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Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products

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A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (18 October 2023) | Viewed by 21787

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Omar Santana Méridas

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Guest Editor

Kimitec Biogroup S.L., Phytochemistry Unit Director, Biocontrol Area Coordinator, Almería, Spain
Interests: bioactive natural products; natural crop protectans; genetic resources; waste valorization; insect antifeedants

Dr. Azucena González Coloma

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Guest Editor

Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Interests: natural product-based biopesticides of botanical and fungal origin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Marie-Laure Fauconnier

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Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Molecules, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Interests: essential oil; VOCs; oxylipins for applications in agronomy and food science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Essential oils (EOs) are special natural secondary metabolites comprising hundreds of multifunctional molecules belonging to different chemical classes. EOs have increasing applications by demand from major end-use industries including food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and personal care, aromatherapy, and traditional medicine. The global EO market is expected to grow at CAGR of 9–10% in the coming 10 years. Special applications of the EOs chemical space in agriculture and aquaculture remain at the basic research/laboratory level, while successful ready-to-use EO-based commercial products are not growing at the same level.

This Special Issue is intended to cover the applications of the EOs chemical space, mainly addressed to the following fields:

Agriculture (insecticide, acaricide, fungicide, herbicide, harvest aid, probiotic, priming, etc.).
Aquaculture (antibiotic, anesthetic, defense induction, probiotic, etc.).
Food adjuvant and gourmet cuisine (odorants, tastings, preservatives, etc.).

Papers on the development of EO-based final/commercial products in the abovementioned fields, including proof of concept papers, case studies and success cases, are especially welcome. In addition, the following topics are greatly encouraged:

Formulation and delivery.
New biologically relevant chemical space of EOs, isolation and biotechnological processes. SAR/QSAR studies.
Synergy, optimization, and expansion of EO-based LEADs.
New MoAs involving EOs and their main components.
New chemotypes and domestication success.
Marine sources of EOs.
Omics integration to study the EOs biological space.

Dr. Omar Santana Méridas
Dr. Azucena González Coloma
Prof. Dr. Marie-Laure Fauconnier
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

essential oil
aquaculture
antibiotics
chemical space
chemotypes
domestication
SAR/QSAR
machine learning
in silico
formulation and delivery

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oils from Selected Mediterranean Aromatic Plants—Characterization and Biological Activity as Aphid Biopesticides

by José Luis Casas, Aitor Sagarduy-Cabrera, María López Santos-Olmo and Mª Ángeles Marcos-García

Life 2023, 13(8), 1621; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13081621 - 25 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1872

Abstract

The need for alternatives to synthetic pesticides is a priority today, especially when these pesticides are directed against aphids, one of the more challenging pests facing modern agriculture. Essential oils may be one of these alternatives. We assayed the insecticidal potential of essential oils from Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis var. ‘prostratus’ and Lavandula dentata. Essential oil extraction was carried out by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus for 3 h and their respective composition was elucidated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The essential oil fraction from T. vulgaris contained 81.20% monoterpenoids and 12.85% sesquiterpenoids; R. officinalis var. ‘prostratus’ contained 91.98% monoterpenoids and 1.93% sesquiterpenoids, while L. dentata contained 69.60% monoterpenoids and 8.05% sesquiterpenoids. The major components found were 1,8-cineole (18.11%), camphor (11.18) and borneol (10.32%) in T. vulgaris; α-pinene (18.72%), verbenone (13.42%) and 1,8-cineole (10.32%) in R. officinalis; and 1,8-cineole (34.65%), camphor (7.58%) and β-pinene (6.39%) in L. dentata. The insecticidal activity of the essential oils was evaluated by contact toxicity bioassays against the bird cherry oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L. We observed a mortality rate of 78.3% ± 23.9 at 15 μL/mL with T. vulgaris, 54.7% ± 25.8 with L. dentata (although at a lower concentration, 10 μL/mL), and 56.7% ± 25.6 at 15 μL/mL with R. officinalis. Our results suggest that thyme essential oil may be particularly promising for integrated aphid management provided that specific conditions of use and dosages are observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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13 pages, 3374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oil Compounds of Andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC.) Fruit Varieties and Their Utilization as Skin Anti-Aging Using Molecular Docking

by Endang Kintamani, Irmanida Batubara, Cecep Kusmana, Tatang Tiryana, Edi Mirmanto and Shadila F. Asoka

Life 2023, 13(3), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13030754 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

