An experimental investigation on essential oil of a Montenegrin Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don fil. (Asteraceae) is reported. The essential oil was analysed in both liquid and vapour phases. Gas ...chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the liquid oil showed the predominance of sesquiterpenes with β-eudesmene (21.65%) and β-bisabolene (19.90%) as the major ones. Monoterpene fraction was mainly represented by α-pinene (16.90%) and neryl acetate (10.66%). Head-space technique revealed the vapour phase enriched of monoterpenes with α-pinene (78.76%) predominance. The essential oil was tested against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Candida albicans (ATCC 14053) and the clinical strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Interesting fungicidal/bactericidal potency against C. albicans and carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii was revealed at concentration of 5% v/v.
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•8 commercial essential oils (EOs) were selected from mint, basil, helichrysum, yarrow, geranium, cinnamon and ginger grass.•The EOs chemical composition was analyzed by GC–MS.•Acute ...and sub-lethal toxicity was evaluated against Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes and Musca domestica flies.•C. verum was the most toxic EO on mosquitoes (LC50 = 40.7 μl L−1) and flies (LD50 = 42 μg/adult).•Insects exposed to C. verum sub-lethal doses showed reduction of longevity, fertility and fecundity.
The massive use of synthetic insecticides led to negative effects on the environment and human health. Therefore, researchers looked at natural products as effective alternatives to conventional pesticides. Here, commercially valuable essential oils (EOs) were selected from mint (Mentha x piperita, Mentha spicata), basil (Ocimum basilicum), helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum), yarrow (Achillea ligustica), geranium (Pelargonium odoratissimum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and ginger grass (Lippia alba). The chemical composition of these EOs assayed was analyzed by GC–MS. Then, we investigated their insecticidal potential in acute and sub-lethal toxicity assays against mosquito vectors of filariasis (Culex quinquefasciatus) and house flies (Musca domestica). Against C. quinquefasciatus 4th instar larvae, the most toxic EO was C. verum (LC50 = 40.7 μl L−1), followed by L. alba (LC50 = 59.6 μl L−1), while against M. domestica adults, the most toxic EOs were C. verum and H. italicum (LD50 = 42 μg adult−1). The exposure of mosquito larvae to a sub-lethal concentration (LC30 = 25 mg L−1) led to a reduction of adult emergence and fertility. Besides, adult flies that survived after exposure to a sub-lethal dose of C. verum EO (LD20 = 10 μg adult−1) showed a marked decrease in male and female longevity, as well as to a reduction in fecundity, fertility, and natality. Overall, C. verum and H. italicum EOs showed a highly promising insecticidal potential on two key insect vectors and pests. The relatively low prices of the selected EOs, their availability on the market and the noteworthy global production of the bulky materials, make them as ideal candidate ingredients to be used in insecticidal formulations.
Helichrysum italicum essential oils (EOs) has long been known as a medicinal agent, especially in wound healing. This is inseparable from the chemical compounds contained in it, such as abundant ...monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine various studies on the effectiveness of H. italicum EOs on wound healing. Research data searches were conducted through Google Scholar, Proquest, Science Direct, SpringerLink, Wiley Online Library, Taylor & Francis Online and PubMed over the last 10 years by following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Obtained as many as 11 studies that match the criteria. Based on the review of these studies, it was found that H. italicum EOs has good wound healing abilities when viewed from various aspects such as its chemical components, biological activity and its effect on injured body tissues. These chemical components vary in type and amount because they are influenced by various aspects. Biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects have also been shown to be contained in this oil because it affects various phases of wound healing, namely hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling phases. This is also inseparable from the accuracy of the type of vehicle used.
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•H. italicum curry-like aroma flowers are rich in carotenoids.•Flowers are a source of nutritional valuable long chain PUFAs.•Flowers are rich in Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc, and ...other trace elements.•Flower material is nontoxic to human Caco-2 model cells, up to 1.0 % (w/v).•Flower extracts show antibacterial and antifungal activity.
Helichrysum italicum (H. italicum) is a halophyte shrub with bright yellow flowers with a strong curry-like aroma. The essential oils of H. italicum have been used in the production of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, due to their antiallergic and anti-inflammatory properties. In the agri-food sector, H. italicum flowers can be used for seasoning and flavoring food, and as natural food preservatives. Here, we report on the composition, bioactive compounds, and nutritive value of H. italicum flowers. Flowers were mainly composed of carbohydrates (>80 % dry weight), followed by minerals (6.31 ± 0.95 % dw), protein (5.44 ± 0.35 % dw), and lipids (3.59 % ± 0.53 % dw). High percentages of Fe, Zn, Ca, and K were found in the flower material, along with a high content in antioxidants, polyphenols, and carotenoids, as corroborated by the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. Flowers were mainly composed of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (54.50 ± 0.95 % of total FA), followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (37.73 ± 1.25 % of total FA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) (7.77 ± 0.34 %), as detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The omega-6 PUFA linoleic acid (22.55 ± 0.76 % of total FA) was the most abundant fatty acid found. Flower extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Komagataella phaffii, as well as against Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. H. italicum flower material was nontoxic to human intestinal Caco-2 model cells at concentrations up to 1.0 % w/v.
