Identification of key genes controlling monoterpene biosynthesis of Citral-type Cinnamomum bodinieri Levl. Based on transcriptome and metabolite profiling.

The citral-type is the most common chemotype in Cinnamomum bodinieri Levl (C. bodinieri), which has been widely used in the daily necessities, cosmetics, biomedicine, and aromatic areas due to their high citral content. Despite of this economic prospect, the possible gene-regulatory roles of citral biosynthesis in the same geographic environment remains unknown. In this study, the essential oils (EOs) of three citral type (B1, B2, B3) and one non-citral type (B0) varieties of C. bodinieri were identified by GC-MS after hydrodistillation extraction in July. 43 components more than 0.10% were identified in the EOs, mainly composed of monoterpenes (75.8-91.84%), and high content citral (80.63-86.33%) were identified in citral-type. Combined transcriptome and metabolite profiling analysis, plant-pathogen interaction(ko04626), MAPK signaling pathway-plant(ko04016), starch and sucrose metabolism(ko00500), plant hormone signal transduction(ko04075), terpenoid backbone biosynthesis (ko00900) and monoterpenoid biosynthesis (ko00902) pathways were enriched significantly. The gene expression of differential genes were linked to the monoterpene content, and the geraniol synthase (CbGES), alcohol dehydrogenase (CbADH), geraniol 8-hydroxylase-like (CbCYP76B6-like) and 8-hydroxygeraniol dehydrogenase (Cb10HGO) were upregulated in the citral-type, indicating that they were associated with high content of geraniol and citral. The activities of CbGES and CbADH in citral type were higher than in non-citral type, which was corroborated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This study on the accumulation mechanism of citral provides a theoretical basis for the development of essential oil of C. bodinieri.

Effects of Taiwanese indigenous cinnamon (Cinnamomum osmophloeum) leaf hot-water extract on nonspecific immune responses, resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus, nonviable cells, and haemocyte subpopulations in white shrimp (Penaeusvannamei).

This study investigated the effects of Cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf hot-water extract (CLWE) on nonspecific immune responses and resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus in white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). Firstly, a cell viability assay demonstrated that the CLWE is safe to white shrimp heamocytes in the concentration of 0-500 mg L-1. Haemocytes incubated in vitro with 10 and 50 mg L-1 of CLWE showed significantly higher response in superoxide anion production, PO activity, and phagocytic activity. In the in vivo trials, white shrimp were fed with 0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 g kg-1 CLWE supplemented feeds (designated as CLWE 0, CLWE 0.5, CLWE 1, CLWE 5, and CLWE 10, respectively) over a period of 28 days. In vivo experiments demonstrated that CLWE 0.5 feeding group resulted in the highest total haemocyte count, superoxide anion production, phenoloxidase activity, and phagocytic activity. Moreover, CLWE 0.5 supplemented feed significantly upregulated the clotting system, antimicrobial peptides, pattern recognition receptors, pattern recognition proteins, and antioxidant defences in white shrimp. Furthermore, the shrimp were infected with V. parahaemolyticus injections after 14 days of feeding as challenge test. Based on the challenge test result, both CLWE 0.5 and CLWE 5 demonstrated a strong resistance to V. parahaemolyticus. These two dosages effectively reduced the number of nonviable cells and activated different haemocyte subpopulations. These findings indicated that treatment with CLWE 0.5 could promote nonspecific immune responses, immune-related gene expression, and resistance to V. parahaemolyticus in white shrimp.

The crude extract obtained from Cinnamomum macrostemon Hayata regulates oxidative stress and mitophagy in keratinocytes.

Four ethanol fractionated crude extracts (EFCEs [A-D]) purified from the leaves of Cinnamomum macrostemon Hayata were screened for antioxidative effects and mitochondrial function in HaCaT cells. The higher cell viability indicated that EFCE C was mildly toxic. Under the treatment of 50 ng/mL EFCE C, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels were reduced as well as the H2O2-impaired cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ATP production, and mitochondrial mass. The conversion of globular mitochondria to tubular mitochondria is coincident with EFCE C-restored mitochondrial function. The mitophagy activator rapamycin showed similar effects to EFCE C in recovering the H2O2-impaired cell viability, MMP, ATP production, mitochondrial mass, and also mitophagic proteins such as PINK1, Parkin, LC3 II, and biogenesis protein PGC-1α. We thereby propose the application of EFCE C in the prevention of oxidative stress in skin cells.

