Cymbopogon proximus and Petroselinum crispum seed ethanolic extract/Gum Arabic nanogel emulsion: Preventing ethylene glycol and ammonium chloride-induced urolithiasis in rats.

Urolithiasis is a prevalent urological disorder that contributes significantly to global morbidity. This study aimed to assess the anti-urolithic effects of Cymbopogon proximus (Halfa Bar) and Petroselinum crispum (parsley) seed ethanolic extract /Gum Arabic (GA) emulsion, and its nanogel form against ethylene glycol (EG) and ammonium chloride (AC)-induced experimental urolithiasis in rats. Rats were divided into four groups: group 1 served as the normal control, group 2 received EG with AC in drinking water for 14 days to induce urolithiasis, groups 3 and 4 were orally administered emulsion (600 mg/kg/day) and nanogel emulsion (600 mg/kg/day) for 7 days, followed by co-administration with EG and AC in drinking water for 14 days. Urolithiatic rats exhibited a significant decrease in urinary excreted magnesium, and non-enzymic antioxidant glutathione and catalase activity. Moreover, they showed an increase in oxalate crystal numbers and various urolithiasis promoters, including excreted calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and uric acid. Renal function parameters and lipid peroxidation were intensified. Treatment with either emulsion or nanogel emulsion significantly elevated urolithiasis inhibitors, excreted magnesium, glutathione levels, and catalase activities. Reduced oxalate crystal numbers, urolithiasis promoters' excretion, renal function parameters, and lipid peroxidation while improving histopathological changes. Moreover, it decreased renal crystal deposition score and the expression of Tumer necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and cleaved caspase-3. Notably, nanogel emulsion showed superior effects compared to the emulsion. Cymbopogon proximus (C. proximus) and Petroselinum crispum (P. crispum) seed ethanolic extracts/GA nanogel emulsion demonstrated protective effects against ethylene glycol induced renal stones by mitigating kidney dysfunction, oxalate crystal formation, and histological alterations.

Cardioprotective Potential of Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil against Isoproterenol-induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy: Possible Involvement of NLRP3 Inflammasome and Oxidative Phosphorylation Complex Subunits.

OBJECTIVE: Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf is a medicinal and edible herb that is widely used for the treatment of gastric, nervous and hypertensive disorders. In this study, we investigated the cardioprotective effects and mechanisms of the essential oil, the main active ingredient of Cymbopogon citratus, on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. METHODS: The compositions of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (CCEO) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cardiomyocytes were pretreated with 16.9 µg/L CCEO for 1 h followed by 10 µmol/L ISO for 24 h. Cardiac hypertrophy-related indicators and NLRP3 inflammasome expression were evaluated. Subsequently, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and target verification were used to further explore the underlying mechanism. RESULTS: Our results showed that the CCEO mainly included citronellal (45.66%), geraniol (23.32%), and citronellol (10.37%). CCEO inhibited ISO-induced increases in cell surface area and protein content, as well as the upregulation of fetal gene expression. Moreover, CCEO inhibited ISO-induced NLRP3 inflammasome expression, as evidenced by decreased lactate dehydrogenase content and downregulated mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, CASP1, GSDMD, and IL-1ß, as well as reduced protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, caspase-1 (p20), GSDMD-FL, GSDMD-N, and pro-IL-1ß. The RNA-seq results showed that CCEO inhibited the increase in the mRNA levels of 26 oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits in ISO-treated cardiomyocytes. Our further experiments confirmed that CCEO suppressed ISO-induced upregulation of mt-Nd1, Sdhd, mt-Cytb, Uqcrq, and mt-Atp6 but had no obvious effects on mt-Col expression. CONCLUSION: CCEO inhibits ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy through the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome expression and the regulation of several oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits.

Design of three-component essential oil extract mixture from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus with enhanced antioxidant activity.