Helichrysum italicum is a medicinal plant from the Mediterranean area, widely used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties and for its preventive ...effects on microcirculation diseases. Due to these properties, it finds large applications in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical fields. Additionally, hydroalcoholic extracts and mother tinctures based on H. italicum represent products with a high commercial value, widely distributed not only in drug stores but also on on-line markets. The different extraction procedures used can greatly affect the fingerprints of the extracts, resulting in a different qualitative or quantitative profile of the chemical constituents responsible for biological activity. The aim of the present study was to characterize the composition of bioactive compounds present in water-ethanol and glycerol extracts of H. italicum derived food supplements. Metabolite profiles of the extracts were obtained by 1H NMR experiments and data were processed by multivariate statistical analysis to highlight differences in the extracts and to evidence the extracts with the highest concentrations of bioactive metabolites. In detail, this work highlights how derived food supplements of H. italicum obtained using ethanol-water mixtures ranging from 45% to 20% of ethanol represent the products with the highest amount of both primary (amino acids) and secondary metabolites including 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (9), chlorogenic acid (10), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (11), and kaempferol 3-O-glucopyranoside (12). Moreover, it is evident that the use of an ethanol-water mixture 20:80 is the most suitable method to afford the highest number of phenolic compounds, while food-derived supplements obtained by glycerol extraction are characterized by a high amount of β-glucose and α-glucose and a low content of phenolic compounds.
•Helichrysum italicum ssp. michrophyllum is an endemic species of Sardinia.•Essential oils profiles of 146 genotypes from two habitats have been studied.•The species has economical value for ...pharmacological, aromatic and ornamental uses.•Correlation between essential oils and environmental conditions was found.•Significant differences in seaside and mountains groups have been found.
Helichrysum italicum (Asteraceae) is a small shrub of the Mediterranean area which colonizes a wide range of habitats. In Sardinia, Italy, the species is widely dispersed in different environments ranging from sandy beaches to holm hoak forests 1250m above sea level (a. s. l.). Recently, the species has been attributed an increasing economical value mainly for its pharmacological, aromatic proprieties and ornamental uses.
In this study, the chemical profiles of 146 H. italicum ssp. microphyllum genotypes from two contrasting habitats (seaside and mountains) in Sardinia were explored. Significant differences in volatile fractions between the two groups were found, displaying a correlation between secondary metabolite production and habitat type. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes (oxygenated/not oxygenated), alcohols, ester were quantitatively differentially produced in the plants growing under different environmental conditions (P<0.0001). However, discriminant analysis also showed that compositional separation among samples is not simply the question if the habitat is from the coast or the mountains: plants from four seaside sites separate most remarkably from the rest, and in the latter plants from three mountain sites become distinct. It means that there is a fairly homogeneous and large group of plants in which habitat type is not a distinguishing feature regarding volatile oil composition.
Considering the importance of climatic conditions in plant development and growth, the relationship between meteorological variables and chemical compounds of the volatile fraction was explored by principal component analysis. Nerolidol is mostly positively correlated to mean winter temperature, while italicene, bergamotene, nerol and curcumene are positively influenced by spring and summer precipitation. Finally, Mantel test revealed a significant correlation (Spearman, P=0.002) between chemical and meteorological matrices of Euclidean distances, suggesting that the most diverse chemical profiles belonged to plants from the farther climatic locations.
In this study, the impact of different drying processes, conventional air-drying (S) and freeze drying (F), on biochemical composition and biological activity of extracts of Helichrysum italicum ...obtained by using traditional (maceration- MAC) and modern extraction techniques (ultrasound (UAE) and microwave (MAE) extraction) was screened. The total phenol content of examined extracts yield in range of 49.7–119.77 mg GAE/g, while total flavonoid content yield in range of 2.92–21.96 mg RE/g. Qualitative and quantitative analysis showed that rutin and quercetin are the components that are present in all extracts in high amount. Radical scavenging activity was confirmed by DPPH and ABTS tests, and reduction ability by FRAP and CUPRAC tests. Total antioxidant activity and chelating ability of the extracts were also confirmed. While ethanol extracts (E) exhibited higher anti-acetylcholinesterase, water extracts (W) were more active in butyrylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition. All extracts were found to inhibit tyrosinase, amylase and glucosidase enzymes. Microwave extraction technique was found to be better extraction technique and air-drying more effective drying process for isolation of phenolic compounds and biological activity of Helichrysum italicum.
