Lactational performance, enteric methane emission, and nutrient utilization of dairy cows supplemented with botanicals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate lactational performance, enteric gas emissions, ruminal fermentation, nutrient use efficiency, milk fatty acid profile, and energy and inflammatory markers in blood of peak-lactation dairy cows fed diets supplemented with Capsicum oleoresin or a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil. A 10-wk randomized complete block design experiment was conducted with 18 primiparous and 30 multiparous Holstein cows. Cows were blocked based on parity, days in milk, and milk yield (MY), and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (16 cows/treatment): (1) basal diet (CON); (2) basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/cow per day of Capsicum oleoresin (CAP); and (3) basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/cow per day of a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil (CAPCO). Premixes containing ground corn (CON), CAP, or CAPCO were mixed daily with the basal diet at 0.8% of dry matter intake (DMI). Supplementation of the diet with CAP or CAPCO did not affect DMI, MY, milk components, and feed efficiency of the cows. Body weight (BW) was increased during the last 2 wk of the experiment by CAP and CAPCO, compared with CON. The botanicals improved BW gain (0.85 and 0.66 kg/d for CAP and CAPCO, respectively, compared with -0.01 kg/d for CON) and CAP enhanced the efficiency of energy utilization, compared with CON (94.5% vs. 78.4%, respectively). Daily CH4 emission was not affected by treatments, but CH4 emission yield (per kg of DMI) and intensity (per kg of MY) were decreased by up to 11% by CAPCO supplementation, compared with CON and CAP. A treatment × parity interaction indicated that the CH4 mitigation effect was pronounced in primiparous but not in multiparous cows. Ruminal molar proportion of propionate was decreased by botanicals, compared with CON. Concentrations of trans-10 C18:1 and total trans fatty acids in milk fat were decreased by CAP and tended to be decreased by CAPCO, compared with CON. Total-tract apparent digestibility of nutrients was not affected by treatments, except for a tendency for decreased starch digestibility in cows supplemented with botanicals. Blood concentrations of ß-hydroxybutyrate, total fatty acids, and insulin were not affected by botanicals. Blood haptoglobin concentration was increased by CAP in multiparous but not in primiparous cows. Lactational performance of peak-lactation dairy cows was not affected by the botanicals in this study, but they appeared to improve efficiency of energy utilization and partitioned energy toward BW gain. In addition, CH4 yield and intensity were decreased in primiparous cows fed CAPCO, suggesting a potential positive environmental effect of the combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove oil supplementation.

EVALUATION OF PLASMA CORTISOL AND LACTATE IN KOI (CYPRINUS CARPIO) EUTHANIZED BY IMMERSION IN TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE, CLOVE OIL, OR CARBON DIOXIDE GAS DISSOLVED IN WATER.

Little research has taken place on the effect of euthanasia methods on biophysical and biochemical changes at the time of euthanasia in fish. These changes are used in multiple species to determine stress levels before death. Koi (Cyprinus carpio) are an important fish species often used in laboratory research, kept in backyard ponds, and managed in zoological and aquarium collections. The current study evaluated euthanasia of koi by immersion in 0.5 g/L tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) (n = 10), 0.5 g/L clove oil (n = 8), 1 g/L clove oil (n = 10), and CO2 (n = 7) on time to cessation of opercular movement, plasma lactate levels, and plasma cortisol levels. CO2 had the longest mean time to cessation of opercular movement, and MS-222 had the shortest (mean CO2: 24.9 min, range 13.18-31.35 min; MS-222: 2.68 min, range 1.33-4.5 min). The difference was not significant between any of the groups for plasma cortisol or lactate levels. MS-222 demonstrated the highest cortisol levels, and CO2 had the lowest (mean CO2: 108.7 ng/ml, range 33.9-195.8 ng/ml; MS-222: 650.6 ng/ml, range 77.3-2374.9 ng/ml). Average lactate levels were highest for 1 g/L clove oil and lowest for 0.5 g/L clove oil (mean 0.5 g/L clove oil: 5.1 mmol/L, range 1.8-8.1 mmol/L; 1 g/L clove oil: 7.4 mmol/L, range 5.6-10.5 mmol/L).

Development of clove oil based nanoencapsulated biopesticide employing mesoporous nanosilica synthesized from paddy straw via bioinspired sol-gel route.

Paddy straw (PS) burning is a concerning issue in South Asian countries, clamoring for exploring alternative management strategies. Being a rich source of silica, PS can be a potential nanosilica (SiNPs) source. The current study reports a pioneering approach for green synthesis of high-purity mesoporous SiNPs by sol-gel method using the aqueous extract of Sapindus mukorossi seed pericarp as a stabilizer. The mesoporous nature of SiNPs was harnessed as a carrier for the essential oil to develop the carrier-based formulation. SiNPs were characterized using XRD, EDX, FTIR, FE-SEM, TEM, AFM, DLS, water contact angle, and BET analysis. The synthesized SiNPs possessed a spheroid morphology with an average particle size of 20.34 ± 2.64 nm. XRD results confirmed its amorphous nature. The mesoporous nature of SiNPs was confirmed using BET analysis which showed a cumulative pore volume of 2.059 cm3/g and a high surface area of 746.32 m2/g. The SiNPs were further loaded with clove essential oil (CEO), and the encapsulation of CEO was assessed using UV-Vis, FTIR, and BET analysis. The in-vitro antifungal activity of CEO and CEO-loaded SiNPs (CEO-SiNPs) was evaluated using the agar plate assay. UV-Vis results depicted 62.64% encapsulation of CEO in SiNPs. The antifungal efficacy of CEO-SiNPs against F. oxysporum exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), i.e., 125 mg/L, while the MIC of CEO was found to be 250 mg/L. The study delivers new insights into the holistic utilization of PS and propitious contribution toward the circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Therapeutic Potential of Clove Essential Oil in Diabetes: Modulation of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators, Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Enzyme Activities.

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by insulin deficiency due to the destruction of pancreatic ß cells, leading to hyperglycemia, which in turn induces vascular complications. In the current study, we investigated the effect of intraperitoneal administration of clove essential oil (CEO: 20 mg/kg body weight) on certain oxidative stress and glucose metabolism enzymes, as well as the expression of proinflammatory mediators. Administration of CEO to diabetic rats showed a significant decline in blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, and xanthine oxidase, compared to the streptozotocin group. Furthermore, these treated rats elicited a notable attenuation in the levels of lipid peroxides, and thiols groups in both liver and brain tissues. The activities of antioxidant and metabolic enzymes were reverted to normality in diabetic upon CEO administration. In addition to its protective effects on red blood cell hemolysis, CEO is a potent α-amylase inhibitor with an IC50 =298.0±2.75 µg/mL. Also, treatment of diabetic rats with CEO significantly reduced the iNOS expression in the spleen. Our data showed that CEO has potential beneficial effects on diabetes, which can possibly prevent the pathogenesis of diabetic micro- and macrovascular complications.

Antibacterial, Antibiofilm and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Eugenol Clove Essential Oil against Resistant Helicobacter pylori.

Eugenol essential oil (EEO) is the major component in aromatic extracts of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) and has several biological properties, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as controlling vomiting, coughing, nausea, flatulence, diarrhea, dyspepsia, stomach distension, and gastrointestinal spasm pain. It also stimulates the nerves. Therefore, the aim of this study was to extract and purify EEO from clove buds and assess its ability to combat resistant Helicobacter pylori. Additionally, EEO's anti-inflammatory activity and its ability to suppress H. pylori biofilm formation, which is responsible for antibiotic resistance, was also investigated. Syzygium aromaticum buds were purchased from a local market, ground, and the EEO was extracted by using hydro-distillation and then purified and chemically characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A disk-diffusion assay showed that Helicobacter pylori is sensitive to EEO, with an inhibition zone ranging from 10 ± 06 to 22 ± 04 mm. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of EEO ranged from 23.0 to 51.0 µg/mL against both Helicobacter pylori clinical isolates and standard strains. In addition, EEO showed antibiofilm activity at 25 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL against various Helicobacter pylori strains, with suppression percentages of 49.32% and 73.21%, respectively. The results obtained from the anti-inflammatory assay revealed that EEO possesses strong anti-inflammatory activity, with human erythrocyte hemolysis inhibition percentages of 53.04, 58.74, 61.07, and 63.64% at concentrations of 4, 8, 16, and 32 µg/L, respectively. GC-MS analysis revealed that EEO is a major component of Syzygium aromaticum when extracted with a hydro-distillation technique, which was confirmed by its purification using a chemical separation process. EEO exhibited antibacterial action against resistant Helicobacter pylori strains, as well as antibiofilm and anti-inflammatory activities, and is a promising natural alternative in clinical therapy.

In Vitro Antiviral Potential, Antioxidant, and Chemical Composition of Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Essential Oil.

Viral infections are spread all around the world. Although there are available therapies, their safety and effectiveness are constrained by their adverse effects and drug resistance. Therefore, new natural antivirals have been used such as essential oils, which are natural products with promising biological activity. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the components of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil (EOCa) and verify its antioxidant and antiviral activity. The oil was analyzed using GC/MS, and the antioxidant capacity was evaluated as a function of the radical scavenging activity. A plaque reduction test was used to measure the antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and an adenovirus. GC/MS analysis confirmed the presence of eugenol as the main component (76.78%). Moreover, EOCa had powerful antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 50 µg/mL. The highest antiviral potential was found against HAV, with a selectivity index (SI) of 14.46, while showing poor selectivity toward HSV-1 with an SI value of 1.44. However, no relevant effect was detected against the adenovirus. The antiviral activity against HAV revealed that its effect was not related to host cytotoxicity. The findings imply that EOCa can be utilized to treat diseases caused by infections and free radicals.

Itraconazole-loaded microemulsions: formulation, characterization, and dermal delivery using shed snakeskin as the model membrane.

Microemulsions (MEs) were developed for dermal delivery of 1% w/w itraconazole (ITZ). Solubility of ITZ in various oils was investigated and clove oil was selected as oil phase. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed by titration method. The system containing clove oil as oil phase, Tween®80 as surfactant, and 1:1 mixture of water and polyethylene glycol 400 as aqueous phase provided the largest ME region. It was selected for the formulation development of ITZ-loaded MEs. Physicochemical stability was evaluated at 4 °C, room temperature (25 °C), and 45 °C for three months. In vitro permeation and retention studies were assessed using shed snakeskin as a model membrane. Antifungal activity was investigated by agar diffusion method. Results indicated that incorporation of ITZ in the selected MEs did not affect physical properties. Physicochemical data after storage periods revealed that the most suitable storage temperature was 4 °C. Skin permeation and retention data indicated that water-in-oil (w/o) ITZ-loaded MEs had superior dermal delivery of ITZ than oil-in-water (o/w) ITZ-loaded ME and ITZ-oily solution. Moreover, w/o ITZ-loaded MEs showed larger inhibition zones against C. albicans and T. rubrum than a commercial gel. Therefore, w/o ITZ-loaded MEs possibly provided effective dermal delivery and antifungal activity to treat superficial fungal infections.

Oral microbiota associated with gingiva of healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis cases.

Oral microbes coexist with each other in a symbiotic relationship or as commensals in healthy body. Teeth and oral cavity harbor diverse community of fungi and bacteria. This study focused on bacterial and fungal component of gingiva, where the last occupy little attention. In addition to study the antimicrobial activity of toothpastes, mouth washes and natural oils against microorganisms. Sixty swabs from outer surfaces of gingiva in healthy persons, as well as patients complaining of gingivitis and periodontitis were collected for fungal and bacterial analyses. Sensitivity of the isolated microorganisms to some pharmaceutical preparations and natural oils was also performed. Ten fungal and 9 bacterial species were identified. There is a highly significant variation in the frequency of Klebsiella pneumonia among healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis. Also, Candida tropicalis and cocci bacteria showed significant diversity among the three tested groups. Among pharmaceutical preparations (toothpastes and mouth washes) and natural oils, Paradontax, Hexitol and clove oil showed the best antimicrobial activity against tested fungal and bacterial strains. Although, minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of clove oil were high compared to Paradontax and Hexitol, nevertheless, it is highly recommended as both antifungal and antibacterial agent against oral pathogenic microorganisms, because it is a natural compound and nearly devoid of side effects.

Nano-Size Characterization and Antifungal Evaluation of Essential Oil Molecules-Loaded Nanoliposomes.

Nanoliposomes, bilayer vesicles at the nanoscale, are becoming popular because of their safety, patient compliance, high entrapment efficiency, and prompt action. Several notable biological activities of natural essential oils (EOs), including fungal inhibition, are of supreme interest. As developed, multi-compositional nanoliposomes loaded with various concentrations of clove essential oil (CEO) and tea tree oil (TTO) were thoroughly characterized to gain insight into their nano-size distribution. The present work also aimed to reconnoiter the sustainable synthesis conditions to estimate the efficacy of EOs in bulk and EO-loaded nanoliposomes with multi-functional entities. Following a detailed nano-size characterization of in-house fabricated EO-loaded nanoliposomes, the antifungal efficacy was tested by executing the mycelial growth inhibition (MGI) test using Trichophyton rubrum fungi as a test model. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) profile of as-fabricated EO-loaded nanoliposomes revealed the mean size, polydispersity index (PdI), and zeta potential values as 37.12 ± 1.23 nm, 0.377 ± 0.007, and -36.94 ± 0.36 mV, respectively. The sphere-shaped morphology of CEO and TTO-loaded nanoliposomes was confirmed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The existence of characteristic functional bands in all tested counterparts was demonstrated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Compared to TTO-loaded nanoliposomes, the CEO-loaded nanoliposomes exhibited a maximum entrapment efficacy of 91.57 ± 2.5%. The CEO-loaded nanoliposome fraction, prepared using 1.5 µL/mL concentration, showed the highest MGI of 98.4 ± 0.87% tested against T. rubrum strains compared to the rest of the formulations.

Clove Essential Oil and Its Main Constituent, Eugenol, as Potential Natural Antifungals against Candida spp. Alone or in Combination with Other Antimycotics Due to Synergistic Interactions.

The occurrence of candidiasis, including superficial infections, has recently increased dramatically, especially in immunocompromised patients. Their treatment is often ineffective due to the resistance of yeasts to antimycotics. Therefore, there is a need to search for new antifungals. The aim of this study was to determine the antifungal effect of clove essential oil (CEO) and eugenol (EUG) towards both reference and clinical Candida spp. strains isolated from the oral cavity of patients with hematological malignancies, and to investigate their mode of action and the interactions in combination with the selected antimycotics. These studies were performed using the broth microdilution method, tests with sorbitol and ergosterol, and a checkerboard technique, respectively. The CEO and EUG showed activity against all Candida strains with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) in the range of 0.25-2 mg/mL. It was also found that both natural products bind to ergosterol in the yeast cell membrane. Moreover, the interactions between CEO and EUG with several antimycotics-cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, silver nitrate and triclosan-showed synergistic or additive effects in combination, except nystatin. This study confirms that the studied compounds appear to be a very promising group of phytopharmaceuticals used topically in the treatment of superficial candidiasis. However, this requires further studies in vivo.

Antibacterial Activity of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove) Bud Oil and Its Interaction with Imipenem in Controlling Wound Infections in Rats Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the leading causes of infection worldwide. Clove oil's ability to inhibit the growth of MRSA was studied through in vitro and in vivo studies. The phytochemical components of clove oil were determined through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The antibacterial effects of clove oil and its interaction with imipenem were determined by studying MIC, MBC, and FIC indices in vitro. The in vivo wound-healing effect of the clove oil and infection control were determined using excision wound model rats. The GC-MS analysis of clove oil revealed the presence of 16 volatile compounds. Clove oil showed a good antibacterial effect in vitro but no interaction was observed with imipenem. Clove bud oil alone or in combination with imipenem healed wounds faster and reduced the microbial load in wounds. The findings of this study confirmed the antibacterial activity of clove oil in vitro and in vivo and demonstrated its interaction with imipenem.

[Development and biological activity evaluation of clove essential oil-based emulsion]. / Mise au point et activité biologique d'une crème à base d'huile essentielle de clou de girofle.

INTRODUCTION: Clove essential oil is isolated from the dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum from which many biological activities have been reported. The aim of this work was to develop a cream for topical use containing clove essential oil (HE) as an active ingredient and to test its biological activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clove EO was extracted by hydrodistillation, its chemical composition was analysed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (CG-SM). The EO was then incorporated into a cream where its stability was studied. The antifungal activity was evaluated by disc-diffusion method. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of EO and the cream was assessed y by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model. RESULTS: Clove EO contains two major constituents: eugenol (69.14%) and ß-Caryophyllene (18.8%). The cream had good organoleptic and physicochemical properties. Both EO and the cream showed growth inhibitory effects on the two studied dermatophytes strains. The incorporation of EO in the cream provided a good anti-inflammatory activity, similar to the reference drug. CONCLUSION: The developed creme was stable, had good anti-inflammatory properties and moderate antifungal activity. Long-term stability studies and in vivo tests would lead to the use of clove essential oil in the development of new pharmaceutical forms.

Synergistic bactericidal effect of clove oil and encapsulated atmospheric pressure plasma against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus and its mechanism of action.

We investigated the bactericidal effect of clove oil and encapsulated atmospheric pressure plasma (EAP), individually or in combination, against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. The bactericidal effect of the combined treatment was also investigated in inoculated beef jerky. For both pathogens, clove oil and EAP single treatments resulted in less than 3.0-log reductions, whereas the combined treatment resulted in more than 7.5-log reductions. The disc-diffusion assay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed no changes in both the clear zone diameter and chemical composition of clove oil before and after the EAP treatment. Significant changes in cell membrane permeability and cell morphology resulting from the combined treatment of clove oil and EAP were evidenced by increased in UV absorption of cell supernatants, increased cell staining with propidium iodide, and changes in cell structure revealed by transmission electron microscopy. The synergistic bactericidal effects of clove oil and EAP against both pathogens were also observed in inoculated beef jerky, but the treatments were less effective against S. aureus, presumably due to thicker peptidoglycan layer. Experiments also demonstrated that the synergistic bactericidal effects between clove oil and EAP are due to clove oil increasing the susceptibility of the bacteria to subsequent EAP treatment, and does not involve alteration of the antibacterial activity of clove oil by EAP.

Towards a Bioactive Food Packaging: Poly(Lactic Acid) Surface Functionalized by Chitosan Coating Embedding Clove and Argan Oils.

Here we introduce a new method aiming the immobilization of bioactive principles onto polymeric substrates, combining a surface activation and emulsion entrapment approach. Natural products with antimicrobial/antioxidant properties (essential oil from Syzygium aromaticum-clove and vegetal oil from Argania spinosa L-argan) were stabilized in emulsions with chitosan, a natural biodegradable polymer that has antimicrobial activity. The emulsions were laid on poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a synthetic biodegradable plastic from renewable resources, which was previously activated by plasma treatment. Bioactive materials were obtained, with low permeability for oxygen, high radical scavenging activity and strong inhibition of growth for Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli bacteria. Clove oil was better dispersed in a more stable emulsion (no separation after six months) compared with argan oil. This leads to a compact and finely structured coating, with better overall properties. While both clove and argan oils are highly hydrophobic, the coatings showed increased hydrophilicity, especially for argan, due to preferential interactions with different functional groups in chitosan. The PLA films coated with oil-loaded chitosan showed promising results in retarding the food spoilage of meat, and especially cheese. Argan, and in particular, clove oil offered good UV protection, suitable for sterilization purposes. Therefore, using the emulsion stabilization of bioactive principles and immobilization onto plasma activated polymeric surfaces we obtained a bioactive material that combines the physical properties and the biodegradability of PLA with the antibacterial activity of chitosan and the antioxidant function of vegetal oils. This prevents microbial growth and food oxidation and could open new perspectives in the field of food packaging materials.

Lipidic Matrixes Containing Clove Essential Oil: Biological Activity, Microstructural and Textural Studies.

Clove essential oil (CEO) is known for having excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, but the poor stability of its components to light and temperature compromise this activity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the textural, antioxidant, antimicrobial and microstructural properties of matrixes produced with representative natural waxes and CEO. Thus, waxy emulsifiers, such as beeswax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and ozokerite wax, were employed to create such matrixes. The thermal, microstructural, textural, wetting, antioxidant, antimicrobial and infrared characteristics of the matrixes were then studied. The diverse chemical composition (long-chain wax esters in carnauba wax and short-chain fatty acids and hydrocarbons in beeswax and ozokerite wax, respectively) explained the differences in wetting, texture, melting, and crystallization characteristics. Crystal forms of these matrix systems varied from grainy, oval, to needle-like shape, but keeping an orthorhombic allomorph. The alignment and reorganization of beeswax and ozokerite wax into needle-like crystals increased the matrix strength and adhesion force compared to those of carnauba and candelilla matrixes, which showed weak strength and grainy morphology. The former two waxes and their matrixes also showed the largest plasticity. These lipidic matrixes show potential use for topical applications having acceptable antioxidant and textural properties.

Clove Essential Oil (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae): Extraction, Chemical Composition, Food Applications, and Essential Bioactivity for Human Health.

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L. Myrtaceae) is an aromatic plant widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries, rich in volatile compounds and antioxidants such as eugenol, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. Clove essential oil has received considerable interest due to its wide application in the perfume, cosmetic, health, medical, flavoring, and food industries. Clove essential oil has biological activity relevant to human health, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, and insecticidal activity. The impacts of the extraction method (hydrodistillation, steam distillation, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, cold pressing, and supercritical fluid extraction) on the concentration of the main volatile compounds in clove essential oil and organic clove extracts are shown. Eugenol is the major compound, accounting for at least 50%. The remaining 10-40% consists of eugenyl acetate, ß-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. The main biological activities reported are summarized. Furthermore, the main applications in clove essential oil in the food industry are presented. This review presents new biological applications beneficial for human health, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anesthetic, antinociceptive, and anticancer activity. This review aims to describe the effects of different methods of extracting clove essential oil on its chemical composition and food applications and the biological activities of interest to human health.

Formulation and Evaluation of a Clove Oil-Encapsulated Nanofiber Formulation for Effective Wound-Healing.

Wound-healing is complicated process that is affected by many factors, especially bacterial infiltration at the site and not only the need for the regeneration of damaged tissues but also the requirement for antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity at the injured site. The objective of the present study was to develop and evaluate the natural essential oil-containing nanofiber (NF) mat with enhanced antibacterial activity, regenerative, non-cytotoxic, and wound-healing potential. Clove essential oil (CEO) encapsulated in chitosan and poly-ethylene oxide (PEO) polymers to form NFs and their morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that confirmed the finest NFs prepared with a diameter of 154 ± 35 nm. The successful incorporation of CEO was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The 87.6 ± 13.1% encapsulation efficiency and 8.9 ± 0.98% loading of CEO was observed. A total of 79% release of CEO was observed in acidic pH 5.5 with 117% high degree of swelling. The prepared NF mat showed good antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and non-cytotoxic behavior against human fibroblast cell lines and showed good wound-healing potential.

Synergistic antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant efficacy of cinnamon and clove essential oils in combination.

The present investigation aimed to evaluate antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant efficacy of essential oils of three commonly used spices (black pepper, cinnamon and clove) in combination along with chemical characterization and toxicity evaluation. Among the possible combinations tested, cinnamon/clove oil combination showed synergistic antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and synergistic antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger as well as synergistic antioxidant potential in DPPH radical scavenging model system. GC-HRMS analysis revealed that out of thirteen identified components from clove oil, eugenol was found to be the main constituent of the oil; whereas out of twenty one identified constituents from cinnamon oil, the main component was cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamon/clove oil combination did not show any cytotoxic potential at recommended dosage level (IC50 > 2000 µg/ml). The results provide evidence that cinnamon/clove oil combination might indeed be used as a potential source of safe and effective novel natural antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant blend in the food and pharmaceutical industries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a combination of essential oils has been tested as natural preservatives to prevent both microbial proliferation and oxidative deterioration at sufficiently low concentrations.

The beneficial effect of clove essential oil and its major component, eugenol, on erectile function in diabetic rats.

Diabetic men are at a higher risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). A tropical plant, clove (Syn. Eugenia caryophyllata, Caryophyllus aromaticus L., Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry) from the Myrtaceae family has displayed aphrodisiac activity. The present research aimed to investigate the impacts of clove essential oil (CEO) and the ingredient of CEO, eugenol (E) on ED in diabetic rats. We divided Sprague-Dawley rats into control and diabetic groups. Erectile function was evaluated before and after CEO and E intracavernosal injection. CEO- and E-induced relaxation responses were investigated in isolated corpus cavernosum (CC) using various inhibitors. The intracavernous administration of CEO and E restored erectile responses in diabetic rats. CEO and E induced remarkable relaxation in all groups. CEO- and E-induced relaxation responses were partially inhibited after pre-contraction with KCl. Tetraethylammonium and glibenclamide inhibited the relaxation response to CEO. Glibenclamide inhibited maximum relaxation to E. The inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), soluble guanylyl cyclase and nifedipine did not change CEO- and E-induced relaxation responses. The current results suggest that CEO and the major compound of the essential oil, E improved diabetes-induced ED in rats, and CEO caused CC relaxation via K+ channels independently NO signalling pathway.

Antifungal activity of the lemongrass and clove oil encapsulated in mesoporous silica nanoparticles against wheat's take-all disease.

Combined application of plant essential oils (EOs) with known antimicrobial effects and silica nanocapsules with high loading capacity and protection capability of the EOs make them proper candidates for creating environmentally friendly fungicides. In this study, EOs of the Lemongrass (LGO) and Clove (CO) were used against Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt), a causal agent of take-all disease of wheat. To provide controlled delivery of the EOs, they were encapsulated into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) and then compared to the effects of pure EOs both in- vitro and in- vivo. MSNPs were synthesized via the sol-gel process. Various techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to evaluate the successful loading of the EOs into the pore of MSNPs. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) was calculated as high as 84.24% for LGO and 80.69% for CO, while loading efficiency (LE) was determined 36% and 29% for LGO and CO, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) displayed spherical shapes and porous structures with average diameters of 50-70 nm. Recognition of the main components of the EOs via gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) before and after the EO loading, detected eugenol and citral as the most frequent compounds in LGO and CO, respectively. For antifungal test in- vitro, selected concentrations of the pure EOs, EOs loaded in MSNPs (EOs- MSNPs) and Mancozeb ® fungicide based on pre-tests were mixed using potato dextrose agar (PDA). The inhibition percentage (IP) of fungal growth at each concentration, as well as minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFC) were obtained. The results indicated that antifungal effects in the encapsulated form increased by up to three times. In- vivo, the sterile wheat seeds were treated with pure EOs, EOs-MSNPs, and mancozeb at MFC concentration. Also, in order to keep on the EOs-MSNPs around the seeds, sodium alginate was used. The consequences of in- vivo experiments indicated that rate of disease control in presence of EOs-MSNPs and mancozeb was the same (~70%) and higher than pure EOs (LGO: 57.44%, CO: 49%). Also, improving the growth parameters in wheat plant, the covering of the EOs-MSNPs in alginate, had better control (84%) than that of EOs-MSNPs alone. Further, the release kinetics studies showed a gradual release of LGO and CO from MSNPs for four weeks in water and for five weeks in the soil-plant system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the control effect of LGO, CO, and their nanocapsule in MSNPs against the take-all disease of wheat. These results showed that the EOs-MSNPs can be a safe product for the efficient control of take-all disease in wheat crop.