Exposure to UV/infrared (IR) radiation is the main extrinsic factor that changes skin morphology and affects the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skin aging. Ten varieties of andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC.) fruit are presumed to have skin anti-aging compounds via an enzyme-inhibition mechanism. This study aims to compare ten essential oils (EOs) of andaliman fruit varieties, group them according to their varieties, and obtain the chemical components that can be used as potential skin anti-aging agents using molecular docking. EOs were isolated by hydrodistillation, and the determination of the chemical compounds was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Using the Orange data mining software, a heatmap was used for grouping and showing the abundance of the compounds of ten varieties. Finally, molecular docking was conducted using the software AutoDockTools 1.5.7. There were 97 chemical components in the ten EOs of andaliman fruit varieties, with the main chemical components being geranyl acetate (29.87%) and D-limonene (26.49%), and they were grouped into three clusters. The chemical components that are prospective candidates as skin anti-aging agents are geranyl acetate and D-limonene, found in abundance in the Sihalus variety of andaliman fruit. These can be developed for applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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19 pages, 4541 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Essential Oil Composition Analysis, Antimicrobial Activities, and Biosystematic Studies on Six Species of Salvia

by Azize Demirpolat

Life 2023, 13(3), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13030634 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2636

Abstract

The essential oil constituents, antimicrobial properties, and biosystematic characteristics (morphological, palynological, and anatomical features) of six Salvia species from different regions of Turkey were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively in this study. The chemical composition of the essential oils of dried aerial parts of Salvia species, i.e., S. absconditiflora, S. ceratophylla, S. multicaulis, S. verbenaca, S. viridis, and S. syriaca were analyzed by GC-MS. The main constituents of the six Salvia species studied were 1,8-cineol, caryophyllene oxide, spathulenol, and borneol in different ratios. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil extracted from the aerial parts of species of the genus Salvia was tested by the disc diffusion method. The essential oils of Salvia species showed different antimicrobial activity against the studied microorganisms. The highest antimicrobial activity against E. coli was observed in S. multicaulis and the highest antimicrobial activity against K. pneumoniae was observed in S. verbenaca. The morphology of the stem, leaf, bract, and flower structures of the Salvia species were analyzed in this study. Anatomical investigations focused on the root, petiole, and stem in more detail. Our research has broadened the criteria of anatomical characters unique to the Salvia species. Under light microscopy, the pollen grains of the six species belonging to Salvia were isopolar and radially symmetrical. The properties of the essential oil constituents, antimicrobial properties, and biosystematic data obtained in this study contribute to the bioactive and biosystematic studies of Salvia species used for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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18 pages, 2860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biological Activity of Hybrid Molecules Based on Major Constituents of Cinnammomun verum and Thymus vulgaris Essential Oils

by Juan Valverde Sancho, Cristina Carreño Amate, María del Mar Caparrós Pérez, Omar Santana Méridas and Luis F. Julio

Life 2023, 13(2), 499; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020499 - 11 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2125

Abstract

Plants have been used by humans since ancient times due their antimicrobial and medicinal properties. Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of secondary plant metabolites, including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and other aromatic compounds. Cinnamomun verum and Thyme vulgaris EOs and their organic extracts exert numerous biological activities because of their major compounds, particularly thymol, carvacrol, eugenol, and benzoic and cinnamic acid. The structural motifs presented by these phytochemicals are responsible for their biological activities. Modification or hybridization of these structures could lead to new bio-based compounds with improved efficacy or multiple modes of action. In this work, we aimed to develop reliable methods of obtaining six hybrid molecules from the major constituents of C. verum and T. vulgaris EOs. For the first time, we tested their efficacy in the inhibition of the mycelium growth and spore germination of two of the most important phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and one opportunistic human pathogen, Aspergillus niger. The cytotoxic activity of the obtained hybrids was assessed using the brine shrimp lethality assay. In addition, we report for the first time a biocatalytic process for the obtention of these bioactive hybrid molecules. The results of this work enable the possibility of using hybrid molecules based on the major constituents of EOs as active ingredients in strategic industries such as agriculture, aquaculture, and pharmaceuticals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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15 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Characterization of Clove, Basil and Peppermint Essential Oils; Evaluating Their Toxicity on the Development Stages of Two-Spotted Spider Mites Grown on Cucumber Leaves

by Salonaz E. Awad, Karima Bel Hadj Salah, Muthana M. Jghef, Abeer Mousa Alkhaibari, Ashjan A. Shami, Rana Abdullah Alghamdi, Ramadan M. El-Ashry, Abdelhadi A. I. Ali, Lamiaa M. M. El-Maghraby and Ahmed E. Awad

Life 2022, 12(11), 1751; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12111751 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2908

