Development of an allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) method for identifying high-methyl eugenol-containing purple Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) in market samples.

BACKGROUND: Ocimum tenuiflorum L. is a highly traded medicinal with several therapeutic values. Green Tulsi and purple Tulsi are two subtypes in O. tenuiflorum and both have the same medicinal properties. Recent reports have revealed that purple Tulsi contains higher quantities of methyl eugenol (ME), which is moderately toxic and potentially carcinogenic. Therefore, we developed an allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) method to distinguish the green and purple Tulsi. METHODS AND RESULT: Using the green Tulsi as a reference, 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 10 insertions/deletions (InDels) were identified in the chloroplast genome of the purple Tulsi. The C > T SNP at the 1,26,029 position in the ycf1 gene was selected for the development of the AS-PCR method. The primers were designed to amplify 521 bp and 291 bp fragments specific to green and purple Tulsi, respectively. This AS-PCR method was validated in 10 accessions from each subtype and subsequently verified using Sanger sequencing. Subsequently, 30 Tulsi powder samples collected from the market were subjected to molecular identification by AS-PCR. The results showed that 80% of the samples were purple Tulsi, and only 3.5% were green Tulsi. About 10% of the samples were a mixture of both green and purple Tulsi. Two samples (6.5%) did not contain O. tenuiflorum and were identified as O. gratissimum. CONCLUSION: The market samples of Tulsi were predominantly derived from purple Tulsi. The AS-PCR method will be helpful for quality control and market surveillance of Tulsi herbal powders.

Chemical composition and mosquitocidal properties of essential oil from Indian indigenous plants Ocimum tenuiflorum L. and Ocimum americanum L. against three vector mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes stand out as the most perilous and impactful vectors on a global scale, transmitting a multitude of infectious diseases to both humans and other animals. The primary objective of the current research was to assess the effectiveness of EOs from Ocimum tenuiflorum L. and Ocimum americanum L. in controlling Anopheles stephensi Liston. Culex quinquefasciatus Say and Aedes aegypti L. mosquitoes. The larvae, pupae and eggs of the mosquitoes were exposed to four different concentrations (6.25-50 ppm). The tested EOs resulted in >99-100 % mortality at 120 h for the eggs of all examined mosquito species. It also showed robust larvicidal and pupicidal activity with LC50 and LC90 values of 17-39, 23-60 ppm and 46-220, and 73-412 ppm against Aedes, Culex and Anopheles mosquito species, respectively, at 24 h of treatment. The Suitability Index or Predator Safety Factor demonstrated that the EOs extracted from O. tenuiflorum L. and O. americanum L. did not cause harm to P. reticulata, D. indicus (water bug), G. affinis and nymph (dragonfly). GC-MS analysis identified the major probable constituents of the oil, including Phenol, 2-Methoxy-4-(1-Propenyl)- (28.29 %); 1-Methyl-3-(1'-Methylcyclopropyl) Cyclopentene (46.46 %); (E,E,E)-3,7,11,15-Tetramethylhexadeca-1,3,6,10,14-Pentaene (18.91 %) and 1,3-Isobenzofurandione, 3a,4,7,7a-Tetrahydro-4,7-Dimethyl (33.02 %). These constituents may play a significant role in the mosquitocidal activity of the oil. The same results were identified in the formulation prepared from the EOs. This marks the first report confirming the successful utilization of EOs derived from O. tenuiflorum L. and O. americanum L. in mosquito population control initiatives.

Sustainable fabrication of hybrid silver-copper nanocomposites (Ag-CuO NCs) using Ocimum americanum L. as an effective regime against antibacterial, anticancer, photocatalytic dye degradation and microalgae toxicity.

