Synergistic interaction between Chlorella vulgaris extract and Origanum elongatum essential oil against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The massive emergence of antimicrobial resistance in recent decades has rendered the use of a single-agent strategy ineffective. Consequently, the combination of different therapeutic agents has emerged as a promising new approach. The aim of the present study was to investigate the combined effect of Chlorella vulgaris methanol extract (CVME) and Origanum elongatum essential oil (OEEO) on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Thus, the antibacterial activity of OEEO and CVME on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and MRSA was evaluated using the agar well diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The killing activity of CVME and OEEO, individually and in combination, on MRSA ATCC 43300 was tested using the time-kill assay. The synergistic effect was examined by determining the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) using the checkerboard test. The results showed very significant antibacterial activity against all the bacteria tested, for both OEEO and CVME, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.125 to 0.25% (v/v) for OEEO and from 3.12 to 6.25 mg mL-1 for CVME. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for OEEO and CVME were in the range 0.125-0.5% (v/v) and 6.25-12.5 mg mL-1, respectively. The inhibition zones associated with OEEO were distinctly greater than those associated with CVME for all the bacteria examined. When used individually, the time-kill curves of OEEO and CVME revealed a dose-dependent effect on MRSA proliferation. Compared with controls, both agents were able to prolong the latent phase of growth curves and decelerate bacterial growth. The killing effect of OEEO on MRSA was considerably higher than that observed with CVME. OEEO prevented MRSA proliferation at only 1/2 of its MIC, while the CVME did so at 2 times its MIC. The combination of OEEO with CVME demonstrated a synergistic effect against MRSA, with a FIC index value of 0.49. The findings therefore suggest that the combination of C. vulgaris methanol extract and O. elongatum essential oil at very low doses may be promising anti-MRSA candidates. A search of the published literature revealed that, to our knowledge, no studies have yet been carried out on the antibacterial potential of combining essential oils and microalgae extracts in the fight against MRSA.

Essential oil of oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) reduces infection and proliferation of Toxoplasma gondii in BeWo cells with induction of autophagy and death of tachyzoites through a mechanism similar to necrosis.

Toxoplasmosis poses a global health threat, ranging from asymptomatic cases to severe, potentially fatal manifestations, especially in immunocompromised individuals and congenital transmission. Prior research suggests that oregano essential oil (OEO) exhibits diverse biological effects, including antiparasitic activity against Toxoplasma gondii. Given concerns about current treatments, exploring new compounds is important. This study was to assess the toxicity of OEO on BeWo cells and T. gondii tachyzoites, as well as to evaluate its effectiveness in in vitro infection models and determine its direct action on free tachyzoites. OEO toxicity on BeWo cells and T. gondii tachyzoites was assessed by MTT and trypan blue methods, determining cytotoxic concentration (CC50), inhibitory concentration (IC50), and selectivity index (SI). Infection and proliferation indices were analyzed. Direct assessments of the parasite included reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, necrosis, and apoptosis, as well as electron microscopy. Oregano oil exhibited low cytotoxicity on BeWo cells (CC50: 114.8 µg/mL ± 0.01) and reduced parasite viability (IC50 12.5 ± 0.06 µg/mL), demonstrating 9.18 times greater selectivity for parasites than BeWo cells. OEO treatment significantly decreased intracellular proliferation in infected cells by 84% after 24 h with 50 µg/mL. Mechanistic investigations revealed increased ROS levels, mitochondrial depolarization, and lipid droplet formation, linked to autophagy induction and plasma membrane permeabilization. These alterations, observed through electron microscopy, suggested a necrotic process confirmed by propidium iodide labeling. OEO treatment demonstrated anti-T. gondii action through cellular and metabolic change while maintaining low toxicity to trophoblastic cells.

Origanum Grosii Extracts as Novel Eco-Friendly Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel In HCl Medium.

