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BMC Genomics Jun 2024Rose myrtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait.) Hassk), is an evergreen shrub species belonging to the family Myrtaceae, which is enriched with bioactive volatiles (α-pinene...
BACKGROUND
Rose myrtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait.) Hassk), is an evergreen shrub species belonging to the family Myrtaceae, which is enriched with bioactive volatiles (α-pinene and β-caryophyllene) with medicinal and industrial applications. However, the mechanism underlying the volatile accumulation in the rose myrtle is still unclear.
RESULTS
Here, we present a chromosome-level genomic assembly of rose myrtle (genome size = 466 Mb, scaffold N50 = 43.7 Mb) with 35,554 protein-coding genes predicted. Through comparative genomic analysis, we found that gene expansion and duplication had a potential contribution to the accumulation of volatile substances. We proposed that the action of positive selection was significantly involved in volatile accumulation. We identified 43 TPS genes in R. tomentosa. Further transcriptomic and TPS gene family analyses demonstrated that the distinct gene subgroups of TPS may contribute greatly to the biosynthesis and accumulation of different volatiles in the Myrtle family of shrubs and trees. The results suggested that the diversity of TPS-a subgroups led to the accumulation of special sesquiterpenes in different plants of the Myrtaceae family.
CONCLUSIONS
The high quality chromosome-level rose myrtle genome and the comparative analysis of TPS gene family open new avenues for obtaining a higher commercial value of essential oils in medical plants.
Topics: Terpenes; Genomics; Genome, Plant; Myrtaceae; Chromosomes, Plant; Evolution, Molecular; Phylogeny; Multigene Family
PubMed: 38858635
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10509-6 -
PeerJ 2024Tea tree () oil (TTO) is an antimicrobial agent, and hence, its use in fabricating nanoparticles (NP) may be useful in providing more efficacious antimicrobial agents....
Tea tree () oil (TTO) is an antimicrobial agent, and hence, its use in fabricating nanoparticles (NP) may be useful in providing more efficacious antimicrobial agents. The current research aimed to test the antimicrobial efficacy of TTO and its TTO-Metal-NPs against oral microbes: , , and . The antimicrobial activity of TTO and zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) nanoparticles (NPs) and the combined effects of antimicrobial agents were investigated using agar well diffusion assays. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify the phyto-constituents of TTO. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), dynamic light scatter (DLS), and zeta potential were utilized to analyze the biogenic nanoparticles' morphology, size, and potential. The antimicrobial mode of action was determined by assessing the morphological changes under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The TTO extracts converted Zn and Fe ions to NPs, having an average size of 97.50 (ZnNPs) and 102.4 nm (FeNPs). All tested agents had significant antibacterial efficacy against the tested oral microbes. However, the TTO extract was more efficacious than the NPs. Combination treatment of TTO with antibiotics resulted in partial additive effects against and partial antagonistic effects against , , and common mouthwashes (Oral B and chlorhexidine). TTO and NP-treated bacteria underwent morphological changes on treatment. phytochemicals could be useful for further research and development of antimicrobial NPs. The current study highlights the variance in activity observed for different types of bacteria and antagonistic effects seen with common mouthwashes, which represent a threat to therapeutic efficacy and heighten the risk of clinical microbial resistance.
Topics: Tea Tree Oil; Metal Nanoparticles; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Streptococcus mutans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Enterococcus faecalis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Mouth; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Melaleuca; Anti-Infective Agents; Humans; Iron; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 38854801
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17241 -
F1000Research 2023The growing popularity of nutrient-rich foods, among which is quinoa, is due to the increasing demand for healthier choices. Oils and hydrolyzed proteins from these...
The growing popularity of nutrient-rich foods, among which is quinoa, is due to the increasing demand for healthier choices. Oils and hydrolyzed proteins from these foods may help prevent various health issues. The objective of this work was to perform extraction from the endosperm of the grain from high-protein quinoa flour by physical means a differential abrasive milling process and extracting the oil using an automatic auger extractor at 160°C, as well as characterizing extracted oil. Quinoa oil extraction and physicochemical characterization were carried out. Chemical and physical quality indexes of quinoa oil were established, and both characterizations were conducted based on international and Columbian standards. Thermal properties were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, and rheological and interfacial properties of the oil were evaluated using hybrid rheometers and Drop Tensiometers, respectively, to determine its potential for obtaining functional foods. The result was 10.5 g of oil/ 100 g of endosperm, with a moisture content of 0.12%, insoluble impurities of 0.017%, peroxide index of 18.5 meq O /kg of oil, saponification index of 189.6 mg potassium hydroxide/g of oil, refractive index of 1.401, and a density of 0.9179 g/cm at 20°C. Regarding contaminating metals, it presented 7 mg of iron/kg of oil, a value higher than previously established limits of 5 mg of iron/kg of oil. The oil contained 24.9% oleic acid, 55.3% linoleic acid, and 4% linolenic acid, demonstrating antioxidant capacity. Quinoa oil showed thermal properties similar to other commercial oils. The interfacial and rheological properties were suitable for the stabilization of emulsions, gels, and foams, which are important in various industrial applications and could facilitate the development of new products. The extracted quinoa oil presented similar characteristics to other commercial oils, which could make it a potential product for commercialization and application in different industries.
