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Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kanehira (CO) is an endemic species of Taiwan. This study elucidated the composition of CO hydrosol, revealing trans -cinnamaldehyde (65.03%), trans -cinnamyl acetate (7.57%), and coumarin (4.31%) as the main volatile compounds. Seven compounds were identified in the water fraction of hydrosol, including a novel compound, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)oxetan-3-ol. This marks the first investigation into high-polarity compounds in hydrosol, extending beyond the volatile components. Notably, two compounds, trans -phenyloxetan-3-ol and cis -phenyloxetan-3-ol, demonstrated significant inhibition activity against phosphodiesterase type five (PDE5), with IC50 values of 4.37 µM and 3.40 µM, respectively, indicating their potential as novel PDE5 inhibitors. Furthermore, CO hydrosol was evaluated against enzymes associated with erectile dysfunction, namely acetylcholinesterase (AChE), angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE), and arginase type 2 (ARG2). These findings underscore the potential of CO hydrosol to modulate erectile function through diverse physiological pathways, hinting at its prospects for future development in a beverage or additive with enhanced effects on erectile function.

This study was conducted to determine the differences in the chemical composition of the essential oils and hydrosols of six different Veronica species ( V. agrestis , V. anagalloides , V. austriaca ssp. jacquinii , V. beccabunga , Veronica cymbalaria , and V. officinalis ) and to test their antiproliferative and apoptotic activities, according to the authors' knowledge, because of insufficient research and lack of information. Also, the goal was to determine which obtained samples were better in achieving antiproliferative and apoptotic activities and due to which volatile components. Therefore, essential oils (EOs) and hydrosols (HYs) were isolated from the above-mentioned Veronica species by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Phytochemical identification of the free volatile compounds was performed using a GC equipped with a flame ionization detector and a mass spectrometer. Their antiproliferative and apoptotic activities against two human cancer cell lines, breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and bladder cancer cell line T24, were determined. The main compounds identified in the studied Veronica EOs and HYs were terpinen-4- ol (0.34-6.49%), linalool (0.34-6.61%), ( E )-caryophyllene (0.97-7.55%), allo -aromadendrene (0.18-2.21%), caryophyllene oxide (1.42-23.83%), benzene acetaldehyde (0.26-13.34%), and β -ionone (1.08-16.53%). In general, HYs of the tested Veronica species showed higher antiproliferative activity (IC 50 13.41-42.05%) compared to EOs (IC 50 158.1-970.4 µg/mL) on MDA-MB-231 and T24 cancer cell lines after 48 and 72 h. V. agrestis EO showed the best apoptotic effect among the EOs on the MDA-MB-231 cancer cell line (10.47 ± 0.53% and 9.06 ± 0.74% of early/late apoptosis, compared with control 3.61 ± 0.62% and 0.80 ± 0.17% of early/late apoptosis, respectively) and among the HYs V. cymbalaria showed 9.95 ± 1.05% and 3.06 ± 0.28% of early/late apoptosis and V. anagalloides 8.29 ± 1.09% and 1.95 ± 0.36% of early/late apoptosis compared with control (for EO was 7.45 ± 1.01% and 0.54 ± 0.25%, and for HY was 4.91 ± 1.97% and 0.70 ± 0.09% of early/late apoptosis, respectively) on the T24 cancer cell line. Future research will include other Croatian species of the genus Veronica to gain a more complete insight into the biological activity of the volatile products of this genus for potential discovery of drugs based on natural plant extracts.

In recent years, natural compounds have gained attention in many fields due to their wide-range biological activity. In particular, essential oils and their associated hydrosols are being screened to control plant pests, exerting antiviral, antimycotic and antiparasitic actions. They are more quickly and cheaply produced and are generally considered safer for the environment and non-target organisms than conventional pesticides. In this study, we report the evaluation of the biological activity of two essential oils and their corresponding hydrosols obtained from Mentha suaveolens and Foeniculum vulgare in the control of zucchini yellow mosaic virus and its vector, Aphis gossypii , in Cucurbita pepo plants. The control of the virus was ascertained with treatments applied either concurrently with or after virus infection; choice tests were performed to verify repellency activity against the aphid vector. The results indicated that treatments could decrease virus titer as measured using real-time RT-PCR, while the experiments on the vector showed that the compounds effectively repelled aphids. The extracts were also chemically characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Mentha suaveolens and Foeniculum vulgare hydrosol extracts mainly comprised fenchone and decanenitrile, respectively, while essential oils analysis returned a more complex composition, as expected.