In this study, a sustainable fabrication of hybrid silver-copper oxide nanocomposites (Ag-CuO NCs) was accomplished utilizing Ocimum americanum L. by one pot green chemistry method. The multifarious biological and environmental applications of the green fabricated Ag-CuO NCs were evaluated through their antibacterial, anticancer, dye degradation, and microalgae growth inhibition activities. The morphological features of the surface functionalized hybrid Ag-CuO NCs were confirmed by FE-SEM and HR-TEM techniques. The surface plasmon resonance λmax peak appeared at 441.56 nm. The average hydrodynamic size distribution of synthesized nanocomposite was 69.80 nm. Zeta potential analysis of Ag-CuO NCs confirmed its remarkable stability at -21.5 mV. XRD and XPS techniques validated the crystalline structure and electron binding affinity of NCs, respectively. The Ag-CuO NCs demonstrated excellent inhibitory activity against Vibrio cholerae (19.93 ± 0.29 mm) at 100 µg/mL. Anticancer efficacy of Ag-CuO NCs was investigated against the A549 lung cancer cell line, and Ag-CuO NCs exhibited outstanding antiproliferative activity with a low IC50 of 2.8 ± 0.05 µg/mL. Furthermore, staining and comet assays substantiated that the Ag-CuO NCs hindered the progression of the A549 cells and induced apoptosis as a result of cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Concerning the environmental applications, the Ag-CuO NCs displayed efficient photocatalytic activity against eosin yellow degradation up to 80.94% under sunlight irradiation. Microalgae can be used as an early bio-indicator/prediction of environmental contaminants and toxic substances. The treatment of the Ag-CuO NCs on the growth of marine microalgae Tetraselmis suecica demonstrated the dose and time-dependent growth reduction and variations in the chlorophyll content. Therefore, the efficient multifunctional properties of hybrid Ag-CuO NCs could be exploited as a regime against infective diseases and cancer. Further, the findings of our investigation witness the remarkable scope and potency of Ag-CuO NCs for environmental applications.

Toxicity of Ocimum americanum L. extracts against Aedes aegypti larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) and their impact on insecticide resistance.

Mosquitoes are a key threat to millions of people worldwide. They spread the pathogens that cause deadly diseases among humans and animals. Synthetic pesticides are the best agents to control mosquitoes, but they cause several problems for the environment as well as public health. Continuous usage of commonly available insecticides develops multiple resistances among pests. In search of alternatives to synthetic pesticides, botanicals could be one of the best alternatives to control mosquitoes. The present study explores the insecticidal activity of Ocimum americanum against Aedes aegypti larvae and their effect on detoxification enzymes. Leaves of O. americanum were sequentially extracted using hexane, chloroform, and methanol. Among these, hexane extract showed 100% larvicidal activity at 1 g/L concentration for 24 h and the LC50 value was 0.3 g/L. The phytochemical screening of hexane extract was performed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, which showed 27 compounds. The major compounds are squalene (13.03%), camphor (9.77%), and 1-Iodohexadecane (8.02%). The toxicity of active hexane extract was tested against third instar larvae of Chironomus costatus (nontarget organism). Results revealed less toxicity (12.2%) at 1 g/L concentration on the nontarget organism. The enzyme activity of acetylcholinesterase and ß-carboxylesterase was significantly inhibited by the hexane extract. The present study reveals the insecticidal potential of O. americanum with minimum effects on nontarget organisms. The O. americanum extract inhibited the activity of A. aegypti's major insecticide-resistant enzymes. O. americanum could be one of the best alternatives to controlling mosquitoes.

Comparative Morpho-micrometric Investigations in Six Indigenous Ocimum Species of India with DOE Based HPTLC Method for Multi-class Component Analysis.

The Ocimum genus is one of India's prominent botanical classes of traditional medicinal culture comprising medicinally and agronomically important plants. Morphological resemblances, overlapping geographical distribution, and history of traditional nomenclature have necessitated a comprehensive qualitative report for effective quality control and removing the species ambiguity pertaining to this genus. This paper provides detailed morpho-micrometric characteristics used to differentiate between six indigenous Ocimum species of India. Among them, O. gratissimum was distinguished as the only shrub with a fleshy petiole. In green and purple forms, O. tenuiflorum leaves had serrate margins and showed no particular anatomical differences except for the anthocyanins containing epidermal cells of the latter. O. basilicum had glabrous leaves except for the veins, which were puberulous. O. filamentosum had tenuous anther filaments and was the least aromatic while O. africanum had a citrusy odour, which along with the number of xylary rows, size of mesophyll cells, and epidermal cell wall architecture, distinguished it from O. americanum. An HPTLC method was developed using experimental design and validated for quantification of multi-class compounds from terpenoic, phenolic acids, and flavonoids in Ocimum leaves. It was found linear (r 2 > 0.99) with recoveries between 95 - 100% for all compounds. The eluted bands of marker compounds were subjected to HPTLC-MS analysis as a confirmative tool. This is the first anatomical and analytical report of O. filamentosum Forssk. The obtained results could be effectively used for species identification using vegetative characters alone with the anatomical-HPTLC data backing up the former as a rapid and economical tool.