The development of novel antioxidant compounds with high efficacy and low toxicity is of utmost importance in the medicine and food industries. Moreover, with increasing concerns about the safety of synthetic components, scientists are beginning to search for natural sources of antioxidants, especially essential oils (EOs). The combination of EOs may produce a higher scavenging profile than a single oil due to better chemical diversity in the mixture. Therefore, this exploratory study aims to assess the antioxidant activity of three EOs extracted from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus in individual and combined forms using the augmented-simplex design methodology. The in vitro antioxidant assays were performed using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging approaches. The results of the Chromatography Gas-Mass spectrometry (CG-MS) characterization showed that citral (29.62%) and niral (27.32%) are the main components for C. flexuosus, while D-carvone (62.09%) and D-limonene (29.58%) are the most dominant substances in C. carvi. By contrast, ß-asarone (69.11%) was identified as the principal component of A. calamus (30.2%). The individual EO exhibits variable scavenging activities against ABTS and DPPH radicals. These effects were enhanced through the mixture of the three EOs. The optimal antioxidant formulation consisted of 20% C. flexuosus, 53% C. carvi, and 27% A. calamus for DPPHIC50. Whereas 17% C. flexuosus, 43% C. carvi, and 40% A. calamus is the best combination leading to the highest scavenging activity against ABTS radical. These findings suggest a new research avenue for EOs combinations to be developed as novel natural formulations useful in food and biopharmaceutical products.

Combination effects of phytonutrient pellet and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) powder on rumen fermentation efficiency and nutrient degradability using in vitro technique.

Phytonutrients (PTN) namely saponins (SP) and condensed tannins (CT) have been demonstrated to assess the effect of rumen fermentation and methane mitigation. Phytonutrient pellet containing mangosteen, rambutan, and banana flower (MARABAC) and lemongrass including PTN, hence these plant-phytonutrients supplementation could be an alternative plant with a positive effect on rumen fermentation. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of MARABAC and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) powder on in vitro fermentation modulation and the ability to mitigate methane production. The treatments were arranged according to a 3 × 3 Factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. The two experimental factors consisted of MARABAC pellet levels (0%, 1%, and 2% of the total substrate) and lemongrass supplementation levels (0%, 1%, and 2% of the total substrate). The results of this study revealed that supplementation with MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder significantly improved gas production kinetics (P < 0.01) and rumen fermentation end-products especially the propionate production (P < 0.01). While rumen methane production was subsequently reduced by both factors. Additionally, the in vitro dry matter degradability (IVDMD) and organic matter degradability (IVOMD) were greatly improved (P < 0.05) by the respective treatments. MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder combination showed effective methane mitigation by enhancing rumen fermentation end-products especially the propionate concentration and both the IVDMD and IVOMD, while mitigated methane production. The combined level of both sources at 2% MARABAC pellet and 2% lemongrass powder of total substrates offered the best results. Therefore, MARABAC pellet and lemongrass powder supplementation could be used as an alternative source of phytonutrient in dietary ruminant.

Distillation of essential oils: An innovative technological approach focused on productivity, quality and sustainability.

Essential oil (EO) distillation units, which are commonly installed on farms, have difficultly accessing knowledge centers. The apparent simplicity of the process hides unwanted losses and deviations that go undetected and, therefore, not corrected. This article proposes improvements to the process that are based on "4.0" technologies in order to detect and correct two important deficiencies, with an impact on the yield, quality and environmental performance. The first deficiency comprises the steam channels that are formed through green mass (channeling), are well known and are considered normal by EO producers. Without detection and correction, this negatively affects the extraction results. The second is the lack of technology that is able to automatically determine the extraction endpoint. Smart sensing, control, self-configuration and the dynamic determination of improved process parameters make up a set of actions undertaken by a smart extraction plant (50-liter capacity). Nineteen experiments using lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) exhibited remarkable 24% and 10% improvements in the yield and quality, respectively. Energy consumption and a more than 50% reduction in the processing complete the set of results achieved. In addition to manufacturing costs and the utilization of capacity, better sustainability indicators are positive consequences of this technological updating.