Reference Genes Selection and Validation for Cinnamomum burmanni by Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction.

In recent years, the field of biology has witnessed a surge of interest in genomics research due to the advancements in biotechnology. Gene expression pattern analysis plays a crucial role in this research, as it enables us to understand the regulatory mechanism of gene expression and the associated biological processes. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) is an efficient method to analyze the gene expression patterns, for which accuracy relies on the standardized analysis of reference genes. However, numerous studies have shown that no reference gene is universal in all conditions, so screening a suitable reference gene under certain conditions is of great importance. Cinnamomum burmannii (C. burmannii) is rich in volatile components and has high medicinal and economic value. However, knowledge of the screening of reference genes for the gene expression analysis of C. burmannii is insufficient. Aiming at this problem, we evaluated and screened the reference genes in C. burmannii under different experimental conditions, including different abiotic stresses (Cold-treated, PEG-treated and Nacl-treated), different tissues, leaves at different developmental stages and different chemical types. In this study, different algorithms (∆Ct, geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper) were used to evaluate the stability of the candidate reference genes, and RefFinder further merged the output data to screen out the optimum reference gene under various experimental conditions in C. burmannii. The results showed that the optimal reference gene number for gene standardization was 2 under different experimental conditions. RPL27|RPS15 was the most suitable combination under the Nacl-treated and PEG-treated samples. RPL27|APT was the optimum combination under the Cold-treated samples. The optimal combinations of other samples were EF1α|ACT7 for different tissues, eIF-5A|Gllα for different borneol clones in C. burmannii, RPS15|ACT7 for leaves at different developmental stages and RPS15|TATA for all samples. Additionally, two terpenoid synthesis-related genes (CbWRKY4 and CbDXS2) were standardized to verify the feasibility of the selected reference genes under different experimental conditions. This study will be helpful for the subsequent molecular genetic mechanism study of C. burmannii.

Oxidative Stress-Mediated Repression of Virulence Gene Transcription and Biofilm Formation as Antibacterial Action of Cinnamomum burmannii Essential Oil on Staphylococcus aureus.

This work aimed to identify the chemical compounds of Cinnamomum burmannii leaf essential oil (CBLEO) and to unravel the antibacterial mechanism of CBLEO at the molecular level for developing antimicrobials. CBLEO had 37 volatile compounds with abundant borneol (28.40%) and showed good potential to control foodborne pathogens, of which Staphylococcus aureus had the greatest inhibition zone diameter (28.72 mm) with the lowest values of minimum inhibitory concentration (1.0 µg/mL) and bactericidal concentration (2.0 µg/mL). To unravel the antibacterial action of CBLEO on S. aureus, a dynamic exploration of antibacterial growth, material leakage, ROS formation, protein oxidation, cell morphology, and interaction with genome DNA was conducted on S. aureus exposed to CBLEO at different doses (1/2-2×MIC) and times (0-24 h), indicating that CBLEO acts as an inducer for ROS production and the oxidative stress of S. aureus. To highlight the antibacterial action of CBLEO on S. aureus at the molecular level, we performed a comparative association of ROS accumulation with some key virulence-related gene (sigB/agrA/sarA/icaA/cidA/rsbU) transcription, protease production, and biofilm formation in S. aureus subjected to CBLEO at different levels and times, revealing that CBLEO-induced oxidative stress caused transcript suppression of virulence regulators (RsbU and SigB) and its targeted genes, causing a protease level increase destined for the biofilm formation and growth inhibition of S. aureus, which may be a key bactericidal action. Our findings provide valuable information for studying the antibacterial mechanism of essential oil against pathogens.

Unpredictable Chemical Diversity of Essential Oils in Cinnamomum burmanni (Lauraceae) Living Collections: Beyond Maternally Inherited Phylogenetic Relationships.

