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Introduction: Valeriana amurensis, a tall herbaceous plant, has been traditionally utilized as a herbal remedy both in China and Russia. Methods: This study was set to explore how to cultivate high quality seedlings, considering factors such as seedling time, seeding density, shading, and plastic film mulching. In addition, we investigated the impact of topping and fertilizer on the growth and quality of V. amurensis. Results: According to the percentage of seed germination, the seeds of V. amurensis were sowed with 0.88 g m-2 density using plastic film mulching from late April to mid-May (germination percentage was more than 30%). The optimal Transplanting time was identified as late September, ensuring a high survival rate of 98%. Generally, topping showed the most improved growth indices in late fruit period (21.87 for number of radical leaves) and withering period (6.50 for number of buds and 234.81 for number of roots). Topping increased the yields of valtrate (10.91 mg per plant), valepotriates (809.51 mg per plant) and essential oil (395.64 mg per plant) in withering period. Nitrogen fertilizer promoted maximum root growth and increased the biomass of V. amurensis. Meanwhile, N fertilizer significantly increased the yields of valtrate to 10.46 mg per plant and valepotriates to 772.32 mg per plant among three types of fertilizers. Seedlings are obtained according to rational sowing factors and transplanting time. Topping and nitrogen fertilization emerge as superior strategies to enhance the growth and medicinal quality of this valuable plant. Discussion: This study provides actionable insights for the cultivation V. amurensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus essential oil isolation has vast potential to valorize waste from the agro-industrial and food sectors. The objective of this work was to develop a review of patents on essential oil isolation systems from any plant and citrus essential oil isolation systems and/or methods. The technological search was carried out in the patent databases of Espacenet, Patentscope, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Patents, LENS ORG, and USPTO from 2000 to 2021. The results highlight that most of the inventions are from China and consist of isolation methods for citrus essential oil. The USA´s inventions stand out as systems that can be produced on a larger scale. The patent shares of the educational and private sectors are 26% and 74%, respectively. About 10.53% of patents protect commercially exploited products. Finally, an opportunity was detected to protect methods and/or systems that integrate renewable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Cinnamomum encompasses diverse species with various applications, particularly in traditional medicine and spice production. This study focuses on Cinnamomum burmanni, specifically on a high-D-borneol-content chemotype, known as the Meipian Tree, in Guangdong Province, South China. This research explores essential oil diversity, chemotypes, and chloroplast genomic diversity among 28 C. burmanni samples collected from botanical gardens. Essential oils were analyzed, and chemotypes classified using GC-MS and statistical methods. Plastome assembly and phylogenetic analysis were conducted to reveal genetic relationships. Results showed distinct chemotypes, including eucalyptol and borneol types, with notable variations in essential oil composition. The chloroplast genome exhibited conserved features, with phylogenetic analysis revealing three major clades. Borneol-rich individuals in clade II suggested a potential maternal inheritance pattern. However, phylogenetic signals revealed that the composition of essential oils is weakly correlated with plastome phylogeny. The study underscores the importance of botanical gardens in preserving genetic and chemical diversity, offering insights for sustainable resource utilization and selective breeding of high-yield mother plants of C. burmanni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asarum heterotropoides Fr. var. mandshuricum (Maxim.) is a perennial herb native to China. Its essential oil components and asarinin are health-promoting compounds. However, cultivation under natural light can affect the growth and secondary metabolite yield of this sciophyte. Adjustment of light irradiance may be beneficial in this respect. Here, we applied six types of filtered solar irradiance by using filter films of red (I), yellow (II), blue (III), green (IV), purple (V) and 50% sunlight (VI). We measured net photosynthetic rate (APn), activity of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic enzymes, asarinin content, and essential oil content and composition. Light quality treatments V and VI resulted in increased APn, enzyme activities, asarinin content and essential oil content. Samples harvested in September 2020 had relatively higher contents and enzyme activities compared to those harvested in July 2020. Elemicin, 2,5-dimethoxytoluene and methyleugenol accumulated at higher levels in response to light quality V. Light qualities III and IV showed promising results for several compounds. Overall, we conclude that controlling the light conditions in growing environments promotes the amount of asarinin and essential oil by regulating photosynthesis and the activities of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lindera communis is a medicinal and aromatic plant widely distributed in China. Its leaves are rich in essential oil (EO), but the reports on biological activities of the leaf EO are limited. This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition of L. communis leaf EO and evaluate its different biological activities. The leaf EO was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. 53 compounds were identified, representing 96.80% of the total composition. The major compounds included germacrene D (28.34%), bicyclogermacrene (21.07%), germacrene B (6.14%) and spathulenol (5.73%). SC50 values of L. communis leaf EO in DPPH and ABTS assays were 252.36 and 34.25 mg/mL, respectively, indicating inactivity in antioxidant effect. MICs of L. communis leaf EO against Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were 25 mg/mL. Of four enzymes, inhibitory effects on tyrosinase and butyrylcholinesterase were observed, with kojic acid equivalent (KAE) and galanthamine equivalent (GE) values as 22.89 ± 1.38 mg KAE/g of EO and 67.13 ± 0.99 mg GE/g of EO, respectively. L. communis leaf EO also demonstrated strong antiproliferative effects on MCF-7 and HepG2 cells. At the concentration of 500 μg/mL, the cell viability of MCF-7 cells was only 4.86%. L. communis leaf EO could find its possible use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis is a common and complex syndrome characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. Chinese medicine has been recently found to show good efficacy in treating endometriosis. Our previous results revealed that Maqian fruit essential oil (MQEO) could inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs), but the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aim to explore the molecular mechanism of MQEO's specific effects in EESCs. Methods: We conducted a quantitative proteomics analysis by iTRAQ on EESCs treated with MQEO or DMSO. Then deep analysis was performed based on differentially expressed proteins, including Gene Ontology enrichment analysis, pathway enrichment analysis and protein interaction analysis. Candidate protein targets were subsequently verified by western blotting. Results: Among 6575 identified proteins, 435 proteins exhibited altered expression levels in MQEO-treated EESCs. Of these proteins, most were distributed in signal transduction as well as immune system and the most significantly altered pathway was complement and coagulation cascades. Moreover, two differentially expressed proteins (Heme oxygenase 1 and Acyl-CoA 6-desaturase) were verified and they can be potential biomarkers for endometriosis treatment. Conclusions: Our proteomic analysis revealed distinct protein expression patterns induced by MQEO treatment in EESCs, highlighting the potential of MQEO for endometriosis treatment and biomarker discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of compound Chinese herbal and essential oil substituting for antibiotic on tissue development, slaughter performance and meat quality of weaning meat rabbits, so as to provide data reference for feeding rabbits industry to resume aquaculture benefit after feed antibiotic-ban in China since 2020. By using randomized block design forty-eight healthy weaning meat rabbits aged 32 days with a body weight about 700 g (half male and half female) were divided into antibiotic group (basal diet supplemented with 30 mg/kg chlortetracycline + 200 mg/kg oxytetracycline, Positive control group), essential oil group 1 (basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg complex essential oil 1), essential oil group 2 (basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg complex essential oil 2), and Chinese herbal group (basal diet supplemented with 5 000 mg/kg compound Chinese herbal), with 6 replicates per treatment and 2 rabbits per replicate. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that: ① compared with antibiotic group: the gastric weight of essential oil group 1 was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the digestive tract development indices of the other antibiotic replacement groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). The thymus weight, immune organ weight and immune organ index in group 1 were significantly decreased (P< 0.05), while there were no significant differences in immune organ development indices among other antibiotic replacement groups (P>0.05). ② There were no significant differences in live body weight, all eviscerated weight, half eviscerated weight, all eviscerated slaughter rate and half eviscerated slaughter rate among antibiotic replacement groups (P>0.05). ③ Compared with antibiotic group: There were no significant differences in meat pH45min, pH24 h, pH48 h, pH72 h, 24 h drip loss rate, 48 h drip loss rate, L* and a* (P> 0.05). There was no significant difference in meat crude protein (CP, P>0.05). Meat water in essential oil group 2 was significantly increased (P<0.05), while ether extract (EE) in essential oil group 1 and essential oil group 2 were significantly increased (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in meat amino acids indices of essential oil group 1 and essential oil group 2 (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in meat fatty acids indices of essential oil group 2 and Chinese herbal group (P>0.05). Under the condition of this experiment, the effects of compound Chinese herbal and essential oils on tissue development, slaughter performance and meat quality of weaning meat rabbits were comparable to antibiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the essential oil composition of Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl., grown in China, and to determine its antioxidant and inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation, and the chemical compounds were analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. We used 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing assay power (FRAP) to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of the essential oil was also examined. Sixty-seven compounds were identified, representing 98.50 % of the total essential oil, which was shown to be rich in methyl (9E,11E)-octadeca-9,11-dienoate (31.69%), n-hexadecanoic acid (15.08%), isopropyl palmitate (12.44%), propyl tetradecanoate (7.20%), tetradecanoic acid (4.01%), 17-octadecynoic acid (3.71%), and pentacosane (2.24%). Its antioxidant ability was analyzed via ABTS (IC50 = 721.95 ± 9.93 μg/mL), DPPH scavenging capacity (IC50 > 10,000 μg/mL), and the FRAP method (Trolox equivalent antioxidant concentration 39.64 ± 3.38 μM/g). Acetylcholinesterase inhibition effects were evaluated and had an IC50 value of 51.96 ± 14.26 μg/mL. The results show that this essential oil has interesting biological potential, encouraging further investigations, especially regarding the mechanisms of action of its antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity. This is the first time that the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition effects of essential oil from L. nervosa have been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia kanashiroi, is an important aromatic medicinal plant that is endemic to China. In the study, the chemical components of essential oil (EO) of A. kanashiroi obtained from different regions in China were analyzed. The results indicated that oxygenated monoterpenes are the predominant components of all EOs, and the major components were 1,8-cineole, camphor, terpine-4-ol, α-terpineol and spathulenol. The chemical composition of EOs exhibited ecological diversity driven by geographical factors. Furthermore, we evaluated the in vitro biological activities of the EOs, including their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. All of the EOs exhibited moderate to potent, broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities targeting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, none of the EOs showed significant activity against the tested fungal strains. The antioxidant activity of the EOs was evaluated based on their scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, and all of the EOs showed significant concentration-dependent DPPH free radical scavenging activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizome of Atractylodes lancea (RAL) is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) that has been applied in clinical settings for thousands of years. In the past two decades, cultivated RAL has gradually replaced wild RAL and become mainstream in clinical practice. The quality of CHM is significantly influenced by its geographical origin. To date, limited studies have compared the composition of cultivated RAL from different geographical origins. As essential oil is the primary active component of RAL, a strategy combining gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and chemical pattern recognition was first applied to compare the essential oil of RAL (RALO) from different regions in China. Total ion chromatography (TIC) revealed that RALO from different origins had a similar composition; however, the relative content of the main compounds varied significantly. In addition, 26 samples obtained from various regions were divided into three categories by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Combined with the geographical location and chemical composition analysis, the producing regions of RAL were classified into three areas. The main compounds of RALO vary depending on the production areas. Furthermore, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there were significant differences in six compounds, including modephene, caryophyllene, γ-elemene, atractylon, hinesol, and atractylodin, between the three areas. Hinesol, atractylon, and β-eudesmol were selected as the potential markers for distinguishing different areas by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). In conclusion, by combining GC-MS with chemical pattern recognition analysis, this research has identified the chemical variations across various producing areas and developed an effective method for geographic origin tracking of cultivated RAL based on essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizomes of Curcuma phaeocaulis Val. are a Rhizoma curcumae source in Chinese pharmacopoeia, and this traditional Chinese medicine has been extensively used in China to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis. However, little is known regarding the vasodilatory effects and underlying mechanisms. This study investigated the vasorelaxant effects and mechanisms of C. phaeocaulis essential oil (CPEO) and its representative compound, isocurcumenol. The effects of CPEO and isocurcumenol on the contractile tension of isolated rat thoracic aortic rings in a resting state and a KCl or phenylephrine (PHE) preincubation state in the tissue organ bath system were studied. The potential vasodilatory mechanisms of CPEO and isocurcumenol were investigated using a series of experiments that included endothelium removal, CPEO and isocurcumenol preincubation, extracellular Ca2+-induced contraction and intracellular Ca2+ release, and incubation with various blockers. Laser confocal microscopy was used to evaluate the effect of isocurcumenol on the intracellular Ca2+ fluorescence intensity in A7r5 cells. The influence of isocurcumenol on the myosin light chain (MLC) protein expression and phosphorylation was determined using a Western blot assay. Furthermore, the whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to investigate the effect of isocurcumenol on voltage-dependent K⁺ channel (K v) current cells. CPEO (0.25−25 mg/L) and isocurcumenol (0.25−25 μM) exhibited concentration-dependent vasodilatory effects on endothelial intact vascular rings that were pre-contracted using KCl or PHE. These vasodilatory effects did not significantly change after the endothelium was removed. Notably, the vasodilatory effects of the CPEO and isocurcumenol were attenuated when preincubation was performed using with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, a K v channel blocker) or verapamil hydrochloride (an L-type calcium channel blocker). In the cell experiments, isocurcumenol suppressed an increase in the Ca2+ fluorescence intensity and inhibited the phosphorylation of the MLC protein in A7r5 cells. The results of the whole-cell patch clamp assay indicated that 25 μM of isocurcumenol enhanced K v channel currents. In this study, we confirmed that CPEO and isocurcumenol had significant endothelium-independent vasorelaxant effects. The underlying mechanism was attributed to the activation K v channels and the suppression of L-type calcium channels. This resulted in a Ca2+ influx decrease in vascular smooth muscle cells and subsequent vascular contraction inhibition. [Display omitted] • Curcuma phaeocaulis essential oil and its representative compound isocurcumenol showed significant vasorelaxant effects. • The vasorelaxant effects of C. phaeocaulis essential oil and isocurcumenol were endothelium-independent. • The vasodilatory mechanisms were related to K v and L-type calcium channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamomum camphora is a traditional aromatic plant used to produce linalool and borneol flavors in southern China; however, its leaves also contain many other unutilized essential oils. Herein, we report geographic relationships for the yield and compositional diversity of C. camphora essential oils. The essential oils of 974 individual trees from 35 populations in 13 provinces were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection, respectively. Oil yields ranged from 0.01% to 3.46%, with a significantly positive correlation with latitude and a significantly negative correlation with longitude. In total, 41 compounds were identified, including 15 monoterpenoids, 24 sesquiterpenoids, and two phenylpropanoids. Essential oil compositions varied significantly among individuals and could be categorized into various chemotypes. The six main chemotypes were eucalyptol, nerolidol, camphor, linalool, selina, and mixed types. The other 17 individual plants were chemotypically rare and exhibited high levels of methyl isoeugenol, methyl eugenol, δ-selinene, or borneol. Eucalyptol-type plants had the highest average oil yield of 1.64%, followed in decreasing order by linalool-, camphor-, mixed-, selina-, and nerolidol-type plants. In addition, the five main compounds exhibited a clear geographic gradient. Eucalyptol and linalool showed a significantly positive correlation with latitude, while selina-6-en-4-ol was significantly and negatively correlated with latitude. trans-Nerolidol and selina-6-en-4-ol showed significantly positive correlations with longitude, whereas camphor was significantly and negatively correlated with longitude. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that environmental factors could strong effect the oil yield and essential oil profile of C. camphora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), is an important pest of citrus in China, where pesticides are commonly used in citrus orchards. In order to reduce the use of chemical pesticides against P. citri and the development of resistance, the screening of biological control agents has attracted the attention of students. In this study, seven plant essential oils with high toxicity were selected from 40 plant essential oils by the leaf-dip bioassay, including plant essential oils of lemongrass, patchouli, juniper berry, sage, clove, frankincense, and citrus. The LC50 after 72 h treatment were 3.198 μL/mL, 8.312 μL/mL, 3.244 μL/mL, 6.701 μL/mL, 8.350 μL/mL, 21.953 μL/mL, and 8.788 μL/mL, respectively. According to the LT50, the essential oils' acute toxicity to P. citri from high to low were lemongrass, juniper berry, patchouli, citrus, sage, vetiver, and frankincense essential oils. In general, lemongrass and juniper berry essential oils have the best acaricidal effect and have high application value for the biological control of P. citri, which provides a basis for the development of botanical acaricides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the vital shrubs growing in crusted areas in China, Artemisia ordosica (belonging to the Asteraceae family) is abundant in essential oil, and its aerial part's essential oil has been reported to have some biological activities during the flowering and fruit set stage, and has been used in folk medicine. However, little is known about the biological activities of its aerial part's essential oil during the vegetative period. Thus, the purpose of this work was to determine the chemical composition and evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial potencies of the essential oil extracted from A. ordosica aerial parts during the vegetative stage. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that spathulenol (9.93%) and α-curcumene (9.24%), both sesquiterpenes, were the most abundant of the 74 chemical constituents detected in the essential oil of A. ordosica. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was found to be relatively moderate against 2,2-diphenylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and hydroxyl radical (OH●) radicals. The essential oil exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella abony and Escherichia coli, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 2.5, 5, and 10 μL/mL, respectively. The results indicate that the essential oil of A. ordosica possesses notable antibacterial properties as well as antioxidant capability and can thus be employed as a natural ingredient which can be used as a substitute for antibiotics in the animal feed industry. However, in vivo toxicological studies are still required to determine the safety level and beneficial outcomes of the A. ordosica essential oil for future utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allium tenuissimum L. as a kind of food condiment in northern China, is popular among more and more consumers owning to its special flavor from the flower. However, its composition has not been widely studied. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of essential oil from Allium tenuissimum L. flowers. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was applied to detect the chemical composition. The antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens was evaluated by measuring the zones of inhibition (ZOI), the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). The antioxidant effect was tested by the scavenging capacity on DPPH, ABTS+•, and •OH. The results of GC-MS showed that 72 volatile components were isolated and the structures 68 of them were identified, which comprised about 91.92% of the total composition of the oil. Among these compounds, terpenoid compounds and sulfurous compounds had the highest contents, especially dimethyl trisulfide. Our investigation demonstrated that the essential oil has better antimicrobial efficiency to Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus flavus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, the essential oil had a strong stability to UV. Furthermore, the essential oil exhibited a high radical-scavenging effect on DPPH, ABTS+•, and •OH, which is significant for application in the food industry. In conclusion, the essential oil could be used as an inexpensive and natural antibacterial and antioxidant agent in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sabina chinensis is a woody plant with important ecological functions in different regions of China, but its essential oils (EO) against plant pathogenic fungi remain largely undetermined. The purpose of our study was to assess the chemical composition and antifungal activity of S. chinensis EO based on optimization of the extraction process. In this study, an actionable and effective model with the experimental results and identified optimum conditions (crushing degree of 20 mesh, liquid-solid ratio of 10.1:1, immersion time of 9.1 h) was established successfully to achieve an extraction yield of 0.54%, which was basically consistent with the theoretical value. A total of 26 compounds were identified using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and showed that the major constituent was bphellandrene (26.64-39.26%), followed by terpinen-4-ol (6.53-11.89%), bornyl acetate (6.13-10.53%), etc. For Petri plate assays, our experiments found for the first time that S. chinensis EO revealed high and long-term antifungal activity against the tested strains, including Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium incarnatum, at EC50 values of 1.42 and 1.15 μL/mL, which especially reached approximately 76% and 90% growth inhibition at a dose of 0.2 μL/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the antifungal activity of EO from different harvest periods showed remarkable variation. The orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) method revealed 11 metabolites with chemical marker components, and 5 of its potential antifungal activities, terpinen-4-ol, a-terpineol, a-elemol, g-eudesmol, and bornyl acetate, were strongly correlated with the mycelial inhibition rate. In total, this study explored the antifungal activity of EO against root rot fungus as a potential fungicide and provided valuable information into developing potential products from natural agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. is a widely used traditional medicinal plant to treat fever, flu, stomachache, traumatic injury, and mosquito bite in tropical and subtropical Asia. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and larvicidal activities of its fruit essential oil. The essential oil sample from China (EOZC) was mainly composed of limonene (29.78%) and β-myrcene (26.65%), while the sample from Myanmar (EOZM) was dominated by Terpinen-4-ol (43.35%). Both essential oils showed antifungal activity, with 90% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) values ranging from 26.3 to 499 μg/mL. By obviously inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells, EOZC (IC50, 16 μg/mL) showed comparable anti-inflammatory activity to the positive control L-NMMA (IC50, 12.2 μg/mL). EOZM showed significant antiviral activity against the dengue virus with an IC50 value of 13 μg/mL. Additionally, both EOZC and EOZM demonstrated dose-dependent larvicidal activity against Aedes albopictus, with LC50 and LC90 values ranging from 45.8 to 144.0 μg/mL. Our results contribute a theoretical foundation for the further application of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. as an antifungal and anti-inflammatory ingredient in the pharmaceutical industry and further indicate that it has the potential to be developed as a new source of natural and eco-friendly medicine for the prevention and treatment of dengue virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perennial herb Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. (Zingiberaceae) is an important traditional medicinal plant in China. The present study evaluated the chemical composition of A. oxyphylla essential oil (AOEO) using GC-MS. The AOEO contained 55 compounds, including nootkatone (20.12%), valencene (12.26%), and ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (5.00%). Previous studies have shown that AOEO possesses significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of AOEO on tissue plasminogen activator (TPA)-induced ear edema is yet to be reported. In this study, TPA-induced ear edema was used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of AOEO. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of mouse tissue sections indicated that AOEO reduced the degree of edema, and immunohistochemistry experiments revealed that AOEO inhibited the expression of tumor necrosis factors, such as cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). A. oxyphylla is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with good biological activity. Analysis of the species potential geographical distribution and diversity indicated that the species can be rationally protected and exploited. Based on the chemical composition and biological activity of AOEO, further research and development should effectively promote the development of medicine, food, and cosmetics industries. The potential distribution of A. oxyphylla under current climatic conditions was predicted using DIVA-GIS and geographic information from herbarium specimens and other documents. The species predicted distribution spanned more than 12 provinces in China and was the most extensive in Hainan. Under current climatic conditions, A. oxyphylla is suitable for growing and expanding its population in the warm, humid regions of southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study involved feeding lemongrass essential oil (LEO) supplements to red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) at concentrations including Control - 0 mg, T1 - 200 mg, T2 - 300 mg, and T3 - 400 mg per kg of feed. The research investigated changes in hematological (HCT, Hb, RBC, WBC & thrombocytes) and erythrocyte's morphological (major/minor axis; perimeter, and area of erythrocyte) parameters before infection, 5- and 10-days post-infection (DPI). According to analytical findings, a diet containing LEO enhanced the synthesis of both erythrocytes and leukocytes in the peripheral blood of red tilapia after 20 days of being used. Therefore, the indicators of this group of fish showed better performance than those that did not use LEO supplement five days after bacterial infection. Fish fed 200 mg/kg of LEO after being challenged with S. agalactiae for ten days showed an improved effect on red blood cell production. White blood cells decreased at all concentrations because of citral's immunomodulatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorus macrospadiceus is an aromatic herb that is widely distributed in southwest China. However, reports on the biological activities of its essential oil (EO) are limited. In the present study, the chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and cholinesterase inhibitory activities were determined for essential oils extracted from the leaves and rhizomes of this species. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). Antioxidant activity was examined using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum microbiocidal concentrations (MMCs). Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of the essential oils were also tested to evaluate the potential effect of the EOs on neurodegenerative disease. A total of 15 and 19 components were identified in the leaf and rhizome EOs, representing 99.24% and 98.35% of the total composition, respectively. Estragole was found to be the most abundant compound at 98.14% and 94.69% of the leaf and rhizome EOs, respectively. The essential oils displayed weak antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. The essential oils showed higher inhibitory effects against Candida albicans than other strains, with a MIC of 3.13 mg/mL, indicating possible use in the treatment of Candida infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, DNA damage protective, nitrite scavenging activities, as well as antibacterial activity of Amomum kravanh fruits essential oil against several foodborne pathogens, were investigated. Results showed that the 1,8-cineole (58.53%) was found as the main component, followed by α-pinene (8.32%), α-terpinyl acetate (4.68%), α-terpinolene (4.12%), α-terpinene (3.55%), β-pinene (3.49%). The essential oil had significant antioxidant activity, the protective effect against DNA damage, and nitrite scavenging activity. These biological activities were dose-dependent, increasing with the higher dosage in a certain concentration range. The essential oil exhibited antibacterial activity against four foodborne pathogens with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5–10 mg/mL and minimum bactericide concentration (MBC) of 10–20 mg/mL. The antibacterial effects of essential oil were greater against Gram-positive bacteria as compared to Gram-negative bacteria. These results suggested that essential oil could be available as a significant natural agent for prevention of food oxidation and spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the variation of modern medical mode from "disease medicine" to "health medicine," the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) aromatherapy befits an important part of the exclusive health service resource intended for the prevention of diseases, rehabilitation and health care in China. Liver depression and insomnia are among the human health conditions that are apparently treated by TCMs since the ancient Chinese period. Objectives: To study the mechanism of volatile oil in treating liver depression and insomnia. Materials and Methods: Through data mining, we found dried and immature tangerine peel as a prescription for treating liver depression and insomnia. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was achieved to control the chemical composition of the essential oil. The effects of dried and immature tangerine peel essential oil on sleep latency and sleep duration were also explored using a pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice. Network pharmacology tactics was executed to determine the potential active ingredients and molecular mechanism of the dried and immature tangerine peel essential oil in treating liver depression and insomnia. Results: Dried and immature tangerine peel essential oil has both calming and tranquilizing effects. Based on the network pharmacology, it was foretold that essential oil were mostly employed to treat liver depression and insomnia with predicted functions convoluted in regulating several neurotransmitters, such as the gamma-aminobutyric acid in the neuroactive receptor-ligand signaling pathway. Conclusion: In this study, the effect of volatile oil from dried tangerine peel and immature tangerine peel on mice sleep was established, and the mechanism of action for treating liver depression and insomnia was preliminarily deliberated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artemisia argyi H. Lév. and Vaniot is a traditional medical herb that has been used for a long time in China and other Asian counties. Essential oil is the main active fraction of Artemisia argyi H. Lév. and Vaniot, and its anti-inflammatory potential has been observed in vitro and in vivo. Here, we found that the essential oil of Artemisia argyi H. Lév. and Vaniot (EOAA) inhibited monosodium urate (MSU)- and nigericin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. EOAA suppressed caspase-1 and IL-1β processing and pyroptosis. NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and translocation were also inhibited. In addition, EOAA suppressed nigericin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation without blocking ASC oligomerization, suggesting that it may inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation by preventing caspase-1 processing. Our study thus indicates that EOAA inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and has therapeutic potential against NLRP3-driven diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coleus forskohlii (Lamiaceae) cultivates imperishably over the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia; extracts from the roots and aerial parts of C. forskohlii are widely employed for the therapy of respiratory disorders, gastro-intestinal disturbance, heart diseases, and central nervous system disorders. The morphologies and structures of trichomes from C. forskohlii, as well as phytochemicals they secrete in China-origin plants are poorly unstated. Objectives: This study was intended to characterize the morphology and structure of trichomes and the profile of their secretory materials. Materials and Methods: To characterize the morphology and structure of trichomes, which happen on the vegetative and reproductive organs of C. forskohlii, it was employed light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The chemical qualities of volatile compounds from Glandular trichomes (GTs) of C. forskohlii were also studied using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and histochemical reactions. Results: Four morphologically distinct trichomes, i.e., non GTs, peltate GTs, Type 1 and 2 capitate GTs, were categorized. Histochemical study naked the presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, lipids, and terpenes in the GTs. Essential