Cymbopogon citratus Essential Oil in Controlling of Bacteria Associated with Oral Cavity of Dogs In Vitro and Dry Pet Feed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil against bacteria isolated from the oral cavity of dogs and applied directly to artificially contaminated feed. The commercial dry dog feed received the inoculum of the bacteria prevalent in the oral cavity of the dogs where C. citratus was deposited in the feed by spray. In total, 42 isolates were obtained, 38 Gram-positive and 4 Gram-negative. Staphylococcus spp. was the most prevalent bacteria in the oral cavity of dogs (76.2%). The isolates showed high levels of resistance to different antimicrobials. The minimum inhibitory concentration capable of inhibiting oral bacteria was 0.38 mg/mL. C. citratus essential oil showed positive results with a significant bacterial reduction when applied to feed, signaling the need for further studies to enable its use in the control of pathogens transmitted by animal feed.

Multi-biological activity assessment and phytochemical characterization of an aqueous extract of the Cymbopogon citratus grown in Palestine.

BACKGROUND: Plants have historically been a rich source of medicinal compounds, with many modern pharmaceuticals derived from botanical origins. In contemporary healthcare, there is a resurgence in utilizing botanical substances as recognized medicinal agents. This study delved into understanding the phytochemical makeup and the multifaceted biological activities of an aqueous extract from Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus). The investigated activities were its effect on AMPA receptors, antioxidant capacity, anti-lipase, anti-α-amylase actions, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial properties. METHODS: The extract of C. citratus received a comprehensive investigation, which included the study of its phytochemical composition, assessment of its antioxidant and anti-lipase properties, evaluation of its capacity to inhibit α-amylase, analysis of its impact on cell viability, and assessment of its antimicrobial activity. The approaches are used to clarify the complex physiological and biochemical characteristics. RESULTS: The results were compelling; receptor kinetics had a marked impact, notably on the GluA2 subunit. Regarding its medicinal potential, the extract demonstrated potent antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities with IC50 values of 15.13 and 101.14 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, it displayed significant inhibitory effects on the lipase enzyme and showed cytotoxicity against the Hep3B cancer cell line, with IC50 values of 144.35 and 148.37 µg/mL. In contrast, its effects on the normal LX-2 cell line were minimal, indicating selectivity. CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of C. citratus shows promising therapeutic properties. The findings advocate for further research into its compounds for potential isolation, purification, and in-depth pharmacological studies, especially in areas like nervous system disorders, diabetes, obesity, and combating oxidative stress.

Cymbopogon citratus L. essential oil as a potential anti-biofilm agent active against antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from chronic rhinosinusitis patients.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is long-term inflammation of the sinuses that can be caused by infection due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Biofilm developed by microbes is postulated to cause antibiotic treatment failure. Thus, the anti-biofilm activities of seven Thai herbal essential oils (EOs) against antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from CRS patients was investigated. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus L.) EO showed the most effective antibiofilm activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis grown as biofilm. GC-MS analysis found that myrcene was the major bioactive compound. Pretreatment with lemongrass EO significantly inhibited biofilm formation of all bacterial strains in more than 50% of cases. Furthermore, confocal microscopy analysis revealed the biofilm-disrupting activity of lemongrass EO against the biofilm matrix of all these bacterial species and also increased P. aeruginosa swarming motility with no toxicity to human cells. These results suggest that lemongrass EO has promising clinical applications as an anti-biofilm agent for CRS patients.

Phytochemical constituents, in-vitro anticancer activity and computational studies of Cymbopogon schoenanthus.

