untreated control culture. Quantitative UHPLC studies revealed that OSEO negatively effected the production of ZEA; the concentration of toxin production was observed to be insignificant at 1500 μg/mL concentration of OSEO. On other hand ZEA concentration was quantified as 3.23 μg/mL in OSEO untreated control culture. Reverse transcriptase qPCR analysis of ZEA metabolic pathway genes (PKS4 and PKS13) revealed that increase in OSEO concentration (250-1500 μg/mL) significantly downregulated the expression of PKS4 and PKS13. These results were in agreement with the artificially contaminated maize grains as well. In conlusion, the antifungal and antimycotoxic effects of OSEO on F. graminearum in the present study reiterated that, the essential oil of O. sanctum could be a promising herbal fungicide in food processing industries as well as grain storage centers.

Antagonistic activity of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil on growth and zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum in maize grains

PubMed Central

Kalagatur, Naveen K.; Mudili, Venkataramana; Siddaiah, Chandranayaka; Gupta, Vijai K.; Natarajan, Gopalan; Sreepathi, Murali H.; Vardhan, Batra H.; Putcha, Venkata L. R.

2015-01-01

The present study was aimed to establish the antagonistic effects of Ocimum sanctum L. essential oil (OSEO) on growth and zearalenone (ZEA) production of Fusarium graminearum. GC–MS chemical profiling of OSEO revealed the existence of 43 compounds and the major compound was found to be eugenol (34.7%). DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50) of OSEO was determined to be 8.5 μg/mL. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration of OSEO on F. graminearum were recorded as 1250 and 1800 μg/mL, respectively. Scanning electron microscope observations showed significant micro morphological damage in OSEO exposed mycelia and spores compared to untreated control culture. Quantitative UHPLC studies revealed that OSEO negatively effected the production of ZEA; the concentration of toxin production was observed to be insignificant at 1500 μg/mL concentration of OSEO. On other hand ZEA concentration was quantified as 3.23 μg/mL in OSEO untreated control culture. Reverse transcriptase qPCR analysis of ZEA metabolic pathway genes (PKS4 and PKS13) revealed that increase in OSEO concentration (250–1500 μg/mL) significantly downregulated the expression of PKS4 and PKS13. These results were in agreement with the artificially contaminated maize grains as well. In conlusion, the antifungal and antimycotoxic effects of OSEO on F. graminearum in the present study reiterated that, the essential oil of O. sanctum could be a promising herbal fungicide in food processing industries as well as grain storage centers. PMID:26388846

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-containing rhizobacteria protect Ocimum sanctum plants during waterlogging stress via reduced ethylene generation.

PubMed

Barnawal, Deepti; Bharti, Nidhi; Maji, Deepamala; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Kalra, Alok

2012-09-01

Ocimum sanctum grown as rain-fed crop, is known to be poorly adapted to waterlogged conditions. Many a times the crop suffers extreme damages because of anoxia and excessive ethylene generation due to waterlogging conditions present under heavy rain. The usefulness of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase-containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria was investigated under waterlogging stress. The comparison of herb yield and stress induced biochemical changes of waterlogged and non-waterlogged plants with and without ACC deaminase-containing microbiological treatments were monitored in this study. Ten plant growth promoting rhizobacteria strains containing ACC-deaminase were isolated and characterized. Four selected isolates Fd2 (Achromobacter xylosoxidans), Bac5 (Serratia ureilytica), Oci9 (Herbaspirillum seropedicae) and Oci13 (Ochrobactrum rhizosphaerae) had the potential to protect Ocimum plants from flood induced damage under waterlogged glass house conditions. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of these ACC deaminase-containing selected strains for reducing the yield losses caused by waterlogging conditions. Bacterial treatments protected plants from waterlogging induced detrimental changes like stress ethylene production, reduced chlorophyll concentration, higher lipid peroxidation, proline concentration and reduced foliar nutrient uptake. Fd2 (A. xylosoxidans) induced maximum waterlogging tolerance as treated waterlogged plants recorded maximum growth and herb yield (46.5% higher than uninoculated waterlogged plants) with minimum stress ethylene levels (53% lower ACC concentration as compared to waterlogged plants without bacterial inoculation) whereas under normal non-waterlogged conditions O. rhizosphaerae was most effective in plant growth promotion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Lipid-Lowering and Antioxidative Activities of Aqueous Extracts of Ocimum sanctum L. Leaves in Rats Fed with a High-Cholesterol Diet

PubMed Central

Suanarunsawat, Thamolwan; Devakul Na Ayutthaya, Watcharaporn; Songsak, Thanapat; Thirawarapan, Suwan; Poungshompoo, Somlak

2011-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the lipid-lowering and antioxidative activities of Ocimum sanctum L. (OS) leaf extracts in liver and heart of rats fed with high-cholesterol (HC) diet for seven weeks. The results shows that OS suppressed the high levels of serum lipid profile and hepatic lipid content without significant effects on fecal lipid excretion. Fecal bile acids excretion was increased in HC rats treated with OS. The high serum levels of TBARS as well as AST, ALT, AP, LDH, CK-MB significantly decreased in HC rats treated with OS. OS suppressed the high level of TABARS and raised the low activities of GPx and CAT without any impact on SOD in the liver. As for the cardiac tissues, OS lowered the high level of TABARS, and raised the activities of GPx, CAT, and SOD. Histopathological results show that OS preserved the liver and myocardial tissues. It can be concluded that OS leaf extracts decreased hepatic and serum lipid profile, and provided the liver and cardiac tissues with protection from hypercholesterolemia. The lipid-lowering effect is probably due to the rise of bile acids synthesis using cholesterol as precursor, and antioxidative activity to protect liver from hypercholesterolemia. PMID:21949899

Antileishmanial and immunomodulatory potential of Ocimumsanctum Linn. and Cocosnucifera Linn. in murine visceral leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Bhalla, Gaurav; Kaur, Sukhbir; Kaur, Jaspreet; Kaur, Rupinder; Raina, Puneet

2017-03-01

The role of immunomodulation in the therapeutic treatment of visceral leishmaniasis has gained eminence in view of moderate to severe drawbacks of the currently available drugs like toxicity, drug resistance and prohibitive costs. The potential for modulation of the immune system of many herbal plants can be tapped to address these problems. We conducted the present research study to investigate the antileishmanial and immunomodulatory effects of Ocimum sanctum Linn. and Cocos nucifera Linn. during the progression of visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mouse model. The IC 50 values of the ethanolic leaf extract of O. sanctum and that of the aqueous husk-fibre extract of C. nucifera against the sodium stibogluconate (SSG) susceptible strain (MHOM/IN/80/Dd8) were found to be 73.3 and 62 µg/ml respectively. On treatment of infected BALB/c mice with the extracts, we observed a reduction in hepatic parasite load by 43.63 % ( O. sanctum ), 65.42 % ( C. nucifera ) and 75.61 % ( O. sanctum  +  C. nucifera ) at 1st post treatment day (p.t.d.), while at 15th p.t.d., the reduction was 73.61 % ( O. sanctum ), 76.59 % ( C. nucifera ) and 94.12 % ( O. sanctum  +  C. nucifera ). This was accompanied by an up-scaling of the DTH response, skewing of the humoral response towards Th1 type and hepatoprotection in the form of normalization of liver function tests. Overall, administration of the extracts of these two plants in combination as compared to their administration alone rescued the affected mice from the disease greatly, which can be attributed to their antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities.

In vitro anti-plasmodial activity of some traditionally used medicinal plants against Plasmodium falciparum.

PubMed

Venkatesalu, V; Gopalan, N; Pillai, C R; Singh, Vineeta; Chandrasekaran, M; Senthilkumar, A; Chandramouli, N

2012-07-01

The anti-plasmodial activity of different solvent extracts of Adhatoda vasica (root), Caesalpinia pulcherrima (leaf), Carica papaya (pulp), Erythroxylum monogynum (leaf), Lantana camara (whole plant), Ocimum sanctum (root) and Phyllanthus niruri (whole plant) were studied against Plasmodium falciparum. Of the 35 extracts tested, seven extracts showed good anti-plasmodial activity. Methanol extract of C. pulcherrima showed the lowest IC50 value (10.96 μg/mL) followed by methanol extract of A. vasica (IC(50)=11.1 μg/mL), chloroform extract of O. sanctum (IC(50)=11.47 μg/mL), methanol extract of E. monogynum (IC(50)=12.23 μg/mL), acetone extract of C. pulcherrima (IC(50)=12.49 μg/mL), methanol extract of O. sanctum and acetone extract of A. vasica (IC(50)=14.04 μg/mL). The results of the present study justify the use of these medicinal plants in traditional practice, and also, a further study on the isolation of anti-plasmodial molecules from their active crude extracts is in progress.

Protective effect of Ocimum sanctum on 3-methylcholanthrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene and aflatoxin B1 induced skin tumorigenesis in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rastogi, Shipra; Shukla, Yogeshwer; Paul, Bhola N.

A study on the protective effect of alcoholic extract of the leaves of Ocimum sanctum on 3-mthylcholanthrene (MCA), 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) and aflatoxin B{sub 1} (AFB{sub 1}) induced skin tumorigenesis in a mouse model has been investigated. The study involved pretreatment of mice with the leaf extract prior to either MCA application or tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) treatment in a two-stage tumor protocol viz a viz, DMBA/TPA and AFB1/TPA. The results of the present study indicate that the pretreatment with alcoholic extract of the leaves of O. sanctum decreased the number of tumors in MCA, DMBA/TPA and AFB1/TPA treated mice. Themore » skin tumor induced animals pretreated with alcoholic extract led to a decrease in the expression of cutaneous {gamma}-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and glutathione-S-transferase-P (GST-P) protein. The histopathological examination of skin tumors treated with leaf extract showed increased infiltration of polymorphonuclear, mononuclear and lymphocytic cells, decreased ornithine decarboxylase activity with concomitant enhancement of interleukin-1{beta} (IL-1{beta}) and tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) in the serum, implying the in vivo antiproliferative and immunomodulatory activity of leaf extract. The decrease in cutaneous phase I enzymes and elevation of phase II enzymes in response to topical application of leaf extract prior to MCA, AFB1, DMBA/TPA and AFB1/TPA treatment indicate the possibility of impairment in reactive metabolite(s) formation and thereby reducing skin carcinogenicity. Furthermore, pretreatment of leaf extract in the carcinogen induced animals resulted in elevation of glutathione levels and decrease in lipid peroxidation along with heat shock protein expression, indicating a scavenging or antioxidant potential of the extract during chemical carcinogenesis. Thus it can be concluded that leaf extract of O. sanctum provides protection against chemical carcinogenesis in one or more of the following mechanisms: (i) by acting as an antioxidant; (ii) by modulating phase I and II enzymes; (iii) by exhibiting antiproliferative activity.« less

Mosquito repellent activity of volatile oils from selected aromatic plants.

PubMed

Lalthazuali; Mathew, Nisha

2017-02-01

Essential oils from fresh leaves of four aromatic plants viz., Ocimum sanctum, Mentha piperita, Eucalyptus globulus and Plectranthus amboinicus were extracted by hydrodistillation. The test solutions were prepared as 20% essential oil in ethanol and positive control as 20% DEET in ethanol. Essential oil blend was prepared as 5% concentration. Nulliparous, 3-5-day-old female adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were used for repellency screening as per ICMR protocol. The study showed that the repellency of 20% essential oil of O. sanctum, M. piperita and P. amboinicus were comparable with that of the standard DEET (20%) as no mosquito landing on the test was observed up to 6 h. The E. globulus oil exhibited mosquito repellency only upto 1½ h. Considerable mosquito landing and feeding was displayed in negative control. In the case of the oil blend, no landing of mosquitoes was seen up to 6 h as that of positive control. The results showed that the essential oil blend from O. sanctum, M. piperita, E. globulus and P. amboinicus could repel Ae. aegypti mosquitoes or prevent from feeding as in the case of DEET even at a lower concentration of 5%. This study demonstrates the potential of essential oils from O. sanctum, M. piperita, E. globulus and P. amboinicus and their blend as mosquito repellents against Ae. aegypti, the vector of dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.

Chemometrics Optimized Extraction Procedures, Phytosynergistic Blending and in vitro Screening of Natural Enzyme Inhibitors Amongst Leaves of Tulsi, Banyan and Jamun.

PubMed

De, Baishakhi; Bhandari, Koushik; Singla, Rajeev K; Katakam, Prakash; Samanta, Tanmoy; Kushwaha, Dilip Kumar; Gundamaraju, Rohit; Mitra, Analava

2015-10-01

Tulsi, Banyan, and Jamun are popular Indian medicinal plants with notable hypoglycemic potentials. Now the work reports chemo-profiling of the three species with in-vitro screening approach for natural enzyme inhibitors (NEIs) against enzymes pathogenic for type 2 diabetes. Further along with the chemometrics optimized extraction process technology, phyto-synergistic studies of the composite polyherbal blends have also been reported. Chemometrically optimized extraction procedures, ratios of polyherbal composites to achieve phyto-synergistic actions, and in-vitro screening of NEIs amongst leaves of Tulsi, Banyan, and Jamun. The extraction process parameters of the leaves of three plant species (Ficus benghalensis, Syzigium cumini and Ocimum sanctum) were optimized by rotatable central composite design of chemometrics so as to get maximal yield of bio-actives. Phyto-blends of three species were prepared so as to achieve synergistic antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials and the ratios were optimized by chemometrics. Next, for in vitro screening of natural enzyme inhibitors the individual leaf extracts as well as composite blends were subjected to assay procedures to see their inhibitory potentials against the enzymes pathogenic in type 2 diabetes. The antioxidant potentials were also estimated by DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, FRAP and Dot Blot assay. Considering response surface methodology studies and from the solutions obtained using desirability function, it was found that hydro-ethanolic or methanolic solvent ratio of 52.46 ± 1.6 and at a temperature of 20.17 ± 0.6 gave an optimum yield of polyphenols with minimal chlorophyll leaching. The species also showed the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, and saponins. Composites in the ratios of 1:1:1 and 1:1:2 gave synergistic effects in terms of polyphenol yield and anti-oxidant potentials. All composites (1:1:1, 1:2:1, 2:1:1, 1:1:2) showed synergistic anti-oxidant actions. Inhibitory activities against the targeted enzymes expressed in terms of IC50 values have shown that hydro-ethanolic extracts in all cases whether individual species or composites in varying ratios gave higher IC50 values thus showing greater effectivity. Current research provides the state-of-the-art of search of NEIs amongst three species by in-vitro assays which can be further utilized for bioactivity-guided isolations of such enzyme inhibitors. Further, it reports the optimized phyto-blend ratios so as to achieve synergistic anti-oxidative actions. The current research work focuses on the optimization of the extraction process parameters and the ratios of phyto-synergistic blends of the leaves of three common medicinal plants viz. banyan, jamun and tulsi by chemometrics. Qualitative and quantitative chemo profiling of the extracts were done by different phytochemical tests and UV spectrophotometric methods. Enzymes like alpha amylase, alpha glucosidase, aldose reductase, dipeptidyl peptidase 4, angiotensin converting enzymes are found to be pathogenic in type 2 diabetes. In vitro screening of natural enzyme inhibitors amongst individual extracts and composite blends were carried out by different assay procedures and the potency expressed in terms of IC50 values. Antioxidant potentials were estimated by DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, FRAP and Dot Blot assay. Hydroalcoholic solvent (50:50) gave maximal yield of bio-actives with minimal chlorophyll leaching. Hydroethanolic extract of tulsi showed maximal antioxidant effect. Though all composites showed synergism, maximal effects were shown by the composite (1:1:2) in terms of polyphenol yield, antioxidant effect and inhibitory actions against the targeted enzymes. Abbreviations used: DPP4- dipeptidyl peptidase 4; AR- aldose reductase; ACE- angiotensin converting enzyme; PPAR-γ- peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ; NEIs- natural enzyme inhibitors; BE- binding energy; GLP-1- Glucagon like peptide -1; ROS- Reactive oxygen species; CAT- catalase; GSH-Px- glutathione per-oxidase; SOD- superoxide dismutase; pNPG- para-nitro phenyl-α-D-gluco-pyranoside solution; DPPH- 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; RSM- Response surface methodology; CCD- central composite design; DMSO- dimethyl sulfoxide; HHL- hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine; GPN-Tos- Gly-Pro p-nitroanilide toluenesulfonate salt; ESC- experimental scavenging capacity; TSC- theoretical scavenging capacity; FRAP- Ferric Reducing Assay Procedure; ABTS- 2, 2'- azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 - sulfonic acid.

Chemometrics Optimized Extraction Procedures, Phytosynergistic Blending and in vitro Screening of Natural Enzyme Inhibitors Amongst Leaves of Tulsi, Banyan and Jamun

PubMed Central

De, Baishakhi; Bhandari, Koushik; Singla, Rajeev K.; Katakam, Prakash; Samanta, Tanmoy; Kushwaha, Dilip Kumar; Gundamaraju, Rohit; Mitra, Analava

2015-01-01

Background: Tulsi, Banyan, and Jamun are popular Indian medicinal plants with notable hypoglycemic potentials. Now the work reports chemo-profiling of the three species with in-vitro screening approach for natural enzyme inhibitors (NEIs) against enzymes pathogenic for type 2 diabetes. Further along with the chemometrics optimized extraction process technology, phyto-synergistic studies of the composite polyherbal blends have also been reported. Objective: Chemometrically optimized extraction procedures, ratios of polyherbal composites to achieve phyto-synergistic actions, and in-vitro screening of NEIs amongst leaves of Tulsi, Banyan, and Jamun. Materials and Methods: The extraction process parameters of the leaves of three plant species (Ficus benghalensis, Syzigium cumini and Ocimum sanctum) were optimized by rotatable central composite design of chemometrics so as to get maximal yield of bio-actives. Phyto-blends of three species were prepared so as to achieve synergistic antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials and the ratios were optimized by chemometrics. Next, for in vitro screening of natural enzyme inhibitors the individual leaf extracts as well as composite blends were subjected to assay procedures to see their inhibitory potentials against the enzymes pathogenic in type 2 diabetes. The antioxidant potentials were also estimated by DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, FRAP and Dot Blot assay. Results: Considering response surface methodology studies and from the solutions obtained using desirability function, it was found that hydro-ethanolic or methanolic solvent ratio of 52.46 ± 1.6 and at a temperature of 20.17 ± 0.6 gave an optimum yield of polyphenols with minimal chlorophyll leaching. The species also showed the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, and saponins. Composites in the ratios of 1:1:1 and 1:1:2 gave synergistic effects in terms of polyphenol yield and anti-oxidant potentials. All composites (1:1:1, 1:2:1, 2:1:1, 1:1:2) showed synergistic anti-oxidant actions. Inhibitory activities against the targeted enzymes expressed in terms of IC50 values have shown that hydro-ethanolic extracts in all cases whether individual species or composites in varying ratios gave higher IC50 values thus showing greater effectivity. Conclusion: Current research provides the state-of-the-art of search of NEIs amongst three species by in-vitro assays which can be further utilized for bioactivity-guided isolations of such enzyme inhibitors. Further, it reports the optimized phyto-blend ratios so as to achieve synergistic anti-oxidative actions. SUMMARY The current research work focuses on the optimization of the extraction process parameters and the ratios of phyto-synergistic blends of the leaves of three common medicinal plants viz. banyan, jamun and tulsi by chemometrics. Qualitative and quantitative chemo profiling of the extracts were done by different phytochemical tests and UV spectrophotometric methods. Enzymes like alpha amylase, alpha glucosidase, aldose reductase, dipeptidyl peptidase 4, angiotensin converting enzymes are found to be pathogenic in type 2 diabetes. In vitro screening of natural enzyme inhibitors amongst individual extracts and composite blends were carried out by different assay procedures and the potency expressed in terms of IC50 values. Antioxidant potentials were estimated by DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS, FRAP and Dot Blot assay. Hydroalcoholic solvent (50:50) gave maximal yield of bio-actives with minimal chlorophyll leaching. Hydroethanolic extract of tulsi showed maximal antioxidant effect. Though all composites showed synergism, maximal effects were shown by the composite (1:1:2) in terms of polyphenol yield, antioxidant effect and inhibitory actions against the targeted enzymes. Abbreviations used: DPP4- dipeptidyl peptidase 4; AR- aldose reductase; ACE- angiotensin converting enzyme; PPAR-γ- peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ; NEIs- natural enzyme inhibitors; BE- binding energy; GLP-1- Glucagon like peptide -1; ROS- Reactive oxygen species; CAT- catalase; GSH-Px- glutathione per-oxidase; SOD- superoxide dismutase; pNPG- para-nitro phenyl-α-D-gluco-pyranoside solution; DPPH- 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; RSM- Response surface methodology; CCD- central composite design; DMSO- dimethyl sulfoxide; HHL- hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine; GPN-Tos- Gly-Pro p-nitroanilide toluenesulfonate salt; ESC- experimental scavenging capacity; TSC- theoretical scavenging capacity; FRAP- Ferric Reducing Assay Procedure; ABTS- 2, 2’- azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 – sulfonic acid. PMID:27013789

Chemical composition and antioxidant property of holy basil (Ocimum sanctum L.) leaves, stems, and inflorescence and their in vitro callus cultures.

PubMed

Hakkim, F Lukmanul; Shankar, C Gowri; Girija, S

2007-10-31

In this study, the chemical constituents and antioxidant property of holy basil (Ocimum sanctum Linn.) field-grown plant parts (leaves, stems, and inflorescence) were compared with those of respective callus cultures induced from each explant in in vitro. The callus cultures were successfully initiated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) (1 mg/L) combined with different concentrations (0.1-0.5 mg/L) of kinetin as plant growth regulators. The distribution of phenolic compounds in these extracts was analyzed using reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography with reference standards. Interestingly, rosmarinic acid (RA) was found to be the predominant phenolic acid in all callus extracts in comparison with field-grown plant parts. In this study, the antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated with six different in vitro antioxidant-testing systems. Their activities of scavenging superoxide anion radicals, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH), hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen peroxide, chelating ferrous iron, and ferric ion reducing potential were assessed. The antioxidant activity was increased in all testing systems with increasing amounts of extract. However, at the same concentration, the callus extracts exhibited higher antioxidant activity in all of the testing systems than the extract obtained from field-grown plant parts. The data obtained from this study suggested the possibility of the isolation of a high content of RA from in vitro callus cultures rather than field-grown plant organs of holy basil.

Evaluation of cardioprotective activity of Ginkgo biloba and Ocimum sanctum in rodents.

PubMed

Panda, Vandana S; N, Suresh R

2009-06-01

This study investigates the cardioprotective activity of a combined treatment of Ginkgo biloba phytosomes (GBP) and Ocimum sanctum extract (Os) in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial necrosis in rats. Significant myocardial necrosis, depletion of the endogenous antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione (GSH), and increases in the serum marker enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were observed in ISO-treated rats compared with normal rats. Co-administration of GBP (100 mg per kg) with Os at two doses (50 and 75 mg per kg) for 30 days to rats treated with ISO (85 mg per kg, sc) on the 29th and 30th days demonstrated a significant decrease in ISO-induced serum marker enzyme elevations and a significant attenuation of the ISO-elevated myocardial lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA). A significant restoration of ISO-depleted activities and levels of AST, LDH, CPK, GSH, SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR in the hearts of the treatment groups was observed. The combination of Os 75 mg per kg and GBP 100 mg/kg elicited greater protection than the combination of Os 50 mg per kg and GBP 100 mg per kg. It may be concluded that GBP-Os oral treatment to ISO-challenged rats demonstrates significant cardiac protection, decreases lipid peroxidation, and restores antioxidant activities. However, the combined treatment failed to enhance cardioprotective activity of either herb when used alone.

Ocimum gratissimum retards breast cancer growth and progression and is a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases

PubMed Central

Nangia-Makker, Pratima; Raz, Tirza; Tait, Larry; Shekhar, Malathy P.V.; Li, Hong; Balan, Vitaly; Makker, Hemanckur; Fridman, Rafael; Maddipati, Krishnarao; Raz, Avraham

2013-01-01

Ocimum genus (a.k.a holy basil or tulsi) is a dietary herb used for its multiple beneficial pharmacologic properties including anti-cancer activity. Here we show that crude extract of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) and its hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions (HB and HL) differentially inhibit breast cancer cell chemotaxis and chemoinvasion in vitro and retard tumor growth and temporal progression of MCF10ADCIS.com xenografts, a model of human breast comedo-ductal carcinoma in situ (comedo-DCIS). OG-induced inhibition of tumor growth was associated with decreases in basement membrane disintegration, angiogenesis and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities as confirmed by in situ gelatin zymography and cleavage of galectin-3. There was also decrease in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the conditioned media of OG-treated MCF10AT1 and MCF10AT1-EIII8 premalignant human breast cancer cells as compared with control. The MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitory activities of OG were verified in vitro using gelatin, a synthetic fluorogenic peptide and recombinant galectin-3 as MMP substrates. Mice fed on OG-supplemented drinking water showed no adverse effects compared with control. These data suggest that OG is non-toxic and that the anti-cancer therapeutic activity of OG may in part be contributed by its MMP inhibitory activity. PMID:23380593

Unravelling the genome of Holy basil: an "incomparable" "elixir of life" of traditional Indian medicine.

PubMed

Rastogi, Shubhra; Kalra, Alok; Gupta, Vikrant; Khan, Feroz; Lal, Raj Kishori; Tripathi, Anil Kumar; Parameswaran, Sriram; Gopalakrishnan, Chellappa; Ramaswamy, Gopalakrishna; Shasany, Ajit Kumar

2015-05-28

Ocimum sanctum L. (O. tenuiflorum) family-Lamiaceae is an important component of Indian tradition of medicine as well as culture around the world, and hence is known as "Holy basil" in India. This plant is mentioned in the ancient texts of Ayurveda as an "elixir of life" (life saving) herb and worshipped for over 3000 years due to its healing properties. Although used in various ailments, validation of molecules for differential activities is yet to be fully analyzed, as about 80 % of the patents on this plant are on extracts or the plant parts, and mainly focussed on essential oil components. With a view to understand the full metabolic potential of this plant whole nuclear and chloroplast genomes were sequenced for the first time combining the sequence data from 4 libraries and three NGS platforms. The saturated draft assembly of the genome was about 386 Mb, along with the plastid genome of 142,245 bp, turning out to be the smallest in Lamiaceae. In addition to SSR markers, 136 proteins were identified as homologous to five important plant genomes. Pathway analysis indicated an abundance of phenylpropanoids in O. sanctum. Phylogenetic analysis for chloroplast proteome placed Salvia miltiorrhiza as the nearest neighbor. Comparison of the chemical compounds and genes availability in O. sanctum and S. miltiorrhiza indicated the potential for the discovery of new active molecules. The genome sequence and annotation of O. sanctum provides new insights into the function of genes and the medicinal nature of the metabolites synthesized in this plant. This information is highly beneficial for mining biosynthetic pathways for important metabolites in related species.

Effect of Curcuma longa and Ocimum sanctum on myocardial apoptosis in experimentally induced myocardial ischemic-reperfusion injury

PubMed Central

Mohanty, Ipseeta; Arya, Dharamvir Singh; Gupta, Suresh Kumar

2006-01-01

Background In the present investigation, the effect of Curcuma longa (Cl) and Ocimum sanctum (Os) on myocardial apoptosis and cardiac function was studied in an ischemia and reperfusion (I-R) model of myocardial injury. Methods Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups and orally fed saline once daily (sham, control IR) or Cl (100 mg/kg; Cl-IR) or Os (75 mg/kg; Os-IR) respectively for 1 month. On the 31st day, in the rats of the control IR, Cl-IR and Os-IR groups LAD occlusion was undertaken for 45 min, and reperfusion was allowed for 1 h. The hemodynamic parameters{mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular peak positive (+) LVdP/dt (rate of pressure development) and negative (-) LVdP/dt (rate of pressure decline)} were monitored at pre-set points throughout the experimental duration and subsequently, the animals were sacrificed for immunohistopathological (Bax, Bcl-2 protein expression & TUNEL positivity) and histopathological studies. Results Chronic treatment with Cl significantly reduced TUNEL positivity (p < 0.05), Bax protein (p < 0.001) and upregulated Bcl-2 (p < 0.001) expression in comparison to control IR group. In addition, Cl demonstrated mitigating effects on several myocardial injury induced hemodynamic {(+)LVdP/dt, (-) LVdP/dt & LVEDP} and histopathological perturbations. Chronic Os treatment resulted in modest modulation of the hemodynamic alterations (MAP, LVEDP) but failed to demonstrate any significant antiapoptotic effects and prevent the histopathological alterations as compared to control IR group. Conclusion In the present study, significant cardioprotection and functional recovery demonstrated by Cl may be attributed to its anti-apoptotic property. In contrast to Os, Cl may attenuate cell death due to apoptosis and prevent the impairment of cardiac performance. PMID:16504000

Ocimum sanctum (L.) essential oil and its lead molecules induce apoptosis in Candida albicans.

PubMed

Khan, Amber; Ahmad, Aijaz; Khan, Luqman Ahmad; Manzoor, Nikhat

2014-01-01

Manipulation of endogenous responses during programmed cell death (PCD) in fungi can lead to development of effective therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we evaluated the physiology of cell death in Candida albicans in response to Ocimum sanctum essential oil (OSEO) and its two major constituents - methyl chavicol (MET CHAV) and linalool (LIN) at varying inhibitory concentrations. Apoptotic cell death was studied on the basis of externalization of membrane phosphatidylserine (PS) revealed by annexin-V-FITC labeling, morphological alterations revealed by transmission electron microscopy and DNA fragmentation by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Exposure of fungal cells to MIC/4 of OSEO, MET CHAV and LIN resulted in morphological features characteristic of apoptosis, while necrosis was observed at higher concentrations. Necrotic cells displayed reduced TUNEL staining and an inability to exclude propidium iodide. In addition, they lacked a defined nucleus and an intact external morphology. Exposed cells were TUNEL-positive, showed chromatin condensation and margination, nuclear envelope separation, nuclear fragmentation, cytoplasmic shrinkage and plasma membrane blebbing. A dose-dependent decrease in cytochrome c oxidase activity was observed with each compound, but the decrease was not comparable to that elicited by H2O2, eliminating the primary involvement of cytochrome c release in apoptosis thus induced. Previously reported data revealed induction of apoptosis at low concentrations as a result of oxidative insult. Studies aimed at identifying other mitochondrial factors activated during this course to mediate apoptosis will further elucidate the mechanism of antifungal action of these natural products. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

In vitro evaluation of medicinal plant extracts against Pestalotiopsis mangiferae.

PubMed

Rai, M K

1996-01-01

A serious leaf-spot disease of Mangifera indica was noted during the last 10 years in Satpura plateau of India. On the basis of characteristic symptoms and cultural characters, the pathogen was identified as Pestalotiopsis mangiferae which is hitherto not reported from Satpura plateau of India. Screening of 17-medicinal plants against the test pathogen revealed 14 antimycotic whereas 3-plants, viz., Argemone mexicana, Caesalpinia bonducella, and Casia fistula acclerated the growth of the pathogen. The maximum activity was shown by Eucalyptus globulus (88%) and Catharanthus roseus (88%) followed by Ocimum sanctum (85.50%), Azadirachta indica (84.66%), Ricinus communis (75%) and Lawsonia inermis (74.33%) while the minimum activity was exhibited by Jatropha curcas (10%).

Restraint stress-induced central monoaminergic & oxidative changes in rats & their prevention by novel Ocimum sanctum compounds

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Ausaf; Rasheed, Naila; Chand, Kailash; Maurya, Rakesh; Banu, Naheed; Palit, Gautam

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Ocimum sanctum (OS) is known to possess various therapeutic properties. We have earlier isolated and characterized three OS compounds; Ocimarin, Ocimumoside A and Ocimumoside B. However, their role in modulating stress-induced central changes is unexplored. Thus, the present study was aimed to investigate the effect of these OS compounds on restraint stress (RS)-induced changes in the monoaminergic and antioxidant systems in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus of rats. Methods: RS was produced by immobilizing (restraining) the Sprague Dawley rats for a period of 2.5 h inside cylindrical steel tubes. The monoamine levels and the in vivo antioxidant status in brain regions were evaluated by HPLC-EC and spectrophotometric assays, respectively. Results: RS significantly increased the dopamine levels in the frontal cortex and decreased in the striatum and hippocampus, and accompanied with selective increase of dopamine metabolites compared to the NS control group. The serotonin and its metabolite levels were significantly increased, while noradrenaline levels were decreased by RS in the three brain regions studied. The activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the frontal cortex and striatum were significantly increased by RS with decreased glutathione levels and increased lipid peroxidation. Pre-treatment with Ocimumoside A and B (40 mg/kg po) for a period of 3 days prevented the RS-induced changes with an efficacy similar to that of standard anti-stress (Panax quinquefolium; 100 mg/kg po) and antioxidant (Melatonin; 20 mg/kg ip) drugs, while, Ocimarin failed to modulate these changes. OS compounds per se had no effect on these parameters. Interpretation & conclusions: The present findings showed the anti-stress potential of Ocimumoside A and B in relation to their simultaneous modulatory effects on the central monoaminergic and antioxidant systems implicating their therapeutic importance in stress-related disorders. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism of action of these compounds. PMID:22664506

Ursolic acid rich Ocimum sanctum L leaf extract loaded nanostructured lipid carriers ameliorate adjuvant induced arthritis in rats by inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, TNF-α and IL-1: Pharmacological and docking studies

PubMed Central

Abuzinadah, Mohammed F.; Alkreathy, Huda M.; Banaganapalli, Babajan; Mujeeb, Mohd

2018-01-01

Background Ursolic acid (UA) is a promising molecule with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and potential anti-arthritic activity. Methods This study was undertaken to make formulation and evaluation of Ocimum sanctum L. leaf extract (OLE) loaded nano-structured lipid carriers (OLE-NLCs) for improved transdermal delivery of UA. Different surfactants, solid lipids and liquid lipids were used for the preparation of NLCs. The NLCs were developed using emulsion solvent diffusion and evaporation method. Different physicochemical properties, entrapment efficacy, in vitro release evaluation, and ex vivo permeation studies of the prepared NLCs were carried out. The in vivo anti-arthritic activity of OLE-loaded NLC gel and control gel formulation (OLE free NLC gel) against Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis in wister albino rats was also carried out. Results OLE-NLCs were composed of spherical particles having a mean particle size of ~120 nm, polydispersity index of ~0.162 and zeta potential of ~ -27 mV. The high entrapment efficiency (EE) of UA ~89.56% was attained. The in vitro release study demonstrated a prolonged release of UA from the NLCs up to 12 h. The developed formulation was found to be significantly better with respect to the drug permeation amount with an enhancement ratio of 2.69 as compared with marketed formulation. The in vivo biological activity investigations, studies showed that the newly prepared NLCs formulation of OLE showed excellent anti-arthritic activity and the results were found at par with standard marketed diclofenac gel for its analgesic and anti-arthritic activities. These results were also supported by radiological analysis and molecular docking studies. Conclusion The overall results proved that the prepared OLE-NLCs were very effective for the treatment of arthritis and the results were found at par with standard marketed the standard formulation of diclofenac gel. PMID:29558494

Evaluation of anti-quorum-sensing activity of edible plants and fruits through inhibition of the N-acyl-homoserine lactone system in Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Musthafa, K Syed; Ravi, A Veera; Annapoorani, A; Packiavathy, I Sybiya Vasantha; Pandian, S Karutha

2010-01-01

To find out an alternative strategy to antibiotic usage against bacterial infection. The purpose of this study is to describe the quorum-sensing (QS) inhibitory activity of edible plants and fruits against N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated violacein production in Chromobacterium violaceum and virulence factor expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Aqueous extracts of Ananas comosus (Bromeliaceae), Musa paradiciaca (Musaceae), Manilkara zapota (Sapotaceae) and Ocimum sanctum (Lamiaceae) were prepared and anti-QS activity of each extract was tested against AHL-mediated phenotypic expressions of C. violaceum and PAO1. Most of these extracts showed significant reduction in AHL-mediated violacein production in C. violaceum as well as pyocyanin pigment, staphylolytic protease, elastase production and biofilm formation in PAO1. However, these extracts were not inhibitory to bacterial growth, revealing that the QS inhibition by the extracts is not related to static or killing effects on the bacteria. The present study identified the anti-QS activity of A. comosus, M. paradiciaca, M. zapota and O. sanctum. An AHL-inactivating compound from these plant sources can be used as an alternative to antibiotic compounds to prevent AHL-mediated bacterial infection in higher organisms. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Nutrigenomic evaluation of garlic (Allium sativum) and holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder supplementation on growth performance and immune characteristics in broilers

PubMed Central

Sheoran, N.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, A.; Batra, K.; Sihag, S.; Maan, S.; Maan, N. S.

2017-01-01

Aim: In this study, a planned research work was conducted to investigate the nutrigenomic aspects of supplementation of Allium sativum (garlic) and Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) leaf powder on the growth performance and immune characteristics of broilers. Materials and Methods: A 6 weeks feeding trial was conducted with 280-day-old Ven Cobb broilers, distributed randomly into seven experimental groups. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 10 birds each. The birds of the control group (T1) were fed a basal diet formulated as per BIS standards. The broilers of treatment groups T2 and T3 were fed basal diet supplemented with the commercially available garlic powder (GP) at levels of 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively, while broilers in T4 and T5 were fed basal diet supplemented with commercial grade holy basil leaf powder (HBLP) at levels 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively. Birds in the T6 were fed with 0.5% GP and 0.5% HBLP, whereas T7 was fed with 1.0% GP and 1.0% HBLP. At the end of the feeding trial (6th week), blood samples were collected and analyzed for relative mRNA expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The mean body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were improved (p<0.05) in broilers fed the GP and HBLP incorporated diets compared with the control group. The relative mRNA expression levels of TLR 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 in the peripheral blood of the broilers were found to be increased (p<0.05) in the birds supplemented with graded levels of the GP and HBLP as compared to the untreated group. Conclusion: The present work concludes that the inclusion of GP and HBLP could enhance the production performance and immune status of birds by augmenting the T-cell mediated immune response and thereby protects them from disease without decreasing growth traits as a possible substitution to conventional antimicrobials. PMID:28246456

Studies on the performance of TiO{sub 2} thin films as protective layer to chlorophyll in Ocimum tenuiflorum L from UV radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malliga, P.; Selvi, B. Karunai; Pandiarajan, J.

Thin films of TiO{sub 2} were prepared on glass substrates using sol-gel dip coating technique. The films with 10 coatings were prepared and annealed at temperatures 350°C, 450°C and 550°C for 1 hour in muffle furnace. The annealed films were characterized by X – Ray diffraction (XRD), UV – Visible, AFM, Field Effect Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and EDAX studies. Chlorophyll has many health benefits due to its structural similarity to human blood and its good chelating ability. It has antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. UV light impairs photosynthesis and reduces size, productivity, and quality in many of the crop plantmore » species. Increased exposure of UV light reduces chlorophyll contents a, b and total content in plants. Titanium Dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) is a wide band gap semiconductor and efficient light harvester. TiO{sub 2} has strong UltraViolet (UV) light absorbing capability. Here, we have studied the performance of TiO{sub 2} thin films as a protective layer to the chlorophyll contents present in medicinal plant, tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum L) from UV radiation. The study reveals that crystallite size increases, transmittance decreases and chlorophyll contents increases with increase in annealing temperature. This study showed that TiO{sub 2} thin films are good absorber of UV light and protect the chlorophyll contents a, b and total content in medicinal plants.« less

Preparation of an agar-silver nanoparticles (A-AgNp) film for increasing the shelf-life of fruits.

PubMed

Gudadhe, Janhavi A; Yadav, Alka; Gade, Aniket; Marcato, Priscyla D; Durán, Nelson; Rai, Mahendra

2014-12-01

Preparation of protective coating possessing antimicrobial properties is present day need as they increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. In the present study, preparation of agar-silver nanoparticle film for increasing the shelf life of fruits is reported. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) biosynthesised using an extract of Ocimum sanctum leaves, were mixed with agar-agar to prepare an agar-silver nanoparticles (A-AgNp) film. This film was surface-coated over the fruits, Citrus aurantifolium (Thornless lime) and Pyrus malus (Apple), and evaluated for the determination of antimicrobial activity of A-AgNp films using disc diffusion method, weight loss and shelf life of fruits. This study demonstrates that these A-AgNp films possess antimicrobial activity and also increase the shelf life of fruits.

Formulation and evaluation of herbal anti-acne moisturizer.

PubMed

Rasheed, Arun; Shama, Shaik Neelufar; Joy, Jyothi Mulanjananiyil; Reddy, Bobbu Sravya; Roja, Chirra

2012-10-01

The moisture content present in human skin makes it look young and the use of moisturizer results in fastening the moisture with a surface film of oil. Acne vulgaris is one of the most commonly seen diseases among the youth. The present study is focused on the use of herbs as moisturizer for acne treatment. The anti-acne moisturizer was formulated from herbal crude extracts and investigated the physico-chemical parameters as well as antibacterial activity of the formulation. The study revealed that ethanol extract of Andrographis paniculata, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ocimum sanctum, Azadiracta indica and Green tea possessed the potential for inhibiting acne. It was observed that the optimal formula of anti-acne moisturizer was satisfactorily effective to control acne inducing bacteria i.e., Staphylococcus epidermis and Propionibacterium. The physico-chemical parameters of the formulation were also optimal with no signs of irritation.

Medico-botanical study of Yercaud hills in the eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Parthipan, M; Aravindhan, V; Rajendran, A

2011-04-01

The study reports medicinal plant survey was conceded in Yercaud hills ranges of Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. The study primarily based on field surveys conducted throughout the hills, where dwellers provided information on plant species used as medicine, plant parts used to prepare the remedies and ailments to which the remedies were prescribed. The study resulted about 48- plant species belonging to 45- genera and 29- families of medicinal plants related to folk medicine used by the local people. Among them the most common plants viz., Asparagus racemosus Willd., Cissus quadrangularis L., Gymnema sylvestre R. Br., Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br., Justisia adhatoda L., Ocimum sanctum L., Phyllanthes amarus Schum. & Thonn., Piper nigrum L., Solanum nigrum L., Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers, Tridax procumbens L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe which are used in their daily life to cure various ailments.

An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis.

PubMed

Hugar, Shivayogi; M Patel, Punit; Nagmoti, Jyoti; Uppin, Chaitanya; Mistry, Laresh; Dhariwal, Neha

2017-01-01

To comparatively evaluate the efficacy of disinfecting ability of garlic oil, neem oil, clove oil, and tulsi oil with autoclaving on endodontic K files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Fifty endodontic K files were exposed to the test micro-organism and checked for its disinfecting ability using three different methods. Garlic oil, clove oil, tulsi oil and autoclave showed considerable effectiveness against E. faecalis except neem oil. Garlic oil, clove oil and tulsi oil are an effective disinfectant and can be used as an alternative to autoclaving against the test micro-organism. Herbs and herbal extracts are a natural and harmless way of controlling infection. These products are readily available and comparable to gold standard, thus can have its applications in rural India. Hugar S, Patel PM, Nagmoti J, Uppin C, Mistry L, Dhariwal N. An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(3):283-288.

Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera in animals.

PubMed

Sudha, P; Asdaq, Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin; Dhamingi, Sunil S; Chandrakala, Gowda Kallenahalli

2010-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunomodulatory action of methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera (MEMO) in an experimental model of immunity. The cellular immunity was evaluated using neutrophil adhesion test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and carbon clearance assay, whereas, humoral immunity was tested by mice lethality test, serum immunoglobulin estimation and indirect haemagglutination assay in animals. Administration of MEMO (250 and 750 mg/kg, po) and Ocimum sanctum (100 mg/kg, po) significantly increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and also prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. They also increased significantly the circulating antibody titre in indirect haemagglunation test. Moreover, MEMO produced significant increase in adhesion of neutrophils, attenuation of cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia and an increase in phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay. From the above results, it can be concluded that MEMO stimulate both cellular and humoral immune response. However, low dose of MEMO was found to be more effective than the high dose.

An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis

PubMed Central

Hugar, Shivayogi; Nagmoti, Jyoti; Uppin, Chaitanya; Mistry, Laresh; Dhariwal, Neha

2017-01-01

Aim To comparatively evaluate the efficacy of disinfecting ability of garlic oil, neem oil, clove oil, and tulsi oil with autoclaving on endodontic K files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and methods Fifty endodontic K files were exposed to the test micro-organism and checked for its disinfecting ability using three different methods. Result Garlic oil, clove oil, tulsi oil and autoclave showed considerable effectiveness against E. faecalis except neem oil. Conclusion Garlic oil, clove oil and tulsi oil are an effective disinfectant and can be used as an alternative to autoclaving against the test micro-organism. Clinical Significance Herbs and herbal extracts are a natural and harmless way of controlling infection. These products are readily available and comparable to gold standard, thus can have its applications in rural India. How to cite this article Hugar S, Patel PM, Nagmoti J, Uppin C, Mistry L, Dhariwal N. An in vitro Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Disinfecting Ability of Garlic Oil, Neem Oil, Clove Oil, and Tulsi Oil with autoclaving on Endodontic K Files tested against Enterococcus faecalis. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(3):283-288. PMID:29104390

A pharmacological appraisal of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential

PubMed Central

Khan, Vasim; Najmi, Abul Kalam; Akhtar, Mohd.; Aqil, Mohd.; Mujeeb, Mohd.; Pillai, K. K.

2012-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is a complicated metabolic disorder that has gravely troubled the human health and quality of life. Conventional agents are being used to control diabetes along with lifestyle management. However, they are not entirely effective and no one has ever been reported to have fully recovered from diabetes. Numerous medicinal plants have been used for the management of diabetes mellitus in various traditional systems of medicine worldwide as they are a great source of biological constituents and many of them are known to be effective against diabetes. Medicinal plants with antihyperglycemic activities are being more desired, owing to lesser side-effects and low cost. This review focuses on the various plants that have been reported to be effective in diabetes. A record of various medicinal plants with their established antidiabetic and other health benefits has been reported. These include Allium sativa, Eugenia jambolana, Panax ginseng, Gymnema sylvestre, Momrodica charantia, Ocimum sanctum, Phyllanthus amarus, Pterocarpus marsupium, Trigonella foenum graecum and Tinospora cordifolia. All of them have shown a certain degree of antidiabetic activity by different mechanisms of action. PMID:22368396

Antimalarial plants of northeast India: An overview.

PubMed

Shankar, Rama; Deb, Sourabh; Sharma, B K

2012-01-01

The need for an alternative drug for malaria initiated intensive efforts for developing new antimalarials from indigenous plants. The information from different tribal communities of northeast India along with research papers, including books, journals and documents of different universities and institutes of northeast India was collected for information on botanical therapies and plant species used for malaria. Sixty-eight plant species belonging to 33 families are used by the people of northeast India for the treatment of malaria. Six plant species, namely, Alstonia scholaris, Coptis teeta, Crotolaria occulta, Ocimum sanctum, Polygala persicariaefolia, Vitex peduncularis, have been reported by more than one worker from different parts of northeast India. The species reported to be used for the treatment of malaria were either found around the vicinity of their habitation or in the forest area of northeast India. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (33%), roots (31%), and bark and whole plant (12%). The present study has compiled and enlisted the antimalarial plants of northeast India, which would help future workers to find out the suitable antimalarial plants by thorough study.

Effect of Trasina, an Ayurvedic herbal formulation, on pancreatic islet superoxide dismutase activity in hyperglycaemic rats.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, S K; Satyan, K S; Chakrabarti, A

1997-03-01

Diabetes mellitus was induced in male CF strain rats by streptozotocin (STZ) and hyperglycaemia and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of pancreatic islet cells was assessed on days 7, 14, 21 and 28. STZ induced significant hyperglycaemia and a concomitant decrease in islet cell SOD activity. Transina (TR), an Ayurvedic herbal formulation comprising of Withania somnifera, Tinospora cordifolia, Eclipta alba, Ocimum sanctum, Picrorrhiza kurroa and shilajit, had little per se effect on blood sugar concentrations and islet SOD activity in euglycaemic rats, in the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o. administered once daily for 28 days. However, these doses of TR induced a dose- related decrease in STZ hyperglycaemia and attenuation of STZ induced decrease in islet SOD activity. The results indicate that the earlier reported anti-hyperglycaemic effect of TR may be due to pancreatic islet free radical scavenging activity, the hyperglycaemic activity of STZ being the consequence of decrease in islet SOD activity leading to the accumulation of degenerative oxidative free radicals in islet beta-cells.

Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic extract of Morus alba Linn. (mulberry) leaves.

PubMed

Bharani, Shendige Eswara Rao; Asad, Mohammed; Dhamanigi, Sunil Samson; Chandrakala, Gowda Kallenahalli

2010-01-01

The leaves of Morus alba Linn. (Family: Moraceae) commonly known as mulberry are mainly used as food for the silkworms and they are sometimes eaten as vegetable or used as cattle fodder in different parts of the world. The effect of Morus alba on the immune system was evaluated by using different experimental models such as carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia, neutrophil adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins, mice lethality test and indirect haemagglutination test. Methanolic extract of Morus alba was administered orally at low dose and high dose of 100 mg/kg and 1 g/kg respectively and Ocimum sanctum (100 mg/kg, po) was used as standard drug. Morus alba extract in both doses increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. It also increased the circulating antibody titre in indirect haemagglutination test. On the other hand, it showed significant increase in the phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay, a significant protection against cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and increased the adhesion of neutrophils in the neutrophil adhesion test. Hence, it was concluded that Morus alba increases both humoral immunity and cell mediated immunity.

Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Multiplication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under Reduced Oxygen Conditions Using Intracellular and Axenic Assays

PubMed Central

Bhatter, Purva D.; Gupta, Pooja D.; Birdi, Tannaz J.

2016-01-01

Aim. Test the activity of selected medicinal plant extracts on multiplication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under reduced oxygen concentration which represents nonreplicating conditions. Material and Methods. Acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plants Acorus calamus L. (rhizome), Ocimum sanctum L. (leaf), Piper nigrum L. (seed), and Pueraria tuberosa DC. (tuber) were tested on Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv intracellularly using an epithelial cell (A549) infection model. The extracts found to be active intracellularly were further studied axenically under reducing oxygen concentrations. Results and Conclusions. Intracellular multiplication was inhibited ≥60% by five of the twelve extracts. Amongst these 5 extracts, in axenic culture, P. nigrum (acetone) was active under aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic conditions indicating presence of multiple components acting at different levels and P. tuberosa (aqueous) showed bactericidal activity under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions implying the influence of anaerobiosis on its efficacy. P. nigrum (aqueous) and A. calamus (aqueous and ethanol) extracts were not active under axenic conditions but only inhibited intracellular growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suggesting activation of host defense mechanisms to mediate bacterial killing rather than direct bactericidal activity. PMID:26941797

Evaluation of the Anxiolytic Activity of NR-ANX-C (a Polyherbal Formulation) in Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety Behavior in Rats.

PubMed

Mohan, L; Rao, U S C; Gopalakrishna, H N; Nair, V

2011-01-01

The present study investigates the anxiolytic activity of NR-ANX-C, a standardized polyherbal formulation containing the extracts of Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Camellia sinensis, Triphala, and Shilajit in ethanol withdrawal- (EW-) induced anxiety behavior in rats. Ethanol dependence in rats was produced by substitution of drinking water with 7.5% v/v alcohol for 10 days. Then, ethanol withdrawal was induced by replacing alcohol with drinking water, 12 hours prior to experimentation. After confirming induction of withdrawal symptoms in the alcohol deprived animals, the anxiolytic activity of the test compound in graded doses (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) was compared to the standard drug alprazolam (0.08 mg/kg) in the elevated plus maze and bright and dark arena paradigms. In our study, single and repeated dose administration of NR-ANX-C reduced EW-induced anxiety in a dose-dependent manner. Even though the anxiolytic activity was not significant at lower doses, NR-ANX-C at the highest dose tested (40 mg/kg) produced significant anxiolytic activity that was comparable to the standard drug alprazolam. Based on our findings we believe that NR-ANX-C has the potential to be used as an alternative to benzodiazepines in the treatment of EW-induced anxiety.

Evaluation of the Anxiolytic Activity of NR-ANX-C (a Polyherbal Formulation) in Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety Behavior in Rats

PubMed Central

Mohan, L.; Rao, U. S. C.; Gopalakrishna, H. N.; Nair, V.

2011-01-01

The present study investigates the anxiolytic activity of NR-ANX-C, a standardized polyherbal formulation containing the extracts of Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Camellia sinensis, Triphala, and Shilajit in ethanol withdrawal- (EW-) induced anxiety behavior in rats. Ethanol dependence in rats was produced by substitution of drinking water with 7.5% v/v alcohol for 10 days. Then, ethanol withdrawal was induced by replacing alcohol with drinking water, 12 hours prior to experimentation. After confirming induction of withdrawal symptoms in the alcohol deprived animals, the anxiolytic activity of the test compound in graded doses (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) was compared to the standard drug alprazolam (0.08 mg/kg) in the elevated plus maze and bright and dark arena paradigms. In our study, single and repeated dose administration of NR-ANX-C reduced EW-induced anxiety in a dose-dependent manner. Even though the anxiolytic activity was not significant at lower doses, NR-ANX-C at the highest dose tested (40 mg/kg) produced significant anxiolytic activity that was comparable to the standard drug alprazolam. Based on our findings we believe that NR-ANX-C has the potential to be used as an alternative to benzodiazepines in the treatment of EW-induced anxiety. PMID:20953426

Infrared spectroscopic analysis of skin tumor of mice treated with several medicinal plants

PubMed Central

Ali, Huma; Dixit, Savita

2013-01-01

Objective To evaluate the differences between cancerous tissue, drug treated tissue and its corresponding normal tissue by infrared spectroscopic analysis. Methods Methanolic extracts of Azadirachta indica, Ocimum sanctum, Aloe barbandesis, Tinospora cordifolia and Triticum aestivum were assessed for the isolation and purification of active compound. After that, combine crude and combine isolated samples were prepared. Skin tumor was induced by topical application of 7, 12-dimethyl benz (a) anthracene and promoted by croton oil in Swiss albino mice. To assess the chemopreventive potential of different drugs, it was administered at a concentration of 400 mg/kg body weight daily up to 16 weeks. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was used to differentiate the drug treated tissues with the normal and cancerous tissue. In the present study, spectra of different tissues were recorded in the range of 400-4 000 cm−1. Results The results of the present study have shown that the remarkable difference exists between the IR spectra of normal, drugs treated and cancerous tissue in terms of frequencies and intensities of prominent bands of cellular biomolecules. Conclusions Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis suggests the chemopreventive effect of above treated drugs and the best result was observed in combine crude sample and in combine isolated sample or synergistic effect of individual crude and isolated extract in 7, 12-dimethyl benz (a) anthracene croton oil induced skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice.

Effects of a wax organogel and alginate gel complex on holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) in vitro ruminal dry matter disappearance and gas production.

PubMed

Templeman, James R; Rogers, Michael A; Cant, John P; McBride, Brian W; Osborne, Vern R

2018-02-20

The objectives of this study were to: (a) select an ideal organogel for the oil phase of a novel gel encapsulation technology, (b) optimize the formulation of an organogel and sodium alginate-based gel complex, and (c) examine the rumen protective ability of the gel by measuring 48-h in vitro ruminal dry matter disappearance and gas production from encapsulated dried and ground holy basil leaves. A rice-bran wax and canola oil organogel was selected for the oil phase of the gel complex as this combination had a 48-h dry matter disappearance of 6%, the lowest of all organogels analyzed. The gel complex was formulated by homogenizing the organogel with a sodium alginate solution to create a low-viscosity oil-in-water emulsion. Average dry matter disappearance of gel-encapsulated holy basil was 19%, compared to 42% for the free, unprotected holy basil. However, gel encapsulation of holy basil stimulated gas production. Specifically, gas production of encapsulated holy basil was four times higher than the treatment with holy basil added on top of the gel prior to incubation rather than encapsulated within the gel. Although the gel itself was highly degradable, it is speculated encapsulation thwarted holy basil's antimicrobial activity. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Preliminary textual research on Zhijintang Sanctum re-revised version of Jinling edition of Ben cao gang mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)].

PubMed

Zheng, Jinsheng

2014-03-01

The Zhijintang Sanctum version of the re-revised edition of Jinling edition of Ben cao gang mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)collected by Zhao Huiyuan of Baihe, Henan Province in 2008 was opted as one of the third batch of the National Directory of Rare Ancient Worksin 2010. On the second cover page (patent page), it is recorded as"Original Jiangxi version". However, it is investigated to find that most of its paper sheets were reprinted after the original Jinling version, only scores of paper sheets were supplemented block-printed, including the additional block-printed second preface and Li Jianyuan's submitted report of the Jiangxi version, the re-revised time of which should be after the Jiangxi edition, or 1603. The exact time can be determined only by checking it carefully against another Jinling re-revised version (the Sheyuantang Sanctum edition).

Ethnomedicinal and ethnopharmaco-statistical studies of Eastern Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Upadhyay, Bhuvaneshwar; Parveen; Dhaker, Anil K; Kumar, Ashwani

2010-05-04

The study was conducted in Eastern parts of Rajasthan from March 2008 to February 2009 to identify the important species used; determine the relative importance of the species surveyed and calculate the informant consensus factor (ICF) in relation to medicinal plant use. METHODOLOGY OR MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 844 villagers (486 men and 358 women) were interviewed using specimen display method and a forest walk with interviewee and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit the knowledge of use of medicinal plants. A total of 213 species of medicinal plants belonging to 68 families were documented. The family Fabaceae had the highest number of species (28) followed by Euphorbiaceae (14). The majority of informants (46.12%) mentioned Azadirachta indica as most popular remedy for the treatment of various ailments, followed by Ocimum sanctum (25.31%) and Tridax procumbens (21.63%). The average number of medicinal plants known and used by female and male practitioners was similar (chi=9.192, d.f.=17, p=0.941). The number of medicinal plant species reported and used by each informant was not significantly (chi=40.625, d.f.=34, p=0.202) different among the four districts: Alwar (7.80+/-0.917), Bharatpur (6.88+/-1.076), Dholpur (7.13+/-0.965) and Karauli (7.97+/-1.068). From the study it is clear that ethnomedicinal information from traditional practitioners provides a corporeal guide towards development of new drugs than the approaches of random screening. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anesthetic activity of plant essential oils on Cyprinus carpio (koi carp).

PubMed

Khumpirapang, Nattakanwadee; Pikulkaew, Surachai; Anuchapreeda, Songyot; Okonogi, Siriporn

2018-03-19

The aims of this study were to investigate the anesthetic and cytotoxic effects of essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum basilicum (OBO), O. canum (OCO), and O. sanctum (OSO) on Cyprinus carpio (koi carp). For anesthetic effect, induction time to surgical anesthesia and recovery time were determined. For cytotoxicity effect, viability of fish peripheral blood nuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated. Results indicated that increasing oil concentration caused significant (p < 0.01) decrease of induction time. OSO at 100, 200, and 300 mg/L gave the induction time of 169.5 ± 10.2, 62.8 ± 2.3, 45.3 ± 2.2 sec, respectively, significantly shorter than OCO, and OBO. The recovery time of anesthetized fish was dose dependent (p <0.01). Among them, OCO showed the longest recovery time of 313.0 ± 8.1, 420.7 ± 12.6, 616.6 ± 12.1 sec for concentrations of 100, 200, and 300 mg/L, respectively, followed by OSO and OBO, respectively. Within 10 min contact time of the EOs and fish PBMCs, the fish PBMC viability was higher than 80%. Increase contact time and EO concentration caused an increase in cytotoxicity to fish PBMC. OBO showed less toxic than OSO and OCO. Based on the desired induction and recovery times for anesthetizing koi carp, OBO, OCO, and OSO at 300, 200, and 100 mg/L, respectively were suggested to be the most suitable. It was concluded that OBO, OCO, and OSO can be used as natural anesthetics for fish.

Development of shampoo, soap and ointment formulated by green synthesised silver nanoparticles functionalised with antimicrobial plants oils in veterinary dermatology: treatment and prevention strategies.

PubMed

Bansod, Sunita Dashrath; Bawaskar, Manisha Subrashrao; Gade, Aniket Krishnarao; Rai, Mahendra Kumar

2015-08-01

Many scientists have focused their research on the role of nanotechnology for the control of human pathogens, but there are also many topical pathogens present in animals, which infect animals and transfer to humans. Topical therapy is extremely important for the management of dermatological condition in animals. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in combination with herbal oils against animal skin infections which may be responsible for causing infections in human beings. Here, the authors synthesised and characterised the AgNPs from Azadirachta indica. The oils were extracted from medicinal plants including Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon martini, Eucalyptus globules, A. indica and Ocimum sanctum and the antifungal and antibacterial activity of plant oils along with AgNPs were evaluated. An excision wound model was used for the study of wound healing activity in rabbits. AgNPs functionalised oil has demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial activity against pathogens present on the skin of animals. The nano-functionalised antimicrobial oils were used in the formulation of shampoo, soap and ointment for veterinary dermatology. Antimicrobial products of plant origin with AgNPs are valuable, safe and have a specific role in controlling diseases. The authors believe that this approach will be a good alternative therapy to solve the continuous antibiotic resistance developed by many bacterial pathogens and will be utilised in various animal contacting areas in medicine.

A Comparative Study of Ion Diffusion from Calcium Hydroxide with Various Herbal Pastes through Dentin

PubMed Central

Dhirawani, Rajesh B; Marya, Jayant; Dhirawani, Vrinda; Kumar, Vijayendra

2017-01-01

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the diffusion ability of ions through dentinal tubules of different nonalcoholic calcium hydroxide-containing herbal pastes and compare it with the calcium hydroxide paste prepared with saline. Materials and methods A total of 36 single-rooted premolar teeth were used in this study. The tooth crowns were removed and the root canals were prepared. Depending on the vehicle to be used for preparing calcium hydroxide pastes, six groups were made: Group I: Ca(OH)2 saline paste (control group), group II: Ca(OH)2 papaya latex paste, group III: Ca(OH)2 coconut water paste, group IV: Ca(OH)2 Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) paste, group V: Ca(OH)2 Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) paste, and group VI: Ca(OH)2 garlic (Allium sativum) paste. After biomechanical preparation, calcium hydroxide herbal paste dressings were applied and sealed with resin-based cement. The teeth were placed in containers with deionized water, and the pH of the water was measured at regular intervals over 3, 24, 72, and 168 hours. Results We observed that all herbal pastes allowed the diffusion of ions, but pastes prepared with Ashwagandha and papaya latex showed more ion diffusion after 168 hours and marked increase in pH, depicting better support for calcium hydroxide action. Conclusion We conclude that Ashwagandha and papaya latex allow better diffusion of calcium hydroxide through den-tinal tubules, thus enhancing its action, and advise its use as a vehicle for placing intracanal medicament. How to cite this article Dausage P, Dhirawani RB, Marya J, Dhirawani V, Kumar V. A Comparative Study of Ion Diffusion from Calcium Hydroxide with Various Herbal Pastes through Dentin. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(1):41-44. PMID:28377654

Longitudinal evaluation of Ocimum and other plants effects on the feeding behavioral response of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the field in Tanzania

PubMed Central

Kweka, Eliningaya J; Mosha, Franklin W; Lowassa, Asanterabi; Mahande, Aneth M; Mahande, Michael J; Massenga, Charles P; Tenu, Filemoni; Lyatuu, Ester E; Mboya, Michael A; Temu, Emmanuel A

2008-01-01

Background The use of repellent materials from plants against nuisance insects is common with great potential to compliment existing malaria control programmes and this requires evaluation in the field. Ocimum plant species, Ocimum suave (Willd) and O. kilimandscharicum (Guerke) materials and their essential oils extracted by steam distillation were evaluated in the field and experimental huts for repellence, exophily and feeding inhibition effects against three mosquito species, Anopheles arabiensis (Patton), An. gambiae ss (Giles) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say). The protective effect of essential oils from Ocimum plants were compared with N, N-diethly-3- methylbenzamide (DEET), a standard synthetic repellent. Also, the protective effect of fumigation by burning of repellent plants; Ocimum suave, Ocimum kilimandscharicum, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus globules and Lantana camara were tested in experimental huts and selected local houses. Results In the field, protection by Ocimum plants from mosquito bites was high and there was small variation among different mosquito species. Protection efficiency was 93.4%, 91.98% and 89.75% for An. arabiensis while for Cx. quinquefaciatus it was 91.30%, 88.65% and 90.50% for DEET, Ocimum suave and O. kilimandscharicum respectively. In the experimental hut, deterrence induced by burning of Ocimum and other plants ranged from 73.1.0% to 81.9% for An. arabiensis and 56.5% to 67.8% for Cx. quinquefaciatus, while feeding inhibition was 61.1% to 100% for An. arabiensis and 50% to 100% for Cx. quinquefaciatus. Evaluations under field conditions confirmed high protective efficacy, enhanced feeding inhibition and house entry inhibition (Deterrence). Conclusion This study shows the potential of Ocimum suave and Ocimum kilimandscharicum crude extracts and whole plants of Ocimum suave, Ocimum kilimandscharicum, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus globules and Lantana camara for use in protecting against human biting while the burning of plants reduces significantly the indoor resting mosquitoes. PMID:18945343

Vicenin-2 inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling and induces apoptosis in HT-29 human colon cancer cell line.

PubMed

Yang, Dong; Zhang, Xiling; Zhang, Wencun; Rengarajan, Thamaraiselvan

2018-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among highest prevailing cancers in the whole world, especially in western countries. For a diverse of reasons, patients prefer naturally occurring dietary substances over synthetic agents to prevent cancer. Vicenin-2 is largely available in a medicinal plant Ocimum sanctum and is an apigenin form, 6,8-di-C-glucoside, which has been reported to have a range of pharmacological values which includes antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. This study was aimed to analyze the anti-proliferative effect of Vicenin-2 on human colon cancer cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibition. MTT assay was used to assess the cell viability at different concentrations and time point. Vicenin-2 at a concentration of 50 µM (IC 50 ) decreased the phosphorylated (inactive) glycogen synthase kinase-3β, cyclin D1, and non-p-β-catenin expressions in HT-29 cells, which were evidenced through western blot analysis. Further, Vincenin-2 reduced the T-cell factor (TCF) / Leukocyte erythroid factor (LEF) reporter activity in HT-29 cells. Vicenin-2 also promoted substantial cell cycle arrest at the G 2 M phase of HT-29 cells, as well induced apoptosis in HT-29 cells, as revealed through flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, immunoblot analysis showed that Vicenin-2 treatment enhanced the expression of Cytochrome C, Bax and caspase-3 whereas suppressed the Bcl-2 expression. Together, these results revealed that Vicenin-2 can act as a potent inhibitor of HT-29 cell proliferation and can be used as an agent against CRC.

Effect of Indian herbal hypoglycemic agents on antioxidant capacity and trace elements content in diabetic rats.

PubMed

Chandra, Anu; Mahdi, Abbas Ali; Singh, Raj Kumar; Mahdi, Farzana; Chander, Ramesh

2008-09-01

In the present investigation we report the protective potential of some herbal hypoglycemic agents on antioxidant status and levels of metal ions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Furthermore, in vitro antioxidant activity of the herbs was also evaluated. Induction of diabetes mellitus in rats caused an increase in blood lipid peroxide levels that was associated with the reduced activity of red blood cell (RBC) antioxidant enzymes--namely, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase--along with depletion of plasma reduced glutathione (GSH) and copper, zinc, iron, magnesium, and selenium levels. Oral treatment of diabetic rats with Allium sativum, Azadirachta indica, Momordica charantia, and Ocimum sanctum extracts (500 mg/kg of body weight) not only lowered the blood glucose level but also inhibited the formation of lipid peroxides, reactivated the antioxidant enzymes, and restored levels of GSH and metals in the above-mentioned model. The herbal extracts (50-500 microg) inhibited the generation of superoxide anions (O(2)(-.)) in both enzymatic and nonenzymatic in vitro systems. These preparations also inhibited the ferrous-sodium ascorbate-induced formation of lipid peroxides in RBCs. The in vivo and in vitro protective effects of the above-mentioned herbal drugs were also compared with that of glibenclamide. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the above-mentioned herbal plants not only possess hypoglycemic properties, but they also decrease oxidative load in diabetes mellitus. Therefore, we propose that long-term use of such agents might help in the prevention of diabetes-associated complications. However, the extrapolation of these results to humans needs further in-depth study.

Antimicrobial Activity of Seven Essential Oils From Iranian Aromatic Plants Against Common Causes of Oral Infections

PubMed Central

Zomorodian, Kamiar; Ghadiri, Pooria; Saharkhiz, Mohammad Jamal; Moein, Mohammad Reza; Mehriar, Peiman; Bahrani, Farideh; Golzar, Tahereh; Pakshir, Keyvan; Fani, Mohammad Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: Over the past two decades, there has been a growing trend in using oral hygienic products originating from natural resources such as essential oils (EOs) and plant extracts. Seven aromatic plants used in this study are among popular traditional Iranian medicinal plants with potential application in modern medicine as anti-oral infectious diseases. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils from seven medicinal plants against pathogens causing oral infections. Materials and Methods: The chemical compositions of EOs distilled from seven plants were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). These plants included Satureja khuzestanica, S. bachtiarica, Ocimum sanctum, Artemisia sieberi, Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum and Oliveria decumbens. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was evaluated by broth micro-dilution in 96 well plates as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) methods. Results: The tested EOs inhibited the growth of examined oral pathogens at concentrations of 0.015-16 µL/mL. Among the examined oral pathogens, Enterococcus faecalis had the highest Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) and Minimum Microbicidal Concentrations (MMCs). Of the examined EOs, S. khuzestanica, Z. multiflora and S. bachtiarica, showed the highest antimicrobial activities, respectively, while Artemisia sieberi exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: The excellent antimicrobial activities of the tested EOs might be due to their major phenolic or alcoholic monoterpenes with known antimicrobial activities. Hence, these EOs can be possibly used as an antimicrobial agent in treatment and control of oral pathogens. PMID:25793100

Development of a High-Resolution Multi-Locus Microsatellite Typing Method for Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

PubMed

Mehta, Nikita; Hagen, Ferry; Aamir, Sadaf; Singh, Sanjay K; Baghela, Abhishek

2017-12-01

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is an economically important fungal pathogen causing substantial yield losses indifferent host plants. To understand the genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of this fungus, we have developed a novel, high-resolution multi-locus microsatellite typing (MLMT) method. Bioinformatic analysis of C. gloeosporioides unannotated genome sequence yielded eight potential microsatellite loci, of which five, CG1 (GT) n , CG2 (GT1) n , CG3 (TC) n , CG4 (CT) n , and CG5 (CT1) n were selected for further study based on their universal amplification potential, reproducibility, and repeat number polymorphism. The selected microsatellites were used to analyze 31 strains of C. gloeosporioides isolated from 20 different host plants from India. All microsatellite loci were found to be polymorphic, and the approximate fragment sizes of microsatellite loci CG1, CG2, CG3, CG4, and CG5 were in ranges of 213-241, 197-227, 231-265, 209-275, and 132-188, respectively. Among the 31 isolates, 55 different genotypes were identified. The Simpson's index of diversity (D) values for the individual locus ranged from 0.79 to 0.92, with the D value of all combined five microsatellite loci being 0.99. Microsatellite data analysis revealed that isolates from Ocimum sanctum , Capsicum annuum (chili pepper), and Mangifera indica (mango) formed distinct clusters, therefore exhibited some level of correlation between certain genotypes and host. The developed MLMT method would be a powerful tool for studying the genetic diversity and any possible genotype-host correlation in C. gloeosporioides .

Essential oils showing in vitro anti MRSA and synergistic activity with penicillin group of antibiotics.

PubMed

Uzair, Bushra; Niaz, Naheed; Bano, Asma; Khan, Barkat Ali; Zafar, Naheed; Iqbal, Muhammad; Tahira, Riffat; Fasim, Fehmida

2017-09-01

This study was planned in order to investigate effective essential oils to inhibit in-vitro growth of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In this study using disc diffusion method anti MRSA activity of ten diverse essential oils extracted from traditional plants namely Thymus vulgaris L, Mentha pulegium, Ocimum sanctum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon citratus, Rosmarinus officinalis L., Cortex cinnamom, Citrus nobilis x Citrus deliciosa, Origanum vulgare and Mentha sp. was examined. All the essential oils inhibited growth of S. aureus to different extent, by exhibiting moderate to elevated zones of inhibitions. Essential oils of cinnamon (Cortex cinnamomi) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L) were observed to be the most powerful against MRSA strains used in this study. At lowest concentration of 25μl/ml essential oils comprehensible zone of inhibition was found 9±0.085mm and 8±0.051mm respectively, and at elevated concentrations there was a total decline in growth of MRSA and a very clear zone of inhibition was observed. A synergistic effect of essential oils in amalgamation with amoxicillin a Penicillin group of antibiotic was also examined. Interestingly a strong synergism was observed with oregano (Origanum vulgare) and pennyroyal mint (Mentha pulegium) essential oils, which were not so effective alone driven out to be important synergistic candidate. Our results demonstrated that essential oils of cinnamon and thyme can be used as potential antimicrobial agent against the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections and Amoxicillin antibacterial activity can be enhanced using active constituents present in oregano and pennyroyal mint essential oils.

Herbal extracts in oral health care - A review of the current scenario and its future needs.

PubMed

Chandra Shekar, Byalakere Rudraiah; Nagarajappa, Ramesh; Suma, Shankarappa; Thakur, Rupesh

2015-01-01

Oral diseases are among the major public health problems and the commonest of chronic diseases that affect mankind. The application of natural products for the control of oral diseases is considered as an interesting alternative to synthetic antimicrobials due to their lower negative impact, and for the effort to overcome primary or secondary resistance to the drug during therapy. To review the current evidence on the antimicrobial efficacy of 10 plant extracts on dental caries and plaque microorganisms. A comprehensive literature search was made by one of the authors for 2 months in PubMed, PubMed Central, MEDLINE, LILACS/BBO, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, SCIENCE DIRECT, and Google scholar databases. The results from the relevant published literatures are discussed. The extracts of Azadirachta Indica, Ocimum sanctum, Murraya koenigii L., Acacia nilotica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, Rosa indica, and Aloe barbadensis Miller have all been found to inhibit certain dental caries and periodontal pathogens. The current evidence is on individual plant extracts against bacteria involved in either caries or periodontitis. "Herbal shotgun" or "synergistic multitarget effects" are the terms used for the strategy of combining different extracts. The research assessing the antimicrobial efficacy of a combination of these plant extracts against dental caries and periodontal pathogens is the need of the hour, and such research will aid in the development of a novel, innovative method that can simultaneously inhibit two of the most common dental diseases of mankind, besides slowing the development of drug resistance.

Antioxidants as a Potential Preventive and Therapeutic Strategy for Cadmium.

PubMed

Brzóska, Malgorzata M; Borowska, Sylwia; Tomczyk, Michal

2016-01-01

Epidemiological studies provide a growing number of evidences that chronic exposure to relatively low levels of cadmium (Cd), nowadays taking place in industrialized countries, may cause health hazard. Thus, growing interest has been focused on effective ways of protection from adverse effects of exposure to this heavy metal. Because numerous effects to Cd's toxic action result from its prooxidative properties, it seems reasonable that special attention should be directed to agents that can prevent or reduce this metal-induced oxidative stress and its consequences in tissues, organs and systems at risk of toxicity, including liver, kidneys, testes, ears, eyes, cardiovascular system and nervous system as well as bone tissue. This review discusses a wide range of natural (plant and animal origin) and synthetic antioxidants together with many plant extracts (e.g. black and green tea, Aronia melanocarpa, Allium sativum, Allium cepa, Ocimum sanctum, Phoenix dactylifera, Physalis peruviana, Zingiber officinale) that have been shown to prevent from Cd toxicity. Moreover, some attention has been focused on the fact that substances not possessing antioxidative potential may also prevent Cd-induced oxidative stress and its consequences. So far, most of the data on the protective effects of the natural and synthetic antioxidants and plant extracts come from studies in animals' models; however, numerous of them seem to be promising preventive/therapeutic strategies for Cd toxicity in humans. Further investigation of prophylactic and therapeutic use of antioxidants in populations exposed to Cd environmentally and occupationally is warranted, given that therapeutically effective chelation therapy for this toxic metal is currently lacking.

Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Some Medicinal Plants Against Multi-drug Resistant Bacteria from Clinical Isolates

PubMed Central

Dahiya, Praveen; Purkayastha, Sharmishtha

2012-01-01

The in vitro antibacterial activity of various solvents and water extracts of aloe vera, neem, bryophyllum, lemongrass, tulsi, oregano, rosemary and thyme was assessed on 10 multi-drug resistant clinical isolates from both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and two standard strains including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. The zone of inhibition as determined by agar well diffusion method varied with the plant extract, the solvent used for extraction, and the organism tested. Klebsiella pneumoniae 2, Escherichia coli 3 and Staphylococcus aureus 3 were resistant to the plant extracts tested. Moreover, water extracts did not restrain the growth of any tested bacteria. Ethanol and methanol extracts were found to be more potent being capable of exerting significant inhibitory activities against majority of the bacteria investigated. Staphylococcus aureus 1 was the most inhibited bacterial isolate with 24 extracts (60%) inhibiting its growth whereas Escherichia coli 2 exhibited strong resistance being inhibited by only 11 extracts (28%). The results obtained in the agar diffusion plates were in fair correlation with that obtained in the minimum inhibitory concentration tests. The minimum inhibitory concentration of tulsi, oregano, rosemary and aloe vera extracts was found in the range of 1.56-6.25 mg/ml for the multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates tested whereas higher values (6.25-25 mg/ml) were obtained against the multi-drug resistant isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 and Escherichia coli 1 and 2. Qualitative phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of tannins and saponins in all plants tested. Thin layer chromatography and bioautography agar overlay assay of ethanol extracts of neem, tulsi and aloe vera indicated flavonoids and tannins as major active compounds against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. PMID:23716873

Protective Effect of Ocimum basilicum Essential Oil Against Acetic Acid-Induced Colitis in Rats.

PubMed

Rashidian, Amir; Roohi, Parnia; Mehrzadi, Saeed; Ghannadi, Ali Reza; Minaiyan, Mohsen

2016-10-01

Ocimum basilicum L has been traditionally used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in Iran. This study investigates the ameliorative effect of Ocimum basilicum essential oil on an acetic acid-induced colitis model in rats. Ocimum basilicum essential oil with 2 doses (200 and 400 μL/kg) significantly ameliorated wet weight/length ratio of colonic tissue compared to the control group. Higher doses of essential oil (200 and 400 μL/kg) significantly reduced ulcer severity, ulcer area, and ulcer index. On the other hand, histological examination revealed the diminution of total colitis index as a marker for inflammatory cell infiltration in the colonic segments of rats treated with Ocimum basilicum essential oil (200 and 400 μL/kg). The increased level of myeloperoxidase was significantly decreased after the treatment with the essential oil (200 and 400 μL/kg). These results suggest that Ocimum basilicum exhibits protective effect against acetic acid-induced colitis. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effect of NR-ANX-C (a polyherbal formulation) on haloperidol induced catalepsy in albino mice.

PubMed

Nair, Vinod; Arjuman, Albina; Dorababu, P; Gopalakrishna, H N; Chakradhar Rao, U; Mohan, Lalit

2007-11-01

Use of typical antipsychotics like haloperidol in treatment of schizophrenia is associated with a high incidence of extrapyramidal side effects. In rodents, administration of haloperidol leads to the development of a behavioural state called catalepsy, in which the animal is not able to correct an externally imposed posture. In the present study we evaluated the anticataleptic efficacy of NR-ANX-C, a polyherbal formulation containing bioactives of Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Camellia sinensis, triphala and shilajit in haloperidol induced catalepsy in mice. Five groups (n = 6) of male albino mice were used in the study. Catalepsy was induced by ip administration of haloperidol (1mg/kg). The degree of catalepsy (cataleptic score) was measured as the time the animal maintained an imposed posture. We compared the anticataleptic efficacy of NR-ANX-C (10, 25 and 50 mg/kg) with scopolamine (1 mg/kg). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) level in brain tissue was also estimated to correlate the levels of oxidative stress and degree of catalepsy in the animal. Significant (P<0.01) reduction in the cataleptic scores was observed in all NR-ANX-C treated groups and maximum reduction was observed in the NR-ANX-C (25 mg/kg) treated group. Significant (P<0.05) reduction in SOD activity was observed in NR-ANX-C (25 and 50 mg/kg) treated groups and maximum reduction was observed in NR-ANX-C (25mg/kg) treated group. In our study, maximum reduction in cataleptic score was observed in NR-ANX-C (25 mg/kg) treated group. The maximum reduction in SOD activity was also observed in the same group. These findings suggest a possible involvement of the antioxidant potential of NRANX- C in alleviating haloperidol induced catalepsy.

Green route for synthesis of multifunctional fluorescent carbon dots from Tulsi leaves and its application as Cr(VI) sensors, bio-imaging and patterning agents.

PubMed

Bhatt, Shreya; Bhatt, Madhuri; Kumar, Anshu; Vyas, Gaurav; Gajaria, Tejal; Paul, Parimal

2018-07-01

We report a one pot green strategy for the synthesis of carbon dots using tulsi leaves and their potential application in sensing of Cr(VI) selectively. The detection mechanism is based on the phenomenon called inner filter effect (IFE) and a good linear static quenching was observed in the range of 1.6 μM to 50 μM with a detection limit of 4.5 ppb. The reversible switching in fluorescence has been tested and a good recovery in fluorescence was observed up to three consecutive cycles upon addition of ascorbic acid as reducing agent. Also the low toxicity, high fluorescence and photostabilty of the CDs make them excellent imaging and patterning agent. The acid and alkali resistant property of these CDs makes it suitable for real sample analysis. The fluorescent CDs were applied for successful detection of Cr(VI) in water with spike-recoveries ranging from 93 to 99%. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of the chemotypes of Ocimum forskolei and Ocimum basilicum by NMR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Fatope, Majekodunmi O; Marwah, Ruchi G; Al Hadhrami, Nabil M; Onifade, Anthony K; Williams, John R

2008-11-01

The chemotypes of Ocimum forskolei Benth and Ocimum basilicum L. growing wild in Oman have been established by (13)C-NMR analyses of the vegetative and floral oils of the plants. The chemotypes, estragole for O. forskolei and linalool for O. basilicum, suggested by (13)C-NMR fingerprinting were also confirmed by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The oil of O. forskolei demonstrated better activities against bacteria and dermatophytes. The significance of the presence of estragole and linalool in the volatile oils of plants whose fragrances are traditionally inhaled, added to food, or rubbed on the skin are discussed.

