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Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III
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Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 9643

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hazem Salaheldin Elshafie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: natural products; microbiology; plant pathology; antimicrobial activities; bioactive secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Ippolito Camele

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: plant disease; natural products; molecular diagnosis; bioactive substances; microbiology; biological control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants, an MDPI (the pioneer in scholarly open access publishing) journal, will publish a Special Issue entitled “Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity”. Plant essential oils (PEOs), extracted from many aromatic and medicinal plants, have been used in folk medicine and often represent an important part of the traditional pharmacopoeia. They have a long history of use in folk medicine as antimicrobial agents to control several human and phyto pathogens. In the last few decades, research in this field has gained great momentum, especially that coming from research/medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies; many PEOs have been registered as effective alternatives to chemical and synthetic antimicrobials and effectively used in the food industry as antioxidants and anticarcinogens. The current Special Issue discusses the chemical composition and biological–pharmaceutical activities of several important PEOs and their single constituents. Detailed information regarding the mechanisms, possible mode of actions, and factors affecting these activities, such as their geographical origins, environmental conditions, nutritional status, and extraction methods, are of great interest.

Prof. Dr. Hazem Salaheldin Elshafie
Prof. Ippolito Camele
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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 oils
  • antimicrobial activity
  • cytotoxicity
  • phytotoxicity
  • antioxidant
  • phytopathogens

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3619 KiB  
Article
An Investigation into the Biological Activities of Four Lamiaceae Essential Oils Against Thrips flavus, Crops, and Weeds
by Yuxin Zhou, Tianhao Pei, Xuechao Zhou, Meng-Lei Xu, Hexin Gao, Lulu Wang and Yu Gao
Plants 2025, 14(3), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14030448 (registering DOI) - 3 Feb 2025
Abstract
In recent years, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection and food safety, essential oils (EOs) have gained significant attention as safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives. This study investigated the insecticidal activity of four Lamiaceae EOs (patchouli oil, catnip oil, lavender oil, [...] Read more.
In recent years, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection and food safety, essential oils (EOs) have gained significant attention as safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives. This study investigated the insecticidal activity of four Lamiaceae EOs (patchouli oil, catnip oil, lavender oil, and mint oil) against Thrips flavus and their effects on crops and weeds. The results show that patchouli oil, catnip oil, and lavender oil exhibited better insecticidal activity, with patchouli oil having the strongest toxicity, with an LC50 value of 0.31 mg/mL. Additionally, catnip oil and lavender oil had significant attractive effects on T. flavus, where lavender oil only had a significant attractive effect on male T. flavus, with an attraction rate of 71.88% (p = 0.03), suggesting that it could be a potential alternative to insect lures. In pot experiments, these EOs demonstrated sustained insecticidal effects and varied impacts on crops. Lavender oil only significantly affected the shoot length of soybeans (Glycine max), while mint oil did not significantly affect the growth of G. max. Finally, we preliminarily analyzed the chemical composition of the EOs to provide insights into their active components. These findings indicate that EOs have potential applications as natural agrochemicals, but further research on their mechanisms and application conditions is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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15 pages, 787 KiB  
Article
Antifungal Activity of Citrus Essential Oil in Controlling Sour Rot in Tahiti Acid Lime Fruits
by Vanessa Santos Moura, Lara Dias Olandin, Beatriz Saraiva Mariano, Josiane Rodrigues, Fernando Trevizan Devite, Ana Carolina Costa Arantes, Carmen Lucia Queiroga, Adilson Sartoratto, Fernando Alves de Azevedo and Marinês Bastianel
Plants 2024, 13(21), 3075; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13213075 - 1 Nov 2024
Viewed by 819
Abstract
Sour rot, caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantii, is a significant post-harvest disease in citrus, resulting in economic losses due to the lack of effective fungicides. This study investigates the antifungal activity of citrus essential oils in controlling sour rot in Tahiti acid lime [...] Read more.
