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The genus Mentha (Lamiaceae), comprising aromatic perennial plants widely distributed in temperate regions, holds significant medicinal and commercial value. This study aimed to investigate the chemical profile and bioactivities of hydroalcoholic extracts from Mentha longifolia (L.) L., Mentha pulegium L., and Mentha spicata L. harvested from the Campania region, Southern Italy. Chemical analysis using LC-HRESIMS/MS identified a total of 21 compounds. The extracts, particularly M. pulegium , exhibited notable antioxidant activity, evaluated through DPPH and FRAP assays, probably related to their chemical composition. Both M. pulegium and M. longifolia demonstrated a higher phenolic content, with M. pulegium also containing the highest levels of flavonoids. In addition, the extract's ability to inhibit biofilm formation was evaluated against several pathogenic strains, including Gram-positive bacteria ( Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus ) and Gram-negative bacteria ( Acinetobacter baumannii , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Escherichia coli ) using crystal violet and MTT assays. All extracts effectively inhibited biofilm formation in A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa , with M. pulegium also showing moderate activity against the metabolism of L. monocytogenes . The pronounced antibacterial and biofilm-inhibitory properties of M. pulegium highlight its potential for pharmaceutical applications.

The aim of the current study was to compare some biological activities of edible oils enriched with 10 % of cannabidiol (CBD samples) from the Slovak market. In addition, hemp, coconut, argan, and pumpkin pure oils were also examined. The study evaluated the fatty acids content, as well as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and phytotoxic activities. The CBD samples presented antimicrobial activity against the tested bacterial strains at higher concentrations (10000 and 5000 mg/L) and antifungal activity against Alternaria alternata, Penicillium italicum and Aspergillus flavus. DPPH⋅ and FRAP assays showed greater activity in CBD-supplemented samples compared to pure oils and vitamin E. In cell lines (IPEC-J2 and Caco-2), a reduced cell proliferation and viability were observed after 24 hours of incubation with CBD samples. The oils showed pro-germinative effects. The tested activities were linked to the presence of CBD in the oils., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Rosmarinus officinalis L. is an aromatic evergreen plant from the Lamiaceae family. The purpose of this study was to compare the chemical profile and bioactivities of hydroalcoholic extracts derived from wild and cultivated R. officinalis . The chemical composition of the extracts was evaluated via LC-MS analysis, which revealed the presence of a wide range of phenolic compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic and terpenes. Both extracts showed a similar interesting antioxidant activity, probably related to their content of phenol and flavonoids. The analysis of anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE), anti-butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and anti-α-amylase activities showed analogous inhibition, except for AChE, in which the wild type was more active than the cultivated one. Finally, in vitro studies were performed using the J774A.1 murine macrophage cell line, to characterize the anti-inflammatory and the antioxidant effects of the extracts. As expected, pretreatment with the extracts significantly reduced the production proinflammatory cytokines and ROS through modulation of the nitric oxide pathway and the mitochondrial activity. Importantly, it is observed that the anti-inflammatory effect of the extracts was explicated through the inhibition of NF-kB and its downstream mediator COX-2. Collectively, these results demonstrated that these extracts could represent a starting point for developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of inflammation-based diseases. Moreover, since no significant changes were observed in terms of composition and activity, both wild and cultivated R. officinalis extracts can be recommended for food and pharmaceutical purposes.

Many studies have demonstrated the herbicidal effects of several essential oils and their possible use as substitutes for chemical herbicides. Several enzymes play a very significant role in seed germination: among these, α-amylase could be involved in essential oil phytotoxic processes. The aims of this study were to compare the chemical composition of the essential oils of two ecotypes of O. heracleoticum growing in Cilento (Southern Italy) and to study their possible use as natural herbicide using Raphanus sativus , Sinapis arvensis and Lolium multiflorum seeds. Moreover, a possible inhibitory activity on the α-amylase enzyme extracted from germinating seeds was evaluated as a possible mechanism of action. Both oils, characterized by GC-MS, belonged to a carvacrol chemotype. The alpha-amylase activity was determined using DNSA (dinitrosalicylic acid) assay quantifying the reducing sugar produced. Furthermore, the essential oils demonstrated phytotoxicity at the highest dose tested, and an inhibitory effect on α-amylase, probably correlated with the phytotoxic effects, was registered. The oils showed interesting phytotoxic and alpha-amylase inhibitory activities, which deserve to be further investigated.

This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs) of two cultivars of Allium sativum and their antibiofilm activity against the food pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii , Escherichia coli , Listeria monocytogenes , and Staphylococcus aureus . The crystal violet assay ascertained the susceptibility of the bacterial biofilms, while the MTT assay let to evaluations of the metabolic changes occurring in the bacterial cells within biofilms. Their chemical composition indicated some sulfuric compounds (i.e., allicin, diallyl disulfide, and allyl propyl disulfide), and decene as some of the main components of the EOs. The aerial parts and bulbs' EOs from the two cultivars showed chemical differences, which seemed to affect the antibiofilm activity. The EOs from aerial parts of 'Bianco del Veneto' inhibited the biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes and E. coli (60.55% and 40.33%, respectively). In comparison, the 'Staravec' EO inhibited the cellular metabolism of E. coli (62.44%) and S. aureus (51.52%) sessile cells. These results indicate their possible use as preserving agents in the food industry and suggest their potential exploitation in the development of new formulations to avoid or limit nosocomial infections.