Can Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. in vitro culture be a potential source of secondary metabolites?

PubMed

Bhuvaneshwari, Karuppiah; Gokulanathan, Ananda; Jayanthi, Malayandi; Govindasamy, Vaithiyanathan; Milella, Luigi; Lee, Sungyoung; Yang, Deok Chun; Girija, Shanmugam

2016-03-01

In this study Ocimum basilicum L. (OB) and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (OT) in vitro culture standardisation for increasing eugenol distribution, in comparison to their respective field grown parts was carried out. Eugenol was quantified using an optimised HPLC method and its relation with the total phenolic content (TPC) was measured. In vitro grown leaves and somatic embryos, of both OB and OT were found to contain similar quantities of eugenol (85μg/g approximately), higher than OB and OT field-grown leaves (30.2μg/g and 25.1μg/g respectively). It was also determined that in vitro grown leaves were richer in TPC than the field-grown intact organs. Results demonstrated the prominence of in vitro cultures for eugenol extraction. This study underlines that important food flavouring metabolites (e.g. vanillin, vanillic acids) might be produced, via the eugenol pathway, in Ocimum species that may be a good potential source of eugenol. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Phenolic and Flavonoid Content in Moringa oleifera Lam and Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

PubMed Central

Sankhalkar, Sangeeta; Vernekar, Vrunda

2016-01-01

Background: Number of secondary compounds is produced by plants as natural antioxidants. Moringa oleifera Lam. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. are known for their wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industry. Objective: To compare phenolic and flavonoid content in M. oleifera Lam and O. tenuiflorum L. by quantitative and qualitative analysis. Materials and Methods: Phenolic and flavonoid content were studied spectrophotometrically and by paper chromatography in M. oleifera Lam. and O. tenuiflorum L. Results: Higher phenolic and flavonoid content were observed in Moringa leaf and flower. Ocimum flower showed higher phenolic content and low flavonoid in comparison to Moringa. Flavonoids such as biflavonyl, flavones, glycosylflavones, and kaempferol were identified by paper chromatography. Phytochemical analysis for flavonoid, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, reducing sugars, and anthraquinones were tested positive for Moringa and Ocimum leaf as well as flower. Conclusions: In the present study higher phenolic and flavonoid content, indicated the natural antioxidant nature of Moringa and Ocimum signifying their medicinal importance. SUMMARY Moringa oleifera Lam. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. are widly grown in India and are known for their medicinal properties. Number of secondary metabolites like phenolics and flavonoids are known to be present in both the plants. The present study was conducted with an objective to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the phenolics and flavanoids in these two medicinally important plants.Quantitation of total phenolics and flavanoids was done by spectrophotometrically while qualitative analysis was perfomed by paper chromatography and by phytochemical tests. Our results have shown higher phenolics and flavanoid content in Moringa leaf and flower. However, higher phenolic content was absent in Ocimum flower compared to that of Moringa. Phytochemical analysis of various metabolites such as flavonoids, tanins, sapponins, alkaloids, anthraquinones revealed that both the plant extracts were rich sources of secondary metabolites and thus tested positive for the above tests. Various flavanoids and Phenolics were identified by paper chromatography based on their Rf values and significant colors. From the above study we conclude that Moringa and Ocimum are rich in natural antioxidants hence are potent source in pharmaceutical industry. PMID:26941531

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Phenolic and Flavonoid Content in Moringa oleifera Lam and Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

PubMed

Sankhalkar, Sangeeta; Vernekar, Vrunda

2016-01-01

Number of secondary compounds is produced by plants as natural antioxidants. Moringa oleifera Lam. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. are known for their wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industry. To compare phenolic and flavonoid content in M. oleifera Lam and O. tenuiflorum L. by quantitative and qualitative analysis. Phenolic and flavonoid content were studied spectrophotometrically and by paper chromatography in M. oleifera Lam. and O. tenuiflorum L. Higher phenolic and flavonoid content were observed in Moringa leaf and flower. Ocimum flower showed higher phenolic content and low flavonoid in comparison to Moringa. Flavonoids such as biflavonyl, flavones, glycosylflavones, and kaempferol were identified by paper chromatography. Phytochemical analysis for flavonoid, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, reducing sugars, and anthraquinones were tested positive for Moringa and Ocimum leaf as well as flower. In the present study higher phenolic and flavonoid content, indicated the natural antioxidant nature of Moringa and Ocimum signifying their medicinal importance. Moringa oleifera Lam. and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. are widly grown in India and are known for their medicinal properties. Number of secondary metabolites like phenolics and flavonoids are known to be present in both the plants. The present study was conducted with an objective to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the phenolics and flavanoids in these two medicinally important plants.Quantitation of total phenolics and flavanoids was done by spectrophotometrically while qualitative analysis was perfomed by paper chromatography and by phytochemical tests. Our results have shown higher phenolics and flavanoid content in Moringa leaf and flower. However, higher phenolic content was absent in Ocimum flower compared to that of Moringa. Phytochemical analysis of various metabolites such as flavonoids, tanins, sapponins, alkaloids, anthraquinones revealed that both the plant extracts were rich sources of secondary metabolites and thus tested positive for the above tests. Various flavanoids and Phenolics were identified by paper chromatography based on their Rf values and significant colors. From the above study we conclude that Moringa and Ocimum are rich in natural antioxidants hence are potent source in pharmaceutical industry.

Vasorelaxant and anti-platelet aggregation effects of aqueous Ocimum basilicum extract.

PubMed

Amrani, Souliman; Harnafi, Hicham; Gadi, Dounia; Mekhfi, Hassane; Legssyer, Abdelkhaleq; Aziz, Mohammed; Martin-Nizard, Françoise; Bosca, Lisardo

2009-08-17

In this work the endothelium-dependant vasorelaxant and anti-platelet aggregation activities of an aqueous extract from Ocimum basilicum were studied. The vasorelaxant effect was undertaken in thoracic aorta from three experimental groups of rats: one of them (NCG) fed with standard diet, the second (HCG) with hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD) and the third (BTG) with hypercholesterolemic diet together with an intragastric administration of Ocimum basilicum extract at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight for a period of 10 weeks. The in vitro anti-platelet aggregation of Ocimum basilicum extract was studied using thrombin (0.5 U/ml) and ADP (5 microM) as agonists. The results show that the HCD statistically decreases vascular relaxation in HCG compared to NCG (p<0.001) and increases the vascular responses to phenylephrine (p<0.02). Ocimum basilicum extract exerts a significant vasorelaxant effect at 10(-5) M (p<0.01) and 10(-4) M carbachol (p=0.001). The plant extract also tends to suppress the elevated contractions induced by HCD (p=0.05). The extract inhibits ADP-induced platelet aggregation by 13%, 28.2%, 30.5%, 44.7% and 53% at a dose of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 g/l, respectively. Thrombin-induced platelet activation was also reduced by 15%, 23%, 40%, 38.4%, and 42% at the same doses of extract described above. The use of Ocimum basilicum as medicinal plant could be beneficial for cardiovascular system.

[Comparison of Chemical Components of Essential Oil from Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum Extracted by Supercritical CO2 Fluid and Steam Distillation].

PubMed

Wang, Zhao-yu; Zheng, Jia-huan; Shi, Sheng-ying; Luo, Zhi-xiong; Ni, Shun-yu; Lin, Jing-ming

2015-11-01

To compare the chemical components of essential oil prepared by steam distillation extraction (SD) and supercritical CO2 fluid extraction (SFE-CO2) from Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum whole plant. The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum were extracted by SD and SFE-CO2. The chemical components of essential oil were separated and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry( GC-MS). Their relative contents were determined by normalization of peak area. 40 and 42 compounds were detected in the essential oil prepared by SD and SFE-CO2 respectively. 25 compounds were common. Thereare significant differences of the chemical components between the Ocimum basilicum var. pilosum essential oil prepared by SD and thatby SFE-CO2. Different methods showed different extraction efficiency with a special compound. It might be a good idea to unite several methods in the modern traditional Chinese medicine industry.

Role of Ocimum basilicum L. in prevention of ischemia and reperfusion-induced cerebral damage, and motor dysfunctions in mice brain.

PubMed

Bora, Kundan Singh; Arora, Shruti; Shri, Richa

2011-10-11

The genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae) has a long history of use as culinary and medicinal herbs. Many species are used for their antioxidant and neuroprotective activity in various parts of the world. Ocimum basilicum Linn. has been used traditionally for the treatment of anxiety, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, headaches, nerve pain, as anticonvulsant and anti-inflammatory, and used in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. The present study is designed to investigate the effect of ethyl acetate extract of Ocimum basilicum leaves on ischemia and reperfusion-induced cerebral damage, and motor dysfunctions in mice. Global cerebral ischemia was induced by bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 15 min followed by reperfusion for 24h. Cerebral infarct size was measured using triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content was determined by colorimetric assay. Short-term memory was evaluated using elevated plus-maze. Inclined beam walking was employed to assess motor coordination. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion followed by reperfusion produced significant increase in cerebral infarct size and lipid peroxidation (TBARS), and reduced GSH content, and impaired short-term memory and motor coordination. Pre-treatment with standardized ethyl acetate extract of Ocimum basilicum (100 and 200mg/kg, p.o.) markedly reduced cerebral infarct size and lipid peroxidation, restored GSH content, and attenuated impairment in short-term memory and motor coordination. The results of the study suggest that Ocimum basilicum could be useful clinically in the prevention of stroke. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population structure, genetic diversity and downy mildew resistance among Ocimum species germplasm.

PubMed

Pyne, Robert M; Honig, Josh A; Vaiciunas, Jennifer; Wyenandt, Christian A; Simon, James E

2018-04-23

The basil (Ocimum spp.) genus maintains a rich diversity of phenotypes and aromatic volatiles through natural and artificial outcrossing. Characterization of population structure and genetic diversity among a representative sample of this genus is severely lacking. Absence of such information has slowed breeding efforts and the development of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) with resistance to the worldwide downy mildew epidemic, caused by the obligate oomycete Peronospora belbahrii. In an effort to improve classification of relationships 20 EST-SSR markers with species-level transferability were developed and used to resolve relationships among a diverse panel of 180 Ocimum spp. accessions with varying response to downy mildew. Results obtained from nested Bayesian model-based clustering, analysis of molecular variance and unweighted pair group method using arithmetic average (UPGMA) analyses were synergized to provide an updated phylogeny of the Ocimum genus. Three (major) and seven (sub) population (cluster) models were identified and well-supported (P < 0.001) by PhiPT (Φ PT ) values of 0.433 and 0.344, respectively. Allelic frequency among clusters supported previously developed hypotheses of allopolyploid genome structure. Evidence of cryptic population structure was demonstrated for the k1 O. basilicum cluster suggesting prevalence of gene flow. UPGMA analysis provided best resolution for the 36-accession, DM resistant k3 cluster with consistently strong bootstrap support. Although the k3 cluster is a rich source of DM resistance introgression of resistance into the commercially important k1 accessions is impeded by reproductive barriers as demonstrated by multiple sterile F1 hybrids. The k2 cluster located between k1 and k3, represents a source of transferrable tolerance evidenced by fertile backcross progeny. The 90-accession k1 cluster was largely susceptible to downy mildew with accession 'MRI' representing the only source of DM resistance. High levels of genetic diversity support the observed phenotypic diversity among Ocimum spp. accessions. EST-SSRs provided a robust evaluation of molecular diversity and can be used for additional studies to increase resolution of genetic relationships in the Ocimum genus. Elucidation of population structure and genetic relationships among Ocimum spp. germplasm provide the foundation for improved DM resistance breeding strategies and more rapid response to future disease outbreaks.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) oils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is one of the most popular and healthy culinary herbs in the world. Essential oil derived from basil (basil oil) through steam distillation has traditionally been used for a wide range of applications such as cooking spices, aromatherapy, perfumery, medicinal treatments, pes...

Avoidance behavior to essential oils by Anopheles minimus, a malaria vector in Thailand

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Excito-repellency tests were used to characterize behavioral responses of laboratory colonized Anopheles minimus, a malaria vector in Thailand, using four essential oils, citronella (Cymbopogom nadus), hairy basil (Ocimum americanum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides), ...

The extraction and chromatographic determination of the essentials oils from Ocimum basilicum L. by different techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loredana Soran, Maria; Codruta Cobzac, Simona; Varodi, Codruta; Lung, Ildiko; Surducan, Emanoil; Surducan, Vasile

2009-08-01

Three different techniques (maceration, sonication and extraction in microwave field) were used for extraction of essential oils from Ocimum basilicum L. The extracts were analyzed by TLC/HPTLC technique and the fingerprint informations were obtained. The GC-FID was used to characterized the extraction efficiency and for identify the terpenic bioactive compounds. The most efficient extraction technique was maceration followed by microwave and ultrasound. The best extraction solvent system was ethyl ether + ethanol (1:1, v/v). The main compounds identified in Ocimum basilicum L. extracts were: α and β-pinene (mixture), limonene, citronellol, and geraniol.

Chicoric Acid Levels in Commercial Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Echinacea purpurea Products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recently, we reported fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum) leaves contain chicoric acid, which is the principal phenolic compound in Echinacea purpurea and purportedly an active ingredient in dietary supplements derived from E. purpurea. Here we present the results from a study evaluating chicoric acid co...

Rosmarinic acid content in antidiabetic aqueous extract of Ocimum canum Sims grown in Ghana

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an important polyphenol that is found in a variety of herbs including Ocimum canum sims (locally called eme or akokobesa in Ghana). Aqueous extracts from the leaves of O.canum are used as an antidiabetic herbal medicine in Ghana. Interestingly, rosmarinic acid content and p...

First report of Alfalfa mosaic virus infecting basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in California.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plants collected from a field in Imperial County, CA in May, 2011 were found to exhibit yellowing, chlorotic sectors and spots on leaves, resulting in plants being unmarketable. Total nucleic acid was extracted from plants and tested by RT-PCR for the presence of Alfalfa...

Potential mosquito repellent compounds of Ocimum species against 3N7H and 3Q8I of Anopheles gambiae.

PubMed

Gaddaguti, Venugopal; Venkateswara Rao, Talluri; Prasada Rao, Allu

2016-06-01

Mosquitoes are exceptionally efficient in detecting their hosts for blood meal using odorant binding proteins, viz. 3N7H and 3Q8I and spread several dreadful diseases. DEET is a synthetic mosquito repellent widely used all over world for protection against mosquito bite. Reports reveal that, synthetic mosquito repellents may pose health problems in considerably large population. In view of the above fact, we made an attempt to discover efficient and novel natural mosquito repellent compounds with least impact on human health. Methanolic leaf extracts of Ocimum basilicum Linn. var. pilosum (willd.)-Benth and Ocimum tenuiflorum var. CIM-AYU were subjected to GC-MS analysis and obtained 35 phytochemical constituents. Repellent potentiality of the Ocimum compounds was assessed against 3Q8I and 3N7H of Anopheles gambiae. PDB structures of mosquito odorant binding proteins were downloaded, processed and docking studies were performed along with reference ligand DEET using Schrodinger MAESTRO 9.2 software. Molecular docking results reveal that phenol, 2-methoxy-3-(2-propenyl)-, licopersin, gamma sitosterol and benzene, 1,2-dimethoxy-4-(2-propenyl)- from O. tenuiflorum var. CIM-AYU are strongly bound with 3N7H. Whereas, 4h-1-benzopyran-4-one, 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-, catechol and monoacetin from O. basilicum Linn. var. pilosum (willd.)-Benth. show high binding affinity with odorant binding protein 3Q8I. All natural compounds tested in the present study display better docking scores than DEET. The results further substantiate that the 12 out of 35 compounds of the two Ocimum species found to be ideal candidates for design and development of potential mosquito repellents. ADME properties of the tested compounds further confirm that bioactive compounds of Ocimum species were found to be in acceptable range. Synchronized application of at least two different natural compounds (with best docking scores) which target 3N7H and 3Q8I (Odorant Binding Proteins of mosquito) proteins may provide enhanced protection against mosquitoes bite. Based on the ADME properties, natural compounds of Ocimum species can be considered for design and development of safe mosquito repellents.

A cold-tolerant evergreen interspecific hybrid of Ocimum kilimandscharicum and Ocimum basilicum: analyzing trichomes and molecular variations.

PubMed

Dhawan, Sunita Singh; Shukla, Preeti; Gupta, Pankhuri; Lal, R K

2016-05-01

Ocimum (Lamiaceae) is an important source of essential oils and aroma chemicals especially eugenol, methyl eugenol, linalool, methyl chavicol etc. An elite evergreen hybrid has been developed from Ocimum kilimandscharicum and Ocimum basilicum, which demonstrated adaptive behavior towards cold stress. A comparative molecular analysis has been done through RAPD, AFLP, and ISSR among O. basilicum and O. kilimandscharicum and their evergreen cold-tolerant hybrid. The RAPD and AFLP analyses demonstrated similar results, i.e., the hybrid of O. basilicum and O. kilimandscharicum shares the same cluster with O. kilimandscharicum, while O. basilicum behaves as an outgroup, whereas in ISSR analysis, the hybrid genotype grouped in the same cluster with O. basilicum. Ocimum genotypes were analyzed and compared for their trichome density. There were distinct differences on morphology, distribution, and structure between the two kinds of trichomes, i.e., glandular and non-glandular. Glandular trichomes contain essential oils, polyphenols, flavonoids, and acid polysaccharides. Hair-like trichomes, i.e., non-glandular trichomes, help in keeping the frost away from the living surface cells. O. basilicum showed less number of non-glandular trichomes on leaves compared to O. kilimandscharicum and the evergreen cold-tolerant hybrid. Trichomes were analyzed in O. kilimandscharicum, O. basilicum, and their hybrid. An increased proline content at the biochemical level represents a higher potential to survive in a stress condition like cold stress. In our analysis, the proline content is quite higher in tolerant variety O. kilimandscharicum, low in susceptible variety O. basilicum, and intermediate in the hybrid. Gene expression analysis was done in O. basilicum, O. kilimandscharicum and their hybrid for TTG1, GTL1, and STICHEL gene locus which regulates trichome development and its formation and transcription factors WRKY and MPS involved in the regulation of plant responses to freezing and cold. The analysis showed that O. kilimandscharicum and the hybrid were very close to each other but O. basilicum was more distinct in all respects. The overexpression of the WRKY coding gene showed high expression in the hybrid as compared to O. kilimandscharicum and O. basilicum and the transcription factor microspore-specific (MPS) promoter has also shown overexpression in the hybrid for its response against cold stress. The developed evergreen interspecific hybrid may thus provide a base to various industries which are dependent upon the bioactive constituents of Ocimum species.

Rosmarinic acid content in antidiabetic aqueous extract from ocimum canum sims in Ghana

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an important polyphenol that is found in a variety of herbs including Ocimum canum sims (locally called eme or akokobesa in Ghana). Aqueous extracts from the leaves of O. canum are used as an antidiabetic herbal medicine in Ghana. Analytical TLC was used to examine the compos...

Organic versus conventional fertilization effects on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) growth in a greenhouse system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) is an essential oil producing crop used in culinary and fragrance applications. The objective of this controlled environment study was to evaluate the effects of organic and conventional fertilization, (applied at two nitrogen rates, 150 and 250 kg N/ha), on plant g...

First report of tomato chlorotic spot virus in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and purslane (Portulaca oleracea) in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV) has been recently detected in tomato, pepper, hoya and vinca in Florida. Observations of additional crops in 2016 and 2017 revealed TCSV-like symptoms. Testing of these symptomatic plants identified three new hosts of TCSV in Florida: sweet basil (Ocimum basilicu...

Toxicity and gastric tolerance of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Fandohan, P; Gnonlonfin, B; Laleye, A; Gbenou, J D; Darboux, R; Moudachirou, M

2008-07-01

Oils of Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum are widely used for their medicinal properties, and as food flavours and perfumes. Recently in a study in West Africa, these oils have been recommended to combat Fusarium verticillioides and subsequent fumonisin contamination in stored maize, but their toxicological profile was not investigated. The current study was undertaken to provide data on acute and subacute toxicity as well as on gastric tolerance of these oils in rat. For this purpose, the oils were given by gavage to Wistar rats for 14 consecutive days. The animals were observed daily for their general behaviour and survival, and their visceral organs such as stomach and liver were taken after sacrifice for histological analyses. A dose-dependent effect of the tested oils was observed during the study. Applied at doses generally higher than 1500 mg/kg body weight, the oils caused significant functional damages to stomach and liver of rat. Unlike the other oils, administration of O. gratissimum oil did not result in adverse effects in rat liver at the tested doses. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the tested oils has been established. The three tested oils can be considered as safe to human when applied on stored maize at recommended concentrations.

Effect of synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on the toxicity of some essential oils against mosquito larvae.

PubMed

Yadav, S; Mittal, P K; Saxena, P N; Singh, R K

2008-12-01

Effect of a known synergist piperonyl butoxide on the toxicity of steam distillate essential oils of Jamarosa (Cymbopogan nardus), Pacholli (Pogostemon pacholli), Basil (Ocimum basilicum), and Peppermint (Mentha pipreta) plant species against Anopheles stephensi larvae were evaluated. The purpose of the present study was to identify the insecticidal potential of these oils against mosquito larvae. The Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) was used to enhance the activity of these oils with the aim of developing essential oil based formulations. The bioassays of these oils with and without PBO were performed against late 3rd instar larvae of An. stephensi. The LC50 values against An. stephensi were 44.19 ppm for Ocimum basilicum oil, followed by, Mentha pipreta, Cymbopogan nardus, and Pogostemon pacholli oil which gave LC50 values above 250 ppm. Thus in the present study the Ocimum basilicum oil was found to be most effective, whereas Pogostemon pacholli oil was found to least effective against mosquitoes for larvicidal action. The effect of synergist PBO led to the enhancement of toxicity of oils, the LC50 value for Ocimum basilicum were reduced from 44.19 ppm to 23.87 ppm. Similarly the oil of Pogostemon pacholli showed most significant results where the LC50 value was >250 ppm it was reduced to 50 ppm with PBO.

Effect of synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on the toxicity of some essential oils against mosquito larvae.

PubMed

Yadav, S; Mittal, P K; Saxena, P N; Singh, R K

2009-03-01

Effect of a known synergist piperonyl butoxide on the toxicity of steam distillate essential oils of Jamarosa (Cymbopogan nardus), Pacholli (Pogostemon pacholli), Basil (Ocimum basilicum), and Peppermint (Mentha pipreta) plant species against Anopheles stephensi larvae were evaluated. The purpose of the present study was to identify the insecticidal potential of these oils against mosquito larvae. The Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) was used to enhance the activity of these oils with the aim of developing essential oil based formulations. The bioassays of these oils with and without PBO were performed against late 3rd instar larvae of An. stephensi. The LC50 values against An. stephensi were 44.19 ppm for Ocimum basilicum oil, followed by, Mentha pipreta, Cymbopogan nardus, and Pogostemon pacholli oil which gave LC50 values above 250 ppm. Thus in the present study the Ocimum basilicum oil was found to be most effective, whereas Pogostemon pacholli oil was found to least effective against mosquitoes for larvicidal action. The effect of synergist PBO led to the enhancement of toxicity of oils, the LC50 value for Ocimum basilicum were reduced from 44.19 ppm to 23.87 ppm. Similarly the oil of Pogostemon pacholli showed most significant results where the LC50 value was > 250 ppm it was reduced to 50 ppm with PBO.

Phytoremediatory effect and growth of two species of Ocimum in endosulfan polluted soil.

PubMed

Ramírez-Sandoval, M; Melchor-Partida, G N; Muñiz-Hernández, S; Girón-Pérez, M I; Rojas-García, A E; Medina-Díaz, I M; Robledo-Marenco, M L; Velázquez-Fernández, J B

2011-08-15

Endosulfan is a hazardous organochlorine pesticide banned or restricted in several countries. However, it has been found in the environment and in animal samples. To study a potential way to bioremediate soils contaminated with this pesticide, two plant species of the genus Ocimum were studied: Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum minimum L., since they are economically feasible and well adapted to the climatic conditions of the Nayarit zone (Mexican pacific coast). Young plants were transplanted into soil experimentally polluted with endosulfan. Growth of both species was not affected by endosulfan, the plants grew, flourished, and produced seeds; 30 days later, endosulfan concentration was lower in the soil with O. basilicum than in the soil without plants. On day 90, no differences in endosulfan concentrations were found between soil with or without O. minimum. At day 1, plants in the polluted soil showed lipoperoxidation, as measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS). Interestingly, a higher TBARS value was observed at day 3 in transplanted plants as compared to non-transplanted plants. In conclusion, both species can endure endosulfan pollution (as high as 1 g kg(-1)) in soils. O. basilicum seems to be an adequate candidate for bioremediation of soils polluted with endosulfan. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of green Ocimum basilicum hydroalcoholic extract on retention and retrieval of memory in mice

PubMed Central

Sarahroodi, Shadi; Esmaeili, Somayyeh; Mikaili, Peyman; Hemmati, Zahra; Saberi, Yousof

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was evaluation of green Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) hydroalcoholic extract on memory retention and retrieval of mice by using passive avoidance apparatus. For this purpose, after weighting, coding and classifying the mice, they were grouped (n = 8) as follow as: test groups (electric shock plus sweet basil extract by doses: 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg, i.p.), control group (Only electric shock) and blank group (electric shock plus normal saline). In all mentioned groups delay time of leaving the platform for both retention and retrieval test of memory was measured. In retention test, sweet basil extract was administered immediately after receiving electric shock and in retrieval test it was administered 24 hours after receiving electric shock. The results indicated that hydroalcoholic extract of green Ocimum basilicum significantly (P < 0.05) increased memory retention. The best response was achieved with 400 mg/Kg of the extract. Also, results showed that sweet basil extract significantly (P < 0.05) increased memory retrieval and the best result was achieved with 400 mg/Kg too. It can be concluded that memory enhancing effects of green Ocimum basilicum is because of antioxidant activity of flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids. PMID:23661866

Preparation and Evaluation of Herbal Shampoo Powder

PubMed Central

Dubey, Sachin; Nema, Neelesh; Nayak, S.

2004-01-01

Two preparations of herbal shampoo powder were formulated using some common traditional drugs used by folk and traditional people of Bundelkhand region (M.P) India, for hair care. The preparations were formulated using bahera, amla, neem tulsi, shikakai henna & brahmi evaluated for organoleptic, powder charecterestics, foam test and physical evaluation. As the selected drugs being used since long time as single drug or in combination, present investigations will further help to establish a standard formulation and evaluation parameters, which will certainly help in the standardization for quality and purity of such type of herbal powder shampoos. PMID:22557149

Stereoselective oxidation of racemic 1-arylethanols by basil cultured cells of Ocimum basilicum cv. Purpurascens.

PubMed

Itoh, Ken-ichi; Nakamura, Kaoru; Utsukihara, Takamitsu; Sakamaki, Hiroshi; Horiuchi, C Akira

2008-05-01

The biotransformation of racemic 1-phenylethanol (30 mg) with plant cultured cells of basil (Ocimum basilicum cv. Purpurascens, 5 g wet wt) by shaking 120 rpm at 25 degrees C for 7 days in the dark gave (R)-(+)-1-phenylethanol and acetophenone in 34 and 24% yields, respectively. The biotransformation can be applied to other 1-arylethanols and basil cells oxidized the (S)-alcohols to the corresponding ketones remaining the (R)-alcohols in excellent ee.

Resistance Against Basil Downy Mildew in Ocimum Species.

PubMed

Ben-Naim, Yariv; Falach, Lidan; Cohen, Yigal

2015-06-01

Downy mildew, caused by the oomycete Peronospora belbahrii, is a devastating disease of sweet basil. In this study, 113 accessions of Ocimum species (83 Plant Introduction entries and 30 commercial entries) were tested for resistance against downy mildew at the seedling stage in growth chambers, and during three seasons, in the field. Most entries belonging to O. basilicum were highly susceptible whereas most entries belonging to O. americanum, O. kilimanadascharicum, O. gratissimum, O. campechianum, or O. tenuiflorum were highly resistant at both the seedling stage and the field. Twenty-seven highly resistant individual plants were each crossed with the susceptible sweet basil 'Peri', and the F1 progeny plants were examined for disease resistance. The F1 plants of two crosses were highly resistant, F1 plants of 24 crosses were moderately resistant, and F1 plants of one cross were susceptible, suggesting full, partial, or no dominance of the resistance gene(s), respectively. These data confirm the feasibility of producing downy mildew-resistant cultivars of sweet basil by crossing with wild Ocimum species.

Utilization of heavy metal-rich tannery sludge for sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivation.

PubMed

Chand, Sukhmal; Singh, Shweta; Singh, Vinay Kumar; Patra, D D

2015-05-01

Unlike food crops, essential oil-bearing crops in which the oil is extracted through hydro-distillation can be a suitable crop to be grown in heavy metal-polluted soils as the oil does not carry any heavy metal. In a field experiment conducted at CIMAP, Lucknow, India during 2011 and 2012, influence of six doses of tannery sludge viz 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 t ha(-1) were tested, taking sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) as the test crop. Maximum herb yield was obtained with the application of sludge at 20 t ha(-1). While in root, accumulation of Cd and Pb increased significantly up to 20 t ha(-1), Cr accumulation increased with increasing the dose of tannery sludge reaching maximum at 50 t ha(-1). Essential oil yield of basil (Ocimum basilicum) was significantly affected due to sludge application. Quality of essential oil, in term of chemical constituents, however, was marginally influenced due to tannery sludge application.

Activity of Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus s.s.

PubMed

Akono Ntonga, Patrick; Baldovini, Nicolas; Mouray, Elisabeth; Mambu, Lengo; Belong, Philippe; Grellier, Philippe

2014-01-01

The biological activities of essential oils from three plants grown in Cameroon: Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus were tested against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry analyses showed that the main compounds are geranial, 1,8-cineole and linalool in C. citratus, O. canum and O. basilicum, respectively. Larvicidal tests carried out according to the protocol recommended by the World Health Organization showed that the essential oil of leaves of C. citratus is the most active against larvae of An. funestus (LC50 values = 35.5 ppm and 34.6 ppm, respectively, for larval stages III and IV after 6 h of exposure). Besides, the in vitro anti-plasmodial activity evaluated by the radioisotopic method showed that the C. citratus oil is the most active against P. falciparum, with an IC50 value of 4.2 ± 0.5 μg/mL compared with O. canum (20.6 ± 3.4 μg/mL) and O. basilicum (21 ± 4.6 μg/mL). These essential oils can be recommended for the development of natural biocides for fighting the larvae of malaria vectors and for the isolation of natural products with anti-malarial activity. © P. Akono Ntonga et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2014.

Activity of Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus essential oils against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus s.s.

PubMed Central

Akono Ntonga, Patrick; Baldovini, Nicolas; Mouray, Elisabeth; Mambu, Lengo; Belong, Philippe; Grellier, Philippe

2014-01-01

The biological activities of essential oils from three plants grown in Cameroon: Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum canum, and Cymbopogon citratus were tested against Plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of Anopheles funestus. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry analyses showed that the main compounds are geranial, 1,8-cineole and linalool in C. citratus, O. canum and O. basilicum, respectively. Larvicidal tests carried out according to the protocol recommended by the World Health Organization showed that the essential oil of leaves of C. citratus is the most active against larvae of An. funestus (LC50 values = 35.5 ppm and 34.6 ppm, respectively, for larval stages III and IV after 6 h of exposure). Besides, the in vitro anti-plasmodial activity evaluated by the radioisotopic method showed that the C. citratus oil is the most active against P. falciparum, with an IC50 value of 4.2 ± 0.5 μg/mL compared with O. canum (20.6 ± 3.4 μg/mL) and O. basilicum (21 ± 4.6 μg/mL). These essential oils can be recommended for the development of natural biocides for fighting the larvae of malaria vectors and for the isolation of natural products with anti-malarial activity. PMID:24995776

Inhibitory effect of leaves extracts of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum on two key enzymes involved in obesity and hypertension in vitro

PubMed Central

Irondi, Emmanuel Anyachukwu; Agboola, Samson Olalekan; Oboh, Ganiyu; Boligon, Aline Augusti

2016-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the phenolics composition and inhibitory effect of the leaves extracts of Ocimum basilicum and Ocimum gratissimum on two key enzymes (pancreatic lipase [PL] and angiotensin 1-converting enzyme [ACE]) involved in obesity and hypertension in vitro. Materials and Methods: The phenolics (flavonoids and phenolic acids) were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection. PL and ACE inhibitory effects; DPPH* and ABTS*+ scavenging activities of the extracts were tested using spectrophotometric methods. Results: O. basilicum had the following major phenolics: Rutin, quercetin, and quercitrin (flavonoids); caffeic, chlorogenic, and gallic acids (phenolic acids); while O. gratissimum had the following major phenolics: Rutin, quercitrin, and luteolin (flavonoids); ellagic and chlorogenic acids (phenolic acids). “Extracts of both plants inhibited PL and ACE; scavenged DPPH* in a dose-dependent manner”. O. gratissimum extract was more potent in inhibiting PL (IC50: 20.69 µg/mL) and ACE (IC50: 29.44 µg/mL) than O. basilicum (IC50: 52.14 µg/mL and IC50: 64.99 µg/mL, against PL and ACE, respectively). O. gratissimum also scavenged DPPH* and ABTS*+ more than O. basilicum. Conclusion: O. basilicum and O. gratissimum leaves could be used as functional foods for the management of obesity and obesity-related hypertension. However, O. gratissimum may be more effective than O. basilicum. PMID:27757270

Ethnobotanical study of some of mosquito repellent plants in north-eastern Tanzania

PubMed Central

Kweka, Eliningaya J; Mosha, Franklin; Lowassa, Asanterabi; Mahande, Aneth M; Kitau, Jovin; Matowo, Johnson; Mahande, Michael J; Massenga, Charles P; Tenu, Filemoni; Feston, Emmanuel; Lyatuu, Ester E; Mboya, Michael A; Mndeme, Rajabu; Chuwa, Grace; Temu, Emmanuel A

2008-01-01

Background The use of plant repellents against nuisance biting insects is common and its potential for malaria vector control requires evaluation in areas with different level of malaria endemicity. The essential oils of Ocimum suave and Ocimum kilimandscharicum were evaluated against malaria vectors in north-eastern Tanzania. Methodology An ethnobotanical study was conducted at Moshi in Kilimanjaro region north-eastern Tanzania, through interviews, to investigate the range of species of plants used as insect repellents. Also, bioassays were used to evaluate the protective potential of selected plants extracts against mosquitoes. Results The plant species mostly used as repellent at night are: fresh or smoke of the leaves of O. suave and O. kilimandscharicum (Lamiaceae), Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae), Eucalyptus globules (Myrtaceae) and Lantana camara (Verbenaceae). The most popular repellents were O. kilimandscharicum (OK) and O. suave (OS) used by 67% out of 120 households interviewed. Bioassay of essential oils of the two Ocimum plants was compared with citronella and DEET to study the repellence and feeding inhibition of untreated and treated arms of volunteers. Using filter papers impregnated with Ocimum extracts, knockdown effects and mortality was investigated on malaria mosquito Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles gambiae, including a nuisance mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. High biting protection (83% to 91%) and feeding inhibition (71.2% to 92.5%) was observed against three species of mosquitoes. Likewise the extracts of Ocimum plants induced KD90 of longer time in mosquitoes than citronella, a standard botanical repellent. Mortality induced by standard dosage of 30 mg/m2 on filter papers, scored after 24 hours was 47.3% for OK and 57% for OS, compared with 67.7% for citronella. Conclusion The use of whole plants and their products as insect repellents is common among village communities of north-eastern Tanzania and the results indicate that the use of O. suave and O. kilimandscharicum as a repellent would be beneficial in reducing vector biting. The widespread use of this approach has a potential to complement other control measures. PMID:18687119

Ocimum basilicum: Antibacterial activity and association study with antibiotics against bacteria of clinical importance.

PubMed

Araújo Silva, Viviane; Pereira da Sousa, Janiere; de Luna Freire Pessôa, Hilzeth; Fernanda Ramos de Freitas, Andrea; Douglas Melo Coutinho, Henrique; Beuttenmuller Nogueira Alves, Larissa; Oliveira Lima, Edeltrudes

2016-01-01

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae), popularly known as basil, is part of a group of medicinal plants widely used in cooking and known for its beneficial health properties, possessing significant antioxidant effects, antinociceptive, and others. The objective of this study is to determine the pharmacological effects produced on the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa when standard antibiotics and O. basilicum essential oil are combined. The extraction of O. basilicum (leaves) components was done by steam distillation. The Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was calculated using microdilution technique, where the oil concentrations varied from 2 to 1024 μg/mL. The combinations of O. basilicum oil with ciprofloxacin or imipenem were analyzed by the checkerboard method where fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices were calculated. Ocimum basilicum essential oil, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin showed respective MIC antibacterial activities of 1024, 4, and 2 μg/mL, against S. aureus. In S. aureus, the oil with imipenem association showed synergistic effect (FIC = 0.0625), while the oil with ciprofloxacin showed antagonism (FIC value = 4.25). In P. aeruginosa, the imipenem/oil association showed additive effect for ATCC strains, and synergism for the clinical strain (FIC values = 0.75 and 0.0625). The association of O. basilicum essential oil with ciprofloxacin showed synergism for clinical strains (FIC value = 0.09). Ocimum basilicum essential oil associated with existing standard antibiotics may increase their antibacterial activity, resulting in a synergistic activity against bacterial strains of clinical importance. The antibacterial activity of O. basilicum essential oil may be associated with linalool.

Can Ocimum basilicum relieve chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression in mice?

PubMed

Ayuob, Nasra Naeim; Firgany, Alaa El-Din L; El-Mansy, Ahmed A; Ali, Soad

2017-10-01

Depression is one of the important world-wide health problems. This study aimed to assess the ameliorative effect of Ocimum basilicum (OB) essential oil on the behavioral, biochemical and histopathological changes resulted from exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). It also aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism in an animal model of depression. Forty male Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups (n=10): control, CUMS (exposed to CUMS for 4weeks), CUMS plus fluoxetine, and CUMS plus OB. At the end of the experiment, behavioral changes, serum corticosterone level, protein and gene expressions of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the hippocampus was all assessed. Immunoexpression of surface makers of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ki67, Caspase-3, BDNF and GR in the hippocampus were estimated. Data were analyzed by using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). OB alleviated both behavioral and biochemical changes recorded in mice after exposure to CUMS. It also reduced neuronal atrophy observed in the hippocampal region III cornu ammonis (CA3) and dentate gyrus and restored back astrocyte number. OB decreased apoptosis in both neurons and glial cells and increased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus in a pattern comparable to that of fluoxetine. Increased BDNF and GR gene and protein expressions seems to be behind the antidepressant-like effect of OB. Ocimum basilicum ameliorates the changes induced after exposure to the chronic stress. Assessing Ocimum basilicum efficacy on human as antidepressant is recommended in further studies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Energy values and estimation of power generation potentials of some non-woody biomass species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, M.; Patel, S.K.

In view of high energy potentials in non-woody biomass species and an increasing interest in their utilization for power generation, an attempt has been made in this study to assess the proximate analysis and energy content of different components of Ocimum canum and Tridax procumbens biomass species (both non-woody), and their impact on power generation and land requirement for energy plantations. The net energy content in Ocimum canum was found to be slightly higher than that in Tridax procumbens. In spite of having higher ash contents, the barks from both the plant species exhibited higher calorific values. The results havemore » shown that approximately 650 and 1,270 hectares of land are required to generate 20,000 kWh/day electricity from Ocimum canum and Tridax procumbens biomass species. Coal samples, obtained from six different local mines, were also examined for their qualities, and the results were compared with those of studied biomass materials. This comparison reveals much higher power output with negligible emission of suspended particulate matters (SPM) from biomass materials.« less

Anti-inflammatory and antiedematogenic activity of the Ocimum basilicum essential oil and its main compound estragole: In vivo mouse models.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Lindaiane Bezerra; Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Martins, Anita; Cesário, Francisco Rafael Alves Santana; Ferreira E Castro, Fyama; de Albuquerque, Thaís Rodrigues; Martins Fernandes, Maria Neyze; Fernandes da Silva, Bruno Anderson; Quintans Júnior, Lucindo José; da Costa, José Galberto Martins; Melo Coutinho, Henrique Douglas; Barbosa, Roseli; Alencar de Menezes, Irwin Rose

2016-09-25

The genus Ocimum are used in cooking, however, their essential oils are utilized in traditional medicine as aromatherapy. The present study was carried out to investigate the chemical composition and systemic anti-inflammatory activity of the Ocimum basilicum essential oil (EOOB) and its major component estragole, as well as its possible mechanisms of action. The Ocimum basilicum essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The anti-inflammatory action was verified using acute and chronic in vivo tests as paw edema, peritonitis, and vascular permeability and granulomatous inflammation model. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of action was analyzed by the participation of histamine and arachidonic acid pathways. The chemical profile analysis identified fourteen components present in the essential oil, within them: estragole (60.96%). The in vivo test results show that treatment with EOOB (100 and 50 mg/kg) and estragole (60 and 30 mg/kg) significantly reduced paw edema induced by carrageenan and dextran. The smallest doses of EOOB (50 mg/kg) and estragole (30 mg/kg) showed efficacy in the reduction of paw edema induced by histamine and arachidonic acid, vascular permeability inhibition and leukocyte emigration in the peritoneal fluid. Theses doses were capable of reducing the chronic inflammatory process. The results observed between the EOOB and estragole demonstrate efficacy in anti-inflammatory activity, however, the essential oil is more efficacious in the acute and chronic anti-inflammatory action. This study confirms the therapeutic potential of this plant and reinforces the validity of its use in popular medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biosorption of cesium-137 and strontium-90 by mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Dipjyoti; Maji, Samir; Bandyopadhyay, Abhijit; Basu, Sukalyan

2007-11-01

Mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum basilicum were used in uptake studies with cesium-137 and strontium-90. Results showed that uptake was dependent on the structural integrity of the mucilage fibrils. Water imbibed seeds showed higher adsorption of both 137Cs and 90Sr in comparison to seeds pretreated with NaOH, HCl and Na-periodate solution. The uptake was pH dependent and while some divalent metal ions had no or little detrimental effect, the alkali metal ions Li+, Na+ and K+ decreased the uptake. The maximum adsorption capacity was 160 mg cesium g(-1) and 247 mg strontium g(-1) seed dry weight.

Ocimum gratissmum aqueous extract reduces plasma lipid in hypercholesterol-fed hamsters

PubMed Central

Chao, Pei-Yu; Lin, James A.; Ting, Wei-Jen; Lee, Hsueh-Hui; Hsieh, Kuanghui; Chiu, Yung-Wei; Lai, Te-Jen; Hwang, Jin-Ming; Liu, Je-rYuh; Huang, Chih-Yang

2016-01-01

Objectives: Hyperlipidemia is a significant risk factor in the development of atherosclerosis and related diseases which are major health problem in many developed and developing countries that can lead to fatality due to the changes in lifestyle and dietary habits in this modern age. Methods: In the present study, the Ocimum gratissimum aqueous extract (OGE) was tested for the lowering effect on the serum lipid level of male hamsters on a high-fat (12%) and high-cholesterol (0.2%) diet (HFCD). Results: The results showed that the levels of serum high-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) low-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerols (TG) were increased in the HFCD group (113±11, 259±87, 629±175 and 625±262, respectively), as compared to the control normal diet group (51±8, 19±5, 77±16 and 101±44, respectively). When co-treated with various doses (10 and 20 mg/kg) of the OGE or rosuvastatin, the rats exhibited the restoration of normal serum LDL-C, TC, and TG levels. Conclusion: Therefore, we suggest that the Ocimum gratissimum aqueous extract may have the potential function of lowering serum lipid in rats. PMID:27877073

A novel in vitro whole plant system for analysis of polyphenolics and their antioxidant potential in cultivars of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Srivastava, Shivani; Cahill, David M; Conlan, Xavier A; Adholeya, Alok

2014-10-15

Plants are an important source for medicinal compounds. Chemical screening and selection is critical for identification of compounds of interest. Ocimum basilicum (Basil) is a rich source of polyphenolics and exhibits high diversity, therefore bioprospecting of a suitable cultivar is a necessity. This study reports on the development of a true to type novel "in vitro system" and its comparison with a conventional system for screening and selection of cultivars for high total phenolics, individual polyphenolics, and antioxidant content. We have shown for the first time using online acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence that extracts from Ocimum basilicum showed antioxidant potential. The current study identified the cultivar specific composition of polyphenolics and their antioxidant properties. Further, a distinct relationship between plant morphotype and polyphenolic content was also found. Of the 15 cultivars examined, "Holy Green", "Red Rubin", and "Basil Genovese" were identified as high polyphenolic producing cultivars while "Subja" was determined to be a low producer. The "in vitro system" enabled differentiation of the cultivars in their morphology, polyphenolic content, and antioxidant activity and is a cheap and efficient method for bioprospecting studies.

Eugenol and methyl eugenol chemotypes of essential oil of species Ocimum gratissimum L. and Ocimum campechianum Mill. from Colombia.

PubMed

Pino Benitez, Nayive; Meléndez León, Erika M; Stashenko, Elena E

2009-10-01

Essential oils chemical constituents of leaves of O. gratissimum and O. campechianum of the Lamiaceae family, collected in Chocó of northwest Colombian, were obtained by microwave-assisted hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. A total of 33 and 37 compounds were identified in the essential oil of O. gratissimum and O. campechianum, respectively. O. gratissimum's main essential oils were eugenol (43.2%), 1,8-cineole (12.8%) and beta-selinene (9.0%); in the O. campechianum essential oil, the main components were methyl eugenol (12.0%), germacrene D (10.1%), and eugenol (9.0%). Main distribution of compounds in these essential oils are 25.0% monoterpenes hydrocarbons, 15.0% monoterpenes oxygenated, 35.0% sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, 7.5% other oxygenated components for O. gratissimum, 33.9% sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, and 10.7% their respective oxygenated derivates; for O. campechianum, the distribution was 10.7% monoterpenes hydrocarbons and 7.1% their respective oxygenated derivates and 3.6% phenylpropanes. According to the essential oils chemical composition of Ocimum gratissimum and O. campechianum, they are classified as eugenol and methyl eugenol chemotype, respectively.

[Investigation of the in vitro effects of Melissa officinalis L., Mentha x piperita L. and Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) essential oils on the cysts and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba castellani].

PubMed

Ergüden, Ceren; Özkoç, Soykan; Öztürk, Bintuğ; Bayram Delibaş, Songül

2016-10-01

Acanthamoeba species are free living amoeba found widely all over the world. They are responsible for Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), an infection which is especially seen in contact lens users and after minor corneal traumas, that may lead blindness. At present, antifungals and antiseptics are used for the treatment of AK cases, however, some problems such as long treatment periods and the occurrence of side effects, resistance of cyst forms against drugs, emphasize the need for new drugs. There are some published studies that pointed out the effectiveness of plant extracts and essential oils on Acanthamoeba spp. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of essential oils of Mentha x piperita L. (peppermint), Melissa officinalis L. (lemon balm) and Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) belonging to Lamiaceae family, on the cysts and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba castellanii. The strain used in our study, namely A. castellanii T4 genotype, is the most frequently isolated amoeba from environment and also the causative agent of AK and granulomatous amebic encephalitis. For the determination of amebicidal activity, essential oils obtained from Mentha x priperita L., Melissa officinalis L. and Ocimum basilicum L. by Neo-Clevenger type of distillation apparatus have been used. In vitro experiments were performed by using 96-well microplates. Cyst and trophozoite solutions were added on the essential oil dilutions to obtain the last concentrations of 40, 20, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25 µg/ml for the cysts, and 10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.625 and 0.313 µg/ml for the trophozoites. After the incubation of microplates at 30oC for 1, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours, the viability of parasitic forms were evaluated under the light microscope followed by staining trypan blue. It was found that, each essential oil showed amebicidal effect on A.castellani cysts and trophozoites dependent on dosage and time, when compared with the control group, The maximum lethal effect occured with Melissa officinalis followed by Mentha x piperita and Ocimum basilicum, respectively. In our study, susceptibility of A.castellanii trophozoites to essential oils were more than the cysts, as expected. The essential oils of Melissa officinalis and Mentha x piperita showed 100% lethal effect at their highest concentrations whereas the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum showed only 63.3% lethal effect on cysts after 72 hours at the highest concentration (40 µg/mL). The results of this first study investigating the activities of essential oils extracted from Mentha x piperita, Melissa officinalis and Ocimum basilicum against Acanthamoeba spp. cysts and trophozoites, have suggested that, these essential oils could be potential novel and alternative natural products for the treatment of Acanthamoeba spp. infections.

Identification of endangered or threatened Costa Rican tree species by wood anatomy and fluorescence activity.

PubMed

Moya, Róger; Wiemann, Michael C; Olivares, Carlos

2013-09-01

A total of 45 native Costa Rican tree species are threatened or in danger of extinction, but the Convention on International Trade Endangered Species (CITES) includes only eight of these in its Appendices. However, the identification of other species based on their wood anatomy is limited. The present study objective was to describe and to compare wood anatomy and fluorescence activity in some endangered or threatened species of Costa Rica. A total of 45 (22 endangered and 23 threatened with extinction) wood samples of these species, from the xylaria of the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica and the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, were examined. Surface fluorescence was positive in eight species, water extract fluorescence was positive in six species and ethanol extract fluorescence was positive in 24 species. Almost all species were diffuse porous except for occasional (Cedrela odorata, C. fissilis, Cordia gerascanthus) or regular (C. salvadorensis and C. tonduzii) semi-ring porosity. A dendritic vessel arrangement was found in Sideroxylon capari, and pores were solitary in Guaiacum sanctum and Vantanea barbourii. Vessel element length was shortest in Guaiacum sanctum and longest in Humiriastrum guianensis, Minquartia guianensis and Vantanea barbourii. Finally, anatomical information and fluorescence activity were utilized to construct an identification key of species, in which fluorescence is a feature used in identification.

Heavy Metal Uptake by Herbs. V. Metal Accumulation and Physiological Effects Induced by Thiuram in Ocimum basilicum L.

PubMed

Adamczyk-Szabela, Dorota; Romanowska-Duda, Zdzisława; Lisowska, Katarzyna; Wolf, Wojciech M

2017-01-01

Basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.) is extensively cultivated as either an important spice and food additive or a source of essential oil crucial for the production of natural phenylpropanoids and terpenoids. It is frequently attacked by fungal diseases. The aim of the study was to estimate the impact of thiuram contact time on the uptake of manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead by Ocimum basilicum L . The relevant plant physiological parameters were also investigated. Two farmland soils typical for the Polish rural environment were used. Studies involved soil analyses, bioavailable, and total forms for all investigated metals, chlorophyll content, and gas exchange. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine concentration of all elements. Analysis of variance proved hypothesis that thiuram treatment of basil significantly influences metal transfer from soil and their concentration in roots and aboveground parts. This effect is mostly visible on the 14th day after the fungicide administration. Thiuram modifies mycoflora in the rhizosphere zone and subsequently affects either metal uptake from the soil environment or their further migration within the basil plant. Notable, those changes are more evident for basil planted in mineral soil as compared to organic soil with higher buffering capacity.

Hypnotic Effect of Ocimum basilicum on Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep in Mice.

PubMed

Askari, Vahid Reza; Baradaran Rahimi, Vafa; Ghorbani, Ahmad; Rakhshandeh, Hassan

2016-07-01

Sleep disorders are accompanied by several complications, and currently used soporific drugs can induce unwanted effects such as psychomotor impairment, tolerance, amnesia, and rebound insomnia. The present study was carried out to investigate if Ocimum basilicum has a sleep-prolonging effect. This work was an experimental study on 72 mice which were randomly divided into 9 groups: saline (control); diazepam (3 mg/kg, positive control); hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of Ocimum basilicum (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg); ethyl acetate fraction (EAF, 50 mg/kg); n-butanol fraction (NBF, 50 mg/kg); water fraction (WF, 50 mg/kg); and saline containing 10% DMSO (vehicle for EAF and NBF). All the test compounds were injected intraperitoneally (IP) 30 minutes before pentobarbital administration (30 mg/kg). Duration and latency of pentobarbital-induced sleep were recorded. Also, LD50 of HAE was determined and the cytotoxicity of HAE was tested on neural and fibroblast cells using the MTT assay. HAE increased the duration of pentobarbital-induced sleep at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg (P < 0.001). The hypnotic effect of HAE was comparable to that induced by diazepam. Similarly, WF, EAF, and NBF at 50 mg/kg could increase sleep duration. The sleep latency was decreased by HAE (P < 0.01 - P < 0.001) and NBF (P < 0.001), but not by WF and EAF. The LD50 value for HAE was found to be 2.4 g/kg. HAE had no effect on the viability of neuronal PC12 cells and L929 fibroblast cells. The present data demonstrated that Ocimum basilicum potentiates sleeping behaviors without any cytotoxicity. The main component (s) responsible for the hypnotic effects of this plant is most likely a non-polar agent (s) which is found in NBF. Isolation of the active constituents may yield a novel sedative drug.

Hypnotic Effect of Ocimum basilicum on Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep in Mice

PubMed Central

Askari, Vahid Reza; Baradaran Rahimi, Vafa; Ghorbani, Ahmad; Rakhshandeh, Hassan

2016-01-01

Background Sleep disorders are accompanied by several complications, and currently used soporific drugs can induce unwanted effects such as psychomotor impairment, tolerance, amnesia, and rebound insomnia. Objectives The present study was carried out to investigate if Ocimum basilicum has a sleep-prolonging effect. Materials and Methods This work was an experimental study on 72 mice which were randomly divided into 9 groups: saline (control); diazepam (3 mg/kg, positive control); hydro-alcoholic extract (HAE) of Ocimum basilicum (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg); ethyl acetate fraction (EAF, 50 mg/kg); n-butanol fraction (NBF, 50 mg/kg); water fraction (WF, 50 mg/kg); and saline containing 10% DMSO (vehicle for EAF and NBF). All the test compounds were injected intraperitoneally (IP) 30 minutes before pentobarbital administration (30 mg/kg). Duration and latency of pentobarbital-induced sleep were recorded. Also, LD50 of HAE was determined and the cytotoxicity of HAE was tested on neural and fibroblast cells using the MTT assay. Results HAE increased the duration of pentobarbital-induced sleep at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg (P < 0.001). The hypnotic effect of HAE was comparable to that induced by diazepam. Similarly, WF, EAF, and NBF at 50 mg/kg could increase sleep duration. The sleep latency was decreased by HAE (P < 0.01 - P < 0.001) and NBF (P < 0.001), but not by WF and EAF. The LD50 value for HAE was found to be 2.4 g/kg. HAE had no effect on the viability of neuronal PC12 cells and L929 fibroblast cells. Conclusions The present data demonstrated that Ocimum basilicum potentiates sleeping behaviors without any cytotoxicity. The main component (s) responsible for the hypnotic effects of this plant is most likely a non-polar agent (s) which is found in NBF. Isolation of the active constituents may yield a novel sedative drug. PMID:27651944

Oviposition Deterrence Induced by Ocimum kilimandscharicum and Ocimum suave Extracts to Gravid Anopheles gambiae s.s (Diptera: Culicidae) in Laboratory

PubMed Central

Kweka, Eliningaya J; Lyatuu, Ester E; Mboya, Michael A; Mwang’onde, Beda J; Mahande, Aneth M

2010-01-01

Background: In most of the past decades, mosquito control has been done by the use of indoor residual spray and insecticides-treated bed nets. The control of mosquitoes by targeting the breeding sites (larval habitat) has not been given priority. Disrupting the oviposition sensory detection of mosquitoes by introducing deterrents of plant origin, which are cheap resources, might be add value to integrated vector control. Such knowledge is required in order to successfully manipulate the behavior of mosquitoes for monitoring or control. Materials and Methods: Twenty gravid mosquitoes were placed in a cage measuring 30 × 30 × 30 cm for oviposition. The oviposition media were made of different materials. Experiments were set up at 6:00 pm, and eggs were collected for counting at 7:30 am. Mosquitoes were observed until they died. The comparisons of the number of eggs were made between the different treatments. Results: There was significant difference in the number of eggs found in control cups when compared with the number of eggs found in water treated with Ocimum kilimandscharicum (OK) (P=0.02) or Ocimum suave (OS) (P=0.000) and that found in water with debris treated with OK (P=0.011) or OS (P=0.002). There was no significant difference in the number of eggs laid in treated water and the number of eggs laid in water with debris treated either with OK (P=0.105) or OS (P=0.176). Oviposition activity index for both OS and OK experiments lay in a negative side and ranged from -0.19% to -1%. The results show that OS and OK deter oviposition in An.gambiae s.s. Conclusions: Further research needs to be done on the effect of secondary metabolites of these plant extracts as they decompose in the breeding sites. In the event of favorable results, the potential of these plant extracts can be harnessed on a larger scale. PMID:20927285

Insecticidal Potential of Defense Metabolites from Ocimum kilimandscharicum against Helicoverpa armigera

PubMed Central

Thulasiram, Hirekodathakallu V.; Kulkarni, Mahesh J.; Giri, Ashok P.

2014-01-01

Genus Ocimum contains a reservoir of diverse secondary metabolites, which are known for their defense and medicinal value. However, the defense-related metabolites from this genus have not been studied in depth. To gain deeper insight into inducible defense metabolites, we examined the overall biochemical and metabolic changes in Ocimum kilimandscharicum that occurred in response to the feeding of Helicoverpa armigera larvae. Metabolic analysis revealed that the primary and secondary metabolism of local and systemic tissues in O. kilimandscharicum was severely affected following larval infestation. Moreover, levels of specific secondary metabolites like camphor, limonene and β-caryophyllene (known to be involved in defense) significantly increased in leaves upon insect attack. Choice assays conducted by exposing H. armigera larvae on O. kilimandscharicum and tomato leaves, demonstrated that O. kilimandscharicum significantly deters larval feeding. Further, when larvae were fed on O. kilimandscharicum leaves, average body weight decreased and mortality of the larvae increased. Larvae fed on artificial diet supplemented with O. kilimandscharicum leaf extract, camphor, limonene and β-caryophyllene showed growth retardation, increased mortality rates and pupal deformities. Digestive enzymes of H. armigera - namely, amylase, protease and lipase- showed variable patterns after feeding on O. kilimandscharicum, which implies striving of the larvae to attain required nutrition for growth, development and metamorphosis. Evidently, selected metabolites from O. kilimandscharicum possess significant insecticidal activity. PMID:25098951

Compositional variability and antifungal potentials of ocimum basilicum, O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum and O. kilimandscharicum essential oils against Rhizoctonia solani and Choanephora cucurbitarum.

PubMed

Padalia, Rajendra C; Verma, Ram S; Chauhan, Amit; Goswami, Prakash; Chanotiya, Chandan S; Saroj, Arvind; Samad, Abdul; Khaliq, Abdul

2014-10-01

The composition of hydrodistilled essential oils of Ocimum basilicum L. (four chemovariants), O. tenuiflorum L., O. gratissimum L., and O. kilimandscharicum Guerke were analyzed and compared by using capillary gas chromatography (GC/FID) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Phenyl propanoids (upto 87.0%) and monoterpenoids (upto 83.3%) were prevalent constituents distributed in the studied Ocimum taxa. The major constituents of the four distinct chemovariants of O. basilicum were methyl chavicol (86.3%), methyl chavicol (61.5%)/linalool (28.6%), citral (65.9%); and linalool (36.1%)/citral (28.8%). Eugenol (66.5% and 78.0%) was the major constituent of O. tenuiflorum and O. gratissimum. Eugenol (34.0%), β-bisabolene (15.4%), (E)-α-bisabolene (10.9%), methyl chavicol (10.2%) and 1,8-cineole (8.2%) were the major constituents of O. kilimandscharicum. In order to explore the potential for industrial use, the extracted essential oils were assessed for their antifungal potential through poison food technique against two phytopathogens, Rhizoctonia solani and Choanephora cucurbitarum, which cause root and wet rot diseases in various crops. O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum, and O. kilimandscharicum exhibited complete growth inhibition against R. solani and C. cucurbitarum after 24 and 48 h of treatment. O. basilicum chemotypes showed variable levels of growth inhibition (63.0%-100%) against these two phytopathogens.

Prevention of Bacterial Biofilms Formation on Urinary Catheter by Selected Plant Extracts.

PubMed

Adesina, T D; Nwinyi, O C; Olugbuyiro, J A O

2015-02-01

In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using Psidium guajava, Mangifera indica and Ocimum gratissimum leaf extracts in preventing Escherichia coli biofilm formation. The plants extractions were done with methanol under cold extraction. The various concentrations 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg mL(-1) were used to coat 63 catheters under mild heat from water bath. Biofilm formation on the catheter was induced using cultures of E. coli. Biofilm formation was evaluated using aerobic plate count and turbidity at 600 nm. From the obtained results, Psidium guajava, Mangifera indica and Ocimum gratissimum delayed the onset of biofilm formation for a week. Ocimum gratissimum coated catheter had the highest inhibitory effect at 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg mL(-1) with bacterial count ranging from 2.2 x 10(5)-7.0 x 10(4) and 5.7 x 10(5)-3.7 x10(5) for 120 and 128 h, respectively. The Psidium guajava coated catheter had the lowest inhibitory effect at 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg mL(-1), with bacterial count ranging between 4.3 x 10(5)-1.9 x 10(3) and 7.7 x 10(5)-3.8 x 10(5) for 120 and 128 h, respectively. Despite the antimicrobial activities, the differences in the activity of these plant extracts were statistically not significant (p < 0.05).

Larvicidal and repellent potential of Albizzia amara Boivin and Ocimum basilicum Linn against dengue vector, Aedes aegypti (Insecta:Diptera:Culicidae).

PubMed

Murugan, K; Murugan, P; Noortheen, A

2007-01-01

Investigations were made to test the larval toxicity and smoke repellent potential of Albizzia amara and Ocimum basilicum at different concentration (2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) against the different instar (I, II, III and IV) larvae and pupae of Aedes aegypti. The LC50 values of A. amara and O. basilicum for I instar larvae was 5.412 and 3.734, II instar 6.480 and 4.154, III instar 7.106 and 4.664, IV instar 7.515 and 5.124, respectively. The LC50 and LC90 values of pupae were 6.792%, 5.449% and 16.925%, 15.474%. The smoke toxicity of A. amara was more effective against A. aegypti than the O. basilicum.

Adaptogenic activity of Siotone, a polyherbal formulation of Ayurvedic rasayanas.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, S K; Bhattacharya, A; Chakrabarti, A

2000-02-01

Siotone (ST) is a herbal formulation comprising of Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Asparagus racemosus, Tribulus terristris and shilajit, all of which are classified in Ayurveda as rasayanas which are reputed to promote physical and mental health, improve defence mechanisms of the body and enhance longevity. These attributes are similar to the modern concept of adaptogenic agents, which are, known to afford protection of the human physiological system against diverse stressors. The present study was undertaken to investigate the adaptogenic activity of ST against chronic unpredictable, but mild, footshock stress induced perturbations in behaviour (depression), glucose metabolism, suppressed male sexual behaviour, immunosuppression and cognitive dysfunction in CF strain albino rats. Gastric ulceration, adrenal gland and spleen weights, ascorbic acid and corticosterone concentrations of adrenal cortex, and plasma corticosterone levels, were used as the stress indices. Panax ginseng (PG) was used as the standard adaptogenic agent for comparison. Additionally, rat brain levels of tribulin, an endogenous endocoid postulated to be involved in stress, were also assessed in terms of endogenous monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and MAOB inhibitory activity. Chronic unpredictable footshock induced marked gastric ulceration, significant increase in adrenal gland weight and plasma corticosterone levels, with concomitant decreases in spleen weight, and concentrations of adrenal gland ascorbic acid and corticosterone. These effects were attenuated by ST (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) and PG (100 mg/kg, p.o.), administered once daily over a period of 14 days, the period of stress induction. Chronic stress also induced glucose intolerance, suppressed male sexual behaviour, induced behavioural depression (Porsolt's swim despair test and learned helplessness test) and cognitive dysfunction (attenuated retention of learning in active and passive avoidance tests), and immunosuppression (leucocyte migration inhibition and sheep RBC challenged increase in paw oedema in sensitized rats). All these chronic stress-induced perturbations were attenuated, dose-dependently by ST (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) and PG (100 mg/kg, p.o.). Chronic stress-induced increase in rat brain tribulin activity was also reversed by these doses of ST and by PG. The results indicate that ST has significant adaptogenic activity, qualitatively comparable to PG, against a variety of behavioural, biochemical and physiological perturbations induced by unpredictable stress, which has been proposed to be a better indicator of clinical stress than acute stress parameters. The likely contribution of the individual constituents of ST in the observed adaptogenic action of the polyherbal formulation, have been discussed.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by indigenous and tribal people in Rangamati, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Kadir, Mohammad Fahim; Bin Sayeed, Muhammad Shahdaat; Mia, M M K

2012-12-18

There is very limited information regarding plants used by traditional healers in Rangamati, Bangladesh, for treating general ailments. Current study provides significant ethnopharmacological information, both qualitative and quantitative on medical plants in Rangamati. This study aimed to collect, analyze and evaluate the rich ethnopharmacologic knowledge on medicinal plants in Rangamati and attempted to identify the important species used in traditional medicine. Further analysis was done by comparison of the traditional medicinal use with the available scientific literature data. The field survey was carried out in a period of about one year in Rangamati, Bangladesh. A total of 152 people were interviewed, including Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) and indigenous people through open-ended and semistructured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. This ethnomedicinal knowledge was compared against the literature for reports of related uses and studies of phytochemical compounds responsible for respective ailments. A total of 144 species of plants, mostly trees, belonging to 52 families were identified for the treatment of more than 90 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 25 categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and decoction is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. The most common mode of administration was oral ingestion and topical application. Informant consensus factor (Fic) values of the present study reflected the high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of gastro-intestinal complaints and respiratory problems among the informants. Gastro-intestinal complaint had highest use-reports and 3 species of plants, namely Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr., Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., and Terminalia chebula (Gaertn.) Retz., had the highest fidelity level (FL) of 100%. Asparagus racemosus Willd. and Azadirachta indica A. Juss. showed the highest relative importance (RI) value of 1.86. According to use value (UV) the most important species were Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (2.48) and Ocimum sanctum L. (2.45). As a result of the present study, we recommend giving priority for further phytochemical investigation to plants that scored highest FL, Fic, UV or RI values, as such values could be considered as good indicator of prospective plants for discovering new drugs. Also counseling of THPs should be taken into consideration in order to smooth continuation and extension of traditional medical knowledge and practice for ensuring safe and effective therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Proliferative Activities of Essential Oils of Plants from Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Bayala, Bagora; Bassole, Imaël Henri Nestor; Gnoula, Charlemagne; Nebie, Roger; Yonli, Albert; Morel, Laurent; Figueredo, Gilles; Nikiema, Jean-Baptiste; Lobaccaro, Jean-Marc A.; Simpore, Jacques

2014-01-01

This research highlights the chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities of essential oils from leaves of Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum americanum, Hyptis spicigera, Lippia multiflora, Ageratum conyzoides, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Zingiber officinale. Essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–flame ionization detector. Major constituents were α-terpineol (59.78%) and β-caryophyllene (10.54%) for Ocimum basilicum; 1, 8-cineol (31.22%), camphor (12.730%), α-pinene (6.87%) and trans α-bergamotene (5.32%) for Ocimum americanum; β-caryophyllene (21%), α-pinene (20.11%), sabinene (10.26%), β-pinene (9.22%) and α-phellandrene (7.03%) for Hyptis spicigera; p-cymene (25.27%), β-caryophyllene (12.70%), thymol (11.88), γ-terpinene (9.17%) and thymyle acetate (7.64%) for Lippia multiflora; precocene (82.10%)for Ageratum conyzoides; eucalyptol (59.55%), α-pinene (9.17%) and limonene (8.76%) for Eucalyptus camaldulensis; arcurcumene (16.67%), camphene (12.70%), zingiberene (8.40%), β-bisabolene (7.83%) and β-sesquiphellandrène (5.34%) for Zingiber officinale. Antioxidant activities were examined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods. O. basilicum and L. multiflora exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS tests, respectively. Anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated by measuring the inhibition of lipoxygenase activity and essential oil of Z. officinale was the most active. Anti-proliferative effect was assayed by the measurement of MTT on LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, and SF-763 and SF-767 glioblastoma cell lines. Essential oils from A. conyzoides and L. multiflora were the most active on LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines, respectively. The SF-767 glioblastoma cell line was the most sensitive to O. basilicum and L. multiflora EOs while essential oil of A. conyzoides showed the highest activity on SF-763 cells. Altogether these results justify the use of these plants in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso and open a new field of investigation in the characterization of the molecules involved in anti-proliferative processes. PMID:24662935

Chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities of essential oils of plants from Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Bayala, Bagora; Bassole, Imaël Henri Nestor; Gnoula, Charlemagne; Nebie, Roger; Yonli, Albert; Morel, Laurent; Figueredo, Gilles; Nikiema, Jean-Baptiste; Lobaccaro, Jean-Marc A; Simpore, Jacques

2014-01-01

This research highlights the chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities of essential oils from leaves of Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum americanum, Hyptis spicigera, Lippia multiflora, Ageratum conyzoides, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Zingiber officinale. Essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Major constituents were α-terpineol (59.78%) and β-caryophyllene (10.54%) for Ocimum basilicum; 1, 8-cineol (31.22%), camphor (12.730%), α-pinene (6.87%) and trans α-bergamotene (5.32%) for Ocimum americanum; β-caryophyllene (21%), α-pinene (20.11%), sabinene (10.26%), β-pinene (9.22%) and α-phellandrene (7.03%) for Hyptis spicigera; p-cymene (25.27%), β-caryophyllene (12.70%), thymol (11.88), γ-terpinene (9.17%) and thymyle acetate (7.64%) for Lippia multiflora; precocene (82.10%)for Ageratum conyzoides; eucalyptol (59.55%), α-pinene (9.17%) and limonene (8.76%) for Eucalyptus camaldulensis; arcurcumene (16.67%), camphene (12.70%), zingiberene (8.40%), β-bisabolene (7.83%) and β-sesquiphellandrène (5.34%) for Zingiber officinale. Antioxidant activities were examined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods. O. basilicum and L. multiflora exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS tests, respectively. Anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated by measuring the inhibition of lipoxygenase activity and essential oil of Z. officinale was the most active. Anti-proliferative effect was assayed by the measurement of MTT on LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, and SF-763 and SF-767 glioblastoma cell lines. Essential oils from A. conyzoides and L. multiflora were the most active on LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines, respectively. The SF-767 glioblastoma cell line was the most sensitive to O. basilicum and L. multiflora EOs while essential oil of A. conyzoides showed the highest activity on SF-763 cells. Altogether these results justify the use of these plants in traditional medicine in Burkina Faso and open a new field of investigation in the characterization of the molecules involved in anti-proliferative processes.

The main chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activity of the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum Linn. var. pilosum (Willd.) Benth.

PubMed

Zhang, Ji-Wen; Li, Sheng-Kun; Wu, Wen-Jun

2009-01-08

The essential oils of the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum Linn.var. pilosum (Willd.) Benth., an endemic medicinal plant growing in China, was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-MS. Fifteen compounds, representing 74.19% of the total oil were identified. The main components were as follows: linalool (29.68%), (Z)-cinnamic acid methyl ester (21.49%), cyclohexene (4.41%), alpha- cadinol (3.99%), 2,4-diisopropenyl-1-methyl-1-vinylcyclohexane (2.27%), 3,5-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid, 2,6-dimethyl-diethyl ester (2.01%), beta-cubebene (1.97%), guaia-1(10),11-diene (1.58%), cadinene (1.41%) (E)-cinnamic acid methyl ester (1.36%) and beta-guaiene (1.30%). The essential oils showed significant antifungal activity against some plant pathogenic fungi.

Evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic potential of essential oils derived from ten colombian plants.

PubMed

Sanchez-Suarez, Jf; Riveros, I; Delgado, G

2013-01-01

The leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of ten essential oils obtained from ten plant specimens were evaluated. Essential oils were obtained by the steam distillation of plant leaves without any prior processing. Cytotoxicity was tested on J774 macrophages and leishmanicidal activity was assessed against four species of Leishmania associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Seven essential oils exhibited activity against Leishmania parasites, five of which were toxic against J774 macrophages. Selectivity indices of >6 and 13 were calculated for the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Origanum vulgare, respectively. The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum was active against promastigotes of Leishmania and innocuous to J774 macrophages at concentrations up to 1600 µg/mL and should be further investigated for leishmanicidal activity in others in vitro and in vivo experimental models.

Chemotaxonomic analysis of the aroma compounds in essential oils of two different Ocimum basilicum L. varieties from Iran.

PubMed

Pirmoradi, Mohammad Reza; Moghaddam, Mohammad; Farhadi, Nasrin

2013-07-01

Hydrodistilled essential oils of 21 accessions of Ocimum basilicum L. belonging to two different varieties (var. purpurascens and var. dianatnejadii) from Iran were characterized by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. The oil yield was found to be between 0.6 and 1.1% (v/w). In total, 49 compounds, accounting for 96.6-99.7% of the oil compositions, were identified. Aromatic compounds, represented mainly by methyl chavicol (33.6-49.1%), and oxygenated monoterpenes, represented by linalool (14.4-39.3%), were the main components in all essential oils. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were present in the essential oils of all accessions of the purpurascens variety, whereas they were completely absent in those of the dianatnejadii variety, indicating that monoterpene hydrocarbons might be considered as marker constituents of the purpurascens variety. The chemotaxonomic value of the essential-oil compositions was discussed according to the results of the cluster analysis (CA). The CA showed a clear separation of the O. basilicum var. purpurascens accessions and the O. basilicum var. dianatnejadii accessions, although the data showed no major chemotype variation between the studied varieties. Indeed, the CA revealed only one principal chemotype (methyl chavicol/linalool) for both varieties. In conclusion, GC/MS analyses in combination with CA showed to be a flexible and reliable method for the characterization of the chemical profiles of different varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. Copyright © 2013 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Antibacterial activity of essential oils of edible spices, Ocimum canum and Xylopia aethiopica.

PubMed

Vyry Wouatsa, N A; Misra, Laxminarain; Venkatesh Kumar, R

2014-05-01

The essential oils of 2 Cameroonian spices, namely, Xylopia aethiopica and Ocimum canum, were chemically investigated and screened for their antibacterial activity. The essential oils were analyzed by means of GC, GC/MS, and NMR. X. aethiopica oil contained myrtenol (12%), a monoterpenoid in highest concentration. The essential oil of O. canum belonged to the known linalool (44%) rich chemotype. The results of the antibacterial screening against the food spoiling bacteria revealed a significant and broad spectrum of activity for these essential oils. The present material of X. aethiopica, which is having myrtenol in relatively higher concentration, has shown moderate antibacterial activity. The bioassay-guided fractionation of Ocimum canum oil through flash chromatography showed that minor compounds, namely, α-terpineol, chavicol, chavibetol, and trans-p-mentha-2,8-dien-ol, significantly contributed for the overall activity observed. Hence, these results evidenced the possible potential of the essential oil of O. canum as a suitable antibacterial for controlling food-borne pathogens whereas the X. aethiopica oil has moderate possibility. There is a strong global demand for the microbe-free, safe, and healthy foods. In this study, we showed that the essential oil of O. canum (wild basil) can be used as antibacterial for food items. Also, we showed that a value addition in the antibacterial potential of O. canum oil can be done by processing the essential oil through flash chromatographic separations. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

In vitro dissolution of gallbladder stone by edible leaves, fruits and homoeopathic medicines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Ishwar; Singh, Yogendra; Ansari, Shoeb A.; Agrawal, Namita R.

2005-10-01

Gallbladder stone sample of a female patient was analysed by diagnostic, spectroscopic methods and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Besides cholesterol as the major constituent, bilirubin, creatinine and blood urea were also found to be present in the sample. Bile acid (ursodeoxycholic acid) was used to study its effect on the dissolution of cholestrol present in the stone. Extracts of edible leaves and fruits (amla, lemon and mausammi) and the homoeopathic medicines Berberis vulgaris Q. Dioscorea Q. and Calcarea carb 200 in the concentration range 0-3% (v/v) were found to be effective in the dissolution process in the following sequences: B. vulgaris Q. and Dioscorea Q.> C. carb 200, lemon>mausammi, amla was found to be more effective than jamun and tulsi leaf extracts in the given concentration range.

Hilic MS/MS determination of amino acids in herbs of Fumaria schleicheri L., Ocimum basilicum L., and leaves of Corylus avellana L.

PubMed

Prokopenko, Yuliya; Jakštas, Valdas; Žvikas, Vaidotas; Georgiyants, Victoriya; Ivanauskas, Liudas

2018-05-18

The aim of research was to study the content of amino acids using in extracts of Fumaria schleicheri L., Ocimum basilicum L., and Corylus avellana L. by HILIC MS/MS method. Separation of amino acids in the samples was carried out with Acquity H-class UPLC system (Waters, Milford, USA) equipped with SeQuant ZIC-Hilic collumn (2.1 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) (Merck Millipore, Darmstadt, Germany). The MS/MS fragment ion chromatograms of the test solutions established the presence of 19 amino acids. The obtained results have shown that O. basilicum L. characterized the highest concentrations of different neurogenic amino acids (128.1 mg/kg), comparing with F. schleicheri L. and C. avellana L. (57.72 and 52.91 mg/kg, respectively).

Influence of viral infection on essential oil composition of Ocimum basilicum (Lamiaceae).

PubMed

Nagai, Alice; Duarte, Ligia M L; Santos, Déborah Y A C

2011-08-01

Ocimum basilicum L., popularly known as sweet basil, is a Lamiaceae species whose essential oil is mainly composed of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenylpropanoids. The contents of these compounds can be affected by abiotic and biotic factors such as infections caused by viruses. The main goal of this research was an investigation of the effects of viral infection on the essential oil profile of common basil. Seeds of O. basilicum L. cv. Genovese were sowed and kept in a greenhouse. Plants presenting two pairs of leaves above the cotyledons were inoculated with an unidentified virus isolated from a field plant showing chlorotic yellow spots and foliar deformation. Essential oils of healthy and infected plants were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GCMS. Changes in essential oil composition due to viral infection were observed. Methyleugenol and p-cresol,2,6-di-tert-butyl were the main constituents. However, methyleugenol contents were significantly decreased in infected plants.

The Essential Oil Compositions of Ocimum basilicum from Three Different Regions: Nepal, Tajikistan, and Yemen.

PubMed

Sharopov, Farukh S; Satyal, Prabodh; Ali, Nasser A Awadh; Pokharel, Suraj; Zhang, Hanjing; Wink, Michael; Kukaniev, Muhammadsho A; Setzer, William N

2016-02-01

The aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum L. were collected from four different geographical locations, Sindhuli and Biratnagar (Nepal), Chormaghzak village (Tajikistan), and Sana'a (Yemen). The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A cluster analysis of 179 essential oil compositions revealed six major chemotypes: Linalool, eugenol, estragole, methyl eugenol, 1,8-cineole, and geraniol. All four of the basil oils in this study were of the linalool-rich variety. Some of the basil oils were screened for bioactivity including antimicrobial, cytotoxicity in human cancer cells, brine shrimp lethality, nematicidal, larvicidal, insecticidal, and antioxidant. The basil oils in this study were not notably antibacterial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, nor nematicidal, but were active in the brine shrimp lethality test, and did show larvicidal and insecticidal activities. Copyright © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Trypanosoma cruzi: activity of essential oils from Achillea millefolium L., Syzygium aromaticum L. and Ocimum basilicum L. on epimastigotes and trypomastigotes.

PubMed

Santoro, Giani F; Cardoso, Maria G; Guimarães, Luiz Gustavo L; Mendonça, Lidiany Z; Soares, Maurilio J

2007-07-01

Trypanocidal activity of clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) essential oils and some of their constituents (eugenol and linalool) was investigated on Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigote and bloodstream trypomastigote forms. Steam distillation was used to isolate the essential oils, with chemical analyses performed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The IC(50) (concentration that inhibits 50% parasite growth) of the oils and constituents upon T. cruzi was determined by cell counting in a Neubauer chamber. Cell morphology alterations were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Treatment with oils and constituents demonstrated that they inhibit parasite growth, with clove essential being the most effective one (IC(50)=99.5 microg/ml for epimastigotes and 57.5 microg/ml for trypomastigotes). Ultrastructural alterations were observed mainly in the nucleus.

Proximate, Phytochemical, and In Vitro Antimicrobial Properties of Dried Leaves from Ocimum gratissimum.

PubMed

Talabi, Justina Y; Makanjuola, Solomon Akinremi

2017-09-01

Ocimum gratissimum is a common plant in the tropics and has been used in food and medicine. Its usage in food and medicine could be attributed to its phtyochemical and antimicrobial properties. In this study we investigated the proximate, phytochemical, and antimicrobial attributes of air dried leaves of O. gratissimum . The aqueous extract was found to contain phtyochemicals with alkaloid and saponin present in appreciable amounts. The proximate analysis (crude protein and crude fibre content were 15.075% and 17.365%, respectively) showed that the leaf could be a good source of protein and fibre. The aqueous ethanolic extract of the leaf exhibited activity against a wider range of organisms when compared to the aqueous extract at the investigated concentrations. Aqueous ethanolic extracts of O. gratissimum leaf was active against Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus , and Bacillus cereus and the aqueous extract of the leaf was active against P. aeruginosa .

The impact of hybridization on the volatile and sensorial profile of Ocimum basilicum L.