The genus Cinnamomum encompasses diverse species with various applications, particularly in traditional medicine and spice production. This study focuses on Cinnamomum burmanni, specifically on a high-D-borneol-content chemotype, known as the Meipian Tree, in Guangdong Province, South China. This research explores essential oil diversity, chemotypes, and chloroplast genomic diversity among 28 C. burmanni samples collected from botanical gardens. Essential oils were analyzed, and chemotypes classified using GC-MS and statistical methods. Plastome assembly and phylogenetic analysis were conducted to reveal genetic relationships. Results showed distinct chemotypes, including eucalyptol and borneol types, with notable variations in essential oil composition. The chloroplast genome exhibited conserved features, with phylogenetic analysis revealing three major clades. Borneol-rich individuals in clade II suggested a potential maternal inheritance pattern. However, phylogenetic signals revealed that the composition of essential oils is weakly correlated with plastome phylogeny. The study underscores the importance of botanical gardens in preserving genetic and chemical diversity, offering insights for sustainable resource utilization and selective breeding of high-yield mother plants of C. burmanni.

Application of Cinnamomum burmannii Essential Oil in Promoting Wound Healing.

Skin wounds, leading to infections and death, have a huge negative impact on healthcare systems around the world. Antibacterial therapy and the suppression of excessive inflammation help wounds heal. To date, the application of wound dressings, biologics and biomaterials (hydrogels, epidermal growth factor, stem cells, etc.) is limited due to their difficult and expensive preparation process. Cinnamomum burmannii (Nees & T. Nees) Blume is an herb in traditional medicine, and its essential oil is rich in D-borneol, with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. However, it is not clear whether Cinnamomum burmannii essential oil has the function of promoting wound healing. This study analyzed 32 main components and their relative contents of essential oil using GC-MS. Then, network pharmacology was used to predict the possible targets of this essential oil in wound healing. We first proved this essential oil's effects in vitro and in vivo. Cinnamomum burmannii essential oil could not only promote the proliferation and migration of skin stromal cells, but also promote M2-type polarization of macrophages while inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study explored the possible mechanism by which Cinnamomum burmannii essential oil promotes wound healing, providing a cheap and effective strategy for promoting wound healing.

[Quality evaluation and grading standard discussion on Cinnamomi Ramulus].

This study explored the relationship between the appearance traits and internal components of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces, so as to provide a reference for the quality evaluation and the formulation of grade standards. This study determined the appearance traits and index component contents of 41 batches of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces in the core producing areas of Guangxi and Guangdongand established the HPLC characteristic map method. The weight of the pieces, the narrowest diameter, and the widest diameter of the tr ansverse section were used as the indices of appearance traits. The content of index components(cinnamic acid and cinnamalde hyde)was determined by the established content determination method. The chromatographic characteristics were determinedon a Waters XBridge C_(18)(4. 6 mm×250 mm, 5 µm) column with a mobile phase consisting of 0. 1% phosphoric acidacetonitrile and gradient elution at the flow rate of 1 mL ·min~(-1). The column temperature was 30 ℃, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and other stoichiometric methods were used to analyze the correlation between theap pearance traits and the index/characteristic components of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces and compare the qu ality differences of the piecesfrom different batches and plac es. The results showed that the larger weight, the narrowest diameter, andthe widest diameter of the tra nsverse section indicated lowercontent of main indexes/characteristic components, and there was a synergistic decreasing trend amongd ifferent components. The overall quality of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces in Guangdong Province and Guangxi Province was similar, but there were still differences between different origins and different batches of the same origin. It is scientific and feasible to evaluatethe quality of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces and establish grading standards based on the appearance traits and index/character istic components. The research provides a more scientific and comprehensive basis for the quality control evaluation and standardformulation of Cinnamomi Ramulus.

[Chemical constituents from Cinnamomi Ramulus decoction].

