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Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food...
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Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 22562

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Basma Najar

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Pharmacy, Free University of Brussels, Av. Frankin Roosevelt, 50, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: extraction techniques; GCMS; natural products; phytochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ilaria Marchioni

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43125 Parma, Italy
Interests: edible flowers; ornamental plants; postharvest; plant physiology; bioactive compounds; volatile organic compounds; in vitro tissue culture and plant propagation; nutraceuticals; functional food
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are small organic molecules characterized by different molecular structures and several biological functions. These molecules are essential for plants to interact with the ecosystem in which they live, protecting them from both biotic and abiotic stresses, attracting pollinators, and taking part in symbiotic interactions, thus increasing plant survival rate. Environmental, geographical, morphogenetic, and genetic factors can qualitatively and quantitatively affect PSMs; therefore, their amount and type can vary significantly between plants within the same genera, species, and population.

Aromatic, medicinal, and food plants are historically known as pivotal sources of PSMs, and are currently exploited as drugs, perfumes and fragrances, natural dyes, spice and food flavoring, food preservatives, and natural ingredient in cosmetics or food supplements.

Today, there is a growing focus on green and innovative methods for extracting metabolites, high-performance identification technologies for PSMs in plants, and determining how they can be externally induced for various purposes, as well as  identifying their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) profile, chemotaxonomy, functional foods, and metabolomics.

This Special Issue will cover research on the phytochemical composition of cultivated and wild aromatic, medicinal, and food plants, with an emphasis on their aromatic profile and phytonutritional content. Papers concerning innovative extraction, isolation, and identification methodologies, PSMs’ bioactive properties, and industrial uses are also welcome.

Dr. Basma Najar
Dr. Ilaria Marchioni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • volatile organic compounds
  • essential oils
  • nutraceuticals
  • bioactive properties
  • secondary metabolites
  • phytochemistry
  • metabolomic
  • extraction techniques

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2327 KiB  
Article
Volatile Distribution in Flowers of Lathyrus odoratus L. by HS-SPME-GC Technique and Enantiomeric Separation Data
by James Calva, Mayerly Parra and Ángel Benítez
Plants 2024, 13(23), 3272; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13233272 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 735
Abstract
Lathyrus odoratus L., commonly known as sweet pea, is a plant with a distinctive aroma that can develop in various habitats. An analysis of the aromatic profile of the species was conducted using the HS-SPME (solid-phase microextraction headspace) technique. This study aimed to [...] Read more.
Lathyrus odoratus L., commonly known as sweet pea, is a plant with a distinctive aroma that can develop in various habitats. An analysis of the aromatic profile of the species was conducted using the HS-SPME (solid-phase microextraction headspace) technique. This study aimed to explore the composition of and variation in the floral scent emissions of L. odorathus. The floral scents from fresh flowers were collected over different months and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry on apolar and polar stationary phase columns. In the apolar column, the majority compounds included linalool (19.27–5.79%), α-trans-bergamotene (29.4–14.21%), and phenyl ethyl alcohol (30.01–1.56%), while on the polar column, the predominant compounds included myrcene (13.25%), (E,E)-α-farnesene (26.33–8.16%), α-trans-bergamotene (42.09–24.82%), and others. This investigation was complemented by enantioselective analysis using a chiral phase based in cyclodextrins, which revealed the presence of (1R)-(+)-α-pinene, (S)-(−)-limonene, (R)-(+)-germacrene D, and (R)-(E)-nerolidol as enantiomerically pure components and linalool as a racemic mixture. Notably, the principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmap revealed variations among the chemical compounds collected at different harvest times. This demonstrates that temporal factors indeed impact chemical compound production. Furthermore, research on the aromatic properties of flowers provides a theoretical basis for studying and improving the components of their scent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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20 pages, 2521 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Germanium on the Growth, Nutritional Quality, and Health-Promoting Activities of Spinacia oleracea L.