PubMed

da Costa, Andréa Santos; Arrigoni-Blank, Maria de Fátima; da Silva, Maria Aparecida Azevedo Pereira; Alves, Mércia Freitas; Santos, Darlisson de Alexandria; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the volatile and sensorial profile of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) of the essential oil of three hybrids ("Cinnamon" × "Maria Bonita," "Sweet Dani" × "Cinnamon," and "Sweet Dani" × "Maria Bonita"). Twelve descriptive terms were developed by a selected panel that also generated the definition of each term and the reference samples. The data were subjected to ANOVA, Tukey's test, and principal component analysis. The hybrid "Cinnamon" × "Maria Bonita" exhibited a stronger global aroma that was less citric than the other samples. Hybridization favored the generation of novel compounds in the essential oil of the hybrid "Sweet Dani" × "Maria Bonita," such as canfora and (E)-caryophyllene; (E)-caryophyllene also was a novel compound in the hybrid "Sweet Dani" × "Cinnamon"; this compound was not present in the essential oils of the parents.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of traditional green and purple "Napoletano" basil cultivars (Ocimum basilicum L.) from Campania region (Italy).

PubMed

Tenore, Gian Carlo; Campiglia, Pietro; Ciampaglia, Roberto; Izzo, Luana; Novellino, Ettore

2017-09-01

The present study is the first effort to a comprehensive evaluation of the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of 'Napoletano' green and purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) varieties. The results obtained revealed that the basil sample extracts were characterised by a generally higher polyphenolic concentration than those reported elsewhere for other more conventional and geographically different basil varieties. Napoletano purple basil revealed higher radical-scavenging and ferric-reducing capacities than the green one probably due to its relevant anthocyanin content. As regards the antimicrobial properties, both basil varieties exhibited activity against a broad spectrum of food-borne and human pathogenic micro-organisms, revealing not only a moderate to high natural preserving capacity, but also potentially beneficial influence on human health. Results indicated Napoletano green and purple basils as a good source of antioxidants of potential nutraceutical interest.

The Effect of Harvesting on the Composition of Essential Oils from Five Varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. Cultivated in the Island of Kefalonia, Greece

PubMed Central

Tsasi, Gerasimia; Mailis, Theofilos; Daskalaki, Artemis; Sakadani, Eleni; Razis, Panagis; Samaras, Yiannis; Skaltsa, Helen

2017-01-01

Five varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. namely lettuce, cinnamon, minimum, latifolia, and violetto were separately cultivated in field and greenhouse in the island Kefalonia (Greece). The effect of successive harvesting to the essential oil content was evaluated. In total 23 samples of essential oils (EOs) were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Ninety-six constituents, which accounted for almost 99% of the oils, were identified. Cluster analysis was performed for all of the varieties in greenhouse and field conditions, in order to investigate the possible differentiation on the chemical composition of the essential oils, obtained between harvests during growing period. Each basil variety showed a unique chemical profile, but also the essential oil composition within each variety seems to be differentiated, affected by the harvests and the cultivation site. PMID:28927018

Effect of Ocimum basilicum extract on cadmium-induced testicular histomorphometric and immunohistochemical alterations in albino rats

PubMed Central

Nooh, Hanna Z.

2013-01-01

The present study examined the efficacy of Ocimum basilicum (basil) extract, a natural herb, with antioxidant properties, against testicular toxicity induced by cadmium (Cd), which is one of the most important toxic heavy metals. The intoxicated rats showed significant alterations in the testicular tissue including decreased seminiferous epithelium height and changes in the arrangement of spermatogenic layers. Hypospermatogensis with cytoplasmic vacuolization and pyknotic nuclei were observed. Intertubular hemorrahage and absence of spermatozoa were noted. Decreased cell proliferation was reflected by a decrease in Ki-67 expression, whereas the increase in apoptotic rate was associated with a decrease in the Bcl/Bax ratio. Concomitant treatment with aqueous basil extract led to an improvement in histological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical changes induced by Cd. The beneficial effects of basil extract could be attributed to its antioxidant properties. PMID:23869259

Evaluation of the Leishmanicidal and Cytotoxic Potential of Essential Oils Derived From Ten Colombian Plants

PubMed Central

Sanchez-Suarez, JF; Riveros, I; Delgado, G

2013-01-01

Background The leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of ten essential oils obtained from ten plant specimens were evaluated. Methods Essential oils were obtained by the steam distillation of plant leaves without any prior processing. Cytotoxicity was tested on J774 macrophages and leishmanicidal activity was assessed against four species of Leishmania associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Results Seven essential oils exhibited activity against Leishmania parasites, five of which were toxic against J774 macrophages. Selectivity indices of >6 and 13 were calculated for the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Origanum vulgare, respectively. Conclusion The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum was active against promastigotes of Leishmania and innocuous to J774 macrophages at concentrations up to 1600 µg/mL and should be further investigated for leishmanicidal activity in others in vitro and in vivo experimental models. PMID:23682270

"Antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity of essential oil, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Ocimum micranthum Willd leaves".

PubMed

Caamal-Herrera, Isabel O; Carrillo-Cocom, Leydi M; Escalante-Réndiz, Diana Y; Aráiz-Hernández, Diana; Azamar-Barrios, José A

2018-02-08

Ocimum micranthum Willd is a plant used in traditional medicine practiced in the region of the Yucatan peninsula. In particular, it is used for the treatment of cutaneous infections and wound healing, however there are currently no existing scientific studies that support these applications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial and the in vitro proliferative activity (on healthy mammalian cell lines) of the essential oil and extracts (aqueous and ethanolic) of this plant. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of essential oil and aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Ocimum micranthum leaves against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans was determined using the microdilution technique. The in vitro proliferative activity of human fibroblast (hFB) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells treated with these extracts was evaluated using the MTT test. The hFB cell line was also evaluated using Trypan Blue assay. Candida albicans was more susceptible to the ethanolic extract and the aqueous extract (MIC value of 5 μL/mL and 80 μL/mL respectively). In the case of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the MIC of the aqueous and ethanolic extract was 125 μL/mL. The aqueous extract showed a significant (p < 0.05) antiproliferative effect on hFB cells at a concentration of 4%, with cell proliferation percentage values of 73.56% and 20.59% by MTT method and Trypan Blue assay, respectively; the same effect was observed for the ethanolic extract at concentration from 0.06% to 0.25% using MTT method and at a concentration from 0.125% to 0.25% using Trypan Blue assay. In CHO-K1 cells an antiproliferative effect was observed at a concentration of 8% of aqueous extract and from 0.06% to 0.25% of ethanolic extract using the MTT method. These assays showed that low concentrations of essential oil and extracts of Ocimum micranthum leaves are sufficient to cause an antiproliferative effect on the hFB cell line but do not produce an antimicrobial effect against the microorganisms evaluated. More studies are necessary to improve understanding of the mechanism of action of the compounds implicated in the bioactivities shown by the crude extracts.

Integrating socio-economic and biophysical data to enhance watershed management and planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirani, Farshad Jalili; Mousavi, Seyed Alireza

2016-09-01

Sustainability has always been considered as one of the main aspects of watershed management plans. In many developing countries, watershed management practices and planning are usually performed by integrating biophysical layers, and other existing layers which cannot be identified as geographic layers are ignored. We introduce an approach to consider some socioeconomic parameters which are important for watershed management decisions. Ganj basin in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province was selected as the case study area, which includes three traditional sanctums: Ganj, Shiremard and Gerdabe Olya. Socioeconomic data including net agricultural income, net ranching income, population and household number, literacy rate, unemployment rate, population growth rate and active population were mapped within traditional sanctums and then were integrated into other biophysical layers. After overlaying and processing these data to determine management units, different quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted to achieve a practical framework for watershed management planning and relevant plans for homogeneous units were afterwards proposed. Comparing the results with current plans, the area of allocated lands to different proposed operations considering both qualitative and quantitative approaches were the same in many cases and there was a meaningful difference with current plans; e.g., 3820 ha of lands are currently managed under an enclosure plan, while qualitative and quantitative approaches in this study suggest 1388 and 1428 ha to be allocated to this operation type, respectively. Findings show that despite the ambiguities and complexities, different techniques could be adopted to incorporate socioeconomic conditions in watershed management plans. This introductory approach will help to enhance watershed management decisions with more attention to societal background and economic conditions, which will presumably motivate local communities to participate in watershed management plans.

Polyphenol-rich extract of Ocimum gratissimum leaves ameliorates colitis via attenuating colonic mucosa injury and regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines production and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Alabi, Quadri K; Akomolafe, Rufus O; Omole, Joseph G; Adefisayo, Modinat A; Ogundipe, Olaofe L; Aturamu, Ayodeji; Sanya, Joseph O

2018-04-20

Colitis is a chronic inflammation and ulcer on the inner lining of the large intestine. For many centuries Ocimum gratissimum (OG) leaves have been used in folk medicine in Nigeria to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, however, to date, the anti-colitis effects of OG have not been scientifically proven. In this study we investigated the effects of polyphenol rich extract of Ocimum gratissimum (PREOG) leaf on colonic mucosa injury in colitis, its mechanisms, initial administration time and dosage. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced rat colitis models was used. PREOG administration was initiated at 3 and 7 d after the model was established at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg for 7 d. 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) was used as a reference drug. The disease activity index (DAI), vascular permeability, markers of oxidative stress, granulocyte infiltration, inflammation and histopathological alteration were evaluated. Obvious colonic inflammation and mucosa injuries were observed in DSS-induced colitis groups. PREOG administration promoted repair of colonic mucosa injuries, attenuated inflammation, and decreased DAI scores in rats with colitis. PREOG also decreased the plasma concentrations of Interleukin-(IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and concentrations of myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, cyclooxygenase-2 and malondialdehyde in the colon, and increased the plasma concentrations of IL-4 and IL-10 as well as the concentration of superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione in the colon. The efficacy of PREOG was dosage dependent. In conclusion, OG repairs colonic mucosa injury in experimental colitis through its ant-inflammatory and ant-oxidant. Its efficacy related to initial administration time and dose. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of cardioprotective activity of ethanolic extract of Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) against isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in rats

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background and the purpose of the study The objectives of the present study were phytochemical screening and study of the effects of ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum (basil) on cardiac functions and histopathological changes in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction (MI). Methods The leaves of the plant were extracted with ethanol by maceration and subjected to colorimetry to determine flavonoids and phenolic compounds. High-performance TLC analysis and subsequent CAMAG's TLC scanning were performed to quantify rosmarinic acid content. Wistar rats were assigned to 6 groups of normal control, sham, isoproterenol, and treatment with 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg of the extract two times per day concurrent with MI induction. A subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (100 mg/kg/day) for 2 consecutive days was used to induce MI. Results Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of phenolic compounds (5.36%) and flavonoids (1.86%). Rosmarinic acid was the principal phenolic compound with a 15.74% existence. The ST-segment elevation induced by isoproterenol was significantly suppressed by all doses of the extract. A severe myocardial necrosis and fibrosis with a sharp reduction in left ventricular contractility and a marked increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were seen in the isoproterenol group, all of which were significantly improved by the extract treatment. In addition to in-vitro antioxidant activity, the extract significantly suppressed the elevation of malondialdehyde levels both in the serum and the myocardium. Conclusion The results of the study demonstrate that Ocimum basilicum strongly protected the myocardium against isoproterenol-induced infarction and suggest that the cardioprotective effects could be related to antioxidative activities. PMID:23351503

Chicoric Acid Levels in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recently, we reported the presence of chicoric acid in basil leaves (confirmed by co-chromatography with purchased standard). Chicoric acid being the chief phenolic of the Echinacea purpurea plant which is popularly consumed as a dietary supplement. For this study, basil products commonly purchased ...

The Impact of Hybridization on the Volatile and Sensorial Profile of Ocimum basilicum L.

PubMed Central

da Costa, Andréa Santos; Arrigoni-Blank, Maria de Fátima; da Silva, Maria Aparecida Azevedo Pereira; Alves, Mércia Freitas; Santos, Darlisson de Alexandria; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the volatile and sensorial profile of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) of the essential oil of three hybrids (“Cinnamon” × “Maria Bonita,” “Sweet Dani” × “Cinnamon,” and “Sweet Dani” × “Maria Bonita”). Twelve descriptive terms were developed by a selected panel that also generated the definition of each term and the reference samples. The data were subjected to ANOVA, Tukey's test, and principal component analysis. The hybrid “Cinnamon” × “Maria Bonita” exhibited a stronger global aroma that was less citric than the other samples. Hybridization favored the generation of novel compounds in the essential oil of the hybrid “Sweet Dani” × “Maria Bonita,” such as canfora and (E)-caryophyllene; (E)-caryophyllene also was a novel compound in the hybrid “Sweet Dani” × “Cinnamon”; this compound was not present in the essential oils of the parents. PMID:24558334

Avoidance Behavior to Essential Oils by Anopheles minimus, a Malaria Vector in Thailand.

PubMed

Nararak, Jirod; Sathantriphop, Sunaiyana; Chauhan, Kamal; Tantakom, Siripun; Eiden, Amanda L; Chareonviriyaphap, Theeraphap

2016-03-01

Essential oils extracted from 4 different plant species--citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), hairy basil (Ocimum americanum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), and vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides)-were investigated for their irritant and repellent activities against Anopheles minimus, using an excito-repellency test system. Pure essential oils were used in absolute ethanol at the concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, 2.5%, and 5% (v/v) compared with deet. At the lowest concentration of 0.5%, hairy basil displayed the best irritant and repellent effects against An. minimus. Citronella and vetiver at 1-5% showed strong irritant effects with>80% escape, while repellent effects of both oils were observed at 1% and 2.5% citronella (73-89% escape) and at 5% vetiver (83.9% escape). Sweet basil had only moderate irritant action at 5% concentration (69.6% escape) and slightly repellent on test mosquitoes (<50% escape). The results found that hairy basil, citronella, and vetiver are promising potential mosquito repellent products for protection against An. minimus.

Acaricidal activity of Ocimum basilicum and Spilanthes acmella against the ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Arachinida: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Veeramani, V; Sakthivelkumar, S; Tamilarasan, K; Aisha, S O; Janarthanan, S

2014-09-01

The ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus collected at various cattle farms in and around Chennai was subjected to treatment of different crude solvent extracts of leaves of Ocimum basilicum and Spilanthes acmella for acaricidal activity. Among various solvent extracts of leaves of O. basilicum and S. acmella used, chloroform extract of O. basilicum at concentrations between 6% and 10% exhibited 70% and 100% mortality of ticks when compared to control. The LC50 and LC90 values of the chloroform extract of leaves of O. basilicum treatment on the ticks after 24 h were observed as 5.46% and 7.69%. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of α- and β- carboxylesterase enzymes in the whole gut homogenate of cattle tick, R. microplus treated with chloroform extract of leaves of O. basilicum revealed higher level of activities for the enzymes. This indicated that there was an induced response in the tick, R. microplus against the toxic effects of the extract of O. basilicum.

Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil from Ocimum basilicum (L.) against Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Aedes albopictus and Anopheles subpictus (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Govindarajan, M; Sivakumar, R; Rajeswary, M; Yogalakshmi, K

2013-05-01

The toxicity of mosquito larvicidal activity of leaf essential oil and their major chemical constituents from Ocimum basilicum were evaluated against Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Aedes albopictus and Anopheles subpictus. The chemical composition of the leaf essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. GC-MS revealed that the essential oil of O. basilicum contained 20 compounds. The major chemical components identified were linalool (52.42%), methyl eugenol (18.74%) and 1, 8-cineol (5.61%). The essential oil had a significant toxic effect against late third-stage larvae of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Ae. albopictus and An. subpictus with an LC(50) values of 14.01, 11.97 and 9.75 ppm and an LC(90) values of 23.44, 21.17 and 18.56 ppm, respectively. The results could be useful in search for newer, safer, and more effective natural larvicidal agents against Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Ae. albopictus and An. subpictus. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition of the essential oil from basil (Ocimum basilicum Linn.) and its in vitro cytotoxicity against HeLa and HEp-2 human cancer cell lines and NIH 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

PubMed

Kathirvel, Poonkodi; Ravi, Subban

2012-01-01

This study examines the chemical composition and in vitro anticancer activity of the essential oil from Ocimum basilicum Linn. (Lamiaceae), cultivated in the Western Ghats of South India. The chemical compositions of basil fresh leaves were identified by GC-MS: 11 components were identified. The major constituents were found to be methyl cinnamate (70.1%), linalool (17.5%), β-elemene (2.6%) and camphor (1.52%). The results revealed that this plant may belong to the methyl cinnamate and linalool chemotype. A methyl thiazol tetrazolium assay was used for in vitro cytotoxicity screening against the human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), human laryngeal epithelial carcinoma cell line (HEp-2) and NIH 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The IC(50) values obtained were 90.5 and 96.3 µg mL(-1), respectively, and the results revealed that basil oil has potent cytotoxicity.

Aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) protect against sodium arsenite-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Gbadegesin, M A; Odunola, O A

2010-11-25

We evaluated the effects of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) on sodium arsenite-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. We observed that treatment of the animals with the extracts before or just after sodium arsenite administration significantly (p < 0.05) reduced mean liver and serum γ-Glutamyl transferase (γGT), and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities when compared with the group administered the toxin alone. In addition, treatments of the animals with aqueous or ethanolic extract of O. basilicum before the administration of sodium arsenite resulted in the attenuation of the sodium arsenite-induced aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activities: ALT (from 282.6% to 167.7% and 157.8%), AST (from 325.1% to 173.5% and 164.2%) for the group administered sodium arsenite alone, the aqueous extracts plus sodium arsenite, and ethanolic extracts plus sodium arsenite respectively, expressed as percentage of the negative control. These findings support the presence of hepatoprotective activity in the O.basilicum extracts.

Efficiency of essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogum flexuosus in the sedation and anaesthesia of Nile tilapia juveniles.

PubMed

Netto, José D Limma; Oliveira, Rebeca S M; Copatti, Carlos Eduardo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to verify the sedative and anaesthetic effect of the essential oils of basil (Ocimum basilicum) (EOOB) and lemongrass (Cymbopogum flexuosus) (EOCF) in Nile tilapia juveniles. The fish were transferred to aquaria containing different concentrations of each essential oil: 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 600 μL L-1. The time of sedation ranged from 7 to 31 seconds and the recommended concentration was 10 or 25 μL L-1 for both essential oils. The best times for anaesthesia and recovery were found for the concentrations of 400 μL L-1 for EOOB (135.2 and 199.1 seconds, respectively) and 600 μL L-1 for EOCF (327.1 and 374.8 seconds, respectively). In conclusion, we recommend the use of EOOB and EOCF for the sedation and anaesthesia of Nile tilapia at concentrations of 10-25 (for both), 400 and 600 μL L-1, respectively.

Antioxidant and DNA damage protective properties of anthocyanin-rich extracts from Hibiscus and Ocimum: a comparative study.

PubMed

Sarkar, Biswatrish; Kumar, Dhananjay; Sasmal, Dinakar; Mukhopadhyay, Kunal

2014-01-01

Anthocyanin extracts (AEs) from Ocimum tenuiflorum (leaf), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (petal) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (calyx) were investigated and compared for in vitro antioxidant activity and DNA damage protective property. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total anthocyanin content (TAC) of the AEs were determined and the major anthocyanins were characterised. In vitro antioxidant activities were assessed by ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, 2-deoxy-D-ribose degradation assay and lipid peroxidation assay. The protective property of the AEs was also examined against oxidative DNA damage by H2O2 and UV using pUC19 plasmid. All the AEs particularly those from O. tenuiflorum demonstrated efficient antioxidant activity and protected DNA from damage. Strong correlation between antioxidant capacity and TPC and TAC was observed. Significant correlation between antioxidant capacity and TPC and TAC ascertained that phenolics and anthocyanins were the major contributors of antioxidant activity.

Caffeic Acid Derivatives in Dried Lamiaceae and Echinacea purpurea Products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The concentrations of caffeic acid derivatives within Lamiaceae and Echinacea (herb, spice, tea, and dietary supplement forms) readily available in the U.S. marketplace (n=72) were determined. After the first identification of chicoric acid in Ocimum basilicum (basil), the extent to which chicoric a...

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Activities of Ocimum forskolei and Teucrium yemense (Lamiaceae) Essential Oils

PubMed Central

Ali, Nasser A. Awadh; Chhetri, Bhuwan K.; Dosoky, Noura S.; Shari, Khola; Al-Fahad, Ahmed J. A.; Wessjohann, Ludger; Setzer, William N.

2017-01-01

Background: Ocimum forskolei and Teucrium yemense (Lamiaceae) are used in traditional medicine in Yemen. Methods: The chemical composition, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the essential oils isolated from the leaves of Ocimum forskolei Benth. (EOOF) and two different populations of Teucrium yemense Deflers., one collected from Dhamar province (EOTY-d), and another collected from Taiz (EOTY-t) were investigated. The antimicrobial activities of the oils were evaluated against several microorganisms with the disc diffusion test or the broth microdilution test. The essential oils were screened for in-vitro cytotoxic activity against human tumor cells. EOOF and EOTY-d were screened for free-radical-inhibitory activity using the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Results: Sixty-four compounds were identified in (EOOF) representing 100% of the oil content with endo-fenchol (31.1%), fenchone (12.2%), τ-cadinol (12.2%), and methyl (E)-cinnamate (5.1%) as the major compounds. In EOTY-d, 67 compounds were identified, which made up 91% of the total oil. The most abundant constituents were (E)-caryophyllene (11.2%), α-humulene (4.0.%), γ-selinene (5.5%), 7-epi-α-selinene (20.1%), and caryophyllene oxide (20.1%), while the major compounds in EOTY-t were α-pinene (6.6%), (E)-caryophyllene (19.1%) α-humulene (6.4%), δ-cadinene (6.5%), caryophyllene oxide (4.3%), α-cadinol (9.5%), and shyobunol (4.6%). The most sensitive microorganisms for EOOF were B. subtilis, S. aureus, and C. albicans with inhibition zones of 34, 16, and 24 mm and MIC values of, 4.3 mg/mL, 4.3 mg/mL, and 8.6 mg/mL, respectively. EOTY-t showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, B. cereus, A. niger, and B. cinerea with MIC values of 0.156, 0.156, 0.313 and 0.313 mg/mL, respectively. Neither essential oil showed remarkable radical inhibition (IC50 = 31.55 and 31.41 μL/mL). EOTY-d was active against HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines with IC50 = 43.7 μg/mL. Consistent with this, EOTY-t was active against both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast adenocarcinoma cells. Conclusions: The antimicrobial activity of Ocimum forskolei essential oil against B. subtilis and C. albicans is consistent with its traditional use in Yemeni traditional medicine to treat skin infections. Both O. forskolei and T. yemense show wide variations in their respective essential oil compositions; there remains a need to investigate both species botanically, genetically, and phytochemically more comprehensively. PMID:28930232

Chicoric Acid Found in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Leaves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This is the first report to identify the presence of chicoric acid (cichoric acid; also known as dicaffeoyltartaric acid) in basil leaves. Rosmarinic acid, chicoric acid, and caftaric acid (in the order of most abundant to least; all derivatives of caffeic acid) were identified in fresh basil leaves...

Oxygen amendment on growth and nitrogen-use efficiency of flooded Italian Basil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flooding is a frequent and often unavoidable cause of stress, in vegetable production in Florida. Flooding results in hypoxia i.e., oxygen deficiency. This study was conducted with traditional Italian basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), cv. Genovese OG, treated with either a fast- or slow-release solid oxy...

Phenolic composition of basil plants is differentially altered by plant nutrient status and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quality of basil plants (Ocimum basilicum) used in certain fresh and dry products is a function of its production of secondary metabolites, including phenolic compounds. Nutrient availability, particularly phosphorus (P), can alter plant production of secondary metabolites, and root infection by arb...

Rice weevil response to basil oil fumigation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Basil oil, Ocimum basilicum L., is a volatile plant essential oil that is known to have insecticidal activity against stored product pests such as rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.). Basil oil was diluted in acetone and applied to a sponge held inside a tea strainer for fumigations in containers wi...

Reflections on gifts in the therapeutic setting: the gift from patient to therapist.

PubMed

Smolar, Andrew I

2002-01-01

Since Freud's time, psychoanalytically oriented therapists have been wary of accepting gifts from patients, although they have done so in some circumstances within the sanctum of their offices. After providing a working definition of the word "gift" for the purposes of this clinical discussion, the article reviews the relevant literature on the subject. The author presents clinical material in which he describes how gifts were presented by patients within the context of their treatment processes. The article concludes with the author's attempt to define some of the variables that affect the response of the therapist to a patient's gift, and expounds on those variables in terms of their influence on technique.

Characterization of Peronospora belbahrii on basil under light and scanning electron microscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Basil (Ocimum spp.) downy mildew caused by Peronsoora belbahrii is a major yield-limiting disease of sweet basil (O. basilicum) production worldwide. In this study, sweet basil was grown in a soilless potting mix in plant growth chambers and inoculated with sporangia of P. belbahrii harvested from p...

Identification of mosquito repellent odours from Ocimum forskolei.

PubMed

Dekker, Teun; Ignell, Rickard; Ghebru, Maedot; Glinwood, Robert; Hopkins, Richard

2011-09-22

Native mosquito repellent plants have a good potential for integrated mosquito control in local settings. Ocimum forskolei, Lamiaceae, is used in Eritrea as a spatial mosquito repellent inside houses, either through crushing fresh plants or burning dry plants. We verified whether active repellent compounds could be identified using gas-chromatography coupled electroantennogram recordings (GC-EAD) with headspace extracts of crushed plants. EAD active compounds included (R)-(-)-linalool, (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol, trans-caryophyllene, naphthalene, methyl salicylate, (R)-(-)-α-copaene, methyl cinnamate and (E)-ocimene. Of these compounds (R)-(-)-linalool, methyl cinnamate and methyl salicylate reduced landing of female Aedes aegypti on human skin-odor baited tubes. The latter two are novel mosquito repellent compounds. The identification of mosquito repellent compounds contributes to deciphering the mechanisms underlying repulsion, supporting the rational design of novel repellents. The three mosquito repellent compounds identified in this study are structurally dissimilar, which may indicate involvement of different sensory neurons in repulsion. Repulsion may well be enhanced through combining different repellent plants (or their synthetic mimics), and can be a locally sustainable part in mosquito control efforts.

Application of response surface methodology (RSM) for optimizing coagulation process of paper recycling wastewater using Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Mosaddeghi, Mohammad Reza; Pajoum Shariati, Farshid; Vaziri Yazdi, Seyed Ali; Nabi Bidhendi, Gholamreza

2018-06-21

The wastewater produced in a pulp and paper industry is one of the most polluted industrial wastewaters, and therefore its treatment requires complex processes. One of the simple and feasible processes in pulp and paper wastewater treatment is coagulation and flocculation. Overusing a chemical coagulant can produce a large volume of sludge and increase costs and health concerns. Therefore, the use of natural and plant-based coagulants has been recently attracted the attention of researchers. One of the advantages of using Ocimum basilicum as a coagulant is a reduction in the amount of chemical coagulant required. In this study, the effect of basil mucilage has been investigated as a plant-based coagulant together with alum for treatment of paper recycling wastewater. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the process of chemical coagulation based on a central composite rotatable design (CCRD). Quadratic models for colour reduction and TSS removal with coefficients of determination of R 2 >96 were obtained using the analysis of variance. Under optimal conditions, removal efficiencies of colour and total suspended solids (TSS) were 85% and 82%, respectively.

Amelioration of estrogen-deficiency-induced obesity by Ocimum gratissimum

PubMed Central

Chao, Pei-Yu; Chiang, Tsay-I; Chang, I-Chang; Tsai, Fang-Ling; Lee, Hsueh-Hui; Hsieh, Kuanghui; Chiu, Yung-Wei; Lai, Te-Jen; Liu, Jer-Yuh; Hsu, Li-Sung; Shih, Yang-Chia

2017-01-01

Objectives: Menopausal transition in women initiates with declining estrogen levels and is followed by significant changes in their physiological characteristics. These changes often lead to medical conditions, such as obesity, which is correlated with chronic low-grade/subclinical inflammation. Ocimum gratissimum L. is a food spice or traditional herb in many countries; the plant is rich in antioxidants, which possess anti-inflammation activities and multitude of other therapeutic functions. Methods: In this study, we evaluated effects of O. gratissimum extract (OGE) in preventing obesity by using ovariectomized (OVX) animal models to mimic menopausal women. Methods: OVX rats showed increase in body weight and in adipocyte size in perigonadal adipose tissue (p <0.05) and decrease in uterus weight. By contrast, OGE (0.2 mg/ml) significantly reduced body weight gain and adipocyte in OVX rats and showed insignificant changes in uterus weight. Further investigation indicated that OGE exerted no influence on levels of dorsal fat, serum total cholesterol, and serum triacylglycerol and on serum biochemical factors, calcium, phosphorus, and glucose. Conclusion: These findings suggested that OGE dietary supplements may be useful in controlling body weight of menopausal women. PMID:28824328

Identification of mosquito repellent odours from Ocimum forskolei

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Native mosquito repellent plants have a good potential for integrated mosquito control in local settings. Ocimum forskolei, Lamiaceae, is used in Eritrea as a spatial mosquito repellent inside houses, either through crushing fresh plants or burning dry plants. We verified whether active repellent compounds could be identified using gas-chromatography coupled electroantennogram recordings (GC-EAD) with headspace extracts of crushed plants. Results EAD active compounds included (R)-(-)-linalool, (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol, trans-caryophyllene, naphthalene, methyl salicylate, (R)-(-)-α-copaene, methyl cinnamate and (E)-ocimene. Of these compounds (R)-(-)-linalool, methyl cinnamate and methyl salicylate reduced landing of female Aedes aegypti on human skin-odor baited tubes. The latter two are novel mosquito repellent compounds. Conclusions The identification of mosquito repellent compounds contributes to deciphering the mechanisms underlying repulsion, supporting the rational design of novel repellents. The three mosquito repellent compounds identified in this study are structurally dissimilar, which may indicate involvement of different sensory neurons in repulsion. Repulsion may well be enhanced through combining different repellent plants (or their synthetic mimics), and can be a locally sustainable part in mosquito control efforts. PMID:21936953

Evaluation of bioactivity of linalool-rich essential oils from Ocimum basilucum and Coriandrum sativum varieties.

PubMed

Duman, Ahmet D; Telci, Isa; Dayisoylu, Kenan S; Digrak, Metin; Demirtas, Ibrahim; Alma, Mehmet H

2010-06-01

Essential oils from Ocimum basilicum L. and Coriandrum sativum L. varieties originating from Turkey were investigated for their antimicrobial properties. The antimicrobial effects of the oil varieties were evaluated by the disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods against eight bacteria and three fungi. The compositions of the essential oils were analyzed and identified by GC and GC-MS. O. basilicum, C. sativum var. macrocarpum and var. microcarpum oils revealed the presence of linalool (54.4%), eugenol (9.6%), methyl eugenol (7.6%); linalool (78.8%), gamma-terpinene (6.0%), nerol acetate (3.5%); and linalool (90.6%), and nerol acetate (3.3%) as the major components, respectively. The oils exhibited antibacterial activity ranging from 1.25 to 10 microL disc(-1) against the test organisms with inhibition zones of 9.5-39.0 mm and minimal inhibitory concentrations values in the range 0.5- > or =1 microL/L. Linalool, eugenol, and methyl eugenol at 1.25 microL disc(-1) had antimicrobial effects on all microorganisms, giving inhibition zones ranging from 7 to 19 mm.

Ecologically acceptable usage of derivatives of essential oil of sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, as antifeedants against larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar.

PubMed

Popović, Zorica; Kostić, Miroslav; Stanković, Sladjan; Milanović, Slobodan; Sivčev, Ivan; Kostić, Igor; Kljajić, Petar

2013-01-01

Abstract Ethanol solutions of five fractions obtained from essential oil of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) (F1-F5) were tested for their antifeedant properties against 2(nd) instar gypsy moth larvae, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), in laboratory non-choice and feeding-choice experiments. Prior to bioassays, the chemical composition of each fraction was determined by gas chromatography analyses. Significant larval deterrence from feeding was achieved by application of tested solutions to fresh leaves of the host plant. The most effective were were F1 (0.5%), F4 (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5%), and F5 (0.1 and 0.5%), which provided an antifeedant index > 80% after five days. A low rate of larval mortality was observed in no-choice bioassay. In situ screening of chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of plant stress level (assessed by the induced fluorometry) confirmed that the tested compounds did not cause alternations in the photosynthetic efficiency of treated leaves.

Aroma content of fresh basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves is affected by light reflected from colored mulches.

PubMed

Loughrin, John H; Kasperbauer, Michael J

2003-04-09

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an herb that is used to add a distinct aroma and flavor to food. Volatile compounds emitted from fully expanded fresh leaves grown in drip-irrigated plots that were covered with six colors of mulch were compared. The colors reflected a range of photosynthetic photon flux, far-red, red, and blue light from the soil surface to developing leaves. Our objective was to determine whether reflection from the different colors could influence concentrations of volatile compounds emitted from the fresh leaves. Volatile compounds were isolated by headspace sampling and quantified by gas chromatography. Twenty-six compounds were identified, of which the terpenoids linalool and 1,8-cineole comprised more than 50% of the total yield. Concentrations of volatile compounds from leaves that developed over green, blue, yellow, white, and red mulches followed the same patterns as they did for air-dried leaves of the same cultivar. However, the concentration of volatile compounds from fresh leaves was about 50-fold higher than those found in the previous study of air-dried leaves.

Foliar Exposure of Cu(OH)2 Nanopesticide to Basil ( Ocimum basilicum): Variety-Dependent Copper Translocation and Biochemical Responses.

PubMed

Tan, Wenjuan; Gao, Qin; Deng, Chaoyi; Wang, Yi; Lee, Wen-Yee; Hernandez-Viezcas, Jose A; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

2018-04-04

In this study, low and high anthocyanin basil ( Ocimum basilicum) varieties (LAV and HAV) were sprayed with 4.8 mg Cu/per pot from Cu(OH) 2 nanowires, Cu(OH) 2 bulk (CuPro), or CuSO 4 and cultivated for 45 days. In both varieties, significantly higher Cu was determined in leaves of CuSO 4 exposed plants (691 and 672.6 mg/kg for LAV and HAV, respectively); however, only in roots of HAV, Cu was higher, compared to control ( p ≤ 0.05). Nanowires increased n-decanoic, dodecanoic, octanoic, and nonanoic acids in LAV, but reduced n-decanoic, dodecanoic, octanoic, and tetradecanoic acids in HAV, compared with control. In HAV, all compounds reduced eugenol (87%), 2-methylundecanal (71%), and anthocyanin (3%) ( p ≤ 0.05). In addition, in all plant tissues, of both varieties, nanowires and CuSO 4 reduced Mn, while CuPro increased chlorophyll contents, compared with controls ( p ≤ 0.05). Results suggest that the effects of Cu(OH) 2 pesticides are variety- and compound-dependent.

Ecologically Acceptable usage of Derivatives of Essential Oil of Sweet Basil, Ocimum basilicum, as Antifeedants Against Larvae of the Gypsy Moth, Lymantria dispar

PubMed Central

Popović, Zorica; Kostić, Miroslav; Stanković, Sladjan; Milanović, Slobodan; Sivčev, Ivan; Kostić, Igor; Kljajić, Petar

2013-01-01

Ethanol solutions of five fractions obtained from essential oil of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) (F1–F5) were tested for their antifeedant properties against 2nd instar gypsy moth larvae, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), in laboratory non-choice and feeding-choice experiments. Prior to bioassays, the chemical composition of each fraction was determined by gas chromatography analyses. Significant larval deterrence from feeding was achieved by application of tested solutions to fresh leaves of the host plant. The most effective were were F1 (0.5%), F4 (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5%), and F5 (0.1 and 0.5%), which provided an antifeedant index > 80% after five days. A low rate of larval mortality was observed in no-choice bioassay. In situ screening of chlorophyll fluorescence as an indicator of plant stress level (assessed by the induced fluorometry) confirmed that the tested compounds did not cause alternations in the photosynthetic efficiency of treated leaves. PMID:24773447

Composition and antimicrobial activities of Lippia multiflora Moldenke, Mentha x piperita L. and Ocimum basilicum L. essential oils and their major monoterpene alcohols alone and in combination.

PubMed

Bassolé, Imaël Henri Nestor; Lamien-Meda, Aline; Bayala, Balé; Tirogo, Souleymane; Franz, Chlodwig; Novak, Johannes; Nebié, Roger Charles; Dicko, Mamoudou Hama

2010-11-03

Essential oils from leaves of Lippia multiflora, Mentha x piperita and Ocimum basilicum from Burkina Faso were analysed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Major components were p-cymene, thymol, b-caryophyllene, carvacrol and carvone for L. multiflora, menthol and iso-menthone for M. x piperita and, linalool and eugenol for O. basilicum. The essential oils and their major monoterpene alcohols were tested against nine bacterial strains using the disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The essential oils with high phenolic contents were the most effective antimicrobials. The checkerboard method was used to quantify the efficacy of paired combinations of essential oils and their major components. The best synergetic effects among essential oils and major components were obtained with combinations involving O. basilicum essential oil and eugenol, respectively. As phenolic components are characterized by a strong spicy aroma, this study suggests that the selection of certain combinations of EOs could help to reduce the amount of essential oils and consequently reduce any adverse sensory impact in food.

Amelioration of estrogen-deficiency-induced obesity by Ocimum gratissimum.

PubMed

Chao, Pei-Yu; Chiang, Tsay-I; Chang, I-Chang; Tsai, Fang-Ling; Lee, Hsueh-Hui; Hsieh, Kuanghui; Chiu, Yung-Wei; Lai, Te-Jen; Liu, Jer-Yuh; Hsu, Li-Sung; Shih, Yang-Chia

2017-01-01

Objectives: Menopausal transition in women initiates with declining estrogen levels and is followed by significant changes in their physiological characteristics. These changes often lead to medical conditions, such as obesity, which is correlated with chronic low-grade/subclinical inflammation. Ocimum gratissimum L. is a food spice or traditional herb in many countries; the plant is rich in antioxidants, which possess anti-inflammation activities and multitude of other therapeutic functions. Methods: In this study, we evaluated effects of O . gratissimum extract (OGE) in preventing obesity by using ovariectomized (OVX) animal models to mimic menopausal women. Methods: OVX rats showed increase in body weight and in adipocyte size in perigonadal adipose tissue ( p <0.05) and decrease in uterus weight. By contrast, OGE (0.2 mg/ml) significantly reduced body weight gain and adipocyte in OVX rats and showed insignificant changes in uterus weight. Further investigation indicated that OGE exerted no influence on levels of dorsal fat, serum total cholesterol, and serum triacylglycerol and on serum biochemical factors, calcium, phosphorus, and glucose. Conclusion: These findings suggested that OGE dietary supplements may be useful in controlling body weight of menopausal women.

Ocimum grastissimum extract inhibits stimulated acid secretion by carbachol and induces gastric mucus secretion.

PubMed

Onasanwo, S A; Omolaso, B O; Ukoha, N

2012-12-01

In this study, the effects of ethanol extract of Ocimum gratissimum (EEOG) on both basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion and gastric mucus secretion were investigated in Albino rats treated with the extract. Four groups of animals were used. Sub-group 1A serves as control. Animals in Group 2A, 3B and 4B were pretreated with 200 mg/kg of (E3EOG) for 1, 7 and 14 days respectively. Basal gastric effluents were collected from all the groups of animals at intervals of 10 mins for 60 mins. Thereafter, Subgroups 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A were administered with 50 micro/kg b.w. of carbachol (i.p.) intraperitonialy and effluents collected. Animals in Sub-group B were used for gastric mucus study. Carbachol stimulates gastric acid secretion in animals pretreated with the extract for 1, 7 and 14 days. 50-400 mg/kg b.w. doses of the extract significantly increase gastric mucus secretion. These results indicate the mechanism of anti-ulcer activity of the extract may be due to stimulation of gastric mucus secretion amongst pathways.

Extraction of basil leaves (ocimum canum) oleoresin with ethyl acetate solvent by using soxhletation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambun, R.; Purba, R. R. H.; Ginting, H. K.

2017-09-01

The goal of this research is to produce oleoresin from basil leaves (Ocimum canum) by using soxhletation method and ethyl acetate as solvent. Basil commonly used in culinary as fresh vegetables. Basil contains essential oils and oleoresin that are used as flavouring agent in food, in cosmetic and ingredient in traditional medicine. The extraction method commonly used to obtain oleoresin is maceration. The problem of this method is many solvents necessary and need time to extract the raw material. To resolve the problem and to produce more oleoresin, we use soxhletation method with a combination of extraction time and ratio from the material with a solvent. The analysis consists of yield, density, refractive index, and essential oil content. The best treatment of basil leaves oleoresin extraction is at ratio of material and solvent 1:6 (w / v) for 6 hours extraction time. In this condition, the yield of basil oleoresin is 20.152%, 0.9688 g/cm3 of density, 1.502 of refractive index, 15.77% of essential oil content, and the colour of oleoresin product is dark-green.

In vitro evaluation of anti-diabetic activity and cytotoxicity of chemically analysed Ocimum basilicum extracts.

PubMed

Kadan, Sleman; Saad, Bashar; Sasson, Yoel; Zaid, Hilal

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) in the anti-diabetic effects of methanol, hexane and dichloromethane extracts of the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum (OB) and to analyze their phytochemical composition. Phytochemical analysis of the three extracts by GC/MS using the silylation derivatization technique revealed 53 compounds, 17 of them were found for the first time in OB. Cytotoxic and anti-diabetic properties of the extracts were evaluated using L6-GLUT4myc muscle cells stably expressing myc epitope at the exofacial loop (GLUT4). No cytotoxic effects were observed in treated cells up to 0.25 mg/ml extract as measured with MTT and LDH-leakage assays. GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane was elevated by 3.5 and 7 folds (-/+ insulin) after treatment with OB extracts for 20 h. Our findings suggest that the observed anti-diabetic properties of OB extracts are possibly mediated in part through one or more of the 17 new identified compound. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Essential-Oil Variability in a Collection of Ocimum basilicum L. (Basil) Cultivars.

PubMed

Maggio, Antonella; Roscigno, Graziana; Bruno, Maurizio; De Falco, Enrica; Senatore, Felice

2016-10-01

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant of great tradition in the Mediterranean area. Its economic importance is growing up determining an expansion of cultivation. This paper evaluated the morphological traits, the chemical profiles, and antibacterial activity of 21 cultivars of basil belonging to 'Genovese', 'Napoletano', and 'Purple basil' types. The cultivars were characterized by different growth rate and morphological traits. The chemical composition of the oils analyzed by GC and GC/MS analysis, supported by the PCA analysis, underlined the strong influence of chemotype. It is noteworthy that estragole, never present in Genovese and purple basil types, occurred in Napoletano type. The high presence of eugenol, methyl eugenol, and linalool in the majority of cultivars, belonging both to Genovese and to Napoletano types was registered. Of great interest resulted the composition of the purple basil 'Opal'. All the samples tested exhibited similar antibiotic profiles with moderate antibacterial activity. The results enhanced the importance of determination of essential-oil profile in the selection of cultivars characterized by diverse morphological traits and are useful for different purposes. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zürich.

Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in leaves and glandular trichomes of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Deschamps, Cícero; Simon, James E

2010-01-01

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil phenylpropenes are synthesized and accumulate in peltate glandular trichomes and their content and composition depend on plant developmental stage. Studies on gene expression and enzymatic activity indicate that the phenylpropene biosynthetic genes are developmentally regulated. In this study, the methylchavicol accumulation in basil leaves and the enzyme activities and gene expression of both chavicol O-methyltransferase (CVOMT) and eugenol O-methyltransferase (EOMT) were investigated in all leaves at four plant developmental stages. Methylchavicol accumulation decreased over time as leaves matured. There was a significant correlation between methylchavicol accumulation and CVOMT (r(2) = 0.88) enzyme activity, suggesting that the levels of biosynthetic enzymes control the essential oil content. CVOMT and EOMT transcript expression levels, which decreased with leaf age, followed the same pattern in both whole leaves and isolated glandular trichomes, providing evidence that CVOMT transcript levels are developmentally regulated in basil glandular trichomes themselves and that differences in CVOMT expression observed in whole leaves are not solely the result of differences in glandular trichome density.

UV‐B is Required for Normal Development of Oil Glands in Ocimum basilicum L. (Sweet Basil)

PubMed Central

IOANNIDIS, DAPHNE; BONNER, LYNDA; JOHNSON, CHRISTOPHER B.

2002-01-01

Plants of Ocimum basilicum L. grown under glass were exposed to short treatments with supplementary UV‐B. The effect of UV‐B on volatile essential oil content was analysed and compared with morphological effects on the peltate and capitate glandular trichomes. In the absence of UV‐B, both peltate and capitate glands were incompletely developed in both mature and developing leaves, the oil sacs being wrinkled and only partially filled. UV‐B was found to have two main effects on the glandular trichomes. During the first 4 d of treatment, both peltate and capitate glands filled and their morphology reflected their ‘normal’ mature development as reported in the literature. During the following days there was a large increase in the number of broken oil sacs among the peltate glands as the mature glands broke open, releasing volatiles. Neither the number of glands nor the qualitative or quantitative composition of the volatiles was affected by UV‐B. There seems to be a requirement for UV‐B for the filling of the glandular trichomes of basil. PMID:12324268

Extraction of bioactive compounds and free radical scavenging activity of purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaf extracts as affected by temperature and time.

PubMed

Pedro, Alessandra C; Moreira, Fernanda; Granato, Daniel; Rosso, Neiva D

2016-05-13

In the current study, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to assess the effects of extraction time and temperature on the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of purple basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum L.) extracts. The stability of anthocyanins in relation to temperature, light and copigmentation was also studied. The highest anthocyanin content was 67.40 mg/100 g extracted at 30 °C and 60 min. The degradation of anthocyanins with varying temperatures and in the presence of light followed a first-order kinetics and the activation energy was 44.95 kJ/mol. All the extracts exposed to light showed similar half-lives. The extracts protected from light, in the presence of copigments, showed an increase in half-life from 152.67 h for the control to 856.49 and 923.17 h for extract in the presence of gallic acid and phytic acid, respectively. These results clearly indicate that purple basil is a potential source of stable bioactive compounds.

Changes in visual quality, physiological and biochemical parameters assessed during the postharvest storage at chilling or non-chilling temperatures of three sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars.

PubMed

Fratianni, Florinda; Cefola, Maria; Pace, Bernardo; Cozzolino, Rosaria; De Giulio, Beatrice; Cozzolino, Autilia; d'Acierno, Antonio; Coppola, Raffaele; Logrieco, Antonio Francesco; Nazzaro, Filomena

2017-08-15

Leaves of three different sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars (Italico a foglia larga, Cammeo, and Italiano classico) packed in macro-perforated polyethylene bags were stored at chilling (4°C) or non-chilling temperature (12°C) for 9days. During storage, visual quality, physiological (respiration rate, ethylene production, ammonium content) and chemical (antioxidant activity, total polyphenols and polyphenol profile) parameters were measured. Detached leaves stored at chilling temperature showed visual symptoms related to chilling injury, while ethylene production and ammonium content resulted associated to cultivar sensibility to damage at low temperature. Storage at 4°C caused a depletion in polyphenols content and antioxidant capability, which was preserved at 12°C. Regarding the polyphenols profile, stressful storage conditions did not enhance the phenolic metabolism. However, leaves stored at 12°C did not loss a significant amount of metabolites respect to fresh leaves, suggesting the possibility to extend the storability after the expiration date, for a possible recovery of bioactive compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sublethal Effects of Essential Oils From Eucalyptus staigeriana (Myrtales: Myrtaceae), Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiales: Laminaceae), and Foeniculum vulgare (Apiales: Apiaceae) on the Biology of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

PubMed

Cruz, G S; Wanderley-Teixeira, V; Oliveira, J V; Lopes, F S C; Barbosa, D R S; Breda, M O; Dutra, K A; Guedes, C A; Navarro, D M A F; Teixeira, A A C

2016-04-01

Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a major pest of maize, Zea mays L. Its control is often achieved through repeated applications per season of insecticides, which may lead to adverse effects on the ecosystem. Thus, the study of alternative methods with less environmental impact has expanded to include the use of essential oils. These oils are products of the secondary metabolism in plants, and their insecticidal activity has been widely demonstrated in populations of many pest insects. This study evaluated the insecticidal activities of essential oils from Eucalyptus staigeriana, Ocimum gratissimum, and Foeniculum vulgare on Spodoptera frugiperda. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry profiles and contact toxicity of these oils as well as their sublethal effects on larvae and reproductive parameters in adults were evaluated. All three oils had sublethal effects on S. frugiperda; however, the oil of O. gratissimum showed the best results at all doses tested. These essential oils may have promise for control of S. frugiperda.

Basil oil fumigation increases radiation sensitivity in adult Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The biological activity of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) oil was tested against the stored product pest rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae(L.). Adult weevils were exposed to seven different concentrations of basil oil ranging from 0.12 µl/ml-0.60 µl/ml in Petri dishes and mortality was assessed at 3,4 and...

Quality of four basil types after storage at 3 to 10 C

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) has global culinary use as a fresh herb. Basil can also be dried and extracted for its essential oils and grows extremely well in the warm climate of Oklahoma. Several cultivars of sweet basil are known to be chill sensitive when stored below 7 C. In this study, fou...

Phenolic composition of basil plants is differentially altered by plant nutrient status and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four cultivars of basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Cinnamon’, ‘Siam Queen’, ‘Sweet Dani’, and ‘Red Rubin’) were inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), Rhizophagus intraradices, and grown with a fertilizer containing either 64 mg/l P (low-P) or 128 mg/l P (high-P) to assess whether (...

Repellent activity of five essential oils against Culex pipiens.

PubMed

Erler, F; Ulug, I; Yalcinkaya, B

2006-12-01

Essential oils extracted from the seeds of anise (Pimpinella anisum), dried fruits of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), dried foliage of mint (Mentha piperita) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) and fresh foliage of laurel (Laurus nobilis) were tested for their repellency against the adult females of Culex pipiens. All essential oils showed repellency in varying degrees, eucalyptus, basil and anise being the most active.

In vitro assessment of antioxidant, phytochemical and nutritional properties of extracts from the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (Linn).

PubMed

Igbinosa, Etinosa O; Uzunuigbe, Edwina O; Igbinosa, Isoken H; Odjadjare, Emmanuel E; Igiehon, Nicholas O; Emuedo, Oke A

2013-01-01

The antioxidant, phytochemical and nutritional properties of acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (Linn) were investigated to evaluate the therapeutic and nutritional potential of the leaves of this plant. The antioxidant of the plant extracts were assessed against 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and ferric reducing agent. Total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and proanthocyanidins were determined to assess their corresponding effect on the antioxidant activity of this plant. The extracts exhibited DPPH and ABTS(·+) radical scavenging activities, which was comparable to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponin, steroids, cardiacglycoside, flavonoid, terpenoids and phenol. The proximate analysis confirms that the leaves contain appreciable amount of ash, crude protein, lipids, fibre and carbohydrates. The macro and micro elements and constituents revealed that the leaves contain significant amount of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper, nitrogen, and manganese. This study shows that the leaf can be used as a therapeutic agent and justifies its application in folkloric medicine.

Comparison of digestion methods for determination of trace and minor metals in plant samples.

PubMed

Lavilla, I; Filgueiras, A V; Bendicho, C

1999-12-01

In this paper, three dissolution methods using pressure digestion vessels (low-, medium-, and high-pressure vessels) for the determination of metals in plant samples are described. The Plackett-Burman saturated factorial design was used to identify the significant factors influencing wet ashing and to select optimized dissolution conditions. The three methods were statistically compared (on-way ANOVA) on the same sample; no significant differences were obtained. In all cases the relative standard deviation values were <3%. The digestion method based on the use of low-pressure vessels and a microwave oven was validated against CRM GBW07605 tea leaves. This method was applied to the determination of Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Mg, and Ca in 22 different medicinal, aromatic, and seasoning plants by flame-atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration intervals of metal in the plants analyzed were the following: Cu, 4 (Allium sativum)-35 (Thea sinensis) microg g(-1); Zn, 7 (Piper nigrum)-90 (Betula alba) microg g(-1); Mn, 9 (Allium sativum)-939 (Caryophylus aromaticus) microg g(-1); Fe, 33 (Allium sativum)-2486 (Anethum graveolens) microg g(-1); Mg, 495 (Allium sativum)-7458 (Ocimum basilicum) microg g(-1); Ca, 386 (Allium sativum)-21500 (Ocimum basilicum) microg g(-1).

The potential effects of Ocimum basilicum on health: a review of pharmacological and toxicological studies.

PubMed

Sestili, Piero; Ismail, Tariq; Calcabrini, Cinzia; Guescini, Michele; Catanzaro, Elena; Turrini, Eleonora; Layla, Anam; Akhtar, Saeed; Fimognari, Carmela

2018-07-01

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L., OB) is a plant world widely used as a spice and a typical ingredient of the healthy Mediterranean diet. In traditional medicine, OB is indicated for many maladies and conditions; OB-containing nutritional supplements are increasingly sold. Conversely, safety concerns have been raised about the promutagens and procarcinogens alkenylbenzenes contained in OB. Areas covered: A critical review of the current status of OB as a nutraceutical, the pharmacology of its bioactive components, the rationale for its indications, and its safety. Expert opinion: Due to the polyphenolic and flavonoidic content, OB can be considered as an important ingredient in healthy diets; OB preparations may be effective as chemopreventive agents or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of different clinical conditions. From a toxicological perspective, since the tumorigenic potential of alkenylbenzenes is counteracted by other OB constituents such as nevadensin, it can be concluded that OB consumption in food and preparations is safe. The only concern relates to OB essential oils: in this case, a concentration limit for alkenylbenzenes should be precautionary defined, and the use of plant chemotypes with no or low levels of these alkylbenzenes for the preparation of essential oils should be made compulsory.

Antigiardial activity of Ocimum basilicum essential oil.

PubMed

de Almeida, Igor; Alviano, Daniela Sales; Vieira, Danielle Pereira; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald; Lopes, Angela Hampshire C S; Alviano, Celuta Sales; Rosa, Maria do Socorro S

2007-07-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of Ocimum basilicum essential oil on Giardia lamblia and on the modulation of the interaction of these parasites by peritoneal mouse macrophage. The essential oil (2 mg/ml) and its purified substances demonstrated antigiardial activity. Linalool (300 microg/ml), however, was able to kill 100% parasites after 1 h of incubation, which demonstrates its high antigiardial potential. Pretreatment of peritoneal mouse macrophages with 2 mg/ml essential oil dilution reduced in 79% the association index between these macrophages and G. lamblia, with a concomitant increase by 153% on nitric oxide production by the G. lamblia-ingested macrophages. The protein profiles and proteolitic activity of these parasite trophozoites, previously treated or not with 2 mg/ml essential oil or with the purified fractions, were also determined. After 1 and 2 h of incubation, proteins of lysates and culture supernatants revealed significant differences in bands patterns when compared to controls. Besides, the proteolitic activity, mainly of cysteine proteases, was clearly inhibited by the essential oil (2 mg/ml) and the purified linalool (300 microg/ml). These results suggest that, with G. lamblia, the essential oil from O. basilicum and its purified compounds, specially linalool, have a potent antimicrobial activity.

Variation in the volatile terpenoids of two industrially important basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars during plant ontogeny in two different cropping seasons from India.

PubMed

Verma, Ram Swaroop; Padalia, Rajendra Chandra; Chauhan, Amit

2012-02-01

Two Ocimum basilicum cultivars, 'Vikarsudha' and 'CIM-Saumya', grown in the Kumaon region of western Himalaya were evaluated for their essential oil yield and composition at different stages of plant growth during two distinct cropping seasons (spring-summer and rain-autumn). The highest yield of essential oil was obtained at full bloom stage in both cultivars in both cropping seasons. The essential oils obtained from different stages in two cropping seasons were analysed by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionisation detection, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major component of cultivar 'Vikarsudha' was methyl chavicol (84.3-94.3%), while for cultivar 'CIM-Saumya' the main components were methyl chavicol (62.5-77.6%) and linalool (14.4-34.1%). This study clearly indicated that cultivar, cropping season, plant ontogeny and plant part had significant effects on the yield and quality of the essential oil of O. basilicum. Further, the amount of methyl chavicol in the cultivars grown in this region was higher than in cultivars from other parts of India. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of essential oils on the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisin contamination in corn.

PubMed

Fandohan, Pascal; Gbenou, Joachim D; Gnonlonfin, Benoit; Hell, Kerstin; Marasas, Walter F O; Wingfield, Michael J

2004-11-03

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from local plants in Benin, western Africa, and oil from seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) were evaluated in vitro and in vivo for their efficacy against Fusarium verticillioides infection and fumonisin contamination. Fumonisin in corn was quantified using a fluorometer and the Vicam method. Oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum, and Ocimum gratissimum were the most effective in vitro, completely inhibiting the growth of F. verticillioides at lower concentrations over 21 days of incubation. These oils reduced the incidence of F. verticillioides in corn and totally inhibited fungal growth at concentrations of 8, 6.4, and 4.8 microL/g, respectively, over 21 days. At the concentration of 4.8 microL/g, these oils did not affect significantly fumonisin production. However, a marked reduction of fumonisin level was observed in corn stored in closed conditions. The oils adversely affected kernel germination at 4.8 microL/g and therefore cannot be recommended for controlling F. verticillioides on stored corn used as seeds, when used at this concentration. The oil of neem seeds showed no inhibitory effect but rather accelerated the growth of F. verticillioides.

Rosmarinic acid content in antidiabetic aqueous extract of Ocimum canum sims grown in Ghana.

PubMed

Berhow, Mark A; Affum, Andrews Obeng; Gyan, Ben A

2012-07-01

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an important antioxidant polyphenol that is found in a variety of spices and herbs, including Ocimum canum Sims (locally called eme or akokobesa in Ghana). Aqueous extracts from the leaves of O. canum are used as an antidiabetic herbal medicine in Ghana. Analytical thin-layer chromatography was used to examine the composition of the polyphenols in leaf extracts. The polyphenol content in the aqueous and methanol extracts from the leaf, as determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, were 314 and 315 mg gallic acid equivalent/g leaf sample, respectively. The total flavonoid concentration as determined by the aluminum(III) chloride method was 135 mg catechin equivalent/g leaf sample. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to an electrospray Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer was also used to determine the polyphenol fingerprint profile in the leaf extracts of O. canum. Although the average RA concentration in the O. canum leaf extracts from Ghana was 1.69 mg/g dry weight (reported values range from 0.01 to 99.62 mg/g dry weight), this polyphenol was still a prominent peak in addition to caffeic acid derivatives.

Light reflected from colored mulches affects aroma and phenol content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves.

PubMed

Loughrin, J H; Kasperbauer, M J

2001-03-01

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an herb the leaves of which are used to add a distinct aroma and flavor to food. It was hypothesized that the size and chemical composition of sun-grown basil leaves could be influenced by the color of light reflected from the soil surface and by the action of the reflected light through the natural growth regulatory system within the growing plants. Leaf morphology, aroma compounds, and soluble phenolics were compared in basil that had been grown over six colors of polyethylene row covers. Altering the ratios of blue, red, and far-red light reflected to growing plants influenced both leaf morphology and chemistry. Leaves developing over red surfaces had greater area, moisture percentage (succulence), and fresh weight than those developing over black surfaces. Basil grown over yellow and green surfaces produced significantly higher concentrations of aroma compounds than did basil grown over white and blue covers. Leaves grown over yellow and green mulches also contained significantly higher concentrations of phenolics than those grown over the other colors. Clearly, the wavelengths (color) of light reflected to growing basil plants affected leaf size, aroma, and concentrations of soluble phenolics, some of which are antioxidants.

Essential oil composition of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in symbiotic relationship with Piriformospora indica and paclobutrazol application under salt stress.

PubMed

Keramati, Sara; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah; Babaeizad, Valliollah; Dehestani, Ali

2016-12-01

Essential oil content and oil composition of paclobutrazol treated sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) plant inoculated with Piriformospora indica under salt stress were investigated by GC-MS. The results show a slight increase in essential oil content when basil plants subjected to moderate salinity stress (3 dS m -1 of NaCl). It decreased signifiicantly with increasing salinity level to 9 dS m -1 . The findings revealed that leaf area, above ground and leaf dry weights, essential oil content and yield were significantly affected by P. indica inoculation, however paclobutrazol application significantly influenced essential oil yield but not content. Fungal symbiosis as well as paclobutrazol application ameliorated the negative effects of salinity on dry matter and essential oil yield. The main constituents found in the volatile oil of O. basilicum in control treatment were Geranial (26.03%), Neral (24.88%) and Estragole (24.78%). The compounds concentrations showed some differences in P. indica and paclobutrazol treatments. The results demonstrate that micorrhiza-like fungi concomitantly increase essential oil production and biomass in sweet basil, a medicinal herb rich in commercially valuable essential oils.

Photoprotection by foliar anthocyanins mitigates effects of boron toxicity in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Landi, Marco; Guidi, Lucia; Pardossi, Alberto; Tattini, Massimiliano; Gould, Kevin S

2014-11-01

Boron (B) toxicity is an important agricultural problem in arid environments. Excess edaphic B compromises photosynthetic efficiency, limits growth and reduces crop yield. However, some purple-leafed cultivars of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) exhibit greater tolerance to high B concentrations than do green-leafed cultivars. We hypothesised that foliar anthocyanins protect basil leaf mesophyll from photo-oxidative stress when chloroplast function is compromised by B toxicity. Purple-leafed 'Red Rubin' and green-leafed 'Tigullio' cultivars, grown with high or negligible edaphic B, were given a photoinhibitory light treatment. Possible effects of photoabatement by anthocyanins were simulated by superimposing a purple polycarbonate filter on the green leaves. An ameliorative effect of light filtering on photosynthetic quantum yield and on photo-oxidative load was observed in B-stressed plants. In addition, when green protoplasts from both cultivars were treated with B and illuminated through a screen of anthocyanic protoplasts or a polycarbonate film which approximated cyanidin-3-O-glucoside optical properties, the degree of photoinhibition, hydrogen peroxide production, and malondialdehyde content were reduced. The data provide evidence that anthocyanins exert a photoprotective role in purple-leafed basil mesophyll cells, thereby contributing to improved tolerance to high B concentrations.

INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC FOLIAR FERTILIZATION ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND CONTENT OF POLYPHENOLS IN OCIMUM BASILICUM L.

PubMed

Onofrei, Vasilica; Burducea, Marian; Lobiuc, Andrei; Teliban, Gabriel-Ciprian; Ranghiuc, Gabriel; Robu, Teodor

2017-03-01

Basil is an important medicinal and culinary herb, cultivated on large areas in many countries. With the growing necessity of ecological products, organic crops need to be expanded, but a more complete characterization of such agriculture systems is required. The present paper aims to evaluate total phenolics and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity of Ocimum basilicum L. under organic fertilization with four different foliar fertilizers (Fylo®, Geolino Plants&Flowers®, Cropmax®, Fitokondi®). The total content of phenolic compounds was stimulated by all foliar fertilizers used in the experiment. In the first year, the highest increase was obtained in plants fertilized with Fylo (29%) and Fitokondi (27%) while in the second year Fitokondi fertilizer treatment lead to the highest increase of total phenolics (28%) compared to the control plants. The production of total phenolics was enhanced in the second year probably because the experiment was started earlier on April compared to first year. Foliar fertilization of basil plants can thus be used to obtain increased yield and phenolic compounds synthesis with little effect on the physiological parameters that were analyzed, allowing better performance of basil under organic fertilization.

Fungitoxicity of organic extracts of Ocimum basilicum on growth and morphogenesis of Bipolaris species (teleomorph Cochliobolus).

PubMed

Elsherbiny, E A; Safwat, N A; Elaasser, M M

2017-10-01

This study aimed at evaluating the inhibitory effects of various organic extracts of Ocimum basilicum against some species of Bipolaris and Cochliobolus with GC-MS and HPLC analysis. The ethyl acetate extract consisted of methyl cinnamate as the most abundant component, while butylated hydroxytoluene was the major component in the methanol extract. Pyrogallol and chlorogenic acid were major phenolic compounds in the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts, respectively. Complete growth inhibition of all fungi except Cochliobolus australiensis was observed by ethyl acetate extract, and on Bipolaris hawaiensis, Bipolaris spicifera and Cochliobolus cynodontis by methanol extract. Spore germination was completely inhibited for Bipolaris hawaiensis by ethyl acetate extract. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed that the organic extracts cause considerable morphological changes of the fungal hyphae such as mycelial asymmetry, hyphal swelling, sunken, curling, distorted and broken hyphae. The ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of O. basilicum can result in an effective suppression of mycelial growth, spore germination and germ tube elongation of Bipolaris and Cochliobolus species. The organic extracts of O. basilicum are potential and promising natural tools for controlling Bipolaris and Cochliobolus species, economically important plant and human fungal pathogens. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Specificity of Ocimum basilicum geraniol synthase modified by its expression in different heterologous systems.

PubMed

Fischer, Marc J C; Meyer, Sophie; Claudel, Patricia; Perrin, Mireille; Ginglinger, Jean François; Gertz, Claude; Masson, Jean E; Werck-Reinhardt, Danièle; Hugueney, Philippe; Karst, Francis

2013-01-10

Numerous aromatic plant species produce high levels of monoterpenols, using geranyl diphosphate (GPP) as a precursor. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) geraniol synthase (GES) was used to evaluate the monoterpenol profiles arising from heterologous expressions in various plant models. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) calli were transformed using Agrobacterium tumefasciens and the plants were regenerated. Thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) was transformed using the floral dip method. Tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves were agro-infiltrated for transient expression. Although, as expected, geraniol was the main product detected in the leaves, different minor products were observed in these plants (V. vinifera: citronellol and nerol; N. benthamiana: linalool and nerol; A. thaliana: none). O. basilicum GES expression was also carried out with microbial system yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and Escherichia coli. These results suggest that the functional properties of a monoterpenol synthase depend not only on the enzyme's amino-acidic sequence, but also on the cellular background. They also suggest that some plant species or microbial expression systems could induce the simultaneous formation of several carbocations, and could thus have a natural tendency to produce a wider spectrum of monoterpenols. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light Quality Dependent Changes in Morphology, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatile Production in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

PubMed Central

Carvalho, Sofia D.; Schwieterman, Michael L.; Abrahan, Carolina E.; Colquhoun, Thomas A.; Folta, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

Narrow-bandwidth light treatments may be used to manipulate plant growth, development and metabolism. In this report LED-based light treatments were used to affect yield and metabolic content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv “Ceasar”) grown in controlled environments. This culinary herb produces an aroma highly appreciated by consumers, primarily composed of terpenes/terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and fatty-acid- derived volatile molecules. Basil plants were grown under narrow-bandwidth light conditions, and leaf area, height, mass, antioxidant capacity and volatile emissions were measured at various time points. The results indicate reproducible significant differences in specific volatiles, and in biochemical classes of volatiles, compared to greenhouse grown plants. For example, basil plants grown under blue/red/yellow or blue/red/green wavelengths emit higher levels of a subset of monoterpenoid volatiles, while a blue/red/far-red treatment leads to higher levels of most sesquiterpenoid volatile molecules. Specific light treatments increase volatile content, mass, and antioxidant capacity. The results show that narrow-bandwidth illumination can induce discrete suites of volatile classes that affect sensory quality in commercial herbs, and may be a useful tool in improving commercial production. PMID:27635127

Modeling of extraction process of crude polysaccharides from Basil seeds (Ocimum basilicum l.) as affected by process variables.

PubMed

Salehi, Fakhreddin; Kashaninejad, Mahdi; Tadayyon, Ali; Arabameri, Fatemeh

2015-08-01

Basil seed (Ocimum basilicum L.) has practical amounts of gum with good functional properties. In this work, extraction of gum from Basil seed was studied. Effect of pH, temperature and water/seed ratio on the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters; entropy, enthalpy and free energy of extraction were investigated. The maximum gum yield was 17.95 % at 50 °C for pH=7 and water/seed ratio 30:1. In this study, the experimental data were fitted to a mathematical model of mass transfer and equations constants were obtained. The kinetic of Basil seed gum extraction was found to be a first order mass transfer model. Statistical results indicated that the model used in this study will be able to predict the gum extraction from Basil seed adequately. It also found that ΔH and ΔS were positive and ΔG was negative indicating that the extraction process was spontaneous, irreversible and endothermic. The ΔH, ΔS and ΔG values were 0.26-7.87 kJ/mol, 8.12-33.2 J/mol K and 1.62-4.42 kJ/mol, respectively.

Light Quality Dependent Changes in Morphology, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatile Production in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Carvalho, Sofia D; Schwieterman, Michael L; Abrahan, Carolina E; Colquhoun, Thomas A; Folta, Kevin M

2016-01-01

Narrow-bandwidth light treatments may be used to manipulate plant growth, development and metabolism. In this report LED-based light treatments were used to affect yield and metabolic content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv "Ceasar") grown in controlled environments. This culinary herb produces an aroma highly appreciated by consumers, primarily composed of terpenes/terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and fatty-acid- derived volatile molecules. Basil plants were grown under narrow-bandwidth light conditions, and leaf area, height, mass, antioxidant capacity and volatile emissions were measured at various time points. The results indicate reproducible significant differences in specific volatiles, and in biochemical classes of volatiles, compared to greenhouse grown plants. For example, basil plants grown under blue/red/yellow or blue/red/green wavelengths emit higher levels of a subset of monoterpenoid volatiles, while a blue/red/far-red treatment leads to higher levels of most sesquiterpenoid volatile molecules. Specific light treatments increase volatile content, mass, and antioxidant capacity. The results show that narrow-bandwidth illumination can induce discrete suites of volatile classes that affect sensory quality in commercial herbs, and may be a useful tool in improving commercial production.

Salt exclusion and mycorrhizal symbiosis increase tolerance to NaCl and CaCl2 salinity in ‘Siam Queen’ basil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of salinity on growth and nutrient uptake in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Plants were fertilized with a complete nutrient solution and exposed to no, low, or moderate levels of salinity from NaCl or CaCl2. Plants in the control and moderate salinity tre...

Anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction from Ocimum basilicum var. Maria bonita: mechanisms of action and synergism with amphotericin B and Ocimum basilicum essential oil.

PubMed

Cardoso, Nathalia N R; Alviano, Celuta S; Blank, Arie F; Arrigoni-Blank, Maria de Fátima; Romanos, Maria Teresa V; Cunha, Marcel M L; da Silva, Antonio Jorge R; Alviano, Daniela S

2017-12-01

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) has been used in folk medicine to treat headaches, kidney disorders, and intestinal worms. This study evaluates the anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction obtained from O. basilicum var. Maria Bonita leaves. The MIC values for Cryptococcus sp. were obtained according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute in a range of 0.3-2500 μg/mL. The checkerboard assay evaluated the association of the substances tested (in a range of 0.099-2500 μg/mL) with amphotericin B and O. basilicum essential oil for 48 h. The ethanol extract, hexane fraction and associations in a range of 0.3-2500 μg/mL were tested for pigmentation inhibition after 7 days of treatment. The inhibition of ergosterol synthesis and reduction of capsule size were evaluated after the treatment with ethanol extract (312 μg/mL), hexane fraction (78 μg/mL) and the combinations of essential oil + ethanol extract (78 μg/mL + 19.5 μg/mL, respectively) and essential oil + hexane fraction (39.36 μg/mL + 10 μg/mL, respectively) for 24 and 48 h, respectively. The hexane fraction presented better results than the ethanol extract, with a low MIC (156 μg/mL against C. neoformans T 444 and 312 μg/mL against C. neoformans H99 serotype A and C. gattii WM779 serotype C). The combination of the ethanol extract and hexane fraction with amphotericin B and essential oil enhanced their antifungal activity, reducing the concentration of each substance needed to kill 100% of the inoculum. The substances tested were able to reduce the pigmentation, capsule size and ergosterol synthesis, which suggest they have important mechanisms of action. These results provide further support for the use of ethanol extracts of O. basilicum as a potential source of antifungal agents.

Insecticidal activity of certain medicinal plants.

PubMed

Pavela, Roman

2004-12-01

The methanol extracts of eight species of medicinal plants were tested for insecticidal activity in third instar larvae of Egyptian cottonworm (Spodoptera littoralis). All extracts showed a certain degree of larval toxicity. The extracts of Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana and Salvia officinalis appeared to be highly toxic. The extracts significantly affected the growth indexes [relative growth rate (RGR), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD)].

Ocimum basilicum ethanolic extract decreases cholesterol synthesis and lipid accumulation in human macrophages.

PubMed

Bravo, Elena; Amrani, Souliman; Aziz, Mohammed; Harnafi, Hicham; Napolitano, Mariarosaria

2008-12-01

Macrophage lipid accumulation induced by low density lipoproteins (LDL) plays a pivotal role in atherosclerotic plaque development. Previous work showed that Ocimum basilicum extract, used as hypocholesterolemic agent by traditional medicine in Morocco, has hypolipidemic activity in rat acute hyperlipimidemia. This study investigated the effects of ethanolic extract of O. basilicum on lipid accumulation in human macrophages. As modification of LDL increase atherogenicity of the particles we evaluated the effects of the extract on LDL oxidation. The extract caused a dose-related increase of LDL-resistance to Cu(2+)-induced oxidation. Furthermore, at the dose of 60 microg/ml, significantly decreases the accumulation of macrophage lipid droplets induced by modified LDL evaluated as by red-oil staining. Cholesterol esterification and triacylglycerol synthesis in the cells were not affected. Macrophage treatment with 60 microg/ml, but not 20 microg/ml, of the extract reduced newly synthesized unesterified cholesterol by about 60% and decreased scavenger receptors activity by about 20-30%, evaluated by the internalization of cholesterol carried by [(3)H]CE-aggregated-LDL. The results suggest that O. basilicum ethanolic extract has the capability to reduce foam cell formation through the reduction of cholesterol synthesis and the modulation of the activity of surface scavenger receptors.

Evaluation of in vitro anticancer activity of Ocimum basilicum, Alhagi maurorum, Calendula officinalis and their parasite Cuscuta campestris.

PubMed

Behbahani, Mandana

2014-01-01

The present investigation was carried out to study the relationship between presence of cytotoxic compounds in Ocimum basilicum, Alhagi maurorum, Calendula officinalis and their parasite Cuscuta campestris. The cytotoxic activity of the pure compounds was performed by MTT assay against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and normal breast cell line (MCF 10A). The induction of apoptosis was measured by the expression levels of p53, bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 genes using quantitative Real Time PCR. Three active fractions were detected by nuclear magnetic resonance as lutein, lupeol and eugenol, respectively, in C. officinalis, A. maurorum and O. basilicum. These compounds and their epoxidized forms were also detected in their parasite C. campestris. The cytotoxic activity of lutein epoxide, lupeol epoxide and eugenol epoxide was significantly more than lutein, lupeol and eugenol. The mRNA expression level of p53, caspase-3 and bax genes were increased in both cancer cells treated with all pure compounds. However, bcl-2 gene expression decreased in treated breast cancer cells. In conclusion, all the data indicated that the epoxide forms of lupeol, lutein and eugenol are potential drug candidates for inducing apoptosis in human breast cancer cells.

Evaluation of In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Ocimum Basilicum, Alhagi Maurorum, Calendula Officinalis and Their Parasite Cuscuta Campestris

PubMed Central

Behbahani, Mandana

2014-01-01

The present investigation was carried out to study the relationship between presence of cytotoxic compounds in Ocimum basilicum, Alhagi maurorum, Calendula officinalis and their parasite Cuscuta campestris. The cytotoxic activity of the pure compounds was performed by MTT assay against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and normal breast cell line (MCF 10A). The induction of apoptosis was measured by the expression levels of p53, bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 genes using quantitative Real Time PCR. Three active fractions were detected by nuclear magnetic resonance as lutein, lupeol and eugenol, respectively, in C. officinalis, A. maurorum and O. basilicum. These compounds and their epoxidized forms were also detected in their parasite C. campestris. The cytotoxic activity of lutein epoxide, lupeol epoxide and eugenol epoxide was significantly more than lutein, lupeol and eugenol. The mRNA expression level of p53, caspase-3 and bax genes were increased in both cancer cells treated with all pure compounds. However, bcl-2 gene expression decreased in treated breast cancer cells. In conclusion, all the data indicated that the epoxide forms of lupeol, lutein and eugenol are potential drug candidates for inducing apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. PMID:25548920

The Influence of Scalded Flour, Fermentation, and Plants Belonging to Lamiaceae Family on the Wheat Bread Quality and Acrylamide Content.

PubMed

Bartkiene, Elena; Bartkevics, Vadims; Krungleviciute, Vita; Pugajeva, Iveta; Zadeike, Daiva; Juodeikiene, Grazina; Cizeikiene, Dalia

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of additives such as plants belonging to Lamiaceae family (Thymus vulgaris, Carum carvi, Origanum vulgare, Ocimum basilicum, and Coriandrum sativum), scalded flour (SF) or scalded flour fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 (SFFLp) on the quality and acrylamide formation in wheat bread. The formation of acrylamide and bread quality significantly depended on the king of plants used and the amount of SF and SFFLp used. The additives of T. vulgaris and SF increased the content of acrylamide by 3.4-fold in comparison with bread prepared without SF, whereas the addition of SFFLp significantly reduced the content of acrylamide in bread, especially using 5% of SFFLp supplemented with O. vulgare and 15% of SFFLp supplemented with C. sativum (respectively by 40% and 29.4%) therefore could be recommended for safer bread production. The addition of 5% (from total wheat flour content) of scalded wheat flour fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum LUHS135 strain (SFFLp) with Origanum vulgare addition, and 5% or 10% of SFFLp prepared with Ocimum basilicum, and 15% of SFFLp prepared with Coriandrum sativum significantly reduce the content of acrylamide in wheat bread, therefore could be recommended for safer bread production. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Potential Dual Role of Eugenol in Inhibiting Advanced Glycation End Products in Diabetes: Proteomic and Mechanistic Insights

PubMed Central

Singh, Priyanka; Jayaramaiah, Ramesha H.; Agawane, Sachin B.; Vannuruswamy, Garikapati; Korwar, Arvind M.; Anand, Atul; Dhaygude, Vitthal S.; Shaikh, Mahemud L.; Joshi, Rakesh S.; Boppana, Ramanamurthy; Kulkarni, Mahesh J.; Thulasiram, Hirekodathakallu V.; Giri, Ashok P.

2016-01-01

Medicinally important genus Ocimum harbors a vast pool of chemically diverse metabolites. Current study aims at identifying anti-diabetic candidate compounds from Ocimum species. Major metabolites in O. kilimandscharicum, O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum were purified, characterized and evaluated for anti-glycation activity. In vitro inhibition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by eugenol was found to be highest. Preliminary biophysical analysis and blind docking studies to understand eugenol-albumin interaction indicated eugenol to possess strong binding affinity for surface exposed lysines. However, binding of eugenol to bovine serum albumin (BSA) did not result in significant change in secondary structure of protein. In vivo diabetic mice model studies with eugenol showed reduction in blood glucose levels by 38% likely due to inhibition of α-glucosidase while insulin and glycated hemoglobin levels remain unchanged. Western blotting using anti-AGE antibody and mass spectrometry detected notably fewer AGE modified peptides upon eugenol treatment both in vivo and in vitro. Histopathological examination revealed comparatively lesser lesions in eugenol-treated mice. Thus, we propose eugenol has dual mode of action in combating diabetes; it lowers blood glucose by inhibiting α-glucosidase and prevents AGE formation by binding to ε-amine group on lysine, protecting it from glycation, offering potential use in diabetic management. PMID:26739611

Bactericidal activity of herbal volatile oil extracts against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

PubMed

Intorasoot, Amornrat; Chornchoem, Piyaorn; Sookkhee, Siriwoot; Intorasoot, Sorasak

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of 10 volatile oils extracted from medicinal plants, including galangal ( Alpinia galanga Linn.), ginger ( Zingiber officinale ), plai ( Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.), lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ), kaffir lime ( Citrus hystrix DC.), sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum Linn.), tree basil ( Ocimum gratissimum ), lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus DC.), clove ( Syzygium aromaticum ), and cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum ) against four standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Acinetobacter baumannii , and 30 clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR- A. baumannii ). Agar diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were employed for the determination of bactericidal activity of water distilled medicinal plants. Tea tree oil ( Melaleuca alternifolia ) was used as positive control in this study. The results indicated the volatile oil extracted from cinnamon exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the most common human pathogens, S. aureus , E. coli , P. aeruginosa , and A. baumannii . Most of volatile oil extracts were less effective against non-fermentative bacteria, P. aeruginosa . In addition, volatile oil extracted from cinnamon, clove, and tree basil possessed potent bactericidal activity against MDR- A. baumannii with MBC 90 of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL, respectively. The volatile oil extracts would be useful as alternative natural product for the treatment of the most common human pathogens and MDR- A. baumannii infections.

Mosquitocidal and antiplasmodial activity of Senna occidentalis (Cassiae) and Ocimum basilicum (Lamiaceae) from Maruthamalai hills against Anopheles stephensi and Plasmodium falciparum.

PubMed

Murugan, Kadarkarai; Aarthi, Narayanan; Kovendan, Kalimuthu; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Chandramohan, Balamurugan; Kumar, Palanisamy Mahesh; Amerasan, Duraisamy; Paulpandi, Manickam; Chandirasekar, Ramachandran; Dinesh, Devakumar; Suresh, Udaiyan; Subramaniam, Jayapal; Higuchi, Akon; Alarfaj, Abdullah A; Nicoletti, Marcello; Mehlhorn, Heinz; Benelli, Giovanni

2015-10-01

Each year, mosquito-borne diseases infect nearly 700 million people, resulting to more than 1 million deaths. In this study, we evaluated the larvicidal, pupicidal, and smoke toxicity of Senna occidentalis and Ocimum basilicum leaf extracts against the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. Furthermore, the antiplasmodial activity of plant extracts was evaluated against chloroquine (CQ)-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. In larvicidal and pupicidal experiments, S. occidentalis LC50 ranged from 31.05 (I instar larvae) to 75.15 ppm (pupae), and O. basilicum LC50 ranged from 29.69 (I instar larvae) to 69 ppm (pupae). Smoke toxicity experiments conducted against adults showed that S. occidentalis and O. basilicum coils evoked mortality rates comparable to the pyrethrin-based positive control (38, 52, and 42%, respectively). In antiplasmodial assays, Senna occidentalis 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) were 48.80 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 54.28 μg/ml (CQ-r), while O. basilicum IC50 were 68.14 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 67.27 μg/ml (CQ-r). Overall, these botanicals could be considered as potential sources of metabolites to build newer and safer malaria control tools.