Abstract

The two spotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a cosmopolitan mite. It rapidly reproduces and can develop resistance to chemical pesticides. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity and acaricidal activity of three essential oils from basil, clove, and peppermint against T. urticae reproduction, which is grown on three cucumber cultivars, Chief (SC 4145), Raian (CB898), and Toshka (SC 349), under laboratory conditions at 27 + 3 °C and 70 + 5% RH. GC-MS characterized the volatile oils of basil, clove, and peppermint. Methyl cinnamate, eugenol, and menthol were the main essential oils in basil, clove, and peppermint, respectively. The results indicated significant differences in the duration of development between T. urticae feeding on the three cucumber cultivars (p ≤ 0.05), including eggs, protonymph, and deutonymph time. The Toshka (SC 349) cultivar recorded the lowest developmental time. The longevity period exhibited the same trend with non-significant differences between Raian (CB898) and Toshka (SC 349). Moreover, the lethal concentration (LC50) and LC90 values in tested essential oils (EOs) showed that clove EOs were the most toxic. In contrast, basil and peppermint EOs were the least effective, and immature stages were more sensitive to EOs than adult stages. The infected Toshka (SC 349) discs treated with essential oils and abamectin under in vitro conditions indicated that clove oil is comparable to abamectin regarding its effect on the egg numbers (18.7 and 17.6 egg), immature development time, longevity, life span, and life cycle (20.6 and 20.8 days) of T. urticae. We conclude that the resistant cultivation of cucumber plants can be recommended in integrated pest management programs. The most effective of the tested oils, clove EOs, should be used as alternatives to pesticides to control T. urticae in the protected cultivation of cucumbers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

16 pages, 2269 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agricultural Parameters and Essential Oil Content Composition Prediction of Aniseed, Based on Growing Year, Locality and Fertilization Type—An Artificial Neural Network Approach

by Lato Pezo, Biljana Lončar, Olja Šovljanski, Ana Tomić, Vanja Travičić, Milada Pezo and Milica Aćimović

Life 2022, 12(11), 1722; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12111722 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1963

Abstract

Predicting yield is essential for producers, stakeholders and international interchange demand. The majority of the divergence in yield and essential oil content is associated with environmental aspects, including weather conditions, soil variety and cultivation techniques. Therefore, aniseed production was examined in this study. The categorical input variables for artificial neural network modelling were growing year (two successive growing years), growing locality (three different locations in Vojvodina Province, Serbia) and fertilization type (six different treatments). The output variables were morphological and quality parameters, with agricultural importance such as plant height, umbel diameter, number of umbels, number of seeds per umbel, 1000-seed weight, seed yield per plant, plant weight, harvest index, yield per ha, essential oil (EO) yield, germination energy, total germination, EO content, as well as the share of EOs compounds, including limonene, cis-dihydro carvone, methyl chavicol, carvone, cis-anethole, trans-anethole, β-elemene, α-himachalene, trans-β-farnesene, γ-himachalene, trans-muurola-4(14),5-diene, α-zingiberene, β-himachalene, β-bisabolene, trans-pseudoisoeugenyl 2-methylbutyrate and epoxy-pseudoisoeugenyl 2-methylbutyrate. The ANN model predicted agricultural parameters accurately, showing r² values between 0.555 and 0.918, while r² values for the forecasting of essential oil content were between 0.379 and 0.908. According to global sensitivity analysis, the fertilization type was a more influential variable to agricultural parameters, while the location site was more influential to essential oils content. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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8 pages, 404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Valorization of the Hydrolate Byproduct from the Industrial Extraction of Purple Alium sativum Essential Oil as a Source of Nematicidal Products

by Alberto Galisteo, Azucena González-Coloma, Purificación Castillo and María Fe Andrés

Life 2022, 12(6), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12060905 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2545

Abstract

The hydrolate byproduct resulting from the industrial essential oil extraction of Spanish purple garlic has been studied against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica by in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The essential oil, the hydrolate and its organic fraction caused high mortality of juveniles, suppressed egg hatch, and reduced nematode infection and reproduction on tomato plants. The nematicidal compounds of garlic oil, diallyl disulfide and diallyl trisulfide, were the major components of the hydrolate organic fraction. These findings have important implications for the development of new nematode control products based on garlic hydrolate compounds and highlight the recovery of waste from essential oils extraction, promoting a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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Review

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13 pages, 317 KiB

Open AccessReview

Development of Native Essential Oils from Forestry Resources in South Korea

by Chanjoo Park and Heesung Woo

Life 2022, 12(12), 1995; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12121995 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3419

Abstract

South Korea’s forests occupy approximately 70% of the mainland, therefore, there is considerable potential for waste coming from the forest. Extracting essential oils from underutilised biomass is an economic and sustainable method for the production of high-added-value products. These days, countries’ ownership of domestic natural resources is becoming vital, so there is an urgent need for developing the essential oils from native plants. To increase the value of native essential oils in South Korea, the National Institute of Forest Science (NiFoS) established the <Essential oils bank> to develop the native essential oils as well as develop more research infrastructure by sharing information on native essential oils and enhancing their value. We review the selected essential oils which are listed in the <Essential oil bank> from the literature on major chemical constituents, biological activity, and potential uses of essential oils. Those utilising forest resources for commercial essential oil production need to consider the stable supply of plant material in terms of forest management and conservation. Therefore, Pinaceae (Larix kaempferi, Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis) and Cupressaceae (Chamaecyparis obtusa and Chamaecyparis pisifera) could be potential candidates for commercial essential oil as their waste materials are easily obtained from the plantation after forest management. With their unique fragrance and the bioactive compounds in their oils, potential candidates can be utilised in various industry sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploiting the Biochemical Properties of Essential Oils for Healthy Products)

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