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.

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.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the threatened resource plant Cinnamomum chago.

Cinnamomum chago is a tree species endemic to Yunnan province, China, with potential economic value, phylogenetic importance, and conservation priority. We assembled the genome of C. chago using multiple sequencing technologies, resulting in a high-quality, chromosomal-level genome with annotation information. The assembled genome size is approximately 1.06 Gb, with a contig N50 length of 92.10 Mb. About 99.92% of the assembled sequences could be anchored to 12 pseudo-chromosomes, with only one gap, and 63.73% of the assembled genome consists of repeat sequences. In total, 30,497 genes were recognized according to annotation, including 28,681 protein-coding genes. This high-quality chromosome-level assembly and annotation of C. chago will assist us in the conservation and utilization of this valuable resource, while also providing crucial data for studying the evolutionary relationships within the Cinnamomum genus, offering opportunities for further research and exploration of its diverse applications.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Biodegradable PBAT/PLA blend films incorporated with turmeric and cinnamomum powder: A potential alternative for active food packaging.

Active packaging made from biodegradable polymers and natural additives appears as an ecological alternative. In addition to having antioxidant activity and enhancing food preservation, it allows mitigating the negative impacts caused by improper disposal. This study pursued to produce biodegradable films based on a polymer blend PBAT/PLA (Ecovio®) using the flat extrusion method. The films were prepared with the incorporation of 5 wt% of powdered turmeric or cinnamon as natural additives. The films obtained, and those reprocessed twice, were characterized in terms of colorimetric, UV light transmittance, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, morphology, mechanical properties, and antioxidant activity. Cinnamon reduced the UV light transmittance and made a surface more hydrophobic. Reprocessing led to greater elongation and maximum load, associated with increased dispersion and distribution, as evidenced in the morphological analysis. The films developed have significant potential for applications in active food packaging, with emphasis on cinnamon-additivated films.

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.

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.

Chloroplast genome, nuclear ITS regions, mitogenome regions, and Skmer analysis resolved the genetic relationship among Cinnamomum species in Sri Lanka.

Cinnamomum species have gained worldwide attention because of their economic benefits. Among them, C. verum (synonymous with C. zeylanicum Blume), commonly known as Ceylon Cinnamon or True Cinnamon is mainly produced in Sri Lanka. In addition, Sri Lanka is home to seven endemic wild cinnamon species, C. capparu-coronde, C. citriodorum, C. dubium, C. litseifolium, C. ovalifolium, C. rivulorum and C. sinharajaense. Proper identification and genetic characterization are fundamental for the conservation and commercialization of these species. While some species can be identified based on distinct morphological or chemical traits, others cannot be identified easily morphologically or chemically. The DNA barcoding using rbcL, matK, and trnH-psbA regions could not also resolve the identification of Cinnamomum species in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we generated Illumina Hiseq data of about 20x coverage for each identified species and a C. verum sample (India) and assembled the chloroplast genome, nuclear ITS regions, and several mitochondrial genes, and conducted Skmer analysis. Chloroplast genomes of all eight species were assembled using a seed-based method.According to the Bayesian phylogenomic tree constructed with the complete chloroplast genomes, the C. verum (Sri Lanka) is sister to previously sequenced C. verum (NC_035236.1, KY635878.1), C. dubium and C. rivulorum. The C. verum sample from India is sister to C. litseifolium and C. ovalifolium. According to the ITS regions studied, C. verum (Sri Lanka) is sister to C. verum (NC_035236.1), C. dubium and C. rivulorum. Cinnamomum verum (India) shares an identical ITS region with C. ovalifolium, C. litseifolium, C. citriodorum, and C. capparu-coronde. According to the Skmer analysis C. verum (Sri Lanka) is sister to C. dubium and C. rivulorum, whereas C. verum (India) is sister to C. ovalifolium, and C. litseifolium. The chloroplast gene ycf1 was identified as a chloroplast barcode for the identification of Cinnamomum species. We identified an 18 bp indel region in the ycf1 gene, that could differentiate C. verum (India) and C. verum (Sri Lanka) samples tested.

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.

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.

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.

Cinnamigones A-C, three highly oxidized guaiane-type sesquiterpenes with neuroprotective activity from Cinnamomum migao.

Cinnamigones A-C, three undescribed highly oxidized guaiane-type sesquiterpenes were isolated from the fruits of Cinnamomum migao. Cinnamigone A (1), structurally artemisinin-like, is a natural 1,2,4-trioxane caged endoperoxide with an unprecedented tetracyclic 6/6/7/5 ring system. Compounds 2-3 are classic guaiane sesquiterpene featuring different epoxy units. Guaiol (4) is considered to be the precursor of 1-3 in the biosynthesis pathway hypothesis. The planar structures and configurations of cinnamigones A-C were elucidated by spectral analysis, HRESIMS, X-ray crystallography and ECD calculations. Evaluation of the neuroprotective activity of 1-3 on N-methyl-ᴅaspartate (NMDA) toxicity was demonstrated that compounds 1-2 exhibited moderate neuroprotective activity against NMDA-induced neurotoxicity.

Characterization of Cinnamomum kanehirae Extract-Stimulated Triterpenoids Synthesis in Submerged Fermentation of Antrodia camphorata via Untargeted Metabolomics.

The underlying mechanisms of Cinnamomum kanehirae-stimulated growth and metabolism of Antrodia camphorata remain unknown. Herein, we first observed that the methanol extract of C. kanehirae trunk (MECK) (2 g/L) showed a potent stimulatory effect on A. camphorata triterpenoids production (115.6 mg/L). Second, MECK treatment considerably increased the category and abundance of many secondary metabolites in the mycelia. We identified 93 terpenoids (8 newly formed and 49 upregulated) in the MECK-treated mycelia, wherein 21 terpenoids were the same as those in the fruiting bodies. Third, 42 out of the 93 terpenoids were annotated in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, mainly involving monoterpenoids and diterpenoids syntheses. Finally, 27 monoterpenes and 16 sesquiterpenes were detected in the MECK, and the two terpenoids with the highest abundance (linalool and α-pinene) were selected for verification and found to considerably increase the terpenoids production of A. camphorata and demonstrate the regulation of mRNA expression levels of nine key genes in the mevalonate pathway via RT-qPCR. This study is beneficial for elucidating the terpenoids synthesis mechanism in A. camphorata.

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.

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.

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.