The synergistic preservative effects of the essential oils of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) against acid-tolerant food microflora.

PubMed

Lachowicz, K J; Jones, G P; Briggs, D R; Bienvenu, F E; Wan, J; Wilcock, A; Coventry, M J

1998-03-01

Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from five different varieties of Ocimum basilicum L. plants (Anise, Bush, Cinnamon, Dark Opal and a commercial sample of dried basil) were examined for antimicrobial activity against a wide range of foodborne Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, yeasts and moulds by an agar well diffusion method. All five essential oils of basil showed antimicrobial activity against most of the organisms tested with the exception of Flavimonas oryzihabitans and Pseudomonas species. The inhibitory effect of Anise oil, in comparison with mixtures of the predominant components of pure linalool and methyl chavicol, against the acid-tolerant organisms, Lactobacillus curvatus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was examined in broth by an indirect impedance method. Synergistic effects between Anise oil, low pH (pH 4.2) and salt (5% NaCl) were determined. The antimicrobial effect of Anise oil was also assessed in a tomato juice medium by direct viable count, showing that the growth of Lact. curvatus and S. cerevisiae was completely inhibited by 0.1% and 1% Anise oil, respectively. The results of the current study indicate the need for further investigations to understand the antimicrobial effects of basil oils in the presence of other food ingredients and preservation parameters.

Characterization of essential oil from Ocimum gratissimum leaves: Antibacterial and mode of action against selected gastroenteritis pathogens.

PubMed

Chimnoi, Nitirat; Reuk-Ngam, Nanthawan; Chuysinuan, Piyachat; Khlaychan, Panita; Khunnawutmanotham, Nisachon; Chokchaichamnankit, Daranee; Thamniyom, Wassapol; Klayraung, Srikanjana; Mahidol, Chulabhorn; Techasakul, Supanna

2018-03-22

Essential oil of fresh leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (OGEO) was water-steam distilled and analyzed by GC-MS. Thirty-seven compounds were identified, with eugenol (55.6%) as the major component followed by cis-ocimene (13.9%), γ-muurolene (11.6%), (Z,E)-α-farnesene (5.6%), α-trans-bergamotene (4.1%), and β-caryophyllene (2.7%). Antimicrobial activity of OGEO was tested against four gastroenteritis pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Shigella flexneri). OGEO exhibited antibacterial effect, with MICs of 1-2 mg ml -1 , against the tested species. OGEO also displayed rapid killing effect within 5 s at four times of MIC against both E. coli and S. Typhimurium. Various assays were performed to investigate the mode of action of the oil. OGEO increased the permeability of microbial cell membrane as evidenced by LIVE/DEAD BacLight assay. Analyses of the release of absorbing materials at 260 nm, protein leakage, SDS-PAGE, and SEM strongly suggested the disruptive action of the oil on the cytoplasmic membrane of the tested microorganisms. Results revealed that the antibacterial property of OGEO could be due to membrane disruption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Dual Role of Eugenol in Inhibiting Advanced Glycation End Products in Diabetes: Proteomic and Mechanistic Insights.

PubMed

Singh, Priyanka; Jayaramaiah, Ramesha H; Agawane, Sachin B; Vannuruswamy, Garikapati; Korwar, Arvind M; Anand, Atul; Dhaygude, Vitthal S; Shaikh, Mahemud L; Joshi, Rakesh S; Boppana, Ramanamurthy; Kulkarni, Mahesh J; Thulasiram, Hirekodathakallu V; Giri, Ashok P

2016-01-07

Medicinally important genus Ocimum harbors a vast pool of chemically diverse metabolites. Current study aims at identifying anti-diabetic candidate compounds from Ocimum species. Major metabolites in O. kilimandscharicum, O. tenuiflorum, O. gratissimum were purified, characterized and evaluated for anti-glycation activity. In vitro inhibition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) by eugenol was found to be highest. Preliminary biophysical analysis and blind docking studies to understand eugenol-albumin interaction indicated eugenol to possess strong binding affinity for surface exposed lysines. However, binding of eugenol to bovine serum albumin (BSA) did not result in significant change in secondary structure of protein. In vivo diabetic mice model studies with eugenol showed reduction in blood glucose levels by 38% likely due to inhibition of α-glucosidase while insulin and glycated hemoglobin levels remain unchanged. Western blotting using anti-AGE antibody and mass spectrometry detected notably fewer AGE modified peptides upon eugenol treatment both in vivo and in vitro. Histopathological examination revealed comparatively lesser lesions in eugenol-treated mice. Thus, we propose eugenol has dual mode of action in combating diabetes; it lowers blood glucose by inhibiting α-glucosidase and prevents AGE formation by binding to ε-amine group on lysine, protecting it from glycation, offering potential use in diabetic management.

Phytochemical Profile and Evaluation of the Biological Activities of Essential Oils Derived from the Greek Aromatic Plant Species Ocimum basilicum, Mentha spicata, Pimpinella anisum and Fortunella margarita.

PubMed

Fitsiou, Eleni; Mitropoulou, Gregoria; Spyridopoulou, Katerina; Tiptiri-Kourpeti, Angeliki; Vamvakias, Manolis; Bardouki, Haido; Panayiotidis, Mihalis Ι; Galanis, Alex; Kourkoutas, Yiannis; Chlichlia, Katerina; Pappa, Aglaia

2016-08-16

Natural products, known for their medicinal properties since antiquity, are continuously being studied for their biological properties. In the present study, we analyzed the composition of the volatile preparations of essential oils of the Greek plants Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil), Mentha spicata (spearmint), Pimpinella anisum (anise) and Fortunella margarita (kumquat). GC/MS analyses revealed that the major components in the essential oil fractions, were carvone (85.4%) in spearmint, methyl chavicol (74.9%) in sweet basil, trans-anethole (88.1%) in anise, and limonene (93.8%) in kumquat. We further explored their biological potential by studying their antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Only the essential oils from spearmint and sweet basil demonstrated cytotoxicity against common foodborne bacteria, while all preparations were active against the fungi Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger. Antioxidant evaluation by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity assays revealed a variable degree of antioxidant potency. Finally, their antiproliferative potential was tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines and evaluated by using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. All essential oil preparations exhibited a variable degree of antiproliferative activity, depending on the cancer model used, with the most potent one being sweet basil against an in vitro model of human colon carcinoma.

Acidic Potassium Permanganate Chemiluminescence for the Determination of Antioxidant Potential in Three Cultivars of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Srivastava, Shivani; Adholeya, Alok; Conlan, Xavier A; Cahill, David M

2016-03-01

Ocimum basilicum, a member of the family Lamiaceae, is a rich source of polyphenolics that have antioxidant properties. The present study describes the development and application of an online HPLC-coupled acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence assay for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of antioxidants in three cultivars of O. basilicum grown under greenhouse conditions. The chemiluminescence based assay was found to be a sensitive and efficient method for assessment of total and individual compound antioxidant potential. Leaves, flowers and roots were found to be rich reserves of the antioxidant compounds which showed intense chemiluminescence signals. The polyphenolics such as rosmarinic, chicoric, caffeic, p-coumaric, m-coumaric and ferulic acids showed antioxidant activity. Further, rosmarinic acid was found to be the major antioxidant component in water-ethanol extracts. The highest levels of rosmarinic acid was found in the leaves and roots of cultivars "holy green" (14.37; 11.52 mM/100 g DW respectively) followed by "red rubin" (10.02; 10.75 mM/100 g DW respectively) and "subja" (6.59; 4.97 mM/100 g DW respectively). The sensitivity, efficiency and ease of use of the chemiluminescence based assay should now be considered for its use as a primary method for the identification and quantification of antioxidants in plant extracts.

Effects of nitrogen fertilization on the phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong M; Niemeyer, Emily D

2008-09-24

Many herbs and spices have been shown to contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds with potent antioxidant properties. In the present study, we explore how nutrient availability, specifically nitrogen fertilization, affects the production of polyphenolic compounds in three cultivars (Dark Opal, Genovese, and Sweet Thai) of the culinary herb, basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.). Nitrogen fertilization was found to have a significant effect on total phenolic levels in Dark Opal ( p < 0.001) and Genovese ( p < 0.001) basil with statistically higher phenolic contents observed when nutrient availability was limited at the lowest (0.1 mM) applied nitrogen treatment. Similarly, basil treated at the lowest nitrogen fertilization level generally contained significantly higher rosmarinic ( p = 0.001) and caffeic ( p = 0.001) acid concentrations than basil treated at other nitrogen levels. Nitrogen fertilization also affected antioxidant activity ( p = 0.002) with basil treated at the highest applied nitrogen level, 5.0 mM, exhibiting lower antioxidant activity than all other nitrogen treatments. The anthocyanin content of Dark Opal basil was not affected by applied nitrogen level, but anthocyanin concentrations were significantly impacted by growing season ( p = 0.001). Basil cultivar was also determined to have a statistically significant effect on total phenolic levels, rosmarinic and caffeic acid concentrations, and antioxidant activities.

Potential of Ocimum basilicum L. and Salvia officinalis L. essential oils against biofilms of P. aeruginosa clinical isolates.

PubMed

Stojanović-Radić, Z; Pejcić, M; Stojanović, N; Sharifi-Rad, J; Stanković, N

2016-08-29

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms, responsible for more than 60% of the chronic human infections and they represent one of the leading concerns in medicine. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is human pathogenic bacteria which causes numerous diseases and is known for its ability to produce biofilm. Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) and Salvia officinalis L. (sage) are widely used plants in traditional medicine for the treatment of different conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of basil and sage essential oils against P. aeruginosa biofilm producing strains. The efficacy of two essential oils on P. aeruginosa biofilm forming ability was determined using crystal violet method. Out of 15 strains isolated from different clinical biological samples, two were strong, 11 moderate and one weak biofilm producer. Good efficacy of sage essential oil towards strong and weak biofilm producers, but not of basil essential oil, was observed. In the case of moderate biofilm producers, 81.8% showed lower biofilm production after incubation with the sage oil, while 63.6% showed the reduction of biofilm production after basil essential oil treatment. The obtained results showed high potential of both oils for the treatment of persistent infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

Potent α-amylase inhibitory activity of Indian Ayurvedic medicinal plants.

PubMed

P, Sudha; Zinjarde, Smita S; Bhargava, Shobha Y; Kumar, Ameeta R

2011-01-20

Indian medicinal plants used in the Ayurvedic traditional system to treat diabetes are a valuable source of novel anti-diabetic agents. Pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors offer an effective strategy to lower the levels of post-prandial hyperglycemia via control of starch breakdown. In this study, seventeen Indian medicinal plants with known hypoglycemic properties were subjected to sequential solvent extraction and tested for α-amylase inhibition, in order to assess and evaluate their inhibitory potential on PPA (porcine pancreatic α-amylase). Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the lead extracts was performed in order to determine the probable constituents. Analysis of the 126 extracts, obtained from 17 plants (Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Adansonia digitata L., Allium sativum L., Casia fistula L., Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don., Cinnamomum verum Persl., Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt., Linum usitatisumum L., Mangifera indica L., Morus alba L., Nerium oleander L., Ocimum tenuiflorum L., Piper nigrum L., Terminalia chebula Retz., Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers., Trigonella foenum-graceum L., Zingiber officinale Rosc.) for PPA inhibition was initially performed qualitatively by starch-iodine colour assay. The lead extracts were further quantified with respect to PPA inhibition using the chromogenic DNSA (3, 5-dinitrosalicylic acid) method. Phytochemical constituents of the extracts exhibiting≥ 50% inhibition were analysed qualitatively as well as by GC-MS (Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry). Of the 126 extracts obtained from 17 plants, 17 extracts exhibited PPA inhibitory potential to varying degrees (10%-60.5%) while 4 extracts showed low inhibition (< 10%). However, strong porcine pancreatic amylase inhibitory activity (> 50%) was obtained with 3 isopropanol extracts. All these 3 extracts exhibited concentration dependent inhibition with IC50 values, viz., seeds of Linum usitatisumum (540 μgml-1), leaves of Morus alba (1440 μgml-1) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (8.9 μgml-1). Acarbose as the standard inhibitor exhibited an IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration)value of 10.2 μgml-1. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids with the major phytoconstituents being identified by GC-MS. This study endorses the use of these plants for further studies to determine their potential for type 2 diabetes management. Results suggests that extracts of Linum usitatisumum, Morus alba and Ocimum tenuiflorum act effectively as PPA inhibitors leading to a reduction in starch hydrolysis and hence eventually to lowered glucose levels.

Potent α-amylase inhibitory activity of Indian Ayurvedic medicinal plants

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Indian medicinal plants used in the Ayurvedic traditional system to treat diabetes are a valuable source of novel anti-diabetic agents. Pancreatic α-amylase inhibitors offer an effective strategy to lower the levels of post-prandial hyperglycemia via control of starch breakdown. In this study, seventeen Indian medicinal plants with known hypoglycemic properties were subjected to sequential solvent extraction and tested for α-amylase inhibition, in order to assess and evaluate their inhibitory potential on PPA (porcine pancreatic α-amylase). Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the lead extracts was performed in order to determine the probable constituents. Methods Analysis of the 126 extracts, obtained from 17 plants (Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Adansonia digitata L., Allium sativum L., Casia fistula L., Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don., Cinnamomum verum Persl., Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt., Linum usitatisumum L., Mangifera indica L., Morus alba L., Nerium oleander L., Ocimum tenuiflorum L., Piper nigrum L., Terminalia chebula Retz., Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers., Trigonella foenum-graceum L., Zingiber officinale Rosc.) for PPA inhibition was initially performed qualitatively by starch-iodine colour assay. The lead extracts were further quantified with respect to PPA inhibition using the chromogenic DNSA (3, 5-dinitrosalicylic acid) method. Phytochemical constituents of the extracts exhibiting≥ 50% inhibition were analysed qualitatively as well as by GC-MS (Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry). Results Of the 126 extracts obtained from 17 plants, 17 extracts exhibited PPA inhibitory potential to varying degrees (10%-60.5%) while 4 extracts showed low inhibition (< 10%). However, strong porcine pancreatic amylase inhibitory activity (> 50%) was obtained with 3 isopropanol extracts. All these 3 extracts exhibited concentration dependent inhibition with IC50 values, viz., seeds of Linum usitatisumum (540 μgml-1), leaves of Morus alba (1440 μgml-1) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (8.9 μgml-1). Acarbose as the standard inhibitor exhibited an IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration)value of 10.2 μgml-1. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids with the major phytoconstituents being identified by GC-MS. Conclusions This study endorses the use of these plants for further studies to determine their potential for type 2 diabetes management. Results suggests that extracts of Linum usitatisumum, Morus alba and Ocimum tenuiflorum act effectively as PPA inhibitors leading to a reduction in starch hydrolysis and hence eventually to lowered glucose levels. PMID:21251279

Effects of essential oils from medicinal plants acclimated to Benin on in vitro ruminal fermentation of Andropogon gayanus grass.

PubMed

Kouazounde, Jacques B; Jin, Long; Assogba, Fidele M; Ayedoun, Marc A; Wang, Yuxi; Beauchemin, Karen A; McAllister, Tim A; Gbenou, Joachim D

2015-03-30

Plants from West Africa commonly used in both human and veterinary medicine contain various secondary metabolites. However, their potential in mitigating ruminal methane production has not been explored. This study examined the effects of seven essential oils (EOs) from plants acclimated to Benin at four dosages (100, 200, 300 and 400 mg L(-1)), on in vitro rumen microbial fermentation and methane production using Andropogon gayanus grass as a substrate. Compared to control, Laurus nobilis (300-400 mg L(-1) ), Citrus aurantifolia (300-400 mg L(-1)) and Ocimum gratissimum (200-400 mg L(-1)) decreased (P < 0.05) methane production (mL g(-1) DM) by 8.1-11.8%, 11.9-17.8% and 7.9-30.6%, respectively. Relative to the control, reductions in methane (mL g(-1) DM) of 11.4%, 13.5% and 14.2% were only observed at 400 mg L(-1) for Eucalyptus citriodora, Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogon citratus, respectively. These EOs lowered methane without reducing concentrations of total volatile fatty acids or causing a shift from acetate to propionate production. All EOs (except M. piperita) reduced (P < 0.05) apparent dry matter (DM) disappearance of A. gayanus. The current study demonstrated that EOs from plants grown in Benin inhibited in vitro methane production mainly through a reduction in apparent DM digestibility. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synergism Effect of the Essential Oil from Ocimum basilicum var. Maria Bonita and Its Major Components with Fluconazole and Its Influence on Ergosterol Biosynthesis

PubMed Central

Cardoso, Nathalia N. R.; Alviano, Celuta S.; Blank, Arie F.; Romanos, Maria Teresa V.; Fonseca, Beatriz B.; Rozental, Sonia; Rodrigues, Igor A.; Alviano, Daniela S.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the EO and its major components of Ocimum basilicum var. Maria Bonita, a genetically improved cultivar, against the fluconazole sensitive and resistant strains of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Geraniol presented better results than the EO, with a low MIC (76 μg/mL against C. neoformans and 152 μg/mL against both Candida strains). The combination of EO, linalool, or geraniol with fluconazole enhanced their antifungal activity, especially against the resistant strain (MIC reduced to 156, 197, and 38 μg/mL, resp.). The ergosterol assay showed that subinhibitory concentrations of the substances were able to reduce the amount of sterol extracted. The substances tested were able to reduce the capsule size which suggests they have an important mechanism of action. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated cell wall destruction of C. neoformans after treatment with subinhibitory concentrations. In C. albicans ultrastructure alterations such as irregularities in the membrane, presence of vesicles, and cell wall thickening were observed. The biofilm formation was inhibited in both C. albicans strains at MIC and twice MIC. These results provide further support for the use of O. basilicum EO and its major components as a potential source of antifungal agents. PMID:27274752

Immunomodulatory Role of Ocimum gratissimum and Ascorbic Acid against Nicotine-Induced Murine Peritoneal Macrophages In Vitro

PubMed Central

Mahapatra, Santanu Kar; Chakraborty, Subhankari Prasad; Roy, Somenath

2011-01-01

The aim of this present study was to evaluate the immune functions and immune responses in nicotine-induced (10 mM) macrophages and concurrently establish the immunomodulatory role of aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum (Ae-Og) and ascorbic acid. In this study, nitrite generations and some phenotype functions by macrophages were studied. Beside that, release of Th1 cytokines (TNF-α, IL-12) and Th2 cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) was measured by ELISA, and the expression of these cytokines at mRNA level was analyzed by real-time PCR. Ae-Og, at a dose of 10 μg/mL, significantly reduced the nicotine-induced NO generation and iNOSII expression. Similar kinds of response were observed with supplementation of ascorbic acid (0.01 mM). The administration of Ae-Og and ascorbic acid increased the decreased adherence, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and intracellular killing of bacteria in nicotine-treated macrophages. Ae-Og and ascorbic acid were found to protect the murine peritoneal macrophages through downregulation of Th1 cytokines in nicotine-treated macrophages with concurrent activation of Th2 responses. These findings strongly enhanced our understanding of the molecular mechanism leading to nicotine-induced suppression of immune functions and provide additional rationale for application of anti-inflammatory therapeutic approaches by O. gratissimum and ascorbic acid for different inflammatory disease prevention and treatment during nicotine toxicity. PMID:22220218

Ocimum basilicum improve chronic stress-induced neurodegenerative changes in mice hippocampus.

PubMed

Ayuob, Nasra Naeim; El Wahab, Manal Galal Abd; Ali, Soad Shaker; Abdel-Tawab, Hanem Saad

2018-06-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD), one of the progressive neurodegenerative diseases might be associated with exposure to stress and altered living conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Ocimum basilicum (OB) essential oils in improving the neurodegenerative-like changes induced in mice after exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Forty male Swiss albino mice divided into four groups (n = 10); the control, CUMS, CUMS + Fluoxetine, CUMS + OB were used. Behavioral tests, serum corticosterone level, hippocampus protein level of the glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and brain-dreived neurotropic factor (BDNF) were determined after exposure to CUMS. Hippocampus was histopathologically examined. Data were analyzed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) and P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. OB diminished the depression manifestation as well as impaired short term memory observed in the mice after exposure to the CUMS as evidenced by the forced swimming and elevated plus maze test. OB also up-regulated the serum corticosterone level, hippocampal protein level of the glucocorticoid receptor and the brain-derived neurotropic factor and reduced the neurodegenerative and atrophic changes induced in the hippocampus after exposure to CUMS. Essential oils of OB alleviated the memory impairment and hippocampal neurodegenerative changes induced by exposure to the chronic unpredictable stress indicating that it is the time to test its effectiveness on patients suffering from Alzheimer disease.

Acaricidal effect and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from Cuminum cyminum, Pimenta dioica and Ocimum basilicum against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Martinez-Velazquez, Moises; Castillo-Herrera, Gustavo Adolfo; Rosario-Cruz, Rodrigo; Flores-Fernandez, Jose Miguel; Lopez-Ramirez, Julisa; Hernandez-Gutierrez, Rodolfo; Lugo-Cervantes, Eugenia del Carmen

2011-02-01

Acaricidal activity of essential oils extracted from cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), allspice berries (Pimenta dioica) and basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) were tested on 10-day-old Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick larvae using the LPT. Two-fold dilutions of the three essential oils were tested from a starting dilution of 20% down to 1.25%. Results showed a high toxicological effect for cumin, producing 100% mortality in all tested concentrations on R. microplus larvae. Similarly, allspice essential oil produced 100% mortality at all concentrations with the exception of a dramatic decrease at 1.25% concentration. Conversely, basil essential oil was not shown to be toxic against R. microplus larvae. The most common compounds detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were as follows: cumin: cuminaldehyde (22.03%), γ-terpinene (15.69%) and 2-caren-10-al (12.89%); allspice: methyl eugenol (62.7%) and eugenol (8.3%); basil: linalool (30.61%) and estragole (20.04%). Results clearly indicate that C. cyminum and P. dioica essential oils can be used as an effective alternative for R. microplus tick control, and there is a high probability they can be used for other ticks affecting cattle in Mexico and throughout the world, thereby reducing the necessity for traditional and unfriendly synthetic acaricides.

Yield and oil composition of 38 basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) accessions grown in Mississippi.

PubMed

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D; Callahan, Amber; Cantrell, Charles L

2008-01-09

A field experiment was conducted to assess yield, oil content, and composition of 38 genotypes of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.). Overall, biomass yields were high and comparable to those reported in the literature. However, basil genotypes differed significantly with respect to oil content and composition. Oil content of the tested accessions varied from 0.07% to 1.92% in dry herbage. On the basis of the oil composition, basil accessions were divided into seven groups: (1) high-linalool chemotype [19-73% (-)-linalool], (2) linalool-eugenol chemotype [six chemotypes with 28-66% (-)-linalool and 5-29% eugenol], (3) methyl chavicol chemotype [six accessions with 20-72% methyl chavicol and no (-)-linalool], (4) methyl chavicol-linalool chemotype [six accessions with 8-29% methyl chavicol and 8-53% (-)-linalool], (5) methyl eugenol-linalool chemotype [two accessions with 37% and 91% methyl eugenol and 60% and 15% (-)-linalool], (6) methyl cinnamate-linalool chemotype [one accession with 9.7% methyl cinnamate and 31% (-)-linalool], and (7) bergamotene chemotype [one accession with bergamotene as major constituent, 5% eucalyptol, and <1% (-)-linalool]. Our results demonstrated that basil could be a viable essential oil crop in Mississippi. The availability of various chemotypes offers the opportunity for production of basil to meet the market requirements of specific basil oils or individual compounds such as (-)-linalool, eugenol, methyl chavicol, methyl cinnamate, or methyl eugenol.

REPELLENT EFFECT OF OCIMUM BASILICUM AND GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA EXTRACTS AGAINST THE MOSQUITO VECTOR, CULEX PIPIENS (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE).

PubMed

Hassan, Mostafa I; Hammad, Kotb M; Saeed, Saeed M

2015-08-01

Essential or volatile oils of plants have been variously reported to have many medicinal applications. Methanol, acetone and petroleum ether extracts of Ocimum basilicum and Glycyrrhiza glabra were screened for their repellency effect against Culex pipiens mosquito. The repellent action of the present plants extracts were varied depending on the solvent used and dose of extract. Methanol extract of O. basilicum exhibited the lowest repellent activity as it recorded 77.4% at 6.7mg/cm2. The petroleum ether and acetone extract of 0. basilicum showed repellency of 98.1 & 84.6% respectively, at dose of 6.7mg/cm2, while methanolic extract of G. glabra recorded 73.8 & 50.3% at dose of 6.7 &1.7mg/cm2 respectively, the petroleum ether and acetone extract of G. glabra showed repellency of 76.3 & 81.6%, respectively at dose of 6.7mg/cm2, compared with the commercial formulation, N.N. diethyl toulamide (DEET) which exhibited 100% repellent action at dose of 1.8mg/cm2, respectively. The results may contribute to design an alternative way to control mosquitoes currently based on applications of synthetic insecticides. These extracts could be developed commercially as an effective personal protection meaure against mosquito bites and thus to control diseases caused by mosquito-borne pathogens.

Effect of methyl jasmonate on secondary metabolites of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Chen, Feng; Wang, Xi; Rajapakse, Nihal C

2006-03-22

The effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in terms of its induction of inherent bioactive chemicals in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) was evaluated after MeJA was sprayed on healthy basil plants. The total phenolic content of the sweet basil significantly increased after 0.1 and 0.5 mM MeJA treatments compared with the control not subjected to MeJA. Two phenolic compounds, rosmarinic acid (RA) and caffeic acid (CA), were identified as strong antioxidant constituents of the sweet basil. Their amounts also significantly increased after the MeJA treatment. In addition, eugenol and linalool increased 56 and 43%, respectively, by the 0.5 mM MeJA treatment. Due to the accumulation of RA, CA, and eugenol, which possess strong 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) free radical scavenging activities, the antioxidant activity of the sweet basil extract was 2.3-fold greater than that of the control after the 0.5 mM MeJA treatment. In the DPPH* assay, the EC50 values of RA, CA, and eugenol were determined as 23, 46, and 59 microM, respectively, which indicated they were 6-, 3-, and 2.4-fold more efficient than BHT (140 microM). Besides, an unidentified HPLC peak in the methanolic extract of the sweet basil was 4.3-fold higher than that of the control after the 0.5 mM MeJA treatment.

Influence of Npk inorganic fertilizer treatment on the proximate composition of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) and Gongronema latifolium (benth).

PubMed

Osuagwu, G G E; Edeoga, H O

2013-04-15

The influence of NPK inorganic fertilizer treatment on the proximate composition of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) and Gongronema latifolium (Benth) was investigated. Cultivated O. gratissimum and G. latifolium were treated with NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 kg h(-1) treatment levels in planting buckets derived using the furrow slice method two months after seedling emergence. No fertilizer treatment served as control. The leaves of the plants were harvested for analysis one month after treatment. The leaf was used for the analysis because it the most eaten part. Fertilizer treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased the dry matter, moisture content, ash, crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat contents of the leaves of both plants. On the other hand, fertilizer treatment significantly, (p < 0.05) decreased the carbohydrate and the calorific value of the leaves of the plants. The increase in the concentrations of these substances as a result of fertilizer of fertilizer treatment might be due to the role of fertilizer in chlorophyll content of plant's leaves, which in turn enhanced the process of photosynthesis leading to increased synthesis of these substances. The decrease in the carbohydrate content might be due to its conversion to other materials in the plants. The results obtained were discussed in line with current literatures.

The role of endothelium in the vasorelaxant effects of the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum in aorta and mesenteric vascular bed of rats.

PubMed

Pires, Alana F; Madeira, Socorro V Frota; Soares, Pedro M G; Montenegro, Claudia M; Souza, Emmanuel P; Resende, Angela C; Soares de Moura, Roberto; Assreuy, Ana M S; Criddle, David N

2012-10-01

This study investigated the endothelium-dependent vasorelaxant effects of the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum (EOOG) in aortas and mesenteric vascular beds isolated from rats. EOOG (3-300 µg/mL) relaxed the tonic contractions induced by phenylephrine (0.1 µmol/L) in isolated aortas in a concentration-dependent manner in both endothelium-containing and endothelium-denuded preparations. This effect was partially reversed by L-NAME (100 µmol/L) but not by indomethacin (10 µmol/L) or TEA (5 mmol/L). In mesenteric vascular beds, bolus injections of EOOG (30, 50, 100, and 300 ng) decreased the perfusion pressure induced by noradrenaline (6 µmol/L) in endothelium-intact preparations but not in those treated with deoxycholate. L-NAME (300 µmol/L) but not TEA (1 mmol/L) or indomethacin (3 µmol/L) significantly reduced the vasodilatory response to EOOG at all of the doses tested. Our data showed that EOOG exerts a dose-dependent vasodilatory response in the resistance blood vessels of rat mesenteric vascular beds and in the capacitance blood vessel, the rat aorta. This action is completely dependent on endothelial nitric oxide (NO) release in the mesenteric vascular beds but only partially dependent on NO in the aorta. These novel effects of EOOG highlight interesting differences between resistance and capacitance blood vessels.

Bactericidal activity of herbal volatile oil extracts against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

PubMed Central

Intorasoot, Amornrat; Chornchoem, Piyaorn; Sookkhee, Siriwoot; Intorasoot, Sorasak

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of 10 volatile oils extracted from medicinal plants, including galangal (Alpinia galanga Linn.), ginger (Zingiber officinale), plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC.), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum Linn.), tree basil (Ocimum gratissimum), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus DC.), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) against four standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and 30 clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-A. baumannii). Materials and Methods: Agar diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were employed for the determination of bactericidal activity of water distilled medicinal plants. Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) was used as positive control in this study. Results: The results indicated the volatile oil extracted from cinnamon exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the most common human pathogens, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii. Most of volatile oil extracts were less effective against non-fermentative bacteria, P. aeruginosa. In addition, volatile oil extracted from cinnamon, clove, and tree basil possessed potent bactericidal activity against MDR-A. baumannii with MBC90 of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: The volatile oil extracts would be useful as alternative natural product for the treatment of the most common human pathogens and MDR-A. baumannii infections. PMID:28512603

Anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil obtained from Ocimum basilicum complexed with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in mice.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Lindaiane Bezerra; Martins, Anita Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra; Ribeiro-Filho, Jaime; Cesário, Francisco Rafael Alves Santana; E Castro, Fyama Ferreira; de Albuquerque, Thaís Rodrigues; Fernandes, Maria Neyze Martins; da Silva, Bruno Anderson Fernandes; Quintans Júnior, Lucindo José; Araújo, Adriano Antunes de Sousa; Menezes, Paula Dos Passos; Nunes, Paula Santos; Matos, Isabella Gonçalves; Coutinho, Henrique Douglas Melo; Goncalves Wanderley, Almir; de Menezes, Irwin Rose Alencar

2017-11-01

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides can enhance the bioavailability of drugs. Ocimum basilicum is an aromatic plant found in Brazil used in culinary. The essential oil of this plant presents anti-edematogenic and anti-inflammatory activities in acute and chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of the essential oil obtained from O. basilicum complexed with β - cyclodextrin (OBEO/β-CD) in mice. The complexation with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was performed by different methods and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using mice models of paw edema induced by carrageenan, dextran, histamine and arachidonic acid (AA); vascular permeability and peritonitis induced by carrageenan and granuloma induced by cotton block introduction. The DSC, TG and SEM analysis indicated that the OBEO was successfully complexed with β-CD. The oral administration of OEOB/β-CD prevented paw edema formation by decreasing vascular permeability in vivo, inhibited leukocyte recruitment to the peritoneal cavity, and inhibited granuloma formation in mice. Our results indicate that conjugation with β-CD improves the anti-inflammatory effects of OBEO in mice models of acute and chronic inflammation, indicating that this complex can be used in anti-inflammatory drug development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Study of Essential Oils Extracted from Egyptian Basil Leaves (Ocimum basilicum L.) Using Hydro-Distillation and Solvent-Free Microwave Extraction.

PubMed

Chenni, Mohammed; El Abed, Douniazad; Rakotomanomana, Njara; Fernandez, Xavier; Chemat, Farid

2016-01-19

Solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) and conventional hydro-distillation (HD) were used for the extraction of essential oils (EOs) from Egyptian sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves. The two resulting EOs were compared with regards to their chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. The EO analyzed by GC and GC-MS, presented 65 compounds constituting 99.3% and 99.0% of the total oils obtained by SFME and HD, respectively. The main components of both oils were linalool (43.5% SFME; 48.4% HD), followed by methyl chavicol (13.3% SFME; 14.3% HD) and 1,8-cineole (6.8% SFME; 7.3% HD). Their antioxidant activity were studied with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(•)) radical scavenging method. The heating conditions effect was evaluated by the determination of the Total Polar Materials (TPM) content. The antimicrobial activity was investigated against five microorganisms: two Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, two Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and one yeast, Candida albicans. Both EOs showed high antimicrobial, but weak antioxidant, activities. The results indicated that the SFME method may be a better alternative for the extraction of EO from O. basilicum since it could be considered as providing a richer source of natural antioxidants, as well as strong antimicrobial agents for food preservation.

In vitro inhibition of the bovine viral diarrhoea virus by the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (basil) and monoterpenes.

PubMed

Kubiça, Thaís F; Alves, Sydney H; Weiblen, Rudi; Lovato, Luciane T

2014-01-01

The bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is suggested as a model for antiviral studies of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The antiviral activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum and the monoterpenes camphor, thymol and 1,8-cineole against BVDV was investigated. The cytotoxicities of the compounds were measured by the MTT (3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test, and the antiviral activities were tested by the plaque reduction assay. The oil or compounds were added to the assay in three different time points: a) pre-treatment of the virus (virucidal assay); b) pre-treatment of the cells; or c) post-treatment of the cells (after virus inoculation). The percentage of plaques inhibition for each compound was determined based on the number of plaques in the viral control. The results were expressed by CC50 (50% cytotoxic concentration), IC50 (inhibitory concentration for 50% of plaques) and SI (selectivity index = CC50/IC50). Camphor (CC50 = 4420.12 μg mL(-1)) and 1,8-cineole (CC50 = 2996.10 μg mL(-1)) showed the lowest cytotoxicities and the best antiviral activities (camphor SI = 13.88 and 1,8-cineol SI = 9.05) in the virucidal assay. The higher activities achieved by the monoterpenes in the virucidal assay suggest that these compounds act directly on the viral particle.

Antibacterial properties of essential oils and methanol extracts of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum occurring in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Hossain, M Amzad; Kabir, M J; Salehuddin, S M; Rahman, S M Mizanur; Das, A K; Singha, Sandip Kumar; Alam, Md Khorshed; Rahman, Atiqur

2010-05-01

The antibacterial potential of essential oils and methanol extracts of sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) was evaluated for controlling the growth range of food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Essential oils extracted by hydrodistillation from the leaves and stems were analyzed by GC-MS. Fifty-seven compounds representing 94.9 and 96.1% of the total leaf and stem oils, respectively, were identified, of which methyl chavicol (36.7 and 29.9%), gitoxigenin (9.3 and 10.2%), trimethoquinol (10.3 and 8.4%), beta-guaiene (3.7 and 4.1%), aciphyllene (3.4 and 3.0%), alizarin (3.2 and 4.4%), naphthaline (2.2 and 3.8%), (-)-caryophyllene (2.0 and 1.9%), and mequinol (1.6 and 1.8%) were the major compounds. The essential oils (10 microL/disc of 1:5, v/v dilution with methanol) and methanol extracts (300 microg/disc) of O. basilicum displayed a great potential of antibacterial activity against Bacillius cereus, B. subtilis, B. megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Shigella boydii, S. dysenteriae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. mimicus, and Salmonella typhi with their respective zones of inhibition of 11.2-21.1 mm and MIC values of 62.5-500 microg/mL. The results of this study suggest that the natural products derived from O. basilicum may have potential use in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries as antimicrobial agents.

Chemical composition and antibiofilm activity of Petroselinum crispum and Ocimum basilicum essential oils against Vibrio spp. strains.

PubMed

Snoussi, Mejdi; Dehmani, Ameni; Noumi, Emira; Flamini, Guido; Papetti, Adele

2016-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of parsley and basilic essential oils tested against Vibrio strains and their abilities to inhibit and eradicate the mature biofilm using the XTT assay. Petroselinum crispum essential oil was characterized by 1,3,8-p-menthatriene (24.2%), β-phellandrene (22.8%), apiol (13.2%), myristicin (12.6%) and terpinolene (10.3%) as a major constituents. While, in the basilic oil, linalool (42.1%), (E)-methylcinnamate (16.9%) and 1-8 cineole (7.6%) were the main ones. These two essential oils exhibit high anti-Vibrio spp. activity with varying magnitudes. All microorganisms were strongly affected indicating an appreciable antimicrobial potential of basilic with a diameter of inhibition zones growth ranging from 8.67 to 23.33 mm and MIC and MBC values ranging from (0.023-0.047 mg/ml) and (>3->24 mg/ml), respectively. The two essential oils can inhibit and eradicate the mature biofilm formed on polystyrene surface even at low concentrations, with high magnitude for Ocimum basilicum essential oil. This study gives a better insight into the anti-Vibrio activity of parsley and basilc oils and the possibility of their use to prevent and eradicate contamination of sea products by these strains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of different UV-B radiation intensities on morphological and biochemical characteristics in Ocimum basilicum L.

PubMed

Sakalauskaitė, Jurga; Viskelis, Pranas; Dambrauskienė, Edita; Sakalauskienė, Sandra; Samuolienė, Giedrė; Brazaitytė, Aušra; Duchovskis, Pavelas; Urbonavičienė, Dalia

2013-04-01

The effects of short-term ultraviolet B (UV-B) irradiation on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. cv. Cinnamon) plants at the 3-4 leaf pair and flowering stages were examined in controlled environment growth chambers. Plants were exposed to 0 (reference), 2 and 4 kJ UV-B m(-2) day(-1) over 7 days. Exposure of basil plants to supplementary UV-B light resulted in increased assimilating leaf area, fresh biomass and dry biomass. Stimulation of physiological functions in young basil plants under either applied UV-B dose resulted in increased total chlorophyll content but no marked variation in carotenoid content. At the flowering stage the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of basil were affected by supplementary UV-B radiation, decreasing with enhanced UV-B exposure. Both total antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical assay) and total phenolic compound content were increased by UV-B light supplementation. Young and mature basil plants differed in their ascorbic acid content, which was dependent on UV-B dose and plant age. UV-B radiation resulted in decreased nitrate content in young basil plants (3-4 leaf pair stage). These results indicate that the application of short-exposure UV-B radiation beneficially influenced both growth parameters and biochemical constituents in young and mature basil plants. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of antileishmanial, antibacterial and brine shrimp cytotoxic potential of crude methanolic extract of Herb Ocimum basilicum (Lamiacea).

PubMed

Khan, Imran; Ahmad, Kafeel; Khalil, Ali Talha; Khan, Jangrez; Khan, Yusra Ali; Saqib, Muhammad Shahab; Umar, Muhamad Naveed; Ahmad, Hilal

2015-06-01

To collect and screen for ethnopharmacological properties (antileishmanial, antibacterial and brine lethality assays) of medicinal plan Ocimum basilicum from Peshawar region (34.008 latitude and 71.57 altitudes). In the present study a general antileishmanial activity against Leishmania tropica strair was carried out. The antibacterial potential of the plant was performed against 06 gram positiv and 06 gram negative bacteria. Brine shrimp cyto- toxicity assay at different concentrations were investigated. The anti-promastigotes profile of the plant showed good antileishmanial activity exhibited LC50 value 21.67 µg/mL. The result for gram positive antibacterial activity revealed that the O. basilicum leaves extract possesses significant inhibitory activity at highest two concentrations ranging from 20.66 ± 0.31 to 31.86 ± 0.80 for Clostridium perfringens type C and Bacillus subtitilis, respectively, as compared to the gentamycin (27.36 ± 0.55 and 21.80 ± 0.72, respectively). For gram negative bacteria good activity was observed. A highest zone of inhibition was recorded for Pseudomonas aeroginosa (28.83 ± 0.28) at the highest concentration (10 mg/ mL). The LC50 value obtained for brine shrimp lethality assay was 91.56 µg/mL. The herb basil possesses effective cidal activities which make this plant a good candidate for the isolation of antiprotozoal and antibacterial compounds which may lead to the development of novel drug.

The antidepressant-like effect of Ocimum basilicum in an animal model of depression.

PubMed

Ali, S S; Abd El Wahab, M G; Ayuob, N N; Suliaman, M

2017-01-01

We investigated the efficacy of Ocimum basilicum (OB) essential oils for treating depression related behavioral, biochemical and histopathological changes caused by exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in mice and to explore the mechanism underlying the pathology. Male albino mice were divided into four groups: controls; CUMS; CUMS plus fluoxetine, the antidepressant administered for pharmacological validation of OB; and CUMS plus OB. Behavioral tests included the forced swim test (FST), elevated plus-maze (EPM) and the open field test (OFT); these tests were performed at the end of the experiment. We assessed serum corticosterone level, protein, gene and immunoexpression of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) as well as immunoexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ki67, caspase-3 in the hippocampus. CUMS caused depression in the mice as evidenced by prolonged immobility in the FST, prolonged time spent in the open arms during the EPM test and reduction of open field activity in the OFT. OB ameliorated the CUMS induced depressive status. OB significantly reduced the corticosterone level and up-regulated protein and gene expressions of BDNF and GR. OB reduced CUMS induced hippocampal neuron atrophy and apoptosis, and increased the number of the astrocytes and new nerve cells. OB significantly increased GFAP-positive cells as well as BDNF and GR immunoexpression in the hippocampus.

Effect of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Ocimum basilicum L. on Benzene-Induced Hematotoxicity in Mice

PubMed Central

Saha, S.; Mukhopadhyay, M. K.; Ghosh, P. D.; Nath, D.

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective role of methanolic leaf extract of Ocimum basilicum L. against benzene-induced hematotoxicity in Swiss albino mice. GC analysis and subacute toxicity level of the extract were tested. Mice were randomly divided into three groups among which II and III were exposed to benzene vapour at a dose 300 ppm × 6 hr/day × 5 days/week for 2 weeks and group I was control. Group III of this experiment was treated with the leaf methanolic extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight, a dose in nontoxic range. Hematological parameters (Hb%, RBC and WBC counts), cell cycle regulatory proteins expression and DNA fragmentation analysis of bone marrow cells was performed. There was an upregulation of p53 and p21 and downregulation of levels of CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, and cyclins D1 and E in leaf extract-treated group. DNA was less fragmented in group III compared to group II (P < 0.05). The present study indicates that the secondary metabolites of O. basilicum L. methanolic leaf extract, comprising essential oil monoterpene geraniol and its oxidized form citral as major constituents, have modulatory effect in cell cycle deregulation and hematological abnormalities induced by benzene in mice. PMID:22988471

A thaumatin-like protein of Ocimum basilicum confers tolerance to fungal pathogen and abiotic stress in transgenic Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Misra, Rajesh Chandra; Sandeep; Kamthan, Mohan; Kumar, Santosh; Ghosh, Sumit

2016-01-01

Plant often responds to fungal pathogens by expressing a group of proteins known as pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs). The expression of PR is mediated through pathogen-induced signal-transduction pathways that are fine-tuned by phytohormones such as methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Here, we report functional characterization of an Ocimum basilicum PR5 family member (ObTLP1) that was identified from a MeJA-responsive expression sequence tag collection. ObTLP1 encodes a 226 amino acid polypeptide that showed sequence and structural similarities with a sweet-tasting protein thaumatin of Thaumatococcus danielli and also with a stress-responsive protein osmotin of Nicotiana tabacum. The expression of ObTLP1 in O. basilicum was found to be organ-preferential under unstressed condition, and responsive to biotic and abiotic stresses, and multiple phytohormone elicitations. Bacterially-expressed recombinant ObTLP1 inhibited mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungi, Scleretonia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea; thereby, suggesting its antifungal activity. Ectopic expression of ObTLP1 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced tolerance to S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea infections, and also to dehydration and salt stress. Moreover, induced expression of the defense marker genes suggested up-regulation of the defense-response pathways in ObTLP1-expressing Arabidopsis upon fungal challenge. Thus, ObTLP1 might be useful for providing tolerance to the fungal pathogens and abiotic stresses in crops. PMID:27150014

A thaumatin-like protein of Ocimum basilicum confers tolerance to fungal pathogen and abiotic stress in transgenic Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Misra, Rajesh Chandra; Sandeep; Kamthan, Mohan; Kumar, Santosh; Ghosh, Sumit

2016-05-06

Plant often responds to fungal pathogens by expressing a group of proteins known as pathogenesis-related proteins (PRs). The expression of PR is mediated through pathogen-induced signal-transduction pathways that are fine-tuned by phytohormones such as methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Here, we report functional characterization of an Ocimum basilicum PR5 family member (ObTLP1) that was identified from a MeJA-responsive expression sequence tag collection. ObTLP1 encodes a 226 amino acid polypeptide that showed sequence and structural similarities with a sweet-tasting protein thaumatin of Thaumatococcus danielli and also with a stress-responsive protein osmotin of Nicotiana tabacum. The expression of ObTLP1 in O. basilicum was found to be organ-preferential under unstressed condition, and responsive to biotic and abiotic stresses, and multiple phytohormone elicitations. Bacterially-expressed recombinant ObTLP1 inhibited mycelial growth of the phytopathogenic fungi, Scleretonia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea; thereby, suggesting its antifungal activity. Ectopic expression of ObTLP1 in Arabidopsis led to enhanced tolerance to S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea infections, and also to dehydration and salt stress. Moreover, induced expression of the defense marker genes suggested up-regulation of the defense-response pathways in ObTLP1-expressing Arabidopsis upon fungal challenge. Thus, ObTLP1 might be useful for providing tolerance to the fungal pathogens and abiotic stresses in crops.

Essential oil from Ocimum basilicum (Omani Basil): a desert crop.

PubMed

Al-Maskri, Ahmed Yahya; Hanif, Muhammad Asif; Al-Maskari, Masoud Yahya; Abraham, Alfie Susan; Al-sabahi, Jamal Nasser; Al-Mantheri, Omar

2011-10-01

The focus of the present study was on the influence of season on yield, chemical composition, antioxidant and antifungal activities of Omani basil (Ocimum basilicum) oil. The present study involved only one of the eight Omani basil varieties. The hydro-distilled essential oil yields were computed to be 0.1%, 0.3% and 0.1% in the winter, spring and summer seasons, respectively. The major components identified were L- linalool (26.5-56.3%), geraniol (12.1-16.5%), 1,8-cineole (2.5-15.1%), p-allylanisole (0.2-13.8%) and DL-limonene (0.2-10.4%). A noteworthy extra component was beta- farnesene, which was exclusively detected in the oil extracted during winter and spring at 6.3% and 5.8%, respectively. The essential oil composition over the different seasons was quite idiosyncratic, in which the principal components of one season were either trivial or totally absent in another. The essential oil extracted in spring exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (except DPPH scavenging ability) in comparison with the oils from other seasons. The basil oil was tested against pathogenic fungi viz. Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, Penicillium italicum and Rhizopus stolonifer using a disc diffusion method, and by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration. Surprisingly high antifungal values were found highlighting the potential of Omani basil as a preservative in the food and medical industries.

Investigation of the Antifungal Activity and Mode of Action of Thymus vulgaris, Citrus limonum, Pelargonium graveolens, Cinnamomum cassia, Ocimum basilicum, and Eugenia caryophyllus Essential Oils.

PubMed

Gucwa, Katarzyna; Milewski, Sławomir; Dymerski, Tomasz; Szweda, Piotr

2018-05-08

The antimicrobial activity of plant oils and extracts has been recognized for many years. In this study the activity of Thymus vulgaris , Citrus limonum , Pelargonium graveolens , Cinnamomum cassia , Ocimum basilicum , and Eugenia caryophyllus essential oils (EOs) distributed by Pollena Aroma (Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Poland) was investigated against a group of 183 clinical isolates of C. albicans and 76 isolates of C. glabrata . All of the oils exhibited both fungistatic and fungicidal activity toward C. albicans and C. glabrata isolates. The highest activity was observed for cinnamon oil, with MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) values in the range 0.002⁻0.125% ( v / v ). The MIC values of the rest of the oils were in the range 0.005% (or less) to 2.5% ( v / v ). In most cases MFC (Minimum Fungicidal Concentration) values were equal to MIC or twice as high. Additionally, we examined the mode of action of selected EOs. The effect on cell wall components could not be clearly proved. Three of the tested EOs (thyme, lemon, and clove) affected cell membranes. At the same time, thyme, cinnamon, and clove oil influenced potassium ion efflux, which was not seen in the case of lemon oil. All of the tested oils demonstrated the ability to inhibit the transition of yeast to mycelium form, but the effect was the lowest in the case of cinnamon oil.

Anti-Diabetic Potential of Ocimum gratissimum Leaf Fractions in Fortified Diet-Fed Streptozotocin Treated Rat Model of Type-2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Umar, Isamila A.; James, Dorcas B.; Inuwa, Hajiya M.

2017-01-01

Background: Ocimum gratissimum (OG) is used in the traditional management of diabetes in Nigeria. This study investigated the anti-diabetic potential of OG leaf fractions (OGLF) in a rat model of Type-2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: Methanol crude extract of OG leaf was fractionated with solvents of increasing order of polarity (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl-acetate, n-butanol and water). The anti-diabetic potential of the fractions was evaluated in vivo. T2D was induced in Albino Wistar rats and treated with OGLF. Results: The T2D rats showed significant elevation in serum levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), liver and kidney function biomarkers. At 4-week of intervention with OGLF, the untreated diabetic control group maintained severe hyperglycaemia in the presence of 61.7% serum insulin, 17.3% pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-β) and 51.5% Insulin sensitivity. The glucose tolerance ability was enhanced in the n-butanol-fraction (OGb) treated group. With 74.8% available serum insulin and 38.6% improvement in insulin sensitivity, the OGb treated group had a 63.5% reduction in FBG and it was found to be most effective as it ameliorates a majority of the changes caused in the studied parameters in diabetic rats. Conclusions: The data from this study suggest that OGb fraction is a potential candidate for the development of an effective drug for the management of T2D. PMID:29019956

α-Linalool - a marker compound of forged/synthetic sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oils.

PubMed

Radulović, Niko S; Blagojević, Polina D; Miltojević, Ana B

2013-10-01

Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) is known to occur as several chemotypes or cultivars that differ in their essential oil composition. The surprising discovery of 3,7-dimethylocta-1,7-dien-3-ol, the rare α isomer of the well-known monoterpene alcohol β-linalool (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol), in samples of Serbian basil oil provoked an investigation of the origin of α-linalool in these samples. Three scenarios were considered, namely (a) the existence of a new natural chemotype, (b) an artefactual formation during the isolation procedure and (c) the case of a synthetic/forged oil. Noteworthy amounts (15.1-16.9%) of pure α-linalool were isolated from a commercial sample of basil oil, and detailed spectral analyses (MS, IR, (1) H and (13) C NMR) unequivocally confirmed its identity. The analysis by GC and GC/MS of an additional 20 samples of different O. basilicum oils commercially available on the Serbian market or isolated from plant material cultivated in Serbia resulted in the identification of 149 compounds. The obtained compositional data were compared using multivariate statistical analysis to reveal the possible existence of a new basil chemotype. The results of the chemical and statistical analyses give more pro arguments for the synthetic/forged oil hypothesis and suggest that α-linalool could be used as a marker compound of such O. basilicum oils. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparison of Field and Laboratory-Based Tests for Behavioral Response of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) to Repellents.

PubMed

Sathantriphop, Sunaiyana; Kongmee, Monthathip; Tainchum, Krajana; Suwansirisilp, Kornwika; Sanguanpong, Unchalee; Bangs, Michael J; Chareonviriyaphap, Theeraphap

2015-12-01

The repellent and irritant effects of three essential oils-clove, hairy basil, and sweet basil-were compared using an excito-repellency test system against an insecticide-resistant strain of Aedes aegypti (L.) females from Pu Teuy, Kanchanaburi Province. DEET was used as the comparison standard compound. Tests were conducted under field and controlled laboratory conditions. The most marked repellent effect (spatial noncontact assay) among the three test essential oils was exhibited by sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum L. (53.8% escaped mosquitoes in 30-min exposure period) under laboratory conditions while hairy basil, Ocimum americanum L. and clove, Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merill et. L.M. Perry from laboratory tests and sweet basil from field tests were the least effective as repellents (0-14%). In contrast, the contact assays measuring combined irritancy (excitation) and repellency effects found the best contact irritant response to hairy basil and DEET in field tests, whereas all others in laboratory and field were relatively ineffective in stimulating mosquitoes to move out the test chambers (0-5.5%). All three essential oils demonstrated significant differences in behavioral responses between field and laboratory conditions, whereas there was no significant difference in contact and noncontact assays for DEET between the two test conditions (P > 0.05). © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Yield, Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of the Essential Oil of Sweet Basil and Holy Basil as Influenced by Distillation Methods.

PubMed

Shiwakoti, Santosh; Saleh, Osama; Poudyal, Shital; Barka, Abdulssamad; Qian, Yanping; Zheljazkov, Valtcho D

2017-04-01

The profile and bioactivity of essential oil (EO) depends on genetic, environmental, and other factors. We hypothesized that the basil EO may be influenced by the distillation methods. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of steam distillation (SD) and hydrodistillation (HD) extraction method on the yield, composition, and bioactivity of EO of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum). In both basil species, the EO yield (content) was significantly higher from SD than from HD. There were significant differences in the compounds' concentrations of EO obtained from SD and HD as well, however, the same compounds were identified in the EO from HD and SD. In the EO of O. basilicum, the concentration of 74% of the identified compounds were higher in SD than HD, whereas in the EO of O. tenuiflorum, the concentration of 84% of identified compounds were higher in SD than in HD. However, the concentrations of two of the major compounds of O. basilicum EO (estragole and methyl cinnamate) and a major compound of O. tenuiflorum EO (methyl eugenol) were significantly higher in HD than in SD. The type of distillation did not affect the antioxidant capacity of basil EO within the species. This study demonstrated that the type of distillation may significantly affect oil yield and composition but not the antioxidant capacity of the EO from sweet and holy basil. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum L.) by DPPH radical scavenging method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warsi; Sholichah, A. R.

2017-11-01

Basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum L.) contains various compounds such as flavonoid, alkaloid, phenol and essential oil, so it needs to be fractionated to find out the flavonoid compound with the greatest potential as an antioxidant. This research was aimed to know the chemical compound, antioxidant potential of ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from basil leaf. The basil leaf was extracted by maceration using ethanol 70 %. The crude extract was fractionated with ethyl acetate. The ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction were screened of phytochemical content including identification of flavonoids, alkaloids and polyphenolics. The antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction were tested qualitatively with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and phosphomolybdate. Its antioxidant activity was determined quantitatively using DPPH radical scavenging method. Phytochemical screening test showed that ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from basil leaf contain flavonoids, polyphenolics, and alkaloids. The qualitative analysis of antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from basil leaf showed an antioxidant activity. The IC50 value of ethanolic extract, ethyl acetate fraction and quercetin were 1,374.00±6.20 389.00±1.00 2.10±0.01μg/mL, respectively. The research showed that antioxidant activity of the ethyl acetate fraction more potential than the ethanol extract of the basil leaf, but less than quercetin.

In vitro inhibition of the bovine viral diarrhoea virus by the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (basil) and monoterpenes

PubMed Central

Kubiça, Thaís F.; Alves, Sydney H.; Weiblen, Rudi; Lovato, Luciane T.

2014-01-01

The bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is suggested as a model for antiviral studies of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The antiviral activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum and the monoterpenes camphor, thymol and 1,8-cineole against BVDV was investigated. The cytotoxicities of the compounds were measured by the MTT (3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test, and the antiviral activities were tested by the plaque reduction assay. The oil or compounds were added to the assay in three different time points: a) pre-treatment of the virus (virucidal assay); b) pre-treatment of the cells; or c) post-treatment of the cells (after virus inoculation). The percentage of plaques inhibition for each compound was determined based on the number of plaques in the viral control. The results were expressed by CC50 (50% cytotoxic concentration), IC50 (inhibitory concentration for 50% of plaques) and SI (selectivity index = CC50/IC50). Camphor (CC50 = 4420.12 μg mL−1) and 1,8-cineole (CC50 = 2996.10 μg mL−1) showed the lowest cytotoxicities and the best antiviral activities (camphor SI = 13.88 and 1,8-cineol SI = 9.05) in the virucidal assay. The higher activities achieved by the monoterpenes in the virucidal assay suggest that these compounds act directly on the viral particle. PMID:24948933

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from Western Ghats of North West Karnataka, India.

PubMed

Joshi, Rajesh K

2014-01-01

Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) commonly known as sweet basil, has been used as a traditional medicinal plant for the treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms, and kidney malfunctions. The essential oil of the flowering aerial parts of O. basilicum growing in the Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India, was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil was tested against six Gram-positive, eight Gram-negative bacteria, and three fungi by the tube-dilution method at a concentration range of 5.00-0.009 mg/mL. Twenty-five constituents were identified in the essential oil of O. basilicum. The major constituents were identified as methyl eugenol (39.3%) and methyl chavicol (38.3%), accounting for 98.6% of the total oil. The oil was found to be active against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi with minimal bactericidal concentration values in the range of 0.143 ± 0.031 to 0.572 ± 0.127 mg/mL, 0.781 ± 0.382 to 1.875 ± 0.684 mg/mL, and 0.312 ± 0.171 to 0.442 ± 0.207 mg/mL, respectively. The essential oil of O. basilicum of this region contains methyl eugenol/methyl chavicol chemotype and has bactericidal properties.

Regulation of Floral Terpenoid Emission and Biosynthesis in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Jiang, Yifan; Ye, Jiayan; Li, Shuai; Niinemets, Ülo

2016-12-01

Past studies have focused on the composition of essential oil of Ocimum basilicum leaves, but data on composition and regulation of its aerial emissions, especially floral volatile emissions are scarce. We studied the chemical profile, within-flower spatial distribution (sepals, petals, pistils with stamina and pedicels), diurnal emission kinetics and effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) application on the emission of floral volatiles by dynamic headspace collection and identification using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). We observed more abundant floral emissions from flowers compared with leaves. Sepals were the main emitters of floral volatiles among the flower parts studied. The emissions of lipoxygenase compounds (LOX) and monoterpenoids, but not sesquiterpene emissions, displayed a diurnal variation driven by light. Response to exogenous MeJA treatment of flowers consisted of a rapid stress response and a longer-term acclimation response. The initial response was associated with enhanced emissions of fatty acid derivatives, monoterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids without variation of the composition of individual compounds. The longer-term response was associated with enhanced monoterpenoid and sesquiterpenoid emissions with profound changes in the emission spectrum. According to correlated patterns of terpenoid emission changes upon stress, highlighted by a hierarchical cluster analysis, candidate terpenoid synthases responsible for observed diversity and complexity of released terpenoid blends were postulated. We conclude that flower volatile emissions differ quantitatively and qualitatively from leaf emissions, and overall contribute importantly to O. basilicum flavor, especially under stress conditions.

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil) from Western Ghats of North West Karnataka, India

PubMed Central

Joshi, Rajesh K.

2014-01-01

Context: Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) commonly known as sweet basil, has been used as a traditional medicinal plant for the treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms, and kidney malfunctions. Materials and Methods: The essential oil of the flowering aerial parts of O. basilicum growing in the Western Ghats region of North West Karnataka, India, was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The oil was tested against six Gram-positive, eight Gram-negative bacteria, and three fungi by the tube-dilution method at a concentration range of 5.00-0.009 mg/mL. Results: Twenty-five constituents were identified in the essential oil of O. basilicum. The major constituents were identified as methyl eugenol (39.3%) and methyl chavicol (38.3%), accounting for 98.6% of the total oil. The oil was found to be active against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi with minimal bactericidal concentration values in the range of 0.143 ± 0.031 to 0.572 ± 0.127 mg/mL, 0.781 ± 0.382 to 1.875 ± 0.684 mg/mL, and 0.312 ± 0.171 to 0.442 ± 0.207 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The essential oil of O. basilicum of this region contains methyl eugenol/methyl chavicol chemotype and has bactericidal properties. PMID:25538349

Regulation of Floral Terpenoid Emission and Biosynthesis in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

PubMed Central

Jiang, Yifan; Ye, Jiayan; Li, Shuai; Niinemets, Ülo

2018-01-01

Past studies have focused on the composition of essential oil of Ocimum basilicum leaves, but data on composition and regulation of its aerial emissions, especially floral volatile emissions are scarce. We studied the chemical profile, within-flower spatial distribution (sepals, petals, pistils with stamina and pedicels), diurnal emission kinetics and effects of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) application on the emission of floral volatiles by dynamic headspace collection and identification using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). We observed more abundant floral emissions from flowers compared with leaves. Sepals were the main emitters of floral volatiles among the flower parts studied. The emissions of lipoxygenase compounds (LOX) and monoterpenoids, but not sesquiterpene emissions, displayed a diurnal variation driven by light. Response to exogenous MeJA treatment of flowers consisted of a rapid stress response and a longer-term acclimation response. The initial response was associated with enhanced emissions of fatty acid derivatives, monoterpenoids, and sesquiterpenoids without variation of the composition of individual compounds. The longer-term response was associated with enhanced monoterpenoid and sesquiterpenoid emissions with profound changes in the emission spectrum. According to correlated patterns of terpenoid emission changes upon stress, highlighted by a hierarchical cluster analysis, candidate terpenoid synthases responsible for observed diversity and complexity of released terpenoid blends were postulated. We conclude that flower volatile emissions differ quantitatively and qualitatively from leaf emissions, and overall contribute importantly to O. basilicum flavor, especially under stress conditions. PMID:29367803

In-silico identification of miRNAs and their regulating target functions in Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Singh, Noopur; Sharma, Ashok

2014-12-01

microRNA is known to play an important role in growth and development of the plants and also in environmental stress. Ocimum basilicum (Basil) is a well known herb for its medicinal properties. In this study, we used in-silico approaches to identify miRNAs and their targets regulating different functions in O. basilicum using EST approach. Additionally, functional annotation, gene ontology and pathway analysis of identified target transcripts were also done. Seven miRNA families were identified. Meaningful regulations of target transcript by identified miRNAs were computationally evaluated. Four miRNA families have been reported by us for the first time from the Lamiaceae. Our results further confirmed that uracil was the predominant base in the first positions of identified mature miRNA sequence, while adenine and uracil were predominant in pre-miRNA sequences. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out to determine the relation between O. basilicum and other plant pre-miRNAs. Thirteen potential targets were evaluated for 4 miRNA families. Majority of the identified target transcripts regulated by miRNAs showed response to stress. miRNA 5021 was also indicated for playing an important role in the amino acid metabolism and co-factor metabolism in this plant. To the best of our knowledge this is the first in silico study describing miRNAs and their regulation in different metabolic pathways of O. basilicum. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of new potent inhibitor of aldose reductase from Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Bhatti, Huma Aslam; Tehseen, Yildiz; Maryam, Kiran; Uroos, Maliha; Siddiqui, Bina S; Hameed, Abdul; Iqbal, Jamshed

2017-12-01

Recent efforts to develop cure for chronic diabetic complications have led to the discovery of potent inhibitors against aldose reductase (AKR1B1, EC 1.1.1.21) whose role in diabetes is well-evident. In the present work, two new natural products were isolated from the ariel part of Ocimum basilicum; 7-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3-methyl-8-β-O-d-glucoside-2H-chromen-2-one (1) and E-4-(6'-hydroxyhex-3'-en-1-yl)phenyl propionate (2) and confirmed their structures with different spectroscopic techniques including NMR spectroscopy etc. The isolated compounds (1, 2) were evaluated for in vitro inhibitory activity against aldose reductase (AKR1B1) and aldehyde reductase (AKR1A1). The natural product (1) showed better inhibitory activity for AKR1B1 with IC 50 value of 2.095±0.77µM compare to standard sorbinil (IC 50 =3.14±0.02µM). Moreover, the compound (1) also showed multifolds higher activity (IC 50 =0.783±0.07µM) against AKR1A1 as compared to standard valproic acid (IC 50 =57.4±0.89µM). However, the natural product (2) showed slightly lower activity for AKR1B1 (IC 50 =4.324±1.25µM). Moreover, the molecular docking studies of the potent inhibitors were also performed to identify the putative binding modes within the active site of aldose/aldehyde reductases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anti-Diabetic Potential of Ocimum gratissimum Leaf Fractions in Fortified Diet-Fed Streptozotocin Treated Rat Model of Type-2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Okoduwa, Stanley I R; Umar, Isamila A; James, Dorcas B; Inuwa, Hajiya M

2017-10-11

Background : Ocimum gratissimum (OG) is used in the traditional management of diabetes in Nigeria. This study investigated the anti-diabetic potential of OG leaf fractions (OGLF) in a rat model of Type-2 diabetes (T2D). Method : Methanol crude extract of OG leaf was fractionated with solvents of increasing order of polarity ( n -hexane, chloroform, ethyl-acetate, n -butanol and water). The anti-diabetic potential of the fractions was evaluated in vivo. T2D was induced in Albino Wistar rats and treated with OGLF. Result : The T2D rats showed significant elevation in serum levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), liver and kidney function biomarkers. At 4-weeks of intervention with OGLF, the untreated diabetic control group maintained severe hyperglycaemia in the presence of 61.7% serum insulin, 17.3% pancreatic β-cell function (HOMA-β) and 51.5% Insulin sensitivity. The glucose tolerance ability was enhanced in the n -butanol-fraction (OGb) treated group. With 74.8% available serum insulin and 38.6% improvement in insulin sensitivity, the OGb treated group had a 63.5% reduction in FBG and it was found to be most effective as it ameliorates a majority of the changes caused in the studied parameters in diabetic rats. Conclusions : The data from this study suggest that OGb fraction is a potential candidate for the development of an effective drug for the management of T2D.

Chemical composition and some biological activities of the essential oils from basil Ocimum different cultivars.

PubMed

Avetisyan, Arpi; Markosian, Anahit; Petrosyan, Margarit; Sahakyan, Naira; Babayan, Anush; Aloyan, Samvel; Trchounian, Armen

2017-01-19

The plants belonging to the Ocimum genus of the Lamiaceae family are considered to be a rich source of essential oils which have expressed biological activity and use in different area of human activity. There is a great variety of chemotypes within the same basil species. Essential oils from three different cultivars of basil, O. basilicum var. purpureum, O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora, and O. citriodorum Vis. were the subjects of our investigations. The oils were obtained by steam distillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The gas chromatography mass selective analysis was used to determine their chemical composition. The antioxidant activities of these essential oils were measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assays; the tyrosinase inhibition abilities of the given group of oils were also assessed spectophotometrically, and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils was determined by the agar diffusion method, minimal inhibitory concentrations were expressed. According to the results, the qualitative and quantitative composition of essential oils was quite different: O. basilicum var. purpureum essential oil contained 57.3% methyl-chavicol (estragol); O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora oil had 68.0% linalool. The main constituents of O. citriodorum oil were nerol (23.0%) and citral (20.7%). The highest antioxidant activity was demonstrated by O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora essential oil. This oil has also exhibited the highest tyrosinase inhibition level, whereas the oil from O. citriodorum cultivar demonstrated the highest antimicrobial activity. The results obtained indicate that these essential oils have antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activity and can be used as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in medicine, food industry and cosmetics.

Methanol extract of Ocimum gratissimum protects murine peritoneal macrophages from nicotine toxicity by decreasing free radical generation, lipid and protein damage and enhances antioxidant protection

PubMed Central

Mahapatra, Santanu Kar; Chakraborty, Subhankari Prasad; Das, Subhasis

2009-01-01

In the present study, methanol extract of Ocimum gratissimum Linn (ME-Og) was tested against nicotine-induced murine peritoneal macrophage in vitro. Phytochemical analysis of ME-Og shown high amount of flavonoid and phenolic compound present in it. The cytotoxic effect of ME-Og was studied in murine peritoneal macrophages at different concentrations (0.1 to 100 µg/ml) using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. To establish the protective role of ME-Og against nicotine toxicity, peritoneal macrophages from mice were treated with nicotine (10 mM), nicotine + ME-Og (1 to 25 µg/ml) for 12 h in culture media. The significantly (p < 0.05) increased super oxide anion generation, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, oxidized glutathione levels were observed in nicotine-treated group as compared to control group; those were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in ME-Og supplemented groups in concentration dependent manner. More over, significantly (p < 0.05) reduced antioxidant status due to nicotine exposure was effectively ameliorated by ME-Og supplementation in murine peritoneal macrophages. Among the different concentration of ME-Og, maximum protective effect was observed by 25 µg/ml, which does not produce significant cell cytotoxicity in murine peritoneal macrophages. These findings suggest the potential use and beneficial role of O. gratissimum as a modulator of nicotine-induced free radical generation, lipid-protein damage and antioxidant status in important immune cell, peritoneal macrophages. PMID:20716908

Quantification of character-impacting compounds in Ocimum basilicum and 'Pesto alla Genovese' with selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Amadei, Gianluca; Ross, Brian M

2012-02-15

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an important flavourant plant which constitutes the major ingredient of the pasta sauce 'Pesto alla Genovese'. The characteristic smell of basil stems mainly from a handful of terpenoids (methyl cinnamate, eucalyptol, linalool and estragole), the concentration of which varies according to basil cultivars. The simple and rapid analysis of the terpenoid constituents of basil would be useful as a means to optimise harvesting times and to act as a quality control process for basil-containing foodstuffs. Classical analytical techniques such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) are, however, slow, technically demanding and therefore less suitable for routine analysis. A new chemical ionisation technique which allows real-time quantification of traces gases, Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS), was therefore utilised to determine its usefulness for the assay of terpenoid concentrations in basil and pesto sauce headspace. Trace gas analysis was performed using the NO(+) precursor ion which minimised interference from other compounds. Character-impacting compound concentration was measured in basil headspace with good reproducibility and statistically significant differences were observed between cultivars. Quantification of linalool in pesto sauce headspace proved more difficult due to the presence of interfering compounds. This was resolved by careful selection of reaction product ions which allowed us to detect differences between various commercial brands of pesto. We conclude that SIFT-MS may be a valid tool for the fast and reproducible analysis of flavourant terpenoids in basil and basil-derived foodstuffs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Influence of Cultivars and Phenological Phases on the Accumulation of Nevadensin and Salvigenin in Basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Bernhardt, Botond; Bernáth, Jenő; Gere, Attila; Kókai, Zoltán; Komáromi, Bonifác; Tavaszi-Sárosi, Szilvia; Varga, László; Sipos, László; Szabó, Krisztina

2015-10-01

According to the earlier literature the optimum harvest time for basil is at the full flowering stage if accumulation of essential oil is taken into account. In this research we have investigated our gene-bank stored basil accessions to determine whether the harvest timing is variety specific or not considering their flavonoid accumulation pattern. In our work we have determined by HPLC the content of two main flavonoid compounds, salvigenin and nevadensin, of eight different gene bank accessions from 2013 of Ocimum basilicum L. Data were analysed with the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Multiple pairwise comparisons were made using the Conover-Iman procedure where the significance level was 5%. We have observed that the optimum harvest time is at the full flowering stage in the case of accessions 'Genovese' and 'Piros', but this was not verified for the others. The result of our experiment has shown that the maximum salvigenin and nevadensin content was detected both at the full- and early flowering period. Almost in all phenological phases the accession 'M. Grünes' accumulated the highest level of nevadensin, while accession 'Lengyel' produced the lowest results in all phenological phases. Generally it could be observed that compared with nevadensin more salvigenin is accumulated, and it is independent of the phenological phases. In the case of salvigenin, 'M. Grünes' accession produced the largest quantity and accession 'Dark Opal' showed the lowest values. Our analyses demonstrated that harvest at different phenological phases may result in different amounts of active agents according to the cultivar.

Ocimum basilicum affects tracheal responsiveness, lung inflammatory cells and oxidant-antioxidant biomarkers in sensitized rats.

PubMed

Eftekhar, Naeima; Moghimi, Ali; Hossein Boskabady, Mohammad; Kaveh, Mahsa; Shakeri, Farzaneh

2018-04-23

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum) was shown previously. In the present study, the effect of O. basilicum on tracheal responsiveness (TR) to methacholine and ovalbumin (OVA), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of oxidant-antioxidant biomarkers as well as total and differential white blood cell (WBC) in sensitized rats was examined. Six groups of rats including control (group C), sensitized rats to OVA (group S), S groups treated with three concentrations of O. basilicum (0.75, 1.50, and 3.00 mg/ml) and one concentration of dexamethasone (1.25 μg/ml) (n = 8 for all groups) were studied. TR to methacholine and OVA, total WBC count, percentages of eosinophils, monocytes, neutrophils, and levels of oxidant biomarkers were significantly increased but other measured parameters were significantly decreased in group S compared to group C. TR to methacholine and OVA, percentages of eosinophils, monocytes, neutrophils, and levels of oxidant biomarkers were significantly decreased but lymphocytes and antioxidant biomarkers were significantly increased in S groups treated with dexamethasone and at least two higher concentrations of the extract compared to group S. Total WBC count was also decreased in treated S groups with dexamethasone and high extract concentration. The effect of extract on most measured parameters was significantly lower than dexamethasone treatment. The effects of two higher concentrations of the extract on most variables were significantly higher than the effect of low extract concentration. These results showed the concentration-dependent effect of O. basilicum on tracheal responses, lung inflammatory cells, and oxidant-antioxidant parameters in sensitized rats.

Structural Analysis and Biological Toxicity of Aflatoxins B1 and B2 Degradation Products Following Detoxification by Ocimum basilicum and Cassia fistula Aqueous Extracts

PubMed Central

Iram, Wajiha; Anjum, Tehmina; Iqbal, Mazhar; Ghaffar, Abdul; Abbas, Mateen; Khan, Abdul Muqeet

2016-01-01

This study showed the comparison between Ocimum basilicum and Cassia fistula (leaves and branch) aqueous extracts for their ability to detoxify of aflatoxins B1 and B2 (AFB1; 100 μg L-1 and AFB2; 50 μg L-1) by In Vitro assays and decontamination studies. Results indicated that O. basilicum leaves extract was found to be highly significant (P < 0.05) in degrading AFB1 and AFB2, i.e., 90.4 and 88.6%, respectively. However, O. basilicum branch, C. fistula leaves and branch extracts proved to be less efficient in degrading these aflatoxins, under optimized conditions, i.e., pH 8, temperature 30°C and incubation period of 72 h. Moreover the antifungal activity of these plants extracts were also tested. The findings depicted that O. basilicum leaves extract showed maximum growth inhibition of aflatoxigenic isolates, i.e., 82–87% as compared to other tested plants extracts. The structural elucidation of degraded toxin products by LCMS/MS analysis showed that nine degraded products of AFB1 and AFB2 were formed. MS/MS spectra showed that most of the products were formed by the removal of double bond in the terminal furan ring and modification of lactone group indicating less toxicity as compared to parent compounds. Brine shrimps bioassay further confirmed the low toxicity of degraded products, showing that O. basilicum leaves extract can be used as an effective tool for the detoxification of aflatoxins. PMID:27471501

Safety Assessment of Ocimum Basilicum Hydroalcoholic Extract in Wistar Rats: Acute and Subchronic Toxicity Studies

PubMed Central

Rasekh, Hamid Reza; Hosseinzadeh, Leila; Mehri, Soghra; Kamli-Nejad, Mohammad; Aslani, Majid; Tanbakoosazan, Farahnaz

2012-01-01

Objective(s) Ocimum basilicum L. is widely used in folk medicine of many countries including . Both O. basilicum and its oil extract have received considerable attention for their potential medicinal properties, but there are a few reports about possible toxicity of this plant. Therefore, in the present study, acute and subchronic toxicity of O. basilicum hydroalcohlic extract have been evaluated in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods For the acute toxicity assessment, five groups of 10 animals (5 male, 5 female) received four different single dose of extract orally, the animals were, then, kept under observation for 14 days. For subchronic toxicity, the animals were divided into four groups (5 male, 5 female) and were gavaged daily by 50, 200 and 500 mg/kg of extract. Mortality, clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water consumption, and hematological and biochemical parameters were monitored during the study period. On the 45th day, animals were sacrificed and gross findings, weight of liver and left kidney and liver histological markers were assessed. Results The results of acute study indicated that LD50 of O. basilicum is higher than 5 mg/kg. In subchronic study, no adverse effects were observed on serum parameters in male and female rats. The hematological results showed a reduction in the hematocrit, platelets and RBC in both sexes. No abnormalities were observed in other parameters. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, present data suggest that hematologic system could serve as a target organ in oral toxicity of this plant. PMID:23493182

Chemical composition, acute toxicity, and antinociceptive activity of the essential oil of a plant breeding cultivar of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Venâncio, Antônio Medeiros; Onofre, Alexandre Sherlley; Lira, Amintas Figueiredo; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald; Antoniolli, Angelo Roberto; Marchioro, Murilo; Estevam, Charles dos Santos; de Araujo, Brancilene Santos

2011-05-01

Ocimum basilicum L. is an aromatic herb used in Brazil to treat illnesses such as respiratory and rheumatic problems, vomiting, and pain. In the present study, the chemical composition, acute toxicity, and antinociceptive effects of the essential oil (EO) of the cultivar "Maria Bonita" obtained from O. basilicum L. PI 197442 genotype were evaluated in Swiss mice (20-35 g each). Lethal dose to cause 50 % death (LD50) was calculated from a dose-response curve (100-5000 mg/kg body wt.; n = 6) as 532 mg/kg body wt. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test (0.6 % i. p.), EO (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body wt., n = 8, s. c.) was effective in reducing the abdominal contractions at all doses (48-78 %). In the hot-plate test, EO significantly increased the latency at 50 mg/kg body wt. at all times (37-52 %, n = 8, s. c.). However, the effects of morphine and EO at 50 mg/kg were reverted in the presence of naloxone, an opioid antagonist. In the formalin test, EO significantly reduced paw licking time in the first and second phases of pain at 200 mg/kg body wt. (38 and 75 %, respectively, n = 8, s. c.). The results suggested that the peripheral and central antinociceptive effects of EO are related to the inhibition of the biosynthesis of pain mediators, such as prostaglandins and prostacyclins, and its ability to interact with opioid receptors. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Induction of stress volatiles and changes in essential oil content and composition upon microwave exposure in the aromatic plant Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Lung, Ildikó; Soran, Maria-Loredana; Opriş, Ocsana; Truşcă, Mihail Radu Cătălin; Niinemets, Ülo; Copolovici, Lucian

2016-11-01

Exposure to sustained low intensity microwaves can constitute a stress for the plants, but its effects on plant secondary chemistry are poorly known. We studied the influence of GSM and WLAN-frequency microwaves on emissions of volatile organic compounds and content of essential oil in the aromatic plant Ocimum basilicum L. hypothesizing that microwave exposure leads to enhanced emissions of stress volatiles and overall greater investment in secondary compounds. Compared to the control plants, microwave irradiation led to decreased emissions of β-pinene, α-phellandrene, bornyl acetate, β-myrcene, α-caryophyllene and benzaldehyde, but increased emissions of eucalyptol, estragole, caryophyllene oxide, and α-bergamotene. The highest increase in emission, 21 times greater compared to control, was observed for caryophyllene oxide. The irradiation resulted in increases in the essential oil content, except for the content of phytol which decreased by 41% in the case of GSM-frequency, and 82% in the case of WLAN-frequency microwave irradiation. The strongest increase in response to WLAN irradiation, >17 times greater, was observed for hexadecane and octane contents. Comparisons of volatile compositions by multivariate analyses demonstrated a clear separation of different irradiance treatments, and according to the changes in the volatile emissions, the WLAN-frequency irradiation represented a more severe stress than the GSM-frequency irradiation. Overall, these results demonstrating important modifications in the emission rates, essential oil content and composition indicate that microwave irradiation influences the quality of herbage of this economically important spice plant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hypoglycemic effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum) aqueous extract is mediated through inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities: an in vitro study.

PubMed

El-Beshbishy, Ha; Bahashwan, Sa

2012-02-01

The present study investigated the in vitro hypoglycemic activity of basil (Ocimum basilicum) aqueous extract. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of reducing sugars, cardiac glycosides, tannins, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids and steroids. The total polyphenols content (TPC), flavonoids content (FC), percentage diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH( · )) radical inhibition and total antioxidant status (TAS) were estimated. The FC was 41 ± 2.2 rutin/g dry extract, the TPC was 146 ± 5.26 mg catechin/g dry extract and the TAS was 5.12 ± 0.7 mmol/L. The %DPPH( · ) free radical inhibition was 60%, 54%, 49% and 43%, respectively, for different extract concentrations; 20, 18.2, 16.3 and 14.5 mg/ml, respectively. The extract elicited significant dose-dependent pattern against rat intestinal sucrase (RIS; IC(50) = 36.72 mg/ml), rat intestinal maltase (RIM; IC(50) = 21.31 mg/ml) and porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA; IC(50) = 42.50 mg/ml) inhibitory activities. The inhibition was greater against maltase compared with sucrase. These effects may be attributed to the high TPC and FC levels. The linear regression analysis revealed strong significant positive correlations between %DPPH( · ) radical inhibition and each of %RIS, %RIM and %PPA inhibiting activity. Also, strong significant positive correlations between %RIS and either %RIM or %PPA inhibition activity were observed. We concluded therefore that basil aqueous extract via antioxidant and possibly α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibiting activities, offered positive benefits to control diabetes.

Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Ocimum basilicum L. Essential Oil

PubMed Central

El-Soud, Neveen Helmy Abou; Deabes, Mohamed; El-Kassem, Lamia Abou; Khalil, Mona

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The leaves of Ocimum basilicum L. (basil) are used in traditional cuisine as spices; its essential oil has found a wide application in perfumery, dental products as well as antifungal agents. AIM: To assess the chemical composition as well as the in vitro antifungal activity of O. basilicum L. essential oil against Aspergillus flavus fungal growth and aflatoxin B1 production. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The essential oil of O. basilicum was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed using gas chromatography (GC) and GC coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The essential oil was tested for its effects on Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) mycelial growth and aflatoxin B1 production in Yeast Extract Sucrose (YES) growth media. Aflatoxin B1 production was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Nineteen compounds, representing 96.7% of the total oil were identified. The main components were as follows: linalool (48.4%), 1,8-cineol (12.2%), eugenol (6.6%), methyl cinnamate (6.2%), α-cubebene (5.7%), caryophyllene (2.5%), β-ocimene (2.1%) and α-farnesene (2.0%). The tested oil showed significant antifungal activity that was dependent on the used oil concentration. The complete inhibition of A. flavus growth was observed at 1000 ppm oil concentration, while marked inhibition of aflatoxin B1 production was observed at all oil concentrations tested (500, 750 and 1000 ppm). CONCLUSION: These results confirm the antifungal activities of O. basilicum L. oil and its potential use to cure mycotic infections and act as pharmaceutical preservative against A. flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 production. PMID:27275253

Rhizophagus irregularis as an elicitor of rosmarinic acid and antioxidant production by transformed roots of Ocimum basilicum in an in vitro co-culture system.