Two green inhibitors extracted from an endemic species (Origanum grosii (Og)) using two solvents of different polarity (water and ethanol), OgW (aqueous extract) and OgE (ethanolic extract), were used for the anticorrosion of mild steel (M steel) in a 1 M HCl medium. Anticorrosive performance of OgW and OgE was assessed using standard electrochemical techniques, EIS/PDP measurements, weight loss method and SEM/EDX surface analysis. The results show that OgW achieves a maximum inhibition efficiency of 92 % and that the extract in aqueous medium (more polar) is more efficient than the extract in ethanolic medium (less polar). Both extracts act as mixed inhibitors and their corrosion process is predominantly governed by a charge transfer. Concentration and temperature effect was studied and shown that they are two antagonistic parameters for the evolution of inhibitory effectiveness of both OgW and OgE. The adsorption isotherms of the two inhibitors OgE and OgW obey to the Langmuir adsorption model. Moreover, the examination of SEM images and EDX spectra support a deposit of both extracts on the metal surface by an adsorption phenomenon. Besides, theoretical approach of the molecular structures of the major compounds M-OgW and M-OgE and inhibition efficiency was examined via DFT calculations and molecular dynamics simulations and it was consistent with the experimental findings.

Evaluation of Chemical Profile and Biological Properties of Extracts of Different Origanum vulgare Cultivars Growing in Poland.

This research studied the phenolic content compared with the antioxidant properties of various O. vulgare (Lamiaceae) cultivars grown in Poland. The research results in this paper indicate that the dominant ingredient in all oregano cultivars was rosmarinic acid, known for its strong antioxidant properties. The highest amounts of rosmarinic acid (87.16 ± 4.03 mg/g dm) were identified in the O. vulgare spp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw. Other metabolites identified in the studied extracts include luteolin O-di-glucuronide-O-di-pentoside (30.79 ± 0.38 mg/g dm in the 'Aureum' cultivar), 4'-O-glucopyranosyl-3', 4'-dihydroxy benzyl-protocatechuate (19.84 ± 0.60 mg/g dm in the 'Margerita' cultivar), and p-coumaroyl-triacetyl-hexoside (25.44 ± 0.18 mg/g dm in the 'Margerita' cultivar). 'Hot & spicy' and 'Margerita' cultivars were characterized by the highest activity in eliminating OH• and O2•- radicals. Extracts from Greek oregano had the highest ability to scavenge DPPH radicals and chelate iron ions. This research has also provided new evidence that oregano has anti-migratory, cytotoxic properties and influences the viability of gastric cancer cells (the highest cytotoxicity was attributed to the 'Hot & spicy' cultivar, which performed the worst in antioxidant properties tests). Extracts from the tested cultivars at a concentration of 0.625% effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa bacteria. It seems that the oregano grown in Poland is of good quality and can be successfully grown on a large scale if the appropriate use is found.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Essential Oil and Its Constituents Prevent Rat Kidney Tissue Injury and Inflammation Induced by a High Dose of L-Arginine.

This study aimed to evaluate the protective action of oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil and its monoterpene constituents (thymol and carvacrol) in L-arginine-induced kidney damage by studying inflammatory and tissue damage parameters. The determination of biochemical markers that reflect kidney function, i.e., serum levels of urea and creatinine, tissue levels of neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), as well as a panel of oxidative-stress-related and inflammatory biomarkers, was performed. Furthermore, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of kidneys obtained from different experimental groups were conducted. Pre-treatment with the investigated compounds prevented an L-arginine-induced increase in serum and tissue kidney damage markers and, additionally, decreased the levels of inflammation-related parameters (TNF-α and nitric oxide concentrations and myeloperoxidase activity). Micromorphological kidney tissue changes correlate with the alterations observed in the biochemical parameters, as well as the expression of CD95 in tubule cells and CD68 in inflammatory infiltrate cells. The present results revealed that oregano essential oil, thymol, and carvacrol exert nephroprotective activity, which could be, to a great extent, associated with their anti-inflammatory, antiradical scavenging, and antiapoptotic action and, above all, due to their ability to lessen the disturbances arising from acute pancreatic damage. Further in-depth studies are needed in order to provide more detailed explanations of the observed activities.

Larvicidal and repellent effects of essential oils on the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus Sensu lato) with description of new larval repellent activity test method.