Topics: Chenopodium quinoa; Rheology; Plant Oils; Chemical Phenomena; Temperature
PubMed: 38854700
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.134134.1 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jun 2024The historical use of Laurus nobilis L., the plant is native to the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for its aromatic leaves, which are used as a flavoring...
BACKGROUND
The historical use of Laurus nobilis L., the plant is native to the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for its aromatic leaves, which are used as a flavoring agent in cooking and for their potential therapeutic properties.
METHODS
The purpose of the current investigation was to characterize the essential oil composition of the fresh L. nobilis leaves from Palestine by using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), p-nitrophenyl butyrate, and 3,5-dinitro salicylic acid (DNSA) methods were employed to estimate the antioxidant, antiobesity, and antidiabetic effects of the essential oil. While MTS assay were used to evaluate their antiproliferative activities on panels of cell lines. Moreover, the docking studies were aided by the Prime MM GBSA method for estimating binding affinities.
RESULTS
The GC-MS investigation demonstrated that the fresh L. nobilis leaves essential oil has a variety of chemicals, about 31 different biochemicals were identified, and the major compounds were 1,8-cineole (48.54 ± 0.91%), terpinyl acetate (13.46 ± 0.34%), and α-terpinyl (3.84 ± 0.35%). Furthermore, the investigated oil demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all tested bacterial and candidal strains and significantly inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cancerous cells more than the chemotherapeutic drug Doxorubicin. Furthermore, it contains robust DPPH free radicals, as well as porcine pancreatic α-amylase and lipase enzymes. Using the 1,8-cineole compound as the predominant biomolecule found in the L. nobilis essential oil, molecular docking studies were performed to confirm these observed fabulous results. The molecular docking simulations proposed that these recorded biological activities almost emanated from its high ability to form strong and effective hydrophobic interactions, this led to the getting of optimal fitting and interaction patterns within the binding sites of the applied crystallographic protein targets.
CONCLUSION
The results of these experiments showed that the fresh L. nobilis leaves essential oil has outstanding pharmacological capabilities, making this oil a potential source of natural medications.
Topics: Molecular Docking Simulation; Oils, Volatile; Plant Leaves; Humans; Laurus; Phytochemicals; Antioxidants; Middle East; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 38851735
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04528-9 -
Microbial Biotechnology Jun 2024The transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy requires the development of highly efficient bioprocesses that enable the production of bulk materials at a competitive...
The transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy requires the development of highly efficient bioprocesses that enable the production of bulk materials at a competitive price. This is particularly crucial for driving the commercialization of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as biobased and biodegradable plastic substitutes. Among these, the copolymer poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(HB-co-HHx)) shows excellent material properties that can be tuned by regulating its monomer composition. In this study, we developed a high-cell-density fed-batch strategy using mixtures of fructose and canola oil to modulate the molar composition of P(HB-co-HHx) produced by Ralstonia eutropha Re2058/pCB113 at 1-L laboratory scale up to 150-L pilot scale. With cell densities >100 g L containing 70-80 wt% of PHA with tunable HHx contents in the range of 9.0-14.6 mol% and productivities of up to 1.5 g L h, we demonstrate the tailor-made production of P(HB-co-HHx) at an industrially relevant scale. Ultimately, this strategy enables the production of PHA bioplastics with defined material properties on the kilogram scale, which is often required for testing and adapting manufacturing processes to target diverse applications.
Topics: Cupriavidus necator; Fructose; Metabolic Engineering; Caproates; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Rapeseed Oil; Cell Count; Polyhydroxybutyrates
PubMed: 38850269
DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14488 -
Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Jun 2024We aimed to analyze the outcomes of intraarticular extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) injection on mechanically induced rabbit knee osteoarthritis (OA) by studying the...