Isolation and Identification of Endophytic Bacterial Isolates from the Leaves, Roots, and Stems Parts of Artemisia annua, Moringa oleifera, and Ocimum lamiifolium Plants.

Medicinal plants are known to harbor diverse species of endophytic bacteria which are known for secretion of beneficial secondary metabolites, like enzymes and antimicrobial compounds. The present study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify the endophytic bacteria isolates from Artemisia annua, Moringa oleifera, and Ocimum lamiifolium plants. Certain endophytic bacterial isolates were screened. Phosphate and Zinc solubilization were performed for newly obtained isolates. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed for RPAAI-8 isolate. Data were analyzed. Our study showed that endophytic bacterial isolates were recognized to be Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter asburiae, E. cloacae, E. kobei, E. ludwigii, Enterococcus faecium, and Pseudomonas monteilli. From among these differentiated endophytic bacterial isolates, Enterobacter species are the most frequently obtained isolates. These bacterial isolates were shown 99.77% sequence similarity to Enterobacter ludwigii EN-119T (JTLO01000001) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This isolate was designated as Enterobacter sp. RPAAI-8. This isolate was able to employ selected cheap and cost-effective agro wastes as a carbon source. This cheap agro waste utilization by these Enterobacter species could be the first report. In conclusion, the present isolates are found to be employed for plant growth promotion and solubilizing insoluble phosphate and zinc. Before this time, most of the recent isolates were not identified from these medicinal plants. The ethyl acetate extract of the isolates also showed inhibitory activity against selected test pathogens.

Evaluation of the mosquito larvicidal potential and comparative assessment of the juice of Lantana camara Linn and Ocimum gratissimum Linn.

In the present study, the larvicidal efficacy of the juices of the weeds Lantana camara Linn (L. camara) and Ocimum gratissimum Linn (O. gratissimum) was evaluated against the larvae of the malaria vectors Aedes aegypti, Anopheles subpictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. The freshly prepared juices of leaves were prepared by grinding them and diluting them at concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm. Twenty larvae of each species were introduced in different sterile Petri dishes in aqueous media under a controlled environment for the assessment of biological activity. The larvicidal activity of both juices was evaluated at 6, 12 and 24 h post-exposure time points by observing the movement of each larva. The obtained data were subjected to probit analysis to determine the lethal concentrations that kill 50% and 90% (LC50 and LC90) of the treated larvae. The results revealed a noticeable larvicidal activity following 24 h of exposure. The juice of L. camara leaves exhibited an LC50 range of 47.47-52.06 ppm and an LC90 range of 104.33-106.70 ppm. Moreover, for the juice of O. gratissimum leaves, the LC50 range was 42.94-44.91 ppm and the LC90 range was 105.11-108.66 ppm. Taken together, the results indicate that the juices of L. camara and O. gratissimum leaves may be useful as effective, economical and eco-friendly larvicidal agents. However, additional studies are needed to explore the bioactive components of the weeds that exhibit larvicidal activity along with their mode of action.

Ocimum Sanctum: An All-Round Treatment for Cancer?

Background: This review is a great route for future researchers on the topic of alternative medicine. The review goes in depth with respect to Ocimum sanctum and its proposed mechanism of action for different types of cancers. Primary Study Objective: The primary objective of the study was to bring traditional therapy back, which can prove to be economically beneficial and may be helpful to many patients with cancer with few to no adverse events. Intervention: Ocimum sanctum (OS), commonly known as Holy Basil or tulsi, is a very important medicinal herb in parts of India and Southeast Asia. OS has been found to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce the risk for heart attacks and may also be effective for treating depression and anxiety. It also protects the body from prolonged physical exertion, ischemia, exposure to cold and excessive noise, but its anti-tumorigenic effect remains largely unexplored. A few studies have observed that extracts of OS have inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, anti-stress, and immunomodulatory activities. A few cell culture and animal studies have also shown that some of its phytochemicals like eugenol, rosmarinic acid, apigenin, myretenal, luteolin, ß-sitosterol and carnosic acid prevent chemical-induced skin, liver, oral and lung cancers and mediate these effects by increasing antioxidant activity, altering gene expression, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis. They are also shown to prevent radiation-induced DNA damage. This review details the different chemoprotective and radioprotective properties of OS and also gives an idea for future research.