Sour rot, caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantii, is a significant post-harvest disease in citrus, resulting in economic losses due to the lack of effective fungicides. This study investigates the antifungal activity of citrus essential oils in controlling sour rot in Tahiti acid lime fruits. Essential oils were extracted via hydrodistillation with chemical composition analyzed by CG-MS and tested in vitro and in vivo. In vitro assays evaluated mycelial growth inhibition at 2 to 32 µL mL−1 concentrations. In vivo trials involved preventive and curative treatments on artificially inoculated fruits stored at 25 °C ± 2, and the results showed that Pera IAC sweet orange oil, at 32 µL mL−1, reduced disease severity by 96% in curative treatments. In contrast, Late IAC 585 willowleaf mandarin oil demonstrated moderate inhibition (44%) at the highest concentration in vitro. The oils did not affect key fruit quality parameters such as juice yield and total soluble solids. These findings suggest that citrus essential oils could be natural alternatives to synthetic fungicides for post-harvest sour rot management, combining effectiveness with maintaining fruit quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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16 pages, 1634 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Antioxidant and Antifungal Activities of Four Essential Oils and Their Major Compounds against Post-Harvest Fungi Associated with Chickpea in Storage
by Lamyae Et-tazy, Abdeslam Lamiri, Laila Satia, Mohamed Essahli and Sanae Krimi Bencheqroun
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3587; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203587 - 16 Oct 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2037
Abstract
The antifungal and antioxidant properties of essential oils (EOs) derived from four plants were assessed in vitro: Rosmarinus officinalis, Myrtus communis, Origanum compactum, and Eugenia aromatica. These plants are renowned for their diverse biological activities. Antioxidant activities were evaluated [...] Read more.
The antifungal and antioxidant properties of essential oils (EOs) derived from four plants were assessed in vitro: Rosmarinus officinalis, Myrtus communis, Origanum compactum, and Eugenia aromatica. These plants are renowned for their diverse biological activities. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and TAC tests. Antifungal activity was tested against four postharvest pathogens associated with chickpea in storage: Fusarium culmorum, Rhizopus oryzae, Penicillium italicum, and Aspergillus niger, using the broth microdilution technique. Additionally, the efficacy of several major compounds against fungi found in the EOs 1,8-cineole, carvacrol, and eugenol was evaluated. Furthermore, this study explored the potential synergy of combining eugenol and carvacrol in various ratios. Based on the results, E. aromatica EO exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, as evidenced by its lowest IC50 values for a DPPH of 0.006 mg/mL. This EO also demonstrated the best antifungal activity, with MIC values ranging from 0.098 to 0.13 μL/mL. The high concentration of eugenol in this oil was identified as a contributing factor to its potent antifungal effects. The individual application of eugenol displayed significant antifungal efficacy, which was further enhanced by incorporating carvacrol at a 1:3 ratio. This synergistic combination presents promising potential for the development of specific formulations aimed at optimizing grain protection during storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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21 pages, 2561 KiB  
Article
Essential Oils of Artemisia frigida Plants (Asteraceae): Conservatism and Lability of the Composition
by Svetlana V. Zhigzhitzhapova, Elena P. Dylenova, Bato V. Zhigzhitzhapov, Danaya B. Goncharova, Zhargal A. Tykheev, Vasiliy V. Taraskin and Oleg A. Anenkhonov
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3422; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193422 - 28 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1387
Abstract
Plants of arid regions have adapted to harsh environments during the long span of their evolution and have developed a set of features necessary for their survival in water-limited conditions. Artemisia frigida Willd. (Asteraceae) is a widely distributed species possessing significant cenotic value [...] Read more.