by Basma Najar, Ahlem Zrig, Emad A. Alsherif, Samy Selim, Abeer S. Aloufi, Shereen Magdy Korany, Mousa Nhs, Mohammad Aldilam and Nahla Alsayd Bouqellah
Plants 2024, 13(20), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13202869 - 14 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the antioxidant germanium (Ge) are promising tools for boosting bioactive compound synthesis and producing healthier foods. However, their combined effect remains unexplored. This study demonstrates the synergistic impact of AMF and Ge on the growth, metabolite accumulation, biological [...] Read more.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and the antioxidant germanium (Ge) are promising tools for boosting bioactive compound synthesis and producing healthier foods. However, their combined effect remains unexplored. This study demonstrates the synergistic impact of AMF and Ge on the growth, metabolite accumulation, biological activities, and nutritional qualities of Spinacia oleracea L. (spinach), a globally significant leafy vegetable. Individually, Ge and AMF increased biomass by 68.1% and 22.7%, respectively, while their combined effect led to an 86.3% increase. AMF and Ge also improved proximate composition, with AMF–Ge interaction enhancing crude fiber and mineral content (p < 0.05). Interestingly, AMF enhanced photosynthesis-related parameters (e.g., total chlorophyll) in Ge treated plants, which in turn increased carbohydrate accumulation. This accumulation could provide a route for the biosynthesis of amino acids, organic acids, and fatty acids, as evidenced by increased essential amino acid and organic acid levels. Consistently, the activity of key enzymes involved in amino acids biosynthesis (e.g., glutamine synthase (GS), methionine biosynthase (MS), lysine biosynthase (LS)) showed significant increments. Furthermore, AMF improved fatty acid levels, particularly unsaturated fatty acids in Ge-treated plants compared to the control. In addition, increased phenylalanine provided a precursor for the production of antioxidants (e.g., phenols and flavonoids), through the action of the enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), resulting in improved antioxidant activity gains as indicated by FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH assays. This study is the first to show that Ge enhances the beneficial effect of AMF on spinach, improving growth and nutritional quality, with promising implications for agricultural practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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19 pages, 2817 KiB  
Article
Purification and Characterization of Proteinaceous Thermostable α-Amylase Inhibitor from Sardinian Common Bean Nieddone Cultivar (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
by Stefania Peddio, Sonia Lorrai, Tinuccia Dettori, Cristina Contini, Alessandra Olianas, Barbara Manconi, Antonio Rescigno and Paolo Zucca
Plants 2024, 13(15), 2074; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152074 - 26 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1005
Abstract
The increasing need for new treatments for obesity and diabetes has led to the development of new drugs and food supplements that could reduce carbohydrate absorption. Many starch blockers, based on common bean proteinaceous inhibitors against α-amylase (α-AI), are already present on the [...] Read more.
The increasing need for new treatments for obesity and diabetes has led to the development of new drugs and food supplements that could reduce carbohydrate absorption. Many starch blockers, based on common bean proteinaceous inhibitors against α-amylase (α-AI), are already present on the market. The extraction and purification of α-amylase inhibitor from a promising common bean cultivar from Sardinia (Nieddone) is described, highlighting the unique value of the Nieddone cultivar, particularly for its inhibitory activity on digestive enzymes and its complete lack of a hemagglutination effect on human red blood cells. The purification of α-AI involved two chromatographic steps (IEC and SEC) and was essential for revealing certain properties of the inhibitor. The purified inhibitor has a tetrameric structure (α2β2) and a molecular weight of approximately 42 kDa, as determined by SEC and SDS-PAGE, confirming it as a lectin-like inhibitor. The identification of the α-AI sequence was obtained by bottom-up high-resolution mass spectrometry, which allowed us to identify a unique peptide from the α chain and six unique peptides from the β chains. α-AI exhibited an optimum temperature of around 40 °C and two pH optima at 5 and 6.5, respectively. Its remarkable stability at high temperatures was measured (approximately 25% of activity retained even after 5 h at 100 °C), whereas the raw extract lost its activity entirely after just 10 min at 90 °C. Thus, the purification process significantly enhances the thermal stability of α-AI. The demonstrated effectiveness of the purified α-AI against the α-amylase enzyme in pigs, humans and insects underscores the protein’s potential for treating obesity and diabetes, as well as for managing insect pests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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14 pages, 1798 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Cytotoxic Activity of Essential Oils in the Above-Ground Parts of Sonchus oleraceus L.
by Abd El-Nasser G. El Gendy, Nadia A. Mohamed, Tushar C. Sarker, Emad M. Hassan, Ahmed H. Garaa, Abdelsamed I. Elshamy and Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1712; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121712 - 20 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1728
Abstract
Sonchus oleraceus L. is a leafy vegetable that is usually consumed in the area of the Mediterranean and is a frequently used traditional herb to treat a variety of ailments. Previous studies deduced the potent antioxidant and cytotoxic functions of the different extracts [...] Read more.