PubMed

Srivastava, Shivani; Conlan, Xavier A; Cahill, David M; Adholeya, Alok

2016-11-01

Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association formed between plant roots and soil borne fungi that alter and at times improve the production of secondary metabolites. Detailed information is available on mycorrhizal development and its influence on plants grown under various edapho-climatic conditions, however, very little is known about their influence on transformed roots that are rich reserves of secondary metabolites. This raises the question of how mycorrhizal colonization progresses in transformed roots grown in vitro and whether the mycorrhizal fungus presence influences the production of secondary metabolites. To fully understand mycorrhizal ontogenesis and its effect on root morphology, root biomass, total phenolics, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and antioxidant production under in vitro conditions, a co-culture was developed between three Agrobacterium rhizogenes-derived, elite-transformed root lines of Ocimum basilicum and Rhizophagus irregularis. We found that mycorrhizal ontogenesis in transformed roots was similar to mycorrhizal roots obtained from an in planta system. Mycorrhizal establishment was also found to be transformed root line-specific. Colonization of transformed roots increased the concentration of rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and antioxidant production while no effect was observed on root morphological traits and biomass. Enhancement of total phenolics and rosmarinic acid in the three mycorrhizal transformed root lines was found to be transformed root line-specific and age dependent. We reveal the potential of R. irregularis as a biotic elicitor in vitro and propose its incorporation into commercial in vitro secondary metabolite production via transformed roots.

Inhibitory effects of various essential oils and individual components against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae and their chemical compositions.

PubMed

Orhan, Ilkay Erdogan; Ozcelik, Berrin; Kan, Yüksel; Kartal, Murat

2011-10-01

In the current study, in vitro inhibitory activity of several essential oils obtained from the cultivated plants, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita and M. spicata, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, O. onites, O. vulgare, Satureja cuneifolia, and a number of individual essential oil components of terpene and aromatic types were screened against 10 isolated strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzyme, which makes this microorganism quite resistant against the antibiotics: trimetoprime-sulfametoksazol, sulbactam-ampicilin, clavulonate-amoxicilin, ceftriaxon, cefepime, imipenem, ceftazidime, tobramicine, gentamisine, ofloxacin, and ciprofloksasin. All of the essential oils and the components exerted a remarkable inhibition ranging between 32 and 64 μg/mL against all of these strains as strong as the references (ampicilin and oflaxocin) inhibiting at 32 μg/mL. Besides, chemical compositions of the essential oils were elucidated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The essential oils and the pure components widely found in essential oils screened herein have shown remarkable inhibition against ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae strains, which leads to the suggestion that they may be used as food preservatives for this purpose. Practical Application:  The essential oils obtained from Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha piperita and M. spicata, O.cimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, O. onites, O. vulgare, and Satureja cuneifolia as well as common essential oil components have shown notable inhibitory effects against 10 isolated strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) enzyme and they might be used as food preservative or ingredient. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Creams formulated with Ocimum gratissimum L. and Lantana camara L. crude extracts and fractions as mosquito repellents against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Keziah, Ezeike Amarachi; Nukenine, Elias Nchiwan; Danga, Simon Pierre Yinyang; Younoussa, Lame; Esimone, Charles Okechukwu

2015-01-01

Mosquitoes are the most deadly vectors of parasites that cause diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and filariasis. In view of the recent increased interest in developing plant origin insecticides as an alternative to chemical insecticides, the objective of this study was to determine the repellent activity of creams formulated with methanol crude extract (MCE), hexane fraction (HF), and ethyl acetate fractions (EAFs) of Ocimum gratissimum and Lantana camara leaves in single and combined actions against female Aedes aegypti. Evaluation was carried out in the net cages (30 by 30 by 30 cm) containing 60 blood-starved female mosquitoes each and were assayed in the laboratory condition following World Health Organization 2009 protocol. All formulations (single and mixture) were applied at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/cm(2) in the exposed area of human hands. Only acetone + white soft paraffin served as negative control and odomos (12% DEET) as positive control. All the formulations presented good protection against mosquito bites without any allergic reaction by the human volunteers. The repellent activity was dependent on the strength of the extracts and fractions. Among the tested formulations, the maximum protection time was observed in MCE (120 min) and EAF (150 min) of O. gratissimum; MCE:MCE (150 min) and HF:HF (120 min) mixtures of both plants. In addition, MCE:MCE and HF:HF mixtures from both plants showed possible synergistic effect. From the results, the combination of O. gratissimum and L. camara to formulate natural mosquito repellent using small amount of extracts can be encouraging to be an alternative to conventional DEET. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Preliminary study on mosquito repellent and mosquitocidal activities of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) grown in eastern Nigeria.

PubMed

Oparaocha, Evangeline T; Iwu, Iraneus; Ahanakuc, J E

2010-03-01

The study examined the mosquito-repellent and mosquitocidal activities of the volatile oil of Ocimum gratissimum at three different locations (World Bank Estate, Ihitte and Umuekunne) in Imo State, eastern Nigeria, with the purpose of sourcing for mosquito repellent that is cheap, abundant, environment and user-friendly. Four different lotions; 20% (v/v) and 30% (v/v) concentrations each of the extracted volatile oil in two natural oil bases (olive and palm kernel) were made and six volunteered human baits were used to evaluate the mosquito repellent and mosquitocidal activities of the stock materials at the three different centres from September to November 2008. Topical application of each of the four different lotions significantly (p <0.05) reduced the biting rate of mosquitoes in all the three locations tested. The 30% (v/v) concentration in olive oil base exhibiting highest average percentage repellencies of 97.2, 95.7 and 96.3% at World Bank Estate, Ihitte and Umuekunne centres respectively while the 20% (v/v) concentration in palm kernel oil base had the least repellency of 36.3, 41.6 and 36.3%, respectively. The other two formulations had values ranging from 67.8 to 80% in the three locations. The 30% (v/v) concentration in both olive and palm kernel oil bases afforded all night protection against mosquito bites in all the centres, and demonstrated fast knockdown and paralyzing effect on few mosquitoes at the urban centre (World Bank Estate). The study confirms that O. gratissimum grown in eastern Nigeria has mosquito-repellent and mosquitocidal potentials and the formulations could be used to reduce human-mosquito contacts and hence mosquito-borne diseases and irritations caused by their bites.

Biosynthesis of estragole and methyl-eugenol in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L). Developmental and chemotypic association of allylphenol O-methyltransferase activities.

PubMed

Lewinsohn, E; Ziv-Raz, I; Dudai, N; Tadmor, Y; Lastochkin, E; Larkov, O; Chaimovitsh, D; Ravid, U; Putievsky, E; Pichersky, E; Shoham, Y

2000-12-07

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L., Lamiaceae) is a common herb, used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The essential oils of different sweet basil chemotypes contain various proportions of the allyl phenol derivatives estragole (methyl chavicol), eugenol, and methyl eugenol, as well as the monoterpene alcohol linalool. To monitor the developmental regulation of estragole biosynthesis in sweet basil, an enzymatic assay for S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM):chavicol O-methyltransferase activity was developed. Young leaves display high levels of chavicol O-methyltransferase activity, but the activity was negligible in older leaves, indicating that the O-methylation of chavicol primarily occurs early during leaf development. The O-methyltransferase activities detected in different sweet basil genotypes differed in their substrate specificities towards the methyl acceptor substrate. In the high-estragole-containing chemotype R3, the O-methyltransferase activity was highly specific for chavicol, while eugenol was virtually not O-methylated. In contrast, chemotype 147/97, that contains equal levels of estragole and methyl eugenol, displayed O-methyltransferase activities that accepted both chavicol and eugenol as substrates, generating estragole and methyl eugenol, respectively. Chemotype SW that contains high levels of eugenol, but lacks both estragole and methyl eugenol, had apparently no allylphenol dependent O-methyltransferase activities. These results indicate the presence of at least two types of allylphenol-specific O-methyltransferase activities in sweet basil chemotypes, one highly specific for chavicol; and a different one that can accept eugenol as a substrate. The relative availability and substrate specificities of these O-methyltransferase activities biochemically rationalizes the variation in the composition of the essential oils of these chemotypes.

Creams Formulated with Ocimum gratissimum L. and Lantana camara L. Crude Extracts and Fractions as Mosquito Repellents Against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

PubMed Central

Keziah, Ezeike Amarachi; Nukenine, Elias Nchiwan; Danga, Simon Pierre Yinyang; Younoussa, Lame; Esimone, Charles Okechukwu

2015-01-01

Mosquitoes are the most deadly vectors of parasites that cause diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and filariasis. In view of the recent increased interest in developing plant origin insecticides as an alternative to chemical insecticides, the objective of this study was to determine the repellent activity of creams formulated with methanol crude extract (MCE), hexane fraction (HF), and ethyl acetate fractions (EAFs) of Ocimum gratissimum and Lantana camara leaves in single and combined actions against female Aedes aegypti. Evaluation was carried out in the net cages (30 by 30 by 30 cm) containing 60 blood-starved female mosquitoes each and were assayed in the laboratory condition following World Health Organization 2009 protocol. All formulations (single and mixture) were applied at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg/cm2 in the exposed area of human hands. Only acetone + white soft paraffin served as negative control and odomos (12% DEET) as positive control. All the formulations presented good protection against mosquito bites without any allergic reaction by the human volunteers. The repellent activity was dependent on the strength of the extracts and fractions. Among the tested formulations, the maximum protection time was observed in MCE (120 min) and EAF (150 min) of O. gratissimum; MCE:MCE (150 min) and HF:HF (120 min) mixtures of both plants. In addition, MCE:MCE and HF:HF mixtures from both plants showed possible synergistic effect. From the results, the combination of O. gratissimum and L. camara to formulate natural mosquito repellent using small amount of extracts can be encouraging to be an alternative to conventional DEET. PMID:25881633

Selected terpenes from leaves of Ocimum basilicum L. induce hemoglobin accumulation in human K562 cells.

PubMed

Feriotto, Giordana; Marchetti, Nicola; Costa, Valentina; Torricelli, Piera; Beninati, Simone; Tagliati, Federico; Mischiati, Carlo

2018-06-01

Re-expression of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) was proposed as a possible therapeutic strategy for β-haemoglobinopathies. Although several inducers of HbF were tested in clinical trials, only hydroxyurea (HU) received FDA approval. Despite it produced adequate HbF levels only in half of HU-treated SCD patients, and was ineffective at all in β-thalassemia patients, beneficial effects of this approach suggested to continue in this direction identifying further molecules capable of inducing HbF. We tested the potential of essential oil isolated from Ocimum basilicum L. leaves (ObEO) in inducing hemoglobin biosynthesis. Initially, dose-dependent effect and kinetics of hemoglobin accumulation in K562 cells after treatment with ObEO were evaluated. ObEO induced dose-dependent hemoglobin accumulation superior to hydroxyurea and rapamycin and a strongest γ-globin mRNA expression. Terpenes composition of ObEO was studied by GC-MS. Three main constituents, linalool, eugenol and eucalyptol, represented about 75% of total. A blend of these three terpenes fully replicated the ObEO's biological effect, thus indicating that one of them or all together could be the active ingredients. When terpenes were tested individually, eugenol was the only one inducing stable hemoglobin accumulation, while eucalyptol and linalool produced only a small transient response. However, eugenol potential was strongly enhanced in the presence of eucalyptol and linalool, suggesting a synergistic effect on hemoglobin accumulation. By these results, the discovery of a new inducer and the interesting activity of a blend of major terpenes from ObOE on Hb accumulation could have positive fallouts on β-thalassemia and sickle cells anemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phytotoxic Activity of Ocimum tenuiflorum Extracts on Germination and Seedling Growth of Different Plant Species

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Phytotoxic activity of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) plant extracts was investigated against the germination and seedling growth of cress (Lepidium sativum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli), and timothy (Phleum pratense) at four different concentrations. The plant extracts at concentrations greater than 30 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL−1 reduced significantly the total germination percent (GP), germination index (GI), germination energy (GE), speed of emergence (SE), seedling vigour index (SVI), and coefficient of the rate of germination (CRG) of all test species except barnyard grass and GP of lettuce. In contrast, time required for 50% germination (T 50) and mean germination time (MGT) were increased at the same or higher than this concentration. The increasing trend of T 50 and MGT and the decreasing trend of other indices indicated a significant inhibition or delay of germination of the test species by O. tenuiflorum plant extracts and vice versa. In addition, the shoot and root growth of all test species were significantly inhibited by the extracts at concentrations greater than 10 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL−1. The I 50 values for shoot and root growth were ranged from 26 to 104 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL−1. Seedling growth was more sensitive to the extracts compared to seed germination. Results of this study suggest that O. tenuiflorum plant extracts have phytotoxic properties and thus contain phytotoxic substances. Isolation and characterization of those substances from this plant may act as a tool for new natural, biodegradable herbicide development to control weeds. PMID:25032234

Attenuation of Oxidative Stress-Induced Cell Apoptosis in Schwann RSC96 Cells by Ocimum Gratissimum Aqueous Extract

PubMed Central

Chao, Pei-Yu; Lin, James A.; Ye, Je-Chiuan; Hwang, Jin-Ming; Ting, Wei-Jen; Huang, Chih-Yang; Liu, Jer-Yuh

2017-01-01

Objectives:Cell transplantation therapy of Schwann cells (SCs) is a promising therapeutic strategy after spinal cord injury. However, challenges such as oxidative stress hinder satisfactory cell viability and intervention for enhancing SCs survival is critical throughout the transplantation procedures. Ocimum gratissimum, widely used as a folk medicine in many countries, has therapeutic and anti-oxidative properties and may protect SCs survival. Methods:We examined the protective effects of aqueous O. gratissimum extract (OGE) against cell damage caused by H2O2-induced oxidative stress in RSC96 Schwann cells. Results:Our results showed that the RSC96 cells, damaged by H2O2 oxidative stress, decreased their viability up to 32% after treatment with different concentrations of up to 300 μM H2O2, but OGE pretreatment (150 or 200 μg/mL) increased cell viability by approximately 62% or 66%, respectively. Cell cycle analysis indicated a high (43%) sub-G1 cell population in the H2O2-treated RSC96 cells compared with untreated cells (1%); whereas OGE pretreatment (150 and 200 μg/mL) of RSC96 cells significantly reduced the sub-G1 cells (7% and 8%, respectively). Furthermore, Western blot analysis revealed that OGE pretreatment inhibited H2O2-induced apoptotic protein caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, as well as it reversed Bax up-regulation and Bcl-2 down-regulation. The amelioration of OGE of cell stress and stress-induced apoptosis was proved by the HSP70 and HSP72 decrease. Conclusion: Our data suggest that OGE may minimize the cytotoxic effects of H2O2-induced SCs apoptosis by modulating the apoptotic pathway and could potentially supplement cell transplantation therapy. PMID:28824312

Antiviral activities of extracts and selected pure constituents of Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Chiang, Lien-Chai; Ng, Lean-Teik; Cheng, Pei-Win; Chiang, Win; Lin, Chun-Ching

2005-10-01

1. Ocimum basilicum (OB), also known as sweet basil, is a well known medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine preparations. In the present study, extracts and purified components of OB were used to identify possible antiviral activities against DNA viruses (herpes viruses (HSV), adenoviruses (ADV) and hepatitis B virus) and RNA viruses (coxsackievirus B1 (CVB1) and enterovirus 71 (EV71)). 2. The results show that crude aqueous and ethanolic extracts of OB and selected purified components, namely apigenin, linalool and ursolic acid, exhibit a broad spectrum of antiviral activity. Of these compounds, ursolic acid showed the strongest activity against HSV-1 (EC50 = 6.6 mg/L; selectivity index (SI) = 15.2), ADV-8 (EC50 = 4.2 mg/L; SI = 23.8), CVB1 (EC50 = 0.4 mg/L; SI = 251.3) and EV71 (EC50 = 0.5 mg/L; SI = 201), whereas apigenin showed the highest activity against HSV-2 (EC50 = 9.7 mg/L; SI = 6.2), ADV-3 (EC50 = 11.1 mg/L; SI = 5.4), hepatitis B surface antigen (EC50 = 7.1 mg/L; SI = 2.3) and hepatitis B e antigen (EC50 = 12.8 mg/L; SI = 1.3) and linalool showed strongest activity against AVD-II (EC50 = 16.9 mg/L; SI = 10.5). 3. No activity was noted for carvone, cineole, beta-caryophyllene, farnesol, fenchone, geraniol, beta-myrcene and alpha-thujone. 4. The action of ursolic acid against CVB1 and EV71 was found to occur during the infection process and the replication phase. 5. With SI values greater than 200, the potential use of ursolic acid for treating infection with CVB1 and EV71 merits further investigation.

Phytotoxic activity of Ocimum tenuiflorum extracts on germination and seedling growth of different plant species.

PubMed

Islam, A K M Mominul; Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi

2014-01-01

Phytotoxic activity of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) plant extracts was investigated against the germination and seedling growth of cress (Lepidium sativum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli), and timothy (Phleum pratense) at four different concentrations. The plant extracts at concentrations greater than 30 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL(-1) reduced significantly the total germination percent (GP), germination index (GI), germination energy (GE), speed of emergence (SE), seedling vigour index (SVI), and coefficient of the rate of germination (CRG) of all test species except barnyard grass and GP of lettuce. In contrast, time required for 50% germination (T 50) and mean germination time (MGT) were increased at the same or higher than this concentration. The increasing trend of T 50 and MGT and the decreasing trend of other indices indicated a significant inhibition or delay of germination of the test species by O. tenuiflorum plant extracts and vice versa. In addition, the shoot and root growth of all test species were significantly inhibited by the extracts at concentrations greater than 10 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL(-1). The I 50 values for shoot and root growth were ranged from 26 to 104 mg dry weight equivalent extract mL(-1). Seedling growth was more sensitive to the extracts compared to seed germination. Results of this study suggest that O. tenuiflorum plant extracts have phytotoxic properties and thus contain phytotoxic substances. Isolation and characterization of those substances from this plant may act as a tool for new natural, biodegradable herbicide development to control weeds.

Effect of Ocimum basilicum L. on cyclo-oxygenase isoforms and prostaglandins involved in thrombosis.

PubMed

Umar, Anwar; Zhou, Wenting; Abdusalam, Elzira; Tursun, Arzigul; Reyim, Nadira; Tohti, Ibadet; Moore, Nicholas

2014-02-27

Ocimum basilicum L. (OBL) is a plant used in traditional Uyghur medicine for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. In previous studies we had found an antihypertensive and antithrombotic effect suggestive of an effect on prostaglandins, which we attempt to document here. 6-keto-PGF1α, the metabolite of prostacyclin, and PGE2 were measured in the supernatant of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and basal or LPS-stimulated mouse coeliac macrophage cultures exposed to OBL ethanol (OBL-E) extracts and petroleum ether, chloroform, ethylacetate and butanol (PE, C, EA, B) fractions. In addition, 6-keto-PGF1α and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) were measured in a rat model of thromboangiitis obliterans exposed or not to OBL. Short-term exposure to OBL-E dose-dependently increased 6-keto-PGF1α from HUVEC, and long-term (24h) exposure decreased it. OBL-C and OBL-B increased 6-keto-PGF1α, whereas the other fractions tended to decrease it after 24h exposure. The extract and all fractions decreased basal and stimulated PGE2 production, but only OBL-EA and OBL-B reduced PGE2 in stimulated cultures to concentrations below the unstimulated values (P<0.05). In vivo OBL increased 6-keto-PGF1α and decreased TXB2. OBL and its extracts increased 6-keto-PGF1α and reduced PGE2 and TXB2 production in a dose and time-related manner. This could indicate simultaneous inhibition of COX-2 and stimulation of endothelial COX-1. The butanol fraction seemed most promising in this respect. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A first linkage map and downy mildew resistance QTL discovery for sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) facilitated by double digestion restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq).

PubMed

Pyne, Robert; Honig, Josh; Vaiciunas, Jennifer; Koroch, Adolfina; Wyenandt, Christian; Bonos, Stacy; Simon, James

2017-01-01

Limited understanding of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) genetics and genome structure has reduced efficiency of breeding strategies. This is evidenced by the rapid, worldwide dissemination of basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) in the absence of resistant cultivars. In an effort to improve available genetic resources, expressed sequence tag simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed and used to genotype the MRI x SB22 F2 mapping population, which segregates for response to downy mildew. SNP markers were generated from genomic sequences derived from double digestion restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). Disomic segregation was observed in both SNP and EST-SSR markers providing evidence of an O. basilicum allotetraploid genome structure and allowing for subsequent analysis of the mapping population as a diploid intercross. A dense linkage map was constructed using 42 EST-SSR and 1,847 SNP markers spanning 3,030.9 cM. Multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL) model (MQM) analysis identified three QTL that explained 37-55% of phenotypic variance associated with downy mildew response across three environments. A single major QTL, dm11.1 explained 21-28% of phenotypic variance and demonstrated dominant gene action. Two minor QTL dm9.1 and dm14.1 explained 5-16% and 4-18% of phenotypic variance, respectively. Evidence is provided for an additive effect between the two minor QTL and the major QTL dm11.1 increasing downy mildew susceptibility. Results indicate that ddRADseq-facilitated SNP and SSR marker genotyping is an effective approach for mapping the sweet basil genome.

Thermal and oxidative stability of the Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil/β-cyclodextrin supramolecular system.

PubMed

Hădărugă, Daniel I; Hădărugă, Nicoleta G; Costescu, Corina I; David, Ioan; Gruia, Alexandra T

2014-01-01

Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil and its β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) complex have been investigated with respect to their stability against the degradative action of air/oxygen and temperature. This supramolecular system was obtained by a crystallization method in order to achieve the equilibrium of complexed-uncomplexed volatile compounds in an ethanol/water solution at 50 °C. Both the raw essential oil and its β-CD complex have been subjected to thermal and oxidative degradation conditions in order to evaluate the protective capacity of β-CD. The relative concentration of the O. basilicum L. essential oil compounds, as determined by GC-MS, varies accordingly with their sensitivity to the thermal and/or oxidative degradation conditions imposed. Furthermore, the relative concentration of the volatile O. basilicum L. compounds found in the β-CD complex is quite different in comparison with the raw material. An increase of the relative concentration of linalool oxide from 0.3% to 1.1%, in addition to many sesquiterpene oxides, has been observed. β-CD complexation of the O. basilicum essential oil modifies the relative concentration of the encapsulated volatile compounds. Thus, linalool was better encapsulated in β-CD, while methylchavicol (estragole) was encapsulated in β-CD at a concentration close to that of the raw essential oil. Higher relative concentrations from the degradation of the oxygenated compounds such as linalool oxide and aromadendren oxide were determined in the raw O. basilicum L. essential oil in comparison with the corresponding β-CD complex. For the first time, the protective capability of natural β-CD for labile basil essential oil compounds has been demonstrated.

A first linkage map and downy mildew resistance QTL discovery for sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) facilitated by double digestion restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq)

PubMed Central

Honig, Josh; Vaiciunas, Jennifer; Koroch, Adolfina; Wyenandt, Christian; Bonos, Stacy; Simon, James

2017-01-01

Limited understanding of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) genetics and genome structure has reduced efficiency of breeding strategies. This is evidenced by the rapid, worldwide dissemination of basil downy mildew (Peronospora belbahrii) in the absence of resistant cultivars. In an effort to improve available genetic resources, expressed sequence tag simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed and used to genotype the MRI x SB22 F2 mapping population, which segregates for response to downy mildew. SNP markers were generated from genomic sequences derived from double digestion restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). Disomic segregation was observed in both SNP and EST-SSR markers providing evidence of an O. basilicum allotetraploid genome structure and allowing for subsequent analysis of the mapping population as a diploid intercross. A dense linkage map was constructed using 42 EST-SSR and 1,847 SNP markers spanning 3,030.9 cM. Multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL) model (MQM) analysis identified three QTL that explained 37–55% of phenotypic variance associated with downy mildew response across three environments. A single major QTL, dm11.1 explained 21–28% of phenotypic variance and demonstrated dominant gene action. Two minor QTL dm9.1 and dm14.1 explained 5–16% and 4–18% of phenotypic variance, respectively. Evidence is provided for an additive effect between the two minor QTL and the major QTL dm11.1 increasing downy mildew susceptibility. Results indicate that ddRADseq-facilitated SNP and SSR marker genotyping is an effective approach for mapping the sweet basil genome. PMID:28922359

Thermal and oxidative stability of the Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil/β-cyclodextrin supramolecular system

PubMed Central

Hădărugă, Nicoleta G; Costescu, Corina I; David, Ioan; Gruia, Alexandra T

2014-01-01

Summary Ocimum basilicum L. essential oil and its β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) complex have been investigated with respect to their stability against the degradative action of air/oxygen and temperature. This supramolecular system was obtained by a crystallization method in order to achieve the equilibrium of complexed–uncomplexed volatile compounds in an ethanol/water solution at 50 °C. Both the raw essential oil and its β-CD complex have been subjected to thermal and oxidative degradation conditions in order to evaluate the protective capacity of β-CD. The relative concentration of the O. basilicum L. essential oil compounds, as determined by GC–MS, varies accordingly with their sensitivity to the thermal and/or oxidative degradation conditions imposed. Furthermore, the relative concentration of the volatile O. basilicum L. compounds found in the β-CD complex is quite different in comparison with the raw material. An increase of the relative concentration of linalool oxide from 0.3% to 1.1%, in addition to many sesquiterpene oxides, has been observed. β-CD complexation of the O. basilicum essential oil modifies the relative concentration of the encapsulated volatile compounds. Thus, linalool was better encapsulated in β-CD, while methylchavicol (estragole) was encapsulated in β-CD at a concentration close to that of the raw essential oil. Higher relative concentrations from the degradation of the oxygenated compounds such as linalool oxide and aromadendren oxide were determined in the raw O. basilicum L. essential oil in comparison with the corresponding β-CD complex. For the first time, the protective capability of natural β-CD for labile basil essential oil compounds has been demonstrated. PMID:25550747

Spectrophotometric determination of the total flavonoid content in Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) leaves

PubMed Central

da Silva, Layzon Antonio Lemos; Pezzini, Bianca Ramos; Soares, Luciano

2015-01-01

Background: The chemical characterization is essential to validate the pharmaceutical use of vegetable raw materials. Ultraviolet spectroscopy is an important technique to determine flavonoids, which are important active compounds from Ocimum basilicum. Objective: The objective of this work was to optimize a spectrophotometric method, based on flavonoid-aluminum chloride (AlCl3) complexation to determine the total flavonoid content (TFC) in leaves of O. basilicum (herbal material), using response surface methodology. Materials and Methods: The effects of (1) the herbal material: Solvent ratio (0.02, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.08 g/mL), (2) stock solution volume (0.8, 2.3, 4.4, 6.5, and 8.0 mL) and (3) AlCl3 volume (0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 mL) on the TFC were evaluated. The analytical performance parameters precision, linearity and robustness of the method were tested. Results: The herbal material: Solvent ratio and stock solution volume showed an important influence on the method response. After choosing the optimized conditions, the method exhibited a precision (RSD%) lower than 6% for repeatability (RSD%) and lower than 8% for intermediate precision (on the order of literature values for biotechnological methods), coefficient of correlation of 0.9984, and no important influence could be observed for variations of the time of complexation with AlCl3. However, the time and temperature of extraction were critical for TFC method and must be carefully controlled during the analysis. Conclusion: Thus, this study allowed the optimization of a simple, fast and precise method for the determination of the TFC in leaves of O. basilicum, which can be used to support the quality assessment of this herbal material. PMID:25709217

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of an antifungal PR-5 protein from Ocimum basilicum.

PubMed

Rather, Irshad Ahmad; Awasthi, Praveen; Mahajan, Vidushi; Bedi, Yashbir S; Vishwakarma, Ram A; Gandhi, Sumit G

2015-03-01

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins are involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses of plants and are grouped into 17 families (PR-1 to PR-17). PR-5 family includes proteins related to thaumatin and osmotin, with several members possessing antimicrobial properties. In this study, a PR-5 gene showing a high degree of homology with osmotin-like protein was isolated from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). A complete open reading frame consisting of 675 nucleotides, coding for a precursor protein, was obtained by PCR amplification. Based on sequence comparisons with tobacco osmotin and other osmotin-like proteins (OLPs), this protein was named ObOLP. The predicted mature protein is 225 amino acids in length and contains 16 cysteine residues that may potentially form eight disulfide bonds, a signature common to most PR-5 proteins. Among the various abiotic stress treatments tested, including high salt, mechanical wounding and exogenous phytohormone/elicitor treatments; methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and mechanical wounding significantly induced the expression of ObOLP gene. The coding sequence of ObOLP was cloned and expressed in a bacterial host resulting in a 25kDa recombinant-HIS tagged protein, displaying antifungal activity. The ObOLP protein sequence appears to contain an N-terminal signal peptide with signatures of secretory pathway. Further, our experimental data shows that ObOLP expression is regulated transcriptionally and in silico analysis suggests that it may be post-transcriptionally and post-translationally regulated through microRNAs and post-translational protein modifications, respectively. This study appears to be the first report of isolation and characterization of osmotin-like protein gene from O. basilicum. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface coating changes the physiological and biochemical impacts of nano-TiO2 in basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants.

PubMed

Tan, Wenjuan; Du, Wenchao; Barrios, Ana C; Armendariz, Raul; Zuverza-Mena, Nubia; Ji, Zhaoxia; Chang, Chong Hyun; Zink, Jeffrey I; Hernandez-Viezcas, Jose A; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

2017-03-01

Little is known about the effects of surface coating on the interaction of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) with plants. In this study, basil (Ocimum basilicum) was cultivated for 65 days in soil amended with unmodified, hydrophobic (coated with aluminum oxide and dimethicone), and hydrophilic (coated with aluminum oxide and glycerol) titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO 2 ) at 125, 250, 500, and 750 mg nano-TiO 2 kg -1 soil. ICP-OES/MS, SPAD meter, and UV/Vis spectrometry were used to determine Ti and essential elements in tissues, relative chlorophyll content, carbohydrates, and antioxidant response, respectively. Compared with control, hydrophobic and hydrophilic nano-TiO 2 significantly reduced seed germination by 41% and 59%, respectively, while unmodified and hydrophobic nano-TiO 2 significantly decreased shoot biomass by 31% and 37%, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). Roots exposed to hydrophobic particles at 750 mg kg -1 had 87% and 40% more Ti than the pristine and hydrophilic nano-TiO 2 ; however, no differences were found in shoots. The three types of particles affected the homeostasis of essential elements: at 500 mg kg - 1 , unmodified particles increased Cu (104%) and Fe (90%); hydrophilic increased Fe (90%); while hydrophobic increased Mn (339%) but reduced Ca (71%), Cu (58%), and P (40%). However, only hydrophobic particles significantly reduced root elongation by 53%. Unmodified, hydrophobic, and hydrophilic particles significantly reduced total sugar by 39%, 38%, and 66%, respectively, compared with control. Moreover, unmodified particles significantly decreased reducing sugar (34%), while hydrophobic particles significantly reduced starch (35%). Although the three particles affected basil plants, coated particles impacted the most its nutritional quality, since they altered more essential elements, starch, and reducing sugars. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food preservative potential of essential oils and fractions from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Thymus vulgaris against mycotoxigenic fungi.

PubMed

Nguefack, J; Dongmo, J B Lekagne; Dakole, C D; Leth, V; Vismer, H F; Torp, J; Guemdjom, E F N; Mbeffo, M; Tamgue, O; Fotio, D; Zollo, P H Amvam; Nkengfack, A E

2009-05-31

The food preservative potential of essential oils from three aromatic plants Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Thymus vulgaris and their fractions was investigated against two mycotoxigenic strains each of Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium expansum and P. verrucosum. The fungicidal activity was determined and expressed as a Number of Decimal Reduction of the colony forming units per ml (NDR cfu). The influence of pH variation on this activity was studied. The NDR cfu varied with the essential oils and its concentration, the pH of the medium and the strain tested. The essential oils from O. gratissimum exhibited the highest activity against the six fungal strains under the three pH tested. T. vulgaris and C. citratus essential oils were less active against the Penicillium species tested and A. ochraceus, respectively. Potassium sorbate did not present any activity at pH 6 and 9. At pH 3, its NDR cfu was the lowest against the six fungal strains. At the same pH and at 4000 ppm, the three essential oils presented a NRD cfu > or = 6 against strains of A. ochraceus and P. expansum. The same result was obtained with T. vulgaris and C. citratus at 8000 ppm against both strains of P. verrucosum. The highest activity of the three essential oils was recorded at pH 3 against A. ochraceus strains and at pH 9 against both species of Penicillium. From the fractionation, three active fractions were obtained each from C. citratus and O. gratissimum, and two active fractions from T. vulgaris. These active fractions exhibited a NDR cfu, two to seven folds higher than that of the complete essential oils.

Antioxidative responses of Ocimum basilicum to sodium chloride or sodium sulphate salinization.

PubMed

Tarchoune, I; Sgherri, C; Izzo, R; Lachaal, M; Ouerghi, Z; Navari-Izzo, F

2010-09-01

Soils and ground water in nature are dominated by chloride and sulphate salts. There have been several studies concerning NaCl salinity, however, little is known about the Na(2)SO(4) one. The effects on antioxidative activities of chloride or sodium sulphate in terms of the same Na(+) equivalents (25 mM Na(2)SO(4) and 50 mM NaCl) were studied on 30 day-old plants of Ocimum basilicum L., variety Genovese subjected to 15 and 30 days of treatment. Growth, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), relative ion leakage ratio (RLR), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), ascorbate and glutathione contents as well as the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11); glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2) and peroxidases (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) were determined. In leaves, growth was more depressed by 25 mM Na(2)SO(4) than 50 mM NaCl. The higher sensitivity of basil to Na(2)SO(4) was associated with an enhanced accumulation of H(2)O(2), an inhibition of APX, GR and POD activities (with the exception of POD under the 30-day-treatment) and a lower regeneration of reduced ascorbate (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). However, the changes in the antioxidant metabolism were enough to limit oxidative damage, explaining the fact that RLR and TBARS levels were unchanged under both Na(2)SO(4) and NaCl treatment. Moreover, for both salts the 30-day-treatment reduced H(2)O(2) accumulation, unchanged RLR and TBARS levels, and enhanced the levels of antioxidants and antioxidative enzymes, thus achieving an adaptation mechanism against reactive oxygen species. 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Enzyme stability, thermodynamics and secondary structures of α-amylase as probed by the CD spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kikani, B A; Singh, S P

2015-11-01

An amylase of a thermophilic bacterium, Bacillus sp. TSSC-3 (GenBank Number, EU710557) isolated from the Tulsi Shyam hot spring reservoir (Gujarat, India) was purified to the homogeneity in a single step on phenyl sepharose 6FF. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 25kD, while the temperature and pH optima for the enzyme catalysis were 80°C and 7, respectively. The purified enzyme was highly thermostable with broad pH stability and displayed remarkable resistance against surfactants, chelators, urea, guanidine HCl and various solvents as well. The stability and changes in the secondary structure of the enzyme under various extreme conditions were determined by the circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The stability trends and the changes in the α-helices and β-sheets were analyzed by Mean Residual Ellipticity (MRE) and K2D3. The CD data confirmed the structural stability of the enzyme under various harsh conditions, yet it indicated reduced α-helix content and increased β-sheets upon denaturation. The thermodynamic parameters; deactivation rate constant, half-life, changes in entropy, enthalpy, activation energy and Gibb's free energy indicated that the enzyme-substrate reactions were highly stable. The overall profile of the enzyme: high thermostability, alkalitolerance, calcium independent nature, dextrose equivalent values and resistance against chemical denaturants, solvents and surfactants suggest its commercial applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A brief look at the history of the Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, 1894-1990.

PubMed

McNeill, E R; Wright, D; Demetriades, A K

2018-03-01

The Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, opened in 1894 and was the first establishment of its kind in the UK, maintained and wholly funded as it was by the Reformed Church. Through its 96-year lifetime it changed and evolved to time and circumstance. It was a school: for the training of nurses and deaconesses who took their practical skills all over the world. It was a sanctum: for the sick-poor before the NHS. It was a subsidiary: for the bigger hospitals of Edinburgh after amalgamation into the NHS. It was a specialised centre: as the Urology Department in Edinburgh and the Scottish Lithotripter centre. And now it is currently student accommodation. There is no single source to account for its history. Through the use of original material made available by the Lothian Health Services Archives - including Church of Scotland publications, patient records, a doctor's casebook and annual reports - we review its conception, purpose, development and running; its fate on joining the NHS, its identity in the latter years and finally its closure.

Effect of essential oil from fresh leaves of Ocimum gratissimum L. on mycoflora during storage of peanuts in Benin.

PubMed

Adjou, Euloge S; Kouton, Sandrine; Dahouenon-Ahoussi, Edwige; Soumanou, Mohamed M; Sohounhloue, Dominique C K

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of essential oil from fresh leaves of Sweet Fennel (Ocimum gratissimum) on mycoflora and Aspergillus section Flavi populations in stored peanuts. Aspergillus, Fusarium and Mucor spp. were the most common genera identified from peanuts at post-harvest in Benin by using a taxonomic schemes primarily based on morphological characters of mycelium and conidia. The isolated fungi include Aspergillus niger, A. parasiticus, A. flavus, A. ochraceus, Fusarium graminearum, F. solani, F. oxysporum and Mucor spp. The most prevalent fungi recorded were A. niger (94.18 %), A. flavus (83.72 %), A. parasiticus (77.90 %), A. ochraceus (72.09 %), F. graminearum (59.30 %) and F. oxysporum (51.16 %). Antifungal assay, performed by the agar medium assay, indicated that essential oil exhibited high antifungal activity against the growth of A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. ochraceus and F. oxysporium. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the essential oil was found to be 7.5 μl/ml for A. flavus and A. parasiticus and 5.5 μl/ml for A. ochraceus and F. oxysporium. The minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) was recorded to be 8.0 μl/ml for A. flavus and A. parasiticus, 6,5 μl/ml for A. ochraceus and 6.0 μl/ml for F. oxysporium. The essential oil was found to be strongly fungicidal and inhibitory to aflatoxin production. Chemical analysis by GC/MS of the components of the oil led to the identification of 31 components characterized by myrcene (6.4 %), α-thujene (8.2 %), p-cymene (17.6 %), γ-terpinene (20.0 %), and thymol (26.9 %) as major components. The essential oil of Sweet Fennel, with fungal growth and mycotoxin inhibitory properties, offers a novel approach to the management of storage, thus opening up the possibility to prevent mold contamination in stored peanuts.

Field investigation on the repellent activity of some aromatic plants by traditional means against Anopheles arabiensis and An. pharoensis (Diptera: Culicidae) around Koka, central Ethiopia.

PubMed

Dugassa, Sisay; Medhin, Girmay; Balkew, Meshesha; Seyoum, Aklilu; Gebre-Michael, Teshome

2009-10-01

A study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of traditional application methods of mosquito repellent plants in the reduction of the human-vector contact of malaria vectors in central Ethiopia. The plants (Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Ocimum suave and Ocimum basilicum) were tested by thermal expulsion and direct burning on traditional stoves in the field against two important malaria vectors in Ethiopia (Anopheles arabiensis and An. pharoensis). A Latin-square design was applied for randomly assigning the treatment plants and control to experimental houses over different nights. The percentage repellency of each candidate plant by both application methods was estimated from the catches of mosquitoes in the treatment and control houses. On direct burning of the plants, O. basilicum showed the highest percentage repellency (73.11%, P<0.001) and E. camaldulensis the least repellency (65.29%, P<0.001) against An. arabiensis. By the same method of application, C. citriodora on the other hand gave the highest repellency (72.87%, P<0.001) while E. camaldulensis was still the least repellent plant (66.60%, P<0.001) against An. pharoensis. On thermal expulsion, C. citriodora exhibited the highest repellency (78.69%, P<0.001) while E. camaldulensis was the lowest repellent plant (71.91%, P<0.001) against An. arabiensis. Against An. pharoensis, C. citriodora gave the highest repellency (72.9%, P<0.001) while E. camaldulensis still gave the least repellency (72.2%, P<0.001) on the same method of application. All the tested plants by both methods of application gave partial but significant protection (>65%) against the house-entry and biting of two important malaria vectors in Ethiopia, and thus have a potential to be used at least as supplements to other control methods. However, feasibility and actual impact on disease transmission need to be known on these and other potentially useful plants.

Ocimum basilicum L.: phenolic profile and antioxidant-related activity.

PubMed

Dorman, H J Damien; Hiltunen, Raimo

2010-01-01

Ocimum basilicum L. leaf material was extracted by maceration with (80:20:1 v/v/v) methanol: water: acetic acid to produce a crude extract (CE), which was further fractionated by liquid-liquid extraction to isolate light petroleum (PE), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol (n-BuOH) and H2O-soluble sub-fractions. The total phenol and flavonoid contents of the resulting samples were estimated using colorimetric-based methods, and their iron(III) reductive and free radical scavenging activities were determined in a battery of in vitro assays. The CE and sub-fractions contained phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The samples, except for PE, gave a positive result for the presence of flavones and flavonols; however, flavanones only appeared to be present in the CE. In iron(III) reduction, CE and n-BuOH were the most potent followed by EtOAc and H2O (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05). However, in the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, H2O was the most potent followed by CE and EtOAc (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05) and n-BuOH and PE. In 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging, all the samples, except PE, were effective against this reactive nitrogen species, with CE, EtOAc and n-BuOH being the most potent (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05). In alkylperoxyl scavenging, all the samples, except for PE, were effective against this reactive oxygen species (ROS). In superoxide anion scavenging, all the samples were capable of scavenging this ROS with CE being the most effective, followed by n-BuOH and H2O (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05) and EtOAc and PE. Similarly, in hydroxyl scavenging, all the samples were capable of scavenging this ROS with CE and n-BuOH being the most effective (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05) followed by EtOAc and H2O (statistically indistinguishable, p > 0.05) and PE.

Evaluation of anxiolytic and sedative effect of essential oil and hydroalcoholic extract of Ocimum basilicum L. and chemical composition of its essential oil.

PubMed

Rabbani, Mohammed; Sajjadi, Seyed Ebrahim; Vaezi, Arefeh

2015-01-01

Ocimum basilicum belongs to Lamiaceae family and has been used for the treatment of wide range of diseases in traditional medicine in Iranian folk medicine. Due to the progressive need to anti-anxiety medications and because of the similarity between O. basilicum and Salvia officinalis, which has anti-anxiety effects, we decided to investigate the anxiolytic and sedative activity of hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of O. basilicum in mice by utilizing an elevated plus maze and locomotor activity meter. The chemical composition of the plant essential oil was also determined. The essential oil and hydroalcoholic extract of this plant were administered intraperitoneally to male Syrian mice at various doses (100, 150 and 200 mg/kg of hydroalcoholic extract and 200 mg/kg of essential oil) 30 min before starting the experiment. The amount of hydroalcoholic extract was 18.6% w/w and the essential oil was 0.34% v/w. The major components of the essential oil were methyl chavicol (42.8%), geranial (13.0%), neral (12.2%) and β-caryophyllene (7.2%). HE at 150 and 200 mg/kg and EO at 200 mg/kg significantly increased the time passed in open arms in comparison to control group. This finding was not significant for the dose of 100 mg/kg of the extract. None of the dosages had significant effect on the number of entrance to the open arms. Moreover, both the hydroalcoholic extract and the essential oil decreased the locomotion of mice in comparison to the control group. This study shows the anxiolytic and sedative effect of hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of O. basilicum. The anti-anxiety and sedative effect of essential oil was higher than the hydroalcoholic extract with the same doses. These effects could be due to the phenol components of O. basilicum.

Studies on the biosorption of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions by using boiled mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum americanum.

PubMed

Lakshmanraj, Levankumar; Gurusamy, Ayyanar; Gobinath, M B; Chandramohan, R

2009-09-30

Investigations were carried out to study the chromium removal efficiency of boiled mucilaginous seeds of Ocimum americanum. Batch experiments were conducted to study the biosorption kinetics of chromium removal for the concentrations 10mg/L, 20mg/L and 40 mg/L of chromium(VI) solutions. The biosorbent dosage was 8 g dry seeds/L. The toxic hexavalent chromium was reduced to less toxic chromium(III) in the presence of seeds and the reduced chromium was adsorbed on the mucilage of seeds. Both the chromium(VI) and chromium(III) were present in the aqueous phase. The optimum chromium reduction and adsorption was observed at the pH value 1.5. The biosorption data fitted well with Langmuir isotherm. The biosorption capacity calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was q=32 mg chromium(III)/g of dry seeds. The continuous column study was also carried out at the flow rate of 27 mL/h for the initial concentration 25mg/L of chromium(VI) feed solution using a packed bed column filled with boiled mucilaginous seeds. The maximum reduction of chromium(VI) to chromium(III) in the packed bed was 80%. The percentage removal of reduced chromium from the aqueous solution was 56.25%. This value was maintained constant until 0.52 L of chromium(VI) solution was pumped through the packed bed column. Thus the naturally immobilized polysaccharides on the seeds mimic the microbial polysaccharides in terms of their ability to adsorb heavy metals with an added advantage of making the immobilization step unnecessary which is a major cost factor of the metal removal process when microbial exopolysaccharides used. The uniform size and spherical shape of swollen seeds give an additional advantage to use them in a packed bed column for continuous removal of chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions.

Alterations in blood pressure, antioxidant status and caspase 8 expression in cobalt chloride-induced cardio-renal dysfunction are reversed by Ocimum gratissimum and gallic acid in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Akinrinde, A S; Oyagbemi, A A; Omobowale, T O; Asenuga, E R; Ajibade, T O

2016-07-01

The protective abilities of the chloroform extract of Ocimum gratissimum (COG) and gallic acid against cobalt chloride (CoCl2) - induced cardiac and renal toxicity were evaluated. Rats were exposed to CoCl2 (350ppm) for 7 days, either alone, or in combination with COG (100 and 200mg/kg) or gallic acid (120mg/kg). CoCl2 given alone, caused significant increases (p<0.05) in oxidative stress parameters (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 and malondialdehyde, MDA) and increased expression of the apoptotic initiator caspase 8 in the heart and kidneys. There was significant reduction (p<0.05) in reduced glutathione (GSH) in cardiac and renal tissues; reduction in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the kidneys and adaptive increases in Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT). CoCl2 also produced significant reduction (p<0.05) in systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean arterial (MAP) blood pressures. Oral COG and gallic acid treatment significantly reduced (p<0.05) the levels of H2O2 and MDA; with reduced expression of caspase 8 and restoration of GSH levels, GPx, SOD and CAT activities, howbeit, to varying degrees in the heart and kidneys. COG (200mg/kg) was most effective in restoring the blood pressures in the rats to near control levels. CoCl2-induced histopathological lesions including myocardial infarction and inflammation and renal tubular necrosis and inflammation were effectively ameliorated by the treatments administered. This study provides evidence for the protective roles of O. gratissimum and gallic acid by modulation of CoCl2-induced alterations in blood pressure, antioxidant status and pro-apoptotic caspase 8 in Wistar rats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Ocimum suave Essential Oils against Uropathogens Isolated from Patients in Selected Hospitals in Bushenyi District, Uganda

PubMed Central

Tibyangye, Julius; Okech, Matilda Angela; Nyabayo, Josephat Maniga; Nakavuma, Jessica Lukanga

2015-01-01

Aims To determine antibacterial activity of Ocimum suave essential oils against bacterial uropathogens. Study Design A cross sectional and experimental study. Place and Duration of Study Six selected hospitals in Bushenyi District, Uganda between June 2012 and July 2013. Methodology Clean catch midstream urine samples were collected and inoculated on Cystine Lysine Electrolyte Deficient (CLED) agar. The plates were incubated at 37°C for 24hrs to 48hrs. The O. suave essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation of leaves for 4hrs using a Clevenger apparatus. The oil was collected and dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate (Na2SO4) and kept at 4°C till further use. The antimicrobial activity of O. suave essential oils against isolates was determined by agar well method. The MIC of O. suave essential oil extract was carried out by microbroth dilution method. Results Of the three hundred (300) midstream urine samples collected, 67(22.33%) had significant bacterial growth. Escherichia coli is the most common isolate (61.19%, n = 41). The essential oil from O. suave showed activity against isolates of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. feacalis, M. morganii, Citrobacter species, Enterobacter species and P. aeruginosa with mean zone of inhibition (ZI) ranging from 10–22 mm. The essential oils had no inhibitory activity on Acinetobacter species. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for O. suave essential oils ranged from 0.78 to 22 μg/ml. This study showed that O. suave essential oils had MIC value of 0.78 μg/ml against S. aureus and MIC values ranging from 3 to 22 μg/ml against the other tested isolates. Conclusion The most common uropathogen was E. coli (61.19% n = 41). O. suave essential oils exhibited antibacterial activity against majority of the uropathogens, except Acinetobacter species, mean ZI of 10–22 mm and MIC of 0.78 – 22 μg/ml. PMID:26120574

In-vivo study for anti-hyperglycemic potential of aqueous extract of Basil seeds (Ocimum basilicum Linn) and its influence on biochemical parameters, serum electrolytes and haematological indices.

PubMed

Chaudhary, Sachin; Semwal, Amit; Kumar, Hitesh; Verma, Harish Chandra; Kumar, Amit

2016-12-01

The study introduced anti-hyperglycemic influence of aqueous extract of Ocimum basilicum seeds (AEOBS) in Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats and estimating its potential to ameliorate altered level of biochemical parameters, serum electrolytes level and haematological indices along with its effect on body weight of treated rats. The albino rats were selected to observe oral glucose tolerance test by oral intake of aq. glucose solution (4g/kg, body weight) in normal rats and estimation of blood glucose level after administration of AEOBS at 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and standard drug glibenclamide at 0.6mg/kg, body weight. Antidiabetic activity was evaluated in chronic study models by STZ induced diabetes in rats followed by blood glucose estimation. Chronic study model was selected to carry out further studies to evaluate the effect of AEOBS at 250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and standard drug on body weight, alterations in biochemical parameters including AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin and total protein, alterations in serum electrolytes like Na + , K + , Cl - , HCO 3 - along with estimation of haematological indices like red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), lymphocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils. AEOBS significantly reduced the blood glucose level of diabetic rats at both doses. Body weight was also improved significantly. Similarly, the levels of biochemical parameters, serum electrolytes, and haematological indices were significantly ameliorated at both doses of AEOBS. The histopathological results revealed reconstitution of pancreatic islets towards normal cellular architecture in rats treated with AEOBS. The results illustrated that AEOBS have eminent antidiabetic potential in STZ effectuated diabetes in rats and can be extensively used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus-II and its associated complications including anaemia, diabetic nephropathy, liver dysfunction, and immunosuppression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of anxiolytic and sedative effect of essential oil and hydroalcoholic extract of Ocimum basilicum L. and chemical composition of its essential oil

PubMed Central

Rabbani, Mohammed; Sajjadi, Seyed Ebrahim; Vaezi, Arefeh

2015-01-01

Ocimum basilicum belongs to Lamiaceae family and has been used for the treatment of wide range of diseases in traditional medicine in Iranian folk medicine. Due to the progressive need to anti-anxiety medications and because of the similarity between O. basilicum and Salvia officinalis, which has anti-anxiety effects, we decided to investigate the anxiolytic and sedative activity of hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of O. basilicum in mice by utilizing an elevated plus maze and locomotor activity meter. The chemical composition of the plant essential oil was also determined. The essential oil and hydroalcoholic extract of this plant were administered intraperitoneally to male Syrian mice at various doses (100, 150 and 200 mg/kg of hydroalcoholic extract and 200 mg/kg of essential oil) 30 min before starting the experiment. The amount of hydroalcoholic extract was 18.6% w/w and the essential oil was 0.34% v/w. The major components of the essential oil were methyl chavicol (42.8%), geranial (13.0%), neral (12.2%) and β-caryophyllene (7.2%). HE at 150 and 200 mg/kg and EO at 200 mg/kg significantly increased the time passed in open arms in comparison to control group. This finding was not significant for the dose of 100 mg/kg of the extract. None of the dosages had significant effect on the number of entrance to the open arms. Moreover, both the hydroalcoholic extract and the essential oil decreased the locomotion of mice in comparison to the control group. This study shows the anxiolytic and sedative effect of hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of O. basilicum. The anti-anxiety and sedative effect of essential oil was higher than the hydroalcoholic extract with the same doses. These effects could be due to the phenol components of O. basilicum. PMID:26779273

Elevated CO2 induces a global metabolic change in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) and improves their biological activity.

PubMed

Al Jaouni, Soad; Saleh, Ahmed M; Wadaan, Mohammed A M; Hozzein, Wael N; Selim, Samy; AbdElgawad, Hamada

Many studies have discussed the influence of elevated carbon dioxide (eCO 2 ) on modeling and crop plants. However, much less effort has been dedicated to herbal plants. In this study, a robust monitoring for the levels of 94 primary and secondary metabolites and minerals in two medicinal herbs, basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), grwon under both ambient (aCO 2 , 360 ppm) and eCO 2 (620 ppm) was performed. We also assessed how the changes in herbal tissue chemistry affected their biological activity. Elevated CO 2 significantly increased herbal biomass, improved the rates of photosynthesis and dark respiration, and altered the tissue chemistry. Principal Component Analysis of the full data set revealed that eCO 2 induced a global change in the metabolomes of the two plants. Moreover, Hierarchical Clustering Analyses showed quantitative differences in the metabolic profiles of the two plants and in their responsiveness to eCO 2 . Out of 94 metabolites, 38 and 31 significantly increased in basil and peppermint, respectively, as affected by eCO 2 . Regardless of the plant species, the levels of non-structural carbohydrates, fumarate, glutamine, glutathione, ascorbate, phylloquinone (vitamin K1), anthocyanins and a majority of flavonoids and minerals were significantly improved by eCO 2 . However, some metabolites tended to show species specificity. Interestingly, eCO 2 caused enhancement in antioxidant, antiprotozoal, anti-bacterial and anticancer (against urinary bladder carcinoma; T24P) activities in both plants, which was consequent with improvement in the levels of antioxidant metabolites such as glutathione, ascorbate and flavonoids. Therefore, this study suggests that the metabolic changes triggered by eCO 2 in the target herbal plants improved their biological activities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Transfer of Downy Mildew Resistance from Wild Basil (Ocimum americanum) to Sweet Basil (O. basilicum).

PubMed

Ben-Naim, Yariv; Falach, Lidan; Cohen, Yigal

2018-01-01

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is susceptible to downy mildew caused by the oomycete foliar pathogen Peronospora belbahrii. No resistant varieties of sweet basil are commercially available. Here, we report on the transfer of resistance gene Pb1 from the highly resistant tetraploid wild basil O. americanum var. americanum (PI 500945, 2n = 4x = 48) to the tetraploid susceptible O. basilicum 'Sweet basil' (2n = 4x = 48). F1 progeny plants derived from the interspecific hybridization PI 500945 × Sweet basil were resistant, indicating that the gene controlling resistance (Pb1) is dominant, but sterile due to the genetic distance between the parents. Despite their sterility, F1 plants were pollinated with the susceptible parent and 115 first backcross generation to the susceptible parent (BCs1) embryos were rescued in vitro. The emerging BCs1 plants segregated, upon inoculation, 5:1 resistant/susceptible, suggesting that resistance in F1 was controlled by a pair of dominant genes (Pb1A and Pb1A'). Thirty-one partially fertile BCs1 plants were self-pollinated to obtain BCs1-F2 or were backcrossed to Sweet basil to obtain the second backcross generation to the susceptible parent (BCs2). In total, 1 BCs1-F2 and 22 BCs2 progenies were obtained. The BCs1-F2 progeny segregated 35:1 resistant/susceptible, as expected from a tetraploid parent with two dominant resistant genes. The 22 BCs2 progenies segregated 1:1 resistant/susceptible (for a BCs1 parent that carried one dominant gene for resistance) or 5:1 (for a BCs1 parent that carried two dominant genes for resistance) at a ratio of 4:1. The data suggest that a pair of dominant genes (Pb1A and Pb1A') residing on a two homeologous chromosomes is responsible for resistance of PI 500945 against P. belbahrii.

Effects of the exposure of TiO2 nanoparticles on basil (Ocimum basilicum) for two generations.

PubMed

Tan, Wenjuan; Du, Wenchao; Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony J; Hernandez-Viezcas, Jose A; Ye, Yuqing; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

2018-09-15

There is a lack of information about the transgenerational effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO 2 ) in plants. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of successive exposure of nano-TiO 2 with different surface properties to basil (Ocimum basilicum). Seeds from plants exposed or re-exposed to pristine, hydrophobic, or hydrophilic nano-TiO 2 were cultivated for 65 days in soil unamended or amended with 750 mg·kg -1 of the respective particles. Plant growth, concentration of titanium and essential elements, as well as content of carbohydrates and chlorophyll were evaluated. There were no differences on Ti concentration in roots of plants sequentially exposed to pristine or hydrophobic nano-TiO 2 , or in roots of plants exposed to the corresponding particle, only in the second cycle. However, sequential exposure to hydrophilic particles resulted in 65.2% less Ti in roots, compared to roots of plants exposed the same particles, only in the second cycle. The Ti concentrations in shoots were similar in all treatments. On the other hand, pristine and hydrophilic particles reduced Mg in root by 115% and 81%, respectively, while pristine and hydrophobic particles reduced Ni in shoot by 84% and 75%, respectively, compared to unexposed plants in both cycles. Sequential exposure to pristine nano-TiO 2 increased stomatal conductance (214%, p ≤ 0.10), compared to plants that were never exposed. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic nano-TiO 2 reduced chlorophyll b (52%) and total chlorophyll (30%) but increased total sugar (186%) and reducing sugar (145%), compared to unexposed plants in both cycles. Sequential exposure to hydrophobic or hydrophilic nano-TiO 2 resulted in more adverse effects on photosynthesis but in positive effects on plant growth, compared to pristine nano-TiO 2 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Repellent effect of sweet basil compounds on Ixodes ricinus ticks.

PubMed

Del Fabbro, Simone; Nazzi, Francesco

2008-08-01

Diseases transmitted by ticks are causing increasing concern in Europe and all around the world. Repellents are an effective measure for reducing the risk of tick bite; products based on natural compounds represent an interesting alternative to common synthetic repellents. In this study the repellency of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) was tested against the tick Ixodes ricinus L., by using a laboratory bioassay. A bioassay-assisted fractionation allowed the identification of a compound involved in the biological activity. Eugenol appeared to be as repellent as DEET at two tested doses. Linalool, which was identified in the active fraction too, failed to give any response. Repellency of eugenol was proved also in the presence of human skin odour using a convenient and practical bioassay.

Antibacterial effects of the essential oils of commonly consumed medicinal herbs using an in vitro model.

PubMed

Soković, Marina; Glamočlija, Jasmina; Marin, Petar D; Brkić, Dejan; van Griensven, Leo J L D

2010-10-27

The chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from 10 commonly consumed herbs: Citrus aurantium, C. limon, Lavandula angustifolia, Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha piperita, M. spicata, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum vulgare, Thymus vulgaris and Salvia officinalis have been determined. The antibacterial activity of these oils and their main components; i.e. camphor, carvacrol, 1,8-cineole, linalool, linalyl acetate, limonene, menthol, a-pinene, b-pinene, and thymol were assayed against the human pathogenic bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Micrococcus flavus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, S. epidermidis, S. typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus. The highest and broadest activity was shown by O. vulgare oil. Carvacrol had the highest antibacterial activity among the tested components.

Immunomodulatory and therapeutic potentials of herbal, traditional/indigenous and ethnoveterinary medicines.

PubMed

Mahima; Rahal, Anu; Deb, Rajib; Latheef, Shyma K; Abdul Samad, Hari; Tiwari, Ruchi; Verma, Amit Kumar; Kumar, Amit; Dhama, K

2012-08-15

Herbs/Botanical plants are considered as God's gift to human beings in the form of natural medicines, like the one well known "Sanjeevani booti" described in Hindu Mythology. The traditional and ethno-veterinary practices have been in use for centuries, transferring the knowledge from generation to generation and they are accessible, easy to prepare and administer, with little or no cost at all. Even though the modern developments in therapeutic field brought about a rapid decline in traditional medicine, the plant-based remedies are still having a crucial role as potential source of therapeutic aids in health systems all over the world for both humans and animals. Among the 21,000 medicinal plants listed by the World Health Organization (WHO), 2500 species are native to India, which stands first in the production of medicinal herbs. This innumerable treasure of medicinal herbs brings India the distinction of 'the botanical garden of the world'. Nowadays immune-based therapies are gaining more importance than monovalent approaches which are having limited benefits. Apart from the actions like treating diseases, control of ecto- and endo-parasites, fertility enhancement, bone setting and poor mothering management, an array of herbal medicines have been reported which are having immunomodulatory effects like modulation of cytokine secretion, histamine release, immunoglobulin secretion, class switching, cellular co-receptor expression, lymphocyte expression, phagocytosis and so on. The present article describes in brief few of these important ones viz., ashwagandha, amla, tulsi, arjuna, aloe vera, garlic, turmeric, ginger, shatavari, neem, guduchi, kiwifruit, tut, kamala, palashlata, kokilaksha etc. being used for human and animal health benefits.

Antisecretory activity of plants used to treat gastrointestinal disorders in Mexico.

PubMed

Velázquez, Claudia; Calzada, Fernando; Torres, Javier; González, Felipe; Ceballos, Guillermo

2006-01-03

Aqueous and methanolic extracts from 26 medicinal plants used in Mexico to treat gastrointestinal disorders were screened to evaluate their antisecretory activity on cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion in rat jejunal loops model. Extracts were tested at a dose of 300 mg/kg. From 56 samples tested, both extracts from Chiranthodendron pentadactylon, Hippocratea excelsa and Ocimum basilicum were the most potent with inhibition values ranging from 68.0 to 87.6%. On the other hand, the methanolic extract of Geranium mexicanum (aerial parts) and the aqueous extract of Bocconia frutescens showed the highest activity with inhibition values of 93.4 and 86.0%, respectively. The results obtained in this study give some scientific support to the use of the Mexican medicinal plants employed for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea.

Effect of traditional plants in Sri Lanka on skin keratinocyte count.

PubMed

Sano, Katsura; Someya, Takao; Hara, Kotaro; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Wijesekara, R G S

2018-06-01

This article describes the effects of extracts of several plants collected in Sri Lanka on the number of human skin keratinocytes. This study especially focuses on the plants traditionally used in indigenous systems of medicine in Sri Lanka, such as Ayurveda, as described below (English name, "local name in Sri Lanka," scientific name). Neem plant,"kohomba," Azadirachta indica (Sujarwo et al., 2016; Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [1,2], emblic myrobalan plant, "nelli," Phyllanthus emblica (Singh et al., 2011; Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [3,4], malabar nut plant, "adhatoda," Justicia adhatoda (Claeson et al., 2000; Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [5,6], holy basil plant, "maduruthala," Ocimum tenuiflorum ( Cohen et al., 2014; Nature's Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [7,8]. The expression profiles are provided as line graphs.

Bioefficacy of Some Egyptian Aromatic Plants on Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) Adults and Larvae

PubMed Central

El Zayyat, Elham A; Soliman, Mohammed I; Elleboudy, Noha A; Ofaa, Shaimaa E

2017-01-01

Background: Protecting the environment from chemical hazards of synthetic insecticides along with offering of new breeding areas for vectors by urbanization indicate the trial of natural insecticides. Methods: The acetone extracts of Anethum graveolens, Ocimum basilicum and Thymus vulgaris were tested for their insecticidal effect on Culex pipiens adults and larvae in different concentrations depending on the technique used. Results: The extracts were significantly effective in all models used with basil being the best in all tested three techniques (LC50= 0.064) in larval feeding, (LC50= 0.330) in CDC bottle assay and (LC50= 13.148) in adults feeding (P< 0.05). Conclusion: The results recommend the eco-friendly studied extracts as candidates for controlling Cx. pipiens the lymphatic filariasis vector. PMID:29026862

Antimutagenic activity of extracts of leaves of four common edible vegetable plants in Nigeria (west Africa).

PubMed

Obaseiki-Ebor, E E; Odukoya, K; Telikepalli, H; Mitscher, L A; Shankel, D M

1993-06-01

Organic solvent extracts of leaves of 4 common edible vegetable plants--Bryophyllum pinnatum, Dialium guincense, Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina--had inhibitory activity for His- to His+ reverse-mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate acting on Salmonella typhimurium TA100. The concentrated ethyl acetate, methanol and petroleum ether extracts were heat-stable when dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. The Bryophyllum ethyl acetate extract was fractionated into alkaloidal/water-soluble, acids, polar lipid and non-polar lipid fractions. The polar and non-polar lipid fractions inhibited reversion mutations induced by ethyl methanesulfonate acting on TA100 or TA102, and were also active against reversions induced by 4-nitro-O-phenylenediamine and 2-aminofluorene in TA98. The alkaloidal/water-soluble and the acid fractions had no appreciable antimutagenic activities.

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of thymol: A brief review of the literature.

PubMed

Marchese, Anna; Orhan, Ilkay Erdogan; Daglia, Maria; Barbieri, Ramona; Di Lorenzo, Arianna; Nabavi, Seyed Fazel; Gortzi, Olga; Izadi, Morteza; Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad

2016-11-01

Thymol (2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol) is the main monoterpene phenol occurring in essential oils isolated from plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family (Thymus, Ocimum, Origanum, and Monarda genera), and other plants such as those belonging to the Verbenaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Apiaceae families. These essential oils are used in the food industry for their flavouring and preservative properties, in commercial mosquito repellent formulations for their natural repellent effect, in aromatherapy, and in traditional medicine for the treatment of headaches, coughs, and diarrhea. Many different activities of thymol such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, local anaesthetic, antinociceptive, cicatrizing, antiseptic, and especially antibacterial and antifungal properties have been shown. This review aims to critically evaluate the available literature regarding the antibacterial and antifungal effects of thymol. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Leaves of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) and Prediction of Biological Activity of its Phytoconstituents

PubMed Central

Parasuraman, Subramani; Balamurugan, Subramani; Christapher, Parayil Varghese; Petchi, Rajendran Ramesh; Yeng, Wong Yeng; Sujithra, Jeyabalan; Vijaya, Chockalingam

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) and prediction of biological activities of its phytoconstituents using in vivo anti-diabetic model and in silico analysis respectively. Materials and Methods: The leaves of O. tenuiflorum were extracted with 60% ethanol, and the extract was used for further pharmacological screening. The acute toxicity of the extract was evaluated as per the guidelines set by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, revised draft guidelines 423. The oral anti-diabetic activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of O. tenuiflorum (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) was studied against streptozotocin (STZ) (50 mg/kg; i.p.) + nicotinamide (120 mg/kg; i.p.) induced diabetes mellitus. The animals were treated with the investigational plant extract and standard drug (glibenclamide) for 21 consecutive days and the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of O. tenuiflorum on blood glucose levels was measured at regular intervals. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected from all the animals for biochemical estimation, then the animals were sacrificed and the liver and kidney were collected for organ weight analysis. Prediction for pharmacological and toxicological properties of phytoconstituents of O. tenuiflorum was carried out using online web tools such as online pass prediction and lazar toxicity prediction. Results: The hydroalcoholic extract of O. tenuiflorum showed significant anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activity at 250 and 500 mg/kg, and this effect was comparable with that of glibenclamide. Predicted biological activities of phytoconstituents of O. tenuiflorum showed presence of various pharmacological actions, which includes anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities. Prediction of toxicological properties of phytoconstituents of O. tenuiflorum did not show any major toxic effects. Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic extract of O. tenuiflorum showed significant anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activity against STZ + nicotinamide induced diabetes mellitus in rats. Further studies are required to confirm the anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic activities of individual phytoconstituents of O. tenuiflorum. PMID:25829789

Herbivory by leaf-cutter ants changes the glandular trichomes density and the volatile components in an aromatic plant model

PubMed Central

Mayo Marques, Marcia Ortiz; Maria Rodrigues, Tatiane

2017-01-01

Abstract Herbivory can induce several structural and functional alterations in the plant secretory system. Glandular trichomes are the main sites of production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with several chemical properties in Lamiaceae species. Ocimum species usually have three morphotypes of glandular trichomes (morphotype I is peltate and has a wide four-celled head; morphotype II is capitate and has a unicellular head; and morphotype III is capitate with a bicellular head) which produce a great amount of terpenes, although other chemical categories of substances are also produced. Despite the abundance of trichomes producing important anti-herbivory components in their leaves, the association between Ocimum species and leaf-cutter ants has been commonly registered in Brazil. We investigated the effect of leaf-cutter ant attack on the density of the glandular trichomes and on the chemistry of the VOCs released from leaves of O. gratissimum. Plants were subjected to Acromyrmex rugosus attack until 90 % of leaves were removed. After 40 days from the leaf-cutter attack, both treatments were sampled. The glandular trichome density was analysed by scanning electron microscopy. The VOCs were extracted utilizing headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) technique and analysed by gas chromatography. Generally, the density of glandular trichomes increased in the adaxial leaf surface of the attacked plants. However, we bring novelties on this topic since we analysed the density of each morphotype separately. The morphotype I decreased in the abaxial leaf surface, and increased in the adaxial leaf surface; the morphotype II increased in both leaf surfaces; and the morphotype III decreased in the abaxial leaf surface and remained constant in the adaxial leaf surface of attacked plants. In leaves of attacked plants, the (Z)-β-ocimene increased by 50 %, the α-selinene by 13 % and the germacrene D by 126 %, whereas the eugenol decreased by 70 %. Our data point to a differential response of each glandular morphotype in O. gratissimum and are consistent with the idea of a compartmentalization of functions among the different glandular morphotypes in the plant defence against environmental factors. PMID:29218139

Monoterpenoid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Oswald, Marilyne; Fischer, Marc; Dirninger, Nicole; Karst, Francis

2007-05-01

Plant monoterpenoids belong to a large family of plant secondary metabolites with valuable applications in cosmetics and medicine. Their usual low levels and difficult purification justify the need for alternative fermentative processes for large-scale production. Geranyl diphosphate is the universal precursor of monoterpenoids. In yeast it occurs exclusively as an intermediate of farnesyl diphosphate synthesis. In the present study we investigated the potential use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an alternative engineering tool. The expression of geraniol synthase of Ocimum basilicum in yeast allowed a strong and specific excretion of geraniol to the growth medium, in contrast to mutants defective in farnesyl diphosphate synthase which excreted geraniol and linalool in similar amounts. A further increase of geraniol synthesis was obtained using yeast mutants defective in farnesyl diphosphate synthase. We also showed that geraniol synthase expression affects the general ergosterol pathway, but in a manner dependent on the genetic background of the strain.

Larvicidal effects of various Euro-Asiatic plants against Culex quinquefasciatus Say larvae (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Pavela, Roman

2008-02-01

Extracts from 56 species of plants in the Euro-Asiatic region were tested for larvicidal activity against the fourth larval instar of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae). All plant extracts showed larvicidal activity after 24 h of exposure to the plant extracts in a maximal dose of 500 ppm. The extracts of the plants Otanthus maritimus and Ammi visnaga displayed the highest larvicidal effect (LD(50) 7 and 9 ppm, respectively) followed by Acer pseudoplatanus, Humulus japonicus, Acer platanoides, Satureja hortensis, Ocimum basilicum and Thymus vulgaris (LD(50) 23, 25, 28, 28, 32 and 48 ppm respectively). For eight species, the appraisal value of LD(50) was between 51 and 100 ppm, another eight species from 101 to 200 ppm, 15 species from 201 to 500 ppm and for 17 species, low mortality showed no lethal dose (LD(50)>500 ppm).

Antileishmanial and antifungal activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Brazil.

PubMed

Braga, Fernanda G; Bouzada, Maria Lúcia M; Fabri, Rodrigo L; de O Matos, Magnum; Moreira, Francis O; Scio, Elita; Coimbra, Elaine S

2007-05-04

The antileishmanial and antifungal activity of 24 methanol extracts from 20 plants, all of them used in the Brazilian traditional medicine for the treatment of several infectious and inflammatory disorders, were evaluated against promastigotes forms of two species of Leishmania (L. amazonensis and L. chagasi) and two yeasts (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans). Among the 20 tested methanolic extracts, those of Vernonia polyanthes was the most active against L. amazonensis (IC(50) of 4 microg/ml), those of Ocimum gratissimum exhibited the best activity against L. chagasi (IC(50) of 71 microg/ml). Concerning antifungical activity, Schinus terebintifolius, O. gratissimum, Cajanus cajan, and Piper aduncum extracts were the most active against C. albicans (MIC of 1.25 mg/ml) whereas Bixa orellana, O. gratissimum and Syzygium cumini exhibited the best activity against C. neoformans (MIC of 0.078 mg/ml).

Engineering the Autotroph Methanococcus maripaludis for Geraniol Production.

PubMed

Lyu, Zhe; Jain, Rachit; Smith, Peyton; Fetchko, Travis; Yan, Yajun; Whitman, William B

2016-07-15

The rapid autotrophic growth of the methanogenic archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis on H2 and CO2 makes it an attractive microbial chassis to inexpensively produce biochemicals. To explore this potential, a synthetic gene encoding geraniol synthase (GES) derived from Ocimum basilicum was cloned into a M. maripaludis expression vector under selection for puromycin resistance. Recombinant expression of GES in M. maripaludis during autotrophic growth on H2/CO2 or formate yielded geraniol at 2.8 and 4.0 mg g(-1) of dry weight, respectively. The yield of geraniol decreased 2-3-fold when organic carbon sources were added to stimulate heterotrophic growth. In the absence of puromycin, geraniol production during autotrophic growth on formate increased to 4.6 mg g(-1) of dry weight. A conceptual model centered on the autotrophic acetyl coenzyme A biosynthetic pathway identified strategies to divert more autotrophic carbon flux to geraniol production.

The effect of drought stress on the expression of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and essential oil components in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Abdollahi Mandoulakani, Babak; Eyvazpour, Elham; Ghadimzadeh, Morteza

2017-07-01

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), a medicinal plant of the Lamiaceae family, is used in traditional medicine; its essential oil is a rich source of phenylpropanoids. Methylchavicol and methyleugenol are the most important constituents of basil essential oil. Drought stress is proposed to enhance the essential oil composition and expression levels of the genes involved in its biosynthesis. In the current investigation, an experiment based on a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications was conducted in the greenhouse to study the effect of drought stress on the expression level of four genes involved in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway in O. basilicum c.v. Keshkeni luvelou. The genes studied were chavicol O-methyl transferase (CVOMT), eugenol O-methyl transferase (EOMT), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate coA ligase (4CL), and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD). The effect of drought stress on the essential oil compounds and their relationship with the expression levels of the studied genes were also investigated. Plants were subjected to levels of 100%, 75%, and 50% of field capacity (FC) at the 6-8 leaf stage. Essential oil compounds were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) at flowering stage and the levels of gene expression were determind by real time PCR in plant leaves at the same stage. Results showed that drought stress increased the amount of methylchavicol, methyleugenol, β-Myrcene and α-bergamotene. The maximum amount of these compounds was observed at 50% FC. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that severe drought stress (50% FC) increased the expression level of CVOMT and EOMT by about 6.46 and 46.33 times, respectively, whereas those of CAD relatively remained unchanged. The expression level of 4CL and C4H reduced under drought stress conditions. Our results also demonstrated that changes in the expression levels of CVOMT and EOMT are significantly correlated with methylchavicol (r = 0.94, P ≤ 0.05) and methyleugenol (r = 0.98, P ≤ 0.05) content. Thus, drought stress probably increases the methylchavicol and methyleugenol content, in part, through increasing the expression levels of CVOMT and EOMT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of irradiation in medicinal and eatable herbs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koseki, Paula M.; Villavicencio, Anna Lúcia C. H.; Brito, Mônica S.; Nahme, Ligia C.; Sebastião, Kátia I.; Rela, Paulo R.; Almeida-Muradian, Ligia B.; Mancini-Filho, Jorge; Freitas, Paulo C. D.

2002-03-01

For ages, herbs have been used as medicine and food. Nowadays, the interest in phytotherapeutics is increasing as well as the consumer attention. Some biochemical compounds synthesized by plants as alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, essential oils, tannins and vitamins, influence the composition of these plant pharmacologicals, which may produce various reactions in the human body. The microbial contamination in these raw plant materials is common, and the radiation processing is one appropriate technique for the reduction of microorganism. In herbs used as food products, the changes in total β-carotene and flavonoids upon the radiation treatment were tested. The powdered and dehydrated herbs were irradiated with 60Co gamma rays applying doses of 0, 10, 20 and 30 kGy. The botanical species investigated were rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis Linné), watercress ( Nasturtium officinale R. Br), artichoke ( Cynara scolymus Linné) and sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum Linné). The alterations in the active principles in the herbs following increasing doses of radiation were analyzed employing various methods of extraction and chromatography.

Evaluation of ash from some tropical plants of Nigeria for the control of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

PubMed

Enikuomehin, O A; Ikotun, T; Ekpo, E J

1998-01-01

Eleven ash samples, from organs of nine tropical plants, were screened for their abilities to inhibit mycelial growth and sclerotial germination of a Nigerian isolate of Sclerotium rolfsii on agar and in the soil. Ten ash samples showed some activity against mycelial growth of S. rolfsii in vitro. Ash samples from Delonix regia stem wood, Mangifera indica leaf and Vernonia amygdalina leaf were most effective as each totally inhibited mycelial growth of S. rolfsii in vitro. Ocimum gratissimum leaf ash, D. regia wood ash and Musa paradisiaca flower bract ash inhibited sclerotial germination on agar. Nine ash samples protected seeds against pre-emergence rot. Ash from M. indica leaf, V. amygdalina leaf and Azadirachta indica leaf protected seedlings against post-emergence infection. Eichornia crassipes ash, which was ineffective in vitro, offered some protection to seeds in soil against pre-emergence rot. The study demonstrates potentials of ash samples from tropical plants in control of S. rolfsii on wheat.

Ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal flora used by the Caribs of Guatemala.

PubMed

Girón, L M; Freire, V; Alonzo, A; Cáceres, A

1991-09-01

An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Carib population of Guatemala in 1988-1989. In general terms, the sample surveyed possessed a relatively good standard of living. Results indicated that health services were utilized by the population, and that domestic medicine, mainly plants (96.9%) was used by 15% of the population. One hundred and nineteen plants used for medicinal purposes were collected, of which 102 (85.7%) could be identified; a list of these together with the information provided for each plant is presented. The most frequently reported plants used as medicine are: Acalypha arvensis, Cassia alata, Cymbopogon citratus, Melampodium divaricatum. Momordica charantia, Neurolaena lobata, Ocimum basilicum, Petiveria alliacea and Solanum nigrescens. Most of these plants are found in the region, but some are brought from the Highlands or outside of the country, such as Malva parviflora, Matricaria chamomilla, Peumus boldus, Pimpinella anisum, Rosmarinus officinalis and Tagetes lucida. This survey demonstrated that the Carib population of Guatemala has survived in a transcultural environment of African and native Amerindian beliefs.

Does antioxidant properties of the main component of essential oil reflect its antioxidant properties? The comparison of antioxidant properties of essential oils and their main components.

PubMed

Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Olszowy, Małgorzata

2014-01-01

This study discusses the similarities and differences between the antioxidant activities of some essential oils: thyme (Thymus vulgaris), basil (Ocimum basilicum), peppermint (Mentha piperita), clove (Caryophyllus aromaticus), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), sage (Salvia hispanica) and lemon (Citrus limon (L.) Burm.) and of their main components (thymol or estragole or menthol or eugenol or carvacrol or camphor or limonene) estimated by using 2,2'-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt and β-carotene bleaching assays. The obtained data show that the antioxidant properties of essential oil do not always depend on the antioxidant activity of its main component, and that they can be modulated by their other components. The conclusions concerning the interaction of essential oil components depend on the type of method applied for assessing the antioxidant activity. When comparing the antioxidant properties of essential oils and their main components, the concepts of synergism, antagonism and additivity are very relevant.

Activity of selected essential oils on spoiling fungi cultured from Marzolino cheese.

PubMed

Nardoni, Simona; D'Ascenzi, Carlo; Caracciolo, Irene; Mannaioni, Gaia; Papini, Roberto Amerigo; Pistelli, Luisa; Najar, Basma; Mancianti, Francesca

2018-06-20

Microscopic fungi can be present on a variety of foodstuff, including cheese. They can be responsible for fungal spoilage, causing sensory changes making food unacceptable for human consumption, and posing severe health concerns. Furthermore, some of these organisms are able to resist antimicrobial preservatives provided for by law. Antifungal activity of 15 chemically defined EOs, alone and in mixture, were checked by a microdilution test against isolates of Penicillium funiculosum and Mucor racemosus cultured from rinds of Marzolino, a typical Italian fresh pecorino cheese. Origanum vulgare yielded the lowest MIC values, followed by Salvia sclarea, Ocimum basilicum and Cymbopogon citratus, while Citrus paradisi and Citrus limon were not active. All mixtures showed antifungal activity at lower concentration with respect to MIC values of each EO component, when not in combination. This study is the first to describe the setting up of EOs mixtures to limit spoiling moulds.

Determination of the Wound Healing Potentials of Medicinal Plants Historically Used in Ghana

PubMed Central

Freiesleben, Sara H.; Soelberg, Jens; Nyberg, Nils T.

