Antimicrobial Activity and Chemical Composition of Albanian Oregano

Antimicrobial activity of methanolic and aqueous methanolic extracts of oregano was tested against: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas spp, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111 and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028. Antimicrobial activity of oregano essential oil was also tested against: E.coli, P.aeruginosa, S.aureus and C. albicans. Only oregano essential oil was active against microorganisms selected. Essential oil of oregano was analysed by GC-MS. Eighteen components were identified representing 99.48% of the oil. Monoterpenes phenols and derivatives (borneol, 4-terpineol, carvacrol methyl ether, thymoquinone, thymol, carvacrol) represented 74.66 % of essential oil. Carvacrol, p-cymene, thymol and γ-terpinene were the main components. Sesquiterpenes such as trans-caryophyllene, α-humulene, β-bisabolene, δ-Cadinene, caryophyllene oxide were also found

Composition in Phenolic Compounds of Elderflower from Albania. Investigation of Antimicrobial Activity

Dried samples of elder flower were analysed HPLC-DADMS/MS to find out the major phenolic compounds. Five hydroxycinnamates (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-Ocaffeoylquinic acid, 1-/5-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid, 1/5,3di-O-caffeoylquinic acid, x,4-di-Ocaffeoylquinic acid) and six flavonol glycosides (quercetin-3-Orhamnosylglucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, rhamnetin/isorhamnetin-3-O-hexoside, rhamnetin/isorhamnetin-3-O-rhamnosylglucoside, rhamnetin/isorhamnetin-3-O-acetylhexoside and naringenin) were identified. Two more flavonoid were tentativly identified as quercetine-O-dihexoside and naringenin chalcone. Antimicrobial activity of methanolic and aqueous methanolic extracts of S.nigra were tested against: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas spp, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111 and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028. Elder flower extracts (1 mg/mL) failed to inhibit the growth of microorganisms tested

Chemical characterization of the aphid antifeedant extracts from Dittrichia viscosa and Ferula communis

7 páginas, 1 figura y 4 tablas estadísticasThe plant defensive activities of the hexane and ethanolic extracts from Dittrichia viscosa and Ferula communis against generalist herbivorous insects (Spodoptera littoralis and Myzus persicae), are described here. Additionally we tested for their effects on nematodes (Meloidogyne javanica) and plants (Lactuca sativa and Lolium perenne). These plant extracts showed variable biological effects, their aphid antifeedant action being the most important. The bioassay-guided search for aphid antifeedant compounds resulted in the isolation of tomentosin (1), inuviscolide (2) and ferulenol (3). Tomentosin (1) rich extracts of D. viscosa were more active than ferulenol (3) rich extracts from F. communisMICINN (CTQ2009-14629-C01)Peer reviewe

Insecticidal and nematicidal activity of mediterranean plant extracts

Trabajo presentado en la 8th Conference on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (8th CMAPSEEC) celebrada en Albania del 19 al 22 de mayo de 2014.Insecticides from plant origin may be used as an alternative to synthetic ones aiming a partial or total replacement of synthetic insecticides which have negative impact in environment and human health. The aim of this work was to studyDittrichiaviscosa and Ferula communis plant extracts for their insecticidal activity against Spodopteralittoralisand nematicidal activity against Meloidogynejavanica.Air dried plant parts collected in Apuglia region (rootF.communis and young shootD.viscosa) were extracted by soxhlet with hexane and successively with ethanol. The antifeedant activity of the plant extracts were investigated on sixth-instar larvae of S. littoralis. F. communis root ethanolic (FcREtOH) and both D. viscosa extracts (DvAHex and DvAEtOH) exhibited a significant reduction ofS. littoralis larvae feeding.The nematicidal activity of the plant extracts, evaluated as percentage of immobile nematodes, indicate that D. viscosayoung shoot extract has the highest nematicidal activity on second stage juveniles of M. javanica. Other tested extract presented no or low nematicidal activity.Peer Reviewe

Chemical Composition and In Vitro Activity of Plant Extracts from Ferula communis and Dittrichia viscosa against Postharvest Fungi

F. communis and D. viscosa are perennial Mediterranean weeds that have been used for different therapeutic purposes in traditional pharmacopeia. Plant extracts were obtained from air dried D. viscosa young shoots (DvA) and F. communis aerial part (FcA) and roots (FcR) with n-hexane. The chemical compositions of the extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, LC-MS (ESI) and LC-Q-TOF techniques. Two sesquiterpene lactones (inuviscolide, tomentosin) and three sesquiterpene acids (costic acid, hydroxycostic acid, ilicic acid) were identified from the D. viscosa extract, while in F. communis extracts three daucane sesquiterpenes (acetoxyferutinin, oxojaeskeanadioyl anisate, fertidin) and one coumarin (ferulenol) derivates were found. Biological activities of plant extracts were studied in in vitro experiments on the colonies and conidia of Botryotinia fuckeliana, Penicillium digitatum, P. expansum, Monilinia laxa, M. fructigena and Aspergillus spp. Extracts showed varying degree of antifungal activities on colony growth and conidia germination. The extract from FcA showed the least effect, while DvA extract had the strongest fungitoxic effects. FcR extract presented a fungitoxic effect on the colony growth, but it was not able to inhibit the conidia germination. These distinctions can be attributed to the differences in chemical composition of plant extracts

Brettanomyces spoilage in Albanian wines assessed by culture-dependent and culture-independent methods

In the Albanian winemaking industry, there is little awareness of the potential detrimental effect of Brettanomyces in wines. The aim of this study was to detect and quantify Brettanomyces cells in 22 Albanian bottled wines, representing all the viticultural areas of Albania. A combined approach, including culture-dependent (viable plate counting) and culture-independent (qPCR) methods, was applied. Spoilage indicators (ethylphenols and total and volatile acidity), as well as the primary factors known to influence the growth of Brettanomyces in wine (pH, SO2 and ethanol concentration), were also investigated. Brettanomyces was detected in only five (1 Merlot, 4 Sheshi i Zi) out of 22 samples analyzed using viable counting, with loads ranging from 1.30 ± 0.03 log CFU mL-1 to 3.99 ± 0.00 log CFU mL-1, while it was never detected in the Kallmet samples. When qPCR was applied, Brettanomyces cells were detected and quantified in all of the samples with a generally low load ranging from 0.47 ± 0.13 to 3.99 ± 0.01 log cells mL-1. As a general trend, the loads of spoilage by this yeast were low (≤ 1.92 log cells mL-1), with the exception of five samples that were also positive by plate counting. A positive correlation between the growth of this spoilage yeast on Dekkera/Brettanomyces differential media (DBDM) and its detection at high levels by qPCR was observed. A significant positive correlation between Brettanomyces and the concentration of ethylphenols and volatile acidity was also found. In summary, the results of this study demonstrated the low incidence of Brettanomyces spoilage yeasts in Albanian red wines. Practical Application: The awareness of Brettanomyces spoilage in the Albanian winemaking industry is very low. This study represents the first contribution to understand the extent of this spoilage yeast in Albanian autochthonous cultivars, which tend to have high economic value, to ensure product quality and safety. qPCR is confirmed to be a very sensitive method to rapidly detect Brettanomyces spoilage in wine samples