The aim of this research was to investigate the larvicidal and repellent effects of essential oils (EOs) obtained from two Lamiaceae plant species, Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz & P.H. Davis and Dorystoechas hastata Boiss. & Heldr. ex Bentham, both endemic to Turkey, on Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. Latreille (Acari: Ixodidae). The study also introduces a new test method that can be used to assess the repellent effects against ticks. Both plant EOs exhibited the highest larvicidal activity against brown dog tick larvae after 24 h and LC50 and LC90 values were determined as 0.101% and 0.125% for O. minutiflorum essential oil and 0.937% and 2.1% for D. hastata essential oil, respectively. In this study, we have described a detailed protocol for a novel larval repellent activity test (LRAT) for essential oils and extracts, using simple equipment. The advantages and limitations of LRAT, when compared to other tests commonly used to determine repellent effect against ticks, are also included in this study. The LRAT was developed with modifications of the larval immersion test (LIT) and proves to be a highly efficient and easily observable method. It can be used to test any active substance that may be toxic to humans and animals. According to the LRAT, at the end of 3 h, O. minutiflorum essential oil showed a high repellent effect, varying between 84.14% and 100% at 1% concentration. This result was not statistically different from the DEET, the positive control. When comparing the larvicidal and repellent activities, O. minutiflorum essential oil was found to be more effective than D. hastata essential oil.

Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Oregano Essential Oil.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health problem, and the rapid rise in AMR is attributed to the inappropriate and/or overuse of antibiotics. Therefore, alternative antimicrobial agents, including those of natural origin, are being sought for the development of new drugs. The purpose of our study was to analyze the chemical composition, and antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of four oregano essential oils (OEOs) from Poland, Europe, Turkey and the USA. The antimicrobial activity (AMA) was evaluated using 23 strains, including Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and Candida species. The antioxidant activity (AA) of essential oils (EOs) was determined by the DPPH method. The main component of the EOs tested was carvacrol (76.64-85.70%). The highest amount of this compound was determined in the Polish OEO. The OEOs we tested showed antimicrobial resistance, which was especially strong against fungi (MIC = 0.06-0.25 mg/mL-1). These products also showed high AA (71.42-80.44%). OEOs high in carvacrol should be the subject of further research as potential antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Antioxidant, insecticidal, antifeedant, and repellent activities of oregano (Origanum vulgare).

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant capacity, the insecticidal, feeding deterrence, repellent effects against Tribolium confusum of the essential oil (EO) and the organic extracts (ME) of Origanum vulgare. The chemical composition of the EO revealed the presence thirty-nine components dominated by carvacrol (81%). With respect to the EO, the ME acted as a potent free radical scavenger with IC50 values of 0.127 and 0.058 mg/mL, respectively. The EO exhibited the most significant toxicity compared to the ME with a mortality of 62 and 20% at 0.08 µL/insect after 24h whereas the EO expressed the highest repellency compared to the ME with a PR of 70 and 38% after 24h. As for feeding deterrence, both samples influenced all nutritional indexes. The findings found in this work might help in the promotion of oregano as natural antioxidant, antifeedant, repellent and insecticide as an alternative to conventional harmful ones.

Intraspecific divergence in essential oil content, composition and genes expression patterns of monoterpene synthesis in Origanum vulgare subsp. vulgare and subsp. gracile under salinity stress.