2017-01-01

The present study was carried out to investigate the wound healing potentials of 17 medicinal plants historically used in Ghana for wound healing. Warm and cold water extracts were prepared from the 17 dried plant species and tested in vitro in the scratch assay with NIH 3T3 fibroblasts from mice. The wound healing scratch assay was used to evaluate the effect of the plants on cell proliferation and/or migration in vitro, as a test for potential wound healing properties. After 21 hours of incubation increased proliferation and/or migration of fibroblasts in the scratch assay was obtained for 5 out of the 17 plant species. HPLC separation of the most active plant extract, which was a warm water extract of Philenoptera cyanescens, revealed the wound healing activity to be attributed to rutin and a triglycoside of quercetin. The present study suggests that Allophylus spicatus, Philenoptera cyanescens, Melanthera scandens, Ocimum gratissimum, and Jasminum dichotomum have wound healing activity in vitro. PMID:28326125

Effect of jasmonic acid elicitation on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of essential oil of lettuce leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Złotek, Urszula; Michalak-Majewska, Monika; Szymanowska, Urszula

2016-12-15

The effect of elicitation with jasmonic acid (JA) on the plant yield, the production and composition of essential oils of lettuce leaf basil was evaluated. JA-elicitation slightly affected the yield of plants and significantly increased the amount of essential oils produced by basil - the highest oil yield (0.78±0.005mL/100gdw) was achieved in plants elicited with 100μM JA. The application of the tested elicitor also influenced the chemical composition of basil essential oils - 100μM JA increased the linalool, eugenol, and limonene levels, while 1μM JA caused the highest increase in the methyl eugenol content. Essential oils from JA-elicited basil (especially 1μM and 100μM) exhibited more effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential; therefore, this inducer may be a very useful biochemical tool for improving production and composition of herbal essential oils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enantiomeric composition of (3R)-(-)- and (3S)-(+)-linalool in various essential oils of Indian origin by enantioselective capillary gas chromatography-flame ionization and mass spectrometry detection methods.

PubMed

Chanotiya, Chandan S; Yadav, Anju

2009-04-01

Enantiomeric ratios of linalool have been determined in various authentic essential oils of Indian origin using 10% heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl-6-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-cyclodextrin as a chiral stationary phase. A complete enantiomeric excess (ee) for (3S)-(+)-linalool was characteristic of Lippia alba and Cinnamomum tamala leaf oils while less than 90% excess was noticed in Zanthoxylum armatum leaf, Zingiber roseum root/rhizome and Citrus sinensis leaf oils. On the contrary, an enantiomeric excess of (3R)-(-)-linalool characterizes essential oils of basil (100% for Ocimum basilicum) and bergamot mint (72 to 75% for Mentha citrata). Notably, some essential oils containing both enantiomers in equal ratios or in racemic forms are rose, geranium, lemongrass and Origanum. The enantiomeric composition studies are discussed as indicators of origin authenticity and quality of essential oil of Indian origin.

Efficacy of herbal essential oils as insecticide against Aedes aegypti (Linn.), Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) and Anopheles dirus (Peyton and Harrison).

PubMed

Phasomkusolsil, Siriporn; Soonwera, Mayura

2011-09-01

The essential oils of Cananga odorata (ylang ylang), Citrus sinensis (orange), Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), Cymbopogon nardus (citronella grass), Eucalyptus citriodora (eucalyptus), Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) and Syzygium aromaticum (clove), were tested for their insecticide activity against Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles dirus using the WHO standard susceptibility test. These were applied in soybean oil at dose of 1%, 5% and 10% (w/v). C. citratus had the KT, values against the three mosquito species tested but the knockdown rates (at 10, 30 and 60 minutes) were lower than some essential oils. C. citratus oil had high insecticidal activity against Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus and An. dirus, with LC50 values of < 0.1, 2.22 and < 0.1%, respectively. Ten percent C. citratus gave the highest mortality rates (100%) 24 hours after application. This study demonstrates the potential for the essential oil of C. citratus to be used as an insecticide against 3 species of mosquitoes.

Evaluation of essential oils for maintaining postharvest quality of Thompson seedless table grape.

PubMed

Abdollahi, Ali; Hassani, Abbas; Ghosta, Youbert; Bernousi, Iraj; Meshkatalsadat, Mohammad Hadi; Shabani, Razieh; Ziaee, Seyed Masoud

2012-01-01

The effects of postharvest spraying of essential oils from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris) on fungal decay and quality parameters of the 'Thompson seedless' table grape stored at 0 ± 1°C for 60 days were evaluated. Results showed that the essential oils, especially of thyme and fennel, have a good inhibitory effect on the development of fungal decay in Thompson table grapes. In addition, essential oils reduced weight loss, berry and rachis browning and had no considerable adverse effect on the flavour of the fruits. GC-MS analysis showed that the main compounds identified in sweet basil, fennel, summer savory and thyme oils are linalool (65.25%), trans-anethole (64.72%), carvacrol (54.14%) and β-ocimene (12.62%), respectively. Therefore, these essential oils have good potential for use as an alternative to synthetic fungicides for the preservation and storage of table grapes.

Musca domestica laboratory susceptibility to three ethnobotanical culinary plants.

PubMed

El Zayyat, Elham A; Soliman, Mohammed I; Elleboudy, Noha A; Ofaa, Shaimaa E

2015-10-01

Throughout history, synanthropic Musca domestica had remained a worldwide problem whenever poor sanitation and bad hygienic conditions exists. Houseflies growing resistance to chemical insecticides are a rising environmental problem that necessitates search for alternatives. Mentha cervina, Ocimum basilicum, and Coriandrum sativum were tested for bioactivity on M. domestica adults and larvae. They are culinary Mediterranean plants. In adulticidal bioassay, using both CDC bottles and fumigation techniques, basil was the most effective extract with LC50 1.074 and 34.996 g/L, respectively. Concerning larvicidal bioassay by fumigation technique, coriander had the highest toxicity index with LC50 29.521 g/L. In both dipping and feeding technique, basil had the highest toxicity with LC50 32.643 and 0.749 g/L, respectively. Basil showed the highest toxicity results in four out of the five models tested followed by coriander then mint; this result highlights the potentiality of basil as a green insecticide in management of flies and opens new insight in the industrialization of basil-based fly control products.

Basil Downy Mildew (Peronospora belbahrii): Discoveries and Challenges Relative to Its Control.

PubMed

Wyenandt, Christian A; Simon, James E; Pyne, Robert M; Homa, Kathryn; McGrath, Margaret T; Zhang, Shouan; Raid, Richard N; Ma, Li-Jun; Wick, Robert; Guo, Li; Madeiras, Angela

2015-07-01

Basil (Ocimum spp.) is one of the most economically important and widely grown herbs in the world. Basil downy mildew, caused by Peronospora belbahrii, has become an important disease in sweet basil (O. basilicum) production worldwide in the past decade. Global sweet basil production is at significant risk to basil downy mildew because of the lack of genetic resistance and the ability of the pathogen to be distributed on infested seed. Controlling the disease is challenging and consequently many crops have been lost. In the past few years, plant breeding efforts have been made to identify germplasm that can be used to introduce downy mildew resistance genes into commercial sweet basils while ensuring that resistant plants have the correct phenotype, aroma, and tastes needed for market acceptability. Fungicide efficacy studies have been conducted to evaluate current and newly developed conventional and organic fungicides for its management with limited success. This review explores the current efforts and progress being made in understanding basil downy mildew and its control.

Toxicity of some plant extracts against vector of lymphatic filariasis, Culex pipiens.

PubMed

Hasaballah, Ahmed I

2015-04-01

Many insecticides are generally used as larvicides to control Culex pipiens, vector of lymphatic filariasis. This study was undertaken to evaluate the larvicidal activity of some potential larvicidal plants extracts against C. pipiens larvae. The toxic effects of both ethanolic and petroleum ether plant extracts were evaluated under laboratory conditions against 3rd instar larvae of C. pipiens. Forty ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts of 10 plants namely Echinochloa stagninum, Phragmites australis, Eichhornia crassipes, Rhizophora mucronata, Cichorium intybus, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, Azadirachta indica, Rosmarinus officinalis and Nigella sativa. On the basis of LC50, the toxic effect of the plant extracts tested varied depending on the plant species, part, solvent used in extraction and the extract concentrations. The petroleum ether extraction was more effective against mosquito as compared with ethanolic extraction. The most effective plant extract was A. indica followed by Ph. australis, N. sativa, C. intybus, R. officinalis, O. basilicum, O. majorana, E. stagninum, Rh. Mucronata and E. crassipes.

Unravelling the secret of seed-based gels in water: the nanoscale 3D network formation.

PubMed

Samateh, Malick; Pottackal, Neethu; Manafirasi, Setareh; Vidyasagar, Adiyala; Maldarelli, Charles; John, George

2018-05-09

Chia (Salvia hispanica) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) seeds have the intrinsic ability to form a hydrogel concomitant with moisture-retention, slow releasing capability and proposed health benefits such as curbing diabetes and obesity by delaying digestion process. However, the underlying mode of gelation at nanoscopic level is not clearly explained or explored. The present study elucidates and corroborates the hypothesis that the gelling behavior of such seeds is due to their nanoscale 3D-network formation. The preliminary study revealed the influence of several conditions like polarity, pH and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity on fiber extrusion from the seeds which leads to gelation. Optical microscopic analysis clearly demonstrated bundles of fibers emanating from the seed coat while in contact with water, and live growth of fibers to form 3D network. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies confirmed 3D network formation with fiber diameters ranging from 20 to 50 nm.

Traditional Mediterranean plants: characterization and use of an essential oils mixture to treat Malassezia otitis externa in atopic dogs.

PubMed

Nardoni, Simona; Pistelli, Luisa; Baronti, Ilenia; Najar, Basma; Pisseri, Francesca; Bandeira Reidel, Rose Vanessa; Papini, Roberto; Perrucci, Stefania; Mancianti, Francesca

2017-08-01

Several plants extracts from Mediterranean countries are traditionally employed in skin troubles both in humans and in animals. Malassezia pachydermatis is a lipophylic yeast responsible for otitis externa and dermatitis in dogs and for cutaneous and systemic disease in humans. Five mixtures of essential oils obtained from Mediterranean plants (Citrus paradisi, Salvia sclarea, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Citrus limon, Anthemis nobilis, Lavandula hybrida and Thymus vulgaris) provided with antifungal and/or anti-inflammatory action assayed in vitro, were tested in vivo versus M. pachydermatis to treat once daily for 2 weeks 25 atopic dogs with Malassezia otitis externa. Mixture composed by C. limon 1%, S. sclarea 0,5%, R. officinalis 1%, A. nobilis 0,5% yielded excellent results in all treated dogs. Despite of clinical resolution after all treatments the number of blastospores did not decrease. This study confirms recent findings suggesting a multifactorial alternative approach for the management of canine Malassezia otitis.

Foliar sprays of citric acid and salicylic acid alter the pattern of root acquisition of some minerals in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)

PubMed Central

Ghazijahani, Noushin; Hadavi, Ebrahim; Jeong, Byoung R.

2014-01-01

The effect of foliar application of two levels of citric acid (CA; 0 and 7 mM) and two levels of salicylic acid (SA; 0 and 1 mM) combined with two levels of nutrient solution strength (full strength and half strength) on mineral acquisition by sweet basil were investigated. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design arrangement with three replications. SA alone reduced the plant height and thickened the stem. Plants supplied with a full strength solution had a ticker stem, produced more biomass, and showed higher values of Fv/Fm. Some changes in the uptake pattern of some nutrients, especially boron and sulfur, were noticed. Higher boron concentrations in leaves were in plants sprayed with a combination of 7 mM CA and 1 mM of SA. Applying combination of CA and SA was more effective than using them individually that suggests an effective synergism between them. PMID:25400645

Characterization of organic and conventional sweet basil leaves using chromatographic and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprints combined with principal component analysis

PubMed Central

Lu, Yingjian; Gao, Boyan; Chen, Pei; Charles, Denys; Yu, Liangli (Lucy)

2014-01-01

Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum., is one of the most important and wildly used spices and has been shown to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-diarrheal activities. In this study, high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting techniques were used to differentiate organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the fingerprints indicated that both HPLC and FIMS fingerprints could effectively detect the chemical differences in the organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples. This study suggested that the organic basil sample contained greater concentrations of almost all the major compounds than its conventional counterpart on a per same botanical weight basis. The FIMS method was able to rapidly differentiate the organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples (1 min analysis time), whereas the HPLC fingerprints provided more information about the chemical composition of the basil samples with a longer analytical time. PMID:24518341

Characterisation of organic and conventional sweet basil leaves using chromatographic and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprints combined with principal component analysis.

PubMed

Lu, Yingjian; Gao, Boyan; Chen, Pei; Charles, Denys; Yu, Liangli Lucy

2014-07-01

Sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum, is one of the most important and wildly used spices and has been shown to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-diarrheal activities. In this study, high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting techniques were used to differentiate organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the fingerprints indicated that both HPLC and FIMS fingerprints could effectively detect the chemical differences in the organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples. This study suggested that the organic basil sample contained greater concentrations of almost all the major compounds than its conventional counterpart on a per same botanical weight basis. The FIMS method was able to rapidly differentiate the organic and conventional sweet basil leaf samples (1min analysis time), whereas the HPLC fingerprints provided more information about the chemical composition of the basil samples with a longer analytical time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stomatal density and metabolic determinants mediate salt stress adaptation and water use efficiency in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Barbieri, Giancarlo; Vallone, Simona; Orsini, Francesco; Paradiso, Roberta; De Pascale, Stefania; Negre-Zakharov, Florence; Maggio, Albino

2012-11-15

Increasing salinity tolerance and water-use efficiency in crop plants are two major challenges that agriculture must face in the next decades. Many physiological mechanisms and molecular components mediating crop response to environmental stresses have been identified. However, the functional inter-links between stress adaptation responses have not been completely understood. Using two basil cultivars (Napoletano and Genovese) with contrasting ability to respond to salt stress, here we demonstrate that reduced stomatal density, high ascorbate level and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity coordinately contribute to improve basil adaptation and water use efficiency (WUE) in saline environment. The constitutively reduced stomatal density was associated with a "delayed" accumulation of stress molecules (and growth inhibiting signals) such as abscisic acid (ABA) and proline, in the more tolerant Genovese. Leaf volatile profiling also revealed cultivar-specific patterns, which may suggest a role for the volatile phenylpropanoid eugenol and monoterpenes in conferring stress tolerance via antioxidant and signalling functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effect of cultivar on phenolic levels, anthocyanin composition, and antioxidant properties in purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Flanigan, Patrick M; Niemeyer, Emily D

2014-12-01

In this study, we determined the effect of cultivar on total and individual anthocyanin concentrations and phenolic acid levels in eight purple basil varieties and examined the relationship between anthocyanin content, phenolic acid composition, and antioxidant properties. Cultivar had a significant influence on total anthocyanin concentrations as well as individual anthocyanin composition. The four major basil anthocyanins (labelled A-D) were quantified and cultivar had a statistically significant effect on anthocyanins B (p<0.01), C (p<0.01), and D (p<0.01), but not on anthocyanin A (p=0.94). Cultivar did not have a significant effect on total phenolic levels, although it did influence the concentration of some individual phenolic acids, including caftaric (p=0.03) and chicoric (p=0.04) acids. Although total phenolic and anthocyanin levels correlated with measured FRAP antioxidant capacities, for some cultivars the individual phenolic acid and anthocyanin composition was also an important factor affecting the antioxidant properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Diversity in Basil (Ocimum sp.) Germplasm

PubMed Central

da Costa, Andréa Santos; Arrigoni-Blank, Maria de Fátima; de Carvalho Filho, José Luiz Sandes; de Santana, Aléa Dayane Dantas; Santos, Darlisson de Alexandria; Alves, Péricles Barreto; Blank, Arie Fitzgerald

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to chemically characterize 31 accessions and seven cultivars of basil. The percentage composition of the essential oils of the accessions and cultivars was based on the 14 most abundant constituents: 1,8-cineole, linalool, methyl chavicol, neral, nerol, geraniol, geranial, methyl cinnamate, β-bourbonene, methyl eugenol, α-trans-bergamotene, germacrene-D, epi-α-cadinol, and δ-cadinene. The genetic materials were classified into eight clusters according to the chemical composition of the essential oils: Cluster 1—mostly linalool and 1,8-cineole; Cluster 2—mostly linalool, geraniol, and α-trans-bergamotene; Cluster 3—mostly linalool, methyl chavicol, methyl cinnamate, and β-bourbonene; Cluster 4—mostly linalool, methyl chavicol, epi-α-cadinol, and α-trans-bergamotene; Cluster 5—mainly linalool, methyl eugenol, α-trans-bergamotene, and epi-α-cadinol; Cluster 6—mainly linalool, geraniol, and epi-α-cadinol; Cluster 7—mostly linalool and methyl chavicol; Cluster 8—mainly geranial and neral. PMID:25629084

The Roles of a Flavone-6-Hydroxylase and 7-O-Demethylation in the Flavone Biosynthetic Network of Sweet Basil*

PubMed Central

Berim, Anna; Gang, David R.

2013-01-01

Lipophilic flavonoids found in the Lamiaceae exhibit unusual 6- and 8-hydroxylations whose enzymatic basis is unknown. We show that crude protein extracts from peltate trichomes of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars readily hydroxylate position 6 of 7-O-methylated apigenin but not apigenin itself. The responsible protein was identified as a P450 monooxygenase from the CYP82 family, a family not previously reported to be involved in flavonoid metabolism. This enzyme prefers flavones but also accepts flavanones in vitro and requires a 5-hydroxyl in addition to a 7-methoxyl residue on the substrate. A peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) homolog displayed identical substrate requirements, suggesting that early 7-O-methylation of flavones might be common in the Lamiaceae. This hypothesis is further substantiated by the pioneering discovery of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent flavone demethylase activity in basil, which explains the accumulation of 7-O-demethylated flavone nevadensin. PMID:23184958

Antioxidant potentiality of three herbal teas consumed in Bandundu rural areas of Congo.

PubMed

Kapepula, Paulin Mutwale; Mbombo Mungitshi, Patricia; Franck, Thierry; Mouithys-Mickalad, Ange; Mumba Ngoyi, Dieudonné; Kalenda, Pascal Dibungi T; Kabamba Ngombe, Nadege; Serteyn, Didier; Tits, Monique; Frédérich, Michel; Tamfum Muyembe, Jean-Jacques

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cellular antioxidant activities of Lantana montevidensis, Lippia multiflora, and Ocimum gratissimum leaves often consumed as herbal teas in a rural area of Bandundu severely affected by konzo, which is related to oxidative damage. Consequently, dietary supplements with proven antioxidant potentialities could be of real interest to promote in this area. Phytochemical screening by TLC and HPLC-DAD of extracts revealed the presence of verbascoside as a major phenolic compound. Verbascoside in L. montevidensis and O. gratissimum is reported here for the first time. All extracts displayed high ABTS and DPPH radical-scavenging activities at the concentration range of 1-40 μg mL -1 according to order: L. multiflora > O. gratissimum > L. montevidensis. L. multiflora showed the best cellular antioxidant activity using DCFH-DA on HL-60 monocytes assay at 1-20 μg mL -1 . These herbal teas may be used as nutraceuticals for their potent antioxidant activity.

Fresh, dried or smoked? repellent properties of volatiles emitted from ethnomedicinal plant leaves against malaria and yellow fever vectors in Ethiopia

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the search for plant-based mosquito repellents, volatile emanations were investigated from five plant species, Corymbia citriodora, Ocimum suave, Ocimum lamiifolium, Olea europaea and Ostostegia integrifolia, traditionally used in Ethiopia as protection against mosquitoes. Methods The behaviour of two mosquitoes, the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis and the arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, was assessed towards volatiles collected from the headspace of fresh and dried leaves, and the smoke from burning the dried leaves in a two-choice landing bioassay and in the background of human odour. Results Volatile extracts from the smoke of burning dried leaves were found to be more repellent than those from fresh leaves, which in turn were more repellent to mosquitoes than volatiles from dried leaves. Of all smoke and fresh volatile extracts, those from Co. citriodora (52-76%) and Oc. suave (58-68%) were found to be the most repellent, Os. integrifolia (29-56%) to be intermediate while Ol. europaea (23-40%) and Os. integrifolia (19-37%) were the least repellent. One volatile present in each of the fresh leaf extracts of Co. citriodora, Oc. suave and Os. integrifolia was ß-ocimene. The levels of ß-ocimene reflected the mosquito repellent activity of these three fresh leaf extracts. Female host-seeking mosquitoes responded dose-dependently to ß-ocimene, both physiologically and behaviourally, with a maximal behavioural repulsion at 14% ß-ocimene. ß-ocimene (14%) repels mosquitoes in our 6-minute landing assays comparable to the synthetic insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (10% DEET). Conclusions Volatiles in the smoke of burning as well as fresh leaves of Co. citriodora and Oc. suave have significant repellent properties against host seeking An. arabiensis and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. ß-ocimene, present in the fresh leaf headspace of Co. citriodora, Oc. suave and Os. integrifolia, is a significantly effective volatile mosquito repellent in the laboratory. In addition to its repellent properties, ß-ocimene has long approved safe for use in food and cosmetics, making this volatile an intriguing compound to pursue in further tests in the laboratory and field to validate its mosquito repellent activity and potential for use in a commercial product. Also, the landing bioassay with humanised membranes is a potentially useful repellent screening technique that does not require the exposure of humans to the vectors, however further tests in parallel with conventional techniques are advised. PMID:22182798

Growth, physiological, antioxidants, and immune response of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.), to dietary clove basil, Ocimum gratissimum, leaf extract and its susceptibility to Listeria monocytogenes infection.

PubMed

Abdel-Tawwab, Mohsen; Adeshina, Ibrahim; Jenyo-Oni, Adetola; Ajani, Emmanuel K; Emikpe, Benjami O

2018-04-26

Clove basil, Ocimum gratissimum, is a native plant to Africa and grows virtually in tropical and subtropical regions. It has good aroma and its leaves have become used as a spicy and in traditional medicine. The use of plant leaves in fish diets may deteriorate their growth because it may content anti-nutritional factors. Thus, it is better to use plants leaves extract. In the current study, clove basil leaves extract (CBLE) was administrated to African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (B.) to evaluate its effect on growth performance, physiological, antioxidants, and innate immunity variables. Fish (10.7 ± 0.5 g) were fed on diets enriched with 0.0, 5, 10, or 15 g CBLE/kg diet for 12 weeks. After the feeding trial, fish were further exposed to pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes) for 14 days. Fish performance and feed intake were significantly enhanced with increasing CBLE levels and its optimum level is found to be 12 g/kg diet. It is noticed that the dietary CBLE in African catfish diets increased significantly the intestinal villi length, villi width, and absorption area in a dose-dependent manner and fish weight was highly correlated with villi length, villi width, and absorption area (R 2 = 0.91, 0.91, and 0.92, respectively). On the other side, Dietary CBLE has significant modulatory effect on hemato- and physiological variables of African catfish in a dose-dependent manner. In this regard, blood glucose and cholesterol levels decreased significantly; mean while total protein, albumin, and globulin increased significantly in fish fed high CBLE levels (10-15 g/kg diet). Furthermore, activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, and creatinine levels were significantly elevated with increasing dietary CBLE levels and their maximum values were detected in fish fed 15 g CBLE/kg diet. Antioxidants and immunity variables were significantly enhanced by CBLE supplementation. Additionally, fish mortality after bacterial challenge was highest in fish fed the control diet (85%) than those fed CBLE-enriched diets. The lowest fish mortality was observed in fish fed 15 g CBLE/kg diet (13.5%). This study evoked that CBLE administration enhanced the performance, feed utilization, antioxidant, and innate immunity properties of African catfish with optimum level of 12 g/kg diet. Also, its supplementation enhanced fish challenge against L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fresh, dried or smoked? Repellent properties of volatiles emitted from ethnomedicinal plant leaves against malaria and yellow fever vectors in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Dube, Fitsum Fikru; Tadesse, Kassahun; Birgersson, Göran; Seyoum, Emiru; Tekie, Habte; Ignell, Rickard; Hill, Sharon R

2011-12-19

In the search for plant-based mosquito repellents, volatile emanations were investigated from five plant species, Corymbia citriodora, Ocimum suave, Ocimum lamiifolium, Olea europaea and Ostostegia integrifolia, traditionally used in Ethiopia as protection against mosquitoes. The behaviour of two mosquitoes, the malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis and the arbovirus vector Aedes aegypti, was assessed towards volatiles collected from the headspace of fresh and dried leaves, and the smoke from burning the dried leaves in a two-choice landing bioassay and in the background of human odour. Volatile extracts from the smoke of burning dried leaves were found to be more repellent than those from fresh leaves, which in turn were more repellent to mosquitoes than volatiles from dried leaves. Of all smoke and fresh volatile extracts, those from Co. citriodora (52-76%) and Oc. suave (58-68%) were found to be the most repellent, Os. integrifolia (29-56%) to be intermediate while Ol. europaea (23-40%) and Os. integrifolia (19-37%) were the least repellent. One volatile present in each of the fresh leaf extracts of Co. citriodora, Oc. suave and Os. integrifolia was ß-ocimene. The levels of ß-ocimene reflected the mosquito repellent activity of these three fresh leaf extracts. Female host-seeking mosquitoes responded dose-dependently to ß-ocimene, both physiologically and behaviourally, with a maximal behavioural repulsion at 14% ß-ocimene. ß-ocimene (14%) repels mosquitoes in our 6-minute landing assays comparable to the synthetic insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (10% DEET). Volatiles in the smoke of burning as well as fresh leaves of Co. citriodora and Oc. suave have significant repellent properties against host seeking An. arabiensis and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. ß-ocimene, present in the fresh leaf headspace of Co. citriodora, Oc. suave and Os. integrifolia, is a significantly effective volatile mosquito repellent in the laboratory. In addition to its repellent properties, ß-ocimene has long approved safe for use in food and cosmetics, making this volatile an intriguing compound to pursue in further tests in the laboratory and field to validate its mosquito repellent activity and potential for use in a commercial product. Also, the landing bioassay with humanised membranes is a potentially useful repellent screening technique that does not require the exposure of humans to the vectors, however further tests in parallel with conventional techniques are advised.

Improvement in Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids Production and Pharmaceutical Quality of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by Ultraviolet-B Irradiation.

PubMed

Ghasemzadeh, Ali; Ashkani, Sadegh; Baghdadi, Ali; Pazoki, Alireza; Jaafar, Hawa Z E; Rahmat, Asmah

2016-09-09

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus) is aromatic herb that has been utilized in traditional medicine. To improve the phytochemical constituents and pharmaceutical quality of sweet basil leaves, ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation at different intensities (2.30, 3.60, and 4.80 W/m²) and durations (4, 6, 8, and 10-h) was applied at the post-harvest stage. Total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) were measured using spectrophotometric method, and individual flavonoids and phenolic acids were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. As a key enzyme for the metabolism of flavonoids, chalcone synthase (CHS) activity, was measured using a CHS assay. Antioxidant activity and antiproliferative activity of extracts against a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) were evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays and MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays, respectively. UV-B irradiation at an intensity of 3.60 W/m² increased TFC approximately 0.85-fold and also increased quercetin (0.41-fold), catechin (0.85-fold), kaempferol (0.65-fold) rutin (0.68-fold) and luteolin (1.00-fold) content. The highest TPC and individual phenolic acid (gallic acid, cinnamic acid and ferulic acid) was observed in the 3.60 W/m² of UV-B treatment. Cinnamic acid and luteolin were not detected in the control plants, production being induced by UV-B irradiation. Production of these secondary metabolites was also significantly influenced by the duration of UV-B irradiation. Irradiation for 8-h led to higher TFC, TPC and individual flavonoids and phenolic acids than for the other durations (4, 8, and 10-h) except for cinnamic acid, which was detected at higher concentration when irradiated for 6-h. Irradiation for 10-h significantly decreased the secondary metabolite production in sweet basil leaves. CHS activity was induced by UV-B irradiation and highest activity was observed at 3.60 W/m² of UV-B irradiation. UV-B treated leaves presented the highest DPPH activity and antiproliferative activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 56.0 and 40.8 µg/mL, respectively, over that of the control plants (78.0 and 58.2 µg/mL, respectively). These observations suggest that post-harvest irradiation with UV-B can be considered a promising technique to improve the healthy-nutritional and pharmaceutical properties of sweet basil leaves.

Ocimum basilicum miRNOME revisited: A cross kingdom approach.

PubMed

Patel, Maulikkumar; Patel, Shanaya; Mangukia, Naman; Patel, Saumya; Mankad, Archana; Pandya, Himanshu; Rawal, Rakesh

2018-05-15

O. basilicum is medicinally important herb having inevitable role in human health. However, the mechanism of action is largely unknown. Present study aims to understand the mechanism of regulation of key human target genes that could plausibly modulated by O. basilicum miRNAs in cross kingdom manner using computational and system biology approach. O. basilicum miRNA sequences were retrieved and their corresponding human target genes were identified using psRNA target and interaction analysis of hub nodes. Six O. basilicum derived miRNAs were found to modulate 26 human target genes which were associated `with PI3K-AKTand MAPK signaling pathways with PTPN11, EIF2S2, NOS1, IRS1 and USO1 as top 5 Hub nodes. O. basilicum miRNAs not only regulate key human target genes having a significance in various diseases but also paves the path for future studies that might explore potential of miRNA mediated cross-kingdom regulation, prevention and treatment of various human diseases including cancer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of six international basil cultivars.

PubMed

Elansary, Hosam O; Mahmoud, Eman A

2015-01-01

The total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents in leaves extracts of Ocimum basilicum (OB) (Lamiaceae) international cultivars, as well as their overall antioxidant activities using DPPH and linoleic acid assays, were investigated. Furthermore, the antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities against line HeLa, MCF-7, Jurkat, HT-29, T24, MIAPaCa-2 cancer cells and one normal human cell line HEK-293 were examined. DPPH and linoleic acid assays ranged from 75.8% to 93.3% and from 74.5% to 97.1%; respectively. O. b. 'purple ruffle', O. b. 'dark opale', O. b. 'genovese', O. b. 'anise', O. b. 'bush green' and O. b. L. (OBL) varied in their antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities, influenced cell cycle progression and stimulated apoptosis in most cancer cells. OBL exhibited the highest antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. OB extracts not only improve taste but also have certain anticancer activity against diverse cancer cells due to the presence of compounds such as rosmarinic acid, chicoric acid and caftaric acid. Thus, OB represents a potent source of anticancer materials.

Novel synthesis and characterization of Ag@TiO2 core shell nanostructure for non-enzymatic glucose sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

T, Dayakar; Venkateswara Rao, K.; Vinodkumar, M.; Bikshalu, K.; Chakradhar, B.; Ramachandra Rao, K.

2018-03-01

Ag@TiO2 core-shell nano composite (ATCSNC) were synthesized by using Ocimum tenuiflorum leaves extract through a simple one-step hydrothermal route for Non-enzymatic glucose sensing material. The prepared NCs were characterized and found high crystallinity, red shift absorbance, interface-bonding parameters, rough surface and network like microstructure through XRD, Uv-vis, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. The prepared ATCSNC have been used for fabrication of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and the same was applied to test its electro catalytic activity of glucose in 0.1 M NaOH. The promising results were recorded for ATCSNC/GCE with a high sensitivity (1968.72 μAm M-1cm-2), wide linear range (1 μM-8.1 mM), good response time (3 s), and excellent low detection limit (0.19 μM, S/N = 3). Furthermore, the designed sensor exhibits admirable stability and reproducibility, as well as attractive achievability for real sample analysis. As such, the proposed ATCSNC could be highly beneficial in the development of sustainable and eco-friendly glucose sensing devices.

Chemical composition and repellency of essential oils from four medicinal plants against Ixodes ricinus nymphs (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

El-Seedi, Hesham R; Khalil, Nasr S; Azeem, Muhammad; Taher, Eman A; Göransson, Ulf; Pålsson, Katinka; Borg-Karlson, Anna-Karin

2012-09-01

In our search for effective tick repellents from plant origin, we investigated the effect of essential oils of four medicinal and culinary plants belonging to the family Lamiaceae on nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus (L.). The essential oils of the dry leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) (L.), Mentha spicata (Spearmint) (L.), Origanum majorana (Majoram) (L.), and Ocimum basilicum (Basil) (L.) were isolated by steam distillation and 15 microg/cm2 concentration of oils was tested against ticks in a laboratory bioassay. The oils of R. officinalis, M. spicata, and O. majorana showed strong repellency against the ticks 100, 93.2, and 84.3%, respectively, whereas O. basilicum only showed 64.5% repellency. When tested in the field, the oils of R. officinalis and M. spicata showed 68.3 and 59.4% repellency at a concentration of 6.5 microg/cm2 on the test cloths. The oils were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and the major compounds from the most repellent oils were 1,8-cineole, camphor, linalool, 4-terpineol, borneol, and carvone.

The effects of plant growth regulators and L-phenylalanine on phenolic compounds of sweet basil.

PubMed

Koca, Nülüfer; Karaman, Şengül

2015-01-01

The effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA), spermine (Spm), epibrassinolide (EBL) and l-phenylalanine on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were studied to determine the amount of phenolic compounds and enzymatic activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of sweet basils were determined by a spectrophotometer, and individual phenolic compounds and activity of PAL were analysed by HPLC/UV. The highest total phenolic (6.72 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid contents (0.92 mg QE/g) obtained from 1.0 mM Spm+MeJA application. Rosmarinic acid (RA) and caffeic acid contents significantly enhanced after the applications but no such differences observed in chicoric acid content or PAL activity. RA was the main phenolic acid in all samples and its concentration varied from 1.04 to 2.70 mg/gFW. As a result the combinations of Spm+MeJA and EBL+MeJA can induce secondary metabolites effectively and those interactions play important role in the production of phytochemicals in plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rhogostomidae (Cercozoa) from soils, roots and plant leaves (Arabidopsis thaliana): Description of Rhogostoma epiphylla sp. nov. and R. cylindrica sp. nov.

PubMed

Dumack, Kenneth; Flues, Sebastian; Hermanns, Karoline; Bonkowski, Michael

2017-08-01

Cercozoa are a highly diverse protist phylum in soils and in the phyllosphere of plants. Many families are still poorly described and the vast majority of species are still unknown. Although testate amoebae are among the better-studied protists, only little quantitative information exists on the morphology, phylogeny and ecology of cercozoan Rhogostomidae. We cultured four different strains of Rhogostoma spp. isolated from Arabidopsis leaves, agricultural soil and rhizosphere soil of Ocimum basilicum and Nicotiana sp. We describe Rhogostoma epiphylla sp. nov. and R. cylindrica sp. nov. and present their morphology, studied their food spectra in food range experiments and obtained two SSU rDNA gene sequences resulting in an updated thecofilosean phylogeny. Short generation times, desiccation resistance and the ability to prey on a wide range of algae and yeasts from the phyllosphere were seen as crucial traits for the phyllosphere colonization by Rhogostoma. In contrast, the soil-dwelling R. cylindrica did not feed on eukaryotes in our experiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Application of response surface methodology to optimize pressurized liquid extraction of antioxidant compounds from sage (Salvia officinalis L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Hossain, M B; Brunton, N P; Martin-Diana, A B; Barry-Ryan, C

2010-12-01

The present study optimized pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) conditions using Dionex ASE® 200, USA to maximize the antioxidant activity [Ferric ion Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP)] and total polyphenol content (TP) of the extracts from three spices of Lamiaceae family (sage, basil and thyme). Optimal conditions with regard to extraction temperature (66-129 °C) and solvent concentration (32-88% methanol) were identified using response surface methodology (RSM). For all three spices, results showed that 129 °C was the optimum temperature with regard to antioxidant activity. Optimal methanol concentrations with respect to the antioxidant activity of sage and basil extracts were 58% and 60% respectively. Thyme showed a different trend with regard to methanol concentration and was optimally extracted at 33%. Antioxidant activity yields of the optimal PLE were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than solid/liquid extracts. Predicted models were highly significant (p < 0.05) for both total phenol (TP) and FRAP values in all the spices with high regression coefficients (R(2)) ranging from 0.651 to 0.999.

Extraction optimization of mucilage from Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds using response surface methodology.

PubMed

Nazir, Sadaf; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Masoodi, Farooq Ahmad

2017-05-01

Aqueous extraction of basil seed mucilage was optimized using response surface methodology. A Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) for modeling of three independent variables: temperature (40-91 °C); extraction time (1.6-3.3 h) and water/seed ratio (18:1-77:1) was used to study the response for yield. Experimental values for extraction yield ranged from 7.86 to 20.5 g/100 g. Extraction yield was significantly ( P  < 0.05) affected by all the variables. Temperature and water/seed ratio were found to have pronounced effect while the extraction time was found to have minor possible effects. Graphical optimization determined the optimal conditions for the extraction of mucilage. The optimal condition predicted an extraction yield of 20.49 g/100 g at 56.7 °C, 1.6 h, and a water/seed ratio of 66.84:1. Optimal conditions were determined to obtain highest extraction yield. Results indicated that water/seed ratio was the most significant parameter, followed by temperature and time.

The effect of different solvents and number of extraction steps on the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum L.) extracts.

PubMed

Złotek, Urszula; Mikulska, Sylwia; Nagajek, Małgorzata; Świeca, Michał

2016-09-01

The objectives of this study were to determine best conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds from fresh, frozen and lyophilized basil leaves. The acetone mixtures with the highest addition of acetic acid extracted most of the phenolic compounds when fresh and freeze-dried material have been used. The three times procedure was more effective than once shaking procedure in most of the extracts obtained from fresh basil leaves - unlike the extracts derived from frozen material. Surprisingly, there were not any significant differences in the content of phenolics between the two used procedures in the case of lyophilized basil leaves used for extraction. Additionally, the positive correlation between the phenolic compounds content and antioxidant activity of the studied extracts has been noted. It is concluded that the acetone mixtures were more effective than the methanol ones for polyphenol extraction. The number of extraction steps in most of the cases was also a statistically significant factor affecting the yield of phenolic extraction as well as antioxidant potential of basil leaf extracts.

Eugenol and isoeugenol, characteristic aromatic constituents of spices, are biosynthesized via reduction of a coniferyl alcohol ester

PubMed Central

Koeduka, Takao; Fridman, Eyal; Gang, David R.; Vassão, Daniel G.; Jackson, Brenda L.; Kish, Christine M.; Orlova, Irina; Spassova, Snejina M.; Lewis, Norman G.; Noel, Joseph P.; Baiga, Thomas J.; Dudareva, Natalia; Pichersky, Eran

2006-01-01

Phenylpropenes such as chavicol, t-anol, eugenol, and isoeugenol are produced by plants as defense compounds against animals and microorganisms and as floral attractants of pollinators. Moreover, humans have used phenylpropenes since antiquity for food preservation and flavoring and as medicinal agents. Previous research suggested that the phenylpropenes are synthesized in plants from substituted phenylpropenols, although the identity of the enzymes and the nature of the reaction mechanism involved in this transformation have remained obscure. We show here that glandular trichomes of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), which synthesize and accumulate phenylpropenes, possess an enzyme that can use coniferyl acetate and NADPH to form eugenol. Petunia (Petunia hybrida cv. Mitchell) flowers, which emit large amounts of isoeugenol, possess an enzyme homologous to the basil eugenol-forming enzyme that also uses coniferyl acetate and NADPH as substrates but catalyzes the formation of isoeugenol. The basil and petunia phenylpropene-forming enzymes belong to a structural family of NADPH-dependent reductases that also includes pinoresinol–lariciresinol reductase, isoflavone reductase, and phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase. PMID:16782809

Anti-Advanced Glycation End-product and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Plants from the Yucatecan Flora

PubMed Central

Dzib-Guerra, Wendy del C.; Escalante-Erosa, Fabiola; García-Sosa, Karlina; Derbré, Séverine; Blanchard, Patricia; Richomme, Pascal; Peña-Rodríguez, Luis M.

2016-01-01

Background: Formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) is recognized as a major pathogenic process in diabetic complications, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, reactive oxygen species and free radicals have also been reported to participate in AGE formation and in cell damage. Natural products with antioxidant and antiAGE activity have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and related complications. Objective: to test ethanolic extracts and aqueous-traditional preparations of plants used to treat diabetes, hypertension and obesity in Yucatecan traditional medicine for their anti-AGE and free radical scavenging activities. Materials and Methods: ethanolic extracts of leaves, stems and roots of nine medicinal plants, together with their traditional preparations, were prepared and tested for their anti-AGE and antioxidant activities using the inhibition of advanced glycation end products and DPPH radical scavenging assays, respectively. Results: the root extract of C. fistula (IC50= 0.1 mg/mL) and the leaf extract of P. auritum (IC50= 0.35 mg/mL) presented significant activity against vesperlysine and pentosidine-like AGE. Although none of the aqueous traditional preparations showed significant activity in the anti-AGE assay, both the traditional preparations and the ethanolic extracts of E. tinifolia, M. zapota, O. campechianum and P. auritum showed significant activity in the DPPH reduction assay. Conclusions: the results suggest that the metabolites responsible for the detected radical-scavenging activity are different to those involved in inhibiting AGE formation; however, the extracts with antioxidant activity may contain other metabolites which are able to prevent AGE formation through a different mechanism. SUMMARY Ethanolic extracts from nine plants used to treat diabetes, hypertension and obesity in Yucatecan traditional medicine were tested for their anti-AGE and free radical scavenging activities.Significant activity against vesperlysine and pentosidine-like AGE was detected in the root extract of Cassia fistula and the leaf extract of Piper auritum.Traditional preparations and the ethanolic extracts of Ehretia tinifolia, Manilkara zapota, Ocimum campechianum and Piper auritum showed significant activity in the DPPH reduction assay.Results suggest that the metabolites responsible for the detected radical-scavenging activity are different to those involved in inhibiting AGE formation. Abbreviations Used: AGE: Advanced glycation end-product; DPPH: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DM: Diabetes mellitus; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; BSA: Bovine serum albumin; EtOH: Ethanol; EtOAc: Ethyl acetate; ANOVA: Analysis of variance; BA: Brosimum alicastrum; BS: Bunchosia swartziana; CF: Cassia fistula; CN: Cocos nucifera; ET: Ehretia tinifolia; MZ: Manilkara zapota; OC: Ocimum campechianum; PA: Piper auritum; RM: Rhizophora mangle; L: Leaves; S: Stems; R: Roots; T: traditional preparation; I: Inflorescences; W: Water PMID:27695268

Anti-Advanced Glycation End-product and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Plants from the Yucatecan Flora.

PubMed

Dzib-Guerra, Wendy Del C; Escalante-Erosa, Fabiola; García-Sosa, Karlina; Derbré, Séverine; Blanchard, Patricia; Richomme, Pascal; Peña-Rodríguez, Luis M

2016-01-01

Formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) is recognized as a major pathogenic process in diabetic complications, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, reactive oxygen species and free radicals have also been reported to participate in AGE formation and in cell damage. Natural products with antioxidant and antiAGE activity have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and related complications. Objective: to test ethanolic extracts and aqueous-traditional preparations of plants used to treat diabetes, hypertension and obesity in Yucatecan traditional medicine for their anti-AGE and free radical scavenging activities. ethanolic extracts of leaves, stems and roots of nine medicinal plants, together with their traditional preparations, were prepared and tested for their anti-AGE and antioxidant activities using the inhibition of advanced glycation end products and DPPH radical scavenging assays, respectively. the root extract of C. fistula (IC 50 = 0.1 mg/mL) and the leaf extract of P. auritum (IC 50 = 0.35 mg/mL) presented significant activity against vesperlysine and pentosidine-like AGE. Although none of the aqueous traditional preparations showed significant activity in the anti-AGE assay, both the traditional preparations and the ethanolic extracts of E. tinifolia, M. zapota, O. campechianum and P. auritum showed significant activity in the DPPH reduction assay. the results suggest that the metabolites responsible for the detected radical-scavenging activity are different to those involved in inhibiting AGE formation; however, the extracts with antioxidant activity may contain other metabolites which are able to prevent AGE formation through a different mechanism. Ethanolic extracts from nine plants used to treat diabetes, hypertension and obesity in Yucatecan traditional medicine were tested for their anti-AGE and free radical scavenging activities.Significant activity against vesperlysine and pentosidine-like AGE was detected in the root extract of Cassia fistula and the leaf extract of Piper auritum .Traditional preparations and the ethanolic extracts of Ehretia tinifolia, Manilkara zapota, Ocimum campechianum and Piper auritum showed significant activity in the DPPH reduction assay.Results suggest that the metabolites responsible for the detected radical-scavenging activity are different to those involved in inhibiting AGE formation. Abbreviations Used : AGE: Advanced glycation end-product; DPPH: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; DM: Diabetes mellitus; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; BSA: Bovine serum albumin; EtOH: Ethanol; EtOAc: Ethyl acetate; ANOVA: Analysis of variance; BA: Brosimum alicastrum ; BS: Bunchosia swartziana ; CF: Cassia fistula ; CN: Cocos nucifera ; ET: Ehretia tinifolia ; MZ: Manilkara zapota ; OC: Ocimum campechianum ; PA: Piper auritum ; RM: Rhizophora mangle ; L: Leaves; S: Stems; R: Roots; T: traditional preparation; I: Inflorescences; W: Water.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by traditional health practitioners in Thanchi, Bandarban Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Kadir, Mohammad Fahim; Bin Sayeed, Muhammad Shahdaat; Setu, Nurul Islam; Mostafa, Asif; Mia, M M K

2014-08-08

There is very limited information regarding plants used by traditional healers in Bandarban Hill Tracts (BHT), Bangladesh for treating general as well as complex ailments. Current study provides significant ethnopharmacological information, both qualitative and quantitative on medical plants in BHT. Aim of the study This study aimed to collect, analyze and evaluate the rich ethnopharmacologic knowledge on medicinal plants in Thanchi, BHT and attempted to identify the important species used in traditional medicine. Further analysis was done by comparison of the traditional medicinal use of the plants with the available scientific literature data. The field survey was carried out in a period of several years in Thanchi upazilla of Bandarban districts, Bangladesh. A total of 53 Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) were interviewed through open-ended and semi structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. This ethnomedicinal knowledge was compared against the available scientific literature for reports of related uses and studies of phytochemical compounds responsible for respective ailments. A total of 84 species of plants, mostly herbs, belonging to 42 families were identified for the treatment of 70 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 16 categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and juice is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. The most common mode of administration was oral ingestion and topical application. Informant consensus factor (Fic) values of the present study reflected the high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of digestive system and respiratory system disorders among the informants. Diseases of the digestive system had highest use-reports and 3 species of plants, namely Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. (dysentery), Justicia gendarussa L. (asthma) and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (coughing) had the highest fidelity level (FL) of 100%. Clerodendrum viscosum Vent., Achyranthes aspera L and Justicia gendarussa L. showed the highest relative importance (RI) value of 1.86. According to use value (UV) the most important species were Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (2.24) and Achyranthes aspera L. (2.15). Priority should be given for further phytochemical investigation to plants that scored highest FL, Fic, UV or RI values, as such values could be considered as good indicator of prospective plants for discovering new drugs. Since knowledge regarding traditional medicine being vulnerable day by day so traditional medicine in school curricula should be incorporated so that younger people could appreciate its usefulness. Also counseling of THPs and gardening of medicinal plants should be taken into consideration immediately in order to smooth continuance and extension of traditional medical knowledge and practice for ensuring safe and effective therapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engine of life and big bang of evolution: a personal perspective.

PubMed

Barber, James

2004-01-01

Photosystem II (PS II) is the engine for essentially all life on our planet and its beginning 2.5 billion years ago was the 'big bang of evolution.' It produces reducing equivalents for making organic compounds on an enormous scale and at the same time provides us with an oxygenic atmosphere and protection against UV radiation (in the form of the ozone layer). In 1967, when I began my career in photosynthesis research, little was known about PS II. The Z-scheme had been formulated [Hill and Bendall (1960) Nature 186: 136-137] and Boardman and Anderson [(1964) Nature 203: 166-167] had isolated PS II as a discrete biochemical entity. PS II was known not only to be the source of oxygen but of variable chlorophyll fluorescence [Duysens and Sweers (1963) In: Studies on Microalgae and Photosynthetic Bacteria, pp. 353-372. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo] and delayed chlorophyll fluorescence [Arnold and Davidson (1954) J Gen Physiol 37: 677-684]. P680 had just been discovered [Döring et al. (1967) Z Naturforsch 22b: 639-644]. No wonder the 'black box of PS II' was described at that time by Bessel Kok and George Cheniae [Current Topics in Bioenergetics 1: 1-47 (1966)] as the 'inner sanctum of photosynthesis.' What a change in our level of understanding of PS II since then! The contributions of many talented scientists have unraveled the mechanisms and structural basis of PS II function and we are now very close to revealing the molecular details of the remarkable and thermodynamically demanding reaction which it catalyzes, namely the splitting of water into its elemental constituents. It has been a privilege to be involved in this journey.

Technoeconomic evaluation of urban plant factories: The case of basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Liaros, Stelios; Botsis, Konstantinos; Xydis, George

2016-06-01

Greece is currently in a turmoil, experiencing the effects of more than half a decade of economic crisis. Public health and welfare, jobs and wages, labor market concerning employment as long as employability of the work force, inequality, life satisfaction and housing, tourism and environment, economic and energy poverty are heavily impacted by Greece's disadvantageous economic situation. Real estate market could not have gotten away from the financial commotion, being currently in a halt after years of rapid decline. Fired from the present situation of Greece's real estate market, the present study is concerned with the investigation of alternative ways to support the local real estate market. With respect to sustainable development's ethics, the development, implementation, installation and operation of small, inexpensive plant factories within the urban environment is evaluated. Installations such are those, will encourage the penetration of a new market for the untapped buildings' resource, advancing new investing opportunities, promoting economic growth and productivity while creating a new labor market. The study will rely on the basic principles of Life Cycle Costing Assessment and develop a methodology upon which different scenarios will be evaluated against the "Do Nothing" scenario. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trace metal uptake by garden herbs and vegetables.

PubMed

Shariatpanahi, M; Anderson, A C; Mather, F

1986-12-01

In many regions of Iran, crops are irrigated with municipal and industrial wastewater that contain a variety of metals. The purpose of this study was to simulate the level of metals that may be presented to plants over a growing season in a controlled laboratory setting. Cadmium, lead, arsenic, chromium, mercury, nickel, copper, zinc, and selenium were applied to plants at the high rate of 200 g metal/ha/wk. The following plants were examined for metal accumulation and effects on yield: garden cress (Lipidium sativum), leek (Allium porrum L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), mint (Mentha arvensis L.), onion (Allium capa L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and tarragon (Artemisia draculus L.). All plants showed significant uptake of all metals when compared to control (p=0.05), and growth was significantly reduced (p=0.05). Cadmium and chromium levels of 85±7.4 and 47.6±8.9 μg/g); selenium levels were highest in tarragon (16.5±5.8 μg/g). Zinc levels were similar (p=0.05) in all species tested, as were mercury and lead. The remaining metals (nickel and copper) showed significant differences in uptake, depending on plant species.

The Effect of Organic Fertilizers and Flowering Plants on Sheet-Web and Wolf Spider Populations (Araneae: Lycosidae and Linyphiidae) and Its Importance for Pest Control

PubMed Central

El-Nabawy, El-Said M.; Tsuda, Katsuo; Sakamaki, Yositaka; Oda, Asahi; Ushijima, Yurie

2016-01-01

The main goal of this study was to identify the treatment that increases the populations of spiders, which are effective predators in agroecosystems. In 2013 and 2014 the experimental eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) field was two different treatments, organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizer treatment, and in 2014 we surrounded organic fertilizer plots with the flowering plants mealy cup sage (Salvia farinacea Benth.), spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Analysis using repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant influences of fertilizer type on the numbers of linyphiid spiders and Collembola in 2013. In 2014, the numbers of Collembola, thrips, and lycosid and linyphiid spider were higher in organic fertilizer with flowering plants treatment comparing with the chemical fertilizer treatment. Moreover, the numbers of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) were significantly lower in the organic fertilizer with flowering plants treatment than in chemical fertilizers treatment. Finally, we expect that Thysanoptera and Collembola were important alternative prey for linyphiid and lycosid spiders and the use of organic fertilizer and flowering plants enhanced the density of these spiders, and may increase their effectiveness in suppressing the populations of H. vigintioctopunctata (F.). PMID:28076280

In Vitro Activity of Twenty Commercially Available, Plant-Derived Essential Oils against Selected Dermatophyte Species.

PubMed

Nardoni, Simona; Giovanelli, Silvia; Pistelli, Luisa; Mugnaini, Linda; Profili, Greta; Pisseri, Francesca; Mancianti, Francesca

2015-08-01

The in vitro activity of twenty chemically defined essential oils (EOs) obtained from Boswellia sacra, Citrus bergamia, C. limon, C. medica, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Eucalyptus globulus, Foeniculum vulgare, Helichrysum italicum, Illicium verum, Litsea cubeba, Mentha spicata, Myrtus communis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum majorana, O. vulgare, Pelargonium graveolens, Rosmarinus officinalis, Santalum album, Satureja montana, and Thymus serpyllum was assayed against clinical animal isolates of Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. erinacei, T. terrestre and Microsporum gypseum, main causative agents of zoonotic and/or environmental dermatophytoses in humans. Single main components present in high amounts in such EOs were also tested. Different dermatophyte species showed remarkable differences in sensitivity. In general, more effective EOs were T. serpyllum (MIC range 0.025%-0.25%), O. vulgare (MIC range 0.025%-0.5%) and L. cubeba (MIC range 0.025%-1.5%). F. vulgare showed a moderate efficacy against geophilic species such as M gypseum and T terrestre. Among single main components tested, neral was the most active (MIC and MFC values 5 0.25%). The results of the present study seem to be promising for an in vivo use of some assayed EOs.

Protection of cadmium chloride induced DNA damage by Lamiaceae plants

PubMed Central

Thirugnanasampandan, Ramaraj; Jayakumar, Rajarajeswaran

2011-01-01

Objective To analyze the total phenolic content, DNA protecting and radical scavenging activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of three Lamiaceae plants, i.e. Anisomelos malabarica (A. malabarica), Leucas aspera (L. aspera) and Ocimum basilicum (O. basilicum). Methods The total polyphenols and flavonoids were analyzed in the ethanolic leaf extracts of the lamiaceae plants. To determine the DNA protecting activity, various concentrations of the plant extracts were prepared and treated on cultured HepG2 human lung cancer cells. The pretreated cells were exposed to H2O2 to induce DNA damage through oxidative stress. Comet assay was done and the tail length of individual comets was measured. Nitric oxide and superoxide anion scavenging activities of lamiaceae plants were analyzed. Results Among the three plant extracts, the highest amount of total phenolic content was found in O. basilicum (189.33 mg/g), whereas A. malabarica showed high levels of flavonoids (10.66 mg/g). O. basilicum also showed high levels of DNA protecting (85%) and radical scavenging activity. Conclusions The results of this study shows that bioactive phenols present in lamiaceae plants may prevent carcinogenesis through scavenging free radicals and inhibiting DNA damage. PMID:23569799

Phytochemistry and nematicidal activity of the essential oils from 8 Greek Lamiaceae aromatic plants and 13 terpene components.

PubMed

Ntalli, Nikoletta G; Ferrari, Federico; Giannakou, Ioannis; Menkissoglu-Spiroudi, Urania

2010-07-14

Eight essential oils (EOs) as well as 13 single terpenes were studied for their nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita , for three immersion periods (24, 48, and 96 h). The EOs were isolated from eight Greek Lamiaceae species: Melissa officinalis , Sideritis clandestina , Origanum dictamnus , Ocimum basilicum , Mentha pulegium , Origanum vulgare , Vitex agnus castus , and Salvia officinalis . The EOs nematicidal activity was correlated to their chemical composition as well as to the pure terpenes' activity tested individually. Clear dose and time response relationships were established. The EOs of O. vulgare, O. dictamnus, M. pulegium, and M. officinalis exhibited high nematicidal activity against M. incognita, and the EC(50) values (96 h) were calculated at 1.55, 1.72, 3.15, and 6.15 muL/mL, respectively. The activity of the nematicidal terpenes was found to decrease in the order l-carvone, pulegone, trans-anethole, geraniol, eugenol, carvacrol, thymol, terpinen-4-ol, and the respective EC(50) values (24 h) were calculated in the range of 115-392 mug/mL. Terpenes tested individually were more active than as components in EO, implementing antagonistic action.

Larvicidal and antifeedant activity of some plant-derived compounds to Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Limantriidae).

PubMed

Kostić, Miroslav; Popović, Zorica; Brkić, Dejan; Milanović, Slobodan; Sivcev, Ivan; Stanković, Sladjan

2008-11-01

Ethanol solutions of essential oil of Ocimum basilicum and its main component, linalool (both isomer forms), all in three concentrations, as well as botanical standard Bioneem (0.5%), were tested for their toxicity and antifeedant activity against the second instar gypsy moth larvae in the laboratory bioassay. The essential oil of O. basilicum was subjected to gas chromatography analysis, and totally 37 compounds were detected, of which linalool was predominantly present. All tested solutions showed low to moderate larvicidal effect in both residual toxicity test and in chronic larval mortality bioassay. Chronic mortality tests showed that obtained mortality was a consequence of starving rather than ingestion of treated leaves. However, antifeedant index achieved by application of tested solutions in feeding choice assay was remarkable. Foliar application of all tested compounds deterred feeding by L2 in the same percent as Bioneem. Antifeedant index was relatively high at all tested treatments (85-94%); moreover, the larval desensitization to repelling volatiles has not occurred after five days of observation. Low toxic and high antifeedant properties make these plant-derived compounds suitable for incorporation in integrated pest management programs, especially in urban environments.

Chemical composition and assessment of larvicidal and repellent capacity of 14 Lamiaceae essential oils against Aedes albopictus.

PubMed

Giatropoulos, Athanassios; Kimbaris, Athanasios; Michaelakis, Αntonios; Papachristos, Dimitrios P; Polissiou, Moschos G; Emmanouel, Nickolaos

2018-06-01

In the current laboratory study, 14 essential oils (EOs) derived from 12 Lamiaceae plant species and their major components were screened for their larvicidal and repellent properties against Aedes albopictus, an invasive mosquito species of great medical importance. The results of toxicity bioassays revealed that the EOs from Thymus vulgaris, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum dictamnus, Origanum majorana, and Origanum vulgare, as well as their major components (terpenes), namely thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene exerted the highest larvicidal effect. Essential oils from Mellisa officinalis, Origanum dictamus, Mentha spicata (chem. piperitenone epoxide), Origanum majorana, and Satureja thymbra were the most potent repellents, with the last two assigned as the best ones. Among the terpenes tested, piperitenone epoxide, carvacrol, thymol, and piperitenone provided the highest level of protection against Ae. albopictus adults. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of a high number of terpenes in the EOs, while in most cases, the biological action of the tested EOs and their major components was in consistency. The most effective EOs and terpenes that were identified through the current laboratory bioassays could be used as alternative agents to control larvae and repel adults of Ae. albopictus.

Insect repellent activity of medicinal plant oils against Aedes aegypti (Linn.), Anopheles minimus (Theobald) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say based on protection time and biting rate.

PubMed

Phasomkusolsil, Siriporn; Soonwera, Mayura

2010-07-01

This study investigated insect bite protection and length of the protection with 30 repellents which were divided into 3 categories: plant oil, essential oil and essential oil with ethyl alcohol, tested against three mosquito species, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles minimus and Culex quinquefasciatus, under laboratory conditions. The plant oil group was comprised of Phlai (Zingiber cassumunar) and Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum). Both substances were effective as repellents and feeding deterrents against An. minimus (205 minutes protection time and a biting rate of 0.9%), Cx. quinquefasciatus (165 minutes protection time and 0.9% biting rate) and Ae. aegypti (90 minutes protection time and 0.8% biting rate). Essential oil from citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus) exhibited protection against biting from all 3 mosquito species: for An. minimus, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Ae. aegypti, the results were 130 minutes and 0.9%, 140 minutes and 0.8%, and 115 minutes and 0.8%, respectively. The period of protection time against Ae. aegypti for all repellent candidates tested was lower than the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) determined time of greater than 2 hours.

In vitro antifugal activity of medicinal plant extract against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race 3 the causal agent of tomato wilt.

PubMed

Isaac, G S; Abu-Tahon, M A

2014-03-01

Medicinal plant extracts of five plants; Adhatoda vasica, Eucalyptus globulus, Lantana camara, Nerium oleander and Ocimum basilicum collected from Cairo, Egypt were evaluated against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race 3 in vitro conditions using water and certain organic solvents. The results revealed that cold distilled water extracts of O. basilicum and E. globulus were the most effective ones for inhibiting the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Butanolic and ethanolic extracts of the tested plants inhibited the pathogen growth to a higher extent than water extracts. Butanolic extract of O. basilicum completely inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici at concentrations 1.5 and 2.0% (v/v). Butanolic extracts (2.0%) of tested plants had a strong inhibitory effect on hydrolytic enzymes; β-glucosidase, pectin lyase and protease of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. This study has confirmed that the application of plant extracts, especially from O. basilicum for controlling F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici is environmentally safe, cost effective and does not disturb ecological balance. Investigations are in progress to test the efficacy of O. basilicum extract under in vivo conditions.

A De Novo-Assembly Based Data Analysis Pipeline for Plant Obligate Parasite Metatranscriptomic Studies.

PubMed

Guo, Li; Allen, Kelly S; Deiulio, Greg; Zhang, Yong; Madeiras, Angela M; Wick, Robert L; Ma, Li-Jun

2016-01-01

Current and emerging plant diseases caused by obligate parasitic microbes such as rusts, downy mildews, and powdery mildews threaten worldwide crop production and food safety. These obligate parasites are typically unculturable in the laboratory, posing technical challenges to characterize them at the genetic and genomic level. Here we have developed a data analysis pipeline integrating several bioinformatic software programs. This pipeline facilitates rapid gene discovery and expression analysis of a plant host and its obligate parasite simultaneously by next generation sequencing of mixed host and pathogen RNA (i.e., metatranscriptomics). We applied this pipeline to metatranscriptomic sequencing data of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and its obligate downy mildew parasite Peronospora belbahrii, both lacking a sequenced genome. Even with a single data point, we were able to identify both candidate host defense genes and pathogen virulence genes that are highly expressed during infection. This demonstrates the power of this pipeline for identifying genes important in host-pathogen interactions without prior genomic information for either the plant host or the obligate biotrophic pathogen. The simplicity of this pipeline makes it accessible to researchers with limited computational skills and applicable to metatranscriptomic data analysis in a wide range of plant-obligate-parasite systems.

Novel synthesis and characterization of pristine Cu nanoparticles for the non-enzymatic glucose biosensor.

PubMed

Dayakar, T; Rao, K Venkateswara; Bikshalu, K; Rajendar, V; Park, Si-Hyun

2017-07-01

Non enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensing was developed based on pristine Cu Nanopartilces (NPs)/Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) which can be accomplished by simple green method via ocimum tenuiflorum leaf extract. Then, the affect of leaf extract addition on improving Structural, Optical and electrochemical properties of pristine cu NPs was investigated. The synthesized Cu NPs were characterized with X-ray diffraction (X-ray), Uv-Visible spectroscopy (Uv-Vis), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Particle size distribution (PSA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural optical and morphological studies respectively. The synthesized Cu NPs were coated over glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to study the electrochemical response of glucose by cyclic voltammetry and ampherometer. The results indicates that the modified biosensor shows a remarkable sensitivity (1065.21 μA mM -1  cm -2 ), rapid response time (<3s), wide linear range (1 to 7.2 mM), low detection limit (0.038 μM at S/N = 3). Therefore, the prepared Cu NPs by the Novel Bio-mediated route were exploited to construct a non-enzymatic glucose biosensor for sustainable clinical field applications.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils against Pathogens Responsible for Otitis Externa in Dogs and Cats.

PubMed

Ebani, Valentina V; Nardoni, Simona; Bertelloni, Fabrizio; Najar, Basma; Pistelli, Luisa; Mancianti, Francesca

2017-04-21

Background: Essential oils (EOs) are recommended by some veterinarians to treat otitis externa in pets, but data about their efficacy in scientific literature are very scant. Methods: Nine commercial EOs, from roman chamomile ( Anthemis nobilis L.), star anise ( Illicium verum ), lavender ( Lavandula hybrida ), litsea ( Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.), basil ( Ocimum basilicum L.), oregano ( Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirticum ), rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L.), clary sage ( Salvia sclarea L.), and thyme ( Thymus vulgaris L.) were tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens previously isolated from dogs and cats with otitis externa. In particular, the analyses were carried out against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pseudointermedius , Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Trichosporon sp., and Rhodotorula sp. Results: O. vulgare and S. sclarea showed superior antibacterial activity, even if not against all the strains. Trichosporon sp., C. albicans , and A. terreus were insensitive to most Eos, while other yeasts and molds showed different degrees of sensitivity. In particular, most fungi were inhibited by O. vulgare and R. officinalis . Conclusions: The obtained results suggest that some EOs could be included in treatment as an alternative therapeutic option in bacterial otitis complicated by fungi, in association with conventional drugs.

Use of medicinal plants for the treatment of measles in Nigeria.

PubMed

Sonibare, M A; Moody, J O; Adesanya, E O

2009-03-18

The present study was an ethnobotanical survey of three Local Government areas of the Ijebu area of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria for plants used in the treatment of measles. Unstructured interviews were conducted among both urban and rural dwellers of three major groups of Ijebu people inhabiting the area (Ijebu North, Ijebu northeast and Ijebu Ode Local Governments). A total of 20 respondents constituted by herbalists, herbsellers and old people that have privileged information on the plants used in the treatment of measles among children were encountered during the survey. Twenty-three plant species belonging to 18 Angiosperm families were said to possess curative properties for the cure of measles among the local populace. Amongst the most frequently used plants are Elytraria marginata Vahl, Peperomia pellucida (L.) Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth, Vernonia amygdalina Del., Momordica charantia L., Newbouldia laevis (P. Beauv.) Seem. ex Bureau, and Ocimum gratissimum L. The most frequently mentioned family is Cucurbitaceae. The mode of preparation and recommended dosages are enumerated in this paper. The results of the study call for an urgent need of the introduction of a strategy for the conservation of indigenous medicinal plants in the area.

News from Tartary: an ethnopharmacological approach to drug and therapeutic discovery

PubMed Central

Hamza, Nawel; Berke, Benedicte; Umar, Anwar

2016-01-01

Ethnopharmacology aims to identify new therapeutic agents based on their traditional use. It begins by the identification of disease states, and of the traditional therapies for these, most commonly herbals. Herbals of interest are selected from ethnopharmacological surveys, and tested on experimental models of the diseases of interest. Once the activity of the traditional remedy is demonstrated, including dose‐dependence, if possible comparatively to reference medications, the active ingredients can be explored, if possible using bioguided extraction. Identified molecules can then be further developed as medicinal products or pharmaceutical medicines (e.g., artemisine), or the herbal product can be developed as such (e.g. St John's wort). We provide examples of various study programmes, concerning the antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of Armagnac extracts from Southwest France; antithrombotic and antihypertensive effects of extracts of Ocimum basilicum L; antithrombotic, antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic effects of Cydonia oblonga; Antiproliferative and antithrombotic effects of Abnorma Savda Munziq of traditional Uyghur medicine; and the antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects of Centaurium erythraea Rafn, Artemisia herba‐alba Asso and Trigonella foenum‐graecum L., all in collaboration between University of Bordeaux, France, Xinjiang Medical University in Urumqi, China and University Mentouri in Constantine, Algeria. PMID:27297624

A Set of Regioselective O-Methyltransferases Gives Rise to the Complex Pattern of Methoxylated Flavones in Sweet Basil1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Berim, Anna; Hyatt, David C.; Gang, David R.

2012-01-01

Polymethoxylated flavonoids occur in a number of plant families, including the Lamiaceae. To date, the metabolic pathways giving rise to the diversity of these compounds have not been studied. Analysis of our expressed sequence tag database for four sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) lines afforded identification of candidate flavonoid O-methyltransferase genes. Recombinant proteins displayed distinct substrate preferences and product specificities that can account for all detected 7-/6-/4′-methylated, 8-unsubstituted flavones. Their biochemical specialization revealed only certain metabolic routes to be highly favorable and therefore likely in vivo. Flavonoid O-methyltransferases catalyzing 4′- and 6-O-methylations shared high identity (approximately 90%), indicating that subtle sequence changes led to functional differentiation. Structure homology modeling suggested the involvement of several amino acid residues in defining the proteins’ stringent regioselectivities. The roles of these individual residues were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis, revealing two discrete mechanisms as a basis for the switch between 6- and 4′-O-methylation of two different substrates. These findings delineate major pathways in a large segment of the flavone metabolic network and provide a foundation for its further elucidation. PMID:22923679

Effect of nano silver and silver nitrate on seed yield of (Ocimum basilicum L.)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nano silver and silver nitrate on yield of seed in basil plant. The study was carried out in a randomized block design with three replications. Results Four levels of either silver nitrate (0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) or nano silver (0, 20, 40, and 60 ppm) were sprayed on basil plant at seed growth stage. The results showed that there was no significant difference between 100 ppm of silver nitrate and 60 ppm concentration of nano silver on the shoot silver concentration. However, increasing the concentration of silver nitrate from 100 to 300 ppm caused a decrease in seed yield. In contrast, a raise in the concentration of nano silver from 20 to 60 ppm has led to an improvement in the seed yield. Additionally, the lowest amount of seed yield was found with control plants. Conclusions Finally, with increasing level of silver nitrate, the polyphenol compound content was raised but the enhancing level of nano silver resulting in the reduction of these components. In conclusion, nano silver can be used instead of other compounds of silver. PMID:25383311

Correlated accumulation of anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid in mechanically stressed red cell suspensions of basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Strazzer, Pamela; Guzzo, Flavia; Levi, Marisa

2011-02-15

A red basil cell line (T2b) rich in rosmarinic acid (RA) was selected for the stable production of anthocyanins (ACs) in the dark. Cell suspension cultures were subjected to mechanical stress through increased agitation (switch from 90 to 150 rpm) to determine the relationship between AC and RA accumulation. Cell extracts were analyzed by HPLC and LC-MS, and the resulting data were processed with multivariate statistical analysis. MS and MS/MS spectra facilitated the putative annotation of several complex cyanidin-based ACs, which were esterified with coumaric acid and, in some cases, also with malonic acid. It was also possible to identify various RA-related molecules, some caffeic and coumaric acid derivatives and some flavanones. Mechanical stress increased the total AC and RA contents, but reduced biomass accumulation. Many metabolites were induced by mechanical stress, including RA and some of its derivatives, most ACs, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, whereas the abundance of some RA dimers was reduced. Although AC and RA share a common early biosynthetic pathway (from phenylalanine to 4-coumaroyl-CoA) and could have similar or overlapping functions providing antioxidant activity against stress-generated reactive oxygen species, there appeared to be no competition between their individual pathways. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Organic Fertilizers and Flowering Plants on Sheet-Web and Wolf Spider Populations (Araneae: Lycosidae and Linyphiidae) and Its Importance for Pest Control.

PubMed

El-Nabawy, El-Said M; Tsuda, Katsuo; Sakamaki, Yositaka; Oda, Asahi; Ushijima, Yurie

2016-01-01

The main goal of this study was to identify the treatment that increases the populations of spiders, which are effective predators in agroecosystems. In 2013 and 2014 the experimental eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) field was two different treatments, organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizer treatment, and in 2014 we surrounded organic fertilizer plots with the flowering plants mealy cup sage (Salvia farinacea Benth.), spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Analysis using repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant influences of fertilizer type on the numbers of linyphiid spiders and Collembola in 2013. In 2014, the numbers of Collembola, thrips, and lycosid and linyphiid spider were higher in organic fertilizer with flowering plants treatment comparing with the chemical fertilizer treatment. Moreover, the numbers of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) were significantly lower in the organic fertilizer with flowering plants treatment than in chemical fertilizers treatment. Finally, we expect that Thysanoptera and Collembola were important alternative prey for linyphiid and lycosid spiders and the use of organic fertilizer and flowering plants enhanced the density of these spiders, and may increase their effectiveness in suppressing the populations of H. vigintioctopunctata (F.). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Increased seizure latency and decreased severity of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in mice after essential oil administration.

PubMed

Koutroumanidou, Eleni; Kimbaris, Athanasios; Kortsaris, Alexandros; Bezirtzoglou, Eugenia; Polissiou, Moschos; Charalabopoulos, Konstantinos; Pagonopoulou, Olga

2013-01-01

The effect of pretreatment with essential oils (EOs) from eight aromatic plants on the seizure latency and severity of pentylenetetrazol- (PTZ-) induced seizures in mice was evaluated. Weight-dependent doses of Rosmarinus officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Mentha spicata, Mentha pulegium, Lavandula angustifolia, Mentha piperita, Origanum dictamnus, and Origanum vulgare, isolated from the respective aromatic plants from NE Greece, were administered 60 minutes prior to intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a lethal dose of PTZ to eight respective groups of Balb-c mice. Control group received only one i.p. PTZ injection. Motor and behavioral activity of the animals after EOs administration, development of tonic-clonic seizures, seizure latency and severity, and percentage of survival after PTZ administration were determined for each group. All groups of mice treated with the EOs showed reduced activity and stability after the administration of the oil, except for those treated with O. vulgare (100% mortality after the administration of the oil). After PTZ administration, mice from the different groups showed increased latency and reduced severity of seizures (ranging from simple twitches to complete seizures). Mice who had received M. piperita demonstrated no seizures and 100% survival. The different drastic component and its concentration could account for the diversity of anticonvulsant effects.

Evaluation of usage of essential oils instead of spices in meat ball formulation for controlling Salmonella spp.

PubMed

Ozdikmenli, Seda; Demirel Zorba, Nukhet N

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to show the efficacy of essential oils (EOs) in meat balls instead of spices because of their high antimicrobial effect and to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Origanum onites and Ocimum basilicum EOs against Salmonella Typhimurium in minced beef (20% fat) stored at 4 ℃ for seven days. This is the first study about use of O. basilicum EO in minced beef against bacterial pathogens. Both EOs inhibit microorganisms in in vitro antibacterial tests. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of EOs were determined. The lowest MIC values were obtained with O. onites EO 0.6 µl/ml against S. Typhimurium strains. The MIC values of O. basilicum EO 0.25 µl/ml against microorganisms. Both EOs showed a significant decrease in microorganisms inoculated in minced beef at end of storage. The concentration of the both EOs at 20 µg/mg and 10 µg/mg showed stronger antimicrobial activity against bacterial cocktail of S. Typhimurium in beef; however, the higher concentrations caused alterations in the organoleptic properties of meatballs. The results of the present study indicate that O. onites and O. basilicum EOs may be used in combination with each other and different food preservation systems in meat ball formulation. © The Author(s) 2015.

S-(+)- and R-(-)-linalool: a comparison of the in vitro anti-Aeromonas hydrophila activity and anesthetic properties in fish.

PubMed

Silva, Lenise L; Balconi, Luana S; Gressler, Letícia T; Garlet, Quelen I; Sutili, Fernando J; Vargas, Agueda P C; Baldisserotto, Bernardo; Morel, Ademir F; Heinzmann, Berta M

2017-01-01

Linalool is the main compound of many essential oils and occurs in two isomeric forms: S-(+)- and R-(-)-linalool. This study aimed to determine if linalool isomers have different antimicrobial and anesthetic properties in fish. For this purpose, these compounds were previously isolated from Lippia alba (Mill.)N. E. Brown and Ocimum americanum L. essential oils. Antimicrobial effects were evaluated through the microdilution test against Aeromonas hydrophila, an important fish disease etiologic agent. Induction time until sedation, anesthesia and recovery time were determined in silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) through bath exposure (60, 180, 300 or 500 μL L-1). The results showed different biological properties for the isomers being S-(+)-linalool the only active against A. hydrophila at 3.2 mg mL-1. The sedation was induced without differences between the compounds, however R-(-)-linalool promoted faster anesthesia. There were no differences regarding the recovery time of the animals exposed to the linalool isomers. Although both S-(+)- and R-(-)-linalool can be used for sedative purposes, their use in A. hydrophila infection is inadvisable due to the high effective concentration. Considering anesthesia as the main objective, the R-(-)-linalool demonstrated clear advantages at lower concentration.

An attempt of postharvest orange fruit rot control using essential oils from Mediterranean plants.

PubMed

Camele, Ippolito; De Feo, Vincenzo; Altieri, Luciana; Mancini, Emilia; De Martino, Laura; Luigi Rana, Gian

2010-12-01

Twelve essential oils from Mediterranean aromatic plants were tested at different doses against four fungi known as causal agents of post-harvest orange fruit rot: Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium italicum, Phytophthora citrophthora, and Rhizopus stolonifer. Essential oils were obtained from Hyssopus officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Majorana hortensis, Melissa officinalis, Ocimum basilicum, Origanum vulgare, Salvia officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris (Family Lamiaceae), Verbena officinalis (Family Verbenaceae), and Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, and Carum carvi (Family Apiaceae). Because preliminary in vitro experiments showed that only the oils from V. officinalis, T. vulgaris, and O. vulgare exhibited some fungistatic activity against the above-named fungi, these three essential oils were used in successive in vivo tests carried out to protect healthy "Washington navel" orange fruits from artificial infection by the same micromycetes. The essential oil of T. vulgaris, at a 2,000 ppm dose, controlled fruit rot by B. cinerea, P. citrophthora, and R. stolonifer but was ineffective against P. italicum. Essential oils of V. officinalis and O. vulgare inhibited infection by the first two fungi and only by P. citrophthora, respectively. This finding represents an important result, with the goal of using the essential oils as natural preservatives for food products, due to their positive effect on their safety and shelf life.

Traditional Therapies Used to Manage Diabetes and Related Complications in Mauritius: A Comparative Ethnoreligious Study.

PubMed

Mahomoodally, M Fawzi; Mootoosamy, A; Wambugu, S

2016-01-01

Religious communities from Mauritius still rely on traditional therapies (TT) for primary healthcare. Nonetheless, there is still a dearth of scientific information on TT used by the different religious groups to manage diabetes and related complications (DRC). This study aimed to gather ethnomedicinal knowledge on TT used by the different religious groups against DRC. Diabetic patients (n = 95) and traditional healers (n = 5) were interviewed. Fifty-two plant species belonging to 33 families and 26 polyherbal formulations were documented to manage DRC. The most reported DRC was hypertension (n = 36). Leaves (45.2%) and juice (36%) were the most cited mode of preparation of herbal recipes. Plants which scored high relative frequency of citation were Citrus aurantifolia (0.55) and Morinda citrifolia (0.54). The cultural importance index showed that Ocimum tenuiflorum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Camellia sinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicas were the most culturally important plants among Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist community, respectively. Hindu and Muslim community showed the highest similarity of medicinal plants usage (Jaccard index = 95.8). Seven animal species distributed over 4 classes were recorded for the management of DRC. Plants and animals recorded as TT should be submitted to scientific studies to confirm safety and efficacy in clinical practice and to identify pharmacologically active metabolites.

Dietary agents in the prevention of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicty: preclinical observations.

PubMed

Shivashankara, Arnadi Ramachandrayya; Azmidah, Aysha; Haniadka, Raghavendra; Rai, Manoj Ponadka; Arora, Rajesh; Baliga, Manjeshwar Shrinath

2012-02-01

Long term alcohol consumption is one of the important causes for liver failure and death. To complicate the existing problem there are no dependable hepatoprotective drugs and a large number of patients prefer using complementary and alternative medicines for treating and managing hepatic complications. Almost 25 centuries ago, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, proclaimed "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Exploring the association between diet and health continues even today. Preclinical studies carried out in the recent past have shown that the commonly used dietary agents like Allium sativum (garlic), Camellia sinensis (tea), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Emblica officinalis (Indian gooseberry), Ferula asafoetida (asafoetida), Garcinia cambogia (Malabar tamarind), Glycine max (soyabean), Murraya koenigii (curry leaves), Piper betle (beetle leaf), Prunus armeniaca (apricot), Ocimum gratissimum (wild basil), Theobroma cacao (cocoa), Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) and Vitis vinifera (grapes) protect against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Mechanistic studies have shown that the beneficial effects of these phytochemicals in preventing the ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity are mediated by the antioxidant, free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. The present review for the first time collates the hepatoprotective effects of these agents and also emphasizes on aspects that need future research to establish their utility in humans.

Production of methoxylated flavonoids in yeast using ring A hydroxylases and flavonoid O-methyltransferases from sweet basil.

PubMed

Berim, Anna; Gang, David R

2018-07-01

Numerous methoxylated flavonoids exhibit pronounced bioactivities. Their biotechnological production and diversification are therefore of interest to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. We used a set of enzymes from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) to construct five strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae producing 8- and/or 6-substituted, methoxylated flavones from their natural precursor apigenin. After identifying several growth parameters affecting the overall yields and flux, we applied optimized conditions and explored the ability of the generated strains to utilize alternative substrates. The yeast cells produced substantial amounts of 6-hydroxylated, methylated derivatives of naringenin and luteolin while the corresponding derivatives of flavonol kaempferol were only detected in trace amounts. Analysis of the intermediates and by-products of the different bioconversions suggested that the substrate specificity of both the hydroxylases and the flavonoid O-methyltransferases is imposing barriers on yields obtained with alternative substrates and highlighted steps that appear to represent bottlenecks en route to increasing the strains' efficiencies. Additionally, analysis of flavonoid localization during fermentation revealed unequal distribution with strong intracellular accumulation of a number of methylated flavonoids and extracellular enrichment of several pathway intermediates. This work establishes a platform for the production of complex methoxylated flavonoids and discusses strategies for its improvement.

Anti-Aging Potential of Phytoextract Loaded-Pharmaceutical Creams for Human Skin Cell Longetivity.