The cytotoxic effects of Cymbopogon schoenanthus L. aerial part ethanol extract were examined against some cancer cell lines, and HUVEC normal cell lines using MTT assay. The ethanolic extract was prepared by ultrasonic-assisted extraction and analyzed by GC-MS and HPLC. The extract was found to be rich in terpene compounds. The extract proved to be highly selective and effective against breast and prostate cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-435, MCF-7, and DU 145) with IC50 as low as 0.7913 ± 0.14, 12.841 ± 0.21, and 30.51 ± 0.18 µg/ml, respectively. In silico modeling was performed to investigate the binding orientation and affinity of the major identified compounds against Polo-like kinase (PLK1 protein) a cancer molecular target using molecular docking and molecular dynamic whereas eudesm-5-en-11-ol, piperitone, and 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran displayed better binding affinity and stability against PLK1 compared to the reference drug. These findings encourage further in vivo studies to assess the anti-cancer effects of C. schoenanthus extract and its components.

Biosynthesis of Al2 O3 and europium-doped Al2 O3 nanoparticle using Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) extract and its antibacterial property.

Cymbopogon citratus-mediated pure aluminium oxide (Al2 O3 ) and europium (Eu)-doped Al2 O3 with different amounts of metal ion were prepared using a green synthesis method. Synthesised nanoparticles were characterised by ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Synthesis of nanoparticles is confirmed by using UV-visible spectroscopy showing maximum absorption at 411 and 345 nm for Al2 O3 and Eu-doped Al2 O3 , respectively. The antibacterial activity of prepared nanoparticles was evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae using a well-diffusion technique. The effect of pure Al2 O3 and Eu-doped nanoparticles shows excellent results against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli and K. pneumoniae.

Nutritional Aspects, Chemistry Profile, Extraction Techniques of Lemongrass Essential Oil and It's Physiological Benefits.

Lemongrass contains a variety of substances that are known to have antioxidant and disease-preventing properties, including essential oils, compounds, minerals, and vitamins. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Spp.) essential oil (LGEO) has been demonstrated to ameliorate diabetes and accelerate wound healing. A member of the Poaceae family, Lemongrass, a fragrant plant, is cultivated for the extraction of essential oils including myrcene and a mixture of geranial and neral isomers of citral monoterpenes. Active constituents in lemongrass essential oil are myrcene, followed by limonene and citral along with geraniol, citronellol, geranyl acetate, neral, and nerol, which are beneficial to human health. A large part of lemongrass' expansion is driven by the plant's huge industrial potential in the food, cosmetics, and medicinal sectors. A great deal of experimental and modeling study was conducted on the extraction of essential oils. Using Google Scholar and PubMed databases, a systematic review of the literature covering the period from 1996 to 2022 was conducted, in accordance with the PRISMA declaration. There were articles on chemistry, biosynthesis, extraction techniques and worldwide demand of lemongrass oil. We compared the effectiveness of several methods of extracting lemongrass essential oil, including solvent extraction, supercritical CO2 extraction, steam distillation, hydrodistillation (HD), and microwave aided hydrodistillation (MAHD). Moreover, essential oils found in lemongrass and its bioactivities have a significant impact on human health. This manuscript demonstrates the different extraction techniques of lemongrass essential oil and its physiological benefits on diabetic wound healing, tissue repair and regeneration, as well as its immense contribution in ameliorating arthritis and joint pain.Key teaching pointsThe international market demand prediction and the pharmacological benefits of the Lemongrass essential oil have been thoroughly reported here.This article points out that different extraction techniques yield different percentages of citral and other secondary metabolites from lemon grass, for example, microwave assisted hydrodistillation and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction process yields more citral.This article highlights the concept and application of lemongrass oil in aromatherapy, joint-pain, and arthritis.Moreover, this manuscript includes a discussion about the effect of lemongrass oil on diabetic wound healing and tissue regeneration - that paves the way for further research.

Acyclic monoterpenoid-rich essential oil of Cymbopogon distans mitigates skin inflammation: a chemico-pharmacological study.

