Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) synthesizes and accumulates a number of secondary metabolites such as terpenes and cannabinoids. They are mostly deposited as resin into the glandular trichomes occurring on ...the leaves and, to a major extent, on the flower bracts. In the last few years, hemp for production of high-value chemicals became a major commodity in the U.S. and across the world. The hypothesis was that hemp biomass valorization can be achieved through distillation and procurement of two high-value products: the essential oil (EO) and cannabinoids. Furthermore, the secondary hypothesis was that the distillation process will decarboxylate cannabinoids hence improving cannabinoid composition of extracted hemp biomass. Therefore, this study elucidated the effect of steam distillation on changes in the content and compositional profile of cannabinoids in the extracted biomass. Certified organic CBD-hemp strains (chemovars, varieties) Red Bordeaux, Cherry Wine and Umpqua (flowers and some upper leaves) and a T&H strain that included chopped whole-plant biomass, were subjected to steam distillation, and the EO and cannabinoids profile were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and HPLC, respectively. The distillation of hemp resulted in apparent decarboxylation and conversion of cannabinoids in the distilled biomass. The study demonstrated a simple method for valorization of CBD-hemp through the production of two high-value chemicals, i.e. EO and cannabinoids with improved profile through the conversion of cannabidiolic acid (CBD-A) into cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromenic acid (CBC-A) into cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidivarinic acid (CBDV-A) into cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabigerolic acid (CBG-A) into cannabigerol (CBG), and δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A) into δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In addition, the distilled biomass contained CBN while the non-distilled did not. Distillation improved the cannabinoids profile; e.g. the distilled hemp biomass had 3.4 times higher CBD in variety Red Bordeaux, 5.6 times in Cherry Wine, 9 times in variety Umpqua, and 6 times in T&H compared to the original non-distilled samples, respectively. Most of the cannabinoids remained in the distilled biomass and small amounts of CBD were transferred to the EO. The CBD concentration in the EO was as follows: 5.3% in the EO of Umpqua, 0.15% in the EO of Cherry Wine and Red Bordeaux and 0.06% in the EO of T&H. The main 3 EO constituents were similar but in different ratio; myrcene (23.2%), (E)-caryophyllene (16.7%) and selina-3,7(11)-diene (9.6%) in Cherry Wine; (E)-caryophyllene (~ 20%), myrcene (16.6%), selina-3,7(11)-diene (9.6%), α-humulene (8.0%) in Red Bordeaux; (E)-caryophyllene (18.2%) guaiol (7.0%), 10-epi-γ-eudesmol (6.9%) in Umpqua; and (E)-caryophyllene (30.5%), α-humulene (9.1%), and (E)-α-bisabolene (6.5%) in T&H. In addition, distillation reduced total THC in the distilled biomass. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed that most of the glandular trichomes in the distilled biomass were not disturbed (remained intact); that suggest a possibility for terpenes evaporation through the epidermal membrane covering the glandular trichomes leaving the cannabinoids in the trichomes. This explained the fact that distillation resulted in terpene extraction while the cannabinoids remained in the distilled material.
Fragrance is an integral part of cosmetic products and is often regarded as an overriding factor in the selection of cosmetics among consumers. Fragrances also play a considerable role in masking ...undesirable smells arising from fatty acids, oils and surfactants that are commonly used in cosmetic formulations. Essential oils are vital assets in the cosmetic industry, as along with imparting pleasant aromas in different products, they are able to act as preservatives and active agents and, simultaneously, offer various benefits to the skin. Moreover, the stimulating demand for natural ingredients has contributed massively to a renewed interest in cosmetic and wellness industries in plant derivatives, especially essential oils. This has led popular cosmetic companies to endorse natural fragrances and opt for minimally processed natural ingredients, given the potentially adverse health risks associated with artificial fragrance chemicals, which are major elements of cosmetics. Among the high-valued essential oils used as fragrances are citrus, lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree and other floral oils, among others, while linalool, geraniol, limonene, citronellol, and citral are much-appreciated fragrance components used in different cosmetics. Thus, this review aimed to highlight the enormous versatility of essential oils as significant sources of natural fragrances in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. Moreover, a special focus will be laid on the different aspects related to essential oils such as their sources, market demand, chemistry, fragrance classification, aroma profile, authenticity and safety.