BACKGROUND
We aimed to analyze the outcomes of intraarticular extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) injection on mechanically induced rabbit knee osteoarthritis (OA) by studying the morphological, histological, and radiological findings.
METHODS
The study was conducted on 32 New Zealand White rabbits. The randomly numbered subjects were divided into two main groups. The rabbits numbered 1 to 16 were selected to be the group to receive EVOO, and the remaining were selected into a control group. Both groups were separated into two subgroups for short-term (five weeks) and long-term (10 weeks) follow-up. Anterior cruciate ligament transection was applied on the left knees of all the rabbits via medial parapatellar arthrotomy to simulate knee instability. Immediately after the surgical procedure, 0.2 cc of EVOO was injected into the knee joint of rabbits numbered 1-16, and the control group received 0.2 cc of sterile saline. On the 14th day, long-term group subjects were administered another dose of 0.2 cc EVOO intraarticularly.
RESULTS
The gross morphological scores of the control group subjects were significantly different from the EVOO group for both short-term (p = 0,055) and long-term (p = 0,041) scores. In parallel, the MRI results of the EVOO subjects were significantly different from the control group for both short-term and long-term follow-up assessment scores (p = 0.017, p = 0.014, respectively). The Mankin scoring results showed that there were statistically significant differences between the EVOO and control group in the comparison of both total scores (p = 0.001 for short-term and p = 0.004 for long-term) and subgroup scoring, including macroscopic appearance, chondrocyte cell number, staining, and Tidemark integrity in both short-term (p = 0.005, p = 0.028, p = 0.001, p = 0.005, respectively) and long-term assessments (p = 0.002, p = 0.014, p < 0.001, p = 0. 200, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
We have observed promising outcomes of intra-articular application of extra virgin olive oil in the treatment of acute degenerative osteoarthritis in rabbit knees. Due to its potential cartilage restorative and regenerative effects, EVOO, when administered intra-articularly, may be a promising agent to consider for further research in the treatment of OA.
Topics: Rabbits; Animals; Olive Oil; Injections, Intra-Articular; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Male
PubMed: 38849876
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-024-04818-5 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jun 2024The chemical composition and biological activities of Eucalyptus essential oils (EOs) have been documented in numerous studies against multiple infectious diseases. The...
BACKGROUND
The chemical composition and biological activities of Eucalyptus essential oils (EOs) have been documented in numerous studies against multiple infectious diseases. The antibacterial activity of individual Eucalyptus EOs against strains that cause ear infections was investigated in our previous study. The study's antibacterial activity was promising, which prompted us to explore this activity further with EO blends.
METHODS
We tested 15 combinations (9 binary combinations and 6 combinations of binary combinations) of Eucalyptus EOs extracted by hydrodistillation from eight Tunisian Eucalyptus species dried leaves against six bacterial strains responsible for ear infections: three bacterial isolates (Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three reference bacteria strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, ATTC 9027; Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 6538; and Escherichia coli, ATCC 8739). The EOs were analyzed using GC/FID and GC/MS. The major compounds, as well as all values obtained from the bacterial growth inhibition assay, were utilized for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
The antibacterial activity of the EO blends exhibited significant variation within Eucalyptus species, bacterial strains, and the applied methods. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), based on the diameters of the inhibition zone, facilitated the identification of two major groups and ten subgroups based on the level of antibacterial activity. The highest antibacterial activity was observed for the mixture of EOs extracted from E. panctata, E. accedens, and E. cladoclayx (paac) as well as E. panctata, E. wandoo, E. accedens, and E. cladoclayx (pwac) using the disc diffusion method. Additionally, significant activity was noted with EOs extracted from E. panctata, E. wandoo (pw) and E. panctata, E. accedens (pa) using the broth microdilution method.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that certain EO combinations (paac, pwac, pw, and pa) could be considered as potential alternative treatment for ear infections due to their demonstrated highly promising antibacterial activities.
Topics: Eucalyptus; Oils, Volatile; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Humans; Bacterial Infections; Bacteria; Plant Oils
PubMed: 38849805
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04494-2 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024This study investigates a novel idea about the foliar application of nanoparticles as nanofertilizer combined with a natural stimulant, blue-green algae Spirulina...
BACKGROUND
This study investigates a novel idea about the foliar application of nanoparticles as nanofertilizer combined with a natural stimulant, blue-green algae Spirulina platensis L. extract, as a bio-fertilizer to achieve safety from using nanoparticles for enhancement of the growth and production of the plant. Thus, this experiment aimed to chemically synthesize copper nanoparticles via copper sulfate in addition to evaluate the impact of CuNPs at 500, 1000, and 1500 mg/L and the combination of CuNPs with or without microalgae extract at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/L on the morphological parameters, photosynthetic pigments accumulation, essential oil production, and antioxidant activity of French basil.