Plants of arid regions have adapted to harsh environments during the long span of their evolution and have developed a set of features necessary for their survival in water-limited conditions. Artemisia frigida Willd. (Asteraceae) is a widely distributed species possessing significant cenotic value in steppe ecosystems due to its high frequency and abundance. This study examines different patterns of formation of essential oil composition in A. frigida plants under the influence of heterogeneous factors, including climate and its integral characteristics (HTC, Cextr, SPEI and others). The work is based on the results of our research conducted in Russia (Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk region), Mongolia, and China, from 1998 to 2021. A total of 32 constant compounds have been identified in the essential oil of A. frigida throughout its habitat range in Eurasia, from Kazakhstan to Qinghai Province, China. Among them, camphor, 1,8-cineol and bornyl acetate are the dominant components, contained in 93–95% of the samples. Among the sesquiterpenoids, germacrene D is the dominant component in 67% of the samples. The largest variability within the composition of the essential oils of A. frigida is associated with significant differences in the climatic parameters when plants grow in high-altitude and extrazonal conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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13 pages, 516 KiB  
Article
A Study of the Essential Oil Isolated from Ageratina dendroides (Spreng.) R.M. King & H. Rob.: Chemical Composition, Enantiomeric Distribution, and Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anticholinesterase Activities
by Eduardo Valarezo, Emmily Jaramillo-Jaramillo, Ana Carrión-Campoverde, Vladimir Morocho, Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro, Luis Cartuche and Miguel Angel Meneses
Plants 2023, 12(15), 2796; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152796 - 28 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1255
Abstract
Ageratina dendroides is an aromatic species native to Ecuador. In this study, the chemical composition, enantiomeric distribution, and antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticholinesterase activities of the essential oil isolated from aerial parts of Ageratina dendroides were determined. The quantitative chemical composition was determined [...] Read more.
Ageratina dendroides is an aromatic species native to Ecuador. In this study, the chemical composition, enantiomeric distribution, and antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticholinesterase activities of the essential oil isolated from aerial parts of Ageratina dendroides were determined. The quantitative chemical composition was determined using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. The qualitative chemical composition was determined using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The enantiomeric distribution was determined using an enantioselective chromatographic column. A broth microdilution method was used to determine the antibacterial activity. This antibacterial activity was tested against three Gram-negative bacilli bacteria and three Gram-positive cocci bacteria. The antifungal activity was tested against two fungi, a fungus, and a yeast. The antioxidant activity was determined using the ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) method and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. The anticholinesterase activity was analyzed using the spectrophotometric method. Sixty-eight volatile compounds were identified in the essential oil. These compounds represent 99.49% of the total composition. In terms of the number of compounds and their relative abundance, the most representative group was sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, with thirty-four compounds and an abundance of 49.22%. The main constituents were found to be andro encecalinol (14.41 ± 1.26%), germacrene D (8.86 ± 1.06%), amorpha-4,9-dien-14-al (7.68 ± 0.70%), β-sesquiphellandrene (7.01 ± 1.49%), α-muurolol (5.89 ± 0.93%), and 7-epi-α-selinene (5.68 ± 0.53%). Five pairs of enantiomers were identified in the essential oil of Ageratina dendroides. The essential oil did not report antimicrobial activity at the maximum concentration tested (MIC > 4000 µg/mL) against any of the microorganisms tested. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was strong in the ABTS method, with an SC50 of 33.2 ± 1.4 µg/mL. Additionally, the Ageratina dendroides essential oil reported moderate anticholinesterase activity, with an IC50 of 297.8 ± 1.03 µg/mL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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12 pages, 2395 KiB  
Article
Constituents and Selective BuChE Inhibitory Activity of the Essential Oil from Hypericum aciculare Kunth
by James Calva, Carlos Ludeña, Nicole Bec, Christian Larroque, Melissa Salinas, Giovanni Vidari and Chabaco Armijos
Plants 2023, 12(14), 2621; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142621 - 12 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1722
Abstract
A potential source of new inhibitors of cholinesterase enzymes are certain compounds of natural plant origin; therefore, in the study described herein we have determined the chemical composition and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activities of the essential oil (EO) steam [...] Read more.