Six compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of Cinnamomi Ramulus decoction by RP-18, silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, together with prep-HPLC methods. Based on HR-ESI-MS, MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral analyses, the structures of the six compounds were identified as 4,5,10,11-tetrahydroxybisabol-7-ene(1), 4,5,10,11-tetrahydroxybisabolin(2), 1-phenyl-1,2,3-glycerol(3),(+)-lyoniresinol(4), benzoic acid(5), and decumbic acid(6). Compound 1 was a new bisabolene-type sesquiterpene, and compounds 2 and 3 were isolated from the Cinnamomi Ramulus for the first time. Moreover, the bisabolene-type sesquiterpene(2) was assayed for its anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity to human pancreatic cancer cells(PANC-1 cells). RESULTS:: showed that compound 2 exhibited an inhibitory rate of 32.9% on nitric oxide(NO) at a dose of 40 µmol·L~(-1) and a proliferation inhibition rate of 14.5% against PANC-1 cells at a dose of 20 µmol·L~(-1). It did not demonstrate significant activity.

Composition, functional, and niche differentiation of fungal communities in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of Cinnamomum migao in southwestern China.

AIMS: Roots are key parts of plant material circulation and energy flow, creating two distinct niches for the plant microbiome, such as the rhizosphere and root endosphere, which interact to maintain plant growth and health. In this study, two niches of plant rhizosphere and root endosphere were selected to study the composition and differences of fungi communities in order to better understand how differences in the structure and function of plant fungi communities affect plant health. METHODS AND RESULTS: The community structure, diversity, and ecological function of fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere of Cinnamomum migao were studied using high-throughput sequencing techniques, traditional culture methods, and the FUNGuild database. The results of the analysis of alpha diversity showed that the diversity of rhizosphere fungal communities in C. migao was much higher than that of root endosphere communities. Some similarities and differences were noted between the two niche fungal communities, and some fungi had niche preferences. Functional prediction results demonstrated that fungi in the rhizosphere and root endosphere adopt multiple trophic modes, mostly saprophytic fungi. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a basis for an in-depth understanding of the structural variation, niche differentiation, and function of plant root-related fungal microbiota. We believe that it could provide guidance on the subsequent development of beneficial fungi.

Studies on the Catechin Constituents of Bark of Cinnamomum sieboldii.

Screening for bioactivity related to anti-infective, anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and anti-viral activity, led us to identify active compounds from a methanol extract of Litsea japonica (Thub.) Juss. and the hot water extract of bark of Cinnamomum sieboldii Meisn (also known as Karaki or Okinawa cinnamon). The two main components in these extracts were identified as the catechin trimers (+)-cinnamtannin B1 and pavetannin B5. Moreover, these extracts exhibited anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) activity. The structures of these catechin trimers were previously determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Pavetanin B5 has never been reported to be isolated as a pure form and has been obtained as a mixture with another component. Although other groups have reported the putative structure of pavetannin B5, preparation of the methylated derivative of pavetannin B5 in this study allowed us to obtain the pure form for the first time as the undecamethyl derivative and confirm its exact structure. Commercially available (+)-cinnamtannin B1 and aesculitannin B (C2'-epimer of cinnamtannin B1) both of which contained pavetannin B5 as a minor component, and C. sieboldii bark extract (approx. 5/2 mixture of (+)-cinnamtannin B1/pavetannin B5) were assessed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Both C. sieboldii bark extract and commercially available aesculitannin B showed viral growth inhibitory activity.

Comparative Chemical Composition and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) Inhibitory Potential of Cinnamomum camphora and Cinnamomum tamala.

Cinnamomum species have applications in the pharmaceutical and fragrance industry for wide biological and pharmaceutical activities. The present study investigates the chemical composition of the essential oils extracted from two species of Cinnamomum namely C. tamala and C. camphora. Chemical analysis showed E-cinnamyl acetate (56.14 %), E-cinnamaldehyde (20.15 %), and linalool (11.77 %) contributed as the major compounds of the 95.22 % of C. tamala leaves essential oil found rich in phenylpropanoids (76.96 %). C. camphora essential oil accounting for 93.57 % of the total oil composition was rich in 1,8-cineole (55.84 %), sabinene (14.37 %), and α-terpineol (10.49 %) making the oil abundant in oxygenated monoterpenes (70.63 %). Furthermore, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity for both the essential oils was carried out using Ellman's colorimetric method. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory potential at highest studied concentration of 1 mg/mL was observed to be 46.12±1.52 % for C. tamala and 53.61±2.66 % for C. camphora compared to the standard drug physostigmine (97.53±0.63 %) at 100 ng/ml. These multiple natural aromatic and fragrant characteristics with distinct chemical compositions offered by Cinnamon species provide varied benefits in the development of formulations that could be advantageous for the flavor and fragrance industry.