Intercropping of medicinal plants/legumes along with bio-fertilizer application is a relatively new sustainable practice for improving the yield and secondary metabolites production. Here, a 2-years ...field experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of water deficit stress and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) application (as bio-fertilizer) on nutrients concentration, dry matter yield, essential oil quantity and quality of thyme in intercropping with soybean. Three irrigation levels, including (i) irrigation after depletion of 20% (I
) as non-stressed, 50% (I
) as moderate water deficit and 80% (I
) available water as severe water deficit were applied as the main factor. The sub-factor was represented by different cropping patterns including thyme sole culture, replacement intercrop ratio of 50:50 and 66:34 (soybean: thyme) and the third factor was non-usage (control) and usage of AMF. According to our results, the thyme dry yield under moderate and severe water deficit stress decreased by 35 and 44% in the first year, and by 27 and 40% in the second year compared with non-stressed (I
) plants, respectively. Also, the macro- and micro-nutrients of thyme leaves increased significantly in intercropping patterns after application of AMF. The maximum essential oil percentage of thyme was achieved in 50:50 intercropping ratio treated with AMF. Under moderate and severe water deficits, the major constituents of thyme essential oil including thymol, p-cymene and γ-terpinene were increased in intercropping patterns treated with AMF. Generally, AMF application in intercropping ratio of 50:50 may be proposed to farmers as an eco-friendly approach to achieve desirable essential oil quality and quantity in thyme under water deficit stress conditions.
•Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of some rosemary essential oils were investigated.•1,8-Cineole, camphor and α-pinene were the major constituents of essential oil.•Essential oil from some ...populations exhibited high antioxidant and antibacterial activity.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an aromatic shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family and widely used as herbal remedy and spices. In this work, the leaf essential oil from seven populations of rosemary growing in Western Iran was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID and GC–MS. The major chemical groups occurring in the essential oils were monoterpene ketones (14.55–37.31%), hydrocarbons (28.36–36.81%) and oxygen-containing compounds (9.05–27.60%). The major constituents of the essential oils were 1,8-cineole (5.63–26.89%), camphor (1.66–24.82%) and α-pinene (14.69–20.81%). The essential oils were screened for antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The antibacterial activity of the essential oils was evaluated on two gram-positive and two gram-negative strains, namely Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae by the agar disc diffusion method. Results of antibacterial test indicated that the largest inhibition (inhibition zone of 18.51mm) was achieved with essential oil from Ma population against E. coli. This sample showed high level of 1,8-cineole. Antioxidant activity of the essential oils was evaluated using the DPPH radical inhibition assay (at 0.4, 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2mg/ml). Overall, the essential oils from the seven populations, at 3.2mg/ml, exhibited high antioxidant activity (more than 50% radical inhibition). Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between some essential oil components and biological activity displayed.
While salinity is increasingly becoming a prominent concern in arable farms around the globe, various treatments can be used for the mitigation of salt stress. Here, the effective presence of
...Azotobacter
sp. inoculation (A
1
) and absence of inoculation (A
0
) was evaluated on Iranian licorice plants under NaCl stress (0 and 200 mM) (S
0
and S
1
, respectively). In this regard, 16 Iranian licorice (
Glycyrrhiza glabra
L.) accessions were evaluated for the effects on photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence. Leaf samples were measured for photosynthetic pigments (via a spectrophotometer), stomatal and trichome-related features (via SEM), along with several other morphological and biochemical features. The results revealed an increase in the amount of carotenoids that was caused by bacterial inoculation, which was 28.3% higher than the non-inoculated treatment. Maximum initial fluorescence intensity (F0) (86.7) was observed in the ‘Bardsir’ accession. Meanwhile, the highest variable fluorescence (Fv), maximal fluorescence intensity (Fm), and maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) (0.3, 0.4, and 0.8, respectively) were observed in the ‘Eghlid’ accession. Regarding anatomical observations of the leaf structure, salinity reduced stomatal density but increased trichome density. Under the effect of bacterial inoculation, salinity stress was mitigated. With the effect of bacterial inoculation under salinity stress, stomatal length and width increased, compared to the condition of no bacterial inoculation. Minimum malondialdehyde content was observed in ‘Mahabad’ accession (17.8 μmol/g
FW