Norway spruce ( Picea abies ) is one of the most important commercial conifer species naturally distributed in Europe. In this paper, the composition and abundance of essential oil and hydrosol from the needles and branches of P. abies were investigated with an additional evaluation of changes related to different times of the year, annual shoots and branches, and differences in composition under different microenvironments. Essential oils and hydrosols obtained via hydrodistillation were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), where 246 compounds in essential oil and 53 in hydrosols were identified. The relative amounts of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and diterpenes in essential oil changed significantly during the year, with the highest peak of monoterpenes observed in April (72%), the highest abundance of sesquiterpenes observed in August (21%), and the highest abundance of diterpenes observed in June (27%). The individual compound with the highest variation was manool, with variation from 1.5% (April) to 18.7% (June). Our results also indicate that the essential oil with the lowest allergenic potential (lowest quantity of limonene and linalool) was obtained in late spring or summer. Location had no significant influence on composition, while the method of collection for distillation (whole branch or annual shoots) had a minor influence on the composition. All nine main compounds identified in the hydrosol samples were oxygenated monoterpenes. The composition of P. abies hydrosol was also significantly affected by season. The method of preparing the branches for distillation did not affect the composition of P. abies hydrosol, while the location had a minor effect on composition.

Lavender oil is an important essential oil with many applications. The purpose of this study was to compare different methods of essential oil extraction to determine which method would be the most effective and profitable for commercial-scale production from Lavandula × intermedia ('Margret Roberts') flowers and leaves. The lavender from this variety flowers year-round, providing an extended production season compared to some other lavender varieties. Steam distillation, hydrodistillation, and cellulase-assisted hydrodistillation were used to extract oil. The average extraction times for steam distillation, hydrodistillation, and cellulase-assisted hydrodistillation were 57-, 51-, and 49 min, respectively, and the average energy consumption was 15.0-, 13.4-, and 30.8 kJ/g, respectively. Cellulase-assisted hydrodistillation produced the best quality oils, with a lower camphor content and a sweeter, more pleasant smell, while steam-distilled oils had the highest camphor content, as well as a more plant-like smell. Factors affecting scale-up (surface area of cut plants, equipment loading times, energy efficiencies, safety, mixing) have been discussed, while a basic cost analysis of theoretical large-scale processes showed that hydrodistillation and cellulase-assisted hydrodistillation would be the most and least profitable methods, respectively. Overall, hydrodistillation is recommended as the best method for commercial lavender oil production., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The chemical composition of essential oils and hydrosols of immortelle ( Helichrysum italicum ) stems with leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was identified using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). One-year-old and two-year-old plants of the same immortelle population, and plants from three Croatian populations, all grown in Slovenia, were included in the study. The main compounds of essential oils of one-year-old and two-year-old plants were α-pinene, α-eudesmol, and rosifoliol. Among essential oils of the Croatian populations, three dominant components were found: α-pinene, geranyl acetate, and 2-phenylethyl tiglate. Both the essential oils and hydrosols of one-year-old plants were more diverse in their compositions than two-year-old plants. The predominant compounds of hydrosols of one- and two-year-old plants were pentan-3-one, 3-octanone, 2,2-dimethylnon-5-en-3-one, and α-terpineol, and in the Croatian populations α-terpineol, 2,6-octadien-1-ol, 2,2-dimethylnon-5-en-3-one, and α-terpineol.