Chemical Composition, Mosquito Larvicidal and Antimicrobial Activities, and Molecular Docking Study of Essential Oils of Cinnamomum melastomaceum, Neolitsea buisanensis and Uvaria microcarpa from Vietnam.

The leaf oil compositions of two Lauraceae and one Annonaceae plants cultivated in Vietnam were analysed by GC/MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis. The leaf oil of the first Lauraceae plant Cinnamomum melastomaceum contained 34 identified compounds, in which benzyl benzoate (38.5 %), linalool (19.9 %), (E)-caryophyllene (10.5 %), and α-terpineol (6.9 %) were the major compounds. The leaves of the second Lauraceae plant Neolitsea buisanensis gave an oil with the main compounds (E)-ß-ocimene (24.0 %), benzyl benzoate (15.8 %), bicyclogermacrene (14.9 %), and (E)-caryophyllene (6.3 %). The leaf oil of the Annonaceae plant Uvaria microcarpa consisted of the principal compounds (E)-caryophyllene (18.0 %), bicyclogermacrene (8.1 %), and δ-elemene (6.1 %). Two Lauraceae oil samples exhibited strong mosquito larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus with LC50 and LD90 values of less than 50 µg/mL. The Annonaceae oil sample showed strong antimicrobial activity against the fungus Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015 with the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) value of 32 µg/mL. In the docking approach, the major compounds (E)-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, and benzyl benzoate interacted with the mosquito odorant-binding protein 3OGN, whereas (E)-caryophyllene, bicyclogermacrene, and δ-elemene also potentially interacted with the 4ZA5 protein of fungus A. niger.

Colletotrichum siamense leaf blight/spot: Characterization of a newly identified disease on Cinnamomum tamala.

Cinnamomum tamala (bay leaf) is widely used for culinary and medicinal purposes in South Asia. A leaf blight/spot disease was first discovered on nearly 90% of C. tamala plants with a mean severity of 48% to 74.4% in Gazipur and Bogura, Bangladesh, in 2019. The present study identified and characterized the causal organism and formulated the optimum growth conditions and effective fungicides for the chemical control of the pathogen. The characteristic symptoms on the infected leaves appeared circular to oval reddish-brown spots with raised margins and often developed in tear-stain patterns. Severe infection of C. tamala sapling resulted in dieback symptoms with leaf defoliation. A fungus with floccose, dense, white colonies with well-differentiated acervuli was isolated from the infected leaves. Combined cultural, morphological, and molecular characteristics identified the pathogen as Colletotrichum siamense. Inculcating healthy leaves and 1-year-old saplings of C. tamala with a conidial suspension of the fungus reproduced the same symptoms observed in the bay leaf orchard. The highest mycelial growth was recorded on V-8 Juice Agar media, while the maximum radial mycelial growth and level of sporulation of the fungus were significantly higher in incubation temperature 30°C. Fungicide trials showed that carbendazim 50 WP, azoxystrobin, mancozeb, and trifloxystrobin, either singly or in combination, successfully reduced fungal mycelial growth in vitro. Therefore, disease management strategies should be opted to halt the further spread of this issue. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the incidence of Colletotrichum leaf blight on C. tamala in Bangladesh and even in the world.

Variations in Essential Oils from the Leaves of Cinnamomum bodinieri in China.