RESULTS
The results revealed that foliar application of CuNPs and its interaction with spirulina extract significantly increased growth and yield compared with control, the treatments of 1000 and 1500 mg/L had less impact than 500 mg/L CuNPs. Plants treated with 500 mg/L CuNPs and 1.5 g/L spirulina extract showed the best growth and oil production, as well as the highest accumulation of chlorophylls and carotenoids. The application of CuNPs nanofertilizer caused a significant increase in the antioxidant activity of the French basil plant, but the combination of CuNPs with spirulina extract caused a decrease in antioxidant activity.
CONCULOSION
Therefore, foliar application of natural bio-fertilizer with CuNPsis necessary for obtaining the best growth and highest oil production from the French basil plant with the least damage to the plant and the environment.
Topics: Spirulina; Copper; Ocimum basilicum; Metal Nanoparticles; Antioxidants; Plant Leaves; Fertilizers; Chlorophyll; Photosynthesis; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 38849727
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05153-x -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024This study aimed to evaluate the impact of thyme and/or garlic oil administration on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant, biochemical parameters, and net farm...
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of thyme and/or garlic oil administration on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant, biochemical parameters, and net farm income of Damascus goats. Forty weaned Damascus goats were allocated into four groups. The first group was the control without oral administration, while the 2nd (Th), 3rd (Gr), and 4th (ThGr) groups were orally administrated by (2 ml/goat/day) of thyme oil, garlic oil and their mixture (1:1), respectively during the whole experiment period. The final body weight of goats orally administered oil mixture was the heaviest group, it was 10, 4.5 and 3.5% than the control, Th. and Gr. groups, respectively with better feed conversion ratio and high net farm income. Goats of ThGr. group revealed the best immunity, antioxidant and general health condition than the control group with 50% reduction of MDA. Liver (AST, 33% and ALT, 38%) and kidney (creatinine, 88%) functions improved by oils mixtures orally administration compared with the control group. LDL, triglyceride and cholesterol were reduced by 47, 33 and 21% compared with the control group, respectively. Thus, mixture oil administration (thyme and garlic at the ratio of 1:1, 2 ml/goat/day) improved growth (10%), antioxidant status (MDA 50%), liver (AST, 33% and ALT, 38%), kidney function (creatinine, 88%), the FCR (17.4%) and net farm income (21%), of Damascus goats.
Topics: Animals; Goats; Thymus Plant; Antioxidants; Plant Oils; Garlic; Animal Feed; Sulfides; Liver; Allyl Compounds
PubMed: 38849384
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62417-0 -
Heliyon Jun 2024To extend the vase life of cut flowers, there is now a trend of using plant essential oils in place of synthetic chemicals, as they are fully biodegradable, more...
To extend the vase life of cut flowers, there is now a trend of using plant essential oils in place of synthetic chemicals, as they are fully biodegradable, more eco-friendly, and safer. The objective of this study was to examine the possible application and postharvest quality effects of three plant essential oils namely, ginger ( Roscoe), peppermint ( L.), and citronella ( Rendle), as natural vase solution for cut flowers. Peppermint essential oil showed promise as a holding solution for extending the vase life of orchids. To confirm vase life extension, emulsions containing peppermint essential oil at concentrations of 50 and 100 μg mL combined with 4 % glucose to formulate holding solutions applied to orchids. Vase life, some biochemical changes, electrolyte leakage, total microbial count in the holding solution, and physical condition via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were evaluated over a period of 25 days. The three major compounds in peppermint essential oil were identified as menthol (33.24 %), 1-menthone (18.91 %) and menthofuran (14.85 %). The essential oil was applied in emulsion form as a holding solution. Treatment with 4 % glucose and either 50 or 100 μg mL peppermint essential oil prolonged the vase life of orchids to up to 28 days. Scanning electron microscopy on Day 7 showed that the xylem vessels of treated orchids remained clear, suggesting reduced microbial plugging at the stalk end. Similarly, on Day 20, a reduced microbial cell count was observed for treated orchids (<1 log CFU mL) in comparison with controls (7.20 ± 0.04 log CFU mL). Finally, the essential oil improved flower quality by helping preserve petal membrane stability and petal anthocyanin content. Our results suggest the application of peppermint essential oil as a novel alternative to chemicals used in holding solutions for extending the vase life of orchids.
PubMed: 38845939
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31636