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•Traditional and modern drying and extraction techniques were applied for Helichrysum italicum extracts preparation.•Chemical composition and biological activity of Helichrysum italicum extracts were investigated.•Conventional air-drying technique was more effective technique for drying H.italicum herb.•Extracts obtained by microwave extraction technique showed the highest biological activity in most test performed.
The phytochemical analysis of the investigated Immortelle essential oil revealed the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes as major components that might be efficient as a wound healing ...potential agent. The present study aimed to develop an ointment based on the Immortelle essential oil and investigate its wound healing effects on excision wounds in diabetic rats. The topical formulated Immortelle ointment was subjected to pharmaco-technical characterization. Thirty-two diabetic rats with the induced excision wound were used to evaluate in vivo wound healing effects of ointment. The animals were randomly divided into four groups untreated or topically treated with either a 1% silver sulfadiazine, the ointment base, or Immortelle ointment. The response to the treatment was assessed by macroscopic, biochemical and histopathological analysis. The ointment, compatible with the skin remained stable for 6 months. Topical application of the Immortelle ointment showed the highest wound contraction with the highest content of hydroxyproline in comparison to the all examined groups. The Immortelle ointment showed significant wound contraction from day 7 to day 21 as compared to other groups. On the day 21, there was an average of 99.32% wound contraction in the Immortelle group, whereas the mean wound contraction in the negative control and ointment base group was 71.36% and 81.26% respectively. The histopathological results validated the potential wound healing effect of Immortelle ointment with evident post-excision scar maturation and increased collagen fibers density. Our findings revealed that the Immortelle ointment approach might serve as a promising and innovative tool for wound healing.
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•Immortelle ointment remained stable for 6 months.•The rheological behavior followed a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic pattern.•Immortelle ointment did not show any signs of dermal irritation.•Administration of Immortelle ointment increases wound contraction in rats.•Immortelle ointment accelerates wound healing by stimulating collagen deposition.
The changes in the grassland vegetation that have occurred over the last almost 100 years on the northeastern Adriatic island of Plavnik (Croatia) were studied. For this purpose, 29 phytosociological ...relevés of standard plot size were collected using the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological approach and compared with those of 100 years ago. With the aim of defining the differences among the communities and identifying the main environmental gradients, cluster analysis (Ward's method on a Chord distance matrix) and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination were applied. Taxa score-weighted means of the Ellenberg-type indicator values of main environmental variables were used to assess ecological differences among communities, and disturbance-related indicator values were calculated to assess the disturbance regime in shaping plant communities. According to the syntaxonomic framework for the grassland associations, three associations and two subassociations were found. Among them the Festuco valesiacae-Poetum bulbosae ( Poetalia bulbosae, Poetea bulbosae ), the Helichrysetum italici salvietosum officinalis ( Scorzoneretalia villosae, Festuco-Brometea ), and the Hedypnoido rhagadioloidis-Asphodeletum ramosi were proposed as new. The Festuco valesiacae-Poetum bulbosae documents for the first time, based on phytosociological data, the occurrence of the Poetea bulbosae in Croatia. Three associations were considered extinct, possibly as a result of changes in grazing pressure and type.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCEHelichrysum italicum (HI) is a Mediterranean plant with well-reported use in traditional medicine for a wide range of applications, including digestive and liver ...disorders, intestinal parasitic infections, wound healing, stomach ache and asthma. However, little is known about the global mechanism behind its pleiotropic activity. AIM OF THE STUDYThe aim of this study was to explain the mechanism behind the previously demonstrated effects of HI and to justify its use in traditional medicine. MATERIALS AND METHODSA microarray-based transcriptome analysis was used to discover the global transcriptional alterations in primary colon fibroblasts after exposure to HI infusion for 6 h and 24 h. In addition, quantitative real-time PCR was used to verify the microarray results. RESULTSAltogether we identified 217 differentially expressed genes compared to non-treated cells, and only 8 were common to both treatments. Gene ontology analysis revealed that 24 h treatment with HI infusion altered the expression of genes involved in cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell growth, whereas pathway analysis further showed the importance of interleukin signaling and transcriptional regulation by TP53. For the 6 h treatment only the process of hemostasis appeared in the results of both enrichment analyses. In functional assays, HI infusion increased cell migration and decreased blood clotting and prothrombin time. CONCLUSIONSWith the careful evaluation of the role of individual genes, especially SERPING1, ARHGAP1, IL33 and CDKN1A, represented in the enriched pathways and processes, we propose the main mode of HI action, which is wound healing. In addition to its indirect prevention of diseases resulting from the impaired barrier integrity, HI also effects inflammation and metabolic processes directly, as it regulates genes such as LRPPRC, LIPA, ABCA12, PRKAR1A and ANXA6.
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