). Principle component analysis (PCA) showed that ‘Kashmar’, ‘Sepidan’, ‘Bajgah’, ‘Kermanshah’, and ‘Taft’ accessions were categorized in the same group while being characterized by better performance in the aerial parts of plants. Taken together, the present results generally indicated that selecting the best genotypes, along with exogenous applications of
Azotobacter
, can improve the outcomes of licorice cultivation for industrial purposes under harsh environments.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is a rich source of biologically active components such as phenolic compounds. Here, seven pot grown O. vulgare accessions belonging to three subspecies (subsp. virens, ...subsp. vulgare and subsp. gracile) were investigated for their content in sixteen bioactive phenolic compounds as well as their antioxidant capacities (DPPH
and FRAP tests), total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) in order to identify the most suitable ones on an industrial level. HPLC analyses showed that rosmarinic acid (659.6-1646.9 mg/100 g DW) was by far the most abundant constituent, followed by luteolin (46.5-345.4 mg/100 g DW), chicoric acid (36.3-212.5 mg/100 g DW), coumarin (65.7-193.9 mg/100 g DW) and quercetin (10.6-106.1 mg/100 g DW), with variability in concentration depending on the accession and subspecies. The highest level of rosmarinic acid and TPC was obtained from Ardabil accession (subsp. virens). There was a significant and positive correlation between rosmarinic acid and antioxidant activity (r = 0.46). TFC significantly correlated to TPC (r = 0.57) as well as to chicoric acid (r = 0.73). Cluster (CA) and principal component (PCA) analyses classified the investigated accessions in three different groups. Such natural variabilities in phenolics provide the possibility of using elite plants for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries and domestication of highly antioxidative accessions of oregano.
Display omitted
•Crithmum maritimum is an aromatic halophyte typical of coastal environments.•Three essential oil chemotypes were explored for insecticidal activity.•Strong toxicity was found on ...Spodoptera littoralis and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae.•The phenylpropanoid-type was reported as the most effective.•γ-Terpinene and myristicin tested on C. quinquefasciatus showed LC50 values <17μl/L.
The effective management of insect pests and vectors still represents a major challenge in current entomology. Culex quinquefasciatus Say is a key vector of lymphatic filariasis, Rift Valley fever, West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis and Western equine encephalitis virus. Recently, the importance of the eco-friendly control of C. quinquefasciatus larval population using plant-borne biopesticides, including essential oils (EOs), has been stressed. Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) also known as tobacco cutworm, is one of the most destructive moth agricultural pests in tropic and sub-tropic regions. Despite the fact that sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L., Apiaceae) is considered as a promising biosaline crop, its potential for commercial cultivation has not yet been exploited. Notably, it has been reported that in coastal marine environments insect pests stay away from sea fennel plants. This aromatic plant is endowed with secretory structures as ducts and vittae storing volatile compounds. In the present study, the chemical composition of sea fennel essential oils from three different EO accessions, namely France (Brittany), Central and South Italy (Marche and Sicily regions) have been analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and their toxicity against larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus and S. littoralis was evaluated. Selected pure compounds from the essential oils mentioned above were also tested. The essential oils showed notable variability in chemical composition, being dominated by dillapiole and γ-terpinene (French EO), limonene and γ-terpinene (central Italy EO) and thymol methyl ether and γ-terpinene (Sicilian EO). As found out, the significantly most efficient essential oils were obtained from the seeds and aerial parts of plants of the French region. For these EOs, LD50 values were estimated as 62.3 and 71.7μg/larva for S. littoralis, respectively, and LC50 as 13.7 and 15.6μl/L for C. quinquefasciatus larvae, respectively. γ-Terpinene and myristicin were the most effective on C. quinquefasciatus larvae showing LC50 values <17μl/L. Overall, these findings shed light on the insecticidal potential of C. maritimum EO against mosquitoes and agricultural pests, allowing to identify the most effective chemotype, and to stimulate cultivation of this species as a source of botanical insecticides.
Display omitted
•The toxicity of essential oil from monoecious hemp cv Felina 32 was tested on key insect pests and vectors.•The hemp oil composition was dominated by (E)-caryophyllene, myrcene and ...α-pinene.•The oil was toxic to houseflies and peach aphids, efficacy on mosquitoes and Spodoptera moth pests was scarce.•Hemp cv Felina 32 oil was not toxic to non-target invertebrates, including ladybugs and earthworms.•Industrial hemp cv Felina 32 may represent valuable source of green insecticides.