Sonchus oleraceus L. is a leafy vegetable that is usually consumed in the area of the Mediterranean and is a frequently used traditional herb to treat a variety of ailments. Previous studies deduced the potent antioxidant and cytotoxic functions of the different extracts and isolated compounds from S. oleraceus. The current study represents the first instance of chemical profiling and bioactivities of the extracted essential oil (EO) of S. oleraceus. The present investigation set out to identify the chemical components of this EO by means of Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (G004-MS) techniques; assess the oil’s antioxidant potencies through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) assays; and evaluate the oil’s cytotoxic impact against HepG2 cancer cell lines. The GC-MS chemical profiling revealed the identification of 23 components representing 97.43% of the total oil mass within abundant cyclic ketones (20.15%), nonterpenoidial hydrocarbons (28.77%), and sesquiterpenes (42.19%). The main components were n-nonadecane (28.77%), trans-caryophyllene (23.73%), trans-methyl dihydrojasmonate (19.55%), and cis-cadina-1,4-diene (9.44%). In a dose-dependent manner, this EO demonstrated antioxidant capacities on DPPH and ABTS, with IC50 values of 609.35 and 804.16 µg/mL, respectively, compared to ascorbic acid. Using doxorubicin as a reference therapy, the MTT assay findings revealed that this oil had remarkable inhibitory effects on the proliferation of HepG2 cancer cell lines, with an IC50 of 136.02 µg/mL. More studies were recommended for further investigation of new biological roles for this oil and its main components, along with the construction of action mechanisms based on chemical components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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14 pages, 4641 KiB  
Article
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles with Hyssopus officinalis and Salvia officinalis Extracts, Their Properties, and Antifungal Activity on Fusarium spp.
by Lina Dėnė, Simona Chrapačienė, Greta Laurinaitytė, Aira Rudinskaitė, Jonas Viškelis, Pranas Viškelis and Aistė Balčiūnaitienė
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121611 - 11 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1476
Abstract
Recent focus has been given to nanoparticles as an alternative fungicidal compound instead of chemical ones. More environmentally friendly ways of synthesis are the highest priority regarding the antifungal agents in the agriculture sector. Therefore, in this research, hyssop (H. officinalis) [...] Read more.
Recent focus has been given to nanoparticles as an alternative fungicidal compound instead of chemical ones. More environmentally friendly ways of synthesis are the highest priority regarding the antifungal agents in the agriculture sector. Therefore, in this research, hyssop (H. officinalis) and sage (S. officinalis) aqueous extracts were prepared and used as a reducing source in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Aqueous extracts and green synthesized AgNPs were examined for phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity. Hyssop and sage extracts based AgNPs were analyzed using UV-vis spectrometry, SEM-EDS, and TEM-EDS. Antifungal activity against Fusarium spp. isolates collected from different infected crops was determined. Fusarium spp. isolates from strawberry, asparagus, pea, carrot, wheat, and rapeseed samples identified at the molecular level by translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1α) gene amplification and sequencing. Green synthesized AgNPs had lower phytochemical content, however higher antioxidant activity compared to pure extracts. Both hyssop and sage extracts are suitable reducing agents for AgNPs formation, and sage extract results in larger particle size. Aqueous hyssop extract had higher antifungal activity than aqueous sage extract. However, a 10% concentration of whole sage extract based AgNPs solution, added to the PDA medium, and a 5% concentration of hyssop extract based AgNPs inhibited Fusarium spp. the most. F. proliferatum was the most sensitive to all treatments among the other fungi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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18 pages, 4778 KiB  
Article
Metabolite Profiling Reveals the Dynamic Changes in Non-Volatiles and Volatiles during the Enzymatic-Catalyzed Processing of Aijiao Oolong Tea
by Mengcong Zhang, Lixuan Zhang, Chengzhe Zhou, Kai Xu, Guangwu Chen, Linjie Huang, Zhongxiong Lai and Yuqiong Guo
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1249; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091249 - 30 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1476
Abstract
The enzymatic reaction stage (ECS) of oolong tea processing plays an important role in the formation of the flavor quality of the oolong tea. To investigate the dynamic changes in the volatile and non-volatile components in the leaves of oolong tea during the [...] Read more.