The topical application of essential oils is considered an effective treatment for skin diseases. Cymbopogon distans (Nees ex Steud.) Wats (Poaceae) is a promising aromatic grass widespread in the Himalayan temperate zone. Therefore, using in-vitro and in-vivo bioassays, we examined the chemical and pharmacological characteristics of essential oil hydro-distilled from C. distans coded as CDA-01, specifically concerning skin inflammation. Characterization using GC-FID and GC-MS provided a chemical fingerprint for CDA-01, enabling the identification of 54 compounds; amongst them, citral (34.3%), geranyl acetate (21.2%), and geraniol (16.4%) were the most abundant. To examine the anti-inflammatory potential, CDA-01 treatment on LPS-stimulated macrophage cells in addition to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) generated cutaneous inflammatory reaction in the mouse ear was assessed through quantification of the inflammatory markers. Consequently, CDA-01 demonstrated protection against inflammation caused by LPS by lowering the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) level in HaCaT cells with negligible cytotoxicity. Consistent with the in-vitro findings, CDA-01 treatment reduced pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-, IL-6, and NO) and lipid peroxidation in an in-vivo investigation. Subcutaneous inflammation in TPA-treated mice ears was similarly decreased, as evidenced by the histological and morphological studies. As a result of our findings, it is possible that CDA-01 could be an effective treatment for skin inflammation disorders.

In silico modeling revealed phytomolecules derived from Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) leaf extract as promising candidates for malaria therapy.

The emergence of varying levels of resistance to currently available antimalarial drugs significantly threatens global health. This factor heightens the urgency to explore bioactive compounds from natural products with a view to discovering and developing newer antimalarial drugs with novel mode of actions. Therefore, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of sixteen phytocompounds from Cymbopogon citratus leaf extract against Plasmodium falciparum drug targets such as P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP), P. falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (PfMSP1) and P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). In silico approaches including molecular docking, pharmacophore modeling and 3D-QSAR were adopted to analyze the inhibitory activity of the compounds under consideration. The molecular docking results indicated that a compound swertiajaponin from C. citratus exhibited a higher binding affinity (-7.8 kcal/mol) to PfMSP1 as against the standard artesunate-amodiaquine (-6.6 kcal/mol). Swertiajaponin also formed strong hydrogen bond interactions with LYS29, CYS30, TYR34, ASN52, GLY55 and CYS28 amino acid residues. In addition, quercetin another compound from C. citratus exhibited significant binding energies -6.8 and -8.3 kcal/mol with PfCSP and PfEMP1, respectively but slightly lower than the standard artemether-lumefantrine with binding energies of -7.4 kcal/mol against PfCSP and -8.7 kcal/mol against PfEMP1. Overall, the present study provides evidence that swertiajaponin and other phytomolecules from C. citratus have modulatory properties toward P. falciparum drug targets and thus may warrant further exploration in early drug discovery efforts against malaria. Furthermore, these findings lend credence to the folkloric use of C. citratus for malaria treatment.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Fungicide potential of citronella and tea tree essential oils against tomato cultivation's phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and analysis of their chemical composition by GC/MS.

Tomato is one of the most produced and consumed fruits in the world. However, it is a crop that faces several phytosanitary problems, such as fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate citronella and melaleuca essential oils in vitro potential in the fungus F. oxysporum management. The chemical identification of the components in the essential oils was performed by gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometer detectors. The IC50 and IC90 were determined by linear regression and the percentage of inhibition of the fungus by analysis of variance. The major compounds in citronella essential oil were citronellal, Geraniol, and citronellol; in melaleuca (tea tree) oil were terpinen-4-ol and α-terpinene. Both oils promoted more significant inhibition at concentrations of 1.5 and 2.5 µL/mL, besides not presenting significant differences with commercial fungicides, confirming the high potential for using this control method in agriculture.

Andrographolide: A Diterpenoid from Cymbopogon schoenanthus Identified as a New Hit Compound against Trypanosoma cruzi Using Machine Learning and Experimental Approaches.

