Chemical compositions, yield and antioxidant activity of the essential oil of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.) under intercropping with fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.).

The effect of intercropping of hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.) from Lamiaceae with a medicinal legume, that is, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) on the hyssop essential oil was investigated. The highest herbage and essential oil yields of hyssop were produced from sole cropping and also intercropped hyssop with fenugreek (3:1 ratio); however, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained from the intercropped hyssop with fenugreek (1:3 ratio). The highest contents of the major constituents in the hyssop essential oil such as cis- and trans-pinocamphone and ß-pinene were obtained from sole cropped of hyssop and the intercropping of hyssop with fenugreek (3:1 ratio). In conclusion, the intercropping of hyssop with fenugreek can increase biodiversity and efficiency of using resources. Therefore, this strategy could be considered in order to recommend in simultaneous production of secondary metabolites in the herbs like hyssop in an agricultural land.

Chemical composition of essential oils from the underground parts of Glycyrrhiza echinata L. accessions growing wild in Northern Iran.

Glycyrrhiza echinata L. is a perennial plant of considerable commercial importance in medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and tobacco industries and the production of food additives as flavoring and sweetening agent. This study, variation on composition and yield of essential oil from the underground parts of five accessions of G. echinata growing wild in northern Iran was investigated. Results showed high variability for the main constituents of essential oil among accessions of G. echinata. The presence of α-pinene and myrcene in two accessions suggests that these volatiles could serve as chemotaxonomic markers and also might be considered as potentially relevant for taste. The presence of ß-caryophyllene and α- caryophyllene in three accessions could be strong potential for being used in medical applications (anticancer and analgesic properties). Generally, the essential oils from G. echinata and other species could be very competitive targets for phytochemical and food studies.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oils from Ferulago angulata.

CONTEXT: Ferulago angulata Boiss. (Apiaceae), a perennial aromatic herb, grows wild in Iran. The aerial parts of F. angulata are used as a flavouring in foods, especially dairy foods by indigenous people in western and southwestern Iran. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates variation in chemical compositions, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the essential oils from F. angulata collected from natural habitats in the alpine regions of southwestern Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antimicrobial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal (MBC) of the essential oils were evaluated against four bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium). Antioxidant activity of the oils was determined by DPPH assay. RESULTS: The essential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS, which 49 volatile components were identified. There were significant differences between the various populations for oil yield and some main compounds. The major constituents of the essential oils from F. angulata were α-pinene, and cis-ß-ocimene. The MICs of the essential oils were within concentration ranges from 62 to 250 µg/mL and the respective MBCs were 125 to > 500 µg/mL. Generally, the oils from F. angulata indicated weak to moderate inhibitory activities against bacteria, especially against Listeria monocytogenes. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained from the oil of the Kallar population (IC50 value = 488 µg/mL) and BHT as positive control (IC50 value = 321 µg/mL). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The essential oil of F. angulata could be serving as a potential source of α-pinene and cis-ß-ocimene for use in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of some medicinal and aromatic plants used as herbal teas and condiments in Iran.

Total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of four Iranian herbs (Lamiaceae) were investigated. The antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of thyme (Thymus daenensis Celak.), Bakhtiari savory (Satureja bachtiarica Bung.), dragonhead (Dracocephalum multicaule Montbr & Auch), and woundwort (Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl.) was evaluated by measuring 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). A comparison of all plant extracts in the DPPH assay indicated that dragonhead and thyme were the most effective free radical scavenging agents. Thyme demonstrated a relatively strong antioxidant activity in both the FRAP and TEAC assays. The total phenolic content of all the extracts ranged from 99 to 208 mg TAE/g extract with thyme exhibiting the highest phenolic content. The flavonoid content of the extracts, which ranged from 10.1 to 22.2 rutin equivalents/g of extract, was highest in dragonhead. A positive correlation was noted between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in both the FRAP and TEAC assays, while no significant correlation was observed between the DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP assay and total flavonoid, suggesting that the level of antioxidant activity in these plants varies greatly, but the total phenolic in the plant extracts provided a substantial antioxidant activity. Experimental results indicate that thyme and dragonhead extracts could be an important dietary source of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity.

A review (research and patents) on jasmonic acid and its derivatives.

In medicinal chemistry there is a growing interest in using small molecules, including plant stress hormones. Jasmonic acid (JA) and its volatile methyl ester (MJ), collectively termed jasmonates, are lipid-derived cyclopentanone compounds that occur ubiquitously and exclusively in the plant kingdom. This review covers the synthesis, usage, and biological activities of JA and its derivatives. A brief overview of the available information on JA and its features is given, followed by a detailed review of JA and its derivatives as drugs and prodrugs; the properties in plants and the synthesis in recent patents are described. This review shows the direction of long-term drug/nutraceutical safety trials and provides insights for future research in this area. Research on JA continues to be of major interest. Recent innovations offer hope for the development of new therapeutics in related fields. It is anticipated that several analogs can be advanced to preclinical and clinical studies.

Effects of drying methods on qualitative and quantitative properties of essential oil of two basil landraces.

Sweet basil, a plant that is extensively cultivated in some countries, is used to enhance the flavour of salads, sauces, pasta and confectioneries as both a fresh and dried herb. To determine the effect of drying methods on qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the plant and essential oil of basil, two landraces, Purple and Green, were dried in sunlight, shade, mechanical ovens at 40 °C and 60 °C, a microwave oven at 500 W and by freeze-drying. For comparison, the essential oils of all samples were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC and GC-MS. The highest essential oil yields (v/w on dry weight basis) were obtained from shade-dried tissue in both landraces followed by the freeze-dried sample of the purple landrace and the fresh sample of green landrace. Increasing the drying temperature significantly decreased the essential oil content of all samples. Significant changes in the chemical profile of the essential oils from each of the landrace were associated with the drying method, including the loss of most monoterpene hydrocarbons, as compared with fresh samples. No significant differences occurred among several constituents in the extracted essential oils, including methyl chavicol (estragole), the major compound in the oil of both landraces, whether the plants were dried in the shade or sun, oven at 40 °C or freeze-dried, as compared with a fresh sample. The percentage methyl chavicol in the oil, however, decreased significantly when the plant material was dried in the oven at 60 °C or microwaved. In addition, linalool, the second major compound in the purple landrace, and geranial and neral, major compounds in the green landrace, decreased significantly when the plant tissue was dried in the oven at 60 °C or microwaved.