The inflorescences of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) represent a consistent by-product that is underutilized. Moving from the concept that this plant part has evolved as a natural weapon against phytophagous insects, secreting important secondary metabolites such as cannabinoids and volatile terpenes, herein we assayed the potential of its essential oil as a botanical insecticide. For the purpose, the essential oil was obtained by fresh inflorescences of hemp (monoecious cv. Felina 32) by steam-distillation and analysed by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The oil was tested against the filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus, the peach-potato aphid Myzus persicae, the housefly Musca domestica and the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera littoralis. To prove its harmlessness on non-target invertebrates, it was tested on the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, and Eisenia fetida earthworms, and compared with α-cypermethrin as the positive control. The essential oil composition was dominated by monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, with (E)-caryophyllene (45.4%), myrcene (25.0%) and α-pinene (17.9%) as the most abundant compounds. Results from insecticidal tests showed that the essential oil from inflorescences of industrial hemp cv Felina 32 was highly toxic to M. persicae aphids (LC50 of 3.5 mL L−1) and M. domestica flies (43.3 μg adult−1), while toxicity was moderate towards S. littoralis larvae (152.3 μg larva−1), and scarce against C. quinquefasciatus larvae (LC50 of 252.5 mL L−1) and adults (LC50 > 500 μg cm−2). Contrary to α-cypermethrin, the hemp cv Felina 32 essential oil was not toxic to non-target invertebrate species, including 3rd instar larvae and adults of H. axyridis ladybugs and adults of E. fetida earthworms. Taken together our results shed light on the possible utilization of the crop residue of industrial hemp as a source of environmental-friendly botanical insecticides to be used in Integrated Pest Management and organic agriculture, particularly to manage aphid and housefly populations.
The root of
L. has been widely used in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial properties. In this study, the fractionation of methanol extract from the root was conducted. Four fractions (A, B, ...C, and D) were obtained and tested against a range of bacteria and fungi. The results showed promising antibacterial activity, especially against
, where the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to be equal to 0.08 mg/mL and 0.16 mg/mL for heptane (fraction B) and ethyl acetate (fraction C), respectively. In the case of the methicillin-resistant
(MRSA) ATCC 43300 strain, the same fractions yielded higher MIC values (2.5 and 5.0 mg/mL, respectively). This was accompanied by a lack of apparent cytotoxicity to normal human BJ foreskin fibroblasts, enterocytes derived from CaCo2 cells, and zebrafish embryos. Further analyses revealed the presence of bioactive chlorogenic acids in the fractionated extract, especially in the ethyl acetate fraction (C). These findings support the traditional use of the root from
and pave the way for the development of new formulations for treating bacterial infections. This was further evaluated in a proof-of-concept experiment where fraction C was used in the ointment formulation, which maintained high antimicrobial activity against MRSA and displayed low toxicity towards cultured fibroblasts.
Salinity, a severe worldwide issue, compromises the economic production of medicinal plants including mints and causes drug-yield decline. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a tolerance-inducing signaling ...bio-molecule in various plant physiological processes. Pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens Ehrh.) is a valuable medicinal herb with an exhilarating scent of citrus fruit. Piperitenone oxide is the major bioactive constituent of its essential oil, having significant demand by pharmaceutical industries. Nonetheless, modeling and optimizing the effective concentration of GABA remain within twin foci of interest. Therefore, a two factor-five level (NaCl 0-150 mM and GABA 0-2.4 mM) central composite design was conducted to model and optimize drug yield and physiological responses of M. suaveolens. Based on the design of experiments (DoE) approach, different linear, quadratic, cubic, and quartic models were assigned to the response variables. Change trends of shoot and root dry weights followed a simple linear model, whereas sophisticated models (i.e., multiple polynomial regression) were fitted to the other traits. NaCl stress inevitably reduced root and shoot dry weight, piperitenone oxide content, relative water content, pigments content, and maximum quantum yield of PSII. However, content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total flavonoid, and DPPH radical scavenging activity were increased under salinity. Under severe NaCl stress (150 mM), the essential oil content (0.53%) was increased three times in comparison with control (0.18%). Optimization analysis demonstrated that the highest amount of essential oil (0.6%) and piperitenone oxide (81%) as a drug yield-determining component would be achievable by application of 0.1-0.2 mM GABA under 100 mM NaCl. The highest dry weight of root and shoot was predicted to be achieved at 2.4 mM GABA. Overall, extremely severe NaCl stress (i.e., more than 100 mM) in which a sharp drop in yield components value was observed seemed to be out of M. suaveolens salinity tolerance range. Hence, it is rationale to compensate the decrease of drug yield by foliar application of a dilute GABA solution (i.e., 0.1-0.2 mM) under 100 mM NaCl stress or lower levels.
PDF