PubMed

Jadoon, Saima; Karim, Sabiha; Bin Asad, Muhammad Hassham Hassan; Akram, Muhammad Rouf; Khan, Abida Kalsoom; Malik, Arif; Chen, Chunye; Murtaza, Ghulam

2015-01-01

The exposure to ultraviolet radiations (UVR) is the key source of skin sunburn; it may produce harmful entities, reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to aging. The skin can be treated and protected from the injurious effects of ROS by using various pharmaceutical formulations, such as cream. Cream can be loaded with antioxidants to quench ROS leading to photo-protective effects. Moreover, modern medicines depend on ethnobotanicals for protection or treatment of human diseases. This review article summarizes various in vivo antioxidant studies on herbal creams loaded with phyto-extracts. These formulations may serve as cosmeceuticals to protect skin against injurious effects of UVR. The botanicals studied for dermatologic use in cream form include Acacia nilotica, Benincasa hispida, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Camellia sinensis, Nelumbo nucifera, Capparis decidua, Castanea sativa, Coffea arabica, Crocus sativus, Emblica officinalis Gaertn, Foeniculum vulgare, Hippophae rhamnoides, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Malus domestica, Matricaria chamomilla L., Moringa oleifera, Morus alba, Ocimum basilicum, Oryza sativa, Polygonum minus, Punica granatum, Silybum marianum, Tagetes erecta Linn., Terminalia chebula, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Vitis vinifera. The observed anti-aging effects of cream formulations could be an outcome of a coordinating action of multiple constituents. Of numerous botanicals, the phenolic acids and flavonoids appear effective against UVR-induced damage; however the evidence-based studies for their anti-aging effects are still needed.

Effect of traditional plants in Sri Lanka on skin fibroblast cell number.

PubMed

Sano, Katsura; Someya, Takao; Hara, Kotaro; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Watanabe, Toshihiro; Wijesekara, R G S

2018-08-01

This article describes the effects of extracts of several plants collected in Sri Lanka on the cell number of human skin fibroblasts. This study especially focuses on the plants traditionally used in indigenous systems of medicine in Sri Lanka, such as Ayurveda, as described below (English name, "local name in Sri Lanka," scientific name). Bougainvillea plant, "bouganvilla," Bougainvillea grabla (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [1], purple fruited pea eggplant,"welthibbatu," Solanum trilobatum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [2], country borage plant, "kapparawalliya," Plectranthus amboinicus  (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [3], malabar nut plant, "adhatoda," Justicia adhatoda (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [4], long pepper plant,"thippili," Piper longum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [5], holy basil plant, "maduruthala," Ocimum tenuiflorum (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [6], air plant, "akkapana," Kalanchoe pinnata (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [7], plumed cockscomb plant, "kiri-henda," Celosia argentea (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [8], neem plant,"kohomba," Azadirachta indica (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [9], emblic myrobalan plant, "nelli," Phyllanthus emblica (Nature׳s Beauty Creations Ltd., 2014) [10]. Human skin fibroblast cells were treated with various concentration of plant extracts (0-3.0%), and the cell viability of cells were detected using calcein assay. The cell viabillity profiles are provided as line graphs.

Isolation and functional characterization of a τ-cadinol synthase, a new sesquiterpene synthase from Lavandula angustifolia.

PubMed

Jullien, Frédéric; Moja, Sandrine; Bony, Aurélie; Legrand, Sylvain; Petit, Cécile; Benabdelkader, Tarek; Poirot, Kévin; Fiorucci, Sébastien; Guitton, Yann; Nicolè, Florence; Baudino, Sylvie; Magnard, Jean-Louis

2014-01-01

In this paper we characterize three sTPSs: a germacrene D (LaGERDS), a (E)-β-caryophyllene (LaCARS) and a τ-cadinol synthase (LaCADS). τ-cadinol synthase is reported here for the first time and its activity was studied in several biological models including transiently or stably transformed tobacco species. Three dimensional structure models of LaCADS and Ocimum basilicum γ-cadinene synthase were built by homology modeling using the template structure of Gossypium arboreum δ-cadinene synthase. The depiction of their active site organization provides evidence of the global influence of the enzymes on the formation of τ-cadinol: instead of a unique amino-acid, the electrostatic properties and solvent accessibility of the whole active site in LaCADS may explain the stabilization of the cadinyl cation intermediate. Quantitative PCR performed from leaves and inflorescences showed two patterns of expression. LaGERDS and LaCARS were mainly expressed during early stages of flower development and, at these stages, transcript levels paralleled the accumulation of the corresponding terpene products (germacrene D and (E)-β-caryophyllene). By contrast, the expression level of LaCADS was constant in leaves and flowers. Phylogenetic analysis provided informative results on potential duplication process leading to sTPS diversification in lavender.

Engineering Escherichia coli for selective geraniol production with minimized endogenous dehydrogenation.

PubMed

Zhou, Jia; Wang, Chonglong; Yoon, Sang-Hwal; Jang, Hui-Jeong; Choi, Eui-Sung; Kim, Seon-Won

2014-01-01

Geraniol, a monoterpene alcohol, has versatile applications in the fragrance industry, pharmacy and agrochemistry. Moreover, geraniol could be an ideal gasoline alternative. In this study, recombinant overexpression of geranyl diphosphate synthase and the bottom portion of a foreign mevalonate pathway in Escherichia coli MG1655 produced 13.3mg/L of geraniol. Introduction of Ocimum basilicum geraniol synthase increased geraniol production to 105.2mg/L. However, geraniol production encountered a loss from its endogenous dehydrogenization and isomerization into other geranoids (nerol, neral and geranial). Three E. coli enzymes (YjgB, YahK and YddN) were identified with high sequence identity to plant geraniol dehydrogenases. YjgB was demonstrated to be the major one responsible for geraniol dehydrogenization. Deletion of yjgB increased geraniol production to 129.7mg/L. Introduction of the whole mevalonate pathway for enhanced building block synthesis from endogenously synthesized mevalonate improved geraniol production up to 182.5mg/L in the yjgB mutant after 48h of culture, which was a double of that obtained in the wild type control (96.5mg/L). Our strategy for improving geraniol production in engineered E. coli should be generalizable for addressing similar problems during metabolic engineering. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Traditional Therapies Used to Manage Diabetes and Related Complications in Mauritius: A Comparative Ethnoreligious Study

PubMed Central

Mahomoodally, M. Fawzi; Mootoosamy, A.; Wambugu, S.

2016-01-01

Religious communities from Mauritius still rely on traditional therapies (TT) for primary healthcare. Nonetheless, there is still a dearth of scientific information on TT used by the different religious groups to manage diabetes and related complications (DRC). This study aimed to gather ethnomedicinal knowledge on TT used by the different religious groups against DRC. Diabetic patients (n = 95) and traditional healers (n = 5) were interviewed. Fifty-two plant species belonging to 33 families and 26 polyherbal formulations were documented to manage DRC. The most reported DRC was hypertension (n = 36). Leaves (45.2%) and juice (36%) were the most cited mode of preparation of herbal recipes. Plants which scored high relative frequency of citation were Citrus aurantifolia (0.55) and Morinda citrifolia (0.54). The cultural importance index showed that Ocimum tenuiflorum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Camellia sinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicas were the most culturally important plants among Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist community, respectively. Hindu and Muslim community showed the highest similarity of medicinal plants usage (Jaccard index = 95.8). Seven animal species distributed over 4 classes were recorded for the management of DRC. Plants and animals recorded as TT should be submitted to scientific studies to confirm safety and efficacy in clinical practice and to identify pharmacologically active metabolites. PMID:27200100

A De Novo-Assembly Based Data Analysis Pipeline for Plant Obligate Parasite Metatranscriptomic Studies

PubMed Central

Guo, Li; Allen, Kelly S.; Deiulio, Greg; Zhang, Yong; Madeiras, Angela M.; Wick, Robert L.; Ma, Li-Jun

2016-01-01

Current and emerging plant diseases caused by obligate parasitic microbes such as rusts, downy mildews, and powdery mildews threaten worldwide crop production and food safety. These obligate parasites are typically unculturable in the laboratory, posing technical challenges to characterize them at the genetic and genomic level. Here we have developed a data analysis pipeline integrating several bioinformatic software programs. This pipeline facilitates rapid gene discovery and expression analysis of a plant host and its obligate parasite simultaneously by next generation sequencing of mixed host and pathogen RNA (i.e., metatranscriptomics). We applied this pipeline to metatranscriptomic sequencing data of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) and its obligate downy mildew parasite Peronospora belbahrii, both lacking a sequenced genome. Even with a single data point, we were able to identify both candidate host defense genes and pathogen virulence genes that are highly expressed during infection. This demonstrates the power of this pipeline for identifying genes important in host–pathogen interactions without prior genomic information for either the plant host or the obligate biotrophic pathogen. The simplicity of this pipeline makes it accessible to researchers with limited computational skills and applicable to metatranscriptomic data analysis in a wide range of plant-obligate-parasite systems. PMID:27462318

Characterization of new biodegradable edible film made from basil seed (Ocimum basilicum L.) gum.

PubMed

Khazaei, Naimeh; Esmaiili, Mohsen; Djomeh, Zahra Emam; Ghasemlou, Mehran; Jouki, Mohammad

2014-02-15

It is well known that the market for edible films is experiencing remarkable growth and expected to continue. This study investigated the using of basil seed gum (BSG) as a new film-forming material under the influence of addition of glycerol (GLY) as plasticizer. Edible films based on BSG and three different concentrations of GLY (25%, 35%, and 50% w/w BSG) were developed, and their water vapor permeability (WVP), as well as physical, thermal and mechanical properties were measured. The addition of glycerol significantly increased water vapor permeability and solubility of the film (p<0.05). As expected, the increase in GLY concentration from 25% to 50% (w/w) increased the extensibility, but decreased tensile strength. This suggests weaker mechanical strength and higher mobility of polymer chains by plasticizing effect of GLY. The color measurement values showed that increasing the glycerol concentration in polymer matrix caused the b and L values increased while ΔE value decreased. The electron scanning micrograph showed plasticized films as smooth, and uniform which lacked pores or cracks compared with those were not plasticized. This study revealed that the BSG had a good potential to be used in producing edible films for various food applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative mapping of elements in basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) based on cesium concentration and growth period using laser ablation ICP-MS.

PubMed

Ko, Jung Aa; Furuta, Naoki; Lim, Heung Bin

2018-01-01

Quantitative elemental mapping of metallic pollutants in sweet basil was studied by laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS. For this, the sweet basil was cultivated in Hoagland nutrient solution spiked with 100 and 1000 ng mL -1 of Cs for 10-60 days. Then, the Cs distribution in collected leaves was determined by LA-ICP-MS using lab-synthesized standard pellets based on NIST 1573a tomato leaves. For comparison, S, Ca, and K were also simultaneously determined in this measurement with a 13 C + signal from the leaves as an internal standard. The obtained calibration curves showed linear coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.991 for K and 0.999 for Cs. The concentration of Cs measured in the basil leaves increased with growth period and pollutant concentration, and accumulation followed the order of leaf margin, petiole, midrib, and veins. Although no visible symptom was detected, significant suppression of the growth rate was observed due to the presence of high-concentration Cs. The experimental model demonstrated herein showed potential for studying the influence of radioactive pollutants on plants and other organisms in the food chain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Essential Oils from Ugandan Aromatic Medicinal Plants: Chemical Composition and Growth Inhibitory Effects on Oral Pathogens

PubMed Central

Ocheng, Francis; Bwanga, Freddie; Joloba, Moses; Softrata, Abier; Azeem, Muhammad; Pütsep, Katrin; Borg-Karlson, Anna-Karin; Obua, Celestino; Gustafsson, Anders

2015-01-01

The study assessed the growth inhibitory effects of essential oils extracted from ten Ugandan medicinal plants (Bidens pilosa, Helichrysum odoratissimum, Vernonia amygdalina, Hoslundia opposita, Ocimum gratissimum, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Teclea nobilis, Zanthoxylum chalybeum, and Lantana trifolia) used traditionally in the management of oral diseases against oral pathogens. Chemical compositions of the oils were explored by GC-MS. Inhibitory effects of the oils were assessed on periodontopathic Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and cariogenic Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus using broth dilution methods at concentrations of 1%, 0.1%, and 0.01%. The most sensitive organism was A. actinomycetemcomitans. Its growth was markedly inhibited by six of the oils at all the concentrations tested. Essential oil from C. nardus exhibited the highest activity with complete growth inhibition of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis at all the three concentrations tested, the major constituents in the oil being mainly oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Most of the oils exhibited limited effects on L. acidophilus. We conclude that essential oils from the studied plants show marked growth inhibitory effects on periodontopathic A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis, moderate effects on cariogenic S. mutans, and the least effect on L. acidophilus. The present study constitutes a basis for further investigations and development of certain oils into alternative antiplaque agents. PMID:26170872

Five essential oils from aromatic plants of Cameroon: their antibacterial activity and ability to permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of Listeria innocua examined by flow cytometry.

PubMed

Nguefack, J; Budde, B B; Jakobsen, M

2004-01-01

To investigate the antibacterial effect of five essential oils (EO) extracted from aromatic plants (Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimumbasilicum, Ocimum gratissimum, Thymus vulgaris and Zingiber officinale) of Cameroon against strains of Listeria monocytogenes, L. innocua and Staphylococcus aureus. The ability of selected EO to permeabilize the cytoplasmic membrane of L. innocua was also examined. The antibacterial activity of the EO determined by the agar diffusion method showed that T. vulgaris had the highest activity followed by O. gratissimum and C. citratus. Lowest activity was recorded from Z. officinale and O. basilicum. Significant differences in sensitivity between strains of Listeria and S. aureus were observed. Flow cytometry of L. innocua stained with carboxy-fluorescein diacetate showed that the fluorescence intensity of cells exposed to EO decreased faster than nonexposed cells, indicating that EO permeabilized the cytoplasmic membrane with the leakage of carboxy-fluorescein. Almost all the EO tested showed antibacterial activity to a different extent. The antibacterial effect was due to permeabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane. This study has identified the preservative potential of the EO examined. The use of sensitive method, such as flow cytometry, is advantageous for quick generation of data on the antibacterial effect of EO.

Bio-inspired ZnO nanoparticles from Ocimum tenuiflorum and their in vitro antioxidant activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sushma, N. John; Mahitha, B.; Mallikarjuna, K.; Raju, B. Deva Prasad

2016-05-01

Nanobiotechnology is emerging as a rapid growing field with its applications in nanoscience and technology for the purpose of built-up new materials at the nanoregime. Nanoparticles produced by plant extracts are more stable, and the rate of synthesis is faster than that in the case of other organisms. In this paper we report the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Structural, morphological, particle size, and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic-force microscopy, zeta potential, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence intensity. The UV-Vis spectrum showed an absorption peak at 380 nm that reflects surface plasmon resonance. The optical measurements were attributed to the band gap 3.19 eV at pH 12. The zeta potential value of -36.4 eV revealed the surface charge of green synthesized ZnO NPs. The antioxidant activity was estimated by both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and reducing power assay. Green synthesized ZnO NPs showed maximum inhibition (65.23 %) and absorbance (0.6 a.u). This approach offers environmentally beneficial alternative by eliminating hazardous chemicals and promotes pollution prevention by the production of nanoparticles in their natural environment.

The treatment of jaundice with medicinal plants in indigenous communities of the Sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Sharma, Jyotsana; Gairola, Sumeet; Gaur, R D; Painuli, R M

2012-08-30

Inspite of tremendous advances made in allopathic medical practices, herbs still play an important role in the management of various liver diseases. A large number of plants and formulations have been claimed to have hepatoprotective activity. Jaundice is a symptom, indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. This paper provides ethnomedicinal information on the plants used to treat jaundice by three important indigenous communities, i.e., nomadic Gujjars, Tharu and Bhoxa of Sub-Himalayan region, Uttarakhand, India. To record herbal preparations used by the studied indigenous communities in treatment of jaundice and discuss hepatoprotective properties of the recorded plants. The traditional knowledge of the studied indigenous communities on herbal preparations used for treating jaundice was collected through structured questionnaire and personal interviews. The interviews were conducted with 91 traditional healers (29 Bhoxa, 35 Tharu and 27 nomadic Gujjars) in Sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India. More than 250 research papers reporting ethnomedicinal information on the hepatoprotective plants used by various communities from different parts of India were extensively reviewed. A total of 40 medicinal plants belonging to 31 families and 38 genera were recorded to be used by the studied communities in 45 formulations as a remedy of jaundice. Bhoxa, nomadic Gujjars and Tharu communities used 15, 23 and 9 plants, respectively. To our knowledge eight plants reported in the present survey viz., Amaranthus spinosus L., Cissampelos pareira L., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Holarrhena pubescens Wall., Ocimum americanum L., Physalis divaricata D. Don, Solanum incanum L. and Trichosanthes cucumerina L. have not been reported earlier as remedy of jaundice in India. Literature review revealed that a total of 214 (belonging to 181 genus and 78 families), 19 (belonging to 18 genus and 12 families) and 14 (belonging to 14 genus and 11 families) plant species are used as internal, external and magico-religious remedies for jaundice, respectively by various communities in different parts of India. Most widely used hepatoprotective plant species for treatment of jaundice in India is Boerhavia diffusa L. followed by Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers, Saccharum officinarum L., Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. & Thonn., Ricinus communis L., Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees., Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, Lawsonia inermis L. and Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. The plants recorded in the present survey have also been discussed in relation to pharmacological studies and hepatoprotective phytoconstituents present in them. Most of the recorded plants have shown hepatoprotective effects on experimental animals in earlier studies but more studies are needed to assess hepatoprotective properties of some recorded medicinal plants viz., Averrhoa carambola L., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Holarrhena pubescens Wall., Mangifera indica L., Ocimum americanum L., Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, Physalis divaricata D. Don, Solanum incanum L., Sphaeranthus senegalensis DC. and Tribulus terrestris L.. The plants enumerated in this study with high number of citations and wider distributions have given some useful leads for further biomedical research. Nevertheless more phytochemical, pharmaceutical and clinical studies are needed to evaluate hepatoprotective properties, efficacy and safety of all the claimed medicinal plants. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extracts of Edible and Medicinal Plants Damage Membranes of Vibrio cholerae▿

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Eduardo; García, Santos; Heredia, Norma

2010-01-01

The use of natural compounds from plants can provide an alternative approach against food-borne pathogens. The mechanisms of action of most plant extracts with antimicrobial activity have been poorly studied. In this work, changes in membrane integrity, membrane potential, internal pH (pHin), and ATP synthesis were measured in Vibrio cholerae cells after exposure to extracts of edible and medicinal plants. A preliminary screen of methanolic, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts of medicinal and edible plants was performed. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were measured for extracts showing high antimicrobial activity. Our results indicate that methanolic extracts of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), nopal cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica var. Villanueva L.), sweet acacia (Acacia farnesiana L.), and white sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.) are the most active against V. cholera, with MBCs ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mg/ml. Using four fluorogenic techniques, we studied the membrane integrity of V. cholerae cells after exposure to these four extracts. Extracts from these plants were able to disrupt the cell membranes of V. cholerae cells, causing increased membrane permeability, a clear decrease in cytoplasmic pH, cell membrane hyperpolarization, and a decrease in cellular ATP concentration in all strains tested. These four plant extracts could be studied as future alternatives to control V. cholerae contamination in foods and the diseases associated with this microorganism. PMID:20802077

Hepatoprotective Potential of Some Local Medicinal Plants against 2-Acetylaminoflourene-Induced Damage in Rat.

PubMed

Adetutu, Adewale; Olorunnisola, Olubukola S

2013-01-01

The in vivo micronucleus assay was used to examine the anticlastogenic effects of crude extracts of Bridelia ferruginea, Vernonia amygdalina, Tridax procumbens, Ocimum gratissimum, and Lawsonia inermis in Wistar albino rats. Extracts of doses of 100 mg/kg body weight were given to rats in five groups for seven consecutive days followed by a single dose of 2-AAF (0.5 mmol/kg body weight). The rats were sacrificed after 24 hours and their bone marrow smears were prepared on glass slides stained with Giemsa. The micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte cells (mPCEs) were thereafter recorded. The hepatoprotective effects of the plant extracts against 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity in rats were evaluated by monitoring the levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and histopathological analysis. The results of the 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity experiments showed that rats treated with the plant extracts (100 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in mPCEs as compared with the positive control. The rats treated with the plant extracts did not show any significant change in the concentration of ALP and GGT in comparison with the negative control group whereas the 2-AAF group showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in these parameters. Some of the leaf extracts also showed protective effects against histopathological alterations. This study suggests that the leaf extracts have hepatoprotective potential, thereby justifying their ethnopharmacological uses.

Medicinal Plants Targeting Cardiovascular Diseases in View of Avicenna.

PubMed

Sobhani, Zahra; Nami, Saeed Reza; Emami, Seyed Ahmad; Sahebkar, Amirhossein; Javadi, Behjat

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a spectrum of diseases involving the heart and blood vessels, and the first cause of mortality worldwide. Medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years to treat CVD. In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM), there is a special focus on heart diseases. Avicenna, a Persian physician of the eleventh century compiled a book devoted to this field named "The treatise on cardiac drugs" which is a compendium of TPM knowledge on CVD. Avicenna mentioned 50 cardiovascular active plants and described their therapeutic effects in the treatment of CVDs. Here, we perform a detailed search in scientific databases to verify the cardiovascular activities of the medicinal plants suggested by Avicenna. Also, we discussed cardiovascular activities of a number of the most important suggested plants as well as their efficacy in clinical studies. Major bioactive compounds identified from these plants are also discussed. Pharmacological studies have revealed that the majority of these plants are effective in cardiovascular health with various mechanisms. Among them, Crocus sativus L., Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl, Punica granatum L., Ocimum basilicum L., Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton, Melissa officinalis L. and Phyllanthus emblica L. have proved to be more effective. The above-mentioned plants can be rich sources for developing new and effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of CVDs. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

De novo production of six key grape aroma monoterpenes by a geraniol synthase-engineered S. cerevisiae wine strain.

PubMed

Pardo, Ester; Rico, Juan; Gil, José Vicente; Orejas, Margarita

2015-09-16

Monoterpenes are important contributors to grape and wine aroma. Moreover, certain monoterpenes have been shown to display health benefits with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer or hypotensive properties amongst others. The aim of this study was to construct self-aromatizing wine yeasts to overproduce de novo these plant metabolites in wines. Expression of the Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil) geraniol synthase (GES) gene in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strain substantially changed the terpene profile of wine produced from a non-aromatic grape variety. Under microvinification conditions, and without compromising other fermentative traits, the recombinant yeast excreted geraniol de novo at an amount (~750 μg/L) well exceeding (>10-fold) its threshold for olfactory perception and also exceeding the quantities present in wines obtained from highly aromatic Muscat grapes. Interestingly, geraniol was further metabolized by yeast enzymes to additional monoterpenes and esters: citronellol, linalool, nerol, citronellyl acetate and geranyl acetate, resulting in a total monoterpene concentration (~1,558 μg/L) 230-fold greater than that of the control. We also found that monoterpene profiles of wines derived from mixed fermentations were found to be determined by the composition of the initial yeast inocula suggesting the feasibility of producing 'à la carte' wines having predetermined monoterpene contents. Geraniol synthase-engineered yeasts demonstrate potential in the development of monoterpene enhanced wines.

Extracts of edible and medicinal plants damage membranes of Vibrio cholerae.

PubMed

Sánchez, Eduardo; García, Santos; Heredia, Norma

2010-10-01

The use of natural compounds from plants can provide an alternative approach against food-borne pathogens. The mechanisms of action of most plant extracts with antimicrobial activity have been poorly studied. In this work, changes in membrane integrity, membrane potential, internal pH (pH(in)), and ATP synthesis were measured in Vibrio cholerae cells after exposure to extracts of edible and medicinal plants. A preliminary screen of methanolic, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts of medicinal and edible plants was performed. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were measured for extracts showing high antimicrobial activity. Our results indicate that methanolic extracts of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), nopal cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica var. Villanueva L.), sweet acacia (Acacia farnesiana L.), and white sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.) are the most active against V. cholera, with MBCs ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mg/ml. Using four fluorogenic techniques, we studied the membrane integrity of V. cholerae cells after exposure to these four extracts. Extracts from these plants were able to disrupt the cell membranes of V. cholerae cells, causing increased membrane permeability, a clear decrease in cytoplasmic pH, cell membrane hyperpolarization, and a decrease in cellular ATP concentration in all strains tested. These four plant extracts could be studied as future alternatives to control V. cholerae contamination in foods and the diseases associated with this microorganism.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils against Trichosporon ovoides causing Piedra Hair Infection.

PubMed

Saxena, Seema; Uniyal, Veena; Bhatt, R P

2012-10-01

Piedra, is an asymptomatic fungal infection of the hair shaft, resulting in the formation of nodules of different hardness on the infected hair. The infection also known as Trichomycosis nodularis is a superficial fungal infection arising from the pathogen being restricted to the stratum corneum with little or no tissue reaction. The nodules are a concretion of hyphae and fruiting bodies of the fungus. Two varieties of Piedra may be seen, Black Piedra and White Piedra. The fungus Trichosporon ovoides is involved in the occurrence of both types of Piedras. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of selected essential oils for the control of growth of the fungus and to determine whether the antifungal effect was due to the major compounds of the oils. Two screening methods viz. Agar well diffusion assay and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration were adopted for the study. MIC and MFC were determined by tube dilution method. Essential oils from Eucalyptus, Ocimum basilicum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon winterians, Trachyspermum ammi, Zingiber officinalis, Citrus limon, Cinnamomon zeylanicum, Salvia sclarea, Citrus aurantifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia, Citrus aurantium, Citrus bergamia, Pogostemon pathchouli, Cedrus atlantica, Jasminum officinale, Juniperus communis, Abelmoschus moschatus, Cyperus scariosus, Palargonium graveolens, Boswellia carterii, Rosa damascene, Veteveria zizanoides and Commiphora myrrha were evaluated. The essential oils of Cymbopogon winterians, Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Melaleuca alternifolia and Eucalyptus globulus were proved to be most effective against the fungus Trichosporon ovoides.

Characterization of the volatile composition of essential oils of some lamiaceae spices and the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the entire oils.

PubMed

Bozin, Biljana; Mimica-Dukic, Neda; Simin, Natasa; Anackov, Goran

2006-03-08

The essential oils of Ocimum basilicum L., Origanum vulgare L., and Thymus vulgaris L. were analyzed by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and assayed for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant activity was evaluated as a free radical scavenging capacity (RSC), together with effects on lipid peroxidation (LP). RSC was assessed measuring the scavenging activity of the essential oils on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH(*)) and OH(*) radicals. Effects on LP were evaluated following the activities of essential oils in Fe(2+)/ascorbate and Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2) systems of induction. Essential oils exhibited very strong RSCs, reducing the DPPH radical formation (IC(50)) in the range from 0.17 (oregano) to 0.39 microg/mL (basil). The essential oil of T. vulgaris exhibited the highest OH radical scavenging activity, although none of the examined essential oils reached 50% of neutralization (IC(50)). All of the tested essential oils strongly inhibited LP, induced either by Fe(2+)/ascorbate or by Fe(2+)/H(2)O(2). The antimicrobial activity was tested against 13 bacterial strains and six fungi. The most effective antibacterial activity was expressed by the essential oil of oregano, even on multiresistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. A significant rate of antifungal activity of all of the examined essential oils was also exhibited.

Determination of Heavy Metals Concentration in Traditional Herbs Commonly Consumed in the United Arab Emirates

PubMed Central

Dghaim, Rania; Al Khatib, Safa; Rasool, Husna; Ali Khan, Munawwar

2015-01-01

Herbs are extensively consumed in the United Arab Emirates for their flavoring and medicinal properties. This study aimed at determining the concentration of heavy metals in selected traditional herbs consumed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A total of 81 samples of seven herbs, parsley (Petroselinum crispum), basil (Ocimum basilicum), sage (Salvia officinalis), oregano (Origanum vulgare), mint (Mentha spicata), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), were purchased from the local market in Dubai and analyzed for their cadmium, lead, copper, iron, and zinc contents. Microwave-assisted digestion was applied for the dissolution of the samples and heavy metals concentration was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Metals were found to be present in varied concentrations in the herb samples. The concentration ranges were found as follows: less than 0.1–1.11 mg·kg−1 for cadmium, less than 1.0–23.52 mg·kg−1 for lead, 1.44–156.24 mg·kg−1 for copper, 12.65–146.67 mg·kg−1 for zinc, and 81.25–1101.22 mg·kg−1 for iron. The findings of the study suggest that most of the analyzed herbs contained unsafe levels of heavy metals that exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits (PL). PMID:26000023

The effects of herbal essential oils on the oviposition-deterrent and ovicidal activities of Aedes aegypti (Linn.), Anopheles dirus (Peyton and Harrison) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say).

PubMed

Siriporn, P; Mayura, S

2012-03-01

The effect of oviposition-deterrent and ovicidal of seven essential oils were evaluated towards three mosquito vectors, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles dirus and Culex quinquefasciatus. The oviposition activity index (OAI) values of six essential oils namely Cananga odorata, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, Eucalyptus citriodora, Ocimum basilicum and Syzygium aromaticum indicated that there were more deterrent than the control whereas Citrus sinensis oil acted as oviposition attractant. At higher concentration (10%) of Ca. odorata (ylang ylang flowers) showed high percent effective repellency (ER) against oviposition at 99.4% to Ae. aegypti, 97.1% to An. dirus and 100% to Cx. quinquefasciatus, respectively. The results showed that mean numbers of eggs were lower in treated than in untreated water. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between essential oil concentrations and ovicidal activity. As the concentration of essential oil increased from 1%, 5% and up to 10% conc., the hatching rate decreased. The essential oil of Ca. odorata at 10% conc. gave minimum egg hatch of 10.4% (for Ae. aegypti), 0.8% (for An. dirus) and 1.1% (for Cx. quinquefasciatus) respectively. These results clearly revealed that the essential oil of Ca. odorata served as a potential oviposition-deterrent and ovicidal activity against Ae. aegypti, An. dirus and Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Fumigant toxicity of basil oil compounds and related compounds to Thrips palmi and Orius strigicollis.

PubMed

Kim, Kwang-Ho; Yi, Chang-Geun; Ahn, Young-Joon; Kim, Soon Il; Lee, Sang-Guei; Kim, Jun-Ran

2015-09-01

This study was aimed at assessing the fumigant toxicity to adult Thrips palmi (a serious insect pest) and Orius strigicollis (a beneficial predator insect) of basil (Ocimum basilicum) essential oil compounds and structurally related compounds using vapour-phase toxicity bioassays. Against adult T. palmi, linalool (LD50 0.0055 mg cm(-3) ) was the most toxic fumigant and was 15.2-fold more effective than dichlorvos (0.0837 mg cm(-3) ). Strong fumigant toxicity was also observed in pulegone (0.0095 mg cm(-3) ), (±)-camphor (0.0097 mg cm(-3) ) and 1,8-cineole (0.0167 mg cm(-3) ). Moderate toxicity was produced by camphene, 3-carene, (-)-menthone, (+)-α-pinene, (+)-β-pinene, α-terpineol and (-)-α-thujone (0.0215-0.0388 mg cm(-3) ). Against adult O. strigicollis, dichlorvos (LD50 9.0 × 10(-10) mg cm(-3) ) was the most toxic fumigant, whereas the LD50 values of these compounds ranged from 0.0127 to >0.23 mg cm(-3) . Based upon the selective toxicity ratio, the compounds described are more selective than dichlorvos. The basil oil compounds described merit further study as potential insecticides for control of T. palmi in greenhouses because of their generally lower toxicity to O. strigicollis and their greater activity as a fumigant than dichlorvos. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

An Evidence-Based Review on Medicinal Plants Used as Insecticide and Insect Repellent in Traditional Iranian Medicine

PubMed Central

Cheraghi Niroumand, Mina; Farzaei, Mohammad Hosein; Karimpour Razkenari, Elahe; Amin, Gholamreza; Khanavi, Mahnaz; Akbarzadeh, Tahmineh; Shams-Ardekani, Mohammad Reza

2016-01-01

Context Insects can be the cause of major ecological problems; they can transmit microbes and parasites that affect humans, and damage food crops, trees, and homes. The total economic cost of insect-related damage and disease is immeasurable. In traditional Iranian medicine (TIM), several medicinal plants have been identified as insecticides or insect repellents, but many of them are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the insecticidal or insect repellent activity of certain medicinal plants described in TIM. Evidence Acquisition Information about medicinal plants proposed as insecticides and insect repellents in the TIM was collected from the TIM literature, and searched in modern medical databases to find studies that confirmed their efficacy. Results Modern investigations have supported the claims of the insecticidal activity of several plants, including Allium sativum, Artemisia absinthium, Citrullus colocynthis, Laurus nobilis, Mentha pulegium, Myrtus communis, Nerium oleander, Ocimum basilicum, and Origanum majorana. However, in the cases of plants like Iris florentina and Malva sylvestris, there is not enough evidence in modern medicine to prove their effectiveness with regard to their insecticidal and insect repellent activities. Conclusions This study confirmed the Iranian traditional medicine claims of the insecticidal and insect repellent activity of certain plants. Further pharmacological and clinical studies are recommended to evaluate the overall efficacy and possible mechanisms underlying these herbs. PMID:27186389

Medicinal plants and their isolated compounds showing anti-Trichomonas vaginalis- activity.

PubMed

Mehriardestani, Mozhgan; Aliahmadi, Atousa; Toliat, Tayebeh; Rahimi, Roja

2017-04-01

Trichomonas vaginalis is a major of non-viral sexually-transmitted infection and an important cause of serious obstetrical and gynecological complications. Treatment options for trichomoniasis are limited to nitroimidazole compounds. The increasing resistance and allergic reactions to nitroimidazole and recurrent trichomoniasis make it essential to identify and develop new drugs against trichomoniasis. Medicinal plants are an important source for discovery of new medications. This review discusses the anti-trichomonas effects of medicinal plants and their chemical constituents to find better options against this pathogenic protozoon. Electronic databases were searched to collect all data from the year 2000 through September 2015 for in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies on the effect of medicinal plants on T. vaginalis. A total of 95 in vitro and clinical studies were identified. Only four human studies were found in this review. The Asteracea, Lamiaceae and Myrtaceae families contained the greatest number of plants with anti-trichomonas activity. Persea americana, Ocimum basilicum and Verbascum thapsus were the most efficacious against T. vaginalis. Plant metabolites containing alkaloids, isoflavonoid glucosides, essential oils, lipids, saponins and sesquiterpene lactones were found to possess anti-trichomonas properties. Assessing the structure-activity of highly-potent anti-trichomonas phytochemicals is suggested for finding natural, semisynthetic and synthetic anti-trichomonas compounds. Further clinical studies are necessary for confirmation of natural anti-trichomonas substances and completion of their safety profiles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An Evidence-Based Review on Medicinal Plants Used as Insecticide and Insect Repellent in Traditional Iranian Medicine.

PubMed

Cheraghi Niroumand, Mina; Farzaei, Mohammad Hosein; Karimpour Razkenari, Elahe; Amin, Gholamreza; Khanavi, Mahnaz; Akbarzadeh, Tahmineh; Shams-Ardekani, Mohammad Reza

2016-02-01

Insects can be the cause of major ecological problems; they can transmit microbes and parasites that affect humans, and damage food crops, trees, and homes. The total economic cost of insect-related damage and disease is immeasurable. In traditional Iranian medicine (TIM), several medicinal plants have been identified as insecticides or insect repellents, but many of them are still unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the insecticidal or insect repellent activity of certain medicinal plants described in TIM. Information about medicinal plants proposed as insecticides and insect repellents in the TIM was collected from the TIM literature, and searched in modern medical databases to find studies that confirmed their efficacy. Modern investigations have supported the claims of the insecticidal activity of several plants, including Allium sativum, Artemisia absinthium, Citrullus colocynthis, Laurus nobilis, Mentha pulegium, Myrtus communis, Nerium oleander, Ocimum basilicum, and Origanum majorana. However, in the cases of plants like Iris florentina and Malva sylvestris, there is not enough evidence in modern medicine to prove their effectiveness with regard to their insecticidal and insect repellent activities. This study confirmed the Iranian traditional medicine claims of the insecticidal and insect repellent activity of certain plants. Further pharmacological and clinical studies are recommended to evaluate the overall efficacy and possible mechanisms underlying these herbs.

In vitro efficacy of essential oils with different concentrations of 1,8-cineole against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

PubMed

Castro, Karina Neoob de Carvalho; Canuto, Kirley Marques; Brito, Edy de Sousa; Costa-Júnior, Lívio Martins; Andrade, Ivanilza Moreira de; Magalhães, João Avelar; Barros, Dhiéssica Morgana Alves

2018-05-24

The aim of this study was to evaluate the acaricidal activity of essential oils from three species of plants with intermediary concentrations of 1,8-cineole against the tick species Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. For this purpose, five serial concentrations (100.0, 50.0, 25.0, 12.5, 6.2 mg/mL) of essential oils from Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze, Ocimum gratissimum L. and Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B. L. Burtt & R. M. Sm. were used on larval packet and adult immersion tests. The essential oils were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID), being detected 35.8, 24.7 and 24.0% of 1.8-cineol in the oils of M. suaveolens, O. gratissimum and A. zerumbet, respectively. The lethal concentration (LC 50) of each oil for larvae and engorged females was calculated through Probit analysis. All essential oils showed high efficacy (≥ 95.0%) on engorged females at the 100.0 mg/mL concentration. In regards to larvae, O. gratissimum (LC 50 = 11.9 mg/mL) was the most potent, followed by the A. zerumbet (LC50 = 19.7 mg/mL) and the M. suaveolens (LC50 = 51.6 mg/mL) essential oils. These results show that other compounds interfere with 1,8-cineole action.

Antioxidant Potential of a Polyherbal Antimalarial as an Indicator of Its Therapeutic Value

PubMed Central

Arrey Tarkang, Protus; Nwachiban Atchan, Achille Parfait; Kuiate, Jules-Roger; Okalebo, Faith Apoelot; Guantai, Anastasia Nkatha; Agbor, Gabriel Agbor

2013-01-01

Nefang is a polyherbal product composed of Mangifera indica (bark and leaf), Psidium guajava, Carica papaya, Cymbopogon citratus, Citrus sinensis, and Ocimum gratissimum (leaves), used for the treatment of malaria. Compounds with antioxidant activity are believed to modulate plasmodial infection. Antioxidant activity of the constituent aqueous plants extracts, in vitro, was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total phenolic content (TPC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods and, in vivo, Nefang (100 and 500 mg kg−1) activity was evaluated in carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stressed Wistar rats. Superoxide dismutase, catalase activities, and lipid peroxidation by the malondialdehyde and total proteins assays were carried out. P. guajava, M. indica leaf, and bark extracts had the highest antioxidant properties in all three assays, with no statistically significant difference. Rats treated with the carbon tetrachloride had a statistically significant decrease in levels of triglycerides, superoxide dismutase, and catalase (P < 0.05) and increase in malondialdehyde activity, total protein levels, and liver and renal function markers, whereas rats treated with Nefang showed increased levels in the former and dose-dependent decrease towards normal levels in the later. These results reveal the constituent plants of Nefang that contribute to its in vivo antioxidant potential. This activity is a good indication of the therapeutic potential of Nefang. PMID:24454347

Complete genome sequence of Pseudomonas citronellolis P3B5, a candidate for microbial phyllo-remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites.

PubMed

Remus-Emsermann, Mitja N P; Schmid, Michael; Gekenidis, Maria-Theresia; Pelludat, Cosima; Frey, Jürg E; Ahrens, Christian H; Drissner, David

2016-01-01

Pseudomonas citronellolis is a Gram negative, motile gammaproteobacterium belonging to the order Pseudomonadales and the family Pseudomonadaceae . We isolated strain P3B5 from the phyllosphere of basil plants ( Ocimum basilicum L.). Here we describe the physiology of this microorganism, its full genome sequence, and detailed annotation. The 6.95 Mbp genome contains 6071 predicted protein coding sequences and 96 RNA coding sequences. P. citronellolis has been the subject of many studies including the investigation of long-chain aliphatic compounds and terpene degradation. Plant leaves are covered by long-chain aliphates making up a waxy layer that is associated with the leaf cuticle. In addition, basil leaves are known to contain high amounts of terpenoid substances, hinting to a potential nutrient niche that might be exploited by P. citronellolis . Furthermore, the isolated strain exhibited resistance to several antibiotics. To evaluate the potential of this strain as source of transferable antibiotic resistance genes on raw consumed herbs we therefore investigated if those resistances are encoded on mobile genetic elements. The availability of the genome will be helpful for comparative genomics of the phylogenetically broad pseudomonads, in particular with the sequence of the P. citronellolis type strain PRJDB205 not yet publicly available. The genome is discussed with respect to a phyllosphere related lifestyle, aliphate and terpenoid degradation, and antibiotic resistance.

Anti-Aging Potential of Phytoextract Loaded-Pharmaceutical Creams for Human Skin Cell Longetivity

PubMed Central

Karim, Sabiha; Asad, Muhammad Hassham Hassan Bin; Kalsoom Khan, Abida; Malik, Arif; Chen, Chunye

2015-01-01

The exposure to ultraviolet radiations (UVR) is the key source of skin sunburn; it may produce harmful entities, reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to aging. The skin can be treated and protected from the injurious effects of ROS by using various pharmaceutical formulations, such as cream. Cream can be loaded with antioxidants to quench ROS leading to photo-protective effects. Moreover, modern medicines depend on ethnobotanicals for protection or treatment of human diseases. This review article summarizes various in vivo antioxidant studies on herbal creams loaded with phyto-extracts. These formulations may serve as cosmeceuticals to protect skin against injurious effects of UVR. The botanicals studied for dermatologic use in cream form include Acacia nilotica, Benincasa hispida, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Camellia sinensis, Nelumbo nucifera, Capparis decidua, Castanea sativa, Coffea arabica, Crocus sativus, Emblica officinalis Gaertn, Foeniculum vulgare, Hippophae rhamnoides, Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Malus domestica, Matricaria chamomilla L., Moringa oleifera, Morus alba, Ocimum basilicum, Oryza sativa, Polygonum minus, Punica granatum, Silybum marianum, Tagetes erecta Linn., Terminalia chebula, Trigonella foenum-graecum, and Vitis vinifera. The observed anti-aging effects of cream formulations could be an outcome of a coordinating action of multiple constituents. Of numerous botanicals, the phenolic acids and flavonoids appear effective against UVR-induced damage; however the evidence-based studies for their anti-aging effects are still needed. PMID:26448818

Selective extraction of high-value phenolic compounds from distillation wastewater of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by pressurized liquid extraction.

PubMed

Pagano, Imma; Sánchez-Camargo, Andrea Del Pilar; Mendiola, Jose Antonio; Campone, Luca; Cifuentes, Alejandro; Rastrelli, Luca; Ibañez, Elena

2018-01-31

During the essential oil steam distillation from aromatic herbs, huge amounts of distillation wastewaters (DWWs) are generated. These by-products represent an exceptionally rich source of phenolic compounds such as rosmarinic acid (RA) and caffeic acid (CA). Herein, the alternative use of dried basil DWWs (dDWWs) to perform a selective extraction of RA and CA by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) employing bio-based solvent was studied. To select the most suitable solvent for PLE, the theoretical modelling of Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) was carried out. This approach allows reducing the list of candidate to two solvents: ethanol and ethyl lactate. Due to the composition of the sample, mixtures of water with those solvents were also tested. An enriched PLE extract in RA (23.90 ± 2.06 mg/g extract) with an extraction efficiency of 75.89 ± 16.03% employing a water-ethanol mixture 25:75 (% v/v) at 50°C was obtained. In the case of CA, a PLE extract with 2.42 ± 0.04 mg/g extract, having an extraction efficiency of 13.86 ± 4.96% using ethanol absolute at 50°C was achieved. DWWs are proposed as new promising sources of natural additives and/or functional ingredients for cosmetic, nutraceutical, and food applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Antimicrobial activity of basil (Ocimum basilicum) oil against Salmonella enteritidis in vitro and in food.

PubMed

Rattanachaikunsopon, Pongsak; Phumkhachorn, Parichat

2010-01-01

Nine essential oils were examined for antimicrobial activity against reference and clinical strains of Salmonella Enteritidis. Based on the size of the inhibition zone and the minimal inhibitory concentration, basil oil had the strongest antimicrobial activity against all the tested bacteria, and S. Enteritidis SE3 was the most sensitive strain to all the tested oils. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the major constituents of the oil were linalool (64.35%), 1,8-cineole (12.28%), eugenol (3.21%), germacrene D (2.07%), alpha-terpineol (1.64%), and rho-cymene (1.03%). When applied in nham, a fermented pork sausage, experimentally inoculated with S. Enteritidis SE3 and stored at 4 degrees C, basil oil inhibited the bacterium in a dose-dependent fashion. Basil oil at a concentration of 50 ppm reduced the number of bacteria in the food from 5 to 2log cfu/g after storage for 3 d. An unmeasurable level of the bacterium in the food was observed at days 2 and 3 of storage when 100 and 150 ppm of basil oil was used, respectively. Sensory evaluation suggested that the addition of 100 but not of 150 ppm to nham would be acceptable to consumers. The results from this study confirm the potential use of basil oil as an antimicrobial agent to control S. Enteritidis in food.

[Effectiveness of antimicrobial formulations for acne based on orange (Citrus sinensis) and sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L) essential oils].

PubMed

Matiz, Germán; Osorio, María R; Camacho, Francisco; Atencia, Maira; Herazo, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Currently, the antimicrobial resistance has developed in bacterial strains involved in the development of acne. Therefore, alternatives to antibiotic treatment have become necessary. Gel formulations were designed based on essential oils and acetic acid, and their effectiveness was evaluated in patients affected by acne. Masked simple experimental study of three gel formulations on 28 volunteer patients, separated in four groups of seven patients. Treatments were applied daily for eight weeks and consisted of (1) antibacterial (essential oils), (2) keratolytic medication (3) essential oils mixed with acetic acetic, and (4) kerolytic medication with acetic acid. Weekly checks were conducted to evaluate patient improvement. All groups reported an improvement of the acne condition, which ranged between 43% and 75% clearance of lesions. Evidence of treatment disappeared within minutes, showing little discomfort or side effects after application. The essential oil formulations were chemically and physically stable during application of treatments. This was demonstrated by gas chromatography, where no evidence no change neither the composition profiles of essential oils nor in acetic acid. The results were ranked good to excellent, particularly for the acetic acid mixture, which achieved improvements of 75%. This appeared to be a result of their joint antiseptic and keratolytic activity. Side effects (burning and redness) disappeared within a few minutes of completing the application, therefore, did not interfere with adherence to treatment.

Repellent activity of essential oils: a review.

PubMed

Nerio, Luz Stella; Olivero-Verbel, Jesus; Stashenko, Elena

2010-01-01

Currently, the use of synthetic chemicals to control insects and arthropods raises several concerns related to environment and human health. An alternative is to use natural products that possess good efficacy and are environmentally friendly. Among those chemicals, essential oils from plants belonging to several species have been extensively tested to assess their repellent properties as a valuable natural resource. The essential oils whose repellent activities have been demonstrated, as well as the importance of the synergistic effects among their components are the main focus of this review. Essential oils are volatile mixtures of hydrocarbons with a diversity of functional groups, and their repellent activity has been linked to the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. However, in some cases, these chemicals can work synergistically, improving their effectiveness. In addition, the use of other natural products in the mixture, such as vanillin, could increase the protection time, potentiating the repellent effect of some essential oils. Among the plant families with promising essential oils used as repellents, Cymbopogon spp., Ocimum spp. and Eucalyptus spp. are the most cited. Individual compounds present in these mixtures with high repellent activity include alpha-pinene, limonene, citronellol, citronellal, camphor and thymol. Finally, although from an economical point of view synthetic chemicals are still more frequently used as repellents than essential oils, these natural products have the potential to provide efficient, and safer repellents for humans and the environment.

Trypanocidal and cytotoxic activities of essential oils from medicinal plants of Northeast of Brazil.

PubMed

Borges, Andrezza Raposo; Aires, Juliana Ramos de Albuquerque; Higino, Taciana Mirely Maciel; de Medeiros, Maria das Graças Freire; Citó, Antonia Maria das Graças Lopes; Lopes, José Arimatéia Dantas; de Figueiredo, Regina Celia Bressan Queiroz

2012-10-01

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in Latin America. There are no vaccines available, the chemotherapy used to treat this illness has serious side effects and its efficacy on the chronic phase of disease is still a matter of debate. In a search for alternative treatment for Chagas disease, essential oils extracted from traditional medicinal plants Lippia sidoides, Lippia origanoides, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Ocimum gratissimum, Justicia pectorales and Vitex agnus-castus were investigated in vitro for trypanocidal and cytotoxic activities. Essential Oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and submitted to chemical analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The concentration of essential oils necessary to inhibit 50% of the epimastigotes or amastigotes growth (IC(50)) and to kill 50% of trypomastigote forms (LC(50)) was estimated. The most prevalent chemical constituents of these essential oils were monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. All essential oils tested demonstrated an inhibitory effect on the parasite growth and survival. L. sidoides and L. origanoides essential oils were the most effective against trypomastigote and amastigote forms respectively. No significant cytotoxic effects were observed in mouse peritoneal macrophages incubated with essential oils which were more selective against the parasites than mammalian cells. Taken together, our results point towards the use of these essential oils as potential chemotherapeutic agent against T. cruzi. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hepatoprotective Potential of Some Local Medicinal Plants against 2-Acetylaminoflourene-Induced Damage in Rat

PubMed Central

Adetutu, Adewale; Olorunnisola, Olubukola S.

2013-01-01

The in vivo micronucleus assay was used to examine the anticlastogenic effects of crude extracts of Bridelia ferruginea, Vernonia amygdalina, Tridax procumbens, Ocimum gratissimum, and Lawsonia inermis in Wistar albino rats. Extracts of doses of 100 mg/kg body weight were given to rats in five groups for seven consecutive days followed by a single dose of 2-AAF (0.5 mmol/kg body weight). The rats were sacrificed after 24 hours and their bone marrow smears were prepared on glass slides stained with Giemsa. The micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte cells (mPCEs) were thereafter recorded. The hepatoprotective effects of the plant extracts against 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity in rats were evaluated by monitoring the levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and histopathological analysis. The results of the 2-AAF-induced liver toxicity experiments showed that rats treated with the plant extracts (100 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in mPCEs as compared with the positive control. The rats treated with the plant extracts did not show any significant change in the concentration of ALP and GGT in comparison with the negative control group whereas the 2-AAF group showed a significant increase (P < 0.05) in these parameters. Some of the leaf extracts also showed protective effects against histopathological alterations. This study suggests that the leaf extracts have hepatoprotective potential, thereby justifying their ethnopharmacological uses. PMID:24163694

Cyclodextrin-Complexed Ocimum basilicum Leaves Essential Oil Increases Fos Protein Expression in the Central Nervous System and Produce an Antihyperalgesic Effect in Animal Models for Fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Nascimento, Simone S.; Araújo, Adriano A. S.; Brito, Renan G.; Serafini, Mairim R.; Menezes, Paula P.; DeSantana, Josimari M.; Lucca Júnior, Waldecy; Alves, Pericles B.; Blank, Arie F.; Oliveira, Rita C. M.; Oliveira, Aldeidia P.; Albuquerque-Júnior, Ricardo L. C.; Almeida, Jackson R. G. S.; Quintans-Júnior, Lucindo J.

2014-01-01

O. basilicum leaves produce essential oils (LEO) rich in monoterpenes. The short half-life and water insolubility are limitations for LEO medical uses. β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) has been employed to improve the pharmacological properties of LEO. We assessed the antihyperalgesic profile of LEO, isolated or complexed in β-CD (LEO/β-CD), on an animal model for fibromyalgia. Behavioral tests: mice were treated every day with either LEO/β-CD (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg, p.o.), LEO (25 mg/kg, p.o.), tramadol (TRM 4 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (saline), and 60 min after treatment behavioral parameters were assessed. Therefore, mice were evaluated for mechanical hyperalgesia (von Frey), motor coordination (Rota-rod) and muscle strength (Grip Strength Metter) in a mice fibromyalgia model. After 27 days, we evaluated the central nervous system (CNS) pathways involved in the effect induced by experimental drugs through immunofluorescence protocol to Fos protein. The differential scanning analysis (DSC), thermogravimetry/derivate thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) and infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR) curves indicated that the products prepared were able to incorporate the LEO efficiently. Oral treatment with LEO or LEO-βCD, at all doses tested, produced a significant reduction of mechanical hyperalgesia and we were able to significantly increase Fos protein expression. Together, our results provide evidence that LEO, isolated or complexed with β-CD, produces analgesic effects on chronic non-inflammatory pain as fibromyalgia. PMID:25551603

Cytosolic monoterpene biosynthesis is supported by plastid-generated geranyl diphosphate substrate in transgenic tomato fruits.

PubMed

Gutensohn, Michael; Orlova, Irina; Nguyen, Thuong T H; Davidovich-Rikanati, Rachel; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Sitrit, Yaron; Lewinsohn, Efraim; Pichersky, Eran; Dudareva, Natalia

2013-08-01

Geranyl diphosphate (GPP), the precursor of most monoterpenes, is synthesized in plastids from dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate by GPP synthases (GPPSs). In heterodimeric GPPSs, a non-catalytic small subunit (GPPS-SSU) interacts with a catalytic large subunit, such as geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, and determines its product specificity. Here, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) GPPS-SSU was over-expressed in tomato fruits under the control of the fruit ripening-specific polygalacturonase promoter to divert the metabolic flux from carotenoid formation towards GPP and monoterpene biosynthesis. Transgenic tomato fruits produced monoterpenes, including geraniol, geranial, neral, citronellol and citronellal, while exhibiting reduced carotenoid content. Co-expression of the Ocimum basilicum geraniol synthase (GES) gene with snapdragon GPPS-SSU led to a more than threefold increase in monoterpene formation in tomato fruits relative to the parental GES line, indicating that the produced GPP can be used by plastidic monoterpene synthases. Co-expression of snapdragon GPPS-SSU with the O. basilicum α-zingiberene synthase (ZIS) gene encoding a cytosolic terpene synthase that has been shown to possess both sesqui- and monoterpene synthase activities resulted in increased levels of ZIS-derived monoterpene products compared to fruits expressing ZIS alone. These results suggest that re-direction of the metabolic flux towards GPP in plastids also increases the cytosolic pool of GPP available for monoterpene synthesis in this compartment via GPP export from plastids. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antimicrobial activities of six essential oils commonly used as condiments in Brazil against Clostridium perfringens.

PubMed

Radaelli, Marcela; da Silva, Bárbara Parraga; Weidlich, Luciana; Hoehne, Lucélia; Flach, Adriana; da Costa, Luiz Antonio Mendonça Alves; Ethur, Eduardo Miranda

2016-01-01

Despite recent advances in food production technology, food-borne diseases (FBD) remain a challenging public health concern. In several countries, including Brazil, Clostridium perfringens is among the five main causative agents of food-borne diseases. The present study determines antimicrobial activities of essential oils of six condiments commonly used in Brazil, viz., Ocimum basilicum L. (basil), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary), Origanum majorana L. (marjoram), Mentha × piperita L. var. Piperita (peppermint), Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme) and Pimpinella anisum L. (anise) against C. perfringens strain A. Chemical compositions of the oils were determined by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). The identities of the isolated compounds were established from the respective Kováts indices, and a comparison of mass spectral data was made with those reported earlier. The antibacterial activity was assessed from minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the microdilution method. Minimum inhibitory concentration values were 1.25mgmL(-1) for thyme, 5.0mgmL(-1) for basil and marjoram, and 10mgmL(-1) for rosemary, peppermint and anise. All oils showed bactericidal activity at their minimum inhibitory concentration, except anise oil, which was only bacteriostatic. The use of essential oils from these common spices might serve as an alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in the control and inactivation of pathogens in commercially produced food systems. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Antimicrobial activity of traditional medicinal plants from Ankober District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Lulekal, E; Rondevaldova, J; Bernaskova, E; Cepkova, J; Asfaw, Z; Kelbessa, E; Kokoska, L; Van Damme, P

2014-05-01

Traditional medicinal plants have long been used in Ethiopia to treat human and livestock ailments. Despite a well-documented rich tradition of medicinal plant use in the country, their direct antimicrobial effects are still poorly known. To investigate the antimicrobial activity of 19 medicinal plant species that were selected based on the ethnobotanical information on their traditional use to treat infectious diseases in Ankober District. About 23 different ethanol extracts of plants obtained by maceration of various parts of 19 medicinal plant species were studied for potential antimicrobial activity using a broth microdilution method against Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides fragilis, Candida albicans, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Plant extracts from Embelia schimperi Vatke (Myrsinaceae) showed the strongest antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 64 µg/ml against B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, and S. pyogenes. Growth inhibitory activities were also observed for extracts of Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. (Lamiaceae) against S. pyogenes, and those of Rubus steudneri Schweinf. (Rosaceae) against S. epidermidis at an MIC value of 128 µg/ml. Generally, 74% of ethanol extracts (17 extracts) showed antimicrobial activity against one or more of the microbial strains tested at an MIC value of 512 µg/ml or below. Results confirm the antimicrobial role of traditional medicinal plants of Ankober and warrant further investigations on promising medicinal plant species so as to isolate and characterise chemicals responsible for the observed strong antimicrobial activities.

Inhibitory effect of essential oils against Trichosporon ovoides causing Piedra Hair Infection

PubMed Central

Saxena, Seema; Uniyal, Veena; Bhatt, R.P.

2012-01-01

Piedra, is an asymptomatic fungal infection of the hair shaft, resulting in the formation of nodules of different hardness on the infected hair. The infection also known as Trichomycosis nodularis is a superficial fungal infection arising from the pathogen being restricted to the stratum corneum with little or no tissue reaction. The nodules are a concretion of hyphae and fruiting bodies of the fungus. Two varieties of Piedra may be seen, Black Piedra and White Piedra. The fungus Trichosporon ovoides is involved in the occurrence of both types of Piedras. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of selected essential oils for the control of growth of the fungus and to determine whether the antifungal effect was due to the major compounds of the oils. Two screening methods viz. Agar well diffusion assay and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration were adopted for the study. MIC and MFC were determined by tube dilution method. Essential oils from Eucalyptus, Ocimum basilicum, Mentha piperita, Cymbopogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon winterians, Trachyspermum ammi, Zingiber officinalis, Citrus limon, Cinnamomon zeylanicum, Salvia sclarea, Citrus aurantifolia, Melaleuca alternifolia, Citrus aurantium, Citrus bergamia, Pogostemon pathchouli, Cedrus atlantica, Jasminum officinale, Juniperus communis, Abelmoschus moschatus, Cyperus scariosus, Palargonium graveolens, Boswellia carterii, Rosa damascene, Veteveria zizanoides and Commiphora myrrha were evaluated. The essential oils of Cymbopogon winterians, Mentha piperita, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Melaleuca alternifolia and Eucalyptus globulus were proved to be most effective against the fungus Trichosporon ovoides. PMID:24031963

Repellents and acaricides as personal protection measures in the prevention of tick-borne diseases.

PubMed

Cisak, Ewa; Wójcik-Fatla, Angelina; Zając, Violetta; Dutkiewicz, Jacek

2012-01-01

A number of preventive measures for the protection of humans against tick-borne diseases were evaluated. Measures involving the avoidance of tick bites with the use of protective clothing and insect repellents are the simplest and most effective. Repellents are applied directly to the skin or clothing and other fabrics, such as bednets, tents and anti-mosquito screens. Currently, DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is considered the most efficient arthropod repellent reference substance. The registered and recommended active repellent ingredients for skin and/or cloths application, among others, are: DEET, 1-methyl-propyl-2- (hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylate (picaridin), p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), ethyl butylactyloaminopropionate ( IR3535), 1S,2S-2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (SS220), racemic 2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (AI3-37220) and synthethic pyrethroid - 3-phenoxybenzyl-cis-trans-3(2,2 dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropancarboxylate (permethrin) - an acaricide with repellent properties. To achieve the protection from tick bites by avoiding attachment and/or engorgement by the arthropod, acaricides with repellent properties, such as synthetic pyrethroid-permethrin are used. This pyrethroid is an acaricide of choice used for clothing impregnation, which is effective for personal protection against all three parasitic stages of western black-legged ticks. Products based on natural compounds, e.g. eugenol from Ocimum basilicum, 2-undecanone originally derived from wild tomato, geraniol - a natural product extracted from plants, and many others, represent an interesting alternative to common synthetic repellents and/or acaricides.

Analysis of Indonesian Spice Essential Oil Compounds That Inhibit Locomotor Activity in Mice

PubMed Central

Muchtaridi; Diantini, Adjeng; Subarnas, Anas

2011-01-01

Some fragrance components of spices used for cooking are known to have an effect on human behavior. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of the essential oils of basil (Ocimum formacitratum L.) leaves, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrates L.) herbs, ki lemo (Litsea cubeba L.) bark, and laja gowah (Alpinia malaccencis Roxb.) rhizomes on locomotor activity in mice and identify the active component(s) that might be responsible for the activity. The effect of the essential oils was studied by a wheel cage method and the active compounds of the essential oils were identified by GC/MS analysis. The essential oils were administered by inhalation at doses of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mL/cage. The results showed that the four essential oils had inhibitory effects on locomotor activity in mice. Inhalation of the essential oils of basil leaves, lemongrass herbs, ki lemo bark, and laja gowah rhizomes showed the highest inhibitory activity at doses of 0.5 (57.64%), 0.1 (55.72%), 0.5 (60.75%), and 0.1 mL/cage (47.09%), respectively. The major volatile compounds 1,8-cineole, α-terpineol, 4-terpineol, citronelol, citronelal, and methyl cinnamate were identified in blood plasma of mice after inhalation of the four oils. These compounds had a significant inhibitory effect on locomotion after inhalation. The volatile compounds of essential oils identified in the blood plasma may correlate with the locomotor-inhibiting properties of the oil when administered by inhalation.

Evaluation of five essential oils from aromatic plants of Cameroon for controlling food spoilage and mycotoxin producing fungi.

PubMed

Nguefack, J; Leth, V; Amvam Zollo, P H; Mathur, S B

2004-08-01

Five essential oils (EO) extracted from Cymbopogon citratus, Monodora myristica, Ocimum gratissimum, Thymus vulgaris and Zingiber officinale were investigated for their inhibitory effect against three food spoilage and mycotoxin producing fungi, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. Five strains of each fungus were tested. The agar dilution technique was used to determine the inhibitory effect of each EO on the radial growth of the fungus, and a dose response was recorded. The EO from O. gratissimum, T. vulgaris and C. citratus were the most effective and prevented conidial germination and the growth of all three fungi on corn meal agar at 800, 1000 and 1200 ppm, respectively. Moderate activity was observed for the EO from Z. officinale between 800 and 2500 ppm, while the EO from M. myristica was less inhibitory. These effects against food spoilage and mycotoxin producing fungi indicated the possible ability of each essential oil as a food preservative. A comparative test on the preservative ability of the EO from O. gratissimum and potassium sorbate against A. flavus at pH 3.0 and 4.5 showed that the EO remained stable at both pH, whereas the efficacy of potassium sorbate was reduced at higher pH. We concluded that the EO from O. gratissimum is a potential food preservative with a pH dependent superiority against potassium sorbate, and these are novel scientific information.

The impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in mitigating salt-induced adverse effects in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).

PubMed

Elhindi, Khalid M; El-Din, Ahmed Sharaf; Elgorban, Abdallah M

2017-01-01

Salinity is one of the serious abiotic stresses adversely affecting the majority of arable lands worldwide, limiting the crop productivity of most of the economically important crops. Sweet basil ( Osmium basilicum ) plants were grown in a non-saline soil (EC = 0.64 dS m -1 ), in low saline soil (EC = 5 dS m -1 ), and in a high saline soil (EC = 10 dS m -1 ). There were differences between arbuscular mycorrhizal ( Glomus deserticola ) colonized plants (+AMF) and non-colonized plants (-AMF). Mycorrhiza mitigated the reduction of K, P and Ca uptake due to salinity. The balance between K/Na and between Ca/Na was improved in +AMF plants. Growth enhancement by mycorrhiza was independent from plant phosphorus content under high salinity levels. Different growth parameters, salt stress tolerance and accumulation of proline content were investigated, these results showed that the use of mycorrhizal inoculum (AMF) was able to enhance the productivity of sweet basil plants under salinity conditions. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased chlorophyll content and water use efficiency under salinity stress. The sweet basil plants appeared to have high dependency on AMF which improved plant growth, photosynthetic efficiency, gas exchange and water use efficiency under salinity stress. In this study, there was evidence that colonization with AMF can alleviate the detrimental salinity stress influence on the growth and productivity of sweet basil plants.

Antiosteoporotic effect of Petroselinum crispum, Ocimum basilicum and Cichorium intybus L. in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats.

PubMed

Hozayen, Walaa G; El-Desouky, Mohamed A; Soliman, Hanan A; Ahmed, Rasha R; Khaliefa, Amal K

2016-06-02

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is one of the serious side effects which have become the most common secondary osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of parsley, basil and chicory on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats. Fifty Female rats were divided into five groups and treated for 8 weeks as follow: group 1 served as control; group (2) subcutaneously injected with 0.1 mg/kg b. wt. dexamethasone dissolved in saline; group 3 received similar dose of dexamethasone together with aqueous parsley extract in a dose of 2 g/kg b. wt.; group 4 received similar dose of dexamethasone together with 400 mg/kg b. wt. aqueous basil extract and group 5 received similar dose of dexamethasone together with 100 mg/kg b. wt. aqueous chicory extract. The dexamethasone group showed a significant decrease in serum E2, Ca, P levels and significant decrease in total BMD, BMC and a significant increase in serum PTH, ALP and ACP. Bone TBARs was significantly increased while GSH, antioxidant enzymes were significantly decreased. These changes were attenuated by parsley, basil and chicory extracts in the group 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Aqueous extracts of parsley, basil and chicory showed bone protection against glucocorticoid-induced in rats. From our results, we concluded that chicory has a potent protective effect more than parsley and basil due to containing flavonoids and inulin.

De Novo Assembly and Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Red and Green Morphs of Sweet Basil Grown in Full Sunlight.

PubMed

Torre, Sara; Tattini, Massimiliano; Brunetti, Cecilia; Guidi, Lucia; Gori, Antonella; Marzano, Cristina; Landi, Marco; Sebastiani, Federico

2016-01-01

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), one of the most popular cultivated herbs worldwide, displays a number of varieties differing in several characteristics, such as the color of the leaves. The development of a reference transcriptome for sweet basil, and the analysis of differentially expressed genes in acyanic and cyanic cultivars exposed to natural sunlight irradiance, has interest from horticultural and biological point of views. There is still great uncertainty about the significance of anthocyanins in photoprotection, and how green and red morphs may perform when exposed to photo-inhibitory light, a condition plants face on daily and seasonal basis. We sequenced the leaf transcriptome of the green-leaved Tigullio (TIG) and the purple-leaved Red Rubin (RR) exposed to full sunlight over a four-week experimental period. We assembled and annotated 111,007 transcripts. A total of 5,468 and 5,969 potential SSRs were identified in TIG and RR, respectively, out of which 66 were polymorphic in silico. Comparative analysis of the two transcriptomes showed 2,372 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) clustered in 222 enriched Gene ontology terms. Green and red basil mostly differed for transcripts abundance of genes involved in secondary metabolism. While the biosynthesis of waxes was up-regulated in red basil, the biosynthesis of flavonols and carotenoids was up-regulated in green basil. Data from our study provides a comprehensive transcriptome survey, gene sequence resources and microsatellites that can be used for further investigations in sweet basil. The analysis of DEGs and their functional classification also offers new insights on the functional role of anthocyanins in photoprotection.

Activity of essential oils and individual components against acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase.

PubMed

Orhan, Ilkay; Kartal, Murat; Kan, Yüksel; Sener, Bilge

2008-01-01

We have tested acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities of nineteen essential oils obtained from cultivated plants, namely one from Anethum graveolens L. (organic fertilizer), two from Foeniculum vulgare Mill. collected at fully-mature and flowering stages (organic fertilizer), two from Melissa officinalis L. (cultivated using organic and chemical fertilizers), two from Mentha piperita L. and M. spicata L. (organic fertilizer), two from Lavandula officinalis Chaix ex Villars (cultivated using organic and chemical fertilizers), two from Ocimum basilicum L. (green and purple-leaf varieties cultivated using only organic fertilizer), four from Origanum onites L., O. vulgare L., O. munitiflorum Hausskn., and O. majorana L. (cultivated using organic fertilizer), two from Salvia sclarea L. (organic and chemical fertilizers), one from S. officinalis L. (organic fertilizer), and one from Satureja cuneifolia Ten. (organic fertilizer) by a spectrophotometric method of Ellman using ELISA microplate-reader at 1 mg/ml concentration. In addition, a number of single components widely encountered in most of the essential oils [gamma-terpinene, 4-allyl anisole, (-)-carvone, dihydrocarvone, (-)-phencone, cuminyl alcohol, cumol, 4-isopropyl benzaldehyde, trans-anethole, camphene, iso-borneol, (-)-borneol, L-bornyl acetate, 2-decanol, 2-heptanol, methyl-heptanol, farnesol, nerol, iso-pulegol, 1,8-cineole, citral, citronellal, citronellol, geraniol, linalool, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, piperitone, iso-menthone, menthofurane, linalyl oxide, linalyl ester, geranyl ester, carvacrol, thymol, menthol, vanilline, and eugenol] was also screened for the same activity in the same manner. Almost all of the essential oils showed a very high inhibitory activity (over 80%) against both enzymes, whereas the single components were not as active as the essential oils.

Traditional use of indigenous mosquito-repellents to protect humans against mosquitoes and other insect bites in a rural community of Cameroon.

PubMed

Ntonifor, N N; Ngufor, C A; Kimbi, H K; Oben, B O

2006-10-01

To document and test the efficacy of indigenous traditional personal protection methods against mosquito bites and general nuisance. A prospective study based on a survey and field evaluation of selected plant-based personal protection methods against mosquito bites. Bolifamba, a rural setting of the Mount Cameroon region. A structured questionnaire was administered to 179 respondents and two anti-mosquito measures were tested under field conditions. Identified traditional anti-mosquito methods used by indigenes of Bolifamba. Two plants tested under field conditions were found to be effective. Of the 179 respondents, 88 (49.16%) used traditional anti-mosquito methods; 57 (64.77%) used plant-based methods while 31 (35.2%) used various petroleum oils. The rest of the respondents, 91 (50.8%) used conventional personal protection methods. Reasons for using traditional methods were because they were available, affordable and lack of known more effective alternatives. The demerits of these methods were: labourious to implement, stain dresses, produce a lot of smoke/ repulsive odours when used; those of conventional methods were lack of adequate information about them, high cost and non-availability. When the two most frequently used plants, Saccharum officinarium and Ocimum basilicum were evaluated under field conditions, each gave a better protection than the control. Most plants used against mosquitoes in the area are known potent mosquito repellents but others identified in the study warrant further research. The two tested under field conditions were effective though less than the commonly used commercial diethyltoluamide.

Identification and field evaluation of non-host volatiles disturbing host location by the tea geometrid, Ectropis obliqua.

PubMed

Zhang, Zheng-qun; Sun, Xiao-ling; Xin, Zhao-jun; Luo, Zong-xiu; Gao, Yu; Bian, Lei; Chen, Zong-mao

2013-10-01

Volatile organic compounds derived from non-host plants, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Corymbia citriodora, and Ruta graveolens, can be used to mask host plant odors, and are repellent to the tea geometrid, Ectropis obliqua. Volatile compounds were collected by headspace absorption, and the components were identified and quantified by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The responses of antennae of female E. obliqua to the compounds were evaluated with gas chromatography/electroantennography detection. Qualitative and quantitative differences were found among the four odor profiles. Consistent electroantennographic activity was obtained for eight of the volatiles from the four plants: β-myrcene, α-terpinene, γ-terpinene, linalool, cis-verbenol, camphor, α-terpineol, and verbenone. In a Y-tube bioassay, six chemicals, β-myrcene, γ-terpinene, (R)-(-)-linalool, (S)-(-)-cis-verbenol, (R)-(+)-camphor, and (S)-(-)-verbenone, were the main compounds responsible for repelling E. obliqua. An eight-component mixture including all of the bioactive compounds (in a ratio of 13:2:13:8:1:24:6:17) from R. officinalis was significantly more effective at repelling the moths than any single compound or a mixture of equal amounts of the eight compounds. Field results demonstrated that intercropping tea plants with R. officinalis effectively suppressed E. obliqua infestations in a tea plantation. Our findings suggests that odor blends of R. officinalis play a role in disturbing host orientation behavior, and in repelling E. obliqua adults, and that R. officinalis should be considered when developing "push-pull" strategies aimed at optimizing the control of E. obliqua with semiochemicals.

Excito-repellency of essential oils against an Aedes aegypti (L.) field population in Thailand.

PubMed

Boonyuan, Wasana; Grieco, John P; Bangs, Michael J; Prabaripai, Atchariya; Tantakom, Siripun; Chareonviriyaphap, Theeraphap

2014-06-01

An investigation of the behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti (= Stegomyia aegypti) to various concentrations of essential oils (2.5, 5, and 10%) extracted from hairy basil (Ocimum americanum Linn), ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf), citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus Rendle), and plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb) were performed using an excito-repellency test chamber. Results showed that Ae. aegypti exhibited varying levels of escape response in both the contact and noncontact chambers in response to different essential oils. The magnitude of the behaviors changed in a dose-response fashion depending on the percent volume to volume concentration of oil used. A 2.5% concentration of hairy basil oil produced a significantly greater escape response compared to the other extracts at the same concentration (P< 0.05). Oils of ginger, lemongrass, and citronella produced stronger irritant and repellent responses at the median 5% concentration compared to the lowest and highest concentrations. There was marked suppression of escape for both contact and noncontact tests using 10% concentrations of hairy basil, lemongrass, and citronella, with high knockdown for all three oils after 30 min. Hairy basil and lemongrass had the highest insecticidal activity to Ae. aegypti, with LC50 values of 6.3 and 6.7 percent, respectively. We conclude that the essential oils from native plants tested, and likely many other extracts found in plants, have inherent repellent and irritant qualities that should to be screened and optimized for their behavior-modifying properties against Ae. aegypti and other biting arthropods of public health and pest importance. © 2014 The Society for Vector Ecology.

The multiple phenylpropene synthases in both Clarkia breweri and Petunia hybrida represent two distinct protein lineages

PubMed Central

Koeduka, Takao; Louie, Gordon V.; Orlova, Irina; Kish, Christine M.; Ibdah, Mwafaq; Wilkerson, Curtis G.; Bowman, Marianne E.; Baiga, Thomas J.; Noel, Joseph P.; Dudareva, Natalia; Pichersky, Eran

2009-01-01

Summary Many plants synthesize the volatile phenylpropene compounds eugenol and isoeugenol to serve in defense against herbivores and pathogens and to attract pollinators. Clarkia breweri flowers emit a mixture of eugenol and isoeugenol, while Petunia hybrida flowers emit mostly isoeugenol with small amounts of eugenol. We recently reported the identification of a petunia enzyme, PhIGS1, that catalyzes the formation of isoeugenol, and an Ocimum basilicum (basil) enzyme, ObEGS1, that produces eugenol. ObEGS1 and PhIGS1 both utilize coniferyl acetate, are 52% sequence identical, and belong to a family of NADPH-dependent reductases involved in secondary metabolism. Here we show that C. breweri flowers have two closely related proteins (96% identity), CbIGS1 and CbEGS1, that are similar to ObEGS1 (58% and 59%) and catalyze the formation of isoeugenol and eugenol, respectively. In vitro mutagenesis experiments demonstrate that substitution of only a single residue can substantially affect the product specificity of these enzymes. A third C. breweri enzyme identified, CbEGS2, also catalyzes the formation of eugenol from coniferyl acetate and is only 46% identical to CbIGS1 and CbEGS1 but more similar (>70%) to other types of reductases. We also found that petunia flowers contain an enzyme, PhEGS1, that is highly similar to CbEGS2 (82% identity) and that converts coniferyl acetate to eugenol. Our results indicate that plant enzymes with EGS and IGS activities have arisen multiple times and in different protein lineages. PMID:18208524

Levels of some microelements and essential heavy metals in herbal teas in Serbia.

PubMed

Mihaljev, Zeljko; Zivkov-Balos, Milica; Cupić, Zeljko; Jaksić, Sandra

2014-01-01

Levels of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Mo, Co, Ni, Se, Sn and Al were determined in 14 medicinal plants from Serbia, which are widely used in phytopharmacy as herbal teas. The following plants were investigated: yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), basil (Ocimum hasilicum L.), St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.), field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.), thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.), maize silk (Zea mays L. - Maydis stigma), hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), rosehip/dog rose (Rosa canina L.), winter savory (Satureja montana L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.). A total of 16 samples of different parts of medicinal plants (root, leaf, flower, herba) were examined, whereby 13 samples were delivered in original package and three samples were loose leaf herbs. Samples were prepared using the microwave digestion technique, and measurements were performed applying the atomic absorption spectrometry and mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma. Contents of microelements in the examined samples were in the range: Mn (23.86 - 453.71 mg/kg); Fe (61.87 - 673.0 mg/kg); Cu (6.68 - 24.46 mg/kg); Zn (16.11 - 113.81 mg/kg); Mo (0.576 - 4.265 mg/kg); Co (0.039 - 0.532 mg/kg); Se (0.036 - 0.146 mg/kg); Ni (0.738 - 6.034 mg/kg); Al (154.0 - 3015.0 mg/kg) and Sn (2.68 - 10.22 mg/kg). According to determined amounts of microelements, the investigated samples of herbal teas are considered safe for human consumption.

Comparative hypoglycemic potentials and phytochemical profiles of 12 common leafy culinary vegetables consumed in Nsukka, Southeastern Nigeria.

PubMed

Aba, Patrick Emeka; Udechukwu, Ifeanyi Ronald

2018-04-11

Metabolic disease like diabetes mellitus is on the increase in developing countries due to lack of access to orthodox medicine owing to its high cost. Health benefits of culinary vegetables cannot be overemphasized. This study therefore aims to profile the hypoglycaemic potentials of 12 common leafy vegetables consumed in Nsukka, Southeastern Nigeria and advise diabetic patients accordingly. A total of 75 albino Wistar rats assigned to 15 groups of five rats per group were used for the study. Diabetes was induced in groups 1-14 rats by intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate (160 mg/kg), and rats in group 15 were not made diabetic. Groups 1-12 rats were treated with aqueous extracts of the vegetables (200 mg/kg), and group 13 rats received glibenclamide at 2 mg/kg and served as standard control. Rats in groups 14 and 15 received distilled water (10 mL/kg) to serve as negative and normal controls, respectively. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) values of the rats were determined 3, 6 and 24 h post-treatment. Phytochemical studies on the vegetables were also carried out. Results revealed that the hypoglycaemic activities of Gongronema latifolium, Pterocarpus santalinoides, Ocimum gratissimum, Pterocarpus mildbraedii and Vernonia amygdalina were comparable (p>0.05) to that obtained for glibenclamide (standard anti-diabetic drug) while Gnetum africanum and Piper guineense did not show significant hypoglycaemic activities. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, and terpenes were present in the vegetables. It was concluded that the vegetables possess hypoglycaemic activities at different capacities with G. latifolium being the most potent.

Essential oils from herbs against foodborne pathogens in chicken sausage.

PubMed

Barbosa, Lidiane Nunes; Probst, Isabella Silva; Murbach Teles Andrade, Bruna Fernanda; Bérgamo Alves, Fernanda Cristina; Albano, Mariana; Mores Rall, Vera Lucia; Júnior, Ary Fernandes

2015-01-01

Consumption of chicken meat and its products, especially sausage, have increased in recent years. However, this product is susceptible to microbial contamination during manufacturing, which compromises its shelf life. The flavoring and preservative activities of essential oils (EO) have been recognized and the application of these antimicrobial agents as natural active compounds in food preservation has shown promise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Ocimum basilicum and Origanum vulgare EO on Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis strains in artificially inoculated samples of fresh chicken sausage. First, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of EO in vitro was determined. The sausage was prepared and kept at ± 4°C; then, the inoculation of individual bacteria was carried out. EO were added at 0.3%, 1.0% and 1.5%v/w. After 0, 5, and 24 hours, the most probable number method (MPN) was performed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to view the damage caused by these EO on bacterial morphology and/or structure. Only the 1.5% concentration was effective in reducing L. monocytogenes. 0.3% of O. vulgare EO was able to reduce the MPN/g of Salmonella Enteritidis (2 log) after 5 hours trials. O. basilicum EO showed no effect on Salmonella after 5 hours, but decreased by 2 log after 24 hours. O. vulgare EO at 1% gave a greater reduction of S. Enteritidis at 5 hours, increasing or maintaining this effect after 24 hours. The results confirmed the potential benefits of use EO in control of foodborne pathogens.

Birth centres and the national maternity services review: response to consumer demand or compromise?

PubMed

Dahlen, H; Jackson, M; Schmied, V; Tracy, S; Priddis, H

2011-12-01

In February 2009 the Improving Maternity Services in Australia - The Report of the Maternity Services Review (MSR) was released and recommended improving women's access to and availability of birth centres. It was unclear if this was in response to an overwhelming request for birth centres in the submissions received by the commonwealth or a compromise for excluding homebirth from the maternity service reforms. The aim of this paper was to examine what was said in the submissions to the MSR about birth centres. Data for this study comprised 832 submissions to the MSR that are publicly available on the Commonwealth of Australia Department of Health and Ageing website. All 832 submissions were downloaded, and read for any mention of the words 'birth centre', 'birth center'. Content analysis was used to categorise and report the data. Of the 832 submissions to the MSR 197 (24%) mentioned birth centres while 470 (60%) of the submissions mentioned homebirth. Only 31 (4%) of the submissions to the Maternity Review mentioned birth centres without mentioning home birth also. Most of the submissions emphasised that 'everything should be on the menu' when it came to place of birth and care provider. Reasons for choosing a birth centre were identified as: 'the best compromise available, 'the right and natural way' and 'the birth centre as safe'. Women had certain requirements of a birth centre that included: 'continuity of carer', 'midwife led', 'a sanctum from medicalised care', 'resources to cope with demand', 'close to home', and 'flexible guidelines and admission criteria'. Women weighed up a series of requirements when deciding whether to give birth in a birth centre. The recommendation by the MSR to expand birth centres and ignore home birth is at odds with the strong view expressed that 'everything should be on the menu'. The requirements women described of birth centre care are also at odds with current trends. If there is to be an expansion of birth centres, service providers need to make sure that women's views are central to the design. Women will not cease having homebirths due to expanded birth centre options. Copyright © 2010 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel synthesis and structural analysis of zinc oxide nanoparticles for the non enzymatic glucose biosensor.