BACKGROUND: Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), one of the important medicinal plants in the world, has valuable pharmacological compounds with antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiurolithic, antiproliferative and neuroprotective activities. Phenolic monoterpenes such as thymol and carvacrol with many medical importance are found in Oregano essential oil. The biosynthesis of these compounds is carried out through the methyl erythritol-4 phosphate (MEP) pathway. Environmental stresses such as salinity might improve the secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. The influence of salinity stress (0 (control), 25, 50 and 100 mM NaCl) on the essential oil content, composition and expression of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR), γ-terpinene synthase (Ovtps2) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP71D180) genes involved in thymol and carvacrol biosynthesis, was investigated in two oregano subspecies (vulgare and gracile). RESULTS: Essential oil content was increased at low NaCl concentration (25 mM) compared with non-stress conditions, whereas it was decreased as salinity stress intensified (50 and 100 mM). Essential oil content was significantly higher in subsp. gracile than subsp. vulgare. The highest (0.20 mL pot-1) and lowest (0.06 mL pot-1) amount of essential oil yield was obtained in subsp. gracile at 25 and 100 mM NaCl, respectively. The content of carvacrol, as the main component of essential oil, decreased with increasing salinity level in subsp. gracile, but increased in subsp. vulgare. The highest expression of DXR, Ovtps2 and CYP71D180 genes was observed at 50 mM NaCl in subsp. vulgare. While, in subsp. gracile, the expression of the mentioned genes decreased with increasing salinity levels. A positive correlation was obtained between the expression of DXR, Ovtps2 and CYP71D180 genes with carvacrol content in both subspecies. On the other hand, a negative correlation was found between the expression of CYP71D180 and carvacrol content in subsp. gracile. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study demonstrated that both oregano subspecies can tolerate NaCl salinity up to 50 mM without significant reduction in essential oil yield. Also, moderate salinity stress (50 mM NaCl) in subsp. vulgare might increase the carvacrol content partly via increment the expression levels of DXR, Ovtps2 and CYP71D180 genes.

Modulatory effect of Origanum vulgare essential oil and carvacrol on Malassezia spp. virulence factors.

Malassezia sympodialis and Malassezia furfur are recognized as an important part of the human and animals healthy skin microbiota, but also as an opportunistic fungus due to their association with a broad spectrum of skin and systemic infections. Human skin infections associated with Malassezia spp. are often chronic, recurrent, and topical or oral azole treatments are challenging with not always successful outcomes. A wide inter and intraspecies antifungal susceptibility variability that may suggest a combination of wild-type strains and resistant mutants was reported. The essential oils are complex hydrophobic mixtures of different compounds extracted from plants by distillation and have demonstrated antimicrobial activity. In this study, toxicity in the larvae model and the ability of Origanum vulgare essential oil (OVEO) and carvacrol to inhibit virulence factors such as hydrophobicity, adherence, and biofilm formation of M. sympodialis and M. furfur was evaluated. We have demonstrated the antifungal activity of OVEO and carvacrol against both species. Carvacrol was more active and less toxic than OVEO at low concentrations (< 1 mg/ml). Malassezia sympodialis showed a significant decrease in adherence and its ability to form biofilms when OVEO or carvacrol is present. Both Malassezia species showed reduced hydrophobicity in the presence of carvacrol. Further studies will have to be carried out to understand how these substances act, but the inhibition of some virulence factors could represent a new target to overcome the problem of drug resistance.

The work reports the research on the effect of the Origanum vulgare essential oil and carvacrol, against virulence factors such as hydrophobicity, adherence, and biofilm formation of two species of Malassezia. The inhibition of virulence factors could represent a new target to overcome the drug resistance reported.

Origanum vulgare manganese ferrite nanocomposite: An advanced multifunctional hybrid material for dye remediation.

The purpose of the study was to fabricate sustainable and cost-effective material for the thorough cleansing of polluted water. In this context, an economical, phytogenic and multifunctional Origanum vulgare plant-based nanocomposite material, MnFe2O4/OV, was prepared via one-pot synthetic technique. The synthesized nanocomposite with a band gap of 2.02 eV behaved as an efficient nano-photocatalyst for the degradation of both cationic (crystal violet) and anionic (congo red) dyes under direct sunlight irradiation. The material also inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus bacteria and simultaneously adsorbed both cationic and anionic dyes from water through adsorption. A variety of techniques have been used to characterize the nanocomposite, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, the kinetics of photodegradation of the aforementioned organic dyes has also been investigated. The MnFe2O4/OV exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance, leading to 43% and 72% degradation within 3 h at rate constants of 2.0 × 10-3 min-1 and 6.0 × 10-3 min-1 for crystal violet and congo red, respectively. The crystal violet and congo red were used to testify to the composite's potential for adsorption under the influence of several process variables, including initial solution pH, contact time, temperature, initial dye concentration, and amount of MnFe2O4/OV. The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity Qmax as in the range 14.06-14.59 mgg-1 for crystal violet and 34.45-23.93 mgg-1 for congo red at pH 7 within 90 min contact time in the temperature range of 30-50 °C. The phenomenon of adsorption was found feasible and endothermic at all the investigated temperatures. Also, E. coli and S. Aureus bacteria have shown growth suppression activity when exposed to MnFe2O4/OV.As a result, the synthesized nanocomposite, MnFe2O4/OV, proved to be an antimicrobial, multifunctional novel nanocomposite, which is in high demand, and could serve as an affordable, and sustainable material for comprehensive water filtration.

