The role of flavor and fragrance chemicals in TRPA1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, member A1) activity associated with allergies

TRPA1 has been proposed to be associated with diverse sensory allergic reactions, including thermal (cold) nociception, hearing and allergic inflammatory conditions. Some naturally occurring compounds are known to activate TRPA1 by forming a Michael addition product with a cysteine residue of TRPA1 through covalent protein modification and, in consequence, to cause allergic reactions. The anti-allergic property of TRPA1 agonists may be due to the activation and subsequent desensitization of TRPA1 expressed in sensory neurons. In this review, naturally occurring TRPA1 antagonists, such as camphor, 1,8-cineole, menthol, borneol, fenchyl alcohol and 2-methylisoborneol, and TRPA1 agonists, including thymol, carvacrol, 1’S-1’- acetoxychavicol acetate, cinnamaldehyde, α-n-hexyl cinnamic aldehyde and thymoquinone as well as isothiocyanates and sulfides are discussed

GC-MS analysis of Nigella sativa seeds and antimicrobial activity of its volatile oil

The present study dealt with the hydro distillation of Nigella sativa seeds and GC-MS analysis. The total composition of the oil was 86.7%. The seed volatile oil was tested against 19 microbes (Gram positive, Gram negative and fungi), which showed that Gram negative bacteria Haemophilus influenza, Klebsiella pnemoniae, and Proteus vulgaris were highly sensitive against the antimicrobial agent, whereas the fungi such as Trichoderma vibriae,. Pencillium rubrum; and Dermatophyte: Trichophyton mentagrophytes; had no response at the 20µl concentration

GC-MS analysis and inhibitory efficacy of Leucas aspera l. leaf volatile oil against selected microbes

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenza and Candida albicans, were highly sensitive to 20ml of the volatile oil of Leucas aspera. The chemical compositions of volatile oil identified by GC-MS analysis were carvone, carvacrol, menthol, phellandral, farnesene, caryophyllene and two new compounds to the pant namely Alloaromadendrene and Caryophyllene. Keywords: Leucas aspera, Labiatae, volatile oil, Antimicrobial assay.Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol. 11 2007 pp. 80-8