The enzymatic reaction stage (ECS) of oolong tea processing plays an important role in the formation of the flavor quality of the oolong tea. To investigate the dynamic changes in the volatile and non-volatile components in the leaves of oolong tea during the ECS, metabolomic studies were carried out using the leaf samples collected at different stages of the ECS of Aijiao oolong tea. Out of the identified 306 non-volatile metabolites and 85 volatile metabolites, 159 non-volatile metabolites and 42 volatile metabolites were screened out as key differential metabolites for dynamic changes during the ECS. A multivariate statistical analysis on the key differential metabolites showed that the accumulations of most metabolites exhibited dynamic changes, while some amino acids, nucleosides, and organic acids accumulated significantly after turning-over treatment. The evolution characteristics of 27 key precursors or transformed VOCs during the ECS of Aijiao oolong tea were clarified, and it was found that the synthesis of aroma substances was mainly concentrated in lipids as precursors and glycosides as precursor pathways. The results revealed the dynamic changes in the flavor metabolites in the ECS during the processing of Aijiao oolong tea, which provided valuable information for the formation of the characteristic flavor of Aijiao oolong tea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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24 pages, 525 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Volatile Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Edible Flower Hydrosols with Insights into Their Spontaneous Emissions and Essential Oil Chemistry
by Basma Najar, Ylenia Pieracci, Filippo Fratini, Laura Pistelli, Barbara Turchi, Dario Varriale, Luisa Pistelli, Maria Francesca Bozzini and Ilaria Marchioni
Plants 2024, 13(8), 1145; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081145 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1625
Abstract
In the circular economy framework, hydrosols, by-products of the essential oil industry, are gaining attention for their potential in waste reduction and resource reuse. This study analyzed hydrosols from six edible flowers, investigating their chemical composition (VOC-Hyd) and antibacterial properties alongside volatile organic [...] Read more.
In the circular economy framework, hydrosols, by-products of the essential oil industry, are gaining attention for their potential in waste reduction and resource reuse. This study analyzed hydrosols from six edible flowers, investigating their chemical composition (VOC-Hyd) and antibacterial properties alongside volatile organic compounds of fresh flowers (VOC-Fs) and essential oils (EOs). Antirrhinum majus exhibited ketones as major VOC-Fs (62.6%) and VOC-Hyd (41.4%), while apocarotenoids dominated its EOs (68.0%). Begonia cucullata showed alkanes (33.7%) and aldehydes (25.7%) as primary VOC-Fs, while alkanes were prevalent in both extracts (65.6% and 91.7% in VOC-Hyd and in EOs, respectively). Calandula officinalis had monoterpenoids in VOC-Fs and VOC-Hyd (89.3% and 49.7%, respectively), while its EOs were rich in sesquiterpenoids (59.7%). Dahlia hortensis displayed monoterpenoid richness in both VOC-Fs and extracts. Monocots species’ VOC-Fs (Polianthes tuberosa, Tulbaghia cominsii) were esters-rich, replaced by monoterpenoids in VOC-Hyd. P. tuberosa EO maintained ester richness, while T. cominsii EOs contained a significant percentage of sulfur compounds (38.1%). Antibacterial assays indicated comparable minimum inhibitory concentration profiles across VOC-Hyd: B. calcullata and P. tuberosa against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica ser. typhimurium, T. cominsii against Escherichia coli and S. enterica, A. majus and C. officinalis against S. aureus, and D. hortensis against S. enterica. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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17 pages, 2559 KiB  
Article
Ozone Treatment as an Approach to Induce Specialized Compounds in Melissa officinalis Plants
by Giulia Scimone, Maria Giovanna Carucci, Samuele Risoli, Claudia Pisuttu, Lorenzo Cotrozzi, Giacomo Lorenzini, Cristina Nali, Elisa Pellegrini and Maike Petersen
Plants 2024, 13(7), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070933 - 23 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1414
Abstract
Plants are constantly subjected to environmental changes that deeply affect their metabolism, leading to the inhibition or synthesis of “specialized” compounds, small organic molecules that play a fundamental role in adaptative responses. In this work, Melissa officinalis L. (an aromatic plant broadly cultivated [...] Read more.