Cinnamomum plants are rich in natural essential oils, which are widely used as materials in the fragrance, insecticidal, antibacterial agent, pharmaceutical, and food industries; however, few studies have investigated the essential oil components of Cinnamomum bodinieri. Therefore, this study investigated the diversity of essential oils from the leaves of 885 individual C. bodinieri plants across 32 populations in five provinces. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation, and then qualitative and quantitative analyses of the compounds were performed by GC-MS and GC-FID. A total of 87 chemical constituents were identified in the essential oils, including 33 monoterpenes, 48 sesquiterpenes, and six other compounds. The average oil yield was 0.75%, and individual oil yields ranged from 0.01% to 4.28%. A total of 16 chemotypes were classified according to variations in the essential oil chemical constituents of C. bodinieri, among which the camphor-type, citral-type, and eucalyptol-type were dominant. Moreover, the borneol-type, cymol-type, elemol-type, methylisoeugenol-type, and selina-6-en-4-ol-type were reported in C. bodinieri for the first time. The yield and principal components of the essential oils were mainly affected by altitude, temperature, and sunshine duration, among which altitude had the most significant effect; thus, low-altitude areas are more suitable for the synthesis and accumulation of essential oils. Based on the different characteristics of the essential oils in the leaves of C. bodinieri, several excellent populations and individuals were identified in this study. Moreover, the findings provide a foundation for breeding superior varieties and studying essential oil biosynthesis mechanisms in the future.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analyses Propose the Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying 1,8-Cineole from Cinnamomum kanehirae Hay and Promote the Asexual Sporulation of Antrodia cinnamomea in Submerged Fermentation.

Antrodia cinnamomea is a valuable edible and medicinal mushroom with antitumor, hepatoprotective, and antiviral effects that play a role in intestinal flora regulation. Spore-inoculation submerged fermentation has become the most efficient and well-known artificial culture process for A. cinnamomea. In this study, a specific low-molecular compound named 1,8-cineole (cineole) from Cinnamomum kanehirae Hay was first reported to have remarkably promoted the asexual sporulation of A. cinnamomea in submerged fermentation (AcSmF). Then, RNA sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR, and a literature review were performed to predict the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the cineole-promoted sporulation of AcSmF. The available evidence supports the hypothesis that after receiving the signal of cineole through cell receptors Wsc1 and Mid2, Pkc1 promoted the expression levels of rlm1 and wetA and facilitated their transfer to the cell wall integrity (CWI) signal pathway, and wetA in turn promoted the sporulation of AcSmF. Moreover, cineole changed the membrane functional state of the A. cinnamomea cell and thus activated the heat stress response by the CWI pathway. Then, heat shock protein 90 and its chaperone Cdc37 promoted the expression of stuA and brlA, thus promoting sporulation of AcSmF. In addition, cineole promoted the expression of areA, flbA, and flbD through the transcription factor NCP1 and inhibited the expression of pkaA through the ammonium permease of MEP, finally promoting the sporulation of AcSmF. This study may improve the efficiency of the inoculum (spores) preparation of AcSmF and thereby enhance the production benefits of A. cinnamomea.

Cinnamomum sp. and Pelargonium odoratissimum as the Main Contributors to the Antibacterial Activity of the Medicinal Drink Horchata: A Study Based on the Antibacterial and Chemical Analysis of 21 Plants.

Horchata, a herbal infusion drink from Ecuador containing a mixture of medicinal plants, has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, and antioxidant activity. The antibacterial activity of each of the plants contained in the horchata mixture has not been fully evaluated. Thus, in this study, we analysed the antibacterial activity of 21 plants used in horchata, collected from the Ecuadorian Andes region, against bacterial strains of clinical importance. The methanolic extract of Cinnamomum sp. showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 250 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), while Pelargonium odoratissimum exhibited a MIC value of 500 µg/mL towards S. aureus ATCC25923. The high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) analyses identified in Cinnamomum sp. epicatechin tannins, cinnamaldehyde, and prehelminthosporol molecules, whereas in P. odoratissimum, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin tannins, some flavonoids, and gallic acid and derivatives were identified. Finally, Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum showed partial inhibition of biofilm formation of S. aureus ATCC25923 and MRSA. Overall, our findings revealed which of the plants used in horchata are responsible for the antibacterial activity attributed to this herbal drink and exhibit the potential for Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum secondary metabolites to be explored as scaffolds in drug development.

Chemical Variation and Environmental Influence on Essential Oil of Cinnamomum camphora.

