Toxicity and gastric tolerance of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum in Wistar rats

Oils of Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum are widely used for their medicinal properties, and as food flavours and perfumes. Recently in a study in West Africa, these oils have been recommended to combat Fusarium verticillioides and subsequent fumonisin contamination in stored maize, but their toxicological profile was not investigated. The current study was undertaken to provide data on acute and subacute toxicity as well as on gastric tolerance of these oils in rat. For this purpose, the oils were given by gavage to Wistar rats for 14 consecutive days. The animals were observed daily for their general behaviour and survival, and their visceral organs such as stomach and liver were taken after sacrifice for histological analyses. A dose-dependent effect of the tested oils was observed during the study. Applied at doses generally higher than 1500 mg/kg body weight, the oils caused significant functional damages to stomach and liver of rat. Unlike the other oils, administration of O. gratissimum oil did not result in adverse effects in rat liver at the tested doses. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the tested oils has been established. The three tested oils can be considered as safe to human when applied on stored maize at recommended concentrations.     

Pharmacological evaluation of some bioactive plant products on albino rats

The study comprises the pharmacological trials with essential oils of Caesulia axillaris, Ocimum gratissimum and Mentha arvensis which have shown strong antifungal property. The biochemical analysis of blood and serum of albino rats fed with the oil treated diet for sixty days exhibited nonanimal toxic nature of the oils. The study reveals the possibility of further exploitation of the oils as safe antifungal agents of plant origin.     

The formulation of an effective topical antibacterial product containing Ocimum gratissimum leaf essential oil

The antibacterial potential of Ocimum gratissimum essential oil was explored. Liquid and semisolid formulations of the oil were designed in a variety of bases for topical antiseptic medication. The products were evaluated by agar diffusion assay against type strains and clinical isolates from boil, wound and pimples. Remarkable antibacterial effects, higher than those of commercial antiseptic products, were demonstrated at 2% Ocimum oil concentration in some bases. The properties of base into which the oil was incorporated affected its activity. It was more effective in hydrophilic bases than in lipophilic bases. Solubilization and microemulsification grossly reduced its activity.     

Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Palmarosa, Evening Primrose, Lavender and Tuberose

Essential oils extracted from flower petals of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martini), evening primrose (Primula rosea), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and tuberose (Polianthus tuberosa) were tested for their antibacterial activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Different concentrations of each essential oil ranging from 10-100% were tested. Both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were found susceptible to the studied flower essential oils. With increase in concentration of essential oil, increase in zone of inhibition was observed thus dose-dependent response was clear for each essential oil. Essential oil extracted from Cymbopogon martini showed the highest activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria among the tested essential oils.     

Chemical analysis and antifungal activity of the essential oil of Calea clematidea

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Calea clematidea Baker obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves and flowers was analysed by GC and GC/MS and the oils were assayed for their antifungal activities. The essential oil of the leaves showed a high content of a new natural epoxy terpenoid, named clemateol (ca. 70 %), with minor amounts of o-vanillin (6.5 %), spathulenol (4.2 %), alpha-terpinene (4.0 %), germacrene B (2.9 %), yomogi alcohol (1.8 %), ( E)-caryophylene (1.7 %), m-cymenene (1.6 %), and alpha-gurjunene (1.5 %), while the essential oil of the flowers was characterized by a higher content of thymol methyl ether (ca. 80 %), with minor amounts of clemateol (4.8 %) and o-cymene (4.7 %). The antimicrobial activity of the oils was also evaluated against dermatophytes for their possible use in pharmaceutical preparations for topical applications. The oil of the leaves (MIC > 3.57 mg/ml), clemateol (MIC > 1.52 mg/ml), and the alcohol 2 (MIC > 2.82 mg/ml) showed a moderate antifungal activity against Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton menthagrophytes var. i nterdigitale, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis and Microsporum nanum.     