The present work evaluates the aromatic waters of rosemary ( Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. syn. Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage ( Salvia officinalis L.), and cypress ( Cupressus sempervirens L.) obtained as innovative commercial products of a hydrodistillation process. All extracts were exhaustively analysed by GC-MS, 1 H-NMR, and LC-MS in order to evaluate potential metabolite fingerprint differences. GC-MS appears to be the most exhaustive technique for the qualitative identification of the single constituents, although in this case, the use of 1 H-NMR and LC-MS techniques allowed some useful considerations in semi-quantitative terms. Antimycotic effects were studied against Tricophyton , Candida , and Arthroderma species, resulting in weak activity. The toxicological impact was partly evaluated in vitro by means of allelopathy and brine shrimp lethality. Cytotoxicity was investigated in human colon cancer cells (HCT116) and in hypothalamic cells (Hypo-E22) challenged with hydrogen peroxide. Sage and rosemary hydrosols were the most effective antimycotics, whereas all hydrosols displayed antiradical effects. Cytotoxic effects against HCT116 cells (at 500 µL/mL) were related in silico to the endovanilloid TRPM8 and TRPV1 receptors. At lower concentrations (5-50 µL/mL), the hydrosols protected hypothalamic neurons Hypo-E22 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity. The overall experience indicates that hydrolates are an important source of relevant phytochemicals with significant pharmacological potential.

The composition of free volatile compounds of essential oils (EO) and hydrosols (Hy) from four different localities of the species Veronica austriaca ssp. jacquinii (Baumg.) Eb. Fisch. were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In the EOs, the most abundant compounds identified were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (23.34-52.56%), hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid, 26.71-58.91%) and octadecanol acetate (0-6.24%). The hydrosols were characterized by high abundance of methyl eugenol (23.35-57.93%), trans - p -mentha-1(7),8-dien-2-ol (5.24-7.69%) and thymol (3.48-9.45%). Glandular trichomes were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), as they are the sites of synthesis of free volatile compounds. We have detected glandular trichomes, consisting of a one stalk cell and two elliptically shaped head cells, and non-glandular (unbranched, bi-cellular to multicellular) trichomes on stems, leaves and the sepals. Data for volatile compounds from EOs and hydrosols were analyzed using Principal Component Analyses (PCA) to demonstrate variations in the composition of the volatile compounds identified. Isolated samples of EO and hydrosols were analyzed for their antioxidant activity using two methods, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). The essential oils showed higher antioxidant activity than the hydrosols in ORAC method, but lower activity by the DPPH method. The isolates were also tested for their antiproliferative activity on different types of cancer cells and also on two lines of healthy cells, and the results showed that the extracts were not toxic to the cell lines tested. Total polyphenols, total tannins, total flavonoids and total phenolic acids were also analyzed and determined spectrophotometrically. The free volatile compounds of Veronica austriaca ssp. jacquinii can be considered as a safe natural product.

With the increasing interest in obtaining biologically active compounds from natural sources, Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter (Asteraceae) came into our focus as a readily available and aromatic wild shrub widely distributed in the Mediterranean region. This work provides a phytochemical profile of D. viscosa in terms of parallel chemical composition in the lipophilic fraction (essential oil) and the water fraction (hydrosol). GC-MS analysis identified 1,8 -cineole, caryophyllene oxide, α-terpenyl acetate, and α -muurolol as the major components of the essential oil, while in the hydrosol p -menth-1-en-9-ol, 1,8 -cineole, linalool, cis -sabinene hydrate, and α -muurolol were the major volatile components. 3,4 -Dihydroxybenzoic acid was found to be the predominant compound in the hydrosol composition by HPLC analysis. The antimicrobial potential of both extracts was evaluated against thirteen opportunistic pathogens associated with common skin and wound infections and emerging food spoilage microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil suggests that the volatiles of D. viscosa could be used as novel antimicrobial agents. The antiproliferative results of D. viscosa volatiles are also new findings, which showed promising activity against three cancer cell lines: HeLa (cervical cancer cell line), HCT116 (human colon cancer cell line), and U2OS (human osteosarcoma cell line). The decrease in GSH level observed in hydrosol-treated HeLa cells suggests oxidative stress as a possible mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of hydrosol on tumor cells. The presented results are also the first report of significant antiphytoviral activity of hydrosol against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection. Based on the results, D. viscosa might have the potential to be used in crop protection, as a natural disinfectant and natural anticancer agent.