Plants are constantly subjected to environmental changes that deeply affect their metabolism, leading to the inhibition or synthesis of “specialized” compounds, small organic molecules that play a fundamental role in adaptative responses. In this work, Melissa officinalis L. (an aromatic plant broadly cultivated due to the large amounts of secondary metabolites) plants were exposed to realistic ozone (O3) dosages (80 ppb, 5 h day−1) for 35 consecutive days with the aim to evaluate its potential use as elicitor of specialized metabolite production. Ozone induced stomatal dysfunction throughout the whole experiment, associated with a low photosynthetic performance, a decrease in the potential energy conversion activity of PSII, and an alteration in the total chlorophyll content (−35, −36, −10, and −17% as average compared to the controls, respectively). The production of hydrogen peroxide at 7 days from the beginning of exposure (+47%) resulted in lipid peroxidation and visible injuries. This result suggests metabolic disturbance within the cell and a concomitant alteration in cell homeostasis, probably due to a limited activation of antioxidative mechanisms. Moderate accumulated doses of O3 triggered the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids and the up-regulation of the genes encoding enzymes involved in rosmarinic acid, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid biosynthesis. While high accumulated doses of O3 significantly enhanced the content of hydroxybenzoic acid and flavanone glycosides. Our study shows that the application of O3 at the investigated concentration for a limited period (such as two/three weeks) may become a useful tool to stimulate bioactive compounds production in M. officinalis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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12 pages, 4355 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Harvesting Mechanization on Oolong Tea Quality
by Junling Zhou, Shuilian Gao, Zhenghua Du, Tongda Xu, Chao Zheng and Ying Liu
Plants 2024, 13(4), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040552 - 18 Feb 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2377
Abstract
Mechanization is the inevitable future of tea harvesting, but its impact on tea chemistry and quality remains uncertain. Our study examines untargeted metabolomic data from 185 oolong tea products (Tieguanyin) made from leaves harvested by hand or machine based on UPLC-QToF-MS analysis. The [...] Read more.
Mechanization is the inevitable future of tea harvesting, but its impact on tea chemistry and quality remains uncertain. Our study examines untargeted metabolomic data from 185 oolong tea products (Tieguanyin) made from leaves harvested by hand or machine based on UPLC-QToF-MS analysis. The data revealed a minimum 50% loss for over half of the chemicals in the machine-harvested group, including catechins, theaflavin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and kaempferol-3-gluocside. Integrating sensory evaluation, OPLS-DA identified the six most important metabolites as significant contributors to sensory decline caused by harvesting mechanization. Furthermore, our research validates the possibility of using DD-SIMCA modelling with untargeted metabolomic data for distinguishing handpicked from machine-harvested tea products. The model was able to achieve 93% accuracy. This study provides crucial insights into the chemical and sensory shifts during mechanization, along with tools to manage and monitor these changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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12 pages, 1265 KiB  
Article
Authentication of Fennel, Star Anise, and Anise Essential Oils by Gas Chromatography (GC/MS) and Stable Isotope Ratio (GC/IRMS) Analyses
by Brett J. Murphy, Tyler M. Wilson, Emma A. Ziebarth, Christopher R. Bowerbank and Richard E. Carlson
Plants 2024, 13(2), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020214 - 12 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3222
Abstract
The aromatic compound (E)-anethol is widely used in the flavor, fragrance, and medicinal industries. This compound is commonly produced through steam distillation of fennel, star anise, and anise seed. Given the cost of production, these natural and authentic essential oils are [...] Read more.
The aromatic compound (E)-anethol is widely used in the flavor, fragrance, and medicinal industries. This compound is commonly produced through steam distillation of fennel, star anise, and anise seed. Given the cost of production, these natural and authentic essential oils are commonly adulterated with lower-cost natural materials or synthetic alternatives. The current study investigates essential oil profiles (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) and stable isotope ratios (gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry) of the abundant compound (E)-anethol in both authentic reference standards (n = 15) and commercially available samples (n = 30). This multifaceted analytical approach establishes techniques for ensuring the authenticity of essential oil sources of (E)-anethol and was then used to evaluate the current essential oil market sources of (E)-anethol. These findings report that adulteration of (E)-anethol-containing natural products takes various forms, and a multifaceted analytical approach is recommended for authentication. Of the commercial samples analyzed for this report, 27% were adulterated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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17 pages, 2877 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Profiling and Biological Potential of Prunus dulcis Shell Extracts
by Talel Ben Khadher, Sameh Sassi-Aydi, Samir Aydi, Mohamed Mars and Jalloul Bouajila
Plants 2023, 12(14), 2733; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142733 - 23 Jul 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2433
Abstract
Prunus dulcis is one of the most widely cultivated species in the world. Its fruit (almond) is rich in various nutritious and bioactive compounds that exert several beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical profile and evaluate the [...] Read more.