Enhanced hypotensive effects of the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum leaves and its main constituent, eugenol, in DOCA-salt hypertensive conscious rats

The cardiovascular effects of intravenous (i.v.) treatment with the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum (EOOG) and its main constituent, eugenol (Eug) were investigated in the experimental model of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA-salt)-hypertensive rats. In both conscious DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and their uninephrectomized controls, i.v. bolus injections of EOOG (1 - 20 mg/kg) or Eug (1 - 10 mg/kg) induced dose-dependent hypotension and bradycardia. Treatment with DOCA-salt significantly enhanced the maximal decreases in mean aortic pressure (MAP) elicited by hexamethonium (30 mg/kg, i.v.) as well as the hypotensive responses to both EOOG and Eug without affecting the bradycardia. However, the enhancement of EOOG-induced hypotension in hypertensive rats remained unaffected by i.v. pretreatment with either hexamethonium (30 mg/kg) or methylatropine (1 mg/kg). These results show that i.v. treatment with EOOG or Eug dose-dependently decreased blood pressure in conscious DOCA-salt hypertensive rats, and this action is enhanced when compared with uninephrectomized controls. This enhancement appears related mainly to an increase in EOOG-induced vascular smooth relaxation rather than to enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity in this hypertensive model.     

The essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum L (author's transl)

The Essential Oil of Ocimum gratissimum L . The qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oil of O. gratissimum L. (thymol variety) was determined by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. The oil composition of the plant grown and dried in Germany is comparable with the oil of plants harvested on the Ivory Coast, while quantitative differences between fresh and dried material harvested from the same location were observed. Furthermore it was established that the main component of seedlings-oil of O. gratissimum L. is methyleugenol while thymol is absent. The use of the plant in African native medicine is discussed.     

Essential Oil Composition of Cymbopogon winterianus. and Carum carvi. and Their Antimicrobial Activities

Abstract

The chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon winterianus. Jowitt (syn. Cymbopogon nardus. (L.) W. Watson var. mahapengiri. Winter) (Poaceae) and Carum carvi. L. (Apiaceae) essential oils were investigated against 19 fungal and 7 bacterial species. Among the tested species were food contaminants, spoilage fungi, as well as plant or fungi and animal pathogens. In order to determine minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), microdilution tests were used. Citronellal and trans.-geraniol were dominant in Cymbopogon winterianus. oil, whereas carvone and limonene were the main components in Carum carvi. oil. The essential oil of C.. carvi. possessed stronger antifungal and antibacterial potential than did citronella oil     

Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oils from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium

The essential oils from the aerial parts of leaves, fruits and flowers of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium of Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), were analysed by GC, GC/MS, and chiral phase gas chromatography (CPGC). Forty-eight compounds were identified from the essential oils. The major constituents of the essential oil of the leaves were germacrene D (34 %) and bicyclogermacrene (23 %) and of the fruits, menth-2-en-1-ol (46.2 %), beta-myrcene (30.2 %), (-)-linalool (15 %) and (-)-alpha-terpineol (8.45 %). beta-Myrcene (65 %) and menth-2-en-1-ol (5.4 %) dominate the essential oil of the flowers. The oils of the leaves and fruits were bioactive with antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive), and Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella setubal bacteria (Gram negative) microorganisms, while the essential oil of the flowers was inactive.     

Essential oil from Zanthoxylum hyemale

The essential oils from aerial parts of young (sample A) and mature leaves (sample B), fruit (sample C), and flowers (sample D) of Zanthoxylum hyemale were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC, GC/MS, and chiral phase gas chromatography (CPGC). Thirty-four compounds were identified from the essential oils, representing approximately 90.71, 91.19, 87.33, and 89.08 % of the oils, respectively. The major constituent of the young leaf essential oil was the sesquiterpene trans-nerolidol (51 %), while the main constituent of mature leaf (31 %) and flower oils (22 %) was an as yet unknown humulane-type sesquiterpenoid, which was characterized by spectral techniques (EI-MS and 1D-, 2D-NMR) as 3,7,10,10-tetramethylcycloundeca-3,7-dien-1-ol ( 1) and given the trivial name "hyemalol". In the fruit essential oil, the most abundant components were the monoterpenes beta-pinene (25 %) and alpha-pinene (10 %). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils and some isolated compounds is also reported.     