Chemical and Olfactory Analysis of the Volatile Fraction of Ocimum gratissimum Concrete from Madagascar.

The chemical composition of the volatile fraction of Ocimum gratissimum concrete (romba) from Madagascar has been determined for the first time by GC/MS and GC-FID. A methyl cinnamate chemotype has been determined for this material, along with a set of compounds typical in essential oils and extracts from plants of the Ocimum genus. Variability was mostly observed on terpenes and terpenoids components. GC-O-MS was also used for a sensory evaluation of this material performed by a master perfumer. The chemical composition of this O. gratissimum extract was then compared with literature data to assess subtle differences between chemotypes of the same species and other species of the same genus within natural variability. A mapping illustrates the occurrence of the cinnamate chemotype in Eastern Africa, India and now Madagascar, while other origins generally present eugenol, thymol, camphor, or linalool chemotypes.

Evaluating Water bitter leaf (Struchium sparganophora) and Scent Leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) extracts as sources of nutraceuticals against manganese-induced toxicity in fruit fly model.

Tropical vegetables remain one of the major sources of functional foods and nutraceuticals, while their constituent phytochemicals, especially alkaloids, have been reported to exhibit neuroprotective properties. Here, the protective effect of alkaloid extracts from Scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) and Water bitter leaf (Struchium sparganophora) on manganese (Mn)- induced toxicity in wild type fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) model was investigated. Flies were exposed to 30 mM of Mn, the alkaloid extracts (20 and 200 µg/g) and co-treatment of Mn plus extracts, respectively. The survival rate and locomotor performance of the flies were assessed 7 days post-treatment, after which the flies were homogenized and assayed for activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), monoamine oxidase (MAO), glutathione-S transferase (GST), catalase, superoxide dismutase SOD), as well as total thiol, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neural L-DOPA levels. Results showed that the extract significantly reversed Mn-induced reduction in the survival rate and locomotor performance of the flies. Furthermore, both extracts counteracted the Mn-induced elevation in AChE and MAO activities, as well as reduced antioxidant enzyme activities, with a concomitant mitigation of Mn-induced elevated ROS and neural L-DOPA level. The HPLC characterization of the extracts revealed the presence of N-propylamine, Vernomine and Piperidine as predominant in Water bitter leaf extract, while 2, 6-dimethylpyrazine and sesbanimide were found in scent leaf extract. Therefore, the alkaloid extract of these leaves may thus be sources of useful nutraceuticals for the management of pathological conditions associated with manganese toxicity.

In Vitro and Molecular Docking Evaluation of Larvicidal Effects of Essential Oils of Five Aromatic Plants on the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda JE. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Ivory Coast.

Faced with the serious consequences resulting from the abusive and repeated use of synthetic chemicals, today rethinking crop protection is more than necessary. It is in this context that the essential oils of the Lamiaceae Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum canum, the Poaceae Cymbopogon citratus and nardus and a Rutaceae Citrus sp. of known chemical compositions were experimented. The evaluation of the larvicidal potential of the essential oils was done by the method of topical application of the test solutions, on the L1-L2 stage larvae from the first generation of S. frugiperda obtained after rearing in an air-conditioned room. Lethal concentrations (LC10 , LC50 and LC90 ) were determined after 48 h. After assessing the larvicidal potential of essential oils, molecular docking was carried out to study protein-ligand interactions and their propensity to bind to insect enzyme sites (AChE). The essential oil of O. gratissimum was the most effective with the lowest lethal concentrations (LC10 =0.91 %, LC50 =1.91 % and LC90 =3.92 %). The least toxic oil to larvae was Citrus sp. (LC10 =5.44 %, LC50 =20.50 % and LC90 =77.41 %). Molecular docking revealed that p-cymene and thymol from O. gratissimum essential oil are structurally similar and bind to the AChE active site via predominantly hydrophobic interactions and a H-bond with Tyr374 in the case of thymol. The essential oil of O. gratissimum constitutes a potential candidate for the development of biological insecticides for the fight against insect pests and for the protection of the environment.