PubMed

Dayakar, T; Venkateswara Rao, K; Bikshalu, K; Rajendar, V; Park, Si-Hyun

2017-06-01

A non-enzymatic glucose biosensor was developed by utilizing the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) synthesized by a novel green method using the leaf extract of Ocimum tenuiflorum. The structural, optical and morphological properties of ZnO NPs characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD analysis revealed that the ZnO NPs were crystalline and had a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The crystallite size measured by XRD was the same as that measured using SEM and TEM. The UV-vis absorption spectrum estimates the band gap of ZnO NPs present in the range of 2.82 to 3.45eV. The reduction and formation of ZnO NPs mainly due to the involvement of leaf extract bio-molecular compounds analyzed from the FTIR spectra. The SEM result confirms the morphology of the NPs responsible from the various concentration of leaf extract in the synthesis process. HRTEM analysis depicts the spherical structure of ZnO NPs. The synthesized NPs have the average size ranges from 10 to 20nm. The fabricated GCE/ZnO glucose sensor represents superior electro catalytic activity that has been observed for ZnO NPs with a reproducible sensitivity of 631.30μAmM -1 cm -2 , correlation coefficient of R=0.998, linear dynamic range from 1-8.6mM, low detection limit of 0.043μM (S/N=3) and response time<4s. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ethnobotanical knowledge on botanical repellents employed in the African region against mosquito vectors - A review.

PubMed

Pavela, Roman; Benelli, Giovanni

2016-08-01

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) represent a huge threat for millions of humans and animals worldwide, since they act as vectors for important parasites and pathogens, including malaria, filariasis and important arboviruses, such as dengue, West Nile and Zika virus. No vaccines or other specific treatments are available against the arboviruses transmitted by mosquitoes, and avoidance of mosquito bites remains the best strategy. African regions are usually hit most whose inhabitants are poor, and the use of repellent plants is the only efficient protection against vectors they have. Ethnobotanical knowledge of such plants and their use is usually passed on orally from one generation to another. However, it is also important to preserve this information in a written form, as well. Ethnobotanical research projects carried out in the regions of today's Ethiopia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania indicate that the native inhabitants of the African study regions traditionally use 64 plant species, belonging to 30 families. Aromatic plants (i.e., Citrus spp., Eucalyptus spp., Lantana camara, Ocimum spp. and Lippia javanica) the most commonly used in all the study regions. Native people know three major methods of using repellent plants: (i) production of repellent smoke from burning plants, (ii) hanging plants inside the house or sprinkling leaves on the floor, (iii) the use of plant oils, juices from crushed fresh parts of the plants, or various prepared extracts applied on uncovered body parts. Overall, this review covers studies conducted only in a limited part of the African continent, highlighting the importance to undertake further research efforts to preserve the unique knowledge and traditions of the native tribes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnodiagnostic Skills of the Digo Community for Malaria: A Lead to Traditional Bioprospecting

PubMed Central

Nguta, Joseph Mwanzia; Mbaria, James M.; Gathumbi, Peter K.; Gakuya, Daniel; Kabasa, John David; Kiama, Stephen Gitahi

2011-01-01

Malaria is a major public health problem that is presently complicated by the development of resistance by Plasmodium falciparum to the mainstay drugs. Thus, new drugs with unique structures and mechanism of action are required to treat drug-resistant strains of malaria. Historically, compounds containing a novel structure from natural origin represent a major source for the discovery and development of new drugs for several diseases. This paper presents ethnophytotherapeutic remedies, ethnodiagnostic skills, and related traditional knowledge utilized by the Digo community of the Kenyan Coast to diagnose malaria as a lead to traditional bioprospecting. The current study was carried out in three Digo villages of Diani sub-location between May 2009 and December 2009. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, and open and close-ended questionnaires. A total of 60 respondents (34 men and 26 women) provided the targeted information. The results show that the indigenous knowledge of Digo community on malaria encompasses not only the symptoms of malaria but also the factors that are responsible for causing malaria, attributes favoring the breeding of mosquitoes and practices employed to guard against mosquito bites or to protect households against malaria. This knowledge is closely in harmony with scientific approaches to the treatment and control of the disease. The Digo community uses 60 medicinal plants distributed in 52 genera and 27 families to treat malaria. The most frequently mentioned symptoms were fever, joint pains, and vomiting while the most frequently mentioned practices employed to guard against mosquito bites and/or to protect households against malaria was burning of herbal plants such as Ocimum suave and ingestion of herbal decoctions and concoctions. The Digo community has abundant ethnodiagnostic skills for malaria which forms the basis of their traditional bioprospecting techniques. PMID:21738507

Food-borne pathogens, health and role of dietary phytochemicals.

PubMed

Shetty, K; Labbe, R G

1998-12-01

Infectious diseases transmitted by food have become a major public health concern in recent years. In the USA alone, there are an estimated 6-33 million cases each year. The list of responsible agents continues to grow. In the past 20 years some dozen new pathogens that are primarily food-borne have been identified. Fruits and vegetables, often from the global food market, have been added to the traditional vehicles of food-borne illness; that is, undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, or unpasteurized milk. Such products are minimally processed and have fewer barriers to microbial growth such as salt, sugar or preservatives. The evolution of the epidemiology of food-borne illness requires a rethinking of traditional, though still valid, solutions for their prevention. Among various strategies to prevent food-borne pathogens, use of dietary phytochemicals is promising. The major obstacle in the use of dietary phytochemical is the consistency of phytochemicals in different foods due to their natural genetic variation. We have developed a novel tissue-culture-based selection strategy to isolate elite phenolic phytochemical-producing clonal lines of species belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Among several species we have targeted elite clonal lines of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) against Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfrigens in fresh and processed meats. We are also evaluating high phenolic profile-containing clonal lines of basil (Ocimum basilicum) to inhibit gastric ulcer-causing Helicobacter pylori. Other elite lines of the members of the family Lamiaceae, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and salvia (Salvia officinalis) also hold promise against a wide range of food pathogens such as Salmonella species in poultry products and Vibrio species in seafood.

In vitro effects of plant essential oils on non-specific immune parameters of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus L.

PubMed

Sutili, F J; Gatlin, D M; Rossi, W; Heinzmann, B M; Baldisserotto, B

2016-12-01

Phytochemicals such as plant essential oils (EOs) have been reported to favour various activities in the innate immune system of fish. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the in vitro effect of three different plant EOs (Ocimum americanum, Cymbopogon flexuosus and Melaleuca alternifolia) on non-specific immune parameters and erythrocyte osmotic fragility of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus. Concentrations of each plant EO evaluated in preparations of head-kidney macrophages, blood leucocytes and blood plasma were as follows: 0.0 (control), 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, and 16.0 μg/ml. Red drum head-kidney macrophages significantly increased extracellular superoxide anion production when exposed (20 h) to O. americanum EO (1.0-8.0 μg/ml) and C. flexuosus EO (2.0 and 4.0 μg/ml). The respiratory burst of blood leucocytes (NBT test) significantly increased in all concentrations when compared to the respective control group, for all EOs. At the highest concentration (16.0 μg/ml), C. flexuosus EO significantly inhibited the haemolytic activity of complement system in red drum blood after 1 h exposure. None of the tested concentrations significantly altered plasma lysozyme activity or erythrocyte osmotic fragility after exposing (1 h) red drum whole blood to each EO. This study demonstrated that these plant EOs are capable of triggering superoxide anion production in red drum leucocytes (head-kidney macrophages and/or blood leucocytes). In vivo studies are warranted to address their potential as immunostimulants in the diet of red drum and other aquacultured species. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

ETHNOBIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN OF A TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BARBALHA, CEARÁ, BRAZIL

PubMed Central

Lemos, Izabel Cristina Santiago; Delmondes, Gyllyandeson de Araújo; dos Santos, Ana Deyva Ferreira; Santos, Enaide Soares; de Oliveira, Dayanne Rakelly; de Figueiredo, Patrícia Rosane Leite; Alves, Dailon de Araújo; Barbosa, Roseli; de Menezes, Irwin Rose Alencar; Coutinho, Henrique Douglas Melo; Kerntopf, Marta Regina; Fernandes, George Pimentel

2016-01-01

Background: The use of natural resources for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children is a widespread practice within traditional communities, especially by women by being the primary caregivers. This study aimed to perform ethnobiological survey of plants and animals used for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children of a traditional community in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. Methods: It is a descriptive exploratory study with a quantitative approach, developed in Sitio Santo Antonio, in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. As a tool for data collection, was applied a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Data analysis used descriptive statistics (simple and percentage rate) and the Relative Frequency of Citation. Results: The research included a total of 54 informants. In total, there were 38 species cited. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation the following species were the most cited: Ocimum basilicum L. (0.59), Eucalyptus globulus Labili (0.59), Plectranthus amboinicus (L.) Spreng (0.42), Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (0.24), Allium aescalonicum L. (0.22) and Mentha arvensis L. (0.18). Among the symptoms mentioned by the research subjects to treat the acute respiratory infections in childhood, there were: fever; cough; coughing with secretions; sore throat; hoarseness; tiredness; nasal congestion. Conclusions: It is important the knowledge about the usefulness of natural resources as alternative practices in diseases treatment, seeking to rescue popular knowledge used in the traditional community and fomenting the need to consider cultural aspects in the full practice to children’s health care. PMID:28852733

In Vitro Antiplasmodial Activities and Synergistic Combinations of Differential Solvent Extracts of the Polyherbal Product, Nefang

PubMed Central

Arrey Tarkang, Protus; Franzoi, Kathrin Diehl; Lee, Eunyoung; Freitas-Junior, Lucio; Liuzzi, Michel; Nolé, Tsabang; Ayong, Lawrence S.; Agbor, Gabriel A.; Okalebo, Faith A.; Guantai, Anastasia N.

2014-01-01

Nefang, a polyherbal product composed of Mangifera indica (bark and leaf), Psidium guajava, Carica papaya, Cymbopogon citratus, Citrus sinensis, and Ocimum gratissimum (leaves), is a potential therapy against P. falciparum malaria. In vitro antiplasmodial activities of its constituent solvent extracts were analyzed on CQ-sensitive (3D7) and multidrug resistant (Dd2) P. falciparum strains. The interactions involving the differential solvent extracts were further analyzed using a variable potency ratio drug combination approach. Effective concentration 50 (EC50) values were determined by nonlinear regression curve-fitting of the dose-response data and used in calculating the fractional inhibitory concentration 50 (FIC50) and combination indices (CI) for each pair. The derived EC50 values (3D7/Dd2, μg/mL) are Nefang-96.96/55.08, MiB-65.33/34.58, MiL-82.56/40.04, Pg-47.02/25.79, Cp-1188/317.5, Cc-723.3/141, Cs-184.4/105.1, and Og-778.5/118.9. Synergism was obtained with MiB/Pg (CI = 0.351), MiL/Pg (0.358), MiB/Cs (0.366), MiL/Cs (0.482), Pg/Cs (0.483), and Cs/Og (0.414) when analyzed at equipotency ratios. Cytotoxicity testing of Nefang and the solvent extracts on two human cell lines (Hep G2 and U2OS) revealed no significant toxicity relative to their antiplasmodial activities (SI > 20). Taken together, our data confirm the antimalarial activities of Nefang and its constituent plant extracts and identified extract pairs with promising synergistic interactions for exploitation towards a rational phytotherapeutic and evidence-based antimalarial drug discovery. PMID:24877138

Herbal medicine use among Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Nigeria: understanding the magnitude and predictors of use.

PubMed

Amaeze, Ogochukwu Ukamaka; Aderemi-Williams, Roseline Iberi; Ayo-Vaughan, Modupeola Anuoluwapo; Ogundemuren, Deborah Aderoju; Ogunmola, Damilola Segun; Anyika, Emmanuel Nwanolue

2018-06-01

Background Patients with chronic diseases exploit complementary and alternative treatment options to manage their conditions better and improve well-being. Objective To determine the prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use among Type 2 Diabetes patients in Lagos, Nigeria. Setting Secondary healthcare facilities in Lagos state, Nigeria. Method The study design was a cross sectional survey. A two-stage sampling approach was used to select the health facilities and patients were recruited consecutively to attain the sample size. Data was collected using a structured and standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire. Characteristics, prevalence and predictors of herbal medicine use were assessed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses. Main outcome measure Herbal medicine use among Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Results 453 patients were surveyed, 305 (67.3%) reported herbal medicine use, among whom 108 (35.4%) used herbal and conventional medicines concurrently; 206 (67.5%) did not disclose use to their physician. Herbal medicine use was significantly associated with age (p = 0.045), educational level (p = 0.044), occupation (p = 0.013), duration of diabetes disease (p = 0.007), mode of diabetes management (p = 0.02), a positive history of diabetes (p = 0.011) and presence of diabetes complication (p = 0.033). Formulations or whole herbs of Vernonia amygdalina, Moringa oleifera, Ocimum gratissimum, Picralima nitida, and herbal mixtures were the commonest herbal medicine. Beliefs and perceptions about herbal medicine varied between the users and non-users. Conclusion The use of herbal medicine among Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Lagos, Nigeria is high. There is dire need for health care practitioners to frequently probe patients for herbal medicine use and be aware of their health behaviour and choices, with a view to manage the disease better.

Variation in essential oil composition within individual leaves of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is more affected by leaf position than by leaf age.

PubMed

Fischer, Ravit; Nitzan, Nadav; Chaimovitsh, David; Rubin, Baruch; Dudai, Nativ

2011-05-11

The aroma in sweet basil is a factor affecting the commercial value of the crop. In previous studies leaf age was considered to be a factor that influences the composition of essential oil (EO). In this study it was hypothesized that a single observation of the EO content in leaves from different positions on the main stem (young vs old) could predict the developmental changes in the plant during its life cycle. Plants harvested at week 16 demonstrated an exponential increase (R(2) = 0.92) in EO concentration in leaves on the main stem and lateral shoots, indicating higher EO concentrations in younger than in older leaves. Eugenol and methyleugenol predominated (28-77%) in the extract. Eugenol levels were higher in younger leaves (∼53%), and methyl-eugenol levels predominated in older leaves (∼68%). Linalool was lower in mature leaves than in younger leaves. This suggested that eugenol converted into methyleugenol and linalool decreased as leaf mature. However, in weekly monitored plants, the levels of these compounds in the EO had limited variation in the maturing leaf regardless of its position on the stem. This proposed that the EO composition in an individual leaf is mostly affected by the leaf position on the stem and not by its maturation process. Because leaf position is related to plant development, it is probable that the plant's physiological age at the time of leaf formation from the primordial tissue is the factor affecting the EO composition. It was concluded that interpretation of scientific observations should be carried out with caution and that hypotheses should be tested utilizing multifaceted approaches.

Larvicidal and repellent potential of Moringa oleifera against malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae)

PubMed Central

Prabhu, K; Murugan, K; Nareshkumar, A; Ramasubramanian, N; Bragadeeswaran, S

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate the larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the methanolic extracts from Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) plant seeds against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (A. stephensi) mosquitoes at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm). Methods M. oleifera was collected from the area of around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. The dried plant materials were powdered by an electrical blender. From each sample, 100 g of the plant material were extracted with 300 mL of methanol for 8 h in a Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were evaporated to dryness in rotary vacuum evaporator to yield 122 mg and 110 mg of dark greenish material (residue) from Arcang amara and Ocimum basilicum, respectively. One gram of the each plant residue was dissolved separately in 100 mL of acetone (stock solution) from which different concentrations, i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm were prepared. Results Larvicidal activity of M. oleifera exhibited in the first to fourth instar larvae of the A. stephensi, and the LC50 and LC90 values were 57.79 ppm and 125.93 ppm for the first instar, 63.90 ppm and 133.07 ppm for the second instar, 72.45 ppm and 139.82 ppm for the third instar, 78.93 ppm and 143.20 ppm for the fourth instar, respectively. During the pupal stage the methanolic extract of M. oleifera showed that the LC50 and LC90 values were 67.77 ppm and 141.00 ppm, respectively. Conclusions The present study indicates that the phytochemicals derived from M. oleifera seeds extracts are effective mosquito vector control agents and the plant extracts may be used for further integrated pest management programs. PMID:23569741

Insecticidal activity of plant essential oils against the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus.

PubMed

Karamaouna, Filitsa; Kimbaris, Athanasios; Michaelakis, Alphantonios; Papachristos, Dimitrios; Polissiou, Moschos; Papatsakona, Panagiota; Tsora, Eleanna

2013-01-01

The vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a pest in grape vine growing areas worldwide. The essential oils from the following aromatic plants were tested for their insecticidal activity against P. ficus: peppermint, Mentha piperita L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), thyme-leaved savory, Satureja thymbra L., lavender, Lavandula angustifolia Mill, and basil, Ocimum basilicum L. Essential oils from peels of the following fruits were also tested: lemon, Citrus limon L. (Sapindales: Rutaceae), and orange, C. sinensis L. The reference product was paraffin oil. Bioassays were conducted in the laboratory by using spray applications on grape leaves bearing clusters of P. ficus of one size class, which mainly represented either 3rd instar nymphs or pre-ovipositing adult females. The LC50 values for each essential oil varied depending on the P. ficus life stage but did not significantly differ between 3(rd) instar nymphs and adult females. The LC50 values of the citrus, peppermint, and thyme-leaved savory essential oils ranged from 2.7 to 8.1 mg/mL, and the LC50 values of lavender and basil oil ranged from 19.8 to 22.5 and 44.1 to 46.8 mg/mL, respectively. The essential oils from citrus, peppermint and thymeleaved savory were more or equally toxic compared to the reference product, whereas the lavender and basil essential oils were less toxic than the paraffin oil. No phytotoxic symptoms were observed on grape leaves treated with the citrus essential oils, and low phytotoxicity was caused by the essential oils of lavender, thyme-leaved savory, and mint, whereas the highest phytotoxicity was observed when basil oil was used.

Larvicidal and repellent potential of Moringa oleifera against malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Prabhu, K; Murugan, K; Nareshkumar, A; Ramasubramanian, N; Bragadeeswaran, S

2011-04-01

To evaluate the larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the methanolic extracts from Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) plant seeds against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (A. stephensi) mosquitoes at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm). M. oleifera was collected from the area of around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. The dried plant materials were powdered by an electrical blender. From each sample, 100 g of the plant material were extracted with 300 mL of methanol for 8 h in a Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were evaporated to dryness in rotary vacuum evaporator to yield 122 mg and 110 mg of dark greenish material (residue) from Arcang amara and Ocimum basilicum, respectively. One gram of the each plant residue was dissolved separately in 100 mL of acetone (stock solution) from which different concentrations, i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm were prepared. Larvicidal activity of M. oleifera exhibited in the first to fourth instar larvae of the A. stephensi, and the LC50 and LC90 values were 57.79 ppm and 125.93 ppm for the first instar, 63.90 ppm and 133.07 ppm for the second instar, 72.45 ppm and 139.82 ppm for the third instar, 78.93 ppm and 143.20 ppm for the fourth instar, respectively. During the pupal stage the methanolic extract of M. oleifera showed that the LC50 and LC90 values were 67.77 ppm and 141.00 ppm, respectively. The present study indicates that the phytochemicals derived from M. oleifera seeds extracts are effective mosquito vector control agents and the plant extracts may be used for further integrated pest management programs.

Insecticidal Activity of Plant Essential Oils Against the Vine Mealybug, Planococcus ficus

PubMed Central

Karamaouna, Filitsa; Kimbaris, Athanasios; Michaelakis, Αntonios; Papachristos, Dimitrios; Polissiou, Moschos

2013-01-01

The vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a pest in grape vine growing areas worldwide. The essential oils from the following aromatic plants were tested for their insecticidal activity against P. ficus: peppermint, Mentha piperita L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), thyme-leaved savory, Satureja thymbra L., lavender, Lavandula angustifolia Mill, and basil, Ocimum basilicum L. Essential oils from peels of the following fruits were also tested: lemon, Citrus limon L. (Sapindales: Rutaceae), and orange, C. sinensis L. The reference product was paraffin oil. Bioassays were conducted in the laboratory by using spray applications on grape leaves bearing clusters of P. ficus of one size class, which mainly represented either 3rd instar nymphs or pre-ovipositing adult females. The LC50 values for each essential oil varied depending on the P. ficus life stage but did not significantly differ between 3rd instar nymphs and adult females. The LC50 values of the citrus, peppermint, and thyme-leaved savory essential oils ranged from 2.7 to 8.1 mg/mL, and the LC50 values of lavender and basil oil ranged from 19.8 to 22.5 and 44.1 to 46.8 mg/mL, respectively. The essential oils from citrus, peppermint and thymeleaved savory were more or equally toxic compared to the reference product, whereas the lavender and basil essential oils were less toxic than the paraffin oil. No phytotoxic symptoms were observed on grape leaves treated with the citrus essential oils, and low phytotoxicity was caused by the essential oils of lavender, thyme-leaved savory, and mint, whereas the highest phytotoxicity was observed when basil oil was used. PMID:24766523

Methyl Jasmonate-Elicited Transcriptional Responses and Pentacyclic Triterpene Biosynthesis in Sweet Basil1[C][W

PubMed Central

Misra, Rajesh Chandra; Maiti, Protiti; Chanotiya, Chandan Singh; Shanker, Karuna; Ghosh, Sumit

2014-01-01

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is well known for its diverse pharmacological properties and has been widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Although a variety of secondary metabolites with potent biological activities are identified, our understanding of the biosynthetic pathways that produce them has remained largely incomplete. We studied transcriptional changes in sweet basil after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, which is considered an elicitor of secondary metabolites, and identified 388 candidate MeJA-responsive unique transcripts. Transcript analysis suggests that in addition to controlling its own biosynthesis and stress responses, MeJA up-regulates transcripts of the various secondary metabolic pathways, including terpenoids and phenylpropanoids/flavonoids. Furthermore, combined transcript and metabolite analysis revealed MeJA-induced biosynthesis of the medicinally important ursane-type and oleanane-type pentacyclic triterpenes. Two MeJA-responsive oxidosqualene cyclases (ObAS1 and ObAS2) that encode for 761- and 765-amino acid proteins, respectively, were identified and characterized. Functional expressions of ObAS1 and ObAS2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae led to the production of β-amyrin and α-amyrin, the direct precursors of oleanane-type and ursane-type pentacyclic triterpenes, respectively. ObAS1 was identified as a β-amyrin synthase, whereas ObAS2 was a mixed amyrin synthase that produced both α-amyrin and β-amyrin but had a product preference for α-amyrin. Moreover, transcript and metabolite analysis shed light on the spatiotemporal regulation of pentacyclic triterpene biosynthesis in sweet basil. Taken together, these results will be helpful in elucidating the secondary metabolic pathways of sweet basil and developing metabolic engineering strategies for enhanced production of pentacyclic triterpenes. PMID:24367017

Protective effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) against oxidative DNA damage and mutagenesis.

PubMed

Berić, Tanja; Nikolić, Biljana; Stanojević, Jasna; Vuković-Gacić, Branka; Knezević-Vukcević, Jelena

2008-02-01

Mutagenic and antimutagenic properties of essential oil (EO) of basil and its major constituent Linalool, reported to possess antioxidative properties, were examined in microbial tests. In Salmonella/microsome and Escherichia. coli WP2 reversion assays both derivatives (0.25-2.0 microl/plate) showed no mutagenic effect. Salmonella. typhimurium TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains displayed similar sensitivity to both basil derivatives as non-permeable E. coli WP2 strains IC185 and IC202 oxyR. Moreover, the toxicity of basil derivatives to WP2 strains did not depend on OxyR function. The reduction of t-BOOH-induced mutagenesis by EO and Linalool (30-60%) was obtained in repair proficient strains of the E. coli K12 assay (Nikolić, B., Stanojević, J., Mitić, D., Vuković-Gacić, B., Knezević-Vukcević, J., Simić, D., 2004. Comparative study of the antimutagenic potential of vitamin E in different E. coli strains. Mutat. Res. 564, 31-38), as well as in E. coli WP2 IC202 strain. EO and Linalool reduced spontaneous mutagenesis in mismatch repair deficient E. coli K12 strains (27-44%). In all tests, antimutagenic effect of basil derivatives was comparable with that obtained with model antioxidant vitamin E. Linalool and vitamin E induced DNA strand breaks in Comet assay on S. cerevisiae 3A cells, but at non-genotoxic concentrations (0.075 and 0.025 microg/ml, respectively) they reduced the number of H(2)O(2)-induced comets (45-70% Linalool and 80-93% vitamin E). Obtained results indicate that antigenotoxic potential of basil derivatives could be attributed to their antioxidative properties.

Inland Treatment of the Brine Generated from Reverse Osmosis Advanced Membrane Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Epuvalisation System

PubMed Central

Qurie, Mohannad; Abbadi, Jehad; Scrano, Laura; Mecca, Gennaro; Bufo, Sabino A.; Khamis, Mustafa; Karaman, Rafik

2013-01-01

The reverse osmosis (RO) brine generated from the Al-Quds University wastewater treatment plant was treated using an epuvalisation system. The advanced integrated wastewater treatment plant included an activated sludge unit, two consecutive ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filters (20 kD and 100 kD cutoffs) followed by an activated carbon filter and a reverse osmosis membrane. The epuvalisation system consisted of salt tolerant plants grown in hydroponic channels under continuous water flowing in a closed loop system, and placed in a greenhouse at Al-Quds University. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants were selected, and underwent two consecutive hydroponic flowing stages using different brine-concentrations: an adaptation stage, in which a 1:1 mixture of brine and fresh water was used; followed by a functioning stage, with 100% brine. A control treatment using fresh water was included as well. The experiment started in April and ended in June (2012). At the end of the experiment, analysis of the effluent brine showed a remarkable decrease of electroconductivity (EC), PO43−, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and K+ with a reduction of 60%, 74%, 70%, and 60%, respectively, as compared to the influent. The effluent of the control treatment showed 50%, 63%, 46%, and 90% reduction for the same parameters as compared to the influent. Plant growth parameters (plant height, fresh and dry weight) showed no significant difference between fresh water and brine treatments. Obtained results suggest that the epuvalisation system is a promising technique for inland brine treatment with added benefits. The increasing of channel number or closed loop time is estimated for enhancing the treatment process and increasing the nutrient uptake. Nevertheless, the epuvalisation technique is considered to be simple, efficient and low cost for inland RO brine treatment. PMID:23823802

Salinity Stress Does Not Affect Root Uptake, Dissemination and Persistence of Salmonella in Sweet-basil (Ocimum basilicum)

PubMed Central

Bernstein, Nirit; Sela (Saldinger), Shlomo; Dudai, Nativ; Gorbatsevich, Elena

2017-01-01

Crop produce can be contaminated in the field during cultivation by bacterial human pathogens originating from contaminated soil or irrigation water. The bacterial pathogens interact with the plant, can penetrate the plant via the root system and translocate and survive in above-ground tissues. The present study is first to investigate effects of an abiotic stress, salinity, on the interaction of plants with a bacterial human pathogen. The main sources of human bacterial contamination of plants are manures and marginal irrigation waters such as treated or un-treated wastewater. These are often saline and induce morphological, chemical and physiological changes in plants that might affect the interaction between the pathogens and the plant and thereby the potential for plant contamination. This research studied effects of salinity on the internalization of the bacterial human pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Newport via the root system of sweet-basil plants, dissemination of the bacteria in the plant, and kinetics of survival in planta. Irrigation with 30 mM NaCl-salinity induced typical salt-stress effects on the plant: growth was reduced, Na and Cl concentrations increased, K and Ca concentrations reduced, osmotic potential and anti-oxidative activity were increased by 30%, stomatal conductance was reduced, and concentrations of essential-oils in the plants increased by 26%. Despite these physical, chemical and morphological changes in the plants, root internalization of the bacteria and its translocation to the shoot were not affected, and neither was the die-off rate of Salmonella in planta. The results demonstrate that the salinity-induced changes in the sweet-basil plants did not affect the interaction between Salmonella and the plant and thereby the potential for crop contamination. PMID:28512466

Basil, tea tree and clove essential oils as analgesics and anaesthetics in Amphiprion clarkii (Bennett, 1830).

PubMed

Correia, A M; Pedrazzani, A S; Mendonça, R C; Massucatto, A; Ozório, R A; Tsuzuki, M Y

2017-11-27

In this study were evaluated the anaesthesia and analgesic effects of clove Eugenia caryophyllata, tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia and basil Ocimum basilicum essential oils (EO) during handling of yellowtail clownfish Amphiprion clarkii. Juveniles (3.70 ± 0.75 cm and 1.03 ± 0.50 g; mean ± standard deviation) were submitted to concentrations of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 µl L-1 of clove, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 µl L-1 of basil and 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 µl L-1 of tea tree oils (n=10/concentration), previously defined in pilot tests. Individually and only once, fish from each treatment were placed in a glass recipient containing 1 L of seawater at a temperature of 25 °C, salinity of 35 g L-1 and the specific concentration of diluted EO (stock solution). Control (only seawater) and blank (seawater and ethanol at the highest concentration used to dilute the oils) treatments were also conducted. After reaching the stage of surgical anaesthesia, fish were submitted to biometry and a sensibility test. After that, they were transferred to clean seawater for anaesthesia recovery. The times of induction needed to reach each anaesthesia stage and anaesthesia recovery were recorded. Animals were observed for 72 hours after the procedures. All the EO provoked anaesthesia and analgesic effects in A. clarkii, but basil oil is not recommended because it caused involuntary muscle contractions and mortality in 100% and 12% of fish, respectively. The lower concentrations that promote suitable induction and recovery times are 50 µl L-1 of clove oil and 500 µl L-1 of tea tree oil. However, due to its complementary high analgesic efficiency, clove oil is recommended as the ideal anaesthetic for A. clarkii.

Evaluation of the chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of distillate and residue fractions of sweet basil essential oil.

PubMed

Li, Hailong; Ge, Yanhui; Luo, Zhimin; Zhou, Yulan; Zhang, Xuguang; Zhang, Junqing; Fu, Qiang

2017-06-01

In this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of sweet basil ( Ocimum basilicum L. Lamiaceae family) were evaluated. Sweet basil is a food-related plant that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. Sweet basil crude oil was processed via molecular distillation and further characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to screen for new compounds. The GC-MS analysis identified thirty-eight compounds. The major constituents of the residue fraction were estragole (17.06%), methyl eugenol (11.35%) and linoleic acid (11.40%), while the distillate fraction primarily contained methyl eugenol (16.96%), α-cadinol (16.24%) and α-bergamotene (11.92%). The antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS assays) and anti-inflammatory (in Raw264.7 cells) activities were evaluated. The residue fraction markedly scavenged the DPPH (IC 50  = 1.092 ± 0.066 mg/mL) and ABTS (IC 50  = 0.707 ± 0.042 mg/mL) radicals. Meanwhile, the distillate fraction distinctly suppressed the production of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-β, IL-6) and their gene expression in LPS-induced Raw264.7 cells and suppressed NO and iNOS in an in vitro model when compared with the crude oil. In conclusion, the fractions obtained from sweet basil crude oil showed different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and they could be used as an effective source of natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents after molecular distillation. Thus, the properties of essential oils in natural herbal medicines may be maximized to provide a valuable therapeutic strategy for treating various disorders caused by extreme oxidative stress.

Characterization of Geraniol Synthase from the Peltate Glands of Sweet Basil1

PubMed Central

Iijima, Yoko; Gang, David R.; Fridman, Eyal; Lewinsohn, Efraim; Pichersky, Eran

2004-01-01

The monoterpene fraction of the lemon-scented sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) cv Sweet Dani consists mostly of citral (a mixture of geranial and neral), with lower levels of geraniol and nerol. These compounds are stored in the peltate glands found on the leaf epidermis. Younger leaves, which have a higher density of such glands, also have a higher content of monoterpenes than older leaves. Geraniol synthase (GES) activity, generating geraniol from geranyl diphosphate, was shown to be localized exclusively or almost exclusively to glands. GES activity resides in a homodimeric protein that was purified to near homogeneity. Basil GES requires Mn2+ as a divalent metal cofactor for activity and produces only geraniol from geranyl diphosphate. Km values of 21 and 51 μm were obtained for geranyl diphosphate and Mn2+, respectively. In the presence of 18O-labeled water, GES catalyzed the formation of 18O-geraniol from geranyl diphosphate, indicating that the reaction mechanism of GES is similar to that of other monoterpene synthases and is different from the action of phosphatases. A GES cDNA was isolated based on analysis of a glandular trichome expressed sequence tag database, and the sequence of the protein encoded by this cDNA shows some similarity to sequences of other terpene synthases. The expression of the GES cDNA in Escherichia coli resulted in a protein with enzymatic activity essentially identical to that of plant-purified GES. RNA gel-blot analysis indicated that GES is expressed in glands but not in leaves of basil cv Sweet Dani, whose glands contain geraniol and citral, and not in glands or leaves of another basil variety that makes other monoterpenes but not geraniol or citral. PMID:14657409

PIXE analysis of some Nigerian anti-diabetic medicinal plants (II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olabanji, S. O.; Adebajo, A. C.; Omobuwajo, O. R.; Ceccato, D.; Buoso, M. C.; Moschini, G.

2014-01-01

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to defects in insulin secretion, or action, or both, is a debilitating disease leading to other complications and death of many people in the world. Some of the medicinal plants implicated in the herbal recipes for the treatment of diabetes in Nigeria have been reported. Additional medicinal plants used for the treatment of diabetes in Nigeria are presented in this work. These medicinal plants are becoming increasingly important and relevant as herbal drugs due to their use as antioxidants, nutraceuticals, food additives and supplements in combating diabetes. Elemental compositions of these anti-diabetic medicinal plants were determined using PIXE technique. The 1.8 MV collimated proton beam from the 2.5 MV AN 2000 Van de Graaff accelerator at Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL) Legnaro (Padova) Italy was employed for the work. The results show the detection of twenty-one elements which include Mg, P, Ca, K, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Cr, Co, Ni and V that are implicated in the regulation of insulin and the control of the blood-sugar levels in the human body. The entire plant of Boerhavia diffusa, Securidaca longipedunculata stem, leaves of Peperomia pellucida, Macrosphyra longistyla, Olax subscorpioidea, Phyllanthus muerillanus, Jatropha gossypifolia, Cassia occidentalis, Phyllanthus amarus, and leaf and stem of Murraya koenigii, which have high concentrations of these elements could be recommended as vegetables, nutraceuticals, food additives, supplements and drugs in the control and management of diabetes, if toxicity profiles indicate that they are safe. However, significantly high contents of Al and Si in the entire plant of Bryophyllum pinnatum, and As, Cr, and Cu in Ocimum gratissimum leaf suggest that these plants should be avoided by diabetic patients to prevent complications.

Efficacy of plant essential oils on postharvest control of rots caused by fungi on different stone fruits in vivo.

PubMed

Lopez-Reyes, Jorge Giovanny; Spadaro, Davide; Prelle, Ambra; Garibaldi, Angelo; Gullino, Maria Lodovica

2013-04-01

The antifungal activity of plant essential oils was evaluated as postharvest treatment on stone fruit against brown rot and grey mold rot of stone fruit caused by Monilinia laxa and Botrytis cinerea, respectively. The essential oils from basil (Ocimum basilicum), fennel (Foeniculum sativum), lavender (Lavandula officinalis), marjoram (Origanum majorana), oregano (Origanum vulgare), peppermint (Mentha piperita), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), sage (Salvia officinalis), savory (Satureja montana), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and wild mint (Mentha arvensis) were tested at two different concentrations on apricots (cv. Kyoto and cv. Tonda di Costigliole), nectarines (cv. Big Top and cv. Nectaross) and plums (cv. Italia and cv. TC Sun). The volatile composition of the essential oils tested was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The treatments containing essential oils from oregano, savory, and thyme at 1% (vol/vol) controlled both B. cinerea and M. laxa growing on apricots cv. Tonda di Costigliole and plums cv. Italia and cv. TC Sun; however, the same treatments were phytotoxic for the carposphere of nectarines cv. Big Top and cv. Nectaross. Treatments with 10% (vol/vol) essential oils were highly phytotoxic, notwithstanding their efficacy against the pathogens tested. The essential oils containing as major components α-pinene, p-cymene, carvacrol, and thymol showed similar results on stone fruit, so their antimicrobial activity and the phytotoxicity produced could be based on the concentration of their principal compounds and their synergistic activity. The efficacy of the essential oil treatments on control of fungal pathogens in postharvest depended on the fruit cultivar, the composition and concentration of the essential oil applied, and the length of storage.

Antimicrobial activity of plant essential oils against bacterial and fungal species involved in food poisoning and/or food decay.

PubMed

Lixandru, Brînduşa-Elena; Drăcea, Nicoleta Olguţa; Dragomirescu, Cristiana Cerasella; Drăgulescu, Elena Carmina; Coldea, Ileana Luminiţa; Anton, Liliana; Dobre, Elena; Rovinaru, Camelia; Codiţă, Irina

2010-01-01

The currative properties of aromatic and medicinal plants have been recognized since ancient times and, more recently, the antimicrobial activity of plant essential oils has been used in several applications, including food preservation. The purpose of this study was to create directly comparable, quantitative data on the antimicrobial activity of some plant essential oils prepared in the National Institute of Research-Development for Chemistry and Petrochemistry, Bucharest to be used for the further development of food packaging technology, based on their antibacterial and antifungal activity. The essential oils extracted from thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.), spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) and carraway (Carum carvi L.) were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against eleven different bacterial and three fungal strains belonging to species reported to be involved in food poisoning and/or food decay: S. aureus ATCC 25923, S. aureus ATCC 6538, S. aureus ATCC 25913, E. coli ATCC 25922, E. coli ATCC 35218, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis Cantacuzino Institute Culture Collection (CICC) 10878, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19112, Bacillus cereus CIP 5127, Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, Penicillium spp. CICC 251 and two E. coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis clinical isolates. The majority of the tested essential oils exibited considerable inhibitory capacity against all the organisms tested, as supported by growth inhibition zone diameters, MICs and MBC's. Thyme, coriander and basil oils proved the best antibacterial activity, while thyme and spearmint oils better inhibited the fungal species.

Salinity Stress Does Not Affect Root Uptake, Dissemination and Persistence of Salmonella in Sweet-basil (Ocimum basilicum).

PubMed

Bernstein, Nirit; Sela Saldinger, Shlomo; Dudai, Nativ; Gorbatsevich, Elena

2017-01-01

Crop produce can be contaminated in the field during cultivation by bacterial human pathogens originating from contaminated soil or irrigation water. The bacterial pathogens interact with the plant, can penetrate the plant via the root system and translocate and survive in above-ground tissues. The present study is first to investigate effects of an abiotic stress, salinity, on the interaction of plants with a bacterial human pathogen. The main sources of human bacterial contamination of plants are manures and marginal irrigation waters such as treated or un-treated wastewater. These are often saline and induce morphological, chemical and physiological changes in plants that might affect the interaction between the pathogens and the plant and thereby the potential for plant contamination. This research studied effects of salinity on the internalization of the bacterial human pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Newport via the root system of sweet-basil plants, dissemination of the bacteria in the plant, and kinetics of survival in planta . Irrigation with 30 mM NaCl-salinity induced typical salt-stress effects on the plant: growth was reduced, Na and Cl concentrations increased, K and Ca concentrations reduced, osmotic potential and anti-oxidative activity were increased by 30%, stomatal conductance was reduced, and concentrations of essential-oils in the plants increased by 26%. Despite these physical, chemical and morphological changes in the plants, root internalization of the bacteria and its translocation to the shoot were not affected, and neither was the die-off rate of Salmonella in planta . The results demonstrate that the salinity-induced changes in the sweet-basil plants did not affect the interaction between Salmonella and the plant and thereby the potential for crop contamination.

Reduction of microbial contamination and improvement of germination of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds via surface dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrico, Paolo F.; Šimek, Milan; Morano, Massimo; De Miccolis Angelini, Rita M.; Minafra, Angelantonio; Trotti, Pasquale; Ambrico, Marianna; Prukner, Václav; Faretra, Francesco

2017-08-01

Naturally contaminated basil seeds were treated by a surface dielectric barrier discharge driven in the humid air by an amplitude modulated AC high voltage to avoid heat shock. In order to avoid direct contact of seeds with microdischarge filaments, the seeds to be treated were placed at sufficient distance from the surface discharge. After treatment, the seeds were analyzed in comparison with control samples for their microbial contamination as well as for the capability of germination and seedling growth. Moreover, chemical modification of seed surface was observed through the elemental energy dispersive x-ray analysis and wettability tests. We found that treatment applied at 20% duty cycle (effective discharge duration up to 20 s) significantly decreases microbial load without reducing the viability of the seeds. On the other side, seedling growth was considerably accelerated after the treatment, and biometric growth parameters of seedlings (total length, weight, leaf extension) considerably increased compared to the controls. Interestingly, scanning electron microscopy images taken for the different duration of treatment revealed that seed radicle micropylar regions underwent significant morphological changes while the coat was substantially undamaged. Inside the seed, the embryo seemed to be well preserved while the endosperm body was detached from the epithelial tegument. A total of 9 different genera of fungi were recovered from the analyzed seeds. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that conidia were localized especially in the micropylar region, and after plasma treatment, most of them showed substantial damages. Therefore, the overall effect of the treatment of naturally contaminated seeds by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species produced by plasma and the consequent changes in surface chemistry and microbial load can significantly improve seed vigor.

De Novo Assembly and Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Red and Green Morphs of Sweet Basil Grown in Full Sunlight

PubMed Central

Torre, Sara; Tattini, Massimiliano; Brunetti, Cecilia; Guidi, Lucia; Gori, Antonella; Marzano, Cristina; Landi, Marco; Sebastiani, Federico

2016-01-01

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), one of the most popular cultivated herbs worldwide, displays a number of varieties differing in several characteristics, such as the color of the leaves. The development of a reference transcriptome for sweet basil, and the analysis of differentially expressed genes in acyanic and cyanic cultivars exposed to natural sunlight irradiance, has interest from horticultural and biological point of views. There is still great uncertainty about the significance of anthocyanins in photoprotection, and how green and red morphs may perform when exposed to photo-inhibitory light, a condition plants face on daily and seasonal basis. We sequenced the leaf transcriptome of the green-leaved Tigullio (TIG) and the purple-leaved Red Rubin (RR) exposed to full sunlight over a four-week experimental period. We assembled and annotated 111,007 transcripts. A total of 5,468 and 5,969 potential SSRs were identified in TIG and RR, respectively, out of which 66 were polymorphic in silico. Comparative analysis of the two transcriptomes showed 2,372 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) clustered in 222 enriched Gene ontology terms. Green and red basil mostly differed for transcripts abundance of genes involved in secondary metabolism. While the biosynthesis of waxes was up-regulated in red basil, the biosynthesis of flavonols and carotenoids was up-regulated in green basil. Data from our study provides a comprehensive transcriptome survey, gene sequence resources and microsatellites that can be used for further investigations in sweet basil. The analysis of DEGs and their functional classification also offers new insights on the functional role of anthocyanins in photoprotection. PMID:27483170

Investigation of Some Potent Medicinal Plants of N.E.INDIA with Respect to Thermophysical, Chromatographic and Crystallographic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bora, M. N.; Kalita, Mahendra

2010-06-01

North East India is readily available of various kinds of medicinal plants. A lot of studies on thermophysical properties of plant leaves, fluids, stems and roots had already been made[3,4,8]. In the present studies of thermophysical properties, chromatographic and crystallographic properties of specific medicinal plant leaves (Azadirechta indica)A, (Vinca rosea)B, (Clerodrendrum colebrookianum)C, (Osimum sanctum)D and fruits (Chisocheton paniculatus) E, and (Cudrania javanensis) F have been made plant based drugs for curing for different chronic diseases. The thermophysical properties of these leaves and fruits have been studies with XRD, XRF, TG, DTG, DTA, and DSC thermograms. From weight loss(%), time and temperature variations, the Activation Energies of these medicinal plant samples have been computed. The thermal stability is found more for the fruits samples than that of the leave samples. Thermal behaviours of all six samples have shown hygroscopic behaviour. The results TG, DTG and DTA thermograms confirmed that all samples show similar dehydration and decomposition reactions and hydrophilic nature. Both chromatographic techniques thin layer (TLC) and Column chromatography have been used for separation of components of the mixtures of samples. From these methods of the fruit sample E a pure crystalline white solids have been identified and confirm them as (MK 01) α-isomer. Our interest to study the molecular and crystal structure of the sample E. The single crystal of (MK 01) is found to be orthorhombic cell with lattice parameters a = 10ṡ699(3)Å b = 15ṡ5100(4)Å c = 16ṡ626(4)Å α = 90° β = 90° γ = 90° with space group P212121 Again from fruit sample F a light yellow solid is isolated and on crystallization give crystalline solid MN-01 and MN-02 and it is confirmed that these two compounds are unsaturated isoflavonoids. The single crystal of MN-01 has been found monoclinic with lattice parameters a = 6.2374(11)Å, b = 8.4243(11)Å, c = 21.181(4)Å, α = 96.083(13)°, β = 95.602(10)° and γ = 107.419(7)° with Space group P-1. Again single crystal MN-02 has been found monoclinic with lattice parameters being a = 25.2732 Å, b = 7.4414 Å, c = 22.3113 Å, α = 90°, β = 93.063°, γ = 90°, with space group C2/c.

A review of the efficacy of traditional Iranian medicine for inflammatory bowel disease

PubMed Central

Rahimi, Roja; Shams-Ardekani, Mohammad Reza; Abdollahi, Mohammad

2010-01-01

The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not yet known, but many factors such as defects in the immune system, oxidative stress, microbial content in the gastrointestinal tract, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), and leukotriene B4 (LB4) are thought to play a role in its pathogenesis. In traditional Iranian medicine (TIM), several medicinal plants are thought to be effective for the treatment of IBD. In this study, information on all of these remedies were derived from all available old sources such as documents or notes and books and were added to the information derived from modern medical databases covering all in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials. For some of these plants, only one or two mechanisms of action have been found such as in Cassia fistula, Lepidium sativum, and Bunium persicum. However, for some plants various mechanisms of action are known. For example, Commiphora mukul is effective in IBD due to its immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties and it decreases NF-κB, NO and Cox-2. Another herb, Plantago ovata, has immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities and decreases NO and LB4. Considering the mechanisms of action of these plants, the combination of some of them may be useful because of their many mechanisms of action such as Pistacia lentiscus, Bunium persicum, Solanum nigrum, Plantago ovata, Boswellia, Solanum nigrum, Plantago ovata and Commiphora mukul. For some of the herbal products used in TIM such as oleogum resin from Commiphora myrrha, seeds of Ocimum basilicum, seeds of Linum usitatissimum, gum resin of Dracaena cinnabari, seeds of Plantago major, seeds of Lallementia royleana, and seeds of Allium porrum, there is no or not enough studies to confirm their benefits in IBD. It is suggested that an evaluation of the effects of these plants on different aspects of IBD should be performed. PMID:20857519

An analysis of two indigenous reproductive health illnesses in a Nahua community in Veracruz, Mexico

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background This article describes the local concepts indigenous Nahua women hold regarding their reproduction. Specifically it provides a description of two indigenous illnesses—isihuayo and necaxantle, it discusses their etiology, symptoms, and treatments, and it analyzes them within the local ethnomedical framework and sociopolitical context. A perception of female vulnerability is shown to be an underlying shaper of women’s experiences of these illnesses. Methods This research took place in a small Nahua village in Mexico. Qualitative data on local perceptions of these illnesses were collected by a combination of participant observation and interviews. Ethnobotanical data was obtained through interviews, and medicinal plants were collected in home gardens, fields, stream banks, and forested areas. The total study population consisted of traditional birth attendants (N = 5), clinicians (N = 8), and laywomen (N = 48). Results Results showed that 20% of the village women had suffered from one or both of these illnesses. The article includes a detailed description of the etiology, symptoms, and treatments of these illnesses. Data shows that they were caused by mechanical, physical, and social factors related to a woman’s weakness and/or lack of support. Traditional birth attendants often treated women’s illnesses. Five medicinal plants were salient in the treatment of these illnesses: Ocimum basilicum L., Mentzelia aspera L., Pedilanthus tithymaloides (L.) Poit., and Piper umbellatum L. were used for isihuayo, while Solanum wendlandii Hook f. was used for necaxantle. Conclusions The research on these two ethnomedical conditions is a useful case study to understanding how indigenous women experience reproductive health. Reproductive health is not simply about clinically-based medicine but is also about how biomedicine intersects with the local bodily concepts. By describing and analyzing indigenous women’s ill health, one can focus upon the combination of causes—which extend beyond the physical body and into the larger structure that the women exist in. PMID:22913545

Susceptibility of MED-Q1 and MED-Q3 Biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Populations to Essential and Seed Oils.

PubMed

Samuel Fogné, Drabo; Olivier, Gnankine; Bassolé, Imael H N; Nébié, Roger Charles; Laurence, Mouton

2017-06-01

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a major pest of many agricultural and ornamental crops in tropical and subtropical regions causing damages that result in important economic losses. Insecticides are commonly used in greenhouses or fields to control B. tabaci populations leading to rapid evolution of resistance that render treatments inefficient. Therefore, and for environmental and human health concerns, other approaches must be developed for this pest management. In the present study, we compare, using the leaf dip method, the toxicity of three essential oils (Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum americanum, and Hyptis spicigera) and three seed oils (Lannea microcarpa, Lannea acida, and Carapa procera) with three chemical insecticides (acetamiprid, deltamethrin, and chlorpyrifos-ethyl) on adults. Two B. tabaci biotypes (MED-Q1 and MED-Q3) belonging to the Mediterranean species and collected in Burkina Faso were used. Essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. We showed that these two biotypes have different levels of resistance to the three insecticides, MED-Q3 being more sensitive than MED-Q1. Moreover, they differ in the frequency of resistance alleles to insecticides, especially for organophosphates, as these alleles are almost fixed in MED-Q1. On the other hand, the two biotypes prove to be more susceptible to the plant extracts than to insecticides except for chlorpyrifos-ethyl, with essential oils that showed the highest insecticidal activities. Monoterpenes content were the most abundant and showed the highest insecticidal activities. Our results indicated that essential oils, but also seed oils, have the potential to constitute an alternative strategy of pest management. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In vitro study of anti-coccidial activity of essential oils from indigenous plants against Eimeria tenella.

PubMed

Jitviriyanon, Surapan; Phanthong, Phanida; Lomarat, Pattamapan; Bunyapraphatsara, Nuntavan; Porntrakulpipat, Sarthorn; Paraksa, Nuanchan

2016-09-15

This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro anticoccidial properties against Eimeria tenella of different essential oils and their major active components. Efficacy of ten essential oils from different Thai indigenous plants were preliminarily screened and only those with potential were further tested for effective concentrations and identifying their active compounds. Oocysticidal property was evaluated in term of sporulation inhibition of oocysts and the percentage of unsporulated, sporulated and degenerated oocysts, after treatment with 125μg/ml of the selected essential oil, the sample was enumerated by haemocytometer, while coccidiocidal activity was assessed by the inhibition of sporozoite invasion in MDBK cell lines. Results showed that only Boesenbergia pandurata and Ocimum basilicum essential oils had strong sporulation inhibition activity by providing a higher ratio of degenerated oocysts and their IC 50 were 0.134 and 0.101mg/ml, respectively. GC-MS analysis of B. pandurata essential oil found trans-b-ocimene, camphor, 1,8-cineole, geraniol, camphene, methyl cinnamate, l-limonene and linalool as the major components, while methyl chavicol, α-bergamotene, 1,8-cineole and trans-β-ocimene were the main compounds of O. basilicum essential oil. Methyl cinnamate and camphor were the active components of B. pandurata oil, whereas methyl chavicol was the active component of O. basilicum oil by exhibiting the oocysticidal effect against E. tenella with IC 50 values of 0.008, 0.023 and 0.054mg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, B. pandurata and O. basilicum oils also showed a strong cytotoxic property against coccidia with more than 70% inhibition of sporozoite invasion in MDBK cell lines, and their IC 50 were 0.004 and 0.004mg/ml, respectively. Methyl cinnamate as well as camphor from B. pandurata and methyl chavicol from O. basilicum were also effective with IC 50 values of 0.029, 0.023, and 0.022mg/ml, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tri-trophic insecticidal effects of African plants against cabbage pests.

PubMed

Amoabeng, Blankson W; Gurr, Geoff M; Gitau, Catherine W; Nicol, Helen I; Munyakazi, Louis; Stevenson, Phil C

2013-01-01

Botanical insecticides are increasingly attracting research attention as they offer novel modes of action that may provide effective control of pests that have already developed resistance to conventional insecticides. They potentially offer cost-effective pest control to smallholder farmers in developing countries if highly active extracts can be prepared simply from readily available plants. Field cage and open field experiments were conducted to evaluate the insecticidal potential of nine common Ghanaian plants: goat weed, Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae), Siam weed, Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae), Cinderella weed, Synedrella nodiflora (Asteraceae), chili pepper, Capsicum frutescens (Solanaceae), tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae) cassia, Cassia sophera (Leguminosae), physic nut, Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae), castor oil plant, Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) and basil, Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae). In field cage experiments, simple detergent and water extracts of all botanical treatments gave control of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae and diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, equivalent to the synthetic insecticide Attack® (emamectin benzoate) and superior to water or detergent solution. In open field experiments in the major and minor rainy seasons using a sub-set of plant extracts (A. conyzoides, C. odorata, S. nodiflora, N. tabacum and R. communis), all controlled B. brassicae and P. xylostella more effectively than water control and comparably with or better than Attack®. Botanical and water control treatments were more benign to third trophic level predators than Attack®. Effects cascaded to the first trophic level with all botanical treatments giving cabbage head weights, comparable to Attack® in the minor season. In the major season, R. communis and A conyzoides treatment gave lower head yields than Attack® but the remaining botanicals were equivalent or superior to this synthetic insecticide. Simply-prepared extracts from readily-available Ghanaian plants give beneficial, tri-trophic benefits and merit further research as an inexpensive plant protection strategy for smallholder farmers in West Africa.

Tri-Trophic Insecticidal Effects of African Plants against Cabbage Pests

PubMed Central

Amoabeng, Blankson W.; Gurr, Geoff M.; Gitau, Catherine W.; Nicol, Helen I.; Stevenson, Phil C.

2013-01-01

Botanical insecticides are increasingly attracting research attention as they offer novel modes of action that may provide effective control of pests that have already developed resistance to conventional insecticides. They potentially offer cost-effective pest control to smallholder farmers in developing countries if highly active extracts can be prepared simply from readily available plants. Field cage and open field experiments were conducted to evaluate the insecticidal potential of nine common Ghanaian plants: goat weed, Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae), Siam weed, Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae), Cinderella weed, Synedrella nodiflora (Asteraceae), chili pepper, Capsicum frutescens (Solanaceae), tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae) cassia, Cassia sophera (Leguminosae), physic nut, Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae), castor oil plant, Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) and basil, Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae). In field cage experiments, simple detergent and water extracts of all botanical treatments gave control of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae and diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, equivalent to the synthetic insecticide Attack® (emamectin benzoate) and superior to water or detergent solution. In open field experiments in the major and minor rainy seasons using a sub-set of plant extracts (A. conyzoides, C. odorata, S. nodiflora, N. tabacum and R. communis), all controlled B. brassicae and P. xylostella more effectively than water control and comparably with or better than Attack®. Botanical and water control treatments were more benign to third trophic level predators than Attack®. Effects cascaded to the first trophic level with all botanical treatments giving cabbage head weights, comparable to Attack® in the minor season. In the major season, R. communis and A conyzoides treatment gave lower head yields than Attack® but the remaining botanicals were equivalent or superior to this synthetic insecticide. Simply-prepared extracts from readily-available Ghanaian plants give beneficial, tri-trophic benefits and merit further research as an inexpensive plant protection strategy for smallholder farmers in West Africa. PMID:24205287

Snakebites and ethnobotany in the northwest region of Colombia. Part III: neutralization of the haemorrhagic effect of Bothrops atrox venom.

PubMed

Otero, R; Núñez, V; Barona, J; Fonnegra, R; Jiménez, S L; Osorio, R G; Saldarriaga, M; Díaz, A

2000-11-01

Thirty-one of 75 extracts of plants used by traditional healers for snakebites, had moderate or high neutralizing ability against the haemorrhagic effect of Bothrops atrox venom from Antioquia and Chocó, north-western Colombia. After preincubation of several doses of every extract (7.8-4000 microg/mouse) with six minimum haemorrhagic doses (10 microg) of venom, 12 of them demonstrated 100% neutralizing capacity when the mixture was i.d. injected into mice (18-20 g). These were the stem barks of Brownea rosademonte (Caesalpiniaceae) and Tabebuia rosea (Bignoniaceae); the whole plants of Pleopeltis percussa (Polypodiaceae), Trichomanes elegans (Hymenophyllaceae) and Senna dariensis (Caesalpiniaceae); rhizomes of Heliconia curtispatha (Heliconiaceae); leaves and branches of Bixa orellana (Bixaceae), Philodendron tripartitum (Araceae), Struthanthus orbicularis (Loranthaceae) and Gonzalagunia panamensis (Rubiaceae); the ripe fruits of Citrus limon (Rutaceae); leaves, branches and stem of Ficus nymphaeifolia (Moraceae). Extracts of another 19 species showed moderate neutralization (21-72%) at doses up to 4 mg/mouse, e.g. the whole plants of Aristolochia grandiflora (Aristolochiaceae), Columnea kalbreyeriana (Gesneriaceae), Sida acuta (Malvaceae), Selaginella articulata (Selaginellaceae) and Pseudoelephantopus spicatus (Asteraceae); rhizomes of Renealmia alpinia (Zingiberaceae); the stem of Strychnos xinguensis (Loganiaceae); leaves, branches and stems of Hyptis capitata (Lamiaceae), Ipomoea cairica (Convolvulaceae), Neurolaena lobata (Asteraceae), Ocimum micranthum (Lamiaceae), Piper pulchrum (Piperaceae), Siparuna thecaphora (Monimiaceae), Castilla elastica (Moraceae) and Allamanda cathartica (Apocynaceae); the macerated ripe fruits of Capsicum frutescens (Solanaceae); the unripe fruits of Crescentia cujete (Bignoniaceae); leaves and branches of Piper arboreum (Piperaceae) and Passiflora quadrangularis (Passifloraceae). When the extracts were independently administered by oral, i.p. or i.v. route either before or after an i.d. venom injection (10 microg), neutralization of haemorrhage dropped below 25% for all the extracts. Additionally, B. rosademonte and P. percussa extracts were able to inhibit the proteolytic activity of B. atrox venom on casein.

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy of Sixteen Essential Oils against Escherichia coli and Aspergillus fumigatus Isolated from Poultry.

PubMed

Ebani, Valentina Virginia; Najar, Basma; Bertelloni, Fabrizio; Pistelli, Luisa; Mancianti, Francesca; Nardoni, Simona

2018-06-25

Escherichia coli and Aspergillus fumigatus are two pathogens largely present among poultry. They can cause mild or severe forms of disease, and are associated with significant economic losses. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition and the in vitro antimicrobial activity of sixteen essential oils (EOs) and five mixtures against E. coli and A. fumigatus strains previously isolated from poultry. The study was performed with the following EOs: Aloysia tryphilla , Boswellia sacra , Cinnamomum zeylanicum , Citrus aurantium , Citrus bergamia , Citrus limon , Citrus reticulata , Cymbopogon citratus , Eucalyptus globulus , Lavandula hybrida , Litsea cubeba , Ocimum basilicum , Melaleuca alternifolia , Mentha piperita , Pelargonium graveolens , and Syzygium aromaticum . Moreover, the following mixtures were also tested: L. cubeba and C. citratus (M1), L. cubeba and A. triphylla (M2), A. triphylla and C. citratus (M3), A. triphylla , C. citratus and L. cubeba (M4), S. aromaticum and C. zeylanicum (M5). One hundred and ninety-one compounds were identified in the tested EOs and mixtures. MIC determination found good anti- E. coli activity with C. zeylanicum (2.52 mg/mL), C. citratus (1.118 mg/mL), L. cubeba (1.106 mg/mL), M. piperita (1.14 mg/mL) and S. aromaticum (1.318 mg/mL) EOs. Among the mixtures, M5 showed the best result with a MIC value of 2.578 mg/mL. The best antimycotic activity was showed by A. triphylla (0.855 mg/mL), followed by C. citratus (0.895 mg/mL), while C. aurantium , M. piperita , B. sacra and P. graveolens did not yield any antifungal effect at the highest dilution. The mixtures exhibited no antifungal activity at all. This study shows promising results in order to use EOs in the environment for disinfection purposes in poultry farms and/or in hatcheries.

The cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic content of some herbal teas.

PubMed

Apak, Reşat; Güçlü, Kubilay; Ozyürek, Mustafa; Esin Karademir, Saliha; Erçağ, Erol

2006-01-01

The total antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extracts of some endemic herbs-prepared as infusions by steeping these herbs in hot water--was assayed with bis(neocuproine)copper(II) chloride, also known as the cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) reagent, which was easily accessible, rapid, stable and responsive to both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants. The highest antioxidant capacities of some herbal teas available in the Turkish market were observed for scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), green tea (Camellia sinensis) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), in this order (1.63, 1.18, 1.07, and 0.99 mmol trolox equivalent (TR)/g, respectively). For infusions prepared from ready-to-use tea bags, the CUPRAC values were highest for Ceylon blended ordinary tea (4.41), green tea with lemon (1.61), English breakfast ordinary tea (1.26) and green tea (0.94), all of which were manufactured types of C. sinensis. Following the strongest antioxidant herbs with capacities close to or slightly exceeding 1.0 mmol TR/g, sage, thyme, coriander, coltsfoot, blackberry and immortelle (Helichrysum) exhibited capacities around 0.5 mmol TR/g. The correlation of the Folin total phenolic content of herbal teas with their CUPRAC and ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) total antioxidant capacities gave linear curves with correlation coefficients of 0.966 and 0.936, respectively, showing that the CUPRAC assay results better correlated with total phenolic content of herbal teas. Absorbance versus concentration data at different dilutions and upon standard additions of model antioxidant compounds (trolox and quercetin) to herbal tea infusions showed that the absorbances (at 450 nm of the CUPRAC method) due to different antioxidant compounds in herbal tea infusions were additive; that is, the tested antioxidants did not chemically interact to cause apparent deviations from Beer's law.

Toxicity of basil oil constituents and related compounds and the efficacy of spray formulations to Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae).

PubMed

Perumalsamy, Haribalan; Kim, Jae Yeon; Kim, Jun-Ran; Hwang, Kum Na Ra; Ahn, Young-Joon

2014-05-01

Pyroglyphid house dust mites are the most common cause of allergic symptoms in humans. An assessment was made of the toxicity of basil, Ocimum basilicum L, essential oil, 11 basil oil constituents, seven structurally related compounds, and another 22 previously known basil oil constituents to adult American house dust mites, Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes. The efficacy of four experimental spray formulations containing basil oil (1, 2, 3, and 4% sprays) was also assessed. Results were compared with those of two conventional acaricides benzyl benzoate and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. The active principles of basil oil were determined to be citral, alpha-terpineol, and linalool. Citral (24 h LC50, 1.13 microg/cm2) and menthol (1.69 microg/cm2) were the most toxic compounds, followed by methyl eugenol (5.78 microg/cm2). These compounds exhibited toxicity greater than benzyl benzoate (LC50, 8.41 microg/cm2) and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (37.67 microg/cm2). Potent toxicity was also observed with eugenol, menthone, spathulenol, alpha-terpineol, nerolidol, zerumbone, and nerol (LC50, 12.52-21.44 microg/cm2). Interestingly, the sesquiterpenoid alpha-humulene, lacking only the carbonyl group present in zerumbone, was significantly less effective than zerumbone, indicating that the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl group of zerumbone is a prerequisite component for toxicity. These compounds were consistently more toxic in closed versus open containers, indicating that their mode of delivery was largely a result of vapor action. Basil oil applied as 3 and 4% sprays provided 97 and 100% mortality against the mites, respectively, whereas permethrin (cis:trans, 25:75) 2.5 g/liter spray treatment resulted in 17% mortality. Our results indicate that practical dust mite control in indoor environments can be achieved by basil oil spray formulations (3 and 4% sprays) as potential contact-action fumigants.

Solid- and vapor-phase antimicrobial activities of six essential oils: susceptibility of selected foodborne bacterial and fungal strains.

PubMed

López, P; Sánchez, C; Batlle, R; Nerín, C

2005-08-24

The antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) of cinnamon (Cinnamon zeylanicum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), basil (Ocimum basillicum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), dill (Anethum graveolens), and ginger (Zingiber officinalis) was evaluated over a range of concentrations in two types of contact tests (solid and vapor diffusion). The EOs were tested against an array of four Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Listeria monocytogenes), four Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella choleraesuis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and three fungi (a yeast, Candida albicans, and two molds, Penicillium islandicum and Aspergillus flavus). The rationale for this work was to test the possibility of creating a protective atmosphere by using natural compounds that could extend the shelf life of packaged foodstuffs while minimizing organoleptic alterations. In the solid diffusion tests, cinnamon and clove gave the strongest (and very similar) inhibition, followed by basil and rosemary, with dill and ginger giving the weakest inhibition. The fungi were the most sensitive microorganisms, followed by the Gram-positive bacterial strains. The Gram-negative strain P. aeruginosa was the least inhibited. The composition of the atmosphere generated by the EOs, and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), were determined using a disk volatilization method, in which no inhibition from rosemary or basil was observed. Cinnamon and clove, once again, gave similar results for every microorganism. As a general rule, MIC (fungi) < MIC (bacteria) with no clear differences between Gram-positive or -negative strains except for P. aeruginosa, which was not inhibited by any of the EOs in the vapor phase. The atmosphere generated from the EOs was analyzed by means of solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Differences among the volatiles in the EOs, which may be responsible for the differences in their antimicrobial performances, were found.

Wool-waste as organic nutrient source for container-grown plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheljazkov, Valtcho D.; Stratton, Glenn W.; Pincock, James

A container experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that uncomposted wool wastes could be used as nutrient source and growth medium constituent for container-grown plants. The treatments were: (1) rate of wool-waste application (0 or unamended control, 20, 40, 80, and 120 g of wool per 8-in. pot), (2) growth medium constituents [(2.1) wool plus perlite, (2.2) wool plus peat, and (2.3) wool plus peat plus perlite], and (3) plant species (basil and Swiss chard). A single addition of 20, 40, 80, or 120 g of wool-waste to Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) inmore » pots with growth medium provided four harvests of Swiss chard and five harvests of basil. Total basil yield from the five harvests was 1.6-5 times greater than the total yield from the unamended control, while total Swiss chard yield from the four harvests was 2-5 times greater relative to the respective unamended control. The addition of wool-waste to the growth medium increased Swiss chard and basil tissue N, and NO{sub 3}-N and NH{sub 4}-N in growth medium relative to the unamended control. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis of wool fibers sampled at the end of the experiments indicated various levels of decomposition, with some fibers retaining their original surface structure. Furthermore, most of the wool fibers' surfaces contained significant concentrations of S and much less N, P, or K. SEM/EDX revealed that some plant roots grow directly on wool-waste fibers suggesting either (1) root directional growth towards sites with greater nutrient concentration and/or (2) a possible role for roots or root exudates in wool decomposition. Results from this study suggest that uncomposted wool wastes can be used as soil amendment, growth medium constituent, and nutrient source for container-grown plants.« less

Biosynthesis of t-Anethole in Anise: Characterization of t-Anol/Isoeugenol Synthase and an O-Methyltransferase Specific for a C7-C8 Propenyl Side Chain1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Koeduka, Takao; Baiga, Thomas J.; Noel, Joseph P.; Pichersky, Eran

2009-01-01

The phenylpropene t-anethole imparts the characteristic sweet aroma of anise (Pimpinella anisum, family Apiaceae) seeds and leaves. Here we report that the aerial parts of the anise plant accumulate t-anethole as the plant matures, with the highest levels of t-anethole found in fruits. Although the anise plant is covered with trichomes, t-anethole accumulates inside the leaves and not in the trichomes or the epidermal cell layer. We have obtained anise cDNA encoding t-anol/isoeugenol synthase 1 (AIS1), an NADPH-dependent enzyme that can biosynthesize t-anol and isoeugenol (the latter not found in anise) from coumaryl acetate and coniferyl acetate, respectively. In addition, we have obtained a cDNA encoding S-[methyl-14C]adenosyl-l-methionine:t-anol/isoeugenol O-methyltransferase 1 (AIMT1), an enzyme that can convert t-anol or isoeugenol to t-anethole or methylisoeugenol, respectively, via methylation of the para-OH group. The genes encoding AIS1 and AIMT1 were expressed throughout the plant and their transcript levels were highest in developing fruits. The AIS1 protein is 59% identical to petunia (Petunia hybrida) isoeugenol synthase 1 and displays apparent Km values of 145 μm for coumaryl acetate and 230 μm for coniferyl acetate. AIMT1 prefers isoeugenol to t-anol by a factor of 2, with Km values of 19.3 μm for isoeugenol and 54.5 μm for S-[methyl-14C]adenosyl-l-methionine. The AIMT1 protein sequence is approximately 40% identical to basil (Ocimum basilicum) and Clarkia breweri phenylpropene O-methyltransferases, but unlike these enzymes, which do not show large discrimination between substrates with isomeric propenyl side chains, AIMT1 shows a 10-fold preference for t-anol over chavicol and for isoeugenol over eugenol. PMID:18987218

Biological effects of some natural and chemical compounds on the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella Zell. (Lepidoptera:Gelechiidae)

PubMed Central

Sharaby, Aziza; Abdel-Rahman, H.; Moawad, S.

2009-01-01

The olfactory reaction of larvae and moths was investigated towards 18 oils (6 natural oils and 12 commercial chemical oils). Some of these oils such as peppermint and camphor (natural oils) and eugenol and camphene (commercial oils) were repellent to both larvae and moths. Other oils such as strawberry and d-limonene were attractive to both larvae and moths. Some of the repellent oils were, therefore, tested for their effect on certain biological aspects of the insects. Eugenol and peppermint oils, each at the 0.01% conc., caused a significant depression in the fecundity of moth and decreased the percentage of egg hatchability. Eugenol oil was much more effective than peppermint oil at 1%. Dried (leaves, fruits or seeds) powder of 14 different plants species were tested in different concentrations with talcum powder (carrier material) against egg deposition. The results indicated that dried powders of Allium cepa, Curcuma longa, Colocasia antiqurum, Ocimum basilicum. Dodonaea viscose and Thuja orientalis played a highly significant role in reducing egg deposition. The most impressive effect was displayed by powders of D. viscose and A. cepa, which caused the highest depression in egg deposition as well as in the emerging offsprings. Ethanolic extracts of 11 plants indicated that extracts of Pithuranthos tortosus and Iphiona scabra caused the maximum inhibition of egg hatchability, followed by C. longa, Citrullus colocynthia and T. orientalis. Ethanolic extracts of Schinus terebenthiflius (leaves) and I. scabra caused the highest depression in the deposited eggs, as they played a remarkable role as ovipositor deterrents. The majority of the plant extracts at 1% conc. could protect potato tubers at different intervals according to the calculated tuber damage index as follows: Iphiopna > Pithuranthos > Curcuma > Schinus (fruits) Thuja > Schinus (leaves) > Dodonaea > Citrullus. PMID:23961036

Fumigant Toxicity of Essential Oils from Basil and Spearmint Against Two Major Pyralid Pests of Stored Products.

PubMed

Eliopoulos, P A; Hassiotis, C N; Andreadis, S S; Porichi, A-E E

2015-04-01

The fumigant activity of essential oil vapors distilled from sweet basil Ocimum basilicum L. and spearmint Mentha spicata L. (Lamiaceae) were tested against two major stored products pests Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Various oil doses (0.5, 2.5, 5, 50, 250, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 µl/liter air), for an exposure period of 24 h, were tested. The essential oils were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and revealed that the major compounds were for spearmint oil carvone (67.1%) and limonene (+1,8 cineole; 14.3%) and for basil oil linalool (45.9%), 1,8 cineole (16.7%) and eugenol (10.3%). Apart from a few exceptions, no significant differences in insecticidal action were observed between basil and spearmint oil. Both oils were highly effective against adult moths, given that notable mortality (>80%) was recorded after exposure to low doses such as 2.5 µl/liter. Noteworthy, egg mortality was also recorded, reaching 73-79% for basil and 56-60% for spearmint. Toxicity data indicated that larvae and pupae were the most tolerant stages in all cases. Larval mortality never exceeded 21 and 18%, for basil and spearmint, respectively, irrespective of moth species. Basil and spearmint oils displayed mortalities as high as 38 and 28% in pupae. Lethal doses (LD50 and LD99) values were estimated via probit analysis. Developmental stage proved to be a significant factor, whereas the effect of oil species on insect mortality was insignificant. With the exception of adult individuals, basil and spearmint oils did not show satisfactory overall insecticidal activity against E. kuehniella and P. interpunctella. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characterization of Essential Oil Composition in Different Basil Species and Pot Cultures by a GC-MS Method.

PubMed

Muráriková, Andrea; Ťažký, Anton; Neugebauerová, Jarmila; Planková, Alexandra; Jampílek, Josef; Mučaji, Pavel; Mikuš, Peter

2017-07-20

Basil ( Ocimum L.) species are used as medicinal plants due to their essential oils exhibiting specific biological activity. The present work demonstrated that both the variety and season/conditions of cultivation had a significant effect on (i) the produced amount (extraction yield), (ii) qualitative, as well as (iii) quantitative profile of basil essential oil. Among studied basil varieties, a new variety, 'Mánes', was characterized for the first time. Based on our quantitative evaluation of GC-MS profiles, the following chemotypes and average concentrations of a main component were detected in the studied basil varieties: 'Ohře', 'Lettuce Leaf', 'Purple Opaal', 'Dark Green' (linalool, 5.99, 2.49, 2.34, 2.01 mg/mL, respectively), and 'Mammolo Genovese', 'Mánes', 'Red Rubin' (eucalyptol, 1.34, 0.96, 0.76 mg/mL, respectively). At the same time, when considering other compounds identified in GC-MS profiles, all the studied varieties, except from 'Lettuce Leaf', were methyl eugenol-rich with a strong dependence of the eugenol:methyl eugenol ratio on the seasonal changes (mainly solar irradiation, but also temperature and relative humidity). More complex and/or variable (depending on the season and cultivation) chemotypes were observed with 'Lettuce Leaf' (plus estragole, 2.27 mg/mL), 'Dark Green' (plus eucalyptol, 1.36 mg/mL), 'Mammolo Genovese' (plus eugenol, 1.19 mg/mL), 'Red Rubin' (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.46 and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively), and 'Mánes' (plus linalool and eugenol, 0.58 and 0.40 mg/mL, respectively). When considering superior extraction yield (ca. 17 mL·kg -1 , i.e., two to five times higher than other examined varieties) and consistent amounts (yields) of essential oil when comparing inter-seasonal or inter-year data (RSD and inter-year difference in mean yield values ˂2.5%), this new basil variety is very promising for use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

Consumers' acceptance of medicinal herbs: An application of the technology acceptance model (TAM).

PubMed

Jokar, Nargesh Khatun; Noorhosseini, Seyyed Ali; Allahyari, Mohammad Sadegh; Damalas, Christos A

2017-07-31

The shift in consumers' preferences from synthetic to 'natural' products has led to a resurgence of interest in medicinal plants, particularly in developing countries. However, research data about consumers' preferences for particular products is hard to find. The main objective of this study was to contribute to the general understanding of consumers' intention for selecting medicinal herbs for consumption. Factors underpinning consumers' acceptance of medicinal herbs were studied with the technology acceptance model (TAM) in Rasht City of Iran using a structured questionnaire. Most respondents had low to moderate familiarity with consumption of medicinal herbs. However, about half of the respondents (47.5%) showed a high level of acceptance of medicinal herbs. Herbs like spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), Damask rose (Rosa × damascena Herrm.), saffron (Crocus sativus L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J.Presl), flixweed [Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl], red feathers (Echium amoenum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.), and green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] had the highest consumption rate among the majority (over 75%) of citizens of Rasht. The highest rate of perceived usefulness of medicinal herbs was related to their perceived role in healing diseases. The variable of importance of use of medicinal herbs had the strongest direct effect and the variables of perceived usefulness and attitude towards use had the second and third strongest direct effect on the acceptance of medicinal herbs' use at p < 0.01. Findings provide a useful evaluation of the acceptance of medicinal herbs and may serve as a benchmark for future research and evaluation concerning the use of medicinal herbs over time. For plant producers, more effective and targeted crop development should be encouraged, whereas for retailers better marketing and delivery strategies should be sought. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A colorimetric broth microdilution method for assessment of Helicobacter pylori sensitivity to antimicrobial agents.

PubMed

Knezevic, Petar; Aleksic Sabo, Verica; Simin, Natasa; Lesjak, Marija; Mimica-Dukic, Neda

2018-04-15

Helicobacter pylori is a major infective etiological agent of the upper gastrointestinal tract diseases. The bacterium exhibits resistance to various conventional antibiotics, being usually challenging for eradication. Since there is an urge to consider alternative therapeutic strategies, the aim of the study was to examine selected essential oils of plants belonging to families Cupressaceae (Juniperus communis) and Lamiaceae (Hyssopus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Melissa officinalis, Lavandula angustifolia, Ocimum basilicum and Thymus serpyllum) against H. pylori, using an improved microdilution broth method. The oils were examined in concentration range from 0.03 to 4 μL/mL. The method comprises Brain-heart infusion broth supplemented with yeast extract, horse serum and IsoVitaleX. After 3 day incubation, an equal volume of double strengthen Christensen's urea was added into each well and incubated for additional 4 h. In wells with present H. pylori, the medium changed color from yellow to purple, allowing MIC determination even without a microtitre plate reader. The microtitre format method is convenient as it is less expensive, easier to perform and requires less amount of an anti-H. pylori agent. The improved method enhances specificity to H. pylori, as fast urease activity is almost an exclusive property of this bacterium. The application of the second step incubation with Christensen's urea decreases the possibility of false positive/negative results due to contaminant growth or commonly poor H. pylori growth. Among the examined oils, J. communis, H. officinalis and O. basilicum were not active with the highest applied concentrations, while the most active was T. serpyllum, with MIC 2.0-4.0 μL/mL. This is the first report on essential oils activity of T. serpyllum and H. officinalis against H. pylori. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Engineering Escherichia coli for high-yield geraniol production with biotransformation of geranyl acetate to geraniol under fed-batch culture.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Xu, Xin; Zhang, Rubing; Cheng, Tao; Cao, Yujin; Li, Xiaoxiao; Guo, Jiantao; Liu, Huizhou; Xian, Mo

2016-01-01

Geraniol is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol, which exhibits good prospect as a gasoline alternative. Geraniol is naturally encountered in plants at low concentrations and an attractive target for microbial engineering. Geraniol has been heterologously produced in Escherichia coli, but the low titer hinders its industrial applications. Moreover, bioconversion of geraniol by E. coli remains largely unknown. Recombinant overexpression of Ocimum basilicum geraniol synthase, Abies grandis geranyl diphosphate synthase, and a heterotic mevalonate pathway in E. coli BL21 (DE3) enabled the production of up to 68.6 ± 3 mg/L geraniol in shake flasks. Initial fed-batch fermentation only increased geraniol production to 78.8 mg/L. To further improve the production yield, the fermentation conditions were optimized. Firstly, 81.4 % of volatile geraniol was lost during the first 5 h of fermentation in a solvent-free system. Hence, isopropyl myristate was added to the culture medium to form an aqueous-organic two-phase culture system, which effectively prevented volatilization of geraniol. Secondly, most of geraniol was eventually biotransformed into geranyl acetate by E. coli, thus decreasing geraniol production. For the first time, we revealed the role of acetylesterase (Aes, EC 3.1.1.6) from E. coli in hydrolyzing geranyl acetate to geraniol, and production of geraniol was successfully increased to 2.0 g/L under controlled fermentation conditions. An efficient geraniol production platform was established by overexpressing several key pathway proteins in engineered E. coli strain combined with a controlled fermentation system. About 2.0 g/L geraniol was obtained using our controllable aqueous-organic two-phase fermentation system, which is the highest yield to date. In addition, the interconversion between geraniol and geranyl acetate by E. coli was first elucidated. This study provided a new and promising strategy for geraniol biosynthesis, which laid a basis for large-scale industrial application.

Screening of crude extracts of six medicinal plants used in South-West Nigerian unorthodox medicine for anti-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus activity

PubMed Central

Akinyemi, Kabir O; Oladapo, Olukayode; Okwara, Chidi E; Ibe, Christopher C; Fasure, Kehinde A

2005-01-01

Background Six Nigerian medicinal plants Terminalia avicennioides, Phylantus discoideus, Bridella ferruginea, Ageratum conyzoides, Ocimum gratissimum and Acalypha wilkesiana used by traditional medical practitioners for the treatment of several ailments of microbial and non-microbial origins were investigated for in vitro anti-methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) activity. Methods Fresh plant materials were collected from the users. Water and ethanol extracts of the shredded plants were obtained by standard methods. The Bacterial cultures used were strains of MRSA isolated from patients. MRSA was determined by the reference broth microdilution methods using the established National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards break points. Staphylococcus aureus NCIB 8588 was used as a standard strain. Susceptibility testing and phytochemical screening of the plant extracts were performed by standard procedures. Controls were maintained for each test batch. Results Both water and ethanol extracts of T. avicennioides, P. discoideus, O. gratissimum, and A. wilkesiana were effective on MRSA. The Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of the ethanol extracts of these plants range from 18.2 to 24.0 mcg/ml and 30.4 to 37.0 mcg/ml respectively. In contrast, MIC range of 30.6 to 43.0 mcg/ml and 55.4 to 71.0 mcg/ml were recorded for ethanol and water extracts of B. ferruginea, and A. conyzoides respectively. Higher MBC values were obtained for the two plants. These concentrations were too high to be considered active in this study. All the four active plants contained at least trace amount of anthraquinones. Conclusion Our results offer a scientific basis for the traditional use of water and ethanol extracts of A. wilkesiana, O. gratissimum, T. avicennioides and P. discoideus against MRSA-associated diseases. However, B. ferruginea and A. conyzoides were ineffective in vitro in this study; we therefore suggest the immediate stoppage of their traditional use against MRSA-associated diseases in Lagos, Nigeria. PMID:15762997