The chemical profile, antiproliferative, antioxidant and antiphytoviral activities of the species Hypericum perforatum ssp. veronense (Schrank) H. Lindb. (Clusiaceae) were investigated. Free volatiles were isolated and the chemical composition was determined in the lipophilic fraction (essential oil) and for the first time in the water fraction (hydrosol). The aim is to provide phytochemical data for H. perforatum ssp. veronense useful for distinguishing ssp. veronense from ssp. angustifolium , as there are taxonomic disagreements between them and the composition of the secretory products may be helpful in this respect. In the essential oil, the most abundant compounds identified were α-pinene and n -nonane, while in the hydrosol, myrtenol, carvacrol and α-pinene were the most abundant. Overall, the class of monoterpenes and oxygenated monoterpenes dominated in the EO and hydrosol samples. The essential oil showed high antioxidant activity, in contrast to the antiproliferative activity, where the hydrosol showed exceptional activity against three cancer cell lines: Hela (cervical cancer cell line), HCT116 (human colon cancer cell line) and U2OS (human osteosarcoma cell line). Both the essential oil and hydrosol showed antiphytoviral activity against tobacco mosaic virus infection on the local host plants. This is the first report dealing with biological activities of hydrosol of H. perforatum ssp. veronense , and the obtained results suggest that this traditional medicinal plant is a valuable source of volatiles with promising antiproliferative, antioxidant and antiphytoviral activities.

Essential oil (EO) and hydrosol (HL) isolated from an indigenous plant species Satureja hellenica were evaluated against Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica . Particularly, the activity of extracts on a second stage juvenile's (J2s) motility, the hatching of J2s from eggs, egg differentiation and the effect on J2s in soil were tested. A paralysis of 100% of the J2s of both species was recorded after 96 h of immersion in the essential oil, at a dose of 2000 μL/L. At the same dose, the percentage of paralyzed J2s after 48 h of immersion was more than 80%, for both Meloidogyne species. The use of hydrosol has shown encouraging results only in the dilution of 50%, where for both Meloidogyne species tested, the percentage of paralyzed J2s was more than 70% after 48 h of immersion, while the percentage was increased to 90% after 96 h of immersion. Egg differentiation was ceased after immersion, either in EO or HL. However, this decrease in egg differentiation was evident only at higher concentrations of EO and at the highest HL dilution (0.5 v / v ). The hatching of M. incognita J2s was decreasing as the dose was increasing. The lowest numbers of hatched J2s were recorded at the doses of 2000 and 4000 μL/L. A clear reduction in M. javanica J2s hatching was observed as the dose was increased to 250 μL/L, a fact constantly observed as the dose was increasing up to 4000 μL/L. Lower numbers of nematodes were recorded in roots grown in infested soil after the application of EO or HL at the highest doses. The EO of S. hellenica is characterized by the presence of p -cymene (27.46%) and carvacrol (23.25%), and in a lesser extent of other constituents, such as borneol (6.79%), carvacrol methylether (6.77%), γ -terpinene (4.63%) and 4-terpineol (3.65%). Carvacrol was the major constituent found in the HL (50.12%), followed by borneol and 4-terpineol (20.42 and 6.72%, respectively).

Poliomintha longiflora is a Mexican oregano, which has not been widely studied. This work aimed to describe the chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities present in P. longiflora essential oil (EO), the hydrosol from EO extraction and extracts from waste solid residues (WSRs), identified as ethanol extract, ethyl acetate extract and the subfractions of ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts. The chemical characterization of the EO, hydrosol and WSR extracts was performed by GC⁻MS and HPLC. Their antioxidant activity was evaluated using two methods, and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria monocytogenes , Bacillus cereus , and Salmonella Typhimurium. Thirty-one chemical components were identified in the EO. The subfractions from the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts contain methylmaleic anhydride, thymoquinone, thymol, carvacrol, thymol acetate, carvacrol acetate, and phenolic acids. The EO presented the highest biological activities for antioxidant (136.05 mg equivalent of ascorbic acid/g (AAE/g); IC50 83.70 μg/mL of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) and antimicrobial tests (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 250⁻750 mg/L), while the hydrosol and the ethyl acetate extract from WSRs had the lowest antioxidant activity (14.16 and 12.29 mg AAE/g respectively), and the hydrosol had the lowest antimicrobial activity (MIC of 3000 mg/L). The data suggest that Mexican oregano P. longiflora hydrosol and extracts from waste solid residues can still have compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant capacities.