A comparison of high- and low-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for herbal product classification: A case study with Ocimum essential oils.

INTRODUCTION: Selection of marker compounds for targeted chemical analysis is complicated when considering varying instrumentation and closely related plant species. High-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), via orbitrap detection, has yet to be evaluated for improved marker compound selection. OBJECTIVE: This study directly compares high- and low-resolution GC-MS for botanical maker compound selection using Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (OT) and Ocimum gratissimum L. (OG) for botanical ingredient authentication. METHODS: The essential oils of OT and OG were collected via hydrodistillation before untargeted chemical analysis with gas chromatography coupled to single-quadrupole (GC-SQ) and orbitrap (GC-Orbitrap) detectors. The Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) software was used for compound annotation, and a manual search was used to find the 41 most common Ocimum essential oil metabolites. RESULTS: The GC-Orbitrap resulted in 1.7-fold more metabolite detection and increased dynamic range compared to the GC-SQ. Spectral matching and manual searching were improved with GC-Orbitrap data. Each instrument had differing known compound concentrations; however, there was an overlap of six compounds with higher abundance in OG than OT and three compounds with a higher abundance in OT than OG, suggesting consistent detection of the most variable compounds. An unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) could not discern the two species with either dataset. CONCLUSION: GC-Orbitrap instrumentation improves compound detection, dynamic range, and feature annotation in essential oil analysis. However, considering both high- and low-resolution data may improve reliable marker compound selection, as GC-Orbitrap analysis alone did not improve unsupervised separation of two Ocimum species compared to GC-SQ data.

Formulation and Evaluation of Quality Parameters of Effervescent Granules from the Potent Antioxidant between Two Variants of the Adaptogenic Herb Ocimum tenuiflorum L.

Ocimum tenuiflorum L. is found throughout semitropical and tropical parts of Southeast Asia. In Nepal, O. tenuiflorum L. is popular with two variants: Krishna Tulsi consisting of purple-colored leaves and Sri Tulsi consisting of green-colored leaves. O. tenuiflorum L. is considered the queen of herbs and is a traditionally and clinically proven medicinal herb for its application and efficacy. However, no commercial pharmaceutical preparations of O. tenuiflorum L. are available using effervescent vehicles. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the antioxidant activity of leaves from the two varieties of O. tenuiflorum L. and formulate and evaluate the quality parameters of effervescent granules of the potent extract. The antioxidant activity of O. tenuiflorum L. ethanolic extracts was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay at 1, 10, and 100 µg/mL concentrations, where ascorbic acid was used as the positive control. The antioxidant activity of purple-leafed O. tenuiflorum L. was found to be higher than that of green-leafed O. tenuiflorum L. Therefore, effervescent granules of the ethanolic extract of purple-leafed O. tenuiflorum L. were formulated using the pharmaceutical excipients tartaric acid, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate and the quality parameters of the granules were evaluated. The formulated granules met the quality parameters assessed from the angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Carr's Index, Hausner's ratio, effervescent cessation time, and stability studies. Thus, the formulated effervescent granules of O. tenuiflorum L. can be used for therapeutic purposes or as a functional food.

Antimicrobial Effect of Ocimum gratissimum L. Essential Oil on Shewanella putrefaciens: Insights Based on the Cell Membrane and External Structure.

The main objective of this study was to assess the in vitro antibacterial effectiveness of Ocimum gratissimum L. essential oil (OGEO) against Shewanella putrefaciens. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of OGEO acting on S. putrefaciens were both 0.1% and OGEO could inhibit the growth of S. putrefaciens in a dose-dependent manner. The restraint of the biofilm growth of S. putrefaciens was found in the crystal violet attachment assay and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The disruption of cell membranes and exudation of contents in S. putrefaciens with OGEO treatment were observed by scanning electron microscopy, hemolysis and ATPase activity. The results demonstrated that OGEO had a positive inhibitory effect on the growth of S. putrefaciens, which primarily developed its antibacterial function against S. putrefaciens by disrupting the formation of biofilms and cell membranes. This study could provide a new method of inhibiting the spoilage of food in which the dominant spoilage bacteria are S. putrefaciens.

