-
BioMed Research International 2015The search for new bioactive substances with anticancer activity and the understanding of their mechanisms of action are high-priorities in the research effort toward... (Review)
Review
The search for new bioactive substances with anticancer activity and the understanding of their mechanisms of action are high-priorities in the research effort toward more effective treatments for cancer. The phenylpropanoids are natural products found in many aromatic and medicinal plants, food, and essential oils. They exhibit various pharmacological activities and have applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In this review, the anticancer potential of 17 phenylpropanoids and derivatives from essential oils is discussed. Chemical structures, experimental report, and mechanisms of action of bioactive substances are presented.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Eugenol; Humans; Neoplasms; Oils, Volatile; Plant Oils
PubMed: 25949996
DOI: 10.1155/2015/392674 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2017Essential oils are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives arising from two different isoprenoid pathways. Essential oils are produced by... (Review)
Review
Essential oils are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives arising from two different isoprenoid pathways. Essential oils are produced by glandular trichomes and other secretory structures, specialized secretory tissues mainly diffused onto the surface of plant organs, particularly flowers and leaves, thus exerting a pivotal ecological role in plant. In addition, essential oils have been used, since ancient times, in many different traditional healing systems all over the world, because of their biological activities. Many preclinical studies have documented antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of essential oils in a number of cell and animal models, also elucidating their mechanism of action and pharmacological targets, though the paucity of in human studies limits the potential of essential oils as effective and safe phytotherapeutic agents. More well-designed clinical trials are needed in order to ascertain the real efficacy and safety of these plant products.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Flowers; Humans; Oils, Volatile; Plant Oils; Wound Healing
PubMed: 28045446
DOI: 10.3390/molecules22010070 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2020The interest in using natural antimicrobials instead of chemical preservatives in food products has been increasing in recent years. In regard to this, essential... (Review)
Review
The interest in using natural antimicrobials instead of chemical preservatives in food products has been increasing in recent years. In regard to this, essential oils-natural and liquid secondary plant metabolites-are gaining importance for their use in the protection of foods, since they are accepted as safe and healthy. Although research studies indicate that the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of essential oils (EOs) are more common compared to other biological activities, specific concerns have led scientists to investigate the areas that are still in need of research. To the best of our knowledge, there is no review paper in which antifungal and especially antimycotoxigenic effects are compiled. Further, the low stability of essential oils under environmental conditions such as temperature and light has forced scientists to develop and use recent approaches such as encapsulation, coating, use in edible films, etc. This review provides an overview of the current literature on essential oils mainly on antifungal and antimycotoxigenic but also their antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Additionally, the recent applications of EOs including encapsulation, edible coatings, and active packaging are outlined.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antifungal Agents; Antioxidants; Food Preservation; Food Preservatives; Humans; Mycotoxins; Oils, Volatile; Plant Oils
PubMed: 33066611
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204711 -
The Ceylon Medical Journal Jun 2006In many areas of Sri Lanka the coconut tree and its products have for centuries been an integral part of life, and it has come to be called the "Tree of life". However,...
In many areas of Sri Lanka the coconut tree and its products have for centuries been an integral part of life, and it has come to be called the "Tree of life". However, in the last few decades, the relationship between coconut fats and health has been the subject of much debate and misinformation. Coconut fats account for 80% of the fat intake among Sri Lankans. Around 92% of these fats are saturated fats. This has lead to the belief that coconut fats are 'bad for health', particularly in relation to ischaemic heart disease. Yet most of the saturated fats in coconut are medium chain fatty acids whose properties and metabolism are different to those of animal origin. Medium chain fatty acids do not undergo degradation and re-esterification processes and are directly used in the body to produce energy. They are not as 'bad for health' as saturated fats. There is the need to clarify issues relating to intake of coconut fats and health, more particularly for populations that still depend on coconut fats for much of their fat intake. This paper describes the metabolism of coconut fats and its potential benefits, and attempts to highlight its benefits to remove certain misconceptions regarding its use.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Coconut Oil; Fatty Acids; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Nutritional Status; Plant Oils; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Sri Lanka
PubMed: 17180807
DOI: 10.4038/cmj.v51i2.1351 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2019The present work describes the chemical characterization and the phytotoxicity assessment of essential oils (EOs) obtained from spent materials or pruning waste of four...
The present work describes the chemical characterization and the phytotoxicity assessment of essential oils (EOs) obtained from spent materials or pruning waste of four plant species: Roscoe used in the juicing industry, L. var. used in the food industry, discarded material of industrial hemp ( L. var. ), and pruning waste from L. The phytochemical profile of the EOs was evaluated by gas chromatographic flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and GC-MS analyses, which highlighted the presence of several compounds with a wide range of biological activities. Among them, application possibilities in agriculture were evaluated by studying the phytotoxic activity against germination and initial radical growth of several seeds such as L., L., L., L., Lam., and L.
Topics: Antioxidants; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Oils, Volatile; Phytochemicals; Plant Oils; Plants; Portulaca
PubMed: 31416129
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24162941 -
BioMed Research International 2022Phytopathogenic fungi are serious threats in the agriculture sector especially in fruit and vegetable production. The use of plant essential oil as antifungal agents has...