A potential source of new inhibitors of cholinesterase enzymes are certain compounds of natural plant origin; therefore, in the study described herein we have determined the chemical composition and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activities of the essential oil (EO) steam distilled from aerial parts of Hypericum aciculare, which was collected in southern Ecuador. The oil qualitative and quantitative composition was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS using a non-polar and a polar chromatographic column. A total of fifty-three constituents were identified, that accounted for about 98% of the EO content. The hydrocarbon n-nonane (16.4–28.7%) and the aldehyde n-decanal (20.7–23.1%) were the predominant oil constituents. In addition, the EO showed significant inhibition of BuChE (IC50 = 28.3 ± 2.7 μg/mL) and moderate activity towards AChE (IC50 = 82.1 ± 12.1 µg/mL). Thus, the EO from H. aciculare aerial parts is an interesting candidate to investigate the mechanism of selective ChE inhibition by the two ChE enzymes with the aim to discover potential targets to control the progression of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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Review

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36 pages, 2633 KiB  
Review
Essential Oils as Alternative Green Broad-Spectrum Biocides
by Fulga Tanasă, Marioara Nechifor and Carmen-Alice Teacă
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3442; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233442 - 8 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Natural compounds from plants represent suitable options to replace synthetic biocides when employed against microorganisms in various applications. Essential oils (EOs) have attracted increased interest due to their biocompatible and rather innocuous nature, and complex biological activity (fungicide, biocide and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory [...] Read more.
Natural compounds from plants represent suitable options to replace synthetic biocides when employed against microorganisms in various applications. Essential oils (EOs) have attracted increased interest due to their biocompatible and rather innocuous nature, and complex biological activity (fungicide, biocide and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory action, etc.). EOs are complex mixtures of derived metabolites with high volatility obtained from various vegetal parts and employed to a great extent in different healthcare (natural cures, nutrition, phyto- and aromatherapy, spices) and cosmetics applications (perfumery, personal and beauty care), as well as in cleaning products, agriculture and pest control, food conservation and active packaging, or even for restauration and preservation of cultural artifacts. EOs can act in synergy with other compounds, organic and synthetic as well, when employed in different complex formulations. This review will illustrate the employment of EOs in different applications based on some of the most recent reports in a systematic and comprehensive, though not exhaustive, manner. Some critical assessments will also be included, as well as some perspectives in this regard. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity III)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Analysis of Chemical Composition, Anti-enzymatic, and Biofilm Inhibition of Six Eucalyptus Species
Authors: Sana Khedhri1†, Flavio Polito2†, Marwa Khammassi1, Lamia Hamrouni1, Lucia Caputo2, Florinda Fratianni3, Yassine Mabrouk4, Kochti Omayma4, Vincenzo De Feo2,3*, Ismail Amri4, Filomena Nazzaro3
Affiliation: 1 Laboratory of Management and Valorization of Forest Resources, National Institute of Research on Rural Engineering, Water, and Forests, P.B. 10, 2080, Ariana, Tunisia 2 Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (Salerno), Italy 3 Institute of Food Science, ISA-CNR, Via Roma 60, 83100 Avellino (Italy) 4 Laboratory of Biotechnology and Nuclear Technology, National Center of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sidi Thabet, B.P. 72, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia † Equal contribution * Author for correspondence: [email protected]
Abstract: This current investigation was conducted to examine the chemical composition and to evaluate the anti-enzymatic and antibiofilm activity of the essential oils from six Tunisian Eucalyptus species: E. amplifolia Naudin, E. brevifolia F. Muell., E. lehmannii (Schauer) Benth., E. leptophylla F. Muell. ex Miq., E. patellaris F.Muell., and E. salubris F. Muell. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation of dried leaves and subsequently analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Eucalyptol was the main component in all essential oil. However, the yield and the the chemical composition varied depending on the species. Anti-enzymatic activities against cholinesterases, α-amylase and α-glucosidase were evaluated using spectrophotometric assays. The essential oils from E. amplifolia, E. brevifolia, E. leptophylla, E. salubris were the most active against AChE, whereas against BChE, all essential oils showed similar IC50 values. E. salubris, E. leptophylla E. brevifolia, E. patellaris essential oils were the most active against α -amylase and α-glucosidase. Additionally, the afore mentioned species were assessed for their anti-biofilm properties against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and Gram-negative (Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacterial strains, evaluating both the inihibition of mature biofilm and the metabolism of the cells within the biofilm. different effectiveness, in terms of inhibiting the mature biofilm of such pathogens and their metabolism. The data obtained, in addition to shedding light on the chemistry of the volatile fractions of a complex genus such as Eucalyptus, can show scenarios for a possible use of Eucalyptus essential oils as a coadjutant in preventing and treating degenerative diseases and/or diabetes mellitus and/or in the treatment of human microbial infections.

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