Effects of Origanum majorana essential oil and antibiotics on the quality of frozen thawed Beni Arouss buck semen.

This study aims to investigate the effects of Origanum majorana (OM) essential oil (EO) at different concentrations and antibiotics on post-thawed Beni Arouss buck semen quality. Semen collection was performed using artificial vagina from eight Beni Arouss bucks. Ejaculates were pooled, divided into 12 equal aliquots, washed and diluted to 400 × 106 sperm/ml (with 7% of glycerol). Skim milk-based extender was supplemented with different concentrations of OM EO (0%; 0.01%; 0.02%; 0.03%; 0.04% and 0.05%) without antibiotics, marked as (CTR-), (M1-), (M2-), (M3-), (M4-) and (M5-), and with 50 mg of streptomycin and 50,000 IU of penicillin per 100 ml, marked as (CTR+), (M1+), (M2+), (M3+), (M4+) and (M5+), respectively. Aliquots were cooled to 4°C, then frozen in 0.25 ml straws with a programmable freezer and finally stored in liquid nitrogen for 48 h. Thawing was performed at 37°C for 30 s. Motility, live sperm, sperm abnormalities, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation and bacterial growth were evaluated after thawing. Among the tested extenders, M2+ improved all semen quality parameters. Sperm motility, live sperm and membrane integrity increased significantly, while the number of abnormal sperm and bacterial growth decreased significantly. The toxic effect of OM EO, with and without antibiotics, appeared beyond 0.03%. In conclusion, M2+ is recommended to improve the cryopreservation of Beni Arouss buck semen.

A GC-MS and LC-HRMS perspective on the chemotaxonomic investigation of the natural hybrid Origanum × lirium and its parents, O. vulgare subsp. hirtum and O. scabrum.

INTRODUCTION: The genus Origanum L. (Lamiaceae) is widespread in the Mediterranean region. However, approximately 75% of the species are only encountered in the eastern part. Out of these, a total of nine species (11 taxa) and three natural hybrids occur in Greece. Nevertheless, so far, there is no consensus regarding their precise botanical classification in the literature. In fact, the taxon Origanum × lirium has been proposed both as a separate species as well as natural hybrid between Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum and Origanum scabrum. OBJECTIVES: In this scope, the aim of the current study is to shed light on the matter through the investigation of the chemical composition of both the essential oils and the polar extracts of the mentioned taxa, collected from different geographical regions of Greece. RESULTS: As it was demonstrated by both gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) data, and highlighted by our comparative analysis, it can be stipulated that Origanum × lirium shares its chemotype to a large extent with its parent species concerning both volatile and polar constituents. Additionally, geographical origin conditions stood out as a key factor influencing their chemical composition. CONCLUSION: Altogether, the present work provides useful information on the chemical composition of the taxa under investigation, while our findings support the opinion that Origanum × lirium should be considered not as a separate species, but rather as a hybrid on the way to becoming a species.

Encapsulation of Origanum onites essential oil with different wall material using spray drying.

INTRODUCTION: Origanum onites has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties due to its essential oil. The fact that these oils are sensitive to environmental conditions causes the need for advanced processing technologies. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to encapsulate essential oil of O. onites by spray drying to extend its shelf life. METHODS: Spray drying was used to encapsulate the essential oil of O. onites, which was then mixed with maltodextrin, arabic gum, and ß-cyclodextrin using response surface methodology. After 60 days of storage, aroma analysis was performed on the essential oil of O. onites and the essential oil powder that was produced under ideal conditions. RESULTS: O. onites essential oil powder was subjected to GC-MS analysis to identify 72 aroma components. Carvacrol and linalool concentrations varied from 22.66 to 30.11 mg/g and from 32.25 to 53.57 mg/g, respectively. The spray-dried microcapsules' D4.3 values ranged from 40.75 to 48.95 µm. For every trial, the drying yield and solubility values were higher than 60% and 90%, respectively. The results of the surface optimization showed that the ideal inlet air temperature was 190°C and the ideal concentration of ß-cyclodextrin in the wall material was 1%. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that O. onites essential oil was successfully encapsulated via spray drying. The preservation of critical aroma compounds in the resulting capsules is high.