Phytopathogenic fungi are serious threats in the agriculture sector especially in fruit and vegetable production. The use of plant essential oil as antifungal agents has been in practice from many years. Plant essential oils (PEOs) of , , , , , , , , and were tested against . Three phase trials consist of lab testing (MIC and MFC), field testing (seed treatment and foliar spray), and computer-aided fungicide design (CAFD). Two concentrations (25 and 50 l/ml) have been used to asses MIC while MFC was assessed at four concentrations (25, 50, 75, and 100 l/ml). showed the largest inhibition zone (47.5 and 46.3 m) for both concentrations. The lowest disease incidence and disease severity were recorded in treatments with PEO that qualified in laboratory and field trials was selected for CAFD. The chemical compounds of PEO were docked with polyketide synthase beta-ketoacyl synthase domain of by AutoDock Vina. The best docked complex was formed by nootkatone with -6.0 kcal/mol binding affinity. Pharmacophore of the top seven PEO compounds was used for merged pharmacophore generation. The best pharmacophore model with 0.8492 score was screened against the CMNP database. Top hit compounds from screening were selected and docked with polyketide synthase beta-ketoacyl synthase domain. Four compounds with the highest binding affinity and hydrogen bonding were selected for confirmation of lead molecule by doing MD simulation. The polyketide synthase-CMNPD24498 showed the highest stability throughout 80 ns run of MD simulation. CMNPD24498 (FW054-1) from was selected as the lead compound against .
Topics: Antifungal Agents; Fungicides, Industrial; Fusarium; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oils, Volatile; Plant Oils; Polyketide Synthases
PubMed: 35928915
DOI: 10.1155/2022/5347224 -
Biomolecules Nov 2019Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are divided into n-3 and n-6 classes, are essential for good health in humans and many animals. They are metabolised to lipid... (Review)
Review
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are divided into n-3 and n-6 classes, are essential for good health in humans and many animals. They are metabolised to lipid mediators, such as eicosanoids, resolvins and protectins. Increasing interest has been paid to the 20 or 22 carbon very long chain PUFAs, since these compounds can be used to form lipid mediators and, thus, avoid inefficient formation of dietary plant PUFAs. The ultimate sources of very long chain PUFAs are algae, which are consumed by fish and then by humans. In this review, I describe the biosynthesis of very long chain PUFAs by algae and how this synthesis can be manipulated for commercial purposes. Ultimately, the production of algal oils is critical for ecosystems worldwide, as well as for human dietary lipids.
Topics: Chlorophyta; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Plant Oils
PubMed: 31698772
DOI: 10.3390/biom9110708 -
The Plant Journal : For Cell and... May 2008The seed oils of domesticated oilseed crops are major agricultural commodities that are used primarily for nutritional applications, but in recent years there has been...
The seed oils of domesticated oilseed crops are major agricultural commodities that are used primarily for nutritional applications, but in recent years there has been increasing use of these oils for production of biofuels and chemical feedstocks. This is being driven in part by the rapidly rising costs of petroleum, increased concern about the environmental impact of using fossil oil, and the need to develop renewable domestic sources of fuel and industrial raw materials. There is also a need to develop sustainable sources of nutritionally important fatty acids such as those that are typically derived from fish oil. Plant oils can provide renewable sources of high-value fatty acids for both the chemical and health-related industries. The value and application of an oil are determined largely by its fatty acid composition, and while most vegetable oils contain just five basic fatty acid structures, there is a rich diversity of fatty acids present in nature, many of which have potential usage in industry. In this review, we describe several areas where plant oils can have a significant impact on the emerging bioeconomy and the types of fatty acids that are required in these various applications. We also outline the current understanding of the underlying biochemical and molecular mechanisms of seed oil production, and the challenges and potential in translating this knowledge into the rational design and engineering of crop plants to produce high-value oils in plant seeds.
Topics: Fatty Acids; Models, Biological; Plant Oils; Seeds
PubMed: 18476869
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2008.03430.x -
Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism Jun 2023Recent data from meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) suggest that dietary intake of coconut oil, rich in saturated fatty acids, does not result in... (Review)
Review
Recent data from meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) suggest that dietary intake of coconut oil, rich in saturated fatty acids, does not result in cardiometabolic benefits, nor in improvements in anthropometric, lipid, glycemic, and subclinical inflammation parameters. Nevertheless, its consumption has surged in recent years all over the world, a phenomenon which can possibly be explained by an increasing belief among health professionals that this oil is as healthy as, or perhaps even healthier than, other oils, in addition to social network misinformation spread. The objective of this review is to present nutritional and epidemiological aspects related to coconut oil, its relationship with metabolic and cardiovascular health, as well as possible hypotheses to explain its high rate of consumption, in spite of the most recent data regarding its actual effects.
Topics: Humans; Coconut Oil; Public Health; Fatty Acids; Risk Factors; Cardiovascular Diseases; Plant Oils; Dietary Fats
PubMed: 37364144
DOI: 10.20945/2359-3997000000641 -
A Review of Potential Use of Amazonian Oils in the Synthesis of Organogels for Cosmetic Application.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2022New strategies for the delivery of bioactives in the deeper layers of the skin have been studied in recent years, using mainly natural ingredients. Among the strategies... (Review)
Review
New strategies for the delivery of bioactives in the deeper layers of the skin have been studied in recent years, using mainly natural ingredients. Among the strategies are organogels as a promising tool to load bioactives with different physicochemical characteristics, using vegetable oils. Studies have shown satisfactory skin permeation, good physicochemical stability mainly due to its three-dimensional structure, and controlled release using vegetable oils and low-molecular-weight organogelators. Within the universe of natural ingredients, vegetable oils, especially those from the Amazon, have a series of benefits and characteristics that make them unique compared to conventional oils. Several studies have shown that the use of Amazonian oils brings a series of benefits to the skin, among which are an emollient, moisturizing, and nourishing effect. This work shows a compilation of the main Amazonian oils and their nutraceutical and physicochemical characteristics together with the minority polar components, related to health benefits, and their possible effects on the synthesis of organogels for cosmetic purposes.
Topics: Cosmetics; Molecular Weight; Plant Oils
PubMed: 35566084
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092733