oils, isolated from mature leaves by hydro-distillation, were investigated by GC-MS and 41 compounds were acknowledged with oxygen-containing sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes as the major compounds. Conclusion: Secretory materials of GTs attained by surface extraction also indicated the precise features in the China-origin samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydro distilled essential oil of the aerial parts of Caryopteris incana harvested from Zhejiang province, China was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Thirty-nine components were identified and the principal compounds in the essential oil were 4-terpineol (13.5 %), 1-octen-3-ol (12.3 %), myrtenol (8.8 %), and α-cadinol (8.5 %). Three active compounds (α-cadinol, myrtenol, 4-terpineol) were isolated and identified from the essential oil based on bioactivity-directed fractionation. The essential oil and its isolates, myrtenol and 4-terpineol exhibited fumigant activity against the red flour beetles, Tribolium castaneum with LC50 values of 2.2, 5.6, and 0.5 mg/l, respectively. The essential oil and the three constituents, α-cadinol, myrtenol, and 4-terpineol also displayed contact toxicity against T. castaneum with LC50 values of 30.7, 123.4, 29.7, and 21.3 μg/adult, respectively. The study indicates that the essential oil of C. incana and its isolated constituents have the potential to be developed to natural insecticides for the control of grain storage insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Essential oils are secondary metabolites in plants with a variety of biological activities. The flavor and quality of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. are mainly determined by the essential oil components in the Chinese prickly ash peels. In this study, the correlation between climate change in different regions and the content of essential oils of Z. armatum was investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and multivariate statistical analysis. The Z1-24 refers to 24 batches of samples from different habitats. A total of 145 essential oils were detected in 24 batches of samples, with the highest number of terpene species and the highest content of alcohol. The relative odor activity (ROAV) values identified nine main flavor compounds affecting the odor of Z. armatum . Linalool, decanal, and d-limonene were the most critical main flavor compounds, giving Z. armatum a spicy, floral, oily, and fruity odor. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) classified Z5 into a separate group, Z2 and Z7 were clustered into one group, and the rest of the samples were classified into another group. Correlation analysis and path analysis showed that temperature and precipitation were the main climatic factors affecting essential oils. Comparisons can be made with other plants in the genus Zanthoxylum to analyze differences in essential oil type and content. This study contributes to the identification of Z. armatum quality, promotes the accumulation of theories on the effects of climatic factors on essential oils, and enriches the site selection and breeding of Z. armatum under similar climatic conditions.

Cinnamomum porrectum (Roxb.) Kosterm is an important plant which produces natural essential oil. In this study, essential oil was hydro-distilled from leaves of five different samples of C. porrectum which were randomly selected in a C. porrectum forest in Guangdong Province of China, and identified by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The results revealed that the average yield of essential oil was 1.12 % (v/w). A total of 65 compounds were identified from five samples, and 31 of which were reported for the first time in leaf essential oil of C. porrectum. High contents of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were found in the leaves of C. porrectum. The main components of essential oil were linalool (79.4 %), elemol (38.1 %), eucalyptol (35.6 %), β-caryophyllene (34.6 %), camphor (33.2 %), α-eudesmol (26.5 %), citral (23.5 %) and L-α- Terpineol (22.0 %). Different types of high-value compounds were found to be present in the five selected samples of C. porrectum oil, and the difference of essential oil components in individual leaves was remarkable. The various breeding techniques can be utilization based on different chemical types of leaf essential oil to exploit the plant to its full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential oil obtained from Wedelia urticifolia growing in Hunan Province, China, was analyzed for the first time by capillary GC and GC-MS. A total of 67 constituents, representing 98.68% in essential oil were identified. The major constituents of the oil were: α-pinene (8.85%), limonene (6.38%), carvacrol (6.15%), caryophyllene (6.08%), spathulenol (5.49%), sabinene (5.36%), camphor (4.34%). Antimicrobial potential of oil against bacterial strains (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus), yeast strains (Hansenula anomala and Saccharomy cescerevisiae) and molds (Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium globosum, Mucor racemosus, and Monascus anka) was determined by disc diffusion method and broth micro dilution method, respectively. The oil exhibited promising antimicrobial effect as a diameter of zones of inhibition (16.8–24.9 mm). Minimum inhibitory concentration values of oil were ranged 62.5–1000 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the natural antifungal agents, the antifungal activities of Melaleuca leucadendra (L.) L. essential oil (ML-EO) from Fujian Province of China were assayed. Treatment of ML-EO in combination with the front-line using antibiotics against Candida led to synergistic effects. Electron microscopy analysis on the oil treated C. albicans cells revealed the formation of mesosome-like structures, suggesting well the membrane damage caused by the essential oil. The Griess assay by monitoring NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells indicated the potent anti-inflammatory activity of ML-EO. In comparison with the marked essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia EO, ML-EO had almost the same chemical components. In general, the antifungal activity of ML-EO and its synergistic interactions with conventional antibiotics were able to lead the development of new treatment strategies on Candida infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxus chinensis var. mairei (Taxaceae) was collected from four distant populations of China. Stem parts were subjected to supercritical CO2 (SFE-CO2) extraction in an extraction apparatus and 0.03-0.10 % essential oil was found. Sixty-two constituent from the volatile part was identified with GC/MS analysis. The study revealed that among sixty-two identified components in the essential oil of T. chinensis in four places in which eighteen constituents contained 83.60 %, 93.13 %, 77.44 % and 62.09 % were common, such as ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-benzene, p-xylene, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, acetophenone, 2,6,11-trimethyl-dodecane, butylated hydroxytoluene, etc. A certain regional rule can exist among volatile oil components of the plant distributed in four places. Thirteen compounds comprised 12.49 % of total contents existed only in the essential oil from Shucheng county and thirteen compounds comprised 6.44 % and 26.90 % of total contents existed only in the essential oil from Huangshan city and Xuancheng city respectively. Such variations can bring about different pharmaceutical activities and give better assessment of crop improvement program of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to analyze the chemical compositions and chemo types of the essential oil obtained from the fresh leaves of wild species belonging to Sect. Camphor (Trew.) Meissn. in the southeastern of China. Hydro-distillation of essential oils was carried out by the refined oil extraction equipment of Nanchang Institute of Technology (patent application number: 201710158988.8), quality and quantity analysis of the essential oil was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). After 3 years of investigation more than 1000 individuals, 7 chemotypes were classified in southeast China, including citral- type, linalool-type, camphor-type, cineol-type, safrole-type, methyleugenol-type and nerolidol-type, the last three were the newly discovered of SCM in the area. Especially the individual plants sample number 108 and 107 obtained a high yield of fresh leaf essential oil of 1.35 % and 1.96 % in linalool-type and safrole-type, respectively. The sample number 108 contained twenty-eight compounds which accounting for 99.87 % of the whole essential oil and the content of α-linalool (95.18 %) was the main chemical composition. The sample number 107 contained twenty-six compounds which accounting for 99.90 % of the whole essential oil and the content of safrole (97.04 %) was the main chemical composition. The results indicated that highly economic value natural plant essential oil linalool and safrole superior individual of varieties were found in the study, which are available for the next study and further development of natural plant essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to analyze four essential oils (EOs) from Rhododendron species in China and evaluate their repellent activity against Tribolium castaneum, Lasioderma serricorne, and Liposcelis bostrychophila