Characteristic features and comparative analysis of essential oil composition of selected genus of Ocimum sanctum L. through GC-MS.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this research is to provide literature on the Ocimum plant, and to know the significance of the Ocimum species carried out by pharmacognostic study and experimental design for GC-MS. Ocimum genus are very important for their therapeutic potential among the most important aromatic herbs. METHODS: Extreme attention has been put on literature reports in which the utilization of tulsi and their pharmacognostic study has been done by performing morphological and microscopic leaf experimental design and by using essential oil through the GC-MS instrumentation method. RESULTS: The utilization of these characteristics would be important for the drug discovery scientist to develop a specific formulation of the crude drug, which will be a magical therapeutic agent in the future, with many advantages. GC-MS chromatogram of Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum canum, and Ocimum gratissimum oil showed major peaks and has been identified after comparison of the mass spectra with the NIST library, indicating the presence of three phytocomponents. From the results, the GC-MS study suggested that anethole which is well reported antimicrobial compound is more in O. canum (2.66%) in comparison to O. sanctum (1,28%) but absent in O. gratissimum. The results indicated that the antimicrobial activity is more in O. canum due to the presence ofa high amount of anethole in comparison to O. gratissimum and O. sanctum. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The result revealed that O. canum has a microscopic character that can be identified by the characteristic GC MS analysis of extracts to distinguish between different species of the ocimum plant.

Antifungal and physicochemical properties of Ocimum essential oil loaded in poly(lactic acid) nanofibers.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibres containing different proportions of the essential oils from Ocimum basilicum L. and Ocimum gratissimum L. were prepared by solution blow spinning method. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation and characterized by gas chromatography. MEV, contact angle, DSC and FTIR were used to characterize the nanofibres. The effect of bioative nanofibres on the growth of the fungus and on the production of ochratoxin A were evaluated using the fumigation test. Linalool, 1·8-cineole and camphor were the principal components of the essential oil from O. basilicum, and eugenol was the principal constituent in the oil from O. gratissimum. An increase in the average diameter of the nanofibres was observed with the addition of the essential oils. The essential oils acted as a plasticizer, resulting in a reduction in the crystallinity of the PLA. The encapsulation of essential oils in PLA nanofibres was verified by FTIR. An effective antifungal and antimicotoxygenic activity against Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus westerdjikiae was observed for the bioative nanofibres. These results confirm the potential of PLA nanofibres containing the essential oils for the control of toxigenic fungi that cause the deterioration of food and are harmful to human health.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Activities of Fermented Ocimum sanctum Linn. Extracts against Skin and Scalp Microorganisms.

This study aimed to revealed anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of fermented Ocimum sanctum Linn. (FE). The fermentation process with Lactobacillus plantarum was compared with the solvent extraction methods. Antimicrobial activity against the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Propionibacterium acnes, Candida albicans, and Malassezia furfur was investigated via broth dilution method. High performance thin layer chromatography was used to determine eugenol content. The anti-inflammation was investigated by means of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) expression inhibition by Western blot analysis. FE yielded the highest amount (11.93 % w/w), the highest eugenol content (39.3±12.6 % w/w), and the highest antimicrobial activities comparing to the extracts obtained from the solvent extractions. The fungal inhibition against M. furfur 656 was equivalent to that of ketoconazole. Furthermore, the bacterial inhibition on S. aureus and S. epidermidis was compared to that of Penicillin G at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.125 mg/mL and 0.25 mg/mL, respectively. Interestingly, FE had lower MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration against P. acnes than Penicillin G and also possessed comparable anti-inflammatory activity to indomethacin with the NF-κB suppression of 42.7±4.6 %. Therefore, FE are potentially natural anti-inflammation and antimicrobial agents for topical applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Application of Essential Oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus as Bioinsecticides for the Management of Two Major Biting-Sucking Insects (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius and Jacobiella fascialis Jacobi) and the Improvement of Seed and Fiber Quality of Cotton Plants in Ivory Coast.

In recent years, in all cotton production areas in Ivory Coast, whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and jassid (Jacobiella facialis), two biting sucker insects were causing depreciation of quality of the cottonseed and fiber obtained at harvest. However, the excessive use of synthetic chemical insecticides against these pests presents a danger for the sustainability of the production system. This study aims to evaluate the insecticidal efficacy of essential oils of Ocimum gratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus on B. tabaci and J. fascialis and on the technological parameters of the cottonseed and fiber. A field experiment was conducted in which essential oils of O. gratissimum and C. citratus were applied to cotton plants every two weeks from day 45 to 115 after emergence using a backpack sprayer. The effects of these extracts were compared to those of a synthetic chemical insecticide composed of acetamiprid and alphacypermethrin known under the trade name IBIS A 52 EC (positive control). After 160 days of cultivation where entomological data were collected, the seed cotton samples were harvested, ginned and submitted for analysis. O. gratissimum essential oil at concentrations of 1 and 5 % gave to the cotton plants better protection against whiteflies and jassids. In addition to the synthetic chemical, these cotton plants received a better proportion of healthy cottonseed, fat and a fiber with very good reflectivity. The essential oil of O. gratissimum could therefore be integrated into the phytosanitary protection programs of the cotton plant.

Can Crude Oil Exploration Influence the Phytochemicals and Bioactivity of Medicinal Plants? A Case of Nigerian Vernonia amygdalina and Ocimum gratissimum.

The Nigerian Niger-Delta crude oil exploration often results in spills that affect indigenous medicinal plant biodiversity, likely changing the phytochemical profile of surviving species, their bioactivity or toxicity. In crude oil-rich Kokori and crude oil-free Abraka, classic examples of indigenous plants occupying the medicine-food interface include Vernonia amygdalina (VAL) and Ocimum gratissimum leaves (OGL). These plants are frequently utilised during pregnancy and in anaemia. To date, no scientific investigation has been reported on the potential changes to the phytochemical or bioactivity of the study plants. To discuss the similarities and dissimilarities in antisickling bioactivity and phytochemicals in VAL and OGL collected from Kokori (VAL-KK and OGL-KK) and Abraka (VAL-AB and OGL-AB), in silico, in vitro and comparative UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis was performed. Nine unique compounds were identified in OGL-KK, which have never been reported in the literature, while differences in antisickling potentials were observed in VAL-KK, OGL-KK and, VAL-AB, OGL-AB. Our findings show that VAL-AB and OGL-AB are richer and more diverse in phytochemicals and displayed a slightly higher antisickling activity than VAL-KK and OGL-KK. Ligand-based pharmacophore modelling was performed to understand the potential compounds better; this study may provide a basis for explaining the effect of crude oil spills on secondary metabolites and a reference for further research.

Essential Oil Composition and Stable Isotope Profile of Cultivated Ocimum campechianum Mill. (Lamiaceae) from Peru.

Ocimum campechianum Mill. (Peruvian basil) is an essential oil-bearing plant of the Lamiaceae family. Volatile oil produced through steam distillation of Peruvian basil was examined to establish the aromatic and stable isotope profiles of samples (n = 9) from three different cultivated plots in Peru. The resulting essential oils were analyzed by GC/FID, GC/MS, and GC/IRMS. In accordance with findings from other researchers, multiple chemotypes, defined by the most abundant aromatic compounds, exist within these populations. Overall, 55% of samples are the eugenol chemotype (values ranging 15.4-30.2%), 33% are the methyl eugenol chemotype (values ranging 68.1-68.7%), and a single sample is a mixture of both chemotypes, containing high levels of both eugenol (38.1%) and methyl eugenol (8.6%). Stable isotope ratios, δ2H and δ13C, performed on prominent compounds provide supporting data for distinguishing chemotypes. Complete aromatic profiles, stable isotope ratios, and essential oil yield are established for each sample. This study confirms the existence of multiple chemotypes and, for the first time, to the author's best knowledge, establishes stable isotope ratios for O. campechianum essential oil, which proves a useful tool in further investigating plant metabolism and determining essential oil authenticity.