American Trypanosomiasis, also known as Chagas disease, is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and exhibits limited options for treatment. Natural products offer various structurally complex metabolites with biological activities, including those with anti-T. cruzi potential. The discovery and development of prototypes based on natural products frequently display multiple phases that could be facilitated by machine learning techniques to provide a fast and efficient method for selecting new hit candidates. Using Random Forest and k-Nearest Neighbors, two models were constructed to predict the biological activity of natural products from plants against intracellular amastigotes of T. cruzi. The diterpenoid andrographolide was identified from a virtual screening as a promising hit compound. Hereafter, it was isolated from Cymbopogon schoenanthus and chemically characterized by spectral data analysis. Andrographolide was evaluated against trypomastigote and amastigote forms of T. cruzi, showing IC50 values of 29.4 and 2.9 µM, respectively, while the standard drug benznidazole displayed IC50 values of 17.7 and 5.0 µM, respectively. Additionally, the isolated compound exhibited a reduced cytotoxicity (CC50 = 92.8 µM) against mammalian cells and afforded a selectivity index (SI) of 32, similar to that of benznidazole (SI = 39). From the in silico analyses, we can conclude that andrographolide fulfills many requirements implemented by DNDi to be a hit compound. Therefore, this work successfully obtained machine learning models capable of predicting the activity of compounds against intracellular forms of T. cruzi.

In vitro and in silico prediction of antibacterial interaction between essential oils via graph embedding approach.

Essential oils contain a variety of volatile metabolites, and are expected to be utilized in wide fields such as antimicrobials, insect repellents and herbicides. However, it is difficult to foresee the effect of oil combinations because hundreds of compounds can be involved in synergistic and antagonistic interactions. In this research, it was developed and evaluated a machine learning method to classify types of (synergistic/antagonistic/no) antibacterial interaction between essential oils. Graph embedding was employed to capture structural features of the interaction network from literature data, and was found to improve in silico predicting performances to classify synergistic interactions. Furthermore, in vitro antibacterial assay against a standard strain of Staphylococcus aureus revealed that four essential oil pairs (Origanum compactum-Trachyspermum ammi, Cymbopogon citratus-Thujopsis dolabrata, Cinnamomum verum-Cymbopogon citratus and Trachyspermum ammi-Zingiber officinale) exhibited synergistic interaction as predicted. These results indicate that graph embedding approach can efficiently find synergistic interactions between antibacterial essential oils.

The effectiveness of hot-air, infrared and hybrid drying techniques for lemongrass: appearance acceptability, essential oil yield, and volatile compound preservation.

Lemongrass is a fragrant herb with lengthy, thin leaves that contains myrcene (an aromatic compound) as well as citral and geraniol (antimicrobial compounds). Therefore, identifying an appropriate drying method for this plant is crucial for maintaining aromatic and antimicrobial compounds and enhancing the shelf life of the product. This investigation seeks to assess the influence of various drying tactics involving hot air at temperatures of 40, 50, and 60 °C, infrared radiation at intensities of 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8 [Formula: see text], sequential hot-air/infrared, as well as simultaneous hot air-infrared, on the drying mechanism, color, appearance, yield, and essential oil constituents of lemongrass leaves, with the objective of enhancing the marketability of the product. The essential oils of lemongrass were extracted through the process of hydro-distillation, and subsequently, the volatile compounds present were analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The findings indicated: (a) The most appropriate technique for preserving optimal color quality of lemongrass leaves was through the application of hot air drying solely at a temperature of 60 °C; (b) To optimize the retention and amplification of the essential oil content in lemongrass, our study recommends the employment of a simultaneous hybrid drying technique involving hot air drying at a temperature of 50 °C in conjunction with infrared drying set at a radiation intensity level of 0.6 [Formula: see text]; and (c) The data analysis demonstrated that in order to achieve elevated levels of volatile compounds, specifically neral and geranial, infrared drying with a radiation intensity of 0.6 and 0.8 [Formula: see text], respectively, was found to be optimal.

Citronella essential oil-based nanoemulsion as a post-emergence natural herbicide.