Chemical Composition,In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oils of Ocimum Gratissimum,O. Sanctum and their Major Constituents

The essential oils of the flowering aerial parts of two Ocimum species viz., Ocimum gratissimum and O. sanctum were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The principal constituent of O. gratissimum and O. sanctum was eugenol (75.1%) and methyl eugenol (92.4%), comprising 99.3 and 98.9% of the total oils, respectively. In vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of O. gratissimum, O. sanctum and their major compounds eugenol and methyl eugenol were screened by using tube dilution methods. O. gratissimum oil was found highly active against S. marcescens while O. sanctum oil showed significant activity against A. niger and S. faecalis. Methyl eugenol exhibited significant activity against P. aeruginosa while eugenol was effective only against S. aureus. Antioxidant activity of oils, eugenol, and methyl eugenol was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2’- azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assays. Essential oil of O. gratissimum showed comparative antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values 23.66±0.55 and 23.91±0.49 μg/ml in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2’- azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) models, respectively. Eugenol showed slightly weaker antioxidant activity compared to oil of O. gratissimum, while O. sanctum oil demonstrated very feeble antioxidant activity and methyl eugenol did not show any activity. Eugenol and methyl eugenol would be elite source from O. gratissimum and O. sanctum, respectively, of this region could be consider as a source of natural food antioxidant, preservatives, and as an antiseptic.     

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Artemisia scoparia and A. capillaris

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained from Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kitamura and Artemisia capillaris Thunb. was analyzed by GC/MS. The essential oil of A. scoparia was rich in camphor (11.0 %), 1,8-cineole (21.5 %), and beta-caryophyllene (6.8 %) as the major compounds, whereas A. capillaris oil was rich in beta-pinene (9.4 %), beta-caryophyllene (11.1 %), and capillene (32.7 %). The essential oils and some of their major compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 15 different genera of oral bacteria. The essential oils of A. scoparia and A. capillaris exhibited considerable inhibitory effects against all oral bacteria tested, while their major components demonstrated various degrees of growth inhibition.     

Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines

Citral, 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-al, a key component of the lemon-scented essential oils extracted from several herbal plants such as lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), melissa (Melissa officinalis), verbena (Verbena officinalis) is used as a food additive and as a fragrance in cosmetics. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer potential of citral and its mode of action. Concentrations of 44.5 muM, comparable to the concentration of citral in a cup of tea prepared from 1 g of lemon grass, induced apoptosis in several hematopoietic cancer cell lines. Apoptosis was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 catalytic activity induction. Citral activity (22.25 microM) was compared to a reference compound like staurosporine (0.7 microM), in respect to DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 enzymatic activity. The apoptotic effect of citral depended on the alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde group.     

Studies on Ocimum gratissimum seed mucilage: evaluation of binding properties

Mucilage extracted from Ocimum gratissimum seeds, inertness and safety parameters established by a previous study was subjected to preformulation trial to assess its suitability as a pharmaceutical binder. Properties of the granules prepared with calcium carbonate using different concentrations of ocimum and compared with acacia (5%, w/w), as standard. Ocimum at 2.3% (w/w) level was found to be comparable with 5% (w/w) of acacia. Effect on drug release studied with paracetamol indicated that ocimum mucilage could be an alternative to acacia.     

Antioxidant potential of Cymbopogon citratus extract: alleviation of carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic oxidative stress and toxicity

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Cymbopogon citratus against carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-mediated hepatic oxidative damage in rats. Rats were administrated with C. citratus extract (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w.) for 14 days before the challenge of CCl(4) (1.2 ml/kg b.w. p.o) on 13th and 14th days. Hepatic damage was evaluated by employing serum biochemical parameters (alanine aminotransferase-ALT, aspartate aminotransferase-AST and lactate dehydrogenase-LDH), malondialdehye (MDA) level, reduced GSH and antioxidant enzymes (catalase: CAT, glutathione peroxidase: GPX, quinone reductase: QR, glutathione S-transferase: GST, glutathione reductase: GR, glucose-6-phosphate dehyrogenase: G6PD). In addition, CCl(4)-mediated hepatic damage was further evaluated by histopathological examination. However, most of these changes were alleviated by prophylactic treatment of animals with C. citratus dose dependently (p < 0.05). The protection was further evident through decreased histopathological alterations in liver. The results of the present study indicated that the hepatoprotective effect of C. citratus might be ascribable to its antioxidant and free radical scavenging property.     

Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils of Guggul (Commiphora wightii) Collected from Madhya Pradesh

The present study reports physicochemical characterization and antioxidant activity of essential oils extracted from guggul (Commiphora wightii) exudates collected from different places in Madhya Pradesh, India. The guggul exudates were hydrodistilled for 3-4 h in Clevenger apparatus. The oil obtained was dried over anhydrous Na₂SO₄ and stored at 4° until testing. Before extraction of oils from the exudates, their % moisture and tristimulus values of the colors namely L (white-black), a (green-red) and b (blue-yellow) were determined. Physicochemical characterization of the extracted oils was carried out to determine their solubility, yield%, acid value (mg/KOH/g), saponification value (mg/KOH/g), ester value, iodine value (g/g), peroxide value (mEq/kg) and Fourier transformed infrared analyses. The storage-effect on the % moisture and tristimulus values of the colors of guggul exudates as also the % oil yield and physicochemical parameters of the essential oils extracted from them, were studied using three different packaging materials viz., local plastic, low density polyethylene (200 G) and high density polyethylene (200 G). The antioxidant potential of extracted oils was evaluated by free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl assay.     

Molluscicidal and larvicidal activities and essential oil composition of Cymbopogon winterianus

Abstract

Context. Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor (Poaceae), known as citronella grass, is an aromatic herbaceous plant and the essential oil extracted from this grass is used in cosmetics, perfumes, hygiene and cleanliness products worldwide.

Objective: This study investigated the composition and molluscicidal and larvicidal activities of the essential oil of C. winterianus cultivated in North Brazil.

Materials and methods: The oil was obtained by hydrodistillation, analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry and then its molluscicidal and larvicidal activities against snails (Biomphalaria glabrata) and hatched larvae of Artemia salina, respectively, were evaluated at concentrations from 10 to 1000?mg/L.

Results: The main constituents of oil were citronellal (26.5%), geraniol (16.2%), elemol (14.5%) and citronellol (7.3%). The molluscicidal test revealed significant lethal concentration (LC) values (LC₉₀?=?97.0?mg/L, LC₅₀?=?54.0?mg/L and LC₂₀?=?22.0?mg/L), indicating the presence of molluscicidal compounds in the oil. In addition, the oil showed moderate larvicidal activity (LC₅₀?=?181.0?mg/L) against the larvae of A. salina, which could justify its use in the aquatic environment without affecting other living organisms.

Discussion and conclusion: The results suggest that the oil of C. winterianus could be an effective alternative to control schistosomiasis, with an average margin of safety to other living organisms that coexist with snails.     

Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of the essential oil of Lippia graveolens from Guatemala

The composition and the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Lippia graveolens H.B.K. collected in Guatemala were studied. Two samples of essential oils were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The oils were characterized by their high content of monoterpenes (70.0-87.2 %). Important differences between the major constituents were found, particularly for carvacrol (0.2 vs. 44.8 %), thymol (18.1 vs. 7.4 %) and p-cymene (6.8 vs. 21.8 %). Both oils showed significant activity against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as against fungi. Nevertheless, the oil with the higher carvacrol content was found to be more active than the thymol type, with MICs ranging from 0.25 to 0.83 microL/mL and 0.12 to 0.27 microL/mL for bacteria and fungi, respectively.     

Citronellol, a monoterpene alcohol, reduces nociceptive and inflammatory activities in rodents

We describe the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of citronellol (CT) in rodents. CT, a monoterpene alcohol, is a naturally occurring monoterpene compound prevalent in essential oils of various aromatic plant species, such as Cymbopogon citratus. In mice, when evaluated against acetic-acid-induced abdominal writhing, CT (25, 50 and 100?mg/kg, i.p.) reduced (P?相似文献   

Composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Satureja parnassica subsp parnassica

The essential oils of Satureja parnassica subsp. parnassica (samples A and B), were analyzed by means of GC/MS. From the fifty-seven identified constituents representing 98.5 % and 99.35 % of the oils respectively, ( E)-caryophyllene, carvacrol and caryophyllene oxide were the major components of sample A (flowering stage), whereas in sample B (vegetative stage) major components were spathulenol, p-cymene and linalool. The oils were tested against Helicobacter pylori (HP), as well as against six aerobically growing bacteria. Both samples showed a moderate activity against Gram-positive bacteria; sample A oil showed greater anti-HP activity than sample B.