Evaluation of the anticancer activity of Origanum Marjoram as a safe natural drink for daily use.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapeutic agents have numerous side effects. There is a major interest in using natural and safe plants as food or drink to prevent from cancer. Origanum marjoram (OMAE) is a medicinal plant that can be used as a tea, food, and additive in traditional medicine. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the potential anticancer effects of OMAE as a soft drink for daily use against a model cancer, prevention and treatment. METHOD: MCF-7 cells were chosen as model cancer cells. The MTT assay was used to assess the in vitro inhibitory effects of OMAE on cell growth. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect specific genes associated with cancer, such as ESR1, Bax, Bcl-2, and p53. Furthermore, the DNA damage was evaluated using the comet assay. RESULTS: OMAE has IC50 of 53.1 and IC90 of 97.5 µg/ml dependent inhibition of cell proliferation after 48 h of treatment toward MCF-7. Also, a significant decrease in the expression level of the ESR1 gene in the MCF-7 cell line. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the comet length and comet-positive cells after treatment with OMAE (88.7%) compared with those in the untreated control cells (9.5%), suggesting a high induction of DNA damage by OMAE. Also, OMAE showed a modification in bcl-2, tumor suppressor gene (p53), and Bax levels and influenced the BAX/BCL-2 ratio via releasing the cytochrome C. CONCLUSION: The results of the study were promising, suggesting that the reduced apoptotic rate of MCF-7 breast cancer cells in this work was correlated to the potential anticancer effect of OMAE which would be a suitable preventable drink against cancer. However, further studies are needed to fully understand the potential of OMAE as a cancer treatment.

Savory, Oregano and Thyme Essential Oil Mixture (HerbELICO®) Counteracts Helicobacter pylori.

Fifty percent of the world's population is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which can trigger many gastrointestinal disorders. H. pylori eradication therapy consists of two to three antimicrobial medicinal products, but they exhibit limited efficacy and may cause adverse side effects. Alternative therapies are urgent. It was assumed that an essential oil mixture, obtained from species from genera Satureja L., Origanum L. and Thymus L. and called the HerbELICO® essential oil mixture, could be useful in H. pylori infection treatment. HerbELICO® was analyzed by GC-MS and assessed in vitro against twenty H. pylori clinical strains isolated from patients of different geographical origins and with different antimicrobial medicinal products resistance profiles, and for its ability to penetrate the artificial mucin barrier. A customer case study included 15 users of HerbELICO®liquid/HerbELICO®solid dietary supplements (capsulated HerbELICO® mixture in liquid/solid form). Carvacrol and thymol were the most dominant compounds (47.44% and 11.62%, respectively), together with p-cymene (13.35%) and γ-terpinene (18.20%). The minimum concentration required to inhibit in vitro H. pylori growth by HerbELICO® was 4-5% (v/v); 10 min exposure to HerbELICO® was enough to kill off the examined H. pylori strains, while HerbELICO® was able to penetrate through mucin. A high eradication rate (up to 90%) and acceptance by consumers was observed.

A Comparative Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity of Extract and Essential Oil of Origanum onites L. In Vivo.

In the present study, the effects of Origanum onites L. extract and essential oil of O. onites L. on the antioxidant status of the liver and brain of mice were investigated. Due to certain disadvantages of essential oils, such as poor solubility, high volatility and sensitivity to UV light and heat, formulation of liposomes with Oregano essentials (OE) was optimized and used in this study. The results demonstrated that the best composition of the lipid carriers and OE were conducted in terms of the polydispersity index (PDI), mean particle size and encapsulation efficiency (EE). For further study the LE4 formulation was used, which contained Lipoid S100 at 45 mg, Lipoid S75 at 45 mg and 90 mg of EO. The administration of O. onites L. extract to mice for 21 days significantly decreased the glutathione (GSH) level in the livers and brains of the mice as well as the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the livers. In the brains of the mice, MDA level significantly increased after this extract consumption. Whereas liposomes with OE significantly decreased GSH concentration in the mouse brain and MDA concentration in the mouse liver, there was an increased (p > 0.05) GSH level in the liver and MDA concentration in the brain of mice compared with the control group. It was found that both O. onites. ethanolic extract as well as liposomes with OE of this plant material affect the antioxidant status in the livers and brains of mice.