Prunus dulcis is one of the most widely cultivated species in the world. Its fruit (almond) is rich in various nutritious and bioactive compounds that exert several beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical profile and evaluate the biological potential in vitro of almond shell extracts. The chemical analysis of shell extracts led to the identification of 15 compounds by HPLC-DAD, of which 11 were first detected in the almond plant. Twenty-six volatile compounds were identified by the GC-MS technique; among them, seven were firstly detected in the studied plant. For the biological activities, the extracts demonstrated moderate inhibition potential against the antioxidant, antidiabetic, and cytotoxic activities. The methanol extract at 50 µg/mL showed the highest antioxidant (45%) and antidiabetic activities (45% against alpha-glucosidase and 31% against alpha-amylase extracts), while the cyclohexane and dichloromethane at 50 µg/mL showed the highest cytotoxic activity towards Hela (32.2% with cyclohexane) and RAW 264-7 (45% with dichloromethane). Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of almond shell extracts as a source of bioactive compounds that could be applied in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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15 pages, 3568 KiB  
Article
Antibacterial Activity of the Essential Oil of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. Fruits against Multidrug-Resistant Strains: Inhibition of Efflux Pumps and β-Lactamase
by Lucas Yure Santos da Silva, Cicera Laura Roque Paulo, Talysson Felismino Moura, Daniel Sampaio Alves, Renata Torres Pessoa, Isaac Moura Araújo, Cícera Datiane de Morais Oliveira-Tintino, Saulo Relison Tintino, Carla de Fatima Alves Nonato, José Galberto Martins da Costa, Jaime Ribeiro-Filho, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Grażyna Kowalska, Przemysław Mitura, Marek Bar, Radosław Kowalski and Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes
Plants 2023, 12(12), 2377; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122377 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2267
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance has become a growing public health concern in recent decades, demanding a search for new effective treatments. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the phytochemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial activity of the essential oil obtained from the fruits of Piper [...] Read more.
Antimicrobial resistance has become a growing public health concern in recent decades, demanding a search for new effective treatments. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the phytochemical composition and evaluate the antibacterial activity of the essential oil obtained from the fruits of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (EOPT) against strains carrying different mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. Phytochemical analysis was performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The antibacterial activity of EOPT and its ability to inhibit antibiotic resistance was evaluated through the broth microdilution method. The GC-MS analysis identified 99.59% of the constituents, with β-pinene (31.51%), α-pinene (28.38%), and β-cis-ocimene (20.22%) being identified as major constituents. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of EOPT was determined to assess its antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (IS-58, 1199B, K2068, and K4100). The compound showed a MIC of ≥ 1024 μg/mL, suggesting a lack of intrinsic antibacterial activity. However, when the EOPT was associated with antibiotics and EtBr, a significant decrease in antibiotic resistance was observed, indicating the modulation of efflux pump activity. This evidence was corroborated with the observation of increased fluorescent light emission by the bacterial strains, indicating the involvement of the NorA and MepA efflux pumps. Additionally, the significant potentiation of ampicillin activity against the S. aureus strain K4414 suggests the β-lactamase inhibitory activity of EOPT. These results suggest that the essential oil from P. tuberculatum fruits has antibiotic-enhancing properties, with a mechanism involving the inhibition of efflux pumps and β-lactamase in MDR S. aureus strains. These findings provide new perspectives on the potential use of EOPT against antibiotic resistance and highlight the importance of Piper species as sources of bioactive compounds with promising therapeutic activities against MDR bacteria. Nevertheless, further preclinical (in vivo) studies remain necessary to confirm these in vitro-observed results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemical Analyses of Secondary Metabolites of Aromatic, Medicinal and Food Plants)
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