A natural herbicide nanoemulsion was fabricated from citronella (Cymbopogon nardus L.) essential oil (CEO) and a nonionic surfactant Tween 60 mixed with Span 60 at hydrophilic-lipophilic balance 14 using a microfluidization method. The main constituents of CEO were citronellol (35.244%), geraniol (21.906%), and citronellal (13.632%). CEO nanoemulsion droplet size and polydispersity index (PI) were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The smallest droplet size (33.2 nm, PI 0.135) was obtained from a microfluidizer at 20,000 psi, 7 cycles. Nanoemulsion droplet in transmission electron microscopy correlated with DLS confirmed CEO to successfully produce nanoemulsion. The herbicidal activity of the nanoemulsion as a foliar spray was evaluated against Echinochloa cruss-galli and Amaranthus tricolor as representative narrow- and broadleaf weed plants, both of which presented visual toxicity symptoms. The modes of action of the nanoemulsion were then determined in terms of membrane integrity (relative electrolyte leakage; REL), malondialdehyde (MDA), and photosynthetic pigment contents. The results showed increase in REL and MDA which indicated the destruction of the treated plants; additionally, chlorophylls and carotenoid contents were decreased. Consequently, CEO nanoemulsion may have the possibility to act as a natural herbicide resource, and natural herbicides from citronella nanoemulsions could be good alternatives for use in sustainable agriculture.

UVC-Protective Activity of Lemongrass Among 12 Fat-soluble Herbal Extracts: Rapid Decay Due to Cytotoxicity.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the rapid spread of the use of ultraviolet C (UVC) sterilizers in many public facilities. Considering the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to UVC, manufacturing of safe skin care products is an important countermeasure. In continuation of our recent study of water-soluble herbal extracts, the present study aimed at searching for anti-UVC components from fat-soluble herbal extracts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human dermal fibroblast and melanoma cells were exposed to UVC (1.193 W/m2) for 3 min. Viable cell number was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Cell-cycle analysis was performed using a cell sorter. UVC-protective activity was quantified by the selective index (SI), i.e., the ratio of the 50% cytotoxic concentration for unirradiated cells to the concentration that restored viability of UVC-treated cells by 50%. RESULTS: Only lemongrass extract, among 12 fat-soluble herbal extracts, showed significant anti-UVC activity, comparable to that of lignified materials and tannins, but exceeding that of N-acetyl-L-cysteine and resveratrol. Lemongrass extract was highly cytotoxic, producing a subG1 cell population. During prolonged incubation in culture medium, the anti-UVC activity of lemongrass extract, sodium ascorbate and vanillic acid declined with an approximate half-life of <0.7, 5.4-21.6, and 27.8-87.0 h, respectively. CONCLUSION: Removal of cytotoxic principle(s) from lemongrass extract is crucial to producing long-lasting UVC-protective effects.

Development and analysis of de novo transcriptome assemblies of multiple genotypes of Cymbopogon spp. reveal candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of aromatic monoterpenes.

Despite the high economic value of the monoterpene-rich essential oils from different genotypes of Cymbopogon, the knowledge about the genes and metabolic route(s) involved in the biosynthesis of aromatic monoterpenes in this genus is limited. In the present study, a comprehensive transcriptome analysis of four genotypes of Cymbopogon, displaying diverse quantitative and qualitative profiles of volatile monoterpenes in their essential oils has been carried out. The comparative analysis of the deduced protein sequences corresponding to the transcriptomes of the four genotypes revealed 4609 genotype-specific orthogroups, which might contribute in defining genotype-specific phenotypes. The transcriptome data mining led to the identification of unigenes involved in the isoprenogenesis. The homology searches, combined with the phylogenetic and expression analyses provided information about candidate genes concerning the biosynthesis of monoterpene aldehyde, monoterpene alcohol, and monoterpene esters. In addition, the present study suggests a potential role of geranial reductase like enzyme in the biosynthesis of monoterpene aldehyde in Cymbopogon spp. The detailed analysis of the candidate pathway genes suggested that multiple enzymatic routes might be involved in the biosynthesis of aromatic monoterpenes in the genus Cymbopogon. The present study provides deeper insights into the biosynthesis of monoterpenes, which will be useful for the genetic improvement of these aromatic grasses.