µ-Raman Determination of Essential Oils' Constituents from Distillates and Leaf Glands of Origanum Plants.

A novel, inexpensive and simple experimental setup for collecting µ-Raman spectra of volatile liquids in very small quantities was developed. It takes advantage of capillary forces to detain minute volatile liquid volumes. Spectra of volatile and even scattering or absorbing media can be measured more effectively. The method is used to facilitate the collection of intensity-consistent Raman spectra from a series of reference compounds present in Origanum essential oils, in order to quantify their constituents by multiple linear regression. Wild grown Origanum plants, collected from five different regions in Greece and taxonomically identified as O. onites, O. vulgare subsp. hirtum and O. vulgare subsp. vulgare, were appropriately distilled to acquire their essential oils. Comparison of the Raman results with those from headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS GC-MS) confirmed the successful relative quantification of the most abundant essential oil constituents, highlighting the similarities and differences of the three Origanum taxa examined. Finally, it is demonstrated that directly measuring the leaf peltate glandular hairs yields exploitable results to identify the main components of the essential oil they contain, underlining the potential of in situ (field or industry) measurements utilizing microscope-equipped portable Raman spectrometers.

Effect of Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Origanum vulgare L. Leaf, Flower, Stem, and Root Extracts on the Survival of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most antibiotic multi-resistant bacteria, causing chronic pulmonary disease and leading to respiratory failure and even mortality. Thus, there has been an ever-increasing search for novel and preferably natural antimicrobial compounds. Agrimonia eupatoria L. and Origanum vulgare L. shoots are commonly used as teas or alcoholic tinctures for their human health-promoting and antibacterial properties. Here, we explored the antimicrobial effects of all plant parts, i.e., leaf, flower, stem, and root extracts, prepared in water or in 60% ethanol, against P. aeruginosa. The impact of these extracts on bacterial survival was determined using a luminescent strain of P. aeruginosa, which emits light when alive. In addition, the antimicrobial effects were compared with the antioxidant properties and content of phenolic compounds of plant extracts. Ethanolic extracts of O. vulgare roots and flowers showed the highest antimicrobial activity, followed by A. eupatoria roots. In particular, chlorogenic acid, the ethanolic extract of O. vulgare roots contained high levels of protocatechuic acid, hesperidin, shikimic acid, rutin, quercetin, and morin. The synergistic effects of these phenolic compounds and flavonoids may play a key role in the antibacterial activity of teas and tinctures.

Can Origanum be a hope for cancer treatment? A review on the potential of Origanum species in preventing and treating cancers.

In this study, the potential of aromatic Origanum species belonging to Lamiaceae family to prevent and treat cancer was investigated. Since aromatic plants contain phytochemicals such as essential oils, phenolic acids, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, vitamins, enzymes and minerals with beneficial biological activities, they have become more interesting and important in medicine, pharmacy and industry. Publications/research between 1950 and 2022 were screened to investigate the effects of Origanum species on cancer, and the effects of their extracts and essential oils in cancer prevention and treatment. Essential phytochemicals found in plants provide efficacy in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Besides, the essential oils found in these plant extracts are another reason that makes them important. Therefore, it is preferred in traditional medicine in the fight against many diseases as well as cancer. Essential oils of Origanum species mainly contain monoterpenes such as p-cymene, carvacrol, thymol and γ-terpinene. Since these compounds exhibit anticancer properties, Origanum species are becoming the plants of choice in the fight against cancer. In this context, Origanum majorana L. Origanum vulgare and Origanum munzurense are promising species, considering the composition of their extracts and essential oil.