adults. These four EOs from Rhododendron species, including R. capitatum, R. przewalskii, R. mucronulatum, and R. micranthum, were obtained by hydrodistillation. Major components of four EOs were identified as sesquiterpenoids by GC-MS. The relatively high components included cedrene (22.20%), borneol (36.64%), 4-(2,3,4,6-tetramethylphenyl)-3-buten-2-one (27.74%), and germacrene D (27.60%). Repellent activity of EOs from Rhododendron species was investigated against T. castaneum, L. serricorne, and L. bostrychophila adults for the first time. In this study, EOs had demonstrated their repellent activities against three stored-product insects in 2- and 4-h exposure. The above results can not only provide comprehensive utilization of plant resources of Rhododendron genus but also establish a very good perspective of novel application to control stored-product insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens Huang) is an indigenous aromatic plant in Xishuangbanna of Yunnan in southwest China. The fruits are used by local people not only as a spice for roasting meat and boiling fish but also as a remedy for digestive disorders. The current study evaluated the renoprotective effect of Maqian essential oil (MQEO) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in mice. In this study, diabetes in ICR mice was induced by a single dose of STZ (200 mg kg-1 body weight i.p.) injection. Consequently after seven days of administration MQEO to mice, the levels of urea and creatinine oxidative stress parameters and cytokines of TNF-α and IL-1β in kidney were evaluated. Moreover protein expressions of TXNIP, IKKβ, and Nrf2 were examined. Oral administration of MQEO significantly decreased the urine urea and creatinine levels. MQEO treatment also normalized several oxidative stress parameters including malondialdehyde, vitamin C and enzymatic antioxidants in kidney. In addition, TNF-α and IL-1β levels were also significantly reduced by MQEO. Furthermore, MQEO normalized STZ-induced changes in kidney the protein expressions of TXNIP, IKKβ and Nrf2 in the diabetic group. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that MQEO exerts the potent renoprotective effect by alleviating the kidney oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To conduct gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis of the chemical compositions of dill seed essential oil (DSEO) obtained by supercritical CO2. Methods: The impact on extraction yield were examined by single factor test, the particle size of dill seed, extraction temperature, time, pressure, as well as CO2 flux. The best extraction conditions were obtained by an orthogonal test. The chemical configurations of essential oil were examined by GC-MS analysis. Results: The optimal extraction conditions included an extraction time of 120 min, particle size of 60 mesh, CO2 flow of 25 L/h, temperature of 40 oC, and pressure of 20 MPa. Under these conditions, the yield of essential oil was 6.7%. Out of 38 recognized compounds, the main ones were D-carvone (40.36%), D-limonene (19.31%), apiol (17.50%), á-pinene (6.43%), 9-octadecenoic acid (9.00%) as well as 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (2.44%). Conclusion: A total of 38 constituents of the essential oil obtained by supercritical CO2 were identified. The findings may provide a theoretical basis for comprehensive utilization of dill seed essential oil (DSEO) from China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing eco-friendly, long-term, and low-risk aphid control on Lycium barbarum (medicinal cash crop) using a Cynanchum komarovii extracts and eucalyptus oil-loaded microcapsules (EOMCs) formulation compositions is viable. In this study, the aim is to optimize the composition of Cynanchum komarovii extracts and EOMCs formulation for effective control of aphids, the release of EOMCs was controlled by changing the cross-linking degree of the shell to match the aphid control characteristics of Cynanchum komarovii extracts. Four types of polyamines were used as cross-linking agents for the preparation of EOMCs by interfacial polymerization. The bioactivity, wettability, and field application efficacy of Cynanchum komarovii extracts and different EOMCs formulation compositions were evaluated. These EOMCs exhibited an encapsulation efficiency exceeding 85 %. The control efficiency of the formulation compositions of microcapsules with a moderate release rate and Cynanchum komarovii extracts on aphids remained at 62.86 %, while the control efficiency of the combination of microcapsules with the fastest and slowest rates with Cynanchum komarovii extracts was only 48.62 % and 57.11 %, respectively. The formulation compositions of Cynanchum komarovii extracts with all four types of EOMCs were found to be safe for Chinese wolfberry plants. Overall, by selecting appropriate polyamines during fabrication, the release rate can be effectively controlled to achieve sustainable and low-risk aphid control in Lycium barbarum through compounding with selected microcapsules., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological relevance The twigs and bark of Cinnamomum cassia Presl (Lauraceae) are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of tumor, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, digestive system disease and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of the essential oil from the twigs of Cinnamomum cassia Presl (EOCC) on uterine contraction in vitro and in vivo. Materials and methods The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mouse uterine contraction was induced by oxytocin (OT) exposure following estradiol benzoate pretreatment. Mice were given the EOCC (60, 30, and 15 mg/kg) by gavage. The level of prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2α ) in uterine tissue were determined according to specification of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Uterine tissue was collected for histopathological analysis (H&E). Myosin light chain 20 (MLC20), phosphorylation of myosin light chain 20 (p-MLC20) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins in uterine tissue were assessed by Western Blot. Mouse isolated uterus strips were mounted in tissue organ baths containing Locke's solution. The contractile responses were recorded with Power Lab recording system. The effect of the EOCC on uterine contraction induced by OT, PGF 2α , and acetylcholine (Ach) was observed. Myometrial cells were exposed to OT (7 μM) to induce Ca 2+ release, and the effect of the EOCC (100, 50, and 25 μg/ml) on intracellular Ca 2+ was analysed with fluorometry imaging. Results In vivo study demonstrated that the EOCC significantly reduced OT-induced writhing responses with a maximal inhibition of 66.5%. It also decreased the level of PGF 2α in OT-induced mice uterine tissue. Moreover, Western blot analysis showed that COX-2 and p-MLC20 expressions in uterine tissue of dysmenorrhea mice were significantly reduced. EOCC inhibited spontaneous uterus contractions in a dose-dependent manner, and the concentration of the EOCC giving 50% of maximal contraction (IC 50 ) value was 61.3 μg/ml. The IC 50 values of the EOCC on OT, PGF 2α , and Ach-induced contractions were 113.0 μg/ml, 94.7 μg/ml, and 61.5 μg/ml, respectively. Further in vitro studies indicated that the EOCC could restrain intracellular Ca 2+ levels in favour of uterine relaxation. Conclusion Both in vivo and in vitro results suggest that the EOCC possesses significant spasmolytic effect on uterine contraction. Thus, the EOCC yields a possible therapeutic choice for the prevention and treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, Curcuma plants have been widely used as traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases for thousands of years. This study aimed to investigate the anti-neuroinflammatory effect of essential oils (EOs) from four Curcuma species, including Curcuma longa L. (CL), Curcuma kwangsiensis S.G. Lee and C.F. Liang (CK), Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe (CZ) and Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (CA), and to explore the underlying mechanisms using metabolomics and network pharmacology. A total of 49 chemical compositions were identified in EOs from four Curcuma species, and the main compounds included ar-turmerone (67.76%), curzerenone (2.33–50.43%), nootkatone (14.41%), curlone (12.93%), β-Elemene (2.15–11.47%), curzerene (1.55–11.01%), 1,8-Cineole (11.00%) and humulene (1.89–10.99%). In the Morris water maze test, these EOs significantly improved cognitive impairment in LPS-induced mice. Treatment of these EOs protected neurons and inhibited microglia activation. Besides, a significant reduction of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and MCP-1) was detected in the brain tissue of mice. Based on the metabolomics of blood, 11 metabolites mainly associated with arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were identified. Network pharmacology further validated these metabolic pathways and suggested that EOs may interfere with multiple neurodegenerative diseases and inflammation-related signaling pathways by modulating metabolic changes. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the inhibitory effect of four Curcuma EOs on neuroinflammation and suggests that they may be candidates for the treatment of neuroinflammation. [Display omitted] • Essential oils (EOs) from four Curcuma inhibited IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and MCP-1 in LPS-induced mice' brain. • These EOs improved the cognitive impairment of mice by inhibiting microglia activation and protecting neurons. • Multiple neurodegenerative diseases related pathways were involved in the anti-neuroinflammatory mechanism of these EOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil content and chemical composition of essential oils from heartwood ofPterocarpus macrocarpusextracted by four different extraction methods were investigated in this study. The results showed that petholeum ether extraction (PEE) got the highest oil yields in average (2.95%), followed by n-hexane extraction (NHE) (2.01%), diethyl ether extraction (DEE) (1.97%) and hydro-distillation (HD) (1.85%). A total of 71 volatile components were detected and 50 constituents were identified in the essential oil by the above four extraction methods through GC and GC-MS, most of which were alcohols, ranging from 70 to 93% of the total essential oil. The most prominent compounds were β-eudesmol, which accounting for 41-71% of the total essential oil, followed by α-eudesmol, which dominating for 8-13%, respectively. This is the first report of the essential oil composition from heartwood ofP. macrocarpusplanted in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Flos Lonicerae (FL) was widely planted in China as a kind of pharmaceutical resource. In our research, the variations in content and antioxidant activity of essential oil of FL from five different sites of China were investigated. The results revealed that the essential oil content of samples varied over the range of 0.288 ± 0.015% to 0.387 ± 0.016%. The essential oil antioxidant activity of samples were also determined by scavenging activity against 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid ammonium salt) (ABTS), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) test and β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching test. The results indicated that the sample from Shaoyang showed better antioxidant activity than the others. And the β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching activity could reach 92.31%, when the concentration of the sample from Shaoyang was 4 mg/mL, indicating that the sample from Shaoyang possessed excellent antioxidant activity. The chemical compositions of the essential oil were finally identified by GC–MS, and more than 20 compounds were identified. Principal component analysis was also performed to investigate the difference of the essential oil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosemary (Rosmarius officinalis L.), an endemic plant species in south region of China, is traditionally used as a spice. In this research, the anti-inflammatory activities of essential oil and the antibacterial activities of ethanol extraction were determined, respectively. Results showed that based on the GC-MS analysis there were 35 kinds of active ingredients in the essential oil in totally, mainly including D-limonene (24.158 ml/L), α-Pinene (23.325 ml/L), Camphor (9.855 ml/L), Camphene (7.076 ml/L), Verbenone (6.685 ml/L), Borneol(5.580 ml/L), etc. The LC-UV determination indicated that the main components in the ethanol extractionwere rosmarinic acid (3 910 mg/kg) and carnosic acid (2 970 mg/kg). By mice peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis of chicken erythrocytes experiment, the essential oil of rosemary was shown having a significant role in anti-inflammation. And the ethanol extraction had broad-spectrum antibacterial effects, but had no effect on mold by the agar diffusion method of 8 bacteria. As a result, both rosemary essential oil and ethanol extraction had good potential medicinal values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Maqian ( Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens Huang) is widely consumed as an indigenous remedy for digestive disorders, detoxification, detumescence and analgesia by the ethnic groups in Xishuangbanna, SW China. A related species, Huajiao ( Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieb. et Zucc.), has similar uses in traditional Chinese medicine. We aimed to scientifically validate the traditional uses by investigating and comparing the chemical composition, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of Maqian and Huajiao. Materials and methods Essential oils were collected from the fruits of Maqian and Huajiao by simultaneous distillation extraction and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. To assess antimicrobial activity, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) against 7 microbial strains, including 5 food-borne pathogens, were evaluated by serial dilution with a standardized microdilution broth methodology. For anti-inflammatory activity, the cell viability and nitric oxide (NO) production were determined on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells by MTS assay and the Griess reagent system, respectively. Results The essential oil from Maqian is rich in limonene (67.06%) and has strong antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens and spoilage organisms, with MIC ranging from 64 to1024 µg/ml and MBC ranging from 64 to 2048 µg/ml. It also showed anti-inflammatory activity by significantly inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells at 0.04‰ without effects on cell viability. Furthermore, it showed relatively stronger antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities than the essential oil from Huajiao. Conclusions Our findings not only justify the use of Maqian as an indigenous remedy for digestive disorders, detoxification, detumescence and analgesia, but also suggest that it could be promoted as a preferred substitute for Huajiao. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perilla frutescens is an important annual herb of the mint family that is native to East Asia, particularly China, Korea, and Japan, is widely used as a fresh vegetable and in traditional Chinese medicines, popular garnishes, and food colorants. Hydrodistilled essential oils obtained from P. frutescens from 11 areas of China were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). One hundred and nineteen compounds accounting for 98.07-99.74% of the oils were identified. The predominant compounds were 2-acetylfuran (max. 82.17%), perillaldehyde (max. 53.41%), caryophyllene (max. 38.34%), laurolene (max. 40.6%), 2-hexanoylfuran (max. 33.03%), 2-butylamine (max. 22.22%), α-asarone (max. 11.85%), β-farnesene (max. 9.25%), α-caryophyllene (max. 9.16%), and (Z,E)-α-farnesene (max. 7.14%). Chemical variation in the oils was estimated using cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The results revealed chemical polymorphism in the oils. However, the oils from Ganzhou, Kaili, Suining, Macheng, Nanyang, and Yixing were more similar, and the oils from Quzhou, Loudi, and Nanning also revealed similarities. Antioxidant activity (by free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power) and antifungal activity (by poisoned food method and micro-well dilution method) were also assessed. The antioxidant activity of the oils showed similar order to that obtained by three different testing methods: Pingliang, Baoding, Loudi, and Quzhou>Kaili, Ganzhou, Macheng, and Nanning>Suining, Nanyang, and Yixing. All oils except that from Baoding were active against all of the tested strains. These results suggested that the region of origin greatly influenced the chemical composition and bioactivities of P. frutescens, which might help in developing this promising bioresource in the food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Leaves of Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem. (TSL), a popular vegetable in China, have anti-inflammatory, antidoting, and worm-killing effects and are used in folk medicine for the treatment of enteritis, dysentery, carbuncles, boils, and especially abdominal tumors. Our aim was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and anticancer property of the essential oil from TSL (TSL-EO), especially the pro-apoptotic effect in SGC-7901. Materials and methods: TSL-EO obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS and was tested in vitro against twenty clinically isolated strains of Staphylococcus aureus (SA 1–20), which were either methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and two standard strains viz. ATCC 25923 and ATCC 43300. The anticancer activity of TSL-EO was evaluated in vitro against HepG2, SGC7901, and HT29 through MTT assay. Moreover, the apoptosis-inducing activity of TSL-EO in SGC7901 cells was determined by Hoechst 33324 staining and flow cytometry methods. Also, the apoptosis-related proteins viz. Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected by western-blotting. Results: GC–MS analysis showed that TSL-EO contained a high amount of sesquiterpenes (84.64%), including copaene (8.27%), β-caryophyllene (10.16%), caryophyllene (13.18%) and β-eudesmene (5.06%). TSL-EO inhibited the growth of both MSSA and MRSA, with the lowest MIC values of 0.125 and 1mg/ml, respectively. Treatment with TSL-EO for 24h could significantly suppress the viability of three different cancer cell lines (P<0.05). Furthermore, the apoptosis-inducing activity of TSL-EO in SGC7901 cells increased in a dose-dependent manner, potentially resulting from the up-regulated expression of Bax, caspase-3 and down-regulated expression of Bcl-2. Conclusions: TSL-EO possessed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells and particularly prominent pro-apoptotic activity in SGC7901 cells. These bioactivities were probably due to the high content of sesquiterpenes. Our results suggested that TSL-EO possessed potential health benefits and could serve as a promising natural food addictive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Water-distilled essential oil from Salvia umbratica Hance (Labiatae) flowering aerial parts was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Forty-eight compounds, accounting for 96.77% of the oil, were identified and the main components of the essential oil of S. umbratica flowering aerial parts were 1,8-cineol (16.74%), β-caryophyllene (8.42%), a-thujone (7.80%), caryophyllene oxide (6.85%), camphor (6.65%), and alloaromadendrene (5.60%) followed by germacrene D (4.29%) and linalool (4.15%). The essential oil of S. umbratica possessed contact toxicity against Sitophilus zeamais adults with an LD50 value of 18.12 μg/adult. The oil also showed pronounced fumigant toxicity against S. zeamais with an LC50 value of 10.59 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Arisaema franchetianum and Arisaema lobatum are two perennial plants native to China. Arisaema franchetianum is universally used to promote the subsidence of induration and swelling, quicken blood and relieve pains, and kill intestinal parasites in humans and animals. Arisaema lobatum is used to treat malaria, intestinal parasites, and snake and insect bites in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to determine the composition of the essential oils from Arisaema franchetianum and Arisaema lobatum and evaluate the anthelmintic effect against Haemonchus contortus. Materials and methods: Two oils were investigated by GC and GC–MS. The anthelmintic bioassay tests of Arisaema franchetianum and Arisaema lobatum essential oil, linalool and carvacrol were performed using egg hatch assay (EHA), larval development assay (LDA) and larval migration inhibition assay (LMIA). Results: Fifty six components representing 96.88% of the Arisaema franchetianum oil and 64 components representing 96.88% of the Arisaema lobatum oil were identified. Carvacrol and linalool were found to be the major constituents of two oils. In the EHA, greater than 99% inhibition were observed with Arisaema franchetianum oil at 10mg/mL (CE50 1.63mg/mL) and Arisaema lobatum oil at 5 and 10mg/mL (CE50 0.48mg/mL). In the LDA, both oils induced complete inhibition at 10mg/mL, with the CE50 being 1.10mg/mL for Arisaema franchetianum oil and 0.73mg/mL for Arisaema lobatum oil. In the LMIA, the Arisaema franchetianum oil and Arisaema lobatum oil at best inhibited 74.1% and 95.6% of larval migration at 10mg/mL, respectively. Carvacrol exhibited similar activity to Arisaema lobatum essential oil and linalool did not show high activity in every assay. Conclusions: These data show for the first time that the essential oils obtained from Arisaema franchetianum or Arisaema lobatum had promising anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus. Arisaema plant may offer an alternative source for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and goats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Perilla frutescens (Perilla leaf), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, has been used for centuries to treat various conditions including depression. A previous study of the authors demonstrated that essential oil of Perilla frutescens (EOPF) attenuated the depressive-like behavior in mice. Aim of the study: This study was undertaken to explore the dynamic change of behaviors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and improved by EOPF. Materials and methods: Four separate CUMS experimental groups (1-week, 2-week, 3-week and 4-week treatment) were treated with EOPF (3mg/kg and 6mg/kg, p.o.) or fluoxetine (20mg/kg, p.o.), followed by sucrose preference, locomotor activity, immobility and hippocampal BDNF measurement. Results: EOPF, as well as fluoxetine, restored the CUMS-induced decreased sucrose preference and increased immobility time, without affecting body weight gain and locomotor activity. Furthermore, CUMS (3 or 4-week) produced a reduction in both BDNF mRNA and protein expression in the hippocampus, which were ameliorated by EOPF (4-week) and fluoxetine (3 or 4-week) treatment. Conclusion: These results presented here show that BDNF is expressed depending on length of CUMS procedure and EOPF administration. And this study might contribute to the underlying reason for the slow onset of antidepressant activity in clinic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Essential oil properties of different geographical populations of Mentha haplocalyx and M. spicata were analyzed. The yield of essential oils varied in the range of 0.5–3.0% within forty-five populations. Based on essential oil composition, all M. haplocalyx accessions could be classified into six chemotypes, including linalool, pulegone, menthone, carvone, menthol, and piperitenone oxide. In particular, all chemotypes were observed in Sichuan Basin. M. spicata accessions were relatively stable in essential oil content and composition, and were grouped together into chemotype carvone. M. haplocalyx was polymorphic in essential oil properties which could be associated with its genetic diversity. Sichuan Basin in China could be a primary diversity region for M. haplocalyx rather than for M. spicata. The characterization of essential oil variation is of commercial importance as well as helpful in the improvement of Mentha resources for fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Umbelliferae) is a plant used as medicine and food in China. The essential oil (EO) extracted from its rhizomes possesses many pharmacological activities. However, there have been no scientific reports in the modern literature on the safety of EO. Aims of the study: The objective of this study was to conduct a chemical composition analysis and evaluate acute toxicity and skin sensitivity of EO from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong. Materials and methods: The chemical composition of hydrodistilled EO was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and was evaluated in animals for acute toxicity, skin irritation and sensitization tests. Results: Dozens of compounds were detected and the major components of EO were ligustilide and butylidenephthalide with relative contents of 67.46 and 5.06%, respectively. The oral and intra-peritoneal lethal doses of 50% (LD50) in mice were 7.23g/kg (approximately 14,606 times of clinical dose used) and 2.25g/kg (approximately 5091 times of clinical dose used), respectively. The doses of 0.115 and 0.23g/kg EO (approximately 232.5 and 465 times of the respective clinical doses used) revealed slight irritation effects on rabbit skin, but 1g/kg EO (approximately 2020 times of clinical dose used) had no observable effect on guinea pig skin in the skin sensitization test. Conclusions: These experimental results indicate that short term application of EO is probably safe within the range of its clinical doses, but the dose should be controlled for external use due to its slight skin irritation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Three different isolation techniques, specifically microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MAHD), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and conventional hydrodistillation (HD) were employed to obtain essential oils from whole plants, leaves, roots, and stems of Perilla frutescens. The essential oils were analyzed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Variations in chemical composition were observed; these were attributed to differences in plant organs. Variations in the percentages of the main constituents of the oils extracted based on plant organ were irregular and affected the quantity and composition of the oils. Oil yields were affected by the method of extraction and extraction organ variation. The maximum volume of oil was extracted from leaves via MAHD and the minimum was extracted from roots via UAE. Oil yields ranged from 0.05% to 0.53%. The contents of essential oil varied significantly with the plant organ. In the essential oils of the plant parts studied were showed a predominance of oxygenated monoterpenes. Variation of extraction methods and organs may influence the oil components either qualitatively or quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. is a promising industrial crop with fruits rich in essential oils. The chemical composition of essential oils of L. cubeba (EOLC) were determined for fruits harvested from eight regions in China. The overall essential oil content, obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ranged from 3.04% to 4.56%. In total, 59 compounds were identified, the dominant components being monoterpenes (94.4-98.4%), represented mainly by neral and geranial (78.7-87.4%). D-Limonene was unexpectedly a lesser constituent (0.7-5.3%) in fruits, which differed from previous reports (6.0-14.6%). Several components were only detected in certain regions and compounds such as o-cymene and eremophilene have never before been reported in EOLC. These results demonstrate significant regional variation in the chemical composition of EOLC. This investigation provides important information with regard to the bioactivity, breeding work and industrial applications of L. cubeba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]