Cinnamomum camphora is a traditional aromatic plant used to produce linalool and borneol flavors in southern China; however, its leaves also contain many other unutilized essential oils. Herein, we report geographic relationships for the yield and compositional diversity of C. camphora essential oils. The essential oils of 974 individual trees from 35 populations in 13 provinces were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detection, respectively. Oil yields ranged from 0.01% to 3.46%, with a significantly positive correlation with latitude and a significantly negative correlation with longitude. In total, 41 compounds were identified, including 15 monoterpenoids, 24 sesquiterpenoids, and two phenylpropanoids. Essential oil compositions varied significantly among individuals and could be categorized into various chemotypes. The six main chemotypes were eucalyptol, nerolidol, camphor, linalool, selina, and mixed types. The other 17 individual plants were chemotypically rare and exhibited high levels of methyl isoeugenol, methyl eugenol, δ-selinene, or borneol. Eucalyptol-type plants had the highest average oil yield of 1.64%, followed in decreasing order by linalool-, camphor-, mixed-, selina-, and nerolidol-type plants. In addition, the five main compounds exhibited a clear geographic gradient. Eucalyptol and linalool showed a significantly positive correlation with latitude, while selina-6-en-4-ol was significantly and negatively correlated with latitude. trans-Nerolidol and selina-6-en-4-ol showed significantly positive correlations with longitude, whereas camphor was significantly and negatively correlated with longitude. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that environmental factors could strong effect the oil yield and essential oil profile of C. camphora.

Cinnamomum japonicum Siebold Branch Extracts Attenuate NO and ROS Production via the Inhibition of p38 and JNK Phosphorylation.

Cinnamomum japonicum (CJ) is widely distributed in Asian countries like Korea, China, and Japan. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that it exhibits various biological activities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, most studies have confirmed the efficacy of its water extract but not that of its other extracts. Therefore, in this study, Cinnamomum japonicum Siebold branches (CJB: 70% EtOH extract) were separated using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate (CJB3), butanol, and water. Then, their antioxidative activities and phenolic contents were measured. Results revealed that the antioxidant activities and phenolic contents of CJB3 were higher than those of the other extracts. Further, the inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effect of CJB3 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and LPS-activated macrophages, respectively, was determined. CJB3 suppressed oxidative stress in LPS-activated cells and dose-dependently decreased LPS-stimulated ROS production. CJB3 reduced oxidative stress and reversed the glutathione decrease in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells. The inhibitory and reducing effect of CJB3 on LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase protein and messenger RNA levels, respectively, was investigated. CJB3 inhibited LPS-induced cytokine production and p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation. Overall, the study results suggest that CJB3 may exert its anti-inflammatory effects via the suppression of p38, JNK, and c-Jun activation.

In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts and essential oils of Cinnamomum, Salvia, and Mentha spp. against foodborne pathogens: A meta-analysis study.

Essential oils (EOs) are a class of natural products that exhibit potent antimicrobial properties against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Inhibition diameters (IDs) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) are the typical measures of antimicrobial activity for extracts and EOs obtained from Cinnamomum, Salvia, and Mentha species. This study used a meta-analytical regression analysis to investigate the correlation between ID and MIC measurements and the variability in antimicrobial susceptibility tests. By utilizing pooled ID models, this study revealed significant differences in foodborne pathogens' susceptibility to extracts, which were dependent on both the plant species and the methodology employed (p < .05). Cassia showed the highest efficacy against Salmonella spp., exhibiting a pooled ID of 26.24 mm, while cinnamon demonstrated the highest efficacy against Bacillus cereus, with a pooled ID of 23.35 mm. Mint extract showed the greatest efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Interestingly, cinnamon extract demonstrated the lowest effect against Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, with a pooled ID of only 8.07 mm, whereas its EOs were the most effective against this bacterial strain. The study found that plant species influenced the MIC, while the methodology did not affect MIC measurements (p > .05). An inverse correlation between ID and MIC measurements was identified (p < .0001). These findings suggest that extracts and EOs obtained from Cinnamomum, Salvia, and Mentha spp. have the potential to inhibit bacterial growth. The study highlights the importance of considering various factors that may influence ID and MIC measurements when assessing the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents.