Lavandula angustifolia mill. (Lamiaceae) ethanol extract and its main constituents as promising agents for the treatment of metabolic disorders: chemical profile, in vitro biological studies, and molecular docking.

Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender) is one of the most used medicinal plants. Herein, we chemically characterised and investigated the antioxidant properties and the capability to inhibit key enzymes for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (TD2) and obesity such as pancreatic lipase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase of the ethanolic extract of two lavender samples (La1 and La2) from southern Italy. Both extracts significantly inhibited α-glucosidase, while La1 inhibited α-amylase and lipase more effectively than La2. To investigate whether these properties could be due to a direct interaction of the main constituents of the extracts with the targeted enzymes, molecular docking studies have been performed. As a result, the selected compounds were able to interact with the key residues of the binding site of the three proteins, thus supporting biological data. Current findings indicate the new potential of lavender ethanolic extract for the development of novel agents for T2D and obesity.

Drosophila melanogaster as a model for studies related to the toxicity of lavender, ginger and copaiba essential oils.

This study addresses the current trend of essential oils in alternative medicine using the non-chordate model Drosophila melanogaster. Following the three R's principles, it proposes non-chordate models to fill knowledge gaps on essential oil toxicity. Copaiba, lavender, and ginger essential oils are evaluated for effects on D. melanogaster lifespan, climbing ability, and brain structure, while their anti-inflammatory properties are also analyzed. Results show dose-related differences: higher concentrations (0.25% v/v) cause brain deterioration and impaired climbing, while lower concentrations (0.0625% v/v for copaiba and ginger; 0.125% for lavender) have no effect on climbing or brain structure. Lavender oil significantly extends lifespan and maintains anti-inflammatory activity when ingested, underscoring its therapeutic potential. These findings highlight the importance of D. melanogaster as a model for studying essential oil properties, potentially replacing chordate models. In addition, this research advances alternative remedies for currently incurable diseases, with lavender oil emerging as a promising candidate for drug discovery.

Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of essential oils from Moroccan medicinal plants: Mentha suaveolens, Lavandula stoechas, and Ammi visnaga.

Mentha suaveolens, Lavandula stoechas, and Ammi visnaga are widely used in Moroccan folk medicine against several pathological disorders, including diabetes and infectious diseases. This work was designed to determine the chemical profile of M. suaveolens (MSEO), L. stoechas (LSEO), and A. visnaga (AVEO) essential oils and assess their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. The volatile components of LSEO, AVEO, and MSEO were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The in vitro antidiabetic activity was assessed using α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, while DPPH, FRAP, and ß-carotene/linoleic acid methods were used to determine the antioxidant capacity. The antimicrobial activities were investigated using disc diffusion and broth-microdilution assays. GC-MS investigation revealed that the main components were fenchone (29.77 %) and camphor (24.9 %) for LSEO, and linalool (38.29 %) for AVEO, while MSEO was mainly represented by piperitenone oxide (74.55 %). The results of the antimicrobial evaluation showed that all examined essential oils (EOs) had noticeable antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and yeast, especially Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus subtilis. The MIC, MBC, and MFC values were ranged from 0.015 % to 0.5 %. The MBC/MIC and MFC/MIC ratios were less than or equal to 4.0 % (v/v), indicating their noticeable bactericidal and candidacidal efficacy. Moreover, the three EOs showed significant inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase (p < 0.05). It also exerted remarkable activity on FRAP, ß-carotene, and DPPH radicals. These findings demonstrated that the tested plants have promising biological activities, validating their ethnomedicinal value and providing potential applications as natural drugs.

Lavandula austroapennina (Lamiaceae): Getting Insights into Bioactive Polyphenols of a Rare Italian Endemic Vascular Plant.

Lavandula austroapennina N.G. Passal., Tundis and Upon has recently been described as a new species endemic to the southern Apennines (Italy). Locally, this species has a long ethnobotanical tradition of use for curative and decoration purposes and has been the protagonist of a flourishing essential oil production chain. Currently, while this tradition has long since ended, attention to the species is necessary, with a view to enhancing marginal and rural areas, as a recovery of a precious resource to (i) get insights into its (poly)phenolic fraction and (ii) address new and innovative uses of all its organs in various application fields (e.g., cosmeceutical sector). Therefore, after field sampling and dissection of its organs (i.e., corolla, calyx, leaf, stem and root), the latter, previously deterpenated and defatted, were subjected to accelerated ultrasound extraction and the related alcoholic extracts were obtained. Chemical composition, explored by UHPLC-QqTOF-MS/MS, and the following multivariate data analysis showed that the hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives are abundant in the leaf, stem and root, while flavonoids are more present in corolla and calyx. In particular, coumaroyl flavonoids with glyconic portion containing also hexuronyl moieties differentiated corolla organ, while yunnaneic acid D isomers and esculin distinguished root. When antiradical and reducing properties were evaluated (by means of ABTS, DPPH and PFRAP tests), a similar clustering of organs was achieved and the marked antioxidant efficacy of leaf, stem and root extracts was found. Thus, following cytotoxicity screening by MTT test on HaCaT keratinocytes, the protective effects of the organ extracts were assessed by wound closure observed after the scratch test. In addition, the extracts from corolla, leaf and stem were particularly active at low doses inducing rapid wound closure on HaCaT cells at a concentration of 1 µg/mL. The diversity in (poly)phenols of each organ and the promising bioactivity preliminarily assessed suggest further investigation to be carried out to fully recover and valorize this precious endemic vascular plant.

Lavandula Species, Their Bioactive Phytochemicals, and Their Biosynthetic Regulation.

Lavandula species are one of the most useful aromatic and medicinal plants and have great economic potential. The phytopharmaceutical contribution of the secondary metabolites of the species is unquestionable. Most recent studies have been focusing on the elucidation of the genetic background of secondary metabolite production in lavender species. Therefore, knowledge of not only genetic but especially epigenetic mechanisms for the regulation of secondary metabolites is necessary for the modification of those biosynthesis processes and the understanding of genotypic differences in the content and compositional variability of these products. The review discusses the genetic diversity of Lavandula species in relation to the geographic area, occurrence, and morphogenetic factors. The role of microRNAs in secondary-metabolites biosynthesis is described.

Lavandula × intermedia-A Bastard Lavender or a Plant of Many Values? Part I. Biology and Chemical Composition of Lavandin.

This review article is the first in a series that provides an overview of the biology, chemistry, biological effects, and applications of Lavandula × intermedia (lavandin, LI). Despite its prevalence in cultivation and on the essential oil market, lavandin has received limited attention from the scientific community. Remarkably more attention is paid to Lavandula angustifolia (LA), which is commonly regarded as the superior lavender and has been extensively researched. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive review of LI, as none currently exists, and assess whether its inferior status is merited. In the first part, we outline the biological and chemical characteristics of the plant and compare it to the parent species. The chemical composition of lavandin oil is similar to that of LA but contains more terpenes, giving camphor notes that are less valued in perfumery. Nevertheless, lavandin has some advantages, including a higher essential oil yield, resulting in reduced production cost, and therefore, it is a preferred lavender crop for cultivation.

Lavandula x intermedia-A Bastard Lavender or a Plant of Many Values? Part II. Biological Activities and Applications of Lavandin.

This review article is the second in a series aimed at providing an in-depth overview of Lavandula x intermedia (lavandin). In part I, the biology and chemistry of lavandin were addressed. In part II, the focus is on the functional properties of lavandin and its applications in industry and daily life. While reviewing the biological properties, only original research articles employing lavandin were considered. Lavandin essential oil has been found to have antioxidant and biocidal activity (antimicrobial, nematicidal, antiprotozoal, insecticidal, and allelopathic), as well as other potential therapeutic effects such as anxiolytic, neuroprotective, improving sleep quality, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic. Other lavandin preparations have been investigated to a much lesser extent. The research is either limited or inconsistent across all studies, and further evidence is needed to support these properties. Unlike its parent species-Lavandula angustifolia (LA)-lavandin essential oil is not officially recognized as a medicinal raw material in European Pharmacopeia. However, whenever compared to LA in shared studies, it has shown similar effects (or even more pronounced in the case of biocidal activities). This suggests that lavandin has similar potential for use in medicine.

A review of the bioactive components and pharmacological properties of Lavandula species.

Lavandula species is a flowering plant that is common in Europe and across the Mediterranean. Lavender has many health benefits for humans. In addition to its use in herbal medicine, it is widely used in the fields of cosmetics, perfumes, foods, and aromatherapy. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to search for relevant material on the phytochemical ingredients, the pharmacologic effects of the ingredients, and the mechanism of action of the Lavandula species identified. These materials were reviewed in order to have access to important updates about the Lavandula species. Lavender as referred to in English contains essential oils, anthocyanins, phytosterols, sugars, minerals, coumaric acid, glycolic acid, valeric acid, ursolic acid, herniarins, coumarins, and tannins. It has been used to treat colic and chest ailments, worrisome headaches, and biliousness, and in cleaning wounds. It has antifungal, antibacterial, neurologic, antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, anti-diabetic, and analgesic effects among others. Lavandula species has prospects for various biological applications, especially with its dermatological application. Advances in drug development would enable characterization of various bioactive constituents; thus, its development and application can have a more positive impact on humanity. Here, we highlighted updated information on the history, distribution, traditional uses, phytochemical components, pharmacology, and various biological activities of Lavandula species.

Essential Oils Composition and Biological Activity of Chamaecyparis obtusa, Chrysopogon nigritanus and Lavandula coronopifolia Grown Wild in Sudan.

Generally, there are scant data about the constituents and eventually the biological activity of essential oils (EOs) from aromatic plants that grow naturally in Sudan. The present study aimed to determine the chemical composition, and antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of EO extracted from the fruit of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold and Zucc.) Endl. (family Cupressaceae), root of Chrysopogon nigritanus (Benth.) Veldkampis (family Poaceae) and aerial part of Lavandula coronopifolia Poir (family Lamiaceae). The fruit of C. obtusa contained only monoterpenes, mainly hydrogenated ones, with α-pinene (69.07%) as the major component. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes comprised the highest content of the C. nigritanus root EO with cedr-8-en-15-ol (28.69%) as the major constituent while aerial parts of L. coronopifolia contained both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and the oxygenated monoterpene lavandulol (26.56%) as dominant compounds. The EO of the root of C. nigritanus significantly displayed (p < 0.05) the highest anti-DPPH radical, Fe3+- and Cu2+-reducing and metal-chelating activities, while that of C. obtusa fruit significantly exerted (p < 0.05) the best anti-ABTS radical and total antioxidant activity. The two EOs significantly exhibited (p < 0.05) the highest anti-acetylcholinesterase and -butyrylcholinesterase activities, respectively, while EO of L. coronopifolia was the only oil to show a considerable inhibitory effect against the tyrosinase and α-glucosidase enzymes. In conclusion, EOs from these three plants could be natural agents with promising functional properties for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications.

Chemical Profiles, In Vitro Antioxidant and Antifungal Activity of Four Different Lavandula angustifolia L. EOs.

Lavandula angustifolia L., known as lavender, is an economically important Lamiaceae due to the production of essential oils (EOs) for the food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and medical industries. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition of EOs isolated from four inflorescences of L. angustifolia L. collected in different geographical areas: central-southern Italy (LaCC, LaPE, LaPS) and southern France (LaPRV). The essential oils, obtained by steam distillation from plants at the full flowering stage, were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). More than 70 components identified in each sample showed significant variability among the main constituents. The four EOs analyzed contained the following as main component: linalool (from 30.02% to 39.73%), borneol (13.65% in LaPE and 16.83% in La PS), linalyl acetate (24.34% in LaCC and 31.07% in LaPRV). The EOs were also evaluated for their in vitro antifungal activity against two white rot fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes cingulata) as potential natural biodeteriogens in the artworks field, and against Sclerotium rolfsii, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium verticilloides responsible for significant crop yield losses in tropical and subtropical areas. The results confirm a concentration-dependent toxicity pattern, where the fungal species show different sensitivity to the four EOs. The in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH assay showed better scavenging activity on LaCC (IC50 26.26 mg/mL) and LaPRV (IC50 33.53 mg/mL), followed by LaPE (IC50 48.00 mg/mL) and LaPS (IC50 49.63 mg/mL). The potential application of EOs as a green method to control biodeterioration phenomena on a work of art on wood timber dated 1876 was evaluated.

Phytochemical composition, cytotoxicity, antioxidant and antimicrobial responses of Lavandula dentata L. grown under different levels of heavy metals stress condition.

In order to know if the heavy metals stress condition is boon or bane for the plants growth, Lavandula dentata species was planted in pots under different levels of heavy metals stress condition and the phytochemical composition, cytotoxicity, antioxidant and antimicrobial responses of their leaf ethanolic extracts toward this stress condition were investigated compared to the control samples. Our findings showed significant differences in heavy metals bioaccumulation, photosynthetic pigments and total phenolic/flavonoids contents among L. dentata leafs ethanolic extracts, grown under different levels of heavy metals stress condition. The L. dentata leafs extracts, grown under Zn and Cu stress condition, showed the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial activities than those grown under Cd and Pb stress condition. Comparatively, the L. dentata leafs extracts, grown under Zn stress condition, showed higher antioxidant activity, and those, grown under Cu stress condition, showed higher antimicrobial activity. The highest cytotoxicity was showed by L. dentata leaf extracts, grown under Cd and Pb stress condition, which lead to conclude that these extracts could be served as a novel scaffold in search for new drugs against cancer. In conclusion, the highlighted variability reflects the high impact of heavy metals stress condition on phytochemical composition and consequently on the biological activities of medicinal plants. Such impact led to conclude that we should select medicinal plants extracts to be investigated carefully depending on this stress condition, in order to isolate the bioactive components or to have the best quality of extracts in terms of biological activities.

Lavender essential oil fractions alleviate sleep disorders induced by the combination of anxiety and caffeine in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil is renowned for its use in the treatment of insomnia and mental disorder diseases in folk medicine. Previous pharmacological studies have also shown that lavender essential oil displays sedative and hypnotic activities. However, the active ingredients and mechanism of lavender essential oil for sleep-improving effect remain unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigates whether inhalation of different fractions of lavender essential oil can attenuate the sleep disturbances induced by combined anxiety and caffeine and explores the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Molecular distillation was applied to separate lavender essential oil into fractions containing different chemical components, and GC-MS was used to analyze the volatile compounds of lavender essential oil and its fractions. The elevated plus maze test, pentobarbital-induced sleep test, and neurotransmitters enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were conducted to evaluate the anxiolytic and hypnotic effects of lavender essential oil and its fractions on mice suffering from sleep disorders. RESULTS: The results of behavioral tests indicated that lavender essential oil and its fractions (3%, v/v) exerted an ameliorating effect on sleep disturbances induced by anxiety and caffeine. The light fraction and heavy fractions exhibited complementary chemical composition, with the former enriched in linalool and trans-ß-ocimene and the latter in linalyl acetate, lavandulyl acetate, trans-caryophyllene, etc. The light fraction contributed more to sleep maintenance, and the heavy fraction performed better at sleep initiation. The neurobiological parameters elucidated that the mechanism of lavender essential oil for sleep-improving was multifaceted, related to the GABAergic system, cholinergic system, histaminergic system, and monoamines in the limbic system. The heavy fraction shared a similar mechanism with the lavender essential oil, while the light fraction did not actively participate in the cholinergic system, histaminergic system, and dopaminergic system. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results demonstrated that different fractions of lavender essential oil played different roles in ameliorating sleep disorders, and this may be credited to their compositional differences and the complicated interactions with the central nervous system. The results are informative for future investigations on the molecular level mechanisms and provide guidance for appropriate applications of lavender essential oil.

Solid-phase extraction based on PDMS/ionic liquid sponge followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for rapid and sensitive determination of volatile components in lavender.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the complexity and the low concentrations of volatile components in aromatic plants, sample pretreatment is an important step in the whole analytical procedure. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to propose a novel, sensitive and fast approach to determine the volatile components in lavender. METHODS: The 1-butyl-3-(propyltrimethoxysilane)imidazolium chloride ([BPtmsim]Cl) ionic liquid was introduced onto the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to prepare a novel PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl sponge with large surface area, good sorption performance, and reusability. A solid-phase extraction method was developed based on PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl sponge combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: The effects of the various experimental parameters on the extraction efficiency were investigated. The optimal conditions were [BPtmsim]Cl amount of 0.3 g, 1:4 as the mass ratio of PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl to lavender sample, microwave power of 700 W, microwave time of 10 min, and n-hexane as the desorption solvent. The method validation results showed good linearity (10-800 µg/ml), high correlation coefficient (R2 ≥ 0.9991), low limits of detection (1.73-2.50 ng/µl), and limits of quantification (4.10-5.11 ng/µl). The interday and intraday precision with relative standard deviation (RSD) values were below 1.93% and 4.71%, respectively. Under the optimal extraction conditions, 16 lavender samples from three different species were analysed and a total of 57 volatile compounds were identified. The correlation between different species of lavender and volatile components was explored using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). CONCLUSION: The results showed that PDMS/[BPtmsim]Cl extraction is a rapid, highly efficient, and sensitive technique for the determination of volatile components in complex plant samples.

Impact of elicitors on essential oil compositions and phytochemical constituents in Lavandula stoechas L.

Lavandula stoechas L. (LS) is an aromatic evergreen herb used broadly in the food, pharmaceutical, and perfume industries. However, the inducer effect of elicitors on secondary metabolites (SMs) biosynthesis in LS is nebulous. In addition, the precise mechanism of elicitors in cells remains unexplored. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to analyze the changes in phytochemical compositions of LSs treated with a biotic elicitor (chitin) and an abiotic one (copper nanoparticle) under in vitro and greenhouse conditions, with the aim of choosing an appropriate elicitor type, concentration, and exposure time for this species. In this study, the biochemical function of four chitin concentrations (i.e. 0, 50, 100 & 200 mg L-1) and four copper oxide nanoparticle concentrations (i.e. 0, 25, 50, & 100 mg L-1) at two exposure times (i.e. 5 & 10 days) was investigated in LS so as to compare with the un-elicited explants and the original plant materials. The analysis showed that the highest contents of the total phenolic (4.68 mg g-1 FW), flavonoids (0.68 mg g-1 FW), anthocyanins (36.51 mg g-1 FW), and flavonols (0.29 mg g-1 FW) compounds were observed in the elicited LSs. Besides, the role of elicitors in augmenting the percentage of SMs was intelligible, especially 'lavandulol', '1,8-cineole', 'germacrene D', and '(E)-nerolidol', which increased by 21.68%, 17.21%, 9.33%, and 8.11%, respectively. In conclusion, these findings indicate that utilizing elicitors at optimal concentrations and with timely durations of exposure can largely assist in improving the biotechnological production of SMs in LS, so that their potential for industrial use can be actualized.

Annual Phytochemical Variations and Antioxidant Activity within the Aerial Parts of Lavandula angustifolia, an Evergreen Medicinal Plant.

Acknowledging the importance of medicinal compounds, flavonoids, and phenolic acids in plants and human health; understanding the best time to harvest plants to get the most potentially therapeutic biological activity; and predicting and controlling the quality of medicinal plants are very useful. The rich chemical composition of medicinal lavender, as well as its antioxidant activity, has led to its wide application in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. In the current research, seasonal differences in phenolic content; the main constituents of essential oil, essential oil yield, and antioxidant activity; and flavonoid content were evaluated. In this investigation, for all the investigated factors, three replications were considered as completely randomized designs. The predominant natural components were α-pinene, camphene, 1,8-cineole, limonene, camphor, borneol, cryptone, isobornyl formate, cumin aldehyde, carvone, caryophyllene oxide, and epi-α-cadinol. The highest rate of 1,8-cineole was seen in summer, while camphor and borneol showed their highest percentages in the cold season. Some of the compounds such as caryophyllene oxide, isobornyl formate, and cumin aldehyde showed their highest amounts in the spring with the activation of some important plant enzymes such as peroxidase. The total content of flavonoids and some phenolic compounds (coumarin and p-coumaric acid) increased when plants received sunlight for a longer time than in the colder to warmer seasons. On the other hand, increases in chlorogenic acid and vanillin were observed in spring. Also, the highest antioxidant activity was observed in lavender, which was accompanied by an increase in the important phenolic composition of rosmarinic acid in the cold season. Generally, this investigation provides beneficial evidence about the most appropriate harvest time for lavender to produce the most favorable constituents for optimization in food, pharmaceutical, and herbal products.

Chemical Evaluation, In Vitro and In Vivo Anticancer Activity of Lavandula angustifolia Grown in Jordan.

Lavandula angustifolia is the most widely cultivated Lavandula species for medicinal use. In this study, chemical and biological evaluation of L. angustifolia aqueous, methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and chloroform (CHCl3) extracts were conducted. Phytochemically, the extracts' total phenol and flavonoid contents and their antioxidant potential were evaluated. Ethanol extract was analyzed by LC-MS. All extracts were screened in vitro for their antitumor potential using human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-23. For the first time, the antiproliferative potential of the EtOH extract was tested in vivo using mice with induced breast cancer. Ethanol extract exhibited the best cytotoxicity and safety profile of the tested extracts, with IC50 values of 104.1 µg/mL on MCF-7 and 214.5 µg/mL on MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. In vivo, this extract revealed a reduction in tumor size by 43.29% in the treated group, compared to an increase in the tumor growth by 58.9% in the control group. Moreover, undetected tumor was found in 12.5% of the sample size. In conclusion, this study provides novel insight and evidence on the antiproliferative efficacy of L. angustifolia ethanol extract against breast cancer with potent anti-oxidant potential.

Study of the Mechanism of Antiemetic Effect of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. Essential Oil Based on Ca2+/CaMKII/ERK1/2 Pathway.

Purpose: To investigate the effective components and possible mechanism of action of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. essential oil (LEO) in preventing vomiting through the olfactory pathway. Materials and Methods: A new network pharmacology-based method was established to analyze main components and pathways of LEO involved in antiemetic effects by introducing component content; biological activities of key proteins of the olfactory pathway and their corresponding compounds were verified by molecular docking technique; and finally pica in a rat model was established to verify the molecular mechanism of antiemetic effects of LEO by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the serum 5-HT, substance P, and DA levels in each group and by immunohistochemistry to determine the contents of 5-HT3R, CaMKII and ERK1/2 proteins in the medulla oblongata tissue. Results: Network pharmacology combined with molecular docking analysis showed that the mechanism of the antiemetic effect of LEO may be related to (2Z)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl acetate, linalyl acetate, butanoic acid, hexyl ester, 4-hexen-1-ol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethenyl)-, acetate, .tau.-cadinol and other active ingredients, which regulate the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway and the expression of BRAF, PDE and other targets on the pathway. An ELISA revealed that LEO reduced the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), substance P, and dopamine in serum compared with the model group (P <0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that LEO decreased the expression of 5-HT3R, CaMKII, and ERK1/2 proteins in the medulla oblongata of rats compared with the model group (P <0.01). Conclusion: LEO may achieve the antiemetic effect by reducing the content of 5-HT and inhibiting its related receptors, thereby regulating downstream Ca2+/CaMKII/ERK1/2 pathway of the cAMP signaling pathway.

Effects of nanoparticles treatments and salinity stress on the genetic structure and physiological characteristics of Lavandula angustifolia Mill.

Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is an aromatic herb of the Lamiaceae family, which has been widely used by humans for many centuries. In the current study, we treated L. angustifolia samples with various concentrations of ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles in the presence/ absence of NaCl salinity stress to evaluate the composition of essential oils, genetic structure, glandular trichome density and cellular Zn2+ and Fe2+ contents. We used Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers to investigate the parameters of genetic diversity among the treated samples. Furthermore, the hydro-distilled essential oil from the aerial parts of the samples was subjected to GC and GC / MS analyses. SPSS ver. 15, PAST, PopGene, and GenAlex software were employed for statistical analyses. Intracellular concentrations of Fe2+ and Zn2+ differed under various concentrations of nanoparticles and salinity treatments, and a significant negative correlation was observed between these elements, however, nanoparticles treatment significantly increased intracellular concentrations of iron and zinc ions. We found four types of glandular trichomes on the surface of the leaf of the treated plants, and the ANOVA test revealed a significant variation for most of them. Meanwhile, the short-stalked capitate trichomes were the most frequent in most of the evaluated samples. The main and trace essential oil compounds were the same among the treated plants, meanwhile, their percentages varied among the samples. The percentages of 1,8- cineole and camphor decreased in treated plants, which affects the quality of essential oils. Parameters of genetic diversity differed among the treated samples. Furthermore, the AMOVA test demonstrated a significant genetic variation that its substantial part belonged to among treated samples. These findings revealed that the treatment of nanoparticles and salinity stress strongly influenced the genetic diversity, trichomes density, iron and zinc ions content in lavender plants.

Chemical Composition and Insecticidal Properties of Moroccan Lavandula dentata and Lavandula stoechas Essential Oils Against Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata.

The current study describes the chemical composition and insecticidal activities of the essential oils (EOs) extracted from Lavandula dentata L. and Lavandula stoechas L. against the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), a worldwide fruit pest. Gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed that L. dentata oil contained camphor (50.8%), 1,8-cineole (6.6%), ß-selinene (5%), and borneol (3.2%) as major components. On the other hand, L. stoechas EO was characterized by high contents of camphor (44%), camphene (14.8%), fenchone (9.1%), and 1-10-diepi-cubenol (4.6%). The toxic impact of EOs against C. capitata was evaluated through ingestion and contact methods. All of the EOs were toxic to C. capitata, and insect mortality was dose and time-dependent. In ingestion toxicity assays, L. dentata was the most toxic oil with an LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% mortality) of 6.54% for males and 10.21% for females. Topical applications revealed that all the EOs had a good insecticidal activity at 24 h. The results of this study show that L. dentata and L. stoechas EOs may reduce the risks associated with the use of synthetic insecticides and may also be considered as a potent source for the production of botanical insecticides against C. capitata.

Exploitation of Marginal Hilly Land in Tuscany through the Cultivation of Lavandula angustifolia Mill.: Characterization of Its Essential Oil and Antibacterial Activity.

Lavandula angustifolia Mill., known as one of the best essential oil-bearing plants, is an aromatic plant that is well cultivated in many Mediterranean regions due to its adaptability to variations in climatic and edaphic conditions. Therefore, its essential oil (EO) composition and its antimicrobial activity change as a consequence of abiotic and biotic factors. The chemical composition of L. angustifolia EO collected during four consecutive years of growth was one of the aims of this work. The volatile profile evidenced the prevalence of linalool and linalool acetate even though they switched their positions according to age. Plants in their first year were characterized by a high amount of sesquiterpene compounds (22.1% of the identified fraction). This percentage decreased during plant growth, not representing more than 5.3% in the fourth year. It is interesting to note that both the third- and fourth-year plants showed a content of monoterpenes that exceeded 90% of the total identified constituents. The EO extracted from the oldest plants evidenced higher activity on the studied strains, with more sensitivity on the Gram-positive ones. Tuscan lavender EO, especially that obtained from the four-year-old plants, is of great interest for its potential industrial applications and constitutes an example for the valorization of marginal Tuscan land and good-quality production.